Transient expression of iron transport proteins in the capillary of the developing rat brain

Iron is essential for normal brain function and its uptake in the developing rat brain peaks during the first two weeks after birth, prior to the formation of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). The first step of iron transport from the blood to the brain is transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated endocytosis in the capillary endothelial cells. However, the subsequent step from the endothelium into interstitium has not been fully described. The goal of this study was to examine the expression of iron transport proteins by immunodetection and RT–PCR in the developing rat brain. Tf and TfR are transiently expressed in perivascular NG2+ cells of the capillary wall during the early postnatal weeks in the rat brain. However, MTP-1 and hephaestin were expressed in endothelial cells, but not in the NG2+ perivascular cells. Immunoblot analysis for these iron transfer proteins in the developing brain generally confirmed the immunochemical findings. Furthermore, the expression of Tf and TfR in the blood vessels precedes its expression in oligodendrocytes, the main iron-storing cells in the vertebrate brain. RT–PCR analysis for the primary culture of endothelial cells and pericytes revealed that Tf and TfR were highly expressed in the pericytes while MTP-1 and hephaestin were expressed in the endothelial cells. The specific expression of Tf and TfR in brain perivascular cells and MTP-1 and hephaestin in endothelial cells suggest the possibility that trafficking of elemental iron through perivascular cells may be instrumental in the distribution of iron in the developing central nervous system.

Abstract 2957: Mutations of Cyclin D1 / beta-catenin are coexistent with mutations in Ras-PI3K pathway genes in endometrial cancer

Introduction: Mutant beta-catenin is translocated to nucleus, and induces Cyclin D1 expression. Cyclin D1 cooperates with CDK4/6 to accelerate cell cycle from G1 to S phase. In addition to canonical Wnt signaling pathway, beta-catenin is regulated by GSK-3beta, which is phosphorylated and downregulated by Akt. Endometrial carcinoma is the only tumor type, in which CyclinD1 mutations have been reported. Mutations of beta-catenin and Ras-PI3K pathway genes (such as K-Ras, PTEN and PIK3CA) are also well-known in endometrial cancer. In this study, we analyzed alterations of Cyclin D1 and beta-catenin, and addressed the relationship between these alterations and the Ras-PI3K activating mutations in endometrial cancer.

Materials and methods: We extracted DNA from 91 primary endometrial carcinomas (under informed consent) and 13 endometrial carcinoma cell lines. Mutations of CCND1 (Cyclin D1), CTNNB1 (beta-catenin), K-Ras, PTEN and PIK3CA were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing. In 24 cliniclal samples, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) typing arrays (50K) were performed to evaluate copy number alterations in 11q13.3 for CCND1, 3p22.1 for CTNNB1, 12p12.1 for K-Ras, 10q23.3 for PTEN and 3q26.3 for PIK3CA.

Result: Alterations of Cyclin D1 were detected in three clinical samples; mutations in two (2%) and amplification in one (4%) samples. Mutations of beta-catenin were detected in nine clinical samples (10%) and four cell lines (31%). No overlapping alterations were observed in Cyclin D1 and beta catenin. All the tumors with alterations in Cyclin D1 or beta-catenin coexist with mutations in the Ras-PI3K pathway genes (K-Ras, PTEN and PIK3CA). All the three patients with Cyclin D1 alterations were poor prognostic, whereas all the nine patients with beta-catenin mutations were alive without recurrence.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that tumors with mutations in beta-catenin or Cyclin D1 could more efficiently accelerate cell cycle by cooperating with the coexistent alterations in the Ras-PI3K pathway genes. Furthermore, Cyclin D1 mutation might be associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis in endometrial cancer.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2957. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2957

Abstract 4494: In vivo antitumor activity of NVP-BEZ235, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, and RAD001 (everolimus), an mTOR inhibitor, in endometrial cancer

Purpose; PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase) and its downstream mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway play a critical role in diverse cellular functions, including proliferation, growth and cell survival. PI3K-mTOR pathway is frequently activated in endometrial cancer through various PI3K/AKT activating genetic alterations, such as mutations in PTEN, PIK3CA, and K-Ras. It has not been well analyzed whether mTOR inhibition alone is as effective as dual PI3K/mTOR inhibition to cancer cells with the activating PI3K pathway mutations, especially in vivo. In this study, we compared in vivo anti-tumor activity of a dual PI3K.inhibitor, NVP-BEZ235, with an mTOR inhibitor, RAD001, in endometrial cancer cell lines with the PI3K/AKT activating mutations.Experimental procedure; We screened 13 endometrial cancer cell lines, 11 of which possess one or more PI3K/AKT activating mutations. Among them, we selected two cell lines; AN3CA with a nonsense mutation in PTEN, and Hec-59 with double mutations in PIK3CA and PTEN. The IC50 values for cell proliferation by RAD001 were 14nM in AN3CA and 220nM in Hec-59, whereas the values by NVP-BEZ235 were 20nM in AN3CA and 24nM in Hec-59. We examined the effect of RAD001 (2.5mg/kg/day) and BEZ235 (40mg/kg/day) on tumor growth in vivo, using mice inoculated with endometrial cancer cells. We analyzed the phosphorylation levels of Akt, FOXO, GSK3beta and S6 in the tumors by immunoblotting. Results;Both BEZ and RAD001, compared with placebo, significantly suppressed the tumor growth in xenograft mice in the two cell lines. No significant adverse effects were observed with either compounds in any of the mice. Inconsistent with the in vitro data, the effect was comparable between BEZ235 and RAD001 even in Hec-59 cells, although the IC50 value was much higher with RAD001 than NVP-BEZ235. In Hec-59, NVP-BEZ235 clearly suppressed all the phosphorylation level of Akt, FOXO, GSK3beta and S6 in one hour from the treatment. However, all the phosphorylation levels were completely recovered to the base level within 24 hours. RAD001 clearly suppressed the p-S6 level in 1 hour and the effect partly remained even after 24 hours from the treatment. Conclusion; We demonstrated that both NVP-BEZ235 and RAD001 suppressed tumor growth in vivo in endometrial cancer cell lines with PIK3CA and/or PTEN mutations. The comparable effect of NVP-BEZ235 and RAD001 might be explained by the recovery of the phosphorylation levels of the target proteins, such as p-Akt, suggesting that sufficient suppression of the PI3K/mTOR pathway for full time-course might be required to robustly induce the anti-tumor effect by these inhibitors. In clinical trials, both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodinamic analyses would be important to appropriately assess the effect of these inhibitors.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4494. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4494

