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Morio Koike

Publications and source records attributed to Morio Koike.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

HSP60 may predict good pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play crucial roles in cellular responses to stressful conditions. Expression of HSPs in invasive or high-risk superficial bladder cancer was investigated to identify whether HSPs predict pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to assess expression levels of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90 and p53 in 54 patients with invasive or high-risk superficial bladder cancer, prior to low-dose neoadjuvant CRT, followed by radical or partial cystectomy. Patients were classified into two groups (good or poor responders) depending on pathological response to CRT, which was defined as the proportion of morphological therapeutic changes in surgical specimens. Good responders showed morphological therapeutic changes in two-thirds or more of tumor tissues. In contrast, poor responders showed changes in less than two-thirds of tumor tissues. RESULTS: Using a multivariate analysis, positive HSP60 expression prior to CRT was found to be marginally associated with good pathological response to CRT (P = 0.0564). None of clinicopathological factors was associated with HSP60 expression level. In the good pathological responders, the 5-year cause-specific survival was 88%, which was significantly better than survival in the poor responders (51%) (P = 0.0373). CONCLUSIONS: Positive HSP60 expression prior to CRT may predict good pathological response to low-dose neoadjuvant CRT in invasive or high-risk superficial bladder cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Value of CK14 and CD56 immunostaining in distinguishing small cell carcinoma from squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Primary small cell carcinoma of esophagus (SCC) is a rare disease but has more aggressive behavior than esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SQC). The distinction of SCC from SQC is very important therapeutically. Few systematic studies of immunohistochemical analysis to differentiate primary esophageal SCC with concomitant SQC, and adjacent normal esophageal epithelium have been reported. The objective of this study is to know the immunohistochemical markers in distinguishing SCC from SQC of esophagus. We studied 6 cases of primary esophageal SCC histologically and immunohistochemically using 15 different antibodies including a cytokeratin (CK) panel and neuroendocrine markers. Pure SCCs were identified in 2 of the 6 cases (33.3%), and the remaining 4 cases (66.7%) were found to exhibit combined SCC with an SQC component. Among the combined types, in situ SQC was observed in all 4 cases (100.0%) and invasive SQC was observed in 3 cases (75.0%). Among the normal esophageal epithelia specimens (n=7), CK14 expression was seen 6 out of 7 (85.7%) specimens and CKAE1/3 in 5 out of 7 (71.4%) specimens. CD56 was more frequently expressed among the SCC specimens (4/6; 66.7%) than among the SQC specimens (0/4; 0%; p = 0.07). The expression of p53 protein in SCC (4/6; 66.7%) and SQC (3/4; 75.0%) specimens was significantly more frequent than in normal esophageal epithelium (0/7; 0%; p = 0.02 each). Neurone-specific enolase (NSE), synaptophysin, and CKAE1/3 were expressed in 83.3%, 66.7%, and 66.7% of the SCC cases (n=6), respectively. NSE expression was significantly more frequent in SCC specimens (5/6; 83.3%) (p = 0.02) than in normal esophageal epithelium (0/7; 0%; p = 0.02). However, the frequencies of NSE expression in SCC (5/6; 83.3%) and SQC (2/4; 50%) were not significantly different. All of the SQC specimens (n=4) expressed CK14 and CKAE1/3. The CK14 expression was significantly more frequent in SQC specimens (4/4; 100.0%) than in (p = 0.04) SCC specimens (1/6; 16.6%; p = 0.04). These findings suggest that the CK14 and CD56 may be useful markers for differentiating SQC from SCC and vice versa. The p53 may also be useful to differentiate normal esophageal epithelium from SCC or SQC tissue.

CD56 Antigen↗
PubMed2005

Expression of homeodomain protein CDX2 in gallbladder carcinomas.

