Desensitization to a whole egg by rush oral immunotherapy improves the quality of life of guardians: A multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, delayed-start design study

BACKGROUND

Patients with food allergies and their families have a significantly reduced health-related quality of life (QOL).

METHODS

We performed a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, delayed-start design study to clarify the efficacy and safety of rush oral immunotherapy (rOIT) and its impact on the participants' daily life and their guardians (UMIN000003943). Forty-five participants were randomly divided into an early-start group and a late-start group. The early-start group received rOIT for 3 months, while the late-start group continued the egg elimination diet (control). In the next stage, both groups received OIT until all participants had finished 12 months of maintenance OIT.

RESULTS

The ratio of the participants in whom an increase of the TD was achieved in the first stage was significantly higher in the early-start group (87.0%), than in the late-start group (22.7%). The QOL of the guardians in the early-start group significantly improved after the first stage (65.2%), in comparison to the late-start group (31.8%). During 12 months of rOIT, the serum ovomucoid-specific IgE levels, the percentage of CD203c⁺ basophils upon stimulation with egg white, and the wheal size to egg white were decreased, while the serum ovomucoid-specific IgG4 levels were increased. However, approximately 80% of the participants in the early-start group showed an allergic reaction during the first stage of the study, whereas none of the patients in the late-start group experienced an allergic reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

rOIT induced desensitization to egg and thus improved the QOL of guardians; however, the participants experienced frequent allergic reactions due to the treatment.

Low-Dose Oral Immunotherapy Using Low-Egg-Allergen Cookies for Severe Egg-Allergic Children Reduces Allergy Severity and Affects Allergen-Specific Antibodies in Serum

<b><i>Background:</i></b> We evaluated the safety and efficacy of low-egg-allergen cookies (LAC) as low-dose oral immunotherapy (OIT) in children with severe egg allergy. We also examined the relationship between mild desensitization by low-dose OIT and serum biomarkers of allergy. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We enrolled 13 children with egg allergy who could not receive OIT with hard-boiled egg white (EW). For 11 participants, OIT was carried out using LAC for 3-4 months. Open food challenges with hard-boiled EW and blood samplings were performed before and after OIT. Participants were divided into 2 groups: high effect (H-E) and no/low effect (N/L-E). Serum levels of total IgE and egg yolk-, EW-, and ovomucoid (OM)-specific IgE, ovalbumin (OVA)- and OM-specific IgG₄, IgA₁, and IgA₂, and the percentage of CD 203c⁺ were measured. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Allergic severity was reduced in 7 patients, who were assigned to the H-E group. Moreover, no study participants were taken off the intake of LAC during OIT. In the H-E group, OVA-specific IgA₂ levels after OIT were significantly higher than before OIT. The ratios of OM-specific IgG₄/OM-specific IgE and OM-specific IgA₂/OM-specific IgE in the H-E group after OIT were significantly higher than before OIT. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our findings suggest that low-dose OIT using LAC is an effective and safe treatment for patients with severe egg allergy.

Advancement of magma fragmentation by inhomogeneous bubble distribution

Decompression times reported in previous studies suggest that thoroughly brittle fragmentation is unlikely in actual explosive volcanic eruptions. What occurs in practice is brittle-like fragmentation, which is defined as the solid-like fracture of a material whose bulk rheological properties are close to those of a fluid. Through laboratory experiments and numerical simulation, the link between the inhomogeneous structure of bubbles and the development of cracks that may lead to brittle-like fragmentation was clearly demonstrated here. A rapid decompression test was conducted to simulate the fragmentation of a specimen whose pore morphology was revealed by X-ray microtomography. The dynamic response during decompression was observed by high-speed photography. Large variation was observed in the responses of the specimens even among specimens with equal bulk rheological properties. The stress fields of the specimens under decompression computed by finite element analysis shows that the presence of satellite bubbles beneath a large bubble induced the stress concentration. On the basis of the obtained results, a new mechanism for brittle-like fragmentation is proposed. In the proposed scenario, the second nucleation of bubbles near the fragmentation surface is an essential process for the advancement of fragmentation in an upward magma flow in a volcanic conduit.

[The Safety and efficacy of airway-hyperresponsiveness test for asthma using by SK-1211 (Methacholine Chloride)]

BACKGROUND

In abroad, Methacholine Chloride (Provocholine®) is used to meet the indications of the diagnosis of bronchial airway hyperreactivity in subjects who do not have clinically apparent asthma. We examined efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of Methacholine Chloride (name of study drug: SK-1211) in order to get approved for the airway hyperresponsiveness test in Japan.