Multifunctional transcription factor TFII-I is an activator of BRCA1 function

Background:

The TFII-I is a multifunctional transcriptional factor known to bind specifically to several DNA sequence elements and to mediate growth factor signalling. A microdeletion at the chromosomal location 7q11.23 encoding TFII-I and the related family of transcription factors may result in the onset of Williams–Beuren syndrome, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterised by a unique cognitive profile, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and craniofacial defects. Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene product BRCA1 has been shown to serve as a positive regulator of SIRT1 expression by binding to the promoter region of SIRT1, but cross talk between BRCA1 and TFII-I has not been investigated to date.

Methods:

A physical interaction between TFII-I and BRCA1 was explored. To determine pathophysiological function of TFII-I, its role as a transcriptional cofactor for BRCA1 was investigated.

Results:

We found a physical interaction between the carboxyl terminus of TFII-I and the carboxyl terminus of BRCA1, also known as the BRCT domain. Endogenous TFII-I and BRCA1 form a complex in nuclei of intact cells and formation of irradiation-induced nuclear foci was observed. We also showed that the expression of TFII-I stimulates the transcriptional activation function of BRCT by a transient expression assay. The expression of TFII-I also enhanced the transcriptional activation of the SIRT1 promoter mediated by full-length BRCA1.

Conclusion:

These results revealed the intrinsic mechanism that TFII-I may modulate the cellular functions of BRCA1, and provide important implications to understand the development of breast cancer.

Interstitial pneumonitis induced by pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in a patient with recurrent ovarian cancer

Interstitial pneumonitis after treatment with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) has been rarely reported. We describe herein a case of interstitial pneumonitis in a 49-year-old woman with relapsed ovarian carcinoma treated with PLD. Twenty-five days after the second administration of PLD, she presented with fever and dry cough, and chest CT scans revealed bilateral interstitial infiltrates and ground-glass opacities. She was diagnosed to have interstitial pneumonitis induced by PLD. Steroid therapy improved her symptoms.

Decisional conflict and the disposition of frozen embryos: implications for informed consent

BACKGROUND

Fertility patients often struggle with decisions about disposition of embryos remaining after fertility treatment. We aimed to identify predictors and correlates of decisional conflict among patients facing these decisions.

METHODS

We analyzed results from a survey of 2210 patients from nine geographically diverse US fertility clinics. The main outcome measure was decisional conflict about embryo disposition, as measured by the decisional conflict scale (DCS).

RESULTS

Of 1244 respondents who returned the survey, 1005 with cryopreserved embryos and DCS scores were included in the analysis. Of the respondents, 39% reported high decisional conflict (DCS ≥ 37.5). Thoughts about future childbearing were associated with high decisional conflict: respondents who were either uncertain about whether to have a baby in the future or sure they did not want to have a baby were at higher odds of high decisional conflict than participants who desired a baby [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.93, P < 0.001 and aOR = 1.69, P = 0.04, respectively]. Also associated with high decisional conflict were being likely to have embryos thawed and discarded (aOR = 2.08, P < 0.001), donated for research (aOR = 1.66, P = 0.01) or frozen 'forever' (aOR = 1.90, P = 0.01); being likely to choose compassionate transfer if it were available (aOR = 1.65, P = 0.03); attributing high, but not full, moral status to human embryos; not having enough information; and not being satisfied with the informed consent process.

CONCLUSIONS

Decisional conflict about frozen embryo disposition differs according to reproductive preferences that may vary according to stage of treatment. Informed consent for embryo disposition should be revisited periodically, with serious discussions about disposition after childbearing is complete.

