• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.410-427
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• 2023

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have provided novel tools for rapid and precise pathologic diagnosis. The introduction of digital pathology has enabled the acquisition of scanned slide images that are essential for the application of AI. The application of AI for improved pathologic diagnosis includes the error-free detection of potentially negligible lesions, such as a minute focus of metastatic tumor cells in lymph nodes, the accurate diagnosis of potentially controversial histologic findings, such as very well-differentiated carcinomas mimicking normal epithelial tissues, and the pathological subtyping of the cancers. Additionally, the utilization of AI algorithms enables the precise decision of the score of immunohistochemical markers for targeted therapies, such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and programmed death-ligand 1. Studies have revealed that AI assistance can reduce the discordance of interpretation between pathologists and more accurately predict clinical outcomes. Several approaches have been employed to develop novel biomarkers from histologic images using AI. Moreover, AI-assisted analysis of the cancer microenvironment showed that the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was related to the response to the immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, emphasizing its value as a biomarker. As numerous studies have demonstrated the significance of AI-assisted interpretation and biomarker development, the AI-based approach will advance diagnostic pathology.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.4079-4083
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• 2014

Background: Previous studies have showed that argonaute 2 is a potential factor related to genesis of several cancers, however, there have been no reports concerning gliomas. Methods: Paraffin specimens of 129 brain glioma cases were collected from a hospital affiliated to Binzhou Medical University from January 2008 to July 2013. We examined both argonaute 2 mRNA and protein expression by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The survival curves of the patients were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression, and the log-rank test was used for statistical evaluations. Results: Both argonaute 2 mRNA and protein were upregulated in high-grade when compared to low-grade tumor tissues. Multivariate analysis revealed that argonaute 2 protein expression was independently associated with the overall survival (HR=4.587, 95% CI: 3.001-6.993; P=0.002), and that argonaute 2 protein expression and WHO grading were independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (HR=4.792, 95% CI: 3.993-5.672; P<0.001, and HR=2.109, 95% CI: 1.278-8.229; P=0.039, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test indicated that high argonaute 2 protein expression had a significant impact on overall survival (P=0.0169) and progression-free survival (P=0.0324). Conclusions: The present study showed that argonaute 2 expression is up-regulated in gliomas. Argonaute 2 might also serve as a novel prognostic marker.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2017

Mammalian spermatogenesis occurs in a precise and coordinated manner in the seminiferous tubules. One of the attempts to understand the detailed biological process during mammalian spermatogenesis at the molecular level has been to identify the testis specific genes followed by study of the testicular expression pattern of the genes. From the subtracted cDNA library of rat testis prepared using representational difference analysis (RDA) method, a complimentary DNA clone encoding type III member of a DnaJ family protein, DnaJC18, was cloned (GenBank Accession No. DQ158861). The full-length DnaJC18 cDNA has the longest open reading frame of 357 amino acids. Tissue and developmental Northern blot analysis revealed that the DnaJC18 gene was expressed specifically in testis and began to express from postnatal week 4 testis, respectively. In situ hybridization studies showed that DnaJC18 mRNA was expressed only during the maturation stages of late pachytene, round and elongated spermatids of adult rat testis. Western blot analysis with DnaJC18 antibody revealed that 41.2 kDa DnaJC18 protein was detected only in adult testis. Immunohistochemistry study further confirmed that DnaJC18 protein, was expressed in developing germ cells and the result was in concert with the in situ hybridization result. Confocal microscopy with GFP tagged DnaJC18 protein revealed that it was localized in the cytoplasm of cells. Taken together, these results suggested that testis specific DnaJC18, a member of the type III DnaJ protein family, might play a role during germ cell maturation in adult rat testis.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.200-211
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• 1999

