[Case of Borrelia brainstem encephalitis presenting with severe dysphagia]

We report the case of a 30-year-old man who developed severe dysphagia owing to neuroborreliosis. He showed dysphagia, diplopia, hiccups, and walking difficulty Neurological examination revealed mild disturbance of consciousness, diplopia on left lateral gaze, left-side-dominant blephaloptosis, gaze-evoked horizontal nystagmus on left lateral gaze, mild bilateral muscle weakness, palatoplegia, dysphagia, dysarthria, and truncal ataxia An increased pharyngeal reflex caused dysphagia in this patient. An EEG revealed intermittent high amplitude slow wave activity. However, head MRI, blood count, serum chemistry, and cerebrospinal fluid examination showed no abnormality. Initially, brainstem encephalitis with unknown etiology was diagnosed. The hiccups, diplopia, and ptosis were improved by corticosteroid therapy, but other symptoms were refractory to corticosteroid therapy and IVIg. After these immunotherapies, anti-Borrelia IgG and IgM antibodies were found to be positive, and symptoms, including dysphagia, were improved by doxycycline and cefotaxime. Because the clinical symptoms of Borrelia infection are widely variable, neuroborreliosis should be considered in patients with brainstem encephalitis refractory to conventional immunotherapies.

[A case of myasthenia gravis with an invasive thymoma infiltrating the superior vena cava and right atrium and causing lung metastasis]

A 72-year-old woman was admitted to a local hospital with general fatigue, ptosis and dysarthria. Her anti-AchR antibody titer was high, so myasthenia gravis was diagnosed. She was given a cholinesterase inhibitor, but her symptoms did not improve. CT and MRI scans revealed a mass in the anterior mediastinum infiltrating the superior vena cava (SVC) and the right atrium (RA) . The diagnosis was an invasive thymoma extending into the SVC and the RA. Moreover, there was a mass in the right middle lobe of her lung, which was suspected to be the result of metastasis of the thymoma. She was transferred to our hospital for medication and surgery for the invasive thymoma. Urgent surgery was performed without preoperative therapy, because the tumor was nearly obstructing her tricuspid valve. An expanded thymomectomy and a right middle lobectomy were performed. As the tumor had infiltrated into the SVC, the SVC was replaced with an artificial graft. The clinicopathological diagnosis of thymoma (Masaoka Stage IVb) was given. The patient had a myasthenic crisis for several weeks after surgery, so her breathing was controlled by an artificial respirator. Her symptoms improved after treatment with steroids, tacrolimus and a cholinesterase inhibitor. Although major surgery was required to prevent tumor embolism, the patient survived. Careful observation is necessary to detect signs of relapse of invasive thymoma.

Influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles on the susceptibility and resistance to multiple sclerosis in Japanese patients with respect to anti-aquaporin 4 antibody status

Background: Epistatic interactions between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 alleles alter multiple sclerosis (MS) risk in Caucasians. Such interactions have never been studied in Asian MS patients.

Objective: To investigate the influence of HLA-DRB1 alleles, including epistatic interactions at this locus, in Japanese MS patients with and without the anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody.

Methods: The HLA-DRB1 locus was genotyped in 108 MS patients and 127 healthy controls. MS patients were further classified into two groups according to anti-AQP4 antibody status (27 positive and 81 negative).

Results: HLA-DRB1*09 (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.243, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.099—0.533) and HLA-DRB1*01 (adjusted OR = 0.327, 95% CI 0.103—0.873) decreased the incidence of anti-AQP4 antibody-negative MS. By contrast, HLA-DRB1*12 increased the risk of anti-AQP4 antibody-positive MS (adjusted OR = 3.691, 95% CI 1.233—10.565). Individuals with HLA-DRB1*09/15 decreased the risk of anti-AQP4 antibody-negative MS (adjusted OR = 0.164, 95% CI 0.026—0.593), while those with HLA-DRB1*12/15 increased the risk of anti-AQP4 antibody-positive MS (adjusted OR = 10.870, 95% CI 2.004—81.752).

Conclusions: The ability of HLA-DRB1*09 to reduce the risk of anti-AQP4 antibody-negative MS may arise from an interaction with HLA-DRB1*15. By contrast, HLA-DRB1*12 increases susceptibility to anti-AQP4 antibody-positive MS, possibly via an interaction with HLA-DRB1*15.

