The variation in Fas localization and the changes in Fas expression level upon stimulation with growth factors.

Although Fas (APO-1/CD95) is well known as a death receptor, its stimulation occasionally fails to induce apoptosis in malignant cells. On the contrary, Fas is reported to advance the cell cycle in cancer cells. Therefore, we investigated roles of Fas in cell growth and apoptosis using human lung cancer cell lines.

Intracellular conversion of irinotecan to its active form, SN-38, by native carboxylesterase in human non-small cell lung cancer.

The anticancer agent irinotecan (CPT-11) is a prodrug converted to its active form, SN-38, by human carboxylesterase (hCE) and the SN-38 is further metabolized to its inactive form, SN-38G. We investigated the expression of hCE in human lung cancer cells as well as the ability of these cells to convert CPT-11 to SN-38 using surgically resected tumor samples and cultured cell lines. SN-38 was 40- to 3,000-fold more toxic to lung cancer cell lines than CPT-11, which acted more time-dependently than SN-38.

Chromosomal circularization in Streptomyces griseus by nonhomologous recombination of deletion ends.

Streptomyces linear chromosomes frequently cause deletions at both ends spontaneously or by various mutagenic treatments, and concomitantly display dynamic structural changes such as circularization and arm replacement. We have cloned and sequenced the fusion junctions of circularized chromosomes in two deletion mutants of Streptomyces griseus. No homology and a 1-bp overlap were found between the deletion ends of the mutant chromosomes.

An association of Bcl-2 phosphorylation and Bax localization with their functions after hyperthermia and paclitaxel treatment.

Apoptosis is induced by many kinds of therapy-related inducers, such as hyperthermia and chemotherapeutic agents. However, differences in apoptotic pathways between these inducers remain unclear, although knowing the differences is important to map out a therapeutic strategy. Therefore, we focused on the localization and phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and Bax, key mediators of the apoptotic pathway, after hyperthermia and paclitaxel treatment of PC-10 squamous cell carcinoma cells that excessively expressed Bcl-2 and Bax in the cytoplasm.

Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 expression in endometrial cancer.

Background: It has not been fully clarified whether alteration of Bax and other apoptosis-relating proteins of Bcl-2 and p53 is involved in endometrial carcinogenesis.

Methods: A total of 56 frozen tissues, which included 14 normal endometria, 13 endometrial hyperplasias (10 without atypia and 3 with atypia), and 29 endometrial carcinomas, were examined for the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 using immunohistochemistry. For Bax-negative cases, PCR-direct sequencing was performed for the bax gene.

Central bronchopleural fistulas closed by bronchoscopic injection of absolute ethanol.

Five consecutive bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs) were successfully treated by injecting absolute ethanol directly into the submucosal layer of the fistula under flexible bronchoscopic observation. No complications occurred as a result of this treatment. Our nonsurgical treatment may be very useful to reduce the costs of and duration of hospitalization and to improve the patient's quality of life.