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L Buscail

Publications and source records attributed to L Buscail.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Gene therapy for pancreatic carcinoma: local and distant antitumor effects after somatostatin receptor sst2 gene transfer.

Human pancreatic adenocarcinomas lose the ability to express sst2, the somatostatin receptor, which mediates the antiproliferative effect of somatostatin. Reintroducing sst2 into human pancreatic cancer cells by stable expression evokes an autocrine negative feedback loop leading to a constitutive activation of the sst2 gene and an inhibition of cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. In vivo studies have been conducted in athymic mice to investigate the antitumor bystander effects resulting from the transfer of the sst2 gene into human pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3. In mixing experiments, a local bystander effect was observed: mixed tumors containing a ratio of sst2-expressing cells to control cells of 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25 grew with a time delay of 31, 44, and 50 days, respectively, when compared with control tumors derived from control cells. Tumors containing 100% sst2-expressing cells remained quiescent for up to 80 days. A significant increase in apoptosis and a decrease in the Ki67 index were detected in mixed and sst2 tumor when compared with control tumors. In combined experiments, mice were separately xenografted with control cells on one flank and with sst2-expressing cells on the other flank. A distant antitumor effect was induced: growth of control tumors was delayed by 33 days, the Ki67 index decreased significantly, and apoptosis increased when compared with control tumors that grew alone. The distant bystander effect may be explained in part by a significant increase in serum somatostatin-like immunoreactivity levels resulting from the autocrine feedback loop produced by sst2-expressing cells and inducing an upregulation of the type 1 somatostatin receptor, sst1, which also mediates the antiproliferative effect of somatostatin. In conclusion, the local and distant antitumor bystander effects obtained in this experimental model suggest that sst2 gene transfer may represent a new therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Role of EUS in the management of pancreatic and ampullary carcinoma: a prospective study assessing resectability and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is highly accurate for the staging of tumors, but its role in the management of periampullary carcinoma is still being defined. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients with pancreatic (n = 73) or ampullary (n = 6) carcinoma underwent prospective evaluation by means of assessment of resectability and survival according to the following three-step staging algorithm: (1) ultrasonography and computed tomography; (2) if tumor appears resectable, EUS; (3) if criteria of resectability are found at EUS, laparotomy for curative resection. RESULTS: The first step of the algorithm helped predict unresectability of tumors and need for palliative treatment for 36 patients. Among the other 43 patients EUS revealed signs of unresectability in 20 additional patients who then underwent palliative surgical or medical treatment (median survival time 7 to 8 months). Twenty-three carcinomas were considered resectable according to EUS findings: Palliative surgery was performed in 9 cases (survival time 6 months), and 14 tumors could be resected in a curative way with a median survival period of 15 (pancreatic) to 16 months (ampullary). In evaluation of resectability, EUS had a 50% sensitivity (positive examination), 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, 61% negative predictive value, and 72% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: EUS is accurate for evaluating resectability of ampullary and pancreatic cancer. EUS staging can prevent unnecessary surgery, and the findings correlate well with prognosis. The management of ampullary and pancreatic cancer could be improved with EUS.

Adult↗

The activation of neuronal NO synthase is mediated by G-protein betagamma subunit and the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2.

In CHO cells we had found that CCK positively regulated cell proliferation via the activation of a soluble guanylate cyclase. Here we demonstrate that CCK stimulated a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. The production of NO was involved in the proliferative response elicited by CCK regarding the inhibitory effect of NOS inhibitors L-NAME and alpha-guanidinoglutaric acid. We identified the NOS activated by the peptide as the neuronal isoform: the expression of the C415A neuronal NOS mutant inhibited both CCK-induced stimulation of NOS activity and cell proliferation. These two effects were also inhibited after expression of the C459S tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 mutant and the betaARK1 (495-689) sequestrant peptide, indicating the requirement of activated SHP-2 and G-betagamma subunit. Kinetic analysis (Western blot after coimmunoprecipitation and specific SHP-2 activity) revealed that in response to CCK-treatment, SHP-2 associated to G-beta1 subunit, became activated, and then dephosphorylated the neuronal NOS through a direct association. These data demonstrate that the neuronal NOS is implicated in proliferative effect evoked by CCK. A novel growth signaling pathway is described, involving the activation of neuronal NOS by dephosphorylation of tyrosyl residues.