METHODS

Fifteen adult healthy volunteers, fifteen adult patients with asthma and ten pediatric patients with asthma were enrolled in this study. The airway hyperresponsiveness test with SK-1211 was conducted in accordance with Japanese Society of Allergology Standard Method.

RESULTS

When the threshold value of PC20 was 8 mg/mL, the sensitivity of adult patients with asthma was 66.7% (10/15 subjects) and the specificity of adult healthy volunteers was 86.7% (13/15 subjects). The sensitivity of pediatric patients with asthma was 70.0% (7/10 subjects). Not all subjects experienced some adverse reactions during inhalation of SK-1211, all of which were mild in severity and resolved soon with inhalation of a bronchodilator. There were no serious adverse reactions reported.

CONCLUSION

The airway hyperresponsiveness test with SK-1211 was no specific concern with safety and useful in the diagnosis of bronchial airway hyperresponsiveness.

[THE COMPARISON OF EFFECTIVENESS OF SLOW SPECIFIC ORAL IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR WHEAT ALLERGY USING TWO DIFFERENT INTAKE FREQUENCY]

OBJECTIVE

We performed a constructive study on the effectiveness of oral immunotherapy for wheat allergy using two different intake frequency, and evaluated the impact of intake frequency.

SUBJECTS

Of all the subjects who had a positive result in an oral food challenge test for udon (wheat noodles), informed consent was obtained from 49 subjects. Forty-one of the subjects successfully completed testing; data was tabulated for only the 16 in each group who complied with their assigned intake frequency.

METHOD

Oral immunotherapy was administered after randomly dividing the subjects into the following two groups according to intake frequency: the frequent group, whose intake was six times/week or more; and the intermittent group, whose intake was two times/week. The ability of these patients to ingest the noodles at the target dose was evaluated after 6 months.

RESULTS

After six months, the proportion of subjects who had a negative result on testing with the target dose (20g dried noodle weight for subjects ≤3 years of age, and 50g dried noodle weight for those ≥4 years of age) or who were capable of the target intake within six months was 75%, and there was no difference among the both groups.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that even when intake frequency is reduced to twice/week, no clear difference is seen with the target dose after six months of immunotherapy.

Development and validation of asthma questionnaire for assessing and achieving best control in preschool-age children

BACKGROUND

Several patient-/caregiver-completed questionnaires have been utilized for the assessment of asthma control. However, due to the diversity in medical/social circumstances, they may not be optimal for use in all countries. The Japanese pediatric asthma guideline (JPGL) aims at higher levels of control compared with other international guidelines, based on a strong social demand for best care. We developed a new control test to help meet that demand.

METHODS

A 34-item working questionnaire was developed based on input from pediatric asthma specialists and the caregivers of preschool children with asthma. The questionnaire was administered to caregivers of 565 patients aged <6 years who had physician-diagnosed asthma or β2-agonist-responsive recurrent wheeze. Then, 6 questions for assessing JPGL-defined control levels were selected from the 34 questions by stepwise logistic regression methods using randomly selected questionnaires completed by two-thirds of the caregivers. We named that set of questions the Best Asthma Control Test for Preschoolers (Best ACT-P). Validation of Best ACT-P was performed using the remaining completed questionnaires.

RESULTS

The 6 questions asked about the frequency/severity of cold-induced wheeze, nighttime awakening, exercise-induced symptoms, and disruption of family life due to asthma in the past 4 weeks and hospitalization in the past 12 months. The 6-item logistic model showed good statistical fit, and the scores for the physicians' ratings of the asthma control differed significantly in the hypothetical direction.

CONCLUSIONS

Best ACT-P is a valid caregiver-completed questionnaire of asthma control in preschoolers in whom total control needs to be achieved.

