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Biomedical subjects

C Abe

Publications and source records attributed to C Abe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

A synthetic peptide corresponding to 86-93 of the human type I IL-1 receptor binds human recombinant IL-1 (alpha and beta) and inhibits IL-1 actions in vitro and in vivo.

A synthetic peptide corresponding to 86-93 of the human type I IL-1 receptor and its analogues bound human recombinant (hr) IL-1 (alpha and beta) and inhibited dose-dependently both Con A-stimulated proliferation of mouse spleen cells and hrIL-1 beta-stimulated formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated cells in rat bone marrow cell cultures. Furthermore, hrIL-1 beta-induced mouse paw edema was dose-dependently inhibited by systemic administration (ip) of the synthetic peptide. These results suggest that one of the IL-1 binding sites of the human type I IL-1 receptor comes to the region of 86-93 and the synthetic peptide having the ability to bind hrIL-1 (alpha and beta) blocks the biological activities of exogenous hrIL-1 beta and endogenous mouse IL-1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Computer-aided detection of diffuse liver disease in ultrasound images.

The authors are developing an automated method of determining measures of texture in liver ultrasound images to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of diffuse liver abnormalities. In each digitized image, the background trend of pixel values is estimated to isolate the underlying pattern of liver texture. After correcting for background trend, the root mean square (RMS) variation and the first moment of the power spectrum are calculated; these measures have been applied successfully to texture analysis of digital chest radiographs. Background trend-corrected measurements detected statistically significant differences in digitized ultrasound images of 11 normal and 11 abnormal livers. Without correction for background trend, the measures are unable to distinguish normal from abnormal liver texture. The authors also investigated the effect on the texture measures of varying several ultrasound imaging parameters in normal patients and in an ultrasound phantom.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Cloning and expression of the gene for the Avi-3 antigen of Mycobacterium avium and mapping of its epitopes.

The Avi-3 antigen, which is found only in Mycobacterium avium culture sonic extracts, is species specific and results in strong skin test activity in guinea pigs sensitized with heat-killed M. avium. Its gene was cloned by using a previously developed single-probe method and was sequenced. The gene encoded a 194-amino-acid polypeptide with a molecular weight of 21,500. A recombinant Avi-3 antigen expressed in Escherichia coli reacted with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against the native Avi-3 antigen. To identify epitopes on this protein for immunodiagnostic purposes, various parts of the Avi-3 antigen were expressed as beta-galactosidase fusion proteins, using pUR and pURS expression vectors. The clones screened by both antibody reactivity and T-cell proliferative activity defined fragments with coexisting B- and T-cell epitopes. A B-cell epitope (Asn-176 to Ala-186) and two T-cell epitopes (Glu-75 to Ile-86 and Arg-155 to Leu-164) were thus defined. The synthetic polymerized peptides of the T-cell epitopes were proven to elicit a delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction in guinea pigs. This mapping method would be useful in the development of a subunit vaccine consisting of an immunodominant B-cell epitope linked to a T-cell epitope in the vicinity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Results of the third immunology of leprosy/immunology of tuberculosis antimycobacterial monoclonal antibody workshop.

An international workshop was sponsored by the World Health organization to screen new antimycobacterial monoclonal antibodies and to identify antibodies which could be recommended as standard reagents giving consistent results under differing assay conditions. Fifty-eight antibodies were submitted to the workshop by eight independent laboratories. Nineteen of the antibodies recognized antigens distinct from those identified in earlier workshops, defining at least 10 new protein antigens. Monoclonal antibodies characterized in the workshop provide a set of convenient reagents for further characterization of mycobacterial antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of MB-Check, BACTEC, and egg-based media for recovery of mycobacteria.

