The sperm mitochondria-specific translocator has a key role in maternal mitochondrial inheritance.

The mechanism of maternal mitochondrial inheritance in animals involves the selective elimination of sperm mitochondria by the elimination factor of the egg and the sperm mitochondria-specific factor. In vitro fertilization using sperm from isogenic mice incorporating heterospecific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) showed that the number of PCR positives of sperm mtDNA in two-cell embryos was significantly increased following sperm incubation with anti-tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein involved in spermatogenesis (tpis) protein, anti-translocator of mitochondrial outer membrane (Tom) 22 and anti-Tom40 antibodies. The treatment of fertilized eggs with EGTA and other endonuclease inhibitors increased the sperm mtDNA levels. We conclude that the elimination factor, which is probably an endonuclease, is selectively received by the tpis protein of the sperm mitochondrial outer membrane within the egg. It is then transported into the sperm mitochondria by Tom22 and Tom40, where it destroys the sperm mtDNA, establishing the maternal inheritance of mtDNA.The Version of Record (VoR) is available at http://www.cellbiolint.or

A Case of Autoimmune Hepatitis Associated with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Chronic Thyroiditis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is frequently associated with extrahepatic autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren\u27s syndrome, and chronic thyroiditis, but the association with idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is rare. We report a 46-year-old Japanese woman who presented with severe thrombocytopenia, elevated levels of aminotransferases, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG), positive anti-nuclear antibody, and hypothyroidism. After a diagnosis of coexisting AIH, ITP, and chronic thyroiditis, the patient was treated with 30 mg/day of prednisolone orally. The patient responded to such treatment: showing an increase in the number of platelets and decrease of serum levels of aminotransferases, IgG, and PAIgG to within normal ranges. Discrimination of ITP from liver cirrhosis as a cause of severe thrombocytopenia seen in chronic liver disease is important because complications and therapy are quite different. Prednisolone as a treatment for All should be also effective for ITP, and therefore, ITP should be considered when liver dysfunction is accompanied by severe thrombocytopenia, particularly in the autoimmune types of liver diseases

Evaluation of new prognostic staging systems (SLiDe score) for hepatocellular carcinoma patients who underwent hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A new prognostic staging system, the SLiDe (S, stage; Li, liver damage; De, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin) score was recently proposed. We examined 207 HCC patients following hepatic resection to determine the usefulness of this staging system for HCC patients after surgery. METHODOLOGY: Disease-free and overall survival rates were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between groups were tested for significance using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Regarding disease-free survival, there were no significant differences in survival between SLiDe score 0 vs 1, between score 2 vs 3, and between score 4 vs 5. There were significant differences between 0-1 vs 2-3 (p < 0.01) and between 2-3 vs 4-5 (p < 0.01). Regarding overall survival, there were no significant differences in survival between score 0 vs 1, between score 2 vs 3, and between score 4 vs 5. There were significant differences between 0-1 vs 2-3 (p < 0.05) and between 2-3 vs 4-5 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The SLiDe score, a staging system that combines tumor factors, a tumor marker and hepatic function, might be a better predictor of prognosis in HCC patients who have undergone hepatic resection

Impact of Treatment for Gastroesophageal Varices on Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

New treatment modalities have been introduced to manage gastroesophageal varices, but their impact on prognosis of patients with the varices and hepatocellular carcinoma is not conclusive. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influences of the variceal treatment on survival of such patients. Seventy-five patients, who were given a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and died between 1997 and 2004, were retrospectively reviewed in the endoscopic findings and treatments of gastroesophageal varices and causes of death. Additionally, the survival curves were compared between the groups with and without gastroesophageal varices or between the groups with and without the variceal treatments. Sixty (80.0%) of 75 patients had gastroesophageal varices, and 16 (26.7%) among them received the variceal treatments for variceal bleeding or the risk. Nine patients were endoscopically proven esophageal variceal bleeding, and 5 of them had received primary prophylaxis. Fifty-two (69.3%) and 2 (2.7%) of 75 patients died of the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and the variceal bleeding, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of causes of death between patients with and without gastroesophageal varices (p=0.7695), while in patients with varices, the distribution of causes of death significantly differed between those with and without therapy (p=0.0020). Survival curves, however, did not differ significantly either between the groups with and wthout gastroesophageal varices (p=0.5502) or between the groups with and without variceal treatments (p=0.4446). Our study suggests that the overall survival rates in patients with hepatocallular carcinoma may be not affected by gastroesophageal varices if the varices are treated depending on the conditions. This may be originated from the improved management of varices in addition to the limited life-span because of tumor progression

Impact of Treatment for Gastroesophageal Varices on Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

New treatment modalities have been introduced to manage gastroesophageal varices, but their impact on prognosis of patients with the varices and hepatocellular carcinoma is not conclusive. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influences of the variceal treatment on survival of such patients. Seventy-five patients, who were given a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and died between 1997 and 2004, were retrospectively reviewed in the endoscopic findings and treatments of gastroesophageal varices and causes of death. Additionally, the survival curves were compared between the groups with and without gastroesophageal varices or between the groups with and without the variceal treatments. Sixty (80.0%) of 75 patients had gastroesophageal varices, and 16 (26.7%) among them received the variceal treatments for variceal bleeding or the risk. Nine patients were endoscopically proven esophageal variceal bleeding, and 5 of them had received primary prophylaxis. Fifty-two (69.3%) and 2 (2.7%) of 75 patients died of the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and the variceal bleeding, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of causes of death between patients with and without gastroesophageal varices (p=0.7695), while in patients with varices, the distribution of causes of death significantly differed between those with and without therapy (p=0.0020). Survival curves, however, did not differ significantly either between the groups with and wthout gastroesophageal varices (p=0.5502) or between the groups with and without variceal treatments (p=0.4446). Our study suggests that the overall survival rates in patients with hepatocallular carcinoma may be not affected by gastroesophageal varices if the varices are treated depending on the conditions. This may be originated from the improved management of varices in addition to the limited life-span because of tumor progression

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Male Patient with Early Stage (Stage I) Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

The true incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) remains undetermined due to limited epidemiological studies and some conflicting results. Some studies indicated that in PBC, male gender, cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) superinfection, and history of blood transfusion are associated with the development of HCC, and the occurrence of HCC in the early stage of PBC is rare. We present herein a 75-year-old male patient with stage I PBC who developed oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, followed by HCC and duodenal adenocarcinoma without hepatitis B or C virus infection. While it could be argued that the concurrence of HCC and stage I-PBC in our patient was coincidental, patients with early stage PBC should be strictly followed up as cirrhotic patients with PBC by monitoring the serum concentration of tumor markers for HCC and appropriate imaging methods