Animals↗

sst2 somatostatin receptor mediates negative regulation of insulin receptor signaling through the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1.

We have previously reported in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing sst2 that activation of the sst2 somatostatin receptor inhibits insulin-induced cell proliferation by a mechanism involving stimulation of a tyrosine phosphatase activity. Here we show that the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 was associated with the insulin receptor (IR) at the basal level. Activation of IR by insulin resulted in a rapid and transient increase of tyrosine phosphorylation of IR, its substrates IRS-1 and Shc, and also of SHP-1. This was then followed by a rapid dephosphorylation of these molecules, which was related to the insulin-induced increase of SHP-1 association to IR and of SHP-1 activity. On the other hand, addition to insulin of the somatostatin analogue, RC160, resulted in a higher and faster increase of SHP-1 association to IR directly correlated with an inhibition of phosphorylation of IR and its substrates, IRS-1 and Shc. RC160 also induced a higher and more sustained increase in SHP-1 activity. Furthermore, RC160 completely suppressed the effect of insulin on SHP-1 phosphorylation. Finally, in CHO cells coexpressing sst2 and a catalytically inactive mutant SHP-1, insulin as well as RC160 could no longer stimulate SHP-1 activity. Overexpression of the SHP-1 mutant prevented the insulin-induced signaling to be terminated by dephosphorylation of IR, suppressed the inhibitory effect of RC160 on insulin-induced IR phosphorylation, and abolished the cell proliferation modulation by insulin and RC160. Our results suggest that SHP-1 plays a role in negatively modulating insulin signaling by association with IR. Furthermore, somatostatin inhibits the insulin-induced mitogenic signal by accelerating and amplifying the effect of SHP-1 on the termination of the insulin signaling pathway.

Animals↗

The tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 associates with the sst2 somatostatin receptor and is an essential component of sst2-mediated inhibitory growth signaling.

Activation of the somatostatin receptor sst2, a member of the Gi protein-coupled receptor family, results in the stimulation of a protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity involved in the sst2-mediated growth inhibitory signal. Here, we report that SHP-1, a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine phosphatase containing two Src homology 2 domains constitutively associated with sst2 as evidence by coprecipitation of SHP-1 protein with sst2, in Chinese hamster ovary cells coexpressing sst2 and SHP-1. Activation of sst2 by somatostatin resulted in a rapid dissociation of SHP-1 from sst2 accompanied by an increase of SHP-1 activity. SHP-1 was phosphorylated on tyrosine in control cells and somatostatin induced a rapid and transient dephosphorylation on tyrosine residues of the enzyme. Stimulation of SHP-1 activity by somatostatin was abolished by pertussis toxin pretreatment of cells. Gialpha3 was specifically immunoprecipitated by anti-sst2 and anti-SHP-1 antibodies, and somatostatin induced a rapid dissociation of Gialpha3 from sst2, suggesting that Gialpha3 may be involved in the sst2.SHP-1 complexes. Finally, somatostatin inhibited the proliferation of cells coexpressing sst2 and SHP-1, and this effect was suppressed in cells coexpressing sst2 and the catalytic inactive SHP-1 (C453S mutant). Our data identify SHP-1 as the tyrosine phosphatase associated with sst2 and demonstrate that this enzyme may be an initial key transducer of the antimitogenic signaling mediated by sst2.

Animals↗

Characterization of the antiproliferative signal mediated by the somatostatin receptor subtype sst5.

We investigated cell proliferation modulated by cholecystokinin (CCK) and somatostatin analogue RC-160 in CHO cells bearing endogenous CCKA receptors and stably transfected by human subtype sst5 somatostatin receptor. CCK stimulated cell proliferation of CHO cells. This effect was suppressed by inhibitor of the soluble guanylate cyclase, LY 83583, the inhibitor of the cGMP dependent kinases, KT 5823, and the inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase, PD 98059. CCK treatment induced an increase of intracellular cGMP concentrations, but concomitant addition of LY 83583 virtually suppressed this increase. CCK also activated both phosphorylation and activity of p42-MAP kinase; these effects were inhibited by KT 5823. All the effects of CCK depended on a pertussis toxin-dependent G protein. Somatostatin analogue RC-160 inhibited CCK-induced stimulation of cell proliferation but it did not potentiate the suppressive effect of the inhibitors LY 83583 and KT 5823. RC-160 inhibited both CCK-induced intracellular cGMP formation as well as activation of p42-MAP kinase phosphorylation and activity. This inhibitory effect was observed at doses of RC-160 similar to those necessary to occupy the sst5 recombinant receptor and to inhibit CCK-induced cell proliferation. We conclude that, in CHO cells, the proliferation and the MAP kinase signaling cascade depend on a cGMP-dependent pathway. These effects are positively regulated by CCK and negatively influenced by RC-160, interacting through CCKA and sst5 receptors, respectively. These studies provide a characterization of the antiproliferative signal mediated by sst5 receptor.

