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M Unoura

Publications and source records attributed to M Unoura.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Analysis of the characteristics of responders to chemotherapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma].

To evaluate characteristics of the responders to chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, clinicopathological findings of the responders (9 cases) and those of the non-responders (58 cases) have been compared. As for clinical characteristics, no difference was found in age and sex between the two groups. The responders were, however, restricted to the good cases in respect to performance status (PS) and hepatic reserve based on Child's classification. Concerning characteristics of tumors, no significant difference between the two groups was observed in size and number of tumors, or in the frequency of portal vein thrombosis and that of remote metastasis. There was no difference between them in chemotherapy regimen, either. It was concluded that PS and hepatic reserve might be the most important factors determining the efficacy of chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Clonal origin of mammalian hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

The clonal origins of 20 multifocal hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in four woodchucks were analyzed by the Southern blot hybridization technique. The woodchucks were divided into two groups according to the morphological classification of multifocal tumors: 1) three woodchucks had multifocal tumors that were widely separated and similar in size, which suggests a multiclonal origin of the tumors; and 2) one woodchuck had ten small multifocal tumors surrounding two large main tumors, which indicated intrahepatic metastasis from an original tumor. Results from the first group demonstrated that the number of integrated woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNAs differed from tumor to tumor, and none of the bands were the same size. In the second group, eight of the ten small tumors surrounding the two large tumors showed the same pattern of WHV DNA integration. One demonstrated an additional band and also shared the same bands with the other tumors, and one small tumor had a different pattern of integration from the others. It was concluded that the clone dissimilarity demonstrated by hybridization patterns does not necessarily mean that HCCs originate independently from different clones, because genetic changes may occur after or at the time of metastasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Semiquantitative assessment of cholestasis and lymphocytic piecemeal necrosis in primary biliary cirrhosis: a histologic and immunohistochemical study.

Histologic activity of chronic cholestasis and lymphocytic piecemeal necrosis, a characteristic finding of chronic active hepatitis, was examined semiquantitatively in 157 liver biopsy specimens from 122 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Although both of these lesions were usually admixed variably in a single liver specimen, semiquantitative assessment made it possible to classify liver biopsy specimens into four groups: group A, no or minimum cholestatic or hepatitic changes (58 specimens); group B, predominantly cholestatic changes (37 specimens); and group C, predominantly hepatitic changes (54 specimens). Only eight specimens fell into group D, prominent cholestatic as well as hepatitic changes. Serial liver biopsies of specimens within groups B and C showed a persistence of group B- and C-type pathologies, while liver biopsies of group A specimens frequently changed to group B or C. Immunohistochemical studies illustrated that lymphocytic piecemeal necrosis mainly consisted of activated T lymphocytes as seen in chronic active hepatitis. Our data suggest that either of two hepatic parenchymal lesions predominates and persists in each liver biopsy specimen. A high cholestatic score appeared to relate to poor prognoses of the patients and also to the degree of cirrhotic transformation. This grouping system may be valuable in the clinicopathologic assessment of PBC, when it is combined with ordinary staging.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[An assessment of therapeutic effect of hepatocellular carcinoma by the serial changes in serum AFP value].

The therapeutic effect of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was assessed by the serial change of serum AFP value before and after treatment. Subjects were 56 therapies for HCCs in 48 cases, who were diagnosed as inoperative HCCs, and were performed chemotherapy, transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization (TAE) and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT). As the indicator of therapeutic effect, the angle (supplement) alpha was used, that was formed by the cross of two lines based on several points of serum AFP value on the hemilogarithm graph before and after treatment respectively. The alpha were distributed from -34 degrees to 118 degrees, and its mean value was 32 +/- 38 degrees (+/-SD). The angle alpha value of cases evaluated as CR or PR was high, and that of PD was low. We could quantitatively assess the effects evaluated as NC by tumor size. The survival curve of group with high alpha value was significantly longer than that of group with low value. It was concluded that this method using angle alpha based on the serial change of serum AFP value was useful for clinical assessment of HCCs treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Studies of clinically latent cirrhosis.

