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en: Sustained chromosomal passenger complex activity preserves the pluripotency of human embryonic carcinoma cells

en: Science Signaling

ja: Science Signaling


en: Histopathological Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Hepatitis B and D Virus Infection: A Single-Institution Study in Mongolia.

en: : Based on this clinicopathological study, CD4 and CD8 immunostaining can be considered an adjunctive diagnostic tool in cases with significant lymphocytic infiltration and hepatocellular damage. Additionally, HDV screening using blood and tissue samples may be recommended to ensure accurate diagnosis.

en: Cancers

ja: Cancers


en: Analysis of 69 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cases from the National Center for Pathology in Mongolia : A Comprehensive Study of Samples Collected Nationwide.

en: The high rate of chronic hepatitis, including hepatitis B, C and D, in Mongolia creates a large health burden of advanced liver disease. This includes liver failure and the highest incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. In the present study, we histopathologically examined 69 recent cases of HCC from the Mongolian National Center for Pathology, which collects specimens from across the country. The background liver histology of HCC exhibited a bimodal distribution, with one peak corresponding to advanced liver fibrosis and another to mild liver fibrosis. The fibrosis severity negatively correlated with age. Additionally, the frequency of poorly differentiated tumors was significantly higher in the HCC with early stage of fibrosis. A comparison of the pathological characteristics of HCC in urban and rural areas showed that poorly differentiated tumors were highly prevalent in urban areas. The characteristics of HCC in Mongolia are different from those in other countries, suggesting that the causes of liver disease are not only related to viruses but also other factors that depend on the region. This study will provide insight into what research is needed next for liver cancer control in Mongolia. J. Med. Invest. 72 : 47-53, February, 2025.

en: The Journal of Medical Investigation : JMI


en: Cholangiolocellular Carcinoma Misdiagnosed As Hemangioma: Unique Central Fibrotic Area Devoid of Cancer Cells Detected on a Seven-Year Follow-Up.

en: Cholangiolocellular carcinoma, a subtype of peripheral-type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, is a relatively rare primary liver tumor. This case report describes a patient with cholangiolocellular carcinoma that was initially misdiagnosed as hemangioma, and ultimately underwent complete tumor resection after a seven-year follow-up period. A 72-year-old female patient with a history of chronic hepatitis C was followed up regularly at the hospital. Computed tomography (CT) performed seven years prior had detected a small tumor (12 mm) with radiographic characteristics suggestive of hemangioma. The tumor increased in size from 12 to 32 mm over the next seven years. On CT, the tumor showed poor central enhancement, indicating reduced blood flow in the central region. Due to the suspicion of malignancy, partial surgical resection was performed. Pathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of cholangiolocellular carcinoma. The carcinoma exhibited vascular invasion and a broad central fibrous area with hyalinization, lacking epithelial cells, and marked by venous obstruction. This case underscores the challenge of distinguishing cholangiolocellular carcinoma from hemangioma, particularly in small tumors with similar radiological features. The findings highlight the importance of employing additional diagnostic modalities such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as the necessity of biopsy when suspicion arises. This case also describes the unique finding of a central fibrous area without tumor cells, which may have resulted from localized circulatory disturbances potentially caused by tumor embolism in the portal and hepatic veins. This pathological finding provides valuable insights into the nature of this rare tumor.

en: Curēus

ja: Curēus


en: Involvement of TGFBI-TAGLN axis in cancer stem cell property of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

