Eiji Kimura

NY-ESO-1 expression and its serum immunoreactivity in esophageal cancer

PurposeNY-ESO-1, a member of the cancer/testis antigen (CTA) family, elicits humoral and cellular immune responses in patients with advanced cancer. Unresectable or metastatic esophageal carcinoma patients do not benefit from the present multimodality treatment regimens in terms of survival. The objectives of this study were to analyze the antibody response to NY-ESO-1 antigen in patients with esophageal cancer and to determine the potential of NY-ESO-1 for use in tumor-specific immunotherapy.MethodsSerum from 69 patients with esophageal cancer was investigated for antibody production against NY-ESO-1 by Western blot analysis. Also analyzed by immunohistochemistry were 56 tissue samples from these patients for NY-ESO-1 protein expression.ResultsNY-ESO-1 protein expression was found in 18 of 56 (32%) esophageal carcinomas. Serum immunoreactivity specific for NY-ESO-1 was found in 9 patients (13%) of whom 8 were in the advanced stage (stages III and IV). There was no relationship between clinicopathologic features and serum immunoreactivity for NY-ESO-1. NY-ESO-1 protein expression was detected in three of five antibody-positive patients whose tissue was available for analysis. Survival analysis showed no significant difference between antibody-positive and antibody-negative patient groups.ConclusionsA humoral immune response to NY-ESO-1 antigen was established in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. NY-ESO-1 is a good candidate for vaccine-based immunotherapy for advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Application of Infrared Laser to the Zebrafish Vascular System: Gene Induction, Tracing, and Ablation of Single Endothelial Cells

Objective—Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results—We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions—Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos.Objective— Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results— We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions— Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos. # Significance {#article-title-17}

Live imaging of primary ocular vasculature formation in zebrafish

Ocular vasculature consists of the central retinal and ciliary vascular systems, which are essential to maintaining visual function. Many researchers have attempted to determine their origins and development; however, the detailed, stepwise process of ocular vasculature formation has not been established. In zebrafish, two angioblast clusters, the rostral and midbrain organizing centers, form almost all of the cranial vasculature, including the ocular vasculature, and these are from where the cerebral arterial and venous angioblast clusters, respectively, differentiate. In this study, we first determined the anatomical architecture of the primary ocular vasculature and then followed its path from the two cerebral angioblast clusters using a time-lapse analysis of living Tg(flk1:EGFP)k7 zebrafish embryos, in which the endothelial cells specifically expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein. We succeeded in capturing images of the primary ocular vasculature formation and were able to determine the origin of each ocular vessel. In zebrafish, the hyaloid and ciliary arterial systems first organized independently, and then anastomosed via the inner optic circle on the surface of the lens by the lateral transfer of the optic vein. Finally, the choroidal vascular plexus formed around the eyeball to complete the primary ocular vasculature formation. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report successful capture of circular integration of the optic artery and vein, lateral transfer of the optic vein to integrate the hyaloidal and superficial ocular vasculatures, and formation of the choroidal vascular plexus. Furthermore, this new morphological information enables us to assess the entire process of the primary ocular vasculature formation, which will be useful for its precise understanding.

Application of Infrared Laser to the Zebrafish Vascular SystemSignificance

Objective—Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results—We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions—Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos.Objective— Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results— We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions— Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos. # Significance {#article-title-17}

Application of Infrared Laser to the Zebrafish Vascular System

Objective—Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results—We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions—Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos.Objective— Infrared laser–evoked gene operator is a new microscopic method optimized to heat cells in living organisms without causing photochemical damage. By combining the promoter system for the heat shock response, infrared laser–evoked gene operator enables laser-mediated gene induction in targeted cells. We applied this method to the vascular system in zebrafish embryos and demonstrated its usability to investigate mechanisms of vascular morphogenesis in vivo. Approach and Results— We used double-transgenic zebrafish with fli1:nEGFP to identify the endothelial cells, and with hsp:mCherry to carry out single-cell labeling. Optimizing the irradiation conditions, we finally succeeded in inducing the expression of the mCherry gene in single targeted endothelial cells, at a maximum efficiency rate of 60%. In addition, we indicated that this system could be used for laser ablation under certain conditions. To evaluate infrared laser–evoked gene operator, we applied this system to the endothelial cells of the first intersegmental arteries, and captured images of the connection between the vascular systems of the brain and spinal cord. Conclusions— Our results suggest that the infrared laser–evoked gene operator system will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying vascular morphogenesis by controlling spatiotemporal gene activation in single endothelial cells, by labeling or deleting individual vessels in living embryos. # Significance {#article-title-17}