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Biomedical subjects

A Nakane

Publications and source records attributed to A Nakane.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Suppression of host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection by 15-deoxyspergualin in mice.

The effects of 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG), an immunosuppressive agent, on host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes were studied in mice. Administration of DSG in the early phase of infection resulted in fatal listeriosis by preventing acquired anti-listerial resistance, even though the infectious dose was sublethal for the untreated controls. In contrast, DSG treatment started after development of the acquired immunity was ineffective. Endogenous production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in the bloodstreams induced by the infection was normal in DSG-treated mice. Nevertheless, augmentation of macrophage functions such as expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens, phagocytic activity and listericidal activity induced by the infection was abrogated by DSG treatment. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of DSG on anti-listerial resistance might be different from cyclosporine A (CsA).

Animals↗

Human tumor necrosis factor increases the resistance against Listeria infection in mice.

The resistance in mice against Listeria infection was augmented by treatment with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF). To elucidate this phenomenon, we examined the effect of TNF on macrophage activation. TNF-treated macrophages had listericidal activity in vitro and superoxide anion production. In addition, macrophage migration was inhibited in the presence of TNF. Therefore, activation of macrophages by TNF was similar to activation by macrophage-activating factor or macrophage-migration-inhibitory factor.

Animals↗

An epidemiological investigation of emotional and behavioral problems in primary school children in Japan. The report of the first phase of a WHO collaborative study in Western Pacific Region.

1860 primary school children, aged from 6 to 12 years, from urban suburban and rural areas in Japan were assessed by their school teachers according to the Rutter scale. The prevalence of children with deviant scores in the general population was 3% and this figure was lower than that for any other country assessed by the same scale. Eighty-four percent of the deviants were of an antisocial type but only 7% were neurotic. The ratio of antisocial to neurotic was higher than those from other countries. The prevalence of children with deviant scores was higher in boys than in girls, and also higher in early and middle school years than in late school years. Area, family occupation, sibship size, birth order and one-parent family had only limited effects on the deviant behaviour of the children.

Affective Symptoms↗

Detection of high levels of immunoreactive human beta-1 interferon in sera from HIV-infected patients.

We have examined human interferon beta-1 (HuIFN-beta 1) levels in the sera from patients with various diseases by using a newly developed highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system (ELISA). High levels of HuIFN-beta 1 were detected in the sera from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-I (HIV-I) infected patients, especially of asymptomatic carriers. The serum level of HuIFN-beta 1 may be a good indicator of HIV-I infection and of other immunological disorders.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

Interactions between endogenous gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor in host resistance against primary and secondary Listeria monocytogenes infections.

Intravenous injection of rat anti-mouse gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) monoclonal antibody as well as rabbit anti-mouse tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody into mice which had received a sublethal infection with Listeria monocytogenes cells resulted in acceleration of listeriosis. Endogenous IFN-gamma seemed to be produced early in infection, because suppression of antilisterial resistance was significant when a single injection of anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody was given on day 0 or day 1 of infection. Production of TNF but not of IFN-gamma in the bloodstream early in infection was inhibited by administration of anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody. The suppressive effect of anti-IFN-gamma and anti-TNF antibodies on antilisterial resistance was not augmented by simultaneous administration of these antibodies. On the other hand, in the secondary infection, simultaneous administration of anti-IFN-gamma and anti-TNF antibodies, but not of either of these antibodies alone, into L. monocytogenes-immune mice resulted in high mortality and explosive multiplication of bacterial cells in the spleens and livers. These results suggest that endogenously produced IFN-gamma and TNF are both essential to the host defense against L. monocytogenes infection and that these cytokines might act by different modes between the primary infection and the secondary infection.

Animals↗

Recombinant murine gamma interferon induces enhanced resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in neonatal mice.

Neonatal mice within 24 h of birth were highly susceptible to intraperitoneal infection with Listeria monocytogenes. The 50% lethal dose of bacterial cells was 6.3 X 10(1) CFU for neonates and 3.2 X 10(6) CFU for adult mice. A single injection of recombinant murine gamma interferon (rMuIFN-gamma) protected neonatal mice from simultaneous challenge with a lethal dose of L. monocytogenes cells. The rMuIFN-gamma effect was dose dependent: protection was consistently observed in mice treated with rMuIFN-gamma at doses of more than 4 X 10(2) U (0.1 microgram of protein) per mouse. Bacterial growth in the spleens and livers of rMuIFN-gamma-treated neonates was significantly suppressed in comparison with that in the nontreated controls. The infected neonatal mice showed acquired antilisterial resistance against secondary intravenous infection after 4 weeks of age, and this resistance was significantly augmented in mice that had been treated with rMuIFN-gamma.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[Metabolic changes in aromatic amino acids and monoamines in infantile autism and development of new treatment related to the finding].