en: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a significant healthcare burden globally. Previous research using single-cell transcriptome analysis identified TGFBI as a crucial marker for the partial-epithelial-mesenchymal transition (partial-EMT) program. However, the precise role of TGFBI in HNSCC progression remains unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to clarify the impact of TGFBI on the malignant behavior of HNSCC cells. Through RNA-sequencing data from the TCGA database, we validated that increased TGFBI expression correlates with a higher occurrence of lymph node metastasis and unfavorable prognosis in HNSCC cases. Functional experiments demonstrated that TGFBI overexpression enhances the ability of sphere formation, indicating stem-cell-like properties. Conversely, TGFBI depletion reduces sphere formation and suppresses the expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers. RNA-sequencing analysis of TGFBI-overexpressing and control HNSCC cells revealed TAGLN as a downstream effector mediating TGFBI-induced sphere formation. Remarkably, TAGLN depletion abolished TGFBI-induced sphere formation, while its overexpression rescued the suppressed sphere formation caused by TGFBI depletion. Moreover, elevated TAGLN expression showed correlations with the expression of TGFBI and partial-EMT-related genes in HNSCC cases. In conclusion, our findings suggest that TGFBI may promote CSC properties through the upregulation of TAGLN. These novel insights shed light on the involvement of the TGFBI-TAGLN axis in HNSCC progression and hold implications for the development of targeted therapies.

en: Scientific Reports

ja: Scientific Reports


en: Involvement of the OTUB1-YAP1 axis in driving malignant behaviors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

en: This study highlights the critical role of OTUB1 in HNSCC progression via modulating YAP1. Targeting the OTUB1-YAP1 axis holds promise as a potential therapeutic strategy for HNSCC treatment.

ja: In HNSCC patients, USP10, USP14, OTUB1, and STAMBP among the screened DUBs were associated with a poor prognosis. Among them, OTUB1 showed the most aggressive characteristics in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Additionally, OTUB1 regulated the stability and nuclear localization of YAP1, a substrate involved in cell proliferation and invasion. Notably, OTUB1 expression exhibited a positive correlation with the HNSCC-YAP score in HNSCC cells.

en: Cancer Medicine

ja: Cancer Medicine


en: Establishment of repeated liver biopsy technique in experimental mice.

en: Biopsy is a commonly used method for determining pathological diagnoses by directly using human tissues and cells. Biopsies are widely used to determine disease progression and treatment efficacy. Although organs and tissues are usually obtained by sacrifice during animal experiments, it is theoretically possible to use the same biopsy techniques in humans. In the present study, we examined the feasibility of performing four repeated liver biopsies in a spontaneous metabolic syndrome mouse model. Even though a small number of mice died accidently, most mice were able to undergo four liver biopsies without significant adverse events. We also performed three liver biopsies in mouse liver tumor carcinogen models at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of age. In addition to the sample collected at 16 weeks of age during sacrifice, we successfully collected four liver samples from the same mice at different stages of disease progression. The application of this liver biopsy technique might make it possible for direct evaluation of pathological conditions in the same individual over time, thereby reducing the number of experimental animals.

en: Heliyon

ja: Heliyon


en: Cancer cell-derived novel periostin isoform promotes invasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

en: It recently has been reported that partial-epithelial-mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) program is associated with metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We previously have identified POSTN (which encodes periostin) as an invasion-promoting molecule in HNSCC. Interestingly, POSTN expression is frequently observed in cancer cells with higher p-EMT score by using a previous single-cell transcriptomic data of HNSCC cases. Although it is known that POSTN has 11 splicing variants, the role of them has not been determined in HNSCC. Here, we found that HNSCC cells with EMT features expressed POSTN isoforms, Iso3 (lacking exon 17 and 21) and Iso5 (lacking exon 17), whereas fibroblast expressed Iso3 and Iso4 (lacking exon 17, 18, and 21). The expression of POSTN Iso3 and Iso4 are known to be widely observed in various cell types including stromal cells. Therefore, we focused on the role of novel cancer cell-derived POSTN isoform, Iso5, in HNSCC. Single overexpression of POSTN Iso5 as well as Iso3 promoted invasion. Surprisingly, Iso5 synergistically promoted invasion together with Iso3. Notably, Iso5 as well as Iso3 upregulated p-EMT-related genes. We suggest that a novel cancer-specific POSTN isoform lacking exon 17 (Iso5) can be a useful marker for detecting cancer cells undergoing p-EMT. Moreover, a POSTN Iso5 can be a novel target for diagnosis and therapy in HNSCC.


