OBJECTIVETo prepare a lymph node-targeted ultrasound/fluorescence bi-functional imaging contrast agents, and observe its effectiveness both on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and vivo near infrared fluorescence (NIR) imaging through animal experiments.

METHODSThe chimeric lymph node-targeted ligand (phosphatidylserine) and near-infrared fluorescent substance were assembled to form bi-functional contrast microbubbles. The morphology and size distribution were detected by optical microscope and Malvern potential tests. Five normal New Zealand white rabbits were subcutaneously injected with the prepared contrast agent in bilateral footpads, and the imaging effectiveness of lymph nodes and lymphatic vessel were observed by CEUS and NIR technique. Then blue dye was subcutaneously injected at the same site, and the rabbits were sacrificed for lymph nodes pathological examination.

RESULTSLipid ultrasound microbubbles,with a mean size of 3-5 Μm in diameter, appeared to be uniform in distribution and regular in configuration. The images of inflow lymphatic vessel and relevant lymph node were quickly showed up after the subcutaneous injection by CEUS, which was identical to the result detected by NIR. Biopsy confirmed that all the blue-stained lymph nodes could be displayed by NIR.

CONCLUSIONSThe self-made bi-functional contrast agent has a good imaging ability in CEUS and NIR imaging. It may be a better agent as lymph node tracer.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; chemistry ; Fluoresceins ; chemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To explore the factors affecting the successful rate of nano-carbon in sentinel lymph node biopsy.
 METHODS: A total of 270 patients with breast cancer, who were treated in First Affilitated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology from January 2013 to March 2015, were chosen and given sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) with nano-carbon, and the influencial factors were examined by logistic analysis.
 RESULTS: Successful rate of biopsy, accuracy, sensitivity and false negative rate was 92.2%, 97.6%, 93.1% and 6.8%, respectively. Age, primary tumor lesions, body mass index, axillary lymph node status, number of SLN and pathological grade were the factors affetcing successful biopsy (all P<0.05), and body mass index, age, and number of SLN were three independent factors affecting the successful rate of biopsy (all P<0.05). The history of biopsy, tumor location, affected sides, injection sites and chemotherapy showed little effect on the successful rate of biopsy (all P> 0.05).
 CONCLUSION Nano-carbon tracer method is a reliable method in sentinel lymph node biopsy. The body mass index, age, and number of lymph node metastasis greatly impact the successful rate of biopsy.
Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Carbon ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Grading ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

OBJECTIVETo prepare carbon nanoparticle-paclitaxel suspension(CNPS) and to study the pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal chemotherapy with CNPS.

METHODSSaturated absorption capacity of carbon nanoparticle suspension (CNS) and paclitaxel were detected by high performance liquid chromatography in order to prepare the above suspension. Wistar rats were randomly divided into the experimental group (A) and the control group (B), to which intraperitoneal injections of CNPS and paclitaxel were given respectively. At different time points, measure the blood samples, mesenteric lymph nodes, and intraperitoneal lavage fluid were collected to measure the concentration of paclitaxel.

RESULTSOne ml CNS could absorb 7 mg paclitaxel by maximum. The ratio of area under the curve (AUC) in the plasma of group A to group B was 0.63. The ratio of AUC in lymph nodes of group A to group B was 0.75 and that in intraperitoneal lavage fluid was 1.25. The metabolic half-life (t1/2) of paclitaxel in the plasma of group A was 1.61 times as long as that of group B. The t1/2 of paclitaxel in intraperitoneal lavage fluid of group A was 0.88 as long as that of Group B. The t1/2 of paclitaxel in lymph nodes of group A was 1.10 as long as that of Group B.

CONCLUSIONSCNS has a high absorption capacity with paclitaxel. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy by CNPS is characterized by low drug concentration in the blood, high drug concentration in the peritoneal cavity and high safety. However, the targeting and lymphatic retention effect are not significant. The mechanism warrants further investigation.

Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel ; Albumins ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Carbon ; chemistry ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Lymph Nodes ; Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; Paclitaxel ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Adult ; Dendritic Cells ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; analysis ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; ultrastructure