The periapical response to injury is a complex interaction of inflammatory, immune, neural, vascular and synthetic activity. TGF-${\beta}$ is a potent modulator of proliferation and differentiation in various tissue, seems to lead to an increase in extracellular matrix. MMP are a family of proteolytic enzyme that mediate the degradation of extracellular matric macromolecules, but little is known about theirs possible role in periapical tissue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differential expression of TGF-${\beta}$ and MMP-1 in tooth follicle, periapical abscess, granuloma and cyst. The expression of TGF-${\beta}$ and MMP-1 in Periapical tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis. Correlationship among the periapical lesions were stastically analyzed. The degree of MMP-1 expression in periapical abscess was higher than in any other periapical lesion, and stastically significant. TGF-${\beta}$ expression is the prominent in granuloma than other periapical lesion, which was stastically significant. The increased expression of MMP and TGF-${\beta}$ was not co-related with inflammatory cell infiltration degree of the periapical cyst. The expression degree of MMP and TGF-${\beta}$ was not co-related with periapical abscess and cyst, but expression of MMP and TGF-${\beta}$ showed strong positive co-relationship with periapical granuloma, which was stastically significant. TGF-${\beta}$ expression by Western blot analysis was prominent in granuloma and cyst, and similar to the results by imunohistochemistry. MMP-1 expression is less than TGF-${\beta}$, but there is not extreme difference between periapical lesion. These results suggest that TGF-${\beta}$ and MMP may be involved in tissue remodeling and has an important role in progress or mediation of periapical lesions.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2003

Purpose: Dysregulation of apoptosis may attribute to development of cancer by abnormally prolonging cell viability with accumulation of transforming mutations. Survivin and HIAP (Human Inhibitors of Apoptosis)-1 were recently described as apoptosis inhibitors. Their pathogenic roles in gastric cancer are largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the expression of survivin and HIAP-1 in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines in order to elucidate the roles of survivin and HIAP-1 in the process of gastric carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: Eight gastric cancer cell lines and five gastric cancer tissues were studied. The expression of survivin and HIAP-1 were evaluated by reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. Results: Western blot and RT-PCR analysis revealed survivin and HIAP-1 expression in all gastric cancer cell lines. Increased expression of survivin and HIAP-1 were found in all cases of gastric cancer tissues compared to normal tissues by Western blot analysis. In immunohistochemical analysis tumor cells were stained with anti-survivin and anti-HIAP-1 antibodies. Cell cycle dependence of survivin expression was preserved in gastric cancer cell lines. Conclusion: The results indicate that increased expression of survivin and HIAP-1 genes may play an important role in gastric cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2020

Objectives: We accessed the various clinico-histopathological factors, and their association with occult metastasis (OM) in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Materials and Methods: One hundred-nine patients with OTSCC were divided into the elective neck dissection (END) group and the watchful waiting (WW) group. Age, sex, T-stage, depth of invasion and differentiation were evaluated to determine the correlation between clinico-histopathological factors and OM. For immunohistochemical analysis, paraffin-embedded blocks of 41 OTSCC specimens were examined with antibodies (VEGF-c, c-Met, and ROR1). Results: The group with tumor thickness of oral tongue cancer ≥3 mm had higher incidence of OM than those with a thickness of <3 mm. The depth of invasion was statistically correlated with OM (P=0.022). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that high expression of VEGF-c (P=0.043), c-Met (P=0.009), and ROR-1 (P=0.003) were statistically correlated with OM. Conclusion: The analysis of these clinico-histopathological and immunohistochemical factors can help to determine neck dissection in clinically negative (cN0) patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2805-2809
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• 2013

