Light blue crest and ridge/villous patterns in the uninvolved gastric antrum by magnifying NBI endoscopy correlate with serum pepsinogen and gastric cancer occurrence.

Background/aims: Combining the magnifying endoscopy and the narrow-band imaging (NBI) system is an endoscopic imaging technique for the enhanced visualization of mucosal microscopic structure and capillaries of the superficial mucosal layer. Light blue crest (LBC) and, ridge/villous pattern have been thought to be suggestive signs for gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) of magnifying NBI endoscopy. Since the IM is related to gastric cancer risk (GC), the prevalence of LBC and ridge/villous pattern in the nonneoplastic gastric antrum was examined in relation to gastric cancer (GC) risk and serological severity of gastritis.

Examination of serum pepsinogen in functional dyspepsia.

Background/aims: Although serum pepsinogen (PG) is considered as a marker of gastric atrophy, it also reflects gastric acid secretion, which closely influences dyspeptic symptoms. We investigated serum PG levels and PGI/PGII ratios in dyspeptic patients, in relation to various different subtypes of symptoms including Rome III classifications.

Methodology: Serum PGs were measured in 75 subjects with dyspeptic symptoms and 42 asymptomatic healthy subjects.

Synergistic effect of IL-1β and TNF-α polymorphisms on the H. pylori-related gastric pre-malignant condition.

Background/aims: We investigated the effect of IL-1β and TNF-α polymorphisms, and its synergistic effect with age, gender and H. pylori status on the gastric pre-malignant condition.

Methodology: IL-1β-31(T>C) and -511(C>T) and TNF-α-857 (C>T) polymorphisms were genotyped in 123 cancer free subjects.

Correlation between magnifying narrow band imaging and histopathology in gastric protruding/or polypoid lesions: a pilot feasibility trial.

Background: Several study showed usefulness of microscopic capillaries, seen by magnifying narrow band imaging (NBI) endoscopy for predicting histopathology among superficial depressed or flat elevated gastric neoplasia (GN). Here we assessed the diagnostic efficacy of magnifying NBI for predicting histopathology among gastric protruding/or polypoid lesions.

Methods: Using endoscopic pictures of magnifying NBI from 95 protruding/or polypoid lesions (19 fundic gland polyps: FGP, 47 hyperplastic polyps: HP, and 29 GN), fine mucosal patterns were classified into four categories: small round, prolonged, villous or ridge, and unclear patterns, and micro vascular patterns were classified into five categories: honey comb, dense vascular, fine net work, core vascular, and unclear patterns.

Role of heat-shock protein (HSP) 70-2 genotype in peptic ulcer in Japanese population.

Background/aims: There have been reports showing the protective role of inducible heat-shock protein (HSP) 70 in gastric epithelial cells. An A to G transition at the 1267 position HSP70-2 gene has been shown to be associated with a different level of HSP70 mRNA expression. We aimed to clarify the effect of HSP70-2 polymorphism on the risk of peptic ulcer diseases in a Japanese population.

Presence of minimal change esophagitis closely correlates with pathological conditions in the stomach.

Introduction: It is suggested that minimal change (grade M) esophagitis is a spectrum of gastric acid reflux disease. We evaluated the clinical significance of grade M esophagitis, including its subtypes (reddish change: MR and whitish change: MW), especially with attempt to pathological conditions in the stomach that relates to gastric acid secretion.

Materials And Methods: Using 241 subjects undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy for various indications, we investigated the association between grade M esophagitis with histological and serological severity of gastritis and endoscopic degree of atrophy.

Association between genetic polymorphisms related to DNA repair or xenobiotic pathways and gastric premalignant conditions.

Background: Genetic factors related to DNA repair or xenobiotic pathways might confer different degrees of susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related gastric carcinogenesis. The association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln, and Arg194Trp, GSTP1 Ile104Val, and GSTT1, GSTM1 null polymorphisms with gastric intestinal metaplasia, severity of histological gastritis, and peptic ulcer diseases were evaluated in a Japanese population.

Effect of polymorphisms of IL-1β and TNF-α genes on CpG island hyper methylation (CIHM) in the nonneoplastic gastric mucosa.

