The ligands for programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), an immunoinhibitory receptor belonging to CD28/cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 family, are PD-1 ligand 1 and 2 (PD-Ls). Recent reports suggest that the aberrant expression of PD-Ls on tumor cells impairs antitumor immunity, resulting in the immune evasion of the tumor cells. Although an inverse correlation between the expression level of PD-Ls and patients' prognosis has been reported for several malignant tumors, the follow-up period was limited because of the lack of the antibody (Ab) applicable to paraffin-embedded specimens. Here we generated a new Ab against PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and analyzed the expression level of PD-Ls in human ovarian cancer using paraffin-embedded specimens. Patients with higher expression of PD-L1 had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients with lower expression. Although patients with higher expression of PD-1 ligand 2 also had a poorer prognosis, the difference was not statistically significant. A significant inverse correlation was observed between PD-L1 expression and the intraepithelial CD8 ؉ T lymphocyte count, suggesting that PD-L1 on tumor cells directly suppresses antitumor CD8 ؉ T cells. Multivariate analysis showed the expression of PD-L1 on tumor cells and intraepithelial CD8 ؉ T lymphocyte count are independent prognostic factors. The PD-1/ PD-L pathway can be a good target for restoring antitumor immunity in ovarian cancer.costimulation ͉ tumor immunity ͉ immunohistochemistry

Purpose: Endometriotic cysts are known to transform into ovarian cancers, such as clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas. We hypothesized that an iron-rich environment produced by the repetition of hemorrhage in the endometriotic cysts during the reproductive period may play a crucial role in carcinogenesis in the cysts through the iron-induced persistent oxidative stress. Experimental Design: Contents of human ovarian cysts, including 21 endometriotic cysts, 4 clear cell carcinomas, and 11nonendometriotic cysts, were analyzed for the concentrations of free ''catalytic'' iron, lactose dehydrogenase, potential antioxidant, lipid peroxide, and 8-hydroxy-2 ¶-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Iron deposition and 8-OHdG levels were also analyzed histologically. Reactive oxygen species and the mutagenicity of the contents in endometriotic cyst were determined in vitro. Results: The concentration of free iron in endometriotic cysts (100.9 mmol/L) was significantly higher than that in nonendometriotic cysts (0.075 mmol/L; P < 0.01). The average concentrations of lactose dehydrogenase, potentialantioxidant, lipidperoxide, and 8-OHdG were alsosignificantly higher in endometriotic cysts (P < 0.01).There was a correlation between the concentration of free iron and that of 8-OHdG (P <0.01). Histologically, we could observe iron deposits more abundantly in endometriotic cysts than in nonendometriotic cysts (P < 0.01).The level of 8-OHdG in carcinoma associated with endometriosis was higher than that of carcinoma without endometriosis (P <0.05).

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These results suggest that use of the described MR imaging findings may enable diagnosis of posterior cul-de-sac obliteration.

At the human feto-maternal interface, trophoblasts differentiate towards extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) and form the cell column. EVTs acquire invasive activity in the distal part of the cell column and begin to migrate into the maternal tissue. We previously reported that dipeptidyl peptidase IV(DPPIV) is expressed on EVTs in the proximal part of cell column and is involved in the inhibition of their migration. Because DPPIV has been shown to degrade several chemokines, we examined possible roles of chemokines in EVT migration.Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that C-C chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) was hardly detected on cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblast but was expressed on EVTs in the cell column. In vitro, CCR1 protein was also present on the surface of EVTs that grew out from chorionic villous explants cultured under 20% O2. Chemokines that can bind to CCR1 (CCR1 ligands), such as regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), were confirmed in the decidual tissues by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. These CCR1 ligands promoted the migration of the EVTs that were isolated from the explant cultures in vitro. These results indicate that CCR1 is expressed on trophoblasts as they differentiate to EVTs and that CCR1 ligands produced from the decidual tissue induce EVT migration.By contrast, CCR1 was scarcely expressed on EVTs that grew out from villous explants cultured in 1% O2, indicating that a relatively high oxygenic environment is needed to induce CCR1 expression. Moreover, CCR1 expression on the isolated EVTs was significantly reduced in the presence of decidua-conditioned medium. Such regulation of CCR1 by surrounding oxygenic and decidual environments supports a close correlation between EVT invasion and their expression of CCR1.This study demonstrates that trophoblasts acquire CCR1 as they differentiate to an invasive phenotype at the villus-anchoring sites and indicates a novel role for the chemokine-CCR1 system in the initial step of trophoblastic invasion towards the maternal tissue.

Brain edema can be classified into three categories: vasogenic, cytotoxic, and interstitial. The mechanism of edema is thought to be different in each type. The authors studied the movement of water molecules in each type of white matter edema in a rat model by using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Conventional T2-weighted imaging did not allow distinction between the three types of white matter edema; the three types of edema were, however, distinguished by using diffusion-weighted imaging. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water was different in each type of edema. Water molecules in cytotoxic edema induced by triethyl-tin intoxication showed a smaller and less anisotropic ADC than in normal white matter. In contrast, water in vasogenic edema induced by cold injury had a larger and more anisotropic ADC than in normal white matter. Water in interstitial edema due to kaolin-induced hydrocephalus had an anisotropic and very large ADC.

Purpose: To evaluate the sensitivity of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing peripheral nerve regeneration in vivo. We assessed the changes in the DTI parameters and histological analyses after nerve injury to examine degeneration and regeneration in the rat sciatic nerves. Materials and Methods:For magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 16 rats were randomly divided into two groups: group P (permanently crushed; n ¼ 7) and group T (temporally crushed; n ¼ 9). Serial MRI of the right leg was performed before the operation, and then performed at the timepoints of 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the crush injury. The changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (l k ), and radial diffusivity (l ? ) were quantified. For histological analyses, the number of axons and the myelinated axon areas were quantified.Results: Decreased FA and increased l ? were observed in the degenerative phase, and increased FA and decreased l ? were observed in the regenerative phase. The changes in FA and l ? were strongly correlated with histological changes, including axonal and myelin regeneration.Conclusion: DTI parameters, especially l ? , can be good indicators for peripheral nerve regeneration and can be applied as noninvasive diagnostic tools for a variety of neurological diseases.