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Biomedical subjects

Jun Hihara

Publications and source records attributed to Jun Hihara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Neutrophil elastase induces cell proliferation and migration by the release of TGF-alpha, PDGF and VEGF in esophageal cell lines.

Rapid regrowth or recurrent growth of occult cancer cells are often observed after esophagectomy or postoperative complications. In order to clarify the mechanism of such oncological circumstances, we focused on neutrophil elastase (NE), which degrades a broad spectrum of extracellular matrix and cell surface proteins. In the present study, we demonstrated that NE stimulated the growth of all of the five esophageal cell lines (TE-1, -7, -8, -12 and -13) by MTT assay and promoted cell invasion by cell migration assay. Pro-transforming growth factor-alpha (pro-TGF-alpha) from the cell membrane was released to the culture medium as a mature form after treatment with 5 microg/ml NE, and it reached the maximum level of 153% compared to the control values at 15 min of treatment in TE-13 cells. The phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) rapidly occurs after treatment with NE and triggered the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK) signaling pathway. Moreover, NE induced release of platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), PDGF-BB and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to 141.9, 227.7, and 171.6% of the control values, respectively. A specific NE inhibitor, sivelestat, significantly inhibited the NE-induced cell proliferation, cell invasion and subsequently inhibited the signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, sivelestat significantly inhibited NE-induced release of TGF-alpha, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB and VEGF in the medium in TE-13 esophageal carcinoma cells. These results strongly indicate that NE released from activated neutrophils stimulates the growth and progression of esophageal cancer cells by releasing the growth factors on the cell surface and that sivelestat, a specific NE inhibitor, blocks these processes. Furthermore, we postulate that postoperative administration of sivelestat might be useful as a new molecular-targeting cancer therapy as well as for the treatment of postoperative respiratory complications.

Cell Growth Processes↗

Sivelestat, a specific neutrophil elastase inhibitor, suppresses the growth of gastric carcinoma cells by preventing the release of transforming growth factor-alpha.

Neutrophil elastase is a neutral serine proteinase produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes/macrophages, especially under surgical stress. In the present study, we investigated whether NE promotes cell growth by activation of EGFR to elucidate whether surgical stress induces tumor proliferation and progression. Furthermore, we examined the antitumor effect of a specific NE inhibitor, sivelestat. Cell growth assays were carried out in vitro and in vivo using TMK-1 gastric cancer cells. TMK-1 cell growth was stimulated to 118% of that of the control cells after 48 h stimulation with 1 microg/mL NE according to an MTT assay. Sivelestat inhibited cell growth to 23.4 and 58.0% of control values at concentrations of 100 and 1,000 microg/mL, respectively. NE rapidly phosphorylated EGFR in only 5 min and triggered the ERK1/2-mitogenic signaling pathway in TMK-1. It was further demonstrated that NE-induced EGFR phosphorylation was transactivated through TGF-alpha, using ELISA. NE increased the cleavage of TGF-alpha from the cell surface 30-fold compared with the cells without treatment. Interestingly, sivelestat significantly reduced NE-induced EGFR phosphorylation and ERK1/2 activation and completely blocked the release of TGF-alpha from the TMK-1 cell surface. In a xenograft study, the addition of ventrotomy as a surgical stress promoted tumor growth. Sivelestat significantly suppressed the tumor growth induced by surgical stress. These results indicate that sivelestat suppresses the growth of gastric cancer cells by inhibiting the release of TGF-alpha stimulated by NE, which often occurs after surgical stresses.

Animals↗

Postoperative immunosuppression cascade and immunotherapy using lymphokine-activated killer cells for patients with esophageal cancer: possible application for compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome.

Immunological parameters were measured in order to elucidate a postoperative immunosuppression mechanism in transthoracic esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer. Moreover, lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were transferred just after the surgery to overcome the postoperative immunosuppression. Fifteen consecutive patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy were subjected to the postoperative measurement of immunological parameters. Ten patients who underwent open cholecystectomy served as controls. Heparinized venous blood was obtained pre- and postoperatively, and serum levels of cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 and immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) were measured. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were harvested and analyzed by flow cytometry for phenotype detection and by a mixed lymphocyte reaction for detecting concanavalin (Con)-A-induced or -non-induced suppressor activity. Another 29 consecutive patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy were randomly enrolled in a postoperative immunotherapy trial either with or without lymphokine-activated killer cells. It was found that, in the esophagectomy group, IL-6 and IL-10 increased postoperatively and peaked on day 1, followed by an increase in IAP, peaked again on day 4, with a profound decrease in helper and cytotoxic T-cell subsets, followed by increases in Con-A-induced (on day 7 or later) and spontaneous (on day 10) suppressor activities. These changes were minimal in the cholecystectomy group. LAK cell transfer restored the postoperative decrease in the helper and cytotoxic T-cell population, and there was a trend of reduction for postoperative remote infection such as pneumonia and surgical site infection in the LAK therapy group. Taken together, we would like to propose the existence of a postoperative immunosuppression cascade consisting of increases in cytokines and immunosuppressive proteins, decreases in helper and cytotoxic T-cell populations, and the development of suppressor T-cell activities in surgery for esophageal cancer. Postoperative adoptive transfer of LAK cells may be a novel clinical application in surgery for esophageal cancer as a means of treating this postoperative immunosuppressive condition that may be identical to the status of compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome (CARS).

