Fas-associated phosphatase-1 promotes Fas-mediated apoptosis in human colon cancer cells: Novel function of FAP-1

Background and Aim: Fas‐associated phosphatase‐1 (FAP‐1) has been thought as an inhibitor in Fas‐mediated apoptosis. Here, we investigated the role of FAP‐1 in Fas‐mediated apoptosis of human colon cancer cells. Method: The viability of four colon cancer cell lines treated with agonistic anti‐Fas antibody was determined using WST‐1 assay and cell death detection ELISA. pRc/CMV‐FAP‐1 was transfected to a FAP‐1‐negative, Fas‐resistant colon cancer cell line SW480 by lipofection and the clones expressing FAP‐1 protein were selected by limiting dilution. In the clones, expression of 550 genes was analyzed by cDNA microarrays. Protein expression of FAP‐1 and molecules related to apoptosis was examined by western blot. Results: We obtained two FAP‐1 overexpressed clones which were much more susceptible to Fas‐mediated apoptosis than control cells. In the clones, caspase 8 and caspase 3 were fully activated by agonistic anti‐Fas antibody treatment. Bcl‐2 family proteins were not related to the high susceptibility of these clones, because caspase 9 was not activated. Transfection of FAP‐1 did not suppress the survival actions of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF‐1) which enhanced survival signal through Akt phosphorylation. Upregulation in 21 genes and downregulation in 29 genes was revealed by cDNA arrays. We confirmed protein expression of p21 and phosphorylated p21 were much more enhanced in the clones than in control cells. Conclusions: Overexpression of FAP‐1 enhanced susceptibility to Fas‐mediated apoptosis in SW480 and upregulation of p21 may contribute to this phenomenon. Our results indicate a novel function of FAP‐1 in Fas‐mediated apoptosis of human colon cancer cells.     

International cooperation of Japanese pediatricians with Cairo University Pediatric Hospital

In connection with ‘Child Year’ in 1980, an agreement on the construction and donation of a pediatric hospital was concluded between the Egyptian and Japanese Governments. Under this agreement, the Cairo University Pediatric Hospital (CUPH) was opened in March 1983, as a four-storey building with 240 beds, and including four operating rooms, an intensive care unit (ICU) and neonatal ICU. The technical cooperation and supply of medical equipment in all areas of CUPH is ongoing during this project. The subject matter of technical cooperation is as follows. (1) Dispatch of Japanese experts to Egypt for short and long terms. (2) Acceptance of Egyptian trainees to Japan. (3) Supply of medical equipment and materials. Through the first 5 years of this cooperation, the management of ICU, operating theaters, medical and surgical wards has improved markedly with great efforts from the Egyptian and Japanese staff. Based on this successful cooperation, the Pediatric Cardiovascular Center was established in 1988 with a two-storey extension in the hospital including two cardiac operation theaters, ICU and other special facilities. Now, CUPH has become the center of pediatric medical care in not only Egypt but also the surrounding Arabic countries, supported by the friendly and close relationship between Egypt and Japan.     

Clinical investigation of the ICD-10 subcategories for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract  To examine the validity of ICD-10 subcategories for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was applied to 53 OCD patients. The ratios of Y-BOCS compulsions subscore to obsessions subscore were calculated. The group with ratios around one consisted of patients diagnosed in three subcategories (F42.0, F42.1 and F42.2). This suggests that subjective subcategorization such as ICD-10 may be inadequate to differentiate between predominantly obsessive and compulsive patients compared with differentiation by quantitative assessment such as the Y-BOCS ratio. Thus, in selecting the appropriate therapeutic methods, we emphasize the usefulness of quantitative assessment in clinical settings.     

Biochemical and histological features of hepatitis G virus infection

To assess the biochemical and histological characteristics of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection, we examined four patients who were infected with HGV only (HGV group), and compared them with 16 patients infected with both HGV and hepatitis C virus (HCV; HGV + HCV group) and 18 patients infected with HCV only (HCV group). Biochemical examination showed a significantly low level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the HGV group, and that the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP)/ALT ratio in the same group was significantly higher than in the other two groups. Although all three patient groups had a similar degree of liver fibrosis, both the degree of periportal inflammation and total histological activity index were significantly lower in the HGV group than in the other two groups. Fibrous enlargement of the portal tract without lymphoid infiltration and thin fibrous septa was characteristically observed in the HGV group. No significant difference was found between the HGV + HCV group and HCV group. Our results suggest that biochemical and histological changes in HGV infection are very mild and quite different from those of HCV infection.     

Long-term administration of natural interferon-α in patients with chronic hepatitis C: Relationship to serum RNA concentration, HCV-RNA genotypes, histological changes and hepatitis C virus

To virologically assess the efficacy of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C, either 5 or 10 MU/day natural interferon-α (IFNα) was administered to 57 patients with chronic hepatitis C for 38 weeks. A complete and sustained response (CR-SR), as evidenced by the absence of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA during the administration period and at 6 months after the final administration of IFNα and a normal GPT level at 6 months after final administration, occurred in 42.6% (23/54) of subjects. Liver tissue was histologically evaluated using the histological activity index (HAI) score before and after the administration period. In CR-SR cases, significant improvements (P <0.01) occurred in periportal necrosis, intralobular necrosis, portal inflammation and total score. A comparison, by HCV genotypes, revealed that CR-SR occurred in 60% (9/15) of subjects with type 2a and 30.3% (10/33) of subjects with type Ib. A comparison by virus concentration revealed that CR-SR occurred in 71.4% (15/21) of those subjects having a virus concentration of < 10⁵ copies/mL, but in only 24.2% (8/33) of those having a virus concentration of > 10⁵ copies/mL. Analysis by a multiple logistic model revealed a strong correlation between the therapeutic effect of interferon therapy and the pre-administration virus concentration (P=0.0061) and genotype (P=0.0015). These results suggest that the preadministration virus concentration and genotype are both key factors affecting the therapeutic effect of interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C and that the therapeutic effect of interferon is satisfactorily high, irrespective of virus concentration, in subjects with type 2a HCV, but varies depending on virus concentration in subjects with type 1b.     

Papillary renal cell carcinoma: A clinicopathological study of 35 cases

AIM: The objective of the present study was to characterize the clinicopathological features of histologically defined papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: The present study included a total of 35 patients who were treated by radical surgery and subsequently diagnosed as having papillary RCC between April 1995 and June 2004. Clinicopathological data of these patients were retrospectively reviewed according to the previously reported classification system (Mod. Pathol. 1997; 10: 537-44). RESULTS: Of these 35 patients, 23 (65.7%) and 12 (34.3%) were diagnosed as type 1 and type 2 papillary RCC, respectively. Despite the lack of significant differences in clinical parameters between these two groups, including age, gender, clinical stage and metastasis, the incidence of symptomatic disease in patients with type 2 papillary RCC was significantly higher than that in those with type 1 papillary RCC. Pathological examinations demonstrated that there were no significant differences between these two groups in pathological stage, tumor grade or vascular invasion. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between these two groups in overall or recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Although the present study included a small number of patients with short follow-up period, the clinicopathological features including prognoses were almost similar between patients with type 1 and type 2 papillary RCC; therefore, careful postoperative follow-up should be considered for patients with papillary RCC irrespective of morphological subtype.     

Pathological findings of radical prostatectomy specimens in Japanese men diagnosed on single core positive prostate biopsy in eight with a Gleason score less than 4

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to analyze the pathological findings of radical prostatectomy specimens diagnosed on single core positive prostate biopsy in eight systematic transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided biopsies with a Gleason score 相似文献