The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2017
Case Reports Multicenter StudyCombination Therapy with Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir for Dialysis Patients Infected with Hepatitis C Virus: A Prospective Multi-Institutional Study.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common in dialysis patients worldwide and nosocomial HCV spread within dialysis facilities continues to develop. Combination therapy with daclatasvir and asunaprevir (DCV/ASV) that has proven efficacy for dialysis patients infected with genotype 1b HCV (HCV/1b) has several concerns in Japan. The recently available combination therapy with ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) is not contraindicated in patients with chronic renal failure and has more safety profile and shorter treatment period than that with DCV/ASV. ⋯ These AEs were ameliorated or disappeared after the completion of the therapy. The significance of our study is persuasive virological evaluation associated to the combination therapy and reasonable interpretation of AEs. In conclusion, combination therapy with OBV/PTV/r may have promise as an efficacious therapy, but caution regarding AEs should be practiced.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2017
Expression of (Pro)renin Receptor During Rapamycin-Induced Erythropoiesis in K562 Erythroleukemia Cells and Its Possible Dual Actions on Erythropoiesis.
(Pro)renin receptor ((P)RR), a specific receptor for renin and prorenin, is expressed in erythroblastic cells. (P)RR has multiple biological actions: prorenin activation, stimulation of the intracellular signaling including extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and functional complex formation with vacuolar H+-ATPase (v-ATPase). However, the functional implication of (P)RR in erythroblast cells has not been clarified. The aim of the present study was to clarify changes of (P)RR expression during erythropoiesis and a role of (P)RR in the heme synthesis. (P)RR expression was studied during rapamycin-induced erythropoiesis in a human erythroleukemia cell line, K562. ⋯ Treatment with bafilomycin A1 increased (P)RR protein and mRNA levels. In conclusion, we propose that (P)RR has dual actions on erythropoiesis: the promotion of erythropoiesis via v-ATPase function and the down-regulation of ALAS2 mRNA expression. Thus, (P)RR may contribute to the homeostatic control of erythropoiesis.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2017
Identification of Genotype 2 HCV in Serotype-1 Hepatitis C Patients Unresponsive to Daclatasvir plus Asunaprevir Treatment.
It is important to determine the genotypes or serotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients before treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), because the effects of DAAs differ among genotypes. In Japan, two tests for HCV typing are available clinically, but only serotyping, not genotyping, is approved by the public health insurance. Although most serotype-1 Japanese patients are infected with genotype 1b HCV, it is known that a small proportion of patients show different results from two typing methods. ⋯ No recombinant virus of different genotypes was found. This study indicates that a subset of serotype-1 hepatitis C patients is infected with HCV of genotype 2 or 1a in Japan and that DCV/ASV is not effective for such patients. Thus, attention should be paid to DAA treatment without HCV genotyping.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2017
Increased Expression of Long Non-Coding RNA BCAR4 Is Predictive of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common human cancer, and the majority of lung cancer cases are categorized as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play key roles in the development and progression of human cancers. LncRNA breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance 4 (BCAR4) has been identified as an oncogenic lncRNA involved in the progression of breast cancer and osteosarcoma. ⋯ Multivariate survival analysis indicated that BCAR4 was an independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients. Taken together, our study suggests that the upregulation of lncRNA BCAR4 expression plays a promoting role in the malignant progression of NSCLC. Thus, BCAR4 is a potential biomarker for NSCLC progress and a therapeutic target for NSCLC.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2017
Retracted PublicationTranscription Factor SOX9 Promotes Osteosarcoma Cell Growth by Repressing Claudin-8 Expression.
Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone cancer that mainly affects children. SOX9 plays a key role in bone formation and osteosarcoma, and Claudin-8 (CLDN8), a tight junction protein, contributes to proliferation of osteosarcoma cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between SOX9 and CLDN8 in osteosarcoma. ⋯ The transient luciferase-reporter assays suggest that SOX9 may inhibit the promoter activity of the CLDN8 gene in osteosarcoma cells. In conclusion, we provide the evidence demonstrating that SOX9 may promote cell growth by repressing the expression of CLDN8. Thus, SOX9 may be a therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.