Early diagnosis of aortic calcification through dental X-ray examination for dental pulp stones

Vascular calcification, an ectopic calcification exacerbated by aging and renal dysfunction, is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. However, early detection indicators are limited. This study focused on dental pulp stones, ectopic calcifications found in oral tissues that are easily identifiable on dental radiographs. Our investigation explored the frequency and timing of these calcifications in different locations and their relationship to aortic calcification. In cadavers, we examined the association between the frequency of dental pulp stones and aortic calcification, revealing a significant association. Notably, dental pulp stones appeared prior to aortic calcification. Using a rat model of hyperphosphatemia, we confirmed that dental pulp stones formed earlier than calcification in the aortic arch. Interestingly, there were very few instances of aortic calcification without dental pulp stones. Additionally, we conducted cell culture experiments with vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and dental pulp cells (DPCs) to explore the regulatory mechanism underlying high phosphate-mediated calcification. We found that DPCs produced calcification deposits more rapidly and exhibited a stronger augmentation of osteoblast differentiation markers compared with SMCs. In conclusion, the observation of dental pulp stones through X-ray examination during dental checkups could be a valuable method for early diagnosis of aortic calcification risk.

Minimizing plasma temperature for antimatter mixing experiments

The ASACUSA collaboration produces a beam of antihydrogen atoms by mixing pure positron and antiproton plasmas in a strong magnetic field with a double cusp geometry. The positrons cool via cyclotron radiation inside the cryogenic trap. Low positron temperature is essential for increasing the fraction of antihydrogen atoms which reach the ground state prior to exiting the trap. Many experimental groups observe that such plasmas reach equilibrium at a temperature well above the temperature of the surrounding electrodes. This problem is typically attributed to electronic noise and plasma expansion, which heat the plasma. The present work reports anomalous heating far beyond what can be attributed to those two sources. The heating seems to be a result of the axially open trap geometry, which couples the plasma to the external (300 K) environment via microwave radiation.

Investigation of immune complexes formed by mitochondrial antigens containing a new lipoylated site in sera of primary biliary cholangitis patients

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is characterized by the presence of serum anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies (AMAs). To date, four antigens among the 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complex family, which commonly have lipoyl domains as an epitope, have been identified as AMA-corresponding antigens (AMA-antigens). It has recently been reported that AMAs react more strongly with certain chemically modified mimics than with the native lipoyl domains in AMA-antigens. Moreover, high concentrations of circulating immune complexes (ICs) in PBC patients have been reported. However, the existence of ICs formed by AMAs and their antigens has not been reported to date. We hypothesized that AMAs and their antigens formed ICs in PBC sera, and analyzed sera of PBC and four autoimmune diseases (Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis) using immune complexome analysis, in which ICs are separated from serum and are identified by nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. To correctly assign MS/MS spectra to peptide sequences, we used a protein-search algorithm that including lipoylation and certain xenobiotic modifications. We found three AMA-antigens, the E2 subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC-E2), the E2 subunit of the 2-oxo-glutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDC-E2) and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase binding protein (E3BP), by detecting peptides containing lipoylation and xenobiotic modifications from PBC sera. Although the lipoylated sites of these peptides were different from the well-known sites, abnormal lipoylation and xenobiotic modification may lead to production of AMAs and the formation ICs. Further investigation of the lipoylated sites, xenobiotic modifications, and IC formation will lead to deepen our understanding of PBC pathogenesis.

Immune complexome analysis reveals the presence of immune complexes and identifies disease-specific immune complex antigens in saliva samples from patients with Sjögren's syndrome

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly damages the salivary and lacrimal glands. Immune complex (IC) formation triggers local inflammation through IC deposition and decreased antigen function. Some ICs can leak from the lesion and into the saliva, but no salivary ICs have been reported to date. We used immune complexome analysis to comprehensively identify antigens incorporated into IC (IC-antigens) in saliva samples from patients with SS (n = 9) or with xerostomia (n = 7). Neutrophil defensin 1 (67%), small proline-rich protein 2D (67%), myeloperoxidase (44%), neutrophil elastase (44%), cathepsin G (33%), nuclear mitotic apparatus 1 (33%) and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 3-kinase C2 domain-containing subunit gamma (33%) were identified as new IC-antigens specifically and frequently detected in the saliva of SS patients. Of these, neutrophil defensin 1, myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G are neutrophil intracellular proteins, which suggests that repeated destruction of neutrophils due to abnormal autoimmunity may be involved in the pathogenesis of SS. We also analyzed serum samples from three SS patients. There was little overlap of IC-antigens between two of the samples (fewer than 30% of the IC-antigens in the saliva samples), suggesting that many ICs are formed locally and independently of the circulation. In addition, we found that four SS-specific salivary antigens show sequence homology with several proteins of oral microbiomes but no antigen has homology with Epstein-Barr virus proteins. The homology between some IC-antigens and oral microbiome proteins may indicate the impact of oral infection on local autoimmunity through molecular mimicry theory.

Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells Requires Dissociation of E-Cadherin-Containing Adherens Junctions with Hepatocytes

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are resident mesenchymal cells in the space of Disse interposed between liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes. Thorn-like microprojections, or spines, project out from the cell surface of HSCs, crossing the space of Disse, to establish adherens junctions with neighboring hepatocytes. Although HSC activation is initiated largely from stimulation by adjacent cells, isolated HSCs also activate spontaneously in primary culture on plastic. Therefore, other unknown HSC-initiating factors apart from paracrine stimuli may promote activation. The dissociation of adherens junctions between HSCs and hepatocytes as an activating signal for HSCs was explored, establishing epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) as an adhesion molecule linking hepatocytes and HSCs. In vivo, following carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, HSCs lost their spines and dissociated from adherens junctions in the early stages of injury, and were subsequently activated along with an increase in YAP/TAZ expression. After abrogation of liver injury, HSCs reconstructed their spines and adherens junctions. In vitro, reconstitution of E-cadherin-containing adherens junctions by forced E-cadherin expression quiesced HSCs and suppressed TAZ expression. Additionally, increase of TAZ expression leading to the activation of HSCs by autocrine stimulation of transforming growth factor-β, was revealed as a mechanism of spontaneous activation. Thus, we have uncovered a critical event required for HSC activation through enhanced TAZ-mediated mechanotransduction after the loss of adherens junctions between HSCs and hepatocytes.

Intense beam of metastable Muonium

Precision spectroscopy of the Muonium Lamb shift and fine structure requires a robust source of 2S Muonium. To date, the beam-foil technique is the only demonstrated method for creating such a beam in vacuum. Previous experiments using this technique were statistics limited, and new measurements would benefit tremendously from the efficient 2S production at a low energy muon ( < 20  keV) facility. Such a source of abundant low energyμ + has only become available in recent years, e.g. at the Low-Energy Muon beamline at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Using this source, we report on the successful creation of an intense, directed beam of metastable Muonium. We find that even though the theoretical Muonium fraction is maximal in the low energy range of 2-5 keV, scattering by the foil and transport characteristics of the beamline favor slightly higherμ + energies of 7-10 keV. We estimate that an event detection rate of a few events per second for a future Lamb shift measurement is feasible, enabling an increase in precision by two orders of magnitude over previous determinations.

Elastic fiber system evaluated in the digestive organ of rats

According to our previous reports, the intraperiodontal elastic fiber system comprises oxytalan fibers, whereas all types of elastic system fibers are present in the gingiva. Much remains to be elucidated regarding the topographic development of the elastic fiber system that constitutes the walls of the digestive organs. This study aimed to examine the topographic development of the elastic fiber system in the periodontal tissue, oral cavity and digestive tract of rats at light- and electron microscopic levels. At embryonic day 20, in situ hybridization revealed the mRNA expression of tropoelastin in the putative gingival lamina propria but not in the dental follicle. At the postnatal stage, the masticatory mucous membrane of the gingiva and hard palate comprised three different types of elastic system fibers (oxytalan, elaunin and elastic fibers). Conversely, the elastic fiber system comprised elaunin and elastic fibers in other oral mucosae and the lining mucosae of digestive tract organs (the esophagus, stomach and small intestine). The findings of our study suggest that the elastic fiber system is mainly related to tissue resistance in the periodontal ligament and tissue elasticity in the oral mucosae without masticatory mucosae and the overlying mucosa of digestive tracts and both functions in the gingiva and hard palate, respectively. The appearance of elaunin fibers in the periodontium of rats aged 14 weeks suggests the expression of tropoelastin induced by mechanical stressors such as mastication. The intraperiodontal difference in the distribution of elaunin fibers suggests heterogeneity among fibroblasts constituting the periodontium.

Recent Developments from on Antihydrogen Detection

The ASACUSA Collaboration at CERNs Antiproton Decelerator aims to measure the ground state hyperfine splitting of antihydrogen with high precision to test the fundamental symmetry of CPT (combination of charge conjugation, parity transformation, and time reversal). For this purpose an antihydrogen detector has been developed. Its task is to count the arriving antihydrogen atoms and therefore distinguish backgroundevents (mainly cosmics) from antiproton annihilations originating from antihydrogen atoms which are produced only in small amounts. A central BGO crystal disk with position sensitive read-out detects the annihilation and a surrounding two-layered hodoscope is used for tracking charged secondaries. The hodoscope has been recently upgraded to allow precise vertex reconstruction. A machine learning analysis based on measured antiproton annihilations and cosmic rays has been developed to identify antihydrogen events.

The ASACUSA antihydrogen and hydrogen program: results and prospects

The goal of the ASACUSA-CUSP collaboration at the Antiproton Decelerator of CERN is to measure the ground-state hyperfine splitting of antihydrogen using an atomic spectroscopy beamline. A milestone was achieved in 2012 through the detection of 80 antihydrogen atoms 2.7 m away from their production region. This was the first observation of 'cold' antihydrogen in a magnetic field free region. In parallel to the progress on the antihydrogen production, the spectroscopy beamline was tested with a source of hydrogen. This led to a measurement at a relative precision of 2.7×10^-9 which constitutes the most precise measurement of the hydrogen hyperfine splitting in a beam. Further measurements with an upgraded hydrogen apparatus are motivated by CPT and Lorentz violation tests in the framework of the Standard Model Extension. Unlike for hydrogen, the antihydrogen experiment is complicated by the difficulty of synthesizing enough cold antiatoms in the ground state. The first antihydrogen quantum states scan at the entrance of the spectroscopy apparatus was realized in 2016 and is presented here. The prospects for a ppm measurement are also discussed.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Antiproton physics in the ELENA era'.

Correlation between serum galectin-9 levels and liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Chronic liver diseases progress from chronic inflammation to fibrosis to tumorigenesis. Galectin-9, a β-galactoside-specific animal lectin, is indicated to contribute to all three steps of progression. The aim of this study was to determine which of the three steps was most dominant in elevating the serum galectin-9 concentration and to test the possibility of galectin-9 as a serum biomarker.

METHODS

Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcoholic liver disease who provided informed consent were enrolled in this study. Serum galectin-9 levels were measured using a sandwich ELISA. Multiple regression analyses were performed using ezr to identify factors that determined serum galectin-9 concentration.

