Comparison of subareolar injection lymphoscintigraphy with the 1-day and the 2-day protocols for the detection of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy are used for the detection of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients. However, currently there is no standardized technique. For the detection of axillary lymph node metastasis by lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy, in patients with breast cancer, we compared the results of subareolar injections administered on the day of surgery (1-day protocol) with injections administered on the day before surgery (2-day protocol). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 412 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between 2001 and 2004. For the 1-day protocol (1 h before surgery) 0.8 ml of Tc-99m Tin-Colloid (37 MBq) was injected in 203 in the subareolar region on the morning of the surgery. For the 2-day protocol (16 h before surgery) 0.8 ml of Tc-99m Tin-Colloid (185 MBq) was injected in 209 patients on the afternoon before surgery. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed in the supine position and sentinel node identification was performed by hand-held gamma probe during surgery. RESULTS: Among 203 patients with the 1-day protocol, 185 cases (91.1%) were identified by sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy, and 182 cases (89.7%) were identified by gamma probe. Among the 209 patients, in the 2-day protocol, 189 cases (90.4%) had the sentinel node identified by lymphoscintigraphy, and 182 cases (87.1%) by the gamma probe. There was no significant difference in the identification rate of the sentinel node between the 1-day and 2-day protocols by lymphoscintigraphy and the gamma probe (p > 0.05, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the identification of the sentinel node by subareolar injection according to 1-day or 2-day protocol, in breast cancer patients, showed no significant differences. Because the 2-day protocol allows for an adequate amount of time to perform the lymphoscintigraphy, it is a more useful protocol for the identification of sentinel nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Effect of KIOM-79 against mitochondrial damage induced by streptozotocin in pancreatic beta-cells.

The present study examined the effects of KIOM-79 on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress in rat pancreatic beta-cells (RINm5F). KIOM-79 is a mixture of plant extracts from parched Puerariae radix, gingered Magnoliae cortex, Glycyrrhizae radix, and Euphorbiae radix. A marked increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in STZ induced diabetic cells, which returned to control conditions after KIOM-79 treatment. Mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) activity and its protein expression were downregulated by STZ treatment but upregulated by KIOM-79 treatment. In addition, KIOM-79 treatment restored the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi) produced by STZ treatment. KIOM-79 induced an increase in Bcl-2 and a decrease in phospho Bcl-2 and Bax, which are related to permeability of the mitochondrial membrane. Further, KIOM-79 inhibited the translocation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol and elevated the ATP level, which was reduced by STZ treatment. These results suggest that KIOM-79 exhibits a protective effect through activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and by attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic cells.

Risk reduction of ethyl acetate fraction of Empetrum nigrum var. japonicum via antioxidant properties against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell damage.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produce damage to all major cellular constituents. The antioxidant properties of the ethyl acetate fraction of Empetrum nigrum was assessed against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cell damage. Empetrum extract was found to scavenge (1) intracellular ROS in cell system, (2) hydroxyl radicals generated by the Fenton reaction (FeSO(4) + H(2)O(2)), and (3) superoxide radicals generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase in a cell-free system as detected by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Cell damage was produced by H(2)O(2) treatment as evidenced by DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and increased protein carbonyl formation; however, Empetrum extract prevented H(2)O(2)-induced damage to these parameters. Empetrum extract increased viability of Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells exposed to H(2)O(2), as evidenced by decreased apoptotic nuclear fragmentation, and lower sub G(1) cell population. Further, Empetrum extract restored the cellular antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which were reduced by H(2)O(2) treatment. In conclusion, Empetrum extract protected cells against H(2)O(2)-induced cell damage via antioxidant properties by scavenging ROS and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities.

Intratumoral injection of 188Re labeled cationic polyethylenimine conjugates: a preliminary report.

188Re (Rhenium) is easily obtained from an in-house 188W/188Re generator that is similar to the current 99Mo/99mTc generator, making it very convenient for clinical use. This characteristic makes this radionuclide a promising candidate as a therapeutic agent. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a cationic polymer and has been used as a gene delivery vector. Positively charged materials interact with cellular blood components, vascular endothelium, and plasma proteins. In this study, the authors investigated whether intratumoral injection of 188Re labeled transferrin (Tf)-PEI conjugates exert the effect of radionuclide therapy against the tumor cells. When the diameters of the Ramos lymphoma (human Burkitt's lymphoma) xenografted tumors reached approximately 1 cm, 3 kinds of 188Re bound compounds (HYNIC-PEI-Tf, HYNIC-PEI, 188Re perrhenate) were injected directly into the tumors. There were increases in the retention of 188Re inside the tumor when PEI was incorporated with 188Re compared to the use of free 188Re. The 188Re HYNIC-Tf-PEI showed the most retention inside the tumor (retention rate=approximately 97%). H&E stain of isolated tumor tissues showed that 188Re labeled HYNIC-PEI-Tf caused extensive tumor necrosis. These results support 188Re HYNIC-PEI-Tf as being a useful radiopharmaceutical agent to treat tumors when delivered by intratumoral injection.