BACKGROUND: One of the most important prognostic factors in colorectal cancer is lymph node metastasis, which predicts a reduced survival time. Although lymph node metastases were not detected by a conventional hematoxylin-eosin stain technique, 20 to 30 percent of patients fail long-term survival on account of a local or systemic recurrence. Recurrent disease in these patients is believed to develop from occult tumor in lymph nodes. PURPOSE: The authors have conducted an immunohistochemical study with two different antibodies against cytokeratin to identify occult micrometastases in lymph nodes which were diagnosed as tumor negative by conventional histopathology. METHODS: Paraffin blocks of sixty-five patients with colorectal cancer (T2/3, N0, M0) after a curative resection between January 1991 and December 1993 at Kyung-Hee University Hospital were stained with avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique using two monoclonal antibodies (anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, DAKO, Hamburg, Germany). To assess the clinical correlation between micrometastasis in lymph node and patients survial, 5-year disease-free survival rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and the significance of the differences was estimated by the log-rank test. P values <0.05 were taken to be significant. RESULTS: Of the sixty-five patients with 1133 lymph nodes, tumor cells detected by anti-cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and anti-cytokeratin No. 20, were 2.4 percent (27/1133) and 3.4 percent (38/1133), respectively. Micrometastases were detected in twenty-six patients (40.0 percent). The histologic stage of four cytokeratin positive cases was upstaged from T2, N0, M0 to T2, N1/2, M0, and twenty-two of T3, N0, M0 to T3, N1/2, M0. Cytokeratin-positive cases showed statistically significant recurrence rate (42.3 percent) compared to that of cytokeratin -negative cases (17.9 percent)(x2 test, p=0.032). With the median follow-up of 62 months, 5-year disease-free survival rates of the micrometastses negative and positive cases were 81.7 percent and 61.3 percent, respectively (p=0.0438). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, immunohistochemical technique to identify the occult micrometastases in lymph nodes overlooked in conventional histopathology is a useful staging method to anticipate a recurrence and a prognosis more precisely.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis* ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: The primary metabolic characteristic of malignant cells is an increased uptake of glucose and its anaerobic glycolysis. Recent studies have demonstrated that facilitative glucose transport across the plasma membrane is mediated by a family of proteins, i.e., glucose transporters. PURPOSE: In order to evaluate the clinicopathologic correlations of glucose transporter genes expressed in colorectal cancer, the author studied the expression of glucose transporter genes in human colorectal cancer and analyzed their expression in normal and malignant colorectal tissues. METHODS: A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to quantitatively determine the levels of the glucose transporter genes, GLUT1 and GLUT3, from Crohnes diseases (N=2), adenomatous polyps (N=4), and colorectal cancers (N=40) and their normal counterparts. RESULTS: The expresssion of the GLUT1 gene was detected in 50% of the inflammatory colonic mucosae and adenomatous polyp tissues, but the levels of expression were not significantly different from their normal counterparts. Among the 40 colorectal cancer patients, 23 patients (57.5%) showed GLUT1 gene expression and the levels of expression were increaed by 1.8 as compared to their normal counterparts (p<0.05). The expression of the GLUT3 gene was detected in almost all tissues examined, and the levels of expression were not significantly different from their normal counterparts. In colorectal cancers, there was correlation between GLUT1 expression, the extent of lymph node involvement and the stage of colorectal cancers (p<0.05). But, the correlation between the expressions of the GLUT3 gene and the clinicopathologic prognostic factors of colorectal cancers could not be determined because almost all tissues showed a GLUT3 gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the GLUT1 glucose transporter expression in colorectal cancer was associated with high possibilities of lymph node metastases and poorer prognosis, and the assessment of GLUT1 expression in colorectal cancer would be useful in identifying high risk patients.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Cell Membrane ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Gene Expression ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative* ; Glucose* ; Glycolysis ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

No abstract available.

Protective effect of human cerebrospinal fluid antioxidants against enzyme inactivation caused by metal-catalyzed oxidation systems were investigated. When purified glutamine synthetase(GS) was incubated with human cerebrospinal fluid(CSF), the enzyme was progressively inactivated. Catalase and EDTA could inhibit the enzyme inactivation by 50-80%. Small-molecular(Mr<-10,000) fraction of CSF inactivated the exogenous GS, but large-molecular(Mr>-10,000) fraction did not. The GS inactivation by the small-molecular fraction was also markedly inhibited by catalase and EDTA. These results suggested that metal-catalyzed oxidation is involved in the GS inactivation by the small-molecular fraction of CSF. Dithiothreitol(DTT)was shown to inhibit almost completely the oxidative inactivation of GS by CSF. However, DTT inhibited only partially the oxidative inactivation of GS caused by small-molecular fraction of CSF. When large-molecular fraction of CSF was separated by anion-exchange HPLC chromatography, there was a peak of antioxidant activity inhibiting the small-molecular fraction-induced GS inactivation in the presence of DTT. The antioxidant activity was neutralized by monoclonal antibodies to transthyretin. Purified transthyretin was found to efficiently inhibit ascorbate/Cu2+-induced GS inactivation in the presence of DTT. Uric acid and glucose did not shoe any protective effect on the GS inactivation in the same condition. The above results suggest that metal-catalyzed oxidation occurs normally in human CSF, and the transthyretin may play an important role as a CSF antioxidant in protecting proteins from metal-catalyzed oxidation.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antioxidants ; Catalase ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Edetic Acid ; Glucose ; Glutamine ; Humans* ; Prealbumin* ; Shoes ; Uric Acid

