[A Case of Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Jejunum in the Ultra-Elderly].

We treated a 91-year-old man with squamous cell carcinoma that originated from his jejunum, which is very rare; only 8 cases have been reported previously.Surgery was performed because of the small bowel obstruction caused by the large cancerous mass, but he died 23 days later.Early detection and early treatment are important, especially for the ultra-elderly from a standpoint of tolerating surgery.

[A Case of Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma using Abdominal Ultrasonography after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer].

We treated an 82-year-old man with early gastric cancer using endoscopic submucosal resection.Ultrasonography, which was performed to screen for metastasis, revealed hepatocellular carcinoma, and the tumor was curatively resected.Ultrasonography can be considered a useful examination tool to detect double cancer, even in cases of early cancer.

Clinicopathological analysis for recurrence of stage Ib gastric cancer (according to the second English edition of the Japanese classification of gastric carcinoma).

Background: The prognosis for patients with stage Ib (second English edition of the Japanese classification of gastric carcinoma) gastric cancer is promising, with an expected 5-year survival of 90%. Despite this relatively high survival rate, the outcome for patients who experience recurrence is poor. To date, however, prognostic and recurrence factors for stage Ib gastric cancer are poorly understood, and appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy protocols have not been developed.

Function of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR in the alloimmune response in vivo.

Background: We have recently reported that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) functions as a proinflammatory cytokine to regulate the trafficking of leukocytes into allografts in the early posttransplant period. VEGF binds two major VEGF receptors: VEGFR-1 (flt-1) and VEGFR-2 (flk-1/KDR). Here, we wished to investigate the expression and function of VEGF receptors in the process of acute allograft rejection in vivo.

Significance and therapeutic potential of prostaglandin E2 receptor in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) mediates a variety of innate and adaptive immunity through four distinct receptors: EP1-EP4. It has been suggested that each EP plays a unique and pivotal role in various disease conditions. We investigated the pathophysiological role of EP receptors in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

A novel small-molecule compound targeting CCR5 and CXCR3 prevents acute and chronic allograft rejection.

Background: Chemokines and chemokine receptors are critical in leukocyte recruitment, activation, and differentiation. Among them, CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) have been reported to play important roles in alloimmune responses and may be potential targets for posttransplant immunosuppression.

Methods: Fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched murine cardiac and islet transplant models were used to test the effect in vivo of a novel, small-molecule compound TAK-779 by targeting CCR5 and CXCR3 in acute allograft rejection.

Dual role of vascular endothelial growth factor in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major angiogenic factor, mediates a variety of disease conditions through promotion of angiogenesis. It also plays a critical role as a potent proinflammatory cytokine in a variety of physiologic and pathologic immune responses. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of VEGF in hepatic warm ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and examined the effect of recombinant human (rh)VEGF administration in an established murine model.

Role of the ICOS-B7h costimulatory pathway in the pathophysiology of chronic allograft rejection.

Background: Inducible costimulator (ICOS) is the third member of the CD28 superfamily and has a unique role in T cell activation and function. Recent studies indicated that the ICOS-B7h pathway plays an important role in alloimmune responses. We further investigated the role of the ICOS pathway in the pathologic process of chronic rejection in vivo.

Clinical significance of programmed death-1 ligand-1 and programmed death-1 ligand-2 expression in human esophageal cancer.

Purpose: The negative regulatory programmed death-1/programmed death-1 ligand (PD-1/PD-L) pathway in T-cell activation has been suggested to play an important role in tumor evasion from host immunity. In this study, we investigated the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 in human esophageal cancer to define their clinical significance in patients' prognosis after surgery.

Experimental Design: PD-L1 and PD-L2 gene expression was evaluated in 41 esophagectomy patients by real-time quantitative PCR.

Prognostic significance of localized p27Kip1 and potential role of Jab1/CSN5 in pancreatic cancer.

p27Kip1 belongs to the family of small polypeptides collectively termed cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, which negatively regulate the cell cycle progression. In various human cancers, the reduced p27Kip1 expression correlates well with poor prognosis. Recently, Jab1/CSN5, the fifth component of the COP9 signalosome complex, was found to specifically translocate p27Kip1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and reduce the protein level of p27Kip1 by accelerating its degradation.