Successful trachelectomy and re-vaginoplasty for cervico-vaginal stenosis following unsuccessful uterovaginal anastomosis and vaginoplasty in congenital cervical and vaginal aplasia: description of technique and a case report.

We describe a successful surgical technique of abdominal trachelectomy and re-vaginoplasty for cervico-vaginal stenosis following unsuccessful uterovaginal anastomosis and vaginoplasty in a patient with congenital cervical and vaginal aplasia. After the surgical procedure, cervico-vaginal stenosis was resolved and periodic menstruation without dysmenorrhoea resumed. While long-term follow-up is essential to ensure successful pregnancy and delivery, we conclude that this novel surgical procedure is a promising alternative for improvement of the quality of life and normal sexual function, and for preservation of fertility in patients with cervical and vaginal aplasia.

Current Status of Uterus Transplantation and Approaches for Future Clinical Application in Japan.

Uterus transplantation (UTx) has become an alternative to gestational surrogacy and adoption for women with uterine factor infertility (UFI). Brännström et al achieved the first human delivery after UTx in 2014, and to date a total of 8 babies have been born after UTx from living donors. This outcome has attracted much attention worldwide, and many countries are now preparing for UTx. There are an estimated 60,000 women of reproductive age with UFI in Japan, and these patients cannot have biological children because gestational surrogacy is forbidden in Japan. We have performed UTx research from 2009 using cynomolgus macaque, in preparation for clinical application of UTx for these patients to have a child, and we have accumulated a large amount of data. However, the UTx procedure still has many medical, ethical, and social issues that require discussion prior to clinical application. The Japan Society for Uterus Transplantation was established in 2014 for further discussion of these issues in Japan. UTx is still in the experimental stage overseas, and the safety and efficacy remain unclear, despite several clinical applications. Despite the many issues to be resolved, this organ transplantation technology will provide new hope for women with UFI, and further development of the technology is important for future reproductive and transplant medicine. In this article, we summarize the current status of UTx and the situation regarding future clinical application in Japan.

Organ Perfusion for Uterus Transplantation in Non-Human Primates With Assumed Procurement of a Uterus From a Brain-Dead Donor.

BACKGROUND: Clinical studies of uterus transplantation have been performed to treat uterine factor infertility. Because the uterus is a pelvic visceral organ, the method of perfusion for the procurement of vital organs from a brain-dead donor should be modified for removal of the uterus. Herein, we report the results of a preliminary study in cynomolgus monkeys of a new perfusion method for uterus transplantation with assumed procurement of a uterus from a brain-dead donor. METHODS: Cynomolgus monkeys were used; thoracolaparotomy was performed on the donor. A perfusion catheter was then placed into the unilateral femoral artery and/or external iliac artery. Cross-clamping was performed for the aorta under the diaphragm and the inferior vena cava was divided in the pleural space. The perfusion solution was then administered via the catheter to perfuse all organs in the abdominal cavity, including those in the pelvic cavity. After the perfusion, gross observation and histopathological examination of abdominal organs were conducted. RESULTS: Gross findings showed that all abdominal organs turned white in all specimens, indicating favorable perfusion of the uterus and all other organs in the abdomen. Pathological findings showed that almost no hemocytes were observed in the vessels of each organ. CONCLUSIONS: With perfusion via the femoral artery and/or external iliac artery, all organs in the abdominal cavity, including the uterus, could be perfused. It was suggested that this technique could be useful for uterus transplantation assuming the procurement of a uterus from a brain-dead donor.

Pathological factors associated with omental metastases in endometrial cancer.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: This study aimed to assess the role of omentectomy in the surgical therapy of endometrial cancer. MATERI- ALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 98 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with endometrial cancer and had initially undergone surgical therapy at the present institution. This study analyzed the relationship between omental metastasis and clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: Omental metastasis was detected in nine patients (9%). On univariate analysis, significant number of omental metastatic lesions were detected in few cases by positive peritoneal cytology, adnexal metastasis, gross dissemination, and lymphovascular space involvement. On multivariate analysis, adnexal metastasis were a significant risk factor. The sensitivity of the spe- cial histological type and the specificity of the macroscopic peritoneal dissemination and adnexal metastasis were all high. CONCLUSION: Omentectomy plays a significant role in determining the exact surgical staging in cases with non-endometrioid cancer, adnexal metas- tasis, and macroscopic peritoneal dissemination.

