Endoscopic balloon dilation for stenotic lesions in Crohn's disease.

Background/aims: Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) can serve as an alternative to surgery for intestinal stenosis associated with Crohn's disease (CD). However, there has been controversy regarding the efficacy and safety of EBD. Here we sought to determine the therapeutic efficacy and safety of EBD for intestinal stenosis in CD.

Multicenter study of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction.

Aim: To determine the optimal method of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective study was conducted in patients who underwent plastic stent (PS) or nasobiliary catheter (NBC) placement for resectable malignant distal biliary obstruction followed by surgery between January 2010 and March 2012. Procedure-related adverse events, stent/catheter dysfunction (occlusion or migration of PS/NBC, development of cholangitis, or other conditions that required repeat endoscopic biliary intervention), and jaundice resolution (bilirubin level < 3.

Effects of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C following treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: survey findings of the Japanese Red Cross Liver Study Group.

Aim: To investigate, in a large number of cases at multiple institutions, the effects and limitations of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C following treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical practice.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed of 112 patients who had received interferon (IFN) for treating hepatitis C following treatment of HCC and were registered with the Japanese Red Cross Liver Study Group. Factors that may influence recurrence and survival rates were investigated.

Endoscopic ultrasonography can diagnose distal biliary strictures without a mass on computed tomography.

Aim: To assess the diagnostic ability of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for evaluating causes of distal biliary strictures shown on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), even without identifiable mass on computed tomography (CT).

Methods: The diagnostic ability of EUS was retrospectively analyzed and compared with that of routine cytology (RC) and tumor markers in 34 patients with distal biliary strictures detected by ERCP or MRCP at Dokkyo Medical School Hospital from December 2005 to December 2008, without any adjacent mass or eccentric thickening of the bile duct on CT that could cause biliary strictures. Findings considered as benign strictures on EUS included preservation of the normal sonographic layers of the bile duct wall, irrespective of the presence of a mass lesion.

Up-regulation of TFF1 (pS2) expression by TNF-alpha in gastric epithelial cells.

Background And Aim: TFF1 (pS2) is expressed at a high level in gastric epithelial cells and plays an important role in protecting the gastric mucosa. However, the regulatory mechanisms of TFF1 expression are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TNF-alpha, a representative proinflammatory cytokine, on TFF1 expression.

Regulation of TFF3 expression by homeodomain protein CDX2.

Although trefoil factor family 3 (TFF3) plays an important role in protecting the intestinal mucosa, the regulatory mechanisms of its expression are not fully understood. Since homeodomain protein CDX2 has been reported to be critically involved in the development and differentiation of intestinal epithelium, we examined whether CDX2 affects the expression of TFF3. The transcription of human TFF3 reporter genes was significantly up-regulated by the transient overexpression of CDX2 in COS-7 cells and AGS gastric cells.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) regulates trefoil factor family 2 (TFF2) expression in gastric epithelial cells.

Although trefoil factor family 2 (TFF2) plays a critical role in the defense and repair of gastric mucosa, the regulatory mechanism of TFF2 expression is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the regulation of TFF2 expression by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) in gastric epithelial cells. MKN45 gastric cells were used.