A new method for measurement of the turnover rate of aromatic amino acids and related compounds in vivo using stable isotopes was developed. Deuterium-and carbon 13-labeled phenylalanine and deuterium-labeled tryptophan were used as tracers. This method was applied for the analysis of amino acid and amine metabolism in infantile autism. Marked disturbances of uptake of deuterated phenylalanine and tryptophan from intestine into blood were found in a portion of autistic patients (group A). In another group of the patients a remarkable decrease of turnover of tyrosine in blood was found (group B). This phenomenon was confirmed by an experiment using carbon 13 labeled phenylalanine. These findings might suggest that supply of tyrosine and free tryptophan to the brain (in group A) or supply of tyrosine (group B) to the brain might be decreased. We postulated that in some of autistic patients there might exist decreases in synthesis of catecholamine or serotonin. Based on the hypothesis, we started a new treatment with L-DOPA and 5 HTP in small doses, and found significant effects in some patients. However, in some, the amino acids caused marked aggravation of the symptoms. Recently, Hayaishi and his colleagues reported that R-tetrahydrobiopterin (R-THBP) could enhance biosynthesis of catecholamine and serotonin in the brain. Therefore, we started a clinical trial concerning effects of R-THBP. In the beginning, 17 cases were treated and patients younger than 5 years old showed marked improvement. Then, a double blind trial with inactive placebo was performed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗

Suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice pretreated with diethylstilbesterol: involvement of sex hormones in immunomodulation.

Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were suppressed in female mice treated with diethylstilbesterol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal compound possessing estrogenic activity, but not in male mice. Upon analysis of this DTH-suppression in DES-treated female mice by use of the macrophage migration inhibition (MI) assay, an in vitro correlate of DTH, suppressor adherent cells (i.e., macrophages) in the peritoneal cavity were found to play an important role in this DTH suppression. On the other hand, DES-induced suppression was observed in surgically castrated male mice with depressed plasma testosterone (TS) levels, but not in TS-treated female mice or in castrated male mice, which suggests that TS inhibited the DES suppression. These results provide evidence that DTH response may be modulated by sex hormones.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Endogenous tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) is essential to host resistance against Listeria monocytogenes infection.

During a sublethal murine infection with Listeria monocytogenes cells, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity was detectable in neither sera nor spleen homogenates at any stage of the infection when a bioassay with L-929 cells (less than 4 U/ml) was used. However, injecting the mice with an immunoglobulin fraction obtained from a rabbit hyperimmunized with recombinant murine TNF-alpha resulted in acceleration of listeriosis. When 1 mg of anti-TNF antibody was injected per mouse, all the mice died from listeriosis, even though the infectious dose was sublethal for the untreated controls. The antigen-specific elimination of the bacterium from the spleens and livers of anti-TNF antibody-treated mice was delayed, depending on the dose of the antibody injected. Endogenous TNF seemed to be produced early in infection, because suppression of antilisterial resistance was significant when a single injection of anti-TNF antibody was given between day zero and day 2 of infection. The effect of endogenous TNF on antilisterial resistance was due to neither regulation of alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) and IFN-gamma production nor induction of IFN-beta subtype 1 (IFN-beta 1), because anti-TNF antibody treated-mice produced normal levels of IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma in the bloodstream during infection and administration of monoclonal anti-murine IFN-beta 1 antibody had no effect on the development of listeriosis. Alternatively, the listericidal activity of peritoneal macrophages of L. monocytogenes-infected mice could be abrogated by injection of anti-TNF antibody in vivo. These results suggest that the lower level of TNF is produced endogenously in mice that received L. monocytogenes infection and that it plays an essential role in the host defense against L. monocytogenes infection.

Animals↗

Prevention by gamma interferon of fatal infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice treated with cyclosporin A.

