Down-regulating Effect of a Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia on Cortactin in Prostate Cancer Cells Is Dependent on Malignant Potential.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer have been increasing worldwide. Although prostate cancer cells grow slowly in the local original site, once the cancer cells spread to distant organs they grow rapidly and show very aggressive features. Cortactin is a protein that regulates the actin cytoskeleton and plays crucial roles in cancer metastasis. Up-regulated cortactin is correlated with the metastatic capacity of prostate cancer cells. AHCC®, a standardized extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia, has been previously reported to have cortactin-down-regulating effects on human pancreatic cancer cells. In the present study, the effects of AHCC® treatment on cortactin levels in prostate cancer cells was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LNCaP.FGC, DU145, and PC-3 are human prostate cancer cell lines. LNCaP.FGC is well differentiated, androgen-dependent, and poorly metastatic. DU145 is less differentiated, androgen-independent, and moderate metastatic. PC-3 is less differentiated, androgen-independent, and highly metastatic. The effects of AHCC® treatment on cortactin levels in prostate cancer cells was evaluated by western blot. RESULTS: In vitro AHCC® treatment decreased cortactin levels in LNCaP.FGC and DU145 cells but did not change those in PC-3 cells. CONCLUSION: AHCC® treatment down-regulated cortactin expression in poor and moderate metastatic LNCaP.FGC and DU145 cells but showed no effect on cortactin expression in the highly metastatic PC-3 cells. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of the resistance to AHCC® treatment in highly metastatic PC-3 cells.

Histologic and Histomorphometric Analyses of Peri-implant Bone from Loaded Dental Implants: A Case Report

The histological findings and histomorphometrical analyses of peri-implant tissues from nine functionally loaded dental implants from an adult cadaver were analyzed. Despite the presence of peri-implant bone loss, all implants were found to have a high degree of osseointegration, with the bone-implant contact (BIC) ranging from 69% to 88%. The mean value of the BIC was 83.2 ± 4.3% (range: 76.5 - 87.7%) for the maxillary implants and 74.4 ± 7.1% (range: 69.4 - 84.9%) for the mandibular implants. The BIC was comparable for maxillary and mandibular implants. Relatively prominent bone remodeling and resorption with soft tissue ingrowth were observed in the vertical bony defects compared to the areas without intrabony components, which might represent the sequence of bone loss around the dental implants.

Evaluation of the accuracy of buccal bone thickness measurement from cone beam computed tomography compared with histologic analysis.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Three-dimensional radiographic assessment of buccal bone thickness and its integrity from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) plays an essential role in immediate implant placement. However, the accuracy of CBCT measurements for the assessment of buccal bone thickness adjacent to maxillary anterior teeth is not well understood. PURPOSE: The purpose of this observational study was to evaluate the accuracy of measuring the buccal bone thickness of maxillary anterior teeth from CBCT compared with direct measurement from histologic sections. A secondary objective was to analyze whether a minimal level of buccal bone thickness of maxillary anterior teeth can be detected from the CBCT scan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five embalmed human cadavers with a complete anterior dentition were included in this study, providing 30 teeth for evaluation. After preparing reference notches at the gingival margin of each tooth, the anterior segments were scanned. The buccal bone thickness at 3, 5, and 7 mm from the notches was measured on the cross-sections obtained from the CBCT and histomorphometric images for a total of 90 sites. The CBCT measurements were compared with the histomorphometric measurements, and their agreement was assessed by using the Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients. The sensitivity and specificity of buccal bone detection were calculated from the CBCT scan. RESULTS: Histologic examination showed absence of the buccal bone in 29 sites (32%). The mean ±standard deviation thickness of the buccal bone was 0.52 ±0.05 mm (range: 0 to 1.97 mm) from the CBCT analysis and 0.40 ±0.05 mm (range: 0 to 1.67 mm) from histology. Measurements obtained from the CBCT sections significantly overestimated the buccal bone thickness when compared with the histologic evaluation (P=.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient of buccal bone thickness between the CBCT and histology was ≤0.53, an agreement considered as poor. The sensitivity of the CBCT as a diagnostic tool to detect the presence or absence of the buccal bone was 75.4%, and the specificity was 65.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The buccal bone thickness of maxillary anterior teeth was less than 2 mm at all sites as measured with both CBCT and histology evaluations. CBCT measurements had relatively low accuracy and reliability for the measurement of buccal bone thickness. These findings should be considered when using CBCT as a measuring tool for thin bone structures.