Japanese pediatric guideline for the treatment and management of bronchial asthma 2012

A new version of the Japanese pediatric guideline for the treatment and management of bronchial asthma was published in Japanese at the end of 2011. The guideline sets the pragmatic goal for clinicians treating childhood asthma as maintaining a "well-controlled level" for an extended period in which the child patient can lead a trouble-free daily life, not forgetting the ultimate goal of obtaining remission and/or cure. Important factors in the attainment of the pragmatic goal are: (i) appropriate use of anti-inflammatory drugs; (ii) elimination of environmental risk factors; and (iii) educational and enlightening activities for the patient and caregivers regarding adequate asthma management in daily life. The well-controlled level refers to a symptom-free state in which no transient coughs, wheezing, dyspnea or other symptoms associated with bronchial asthma are present, even for a short period of time. As was the case in the previous versions of the guideline, asthmatic children younger than 2 years of age are defined as infantile asthma patients. Special attention is paid to these patients in the new guideline: they often have rapid exacerbation and easily present chronic asthmatic conditions after the disease is established.

[Allergy due to probable contamination of bread used for school meals with milk]

BACKGROUND

In May 2012, two schoolchildren developed allergic symptoms after eating a school meal of fried bread in Osaka, Japan. One specific raw material, milk, should not be present in fried bread. However, we suspected the unintentional mixing of milk in the bread manufacturing process. Our aim was to verify the reason if this was so.

METHODS

We first manufactured bread that contained milk as one of its components. We then thoroughly cleaned the manufacturing line except for the dough divider and, as per the revised instruction manual, continuously manufactured bread that did not contain milk. In this manner, we tried to simulate the conditions at the time of the incident. Casein is a major milk protein. We, therefore, determined casein concentration in the milk-free bread, using casein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

We observed casein levels higher than 1000 ppm in the initial lots of breads, but lower levels in the later lots. Casein levels also decreased upon frying of bread.

CONCLUSION

High casein levels, which were observed in the earlier lots of breads, were lower in the later lots. In the manufacturing line, the remnants of the bread dough that contained milk presumably got mixed with the dough used in the subsequent manufacture of milk-free bread.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine by pediatric food-allergic patients in Japan

BACKGROUND

In developed countries, increasing food allergy prevalence and concern regarding food allergies have been reported. Although the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the treatment of allergic diseases has increased in some Western countries, the actual proportion and patterns of CAM use for pediatric food allergies in Japan are still unknown.

METHODS

Fourteen allergy centers in Japan participated in the study using a questionnaire survey regarding the use of CAM by pediatric patients. A diagnosis of food allergy was made at each hospital by pediatric allergists.

RESULTS

Surveys were completed by parents/guardians, and data were collected for a total of 962 pediatric food-allergic patients. Overall, 8.4% of the participants used CAM to treat a food allergy. The major CAM therapies used were herbal teas (22.2%), including several Japanese herbal teas, Chinese herbal medicine (18.5%) and lactic acid bacteria (16%). Among the participants using CAM to treat food allergy, 13.6% thought that the CAM being used was very effective, while 11.1% of participants thought that CAM caused some type of side effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is the first large-scale national survey regarding the use of CAM in pediatric patients with food allergies in Japan. Unlike in the USA, which has a higher rate of CAM use (17%), approximately 8.4% of food-allergic patients used CAM in Japan. Interestingly, the major types of CAM used in Japan differed from those used in the USA. Cultural differences and food customs may affect the use of CAM.

Activation of latent precursors in the hippocampus is dependent on long-term potentiation

The recent discovery of a large latent population of precursor cells in the dentate gyrus of adult mice led us to investigate whether activation of this population is regulated by synaptic activity, thereby explaining the observation that environmental signals can affect neurogenesis. Using a variety of stimulation protocols, we found that only a long-term potentiation (LTP)-inducing protocol activated the latent precursor pool, leading to increased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. LTP induced by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the perforant pathway in vivo produced a two-fold increase in the number of neurospheres cultured from the stimulated hippocampus, compared with the unstimulated hippocampus. No increase in neurosphere number or neurogenesis was observed when the HFS failed to induce LTP. These results show that LTP can activate latent neural precursor cells in the adult mouse dentate gyrus, thereby providing a direct mechanism for regulating activity-driven neurogenesis. In the future, it may be possible to utilize such learning- or stimulation-induced neurogenesis to overcome disorders characterized by neuronal loss.