Neural damage associated with atopic diathesis: a nationwide survey in Japan

BACKGROUND

We previously reported the occurrence of myelitis in patients with atopic disorders (atopic myelitis [AM]). To uncover the spectrum of neural damage associated with atopy, we conducted a cross-sectional nationwide survey of AM and atopy-related peripheral neuritis (APN), including Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), in individuals with atopic diathesis.

METHOD

Cases with AM diagnosed between 1996 and 2006 and cases with APN between 2000 and 2006 were collected from all over Japan. Detailed data on 109 patients with AM and 133 patients with APN were collated.

RESULTS

Patients with APN showed a preponderance of women, higher age at onset, and greater eosinophil counts than patients with AM. Patients with AM most commonly showed cervical cord involvement, whereas patients with APN preferentially exhibited mononeuritis multiplex predominantly affecting the lower limbs. Among patients with AM, motor weakness and muscle atrophy were significantly more frequent in those with bronchial asthma than in those with other atopic disorders. Patients with APN who met the criteria for CSS showed a higher age at onset, higher frequencies of systemic organ involvement, and greater disability than those who did not. Abnormalities suggesting peripheral nervous system involvement were seen in 25.7% of patients with AM, whereas 18.8% of patients with APN had abnormalities indicating CNS involvement. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that atopic dermatitis increased the risk of myelitis, whereas high age at onset and bronchial asthma decreased that risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Atopy-related neural inflammation multifocally affects CNS and peripheral nervous system tissues. Both preceding atopic disorders and age seem to influence the distribution of neural damage.

Extensive vasogenic edema of anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-related brain lesions

Objective

Using neuroimaging, we analyzed the nature of extensive brain lesions in five anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody-positive patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Results

Extensive brain lesions involved white matter in three, and basal ganglia and corpus callosum in one each. Four patients showed high diffusivity on apparent diffusion coefficient maps and three demonstrated increased choline/creatine ratios and decreased N-acetyl-aspartate/creatine ratios on 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These findings suggested that the lesions were vasogenic edema associated with inflammation. Unusual brain symptoms associated with such lesions included recurrent limbic encephalitis, parkinsonism, and coma.

Conclusion

Anti-AQP4 antibody is considered to be associated with the neuroimaging appearances of vasogenic edema.

Influence of Photoactivation Protocol and Light Guide Distance on Conversion and Microleakage of Composite Restorations

In this study, soft-start photoactivation methods were demonstrated to be able to reduce microleakage with only a discrete reduction in the degree of conversion. This was achieved when this protocol was associated with a 7 mm distance from the light guide, which is common in deep preparations in clinical practice.

Aquaporin-4 autoimmune syndrome and anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-negative opticospinal multiple sclerosis in Japanese

Background

Antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) are found in a fraction of Japanese opticospinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS) patients. However, it remains unknown whether anti-AQP4 antibody-positive and negative OSMS patients possess an identical disease.

Objective

The objective of the current study was to clarify immunological differences between the two groups of patients.

Methods

We studied the serum antibody titers against AQP4 in 191 patients with idiopathic central nervous system demyelinating diseases and clarified their relationships with immunological parameters.

Results

Anti-AQP4 antibody positivity rate was higher in patients with OSMS (21/58, 36.2%), idiopathic recurrent myelitis (4/17, 23.5%), and recurrent optic neuritis (7/26, 26.9%), than in conventional MS (CMS) patients (6/90, 6.7%) and patients with other diseases (0/87). Anti-AQP4 antibody titer was significantly higher in patients with SS-A/B antibodies than in those without them. Anti-AQP4 antibody-negative OSMS patients showed significantly higher CD4+IFN-γ+IL-4−T cell percentages and intracellular IFN-γ/IL-4 ratios than anti-AQP4 antibody-positive patients, anti-AQP4 antibody-negative CMS patients, and healthy controls, and CD4+IFN-γ+IL-4−T cell percentages were negatively correlated with anti-AQP4 antibody titers.

Conclusion

Anti-AQP4 antibody-positive patients are immunologically distinct from anti-AQP4 antibody-negative OSMS patients owing to a Th2 shift in the former group in comparison to a Th1 shift in the latter.

