Mikihiko Honda

Overexpression of RhoA mRNA is associated with advanced stage in testicular germ cell tumour

Objective To clarify the role of Rho small GTP‐binding protein (Rho) in the progression of testicular germ cell tumour (GCT), by examining the expression levels of mRNAs of Rho genes in testicular GCT.

CAG repeat length in the androgen receptor gene is enhanced in patients with idiopathic azoospermia

OBJECTIVESnTo determine whether the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor gene is enhanced in patients with idiopathic azoospermia.nnnMETHODSnUsing the polymerase chain reaction, the number of CAG repeats was assayed in 41 patients with idiopathic azoospermia and in 48 normozoospermic fertile men.nnnRESULTSnIn the control group, the CAG repeat length ranged from 17 to 30 (mean 23.9 +/- 2.9); in the azoospermic group, the CAG repeat length ranged from 20 to 34 (mean 26.5 +/- 3.5). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.0013). None of the men in the control group had a CAG repeat length greater than 31; four of the azoospermic men had 34 CAG repeats.nnnCONCLUSIONSnResults suggest that an increase in the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor gene to 31 or greater may be associated with the etiology of at least some cases of idiopathic azoospermia.

Serum concentration of type I collagen metabolites as a quantitative marker of bone metastases in patients with prostate carcinoma

Bone scans, widely used for the detection of bone metastases from prostate carcinoma, can neither quantitate metastatic lesions nor detect osteolytic lesions.

Serial lectin affinity chromatography with concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin demonstrates altered asparagine-linked sugar-chain structures of prostatic acid phosphatase in human prostate carcinoma

Differences between human prostate carcinoma (PCA, five cases) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, five cases) in asparagine-linked (Asn) sugar-chain structure of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) were investigated using lectin affinity chromatography with concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). PAP activities were significantly decreased in PCA-derived PAP, while no significant differences between the two PAP preparations were observed in the enzymatic properties (Michaelis-Menten value, optimal pH, thermal stability, and inhibition study). In these PAP preparations, all activities were found only in the fractions which bound strongly to the Con A column and were undetectable in the Con A unbound fractions and in the fractions which bound weakly to the Con A column. The relative amounts of PAP which bound strongly to the Con A column but passed through the WGA column, were significantly greater in BPH-derived PAP than in PCA-derived PAP. In contrast, the relative amounts of PAP which bound strongly to the Con A column and bound to the WGA column, were significantly greater in PCA-derived PAP than in BPH-derived PAP. The findings suggest that Asn-linked sugar-chain structures are altered during oncogenesis in human prostate and also suggest that studies of qualitative differences of sugar-chain structures of PAP might lead to a useful diagnostic tool for PCA.

Chemical Compositions of 300 Lower Urinary Tract Calculi and Associated Disorders in the Urinary Tract

The stones removed from 273 patients (220 males, 53 females) with bladder stones and 27 patients with urethral stones (males) were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Of these stones 50.0% contained magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP), 39.9% calcium (oxalate and/or phosphate), 9.4% uric acid (urate), and 0.7% cystine. The disorders associated with bladder stones were prostatic hyperplasia and cancer (47.8%), neurogenic bladder (11.8%), urethral stricture (3.6%) and so on in males, and neurogenic bladder (48.1%), after operation of uterus (29.0%), bladder cancer (5.7%) and so on in females. Urinary infections were complications in 59.3% of patients with MAP stones, 41.2% with urate stones and 20.0% with calcium stones. The most often isolated bacteria from the infected urine were of the Proteus species.

Negative p53/positive p21 immunostaining is a predictor of favorable response to chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced bladder cancer.