Clinicopathological significance of loss of ARID1A immunoreactivity in ovarian clear cell carcinoma

Recent genome-wide analysis has demonstrated that somatic mutations in ARID1A (BAF250) are the most common molecular genetic changes in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC). ARID1A mutations, which occur in approximately half of OCCC cases, lead to deletion of the encoded protein and inactivation of the putative tumor suppressor. In this study, we determined the significance of loss of ARID1A immunoreactivity with respect to several clinicopathological features in a total of 149 OCCCs. First, we demonstrated that ARID1A immunohistochemistry showed concordance with the mutational status in 91% of cases with 100% sensitivity and 66% specificity. Specifically, among 12 OCCC cases for which ARIDA mutational status was known, ARIDIA immunoreactivity was undetectable in all 9 cases harboring ARID1A mutations and was undetectable in one of 3 cases with wild-type ARID1A. With respect to the entire cohort, ARID1A immunoreactivity was undetectable in 88 (59%) of 149 OCCCs. There was no significant difference between ARID1A negative and positive cases in terms of histopathologic features, age, clinical stage, or overall survival. In conclusion, this study provides further evidence that mutations in ARID1A resulted in loss of ARID1A protein expression in OCCC, although no significant differences between ARID1A positive and negative cases were observed with respect to any clinicopathological features examined.

Mucosal carcinoma of the fallopian tube coexists with ovarian cancer of serous subtype only: a study of Japanese cases

Previous studies in Western countries have revealed that mucosal carcinoma of the fallopian tube frequently coexists with pelvic (ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal) serous carcinomas, and early tubal carcinoma is now regarded as a possible origin of these tumors. However, the relationship between early tubal carcinoma and non-serous ovarian cancer, such as clear cell adenocarcinoma, has not been studied in detail. In this study, we sought to examine the coexistence of mucosal carcinoma of the fallopian tube in Japanese ovarian cancer cases. We submitted the fallopian tubes in toto for histological examination in 52 ovarian carcinoma cases and three peritoneal serous carcinoma cases. The ovarian tumors included 12 serous adenocarcinomas, 23 clear cell adenocarcinomas, nine endometrioid adenocarcinomas, three mucinous adenocarcinomas, and four mixed epithelial carcinomas. Mucosal carcinoma of the fallopian tube did not coexist with non-serous adenocarcinoma (n = 40). In contrast, mucosal carcinoma of the fallopian tube was observed in six cases of ovarian serous adenocarcinoma and one case of peritoneal serous adenocarcinoma. In these cases, the p53 immunophenotypes were similar in tubal lesions and invasive ovarian or peritoneal carcinomas. Tumors were negative for p53 in four of seven cases, and one of the p53-negative serous adenocarcinomas showed low-grade morphology. We believe that some ovarian and peritoneal serous adenocarcinomas develop from early tubal carcinomas. However, it should be noted that early tubal carcinomas are not always p53-positive immunohistochemically. Finally, it is unlikely that early tubal lesions are involved in the carcinogenesis of clear cell adenocarcinoma and other non-serous adenocarcinomas.

Characteristics of paediatric patients with 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) and severe, oxygen-requiring pneumonia in the Tokyo region, 1 September-31 October 2009

Few reports describe the features of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) pneumonia in children. We retrospectively reviewed 21 consecutive children admitted to hospital from September to October 2009 in the Tokyo region. The diagnosis of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus infection was based on positive results of real-time RT-PCR or rapid influenza antigen test. All patients were hospitalised for pneumonia with respiratory failure and severe hypoxia. The median interval from onset of influenza symptoms to admission was 14 hours (range: 5-72 hours) and the median interval from the onset of fever (≥38 degrees C) to hospitalisation was 8.5 hours (range: 0-36 hours). All patients required oxygen inhalation. Four patients required mechanical ventilation. Chest radiography revealed patchy infiltration or atelectasis in all patients. Antiviral agents and antibiotics were administrated to all patients. Antiviral agents were administered to 20 patients within 48 hours of influenza symptom onset. No deaths occurred during the study period. Paediatric patients with this pneumonia showed rapid aggravation of dyspnoea and hypoxia after the onset of influenza symptoms.

Characteristics of paediatric patients with 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) and severe, oxygen-requiring pneumonia in the Tokyo region, 1 September–31 October 2009

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches

Cytotoxicity of amorphous silica particles against macrophage-like THP-1 cells depends on particle-size and surface properties

Recent studies have indicated that amorphous silica particles (SPs) show cytotoxicity against various types of cells, including macrophages. However, the mechanism of cell death has not been determined, and systematic investigations of the relationship between particle characteristics and cytotoxicity are still quite limited. Here, we compared the cytotoxicity of SPs of various sizes (30-1000 nm) and surface properties against differentiated THP-1 human macrophage-like cells. We found that 300 and 1000 nm SPs showed cytotoxicity against THP-1 cells, whereas 30, 50, and 70 nm SPs did not induce cell death. We demonstrated that 1000 nm SP showed strong cytotoxicity that depended on reactive oxygen species but was independent of caspases. Furthermore, we showed that surface modification of 1000 nm SPs dramatically suppressed their cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that systematic evaluation of the association between particle characteristics and biological effects is necessary for the creation of safe SPs.

Glomus Tumor of the Ovary: A Case Report

A 55-year-old woman underwent a total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, partial omentectomy, and lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. Histologically, the cancer was endometrioid adenocarcinoma grade 1, which invaded the myometrium. There was no macroscopically detectable mass in the ovaries. However, histological examination revealed a small tumor, 1 mm in size, in the medulla of the right ovary. The ovarian tumor was composed of uniform epithelioid cells that grew in nests. Vessels of various sizes were observed within the tumor, and they were surrounded by tumor cells. Immunohistochemically, the ovarian tumor was positive for smooth muscle actin and vimentin but negative for desmin and CD34. Based on these findings, the authors made the diagnosis of ovarian glomus tumor. Although an ovarian glomus tumor is extremely rare, the authors believe that it should be included in the differential diagnosis of ovarian mesenchymal tumors and sex cord tumors.

