Factors that contribute to faecal cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in subjects with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that a faecal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA assay was useful for identifying colorectal cancer (CRC). This study sought to investigate the factors that contribute to faecal COX-2 mRNA expression in subjects with CRC. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 78 patients with CRC and 36 control subjects. The expressions of COX-2, beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), E-cadherin (E-cad), and CD45 mRNA in faeces and COX-2 mRNA expression in tissue were determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: The level of faecal expression of COX-2 mRNA in CRC was significantly higher than that in controls. A significant correlation was found between faecal COX-2 mRNA expression and faecal B2M, CEA, E-cad, or CD45 mRNAs, markers of exfoliated total cells, colonocytes, and leukocytes, respectively. A significant correlation was found between the expression of COX-2 mRNA in faeces and tumour surface area, COX-2 mRNA expression in primary tumour. There was no difference in faecal COX-2 mRNA expression between proximal CRC and distal CRC. CONCLUSION: COX-2 mRNA expression in faeces seems to originate from tumour lesion and to be affected by factors such as the number of exfoliated cells, exfoliation of inflammatory cells, COX-2 mRNA expression in tumour, and tumour size.

Production of specific antibody and T helper 1-dominant cytokine elicited by dendritic cells genetically modified with an adenovirus vector.

In this study we examined how dendritic cells (DCs) transduced with an adenovirus vector encoding a model tumor antigen (beta-galactosidase; beta-gal) would influence the humoral immune response to this antigen. Mice immunized with LacZ transduced DCs by an adenovirus vector could produce more anti-beta-gal antibody, especially of IgG2a subclass, than mice immunized with DCs alone, although the amount of serum IgG antibody did not increase. Compared with mice immunized with DCs alone, splenocytes of mice immunized with LacZ transduced DCs could produce more interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) against the beta-gal derived, H-2Ld-restricted nonapeptide (TPHPARIGL) in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that DCs transduced with an adenovirus vector encoding the model tumor antigen could induce the T helper 1 (Th1) dominant response against the model tumor antigen.

Induction of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2-restricted and MAGE-3-gene-derived peptide-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes using cultured dendritic cells from an HLA-A2 esophageal cancer patient.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a 10-year survivor with established human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2(+) and MAGE-3(+) esophageal cancer cell line (KYSE-170), we examined the induction of HLA-A2-restricted and MAGE-3-gene-derived peptide (FLWGPRALV, amino acids 271-279)-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). METHODS: Autologous dendritic cells (DCs) cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4 were used as antigen presenting cells. PBMCs were stimulated by peptide-pulsed DCs in vitro. RESULTS: PBMC cocultured with FLWGPRALV-pulsed DCs could induce the relevant peptide-specific CTLs, which had tumor necrosis factor production and specific cytotoxicity against relevant peptide-pulsed autologous DCs (34%, effector:target ratio = 40:1). Moreover, they showed specific cytotoxicity against the autologous esophageal cancer cell line KYSE-170 (17%, effector:target ratio = 40:1). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that FLWGPRALV-pulsed cultured DCs would be a potent candidate for peptide vaccine against HLA-A2(+) and MAGE-3(+) esophageal cancer.

Reduction of tumorigenicity by an interferon-gamma-gene-transduced tumor on another syngeneic tumor in a murine model.

To evaluate the effect of interferon-gamma-gene-transduced cells, DS mice were inoculated into their footpads with syngeneic mammary adenocarcinoma SC42 admixed with interferon-gamma producing mammary adenocarcinoma SC115Kgamma, which had been established by an interferon-gamma-gene transduction in another syngeneic mammary adenocarcinoma SC115 using retroviral vectors. These mice rejected both tumor cells and developed resistance to subsequent challenges with either SC115 or SC42 cells inoculated into their opposite posterior footpads. These results thus indicate that systemic immunological memory to each of the independent tumor cell lines developed in these mice. Although the SC42 cells admixed with irradiated SC115Kgamma cells were rejected by these mice, the SC42 cells admixed with irradiated SC115neoR, in which the neo-gene had been transduced, were observed to proliferate. Tumor rejection was reversed by an in vivo administration of anti-interferon-gamma antibody, thus suggesting that locally produced interferon-gamma plays an important role in tumor elimination and immunological memory induction. In conclusion, interferon-gamma-gene-transduced tumor cells are therefore considered to have a therapeutic potential for other types of malignant tumor cell lines.

