Heterogeneous expression and role of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) in small cell lung cancer.

The present study investigated the expression and role of ROR2 in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). To examine the expression of ROR2, 27 surgically resected SCLC tissue samples were immunostained for ROR2. Sixteen tissue samples were positive and some showed intratumor heterogeneity in staining intensity.

Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cells and Small Cell Lung Carcinoma: Immunohistochemical Study Focusing on Mechanisms of Neuroendocrine Differentiation.

Neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation has been histochemically detected in normal and cancer tissues and cells. Immunohistochemical analyses have provided a more detailed understanding of NE biology and pathology. Pulmonary NE cells are a rare lung epithelial type, and small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC) is a high-grade NE tumor.

The role of YAP1 in small cell lung cancer.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ, also known as WWTR1) are core downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway, which is involved in diverse biological processes. The oncogenic effects of YAP and TAZ in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have recently been reported; however, their roles in SCLC remain unclear. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on lung cancer tissues and Western blotting (WB) on lung cancer cell lines were performed to examine the expression of YAP1.

Distinct transcriptional programs of SOX2 in different types of small cell lung cancers.

SOX2 is recognized as an oncogene in human small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is an aggressive neuroendocrine (NE) tumor. However, the role of SOX2 in SCLC is not completely understood, and strategies to selectively target SOX2 in SCLC cells remain elusive. Here, we show, using next-generation sequencing, that SOX2 expressed in the ASCL1-high SCLC (SCLC-A) subtype cell line is dependent on ASCL1, which is a lineage-specific transcriptional factor, and is involved in NE differentiation and tumorigenesis.

Significance of achaete-scute complex homologue 1 (ASCL1) in pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinomas; RNA sequence analyses using small cell lung cancer cells and Ascl1-induced pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma cells.

ASCL1 is one of the master transcription factors of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). To investigate the significance of ASCL1 in pulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma, we performed 2 comparative RNA-seq studies between H69 (ASCL1-positive, classical type SCLC) and H69AR (ASCL1-negative, variant type SCLC) and between ASCL1-transfected A549 adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549(ASCL1+) cell lines) and A549(control) cell lines. RNA-seq analyses revealed that 940 genes were significantly different between the H69 and H69AR cell lines, and 728 between the A549(ASCL1+) and A549(control) cell lines.

Small Cell Lung Cancer Derived from Adenocarcinoma with Mutant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Provides a Signature of Transcriptional Alteration in Tumor Cells.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) transformation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant adenocarcinoma (ADC) during EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment is an example of a rare subset of acquired drug resistance. We herein report the case of a 75-year-old man treated with afatinib who was then diagnosed with SCLC transformation. After two years of successful treatment with afatinib, the tumor relapsed, and a re-biopsy revealed SCLC harboring EGFR exon 19 deletion.

Ascl1-induced Wnt11 regulates neuroendocrine differentiation, cell proliferation, and E-cadherin expression in small-cell lung cancer and Wnt11 regulates small-cell lung cancer biology.

The involvement of Wnt signaling in human lung cancer remains unclear. This study investigated the role of Wnt11 in neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation, cell proliferation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Immunohistochemical staining of resected specimens showed that Wnt11 was expressed at higher levels in SCLCs than in non-SCLCs; 58.

Significance of Tsukushi in lung cancer.

Objectives: Tsukushi (TSK), a member of the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan (SLRP) family, plays multifunctional roles by interacting with signaling molecules during development. However, the role of TSK in cancer remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biological significance of TSK in lung cancer.

Pulmonary Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma with Spontaneous Regression after Computed Tomography-guided Needle Biopsy: A Case Report and Summary of 8 Reported Cases.

A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a solitary right lung nodule. She had no symptoms and no abnormal physical findings except for bladder cancer. Tumor markers were mildly elevated but no other abnormal laboratory data were found.

An Invasive Lepidic Predominant Adenocarcinoma Extensively Involving the Lung with Areas of Sarcomatoid Carcinoma Containing Osteoclast-like Giant Cells.

Primary lung tumor tissue exhibiting numerous multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells (OGCs) is an extremely rare histological type. In this study, we describe the case of an 82-year-old woman. Chest CT demonstrated an extensive crazy-paving appearance in both of the lung fields and a solid round mass in the right lower lobe.

[First case report of fatal Japanease spotted fever in Kumamoto Prefecture and the investigation of severe cases in Kamiamakusa City].

An 81 year-old woman whose chief complaint was fever and general fatigue was admitted to our hospital in Kamiamakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture in October 2013. She was suspected to have Japanease spotted fever, which is a local pandemic disease in Kamiamakusa, because wide-spreaded skin erythema appeared on the palms of her hands and soles of her feet several days after admission. Though there was a delay of more than 6 days after onset, we treated her with minocycline (MINO) and levofloxacin (LVFX).

Application of PDT for Uterine Cervical Cancer.

We have been performing PDT using Excimer Dye Laser (EDL) or YAG-OPO laser, a type of low power laser, both of which have a considerably higher degree of tissue penetration even when compared to PDT using Argon Dye Laser (ADL).PDT is a relatively simple procedure without any bleeding and does not require anesthesia since it causes no pain. PDT is performed 48 h after intravenous injection of 1.

Gene expression profiles with cDNA microarray reveal RhoGDI as a predictive marker for paclitaxel resistance in ovarian cancers.