PURPOSE: Ischemia-reperfusion is an important pathologic process that leads to impairment of the liver after major surgery. Ischmia-reperfusion injury includes both hypoxia and an inflammatory response associated with reperfusion; the former is caused by the lack of microvascular perfusion and the latter is mediated by cytyokines and oxygen free radicals. In addition to inhibiting thrombin, plasmin, kalikrein, trypsin, and neutrophil elastase, gabexate mesilate also plays an important role in inhibiting cytokines and oxygen free radical production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gabexate mesilate on ischemia- reperfusion injury in the liver. METHODS: Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. Clamping was not done in group A (n=8), although it was done in group B (n=8) and group C (n=8). Group C received intravenous infusion of gabexate mesilate (10 mg/kg/hr) continuously during the process of clamping. Serum alanine aminotrasferase (ALT) and purine nucleoside phophorylase (PNP) were measured immediately before clamping, following 30-minute ischemia, and after 60-minute reperfusion. Hepatic tissue adenosine triphophate (ATP), xanthine oxidase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) plus 4-hydroxyalcenals (4HA) were measured after reperfusion. RESULTS: Compared with group A, group B and group C demonstrated a significant increase in ALT and PNP levels following ischemia and reperfusion, as well as in xanthine oxidase and MDA plus 4HA levels following reperfusion. However, ATP levels showed no significant differences among the three groups. ALT levels were significantly lower in group C than in group B following reperfusion (P<0.01),although there was no significant differences in PNP levels between them. Xanthine oxidase and MDA plus 4HA levels were significantly lower in group C than in group B (P<0.05). The results suggest that gabexate mesilate inhibits an increase in ALT, xanthine oxidase, and MDA plus 4HA levels. CONCLUSION: Gabexate mesilate inhibits oxygen free radical production of xanthine oxidase, and results in a reduction of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Alanine ; Anoxia ; Constriction ; Cytokines ; Fibrinolysin ; Free Radicals ; Gabexate* ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Ischemia ; Leukocyte Elastase ; Liver* ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxygen ; Perfusion ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Thrombin ; Trypsin ; Xanthine Oxidase

BACKGROUND: Mutations in mitofusin2 (MFN2) are a major underlying cause of axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT). It has been reported that patients with an early age of onset (<10 years, EO) show more severe clinical phenotypes than those of patients with a later age at onset (> or =10 years, LO) in CMT2A with MFN2 mutations. There are few studies about CMT patients with MRI studies and we performed leg MRIs for better understanding of CMT2A. METHODS: We identified 19 patients (EO=10; LO=9) with MFN2 mutations. We used functional disability scales and CMT neuropathy scales for the grading of disability. Nerve conduction studies and MRIs of the lower leg were performed in all patients. RESULTS: We confirmed that EO had more severe leg muscle involvement than LO by leg MRI. In 7 out of 9 in LO, there were some degree of asymmetric leg muscle weakness and MRI findings explained the nature of asymmetry, that is, asymmetric cross-sectional areas or fatty infiltration. MRI of EO showed marked fatty infiltration on all three compartments whereas that of LO showed rather selective involvement of the posterior compartment. These results were well correlated with clinical findings that in LO, five patients could not do toe walking whereas only one could not do heel walking. CONCLUSIONS: MRI of the leg may be a useful tool for evaluating axonal CMT neuropathy, and asymmetric leg muscle weakness may be the characteristics of an axonal CMT. In addition, more prominent involvement of the posterior leg in LO is a very interesting phenomenon, which is in contrast to the length-dependent involvement in congenital demyelinating neuropathy.
Age of Onset ; Axons* ; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease ; Heel ; Humans ; Leg* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Muscle Weakness ; Neural Conduction ; Phenotype ; Toes ; Walking ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE:The aim of this study was to compare the early postoperative results and the long-term outcome of restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS:Thirty patients that underwent IPAA for either FAP (14 patients) or UC (16 patients) at Kyung-Hee University Hospital between January 1987 and December 1999 were studied retrospectively. Either handsewn or stapled anastomosis technique was used in IPAA. Most patients (12 patients in FAP, 16 patients in UC) had a two-stage operation with temporary diverting loop ileostomy and two patients with FAP had a one-stage operation without temporary ileostomy. RESULTS:One patient in the UC group died from sepsis after operation (n=16, 6.25%), but no patients in the FAP group died. Overall operative complications appeared in two patients (14.3%) and four patients (25%) with FAP and UC, respectively. At follow-up (mean, 47.3 months), pouchitis was developed in four patients with UC, but no patients with FAP. The mean daytime stool frequency was 4.5 stools per day in FAP patients and 5.8 stools per day in UC patients (P=0.031), but night-time stool frequency was similar between two groups (1.2 and 1.4 in FAP and UC, respectively; P>0.05). Daytime fecal incontinence was noticed in two patients (14.3%) with FAP and four patients (26.7%) with UC. Night-time fecal incontinence was noticed in three patients (21.4%) with FAP and six patients (40.0%) with UC. CONCLUSIONS:FAP patients tolerated the operation better and had less long-term disability than did UC patients. This suggested that the long-term outcome of IPAA procedure may depend on the primary disease rather than the procedure itself.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Fecal Incontinence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Pouchitis ; Proctocolectomy, Restorative* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Ulcer*

