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Biomedical subjects

C H Wang

Publications and source records attributed to C H Wang.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia in Taiwan: predominantly occurs in children less than 3 years and adults between 51 and 70 years.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with minimal differentiation was usually referred to as acute undifferentiated leukemia in the past. With the help of immunophenotyping, this subtype of leukemia was shown to express myeloid antigens on the blasts and was designated AML-M0 by FAB Cooperative Study Group in 1991. Among the 423 consecutive newly diagnosed de novo AML at our institution, 12 (2.8%) were of M0 subtype. The proportion of M0 in AML was higher in children than in adults (8.2% vs 1.7%). Four other M0 patients referred from outside hospitals for immunophenotyping were also included in this study. There were two peaks in age distribution of these 16 patients: less than 3 years and between 51 and 70 years, respectively. Organomegaly was more common in patients with AML-M0 than in those with other subtypes (56.3% vs 29.2%, P = 0.025). The former patients had higher incidences of CD7 and CD34 expression on the leukemic cells than the latter ones (50% vs 16.9%, P = 0.003 and 69.2% vs 37.9%, P = 0.019, respectively). The patients with AML-M0 showed more frequent clonal chromosomal abnormalities in the leukemic cells than other AML patients (83.3% vs 53.9%, P = 0.039); the same is also true for complex cytogenetic aberrations (50% vs 11. 4%, P = 0.004). Adults with AML-M0 showed a lower complete remission (CR) rate and significantly poorer survival than those with non M0-AML. However there was no significant difference in outcome between the two groups of pediatric patients. In conclusion, AML-M0 is a unique subtype of leukemia that has distinct age distribution and shows different clinical and biological characteristics from other AML. Adult patients have poor prognosis. Whether pediatric patients had better outcome than adults needs to be clarified in further studies.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Stress distribution and abutment tooth mobility of distal-extension removable partial dentures with different retainers: an in vivo study.

Three types of retainers (wrought wire clasp, Aker's cast clasp, and conical crown telescopic retainer) designed for distal-extension removable partial dentures (RPDs) were assessed in two Kennedy class I patients' mouths. The assessment, included the ratio of denture base shearing load and mobility of the terminal abutments when loaded on a free-end RPD occlusal surface. The mean values of denture base shearing ratios of wrought wire clasp, Aker's clasp and conical crown telescope were 60, 42 and 20%, respectively. The abutment mobility of the three types of retainers were all within the 'mobile ability area' except the wrought wire clasp for patient A's right side. The greatest tooth mobility was observed with the wrought wire clasps, followed by Aker's clasp and the conical crown telescopic retainer. From the analysis the following was concluded: (i) different retainers do influence the occlusal load distribution; (ii) the occlusal load distributed to the free-end saddle is closely related to the connecting rigidity of the retainer; (iii) mucosal support has an indispensable role in sharing the occlusal load with various retainers, even the rigid telescopic retainer.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Dynorphin A enhances mitogen-induced proliferative response and interleukin-2 production of rat splenocytes.

It has been well known that immune function is modulated by endogenous opioid peptides: beta-endorphin and enkephalins. However, the effect of dynorphin A on the immune function has not been well documented. In this study, we investigated dynorphin A in the regulation of mitogen-induced proliferation and and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of rat splenocytes. The results showed that dynorphin A 1-13 as well as dynorphin A 1-17 enhanced concanavalin A-stimulated [(3)H] thymidine uptake 46-112% and IL-2 production in a dose-dependent fashion. These effects were reversed by naloxone and norBNI, a selective kappa-receptor antagonist. Dynorphin A reduced cyclic AMP contents in spenocytes in naloxone and norBNI reversible fashion. The data suggest that dynorphin A enhanced mitogen-stumulated lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 production via kappa-opioid receptor and cAMP pathway.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed1999

Hypodense alveolar macrophages in patients with diabetes mellitus and active pulmonary tuberculosis.

SETTING: Alveolar macrophages (AM), a heterogeneous cell population, play a critical role in eliminating mycobacterial infections in collaboration with lymphocytes. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) show increased susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) infection. It is still uncertain whether there is a defect in T cell or AM activation in patients with DM against TB infection. OBJECTIVE: To study the difference in activation status of AM and T cells between patients with TB + DM and TB alone. METHOD: The heterogeneity of AM from 14 patients with TB + DM, 9 with TB alone, 10 normal subjects and 8 DM alone patients, was studied using Percoll density fractionation. The intracellular H2O2 production of AM before and after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or F-Met-Leu-Phen (FMLP) was assayed by loading cells with 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) and analyzed by flow cytometry. Lymphocytes subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8) and their activation status (CD25) in bronchoalveolar lavage were also measured. RESULTS: The proportion of the least dense AM (< 1,030 g/ml) and the magnitude of DCFH oxidation of AM was higher in TB patients than in normal subjects, regardless of DM. Patients with TB + DM had a significantly lower proportion of the least density AM fraction than TB alone patients, regardless of disease extent. Among TB patients, the proportion of the least dense AM was inversely correlated with the bacterial load on sputum and the disease extent on chest radiograph. Stimulation of AM with PMA or FMLP induced an increase in the hypodense AM subpopulations and enhanced intracellular H2O2 generation in patients with TB + DM and to a similar extent in normal subjects, but not in patients with TB alone. There was no significant difference in CD3 numbers, CD4/CD8 ratio, and CD25+ cells between patients with TB alone and TB + DM. The activation status of AM or T lymphocytes from DM alone patients was not significantly different from those from normal subjects. CONCLUSION: Hypodense subpopulations of AM increase in active TB patients and are related to the disease severity as well as activation status of AM. AM in TB patients complicated with DM was less activated, and may be contributory to the susceptibility to mycobacterial infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Detection of p16, RB, CDK4, and p53 gene deletion and amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization in 96 gliomas.