The rate of recovery and time to the detection of mycobacteria from clinical specimens were measured for biphasic (MB-Check; Nippon Roche Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and radiometric (BACTEC; Nippon Becton Dickinson Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) liquid-based culture systems and egg-based media (3% Ogawa and Ogawa K). From the 245 sputum specimens processed, a total of 86 (35.1%) mycobacterial isolates were detected. Of these, 81 (94.2%) and 80 (93.0%) isolates were detected with the MB-Check and BACTEC systems, respectively, and 65 (75.6%) isolates were detected with the 3% Ogawa egg method. The difference in the percentages of positive cultures between the two systems based on liquid media and the 3% Ogawa egg method was significant (P less than 0.01). This difference was even greater among smear-negative specimens. The detection time was shorter with the liquid-based systems. The mean times to the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were 19.1 days with the MB-Check system, 13.4 days with the BACTEC system, and 21.7 days with the 3% Ogawa egg method. These results indicate that both the MB-Check and the BACTEC systems, based on liquid media, are efficient for the recovery of mycobacteria.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1992

[Comparison of MB-Check, BACTEC, and egg-based media for recovery of mycobacteria].

The rate of recovery and time to the detection of mycobacteria from clinical specimens were measured for biphasic and radiometric liquid-based culture systems and egg-based media (3% Ogawa and Ogawa K). From the 245 sputum specimens processed, a total of 86 (35.1%) mycobacterial isolates were detected. Of these, 81 (94.2%) and 80 (93.0%) isolates were detected with the MB-Check and BACTEC systems, respectively, and 65 (75.6%) isolates were detected with the 3% Ogawa egg method. The difference in the percentages of positive cultures between the two systems based on liquid media and the 3% Ogawa egg method was significant (P < 0.01). This difference was even greater among smear-negative specimens. The detection time was shorter with the liquid-based systems. The mean times to the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex were 19.1 days with the MB-Check system, 13.4 days with the BACTEC system, and 21.7 days with the 3% Ogawa egg method. These results indicate that both the MB-Check and the BACTEC systems, based on liquid media, are efficient for the recovery of mycobacteria.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1991

[Study on recombinant BCG].

For the purpose to establish the system to express foreign antigen from Mycobacterium bovis BCG. We have cloned, sequenced and expressed genes for secreting proteins, alpha antigen, MPB64, MPB57 and MPB70 from M. bovis BCG. The upstreams and structural genes were characterized. The gene for alpha antigen of Mycobacterium kansasii was also characterized. The gene for alpha antigen of M. kansasii (k-alpha) was chosen for the further study at first. This gene was fused with shuttle plasmid PIJ666-PAL5000 obtained from T. Kisser and transfected to M. bovis BCG (Tokyo). Transformant was obtained by a selection with kanamycin. It was able to secrete k-alpha antigen. DNA-containing a B-cell epitope (Glu-12-Leu-Asp-Arg-Trp-Glu-Lys-Ile-19) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 P17 gag was fused to this vector at C terminal of k-alpha. Using this vector, we have succeeded to express foreign antigen in M. bovis BCG. The products were analyzed in one or two dimensional electro-phoresis. The results thus obtained will be reported elsewhere.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Potential usefulness of an artificial neural network for differential diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases: pilot study.

An artificial neural network approach was applied to the differential diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases. The neural network was designed to distinguish between nine types of interstitial lung diseases on the basis of 20 items of clinical and radiographic information. A data base for training and testing the neural network was created with 10 hypothetical cases for each of the nine diseases. The performance of the neural network was evaluated by means of receiver operating characteristic analysis. The decision performance of the neural network was high; it was comparable to that of chest radiologists and superior to that of senior radiology residents. The preliminary results strongly suggest that the neural network approach has potential utility in the computer-aided differential diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1989

Cloning and characterization of the gene for immunogenic protein MPB64 of Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

The gene for immunogenic protein MPB64 found in culture filtrates of only Mycobacterium tuberculosis and some strains of Mycobacterium bovis BCG was cloned by using a single-probe method and was sequenced. The gene analysis revealed that the structural gene for MPB64 consisted of 618 base pairs, and its deduced molecular weight was 22,400. Twenty-two amino acids for a putative signal peptide and 205 amino acids for the MPB64 protein were observed. In the coding region, the third letter of the codon showed a biased codon and a high G+C content (78.5%). The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli by using an E. coli expression vector. The product showed migration similar to that of the authentic MPB64 protein by electrophoresis and reacted with the polyclonal and the monoclonal antibodies raised against the MPB64 protein. The strict specificity of MPB64 could be applied to immunodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Production of a monoclonal antibody specific for Mycobacterium avium and immunological activity of the affinity-purified antigen.

