Rho family small GTPases regulate organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Among them, RhoA plays essential roles in the formation of the actin stress ®bers, the associated focal adhesions, and the contractile rings necessary for cytokinesis. Recently, RhoD, a novel member of Rho family has been identi®ed. The amino acid sequences of its eector domain is distinct from those of the other Rho family proteins, suggesting its unique cellular functions. Introduction of the constitutively active form of RhoD G26V into ®broblasts by microinjection or transfection resulted in disassembly of the actin stress ®bers and the focal adhesions, whereas the dominant negative form of RhoD T31K did not aect these structures. The degree of cell migration assessed by the phagokinetic tracks on a substrate covered with gold particles was diminished by the expression of RhoD . Thus, cytoskeletal alterations including the loss of stress ®bers and focal adhesions by RhoD seems to lead to the retardation of cell migration. Transfection of RhoD G26V cDNA into cultured cells also induced multinucleation. Moreover, RhoD G26V microinjected into fertilized eggs and embryos of Xenopus laevis caused cleavage arrest only in the injected cells, and the uncleaved cells contained multiple nuclei. These results imply that RhoD does not aect nuclear division but can interfere with cytokinesis presumably by preventing the formation of the actin-based contractile ring. Enhancement of the stress ®bers by RhoA or RhoA-activating lysophosphatidic acid was reversed by the transfection of RhoD cDNA. Accordingly, the cellular functions of RhoD are likely to be antagonistic to those of RhoA.

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The involvement of bacterial translocation in small intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injuries and the efficacy of using anti-CINC antibodies for treatment were investigated. A model for ischemia-reperfusion injury of the small intestine was constructed by clamping the supramesenteric artery (for 90 min) in rats. Anti-CINC antibodies and saline were given just before the induction of ischemia in the treatment group and the control group, respectively. Six hours after reperfusion, bacteria were detected in the mesenteric lymph nodes, but the ‘bacteria-positive’ rate was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. Bacterial cultures and endotoxins in the blood were negative in both groups up to 24 h later. The plasma cytokine levels showed similar variations, although the increases were significantly lower after reperfusion in the treatment group. In addition, the degrees of neutrophil infiltration and mucosal injury were attenuated in the small intestine, and the structure of the liver was maintained. Furthermore, the 1-week survival was improved. These results suggest that bacterial translocation occurred predominantly via the lymphatic system and that anti-CINC antibody treatment exerted a protective effect against small intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective: The aim of this study was to predict seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) by developing a new nomogram based on clinical features including the status of cancer at the base of the prostate on systematic biopsy. Methods: We studied the 466 patients with T1-3N0M0 prostate cancer who were treated with radical prostatectomy at three institutions. Preoperative clinical variables were correlated with the presence or absence of SVI with an area under the curve (AUC) of receiver-operator characteristics analysis. A nomogram was developed to predict SVI based on logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 81 patients (17%) had SVI. Cancer was present in a biopsy core from the base of the prostate in 209 patients, of whom 32.5% had SVI, compared with only 5% of the 257 patients without cancer at the base of the prostate (P < 0.005). On multivariate analysis, serum prostate-specific antigen, biopsy Gleason score, clinical T stage, and presence or absence of cancer in a biopsy core at the base of the prostate were significant predictors of SVI (P < 0.005 for all). The AUC of a standard model including clinical stage, Gleason score, and prostate-specific antigen was 0.83, which was significantly enhanced by including the presence of cancer at the base of the prostate (none, unilateral or bilateral lobes) (AUC 0.87, P = 0.023). Based on the logistic analysis, we developed the nomogram to predict SVI. The calibration plots appeared to be excellent. Conclusion: The information of presence or absence of cancer at the base from prostate biopsy and the resulting nomogram allow an accurate prediction of SVI in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.