Ciliary neurotrophic factor preferentially enhances spontaneous IgE production by B cells from atopic patients

The effect of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on IgE production by purified B cells from atopic patients was studied. CNTF significantly enhanced spontaneous IgE production by B cells from patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) in a dose-dependent fashion, and maximum enhancement was achieved at 1 ng/ml. CNTF-induced enhancement of IgE production was blocked by anti-CNTF mAb or anti-gp 130 mAb, but not by anti-IL-6 mAb. On the other hand, CNTF did not significantly enhance spontaneous production of IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgM, IgAl or IgA2 by B cells from AEDS patients. In contrast to B cells from AEDS patients, B cells from non-atopic subjects failed to produce IgE spontaneously, and CNTF did not induce IgE production by non-atopic subjects' B cells. B cells from atopic patients contained surface IgE positive B cells (sIgE+ B cells), which spontaneously produced IgE, while surface IgE negative B cells (sIgE- B cells) failed to do so. CNTF enhanced IgE production by sIgE+ B cells from patients with AEDS, allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma, while CNTF failed to induce IgE from sIgE- B cells from these patients. Stimulation of sIgE- B cells with IL-4 plus anti-CD40 mAb induced IgE production. However, stimulation of sIgE- B cells with CNTF plus IL-4, or CNTF plus anti-CD40 mAb did not induce IgE production by sIgE- B cells. Collectively, these results indicate that CNTF preferentially enhanced spontaneous IgE production by post-switched sIgE+ B cells, while CNTF failed to induce IgE by pre-switched sIgE- B cells. These results suggest that CNTF may be involved in the allergic diseases.

Enhancement of allergic skin wheal responses in patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome by playing video games or by a frequently ringing mobile phone

BACKGROUND

Playing video games causes physical and psychological stress, including increased heart rate and blood pressure and aggression-related feelings. Use of mobile phones is very popular in Japan, and frequent ringing is a common and intrusive part of Japanese life. Atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome is often exacerbated by stress. Stress increases serum IgE levels, skews cytokine pattern towards Th2 type, enhances allergen-induced skin wheal responses, and triggers mast cell degranulation via substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

(1). In the video game study, normal subjects (n = 25), patients with allergic rhinitis (n = 25) or atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (n = 25) played a video game (STREET FIGHTER II) for 2 h. Before and after the study, allergen-induced wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor, and in vitro production of total IgE, antihouse dust mite IgE and cytokines were measured. (2). In the mobile phone study, normal subjects (n = 27), patients with allergic rhinitis (n = 27) or atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (n = 27) were exposed to 30 incidences of ringing mobile phones during 30 min. Before and after the study, allergen-induced wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor were measured.

RESULTS

Playing video games had no effect on the normal subjects or the patients with allergic rhinitis. In contrast, playing video games significantly enhanced allergen-induced skin wheal responses and increased plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factors in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. Moreover, playing video games enhanced in vitro production of total IgE and anti-house dust mite IgE with concomitant increased production of IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 and decreased production of IFN-gamma and IL-12 in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. However, exposure to frequently ringing mobile phones significantly enhanced allergen-induced skin wheal responses, plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factors in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome, but not in the normal subjects or the patients with allergic rhinitis.

CONCLUSION

Playing video games enhanced allergic responses with a concomitant increased release of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor, and skewing of the cytokine pattern toward Th2 type in the patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. In addition, exposure to frequently ringing mobile phones also enhanced allergic responses with a concomitant increased release of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor Collectively, high technology causes stress, which in turn may aggravate symptoms of atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome.