Objective: This study aimed at investigating whether the orphan nuclear receptor NR4A2 is significantly associated with clinicopathologic features and overall survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine NR4A2 protein expression in 84 NPC tissues and 20 non-cancerous nasopharyngeal (NP) tissues. The prognostic significance of NR4A2 protein expression was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: We did not find a significant association between total NR4A2 expression and clinicopathological variables in 84 patients with NPC. However, we observed that high cytoplasmic expression of NR4A2 was significantly associated with tumor size (T classification) (P = 0.006), lymph node metastasis (N classification) (P = 0.002) and clinical stage (P = 0.017). Patients with higher cytoplasmic NR4A2 expression had a significantly lower survival rate than those with lower cytoplasmic NR4A2 expression (P = 0.004). Multivariate Cox regression analysis analysis suggested that the level of cytoplasmic NR4A2 expression was an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival of patients with NPC (P = 0.033). Conclusions: High cytoplasmic expression of NR4A2 is a potential unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with NPC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2753-2758
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• 2013

Various studies examining the relationship between Ezrin overexpression and response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome in patients with osteosarcoma have yielded inconclusive results. We accordingly conducted a meta-analysis of 7 studies (n = 318 patients) that evaluated the correlation between Ezrin and histologic response to chemotherapy and clinical prognosis (death). Data were synthesized in receiver operating characteristic curves and with fixed-effects and random-effects likelihood ratios and risk ratios. Quantitative synthesis showed that Ezrin is not a prognostic factor for the response to chemotherapy. The positive likelihood ratio was 0.538 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.296- 0.979; random-effects calculation), and the negative likelihood ratio was 2.151 (95% CI, 0.905- 5.114; random-effects calculations). There was some between-study heterogeneity, but no study showed strong discriminating ability. Conversely, Ezrin positive status tended to be associated with a lower 2-year survival (risk ratio, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.26-4.76; random-effects calculation) with some between-study heterogeneity that disappeared when only studies that employed immunohistochemistry were considered (risk ratio, 2.97; 95% CI, 2.01- 4.40; fixed-effects calculation). To conclude, Ezrin is not associated with the histologic response to chemotherapy in patients with osteosarcoma, whereas Ezrin positivity was associated with a lower 2-year survival rate regarding risk of death at 2 years. Expression change of Ezrin is an independent prognostic factor in patients with osteosarcoma.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of bovine luteum expressed sequence tags (ESTs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and the presence of functional ESTs in the bovine corpus luteum (CL) during different stages of the estrus cycle. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed a difference in the expression of ESTs during the CL stage. Concentration of ESTs in the CL tissue increased significantly from the mid-luteal stage and decreased thereafter. RT-PCR analysis showed higher levels of the EST genes in the CL of the mid-luteal stage than in other stages, and the same level of expression of VEGF. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the tissue from CL formation to regression showed low cytosol and aggregation of the nucleus. And activity caspase 3 (apoptosis detector) was most strongly detected in the CL1 stage of bovine. During the estrous cycle, the cytosol was magnified and differentiation of the nucleus was clearly manifested. The ESTs affected the CL, and the relationship between VEGF and TNFR1 played a pivotal role for CL development and activation, dependent on the stage of CL. These results suggest local production of ESTs, the presence of functional ESTs in the bovine CL, and that ESTs play a role in regulating the function of cell death in bovine CL.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 1994

The expression of sex steroid hormone receptors by neoplastic cells is an important predictor of response to hormone therapy. Thus, the selection of treatment modality is often based on the identification of receptors in tumor tissue. Various monoclonal antibodies of high specificity are now available for analyzing the estrogen receptor (ER). With these antibodies, biochemical enzyme immunoassay and immunohistochemistry using histologic sections have been used for ER analysis. We used fine needle aspirates from 15 human primary breast carinomas for the analysis of ERs. The semiquantitative receptor values obtained in cytologic specimens were correlated well with those from histologic specimens. The results of ER in fine needle aspirates were concordant with ER in histologic specimens(r=0.94). Only three cases showed a little difference in staining intensity and proportion of positive cells. Our results showed a good correlation between the receptor values determined in cytologic smears and those determined in tissue sections. It is suggested that measurement of the ER in cytologic smears may be a reliable technique which can be performed on aspiration cytologic samples.