Changes in intracellular content of glutathione and thiols associated with γ-glutamyl cycle during sperm penetration and pronuclear formation in rat oocytes

The content of glutathione and other thiols in rat eggs was examined during sperm penetration and pronuclear formation by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Reduced glutathione (GSH) content was higher in unfertilised oocytes (8.50 ± 0.29 pmol/egg) and penetrated eggs with a decondensed sperm nucleus (DSH eggs; 7.72 ± 0.56 pmol/egg) than eggs at the pronuclear stage (PN eggs; 5.93 ± 0.10 pmol/egg). The content of oxidised glutathione (GSSG) was not different among experimental groups (152.6 ± 74.1 nmol/egg in unfertilised eggs, 146.0 ± 50.0 nmol/egg in DSH eggs and 39.7 ± 17.3 nmol/egg in PN eggs). The GSSG/GSH ratio did not change during fertilisation. Although the reduced cysteinylglycine content of eggs did not change among experimental groups, the oxidised form of cysteinylglycine increased (p &#60; 0.025) between sperm decondensation (6.9 ± 1.5 nmol/egg in unfertilised oocytes and 10.1 ± 2.1 nmol/egg in DSH eggs) and pronuclear formation (40.5 ± 11.5 nmol/egg in PN eggs). Low contents of cystine were detected during fertilisation but cysteine and &#947;-glutamylcysteine were not detected in any treatment groups. These results demonstrate that GSH content in rat eggs decreases between sperm decondensation and pronuclear formation, probably due to the increased activity of &#947;-glutamyl transpeptidase.</p

A case of thoracoscopic medial basal segmentectomy

INTRODUCTION: Isolated resection of the medial basal segment (S7) is uncommon because of its small volume, and S7 segmentectomy is considered to be difficult due to anatomical variation. We report a case of successful thoracoscopic S7 segmentectomy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 56-year-old man was referred to our hospital with suspected pulmonary metastasis of rectal cancer. A 6-mm nodule was detected in S7. A7 and B7 branched from the basal segmental artery and bronchus, respectively, to run ventral to the inferior pulmonary vein. This made it possible to isolate A7 and B7 by an approach via the interlobar fissure. In addition, V7a and V7b were easily isolated from inferior pulmonary vein. The intersegmental plane was indicated by V7b and was transected along a demarcation line identified by using selective oxygenation via B7. DISCUSSION: B7 most commonly branches from the basal bronchus and A7 from the basal artery to run ventral to the inferior pulmonary vein. With this anatomical type, when the surgeon approaches via the interlobar fissure during surgery, A7 is identified first, B7 is seen behind A7, and the IPV is posterior to B7. Since the intersegmental plane is located ventral to the IPV, segmentectomy can be completed via the interlobar fissure approach. CONCLUSION: In patients with this pattern of pulmonary artery and bronchial anatomy, isolated S7 segmentectomy is a feasible treatment option

MONITORING ANAPLASTIC THYROID CANCER MODELS BY PET/CT

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare type of thyroid carcinoma with a poor prognosis. Thus, suitable preclinical tumor models are required for the development of new ATC therapies. In the present study, orthotopic tumor xenograft models were established using ATC cell lines and SCID mice, and tumor invasion and the effects of anticancer drugs were evaluated using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to repeatedly and non-invasively monitor these models. Three ATC cell lines (8305c, 8505c, and ACT-1) were used. Their sensitivities to two anticancer drugs (paclitaxel and lenvatinib) were investigated. The 8505c cell line was orthotopically implanted into SCID mice, which were then divided into three groups: no chemotherapy, paclitaxel (5 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally, every week), and lenvatinib (5 mg/kg, oral route, every day) groups. PET/CT was performed and tumor growth and the effects of anticancer drugs based on tumor volume and fludeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake were evaluated. 8505c cells exhibited the highest sensitivity to the anticancer drugs. In mice implanted with 8505c cells, continuous increases in FDG uptake associated with tumor growth were detected on PET/CT in the group that received no chemotherapy. The tumor volume and FDG uptake increased by 91.5- and 2.4-fold, respectively, within 2 weeks. The increase observed in tumor volume was 26.9- and 12.2-fold in the paclitaxel and lenvatinib groups, respectively, within 2 weeks. Furthermore, the increase in FDG uptake was 1.8-fold and 1.6-fold in the paclitaxel and lenvatinib groups, respectively, within 2 weeks. In our orthotopic SCID mouse model, tumor growth and the effects of anticancer drugs were repeatedly and non-invasively monitored using PET/CT. The present method is useful for the development of new ATC treatments

ICG fluorescence for lung metastasis of HCC

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG) accumulates in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and tumor fluorescence can be observed under irradiation with near infrared light (NIR). This study investigated the clinical utility of ICG fluorescence imaging during resection of pulmonary metastases of HCC. Methods: From April 2010 to June 2018, six patients with suspected pulmonary metastasis of HCC were enrolled prospectively. Prior to surgery, all patients underwent the ICG hepatic function test following intravenous administration of ICG (0.5 mg/kg body weight). During surgery, metastatic HCC was identified by observation of ICG fluorescence, allowing assessment of the surgical margin. Tumor fluorescence was also evaluated on cut sections. Results: A total of 11 metastatic HCCs were resected in six patients at nine operations. Eight lesions were removed by wedge resection and 3 lesions were managed by lobectomy. During surgery, tumor fluorescence could be confirmed through the visceral pleura in 6 out of 7 lesions treated by wedge resection, while NIR irradiation was difficult for 1 lesion. For these 6 lesions, the median distance from the tumor to the visceral pleura and the median surgical margin were 0 mm (range, 0–2 mm) and 14 mm (range, 11–17 mm), respectively. When cut sections were examined, all tumors emitted fluorescence. All lesions were histologically confirmed to be metastatic HCC. Conclusions: In patients with pulmonary metastasis of HCC, ICG fluorescence imaging is useful for identifying the tumor and securing its margin when the lesion is peripheral and wedge resection is planned

Synthesis of Allyl Ester of Prostaglandin E and the Conversion of the Allyl Ester Moiety into Carboxylic Acid by Chemical Method. A Highly Practical Synthesis of Natural PGE1 and Limaprost

Synthesis of prostaglandin E allyl ester via two-component coupling process and the conversion of the allyl ester moiety into free carboxylic acid by the reaction with HCO2H-Et3N in the presence of a palladium catalyst has been described

ハッショウ ヨソク ガ コンナン デアッタ ハイガン ジュツゴ カンシツセイ ハイエン キュウセイ ゾウアク ノ 2レイ

Acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia （IP） is one of the most severe and fatal postoperative complications in lung cancer patients underlying IP. We treated two patients suffered from acute exacerbation of IP after pulmonary resection for lung cancer. We analyzed their clinical findings. Thoracoscopic lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed in these cases. The patients were diagnosed with acute exacerbation ４ or ５ days after operation and treated with steroids. Both patients had not been diagnosed as IPs before surgery, however, IPs were diagnosed by retrospective analysis of pathological examination for the removal lungs. Chest CT before surgery showed an interstitial shadow in the lung field faintly in these cases. It should be considered that patients who show a faint interstitial shadow in chest CT could potentially cause an acute exacerbation of IP after lung cancer operation