RESULTS

One hundred one patients with 50 of chronic hepatitis and 51 of liver cirrhosis were enrolled; the cohort included 45 cases of hepatitis C virus infection, 13 cases of hepatitis B virus infection, and 46 cases with HCC-related complications. The median serum galectin-9 concentration was 77.54 pg/mL (interquartile range: 18.89-241.9 pg/mL). Multiple linear regression analyses proved Fibrosis-4 index and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, indexes of liver fibrosis, were able to predict the serum galectin-9 levels with statistical significance. A multiple logistic regression analysis determined 10 pg/mL increase in the serum galectin-9 concentration presented an odds ratio of 3.90 for liver fibrosis progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The serum galectin-9 concentration represents a potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases, regardless of chronic inflammation or the presence of HCC complications. Furthermore, higher serum galectin-9 levels are a predictor for liver fibrosis progression.

Proteomic profile of circulating immune complexes in chronic Chagas disease

Immune complexes (ICs) are the direct and real-time products of humoral immune responses. The identification of constituent foreign or autoantigens within ICs might bring new insights into the pathology of infectious diseases. We applied immune complexome analysis of plasma to the study of Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Twenty seropositive plasma samples including cardiac and/or megacolon determinate patients (n = 11) and indeterminate (n = 9) were analysed along with 10 seronegative individuals to characterize the antigens bound to circulating ICs. We identified 39 T. cruzi antigens and 114 human autoantigens specific to patients with Chagas. Among those antigens, two T. cruzi antigens (surface protease GP63, glucose-6-isomerase) and six human autoantigens (CD180 antigen, ceruloplasmin, fibrinogen beta chain, fibrinogen beta chain isoform 2 preprotein, isoform gamma-A of fibrinogen γ-chain, serum paraoxonase) were detected in more than 50% of the patients tested. Human isoform short of complement factor H-related protein 2 and trans-sialidase of T. cruzi were more frequently found in the indeterminate (5/9 for both) compared with in the determinate Chagas (0/11, P = 0·046 for human, 1/11, P = 0·0498 for T. cruzi). The immune complexome could illustrate the difference of immune status between clinical forms of chronic Chagas disease.

The ASACUSA Micromegas Tracker: A cylindrical, bulk Micromegas detector for antimatter research

The ASACUSA Micromegas Tracker (AMT; ASACUSA: Atomic Spectroscopy and Collisions Using Slow Antiprotons) was designed to be able to reconstruct antiproton-nucleon annihilation vertices in three dimensions. The goal of this device is to study antihydrogen formation processes in the ASACUSA cusp trap, which was designed to synthesise a spin-polarised antihydrogen beam for precise tests of Charge, Parity, and Time (CPT) symmetry invariance. This paper discusses the structure and technical details of an AMT detector built into such an environment, its data acquisition system and the first performance with cosmic rays.

Application of combined immunohistochemical panel of AMACR(P504S)/p63 cocktail, cytokeratin 5 and D2-40 to atypical glands in prostatic needle biopsy

Various immunohistochemical studies using cocktail antibodies to elucidate atypical glands in prostatic biopsy specimens have been previously tried. However, there is scanty information on combined cocktail antibodies and other basal cell markers. We investigated the utility of an immunohistochemical panel of AMACR/p63, cytokeratin 5(CK5) and D2-40 for atypical glands in twenty lesions of fourteen patients obtained from prostatic needle biopsy specimens. The final diagnosis of all lesions, including 13 adenocarcinoma demonstrating AMACR+/basal cell(p63, CK5 and D2-40)- pattern, 5 benign lesions noting AMACR-/basal cell+ pattern, and 2 high grade PIN with AMACR+/basal cell+ pattern, were resolved. The immunohistochemical panel of AMACR(P504S)/ p63 cocktail, CK5 and D2-40 is useful in deciding the final diagnosis for atypical gland foci in the prostatic needle biopsy specimens and is helpful in the reduction of opportunity of further followup or re-biopsy.

First observation of a (1,0) mode frequency shift of an electron plasma at antiproton beam injection

The frequency shift of the center-of-mass oscillation, known as the (1,0) mode, of a trapped electron plasma and, furthermore, its time evolution were observed during the cooling of an injected antiproton beam for the first time. Here, antiprotons mixed with the electrons did not follow faster electron oscillations but contributed to the modification of the effective potential. The time evolution of the plasma temperature, deduced from the frequency shift of the excited (3,0) mode, suggested that there was an abnormal energy deposition of the antiproton beam in the electron plasma before thermalization.

Apoptotic response through a high mobility box 1 protein-dependent mechanism in LPS/GalN-induced mouse liver failure and glycyrrhizin-mediated inhibition

HMGB1 is a nuclear component involved in nucleosome stabilization and transcription regulation, but extracellularly it is able to serve as a potential late mediator of lethality. In the present study, we explored inflammation-promoting activity of HMGB1 and blockade of extracellular release of HMGB1 by glycyrrhizin (GL) in LPS/GalN-triggered mouse liver injury. At 1 to 10 h after LPS/GalN-treatment, mice were anesthetized to collect blood from heart puncture, and serum transaminase and HMGB1 were evaluated. Administration of LPS/GalN precipitated tissue injury associated with time-dependent alteration in HMGB1 serum levels. At 8 h nuclear immunoreactive products were remarkably reduced and extracellular HMGB1 expression was found exclusively in the pericentral foci. The treatment with GL significantly down-regulated the serum levels of ALT, AST, and HMGB1 in addition to the strong inhibition of tissue injury and extracellular immunoreactivity to HMGB1 and to acetylated-lysine. Furthermore, GL brought about a significant decrease in the number of apoptotic hepatocytes labeled with TUNEL-method. On the basis of these results, three apoptosis-associated genes were identified with microarray analysis and real-time PCR. The ChIP-assay revealed the binding of HMGB1 protein to Gsto1 promoter sequence in LPS/GalN-treated mice and the remarkable decrease in combined HMGB1 protein by GL. The current findings claim that a single injection of LPS/GalN might stimulate apoptosis of hepatocytes through the binding of HMGB1 protein to Gsto1 promoter region and that GL-treatment might prevent the apoptosis and inflammatory infiltrates caused with LPS/GalN-injection by disturbing the binding of HMGB1 protein to Gsto1 promoter sequence.

