Body mass index and menopausal disorders during menopause affect vasomotor symptoms of postmenopausal Japanese breast cancer patients treated with anastrozole: a prospective multicenter cohort study of patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Adverse events related to endocrine therapies have a major impact not only on patients' quality of life but also on treatment discontinuation. Although vasomotor symptoms induced by aromatase inhibitors are frequently recognized, risk factors, especially for Japanese women, are not well reported. To identify risk factors for vasomotor symptoms of Japanese breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant anastrozole, we conducted a prospective cohort study based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Risk factors for joint symptoms in postmenopausal Japanese breast cancer patients treated with anastrozole: a prospective multicenter cohort study of patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Endocrine treatment-related adverse events have a strong impact on patients' quality of life and sometimes result in treatment discontinuation. Since joint symptoms are the most frequently recognized side effect of aromatase inhibitors, evaluation of associated risk factors may yield significant findings.

Patients And Methods: A total of 391 postmenopausal Japanese women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and treated with adjuvant anastrozole were enrolled from 28 centers for assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in this prospective cohort study (SAVS-JP, UMIN000002455).

Transport mechanisms for soy isoflavones and microbial metabolites dihydrogenistein and dihydrodaidzein across monolayers and membranes.

Isoflavone data concerning the metabolism and permeability on intestinal epithelial cells are scarce, particularly for microbial isoflavone metabolites. This study evaluates the absorption mechanisms for the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, and their microbial metabolites, dihydrogenistein (DHG) and dihydrodaidzein (DHD). The permeability characteristics of isoflavones were compared by using the Caco-2 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line for a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay, and comparing their physicochemical properties.

Primary culture of breast cancer: a model system for epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells.

Background: A novel model system to study the cellular, molecular, and genetic characteristics of breast cancer stem cells is needed. Personalized prognostic models are indispensable for assessing the effect of so-called tailor-made adjuvant therapy.

Materials And Methods: Surgically-extirpated tissues were dispersed with Dispase and cultured in commonly used medium.

MyD88 associated ROS generation is crucial for Lactobacillus induced IL-12 production in macrophage.

It is well known that some strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can induce IL-12 which plays an important role in modulating immune responses. However, the mechanisms by which LAB induce IL-12 production remain unclear. Here, we examine the role of toll-like receptors (TLR's) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in IL-12 production by LAB stimulated peritoneal macrophages.

Transport mechanisms of flavanone aglycones across Caco-2 cell monolayers and artificial PAMPA membranes.

Objectives: We recently reported that flavanone aglycones (hesperetin, naringenin and eriodictyol) are efficiently absorbed via proton-coupled active transport, in addition to transcellular passive diffusion, in Caco-2 cells. Here, we aimed to evaluate in detail the absorption mechanisms of these flavanones, as well as homoeriodictyol and sakuranetin.

Methods: We evaluated the absorption mechanisms of the above compounds by means of in vitro studies in Caco-2 cells in parallel with an artificial membrane permeation assay (PAMPA) under pH-gradient and iso-pH conditions.

Orally administered Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110 induces in vivo IL-12 production.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are popularly used as probiotics, and some strains of LAB have anti-allergic functions in vivo. Although in vitro studies show that LAB modulate the T helper type (Th) 1/Th2 balance and inhibit IgE secretion by inducing IL-12, it is not known how LAB regulates allergies in vivo. In this study, we evaluated in vivo IL-12 production after oral administration of Lactobacillus paracasei KW3110, a strain reported to improve allergies, to mice.

High-performance liquid chromatographic purification of oligomeric procyanidins, trimers up to nonamers, derived from the bark of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril).

Procyanidin oligomers with different degrees of polymerization (up to nonamers) were efficiently purified from the bark of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) by using a recently developed chromatographic separation method. Purification relied on a hydrogen bonding interaction between phenolic hydroxyl groups of the procyanidins and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated resin in a packed column. The individual procyanidins were identified by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and verified by a thiolytic degradation analysis.

Transepithelial transport of flavanone in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Our recent study [S. Kobayashi, S. Tanabe, M.

MyD88 but not TLR2, 4 or 9 is essential for IL-12 induction by lactic acid bacteria.

Although lactic acid bacteria (LAB) affect the immune system, for example, having an anti-allergic effect, little is known about the actual mechanisms of immune modulation. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize conserved microbial molecular patterns, and are presumed to be involved in the recognition of LAB. However, there are few detailed reports examining the relationships between TLR and LAB.

Transepithelial transport of hesperetin and hesperidin in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

The cell permeability of hesperetin and hesperidin, anti-allergic compounds from citrus fruits, was measured using Caco-2 monolayers. In the presence of a proton gradient, hesperetin permeated cells in the apical-to-basolateral direction at the rate (Jap-->bl) of 10.43+/-0.

Angiosarcoma of the breast - specific findings of MRI.

We present a case of low-grade angiosarcoma of the breast. A 26-year old woman presented with a lump in the left breast. An elastic hard and ill-defined tumor, 80 x 50 mm in size, was palpated in the upper region of her left breast.

Phenolic acids are absorbed from the rat stomach with different absorption rates.

The intestinal absorption characteristics of phenolic acids (PAs) have been elucidated in terms of their affinity for the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT). Recently, the involvement of the stomach has been implicated in the absorption of polyphenols. The present work demonstrates that the gastric absorption efficiency of each PA is apparently different between various PAs.

