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Biomedical subjects

Masafumi Inoue

Publications and source records attributed to Masafumi Inoue.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Antitumor effect of trastuzumab for pancreatic cancer with high HER-2 expression and enhancement of effect by combined therapy with gemcitabine.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether trastuzumab has antitumor effect against pancreatic cancer and whether this effect is concordant with levels of HER-2, which is reportedly overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. We also investigated whether the effect is potentiated in combined therapy with gemcitabine. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using immunohistochemistry and FACScan, we analyzed HER-2 expression in 16 pancreatic cancer cell lines. The in vitro antiproliferative effect of trastuzumab, alone and in combination with gemcitabine, was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The in vitro antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of trastuzumab was investigated by (51)Cr release assay. The in vivo antitumor effect of trastuzumab, alone and in combination with gemcitabine, was evaluated in nude mouse xenograft growth. The survival benefit was evaluated in a Capan-1 orthotopic implanted nude mouse model. RESULTS: HER-2 expression of 2+ or more was observed in 10 and of 3+ in 2 of the 16 cell lines. No in vitro growth-inhibitory effect of trastuzumab was found in any cell line, but trastuzumab induced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity in proportion to HER-2 expression level. Trastuzumab inhibited tumor growth in Capan-1 (HER-2: 3+) xenografts and prolonged survival in the orthotopic model. These effects were increased by combined therapy with gemcitabine. In contrast, trastuzumab exhibited no antitumor effect against PANC-1 (HER-2: 1+) or SW1990 (HER-2: 2+) xenografts. CONCLUSIONS: The antitumor effect of trastuzumab in pancreatic cancer with high HER-2 expression was shown in vitro and in vivo. Clinical application of trastuzumab is expected in pancreatic cancer with 3+ HER-2 expression.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

RUNX3 is frequently inactivated by dual mechanisms of protein mislocalization and promoter hypermethylation in breast cancer.

A tumor suppressor function has been attributed to RUNX3, a member of the RUNX family of transcription factors. Here, we examined alterations in the expression of three members, RUNX1, RUNX2, and RUNX3, and their interacting partner, CBF-beta, in breast cancer. Among them, RUNX3 was consistently underexpressed in breast cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Fifty percent of the breast cancer cell lines (n = 19) showed hypermethylation at the promoter region and displayed significantly lower levels of RUNX3 mRNA expression (P < 0.0001) and protein (P < 0.001). In primary Singaporean breast cancers, 9 of 44 specimens showed undetectable levels of RUNX3 by immunohistochemistry. In 35 of 44 tumors, however, low levels of RUNX3 protein were present. Remarkably, in each case, protein was mislocalized to the cytoplasm. In primary tumors, hypermethylation of RUNX3 was observed in 23 of 44 cases (52%) and was undetectable in matched adjacent normal breast epithelium. Mislocalization of the protein, with or without methylation, seems to account for RUNX3 inactivation in the vast majority of the tumors. In in vitro and in vivo assays, RUNX3 behaved as a growth suppressor in breast cancer cells. Stable expression of RUNX3 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells led to a more cuboidal phenotype, significantly reduced invasiveness in Matrigel invasion assays, and suppressed tumor formation in immunodeficient mice. This study provides biological and mechanistic insights into RUNX3 as the key member of the family that plays a role in breast cancer. Frequent protein mislocalization and methylation could render RUNX3 a valuable marker for early detection and risk assessment.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed2005

RUNX3, a novel tumor suppressor, is frequently inactivated in gastric cancer by protein mislocalization.

Loss of RUNX3 expression is suggested to be causally related to gastric cancer as 45% to 60% of gastric cancers do not express RUNX3 mainly due to hypermethylation of the RUNX3 promoter. Here, we examined for other defects in the properties of RUNX3 in gastric cancers that express RUNX3. Ninety-seven gastric cancer tumor specimens and 21 gastric cancer cell lines were examined by immunohistochemistry using novel anti-RUNX3 monoclonal antibodies. In normal gastric mucosa, RUNX3 was expressed most strongly in the nuclei of chief cells as well as in surface epithelial cells. In chief cells, a significant portion of the protein was also found in the cytoplasm. RUNX3 was not detectable in 43 of 97 (44%) cases of gastric cancers tested and a further 38% showed exclusive cytoplasmic localization, whereas only 18% showed nuclear localization. Evidence is presented suggesting that transforming growth factor-beta is an inducer of nuclear translocation of RUNX3, and RUNX3 in the cytoplasm of cancer cells is inactive as a tumor suppressor. RUNX3 was found to be inactive in 82% of gastric cancers through either gene silencing or protein mislocalization to the cytoplasm. In addition to the deregulation of mechanisms controlling gene expression, there would also seem to be at least one other mechanism controlling nuclear translocation of RUNX3 that is impaired frequently in gastric cancer.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Performance of single-step gel-based reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays equivalent to that of real-time RT-PCR assays for detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus.

