The p53 oncoprotein, a product of the tumor suppressor gene encoded on the short arm of chromosome 17, has been noted in a number of human tumors as a tumor suppressor and some what has been related with cellular apoptosis. Thus, mutant p53 inhibits apoptosis. Like the mutant p53 oncoprotein, the bcl-2 oncoprotein expressed in various epithelial and nonepithelial cells plays a major role in inhibiting cellular apoptosis. To elucidate the role of bcl-2 and mutant p53 oncoprotein expression in gastric adenocarcinomas, immunohistochemical stains were carried out in 60 cases of gastric adenocarcinomas including 10 cases of early gastric cancer. We studied the expression patterns of the bcl-2 and the mutant p53 protein according to age, sex, histologic differentiation, tumor location, tumor size, lymph-node involvement, and depth of tumor invasion. The results were as follows: 1) p53 protein expression was detected in 39 of 60 cases (65%), and bcl-2 protein expression was detected in 29 of 60 cases (48%). 2) The p53 and the bcl-2 expression rates for early gastric cancer were 60% and 50%, and those for advanced gastric cancer were 66% and 40%, respectively. 3) There was no significant correlation of p53 or bcl-2 expression with sex, age, histologic differentiation, tumor location, tumor size, and lymph-node involvement; however, the expression of p53 was correlated with the depth of tumor invasion (p=0.049). Based on the present study, the expression of p53 is thought to be correlated with tumor progression and may be a useful prognostic factor in gastric adenocarcinomas.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Apoptosis ; Arm ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Coloring Agents ; Genes, bcl-2* ; Genes, p53* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Stomach Neoplasms

Background and objectives: Carvedilol is a cardiovascular drug, beta- and alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, currently approved for the treatment of hypertension, angina, congestive heart failure by FDA. Carvedilol has been shown to attenuate oxygen free radical-initiated lipid peroxidation and to inhibit neointimal formation of aorta following vascular injury by balloon angioplasty. We have investigated the effect of carvedilol on DNA synthesis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were obtained by the combined collagenase and elastase methods. Cells between the 4th and 8th passages were used for the experiments. Incorporated radioactivity of [3H]-thymidine was measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry. RESULTS: PDGF-BB (1 nM) increased [3H]-thymidine incorporation about 70-100% over basal value in cultured VSMC. PDGF-stimulated increase in DNA synthesis was significantly suppressed by simultaneous administration of carvedilol. In contrast, propranolol did not significantly affect 3[H]-thymidine uptake in rat aortic VSMC. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrate that carvedilol significantly inhibits the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell in our condition. These results indicate that carvedilol may be effective in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases principally associated with abnormal vascular smooth muscle growth.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Animals ; Aorta ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagenases ; DNA ; Heart Failure ; Hypertension ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Oxygen ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Propranolol ; Radioactivity ; Rats ; Spectrum Analysis ; Vascular System Injuries

PURPOSE: Disturbance in normal cell cycles by cell cycle control factors is an important process of cancer carcinogenesis. The aims of this dissertation were identify the influence of cyclin B1 and D1 on the growth and expression of gastric cancer and their effects on the prognosis. METHOD: The subjects were 128 patients selected from those who underwent gastric surgery for their gastric cancer between January 1995 and December 1998. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted for cyclin B1 and D1 using paraffin embedded tissues, followed by analysis of their protein expressions, possible prognostic factors and survival rate. RESULTS: Cyclin B1 expression was founded in 48 of the 128 patients (37.5%), and that of cyclin D1 in 96 (75%). Both cyclin B1 and D1 showed no statistical significance with T-stage, location of tumors or histologic types. However, for the case of any significance with lymph node metastasis, the higher the N-stage, the greater was the expression of cyclin B1 (P=0.014). For the case of any significance with life term, the Kaplan-Meier method showed the greater the expression of cyclin B1, the shorter the life term (P=0.042). CONCLUSION: An association was indicated between cyclin B1 and lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer, but has no relation with the T-stage, histologic type or location of tumors. Cyclin D1 shows no association with lymph node metastasis, T-stage, histologic type or location of tumors. However, cyclin B1 showed a significant association with the survival rate.
Carcinogenesis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cyclin B1* ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclins* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate*

