Articles by Yasuhiro Torashima in JoVE
Tissue Engineering of the Intestine in a Murine Model
Erik R. Barthel, Allison L. Speer, Daniel E. Levin, Frédéric G. Sala, Xiaogang Hou, Yasuhiro Torashima, Clarence M. Wigfall, Tracy C. Grikscheit
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Saban Research Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
This article and the accompanying video present our protocol for generating tissue-engineered intestine in the mouse, using an organoid units-on-scaffold approach.
Other articles by Yasuhiro Torashima on PubMed
Surgery for Ileal Mesenteric Lymphangioma During Pregnancy: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery : Official Journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Jul-Aug, 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15240000
Mesenteric lymphangioma is one of the least frequently encountered types of benign tumor. This case report concerns a 31-year-old pregnant woman with a mesenteric cystic lymphangioma in the ileum. The multiloculated cystic mass was noted near the uterus by CT before the patient became pregnant. After becoming pregnant, she was followed without treatment for the asymptomatic mass. At 25 weeks' gestation, however, she underwent emergency surgical treatment for small bowel obstruction. Concomitant small bowel resection was performed to remove the cyst. Herein we review seven reported cases of mesenteric benign tumor in pregnancy and explore the clinical features.
Digestive Surgery. 2004 | Pubmed ID: 15665542
A patient with advanced rectal cancer was complicated by progressing proteinuria and hypoproteinemia. Low anterior resection was a procedure of choice. A surgical specimen obtained by intraoperative renal biopsy showed the findings of minimal change nephrotic syndrome. After surgery, nephropathy remitted promptly and completely. Her pre/postoperative serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor was 1,880/52.3 pg/ml, suggesting its elevation was associated with the nephropathy. Immunohistochemistry revealed strongly expressed tumor vascular endothelial cell growth factor. Minimal change nephrotic syndrome is a rare type of paraneoplastic nephropathy, and successful remission may require therapeutic resection of the underlying tumor, or administration of a vascular endothelial growth factor antagonist if the tumor is unresectable.
Presence of GABA(B) Receptors Forming Heterodimers with GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) Subunits in Human Lower Esophageal Sphincter
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences. Nov, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19893276
Baclofen, a GABA(B)-receptor (GABA(B)R) agonist has been proposed to be useful as therapeutic agent for the management of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, but whether the compound acts directly at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) remains to be elucidated. We performed the present study to assess the presence of GABA(B)R in human LES. Western blot analysis showed that both proteins of GABA(B1(a))/GABA(B1(b)) and GABA(B2) subunits were present in the muscle layer of LES. Immunohistochemical findings showed that both GABA(B1)- and GABA(B2)-subunit proteins were located on the neurons within the myenteric plexus, and furthermore, both proteins were observed in the same neurons. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis also revealed the presence of mRNAs for both subunits of GABA(B)R and also mRNAs for 6 isoforms of GABA(B1) subunits, from GABA(B1(a)) to GABA(B1(g)), except GABA(B1(d)), in human LES. Thus, the functional GABA(B)R-forming heterodimers with subunits of GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) are located on the myenteric neurons in human LES, suggesting that GABA(B)R agonists and antagonists act at least, at the level of the peripheral nervous system.
The Serum Level of Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Drainage Venous Blood is Not a Sensitive Predictor of Metachronous Hepatic Metastasis for Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Surgery Today. Aug, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20676859
To establish whether the serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in drainage venous blood (d-CEA) is a better predictor of prognosis or survival than the preoperative CEA level in peripheral venous blood (p-CEA), and how these two CEA levels compare as predictive factors for metachronous hepatic metastasis.
Tissue Engineering. Part A. Jul, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21395443
Tissue-engineered small intestine (TESI) has successfully been used to rescue Lewis rats after massive small bowel resection. In this study, we transitioned the technique to a mouse model, allowing investigation of the processes involved during TESI formation through the transgenic tools available in this species. This is a necessary step toward applying the technique to human therapy. Multicellular organoid units were derived from small intestines of transgenic mice and transplanted within the abdomen on biodegradable polymers. Immunofluorescence staining was used to characterize the cellular processes during TESI formation. We demonstrate the preservation of Lgr5- and DcamKl1-positive cells, two putative intestinal stem cell populations, in proximity to their niche mesenchymal cells, the intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts (ISEMFs), at the time of implantation. Maintenance of the relationship between ISEMF and crypt epithelium is observed during the growth of TESI. The engineered small intestine has an epithelium containing a differentiated epithelium next to an innervated muscularis. Lineage tracing demonstrates that all the essential components, including epithelium, muscularis, nerves, and some of the blood vessels, are of donor origin. This multicellular approach provides the necessary cell population to regenerate large amounts of intestinal tissue that could be used to treat short bowel syndrome.
Prediction and Management of a Low-lying Costal Arch Which Restricts the Operative Working Space During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Journal of Hepato-biliary-pancreatic Sciences. Jan, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 20676700
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is difficult to perform in patients with a low-lying costal arch that entirely covers the liver. We conducted this study to clarify the factors related to a low-lying costal arch and establish countermeasures to circumvent this characteristic.
Regenerative Medicine. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23164081
Aim: Loss of colon reservoir function after colectomy can adversely affect patient outcomes. In previous work, human fetal intestinal cells developed epithelium without mesenchyme following implantation in mice. However, for humans, postnatal tissue would be the preferred donor source. We generated tissue-engineered colon (TEC) from postnatal human organoid units. Materials & methods: Organoid units were prepared from human colon waste specimens, loaded onto biodegradable scaffolds and implanted into immunocompromised mice. After 4 weeks, human TEC was harvested. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed human origin, identified differentiated epithelial cell types and verified the presence of supporting mesenchyme. Results: Human TEC demonstrated a simple columnar epithelium. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated human origin and the three differentiated cell types of mature colon epithelium. Key mesenchymal components (smooth muscle, intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts and ganglion cells) were seen. Conclusion: Colon can form from human progenitor cells on a scaffold in a mouse host. This proof-of-concept experiment is an important step in transitioning TEC to human therapy.
Hepato-gastroenterology. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23169181
Background/Aims: Recent evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can induce a wide type of cellular responses from proliferation to senescence and cell death. ROS may not be an absolute carcinogenic factor or cancer suppressor. The aim of this study was to assess the biological paradox of ROS in colorectal cancer cells. Methodology: Blood specimens were obtained from the drainage vein of the tumor during operation in 135 patients with colorectal cancer. Serum ROS levels were measured using the derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM) test. Results: Serum ROS levels increased significantly in tumor size larger than 40mm (p<0.01). On the other hand, serum ROS levels decreased significantly in patients with lymph node metastasis (p<0.01). Multiple linear regression models showed a significant association of serum ROS levels with serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (p<0.01) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.026). Conclusions: In colorectal cancer cells, the increase of intracellular ROS is first associated with cell growth and invasion. However, a further increase inhibits cancer cell proliferation, whereas any decrease in ROS concentration needs to stimulate lymph node metastasis. Thus, a precise understanding how ROS are generated and involved in lymph node metastasis will help us to design better therapeutic strategies.