Aged↗

Chemosensitivity prediction in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: novel marker genes and efficacy-prediction formulae using their expression data.

Esophageal cancer is a highly lethal disease and the optimal therapy remains unclear. Since adjuvant chemotherapy gives a better chance of survival, we attempted to develop a chemosensitivity prediction model to improve individual responses to therapy. Comprehensive gene expression analyses (cDNA and oligonucleotide microarrays) and MTT assay of 8 drugs in 20 KYSE squamous cell carcinoma cell lines were performed to distinguish candidate marker genes whose expression levels reproducibly correlated with cellular drug sensitivities. After confirmation with real-time RT-PCR, we performed multiple regression analyses to develop drug-sensitivity prediction formulae using the quantified expression data of selected marker genes. Using the same sets of genes, we also constructed prediction models for individual clinical responses to 5-FU-based chemotherapy using 18 cases. We selected 5 better marker genes, known as drug sensitivity determinants, identified 9 novel predictive genes for 4 of 8 anticancer drugs [5-FU, CDDP, DOX, and CPT-11 (SN-38)], and developed highly predictive formulae of in vitro sensitivities to the 4 drugs and clinical responses to 5-FU-based adjuvant chemotherapies in terms of overall and disease-free survivals. Our selected genes are likely to be effective drug-sensitivity markers and formulae using the 9 novel genes would provide advantages in prediction.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Adoptive immunotherapy using autologous lymphocytes sensitized with HLA class I-matched allogeneic tumor cells.

A 29-year-old female breast cancer patient with multiple bone metastases (HLA-A2) was treated with adoptive transfer using autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activated with the HLA-A2-matched allogeneic GC022588 gastric cancer cell line and interleukin-2 plus an immobilized anti-CD3 antibody culture system. The relief of bone pain in parallel with a decrease of serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels was obtained just after the administration of GC022588-activated effector lymphocytes, and a good quality of life was accomplished for 4 months. The GC022588-activated effector lymphocytes included 44% CD4+, 77% CD8+, and 26% CD4+CD8+ phenotypes, and expressed 25% killing activity against GC022588 stimulator cells at an E/T ratio of 50:1. T cell receptor (TCR) usage analysis for the effector cells showed oligoclonal expression of TCRVbeta1, 3, 9, and 11, especially TCRVbeta5.2, 12, 13.1 and 17, and their killing activity was significantly inhibited in the presence of anti-TCRalphabeta antibody and anti-TCRVbeta12 antibody. SSCP analysis revealed clonotypic bands of TCRVbeta12. These results suggest that shared antigens exist between breast and gastric adenocarcinomas. Allogeneic tumor cells can stimulate PBMCs to generate effector cells with selected TCRCDR3 usages that recognize tumor antigens. These effector lymphocytes may be good candidates for the adoptive immunotherapy of cancer.

CD3 Complex↗

Generation of antigen-presenting cells using cultured dendritic cells and amplified autologous tumor mRNA.

Novel antigen-presenting cells (APCs) were generated using cultured dendritic cells (DCs) and amplified tumor mRNA, and the potential of tumor antigen-reactive T cell induction by the tumor RNA-introduced DCs (DC/tumor RNA) was analyzed in a patient with melanoma antigen-encoding gene (MAGE3)-positive malignant melanoma of the esophagus. DCs were generated from an adherent fraction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4. Tumor mRNA was purified from tumor tissue, amplified in vitro using a T7 RNA polymerase system, and then introduced into DCs by electroporation (150 V/150 microF or 100 V/200 microF). The gene introduction efficiency was 44-55% as measured by enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene expression, and the viability of RNA-introduced DCs was approximately 80%. DC/tumor RNA could induce tumor antigen-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in an mRNA-specific manner, but had no effect on the self-antigen-reactive T cells. DC/tumor RNA could induce the polyspecific antigen-reactive CTL responses mediated by both human leukocyte antigen class I and class II molecules, whereas MAGE3 peptide-pulsed DCs induced only the monospecific MAGE3-reactive CTL responses mediated by human leukocyte antigen class I molecules, showing the superiority of the DC/tumor RNA over the DC/peptide. It is suggested that the use of DC/tumor RNA as antigen-presenting cells may be more effective, convenient and practical for the DC-based anti-cancer immunotherapy.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

Expression of p53 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: relation to hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, angiogenesis and apoptosis.