Alkaloids↗

sst2 somatostatin receptor expression reverses tumorigenicity of human pancreatic cancer cells.

Among the five cloned somatostatin receptor subtypes (sst1 to sst5), sst2 mediates the antiproliferative effect of somatostatin analogues in vitro. Somatostatin analogues have been shown to inhibit cell growth in vitro and in vivo in pancreatic cancer models that expressed sst2. We recently demonstrated the loss of sst2 gene expression in human pancreatic adenocarcinomas and most of the derived pancreatic cancer cell lines. In the present study, we corrected the sst2 defect in human pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 and Capan-1 cells by stable transfection with human sst2 cDNA. In the absence of exogenous ligand, both BxPC-3 and Capan-1 cells expressing sst2 showed a significant reduction in cell growth. This inhibitory effect was blocked by treatment with antiserum to somatostatin. sst2-expressing cells produced somatostatin-like immunoreactivity that mainly corresponded to somatostatin 14, indicating the induction of a negative autocrine loop. In other respects, sst2 expression in Capan-1 cells induced a significant reduction of clonogenicity in soft agar. Moreover, a significantly reduced (Capan-1 cells) or suppressed (BxPC-3 cells) tumor growth in athymic nude mice was observed. The reversal of tumorigenicity induced by the restoration of sst2 expression suggests that the loss of sst2 contributes to the malignancy of human pancreatic cancers.

Animals↗

Expression of somatostatin receptor SST4 in human placenta and absence of octreotide effect on human placental growth hormone concentration during pregnancy.

In pregnancy, the human placenta GH acts as a growth-promoting hormone and appears to be the main stimulator of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) secretion. In a woman with a TSH-secreting macroadenoma, successful treatment with the somatostatin analog octreotide was conducted during the first month and the second half of pregnancy without side-effects on placental and fetal development. As observed in normal pregnancy, both serum placental GH and IGF-I levels increased throughout pregnancy and dropped sharply after delivery. In placental membranes from both treated and healthy untreated patients, we demonstrated the presence of high affinity binding sites for somatostatin-14 (Kd, 4.6 and 5.3 nmol/L; binding capacity, 1.53 and 1.35 pmol/mg protein, respectively). These receptors displayed low affinity for octreotide (IC50, 1.2-2 mumol/L), suggesting the presence of SST1 and/or SST4 receptors. We found that messenger ribonucleic acids of these two subtypes were expressed in both human placental tissue and purified human cytotrophoblast cells. Finally, the SST1-selective analog, des-AA1,2,5[D-Trp8,IAmp9]S-14 had low affinity for placental somatostatin receptors. These results argue in favor of the presence of the SST4 subtype in human placenta. At the doses administered, octreotide did not bind to placental somatostatin receptors. Our results may explain the absence of changes in both human placental GH and IGF-I concentrations that we observed during octreotide treatment.

Adenoma↗

Induction of a negative autocrine loop by expression of sst2 somatostatin receptor in NIH 3T3 cells.