In the current study, we identified paclitaxel-resistant related genes by comparing gene expression profiles of paclitaxel-resistant and parent ovarian cancer cell lines. Gene expression profiles of the human ovarian cancer cell line (KF28), cisplatin-resistant cell line (KFr13) induced from KF28, and paclitaxel-resistant cell lines (KF28TX and KFr13TX) induced by exposing KF28 and KFr13 to dose-escalating paclitaxel were compared and analyzed using cDNA microarray. Of 557 human cancer-related cDNA transcripts compared, 5 genes were found to be underexpressed and 5 genes overexpressed in the paclitaxel-resistant KF28TX, while another paclitaxel-resistant KFr13TX had 5 underexpressed and 8 overexpressed genes.

Analysis of gene expression profiles associated with cisplatin resistance in human ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues using cDNA microarray.

Gene expression profiles were analyzed by using cDNA microarray for a cisplatin-sensitive cell line (KF), and three- and thirty-fold cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines (KFr and KFrP200) both showing no p53 mutation within exon 5, 6, 7, 8 and no pglycoprotein overexpression. Expression of GST-pi mRNA increased as the level of resistance to cisplatin became high. Microarray analysis revealed that DNA repair associated genes, i.

Telomerase activity in gynecological tumors.

The aim of this study was to define the clinical implications of semi-quantitative telomerase activity in gynecological tumors by comparing the telomerase activity of cancerous lesion and the adjacent non-cancerous lesion. In 118 cases of gynecologic tumors, including 41 uterine cervical tumors, 43 uterine body tumors and 34 ovarian tumors, telomerase activities were determined using TRAPeze telomerase detection kit for the extension reaction of the telomere sequence and the PCR reaction for amplification of the sequence, and using fluorecence-based telomere repeat amplification protocol (F-TRAP) method for the detection. In all gynecologic cancers examined, telomerase activity of the cancerous lesion was significantly higher than that of the non-cancerous lesion.

Genetic aberrations detected by comparative genomic hybridization in ovarian clear cell adenocarcinomas.

Genetic abnormalities were detected by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in 12 ovarian clear cell adenocarcinomas. DNA sequence copy number abnormalities (CNAs) occurring in more than 20% of the cancers included increased copy numbers of 8q11-q13, 8q21-q22, 8q23, 8q24-qter, 17q25-qter, 20q13-qter and 21q22-qter and reduced copy numbers of 19p. Increases in copy numbers of 8q11-q13, 8q21-q22, 8q23 and 8q24-qter occurred more frequently in disease-free patients than in recurrent/non-surviving patients (p < 0.

[Cancer-associated gene abnormalities and chemosensitivity].

One of the most important clinical issues in cancer chemotherapy is the presence of intrinsic resistance or the appearance of acquired resistance against chemotherapy. As for intrinsic resistance, we had to perform direct chemo-sensitivity testing, or had to rely on the knowledge empirically acquired from randomized clinical trials. However, molecular or genetic markers associated with chemo-sensitivity have been reported recently.

[CGH (comparative genomic hybridization)].

Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) is a powerful new method which allows genome-wide mapping of regions with DNA sequence copy number changes (both increases and decreases) in a single experiment without previous knowledge of the locations of the regions of abnormality. CGH is based on in situ hybridization of differentially labeled total genomic tumor DNA and normal DNA to normal human metaphase chromosomes. After hybridization copy number variations among the sequences in the tumor DNA are detected by measuring the tumor/normal fluorescence intensity ratio for each locus in the target chromosomes.

[Photodynamic therapy (PDT) for early cervical cancer].

The incidence of carcinoma in situ (CIS) and dysplasia of the uterine cervix has been increasing among young women in recent years. Most of these patients want to preserve their fertility. Also, to accommodate high-risk patients with complications, elderly patients, and those who refuse surgery, we perform PDT as a method to preserve fertility.

[Establishment and characterization of a CA125-producing human ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line].

A human ovarian cancer cell line designated "KK" was established from ascites of a patient with ovarian clear cell carcinoma. This cell line was grown for more than 2 years and over 140 passages in medium RPMI1640 containing 10% FCS. Doubling time of this cell line at passage 70 was approximately 4 days and saturation density was 1.

Photodynamic therapy for cancers: a clinical trial of porfimer sodium in Japan.

Photodynamic therapy utilizing Photofrin has proven to be an effective modality that can be used in the treatment of a wide variety of solid tumors and luminal cancers. An argon pumped dye laser or excimer dye laser was used to deliver 630 nm light via quartz fibers passed through the biopsy channel subsequent to i.v.

[The application of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in cell biology].

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is expected to provide new optical information different from conventional microscopy in cell biology. CLSM provides high contrast images, individual continuous cellular tomograms without slicing cells, and stereographs which are observed by three dimensional reconstruction. We study the localization of nuclear DNA stained with PI, tumor marker antigen CA-125 stained with FITC, and signals in fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with alpha satellite pericentrometric DNA probe of chromosome 17 to discuss the possibility of its application to cell biology or clinical use.

[Cytokinetic effects of cisplatin on cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines].

Cytokinetic effects of cisplatin on human ovarian cancer cell lines with natural cisplatin-resistance was examined by means of flow cytometry. These ovarian cancer cell lines derived from patients with clear cell carcinoma and serous cystadenocarcinoma were established and designated "KK" and "MH", respectively. Both KK and MH cells have shown resistance to cisplatin and IC50 of them were 0.