CpG island hyper methylation (CIHM) is one of the major events in gastric carcinogenesis. To evaluate the influence of host genetic factors in CIHM related carcinogenesis, we investigated the association between common polymorphisms in IL-1β and TNF-α genes, with CIHM status in the nonneoplastic gastric mucosa. Polymorphisms in the IL-1β gene (-31T>C and -511C>T) and the TNF-α gene (-857C>T) were genotyped in 385 cancer-free subjects.

Effect of genetic polymorphisms related to DNA repair and the xenobiotic pathway on the prognosis and survival of gastric cancer patients.

Background: A number of association studies have focused on the effect of polymorphisms related to DNA repair or the xenobiotic pathway, on the susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC). Here, the possible association between common polymorphisms in the X-ray repair cross-complementing groups (XRCC) 1, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) genes and various clinicopathological characteristics, including overall survival, in GC patients were evaluated.

Patients And Methods: XRCC1 Arg399Gln, and Arg194Trp, GSTP1 Ile104Val, and GSTT1, GSTM1 null polymorphisms were determined in 130 GC patients.

Usefulness of magnifying narrow-band imaging endoscopy in the Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis.

Combining the narrow-band imaging (NBI) system and magnifying endoscopy allows simple and clear visualization of microscopic structures of the superficial mucosa and its capillary patterns, which may be useful for precise endoscopic diagnosis in the gastrointestinal tract, being more closely to histopathological diagnosis. In the non-neoplastic gastric mucosa, there have been reports showing a potential usefulness of magnifying NBI for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, degree of histological gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia. We have shown that magnifying NBI appearances in the non-neoplastic gastric mucosa also predicts pepsinogen levels, which indicates extension of gastric atrophy in the entire stomach, and gastric cancer occurrence.

Effect of IL-1β and TNF-α polymorphisms on the prognosis and survival of gastric cancer patients.

So far, a number of association studies have focused on the effect of polymorphisms in IL-1β and TNF-α genes on the susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC). Here, we evaluate the possible association between common polymorphisms in the IL-1β and TNF-α genes with various clinicopathological characteristics, including overall survival of GC patients. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed for IL-1β-31(T > C) and IL-1β-511(C > T) and TNF-α-857 (C > T) polymorphisms in 130 GC patients.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor of the Stomach with Narrow Stalk-Like Based, Uneven Protruding Appearance Presenting with Severe Acute Anemia despite Small Size.

We report the case of a 56-year-old woman who had a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the stomach. She was admitted to our hospital for epigastric pain, nausea, and severe acute anemia (hemoglobin level 4.3 g/dl).

Association between common genetic variants in pre-microRNAs and the clinicopathological characteristics and survival of gastric cancer patients.

Common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to several types of human cancer. We evaluated the association between three SNPs (rs11614913, rs2910164 and rs3746444) in pre-miRNAs (miR-196a2, miR-146a and miR-499) and various clinicopathological characteristics, including CpG island hypermethylation (CIHM) status and overall survival in gastric cancer (GC) patients. rs11614913 (T>C), rs2910164 (C>G) and rs3746444 (A>G) SNPs were genotyped in 127 GC patients.

Association study of common genetic variants in pre-microRNAs in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNA) have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to several human diseases. We evaluated the associations of three SNPs (rs11614913, rs2910164, and rs3746444) in pre-miRNAs (miR-196a2, miR-146a, and miR-499) with the risk of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a Japanese population.

Methods: The rs11614913 (T > C), rs2910164 (C > G), and rs3746444 (A > G) SNPs were genotyped in 170 UC and 403 control subjects.

Association between cyclin D1 polymorphism with CpG island promoter methylation status of tumor suppressor genes in gastric cancer.

Background: CpG island hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes is highly involved in gastric carcinogenesis, and enhanced cell proliferation could accelerate this process. Cyclin D1 regulates cell cycle function and may play a role in methylation-related carcinogenesis.

Aims: We investigated the association between Cyclin D1 gene G870A polymorphism and the methylation status of tumor suppressor genes in gastric cancer.

Increased number of CpG island hypermethylation in tumor suppressor genes of non-neoplastic gastric mucosa correlates with higher risk of gastric cancer.

Background/aim: We investigated the relationship of gastric cancer (GC) and CpG island hypermethylation (CIHM) in tumor suppressor genes of non-neoplastic gastric mucosa.

Methods: Gastric mucosa samples were obtained from 125 GC and 180 non-GC subjects. CIHM of p14, p16, DAP-kinase and CDH1 genes were determined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction.