Screening for TARDBP mutations in Japanese familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

TAR-DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), encoded by the TARDBP gene on chromosome 1p36.22, has been identified as the major pathological protein in abnormal inclusions in neurons and glial cells in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS), SOD1-negative familial ALS (FALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD). Twenty mutations of TARDBP in SOD1-negative FALS and SALS cases have been reported so far. To investigate the presence and frequency of TARDBP mutations in Japanese SOD1-negative FALS patients, we performed mutational screening of TARDBP in 30 SOD1-negative FALS patients. An N352S mutation was found in one case of FALS, but no TARDBP mutations were found in cases of SALS. It was thought that this mutation increases TDP-43 phosphorylation. This might lead to impaired nuclear cytoplasmic transport or protein-protein interaction, thereby leading to TDP-43 accumulation.

Secreted Frizzled-related protein-1 is a negative regulator of androgen receptor activity in prostate cancer

Secreted Frizzled-related protein-1 (sFRP1) associates with Wnt proteins and its loss can lead to activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signalling. It is frequently downregulated in cancer, including prostate cancer, but its function in prostate cancer is unclear because it can increase proliferation of prostate epithelial cells. We investigated the function of sFRP1 in androgen-dependent prostate cancer and found that sFRP1 inhibited androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activity. In addition, sFRP1 inhibited the proliferation of androgen-dependent LNCaP cells but not of an androgen-independent subline LNCaP-r, suggesting a role in androgen-dependent growth. The inhibition of AR by sFRP1 was unaffected by co-expression of Wnt3a, stabilised beta-catenin or beta-catenin shRNA, suggesting it does not involve Wnt/beta-catenin signalling. Wnt5a also inhibited AR and expression of Wnt5a and sFRP1 together did not further inhibit AR, suggesting that Wnt5a and sFRP1 activate the same signal(s) to inhibit AR. However, sFRP1 inhibition of AR was unaffected by inhibitors of kinases involved in Wnt/Ca(2+) and Wnt/planar cell polarity non-canonical Wnt signalling. Interestingly, the cysteine-rich domain of sFRP1 interacted with Frizzled receptors expressed in prostate cancer cells, suggesting that sFRP1/Frizzled complexes activate a signal that leads to repression of AR. Taken together, these observations highlight the function of beta-catenin-independent Wnt signalling in the control of AR activity and provide one explanation for sFRP1 downregulation in prostate cancer.

Multimodality-evoked potential study of anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive and -negative multiple sclerosis patients

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is claimed to be a distinct disease entity from multiple sclerosis (MS) because of its strong association with NMO-IgG/anti-AQP4 antibody; however, the in vivo role of the antibody remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to clarify whether the presence of anti-AQP4 antibody is associated with any abnormalities in multimodality-evoked potentials in 111 patients with relapsing-remitting or relapsing-progressive MS, including the opticospinal form of MS, 18 of whom were seropositive for anti-AQP4 antibody. More patients with anti-AQP4 antibody showed a lack of the P100 component on visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) than those without the antibody (11/17, 64.7% vs. 20/84, 23.8%, p=0.003), whereas the frequency of delayed P100 latency was significantly higher in the latter group than in the former (1/17, 5.9% vs. 28/84, 33.3%, p=0.021). The frequencies of non-responses and delayed central sensory conduction times in median and posterior tibial nerve somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) were not significantly different between anti-AQP4 antibody-positive and -negative patients. In terms of upper and lower limb motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), the frequencies of non-responses and delayed central motor conduction times did not differ significantly based on the presence or absence of anti-AQP4 antibody. The frequency of optic nerve lesions on MRI was significantly higher in anti-AQP4 antibody-positive patients than in anti-AQP4 antibody-negative patients (p=0.0137). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that anti-AQP4 antibody positivity (OR=8.406, p=0.02) and unevoked VEP responses (OR=35.432, p<0.001) were significantly related to development of severe visual impairment. Such an association of anti-AQP4 antibody with disability was not found for either severe motor or sensory impairment. These findings suggest a distinctive nature of optic nerve lesions between anti-AQP4 antibody-positive and -negative patients; lesions are supposed to be more necrotic in the former group and more demyelinating in the latter.