Non-involvement of the human monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 (MCT1) in the transport of phenolic acid.

Phenolic acids such as p-coumaric acid and microbial metabolites of poorly absorbed polyphenols are absorbed by the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT)-mediated transport system which is identical to the fluorescein/H(+) cotransport system. We focus here on the physiological impact of MCT-mediated absorption and distribution. We examined whether MCT1, the best-characterized isoform found in almost all tissues, is involved in this MCT-mediated transport system.

Isolated right ventricular metastasis of uterine cervical carcinoma.

Isolated direct metastasis of uterine cervical carcinoma to the right ventricular endocardium is very rare. A 68-year-old woman was initially diagnosed as having stage IIIb squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and was treated with radiation therapy. After 2 years, she developed heart failure and presented with a mass in the right ventricle.

Absorption and bioavailability of artepillin C in rats after oral administration.

Artepillin C (AC), an active ingredient of Brazilian propolis, permeates intact across Caco-2 cells by transcellular passive diffusion. The permeation of AC across Caco-2 cells is as efficient as that of phenolic acids and the microbial metabolites of poorly absorbed polyphenols, which are actively absorbed by the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT) (Biochim. Biophys.

Transepithelial transport of artepillin C in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

The absorption characteristics of artepillin C (AC), an active ingredient of Brazilian propolis, were examined by measuring permeation across Caco-2 cell monolayers. The permeation rate in the basolateral-to-apical direction, J(bl-->ap), in the presence of proton gradient was 0.14 nmol/min/mg protein, whereas J(bl-->ap) in the absence of proton gradient was 1.

Pharmacokinetic study of caffeic and rosmarinic acids in rats after oral administration.

p-Coumaric and ferulic acid are actively taken up by monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT), whereas gallic acid, caffeic acid (CA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) are absorbed by paracellular diffusion in human intestinal Caco-2 cells, although CA has low affinity for MCT. We previously demonstrated that p-coumaric acid has a much higher absorption efficiency than gallic acid in rats, owing to the MCT-mediated absorption of p-coumaric acid in vivo (J. Agric.

Transepithelial transport of rosmarinic acid in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

The absorption characteristics of rosmarinic acid (RA) were examined by measuring permeation across Caco-2 cell monolayers using an HPLC-electrochemical detector (ECD) fitted with a coulometric detection system. RA exhibited nonsaturable transport even at 30 mM, and the permeation at 5 mM in the apical-to-basolateral direction, J(ap-->bl), was 0.13 nmol/min/mg of protein.

Transepithelial transport of microbial metabolites of quercetin in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

m-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid (mHPA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DHPA), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid (HMPA) are major microbial metabolites of quercetin. After administration of quercetin to human subjects, these metabolites are readily detected in blood and urine. mHPA, DHPA, and HMPA are thought to exert protective biological activity within the body due to their antioxidant properties.

Microbial metabolites of ingested caffeic acid are absorbed by the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT) in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers.

It was previously reported that m-coumaric acid, m-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (mHPP), and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic acid (DHPP) are major metabolites of ingested caffeic acid formed by gut microflora and would be transported by the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT). We have directly measured their absorption characteristics in Caco-2 cells using a coulometric detection method involving HPLC-ECD. The proton-coupled directional transport of m-coumaric acid, mHPP, and DHPP was observed, and the transport was inhibited by an MCT substrate.

Successful treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension with inhaled nitric oxide after right ventricular thrombectomy.

We report a case of a 42-year-old male with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. His preoperative examination revealed severe hypoxemia (PaO2 48 mmHg, PaCO2 34 mmHg in room air), a mass in the right ventricle and severe pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary arterial pressure 70/33 mmHg). We successfully performed right ventricular thrombectomy to prevent further embolization from the right ventricular thrombus.

Surgical treatment for intrathoracic aneurysm of the innominate artery in an 83-year-old asymptomatic woman.

Aneurysm of the innominate artery is uncommon compared with other peripheral aneurysms, and holds the potential for rupture, embolization, or thrombosis as well as various complications caused by compression to the adjacent structures. The most effective treatment for this condition is surgical resection, but the earlier reports described high mortality rates. We report the case of an 83-year-old asymptomatic woman with an aneurysm in the innominate artery, which was successfully resected and repaired with the use of modern surgical techniques of hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective cerebral perfusion.

Intestinal absorption of p-coumaric and gallic acids in rats after oral administration.

Ferulic acid (FA) and p-coumaric acid (CA) are absorbed by the monocarboxylic acid transporter (MCT) in Caco-2 cells, although gallic acid (GA) is not. Therefore, the MCT is selective for certain phenolic acids. Absorption of orally administered CA and GA in rats was studied to obtain serum pharmacokinetic profiles and to investigate their intestinal absorption characteristics in vivo.

Transepithelial transport of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and their colonic metabolites in intestinal caco-2 cell monolayers.

Both chlorogenic and caffeic acids exhibited nonsaturable transport in Caco-2 cells, whereas caffeic acid also showed proton-coupled polarized absorption. Thus, the absorption efficiency of caffeic acid was greater than that of chlorogenic acid. Polarized transport of caffeic acid was inhibited by substrates of MCT such as benzoic and acetic acids.