PURPOSE: Caudal-related homeobox protein CDX2 plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation of the intestinal epithelium. CDX2 is associated with intestinal metaplasia and carcinomas of the stomach, but the role of CDX2 in gallbladder carcinogenesis remains unknown. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of CDX2 and intestinal apomucin MUC2 in gallbladder cancer cell lines at the mRNA level by the RT-PCR method. We also investigated the expression of CDX2 and MUC2 in 68 primary gallbladder carcinomas by the immunohistochemical staining method and compared the expression of CDX2 with the clinicopathological factors in the gallbladder carcinoma cases. RESULTS: Expression of CDX2 and MUC2 was found in three of four gallbladder cancer cell lines at the mRNA level. In addition, we found that CDX2 was absent in the normal gallbladder epithelium, but the CDX2 protein was expressed in 25 of the 68 (36.8%) gallbladder carcinomas. Interestingly, in the tubular type gallbladder carcinomas, the frequency of CDX2 expression was much higher in the well-differentiated type than the moderately and poorly differentiated types, the difference being statistically significant (P<0.01). CDX2 expression showed a relationship with expression of MUC2 (P<0.04) in the gallbladder carcinomas. CDX2 was expressed in intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia, which are hypothesized to be premalignant conditions. CONCLUSION: These results imply that CDX2 plays an important role in gallbladder carcinogenesis with intestinal differentiation.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Oral bacteria in the occluded arteries of patients with Buerger disease.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have suggested that infectious organisms play a role in vascular diseases. In this study, to explore a possible link between oral infection and Buerger disease, we investigated whether oral (periodontal) bacteria were present in occluded arteries removed from patients with characteristic Buerger disease. METHODS: Fourteen male patients with a smoking history who had developed characteristics of Buerger disease before the age of 50 years were included in this study. Occluded arteries, including superficial femoral (n = 4), popliteal (n = 2), anterior tibial (n = 4), and posterior tibial (n = 4) arteries, were removed and studied. A periodontist performed a periodontal examination on each patient and collected dental plaque and saliva samples from them at the same time. The polymerase chain reaction method was applied to detect whether seven species of periodontal bacteria--Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis, Treponema denticola, Campylobacter rectus, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia , and Prevotella nigrescens--were present in the occluded arteries and oral samples. In addition, arterial specimens from seven control patients were examined by polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS: DNA of oral bacteria was detected in 13 of 14 arterial samples and all oral samples of patients with Buerger disease. Treponema denticola was found in 12 arterial and all oral samples. Campylobacter rectus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Prevotella nigrescens were found in 14% to 43% of the arterial samples and 71% to 100% of the oral samples. A pathologic examination revealed that arterial specimens showed the characteristics of an intermediate-chronic-stage or chronic-stage lesion of Buerger disease. All 14 patients with Buerger disease had moderate to severe periodontitis. None of the control arterial samples was positive for periodontal bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to identify oral microorganisms in the lesions of Buerger disease. Our findings suggest a possible etiologic link between Buerger disease and chronic infections such as oral bacterial infections.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Basement membrane matrix modifies cytokine interactions between lung cancer cells and fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE: Proliferation of fibroblasts (desmoplastic reaction) in the lung adenocarcinomas is an important phenomenon that correlates with metastases and poor prognosis. Because basement membranes are often involved in the desmoplastic areas and many cytokines have binding capacity to basement membrane molecules, we hypothesized that basement membrane modify the paracrine effects between cancer cells and fibroblasts via the fibrogenic cytokines and this hypothesis was experimentally investigated. METHODS: The effects of conditioned media derived from ten lung carcinoma cell lines and normal airway epithelial cells on DNA synthesis of fetal lung fibroblasts were determined. We focused on fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) as the candidate paracrine cytokines and examined their diffusion through an experimental basement membrane matrix model, Matrigel. RESULTS: All the conditioned media promoted DNA synthesis of fetal lung fibroblasts. Detection by ELISA methods and the neutralizing antibodies suggested that FGF-2 was one of the responsible factors for the growth promotion. Diffusion of FGF-2 across the polycarbonate membrane was suppressed by coating with Matrigel. When FGF-2-secreting A549 cells were covered with Matrigel, FGF-2 was stored in Matrigel and its diffusion into the culture media was significantly reduced. Binding of FGF-2 to Matrigel was completely blocked by a basic protein, protamine sulfate. In the presence of protamine sulfate in Matrigel overlaid on A549 cells, diffusion of FGF-2 increased 7-fold as much as that without overlaid Matrigel. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the basement membrane acts as a barrier to the diffusion and a reservoir of cytokines secreted by cancer cells, and that the subsequent degradation of the basement membrane by cancer cells could release the stored cytokines and promote growth of fibroblasts.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Spontaneous " healing" of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Healing is a phenomenon by which the intraductal component of breast cancer disappears and is replaced by fibrous tissue. Focally localized healing often prevents confirmation of the continuity of intraductal carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer with healing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: At our hospital, 308 patients (311 breasts) underwent breast conservation therapy without neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in 2000. These surgical specimens were histopathologically investigated with 5 mm serial sections. We assessed the proportion and the characteristics of breast cancer with healing. RESULTS: (1) The proportion of breast cancer with healing was 7% (21/311). (2) In the 21 patients, the mean age was 59.2 years, and the mean diameter was 2.8 cm. (3) The histological type of the breast cancer varied: noninvasive ductal carcinoma in 2 cases, papillotubular carcinoma in 5, solid-tubular carcinoma in 8, scirrhous carcinoma in 5, invasive lobular carcinoma in 1, and Paget's disease in 1. However in all cases, the histologic type of the intraductal carcinoma foci was the comedo/solid type and the nuclear grade of cancer cells was high. (4) In cases with healing, areas of healing were seen in an average of 5 (1-26) blocks, compared with intraductal carcinoma foci in 13 blocks (2-40). Healing was located on the nipple side of the main lesion in 8 cases, the peripheral side in 9, and both sides in 4. In 3 cases, healing was seen at the surgical margin of the partial mastectomy specimen. CONCLUSION: The proportion of breast cancer cases with healing was 7% and these cases were intraductal carcinoma of the comedo/solid type, consisting of highly malignant cancer cells.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Importance of thymidine phosphorylase expression in tumor stroma as a prognostic factor in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is a unique enzyme involved not only in angiogenesis, but in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) metabolism as well. TP is produced by both tumor and stromal cells. The aim of this study was to reveal the clinical implication of TP localization in tumor tissues. Advanced colorectal cancer specimens (n=97) were prepared for immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies against TP, p53, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), factor VIII, CD68 and thymidylate synthase (TS). Clinicopathological factors and the clinical prognosis were examined for each indicator. High tumor TP expression and high stromal TP expression were observed in 38% (36/95 cases) and 49% (47/95 cases) of the cases, respectively. High tumor TP expression tended to correlate with microvessel density (MVD) (p=0.0511). Among patients who underwent curative resection, those with high stromal TP expression had a favorable prognosis (p=0.0127). High stromal TP status was also a strong prognostic factor in the group receiving adjuvant 5-FU derivatives (p=0.0222). TP produced by tumor cells has a stimulatory effect on tumor angiogenesis, while that produced by stromal cells plays an entirely different role. The latter may enhance the anticancer effect of 5-FU via its catalyzed function.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Propionibacterium acnes is the most common bacterium commensal in peripheral lung tissue and mediastinal lymph nodes from subjects without sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND: In studies of the unknown etiology of sarcoidosis, Propionibacterium acnes (a possible agent) was found in the lungs and lymph nodes of many sarcoidosis patients and some control subjects. P. acnes might be commensal not only to the skin, conjunctivae, and intestine, but also to the lungs and lymph nodes of individuals without sarcoidosis. METHODS: We cultured peripheral lung tissue and various lymph nodes obtained from patients with diseases other than sarcoidosis. DNA of 45 isolates of P. acnes from these patients, 67 isolates from normal skin, conjunctiva, and intestine, and 39 isolates from sarcoid lymph nodes were compared by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. RESULTS: P. acnes was isolated from half of 43 lungs and 8 of 11 mediastinal lymph nodes, mostly in pure culture. P. acnes was isolated from half of 20 gastric and 3 of 12 intestinal lymph nodes; intestinal bacteria were also numerous. In general, fewer than 500 colony-forming units of P. acnes per gram tissue were isolated, but 4 lung tissue specimens, 2 of which had a few granulomas, had many more. P. acnes strains from a particular site (lung, lymph node, skin or conjunctivae, and intestine) were genetically similar, more than isolates obtained from different sites. Lymph-node isolates from subjects with and without sarcoidosis differed little. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that P. acnes normally resides in peripheral lung tissue and mediastinal lymph nodes and that the strains of P. acnes isolated from sarcoid lymph nodes were not specific to sarcoidosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Clonality analysis for normal and cancerous colon tissues with human androgen receptor gene polymerase chain reaction.

