Comparative Study of Raman micro spectroscopy and FTIR in Colorectal Tumor Model

平成２３年度福井大学研究育成経費「若手研究者による今後の進展が期待できる研究

Spontaneous regression of FDG/PET positive lung adenocarcinoma in an elderly man

  Spontaneous cancer regression, either partial or complete, is a rare phenomenon, particularly in patients with lung cancer. The present paper is the case report of an elderly lung cancer patient aged 80 who exhibited spontaneous regression of the primary lesion, without receiving any treatment. Spontaneous regression commenced two years after obtaining pathological specimens by transbronchial biopsy from the pulmonary lesion. It is interesting that the tumor lesion had a strong uptake (standardized uptake value max: 26.3) in 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography before biopsy and that the regression occurred after a long interval after the biopsy, and that the regression developed in an elderly man. It is unknown why spontaneous regression was observed in this case and what kind of mechanism was involved in the phenomenon. Even in the elderly, as observed in our case, spontaneous regression can occur. The patient should be closely followed up to monitor the clinical course of such an unusual phenomenon.

Inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids on prolactin release induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone in man

Glucocorticoid effect on thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced prolactin (PRL) release was studied in female patients with collagen or autoimmune diseases. Long-term, high dose glucocorticoid therapy tended to inhibit the response of plasma PRL to TRH. A negative correlation (r=-0.40) was found between the logarithm of total dose of glucocorticoids received and the magnitude of plasma PRL response to TRH (p less than .05).</p

Neuroprotective Effects of Metallothionein Against Rotenone-Induced Myenteric Neurodegeneration in Parkinsonian Mice

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease with motor symptoms as well as non-motor symptoms that precede the onset of motor symptoms. Mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, rotenone, has been widely used to reproduce PD pathology in the central nervous system (CNS) and enteric nervous system (ENS). We reported previously that metallothioneins (MTs) released from astrocytes can protect dopaminergic neurons against oxidative stress. The present study examined the changes in MT expression by chronic systemic rotenone administration in the striatum and colonic myenteric plexus of C57BL mice. In addition, we investigated the effects of MT depletion on rotenone-induced neurodegeneration in CNS and ENS using MT-1 and MT-2 knockout (MT KO) mice, or using primary cultured neurons from MT KO mice. In normal C57BL mice, subcutaneous administration of rotenone for 6 weeks caused neurodegeneration, increased MT expression with astrocytes activation in the striatum and myenteric plexus. MT KO mice showed more severe myenteric neuronal damage by rotenone administration after 4 weeks than wild-type mice, accompanied by reduced astroglial activation. In primary cultured mesencephalic neurons from MT KO mice, rotenone exposure induced neurotoxicity in dopaminergic neurons, which was complemented by addition of recombinant protein. The present results suggest that MT seems to provide protection against neurodegeneration in ENS of rotenone-induced PD model mice

Protective effects of metallothionein against dopamine quinone-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity

AbstractDopamine (DA) quinone as DA neuron-specific oxidative stress conjugates with cysteine residues in functional proteins to form quinoproteins. Here, we examined the effects of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins, metallothionein (MT)-1 and -2, on DA quinone-induced neurotoxicity. MT quenched DA semiquinones in vitro. In dopaminergic cells, DA exposure increased quinoproteins and decreased cell viability; these were ameliorated by pretreatment with MT-inducer zinc. Repeated L-DOPA administration markedly elevated striatal quinoprotein levels and reduced the DA nerve terminals specifically on the lesioned side in MT-knockout parkinsonian mice, but not in wild-type mice. Our results suggested that intrinsic MT protects against L-DOPA-induced DA quinone neurotoxicity in parkinsonian mice by its quinone-quenching property

Development of LD 3 Wavelength Pulsed Laser for PDD and PDT

A new LD (Laser Diode) was developed to specifically excite protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), a photochemotherapeutic agent that is selectively produced in human tumor tissues following administration of 5- aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), as well as its photoproduct. PpIX emits red fluorescence if it is exposed by the blue light (410 nm) of the laser. During fluorescent diagnosis, the 2 wavelengths of red excitation (635 and 665 nm) from the LD laser were both exposed to the tumor at the same time. Both wavelengths were effectively absorbance matched for the PpIX and the photoproduct produced during irradiation. There is an overlap in the spectral characteristics of the PpIX absorbance and emission. Both processes occur at 635 nm. As such, a continuous wave laser cannot excite PpIX and monitor its emission simultaneously. We therefore developed a pulsed CW laser that could time gate between the blue and red lights, enabling us to both excite and monitor the PpIX at the same time. In future, this laser will be used in a risk assessment protocol for the treatment of elderly patients and to also assess the relative cost this treatment in comparison with other cancer treatments

