Microencapsulation of Ascorbic Acid for Cosmetic by Utilizing Self-assembly of Phase Separated Polymer.

Micrometer-sized polymer particles encapsulated ascorbic acid (vitamin C; VC) were successfully prepared by the three types of the self-assembling method, those are, phase separation and self-assembly of added polymer at the oil-water interface in emulsion, microsuspension polymerization utilizing the self-assembling of phase separated polymer (SaPSeP) method, and their hybrid method. In the stability study at 50°C for 2 months, the three kinds of capsule particles exhibited effective protection of VC from the interaction with other components in cosmetic consisting of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. The encapsulated VC was easily released from the capsule particles by an excess of water. These encapsulation methods will be useful for the stabilization of water-soluble substances in cosmetic consisting of W/O emulsion.

PARP6, a mono(ADP-ribosyl) transferase and a negative regulator of cell proliferation, is involved in colorectal cancer development.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is an enzyme that mediates post-translational modification of proteins. Seventeen known members of the PARP superfamily can be grouped into three classes based on catalytic activity: (i) classical poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases, (ii) mono(ADP­ribosyl) transferases and (iii) catalytically inactive members. PARP6 belongs to the mono(ADP-ribosyl) transferase class, and here we have found that PARP6 is a negative regulator of cell proliferation. Forced expression of PARP6 in HeLa cells induced growth suppression, but a PARP6 mutant with a C-terminal deletion lacking the catalytic domain had no effect. The PARP6-expressing cells accumulated in the S-phase, and the magnitude of S-phase accumulation was observed to be greater in cells expressing a PARP6 mutant with an N-terminal deletion, lacking a putative regulatory domain. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that PARP6 positivity was found at higher frequencies in colorectal cancer tissues with well-differentiated histology compared to those with poorly differentiated histology. Furthermore, PARP6 positivity negatively correlated with the Ki-67 proliferation index. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that PARP6-positive colorectal cancer had a good prognosis. Based on these results, we propose that PARP6 acts as a tumor suppressor through its role in cell cycle control.

Nuclear Aurora B and cytoplasmic Survivin expression is involved in lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer.

The chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) is a key regulator of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, and consists of Aurora B kinase, INCENP, Survivin and Borealin. Aurora B is a member of a family of serine/threonine protein kinases, and Survivin belongs to the inhibitors of apoptosis (IAP) gene family, and is also a member of the CPC family. Aurora B and Survivin have also been reported to be overexpressed in various human cancers; however, as yet no studies have investigated the co-expression of Survivin and Aurora B in colorectal carcinoma. Therefore, in the present study, the correlation between Aurora B and Survivin expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry and the associated pathological features in colorectal carcinoma were analyzed. Our present findings showed that nuclear Aurora B and cytoplasmic Survivin expression are strongly associated with and involved in lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer. Therefore, we suggest that nuclear Aurora B and cytoplasmic Survivin are useful diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in colorectal carcinoma.

Intracellular localization of survivin determines biological behavior in colorectal cancer.

Survivin is a bifunctional protein that suppresses apoptosis and regulates cell division and is highly expressed in various human cancers. Recently, the intracellular localization of survivin in tumors has been suggested as a prognostic marker, but the molecular mechanisms are not understood. The aims of the present study were to investigate the different localization of survivin expression in colorectal carcinoma and expression of survivin relationships with clinicopathological factors and patient survival. Immunohistochemical analyses of 142 cases of advanced colorectal cancer showed that 109 (76.8%) cases expressed survivin in the nucleus and 29 cases (20.4%) in the cytoplasm. Cytoplasmic survivin overexpression was associated with a poor prognosis, but nuclear survivin overexpression was associated with a better prognosis. Subcellular distribution of survivin in five cases of cancerous or surrounding normal tissues derived from fresh biopsy of non-fixed samples of colorectal cancer patients was further demonstrated by Western blotting. Survivin was primarily found in the insoluble fraction. Interestingly, regardless of survivin protein levels in the insoluble fraction, patients who had cancerous tissue expressing cytoplasmic and nuclear soluble survivin suffered from lymph nodes metastases. These data suggest that the function of cytoplasmic survivin might be important for malignant progress and the levels of cytoplasmic and nuclear soluble survivin might be more relevant for prognostic factors for colorectal cancer than the total amount of survivin.

[Combination of operation, chemotherapy and radiation for AFP producing gastric cancer--a case report].

We report a case of AFP producing gastric cancer after a combination of operation, chemotherapy and radiation. A 70-year-old man was admitted complaining of abdominal fullness. He was diagnosed as having type 3 advanced gastric cancer with multiple lymph node metastasis, including No. 8p lymph node, by endoscopy and computed tomography. Distal gastrectomy and D2 lymph node dissection were performed after chemotherapy using S-1, low-dose CDDP and CPT-11. Histopathological study showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and immunohistochemical study revealed a few AFP-positive tumor cells. Postoperatively, radiation (50 Gy) was performed for paraaortic lymph node metastasis and right hepatic lobectomy for liver metastasis. However, about 2 months after hepatic lobectomy, liver metastasis was diagnosed again by computed tomography, and radiation (30 Gy) was performed. He died 13 months after first surgery.