GDNF-pretreatment enhances the survival of neural stem cells following transplantation in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Cell transplantation has been shown to be an effective therapy for central nervous system disorders in animal models. Improving the efficacy of cell transplantation depends critically on improving grafted cell survival. We investigated whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-pretreatment of neural stem cells (NSCs) enhanced grafted cell survival in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). We first examined the neuroprotective effects of GDNF on oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in NSCs. Cells were pretreated with GDNF for 3 days before subjecting them to OGD. After 12h of OGD, GDNF-pretreated NSCs showed significant increases in survival rates compared with PBS-pretreated NSCs. An apoptosis assay showed that the number of apoptotic cells was significantly decreased in GDNF-pretreated NSCs at 1h and 6h after OGD. A PD rat model was then established by unilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 9μg) into the medial forebrain bundle. Two weeks after 6-OHDA injection, GDNF-pretreated NSCs, PBS-pretreated NSCs, or PBS were injected into PD rat striatum. The survival of grafted cells in the striatum was significantly increased in the GDNF-pretreated NSC group compared with the control groups. GDNF pretreatment increased survival of NSCs following transplantation, at least partly through suppression of cell apoptosis.

High-Quality A-Si Films Prepared by the Direct Photo-Cvd Method

A high-efficiency integrated-type a-Si solar cell submodule with a size of 10cm × 10cm has been fabricated and a total area efficiency of 9.6% is obtained by using a high-quality p-layer doped with B(CH3)3 We have developed an advanced direct photo-CVD method. High-quallt” a-SI films with low tail characteristic energy and low light-induced degradation is prepared by this method. We have also studied the role of Si-H2 bonds on the light-induced effect. The result implies that Si-H bonds stabilize the defect states, resulting in a large light-induced degradation.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin gene promoter polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to bronchial asthma

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) triggers dendritic cell--mediated T helper (Th) 2 inflammatory responses. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs3806933, in the promoter region of the TSLP gene creates a binding site for the transcription factor activating protein (AP)-1. The variant enhances AP-1 binding to the regulatory element, and increases the promoter--reporter activity of TSLP in response to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]) stimulation in normal human bronchial epithelium (NHBE). We investigated whether polymorphisms including the SNP rs3806933 could affect the susceptibility to and clinical phenotypes of bronchial asthma. We selected three representative (i.e., Tag) SNPs and conducted association studies of the TSLP gene, using two independent populations (639 patients with childhood atopic asthma and 838 control subjects, and 641 patients with adult asthma and 376 control subjects, respectively). We further examined the effects of corticosteroids and a long-acting β(2)-agonist (salmeterol) on the expression levels of the TSLP gene in response to poly(I:C) in NHBE. We found that the promoter polymorphisms rs3806933 and rs2289276 were significantly associated with disease susceptibility in both childhood atopic and adult asthma. The functional SNP rs3806933 was associated with asthma (meta-analysis, P = 0.000056; odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-1.47). A genotype of rs2289278 was correlated with pulmonary function. Moreover, the induction of TSLP mRNA and protein expression induced by poly(I:C) in NHBE was synergistically impaired by a corticosteroid and salmeterol. TSLP variants are significantly associated with bronchial asthma and pulmonary function. Thus, TSLP may serve as a therapeutic target molecule for combination therapy.

Japanese pediatric guidelines for the treatment and management of bronchial asthma 2008

Abstract The fourth version of the Japanese Pediatric Guidelines for the Treatment and Management of Bronchial Asthma 2008 (JPGL 2008) was published by the Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology in December 2008. In JPGL 2008, the recommendations were revised on the basis of the JPGL 2005. The JPGL 2008 is different to the Global Initiative for Asthma guideline in that it contains the following items: a classification system of asthma severity; recommendations for long-term management organized by age; a special mention of infantile asthma; and an emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Here we show a summary of the JPGL 2008 revising our previous report concerning JPGL 2005.

Very short gastroesophageal acid reflux during the upright position could be associated with asthma in children

BACKGROUND

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is diagnosed by the reflux index of 24-hour pH monitoring (pH monitoring). In our previous study, GER episodes during the upright position were more frequent than those during the supine position in asthmatic children. In this study, we investigated the clinical usefulness of the mean hourly number of acid refluxes, designated as the mean number of acid refluxes/hour (h) during the upright position in addition to the pH index for the diagnosis of GERD.

METHODS

The subjects were 22 preschool asthmatic children. When the reflux index was over 4% or the mean number of acid refluxes/h during the upright position were three times more frequent than those during the supine position even if the reflux index was below 4%, we prescribed famotidine. Children whose asthmatic symptoms improved with famotidine were included in a GERD group. Children who did not meet the criteria by pH monitoring were included in a non-GERD group in asthmatic children.