Uterine transplantation in primates: a mini-review of the literature.

Assisted reproductive technology has improved markedly in recent years, and many infertile patients have had children with the use of this technology. However, women with infertility due to an absent or nonfunctional uterus currently have no option of having a genetically linked child other than gestational surrogacy. Uterus transplantation (UTx) is now a possible approach for women with uterine-factor infertility to deliver a child. UTx studies have been performed in many animals, and accumulation of data from these studies has brought UTx within reach of clinical application. This has led to performance of UTx in humans in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Sweden. However, there has yet to be a delivery after allogeneic UTx in primates. More basic studies in primates are needed, and data from research in primates can provide important information for establishment of UTx in humans. In this review, we summarize the literature on UTx studies, with a focus on primates, both human and nonhuman.

Gene expression profile of a newly established choriocarcinoma cell line, iC3-1, compared to existing choriocarcinoma cell lines and normal placenta.

Gestational choriocarcinoma is a malignant trophoblastic tumor that usually occurs in the uterus after pregnancy. The tumor is curable with advanced chemotherapy, but the molecular mechanism of choriocarcinoma tumorigenesis remains unclear. This is partly because the low incidence makes it difficult to obtain clinical samples for investigation and because an appropriate choriocarcinoma cell model to study the tumorigenesis has not been developed. We have established a new choriocarcinoma cell line, induced choriocarcinoma cell-1 (iC(3)-1), that possesses unique characteristics compared to other choriocarcinoma cell lines, including production of tumors that consist of the two types of cells commonly found in choriocarcinoma and mimicking of the clinical pathology. Existing trophoblast cell lines utilized in previous choriocarcinoma studies have had significantly dissimilar gene expression profiles. Therefore, it is important to choose an appropriate cell line for a particular study based on the characteristics of the cell line. In this study, to clarify the genetic characteristics of iC(3)-1 and to explore the tumorigenesis mechanism, we examined the gene profile of iC(3)-1 compared to those of existing cell lines and normal placental tissue. Bioinformatics analysis showed that several characteristic genes, IGF1R, CHFR, MUC3A, TAF7, PARK7, CDC123 and PSMD8, were significantly upregulated in iC(3)-1 compared to BeWo and JEG3 cells. Interestingly, HAS2, CD44 and S100P were significantly upregulated in iC(3)-1 compared to parental HTR8/SVneo cells and normal third trimester placenta. Choriocarcinoma samples also showed immunoreactivity to HAS2, CD44 and S100. In summary, the gene expression profile of iC(3)-1 suggests that studies using this cell line can make an important contribution to improved understanding of choriocarcinoma tumorigenesis.

Can ABCF2 protein expression predict the prognosis of uterine cancer?

Uterine cervical and endometrial cancers are common malignant solid neoplasms for which there are no useful prognostic markers. In this study, we evaluate the relationship between ATP-binding cassette superfamily F2 (ABCF2) expression and clinical factors including clinical stage, histologic type, grade and prognosis in uterine cervical and endometrial cancer. Two hundred and sixty seven cervical and 103 endometrial cancers were studied. ATP-binding cassette superfamily F2 cytoplasmic expression was detected by immunohistochemical staining and scored as positive or negative. Among cervical cancer cases, 149 (55.8%) expressed ABCF2. The overall survival was longer in ABCF2-negative than ABCF2-positive cases (P=0.0069). Statistically significant prognostic factors for survival were ABCF2 positivity (risk ratio (rr)=1.437), old age (rr=1.550) and advanced stage (rr=2.577). ATP-binding cassette superfamily F2 positivity was an independent prognostic factor by multivariate proportional hazard test (P=0.0002). Among endometrial cancer cases, 72 (69.9%) were cytoplasmic ABCF2 positive. However, there was no significant relationship between ABCF2 expression and age, clinical stage, histologic type, histologic grade, oestrogen receptor status or prognosis. ATP-binding cassette superfamily F2 expression may be a useful prognostic marker in cervical but not endometrial cancer. The role of ABCF2 protein may differ depending on the type of cancer.