en: Spontaneous Occurrence of Various Types of Hepatocellular Adenoma in the Livers of Metabolic Syndrome-Associated Steatohepatitis Model TSOD Mice.

en: Male Tsumura-Suzuki Obese Diabetes (TSOD) mice, a spontaneous metabolic syndrome model, develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and liver tumors by feeding on a standard mouse diet. Nearly 70% of liver tumors express glutamine synthetase (GS), a marker of hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, approximately 30% are GS-negative without prominent nuclear or structural atypia. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the GS-negative tumors of TSOD mice. Twenty male TSOD mice were sacrificed at 40 weeks and a total of 21 tumors were analyzed by HE staining and immunostaining of GS, liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and beta-catenin. With immunostaining for GS, six (29%) tumors were negative. Based on the histological and immunohistological characteristics, six GS-negative tumors were classified into several subtypes of human hepatocellular adenoma (HCA). One large tumor showed generally similar findings to inflammatory HCA, but contained small atypical foci with GS staining and partial nuclear beta-catenin expression suggesting malignant transformation. GS-negative tumors of TSOD mice contained features similar to various subtypes of HCA. Different HCA subtypes occurring in the same liver have been reported in humans; however, the diversity of patient backgrounds limits the ability to conduct a detailed, multifaceted analysis. TSOD mice may share similar mechanisms of HCA development as in humans. It is timely to review the pathogenesis of HCA from both genetic and environmental perspectives, and it is expected that TSOD mice will make further contributions in this regard.

en: International Journal of Molecular Sciences


en: Conversion from epithelial to partial-EMT phenotype by Fusobacterium nucleatum infection promotes invasion of oral cancer cells.

en: The ability of cancer cells to undergo partial-epithelial mesenchymal transition (p-EMT), rather than complete EMT, poses a higher metastatic risk. Although Fusobacterium nucleatum mainly inhabits in oral cavity, attention has been focused on the F. nucleatum involvement in colorectal cancer development. Here we examined the p-EMT regulation by F. nucleatum in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. We cultured OSCC cells with epithelial, p-EMT or EMT phenotype with live or heat-inactivated F. nucleatum. Expression of the genes involved in epithelial differentiation, p-EMT and EMT were examined in OSCC cells after co-culture with F. nucleatum by qPCR. Cell growth and invasion of OSCC cells were also examined. Both live and heat-inactivated F. nucleatum upregulated the expression of p-EMT-related genes in OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype, but not with p-EMT or EMT phenotype. Moreover, F. nucleatum promoted invasion of OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype. Co-culture with other strains of bacteria other than Porphyromonas gingivalis did not alter p-EMT-related genes in OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype. F. nucleatum infection may convert epithelial to p-EMT phenotype via altering gene expression in OSCC. Oral hygiene managements against F. nucleatum infection may contribute to reduce the risk for an increase in metastatic ability of OSCC.


en: Prognostic value of partial EMT-related genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by a bioinformatic analysis.

en: Our findings suggest that p-EMT program may be involved in poor prognosis of HNSCC. SERPINE1, ITGA5, TGFBI, P4HA2, CDH13, and LAMC2 can be used for a prognostic marker. Moreover, HNSCC cells with p-EMT phenotype can be a useful model for investigating a nature of p-EMT.

en: Oral Diseases

ja: Oral Diseases


en: Ascl2-Regulated Follicular Helper T Cells Promote Autoimmunity in a Murine Model for Sjögren's Syndrome.

en: mice that received neonatal thymectomy treatment demonstrated that Ascl2 contributes to the Tfh cell differentiation associated with autoimmunity during the early stages independent of Bcl6. In conclusion, our results indicate that abnormal Tfh cell differentiation via Ascl2 regulation might contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmunity.

en: The American Journal of Pathology

ja: The American Journal of Pathology


en: Mechanism of cadmium poisoning on testicular injury in mice.