The significance of interferons (IFNs) induced by Listeria monocytogenes in the antilisterial defense mechanism was studied in mice. Cyclosporin A (CsA) had no effect on IFN-alpha production that was induced in the bloodstream after intravenous infection of mice with L. monocytogenes, whereas IFN-gamma that was induced in the bloodstreams of control mice 6 h after stimulation with specific antigen in the late phase of infection was suppressed in CsA-treated mice, depending on the dose of the drug injected. The decrease in IFN-gamma production caused an increase in bacterial growth in the spleens and livers of CsA-treated mice. Furthermore, administration of a daily dose of CsA at 80 or 100 mg/kg of body weight resulted in fatal listeriosis, even though the dose was nonlethal for normal mice. The administration of recombinant murine IFN-gamma on day 0 of L. monocytogenes infection prevented CsA-treated mice from developing fatal listeriosis and restored their ability to produce IFN-gamma in the bloodstream, in response to specific antigen in the late phase of infection.

Animals↗

Effect of breast feeding on responses of systemic interferon and virus-specific lymphocyte transformation in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection.

In order to elucidate the mechanisms of breast-feeding-induced resistance to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, groups of breast-fed and bottle-fed infants with this infection were tested at the onset of illness and then again 1 and 2 weeks later for the presence of interferon (IFN) as well as of virus-specific lymphocyte transformation (LTF) activity. Alpha-IFN was detected in nine out of ten breast-fed infants, while it was found in only 11 out of 21 bottle-fed subjects. The rate of the detection of IFN was significantly higher in the former group (P less than .05). Mean levels of IFN activity were also higher in breast-fed infants than in bottle-fed subjects during the course of the illness. It was noted, however, that previous breast feeding elicited little enhancing effect on the IFN response of infants with RSV infection. Combining the two feeding groups, suppressed LTF activity to RSV seemed to be related to a positive IFN response, although the association was not statistically significant. These observations suggest that breast feeding has unique mechanisms for modulating the immune response of infants with RSV infection.

Breast Feeding↗

Impaired alpha-interferon production and natural killer activity in blood mononuclear cells in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The producibility of interferon (IFN)-alpha, which indicates one of the functions of large granular lymphocytes (LGL), was impaired at a high frequency in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. However, IFN-alpha production in refractory anaemia, which is a subtype of MDS, was almost normal. In contrast, abnormality has not been observed in either proliferative response or the production of IFN-gamma of T-cells by stimulation with PHA. NK activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from MDS patients was generally low and was not augmented by IFN-alpha treatment. These results indicate that, in addition to the abnormality at the level of haematopoietic tissues, LGL among PBMC may be impaired in MDS patients.

Adult↗

Activation of natural resistance against lung metastasis of an adenocarcinoma in T-cell depressed spontaneously hypertensive rats by infection with Listeria monocytogenes.

We report here our study of the role of natural host defense mechanisms mediated by macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells in an experimental model of spontaneous pulmonary metastases of a mammary adenocarcinoma SST-2 in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with congenital T-cell depression. To activate macrophages and NK cells, Listeria monocytogenes (LM) was injected IV into SHR which had received a transplantation of SST-2. To assess the antimetastatic responses induced by LM, the number of lung nodules and the lung weight in SHR were evaluated 30 days after tumor inoculation. The growth of lung metastases, though not of primary tumors, was significantly reduced if 10(7) LM were injected IV into SHR 2, 10 and 20 days after the SC transplantation of 5 X 10(4) or 5 X 10(5) SST-2. An inhibitory effect of LM on pulmonary metastases was also observed in tumor-excised rats, in which the number of lung metastases and the lung weight were enhanced as compared with those in tumor-bearing rats which had not undergone surgery. Peritoneal resident cells which were harvested from rats injected with LM showed a significant augmentation of tumoricidal activity against SST-2 cells as measured by in vitro cytotoxicity. Similarly, the NK activity of spleen cells of SHR injected with LM increased significantly when compared with untreated SHR. These data suggest that the inhibition of metastatic growth, though not of primary tumor growth, was accomplished by the, possibly T-cell independent, activation of macrophages and NK cells.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Sequential production of alpha and beta interferons and gamma interferon in the circulation of Listeria monocytogenes-infected mice after stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Sequential production of interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta and IFN-gamma in the circulation of mice which had been previously infected with viable Listeria monocytogenes was induced by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Salmonella typhimurium. IFN-alpha/beta production occurred 2 hr after injection of LPS, thereafter IFN-gamma appeared and the maximum titer was demonstrated at 6 hr. At that time, almost all of the IFN was IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma production in response to LPS was observed from the 5th through the 11th day after infection with Listeria, but it was not demonstrated in either mice infected with lower doses of viable Listeria or mice immunized with heat-killed bacteria. IFN-alpha/beta production was not drastically affected by treatment with hydrocortisone, cyclophosphamide, carrageenan, antithymocyte serum, or anti-asialo GM1 antibody, whereas IFN-gamma production was suppressed by administration of all those agents. Noteworthily, IFN-alpha/beta, but not IFN-gamma, was produced even 6 hr after stimulation with LPS in cyclophosphamide- or antithymocyte serum-treated mice. IFN-gamma induction by LPS was markedly suppressed in mice in which IFN-alpha/beta produced by Listeria infection itself had been depleted by treatment with anti-mouse IFN-alpha/beta antibody, but it was not inhibited in mice when IFN-alpha/beta induced not by Listeria infection but by LPS had been depleted by treatment with anti-mouse IFN-alpha/beta antibody.