The somatostatin receptor subtype sst2 mediates both activation of a tyrosine phosphatase activity and inhibition of cell proliferation induced by somatostatin analogues. In the absence of exogenous ligand, expression of sst2 in NIH 3T3 cells resulted in inhibition of cell growth. Polymerase chain reaction coupled to reverse transcription demonstrated that expression of sst2 in NIH 3T3 cells stimulated the expression of preprosomatostatin mRNA accompanied by a production of immunoreactive somatostatin-like peptide which corresponded predominantly to somatostatin 14. Moreover anti-somatostatin antibodies suppressed sst2-promoted inhibition of cell proliferation. Inhibition of cell proliferation associated with increased secretion of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was also observed after expression of sst2 in human pancreatic tumor cells BxPC3 devoid of endogenous receptors. In addition, expression of sst2 in NIH 3T3 cells was associated with constitutive activation of tyrosine phosphatase PTP1C that resulted from enhanced expression of the protein. Blocking of PTP1C tyrosine phosphatase activity with orthovanadate or that of PTP1C protein with antisense PTP1C oligonucleotides decreased the sst2-induced inhibition of cell proliferation. These results, taken together, show that expression of sst2 in NIH 3T3 cells generated a negative autocrine loop by stimulating sst2 ligand production and amplifying PTP1C sst2-transducer. Sst2/ligand may function as a determinant factor involved in the negative growth control of cells.

3T3 Cells↗

Loss of sst2 somatostatin receptor gene expression in human pancreatic and colorectal cancer.

Five somatostatin receptor subtypes (sst1 to sst5) have been cloned. We demonstrated previously that sst2 and sst5 mediate the antiproliferative effect of the somatostatin analogues octreotide and vapreotide. Using reverse transcription-PCR, we investigated gene expression of the five receptors in 47 human normal and cancerous tissues or cell lines from pancreatic and colorectal origin. mRNAs of somatostatin receptor subtypes were detected in 98% of samples, with more than two mRNA subtypes being expressed in 55% of cases. sst1, sst4, and sst5 were heterogeneously expressed in both normal and cancerous tissues; sst3 was rarely or not expressed. sst2 was present in normal pancreatic tissues but was absent in exocrine pancreatic carcinomas and their metastases. sst2 mRNAs were detected in normal colon, sporadic polyadenomas, and 50% of Dukes' stage B and 20% of Dukes' stage C carcinomas but were undetectable in Dukes' stage D carcinomas, hepatic metastases, and adenomas from familial adenomatous polyposis. The loss of sst2 expression could represent a growth advantage in these tumors and provide an explanation for the lack of therapeutic effect of somatostatin analogues in such adenocarcinomas. A subtyping of somatostatin receptors should be carried out before considering a somatostatin analogue treatment in patients with colorectal or pancreatic cancer.

Cell Line↗

Molecular mechanisms of antiproliferative effect of somatostatin: involvement of a tyrosine phosphatase.

A protein of 66 kd immunoreactive to anti-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP1C) antibodies coeluted with, and so may be associated with, somatostatin receptors (ssts) from rat pancreatic membranes. Also, anti-PTP1C antibodies immunoprecipitated functional ssts from pancreatic membranes, suggesting a PTP1C protein can associate with ssts at the membrane level. Somatostatin analog RC 160 had good affinity for sst2,3 and sst5 (IC50 = 0.2, 0.1, and 21 nmol/L) and low affinity for sst1 and sst4 (IC50 = 200 and 620 nmol/L), and induced rapid dose-dependent stimulation of PTP activity (maximal at 1 nmol/L and half maximal at 5 pmol/L) in NIH3T3 and CHO cells expressing sst2, with similar results for sst1, but no stimulation with sst3,4 or sst5. Treatment of cells expressing sst2 with RC 160 for 24 hours inhibited serum- or growth factor-induced cell proliferation dose-dependently (maximal at 1 nmol/L, half maximal at 6 to 53 pmol/L RC 160). In cells expressing sst1, weak inhibition of fibroblast growth factor 2-induced NIH3T3 cell proliferation was provoked by somatostatin analogs (> 10 nmol/L). The good correlation between inhibition of somatostatin binding, stimulation of PTP activity, and inhibition of cell proliferation implicates a PTP in growth inhibition mediated by sst2 and sst1.

3T3 Cells↗

Inhibition of cell proliferation by the somatostatin analogue RC-160 is mediated by somatostatin receptor subtypes SSTR2 and SSTR5 through different mechanisms.