Intrathecal upregulation of IFN-gamma and MIP-1beta in juvenile muscular atrophy of the distal upper extremity

Juvenile muscular atrophy of the distal upper extremity (JMADUE) is associated with airway allergy and hyperIgEaemia, suggesting the involvement of immunological processes. In this study we aimed to clarify the changes in various cytokines/chemokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from JMADUE patients. We simultaneously measured 17 cytokines/chemokines in sera and CSF from 6 patients with JMADUE before treatment and from 14 patients with cervical spondylosis (CS) as a disease control (mean age at examination 23+/-7 and. 57+/-16 years, respectively), using a fluorescent bead-based immunoassay. We also assayed CSF from a JMADUE patient before and after plasma exchanges. In sera, only an increase of MIP-1beta (CCL3) in the JMADUE patients had a marginal significance as compared with the CS patients. In the CSF, IFN-gamma and MIP-1beta (CCL3) were significantly elevated in JMADUE patients compared with controls (1.5 and 2-fold increases, respectively), while no other cytokines/chemokines showed any significant differences. Moreover, the upregulated cytokines decreased after plasma exchanges in accord with improvement of distal upper limb weakness. The intrathecal upregulation of proinflammatory Th1 cytokines/chemokines, such as IFN-gamma and MIP-1beta (CCL3), in the CSF of JMADUE patients indicates the possible involvement of intrathecal immunological processes in this condition.

Association of the HLA-DRB1 alleles with characteristic MRI features of Asian multiple sclerosis

Background

In Asian patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a paucity of brain lesions and longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions (LESCLs) extending three or more vertebral segments are characteristic findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We aimed to disclose possible factors contributing to the development of such MRI features.

Method

Genotyping of HLA-DRB1 and -DPB1 alleles was performed in 121 consecutive Japanese patients with clinically definite MS based on the Poser criteria and 125 healthy controls. Possible factors associated with MRI features were determined by multiple logistic analysis. Patients with MS were classified based on the presence or absence of brain lesions fulfilling the Barkhof criteria (Barkhof brain lesions) and LESCLs. Barkhof brain lesion–negative (−) patients had a markedly lower frequency of HLA-DRB1*0901 than controls ( Pcorr < 0.05), whereas the frequency of DRB1*1501 was increased in the Barkhof brain lesion–positive (+) group, although this increase was not significant after correction. No Barkhof(−)LESCL(+) patients carried DRB1*0901 ( Pcorr < 0.05), despite this being the most common allele in Japanese. The Barkhof(−)LESCL(−) group showed a significant increase in the frequency of DRB1*0405 compared with controls ( Pcorr < 0.05). None of the DPB1 alleles were significantly different among the groups. Using multiple logistic analysis, the absence of oligoclonal bands was positively associated with an absence of Barkhof brain lesions, whereas a higher EDSS score was positively associated with the presence of LESCLs; however, the presence of anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies was not associated with either feature.

Conclusion

The characteristic MRI features in Asians are partly related to distinct HLA-DRB1 gene alleles and an absence of oligoclonal bands.

Distinct CSF cytokine/chemokine profiles in atopic myelitis and other causes of myelitis

BACKGROUND

We reported the emergence of a distinct myelitis in patients with atopic diathesis (atopic myelitis [AM]) by a nationwide survey throughout Japan. Similar cases have recently been reported in Caucasians. Pathologic studies of biopsied spinal cord specimens revealed chronic active inflammation with eosinophilic infiltration.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the cytokine/chemokine alterations in CSF from patients with AM in comparison to other causes of myelitis.

METHODS

We measured 27 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors simultaneously in CSF from 22 patients with AM, 20 with opticospinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS), 11 with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM), 9 with Sjögren syndrome-related myelitis (SM), and 20 with other noninflammatory neurologic diseases (OND), using a fluorescent bead-based immunoassay.

RESULTS

In patients with AM, CCL11 and interleukin (IL)-9 were significantly increased as compared with patients with OND and other myelitis while in patients with OSMS interferon-gamma and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor levels were significantly higher than in patients with OND and other causes of myelitis. Significant increase of IL-17 in comparison to patients with OND was found only in patients with OSMS, irrespective of presence or absence of anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody. In patients with HAM, CXCL10 and CCL5 were higher than in patients with OND and other myelitis. In patients with SM, CCL3 and CCL4 were higher than in patients with OND. In patients with AM, CCL11, IL-9, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) showed positive correlations with the final Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale scores while IL-1ra and IL-12(p70) had positive correlations with disease duration.

CONCLUSION

Intrathecal upregulation of CCL11 and Th2 cytokines is characteristic of atopic myelitis, which is distinct from interleukin-17/interferon-gamma-related autoimmune condition of opticospinal multiple sclerosis.