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Expression of the Wnt modulator secreted frizzled related protein 4 (Sfrp4) is upregulated after heart ischemic injury. We show that intramuscular administration of recombinant Sfrp4 to rat heart ischemic injury and recanalization models prevents further deterioration of cardiac function after the ischemic injury. The effect of Sfrp4 persisted for at least 20 weeks when Sfrp4 was administered in a slow release system (Sfrp4-polyhedra) to both acute and subacute ischemic models. The histology of the dissected heart showed that the cardiac wall was thicker and the area of acellular scarring was smaller in Sfrp4-treated hearts than in controls. Increased amounts of both the inactive serine 9-phosphorylated form of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and the active form of β-catenin were observed by immunohistology 3 days after lateral anterior descendant ligation in control, but not in Sfrp4-treated hearts. All together, we show that administration of Sfrp4 interferes with canonical Wnt signaling that could mediate the formation of acellular scar and consequently contributes to the prevention of aggravation of cardiac function.

Background. A new clinical type of pancreatic tumor, the mucin‐producing tumor, has been recognized recently. However, it is not always easy to distinguish benign from malignant tumors preoperatively. In this study, three different methods of differentiating mucin‐producing tumors of the pancreas were compared. Methods. Endoscopic ultrasonography, endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, and cytologic examination of pancreatic juice were performed in 14 patients who had mucin‐producing pancreatic tumors (11 carcinomas and 3 adenomas). Pancreatic juice was collected endoscopically without papillotomy. Results. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography were 82%, 90%, and 79%, respectively; those of endoscopic retrograde pancreatography were 91%, 91%, and 86%; and those of cytologic examination were 91%, 100%, and 93%. Conclusion. Cytologic examination of pancreatic juice was the best of these three methods for differentiating benign from malignant mucin‐producing pancreatic tumors.