The F-box protein Skp2 positively regulates the G1-S transition by promoting degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 kip1 (p27). Recent evidence has suggested an oncogenic role of Skp2 in not only carcinogenesis but also lymphomagenesis. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical analysis on the cell-cycle-associated proteins, Skp2, p27, and Ki-67, in 27 patients with de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (

Periostin is a secreted protein that shares structural homology with the insect axon guidance protein fasciclin 1. Periostin is expressed predominantly in collagen-rich fibrous connective tissues that are subjected to constant mechanical stresses. We have shown previously that periostin is a novel component of subepithelial fibrosis in bronchial asthma. Here, we investigated the relationship between periostin and bone marrow (BM) fibrosis. Periostin was expressed in the stroma and stromal cells of BM fibrosis specimens and to a great extent its expression levels correlated closely to the grade of fibrosis, as estimated by silver staining. However, in the present study, we found no relationship between plasma periostin levels and the extent of BM fibrosis. We also demonstrated that periostin is secreted by human BM hTERT stromal cells and that its secretion is enhanced by TGF-beta, a cytokine produced by clonal proliferation of megakaryocytes and/or monocytes. These results indicate that periostin is a component of BM fibrosis and that it may play a role in the disease progression.

The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome is a rare neoplasm associated with chromosomal translocations involving the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) gene located at chromosome 8p11–12. FGFR1 encodes a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase. The resultant fusion proteins are constitutively active tyrosine kinases that drive the proliferation of hematopoietic cells, whose uncontrolled growth can present as a myeloproliferative neoplasm. We report here the case of a 50-year-old man harboring the t(8;22)(p12;q11) chromosomal translocation in cells from both bone marrow and lymph nodes. He presented with acute leukemia and lymphoma with trilineage features. A novel mRNA in-frame fusion between exon 4 of the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) gene at chromosome 22q11 and exon 9 of FGFR1 gene on chromosome 8p11–12 was identified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis and was confirmed by DNA sequencing. Because the patient was refractory to chemotherapy, cord blood transplantation was performed in progressive disease. It resulted in a successful outcome in which cytogenetic complete remission has been maintained for 2 years till date.

We report the results of unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT) for patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) conducted in our single institute. Ten patients with ATLL (nine acute and one lymphoma-type) received UCBT during the period from August 2003 to July 2011. The median age at the time of diagnosis of ATLL was 51 years (range 37-64). The median period from diagnosis of ATLL to UCBT was 130 days (range 94-344). Conditioning regimens were myeloablative for six and reduced intensity for four. The median number of infused nucleated cells and CD34 positive cells were 2.52 × 10(7)/kg and 1.04 × 10(5)/kg, respectively. There was no engraftment failure. Three patients developed grade II acute graft versus host disease, and four developed grade III. The estimated 2-year overall survival was 40 % (95 % CI 12-67 %). Four of six chemosensitive patients prior to UCBT survived for 1035, 793, 712, and 531 days post-UCBT, respectively. There were no survivors among the four chemorefractory patients prior to UCBT. Our data indicates that UCBT is feasible and provides long-term survival in patients with chemosensitive ATLL.

We report two cases in which visualization of the segmental branch of the hepatic portal vein with the colour Doppler ultrasonography (US) technique was useful for the early diagnosis of veno‐occlusive disease. The change in blood flow in the segmental branch of the portal vein occurred 5 and 6 d before the clinical criteria were fulfilled in the two cases. Reverse flow in the segmental branch began partially in the liver at first, and then spread to the whole liver several days later. All the US findings in both cases disappeared after thrombolytic therapy.