Expression of recombinase-activating genes (RAG-1 and 2) in human decidual mononuclear cells

Recombinase-activating genes (RAG-1 and RAG-2) are expressed in immature T or B lymphocytes and possess activity to induce V(D)J rearrangement in TCR and Ig genes. We examined their expression in human decidual and non-pregnant endometrial samples using a highly sensitive RT-PCR technique. Expression of RAG-1 and 2 was noted in all (13/13) pregnant decidual tissues obtained at different gestational stages. After anti-human Ig treatment to rule out the possibility of RAG-1,2 expression from decidual B-cells, strong expression of RAGs was still noted in B cell depleted decidual cells in contrast to lymph nodes and PBMC that lost RAG mRNA expression after this treatment. After FACS mediated cell sorting, strong expression of RAG-1,2 was noted in CD16-CD56bright cells and weak expression in CD3+ cells. Although CD16-CD56bright cells lack surface CD3, they express CD3 epsilon mRNA only detectable by RT-PCR. Our results suggest the nature of decidual CD16-CD56bright cells as a progenitor of extrathymic T cells that possess RAG-1 and 2 mRNA as markers of their immaturity, and possibly differentiate into CD3+ extrathymic T-cells in the decidua under the influence of trophoblastic cells. We propose the human decidua as a new site of extrathymic T-cells differentiation and propose possible roles of trophoblastic cells to attract progenitor lymphocytes of bone marrow origin and trigger their TCR rearrangement as thymic epithelial cells.

[Review of epidemiological studies on adult bronchial asthma in Japan]

The prevalence of adult asthma in Japan has tripled since the 1960 s (1.2%- > 3.14%). The number of young patients has increased more than the number of middle-aged patients. The asthma mortality rate was high (19.5 per 100,000) in 1950 but it gradually decreased, to 5.0 per 100,000 in 1980, and has since been unchanged. Annual asthma mortality among adult asthma patients was 0.29%. Nationwide research on adult asthma in Japan disclosed that: 1) the male/female ratio was 48.3%/51.7%. 2) 79.8% of adult asthma cases were adult onset, and 3) a total of 80% needed regular medications. Based on the above observations, a new classification of adult asthma, which includes child-onset asthma, adult-onset asthma and adult relapse asthma was proposed.

Estimation of Der p and Der f I quantities in the reference preparations of Dermatophagoides mite extracts

A monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MoAb-ELISA) was developed to measure the major Dermatophagoides mite allergens, Der p I and Der f I. The assay was highly species-specific and sensitive. Using this assay system, the absolute mass unit of Der p I and Der f I in the reference preparations of the extracts was estimated. The primary standards used were the purified Der p I and Der f I preparations. The reference preparations of the D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae extracts (92-Dp and 92-Df), which had been prepared from the same amount of mite bodies of both species, were found to contain the same levels of the Der I allergens, 10.1 micrograms/ml of Der p I and 10.0 micrograms/ml of Der f I, respectively. A histamine release assay with leucocytes from mite-allergic donors showed that the total allergenic potency of 92-Dp and 92-Df was comparable. This results indicates that the estimated Der I levels in these extracts seem to be valid, at least, in the balance between the two species, although further comparisons of the absolute quantities by several different laboratories are needed. The Der I levels in the WHO/IUIS international reference preparation of D. pteronyssinus and the CBER standard mite extracts, E4-Dp and E5-Df, were also estimated using this assay system. They were found to contain 4.4 micrograms/vial and 13.3 micrograms/ml of Der p I and 9.5 micrograms/ml of Der f I, respectively.

The pH-dependent swinging-out of the distal histidine residue in ferric hemoglobin of a midge larva (Tokunagayusurika akamusi)

Hemoglobin VII (TaVII) is a major component in the larval hemolymph of Tokunagayusurika akamusi, a common midge (Diptera) found in Japan. This protein contains 150 amino-acid residues including the usual distal histidine at position 64. When the aquomet-form was placed in acidic pH range, its Soret peak was considerably blue-shifted and accompanied by a marked decrease in intensity, indicative of the protein being converted into a structure quite similar to that of Aplysia myoglobin lacking the distal histidine residue. The pH-dependent magnetic circular dichroism spectra in the Soret region have also revealed that TaVII hemoglobin is in an equilibrium between a hexacoordinate and a pentacoordinate structure for its ferric heme iron. We attribute this to a transition from an iron-ligated water molecule that is hydrogen-bonded to the distal histidine, to a water-free iron with the histidine swung-out of the heme pocket. Furthermore, this process was described by the involvement of a single dissociable group with pKa = 6.3 in 0.1 M KCl at 25 degrees C.