Hemin blocked lipid peroxidations induced by either ascorbate/FeSO4, a metal-catalyzed oxidation system, or 2,2'-azobis-2-amidino-propane hydrochloride (ABAP) which produces peroxy radicals at constant rates. Hemin at very low micromolar concentrations strongly inhibited the ascorbate/FeSO4-induced peroxidation of rat liver phopholipids, soybean phosphatidylcholine and arachidonic acid, and this inhibition was also evident with the use of ABAP, although much higher concentrations of hemin were required than those for the inhibition of ascorbate/FeSO4-induced lipid peroxidation. However, hemoproteins such as hemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochrome C did not show any significant effect on this lipid peroxidation. Hemopexin and albumin abolished the inhibitory action of hemin. During incubation with ascorbate/FeSO4 or ABAP, hemin underwent a change in its absorption spectrum, resulting in a progressive decrease in the peak height of the characteristic absorption band at 385 nm. The above results suggest that hemin may act as an important antioxidant in vivo, protecting lipids from the peroxidative damage.
Absorption ; Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Cytochromes c ; Hemin* ; Hemopexin ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Liver ; Myoglobin ; Phosphatidylcholines ; Rats ; Soybeans

Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors that originate from any anatomical site. Most schwannomas occur in the head, neck or limbs, but rarely occur in the retroperitoneal space. Furthermore, the schwannoma originating from the vagus nerve of retroperitoneal space is much rare. We experienced a case of retroperitoneal schwannoma of the vagus nerve. A 34-year-old male was refered to our hospital for the evaluation of abdominal mass on ultrasonography. Endoscopic examination revealed submucosal tumor-like lesion on high body of the stomach. Computed tomography (CT) revealed that the stomach was compressed by a solid tumor in the retroperitoneum. On exploratory laparotomy, this mass turned out to be a baseball sized mass in the retroperitoneal space. The mass was excised in an encapsulated state. Histological examination with immunohistochemical stains revealed a schwannoma of the vagus nerve.
Adult ; Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; English Abstract ; Humans ; Male ; Neurilemmoma/*diagnosis ; Retroperitoneal Space ; *Vagus Nerve ; Vagus Nerve Diseases/*diagnosis

Vancomycin induced agranulocytosis is a rare but life-threatening complication. We here report a case of vancomycin induced agranulocytosis in a patient with chronic renal failure. A 36-year-old woman receiving hemodialysis via jugular cannulation developed staphylococcus sepsis. The catheter was removed and she was started on vancomycin therapy (1.0 g/week). New catheter was inserted for next hemodialysis. Second sepsis of same organism developed 12 days after initial sepsis inspite of vancomycin therapy. We removed this catheter and continued vancomycin therapy. After 19 days of vancomycin treatment, the patient developed a severe agranulocytosis with white blood cell count of 1, 600/ mm3 and the complete absence of neutrophil. Vancomycin was discontinued and teicoplanin was substituted for vancomycin therapy and G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) therapy was begun. White blood cell count including neutropil was completely recovered after 13 days of discontinuation of vancomycin.
Adult ; Agranulocytosis* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Leukocyte Count ; Lupus Nephritis ; Neutrophils ; Renal Dialysis* ; Sepsis ; Staphylococcus ; Teicoplanin ; Vancomycin