RESULTS

The GERD group was comprised of 9 children. In 2 out of 9 GERD group children, the reflux index was below 4%. The median of the mean number of acid refluxes/h during the upright position was 12.9 in the GERD group, and 3.15 in the non-GERD group. The mean number of acid refluxes/h during the upright position were associated with asthmatic symptoms (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Reflux during the upright position was associated with asthmatic symptoms. The mean number of acid refluxes/h during the upright position in addition to the reflux index could be useful in the diagnosis of GERD when associated with asthma.

Association study of the C3 gene with adult and childhood asthma

Bronchial asthma (BA) is a multifactorial disorder, the development of which is affected by both environmental and genetic factors. The complement system plays an important role in immunological response against invading microorganisms. It has been shown that complement-C3-deficient mice have reduced inflammation of asthmatic airways. Previously, we reported the association of four single nuclear proteins (SNPs) in the exons of the C3 gene with childhood and adult BA. The C3 gene, however, is a large gene, and functional SNPs associated with susceptibility to BA have not yet been identified. We analyzed 26 SNPs in the C3 gene and its promoter region to narrow down the regions showing association with childhood and adult BA. Childhood and adult atopic BA patients and healthy child and adult controls were recruited from urban cities in Japan and genotyped. In SNP analysis, an SNP (SNP24, rs11569562) located in intron 31 of the C3 gene was associated with adult BA [corrected P (Pcor) = 0.030]. In linkage disequilibrium (LD) block 4 spanning exons 24-41, the frequency of the CCC haplotype in adult BA was significantly higher than that in adult controls (Pcor = 0.038). Neither the SNP nor the haplotype showing association with adult BA demonstrated a significant association with serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level in BA patients and controls. Our results suggest that LD block 4 confers susceptibility to adult BA with mechanisms relevant to the effector phase of allergic inflammation.

[Gastroesophageal reflux disease in preschool children with asthma]

BACKGROUND

In pediatric intractable asthma, there is occasionally an association with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). It is not clear in which cases GERD should be suspected or how effective the GERD therapy is in treating the asthma.

METHODS

Twenty-seven preschool children (<6 years of age) suffering from recurrent asthma attack in spite of asthma therapy underwent 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. We examined retrospectively the incidence of GERD and the effectiveness of famotidine in GERD positive patients.

RESULTS

18 of the 27 patients (66.7%) had positive results (GERD positive group). In 12 of the 15 patients (80%) who underwent GERD therapy (famotidine), respiratory symptoms were decreased. In the GERD positive group, the incidence of acid reflux during waking hours was more frequent than during sleeping hours. In 8 of 12 patients (66.7%) in whom famotidine was effective, cough and wheeze often occurred during the daytime and corresponded with the time when acid reflux must commonly occurred.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that children suffering from recurrent asthma attack in spite of asthma therapy must be examined for the presence of GERD.

[Influence of changing from chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-BDP on pulmonary function in asthmatic children]

The discontinuation of chlorofluorocarbon- beclomethasone dipropionate (CFC-BDP) products has made it necessary to switch to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-BDP. We studied the influence of the changing from CFC-BDP to HFA-BDP on pulmonary function in asthmatic children.

METHODS

In twenty asthmatic children (mean: 10.5 years of age) who were clinically well-controlled with CFC-BDP for longer than 6 months, CFC-BDP was switched to HFA-BDP, at half the dose of CFC-BDP. We examined the changes in spirometric parameters at 3-6 months after the switch.

RESULTS

FEV1.0% ([FEV1.0/FVC]x100) and %V50 ([V50 measured/V50 predicted]x100) were significantly improved (FEV1.0%: pre 81.7+/-4.7-->post 84.1+/-4.1 [p<0.05], % V50: pre 66.9+/-6.9-->post74.4+/-11.3 [p<0.05]). Comparison between patients with greater than 10% improvement in %V50 and those with less than 10% improvement revealed differences in the duration of using CFC-BDP (former 2.8+/-0.9 years, latter 5.2+/-2.4 years [p<0.05]) despite lack of difference in age at initiation of treatment with CFC-BDP.

CONCLUSION

The changing from CFC-BDP to HFA-BDP showed the improvement of lung function in a part of asthmatic children. We should keep in mind that there are some differences of efficacy among the inhaled corticosteroid products. The long-term anti-inflammatory medication should be adjusted to normalize the pulmonary function on the basis of the degree of airway inflammation.