The cell polarity regulator hScrib controls ERK activation through a KIM site-dependent interaction

The cell polarity regulator, human Scribble (hScrib), is a potential tumour suppressor whose loss is a frequent event in late-stage cancer development. Little is yet known about the mode of action of hScrib, although recent reports suggest its role in the regulation of cell signalling. In this study we show that hScrib is a direct regulator of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). In human keratinocytes, loss of hScrib results in elevated phospho-ERK levels and concomitant increased nuclear translocation of phospho-ERK. We also show that hScrib interacts with ERK through two well-conserved kinase interaction motif (KIM) docking sites, both of which are also required for ERK-induced phosphorylation of hScrib on two distinct residues. Although wild-type hScrib can downregulate activation of ERK and oncogenic Ras co-transforming activity, an hScrib mutant that lacks the carboxy terminal KIM docking site has no such effects. These results provide a clear mechanistic explanation of how hScrib can regulate ERK signalling and begin to explain how loss of hScrib during cancer development can contribute to disease progression.

Abstract 3139: Chromosomal copy number alterations involved in Ras/PI3-kinase pathway in endometrial carcinomas

[Objectives]: Activation of Ras/PI3-kinase (PI3K) pathway plays a direct causal role in human cancer. Oncogenic mutant Ras remains in active state, and activates various Ras effectors, including PI3K pathway. Ras/PI3K pathway activating mutations are very frequent in endometrial cancer, as reported at 35-55% for PTEN, 25-36% for PIK3CA and 10-20% for K-Ras. NF1 is a negative regulator of Ras and its alterations have been reported in several types of tumors. Although LOH at PTEN locus (10q23.3) is reported at 15-30%, other chromosomal imbalances involved in the Ras/PI3K pathway are not well characterized in endometrial cancer. In this study, we focused on chromosomal copy number alterations (CNAs), including copy number neutral (CNN) LOH, involved in the Ras/PI3K pathway in endometrial carcinomas.

[Materials and Methods]: Under the approval of institutional ethical committees, we performed 250K or 50K Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) arrays in 31 endometrial carcinomas with paired DNA and examined allele-specific CNAs at K-Ras, NF1, PIK3CA and PTEN.

[Results]: We detected deletions of PTEN locus in eight out of 31 (26%) tumors; one with homozygous deletions (HD), four with CNN LOH and three with LOH without gain of the opposite allele. In addition to one HD (3%) and three LOH (10%) at NF1 locus, we found gains at the loci of PIK3CA (3q26.3) in four (13%) tumors and K-Ras (12p12.1) in four (13%) tumors. Taken together, we detected 12 (39%) tumors with one or more CNAs involved in the Ras/PI3K pathway. All the four tumors with NF1 deletions coexist with other CNAs involved in the Ras/PI3K pathway (Table). [Conclusion]: Our data unveiled CNN LOH of PTEN and homozygous deletions of PTEN and NF1, which had not been reported by conventional CGH analysis. Various types of CNAs might play roles in activation of the Ras/PI3K pathway and targeting the Ras-PI3K pathway might be effective in endometrial carcinomas with the Ras-PI3K related CNAs.Table.Coexistent CN alterations in the Ras/PI3K pathwayPTEN (Loss)PIK3CA (Gain)K-Ras (Gain)NF1 (Loss)LOH Gain LOH  LOH Gain LOHLOHGain HDLOHGainGainLOH

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3139.

Abstract 2152: Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism arrays in endometrial carcinomas associate extensive chromosomal instability with poor prognosis and unveil prevalent alterations in Ras/PI3-kinase pathway

[Objectives]: Endometrial cancer is one of the tumor types, in which either chromosomal instability (CIN) or microsatellite instability (MSI) may occur, and is known to possess mutations frequently in Ras-PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3’-kinase) pathway. In this study, we attempted to clarify prognostic impact of genomic instability, determined by CIN and MSI status, and figure out the relationship between alterations in the Ras-PI3K pathway genes and the status of genomic instability.

[Materials and Methods]: Under the approval of institutional ethical committees, we analyzed allele-specific chromosomal copy number alterations by SNP typing arrays in 31 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas with paired DNA (25 by the 50K and six by the 250K probes). We also screened 25 of the 31 samples for MSI status with five microsatellite markers, and 22 samples for mutations in PIK3CA (exon 9 and 20), PTEN (exons 1-8) and K-Ras (exon1 and 2). Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with a log-rank test.