Effects of the stable somatostatin analogue RC-160 on cell proliferation, tyrosine phosphatase activity, and intracellular calcium concentration were investigated in CHO cells expressing the five somatostatin receptor subtypes SSTR1 to -5. Binding experiments were performed on crude membranes by using [125I-labeled Tyr11] somatostatin-14; RC-160 exhibited moderate-to-high affinities for SSTR2, -3, and -5 (IC50, 0.17, 0.1 and 21 nM, respectively) and low affinity for SSTR1 and -4 (IC50, 200 and 620 nM, respectively). Cell proliferation was induced in CHO cells by 10% (vol/vol) fetal calf serum, 1 microM insulin, or 0.1 microM cholecystokinin (CCK)-8; RC-160 inhibited serum-induced proliferation of CHO cells expressing SSTR2 and SSTR5 (EC50, 53 and 150 pM, respectively) but had no effect on growth of cells expressing SSTR1, -3, or -4. In SSTR2-expressing cells, orthovanadate suppressed the growth inhibitory effect of RC-160. This analogue inhibited insulin-induced proliferation and rapidly stimulated the activity of a tyrosine phosphatase in only this cellular clone. This latter effect was observed at doses of RC-160 (EC50, 4.6 pM) similar to those required to inhibit growth (EC50, 53 pM) and binding to the receptor (IC50, 170 pM), implicating tyrosine phosphatase as a transducer of the growth inhibition signal in SSTR2-expressing cells. In SSTR5-expressing cells, the phosphatase pathway was not involved in the inhibitory effect of RC-160 on cell growth, since this action was not influenced by tyrosine and serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors. In addition, in SSTR5-expressing cells, RC-160 inhibited CCK-stimulated intracellular calcium mobilization at doses (EC50, 0.35 nM) similar to those necessary to inhibit somatostatin-14 binding (IC50, 21 nM) and CCK-induced cell proliferation (EC50, 1.1 nM). This suggests that the inositol phospholipid/calcium pathway could be involved in the antiproliferative effect of RC-160 mediated by SSTR5 in these cells. RC-160 had no effect on the basal or carbachol-stimulated calcium concentration in cells expressing SSTR1 to -4. Thus, we conclude that SSTR2 and SSTR5 bind RC-160 with high affinity and mediate the RC-160-induced inhibition of cell growth by distinct mechanisms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A tyrosine phosphatase is associated with the somatostatin receptor.

Regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation is thought to be an essential step in signal transduction mechanisms that mediate cellular responses. In pancreatic tumour cells we demonstrated that somatostatin analogues inhibited cell proliferation and stimulated a membrane protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity at concentrations at which they bind to the somatostatin receptor. To elucidate the role of PTP in the signal transduction pathway activated by somatostatin receptors we first studied the interaction of PTP with the somatostatin receptor at the membrane. We purified somatostatin receptors by immunoaffinity from pancreatic membranes that strongly expressed the type 2 somatostatin receptor sstr2. We identified the receptor as an 87 kDa protein. We demonstrated that a PTP activity co-purified with somatostatin receptors. The PTP was identified as a 66 kDa protein immunoreactive to antibodies against SHPTP1. These antibodies immunoprecipitated somatostatin receptors either occupied or unoccupied by ligand indicating that SHPTP1 is associated with somatostatin receptors. We then expressed sstr2A in monkey kidney COS-7 cells and mouse NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and demonstrated that somatostatin analogues (RC 160, octreotide and BIM 23014) which exhibited high affinity for sstr2 stimulated a PTP activity and inhibited cell proliferation in proportion to their affinities for sstr2. Under the same conditions these analogues have no effect on the growth of cells expressing sstr1. All these results suggest that a PTP related to SHPTP1 is associated with somatostatin receptors and may be involved in the negative growth signal promoted by sstr2.

3T3 Cells↗

Cell signalling pathway involved in PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation.