We assessed the feasibility of clonality analysis with human androgen receptor gene polymerase chain reaction in terms of the sensitivity and specificity for normal and cancerous colonic tissues taken from fourteen informative cases selected from 22 women with colonic adenocarcinoma. Ten crypts microdissected from each 10-microm-thick cryostat sections and whole tissues were used as samples. DNA was extracted from the samples and amplified with and without prior enzyme digestion. These products were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis for clonality. Of the whole-tissue DNA, none of the normal tissues and seven (50.0%) of the cancerous tissues showed monoclonality. Of the microdissected samples, monoclonality was found in 88.4% (107/121) of normal crypts and 95.9% (117/122) of cancerous crypts. Samples composed of crypts with short and long alleles were found in eight of the 14 normal colonic mucosae, but in none of the cancerous tissues. We concluded that the sensitivity of this method is limited for both whole-tissue DNA and microdissected-tissue DNA, because monoclonality from small samples does not always indicate monoclonality of the entire lesion. The high specificity of this method, however, allows polyclonal results in whole tissues to be confirmed by additional analysis of microdissected tissues.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Relationship between CDX2 gene methylation and dietary factors in gastric cancer patients.

Epigenetic gene silencing through DNA methylation is one of the important steps in the mechanism underlying tumorigenesis, including in the stomach. Past lifestyle factors of cancer patients, such as intake of vegetables, are very important in affecting gastric carcinogenesis. However, the relationship between DNA methylation and past dietary habits in cancer patients remains largely unknown. The CDX2 homeobox transcription factor plays a key role in intestinal development, but CDX2 is also expressed in most of the intestinal metaplasia and part of the carcinomas of the stomach. We analyzed the methylation status of the CDX2 5' CpG island in gastric cancer cell lines by methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and then CDX2 mRNA was found to be activated after 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment of the methylation-positive cells. We further examined the methylation status of CDX2 in primary gastric carcinomas by MSP and compared it with the past lifestyle of the patients, including dietary habits. Methylation of CDX2 was found in 20 (34.5%) of the 58 male patients and one (6.7%) of the 15 female patients. Since the methylation frequency was low in the female patients, the analysis was performed only on the male cases. CDX2 methylation was correlated with the decreased intake of green tea and cruciferous vegetables, and also with full or overeating habits. These findings are consistent with epidemiological observations on gastric cancer. We also analyzed the methylation status of p16/INK4a and hMLH1, but their frequencies were not associated with dietary factors or other lifestyle factors. Thus, diet could be an important factor determining the methylation status of genes such as CDX2 and the resultant aberrant expression of genes involved in carcinogenesis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2004

Virological significance of low-level hepatitis B virus infection in patients with hepatitis C virus associated liver disease.