Oncolytic viral therapy using a spontaneously generated herpes simplex virus type 1 variant for disseminated peritoneal tumor in immunocompetent mice

The present study demonstrates that a clonal derivative (HF10) of HSV-1 strain HF effectively treated disseminated peritoneal neoplasm in an immunocompetent animal model and that all of survived mice acquired resistance to rechallenge with tumor cells. The survival time of mice treated with HF10 was longer than that of mice treated with hrR3, indicating that the oncolytic effect of HF10 was more potent than that of hrR3 in this animal model. HF10 induces syncytia formation in vitro, whereas hrR3 forms rounded CPE. The sequential administration of HF10 gave a long term survival of more than 90 days after tumor injection, with no signs of disease, in 8 of the 9 treated mice. The results suggest that treatment of disseminated peritoneal tumor with HF10 induces a specific antitumor immune response. Genomic structure determination showed that HF10 has a deletion of 3.9-kilobase pair (kbp) in the right end of UL and UL/IRL junction, resulting in the loss of UL 56 expression. A 2.3 kbp deletion and extensive rearrangement were also observed in the left end of the genome.

Starvation reduces allergen-induced skin wheal responses and plasma substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome

The effect of starvation on allergen-induced skin wheal responses and plasma neuropeptide levels was not previously reported. Starvation for 24 h reduces allergen-induced skin wheal responses and plasma levels of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome, but not in control subjects. These results may have implications for the pathophysiology of the atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome.

Gene therapy for pancreatic cancer

Despite improvements in surgical care and locoregional therapy, the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer has seen little improvement over the last several decades. It is difficult to diagnose pancreatic cancer at its earliest stages when it is amenable to cure by surgical resection because it is too small to produce symptoms in the affected patient. Recent improvements in radiographic modalities aimed at earlier detection and extent of cancer spread have enabled the clinician to provide the most efficacious treatment regimen possible. Nevertheless, pancreatic cancer is very aggressive locally and frequently metastasizes to the liver and peritoneum. New strategies are necessary to treat pancreatic cancer and gene therapy offers hope in this regard. Many studies have revealed the promise of gene therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in rodent models. Early clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate the success of these gene therapy regimens in humans. In this article we review the gene therapy strategies currently employed in the fight against pancreatic cancer, including antisense strategies, gene-directed prodrug activation therapy, promoter gene strategies, and oncolytic viral therapy.

Simultaneous determination of NK-104 and its lactone in biological samples by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

A simple and sensitive column-switching HPLC method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of NK-104 (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) and its lactone in human and dog plasma. Plasma sample was extracted with methyl tert-butyl ether and then the extract was subjected to methylation with diazomethane to prevent the mutual conversion between NK-104 and its lactone. The extract was injected into the column-switching HPLC system. The calibration curves of NK-104 and NK-104 lactone were linear over the ranges 0.5 to 100 ng/ml for human plasma samples and 0.5 to 500 ng/ml for dog plasma, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day C.V. values of these analytes were less than 13.3%. The intra-day and inter-day accuracies of these analytes were between -14.0 and 6.5%. The proposed method has been applied to plasma samples obtained after oral administration of a single 2 mg dose of NK-104 to volunteers.

Selective enhancement of production of IgE, IgG4, and Th2-cell cytokine during the rebound phenomenon in atopic dermatitis and prevention by suplatast tosilate

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which is commonly treated with topical steroids. It is, however, associated with rebound after therapy has been discontinued.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to elucidate the mechanisms of the rebound phenomenon, and to test the effect of an oral anti-allergic medication, suplatast tosilate, on atopic dermatitis.

METHODS

This is a randomized, placebo controlled study. Patients with atopic dermatitis who had been treated with strong steroid ointment (dexamethasone valerate) for several years were divided into two groups. One group (the control group, n = 15) was treated with a non-steroid anti-inflammatory ointment (bufexamac ointment), while the other group (the suplatast tosilate group, n = 17) was treated with the anti-allergic medications, suplatast tosilate and bufexamac ointment. In each group, in vitro production of immunoglobulins and cytokines before and after 2 weeks of treatment was measured.

