Edaravone inhibits apoptosis caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury in a porcine hepatectomy model.

Aim: To investigate the effect of E3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (Edr) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and liver regeneration in a porcine hepatectomy model.

Methods: One hour ischemia was induced by occluding the vessels and the bile duct of the right and median lobes. A 40% left hepatectomy was performed after reperfusion.

Glycated albumin suppresses glucose-induced insulin secretion by impairing glucose metabolism in rat pancreatic β-cells.

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) is an Amadori product used as a marker of hyperglycemia. In this study, we investigated the effect of GA on insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells.

Methods: Islets were collected from male Wistar rats by collagenase digestion.

MK615 decreases RAGE expression and inhibits TAGE-induced proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Aim: To investigate the proliferative effect of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and the role of their cellular receptor (RAGE) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and the inhibitory effects of MK615, an extract from Japanese apricot, against AGEs were also evaluated.

Methods: Two HCC cell lines, HuH7 and HepG2, were used. Expression of RAGE was investigated by polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and flow cytometry (FACS).

Erythropoietin strongly protects the liver from ischemia-reperfusion injury in a pig model.

Background/aims: We investigated, for the first time, the protective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) against liver ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in a pig model.

Methodology: Partial hepatic ischemia was maintained for 60 min in a pig. Pigs were allocated to 4 groups (n=5 each): (1) Control group with I-R injury (Vehicle); (2) EPO group with I-R injury, given three injections of EPO at 5000 IU/kg (EPO5000x3); (3) EPO group with I-R injury, given a single injection of EPO at 5000 IU/kg (EPO5000x1); and (4) EPO group with I-R injury, given three injections of EPO at 500 IU/kg (EPO500x3).

Rapamycin inhibits growth of cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Background/aims: The immunosuppressive agent rapamycin is currently being evaluated for its antineoplastic effect. In the present study, the antineoplastic effect of rapamycin against cholangiocarcinoma was studied in vitro.

Methodology: To explore the therapeutic potential of rapamycin, expression of mTOR in four cholangiocarcinoma cell lines--TFK1, HuCCT1, NOZW, and OZ--was evaluated by real-time PCR.

Influence of tumor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and delta expression on postoperative mortality of patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) and delta (PPAR delta) expression on postoperative mortality of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Optimal cutoff values were determined for each relative expression ratio (RER) (RER = PPAR expression of tumor/PPAR expression of normal mucosa) of PPAR, and patients were divided into two groups as follows (PPAR staging): patients with elevated RERs of PPAR gamma (> 2.0) or PPAR delta (> 1.

Anti-proliferative effect of interferon-gamma is enhanced by iron chelation in colon cancer cell lines in vitro.

Background/aims: The receptor of interferon-gamma (IFN-gammaR) consists of IFN-gammaR1 and R2. Resistance to the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-gamma is due to downregulation of IFN-gammaR2. The aim of this study was to investigate whether iron chelation could upregulate IFN-gammaR2 and enhance the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-gamma in colon cancer cell lines.

Protective effect of Sivelestat in a porcine hepatectomy model prepared using an intermittent Pringle method.

The effect of Sivelestat, a neutrophil elastase inhibitor, on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury was examined in a pig hepatectomy model. An internal jugular vein-splenic vein bypass was prepared in male pigs and about 40% hepatic resection (left lobe) was performed under 15-min liver ischemia and 5-min intermittent reperfusion. Six animals received Sivelestat (10 mg/kg/h) intravenously and six control animals received physiological saline (10 mg/kg/h) from commencement of laparotomy.

Erythropoietin and its derivative protect the intestine from severe ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat.

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) and its nonhematopoietic derivative (asialoEPO) against intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in a rat model.

Methods: The superior mesenteric artery of Wistar rats was clamped for 60 minutes and then released. The rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 15 in each group): sham operation (Sham), vehicle treatment (Vehicle), EPO treatment (EPO), and asialoEPO treatment (AsialoEPO).

MK615 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth by dual inhibition of Aurora A and B kinases.

Aim: To investigate the anti-neoplastic effect of MK615, an anti-neoplastic compound isolated from Japanese apricot, against human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro.

Methods: Three human pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1, PK-1, and PK45H were cultured with MK615 at concentrations of 600, 300, 150, and 0 microg/mL. Growth inhibition was evaluated by cell proliferation assay, and killing activity was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay.

Rapamycin enhances the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells.

Background/aims: Rapamycin is a potent inhibitor of PI3K/Akt pathway activation and its chemotherapeutic effect against pancreatic cancer has been demonstrated. In the present study, the combined effect of rapamycin with gemcitabine was examined and a screening method for detecting sensitivity to combined effects was investigated.

Methodology: Four pancreatic cancer cell lines, MIA, PK-1, PANK-1, and PK-45H, were cultured with or without rapamycin (200, 100, 50, 25nM), or gemcitabine (2, 1, 0.

New anti-proliferative agent, MK615, from Japanese apricot "Prunus mume" induces striking autophagy in colon cancer cells in vitro.