Differential changes in the activities of multiple protein kinase C subspecies in the hippocampal-kindled rat

In previous studies we demonstrated that the membrane-associated protein kinase C (PKC) activities in the right and left hippocampus (HIPP) of rats kindled from the left HIPP increased significantly 4 weeks and 4 months after the last seizure compared with those in matched control rats. In this study, we investigated the long-lasting effect of HIPP-kindling on the membrane-associated activities of PKC subspecies in the bilateral HIPP 1 and 4 weeks after the last generalized kindled seizure had occurred. The membrane-associated activities of PKC subspecies were found to be subject to differential regulation. The activity of the alpha-subspecies was unchanged, whereas the respective activities of the beta- and gamma-subspecies in the kindled group increased significantly, compared with the controls, one (21%, P < 0.0001 for the beta-subspecies, and 23%, P < 0.001 for the gamma-subspecies) and 4 weeks (19%, P < 0.02 for the beta-subspecies, and 19%, P < 0.05 for the gamma-subspecies) after the last seizure. There were no significant differences in cytosolic PKC activity between the control and kindled groups for any subspecies examined at either time after the last seizure. These results suggest that activation of the PKC beta- and gamma-subspecies may play an important role in the enduring seizure susceptibility associated with kindling.

[Clinical significance of cat allergens in adult asthmatics--a study of inhalation provocation tests]

We performed a bronchial provocation tests on 40 adult cat sensitive asthmatics to study the clinical significance of cat allergens. Immediate asthmatic responses (IAR) and/or late asthmatic responses (LAR) were provoked in 29 out of the 40 cases. IAR alone was provoked in 12 cases (30%), LAR alone in 7 cases (17.5%), dual asthmatic responses (DAR) in 10 cases (25%), and no asthmatic response in 11 cases (27.5%). There was no statistical significance in the following parameters among the groups: age, baseline of FEV1.0% and of %MMF, RAST score to cat epithelium and log value of PC20 in acetyl-choline airway hyperreactivity tests. The frequency in contact history with cat was lower in LAR alone (14%) than in the other two groups (78% in DAR, 70% in no asthmatic response). High RAST scores and low PC20 values were more frequent in DAR than in the other groups. Asthmatic responses were found in 15 out of 22 cases (68.2%) with a cat contact history and in 10 out of 16 cases (62.5%) without a contact history. These prevalence rates were the same. We concluded that cat allergens were an important factor not only for child asthmatics but also for adult asthmatics.

Atopic asthma caused by Candida albicans acid protease: case reports

Two cases of atopic asthma caused by acid protease produced by Candida albicans are reported. Both patients had high levels of serum IgE antibodies against the acid protease and showed positive conjunctival and immediate bronchial responses when challenged with the protease. Significant histamine release was detected in both patients when their peripheral leukocytes were challenged with the protease antigen. These findings clearly showed that C. albicans acid protease is the causative allergen of atopic asthma.

[A study of hyperreactivity test thresholds over the last 9 years in asthmatics]

We have regularly performed acetylcholine hyperreactivity tests (Ach-HRT) on asthmatics on their first visit to our allergy clinic, and gained the impression that Ach-HRT thresholds have risen over the last nine years. We studied the thresholds in four different years: 1983, '85, '87 and '91 in 578 male cases and 680 female cases. Our findings were as follows. 1) The Ach-HRT threshold increased in the last 9 years, especially in the asthmatic group aged from 20 to 59 years old. 2) We studied the factors which might affect Ach-HRT in this age group. No significant difference were seen in the percent of peripheral blood eosinophil count and in clinical severities. The mean percent of baseline FEV1.0 was high in '91 and low in '83. We studied the Ach-HRT threshold in case with good pulmonary function whose %FEV1.0 was over 90% and found that the Ach-HRT threshold was high in '91 and low in '83. 3) The number of extrinsic cases increased gradually in number over the 9 years, and a high Ach-HRT threshold was clearer in the extrinsic cases. We concluded that the mean Ach-HRT threshold of our patients was rising especially in the extrinsic cases.

[Clinical experience with the CHAUX multi-purpose retractor]

We have performed dissection of the ITA using the CHAUX retractor in many patients. This retractor is a two-point sternal/IMA and valve retractor, with four sternal blades with individual and independent dual movement. The sliding sternal blade assemblies permit movement along the horizontal plane of the side arm. This retractor can be used for other types of cardiac surgery, as well. We obtained good results with its use for repair of distal aortic arch aneurysm. We conclude that this retractor is safe and useful for cardiac surgery.