OBJECTIVES: Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 is important in the control of transcription of several genes related to angiogenesis. We have previously reported that expression of HIF-1alpha correlates with venous invasion and clinical outcome in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. p53 has been reported to interact with HIF-1alpha and induce ubiquitin-mediated proteosomal degradation of HIF-1alpha. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether the expression of p53 is associated with that of HIF-1alpha. METHODS: Expression of p53, HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was examined in 81 archival surgical specimens of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue. CD34 and single-stranded DNA were used to evaluate angiogenesis and apoptosis. RESULTS: Forty-seven of the 81 (58.0%) tumor specimens showed high levels of nuclear p53 immunoreactivity. Overexpression of p53 was observed in the early clinical stage of tumor development. Expression of p53 was not correlated with HIF-1alpha or VEGF expression, angiogenesis or apoptosis in esophageal carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that mutations in p53 play a role in carcinogenesis but not in the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. HIF-1alpha may not only be regulated by p53 but also by other factors.

Aged↗

[Three advanced gastric cancer patients successfully treated by combination therapy of docetaxel and TS-1].

We have experienced three gastric carcinoma cases successfully treated by the combination therapy of docetaxel and TS-1. Case 1: 66-year-old male with advanced gastric cancer invading the pancreas with metastasis to the liver and left neck lymph nodes. Case 2: 50-year-old female with scirrhous gastric carcinoma causing huge amount of malignant ascites. Case 3: 59-year-old male with recurrent gastric cancer of the remnant stomach presenting with obstruction and vessel involvement. Primary and metastatic diseases of these patients were remarkably improved with the combination therapy, indicating that the combination therapy of docetaxel and TS-1 can be a new therapeutic tool for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer patients.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

[A case of remnant gastric cancer with multiple bone metastasis and peritoneal dissemination; efficacy of combination therapy of docetaxel and TS-1].

A 69-year-old female underwent radical surgery for advanced gastric cancer (Stage IIIA) 7 years ago. She was diagnosed as remnant gastric cancer with multiple bone metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. Treatment with docetaxel and TS-1 was started with the following regimen: daily oral administration of 100 mg/body TS-1 for 14 days, followed by a 7 day rest and infusion of 40 mg/m2 docetaxel on day 1. Two months after the initial administration of docetaxel/TS-1, the sites of the remnant gastric cancer and bone metastasis were reduced in size, and the ALP returned to almost the normal level. The site of peritoneal dissemination had disappeared. Currently (nine months after diagnosis), she is undergoing therapy with TS-1. The combination of docetaxel and TS-1 can be a new tool for the management of gastric cancer with bone metastasis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[A case report of bowel obstruction due to peritonitis carcinomatosa using combined administration with CPT-11 and CDDP].

We report here a case of recurrent gastric cancer that responded to third-line chemotherapy with CPT-11 and CDDP. The patient was a 61-year-old man with recurrent gastric cancer, who had administered TS-1 for first-line chemotherapy and paclitaxel for second-line chemotherapy. After such therapy, bowel obstruction was revealed due to peritoneal dissemination. The patient underwent third-line chemotherapy with CPT-11 and CDDP after drainage of gastrointestinal juice by nasogastric tube. The treatment schedule for CPT-11 and CDDP therapy consisted of CPT-11 60 mg/m2 div at day 1, day 15 and CDDP 60 mg/m2 div at day 1. It was repeated every 4 weeks. After first administration, the bowel obstruction was improved, so the treatment was continued for 8 months on an outpatient basis. These findings imply that this treatment can be a useful second-line or third-line chemotherapy for unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Ambulatory Care↗

[Surgical stress].

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Arachidonic Acids↗

[Clinical study of TS-1 for inoperative and recurrent gastric cancer and evaluation of long survival cases].