Molecular epidemiological and mutational analysis of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes in endometrial cancer patients with HNPCC-associated familial predisposition to cancer.

Recently, a high rate of endometrial cancer has been reported in women with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), suggesting a relationship between familial endometrial cancers and HNPCC. Familial endometrial cancers constitute only about 0.5% of all endometrial carcinomas and it is essential to examine family histories in detail. A mutational analysis of three DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (hMLH1, hMSH2 and hMSH6) in patients with endometrial cancer who meet our criteria for familial predisposition to HNPCC-associated endometrial cancers was performed. Mutations were detected in 18 of the 120 patients (15.0%). Most HNPCC-related endometrial cancers do not meet the New Amsterdam Criteria for HNPCC. These clinical criteria may identify only some HNPCC-associated endometrial cancers. Establishing the correct family history for endometrial cancer patients is important for diagnosing familial endometrial carcinomas. An analysis of MMR genes may be useful for patients with endometrial cancer showing familial aggregation. In addition, gynecologists must be accurately informed, and it is important to perform large-scale, multicenter studies both nationwide and internationally.

Diagnostic clinical application of two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization that detects chromosome 1 and 17 alterations to direct touch smear and liquid-based thin-layer cytologic preparations of endometrial cancers.

We performed two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on direct touch smears and liquid-based thin-layer (ThinPrep) cytological preparations of endometrial tumors to detect alterations of chromosome 1 and 17 that present with high incidence in endometrial cancers. The DNA probes used for two-color FISH analysis were a combination of the probes designed for 17cen (cCI 17-321) and 17p13.3 (D17S34), and a combination of the probes designed for 1q12 (D1Z1) and 1p36 (cCI1-5335). Numerical or structural alterations of chromosome 1 and/or 17 were detected in 95% (19 of 20 cases) of the direct touch smears obtained from endometrial cancer, while these alterations were also detected in 93% (12 of 13 cases) of samples obtained from grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma cases, including three cases that could not be diagnosed as positive by conventional Papanicolaou cytopathologic staining. Using ThinPrep cytopathologic preparations, numerical or structural abnormalities were found in 26 (90%) and five (100%) cases, respectively, of samples obtained transcervically from 29 endometrial cancer and five atypical endometrial hyperplasia cases. Therefore, two-color FISH may be a useful diagnostic method for endometrial adenocarcinoma and premalignant lesions that demonstrate only slight cellular atypia in conventional cytopathologic preparations.

Purification and characterization of NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase specific for beta-keto esters from Penicillium citrinum, and production of methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate.

A novel beta-keto ester reductase (KER) was purified to homogeneity from recombinant Escherichia coli (pTrcKER) cells, which efficiently expressed the ker gene cloned from Penicillium citrinum IFO4631. The enzyme was monomeric and had a molecular mass of 37 kDa. It catalyzed the reduction of some beta-keto esters, especially alkyl 4-halo-3-oxobutyrates. However, it did not catalyze the reverse reaction, the dehydrogenation of alkyl 4-halo-3-hydroxybutyrates and other alcohols. The enzyme required NADPH as a cofactor and showed no activity with NADH. Therefore, it was defined as a NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase (AKR3E1), belonging to the AKR superfamily. The enzyme stereospecifically produced methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate from its keto derivative with high stereospecificity (97.9% enantiomer excess). E. coli cells expressing KER and glucose dehydrogenase in the water/butyl acetate two-phase system achieved a high productivity of (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate (277 mM, 54 mg/ml) in the organic solvent layer.

Effects of suplatast tosilate on airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness.