Nine cases of latent cirrhosis showing normal hepatic functions (eight males and one female with an average age of 49.3 +/- 12.7) were studied clinicopathologically. They accounted for 1.8% of all cirrhotic patients and many of them were positive for HBs antigen and HBe antibody. Of the nine cases, two were complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma. Imaging diagnostic examinations, such as ultrasonography or RI scintigraphy, revealed uneven echo levels and RI distribution in the liver, including both of the two cases associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Histopathological examination showed inactive or early-stage cirrhosis. These results indicated the importance of non-invasive imaging by abdominal ultrasonography and radioisotope, as screening tests for cirrhosis, especially for middle- and old-aged HBs antigen carriers, even if their liver function tests show normal findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Use of a specific monoclonal antibody to detect Mallory bodies in liver disease.

Mallory bodies (MBs), which are common in alcoholic hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and liver disease associated with Type II diabetes mellitus, are often difficult to find on liver biopsy specimens or to predict from clinical or biochemical studies. Immunofluorescence studies with anti-NMB-1, a Mallory body-specific monoclonal antibody, indicate that this is a sensitive method for recognizing Mallory bodies in cryostat sections of liver from griseofulvin-treated mice or patients with liver disease. Validity of the leukocyte migration test, which facilitates detection and monitoring of patients who harbor Mallory bodies, is confirmed by pretreatment of Mallory bodies with anti-NMB-1. Prevention of Mallory body-induced migration inhibition by addition of anti-NMB-1 indicates that this effect is not due to inactivation of leukocytes by a Mallory body contaminant. Anti-NMB-1, developed using standard hybridoma techniques, does not react with normal hepatocytes or other cells. Investigations with SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blotting reveal that it exhibits binding with 62, 55, 42 kd peptides, and four other bands in the range from 40 to 30 kd from the Mallory bodies. The NMB-1 epitope which facilitates morphologic and clinical detection of Mallory bodies is distinct from cytokeratin and appears to be responsible for its immunogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Current status and therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma].

It is reported that the number of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan is increasing and this is mainly due to the increase of HBsAg negative HCC patients with history of blood transfusion. However 80% of HCC patients are positive for HBV related serum markers. HBV DNA is detected by PCR method in 15% of HBsAg negative HCC patients with other HBV marker. These findings indicated that at least 40% of HCC patients in Japan are closely related to HBV infection. Several hypotheses on the mechanism of carcinogenesis by HBV have been proposed, however none of these has yet to be established. The type C hepatitis virus (HCV) reported by Chiron Co. is thought to be the majority of viruses which cause chronic non A non B hepatitis in Europe, United States and also Japan. The rate of anti-HCV in HBsAg negative HCC patients is about 70% in Japan. As strategies for HCC, the following 3 steps should be established; 1) prophylaxis against infection, 2) prevention of progression of liver cirrhosis, and 3) early detection of HCC. Though the role of hepatitis virus in hepatocarcinogenesis has not yet been established, it is thought that HBV and HCV are responsible for about 85% of HCC patients in terms of the development of liver cirrhosis which frequently associates with HCC. A marked decrease of HCC in Japan is forthcoming through the establishment of prophylaxis against HBV and HCV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Portal perfusion defect after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)].

Serial changes of intrahepatic portal blood flow were studied before and after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In all eight patients examined, wedge-shaped perfusion defects distal to the tumor were clearly demonstrated by dynamic sequential computed tomography during arterial portography (CT-AP). However, no abnormalities of arterial blood flow were detected in the areas of reduced portal blood flow by enhanced computed tomography (CT), indicating that portal blood flow of the liver was selectively decreased by PEIT. Moreover, histopathological finding of two resected liver tissues after PEIT revealed organized thrombi in the portal veins in the non-cancerous liver tissues distal to the tumors. These findings suggest that decreased segmental portal flow is frequent after PEIT and obstructive vasculitis is caused by the drainage of ethanol injected in the tumor.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1990

A comparison between hepatocellular carcinoma-developing and non-carcinoma-developing patients with cirrhosis over a long follow-up period.