Structure, promoter analysis and chromosomal assignment of the human APEX gene

APEX nuclease is a mammalian DNA repair enzyme having apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease, 3'-5'-exonuclease, DNA 3' repair diesterase and DNA 3'-phosphatase activities. This report describes the organization of the gene (APEX gene) for human APEX nuclease. Human APEX gene was cloned using human APEX cDNA and a human leukocyte genomic library in bacteriophage vector EMBL-3. We proved that human APEX gene consists of 5 exons spanning 2.64 kilobases and suggested that the gene exists as a single copy in the haploid genome. The boundaries between exon and intron follow the GT/AG rule. The major transcription initiation site was assigned by primer extension analysis to C at 515 nucleotides upstream from the ATG initiation codon. The translation initiation and termination sites locate in the exon II and V, respectively. The 5' flanking region (0.89 kilobase) sequenced lacks typical TATA and CAAT boxes, but contains TATA- and CAAT-like sequences and putative cis-acting regulatory elements such as binding sites for Sp1, AP2 and ATF. A part of the 5' flanking region belongs to a CpG island, which extends to the intron II. The CpG island is thought to be a transcription regulatory region of APEX gene, a housekeeping gene. The promoter activity of the 5' upstream region was analyzed by introducing the region in HeLa cells in an expression construct containing luciferase gene as a reporter gene, and the region from position 130 bp upstream to position 205 bp downstream of the major transcription initiation site was shown to be enough for high promoter activity. Northern hybridization experiments suggested that the gene is expressed ubiquitously in human cells. The locus of APEX gene was mapped to human chromosome 14q11.2-q12 using the in situ hybridization technique.

[Interleukin-5-induced generation of superoxide by eosinophils in asthma]

Superoxide generation was assessed in highly purified eosinophils (> 99.0% pure) with a flow cytometer. Eosinophils from patients with asthma were collected by centrifugation of leukocytes on Percoll density gradients, followed by negative immunoselection with anti-CD16 monoclonal antibodies. For comparison, highly purified neutrophils (< 99.5% pure) were collected by a similar method with anti-CD9 monoclonal antibodies. After incubation with a fluorescent probe, the cells were stimulated with various concentrations of PAF, PMA or various cytokines. Both eosinophils and neutrophils generated superoxide dose-dependently in response to PAF and PMA. Eosinophils generated superoxide in response to IL-3 and IL-5 (maximum concentration was 50 ng/ml), but neutrophils did not. IL-5-induced superoxide generation was lower in the presence of IL-5 antibodies. After stimulation with PMA, superoxide generation was significantly higher in neutrophils than in eosinophils (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in PAF-induced or GM-CSF-induced superoxide generation between eosinophils and neutrophils. After stimulation with the optimal concentration of IL-5 or PMA, eosinophils with a lower density generated significantly more superoxide than those with a higher density.

Arthritis in a patient with psoriasis after interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C

A 27-year-old man with psoriasis was administered with leukocyte derived interferon-alpha for the treatment of chronic persistent hepatitis C. After 3 weeks of injections and eventual normalization of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, he began to experience polyarthritis, with worsening of psoriatic skin lesions. Tests for antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor were negative, indicating a direct association between interferon therapy and occurrence of seronegative arthritis.

[A case of scleroderma renal crisis with acute interstitial pneumonia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and refractory thrombocytopenia]

A 46-year-old woman who noticed tightness of the skin in September, 1993, was admitted to a local hospital due to hypertension, congestive heart failure and renal dysfunction on the 2nd of November. After admission, renal function deteriorated progressively. A diagnosis of scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) was suspected from her skin biopsy and clinical course. She was referred to our hospital for further evaluation and maintenance of hemodialysis. Her blood pressure was kept normal by anti-hypertensive drugs including cilazapril. Acute interstitial pneumonia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia appeared during her clinical course. Corticosteroid therapy was effective for acute interstitial pneumonia, but in-effective for thrombocytopenia. Plasma exchange was not effective for thrombocytopenia, which was successfully treated with intravenous gamma-globulin therapy. She died of cytomegaloviral encephalitis, which might have resulted from immunodeficiency caused by prolonged corticosteroid therapy and uremia. Complications other than SRC might have appeared during the clinical course based on the immune disorder of progressive systemic sclerosis itself. In order to improve the prognosis of patients with SRC such complications should be detected promptly and treated correctly.

