Kenichiro Yamaki

Elevated Serum c-erbB-2 Protein Levels in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: Correlation to Metastasis and Shorter Survival

Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene has been shown to correlate with relapse and poor prognosis in adenocarcinomas of the breast and stomach. In pancreatic cancer, c-erbB-2 overexpression has been demonstrated using immunohistochemistry, but the relationship between serum c-erbB-2 level and clinical data has not been fully evaluated. In this study, serum c-erbB-2 protein levels were measured in 100 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinomas and in 9 patients with mucin-producing tumors. Immunohistochemical studies for c-erbB-2 protein were performed in 36 patients and 4.0 U/ml in healthy controls (p < 0.001). The positive rate for serum c-erbB-2 was 34% (37/109) in patients with pancreatic cancer and 0% (0/66) in patients with gallstones and in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Immunohistochemical study disclosed that the positive staining rate was 28% (8/29) in common ductal adenocarcinoma specimens, 43% (3/7) in metastasis specimens, and 75% (3/4) in mucin-producing tumor specimens. Clinical evaluation revealed that 59% (22/37) of serum c-erbB-2-positive patients and 33% (24/72) of negative patients had liver or peritoneal metastases (p < 0.01). The mean survival time was 154 days in the c-erbB-2-positive group and 220 days in the negative group (p < 0.05). We suppose that c-erbB-2 is related to metastasis and progression of the disease in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Immunohistochemical staining for type IV collagen and laminin in the stroma of human pancreatic cancer

SummaryFourteen human pancreatic cancer, six normal pancreatic, and four alcoholic chronic pancreatitis tissue samples were examined by immunohistochemistry with antitype IV collagen and antilaminin monoclonal antibodies (MAb). The basement membranes of acinar, ductal, and endothelial cells from all of the normal pancreatic and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis tissue samples were continuously immunostained, but the stroma was negatively immunostained by both antibodies. On the other hand, all 14 pancreatic cancer tissues showed irregular immunostaining on the basement membranes surrounding cancer cells, and positive fibrillar immunostaining for type IV collagen in the stroma of the carcinomatous parenchyma. Six of the 14 pancreatic cancer tissue samples also showed positive immunostaining for laminin in the stroma. The stromal type IV collagen with or without laminin in human pancreatic cancer tissues may have originated from basement membranes degraded through cancer invasion and proliferation.

Effect of Endotoxin on Digestive Enzyme and Superoxide Dismutase in Mouse Pancreas

In order to clarify the effect of endotoxin on pancreatic lesions, changes in the level of activity of pancreatic proteolytic enzymes and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured following the intraperitoneal administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin in mice. Microscopic examination revealed that congestion of zymogen granules in acinar cells appeared in the early stages. The accumulation increased gradually and was widespread at 24 h after E. coli endotoxin administration. The serum amylase level increased significantly from its basal level of 1,630 +/- 128 SU to 2,395 +/- 42 SU at 4 h (p less than 0.05), 3,172 +/- 513 SU at 8 h (p less than 0.05), and 2,572 +/- 229 SU at 12 h (p less than 0.05) after E. coli endotoxin administration. The serum lipase level also increased significantly from its basal level of 37.6 +/- 1.6 IU/l to 65.8 +/- 8.9 IU/l at 12 h (p less than 0.05). The level of trypsinogen in the pancreas increased markedly from its basal level of 161.8 +/- 15.7 U/g tissue to 270.0 +/- 9.6 U/g tissue at 2 h (p less than 0.001) after E. coli endotoxin administration and showed continued increases at 8 h (313.3 +/- 10 U/g tissue, p less than 0.001) and 24 h (352.9 +/- 19.3 U/g tissue, p less than 0.001); however, the level of net stimulated secretion of trypsinogen in the medium decreased significantly at 4 h (p less than 0.05) and 8 h (p less than 0.01) after E. coli endotoxin administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A Case of Anisakiasis as a Cause of Ileum Obstruction

A case of penetration into the ileum wall by an anisakine nematode is reported. This 32-year-old Japanese man, who had eaten raw squid, had a sudden onset of cramping abdominal pain and vomiting. A vi

The role of plasma secretin during starvation in dogs

SummaryPlasma secretin levels were measured during a 72-hour starvation period in dogs. Plasma secretin rose significantly and insulin levels fell significantly during starvation. Intravenous glucose loading at the end of the 72-hour starvation period suppressed plasma secretin and free fatty acid levels with a concomitant rise of glucose and insulin levels. These findings suggest that secretin might be regulated by plasma glucose and insulin levels and might play a role in lipolysis during starvation.

EFFECT OF PARTIAL HEPATECTOMY ON GLUCOSE-STIMULATED INSULIN RELEASE FROM PERFUSED RAT PANCREAS

SummaryTo investigate the functional reserve of the endocrine pancreas both in the early and in the recovering stage after partial hepatectomy, we evaluated the changes in the secretion of insulin in response to a glucose load in isolated perfused rat pancreas 4 and 7 d after about 70% hepatectomy in rats. Insulin responses to a high glucose load (16.7 m/W) were significantly higher in the first stimulation phase (first 10 min ( p<0.0l at 4 and 7 d), and the second stimulation phase (second 20 min) (p<0.01 at 4 and 7 d), after hepatectomy. These results indicate that in the regenerating stage after hepatectomy, the sensitivity of islet B-cells to a glucose load is increased to support the increased glucose metabolism in this stage. Thus, this insulin hypersecretion from B-cells seems to be among the adaptations of the endocrine pancreas after hepatectomy.