Suplatast tosilate (IPD) is a Th2 cytokine inhibitor that lowers the titer of the IgE antibody through specific inhibition of the production of IL (interleukin)-4 and IL-5 by T cells and inhibits tissue infiltration by eosinophils. In this clinical trial, suplatast tosilate (300 mg/day) was administered orally for 4 weeks to 25 patients (13 patients with atopic asthma, 12 patients with nonatopic asthma) whose bronchial asthma was staged in step 1 or step 2 according to the Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Bronchial Asthma, 1998. Before and after administration, the parameters of airway inflammation, that is, peripheral blood eosinophils count, serum level of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), ECP level in induced sputum, airway hyperresponsiveness (Dmin), and morning peak expiratory flow (PEF), were measured. The peripheral blood eosinophil count, serum level of ECP, and ECP level in induced sputum decreased significantly. Of these parameters, the ECP level in induced sputum was the most sensitive. Furthermore, suplatast tosilate significantly inhibited Dmin. These results were especially significant in patients with atopic asthma. Suplatast tosilate was considered to have inhibited airway eosinophilic inflammation through decreases in peripheral blood eosinophils counts and in ECP levels in induced sputum, which resulted in inhibition of airway hyperresponsiveness.

Narcolepsy and other non-SAS hypersomnia in sleep breathing disorders clinic.

Four of the 708 snorers (0.56%), referred to our sleep breathing disorders clinic for the past 2 years were diagnosed as having narcolepsy-cataplexy. Detecting HLA DRB1*1501/DQB1*0602 positive was informative for differentiating genuine narcolepsy from non-sleep apnea syndrome (non-SAS) hypersomnia in our clinic. A non-SAS obese boy, diagnosed as having essential hypersomnia syndrome, was found to be HLA DRB1*1502/DQB1*0601 positive. His hypocretin concentration was 206 pg/mL in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Effects of physiological cardiac pacing on sleep-disordered breathing in patients with chronic bradydysrhythmias.

In six patients with chronic bradydysrhythmias, polysomnographies were performed before cardiac pacemaker implantation and over the week following implantation. A patient with third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) and two patients with sinus node dysfunction (SND) were associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Their cardiac pacemaker therapies, with the increase in the average heart rate, led to a reduction of apnea-hypopnea index and/or an improvement of Cheyne-Stokes breathing. It seems that chronic bradydysrhythmia is one of the causative factors leading to SDB.

[Clinical significance of serum KL-6 in pulmonary sarcoidosis].

We investigated whether the level of serum KL-6 could be an activity marker for pulmonary sarcoidosis. In 33 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, the relationships between serum KL-6 levels and diagnostic imaging, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels, serum lysozyme levels, steroid therapy, and prognosis were evaluated. There were no significant differences in the level of serum KL-6 when the patients were divided on the basis of radiographic findings, but the level of serum KL-6 was markedly elevated in some patients with stage-II pulmonary sarcoidosis. There was a significant correlation between serum KL-6 levels and the following two parameters: serum ACE and lysozyme levels. Among patients with a high initial level of serum KL-6, pulmonary sarcoidosis tended to become exacerbated within one year. Steroid therapy significantly decreased the level of serum KL-6, suggesting that the level of serum KL-6 could be an activity indicator for pulmonary sarcoidosis. Immunohistochemical staining by anti-KL-6 antibody revealed that KL-6 was localized in proliferating type-II alveolar epithelial cells.

[Clinical utility and safety of diagnostic thoracoscopy].

The increasing use of thoracoscopy performed under local anesthesia has made contributions to the diagnosis of pleural disease with effusion. During the past 7 years, we have performed 100 such thoracoscopy procedures using a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope. On the basis of our clinical findings, we are able to discuss the utility and safety of this procedure. The causes of pleural effusion were carcinomatous pleurisy in 72 cases, tuberculosis pleurisy in 15 cases, infection without tuberculosis in 4 cases, malignant pleural mesothelioma in 8 cases and one case of asbestosis. The success rate of thoracoscopic pleural biopsies were 97% for carcinomatous pleurisy, 100% for malignant pleural mesothelioma and 86% for tuberculosis pleurisy. This procedure was performed with no serious effect on blood pressure, oxygen saturation, monitored ECG or BGA data, and with no serious complications. Therefore, we concluded that this method is very useful for the diagnosis of pleural effusions and has few complications.