cDNA cloning and interferon gamma down-regulation of proteasomal subunits X and Y

Proteasomes are the proteolytic complex responsible for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted antigen presentation. Interferon gamma treatment increases expression MHC-encoded LMP2 and LMP7 subunits of the proteasome and decreases expression of two proteasome subunits, named X and Y, which alters the proteolytic specificity of proteasomes. Molecular cloning of complementary DNAs encoding X and Y showed that their proteins are proteasomal subunits with high amino acid similarity to LMP7 and LMP2, respectively. Thus, interferon gamma may induce subunit replacements of X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2, respectively, producing proteasomes perhaps more appropriate for the immunological processing of endogenous antigens.

Serum concentration of a bovine mannan-binding protein reactive with a Ra chemotype strain of Salmonella typhimurium: no significant changes associated with mastitis

The serum concentration of a bovine mannan-binding protein reactive with a Ra chemotype strain of Salmonella Typhimurium in sera from cows with or without mastitis were determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. From the results obtained for 10 healthy cows aged 2 to 7 years, mean +/- SD serum concentrations of MBP in bovine sera were 77.5 +/- 33.1 micrograms/ml. Concentrations in 7 healthy heifer calves aged 6 months were 52.2 +/- 10.2 micrograms/ml, whereas those in 7 healthy bullocks 65.8 +/- 21.8 micrograms/ml. Concentrations in 4 cows aged 4 to 7 years with mastitis were slightly lower (34 to 72 micrograms/ml). After recovery, the serum concentrations rose to the normal concentrations in healthy cows. These findings indicate that the serum concentrations of bovine MBP decrease during mastitis, suggesting that bovine MBP may not be an acute phase reactant.

A comparison of in vitro platinum-DNA adduct formation between carboplatin and cisplatin

DNA damage induced by carboplatin [cis-diammine-(1, 1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II)] was studied in vitro in comparison with cisplatin [cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum(II)]. The drug-induced DNA damage monitored by conformational change of pUC18 plasmid DNA showed that carboplatin required 10 times higher drug concentration and 7.5 times longer incubation time than those of cisplatin to induce the same degree of conformational change on plasmid DNA. The carboplatin-induced DNA damage was promoted by the increase of pH of the reaction mixture for platinum-DNA adduct formation. Sequence gel analysis of carboplatin-damaged DNA indicated that carboplatin attacked preferentially the sequence of GG >> AG > GA > GNG in the order, similarly to the case of cisplatin. DNA adducts formed by carboplatin were analyzed by HPLC after a sequential digestion of carboplatin-treated DNA with deoxyribonuclease I and S1 nuclease. A single peak having the same retention time as that of bifunctional adduct of (dGMP)2Pt(NH3)2 appeared by treating DNA with carboplatin. The adduct was assigned to be d(pGpG) > Pt(NH3)2. These results suggested that carboplatin induces the same platinum-DNA adducts as those induced by cisplatin, and that the difference in efficiency or kinetics of DNA damage between carboplatin and cisplatin is due to difference of aquation rate between them.

[A new slit-lamp fluorophotometer for the clinical evaluation of corneal epithelial barrier function]

A new objective slit-lamp fluorophotometer was developed to examine corneal epithelial barrier function. This instrument has several new characteristics. The photodetector system is placed directly in front of the cornea and the focal diamond is accurately positioned at the corneal surface, permitting measurement of the barrier function of peripheral parts of the cornea. Due to the filter characteristics, measurement can be done even in a relatively bright room. Only one second is needed for measurement, eliminating blink interruption. Linear relationships were found between measurement count and fluorescein concentration. 0.5% and 3 microliters of fluorescein was applied to the eyes of healthy volunteers. In non-washed eyes, the concentration changes were consistent with tear turnover, and in washed eyes, the changes reflected the barrier function of the corneal epithelium and showed correlation with age. This instrument is also useful for determining autofluorescence. A significant relation was seen between autofluorescence and age.

