In this study, we examined the effects of serotonin (5-HT)3 receptor antagonists (5-HT3RAs) including ramosetron, alosetron, and cilansetron on colonic nociceptive threshold in rats. Furthermore, we established a restraint stress-induced colonic hyperalgesia model in rats, and compared the inhibitory effects of 5-HT3RAs on restraint stress-induced colonic hyperalgesia and diarrhoea with those of loperamide, trimebutine, tiquizium and polycarbophil. The colonic nociceptive threshold was measured as the balloon pressure at the time the rat showed a nociceptive response during colonic distension by an intrarectally inserted balloon. Oral administration of ramosetron (3-30 microg kg(-1)), alosetron (30-300 microg kg(-1)), or cilansetron (30-300 microg kg(-1)) increased the colonic nociceptive threshold in a dose-dependent manner in non-stressed rats. Restraint stress for 1 h significantly decreased the colonic nociceptive threshold, but ramosetron (0.3-3 microg kg(-1)), alosetron (3-30 microg kg(-1)), cilansetron (3-30 microg kg(-1)) and trimebutine (100-1000 mg kg(-1)) significantly inhibited the decrease in the threshold. Loperamide (3-30 mg kg(-1)), tiquizium (100-1000 mg kg(-1)) and polycarbophil (1000 mg kg(-1)) did not affect the restraint stress-induced decrease in the colonic nociceptive threshold. All drugs tested in this study showed dose-dependent inhibition of restraint stress-induced diarrhoea in rats. These results indicate that, unlike existing antidiarrhoeal and spasmolytic agents, 5-HT3RAs have inhibitory effects on colonic nociception, and prevented restraint stress-induced both diarrhoea and hyperalgesia at almost the same doses in rats. This suggests that the 5-HT3RAs may be useful in ameliorating both colonic hyperalgesia and diarrhoea in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

To verify molecular mechanisms by which leukemia stem cells (LSCs) maintain a dormant state, we explored the activity of the major prosurvival signal pathways in CD34

Our study determined if Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) was activated in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML; n = 77, excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using a phosphor‐specific antibody against JAK2. p‐JAK2 was detectable in all cases, although its levels varied between patient samples (high levels, n = 31; low levels, n = 46). The quantification of levels of p‐JAK2 by IHC was well correlated with that assessed by Western blot analyses and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS). Levels of p‐JAK2 were directly correlated with high white blood cell count (52.3 × 103/L in patients with high p‐JAK2 vs. 28.3 × 103/L in patients with low p‐JAK2, p < 0.01) and were inversely correlated with complete remission rates (45% in patients with high p‐JAK2 vs. 78% in patients with low p‐JAK2, p < 0.003). In addition, multivariate analysis confirmed that high levels of p‐JAK2 remained a significant factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.213; 95% confidence interval, 1.212–4.041, p = 0.023). Moreover, we found that AZ960, a novel and specific inhibitor of the JAK2 kinase, potently inhibited the clonogenic growth and induced apoptosis of freshly isolated AML cells from patients in association with cleavage of caspase 3 and downregulation of anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐xL proteins. Taken together, JAK2 may be a promising molecular target for treatment of AML.

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From 2001 to 2012, 71 individuals with hematological diseases received HSCT in our institution. Of these, 41 developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in association with various underlying conditions. The patients who developed DIC after 2008 (n = 23) were treated by recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rTM), and the others (n = 11) were treated by either heparin and/or antithrombin III concentrate. Seven patients did not receive any anticoagulant therapy. Of note, treatment for coagulopathy by rTM significantly improved clinical outcomes of patients at day 100 and dramatically prolonged their overall survival (P = 0.044). Taken together, rTM is useful to improve clinical outcomes of transplant recipients with coagulopathy.