Aim: To investigate the anti-neoplastic effects of MK615, an extract from the Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), against colon cancer cells.

Methods: Three colon cancer cell lines, SW480, COLO, and WiDr, were cultured with MK615. Growth inhibition was evaluated by cell proliferation assay and killing activity was determined by lactate dehydrogenase assay.

A novel anti-cancer substance, MK615, from ume, a variety of Japanese apricot, inhibits growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by suppressing Aurora A kinase activity.

Background/aims: MK615 is an anti-cancer substance extracted from the Japanese apricot. In the present study, the anti-neoplastic effect of MK615 against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was evaluated in vitro, and its mechanism was elucidated.

Methodology: Two HCC lines, HuH7 and Hep3B, were cultured with MK615 at concentrations of 600, 300, 150, and 0 microg/mL.

Asialoerythropoietin has strong renoprotective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury in a murine model.

Background: The renoprotective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) and the nonhematopoietic EPO, asialoEPO was investigated in a murine ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) model.

Methods: I/R was created by clamping the right renal pedicle for 60 min after left nephrectomy. Balb/c mice were divided into four groups (n=15 in each group): sham operation (Sham), vehicle treatment (Vehicle), EPO treatment (EPO), and asialoEPO treatment (AsialoEPO).

Hepatocellular carcinoma with chronic B-type hepatitis complicated by autoimmune hemolytic anemia: a case report.

A 57-year-old man consulted a local hospital because of a persistent slight fever. At the age of 37 years he was diagnosed having B-type hepatitis, but left the liver dysfunction untreated. Twenty years later, he was diagnosed having chronic hepatitis B, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and macrocytic anemia, and referred to our hospital for further investigation.

New antineoplastic agent, MK615, from UME (a Variety of) Japanese apricot inhibits growth of breast cancer cells in vitro.

MK615 is an extract mixture containing hydrophobic substances from Japanese apricot. In this study, the antineoplastic effects of MK615 against breast cancer cells were investigated. Two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-468 (MDA) and MCF7, were cultured with (600, 300, and 150 mug/mL) or without MK615.

Deferoxamine enhances anti-proliferative effect of interferon-gamma against hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Background: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a multifunctional cytokine, whose anti-proliferative effect is expected to be of therapeutic value against human cancer. However, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows resistance to the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-gamma, due mainly to down-regulation of IFN-gamma receptor chain 2 (IFN-gammaR2), even though IFN-gamma receptor chain 1 (IFN-gammaR1), the domain that includes the binding site of IFN-gamma, is stably expressed. The aims of this study were to investigate whether iron chelation, blocking of the human insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (hIGF1R), or both could upregulate IFN-gammaR2 and enhance the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-gamma.

Total colectomy improves altered distribution of regulatory T cells in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: It is now generally believed that regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in peripheral tolerance, and a defect in Tregs is considered one of the most important factors in the induction of various kinds of autoimmune disease including ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we examined the change in frequency of Tregs phenotype in five patients with UC whose condition had not been controllable by conventional conservative therapy and who were scheduled for total colectomy.

Aims: The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of Tregs in the pathogenesis of UC in a clinical setting.

Loss of E-cadherin mRNA and gain of osteopontin mRNA are useful markers for detecting early recurrence of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Objectives: We investigated whether expression of E-cadherin (E-cad) and osteopontin (OPN) mRNAs could predict the early recurrence of HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCV-HCC) after curative surgery.

Methods: Forty-four HCV-HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy were divided into three categories: category 1--recurrence (3 mR+: n = 6) or non-recurrence (3 mR-: n = 38) within 3 months; category 2--recurrence (6 mR+: n = 4) or non-recurrence (6 mR-: n = 34) between 3-6 months; category 3--recurrence (1 yR+: n = 4) or non-recurrence (1 yR-: n = 30) between 6-12 months. Levels of expression of E-cad and OPN mRNAs were analyzed quantitatively by real-time PCR and calculated using the formula: t = (copy of E-cad or OPN/copy of GAPDH) x 1,000.

Abnormal expression of Rb pathway-related proteins in salivary gland acinic cell carcinoma.

Salivary gland acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) is a relatively rare neoplasm, and limited information is available regarding its molecular pathogenesis. Because the deregulation of Rb pathway is common to most human tumors, we immunohistochemically investigated the expression of Rb pathway-related proteins, including Rb, Rb proteins phosphorylated at serine 780 and 795 (pRb-S780 and pRb-S795, respectively), cyclin D1, and p16INK4a in 18 cases of ACC. The expression of topoisomerase II-alpha and Ki-67 was also examined to evaluate cell proliferation.

[Two cases of recurrent breast cancer successfully treated with paclitaxel weekly therapy].

The patients were a 57-year-old and a 38-year-old woman who had supraclavicular lymph node and multiple lung metastases from breast cancer. They were given 3 and 4 courses of paclitaxel (TXL) weekly therapy (80 mg/m2, day 1, 8, 15, repeated every 4 weeks). One patient had received docetaxel (TXT) and CEF therapy previously.