[Release of chemical mediators in the conjunctival lavage fluids after eye provocation with allergen or compound 48/80]

Allergen extract was used to perform conjunctival provocation test on patients with Japanese cedar pollen conjunctivitis during the off-season, and histamine, tryptase and immunoreactive-leukotriene C4 (i-LTC4), which mainly consisted of LTE4, were measured in the lavage fluids. The results obtained in this study were as following. 1) After instillation of the allergen extract (1:20, w/v, 0.01 ml), histamine reached a maximal level of 4.63 +/- 1.67 ng/ml (mean +/- SE, n = 11) at 5 min. Tryptase appeared more slowly and the peak levels were reached at 5 min (116.6 +/- 49.6 ng/ml) or 10 min (119.4 +/- 63.8 ng/ml). In another set of the experiments, histamine peaked at 5 min (3.84 +/- 1.08 ng/ml, n = 7), and i-LTC4 reached peaks at 5 min (320 +/- 44.4 pg/ml) or 10 min (367 +/- 64.8 pg/ml). The amounts of these mediators decreased to base-line levels by 30 min. 2) The amounts of histamine retrieved from the lavage fluid were significantly correlated with those of tryptase (r = 0.819, p < 0.01, n = 11) and the weight ratio of tryptase to histamine was 41.2 +/- 10.0. These observations suggest that histamine was released from mast cells. 3) A significant correlation between the levels of histamine and i-LTC4 recovered from the lavage fluids was also observed (r = 0.736, p < 0.05, n = 7). 4) Compound 48/80 was instilled in the right eye (7.5 mg/ml, 0.01 ml) and the left eye was given allergen solution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Stable expression in rat glioma cells of sense and antisense nucleic acids to a human multifunctional DNA repair enzyme, APEX nuclease

We have cloned mouse and human cDNAs for a multifunctional DNA repair enzyme (APEX nuclease) having apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease, 3',5' exonuclease, DNA 3' repair diesterase and DNA 3'-phosphatase activities. To investigate the biological role of APEX nuclease, sense or antisense APEX RNA was stably expressed at a high level in cultured rat glioma cells by introducing plasmids (pABWN-HAPX1F for expression of sense RNA or pABWN-HAPX2R for expression of antisense RNA) constructed from the human APEX cDNA and an expression vector pABWN. Multiple copies of the construct were integrated into the glioma cells transfected with pABWN-HAPX1F or pABWN-HAPX2R. These transfectants showed markedly high expression of RNA hybridizable to human APEX cDNA, indicating the expression of the sense or antisense RNA. Activity blotting analyses of salt extracts of these transfectants showed that the sense RNA-expressed cells had higher AP endonuclease activity and that the antisense RNA-expressed cells had extremely lower AP endonuclease activity than the control cells. The APEX nuclease-depressed glioma cells became more sensitive to methyl methanesulfonate and hydrogen peroxide than the control cells or the APEX nuclease-overexpressed cells. The results indicate that APEX nuclease plays an important role in repair of DNA damage caused by these genotoxic agents. The present stable expression systems for the sense and antisense APEX RNAs should be useful for analyzing the biological functions such as an antimutagenic function of the enzyme.

Measuring H type 1 and H type 2 antigens in human saliva by immunoassay using artificial antigens as standard substances

A time-resolved fluorometric immunoassay for water-soluble H antigens of ABH blood group substances has been developed. Introducing artificial antigens (trisaccharide-albumin complexes for H type 1 and H type 2) as reference substances, H blood group substances in human saliva were measured. The monoclonal antibody, anti-H 1E3, reacted with both H type 1 and type 2 chains, and the commercially available anti-H reacted with H type 2 chain. Using these two antibodies we found 10-20-fold higher concentration of H type 1 compared with that of H type 2 in human saliva. The H type 2 was not found in the saliva samples from nonsecretors, irrespective of ABO phenotypes. The results suggest that approximately 90% of A and B blood group substances in human saliva are built on type 1 chains.

Arteriovenous malformation associated with moyamoya disease: case report

A rare case of arteriovenous malformation associated with moyamoya disease is reported. In this case, an interesting angiographic change was obtained during the follow-up period. The feeding artery from the internal carotid artery gradually disappeared as the moyamoya disease progressed, and a new feeding artery appeared from the external carotid artery.

[The volume of the seminal vesicles in general senior population]

The volume of the seminal vesicles in 413 males, who were submitted to a mass screening program for prostatic diseases by transrectal sonography, was measured by tracing ultrasonograms using a multi-planimeter. Ages of the subjects ranged from 46 to 88 years (mean age 67.0 years). The mean volume of the seminal vesicles for all cases was 14.55 +/- 5.11 cm3. The volume of the seminal vesicles was not related statistically to the height, body weight and body mass index of the subject. The volume of the seminal vesicles in cases of no prostatic diseases decreased with age, while that of cases of benign prostatic hypertrophy increased with the progress of the disease. These facts suggested that the seminal vesicles were androgen dependent, similar to the prostate.