Ameloblastic carcinoma ex ameloblastoma: report of a case-possible involvement of CpG island hypermethylation of the p16 gene in malignant transformation.

Ameloblastic carcinoma is described in the updated World Health Organization (WHO) classification as a rare malignant lesion. Ameloblastic carcinoma meeting the WHO criteria may arise either as a result of malignant change in a pre-existing benign ameloblastoma (carcinoma ex ameloblastoma) or as a primary malignant ameloblastoma not preceded by an ordinary ameloblastoma (de novo carcinoma). We report a case of ameloblastic carcinoma ex ameloblastoma and examine how this case underwent malignant transformation. The DNA was extracted separately from benign and malignant areas in paraffin sections of the tumor. Direct sequencing showed no genetic mutation of exons 5-8 of the p53 gene. Hypermethylation of CpG islands of the p16 gene was detected in the malignant parts of the tumor. The results indicate that hypermethylation of p16 may have been involved in the malignant transformation of the ameloblastoma in the present case.

Inhibitory effects of fermented brown rice and rice bran on the development of acute hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon rats.

To investigate the effects of fermented brown rice (FBRA) on the development of hereditary hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats, we compared the incidence and grades of acute hepatitis among rats fed 5% and 10% FBRA in the conventional diet and the conventional diet alone. Both the 5% and 10% FBRA-supplemented diets indicated a tendency to prevent the development of hepatitis, and the significant effect of 10% FBRA was observed until 16-17 weeks of age in the accumulated incidence and survival ratio compared with the unsupplemented conventional diet, although no significant difference was observed between 5% and 10% FBRA-supplemented diets. At the age of 12 weeks, which is just before the rats develop hepatitis, serum copper levels in rats fed either of the test diets were similar to those in rats fed the conventional diet. Furthermore, the copper concentration in liver tissue at 12 weeks of age was not changed by the test diet. These results suggest that FBRA has preventive effects on the development of hepatitis in LEC rats and may play an important role in protecting the liver against the free radicals induced by copper accumulation in the liver.

Rho regulates the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-stimulated cell motility of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

To investigate the effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on the invasion and metastasis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells, we examined cell motility and intercellular signal transduction of a human oral SCC cell line (SAS) obtained from the primary lesion of a tongue carcinoma. HGF/SF stimulation significantly enhanced the motility of SAS cells in a dose-dependent manner. Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme (C3), which is known to selectively impair the function of Ras-related small G-protein p21rho (Rho), significantly reduced the motility of SAS cells. HGF/SF stimulation also enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of HGF receptors (c-Met) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) on SAS cells, but C3 completely inhibited the phosphorylation of FAK. Furthermore, it was observed that Rho A protein, normally located around the nuclear area, was translocated to the membrane and levels in the cytolysate increased following HGF/SF stimulation with no change in Rho A mRNA. These results suggest that the activation of FAK caused by phosphorylation of c-Met may mediate the HGF/SF-induced motility of human oral SCC cells, and that Rho protein regulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK through translocation from the nucleus to the membrane.