The clinical and virological significance of low-level viremia by hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients remains unclear. HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were, therefore, quantitatively analyzed in livers and sera from co-infected patients. HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were quantitated using real-time detection of polymerase chain reaction (RTD-PCR), based on Taq-Man chemistry, in 220 non-HCV-infected healthy volunteers and 93 HCV-infected patients without detectable HBsAg. Serum HBV-DNA was detected in 4 (1.8%) of 220 non-HCV-infected healthy volunteers and 32 (34.4%) of 93 HCV-infected patients without detectable HBsAg. HCV-infected patients displayed higher frequency of HBV infection than healthy volunteers (P < 0.0001). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was more frequent among co-infected patients than among HCV mono-infected patients (P < 0.001). However, quantities of HBV-DNA in sera from co-infected patients were very low (8-19,000 copies/ml). HBV-DNA was detected in liver tissue from co-infected patients at 2-20 copies per 100 hepatocytes, accounting for 1/1,000 to 1/10,000 of HBsAg positive patients. In livers of patients with HCC and HCV or HBV mono-infection, the viruses existed predominantly in non-cancerous tissue, with levels 10- to 1,000-fold and 1- to 100-fold higher than in cancerous tissue, respectively. In contrast, patients co-infected with HCV and HBV displayed decreased HBV levels in non-cancerous tissue, but no change in cancerous tissue. These results indicate that low-level HBV infection exists in HCV-infected patients. HCC was more common among HCV/HBV co-infected patients than among HCV mono-infected patients. HCV might initiate hepatocarcinogenesis, but does not necessarily determine progression to HCC.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Mucin core protein expression by colorectal mucinous carcinomas with or without mucus hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: In the categorization of colorectal mucinous carcinomas, much attention has been paid to the amount of extracellular mucin, but little to that of intracellular mucin. Perhaps this factor would be useful in further categorization. METHODS: We estimated the amount of intracellular mucin morphologically, and classified colorectal tumors (tubular adenomas, mucinous carcinomas, and nonmucinous carcinomas) into two categories each, those with and without intracellular mucus hyperplasia. From preliminary results, we chose a range of 50% or more for the ratio of intracellular mucus to the total area of tumor cells for our definition of such hyperplasia. Then, mucin expression in the different categories was examined immunochemically with antibodies to the mucin core proteins MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6. RESULTS: MUC1 expression was found in none of the 40 adenomas, 8 (17%) of the 48 mucinous carcinomas (with little difference in those with and without mucus hyperplasia), and 4 (16%) of the 25 nonmucinous carcinomas. MUC2 was found in all mucinous carcinomas. MUC5AC was found in 18 (86%) of the 21 mucinous carcinomas with mucus hyperplasia and 18 (90%) of the 20 adenomas with mucus hyperplasia, but in only 9 (33%) of the 27 mucinous carcinomas without mucus hyperplasia, 5 (20%) of the 25 nonmucinous carcinomas, and 2 (10%) of the 20 adenomas without mucus hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Mucinous carcinomas with and without mucus hyperplasia may arise from adenomas with and without mucus hyperplasia, respectively. The amount of intracellular mucin may be a morphologic reflection of the origin of colorectal mucinous carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed2004

Expression of IAP family proteins in esophageal cancer.

Members of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, including survivin, have been reported to be expressed in many tumors. However, their expression in esophageal cancer has not been clarified completely. We investigated the expression of mRNA for IAP family proteins in samples from esophageal cancers and their adjacent normal mucosa tissues by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The survivin expression in esophageal cancer was significantly higher than that in normal mucosa (P < 0.05). Other IAP family proteins including cIAP1, cIAP2, NAIP and XIAP tended to show stronger expression in cancer tissue than normal mucosa, although the differences were not significant. As to the histological type of tumor, poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas exhibited significantly higher level of expression than well-differentiated carcinomas (P < 0.05). The proportion of apoptotic cells of cancer tissue inversely correlated with the intensity of survivin expression (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated cytoplasmic as well as nuclear expression of survivin in esophageal cancer, and further, in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated cytoplasmic expression of mRNA for survivin. The results suggest that the expression of IAP family proteins, especially survivin, may be associated with the biological character of esophageal cancer, such as apoptosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Liver metastasis from rectal cancer with prominent intrabile duct growth.

Intrabiliary growth of liver metastases from colorectal cancer has rarely been studied. A surgically resected case of a metastatic liver tumor with prominent intrabiliary growth derived from rectal cancer is reported. The patient was a 62-year-old man who had received a low anterior resection for rectal cancer in March 2000. He was re-admitted due to obstructive jaundice in January 2003, and was diagnosed with hepatic malignancy in segment II of the liver with an intrabiliary tumor extending from the intrahepatic bile duct of segment II to the common hepatic duct. He underwent a left hepatectomy, a partial resection of segment VI, and an extrahepatic bile duct resection with reconstruction of the biliary tract. In the resected specimen, there were whitish tumors of 3 cm and 1.5 cm in diameter in segments II and VI, respectively, and an intrabiliary tumor originating from the main tumor in segment II extended to the common hepatic duct. Both the liver tumors and the intrabiliary tumor consisted of a well- to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, which showed the same histological features as the rectal cancer. The immunohistochemical findings strongly supported that these tumors, including the intrabiliary growth, were liver metastasis from the rectal cancer. The intrabiliary invasion and growth of metastatic liver tumors has generally been overlooked, notwithstanding their frequently observed biological behavior. The present case is informative, and further investigation into this type of metastatic liver tumor may be warranted.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Expression of the SRY-related HMG box protein SOX2 in human gastric carcinoma.

