A phase I study of S-1 with concurrent radiotherapy in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: A phase I study was performed to evaluate dose-limiting toxicity and the recommended dose for the oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 administered concurrently with thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) in elderly (≥ 70 years of age) patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: S-1 was administered on days 1 to 14 and 22 to 35 at oral doses of 65 or 80 mg m(-2) day(-1). TRT was administered in 2-Gy fractions five times weekly for a total dose of 60 Gy. Twelve previously untreated patients were treated with S-1 at 65 (n=6) or 80 (n=6) mg m(-2) day(-1). RESULTS: All patients completed the planned 60 Gy of TRT. Dose-limiting toxicity included pneumonitis (n=2), infection (n=1), and stomatitis (n=1), each of grade 3, but each event was reversible. The recommended dose for S-1 was determined to be 80 mg m(-2) day(-1). No patient experienced toxicity of grade 4. The dose intensity of S-1 was well maintained and the combination of S-1 plus TRT was well tolerated overall. The overall response rate was 83.3 %, with a median survival time of 34.0 months. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of S-1 at 80 mg m(-2) day(-1) on days 1 to 14 and 22 to 35 can be safely combined with concurrent TRT in elderly patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and regenerative medicine.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) are multipotent and can differentiate into various cell types, including osteocytes, adipocytes, neural cells, vascular endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, pancreatic ß-cells, and hepatocytes. Compared with the extraction of other stem cells such as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), that of ADSCs requires minimally invasive techniques. In the field of regenerative medicine, the use of autologous cells is preferable to embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. Therefore, ADSCs are a useful resource for drug screening and regenerative medicine. Here we present the methods and mechanisms underlying the induction of multilineage cells from ADSCs.

Kinetic-controlled hydrolysis of Leu-Val-Val-hemorphin-7 catalyzed by angiotensin-converting enzyme from rat brain.

Leu-Val-Val-hemorphin-7 (LVV-H7, LVVYPWTQRY), an opioid peptide, was found to be hydrolyzed sequentially by rat brain angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in three steps through dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase activity. The kinetic constants evaluated were in order of: k(1) (0.19 min(-1))>>k(2) (0.0008 min(-1)) approximately k(3) (0.0006 min(-1)) in 10 mM NaCl at pH 7.5 giving rise to LVV-H5 almost quantitatively. The decapeptide was noted to be hydrolyzed 164- and 346-fold more efficiently than angiotensin I (Ang I) in k(cat) and kcat/Km values, respectively, at their optimal conditions. The kinetic-controlled preferential action of the brain enzyme on LVV-H7 is suggestive of its multiple roles in vivo.