Coculture with a human granulosa cell line enhanced the development of murine preimplantation embryos via SCF/c-kit system.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect on the coculture of murine embryos with a human ovarian granulosa tumor derived cell line (KGN cells).

Methods: We observed microscopically the growth of murine preimplantation embryos in the coculture system with KGN cells or in the presence with exogenous stem cell factor (SCF). The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used to analyze the gene expression of SCF in KGN cells cocultured with murine embryos.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced the release of interleukin-6 from endometriotic stromal cells by the nuclear factor-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

Objective: To examine the involvement of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in endometriotic stromal cells (ESC).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Hospital, Yonago, Japan.

Expression profiling-based identification of CO2-responsive genes regulated by CCM1 controlling a carbon-concentrating mechanism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Photosynthetic acclimation to CO2-limiting stress is associated with control of genetic and physiological responses through a signal transduction pathway, followed by integrated monitoring of the environmental changes. Although several CO2-responsive genes have been previously isolated, genome-wide analysis has not been applied to the isolation of CO2-responsive genes that may function as part of a carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in photosynthetic eukaryotes. By comparing expression profiles of cells grown under CO2-rich conditions with those of cells grown under CO2-limiting conditions using a cDNA membrane array containing 10,368 expressed sequence tags, 51 low-CO2 inducible genes and 32 genes repressed by low CO2 whose mRNA levels were changed more than 2.

A combination of interleukin-6 and its soluble receptor impairs sperm motility: implications in infertility associated with endometriosis.

Background: We previously reported that the level of interleukin (IL)-6 is increased in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) on in vitro sperm motility.

Methods: Sperm (n = 20) were cultured with IL-6 or sIL-6R, or with a combination of both.

The novel Myb transcription factor LCR1 regulates the CO2-responsive gene Cah1, encoding a periplasmic carbonic anhydrase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii acclimates to CO2-limiting stress by inducing a set of genes for a carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM). This set includes the gene Cah1, which encodes a periplasmic carbonic anhydrase. Although physiological aspects of CO2response have been extensively studied, regulatory components, such as transcription factors involved in the acclimation, have not been well described in eukaryotic microalgae.

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes cell proliferation and inhibits progesterone secretion via PKA and MAPK pathways in a human granulosa cell line.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a mesenchymal-derived paracrine factor that acts through a c-met receptor. The activated c-met receptor recruits various signal proteins. We used a steroidogenic human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN cells) to analyze the biological function of HGF in human ovary cells.

Use of the LAP DISK (abdominal wall sealing device) in laparoscopically assisted myomectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of an abdominal wall sealing device (the LAP DISK) used during laparoscopically assisted myomectomy (LAM).

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tottori University Hospital, Yonago, Japan.

Apoptosis in human endometrium and endometriosis.

Apoptosis plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and represents a normal function to eliminate excess or dysfunctional cells. Accumulated evidence suggests that apoptosis helps to maintain cellular homeostasis during the menstrual cycle by eliminating senescent cells from the functional layer of the uterine endometrium during the late secretory and menstrual phase of the cycle. The BCL-2 family and Fas/FasL system have been extensively studied in human endometrium and endometriotic tissues.

Cis-acting elements and DNA-binding proteins involved in CO2-responsive transcriptional activation of Cah1 encoding a periplasmic carbonic anhydrase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Expression of Cah1, encoding a periplasmic carbonic anhydrase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard, is activated when cells are exposed to low-CO2 conditions (0.04% [v/v]) in light. By using an arylsulfatase reporter gene, a regulatory region essential for the transcriptional activation of Cah1 was delimited to a 63-bp fragment between -293 and -231 relative to the transcription start site.

Successful management of a P-incompatible pregnancy using double filtration plasmapheresis.

The presence of PP1Pk antibody is considered a main cause of repeated spontaneous abortions in early pregnancy. Because PP1Pk antibody generated in maternal blood may disturb the feto-maternal environment, plasmapheresis is supposed to be a beneficial method of lowering PP1Pk antibody levels in women with blood group-incompatible pregnancies. Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) was used to treat feto-maternal P-incompatible pregnancy.

Obstructive ileitis secondary to colon cancer: report of a case.

We report a case of obstructive ileitis (OI) secondary to colon cancer. A 62-year-old man was hospitalized for abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness. Examinations revealed a mechanical ileus caused by an obstructing carcinomatous lesion of the cecum.

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway by keratinocyte growth factor or fibroblast growth factor-10 promotes cell proliferation in human endometrial carcinoma cells.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) exert diverse effects resulting from their interaction with cognate receptors on target cells. Our current study was designed to examine the local production and action of two specific stromal-epithelial cell mediatory factors, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and FGF-10, in human endometrial carcinoma cells. The RT-PCR method was used to determine gene expression of KGF, FGF-10, and KGF receptor in human endometrial carcinoma cells (HEC-1) and human endometrial stromal cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression in endometriotic stromal cells, probably through nuclear factor-kappa B activation: gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment reduced IL-8 expression.