en: Cadmium is a heavy metal that is toxic to humans and the reproductive system. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in a male Institute of Cancer Research mouse model of cadmium poisoning. Changes in luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), 17α-hydroxylase and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) expression levels were examined. A total of 24 male mice (4-week-old) were randomly divided into four groups (normal control group and low, medium and high cadmium groups) and subjected to gavage treatment with normal saline or cadmium-containing saline solutions for 8 weeks prior to sacrifice. To assess testicular injury, serum androgen levels were determined by ELISA, testicular tissue pathological changes were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, LHR, 17α-hydroxylase and eNOS expressions levels were examined by western blotting, and apoptosis was examined with a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. The results demonstrated that the severity of testes injury increased with cadmium concentration. In addition, LHR, 17α-hydroxylase and eNOS expression levels increased with low and medium concentrations of cadmium; however, they were decreased following treatment with high concentrations of cadmium. The results from the present study demonstrated that cadmium altered LHR, 17α-hydroxylase and eNOS expression levels in testicular stromal cells, which may impact testosterone synthesis. Furthermore, NO was suggested to be involved in cadmium-induced testicular injury by measurements of eNOS expression in testicular stromal cells.

en: Oncology Letters

ja: Oncology Letters


en: Expression of USP22 and the chromosomal passenger complex is an indicator of malignant progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

en: Oral cancer is a common cancer of the head and neck. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents almost 90% of the total cases of head and neck cancer. Ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) is a deubiquitinating hydrolase, and it is highly expressed in various types of cancer, which also typically have a poor prognosis. Aurora-B and Survivin, which belong to the chromosomal passenger complex, are also highly expressed in a number of types of cancer. In the present study, USP22 expression and its associations with Aurora-B and Survivin, and the clinicopathological features in OSCC were explored. USP22 is highly expressed in OSCC. Overexpression of USP22 is associated with lymph node metastasis and histological grade (P<0.01). Additionally, the expression of USP22 was positively associated with Aurora-B (P<0.01), Survivin (P<0.01), and Ki-67 (P<0.01). Furthermore, USP22 small interfering RNA inhibited cell growth and reduced the expression levels of Aurora-B, Survivin and Cyclin B, together with the upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21). These data suggest that USP22, Aurora-B and Survivin promote the OSCC development and may represent novel targets for OSCC diagnosis and treatment in the future.


en: Expression of survivin, MUC2 and MUC5 in colorectal cancer and their association with clinicopathological characteristics.

en: Survivin is a bifunctional protein that suppresses apoptosis and regulates cell division, and is highly expressed in various cancer types. Mucins are high-molecular-weight, heavily glycosylated proteins. In the present study, the association between survivin, mucin 2 (MUC2) and MUC5 expression, and the clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer (CRC) were investigated. The immunohistochemistry and western blotting results demonstrated that survivin was highly expressed in CRC tissues and rarely expressed in normal colon tissues. Moreover, the overexpression of survivin and MUC5 was strongly associated with lymph node metastasis, poor cellular differentiation, advanced tumor stage and a poor prognosis in CRC. By contrast, low expression of MUC2 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, poor cellular differentiation and an advanced tumor stage in CRC. The results of the present study suggest that survivin, MUC2 and MUC5 levels may be associated with tumor progression and could be used to aid the early diagnosis and clinical characterization of CRC.


en: Cinnamic Acid (CINN) Induces Apoptosis and Proliferation in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.

en: CINN inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of CNE2 cells. Therefore, CINN possesses a potential anti-tumor effect.

en: Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry

ja: Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry


en: The Effect of Hippocampal Cognitive Impairment and XIAP on Glucose and Lipids Metabolism in Rats.

en: Cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuron apoptosis can cause glucose and lipids metabolic abnormalities, possibly by regulating gastrointestinal motility and AMPK expression in the liver. The changes in the function of XIAP, which is an anti-apoptotic protein in the hippocampus, may affect the metabolism of glucose and lipids.


en: The life in Japan and status of private dental office at the times of COVID-19.

volume: 27 Suppl 3