BACKGROUNDS: Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) are increasingly used because of ease of collection and rapid kinetics of recovery relative to bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Here we summarize laboratory and clinical experiences of 671 PBSC harvests performed at a single institution. METHODS: PBSC harvests were performed mainly with Fenwal CS3000 plus blood cell separator. 126 cancer patients and 12 allogeneic BMT donors (54 children, 84 adults) were enrolled in this study. Total WBC and mononuclear cells (MNC) were analyzed in peripheral blood before procedure, and total WBC, MNC and CD34+ cell count on PBSC product. Correlation between dose of CD34+ cells and hematologic recovery was evaluated by Wilcoxon rank sum test and Pearson correlation analysis. RESLUTS: A mean of 4.8 leukapheresis was performed and 9,155 mL blood was processed. A mean volume of PBSC product was 66 mL and MNC purity of that was 84%. An average of 3.0 +/- 3.3x108 WBC/kg, 2.4 +/- 2.6x108 MNC/kg, and 2.7 +/- 5.4x106 CD34+ cells/kg was collected in each procedure. A goal of 1x108/kg MNCs was reached in 98.4% (127/129) of the patients and more than 1x106/kg CD34+ cells were collected in 91.8% (90/98). Various complications of PBSC harvests were observed but the incidence of serious adverse reaction was low. Median times to an absolute neutrophil count over 500/uL were 11 (7-34) and 11 (8-29) days respectively, in adult and children, and those to a sustained platelet count over 50,000/uL were 18.5 (9-118) and 36 (16-85) days, respectively. CONCLUSION: We analyzed yield, adverse reaction and hematologic recovery of PBSC harvests and this can serve basic data for the PBSC procedure.
Adult ; Blood Cells ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cell Count ; Child ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kinetics ; Leukapheresis ; Neutrophils ; Platelet Count ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors

Chloroma (granulocytic sarcoma) indicates an extramedullary leukemic cell collection. It often develops in the course of, or as a presenting sign of leukemia. Cardiac chloroma is uncommon and rarely detected as a mass. We report the first case of cardiac chloroma in a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia in Korea. A 73-year-old man was admitted because of exertional dyspnea, orthopnea and generalized weakness. Thrombocytopenia and immature leukocytes were detected in the peripheral blood. An X-ray film of the chest showed mild cardiome-galy and bilateral pleural effusion. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed a low echogenic mass at the lateral wall of the right ventricle. The size of the mass was about 6x4 cm. MRI of the chest showed right ventricular mass with slightly increased inhomogeneous signal intensity. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy confirmed that he had a L3 FAB subtype of acute lymphocytic leukemia. Induction chemotherapy with vincristine, prednisolone, daunorubicin resulted in hematologic complete remission. At 6 weeks after the induction chemotherapy, transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated disappearance of the right ventricular mass which suggested that it was a cardiac chloroma complicating acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Daunorubicin ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Leukocytes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pleural Effusion ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Prednisolone ; Sarcoma, Myeloid* ; Thorax ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vincristine ; X-Ray Film

A 45-year-old male with alleged asymptomatic hepatic hemangioma of 4 years duration had right upper-quadrant pain and was referred to a tertiary hospital. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed a hypervascular mass of about 7 cm containing intratumoral multilobulated cysts. A preoperative liver biopsy was performed, but this failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. The patient underwent a partial hepatectomy of segments IV and VIII. The histologic findings revealed multifocal proliferation of flattened or cuboidal epithelioid cells and a highly vascular edematous stroma. Immunohistochemistry findings demonstrated that the epithelioid tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), vimentin, calretinin, and cytokeratin 5/6, and were focally positive for CD10, and negative for WT1 and CD34, all of which support their mesothelial origin. Immunohistochemistry for a mesothelial marker should be performed for determining the presence of an adenomatoid tumor when benign epithelioid cells are seen.
Adenomatoid Tumor/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent/metabolism ; Hemangioma/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Keratins/metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neprilysin/metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vimentin/metabolism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The octapeptide hormone of the renin-angiotensin system, angiotensin ii, regulates a wide variety of physiological responses including salt and water balance, blood pressure, and vascular tone. Contradictory results have been reported regarding the effects of angiotensin ii on vascular smooth mu-scle cell (VSMC) proliferation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the direct effect of angiotensin ii on the growth of VSMC. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were obtained by the combined collagenase and elastase methods. Cells between the 4th and 8th passages were used for the experiments. Cultures were treated daily for 3 days with either angiotensin ii alone or angiotensin ii with equimolar concentrations of saralasin. Incorporated radioactivity of [3H]thymidine and [14C]phenylalanine was measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry. RESULTS: Angiotensin ii increased [14C]phenyalanine incor-poration about 20-30%, and saralasin completely blocked the stimulation by angiotensin ii. However, there was no significant increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation by angiotensin ii stimulation in this study. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that angiotensin ii alone induces cellular hypertrophy but has no detectable mitogenic activity in cultured rat aortic VSMC.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Collagenases ; Hypertrophy ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Radioactivity ; Rats ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Saralasin ; Spectrum Analysis