PURPOSE: We compared c-erbB-2 oncogene amplification and oncoprotein expression, trying to identify the biologic and prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 in adendegrees Carcinoma of the stomach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 43 cases of gastric cancer were analyzed for amplification of c-erbB-2 by differential polymerase chain reaction and for overexpression of gene product by immunohistdegrees Chemistry. RESULTS: The amplification was detected in 13 cases (30%). Enhanced c-erbB-2 immunoreactivity was observed in 30% (13/43) of tumors. Tumors with gene amplification generally stained strongly (p=0.003). Although the frequency of amplification and overexpression of c-erbB-2 was increased with advanced gastric cancer and with lymph node metastasis, this difference was not statistically significant. c-erbB-2 gene amplification or protein overexpression showed a trend toward a better five year survival rate, but this did not reach a statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Amplification and/or overexpression of the c-erbB-2 may be of value in clarifying the biologic characteristics of the human gastric cancer. However, more sensitive and more speci fic methods of identifying gene amplification are needed and the standardization of the staining method as well as guidelines for interpreting the staining result are mandatory for this purpose.
Chemistry ; Gene Amplification ; Genes, erbB-2 ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Characteristics ; Proto-Oncogenes ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: There are two surgical procedures for proximal early gastric cancer (EGC): total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG). This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of PG with those of TG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2008, 170 patients were diagnosed with proximal EGC at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, of which 64 patients underwent PG and 106 underwent TG. Clinicopathologic features, postoperative complications, blood chemistry data, changes in body weight, and oncological outcomes were analyzed and retrospectively compared between both groups. RESULTS: Tumor size was smaller and the number of retrieved lymph nodes was lower in the PG group. The postoperative complication rate was 10.9% in the TG group and 16.9% in the PG group. The incidence of Los Angeles grade C and D reflux esophagitis was significantly higher in the TG group. Hemoglobin level was higher and body weight loss was greater in the TG group at 2, 3, and 5 years postoperatively. The albumin levels at 3 and 5 years were lower in the TG group. There was no significant difference in the 5-year overall survival rates between the two groups (P=0.789). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative complications and oncologic outcomes were observed to be similar between the two groups. The PG group showed better laboratory data and weight loss than did the TG group. Moreover, severe reflux esophagitis occurred less frequently in the PG group than in the TG group. PG can be considered as an effective surgical treatment for proximal EGC.
Body Weight ; Chemistry ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Esophagitis, Peptic ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate ; Weight Loss

A 56 year old female was admitted because of the right upper quadrant mass for 4 days. She complained of intermittent colicky RUQ pain, fever and chills. So diagnostic procedures was performed: Blood chemistry testings. Ultrasonography. Barium enema, Liver scan, Hepatobiliary scan, ERCP and Abdomen CT, which diagnosed as gall bladder carcinoma. So explolaparotomy was performed and gross operative finding was gall bladder carcinoma with metastatic lymph node and cystic duct stone. So cholecystectomy, hemigastrectomy and anterior segmentectomy of right liver was done. But the biopsy result was cystic duct stone, cholecystitis and gall bladder empyema.
Abdomen ; Barium ; Biopsy ; Chemistry ; Chills ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis* ; Cystic Duct* ; Enema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

This study was conducted to isolate and purify antimicrobial polypeptides HMGN2 (high mobility group nucleosomal-binding domain2) from human lymph node, to detect the antimicrobial activity of HMGN2, and to determine the subcellular location of HMGN2 in human lymph node. The antimicrobial polypeptides were purified by the Reverse Phase HPLC and identified by Tricine-SDS-PAGE. The antimicrobial activity was detected by agar diffusion test. Mass spectrum and Western-blot analysis indicated the individual character of protein. HMGN2 was isolated and purified from human lymph node, and it showed antimicrobial potency against the pathogenic strain E. coli 54,080. The immunocytochemistry staining indicated that HMGN2 was present both in human lymph node cells' nucleus and cytoplasm. In conclusion, HMGN2 protein is of antimicrobial activity and it is probably involved in the defence of innate immunity in vivo.
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; HMGN2 Protein ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVEParaaortic lymph nodes dissection in advanced gastric carcinoma is controversial. Investigation of micrometastasis in these critical lymph nodes is important in the evaluation of prophylactic lymphadenectomy.

METHODSA total of 2 339 lymph nodes, including 390 paraaortic nodes, obtained from 47 patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were examined immunohistochemically using cytokeratin antibody.

RESULTSParaaortic lymph node metastasis was found in 95 of 390 nodes of 14 patients by routine histological examination. Micrometastasis in the paraaortic lymph nodes was immunohistochemically detected in 45 of 295 negative nodes from 15 of 33 patients. The 5-year-survival rate in patients with paraaortic lymph node metastasis was 56.0% in the node negative group, 25.2% in the cytokeratin positive group and 9.0% in the hematoxilin and eosin positive group.

CONCLUSIONSWe have demonstrated a high rate of micrometastasis in the paraaortic lymph nodes of patients with advanced gastric carcinoma and have confirmed that prophylactic lymphadenectomy of these nodes is effective for such patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; analysis ; Lymph Nodes ; chemistry ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; Survival Rate

Pectin, a polysaccharide extracted from the cell wall of plants, was used as the drug carrier to synthesize the pectin-adriamycin conjugates (P(A)n). The structure of the conjugates was confirmed by UV and IR. The degree of esterification (DE) of the pectin was assessed, and it was found that DE significantly influenced the carboxy group contents, inherent viscosity and galacturonic acid contents of the pectin. The results of drug release test in vitro showed that the conjugate was stable in normal saline, but was gradually enzymolyzed to release the adriamycin in blood plasma and in lymph nodes. The results of lymphatic targeting study of P(A), demonstrated that the modification of DE or drug coupling capacity of pectin significantly influenced the lymphatic targeting characteristics of P (A)n. The adriamycin concentration of lymph nodes was 208 times higher than that of plasma after local injection of the P(A)n, of which the adriamycin content was 27.9% and the pectin was deesterificated 120 minutes by the use of hypothermy alkaline deesterification method.
Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Esterification ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; Pectins ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Rabbits