RESULTS

In the control group, 15 of the 15 patients experienced rebound and mean production of IgE, IgG4, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 was enhanced after 2 weeks. In contrast, only 2 of the 17 patients in the suplatast tosilate group experienced rebound. There was no enhancement of production of immunoglobulins and cytokines after 2 weeks of treatment.

CONCLUSION

Enhanced production of the Th2-cell cytokines, which selectively induces IgE and IgG4 production, may be involved in the pathogenesis of the rebound phenomenon, and that suplatast tosilate may prevent the rebound phenomenon by down-regulating the production of these cytokines.

Identification of metabolites of NK-104, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in rat, rabbit and dog bile

NK-104 is an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase with a very potent lipid-lowering effect. Biotransformation profiles of NK-104 in bile from rat, rabbit and dog given an intravenous infusion of NK-104 were investigated. Structural assignment was made by liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS)-MS and proton NMR analyses. The predominant component was intact NK-104 in all the animals. At least eight other metabolites were present in rat, four in rabbit, and 10 in dog. These bile metabolites were purified and isolated by preparative HPLC. Biotransformation pathways elucidated for NK-104 were as follows: (a) lactonization ; (b) beta-oxidation of the side-chain; (c) hydroxylation of the quinoline ring; (d) conjugation with Beta-glucuronic acid and taurine. Beta-oxidative degradation of the side-chain in the case of other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors is necessary for epimerization of the hydroxy group which has an R-configuration. However, M-16, glucuronide of the ketolactone derivative, was obtained as a key metabolite suggesting another beta-oxidation pathway for the side-chain.

Importance of sialic acid in recombinant thrombomodulin in terms of pharmacokinetics and separation of desialyzed glycoprotein

Recombinant glycosaminoglycan-modified urinary thrombomodulin (GAG-UTM) expressed in mouse C-127 cells has potent antithrombotic activity available as an anticoagulant. GAG-UTM, a glycoprotein with sialic acid, was investigated regarding the influence of the terminal sialic acid on its pharmacokinetics upon rapid intravenous injection in rat. Asialo GAG-UTM desialated by neuraminidase was cleared rapidly from plasma. Sialyzed GAG-UTM, a sialyzed asialo GAG-UTM with alpha-2, 6-sialyltransferase, containing sialic acid similarly to native sialo GAG-UTM, had only a short half-life in plasma, suggesting that the binding site of sialic acid on galactose was not only sialyzed with alpha-2, 6-sialyltransferase but also with 2, 3-sialyltransferase. Asialo GAG-UTM with oxidized terminal galactose, however, had a long half-life. These results suggest that terminal sialic acid may be important to the pharmacokinetics of GAG-UTM; therefore, an analysis of asialo GAG-UTM became significant for quality control. In order to analyze sialo- and asialo-types in the early stage of purification, we investigated separation and analysis methods for both types and found a suitable sample of each: RCA-120-Agarose column for separation and ELISA using anti-thrombomodulin antibody and RCA lectin for analysis.

Piroxicam and acarbose as chemopreventive agents for spontaneous intestinal adenomas in APC gene 1309 knockout mice

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has been suggested to have a chemopreventive effect against colon carcinoma, through the inhibition of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2, in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and in animal models. Acarbose, an alpha-glycosidase inhibitor, may also be chemopreventive. In order to examine the effects of these drugs we employed APC gene knockout mice randomized into 3 groups, one for treatment with piroxicam (0.05% concentration in drinking water), one for acarbose (0.04% concentration in food) and another for the control. After 14 weeks of treatment, mice were killed for quantitation of gastric and intestinal adenomas. Tumor multiplicity in the whole gastrointestinal tract decreased from 33.89 +/- 13.07 tumors/mouse in the control group to 17.05 +/- 7 tumors/mouse in the piroxicam-treated group (P < 0.001). The decrease in the acarbose-treated group (29.68 +/- 12.86 tumors/mouse) was not significant (P < 0.05). The number of tumors > or = 3 mm in diameter was also quantified in all gastrointestinal segments. The number of such tumors in the piroxicam group was decreased to 0.56 +/- 1.2 tumors/mouse from the control value of 3.78 +/- 1.17 tumors/mouse (P < 0.001), while in the acarbose-treated group the number decreased to 2.36 +/- 1.7 tumors/mouse (P < 0.01). Thus, piroxicam decreases the size and number of gastrointestinal adenomas in APC 1309 knockout mice, while acarbose decreases only the size.