Simple gel-based one-step reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays, used to investigate patients during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Singapore, were found to be as sensitive as commercial and in-house real-time RT-PCR assays. The detection limit was approximately 1 genome equivalent (GE) per 5 microl PCR mixture. One PFU of SARS coronavirus was estimated to be 258 +/- 46 GE.

Humans↗
PubMed2005

[Changes in tumor marker levels as a predictor of gemcitabine effect on patients with unresectable or recurrent pancreatic cancer].

We studied on possible association between the tumor marker (CEA, CA 19-9, and SPan-1) change and the clinical outcome after treatment with gemcitabine (GEM) in 23 patients with unresectable or recurrent pancreatic cancer. GEM was administered intravenously at a standard dose of 1000 mg/m2 weekly. One course consisted of weekly administration for 3 weeks followed by 1 week's rest. When the adverse effect did not allow the weekly administration, GEM was given bi-weekly without dose modification. Objective responses were evaluated by computed tomography and tumor marker change. Two or more courses were given for only 6 (26.1%) patients. The number of patients, administered GEM 6 or more times including by the weekly and bi-weekly method, was 12 (52.2%). Antitumor effects were evaluable in 16 patients. The clinical efficacies were 1 partial response (PR), 6 stable disease (SD), and 9 progressive disease (PD). Decreases in tumor marker levels were recognized in 9 of the 16 patients. The median survival time (MST) of the PR+NC group was significantly longer than that of the PD group (9 vs 3.5 months; p=0.0151). MST of those in the decreasing tumor marker group was significantly longer than the group with no decreases in the tumor markers (7.0 vs 5.5 months; p = 0.0478). The adverse effects at grade 3 or more were 4 (17.3%) leukopenia, 2 (8.7%) thrombocytopenia, and 1 (4.3%) skin toxicity. In conclusion, the tumor marker change after GEM treatment may be a predictor of preferable prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene transfection inhibits the liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer by preventing angiogenesis.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a unique type of serine protease inhibitor and one of the key regulators of tumor invasion and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of PAI-1 gene transfection on liver metastasis and its mechanism by using the human high liver metastasis pancreatic cancer cell line, SW1990. PAI-1-transfected SW1990 (SW/PAI-1) produced a significantly higher level of PAI-1 in supernatant than parental cells. While no difference was observed for the production of u-PA and u-PA activity in the supernatant, cell proliferation of SW/PAI-1 was slightly suppressed on the 7th day of incubation compared to parental cells. Cellular invasion, in vivo tumorigenesis in xenograft and liver metastasis were significantly suppressed in SW/PAI-1 cells compared to parental cells. The angiogenesis of xenograft by detecting microvascular density and the production of metastasis-related factors, such as VEGF and TGF-beta1, were also decreased in SW/PAI-1 cells. These findings suggested that PAI-1 gene transfection might have the ability to prevent the liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer by modulating angiogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A role for protease-activated receptor-2 in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation.

The protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is cleaved and activated by trypsin and tryptase. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of PAR-2 in proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cells. PAR-2 mRNA and protein expression were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting in three cell lines, SW1990, Capan-2, and Panc-1. The PAR-2 agonist peptide, SLIGKV (25, 50 micro g/ml) and trypsin (10, 100 ng/ml) significantly increased cell proliferation. Enhancement of MAP kinase also was observed in cancer cells treated with SLIGKV and trypsin. In vivo, subcutaneous xenografted tumors showed significantly enhanced growth after treatment with SLIGKV. Tumor-associated trypsinogen (TAT) mRNA and protein expression was detected in SW1990 and Capan-2, suggesting autocrine trypsin production. PAR-2 activated by trypsin plays an important role in promoting proliferation of pancreatic cancer.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Prepancreatic postduodenal portal vein: report of a case.

We report an unusual case of a prepancreatic postduodenal portal vein (PPPV), incidentally discovered during total gastrectomy. If it had not been noticed, this portal vein might have been ligated and divided with disastrous consequences. This anomaly was not diagnosed preoperatively, but it could have been. Although embryological anomalies of the portal venous system, such as PPPV and preduodenal portal vein, are rarely encountered in abdominal surgery, surgeons must be aware of their possibility and be able to recognize them to avoid major intraoperative injury.

Congenital Abnormalities↗