Review of renal carcinoid tumor with focus on clinical and pathobiological aspects

Renal carcinoid tumor is a rare neoplasm. In this article, we review this neoplasm with a focus on clinical and pathobiological aspects. The majority of patients present in the fourth to seventh decades, but there is no gender predilection. Clinically, patients with renal carcinoid tumor frequently present with abdominal, back or flank pain. This tumor is occassionally associated with horseshoe kidney and/or mature cystic teratoma located in the kidney. Macroscopically, these tumors are well demarcated with a lobulated appearance and yellow or tan-brown color cut surface. Microscopically, these tumors are composed of monomorphic round to polygonal cells with granular amphophilic to eosinophilic cytoplasm. Tumor cells are arranged in trabecular, ribbon-like, gyriform, insular, glandular and solid patterns. The nuclei are round to oval and with evenly distributed nuclear chromatin, frequently with a "salt and pepper"-pattern. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells demonstrate immuno-labeling for chromogranin A and synaptophysin. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells contain abundant dense core neurosecretory granules. In previous genetic studies, abnormalities of chromosomes 3 or 13 have been reported. The clinical behavior of renal carcinoid tumors is variable, but is more indolent than most renal cell carcinomas. Further investigations are warranted in order to elucidate the critical genetic abnormalities responsible for the pathogenesis of this rare entity in renal neoplastic pathology.

Clinical usefulness of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 extracellular domain as a biomarker for monitoring cancer status and predicting the therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer

We assessed the clinical usefulness of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 extracellular domain (HER2ECD) as a biomarker for detecting cancer and monitoring disease status and for predicting the efficacy of anticancer treatment in breast cancer. Five-hundred and eighty serum samples from 252 patients with breast cancer were examined for the concentration of HER2ECD to compare with conventional tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3, NCC-ST439 and BCA225). Also, in 19 patients with HER2-overexpressed advanced or recurrent breast cancer who were treated with trastuzumab, clinical outcomes were evaluated retrospectively to determine whether their serum HER2ECD levels predict clinical responses. The proportion of patients with elevated HER2ECD levels was 15.1%, which was compatible with those with elevated conventional marker levels. In patients with HER2-overexpressed breast cancer, the positive rate of HER2ECD was significantly higher (24.1%) than those of conventional markers (7.4-12.9%), suggesting the usefulness of HER2ECD for detecting cancer in this population. HER2-overexpressed patients responding to trastuzumab (12 of 19 patients) showed significantly higher serum HER2ECD level (p = 0.033) and longer time to progression (TTP) (p = 0.039) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.031) than did patients not responding (seven patients). Furthermore, higher response rates were observed in patients with elevated HER2ECD levels than in patients without elevated HER2ECD levels (91.3% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.032), whereas there was no difference in survival between the two groups. The results suggest that HER2ECD is a useful biomarker not only for detecting breast cancer recurrence but also for predicting tumor responses to trastuzumab.

Immunocompetent cells and cytokine expression in the rat periodontal ligament at the initial stage of orthodontic tooth movement

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study is to investigate the involvement of immunocompetent cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines and HSP, to evaluate a change of periodontal ligament during the initial stage of orthodontic tooth movement.

DESIGN

In the present study, we investigated the distributional density of immunocompetent cells, the localisation of cytokines, and the expression levels of their mRNA in the periodontal ligament during the initial stage of orthodontic tooth movement, using immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Orthodontic tooth movement led to significant recruitment of OX6(+) cells and ED1(+) cells in the rat PDL. Double-immunofluorescence staining showed that some ED1(+) cells expressed pro-inflammatory factors of IL-1β and TNF-α in the PDL during orthodontic tooth movement. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of IL-1β (Il1b) and TNF-α (Tnf) mRNA gradually increased following its decrease after 1h of orthodontic tooth movement. These findings suggest that ED1(+) cells are involved in the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β and the subsequent regulation of bone resorption on pressure side. HSP27 (Hspb1) mRNA levels were significantly increased as compared with the control at 1h of the initial stage of treatment.

CONCLUSION

ED1(+) cells involved in the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β may play an important role in the initial reaction of the PDL and in the induction of the osteoclastic bone resorption during orthodontic tooth movement.

Synthesis of cold antihydrogen in a cusp trap

We report here the first successful synthesis of cold antihydrogen atoms employing a cusp trap, which consists of a superconducting anti-Helmholtz coil and a stack of multiple ring electrodes. This success opens a new path to make a stringent test of the CPT symmetry via high precision microwave spectroscopy of ground-state hyperfine transitions of antihydrogen atoms.