Spontaniczna regresja gruczolakoraka płuc z pozytywnym wychwytem w badaniu FDG/PET u mężczyzny w podeszłym wieku

Spontaniczna regresja nowotworu, częściowa lub całkowita, jest rzadkim zjawiskiem, zwłaszcza w przypadku raka płuc. W niniejszej pracy opisano przypadek 80-letniego mężczyzny, u którego nastąpiła samoistna regresja pierwotnej zmiany bez zastosowania leczenia. Nastąpiła 2 lata po pobraniu próbek ze zmiany w płucach podczas biopsji przezoskrzelowej. Co ciekawe, zmiana charakteryzowała się silną absorpcją (maks. wartość absorpcji standardowej: 26,3) w pozytonowej tomografii emisyjnej przy użyciu 18-fluorodeoksyglukozy wykonanej przed biopsją, zaś regresja nastąpiła po dość długim czasie po biopsji. Znamienne było także to, że wystąpiła ona u mężczyzny w podeszłym wieku. Nie wiadomo, dlaczego doszło do cofnięcia się choroby w tym przypadku i jaki mechanizm spowodował to zjawisko. Okazuje się, że regresja może wystąpić nawet u starszej osoby. Taki pacjent powinien być objęty wnikliwą obserwacją i znajdować się pod opieką lekarską, aby możliwe było monitorowanie przebiegu klinicznego tak niezwykłego zjawiska.Spontaniczna regresja nowotworu, częściowa lub całkowita, jest rzadkim zjawiskiem, zwłaszcza w przypadku raka płuc. W niniejszej pracy opisano przypadek 80-letniego mężczyzny, u którego nastąpiła samoistna regresja pierwotnej zmiany bez zastosowania leczenia. Nastąpiła 2 lata po pobraniu próbek ze zmiany w płucach podczas biopsji przezoskrzelowej. Co ciekawe, zmiana charakteryzowała się silną absorpcją (maks. wartość absorpcji standardowej: 26,3) w pozytonowej tomografii emisyjnej przy użyciu 18-fluorodeoksyglukozy wykonanej przed biopsją, zaś regresja nastąpiła po dość długim czasie po biopsji. Znamienne było także to, że wystąpiła ona u mężczyzny w podeszłym wieku. Nie wiadomo, dlaczego doszło do cofnięcia się choroby w tym przypadku i jaki mechanizm spowodował to zjawisko. Okazuje się, że regresja może wystąpić nawet u starszej osoby. Taki pacjent powinien być objęty wnikliwą obserwacją i znajdować się pod opieką lekarską, aby możliwe było monitorowanie przebiegu klinicznego tak niezwykłego zjawiska

Aortic stiffness is strikingly increased with age ≥50 years in clinically normal individuals and preclinical patients with cardiovascular risk factors: Assessment by the new technique of 2D strain echocardiography

SummaryBackgroundVarious measures of aortic stiffness have been proposed as cardiovascular risk markers, but interest has now shifted to more direct and easier evaluation of aortic function. The present study was conducted to determine the feasibility of measuring aortic stiffness (β) with two-dimensional (2D) strain echocardiography and the impact of age and gender on preclinical atherosclerosis.Methods and resultsThe peak circumferential strain of the abdominal aorta was measured using 2D strain echocardiography, and β was determined in 54 clinically normal individuals and 104 patients with cardiovascular risk factors and no evidence of cardiovascular disease. The β correlated significantly with age in all 158 patients. However, the relationship was nonlinear, and β was markedly greater in patients ≥50 years. In 54 clinically normal individuals, the relationship was comparatively linear. The systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly greater in patients ≥50 years. There were no significant differences in β and blood pressure parameters between genders.ConclusionsThe β increased dramatically with advanced age (≥50 years), regardless of gender, in clinically healthy and community-based patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The aortic circumferential strain was measured with 2D strain echocardiography which is a new tool that can be used to directly and easily evaluate aortic stiffness