Adult neural stem and progenitor cells modified to secrete GDNF can protect, migrate and integrate after intracerebral transplantation in rats with transient forebrain ischemia

Adult neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) are important autologous transplantation tools in regenerative medicine, as they can secrete factors that protect the ischemic brain. We investigated whether adult NSPCs genetically modified to secrete more glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) could protect against transient ischemia in rats. NSPCs were harvested from the subventricular zone of adult Wistar rats and cultured for 3 weeks in the presence of epidermal growth factor. The NSPCs were treated with fibre-mutant Arg-Gly-Asp adenovirus containing the GDNF gene (NSPC-GDNF) or enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene (NSPC-EGFP; control group). In one experiment, cultured cells were transplanted into the right ischemic boundary zone of Wistar rat brains. One week later, animals underwent 90 min of intraluminal right middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by magnetic resonance imaging and behavioural tests. The NSPC-GDNF group had higher behavioural scores and lesser infarct volume than did controls at 1, 7 and 28 days postocclusion. In the second experiment, we transplanted NSPCs 3 h after ischemic insult. Compared to controls, rats receiving NSPC-GDNF had decreased infarct volume and better behavioural assessments at 7 days post-transplant. Animals were killed on day 7 and brains were collected for GDNF ELISA and morphological assessment. Compared to controls, more GDNF was secreted, more NSPC-GDNF cells migrated toward the ischemic core and more NSPC-GDNF cells expressed immature neuronal marker. Moreover, the NSPC-GDNF group showed more effective inhibition of microglial invasion and apoptosis. These findings suggest that NSPC-GDNF may be useful in treatment of cerebral ischemia.

The GSTP1 Gene Is a Susceptibility Gene for Childhood Asthma and the GSTM1 Gene Is a Modifier of the GSTP1 Gene

BACKGROUND

Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway disorder characterized by bronchial inflammation. Oxidative stress is a key component of inflammation. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), the abundant isoform of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in lung epithelium, plays a key role in cellular protection against oxidative stress. Several studies have shown that the GSTP1 geneis involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and a gene-gene interaction may occur within the GST gene superfamily.

METHODS

We screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the GSTP1 locus and performed an association study in the Japanese population using two independent case-control groups (group 1: 391 pediatric patients with asthma, 462 adult patients with asthma, and 639 controls, and group 2: 115 pediatric patients with asthma and 184 controls). The effect of GSTM1 null/present genotype on the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val and asthma was also investigated.

RESULTS

We identified 20 SNPs at this locus and found this region consisted of one linkage disequilibrium block represented by four SNPs (tag SNPs). The association between the Ile105Val polymorphism in the GSTP1 gene and childhood asthma was significant in both groups (p = 0.047 in group 1, and p = 0.021 in group 2). This association was only significant in patients with GSTM1-positive genotype in both groups (group 1: GSTM1 present p = 0.013 and GSTM1 null p = 0.925, and group 2: GSTM1 present p = 0.015 and GSTM1 null p = 0.362).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the GSTP1 gene is a childhood asthma susceptible gene, and the GSTM1 gene is a modifier gene of GSTP1 for the risk of childhood asthma in the Japanese population.

The high integration and differentiation potential of autologous neural stem cell transplantation compared with allogeneic transplantation in adult rat hippocampus

Cell therapy is thought to have a central role in restorative therapy, which aims to restore function to the damaged nervous system. The purpose of this study was to establish an autologous neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation model using adult rats and to compare survival, migration, and differentiation between this system and allogeneic NSC transplantation. Furthermore, we compared the immunologic response of the host tissue between autologous and allogeneic transplantation. NSCs were removed from the subventricular zone of adult Fischer 344 rats using stereotactic methods. NSCs were expanded and microinjected into normal hippocampus in the autologous brain. Allogeneic NSC (derived from adult Wistar rats) transplantation was performed using the same procedure, and hippocampal sections were analyzed immunohistologically 3 weeks post-transplantation. The cell survival and migration rate were higher for autologous transplantation than for allogeneic transplantation, and the neuronal differentiation rate in the autologous transplanted cells far exceeded that of allogeneic transplantation. Furthermore, there was less astrocyte and microglia reactivity in the host tissue of the autologous transplantation compared with allogeneic transplantation. These findings demonstrate that immunoreactivity of the host tissue strongly influences cell transplantation in the CNS as the autologous transplantation did not induce host tissue immunoreactivity; the microenvironment was essentially maintained in an optimal condition for the transplanted cells.