Target structure induced suppression of the ionization cross section for very low energy antiproton-hydrogen collisions

Low energy antiprotons have been used previously to give benchmark data for theories of atomic collisions. Here we present measurements of the cross section for single, nondissociative ionization of molecular hydrogen for impact of antiprotons with kinetic energies in the range 2-11 keV, i.e., in the velocity interval of 0.3-0.65 a.u. We find a cross section which is proportional to the projectile velocity, which is quite unlike the behavior of corresponding atomic cross sections, and which has never previously been observed experimentally.

Study of the measurement of serum extracellular domain of HER-2/neu protein with CLIA method

OBJECTIVE

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) are important technologies to examine the protein expression and gene amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2/neu (HER-2/neu), respectively, in breast cancer tumors; however, tumor samples are not always available for examination. Therefore, an easy and sensitive examination to detect HER2-overexpressed tumors should be developed. The extracellular domain of HER-2/neu protein (HER2ECD) has been reported to be observed in the serum of many patients with metastatic breast cancer. In this study we assessed the clinical usefulness of serum HER2ECD (sHER2ECD) as a biological marker in breast cancer.

METHOD

We measured sHER2ECD levels in 108 patients with breast cancer using the ADVIA Centaur assay system, and conventional tumor markers, i.e. CEA and CA15-3, using enzyme or chemiluminescent immunoassay. The sHER2ECD levels were compared with the levels of tumor markers and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Patients with primary breast cancer who had four or more lymph nodes involved (n=6) showed significantly higher sHER2ECD values than those with no nodes involved (n=57, p<0.05) and those with 1 to 3 nodes involved (n=15, p<0.01). In the IHC-positive group, the positive rate of sHER2ECD was higher than those of CA15-3 or CEA. In metastatic breast cancer, the combination of sHER2ECD and CA15-3 showed the highest positive rate (81.5%). In all 3 patients with HER2-overexpressed cancer showing a partial response (PR) or complete response (CR) to trastuzumab therapy, sHER2ECD levels declined after treatment (39.9 to 58.7%).

CONCLUSION

The sHER2ECD assay by the CLIA method may be useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of metastatic/recurrent breast cancer.

Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on the development of the stem cell properties of human dental pulp cells

We isolated adherent fibroblastic cells after collagenase and dispase treatment of human dental pulp. When human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) were cultured in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), the ratio of hDPCs in the S-phase was significantly higher in comparison with incubation without bFGF. The ratio of hDPCs expressing STRO-1 as a marker of stem cell populations increased approximately eightfold in the presence of bFGF as opposed to that in the absence of bFGF. We demonstrated the characterization and distinctiveness of the hDPCs and showed that, when cultured with the medium containing serum and bFGF, they were highly proliferative and capable of differentiating in vitro into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Furthermore, the in vitro differentiation was confirmed at both the protein and gene expression levels. Transplantation of hDPCs -- expanded ex vivo in the presence of bFGF into immunocompromised mice -- revealed the formation of bone, cartilage, and adipose tissue. The donor hDPC-derived cells were labeled in the bone tissues located near the PLGA in the subcutaneous tissues of recipient mice using a human-specific Alu probe. When cultured with a serum-free medium containing bFGF, the hDPCs strongly expressed STRO-1 immunoreactive products and sustained self-renewal, and thus were almost identical in differentiation potential and proliferation activity to hDPCs cultured with the medium containing serum and bFGF. The present results suggest that the hDPCs cultured in the presence of bFGF irrespective of the presence or absence of the bovine serum are rich in mesenchymal stem cells or progenitor cells and useful for cell-based therapies to treat dental diseases.

Up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by adenosine through adenosine A2 receptors in the rat tongue treated with endotoxin

The main focus of the present investigation is to evaluate a differential effect of adenosine on the up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression through adenosine A(2) receptors in the rat tongue treated with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide: LPS). Angiogenesis in the rat tongue treated with LPS/incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) or endotoxin/IFA/adenosine A(2) receptor (A(2)R) antagonists was examined using immunohistochemistry for LYVE-1, ED1, ED2, OX6, langerin and VEGF, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for VEGF. The distributional density of both blood vessels and OX6(+) cells was significantly increased at day 8 after injection of LPS/IFA. The immunoreactive products of VEGF were intensely labelled in the cytoplasm of various antigen presenting cells (APCs) including dendritic cells (DCs) with double-immunofluorescence technique. Increase in VEGF mRNA expression level, the occupancy ratio of blood vessels, and the number of ED1(+), ED2(+), OX6(+), and langerin(+) cells was inhibited in the injured tongue of rats as a consequence of the treatment with A(2)R antagonists. The present results indicate that the LPS-induced adenosine might promote angiogenesis by the up-regulation of VEGF expression in macrophages/DCs through A(2) receptors. This suggests that the synergistic interaction between toll-like receptor (TLR) and A(2) receptor signalling observed in vivo plays an important role in oral mucosal wound healing.

The inhibition of apoptosis by glycyrrhizin in hepatic injury induced by injection of lipopolysaccharide / D-galactosamine in mice

The inhibition of apoptosis by glycyrrhizin (GL) in hepatic injury induced by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-GalN) was examined in the present study. Morphological and biochemical analyses of LPS/D-GalN-induced mouse liver injury revealed that apoptosis occurred exclusively in injured hepatocytes of the centrilobular area. The degree of hepatic injury was associated with a substantial number of hepatocytes undergoing apoptosis. Transaminase levels were significantly increased at 6 to 8 h after the injection of LPS/D-GalN compared with controls. GL inhibited the elevation of serum transaminase levels when it was given to mice at 30 min before the administration of LPS/D-GalN. Morphological analyses using the TUNEL-method showed GL significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-labeled cells in acute hepatitis induced with LPS/D-GalN-treatment. Cells from the pericentral hepatic injury region were dissected out using a microdissection-method, and the DNA-ladder was clearly documented. Furthermore, results obtained through the TUNEL-method were confirmed with an oligonucleosome-bound DNA ELISA. From the current results, it seems reasonable to conclude that the protective role of GL in LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury is performed through the inhibition of hepatic apoptosis.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma with Fuhrman nuclear grade 3: a histological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and FISH study