Ultimate observation of tungsten atoms and clusters adsorbed on single crystalline MgO films

Tungsten single atoms and clusters composed of four and five atoms deposited on MgO (001) thin films were observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy at R.T. The observation was realized by optimizing the thickness of the MgO films and by using special imaging techniques such as an off-Bragg HREM method. The multislice simulation for the interpretation of the image contrast showed a possibility of discrimination of the atomic configuration of clusters, such as "b.c.c.," "on-top," or "f.c.c." type clusters, from details of the image-contrast. The image intensity at the center of the clusters with the b.c.c. configuration was evidently smaller than that of the clusters with the f.c.c. configuration. The reason for the difference was clarified through the multislice image simulation, suggesting that the lattice mismatch between the clusters and the MgO lattice was a key factor in determining the intensity of the center of the clusters.

X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency with gamma delta T cells

A patient with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) was found to have a deletion mutation of a four base pair in the transmembrane domain of the IL-2 receptor gamma chain gene, a subunit shared by the receptors for IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-15 (common gamma chain; gamma c). He had very few alpha beta T cells but had a considerable number of gamma delta T cells in his peripheral blood. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed that the gamma delta T cells in his peripheral blood were not of maternal origin. He had received a Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination before recognition of the disease, and the BCG infection remained quiescent with no reaction for 19 months. After successful bone marrow transplantation, the site of the BCG vaccination showed a reaction, and live BCG were detected. It is useful to consider the relationship between the existence of gamma delta T cells and BCG in this case, and it is suggested that gamma delta T cells may be, in a given situation, less dependent on the gamma c chain than are alpha beta T cells.

Pharmacological profile of a novel synthetic inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase

Pharmacological properties of NK-104 ((+)-monocalcium bis¿(3R,5S,6E)-7-[2-cyclopropyl-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-quinolyl++ +]-3,5-dihydroxy-6- heptenoate¿, CAS 147526-32-7), a novel synthetic inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, were investigated. The kinetic study, using rat liver microsomal HMG-CoA reductase, revealed that NK-104 is a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase with a Ki of 1.7 nmol/l. To examine the inhibitory effect on sterol synthesis in vivo, de novo synthesis of sterols from [14C]acetate 3 h after oral administration of NK-104 was measured in rats. NK-104 showed marked inhibition in liver (ED50 0.13 mg/kg) and in ileum (ED50 0.20 mg/kg), but much weaker in the other tissues. The inhibitory effect of NK-104 on liver sterol synthesis lasted over 6 h, while that of pravastatin and simvastatin disappeared 6 h after administration of the drugs twice the ED50s. Due to induction of HMG-CoA reductase, initial suppression of hepatic sterol synthesis by pravastatin and simvastatin was compensated, and the cumulative change in hepatic sterol synthesis during 12 h after drug administration was remarkably negative only with long-acting NK-104. Hypolipidemic effects of NK-104 (0.03, 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg p.o. for 2 weeks) were examined in beagle dogs. NK-104 reduced plasma total cholesterol dose-dependently (13.1, 18.5 and 20.2% at doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg, respectively), and also plasma triglycerides by 0.1 mg/kg or more. Pravastatin (1 and 3 mg/kg) and simvastatin (3 mg/kg) lowered plasma total cholesterol (14.0, 15.4 and 17.4%, respectively), but did not significantly affect plasma triglyceride levels. These results indicate that NK-104 is a potent, liver-selective, long-acting HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor with a high cholesterol- and triglyceride-lowering potency.