[Results]: We detected five or more copy number changes (classified as CIN-extensive) in nine (29%), one to four changes (CIN-intermediate) in 17 (55%) and no changes (CIN-negative) in five (16%) tumors. Positive MSI was detected in ten (40%) of the 25 tumors and was less common in CIN-extensive tumors (14%), compared with CIN-intermediate/negative tumors (50%). CIN-extensive was significantly poor prognostic (p=0.0034), and the prognosis was shown to be independent from any other clinicpopathological characteristics by multivariate analysis. In contrast, positive MSI showed a trend to be a favorable prognostic factor (p=0.069), in spite of the association with vascular invasion (p=0.049). SNP array analysis unveiled copy number neutral LOH at 54 loci in 13 tumors (42%), including four at the locus of PTEN, and homozygous deletions at five regions in three tumors, including the locus of PTEN and NF1. Totally we detected eight (26%) tumors with PTEN deletions, and four (13%) with NF1 deletions. We identified mutations of PTEN, PIK3CA and K-Ras in 16 (73%), 6 (27%) and 2 (9%) out of 22 tumors, respectively. Seven (78%) of the nine CIN-extensive tumors harbor deletions at the loci of PTEN and/or NF1, with less frequent PTEN mutations (22%). On the other hand, PTEN mutations were detected in all the ten MSI-positive tumors, five of which coexist with PIK3CA and/or K-Ras mutations. We detected no deletions of NF1 and only one (10%) LOH of PTEN in the ten MSI-positive tumors.

[Conclusion]: Our results demonstrated that the degree of CIN is a useful biomarker for prognosis in endometrial carcinomas. In addition, genomic alterations in the Ras-PI3K pathway are remarkably widespread in endometrial carcinomas, regardless of the type of genomic instability.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2152.

Outcomes of Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Stage I Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Proposal for Patient Selection

Purpose

The objective of this study was to assess clinical outcomes and fertility in patients treated conservatively for unilateral stage I invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Patients and Methods

A multi-institutional retrospective investigation was undertaken to identify patients with unilateral stage I EOC treated with fertility-sparing surgery. Favorable histology was defined as grade 1 or grade 2 adenocarcinoma, excluding clear cell histology.

Results

A total of 211 patients (stage IA, n = 126; stage IC, n = 85) were identified from 30 institutions. Median duration of follow-up was 78 months. Five-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival were 100% and 97.8% for stage IA and favorable histology (n = 108), 100% and 100% for stage IA and clear cell histology (n = 15), 100% and 33.3% for stage IA and grade 3 (n = 3), 96.9% and 92.1% for stage IC and favorable histology (n = 67), 93.3% and 66.0% for stage IC and clear cell histology (n = 15), and 66.7% and 66.7% for stage IC and grade 3 (n = 3). Forty-five (53.6%) of 84 patients who were nulliparous at fertility-sparing surgery and married at the time of investigation gave birth to 56 healthy children.

Conclusion

Our data confirm that fertility-sparing surgery is a safe treatment for stage IA patients with favorable histology and suggest that stage IA patients with clear cell histology and stage IC patients with favorable histology can be candidates for fertility-sparing surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.

Aromatase inhibitor anastrozole as a second-line hormonal treatment to a recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: a case report

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare neoplasm and is generally an indolent tumor with estrogen and progesterone receptors. Objective responses by hormonal treatment with progestin or aromatase inhibitor have been reported, however, long-term management of this disease could be difficult if it becomes refractory to one of these hormonal therapies. A 34-year-old woman was diagnosed with stage I low-grade ESS at the time of hysterectomy for presumed uterine fibroma. Five years later, she recurred with multiple tumors in the lower abdomen. After an optimal surgery, she was free from progression for 6 years with progestin treatment (medroxyprogesterone acetate: MPA, 200-600 mg daily). Thereafter, she recurred twice during the MPA treatment and received debulking surgery each time. MPA was discontinued at age of 53, because another recurrent tumor grew up to 13 cm in diameter. Aromatase inhibitor anastrozole was then given at a daily dose of 1 mg with partial response (the tumor size decreased to 7 cm in diameter) for a duration of 9 months. After complete resection of the recurrent tumor, she remains progression-free for 16 months. Anastrozole was effective to recurrent low-grade ESS even after being refractory to progestin therapy. Aromatase inhibitor treatment may be a useful option as a second-line hormonal treatment to low-grade ESS.

Phylogenetic diversity of gene sequences isolated from the rumen as analysed using a self-organizing map (SOM)

AIMS

To determine the origins of DNA sequences isolated from the rumen microbial ecosystem using a self-organizing map (SOM).

METHODS AND RESULTS

DNA sequences other than 16S small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences that were detected from the rumen were analysed by the SOM method reported by Abe et al. [2000, Self-Organizing Map (SOM) unveils and visualizes hidden sequence characteristics of a wide range of eukaryote genomes. Gene 365, 27-34]. Because query sequences positioned by SOM were scattered on the master drawing of SOM, it was suggested that many DNA sequences isolated from the rumen were collected from a broad range of micro-organisms. Although the results obtained by SOM were similar to those obtained by the neighbour-joining (NJ) method, SOM was able to presume the phylotypes of the query sequences without information about the 16S SSU rRNA gene sequences and homology searches, and to reveal existence of novel micro-organisms deduced to be cellulolytic bacteria, archaea and methanotrophic bacterium.

CONCLUSIONS

As the SOM method defined phylotypes of unreported rumen micro-organisms, it is presumed that these phylotypes would be involved in rumen fermentation in cooperation with known rumen micro-organisms. Moreover, it is demonstrated that SOM is a useful tool for affiliating DNA sequences, which have no matches in databases.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY

Through SOM analysis, a better means of identifying rumen micro-organisms and estimating their roles in rumen function was provided.