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) of the kidney generally shows low nuclear grade. MTSCC with high nuclear grade is relatively rare. In this article, we report two cases of MTSCC with Fuhrman grade 3. One case occurred in a 57-year-old Japanese female and the second case in a 49-year-old Caucasian female. Histologically, the tumors were composed of neoplastic cells with cuboidal or columnar and spindle morphology, and Fuhrman nuclear grade 3. The myxoid stroma was also observed. This stroma was positive for Alcian blue stain. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells of both cases were positive for AMACR, but negative for CD10 and RCC Ma. Ultrastructurally, tumorous cells of one case contained numerous mitochondria. In FISH analysis, many neoplastic cells of both cases demonstrated monosomy of chromosomes 15 and 22 and disomy of chromosomes 7 and 17. One of the two patients died of respiratory failure due to pleuritis carcinomatosa 48 months postoperatively. Finally, the pathologist should recognize that high grade MTSCC exists despite its rare frequency. FISH analysis may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis of this entity. Furthermore, we present the first report of a patient with MTSCC dying of distant metastasis.

Aire controls the differentiation program of thymic epithelial cells in the medulla for the establishment of self-tolerance

The roles of autoimmune regulator (Aire) in the expression of the diverse arrays of tissue-restricted antigen (TRA) genes from thymic epithelial cells in the medulla (medullary thymic epithelial cells [mTECs]) and in organization of the thymic microenvironment are enigmatic. We approached this issue by creating a mouse strain in which the coding sequence of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was inserted into the Aire locus in a manner allowing concomitant disruption of functional Aire protein expression. We found that Aire(+) (i.e., GFP(+)) mTECs were the major cell types responsible for the expression of Aire-dependent TRA genes such as insulin 2 and salivary protein 1, whereas Aire-independent TRA genes such as C-reactive protein and glutamate decarboxylase 67 were expressed from both Aire(+) and Aire(-) mTECs. Remarkably, absence of Aire from mTECs caused morphological changes together with altered distribution of mTECs committed to Aire expression. Furthermore, we found that the numbers of mTECs that express involucrin, a marker for terminal epidermal differentiation, were reduced in Aire-deficient mouse thymus, which was associated with nearly an absence of Hassall's corpuscle-like structures in the medulla. Our results suggest that Aire controls the differentiation program of mTECs, thereby organizing the global mTEC integrity that enables TRA expression from terminally differentiated mTECs in the thymic microenvironment.

Ionization of helium and argon by very slow antiproton impact

The total cross sections for single ionization of helium and single and double ionization of argon by antiproton impact have been measured in the kinetic energy range from 3 to 25 keV using a new technique for the creation of intense slow antiproton beams. The new data provide benchmark results for the development of advanced descriptions of atomic collisions and we show that they can be used to judge, for the first time, the validity of the many recent theories.

Radial compression of an antiproton cloud for production of intense antiproton beams

We report here the radial compression of a large number of antiprotons ( approximately 5 x 10(5)) in a strong magnetic field under ultrahigh vacuum conditions by applying a rotating electric field. Compression without any resonant structures was demonstrated for a range of frequencies from the sideband frequency of 200 kHz to more than 1000 kHz. The radial compression achieved is a key technique for synthesizing and manipulating antihydrogen atoms and antiprotonic atoms.

Presence of perivenular elastic fibers in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis Fibrosis Stage III

Elastic fibers appear in extensive old fibrotic foci in general. We examined an association between hepatic fibrosis stage and the presence of perivenular elastic fibers in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A total of 48 liver needle biopsy specimens were used, taken from 48 cases with NASH. Fibrosis Stage (Brunt E, et al. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 1999) of the cases was as follows; six Fibrosis Stage I, twenty-two Fibrosis Stage II, and twenty Fibrosis Stage III. We examined Orcein stain sections in all of the liver needle biopsy specimens. In all twenty Fibrosis Stage III cases, perivenular elastic fiber bundles were observed. In contrast, perivenular elastic fibers were detected only in one of the six Fibrosis Stage I and two of the twenty-two Fibrosis Stage II cases. In liver needle biopsy specimens of NASH, detection of perivenular elastic fibers is useful in deciding Fibrosis Stage III.

An Asian variant of intravascular lymphoma: unique clinical and pathological manifestation in the gallbladder

We here present a rare case of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) in a Japanese man. 4 months after cholecystectomy due to cholecystitis, a diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) was strongly suspected. Lymphoma cells were diffusely observed in the bone marrow parenchyma, but were absent in the vascular spaces. The patient died of respiratory failure and at autopsy a small number of lymphoma cells in the extravascular parenchyma of the adrenal gland and bone marrow were seen. Serial sections of the surgically resected gallbladder retrospectively confirmed the diagnosis of IVL. In addition, congestion and edema were observed in the connective tissue layer. It is possible that edema or ischemia in the gallbladder wall or at other anatomic sites due to the circulation disturbance induced by the intravascular obstruction of lymphoma cells may have caused the initial symptoms. In conclusion, clinicians and pathologists should keep in mind that the gallbladder may be initially involved in IVL.