Three hybridomas which secrete antibodies to Mycobacterium avium were obtained by the fusion of p3u1 myeloma cells with spleen cells of mice immunized with M. avium culture sonicate. The reactivity of these monoclonal antibodies was determined in 16 species of mycobacteria by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An antibody, designated Avi-3, reacted only with M. avium and not with the reference strains of the other 15 species of mycobacteria tested, including M. intracellulare, M. paratuberculosis, and M. lepraemurium. Specificity of the antibody was confirmed by assay, using a specific DNA probe of M. avium complex in 29 M. avium complex isolates. An antigen was purified from M. avium culture sonicate on a monoclonal antibody Avi-3-coupled affinity column. The purified antigen gave a single band (molecular size, about 27 kilodaltons) upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The antigen Avi-3 showed strong skin test activity in guinea pig preimmunized with heat-killed M. avium but not in those sensitized with heat-killed M. intracellulare or M. bovis BCG. Purified protein derivative elicited positive skin reactions in all the immunized guinea pigs. When heat-killed M. avium was used as the immunogen, strong lymphoproliferative responses were observed in cultures stimulated with the antigen Avi-3. These results suggest that M. avium-specific antigen Avi-3 may facilitate the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effect of a new antirheumatic drug (CGS10787B) on antibody formation and delayed-type hypersensitivity in BALB/c mice.

The effect of CGS10787B on antibody formation and cell-mediated (delayed-type) hypersensitivity in BALB/c mice was examined by using the haemolytic plaque-forming cell assay and the delayed-type footpad reaction with the assay of T-cell subsets. CGS10787B at doses of 5, 25 and 100 mg/kg p.o. enhanced spleen haemolytic plaque-formation on day 4, and spleen rosette-formation on day 5 after immunization. In the assay of T-cell subsets, CGS10787B at the dose of 100 mg/kg reduced the Lyt-23 positive cell subset. In type III hypersensitivity, CGS10787B at doses of 5, 25 and 100 mg/kg p.o. for 6 days reduced dose-relatedly the footpad swelling of the immunized mouse. In type IV hypersensitivity, CGS10787B at doses of 5, 25 and 100 mg/kg p.o. for 6 days diminished dose-dependently the footpad swelling augmented by cyclophosphamide pretreatment. In the assay of T-cell subsets, CGS10787B at doses of 25 and 100 mg/kg increased the Thy-1 positive cell subset. These findings suggest that CGS10787B has an influence on the immune systems, acting on the function of T lymphocytes as well as on the inflammatory process in immunized animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Inhibitory effect of TI-31 on autoimmune nephritis in NZB/NZW F1 mice through regulation of the immune response.

TI-31 (TEI-3096; 6-p-chlorobenzyl-5H-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-5,7-dioxothiazolo[3,2-a]pyr imidine) is a novel immunomodulator. Various nephritic changes observed in female NZB/NZW F1 (B/W) mice with aging were suppressed by TI-31 when administered orally 5 times per week for 16 weeks at doses of 2, 10, or 50 mg/kg. It suppressed proteinuria, oliguria, the decrease of erythrocyte count, and increase of serum urea nitrogen, immune complex and anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels. The anti-nephritic effect of TI-31 was confirmed by histopathological evaluation. TI-31 (10 mg/kg) could improve both the elevated polyclonal B cell activation and the depressed antibody response to sheep red blood cells in B/W mice, in comparison with age- and sex-matched BALB/c mice, without any effect on the antibody response in these normal mice. These findings indicate that TI-31 may inhibit B/W nephritis by regulating the antibody production through a mechanism different from that of anti-inflammatory drugs or immunosuppressants.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Interleukin-2 induction, response and therapy on murine lupus lesions in the MRL/l strain.

MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/l) mice are widely known as poor inducers of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and low responders to IL-2. It was reconfirmed that the spleen cells of MRL/l mice induced a small amount of IL-2 in vitro. In vivo experiments revealed that recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) affected T cell subpopulations in MRL/l mice. rIL-2 decreased the numbers of Thy-1 and Lyt-1 positive cells and increased those of Lyt-23, Lyt-123 and Lyt-null cells in the thymus. It decreased the number of T cell subpopulations in the lymph nodes and spleen. These data disclosed that IL-2 might affect not only the development of T cells but also the movement of T cells among the immune organs. Some synthetic immunomodulators augmented and others suppressed or had no effect on IL-2 induction activity in the spleen of MRL/l mice. There was no correlation between the clinical efficacy of drugs on rheumatic disease and experimental IL-2 induction activity. rIL-2 and human peripheral T cell derived IL-2 (hIL-2) produced similar results in short term therapeutic experiments. When rIL-2 (1,000 U/mouse) or hIL-2 (equivalent dose) was given to MRL/l mice intraperitoneally, once a week, from 8 to 16 weeks of age, anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody and anti-single stranded DNA (ssDNA) antibody titers had no changes. IL-2 had no effect on the renal lesions histopathologically. IL-2 induction activity was also assayed using spleen cells of the animals at the time of necropsy. The results showed that the mice treated with IL-2 had lower IL-2 induction activity than nontreated MRL/l mice. mice, an animal model for systemic lupus

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Immunomodulation by RS-2131, a new non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug.

The immunomodulatory properties of RS-2131, 2-[4-(2-oxocyclohexylidenemethyl)phenyl]propionic acid, were studied using normal and autoimmune mice. RS-2131 suppressed the Arthus-type footpad reaction in BALB/c mice when administered orally at the time of immunization with sheep red blood cells, in contrast to indomethacin. This drug also suppressed the direct plaque-forming cell response against sheep erythrocytes in BALB/c mice. Under the same experimental conditions, the percentage ratio of Lyt 2+ cells to Thy 1.2+ cells were increased in the spleen cells. When used in non-immunized normal BALB/c mice, however, RS-2131 produced no effect on the ratio of Lyt 2+ cells to Thy 1.2+ cells in the spleen cells and on the percent distribution of T lymphocyte subsets. In MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice, which have been known as a model of autoimmune disease, Lyt 2 cells in the thymus and the lymph node increased on oral treatment with RS-2131. These findings suggest that this drug may induce suppressor T cells only when the immune response in host animals is increased and then results in inhibition of immune responses in mice.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1986

Effects of immunomodulators on candidacidal activity of normal peritoneal cells in BALB/c mice.

Macrophages which play an important role in host resistance against infections are considered to be a target for various immunomodulators. In order to examine the effects of selected immunomodulators on macrophage function, the effects of N-(2-mercapto-2-methylpropanoyl)-L-cysteine (SA96), levamisole (LMS) and D-penicillamine (D-Pc) on the candidacidal activity of the normal peritoneal cells (PC) were investigated. In the in vitro studies, SA96 increased the candidacidal activity of PC 4-fold, while D-Pc and LMS treatments did not increase this activity. In the ex vivo studies, PC obtained from the mice pre-treated with SA96, D-Pc and LMS showed a high candidacidal activity. Elevated candidacidal activity was not due to changes of cell types of PC populations. These results suggest that D-Pc and LMS activate the function of macrophage in vivo and SA96 activates the function both in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Monoclonal antibodies against the nonhemagglutinating fimbrial antigen 1C (pseudotype 1) of Escherichia coli.

Hybridoma-derived monoclonal antibodies were produced with fimbrial preparations from Escherichia coli 20025 (04:K12:H-) with fimbrial (F) antigens 1C, 13, one related to 12, and one preliminarily termed y and from E. coli 2980 (018ac:K5:H-) with F antigens 1C and 8. Two clones of subclonal hybrid cells were studied which produced monoclonal antibodies (mc-20025-F2b, immunoglobulin G2b [IgG2b]; mc-2980-F2, IgG1) that were reactive with E. coli 20025, 2980, and a number of additional strains which exhibited the F1C antigen. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis indicated that the antibodies had F1C specificity, and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with 125I-labeled antibodies showed that they recognized different epitopes on the fimbrial subunit. Neither of the antibodies agglutinated F1C-fimbriated E. coli but bound to the bacteria. There was no binding to E. coli without F1C fimbriae.

Adhesiveness↗