Endometriosis, a common disease among women of reproductive age, is characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. We previously reported that TNFalpha promoted proliferation of endometriotic stromal cells by inducing IL-8 gene and protein expression. We hypothesize that TNFalpha may induce IL-8 production in endometriotic cells through nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation.

Crystal structure of an alpha 1,4-N-acetylhexosaminyltransferase (EXTL2), a member of the exostosin gene family involved in heparan sulfate biosynthesis.

EXTL2, an alpha1,4-N-acetylhexosaminyltransferase, catalyzes the transfer reaction of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine from the respective UDP-sugars to the non-reducing end of [glucuronic acid]beta1-3[galactose]beta1-O-naphthalenemethanol, an acceptor substrate analog of the natural common linker of various glycosylaminoglycans. We have solved the x-ray crystal structure of the catalytic domain of mouse EXTL2 in the apo-form and with donor substrates UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine. In addition, a structure of the ternary complex with UDP and the acceptor substrate analog [glucuronic acid]beta1-3[galactose]beta1-O-naphthalenemethanol has been determined.

Induction of hepatocyte growth factor in stromal cells by tumor-derived basic fibroblast growth factor enhances growth and invasion of endometrial cancer.

Tumor progression is often regulated through interactions between carcinoma cells and host stromal cells. In this study of endometrial cancer, we investigated one mechanism potentially involved in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated cancer-stromal interactions. Endometrial cancer cells (HEC-1 and ISHIKAWA) expressed the c-met receptor, but HGF did not.

Complete removal of endometriosis improves fecundity.

Endometriosis is one of the causative factors of impaired fecundity. Whatever the mechanisms are of this impairment, surgical removal of endometriosis appears to increase postoperative fecundity. Our strategy in laparoscopic surgery for symptomatic endometriosis is to completely remove endometriosis.

Immunohistochemical localization of MYOC/TIGR protein in the trabecular tissue of normal and glaucomatous eyes.

Purpose: To examine immunohistochemically the localization of myocilin/trabecular meshwork inducible glucocorticoid response (MYOC/TIGR) protein in the glaucomatous and normal trabecular meshworks.

Methods: Trabecular tissues were used from one eye with late-onset goniodysgenetic glaucoma, three with primary open angle glaucoma (one of which had the MYOC/TIGR gene mutation), two with exfoliation glaucoma and one without glaucoma. For light microscopic immunohistochemistry, frozen sections were stained by the avidin-biotin complex method using anti-MYOC/TIGR polyclonal antibody.

Laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis: a long-term follow-up.

Objective: To investigate if complete resolution of endometriosis by laparoscopic surgery is beneficial to postoperative fecundity, dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia.

Design: An observational comparative study on the outcome of laparoscopic surgery.

Patients: Laparoscopically-treated symptomatic women with endometriosis (total n = 236); complete (n = 185) and incomplete (n = 51) surgery groups.

The Gly367Arg mutation in the myocilin gene causes adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma.

Purpose: To present the phenotype of a family whose members showed the Gly367Arg mutation in the myocilin gene and developed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: The proband developed POAG when she was 45 years old. Examination of the myocilin gene revealed that the patient had a mutation causing amino-acid change (Gly367Arg) in the myocilin gene.

Molecular cloning of the bovine MYOC and induction of its expression in trabecular meshwork cells.

Purpose: Myocilin gene (MYOC) was identified as one of the disease-causing genes of primary open-angle glaucoma. This study was conducted to establish a system for the investigation of the biological role of MYOC in vitro by using bovine eyes, which are easy to obtain and have been widely used to examine the aqueous outflow system. The cDNA sequence of the bovine MYOC was determined and its expression in bovine eyes was examined with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.

Keratinocyte growth factor in the promotion of human chorionic gonadotropin production in human choriocarcinoma cells.

Objective: Several growth factors and cytokines appear to participate in the proliferation or differentiation of trophoblast cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which keratinocyte growth factor participates in the development of human embryonic and trophoblast cells at the maternal-fetal interface.

Study Design: The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method was used to determine the gene expression of keratinocyte growth factor and keratinocyte growth factor receptor in human choriocarcinoma cells (BeWo), human teratocarcinoma cells (PA-1), and human endometrial stromal cells.

Altered gene expression and secretion of interleukin-6 in stromal cells derived from endometriotic tissues.

Objective: To compare the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in endometrial and endometriotic cells.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Hospital, Yonago, Japan.

The potential role of stem cell factor and its receptor c-kit in the mouse blastocyst implantation.

Embryo implantation is a complex process that requires the interaction of embryo and endometrium. Several growth factors and cytokines appear to be involved in this process. Stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-kit regulate the proliferation and survival of germ cells and play an important role in follicular development.

Augmentation of local antitumor immunity in the liver by tumor vaccine modified to secrete murine interleukin 12.

Minimal residual lesions have been a major problem in surgical management of cancer. We transfected M5076 with murine IL-12 gene by a retroviral vector, established a stable transfectant secreting IL-12 and investigated its antitumor effects on a spontaneous liver metastasis murine model of M5076 reticulum cell sarcoma. Subcutaneous vaccination of the irradiated transfectant into the remote skin following the amputation of the tumor-bearing limb improved survival when compared with the vaccination of irradiated parental cells (control).