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Biomedical subjects

Katsunori Kagohashi

Publications and source records attributed to Katsunori Kagohashi.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Increased serum levels of endostatin in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Endostatin is an angiogenesis inhibitor that is an endogenously produced proteolytic fragment of type XVIII collagen. Serum levels of endostatin have been studied extensively in patients with malignant diseases. Recently, elevated serum endostatin levels were observed in patients with systemic sclerosis accompanying pulmonary fibrosis. To determine whether elevated serum endostatin can be observed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), we measured serum levels of endostatin in 69 patients with benign respiratory disease using an ELISA kit. The median of the serum endostatin levels in these patients was 50.8 pg/mL. Seven of 11 patients (63.6%) with collagen disease-associated pulmonary fibrosis (CDPF), and 19 of 24 patients (79.2%) with IPF had higher serum endostatin levels than the median level of the 69 patients. There was no statistical difference in serum endostatin levels between the patients with IPF and those with CDPF (P=0.7898). Serum endostatin levels in 24 patients with IPF were significantly higher than those in 34 patients with respiratory diseases other than IPF and CDPF (P=0.0001). Elevated serum levels of endostatin were observed in patients with IPF. Although the mechanisms are unclear, elevated serum levels of endostatin may be related to the fibrosing process in the lung.

Adult↗

Expression of hnRNP A2/B1 proteins in small airway epithelial cells.

The overexpression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1, especially of B1 has been reported informative to detect pre-clinical lung cancer for early detection. However, relatively little work has been performed on the expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in non-malignant airway cells; such information is clearly required to investigate whether overexpression of this protein could be a specific marker for early lung cancer detection. In order to evaluate whether the expression of hnRNP A2/B1 is specific for cancer cells, we investigated the expression of the protein in human small airway epithelial (HSAE) cells. Using immunostaining and Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies, 4G8 (specifically reacts A2) and 2B2 (specific to B1), expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in HSAE cells was evaluated. Northern blotting and quantitative RT-PCR were also performed. In HSAE cells, hnRNP A2 as well as B1 were expressed primarily in the nucleus excluding the nucleolus, although the expression of A2 protein was weaker than that of B1 protein. Staining pattern of hnRNP A2/B1 in HSAE cells was similar to that observed in control cancer cells. Western blotting with 4G8 and 2B2 apparently demonstrated expression of A2 and B1 in HSAE cells. In Northern blotting, both hnRNP A2 mRNA and B1 mRNA were observed in HSAE cells as shown in control cancer cells. hnRNP A2/B1 was apparently expressed in HSAE cells, although the expression in HSAE cells was weaker than that of cancer cells. More quantitative determination of A2/B1 is required to elucidate their significance in early lung cancer detection.

Blotting, Northern↗

Liver metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis of lung cancer.

In order to evaluate clinicopathological features associated with liver metastases from lung cancer, we reviewed our experience of lung cancer patients seen in our division. Of the 1073 lung cancer patients diagnosed between October 1976 and May 2002, 62 (5.8%) patients had liver metastasis. The incidence of liver metastasis was 17.5% in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, whereas the incidence in non-small-cell lung cancer patients was 3.8%. Of the 62 patients, 17 had sole liver metastasis, and the remaining 45 had synchronous spread to the liver and one or more other organs. Six of 12 squamous cell carcinoma patients and 10 of 28 SCLC patients had sole liver metastasis. However, 19 of 20 adenocarcinoma patients showed liver metastasis with one or more other organs. In morphological liver metastasis, 26 of the 28 SCLC patients had multiple nodules, whereas 16 of the 34 non-small-cell lung cancer patients had a solitary liver nodule (p = 0.0006). Liver is a possible site of extrathoracic spread of disease for some patients with lung cancer, especially with SCLC. When the histological types are squamous cell carcinoma or SCLC, it would also be considered likely that an isolated liver mass represents a metastasis even though there is no metastatic disease elsewhere.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Thromboembolism in lung cancer patients].

We reviewed 649 primary lung cancer patients with special reference to the occurrence of thromboembolism. Thirteen episodes of thromboembolism were detected in 12 (1.8%) of the 649. Eight of the 12 were men, and their mean age was 63. Adenocarcinoma was the predominant cell type. Most patients had an advanced stage of the disease, but in some in the cancer was at an early stage. In 5 cases, the finding of thromboembolisms led to diagnosis of the lung cancer (38.5%). Anticoagulant therapy was performed in 9 cases, of which 8 responded without serious complication. We emphasize the importance of anticoagulant therapy as a therapy indicated for thromboembolism in patients with lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