Systemic administration of a PEGylated adenovirus vector with a cancer-specific promoter is effective in a mouse model of metastasis

Cancer gene therapy by adenovirus vectors (Advs) for metastatic cancer is limited because systemic administration of Adv produces low therapeutic effect and severe side effects. In this study, we generated a dual cancer-specific targeting vector system by using PEGylation and the telomere reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and attempted to treat experimental metastases through systemic administration of the vectors. We first optimized the molecular size of PEG and modification ratios used to create PEG-Ads. Systemic administration of PEG-Ad with 20-kDa PEG at a 45% modification ratio (PEG[20K/45%]-Ad) resulted in higher tumor-selective transgene expression than unmodified Adv. Next, we examined the effectiveness against metastases and side effects of a TERT promoter-driven PEG[20K/45%]-Ad containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene (PEG-Ad-TERT/HSVtk). Systemic administration of PEG-Ad-TERT/HSVtk showed superior antitumor effects against metastases with negligible side effects. A cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter-driven PEG[20K/45%]-Ad also produced antimetastatic effects, but these were accompanied by side effects. Combining PEG-Ad-TERT/HSVtk with etoposide or 5-fluorouracil enhanced the therapeutic effects with negligible side effects. These results suggest that modification with 20-kDa PEG at a 45% modification ratio is the optimal condition for PEGylation of Adv, and PEG-Ad-TERT/HSVtk is a prototype Adv for systemic cancer gene therapy against metastases.

Creation of an improved mutant TNF with TNFR1-selectivity and antagonistic activity by phage display technology

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), which binds two types of TNF receptors (TNFR1 and TNFR2), regulates the onset and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. In particular, TNFR1-mediated signals are predominantly related to the induction of inflammatory responses. We have previously generated a TNFR1-selective antagonistic TNF-mutant (mutTNF) and shown that mutTNF efficiently inhibits TNFR1-mediated bioactivity in vitro and attenuates inflammatory conditions in vivo. In this study, we aimed to improve the TNFR1-selectivity of mutTNF This was achieved by constructing a phage library displaying mutTNF-based variants, in which the amino acid residues at the predicted receptor binding sites were substituted to other amino acids. From this mutant TNF library, 20 candidate TNFR1-selective antagonists were isolated. Like mutTNF, all 20 candidates were found to have an inhibitory effect on TNFR1-mediated bioactivity. However, one of the mutants, N7, displayed significantly more than 40-fold greater TNFR1-selectivty than mutTNF. Therefore, N7 could be a promising anti-autoimmune agent that does not interfere with TNFR2-mediated signaling pathways.

Repression of estrogen receptor beta function by putative tumor suppressor DBC1

It has been well established that estrogen is involved in the pathophysiology of breast cancer. Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha appears to promote the proliferation of cancer tissues, while ERbeta can protect against the mitogenic effect of estrogen in breast tissue. The expression status of ERalpha and ERbeta may greatly influence on the development, treatment, and prognosis of breast cancer. Previous studies have indicated that the deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1/KIAA1967) gene product has roles in regulating functions of nuclear receptors. The gene encoding DBC1 is a candidate for tumor suppressor identified by genetic search for breast cancer. Caspase-dependent processing of DBC1 promotes apoptosis, and depletion of the endogenous DBC1 negatively regulates p53-dependent apoptosis through its specific inhibition of SIRT1. In addition, DBC1 modulates ERalpha expression and promotes breast cancer cell survival by binding to ERalpha. Here we report an ERbeta-specific repressive function of DBC1. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence studies show that ERbeta and DBC1 interact in a ligand-independent manner similar to ERalpha. In vitro pull-down assays revealed a direct interaction between DBC1 amino-terminus and activation function-1/2 domain of ERbeta. Although DBC1 shows no influence on the ligand-dependent transcriptional activation function of ERalpha, the expression of DBC1 negatively regulates the ligand-dependent transcriptional activation function of ERbetain vivo, and RNA interference-mediated depletion of DBC1 stimulates the transactivation function of ERbeta. These results implicate the principal role of DBC1 in regulating ERbeta-dependent gene expressions.

Genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays in endometrial carcinomas associate extensive chromosomal instability with poor prognosis and unveil frequent chromosomal imbalances involved in the PI3-kinase pathway

Endometrial cancer is one of the tumor types in which either chromosomal instability (CIN) or microsatellite instability (MSI) may occur. It is known to possess mutations frequently in the Ras-PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase) pathway. We performed a comprehensive genomic survey in 31 endometrial carcinomas with paired DNA for chromosomal imbalances (25 by the 50K and 6 by the 250K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array), and screened 25 of the 31 samples for MSI status and mutational status in the Ras-PI3K pathway genes. We detected five or more copy number changes (classified as CIN-extensive) in 9 (29%), 1 to 4 changes (CIN-intermediate) in 17 (55%) and no changes (CIN-negative) in 5 (16%) tumors. Positive MSI was less common in CIN-extensive tumors (14%), compared with CIN-intermediate/negative tumors (50%), and multivariate analysis showed that CIN-extensive is an independent poor prognostic factor. SNP array analysis unveiled copy number neutral LOH at 54 loci in 13 tumors (42%), including four at the locus of PTEN. In addition to eight (26%) tumors with PTEN deletions, we detected chromosomal imbalances of NF1, K-Ras and PIK3CA in four (13%), four (13%) and six (19%) tumors, respectively. In all, 7 of the 9 CIN-extensive tumors harbor deletions in the loci of PTEN and/or NF1, whereas all the 10 MSI-positive tumors possess PTEN, PIK3CA and/or K-Ras mutations. Our results showed that genomic alterations in the Ras-PI3K pathway are remarkably widespread in endometrial carcinomas, regardless of the type of genomic instability, and suggest that the degree of CIN is a useful biomarker for prognosis in endometrial carcinomas.

