324 research outputs found

    99m-Technetium galactosyl human serum albumin scanning to evaluate liver function after stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report

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    The primary choice among treatment options for liver malignancies is surgery. However, if surgery cannot be performed, Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may be effective. 99m-technetium galactosyl human serum albumin (GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is useful for the assessment of liver function before surgery. We report the case of a 77-year-old man who had undergone SBRT for hepatocellular carcinoma of the left lobe of the liver 2 years previously. Follow-up revealed a 15-mm hepatocellular carcinoma at the edge of the right lobe of the liver. 99m-technetium GSA SPECT was performed before SBRT to confirm that there was no accumulation in the left lobe and to ensure that there was good function of the right lobe. Three months after SBRT, the tumor had responded, and decreases in GSA accumulation were observed in line with the radiation beam. Because hepatocellular carcinoma often relapses, it is important to assess the anatomic site of liver dysfunction before and after radiation. This case demonstrates that 99m-technetium GSA SPECT is useful for this purpose

    Alteration of Concanavalin A Binding Glycoproteins in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum of Alzheimer's Disease Patients

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    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. It is characterized pathologically by the formation of senile plaques and neurofibrilly tangles in the brain. Diagnostic markers for detecting earlier stages of AD are needed. We measured the intensity of concanavalin A (Con A) binding activities of glycoproteins of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of subjects to clarify the modification of core mannose since we expected that aberrant glycosylation of glycoproteins might be useful as a new biomarker for detecting AD. CSF samples were collected from 15 patients with probable AD (AD group), 5 patients with probable dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (DLB group) and 8 controls without dementia (control group), whereas serum samples from 20 patients with probable AD and 20 controls without dementia were also collected. Glycoproteins in the CSF and serum were detected by lectin blotting using Con A. In the CSF of the AD group, 2 Con A binding glycoproteins were significantly higher compared with the control group. Furthermore, using analysis of variance, 3 Con A binding glycoproteins detected from the CSF of the AD group showed significant differences among the 3 groups. The levels of 3 Con A binding glycoproteins were significantly lower than in non-dementia controls in the serum. These changes in Con A binding activities did not depend on the amount of proteins. Therefore, the data indicate that the aberrance of protein glycosylation relates to the pathology of AD, and has some promise as a new biomarker for the diagnosis of AD

    PAX2 promoted prostate cancer cell invasion through transcriptional regulation of HGF in an in vitro model

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    AbstractElucidating the mechanism of prostate cancer cell invasion may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic strategies for its treatment. Paired box 2 (PAX2) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) proteins are promoters of prostate cancer cell invasion. We found that PAX2 protein activated the HGF gene promoter through histone H3 acetylation and upregulated HGF gene expression. Deletion analysis revealed that the region from −637 to −314 of the HGF gene was indispensable for HGF promoter activation by PAX2. This region contains consensus PAX2 binding sequences and mutations of the sequences attenuated HGF promoter activation. Using an in vitro invasion model, we found that PAX2 and HGF promoted prostate cancer cell invasion in the same pathway. Knockdown of HGF expression attenuated the cells' invasive capacity. Moreover, in tissue samples of human prostate cancers, HGF and PAX2 expression levels were positively correlated. These results suggested that upregulation of HGF gene expression by PAX2 enhanced the invasive properties of prostate cancer cells. The PAX2/HGF pathway in prostate cancer cells may be a novel therapeutic target in prostate cancer patients

    Palmitoylated ras proteins traffic through recycling endosomes to the plasma membrane during exocytosis

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    Ras proteins regulate cell growth, death, and differentiation, and it is well established that this functional versatility is accomplished through their different subcellular localizations. Palmitoylated H- and N-Ras are believed to localize at the perinuclear Golgi and plasma membrane (PM). Notably, however, recycling endosomes (REs) also localize to a perinuclear region, which is often indistinguishable from the Golgi. In this study, we show that active palmitoylated Ras proteins mainly localize intracellularly at REs and that REs act as a way station along the post-Golgi exocytic pathway to the PM. H-Ras requires two palmitoyl groups for RE targeting. The lack of either or both palmitoyl groups leads to the mislocalization of the mutant proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, or the PM. Therefore, we demonstrate that palmitoylation directs Ras proteins to the correct intracellular organelles for trafficking and activity. © 2010 Misaki et al

    先天性血友病患者の移行期の実態

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    【Introduction】Congenital hemophilia is a category of hemorrhagic disease caused by a genetic defect in the production of coagulation factors. It is treated by administering regular coagulation factor injections on an ongoing basis. Hemophilia is a hereditary illness, often causing social and psychological problems as a result of the disease. To analyze the objective effects of hemophilia, we conducted a retrospective analysis in Tokushima University Hospital. 【Result】All 23 cases were men between the ages of20and72. Hemophilia A was present in17cases, and hemophilia B was present in six. Nineteen out of 23 cases were severe, and the others were intermediate. Medical assessments were conducted at pediatrics in seven cases and hematology in 16 cases. Adoption of the self-injection technique was not realized in five cases. Seventeen cases were complicated by hemophilic arthropathy, seven with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV), and 12 with hepatitis C virus. Eight participants were unemployed, and17were unmarried. 【Discussion】 Many adult hemophilia patients still visit pediatrics in our hospital. Hemophilia in the period of growth between adolescence and young adulthood is often accompanied by life-altering events such as entering higher education, marriage, and work experience. Therefore, collaboration among professionals of multiple occupations, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical social workers, and clinical psychologists, is essential. Furthermore, there are many cases of HIV and hepatitis C virus infections complicating hemophilia study due to the stigma surrounding HIV-tainted blood. 【Conclusion】It is imperative that we establish a long-term, sustainable, and multi-disciplinary transitional care and medical support system for patients and their families
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