The clinical efficacy and safety of TS-1 therapy were studied retrospectively in patients with inoperable and recurrent gastric cancer. The subjects were 67 patients who were treated with TS-1 in our department between June 1999 and September 2004. The objective overall response rate was 41.0% (16/39; 95% confidence interval, CI, 25.3-56.7). By location, the response rate of peritoneal dissemination was high (57.1%), as were those of primary lesion (53.3%) and lymph nodes (42.9%). The prevalence of adverse reactions with a grade of 3 or 4 was 12.8%. The median survival rate (MST) was 276 days with 1-year and 2-year survival rates of 48.9% and 27.8%, respectively. This resulted in 6 long-term survival cases (over 2.5 years) after TS-1 therapy, and the longest survival time was 3y 5m after TS-1 therapy. PRs or long-term NCs after TS-1 therapy were likely to be important factors for long-term survival. In conclusion, TS-1 is safe and effective for patients with inoperable and recurrent gastric cancer, and is promising as a first-line treatment.

Adult↗

Clinical evaluation of low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil as adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (low-dose FP) as an adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for resected advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. From 1994 to 1999, 57 patients who showed an invasion of the tumor over the muscularis propria (T2-T4), regional lymph node metastasis (N1), and no distant metastasis (M0) were enrolled in this analysis. Postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT group) was performed on 14 of the patients, and they were compared to the patients who underwent surgery alone (S group) using the matched pair algorithm. In the CRT group, chemotherapy of low-dose FP was combined with concurrent radiotherapy after the esophagectomy. A side-effect of severe dysphagia (NCI-CTC Grade 3) was observed in 4 patients (28.6%) and leukocytopenia in 1 patient (7.1%) among the CRT group. The overall survival rate of the CRT group and matched S group were 35.7% and 28.5% at 5 years, respectively, with no significant difference. In the CRT group, 7 of 14 patients (50%) had a recurrence. The recurrence rate was slightly lower than in the S group (57%), with no significant difference. This combined chemoradiotherapy using low-dose FP did not improve the prognosis of patients with resected advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Aged↗

Intractable gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia in a patient of Bernard-Soulier syndrome--report of a case--.

We herein report a case of gastrointestinal bleeding induced by angiodysplasia of the cecum in a case of Bernard-Soulier syndrome with recurrent breast cancer. In spite of endoscopic hemostatic therapy and interventional embolization, she had repeated massive bleeding from the cecal lesion. In addition, she had chronic hepatitis C and progressive liver tumors metastasized from breast cancer, and she finally died of hepatic failure. There are four case reports in the literature describing Bernard-Soulier syndrome with gastrointestinal bleeding angiodysplasia. The reported cases benefited from hormonal, endoscopical hemostasis and surgical therapy. In our case, because of her terminal metastatic breast cancer, only conservative treatments were administered after the third bleed. Both the endoscopic hemostatic method and interventional embolization showed only a temporary effect. Surgical treatment should be considered if the general condition can tolerate a surgical procedure.

Angiodysplasia↗

Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha is associated with vascular endothelial growth factor expression and tumour angiogenesis in human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha expression, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and tumour vascularity in squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus. Expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF was examined in two oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (TE2, TE3) and 82 archival surgical specimens of human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue. In both cell lines, the levels of HIF-1alpha protein and VEGF mRNA were increased under hypoxic conditions. Thirty-two of the 82 (39%) tumour specimens showed high levels of HIF-1alpha immunoreactivity in the nuclei and/or cytoplasm of cancer cells. HIF-1alpha expression correlated significantly with venous invasion, VEGF expression, and microvessel density. Among the 47 patients who did not receive pre-operative chemotherapy, the outcome of those with high HIF-1alpha-expressing tumours was significantly poorer than that of those with low HIF-1alpha-expressing tumours. These results suggest that HIF-1alpha and VEGF expression are important determinants of survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus.

Blotting, Western↗

Locoregional immunotherapy of malignant ascites from gastric cancer using DTH-oriented doses of the streptococcal preparation OK-432: Treatment of Th1 dysfunction in the ascites microenvironment.