General quantitative genetic methods for comparative biology: phylogenies, taxonomies and multi-trait models for continuous and categorical characters

Although many of the statistical techniques used in comparative biology were originally developed in quantitative genetics, subsequent development of comparative techniques has progressed in relative isolation. Consequently, many of the new and planned developments in comparative analysis already have well-tested solutions in quantitative genetics. In this paper, we take three recent publications that develop phylogenetic meta-analysis, either implicitly or explicitly, and show how they can be considered as quantitative genetic models. We highlight some of the difficulties with the proposed solutions, and demonstrate that standard quantitative genetic theory and software offer solutions. We also show how results from Bayesian quantitative genetics can be used to create efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms for phylogenetic mixed models, thereby extending their generality to non-Gaussian data. Of particular utility is the development of multinomial models for analysing the evolution of discrete traits, and the development of multi-trait models in which traits can follow different distributions. Meta-analyses often include a nonrandom collection of species for which the full phylogenetic tree has only been partly resolved. Using missing data theory, we show how the presented models can be used to correct for nonrandom sampling and show how taxonomies and phylogenies can be combined to give a flexible framework with which to model dependence.

Behavior of endocrine disrupting chemicals in Johkasou improved septic tank in Japan

The behavior of estrogens (estrone: E1, 17beta-estradiol: E2, estriol: E3 and ethinylestradiol: EE2) and an androgen (testosterone) in the water and sludge from Johkasou in Japan was investigated. The concentrations of E1, E2, E3 and testosterone in water samples from the Johkasou were 33-500, N.D. approximately 150, N.D. approximately 6,700 and 500 ng/L, respectively. In sludge samples, the concentrations of E1, E2, E3, and testostrerone were N.D. approximately 39, N.D. approximately 6.7, N.D. approximately 60 and 0.2-9.0 ng/L, respectively. EE2 was not detected in all samples. The removal rates of E1, E2, E3 and testosterone in Johkasou were 45%-91%, 66%-100%, 90%-100%, and about 90%, respectively.

The oncogenic mutation in the pleckstrin homology domain of AKT1 in endometrial carcinomas

Background:

The phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)–AKT pathway is activated in many human cancers and plays a key role in cell proliferation and survival. A mutation (E17K) in the pleckstrin homology domain of the AKT1 results in constitutive AKT1 activation by means of localisation to the plasma membrane. The AKT1 (E17K) mutation has been reported in some tumour types (breast, colorectal, ovarian and lung cancers), and it is of interest which tumour types other than those possess the E17K mutation.

Methods:

We analysed the presence of the AKT1 (E17K) mutation in 89 endometrial cancer tissue specimens and in 12 endometrial cancer cell lines by PCR and direct sequencing.

Results:

We detected two AKT1 (E17K) mutations in the tissue samples (2 out of 89) and no mutations in the cell lines. These two AKT1 mutant tumours do not possess any mutations in PIK3CA, PTEN and K-Ras.

Interpretation:

Our results and earlier reports suggest that AKT1 mutations might be mutually exclusive with other PI3K–AKT-activating alterations, although PIK3CA mutations frequently coexist with other alterations (such as HER2, K-Ras and PTEN) in several types of tumours.

Effects of preoperative administration of omeprazole on bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The effectiveness of preoperative administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the prevention of bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the benefit of starting PPI treatment 1 day before ESD to prevent bleeding after the procedure.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. Data for 155 patients who underwent ESD (preoperative administration group: N = 81; postoperative administration group: N = 74) were analyzed. All patients received standard ESD using an insulation-tipped knife. Patients in the preoperative group were administered omeprazole from the day before ESD, and patients in the postoperative group received omeprazole after ESD. Follow-up endoscopy was performed on day 1, day 7, and day 28. Intragastric pH was measured from samples of gastric juice. The primary endpoint of this study was major bleeding related to ESD, and the secondary endpoint was minor bleeding.

RESULTS

Major bleeding occurred in one patient from the postoperative group who had hematemesis. Minor bleeding occurred on day 1 in six patients from the preoperative group and five patients from the postoperative group (7.7 % vs. 7.4 %). There was no significant difference between major and minor bleeding ratios in the two groups. Intragastric pH at ESD in the postoperative group was lower than that in the preoperative group ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative administration of omeprazole offers no additional benefit over postoperative administration alone in the prevention of bleeding after ESD among elderly Japanese people.