Cyclophosphamide given after active specific immunization augments antitumor immunity by modulation of Th1 commitment of CD4+ T cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate the regulatory effect of cyclophosphamide (CPA) on active specific immunization (ASI)-induced antitumor immunity, we examined the timing of CPA (100 mg/kg) with ASI, and focused on whether CPA given after ASI augments antitumor immunity by modulation of Th1 commitment of CD4+ T cells. METHODS: We examined the effect of CPA combined with ASI using sonicated tumor supernatant (SS) and recombinant interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta). RESULTS: Survival of i.p. tumor inoculated mice after ASI (days -12, -9, and -6) followed by 100 mg/kg CPA (day -3) (ASI-CPA) was significantly prolonged compared with that of mice treated with ASI alone, whereas CPA (day -15) treatment before ASI (CPA-ASI) completely abrogated the survival prolongation by ASI alone. In early stage (day 0) after ASI-CPA treatment, the CD4+ T cells were determined to play an important role in the protective immunity for the following reasons: 1) the CD4+/CD8+ ratio of spleen cells from immunized mice was higher than that of the control or CPA alone treated group; and 2) the tumor neutralizing activity of fresh spleen cells was abrogated by CD4+ T-cell depletion in vitro. CD4+ T cells of mice treated with ASI-CPA produced more interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-2 and less IL-4 than those of the ASI alone group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the protective immunity induced by ASI was augmented through the modification of the Th1 and Th2 balance by CPA injection after ASI.

Analysis of effector cells in tumor-bearing mice pre-treated with active specific immunization followed by cyclophosphamide.

In order to analyse the effector population in an immunization model, we treated BALB/c mice with intraperitoneal (i.p.) active specific immunization (ASI), which consists of interleukin (IL)-1-beta and sonicated tumor supernatant (SS) of a plasmacytoma MOPC-104E followed by i.p. injection of cyclophosphamide (CY). This ASI-CY treatment provoked a protective immunity against i.p. tumor inoculation more strongly than that of ASI alone. The main effector cells in tumor neutralizing assay were CD4+ T cells at this pont. The number of spleen cells of the ASI-CY treated mice were significantly lower than that of ASI alone treated mice but it increased significantly 6 days thereafter while this increase was not observed on the mice treated with ASI alone. The spleen cells of the ASI-CY treated mice responded to SS in vitro in the presence of IL-2, more profoundly in CD4 enriched population which produced high amount of TNF-alpha. In vivo tumor-neutralizing activity at a later stage was dependent on CD8+ T cells in addition to CD4+ T cells. These results suggest that antitumor activity by ASI and CY is transduced by sequential population shift from CD4 alone to both of CD4 and CD8.

A very large villous adenoma with an adjacent cancer of the rectum: an informative case for testing the proposed molecular basis of colorectal tumorigenesis.

It is currently accepted that colorectal tumorigenesis results from accumulation of multiple mutations in certain genes. This concept prompted us to search for possible mutations in the APC, k-ras, and p53 genes in an advanced cancer coexisting with a large villous adenoma of the rectum in a 54-year-old patient with no family history of colorectal cancer. Genomic DNA extracted from multiple subregions of the tumor and surrounding normal mucosa was studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and direct sequencing. Both the adenoma and carcinoma had abnormal PCR-SSCP for APC (exon 11) and k-ras, irrespective of the location within the tumors. However, p53 abnormality (exon 7) was detected only in samples taken from the carcinoma. Subsequent sequencing revealed a TTG to TAG mutation at codon 479 of APC, a GGT to GAT mutation at codon 12 of k-ras in both the adenoma and carcinoma, and a CGG to TGG mutation at codon 248 of p53 (exon 7) in the carcinoma. These findings were in accord with the current concept of colorectal tumor progression whereby genetic alteration of APC and k-ras occurs relatively early while that of p53 is rather late and is possibly a decisive event in relation to malignancy.

Comparative effects of cimetidine and famotidine on the vagally stimulated acid secretion in the isolated mouse whole stomach.

We investigated the effects of cimetidine and famotidine on the acid secretory response to electrical vagal stimulation, bethanechol and histamine in the isolated mouse whole stomach preparation. The acid secretion elicited by electrical vagal stimulation at the position of the esophagus (10 Hz, 0.3 msec, 10 V for 5 min) was reproducible by repeated stimulation in each preparation, and it was abolished by tetrodotoxin, atropine and hexamethonium. This vagally stimulated acid secretion was abolished by cimetidine (3 mM), while it was only partly inhibited by famotidine (10-100 microM). Histamine (100 microM)-induced acid secretion was inhibited by cimetidine and famotidine, and the doses of these drugs required for complete inhibition were 3 mM and 10 microM, respectively. In contrast, bethanechol (10 microM)-induced acid secretion was slightly reduced by famotidine (1-100 microM), but markedly reduced by cimetidine (3 mM). In the guinea pig ileum, millimolar concentrations of cimetidine and famotidine shifted the dose-response curve of the contractile response to acetylcholine rightward. These findings suggest that the inhibitory effect of cimetidine on the vagally stimulated or bethanechol-induced acid secretion is elicited at least partly through mechanisms different from H2-antagonism.

Carnitine deficiency following massive intestinal resection: a morphological and biochemical study.

A 65-year-old man with progressive muscle weakness and liver dysfunction following massive small bowel resection showed myriad lipid-filled vacuoles in type I muscle fibers. Carnitine was significantly decreased in muscle, serum and urine. Carnitine supplementation was followed by clinical improvement and decreased lipid droplets in biopsied muscle. He had been receiving carnitine-deficient total parenteral nutrition. This form of carnitine deficiency may be due to a defect in carnitine biosynthesis, as well as dietary carnitine deficiency.