Renal leiomyoma: an immunohistochemical, ultrastructural and comparative genomic hybridization study

Renal leiomyoma is a rare neoplasm. We report such a case in a 57-year-old Japanese woman who was found to have a mass in the left kidney. The histological examination disclosed the proliferation of spindle cells showing a benign appearance. Entrapped tubular cells were observed in the peripheral area of the tumor. The immunohistochemical examination of spindle neoplastic cells showed a positive reaction for alpha smooth muscle actin, h-caldesmon, l-caldesmon, calponin, muscle actin, myosin and desmin. Additionally, the ultrastructural examination of the tumor showed membrane caveolae and myofilaments in the cytoplasm. This tumor was considered to show a differentiation into smooth muscle cells. The comparative genomic hybridization of the tumor detected the combined losses of chromosomes 4, 6, 12 and 14 which has not been previously described in renal tumors. Finally, the immunohistochemical panel of smooth muscle markers and ultrastructural and genetic study may be useful in diagnosing renal leiomyoma.

Bridging necrosis and reticulin bridging fibrosis induced by intrahepatic involvement of acute biphenotypic leukemia

A 47-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed as having acute biphenotypic leukemia with association of t(9;22)(q34;q11). Cholestatic liver dysfunction arose, and she died of cachexia and intracranial hemorrhage. Autopsy showed unusual hepatic fibrosis. In the liver, bridging infiltration, bridging necrosis and bridging fibrosis by leukemic cells were seen. It seemed that the degree of fibrosis was associated with the number of aggregates of infiltrating leukemic cells. The fibrotic foci were predominantly composed of reticulin and collagen fibers, and distortion of the lobules was observed. Immunohistochemically, dense bundles of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA)-positive stromal cells, namely activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), were observed in the immature fibrotic foci as well as along the sinusoids densely infiltrated by leukemic cells. No cells positive for TGF-beta1 or PDGF-BB were identified. In conclusion, extensive intrahepatic involvement by neoplastic cells in adult acute biphenotypic leukemia may cause the unusual "disorganized" hepatic fibrosis.

The distribution of myofibroblasts and CD34-positive stromal cells in normal renal pelvis and ureter and their cancers

In this article, we examined the distribution of myofibroblasts and CD34-positive stromal cells in normal renal pelvis and ureter and their cancers using immunohistochemistry. Eighteen tumors and normal tissues apart from the main tumor were examined. In the wall of normal renal pelvis and ureter, no myofibroblasts were observed through all layers, but CD34-positive stromal cells were observed in the deep area of lamina propria, muscular layer and adventitia. In the stroma of renal pelvic and ureteral cancers, myofibroblasts were distributed in fifteen tumors and were absent in three tumors. All three tumors containing no myofibroblasts in the stroma were non-invasive type and all invasive cancers contained myofibroblasts in the stroma. CD34-positive stromal cells were consistently absent in the stroma of cancers, irrespective of the invasiveness. Finally, myofibroblasts are major stromal components in renal pelvic and ureteral cancers, particularly in invasive cancers, and CD34-positive stromal cells are consistently absent or lost in the stroma of their cancers. These findings suggest that the invasion of renal pelvic and ureteral cancers may cause the phenotypic change of stromal cells.

Lung adenocarcinoma with a micropapillary pattern: a clinicopathological study of 25 cases

Lung adenocarcinoma with a micropapillary pattern has recently been described, but its biological behavior is as yet uncertain. In this article we present a clinicopathological study of lung adenocarcinoma with micropapillary morphology. We selected 25 patients with lung adenocarcinoma with micropapillary morphology from the 2001-2004 pathology files (age range 54 to 81 years; mean 64.5 years). Micropapillary carcinoma is predominantly located at the periphery of the tumor nodule or mass and occurs irrespective of the subtype of the adenocarcinoma. A micropapillary component was seen against a mucinous background in three cases and microcalcifications resembling psammoma bodies were seen in one case. Four cases showed intensive invasive growth such as micropapillary adenocarcinoma of the breast and 21 showed alveolar type morphology with piling-up of the neoplastic cells with or without stromal invasion. Seven of twenty-three (30.4%) showed lymph node metastases at time of operation. Twelve of twenty-five (48%) showed pleural invasion. Regarding clinical outcome, 14 patients were alive without disease, 5 were alive with disease, and 5 died of the lung adenocarcinoma. No significant relationship was found between the extent of the micropapillary component and prognosis. However, the carcinoma seen in the five patients who died showed breast type histology with intensive invasive growth in three cases and alveolar type histology with intensive stromal invasion in two. Lung micropapillary carcinoma of breast type may behave more aggressively than the alveolar type.

Gastric carcinosarcoma with neuroendocrine differentiation as the carcinoma component and leiomyosarcomatous and myofibroblastic differentiation as the sarcomatous component

Gastric carcinosarcoma with neuroendocrine differentiation is a very rare neoplasm. In this article we present such a case. The gastroendoscopic examination of a 59-year-old Japanese man disclosed gastric cancer during follow-up after operation for rectal cancer. Subsequently, total gastrectomy was carried out because of gastric cancer. A large tumor measuring 9.2 x 8.4 cm was observed in the posterior wall of the upper portion of the stomach. The tumor was composed of carcinoma and sarcomatous cells, and the histological transition of both components was observed. Immunohistochemically, carcinoma and sarcomatous cells were positive for cytokeratin CAM5.2. The carcinoma contained adenocarcinoma and malignant cells with neuroendocrine differentiation. The sarcomatous component showed leiomyosarcomatous and myofibroblastic differentiation. The present tumor is the fifth case of gastric carcinosarcoma with neuroendocrine differentiation and the first case of gastric carcinosarcoma with myofibroblastic differentiation. Pathologists should bear in mind that gastric carcinosarcoma may show various types of differentiation.

