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Biomedical subjects

Shinichi Hashimoto

Publications and source records attributed to Shinichi Hashimoto.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Relationship between molecular markers and endoscopic findings in laterally spreading tumors.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Characteristic clinicopathological features of laterally spreading tumors (LSTs) have been reported by endoscopists; however, only a few studies have been conducted on the biological features. These studies were not fully associated with the endoscopic findings of LSTs. The aim of this study was to estimate the biological features of each type of endoscopic finding of LST using two molecular markers, matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) and beta-catenin. METHODS: Expression of the molecular markers and the endoscopic findings were compared in 22 LSTs and 14 subpedunculated polyps. MMP-7 and beta-catenin were immunostained. Three types of representative endoscopic findings of LST were defined as segments in LSTs. They were 15 granular segments, seven large nodular segments, and seven flat segments that corresponded to the area composed of aggregates of similar size granules, large nodules of diameter more than 10 mm, and a flat surface with no granule, respectively. RESULTS: Expression of MMP-7 and coexpression of MMP-7 and beta-catenin were higher in large nodular segments than in granular segments (P < 0.0167). Among the three types of segments, flat segments showed the highest expression densities of beta-catenin accumulated in the nucleus. Large nodular segments and subpedunculated polyps showed similar expression patterns for the molecular markers. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new and important information on the relationship between the molecular markers and endoscopic findings of LSTs.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC)/CCL22 produced by monocyte derived dendritic cells reflects the disease activity in patients with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a recurrent inflammatory skin disease characterized by high serum levels of IgE and Th2-type cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5 or IL-13. Chemokines attract leukocytes in inflamed tissues. We have previously found that thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC)/CCL22 are highly secreted in the plasma levels of AD patients. Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells that are divided into two subgroups including monocyte derived DCs (MoDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs). OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to elucidate CCL17 and CCL22 production by MoDCs in AD patients, psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) patients and healthy controls (HC). METHODS: MoDCs were obtained from AD patients, PsV patients or HC and were cultured. In addition, the chemokine levels were measured in the supernatants. RESULTS: We found that the CCL22 levels produced by MoDCs in AD patients to be significantly higher than those of PsV patients and HC. There was a significant correlation between the CCL22 levels produced by MoDCs and the SCORAD index. No significant difference in the CCL17 levels produced by MoDCs was detected among AD patients, PsV patients or HC. Immunosuppressive drugs such as dexamethasone (Dex), tacrolimus and cyclosporine (Cys) inhibited the CCL22 production by MoDCs in the AD patients. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the CCL22 level produced by MoDCs thus reflects the disease activity of AD and it may also play an important role regarding the production of CCL22 in the pathogenesis of AD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Clinical significance of measuring blood coagulation factor XIIIA regularly and continuously in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present paper was to determine the mechanism by which the level of coagulation factor XIIIA declines during the active phase of Crohn's disease. METHODS: The relationship between the activity of Crohn's disease and factor XIIIA was observed in 31 patients with Crohn's disease prospectively. The relationship between factor XIIIA and thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), factor XIIIA expressed on the surface of peripheral monocytes, was also evaluated. RESULTS: During the first year, there were 11 patients with Crohn's disease in the active phase and 20 patients who remained in remission. The average of the lowest level of factor XIIIA among the patients in the active phase was 60.1%. The average of the lowest level of factor XIIIA in patients who remained in remission was 78.1% (P = 0.049). Among the 20 patients who remained in remission for 1 year, eight patients had factor XIIIA levels below 70%. Six of them required surgical enterectomies, on average 2 years and 1 month later. However, none of the 12 patients who remained in remission for 1 year and who never had factor XIIIA levels <70% had a surgical enterectomy during follow up of 4 years and 6 months (P = 0.002). The decline of factor XIIIA was not due to increased consumption secondary to blood coagulation (TAT), nor was it due to a decline in the function of monocytes that produce factor XIIIA. CONCLUSION: Factor XIIIA declines during the active phase of Crohn's disease because it might be consumed in the repair of injured tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

A new ERK2 binding protein, Naf1, attenuates the EGF/ERK2 nuclear signaling.

Extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), an important factor in signal transduction, controls cell growth, differentiation, and death. To elucidate the details of the mechanism of ERK1/2 signaling in human cells, we isolated Nef-associated factor 1 alpha (Naf1 alpha) by a yeast two-hybrid system, which bound to human ERK2. The binding was confirmed by a pull-down assay in vitro and immunoprecipitation in vivo. Upon EGF treatment, Naf1 alpha was phosphorylated by the EGF/MEK/ERK2 signal transduction pathway. To identify the role of Naf1 alpha in the ERK2 signaling, Naf1 alpha-expressing Saos-2 cells were analyzed for ERK2 nuclear translocation and activation of its downstream target. Overexpression of Naf1 alpha suppressed ERK2 entering into the nucleus and inhibited the ERK2-dependent Elk1-driven luciferase transcription, suggesting Naf1 alpha to be an attenuator of activated ERK2 signaling.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed2002

Involvement of cytochrome c and caspases in apoptotic cell death of human submandibular gland ductal cells induced by concanamycin A.

In the present study, we found that a specific inhibitor of vacuolar type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), concanamycin A, induced apoptosis in a human submandibular gland ductal cancer cell line, HSG. Immunoblot analysis revealed that cytochrome c was released from mitochondria into the cytoplasm when HSG cells were cultured with concanamycin A for 6 h. The maximum activities of caspase-3 and -9 were reached in HSG cells after 18 and 12 h culture of concanamycin A, respectively. Both caspase-3 and -9 were cleaved to an active form in HSG cells cultured with concanamycin A. Interestingly, concanamycin A decreased the level of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in HSG cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that apoptosis in HSG cells induced by concanamycin A is regulated by cytochrome c released from mitochondria into cytoplasm and the subsequent activation of caspases, and that HSP27 may interfere with caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death induced by concanamycin A.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2002

[A case of mediastinal teratoma with elevated serum tumor marker levels].

A 27-year-old man complaining of cough was admitted to our hospital because of a giant mediastinal tumor on the chest radiograph. Chest CT and MRI revealed a giant polycystic mediastinal tumor. Chest radiographs on admission showed left pleural effusion due to perforation of the cyst. Laboratory data showed high serum and pleural fluid concentrations of CA 125, CA 19-9, SLX and others. The mediastinal mass was resected and diagnosed pathologically as a mature teratoma. It is reported that patients with mediastinal teratomas often have pleural fluid as a result of self-digestion by pancreatic enzymes, and some mediastinal teratomas have high serum tumor marker levels. We suspected that the high serum tumor marker levels in our case were caused by the high concentrations of tumor markers in the pleural fluid. We suggest that serum tumor marker levels may be useful in the preoperative differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal cystic tumors.

Adult↗