SOX2, a SRY-related HMG box protein, is thought to be an important transcription factor during organogenesis, including the stomach although the expression and function are unclear. We investigated SOX2 protein expression to clarify its roles in differentiation and carcinogenesis of the stomach. Using polyclonal SOX2 antibodies, expression of SOX2 in gastric normal mucosae, intestinal metaplasia and carcinomas from 68 gastric carcinoma patients was studied by immuohistochemistry. SOX2 was strongly and moderately expressed in the nuclei of the foveolar epithelium and intestinal metaplasia, respectively, the expression being much higher than that in carcinomas (p<0.0001). Using antibodies to MUC5AC, MUC2 and CD10, the 68 gastric carcinomas were classified into gastric type, intestinal type, mixed gastric and intestinal type, and null type. A significant difference in SOX2 expression was observed between the gastric and intestinal types (p<0.05), with a higher expression in the former than in the latter. Moreover, over-expression of SOX2 induced the mRNA expression of endogenous MUC5AC, a specific mucin marker for the gastric type, in COS-7 cells. Our findings indicate that SOX2 may play a role in differentiation of the human gastric epithelium, and that SOX2 may be involved in gastric carcinogenesis, particularly in the gastric type.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Histopathogenesis of early-stage mitral annular calcification.

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a common condition in elderly subjects that sometimes causes degenerative mitral valvular diseases. To investigate the early histopathogenesis of MAC, we examined 180 consecutive autopsies of elderly subjects. After a macroscopic and radiological examination, 5-mm-thick serial tissue blocks obtained from the mitral annulus were examined in all MAC cases. Five cases without MAC were also studied using histology, immunostaining, electron microscopy, analytical electron microscopy and the TUNEL method. The incidence of MAC in females (23%) was higher than that in males (15%). Most MAC was located at the posterior cusp (91%). The mitral annulus showed signs of microscopic calcification and lipid-deposition in some degenerated areas in all of the cases without MAC. The interstitial cells were positive for vimentin and partially positive for smooth muscle actin, indicating the myofibroblastic differentiation. Ultrastructural studies showed an abundance of cellular degradation products and foci of calcium- and phosphorus-deposition on these products in the interstitium. Several interstitial cells tested positive for both single-stranded DNA immunostaining and the TUNEL reaction. In conclusion, the microscopic calcification of mitral annulus is an early stage of MAC and caused by calcium-deposition on cellular degradation products, probably released from apoptotic or necrotic interstitial cells.

Actins↗
PubMed2004

Identification of hydroxyapatite deposits in the smooth muscle cells and ganglion cells of autopsied small intestines.

We have studied the deposition of calcium salts in the autopsied intestines which have not been described previously as far as we were able to determine. In order to clarify the incidence, predisposing conditions, mineral compositions of the deposited materials and clinical significance of this phenomenon, we examined 76 cases of consecutive autopsied small intestines by von Kossa's staining. Deposited calcium salts were further examined by electron microscopically, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope and electron diffraction analysis. Deposition of calcium salts was observed in the small intestines of 13 cases. Among them, 10 cases were accompanied by hypercalcemia. Deposition of calcium salts was mainly observed in smooth muscle cells of the proper muscle layers and ganglion cells of the Auerbach's myenteric plexus. Intestinal calcinosis was frequently accompanied by deposition of calcium salts in the proper muscle layers of esophagus and large intestine, renal tubules and cardiac myocardial cells. Electron microscopically, the calcium salts were identified as needle-shaped crystals and located on the surface of the extracellular-collagen bundles, in the cytoplasm, mitochondria and nucleus of the smooth muscles cells. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope and electron diffraction analysis suggested the deposited calcium salts as hydroxyapatite. Two patients among the six cases with moderate to severe calcium deposition showed clinical manifestation of paralytic ileus. In conclusion, intestinal calcinosis was frequently observed mostly associated with hypercalcemia. Calcium salts of hydroxyapatite were deposited to the smooth muscle cells and the Auerbach's myenteric plexus of the muscular layer. Deposition of calcium salts might occasionally causes the paralytic ileus but clinical significance of this lesion requires further examination.

Aged↗