Locoregional administration of the streptococcal preparation OK-432 is effective in treating malignant ascites from gastric cancer. In order to enhance the efficacy, we conducted a pilot study of locoregional immunotherapy for malignant ascites using host-oriented doses of OK-432. Moreover, action mechanisms of OK-432 were further explored in view of the T-helper type 1 (Th1)-Th2 concept. Gastric cancer patients with cytologically determined malignant ascites were locoregionally administered with OK-432. The dose of OK-432 was selected according to the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction levels to OK-432. Cytokine production profiles of ascites cells were determined using whole ascites assay by stimulation with OK-432. IL-10 mRNA expression was analyzed using RT-PCR. It was found that a positive clinical response was observed in 37 of the 51 (73%) patients with the DTH-oriented approach, showing a significantly higher efficacy than traditional dosage methods using empirical doses (31/58, 53%) (p=0.0487). The DTH-oriented administration of OK-432 produced adverse effects such as fever elevation (p<0.0001) and abdominal pain (p=0.0013) to a significantly lesser extent compared with the traditional treatment. Analysis of the action mechanism of OK-432 revealed that the DTH reaction in responders (19+/-6 mm) was stronger than that in non-responders (6+/-4 mm) (p<0.0001). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production of ascites cells was also higher in responders (3943+/-1247 pg/ml) than in non-responders (1217+/-939 pg/ml) (p=0.0002). There was a significant positive correlation (p=0.0085) between the levels of DTH reaction and TNF-alpha production of ascites cells, but not of blood cells. Responders appeared to polarize on the Th1 axis when clinical responses were plotted on Th1-Th2 dimensions according to the cytokine production profiles of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-6 of ascites cells. In vitro culture with IL-2 of ascites cells after OK-432 administration demonstrated an almost clonal expansion of CD4+ lymphocytes, which produced TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, but did not produce IL-4 or IL-6. IL-10 mRNA expression was detectable in ascites cells from non-responders before treatment. These results suggest that the DTH-oriented locoregional administration of OK-432 may be both effective and less toxic in treating malignant ascites from gastric cancer, showing a possibility of the tailored immunotherapy for malignant ascites. Th1 dysfunction exists in the microenvironment of malignant ascites from gastric cancer, in which IL-10 may, in part, play a role. The up-regulation of Th1 responses by OK-432 may result in positive clinical responses. The DTH reaction to OK-432 may be a useful tool not only for predicting clinical response but also for selecting the optimal dose of OK-432.

Aged↗

[Weekly paclitaxel therapy is useful for gastric carcinoma as second-line chemotherapy].

The patient was a 58-year-old man who suffered from non-resectable gastric cancer, staged intraoperatively for peritoneal dissemination and paraaorta lymph node metastasis at another hospital in December 2002. He was initially treated with TS-1 as an outpatient. However, he was readmitted on March 4, 2003 for hematuria, general fatigue, jaundice and dyspnea. He was diagnosed with gastric cancer duodenum invasion, obstructive jaundice and lymphangitis carcinomatosa, and began weekly TXL as second-line chemotherapy on March 26. TXL (70 mg/ m2) was infused once a week for 3 weeks followed by a 1-week interval as one cycle. One week after the first infusion therapy, the jaundice and dyspnea were greatly improved. CT scan showed the lymphangitis carcinomatosa had disappeared and paraaorta lymph node metastasis was reduced to 60% after one cycle of the treatment. The toxic events were leukopenia (grade 1) and alopecia (grade 1).

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

Prolonged dormancy and site-specific growth potential of cancer cells spontaneously disseminated from nonmetastatic breast tumors as revealed by labeling with green fluorescent protein.

This study used an isogenic pair of metastatic (M4A4) and nonmetastatic (NM2C5), green fluorescent protein-labeled human breast cancer cell lines derived from the same patient and inoculated into the mammary glands of nude mice to investigate the dissemination patterns and fate of cells that escaped spontaneously from the resulting tumors. After tumors appeared, fluorescing single tumor cells were regularly seen in the lungs, even in animals inoculated with NM2C5, which fails to form secondary tumors in other organs. The sensitivity of the technique confirmed the continuing presence of scattered NM2C5 cells after primary tumor resection, although they formed no metastases by 6 months. These self-disseminated human tumor cells were retrievable from the tissues and were still viable and malignant, manifested by indefinite proliferation in vitro and green fluorescence and local tumorigenicity in vivo. Therefore, these scattered tumor cells were still immortal but rendered indefinitely quiescent by the microenvironmental conditions in the lung tissue. This is the first unequivocal demonstration of spontaneous distant dissemination of human cancer cells by undisturbed nonmetastatic tumors and comprises a valuable system for the analysis of tumor dormancy. In contrast, although many of the cells disseminating from M4A4 tumors grew into fluorescing metastases in the lungs, others remained solitary and quiescent. Therefore, even in a clonally derived cell population with metastatic properties, many cells do not, or cannot, mobilize the organ-specific growth properties needed to generate metastases. This experimental approach, by using self-disseminating, green fluorescent protein-labeled, sister cell lines of opposing metastatic phenotypes, opens new avenues for investigating topics of clinical relevance, including tumor cell dormancy, anatomical distribution of metastases, and host factors influencing the metastatic process.

Animals↗