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a diffuse disease process that produce thickening of the vascular wall because of intimal deposition of lipid, fibrous tissue, and calcific material. Nowadays it is possible to evaluate atherosclerotic changes of carotid arteries accurately by developed noninvasive techniques such as ultrasonography. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is known to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular events in hypertension. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the carotid intimal - medial thickness (IMT) correlates with the severity of LVH. METHOD: We measured intimal-medial thickness (IMT) for 12 sites in carotid arteries (near and far walls in common carotid, bifurcation, and internal carotid arteries of both sides) by B-mode ultrasonography in both 38 normotensive and 72 hypertensive patients. Left ventricular measurements were made according to the recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography. Left ventricular mass was derived from the formula described by Devereux et al. and each left ventricular mass value was indexed to body surface area. And then we have investigated whether hypertensive patients have significant changes of carotid IMT and IMT correlates with left ventricular mass index (LVMI). RESULTS: (1) Most hypertensive patients had diffuse thickening of the carotid artery and some had focal or multiple plaques. (2) In general, mean IMT was widest in the carotid bifurcation. (3) The mean IMT of all 12 segments increased about 40% in hypertensive patients compared with normal control group. (4) LVMI significantly correlates with IMT of carotid artery, especially bifurcation site and mean all 12 segments. CONCLUSION: The mean IMT may serve as a useful marker of the severity of atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients. The significant association between carotid IMT and LVMI suggests a simultaneous correlation of carotid atherosclerosis with left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension.
Atherosclerosis ; Body Surface Area ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Vascular lesions are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients. However, the pathologic characteristics of gradually evolving, chronic hypertension have not been adequately studied and the mechanism by which hypertension accelerates atherosclerosis is still uncertain. This study was undertaken to invertigate the ultrastructural changes of the aorta and the effect of high cholesterol diet in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR). METHODS: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (n=80, male, 5 weeks old) and Wistar rats (n=40, male, 5 week old) were used. Forty SHR were fed with 2% cholestrol diete, while the remainder with control diet. Systolic blood pressure was measured weekly until 16 weeks after birth, and then biweekly until 40 weeks after birth. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate ultrastrucural changes of the aorta. RESULTS: 1) The blood pressure of SHR rose stedily and progressively from the 5 weeks after birth and reached nearly 190mmHG at the 16 weeks after birth. 2) In SHR, the subendothelial component contained finely granular substances, abundant fibrillar collagen and elastin. Infiltration of the mononuclear blood leukocytes into the intima was frequently seen. 3) Endothelium from cholestrol-fed SHR did exhibit numerous pinocytotic vesicles and contained many cytoplasmic filaments. There were a number of large mononuclear lipid-filled cells in the intimal lesions. Blistering of the endothelial plasma membrane was also observed in high cholesterol diet-fed SHR. Later on, adhesion of platelets, febrin, and white blood cells as well as damage of intima shown as multiple small holes were more marked. 4) There was no significant difference in systoloic blood pressure between high cholesterol diet-fed and control diet-fed SHR. CONCLUSION: In the aorta of SHR, the most prominent change was an expansion of the subendothelial space and infiltration of the mononuclear leukocytes into the intima. The present study showed that the SHR was indeed a reliable model for the essential hypertension. In some SHR, high cholesterol diet could induce more pronounced vascular lesions, which were enhanced by hypertension.
Aorta* ; Atherosclerosis ; Blister ; Blood Pressure ; Cell Membrane ; Cholesterol* ; Cytoskeleton ; Diet* ; Elastin ; Endothelium ; Fibrillar Collagens ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocytes ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Rats, Inbred SHR* ; Rats, Wistar

We review the effect of methylphenidate, focusing on Osmotic-controlled Release Oral delivery System (OROS) methylphenidate, on cardiovascular system, appetite and growth, sleep, tic, epilepsy, psychiatric and rare adverse events. Although OROS methylphenidate has side effects including increased heart rate or blood pressure, decreased appetite, delayed sleep onset, emergence or aggravation of tics, withdrawal or changes in mood, these effects appeared to be minimal in impact or difficult to distinguish from risk to untreated population and tended to be improved by dose adjustment or drug discontinuation. However, in subjects with underlying cardiac problems, uncontrolled epilepsy, previous psychotic episode, clinicians should pay attention and balance the risk and benefit.
Appetite ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System ; Epilepsy ; Heart Rate ; Methylphenidate ; Tics