The novel 38-amino acid neuropeptide PACAP (pituitary adenylate activating peptide) has recently been shown to induce the pancreatic acinar tumour AR4-2J cell growth. This growth promoting effect of PACAP was, however, independent of adenylate cyclase activation but suppressed by pertussis toxin and the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995. This study was undertaken to search for potential cell signalling pathways involved in the growth promoting effect of PACAP on AR4-2J cells. The AR4-2J cells were grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium containing 10% foetal calf serum. For studies on cell signalling pathways, all experiments were carried out on cells which have reached 50 to 75% confluency. At that point, they were transferred to serum free medium overnight with or without 1 microCi/ml myristic acid. The next morning, cells were harvested, washed and used for tyrosine kinase and phospholipase D (PLD) activities. For studies on growth, cells were grown for 2 days in the presence of 1 nM PACAP +/- the different inhibitors of tyrosine kinase and PLD. PACAP-38 and -27 caused a dose-dependent and parallel activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD an effect prevented by the antagonist PACAP 7-38. PACAP-38-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activation are both dose-dependently inhibited by SMS 201-995. Finally, PACAP-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activities are both inhibited by cell's preincubation with genistein and pertussis toxin. After 2 days, the PACAP-induced increase in AR4-2J cell growth was significantly inhibited by increasing concentrations of genistein and wortmannin, inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, PLD and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, respectively. PACAP can induce concomitant activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD; this finding and the observation that inhibition of these two enzymes inhibited PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell growth strongly suggests that they are intimately involved in the overall process of PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation.

Androstadienes↗

The impact of continuous subcutaneous infusion of octreotide on gallstone formation in acromegalic patients.

Treatment of acromegaly with intermittent sc injections of octreotide is associated with an increased incidence of cholelithiasis. We investigated the incidence of gallstone formation, the occurrence of gallbladder disease, and the response of gallstones to ursodeoxycholic acid in 30 acromegalic patients who were treated with a continuous sc infusion of octreotide at doses between 200 and 800 micrograms/day for 3-70 months. Of the 30 patients, 28 had pretretment ultrasonography of the biliary tree performed, and all had frequent follow-ups. Nine patients underwent pre- and posttreatment bile sampling. No patient treated for less than 6 months and 18.5% of patients treated for more than 6 months developed new gallstones. No patient developed symptomatic cholelithiasis while receiving octreotide therapy. Of six patients who developed gallstones, four were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid, which dissolved all gallstones. One patient with gallstones experienced an episode of biliary colic when octreotide was withdrawn; however, no cholecystitis was found at subsequent cholecystectomy. Bile sampling showed that 8 (75%) of the 12 patients who were assessed demonstrated microcrystals, whereas in 3 (50%) of 6 patients who were closely analyzed thereafter, microcrystals disappeared once octreotide therapy was stopped. Our results show that continuous sc infusion octreotide therapy increases the incidence of cholelithiasis over normal values, as is the case with intermittent sc injections. Although higher octreotide levels are sustained with continuous sc infusion, this is not associated with an increased risk of gallstone formation compared with intermittent sc octreotide therapy.

Acromegaly↗

Endoscopic ultrasonography in chronic pancreatitis: a comparative prospective study with conventional ultrasonography, computed tomography, and ERCP.

The usefulness and accuracy rate of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) were prospectively evaluated in 81 patients with suspected pancreatic disease. All underwent EUS, abdominal ultrasonography (AUS), and computed tomography (CT), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in 55 of the cases. The diagnosis of CP was established in 44 patients (CP group) including 24 with a calcified form. No pancreatic disease was observed in 18 patients (control group), and 19 patients had a pancreatic tumor. In the CP group AUS was less accurate than EUS in visualizing the pancreas, performances of CT scan being identical to EUS in this respect. A good correlation was observed between EUS and ERCP for visualization and measurement of the Wirsung duct. The most significant changes observed by EUS in the CP group were dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, heterogeneous echogenicity of the pancreatic parenchyma, and cysts < 20 mm in size even in noncalcified CP or with normal pancreatograms. Sensitivity of EUS for diagnosis of CP was 88% (AUS, 58%; ERCP, 74%; CT scan, 75%), the specificity being 100% for ERCP and EUS, 95% for CT scan, and 75% for AUS. The good performances of EUS allow early diagnosis of CP in symptomatic patients since heterogeneous echogenicity of the pancreatic parenchyma seems to be almost specifically associated with the disease.

Adult↗

Endoscopic ultrasonography in pancreatobiliary disease using radial instruments.

A review is made of clinical studies evaluating the performances of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in pancreatobiliary disease using radial instruments. EUS is more accurate than conventional ultrasonography and CT scans for the diagnosis of solid pancreatic tumors, chronic pancreatitis, and causes of obstruction of the common bile duct. EUS is a promising technique for both idiopathic pancreatitis and cystic lesions of the pancreas.

Cholestasis↗