Alteration of intra-pancreatic target-organ specificity by abrogation of Aire in NOD mice

Factors that determine the spectrum of target organs involved in autoimmune destruction are poorly understood. Although loss of function of autoimmune regulator (AIRE) in thymic epithelial cells is responsible for autoimmunity, the pathogenic roles of AIRE in regulating target-organ specificity remain elusive. In order to gain insight into this issue, we have established NOD mice, an animal model of type 1 diabetes caused by autoimmune attack against beta cell islets, in which Aire has been abrogated. Remarkably, acinar cells rather than beta cell islets were the major targets of autoimmune destruction in Aire-deficient NOD mice, and this alteration of intra-pancreatic target-organ specificity was associated with production of autoantibody against pancreas-specific protein disulfide isomerase (PDIp), an antigen expressed predominantly by acinar cells. Consistent with this pathological change, the animals were resistant to the development of diabetes. The results suggest that Aire not only is critical for the control of self-tolerance but is also a strong modifier of target-organ specificity through regulation of T cell repertoire diversification. We also demonstrated that transcriptional expression of PDIp was retained in the Aire-deficient NOD thymus, further supporting the concept that Aire may regulate the survival of autoreactive T cells beyond transcriptional control of self-protein expression in the thymus.

Cytokeratin-positive subserosal myofibroblasts in gastroduodenal ulcer; another type of myofibroblasts

To investigate the distribution and origin of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA)-positive stromal cells in the perforation of human gastroduodenal ulcers. Perforative lesions of 24 surgically resected gastroduodenal ulcers were examined immunohistochemically for ASMA, HCD, CD34, CD31, CAM5.2 and HMW-CK, and double staining of ASMA and CAM5.2 was also performed. In addition, to determine the cell source of collagen, in situ hybridization of collagen I mRNA was performed. In the normal gastroduodenal wall, the reticular network of CD34-positive stromal cells was identified in the muscularis mucosa, submucosa, muscular propria, and subserosa. In the subepithelial area, many myofibroblasts were observed, whereas no CD34-positive stromal cells were seen. In areas neighboring ulcerative lesions, no CD34-positive stromal cells were observed, but a significant number of myofibroblasts were present there. In the deep layer of ulceration, numerous fusiform or stellate stromal cells strongly positive for ASMA and CAM5.2 were observed in the subserosal area around the perforation. In the same site, many cells co-expressing ASMA and CAM5.2 were identified by double staining. In contrast, in the surface layer of ulceration, stromal cells expressing only ASMA were observed. The cytokeratin-positive subserosal myofibroblastic cell in human gastroduodenal ulcer is a novel type of myofibroblast.

Essential role of IkappaB kinase alpha in thymic organogenesis required for the establishment of self-tolerance

IkappaB kinase (IKK) alpha exhibits diverse biological activities through protein kinase-dependent and -independent functions, the former mediated predominantly through a noncanonical NF-kappaB activation pathway. The in vivo function of IKKalpha, however, still remains elusive. Because a natural strain of mice with mutant NF-kappaB-inducing kinase (NIK) manifests autoimmunity as a result of disorganized thymic structure with abnormal expression of Rel proteins in the thymic stroma, we speculated that the NIK-IKKalpha axis might constitute an essential step in the thymic organogenesis that is required for the establishment of self-tolerance. An autoimmune disease phenotype was induced in athymic nude mice by grafting embryonic thymus from IKKalpha-deficient mice. The thymic microenvironment that caused autoimmunity in an IKKalpha-dependent manner was associated with defective processing of NF-kappaB2, resulting in the impaired development of thymic epithelial cells. Thus, our results demonstrate a novel function for IKKalpha in thymic organogenesis for the establishment of central tolerance that depends on its protein kinase activity in cooperation with NIK.

Female urethral adenocarcinoma with a heterogeneous phenotype. Case report

We here report a very rare case of female urethral adenocarcinoma. A 77-year-old woman presented with urinary retention. Cystoscopy showed a urethral tumor and the biopsy material showed adenocarcinoma. Macroscopically, the tumor measuring 3.0 x 3.0 x 2.4 cm was predominantly observed around the periurethral area on the proximal side. Histologically, patterns of columnar/mucinous adenocarcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma and papillary/micropapillary carcinoma were observed, but there was no evidence of a cribriform pattern. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells of at least one of three components were positive for CK7 and CK20 or CA125. We suggest that female urethral adenocarcinoma with a histologically and immunohistochemically heterogeneous phenotype may originate from cells within urethral or paraurethral tissue, such as urethritis glandularis or intestinal metaplastic epithelium and Mullerian tissue.

The distribution pattern of myofibroblasts in the stroma of human bladder carcinoma depends on their invasiveness

The presence of myofibroblasts has been elucidated in the stroma of neoplasm of various organs. In the present article, we studied the distribution of myofibroblasts in the stroma of bladder carcinoma. Twenty-five surgical resected bladder tumors (urothelial carcinoma, n = 21; combined urothelial carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, n = 2; sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma, n = 1; combined urothelial carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, n = 1) were selected and we evaluated the distribution of myofibroblasts using immunohistochemical, electron and immunoelectron microscopic techniques. Immunohistochemically, the distribution pattern of myofibroblasts in invasive and non-invasive carcinomas were predominantly fascicular and reticular forms, respectively. Moreover, myofibroblasts around bladder carcinoma cells were confirmed by electron microscope. Understanding the distribution pattern of myofibroblasts in the stroma of bladder carcinoma may provide available information about the presence of carcinoma invasion.