Fructan Improves Survival and Function of Cryopreserved Rat Islets.

Cryopreservation of pancreatic islets enables their long-term storage and subsequent transplantation; however, post-cryopreservation, islets viability, and functions are reduced to a significant extent. Islet is composed of five cells (α cell, ß cell, δ cell, ε cell, and PP cell), and blood vessels that carry the nutrition. Freezing technology of the organization has not developed a good method. This paper is studied using a fructan which has been found to effectively freeze protect a material of the cell. Islet transplantation has been established as an effective means of treating patients with type 1 diabetes. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of using a fructan on the cryopreserved islets by showing valid results for diabetes. Isolated rat islets were cryopreserved using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) supplemented with different concentrations of fructan and/or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in FBS. The survival rates of the islets were estimated at different time intervals, and insulin secretion function was tested in vitro. Furthermore, the in vivo function was tested by syngeneic transplantation into streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, and the grafts were analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically. Fructan significantly increased islet survival; 30% fructan led to survival rates of more than 90% on day 3, which was significantly higher than those of the DMSO groups (p < 0.05). For both fructan and DMSO, the survival showed dose dependence, with the highest rates observed for 30% fructan and 10% DMSO, respectively (p < 0.05). The fructan groups showed a significantly increased insulin secretion volume in comparison to the DMSO groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, cell clusters of pancreatic islets were well maintained in the fructan group, whereas margin collapse and vacuolation were observed in the DMSO group. Three days after transplantation of pancreatic islets preserved with 30% fructan, the blood glucose levels of diabetic rats were restored to the normal range, and removal of transplanted pancreatic islets from the kidney led to a profound increase in blood glucose levels. Together, these results show that a fructan is effective at cryopreserving rat pancreatic islets for subsequent transplantation.

Double primary recurrent human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer and esophageal cancer that responded well to chemotherapy.

Double primary breast and esophageal cancer have been no reported cases in which treatment methods other than surgery were selected because of multiple metastasis or advanced cancer. The patient was a 52-year-old woman who had received left pectoral muscle-preserving mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (level 2) 7 years prior, following the diagnosis of left breast cancer. The postoperative diagnosis was pT2 N3a M0 stage IIIC and luminal human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) phenotype. After the surgery, six courses of triple chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide and four courses of docetaxel (DTX) were administered, and letrozole was administered for 5 years. Seven years after the surgery, swelling of her left axillary, supra-, and subclavicular lymph nodes, and sternum osteolysis were observed on computed tomography (CT). Radioisotope uptake was observed in the esophagus on positron emission tomography. An esophageal cancer was observed in the upper thoracic esophagus on esophagogastroscopy. The patient was administered a local treatment for esophageal cancer and systemic chemotherapy for both cancers. As a primary therapy, double chemotherapy with 5-FU and cisplatin (FP) (two courses) + radiotherapy on the esophagus and left supraclavicular lymph nodes (total target dose of radiotherapy was 60 Gy /30 fractions) was performed with the concomitant use of trastuzumab and zoledronate. Marked shrinkage [complete response (CR)] of the esophageal cancer was observed on esophagogastroscopy and shrinkage (partial response) of the left axillary and supra- and subclavicular lymph nodes were observed on CT. The secondary treatment included pertuzumab + trastuzumab + DTX. Bilateral pleural effusions were observed in the eighth course; therefore, DTX was withdrawn and the treatment was continued with only the molecularly targeted drugs. Two years have passed since the initiation of treatment. The individual lymph node metastatic foci have disappeared or markedly shrunk (CR) on CT scans and the sternal metastases have remained hard without change. In addition, CR for esophageal cancer has been maintained. We report a case of double primary recurrent HER2-positive breast cancer and esophageal cancer that responded well to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

[Local resection of a gangliocytic paraganglioma near the papilla of Vater].

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with epigastric discomfort. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a submucosal tumor near the papilla of Vater. Abdominal CT and MRI showed a small, well-enhanced tumor. Endoscopic tumor biopsy was performed before the operation, but pathologic findings showed normal duodenal musosa. Nevertheless, since malignancy could not be ruled out, we resected the tumor with the sphincter of the papilla of Vater, followed by plasty of the orifice for the common bile duct and main pancreatic duct. We identified 3 parts with tumor cells; epithelioid cells, spindle cells, and ganglion-like cells. The tumor was diagnosed as gangliocytic paraganglioma of the duodenum. Treatment by resecting the tumor with the sphincter of the papilla of Vater, followed by the plasty of the orifice for the common bile duct and main pancreatic duct, was selected considering the patient's safety and to achieve radical cure.