Primary pulmonary hypertension with central sleep apnea: sudden death after bilevel positive airway pressure therapy.

An obese 23-year-old man with sleep-disordered breathing and primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) had been administered oral beraprost sodium, anticoagulant warfarin, and home oxygen therapy, at another hospital as treatment for the PPH, but he had not experienced any symptomatic improvement. The patient had a body mass index of 32.4kg/m2, and complained of fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion, excessive daytime sleepiness, and snoring. Arterial blood gas analysis showed a PaO2 and a PaCO2 of 70.9 and 31.2mmHg, respectively. A polysomnographic study revealed central sleep apnea with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 29.7episodes/h. The patient showed improvement of daytime sleepiness after starting nocturnal nasal bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) therapy for the central sleep apnea, but his pulmonary hypertension, measured in the daytime, worsened. The patient died suddenly while walking to the bathroom in the morning 1 month after initiation of BiPAP therapy. It is necessary to consider the possibility of sudden death when nasal BiPAP therapy is given to a PPH patient with central sleep apnea.

Restless legs syndrome in 218 patients: associated disorders.

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder characterized by disagreeable sensations in the legs that occur at rest and are relieved by movement. These symptoms, which are worse at night, may result in sleep onset or sleep maintenance insomnia. Most patients are found on polysomnography (PSG) to have periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS). The disorder, idiopathic in most cases, may be sometimes associated with specific disorders.Methods: Using the Province of Manitoba Health database, we compared the diagnoses made in the 5 years prior to sleep laboratory evaluation of 218 patients (103 men and 115 women) with RLS and 872 matched control subjects from the general population.Results: We found that 43.7% of male RLS patients vs. 10.4% of male controls and 46.1% of female RLS patients vs. 22.8% of female controls had been diagnosed as having psychological/psychiatric (most often depression) disorders (P<0.05). Extrapyramidal disease or movement disorders were previously diagnosed in 17.5% of male RLS patients vs. 0.2% of male controls and in 23.5% of female patients vs. 0.2% of female controls (P<0.05). Many patients had been previously diagnosed with disorders of the musculoskeletal system: 35.9% of male patients vs. 22.8% of male controls and 49.6% of female RLS patients vs. 23.3% of female controls had been diagnosed as having diseases of joints (male; P=ns, female; P<0.05). Disorders of the back were also more frequently diagnosed in RLS patients: 21.4% of male patients vs. 13.1% of male controls and 38.3% of female patients vs. 15.0% of female controls (male; P=ns, female; P<0.05).Conclusions: We conclude that RLS patients are much more likely to have previously been diagnosed with extrapyramidal disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, depression, and painful conditions such as joint and back disorders.

A role of transcriptional activators as antirepressors for the autoinhibitory activity of TATA box binding of transcription factor IID.

The TATA box-binding activity of transcription factor IID (TFIID) is autoinhibited by the N-terminal domain of the Drosophila TATA box-binding protein- (TBP) associated factor 230/yeast TBP-associated factor 145 subunit, which binds to the TATA box-binding domain of TBP by mimicking the TATA box structure. Here, we propose a mechanism of transcriptional activation that involves antirepression of this autoinhibitory activity by transcriptional activators. Like the autoinhibitory domain of TFIID, various acidic activators interact with the TATA box-binding domain of TBP. Moreover, the autoinhibitory domain of TFIID, which is known to interact with only the TATA box-binding domain of TBP, acts as an activation domain when fused to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain, indicating that interaction with the TATA-binding domain of TBP is crucial for activation of transcription. In a reciprocal fashion, the acidic activation domains can function as the autoinhibitory domain when the latter is replaced by the former within TFIID. These results indicate that activation domains and the autoinhibitory domain of TFIID are interchangeable, supporting a role for transcriptional activators as antirepressors of the autoinhibitory activity of the TATA box binding of TFIID.