Hepatitis: Noguchi Y

Kimura T, Noguchi Y, Shikata N, Takahashi M. · Quality Assurance and External Scientific Affairs Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc, Tokyo, Japan. · Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. · Pubmed #19057187 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight the usefulness of amino acid profiling in clinical diagnosis and current developments in analysis revealing underlying metabolic relationships. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent innovations in metabolomics and systems biology enable high throughput measurement of diverse amino acids and the subsequent data mining for various uses. Recent studies show new possibilities of using plasma amino acid analysis as biomarker discovery tools by generating diagnostic indices through systematic computation. Such studies show that amino acid-based clinical diagnostic indices for hepatic fibrosis in type C hepatitis patients can be generated. In addition, several studies show the potential of treating amino acid profile data as a metabolomic subset, which can be integrated through the analysis of correlation with different types of 'omics' data for describing metabolite-to-metabolite or metabolite-to-gene interaction networks. CONCLUSION: Amino acid profiling of biological samples could be used to generate indices that could be used for clinical diagnosis and is a useful tool for understanding metabolic implications under various physiological conditions. Although further improvements in analytical methods are needed, amino acids could be useful indicators for facilitating nutritional management of specific physiological and pathological states.

Noguchi Y. · Respiratory Clinic, Saitama Cancer Center. · Nippon Rinsho. · Pubmed #17494187 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Nakamura S, Nouso K, Noguchi Y, Higashi T, Ono T, Jungbluth A, Chen YT, Old LJ, Nakayama E, Shiratori Y. · Department of Medicine and Medical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama, Japan. · J Gastroenterol Hepatol. · Pubmed #16872310 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: The present study was designed to investigate the expression of and humoral response against NY-ESO-1 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and to analyze the relationship between expression of NY-ESO-1 mRNA and clinicopathological features. METHODS: NY-ESO-1 mRNA and protein expression in surgically resected hepatocellular carcinoma specimens, adjacent non-cancerous liver and non-tumor bearing liver were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody against NY-ESO-1 (ES121), respectively. The antibody response to NY-ESO-1 was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using recombinant NY-ESO-1 protein. RESULTS: NY-ESO-1 mRNA was detected in 18 of 41 (43.9%) hepatocellular carcinomas. No NY-ESO-1 mRNA was expressed in 41 paired non-cancerous specimens and 18 specimens histologically diagnosed as liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. Immunohistochemistry revealed heterogeneous expression of NY-ESO-1 protein in three of 18 NY-ESO-1 mRNA-positive hepatocellular carcinomas. None of 23 NY-ESO-1 mRNA-negative hepatocellular carcinomas expressed NY-ESO-1 protein. Antibody against NY-ESO-1 protein was detected in two of 92 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Both of these patients had tumors invading main branches of the portal vein. CONCLUSIONS: The present study has demonstrated the expression of NY-ESO-1 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and NY-ESO-1 antibody production in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the enhancement of NY-ESO-1 protein expression and the activation of immune response of the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are necessary, NY-ESO-1 has the potential to be a good target molecule for immunotherapy against advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Zhang Q, Takahashi M, Noguchi Y, Sugimoto T, Kimura T, Okumura A, Ishikawa T, Kakumu S. · Pharmaceutical Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. · Hepatol Res. · Pubmed #16436332 No free full text.

Abstract: Although biopsy has been considered mandatory in diagnosing liver fibrosis, there is a high demand for alternative effective and noninvasive methods. In this study we aimed to develop a noninvasive and effective method using the plasma amino acid profiles for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients with chronic hepatitis C infection were included in the study. Plasma amino acid concentration was analyzed and severity of fibrosis was staged based on biopsy. We employed a previously published amino acid-based approach to develop a discriminator (designated as an "amino-index") for the diagnosis of patients with advanced liver fibrosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used for evaluation of the diagnosis. RESULTS: (Phe)/(Val)+(Thr+Met+Orn)/(Pro+Gly) was derived as the optimal amino index. The AUCs were 0.92+/-0.04 (SE) and 0.99+/-0.01 for discriminating advanced fibrosis (fibrosis stages F3 and F4) and for discriminating cirrhosis, respectively. By use of the optimal cut-off values, both the sensitivity and specificity achieved a score over 0.88. CONCLUSION: Fibrosis index based on amino acid concentration could be applied to diagnose liver fibrosis as a convenient noninvasive approach.

Morinaga S, Yamamoto Y, Noguchi Y, Imada T, Rino Y, Akaike M, Sugimasa Y, Takemiya S, Takanashi Y. · Department of Surgery, Yokohama City Kowan Hospital, 3-2-3 Shinnyamashita, Nakaku, Yokohama 231-0801, Japan. · Hepatogastroenterology. · Pubmed #14571777 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) is one of the angiogenic factors. The aim of this study was to examine the PD-ECGF concentrations in hepatocellular carcinoma, background liver, and normal liver tissues, and to elucidate their significance on clinicopathological outcomes. METHODOLOGY: The concentration of PD-ECGF in the tissue extract was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: PD-ECGF concentrations were significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma and background liver tissues compared with normal control liver (p = 0.003, p = 0.001, respectively). PD-ECGF concentrations in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues were positively correlated with intratumoral arteriole densities (r = 0.667, p = 0.009), and were higher in less differentiated carcinomas (p = 0.039). However, tumor PD-ECGF concentration did not affect the patients' disease-free survival rates. Those in the background liver tissues were positively correlated with histological activity index scores (r = 0.650, p = 0.001) and serum alanine aminotransferase levels (r = 0.0452, p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: PD-ECGF is up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and the corresponding hepatitis liver. The PD-ECGF concentrations in hepatocellular carcinoma correlated positively with microvessel density, lower differentiation, yet not with patients' prognosis. The concentrations of PD-ECGF in the corresponding hepatitis liver correlated positively with the degree of active hepatitis.

Morinaga S, Yamamoto Y, Noguchi Y, Imada T, Rino Y, Akaike M, Sugimasa Y, Takemiya S, Kameda Y, Takanashi Y. · Department of Surgery, Yokohama City Kowan Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. · J Gastroenterol Hepatol. · Pubmed #12201873 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unique in that its carcinogenesis is related to inflammatory changes and regenerative activities in the background liver. Although there are some data on cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in HCC by immunohistochemical studies, little is known about the possible role of COX-2 in inducing hepatitis and/or carcinoma. To elucidate whether COX-2 is involved in a part of these processes, we attempted to examine COX-2 mRNA both in the adjacent non-tumoral liver and in HCC. METHODS: Twenty-two matched sets of adjacent liver and HCC specimens were analyzed for COX-2 mRNA expression using a real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression was also determined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the adjacent liver than in HCC (P = 0.016). Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in adjacent liver tissues was positively correlated with the modified histological activity index scores (r = 0.575, P = 0.006), the serum alanine aminotransferase levels (r = 0.536, P = 0.010), and the Ki-67 labeling indices (r = 0.698, P = 0.001). In contrast, COX-2 mRNA expression in HCC was not correlated with any of the clinicopathological features. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclooxygenase-2 is expressed at higher levels in the adjacent liver than in HCC, and it may be associated with high levels of necroinflammation and regeneration in the background liver. Conversely, COX-2 may have a lesser role in the progression of HCC.