Animals↗

Natural killer cell numbers and function in peripheral lymphoid cells in Behcet's disease.

We have studied NK cell activity and numbers in the peripheral blood obtained from patients with Behcet's disease and from normal healthy controls. NK cell activity in the peripheral blood of patients in the clinically-active stage of Behcet's disease was significantly lower than that of patients in the inactive stage and normal controls. In contrast, it was observed that the actual number of NK cells was markedly increased in the peripheral blood of patients with active disease. The addition of alpha-interferon (INF-alpha) to these cells showed significant augmentation of NK cell activity. These results suggest that the patients with active Behcet's disease lack a factor which activates NK cells.

Adult↗

Induction of alpha/beta interferon and gamma interferon in mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes during pregnancy.

Alpha/beta interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) was induced in the bloodstream of mice 48 h after intravenous infection with Listeria monocytogenes, whereas IFN-gamma was induced in the bloodstream 6 h after stimulation with specific antigen on day 5 of infection in virgin mice. In contrast, no IFN-alpha/beta or IFN-gamma was produced in the bloodstream of pregnant mice after L. monocytogenes infection. However, unusual acid-labile IFN-alpha/beta instead of IFN-gamma was produced in some of the pregnant mice in response to specific antigen. The bacterial growth in the organs of pregnant mice in the early stage of infection was normal, but resulted in the delay of T-cell-dependent elimination of bacteria from the organs of pregnant animals in the late stage, and numerous bacteria were detected in both the placenta and the fetus. The significance of the IFN system induced by L. monocytogenes infection in pregnant mice is discussed.

Animals↗

The significance of alpha/beta interferons and gamma interferon produced in mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes.

Interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta was induced in the circulation of mice infected intravenously with Listeria monocytogenes 24 to 72 hr after infection, but was not induced by the administration of heat-killed Listeria, listerial cell wall fraction (LCWF), or listerial soluble fraction. Appearance of IFN-alpha/beta showed a pattern similar to that of the growth of bacteria in the spleen and the liver of mice. IFN-alpha/beta production was abrogated by pretreatment of mice with anti-asialo GM1 antibody, antithymocyte serum, or hydrocortisone, but not with cyclophosphamide or carrageenan. Such treatments which suppressed IFN-alpha/beta production did not influence bacterial growth in the organs of mice in the early stage of Listeria infection. Administration of IFN-alpha/beta exogenously also did not. After 5 days of infection when the specific resistance against reinfection with Listeria was established, IFN-gamma but not IFN-alpha/beta was induced in the circulation 3 to 6 hr after stimulation with LCWF or reinfection with Listeria. IFN-gamma production was abrogated completely by cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte serum, and partially by hydrocortisone and carrageenan, but not by anti-asialo GM1 antibody in Listeria-infected mice treated with these agents before induction of IFN-gamma by LCWF. Presumably, IFN-alpha/beta might be produced by asialo GM1-bearing cells but IFN-gamma might not. However, IFN-gamma production was suppressed in Listeria-infected mice, when IFN-alpha/beta production had been inhibited by treatment with anti-asialo GM1 antibody or when the IFN produced had been neutralized with anti-mouse IFN-alpha/beta antibody. Therefore, it is conceivable that IFN-alpha/beta might be essential for the generation or the expression of antigen-specific T cells involving IFN-gamma production and acquired resistance during Listeria infection. In fact, the bacterial growth in the organs of mice in the early stage of infection was normal in IFN-alpha/beta-depleted mice but it resulted in the delay of T-cell-dependent elimination of bacteria from the organs of mice in the late stage.

Animals↗