An attempt was made to identify possible risk factors for developing hepatocellular carcinoma by comparing 48 autopsy cases that developed hepatocellular carcinoma and 40 autopsy cases that did not develop hepatocellular carcinoma during a follow-up period of more than three years after the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Serum hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, Child's A grade and a family history of chronic liver disease and/or HBV carrier were significant independent risk factors for the progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05, respectively). Hepatocellular carcinoma tended to develop in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive males with a history of excessive alcohol intake. These results suggest that more careful and frequent examinations with various imaging modalities are needed for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients with these risk factors.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1990

[Detection of serum hepatitis B virus DNA using the polymerase chain reaction assay].

We compared the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to that of slot blot hybridization for detecting hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum of a chimpanzee infected with HBV and 52 patients. Also, we utilized a rapid PCR procedure for the detection: Viral DNA was released from virions by incubating serum with NaOH. After a primary PCR amplification, the sample was reamplified using a second set of primer pairs (PCR/PCR). In the chimpanzee, HBV DNA was detected 3 weeks earlier than the appearance of hepatitis surface antigen (HBsAg) and persisted for two weeks with antibody to HBsAg. Of the 14 chronic hepatitis B patients positive for both HBsAg and HBV e antigen (eAg), 9 were positive for HBV DNA by slot blot hybridization and all 14 by PCR. Also, of 9 patients positive for HBsAg and antibody to eAg, 2 were positive for HBV DNA by slot blot hybridization and 8 by PCR. Three of the 11 patients who had lost HBsAg during follow up examination of chronic hepatitis B were positive for HBV DNA by PCR, whereas none of them was positive by slot blot hybridization. Six patients who had recovered from acute hepatitis B more than one year ago and 12 cases who had had vaccination of HBV were negative for HBV DNA by PCR. This technique should yield valuable information on the biology of HBV.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1989

[A case with hepatocellular carcinoma with complete remission due to gamma-IFN therapy].

A 65-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with the aim of closer examination of SOL in cirrhotic liver. By abdominal echography, CT and angiography etc., he was diagnosed as LC with multiple HCC, one in S5 about 2.0 cm, another in S1 about 5.0 cm in diameter, and other four small nodules in right lobe. We treated him with recombinant gamma-IFN at dose of 1.6 X 10(7) units/day for 5 consecutive days biweekly. Although until two months the tumours were gradually enlarged in size, then they became smaller, and at five months later after the beginning of gamma-IFN therapy the tumor stains in angiogram disappeared. Then we performed the surgical treatment. Both macro and microscopical findings of tumor specimens in S5, 2. 2 X 2.0 X 1.9 cm in size, showed complete necrotic tissue. Additionally the yellowish small tumor was found on surface of S8, and it was adenomatous hyperplasia histologically.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1989

Chromosomal assignment of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNA integration sites in a woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (WH257GE10).

The chromosomal sites of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNA integration were identified in a woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (WH257GE10) by the in situ hybridization technique using 3H-labelled WHV whole genome (WHV 2) as a probe. The G-banded chromosome spreads from WH257GE10 were identified and diagrammed schematically according to their band patterns. WHV DNA was integrated into 2 sites: 33 region of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q33) and 31 region of the long arm of chromosome 8 (8q31). Chromosomal sites of WHV DNA integration were stable during successive passage periods analyzed in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Detection of serum hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis using the polymerase chain reaction assay.

We compared the sensitivity of the polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) assay to that of slot-blot hybridization for detecting hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum of 31 patients with chronic hepatitis. Of 14 chronic hepatitis patients positive for both HBV surface and HBV e antigens, 9 were positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot hybridization and all 14 by PCR. Also, of 9 patients positive for HBV surface antigen and antibody against HBV e antigen, 2 were positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot analysis and 8 by PCR. Finally, in 8 patients positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot hybridization, but 4 were positive by PCR. We find that analysis by the PCR technique provides a greater than 10(4)-fold increase in sensitivity over the slot-blot hybridization assay. This result represents an important breakthrough in sensitivity because it is now possible to detect as few as three HBV DNA genomes per sample of serum.

Chronic Disease↗