The relationship between clinical response to DNA‐damaging drugs and p53 and p21 status in patients with locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder was assessed. The response to intraarterial chemotherapy (IAC) comprising 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin (CDDP) and 40 mg/m2 of pirarubicin (THP) and the prognosis were assessed in 23 patients (the mean follow‐up period was 19 months). The p53 gene status of tumors was analyzed at exons 5–8 using polymerase chain reaction‐single strand conformation polymorphism analysis in 19 patients, and paraffinembedded tumor sections were immunostained for p53 and p21 in 23 patients. The overall objective response rate (incidence of good responders) was 70%. The negative p53 group (n=17) showed a significantly higher objective response rate than the positive p53 group (n=6) (82% vs. 33%; P=0.045). The p53 gene status or p21 staining status was not significantly associated with responsiveness. When the p53 and p21 immunostaining results were combined, good responders were more accurately predicted than by p53 staining status alone; the negative p53/positive p21 group (n=12) showed an objective response rate of 92%, which was significantly higher than that of the positive p53 and/or negative p21 group (45%, n=11) (P=0.027). Cause‐specific survival of the negative p53 group was significantly superior to that of the positive p53 group (P=0.015). Negative p53/positive p21 immunostaining is a possible predictor of favorable chemotherapeutic response in patients with TCC of the bladder.

Signet ring adenocarcinoma of ileal segment following ileocystoplasty.

We report a case of signet ring adenocarcinoma arising in the ileal part of an ileocystoplastic bladder. Postmortem examination revealed multiple polypoid tumors in the ileal mucosa of the ileocystoplasty invading slightly into the bladder wall. Metastatic lesions were found in the liver, lungs, myocardium, right kidney, pancreas, vertebrae, left epididymis and lymph nodes.

Serial lectin affinity chromatography demonstrates altered asparagine-linked sugar chain structures of γ-glutamyltransferase in humaa renal cell carcinoma

Differences between human renal cortex and human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in asparagine (Asn)-linked sugar chain structures of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were investigated by using a serial lectin affinity chromatographic technique. The relative amounts of GGT which passed through the concanavalin A (Con A) column but bound to the phytohaemagglutinin E column, were significantly decreased in RCC, but there were significant increases in the relative amounts of GGT which bound weakly to the Con A column and passed through the pea lectin (PSA) column, and bound strongly to the Con A column and bound to the wheat germ agglutinin column in RCC compared with those of the normal renal cortex. A significant correlation was observed in RCC between nuclear grade and relative amount of GGT which bound weakly to the Con A column and passed through the PSA column. The findings indicate that Asn-linked sugar chain structures are altered in RCC and suggest that studies of qualitative differences of sugar chain structures of GGT might lead to a useful diagnostic tool for human RCC.

Primary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma arising from the male urethra. A case report and review of the literature.

Primary non-Hodgkins lymphomas rarely arise from the lower urinary tract, the urethra being the most uncommon site of origin. Herein, we report the immunohistochemical findings of a case of primary marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) arising from the male urethra. To clarify the clinicopathological findings of primary urethral lymphoma, we reviewed 14 previously reported cases. A 56-year-old man presented with gross hematuria. Cystourethroscopy demonstrated a nodular bulge of the urethral wall. Histologically, a transurethral biopsy specimen showed a dense lymphoplasmacytoid infiltrate in the urethral mucosa. The tumor cells were composed of centrocyte-like cells, plasma cells and plasmacytoid cells. A few plasma cells contained intracytoplasmic pseudoinclusions (Dutcher bodies). Immunohistochemical study revealed monotypic intracytoplasmic kappa-light chain in the plasma cells and plasmacytoid cells. The patient received a total of 50 Gy extrabeam irradiation. Follow-up 21 months later did not disclose any sign of local or other recurrences.

Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma with scant carcinomatous components

A 30‐year‐old male underwent radical nephrectomy for a right renal tumor 15 cm in diameter. On microscopic examination of initial 17 sections, the tumor consisted of pleomorphic giant cells and spindle neoplastic cells. There was no carcinomatous component. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were negative for keratin and epithelial membrane antigen but positive for vimentin. The giant cells were also scatteringly, weakly positive for myoglobin. At that time a diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma of the kidney was made. However, further microscopic examination of another eight sections revealed small areas of clear cell‐type renal cell carcinoma (RCC) which transited to sarcomatous components and led to a diagnosis of sarcomatoid RCC. The patient underwent three cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. He has been free of the disease for 14 months after nephrectomy.