Rapid isolation of intrabody candidates by using an optimized non-immune phage antibody library

Phage antibody library is a promising tool for rapidly creating in vitro single-chain Fv (scFv) antibodies to various antigens. The scFv can also act like a subcellularly-expressed antibody, known as intrabody, and can either be used as a novel research tool or used efficiently for targeted molecular therapy. However, there are only a few existing reports about the successful expression of scFvs as functional antibodies in the cell, mainly because poor quality scFv phage antibody libraries were used to isolate the intrabody clones. The aim of this study was to isolate intrabody-forming scFv clones from the nonimmune scFv phage antibody library we have generated. Using this library, we isolated a scFv clone against the apoptosis-related intracellular protein Bid in two weeks. To evaluate the intrabody-forming quality of this anti-Bid scFv clone, we expressed it in cultured mammalian cells after fusing it with the fluorescent protein Venus. The expression of the soluble form of anti-Bid scFv-Venus fusion protein was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy analysis. These results show that our scFv phage library is not only optimized for antibody production but can also be used to efficiently generate intrabodies.

The specific effect of 2-methoxyestradiol on lymphatic vascular endothelial cells

Lymphatic metastasis of tumors is one of the most important prognostic factors and provides valuable information for decisions on appropriate surgical protocols. Recent studies have demonstrated that lymphangiogenesis of lymphatic vascular endothelial cells into tumors is a key event in lymphatic metastasis. Therefore, control of lymphangiogenesis is a promising strategy for treatment or prevention of tumor metastasis and lymphatic disorders. However, mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis or its specific inhibition are not well-understood. In this study we examined effects of various types of signaling inhibitors on tube formation in human lymphatic microvascular endothelial cells (LECs) and blood microvascular endothelial cells (BECs) in vitro. We found that tube formation of LECs was specifically inhibited by 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME). This observation is of potential benefit in understanding the molecular mechanism of lymphangiogenesis. Furthermore, 2ME could therefore offer specific protection against lymphatic metastasis and lymphangiogenesis-related diseases.

Intraarticular administration of platelet-rich plasma with biodegradable gelatin hydrogel microspheres prevents osteoarthritis progression in the rabbit knee

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the therapeutic potential of administration of gelatin hydrogel microspheres containing platelet-rich plasma (PRP), by examining its effects on progression of osteoarthritis (OA) in a rabbit model.

METHODS

PRP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) were prepared from rabbit blood. Adult rabbit chondrocytes were cultured in the alginate beads with the presence of 3% PRP or 3% PPP. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis was quantified using dimethylmethylene blue assay. To confirm the anabolic effect of PRP in vivo, cartilage matrix gene expression was examined after intraarticular administration of PRP contained in gelatin hydrogel microspheres. The PRP contained in gelatin hydrogel microspheres was administered into the rabbit knee joint twice with an interval of 3 weeks, beginning 4 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Ten weeks after ACLT, gross morphological and histological examinations were performed.

RESULTS

PRP significantly stimulated chondrocyte GAG synthesis in vitro. In the knee joint, expression of proteoglycan core protein mRNA in the articular cartilage increased after administration of PRP contained in microspheres. Intraarticular injections of PRP in gelatin hydrogel microspheres significantly suppressed progression of OA in the ACLT rabbit model morphologically and histologically.

CONCLUSION

The present findings indicate that sustained release of growth factors contained in PRP has preventive effects against OA progression. These preventive effects appear to be due to stimulation of cartilage matrix metabolism, caused by the growth factors contained in PRP.

Effect of protein properties on display efficiency using the M13 phage display system

The M13 phage display system is a powerful technology for engineering proteins such as functional mutant proteins and peptides. In this system, it is necessary that the protein is displayed on the phage surface. Therefore, its application is often limited when a protein is poorly displayed. In this study, we attempted to understand the relationship between a protein's properties and its display efficiency using the well-known pIII and pVIII type phage display system. The display of positively charged SV40 NLS and HIV-1 Tat peptides on pill was less efficient than that of the neutrally charged RGDS peptide. When different molecular weight proteins (1.5-58 kDa) were displayed on pIII and pVIII, their display efficiencies were directly influenced by their molecular weights. These results indicate the usefulness in predicting a desired protein's compatibility with protein and peptide engineering using the phage display system.

hScrib, a human homologue of Drosophila neoplastic tumor suppressor, is a novel death substrate targeted by caspase during the process of apoptosis

hScrib, human homologue of Drosophila neoplastic tumor suppressor, was identified as a target of human papillomavirus E6 oncoprotein for the ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Here, we report that hScrib is a novel death substrate targeted by caspase. Full-length hScrib was cleaved by caspase during death ligands-induced apoptosis, which generates a p170 C-terminal fragments in Hela cells. In vitro cleavage assay using recombinant caspases showed that hScrib is cleaved by the executioner caspases. DNA damage-induced apoptosis caused loss of expression of full-length hScrib, which was recovered by addition of capase-3 inhibitor in HaCat cells. TUNEL positive apoptotic cells, which were identified 4 h after UV irradiation in HaCat cells, showed loss of hScrib expression at the adherens junction. Mutational analysis identified the caspase-dependent cleavage site of hScrib at the position of Asp-504. Although MDCK cells transfected with GFP-fused wild-type hScrib showed loss of E-cadherin expression and shrinkage of cytoplasm by UV irradiation, cells transfected with hScrib with Ala substitution of Asp-504 showed resistance to caspase-dependent cleavage of hScrib and intact expression of E-cadherin. These results indicate that caspase-dependent cleavage of hScrib is a critical step for detachment of cell contact during the process of apoptosis.