CpG island promoter methylation (CIHM) status of tumor suppressor genes correlates with morphological appearances of gastric cancer.

Unlabelled: CpG island hypermethylation (CIHM) of tumor suppressor genes is one of the major events in the gastric carcinogenesis. We aimed to investigate the association between CIHM status of tumor suppressor genes and clinicopathological and morphological characteristics of gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: CIHM of p14, p16, Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) and E-cadherin (CDH1) genes were determined by methylation-specific-polymerase chain Reaction in 146 gastric cancer tissues.

Association between IL-17A, -17F and MIF polymorphisms predispose to CpG island hyper-methylation in gastric cancer.

CpG island hyper-methylation (CIHM) is one of the major events in the gastric carcinogenesis. IL-17A, -17F and MIF have a crucial role in the gastric inflammation and carcinogenesis. Recently, we showed that the genetic polymorphisms of MIF-794-CATT repeat are associated with CIHM status in the non-neoplastic gastric mucosa.

Vitamin E protects against stress-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats more effectively than vitamin C.

In this study, we examined the protective effects of vitamin E (VE) against gastric mucosal lesions induced by water immersion restraint stress (WIRS) in rats in comparison with that of vitamin C (VC). The gastric mucosa of rats with 6 h of WIRS showed lesions with bleeding, decrease in nonprotein SH, VC, VE, and adherent mucus concentrations and constitutive nitric oxide synthase activity, and increase in lipid peroxide and NOx (nitrite/nitrate) concentrations and myeloperoxidase, xanthine oxidase, and inducible nitric oxide synthase activities. Either VE (0.

779 TC of CCK-1 intron 1 is associated with postprandial syndrome (PDS) in Japanese male subjects.

Background/aims: The role of genetics in the susceptibility to functional dyspepsia (FD) is not well established. Cholecystokinin (CCK) is released from enteroendocrine cells in the duodenal mucosa after food ingestion and signals satiation through peripheral or central actions. A common polymorphisms of CCK and it's receptor gene has been shown to be associated with panic disorder and schizophrenia.

Effect of polymorphisms of IL-17A, -17F and MIF genes on CpG island hyper-methylation (CIHM) in the human gastric mucosa.

CpG island hyper-methylation (CIHM) is one of the major events in the gastric carcinogenesis and also occurs in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa. IL-17A, -17F and MIF have a crucial role in the gastric inflammation and carcinogenesis. The CIHM status in the non-cancerous gastric mucosa, in relation to IL-17A (-197G>A, rs2275913), -17F (7488T>C, rs763780) and MIF (-173G>C and -794 tetranucleotide repeats) polymorphisms was investigated.

The BB genotype of heat-shock protein (HSP) 70-2 gene is associated with gastric pre-malignant condition in H. pylori-infected older patients.

Background: Heat-shock protein (HSP) 70 plays essential roles in cellular response to a variety of environmental stresses or unfavorable conditions. A to G transition at the 1267 position of the HSP70-2 gene confers different levels of HSP70 mRNA expression. We aimed to clarify the effect of HSP70-2 polymorphism on the risk of premalignant condition, on the degree of acute or chronic inflammation in the stomach.

Impact of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism on promoter methylation status in gastric mucosa.

Unlabelled: DNA methylation is one of the major events in the early process of gastric carcinogenesis and also occurs in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) catalyzes the methylation of various endobiotic and xenobiotic substances, and protects DNA from oxidative damage. The association between a common functional polymorphism of COMT Val158Met and DNA methylation status in the stomach was investigated.

COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism influences the severity of intestinal metaplasia in H. pylori infected older subjects.

Background/aims: A complex interaction of host genetic and environmental factors may be relevant in the development of Helocobacter pylori (H. pylori) related gastroduodenal diseases. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is expressed catalyzes the methylation of various endobiotic and xenobiotic substances and thus might protect DNA from oxidative damage.

Mannan-binding lectin B allele is associated with a risk of developing more severe gastric mucosal atrophy in Helicobacter pylori-infected Japanese patients.

Objective: Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is an important constituent of the innate immune system, and deficiency of MBL has been reported to increase the overall susceptibility of an individual to infectious disease. Codon 54 G/A variant of exon 1 (B allele) affects MBL2 gene and alters its activity. We investigated the influence of MBL2 variant on the risk of gastroduodenal diseases and on the severity of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis in a Japanese population.