TRPV2 Promotes Cell Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer via the Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling Pathway

Annals of Surgical Oncology - Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) is a highly Ca2+-permeable ion channel that is involved in a number of cellular processes. It is expressed in various...     

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid increases the differentiation potential of the murine chondrocytic ATDC5 cell line

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a group of common, chronic, and painful inflammatory joint diseases. One important finding in OA patients is a remarkable decrease in the molecular weight of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the synovial fluid of affected joints. Therapeutic HA is available to patients in most parts of the world as a viscosupplementation product for the treatment of OA. Previous clinical reports show that high molecular weight HA (HMWHA) more effectively relieves pain than low molecular weight HA (LMWHA). However, the mechanism behind this finding remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether a LMWHA (Low‐0.9 MDa) and two types of HMWHA (High‐1.9 MDa and 6 MDa) differentially affected chondroregulatory action. We tested this using ATDC5 cell, a murine chondrocytic cell line widely used in culture systems to study chondrogenic differentiation. We found that HMWHA, especially hylan G‐F 20 (High‐6 MDa), significantly induced aggrecan and proteoglycan accumulation, nodule formation, and mRNA expression of chondrogenic differentiation markers in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. In addition, we showed that HMWHA prevented TNF‐α induced inhibition of chondrogenic differentiation, with no effect on cell proliferation or viability. These results reveal that HMWHA significantly promotes chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5 cells in vitro, and suggest that HMWHA plays a significant chondroregulatory role in vivo. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:1619–1627, 2014.     

Changes in the prevalence of intestinal parasites among Japanese expatriates in developing countries]

In order to study the prevalence of intestinal parasites among Japanese expatriates of developing countries, we conducted fecal specimen examinations annually from 1995 to 2000. Fecal specimens were collected from Japanese expatriates of each area: Asia, the Middle East, East Europe, Africa and Latin America. The specimens were fixed with 10% formalin in the local area, and then examined in Japan. We used the formalin-ether sedimentation method to find protozoan cysts or helminth eggs. In 1995, the infection ratio was 3.0% (N = 981), decreasing to 2.4% (N = 1,275) in 1996, 2.3% (N = 1,620) in 1997 and 1.6% (N = 1,574) in 1998. However, the ratio began to increase in 1999 (2.0%, N = 1,713) and 2000 (2.5%, N = 1,806). The ratio in Africa was the highest in each year, followed by Asia and Latin America. Heterophyidae (51 cases), Giardia lamblia (42) and Trichuris trichiura (30) were detected most frequently. In Egypt, the ratio of Heterophyidae rose by 28.8% in 2000. This was the prime reason for the increase in the overall ratio of infections worldwide. Most of the Japanese infected with Heterophyidae in Egypt had ingested dried mullet roe. This may explain the reason for the increase in the infection ratio there. Although the prevalence of intestinal parasites among Japanese expatriates in developing countries is decreasing, those who eat fish in these areas are still at risk. In order to eradicate intestinal parasitosis from this group, we must continue preventive measures such as health education.     

A case of juvenile erythroleukemia with uncoordinated expression of fetal red cell markers

A 7-year-old boy with juvenile erythroleukemia is described, whose red cells demonstrated a high content of Hb F with fetal structure and yet contained carbonic anhydrase at adult red cell level. The findings seem to exemplify the occurrence of uncoordinated expression of fetal markers and consequently the incomplete reversion to fetal-type erythropoiesis in a hematologic malignancy.     

Intra-articular injection of high molecular weight hyaluronan after arthrocentesis as treatment for rheumatoid knees with joint effusion

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find if a complete synovial fluid aspiration before injection of intra-articular high molecular weight hyaluronan influences the treatment result for knees with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including joint effusion and the prognostic factors related to clinical effect. METHODS: The arthritic knees including effusion were randomized to arthrocentesis or no arthrocentesis before the hyaluronan (1.9-2.5 x 10(6)) was injected into knee joints five times every week. All patients were followed up for 6 months. RESULTS: One hundred eighteen RA patients (80 knees in the arthrocentesis group, 81 knees in the no-arthrocentesis group) were included. The proportion of no relapses in the arthrocentesis group was higher than that in the no-arthrocentesis group. In the arthrocentesis group, regression analysis showed that duration of knee arthritis (<5 months), CRP (<4 mg/dl), and Larsen grade (相似文献