Inactivation of the p53 gene is a common early event of astrocytoma tumorigenesis. Alternatively, since the p16, retinoblastoma (RB), and CDK4 genes have been implicated in malignant progression, detection of losses or amplifications of these genes in gliomas could be diagnostically, prognostically, and therapeutically important. We obtained smear preparations from 96 diffuse gliomas and 10 nonneoplastic specimens. Dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridizations using paired probes for CEN9/p16, CEN8/RB, CEN17/p53, and CEN12/CDK4 were performed and revealed expected frequencies of abnormalities, except for p53 losses, which were low (7%). The latter supports the concept that p53 inactivation usually occurs by mitotic recombination. Detected abnormalities of the p16/RB/CDK4 pathway were highly associated with astrocytic differentiation and were univariately associated with decreased patient survival. However, only patient age and histologic classification retained statistical significance on multivariate analysis. We conclude that in diffuse gliomas, p16/RB/CDK4 abnormalities are markers of astrocytic phenotype. Thus, their detection by fluorescence in situ hybridization may have diagnostic usefulness in cases with equivocal morphologic features. Although our numbers are small, we find no additional prognostic significance to these genetic abnormalities one age, grade, and oligodendroglial histology are taken into account.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The consequences of treatment and disease in patients with primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: cognitive function and performance status. North Central Cancer Treatment Group.

Per protocol, patients with primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in an intergroup phase II trial conducted by the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group had their cognitive functions measured using the Folstein and Folstein Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and their physical functions measured using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Score (PS) at study entry, at each treatment evaluation, and at quarterly intervals thereafter until disease progression or death. Of the 53 eligible participants who began therapy, 46 (87%) had baseline MMSE scores recorded, 36 (68%) had at least one follow-up MMSE, and 32 (60%) had both, while 52 (98%) had baseline PS, 49 (92%) had at least one follow-up PS, and 48 (91%) had both. Patterns of MMSE and PS values over time were studied in each individual, in the group as a whole, in the 20 patients who completed the study regimen, in the 23 who survived more than a year, and in patients who were classified as nonprogressors at each key evaluation. For each patient, all recorded values were plotted versus time, with dates of disease progression and death included, to look for signs of decline in cognitive or physical function preceding adverse events. Long-term declines in scores of both cognitive and physical function were observed in many treated patients with primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Nearly all patients who were alive more than 52 weeks after study entry had a demonstrable decline in cognitive and physical functionality. Such declines may occur before disease progression is documented; they may also occur in some patients who have long-term follow-up without evidence of disease progression. Declining MMSE and PS was a poor predictor of disease progression. There was no association of PS and toxicity. The data from this study demonstrated the considerable difficulties we encountered conducting an ancillary study such as this within a multicenter clinical trial. Firstly, the test instruments written into the protocol were unable to tell if the declines seen were due to disease, treatment, co-morbidity, or other factors. Secondly, the missing data created difficulties in interpreting outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Impact of oral submucous fibrosis on chemotherapy-induced mucositis for head and neck cancer in a geographic area in which betel quid chewing is prevalent.

In Southeast Asia and Taiwan, betel quid chewing is prevalent. Patients with head and neck cancer who chewed betel quid habitually seem to experience more severe chemotherapy-induced mucositis in our clinical practice. To validate this issue, patients with untreated head and neck cancer who received cisplatin (cDDP) plus a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in this analysis. Information on the consumption of betel quid, tobacco, and alcohol were recorded before chemotherapy. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) was diagnosed clinically according to the fibrotic appearance of the mucosa and trismus. Mucositis was scored according to the World Health Organization criteria, and the mucositis score of the first course of chemotherapy was used for analysis. From December 1993 to April 1996, 120 patients were enrolled in this trial. Neither the betel quid chewing nor the cancer of the oral cavity was to be a significant factor for mucositis. However, clinically diagnosed OSF was found to display a significant correlation with more severe mucositis (p = 0.02). We concluded that in betel quid chewing-prevalent areas, OSF was a risk factor of more severe mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated by CDDP and 5-FU-based regimens.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Risk of transient hyperammonemic encephalopathy in cancer patients who received continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil with the complication of dehydration and infection.

From 1986 to 1998, 29 cancer patients who had 32 episodes of transient hyperammonemic encephalopathy related to continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were identified. None of the patients had decompensated liver disease. Onset of hyperammonemic encephalopathy varied from 0.5 to 5 days (mean: 2.6 +/- 1.3 days) after the initiation of chemotherapy. Plasma ammonium level ranged from 248 to 2387 microg% (mean: 626 +/- 431 microg%). Among the 32 episodes, 26 (81%) had various degrees of azotemia, 18 (56%) occurred during bacterial infections and 14 (44%) without infection occurred during periods of dehydration. Higher plasma ammonium levels and more rapid onset of hyperammonemia were seen in 18 patients with bacterial infections (p=0.003 and 0.0006, respectively) and in nine patients receiving high daily doses (2600 or 1800 mg/m2) of 5-FU (p=0.0001 and < 0.0001, respectively). In 25 out of 32 episodes (78%), plasma ammonium levels and mental status returned to normal within 2 days after adequate management. In conclusion, hyperammonemic encephalopathy can occur in patients receiving continuous infusion of 5-FU. Azotemia, body fluid insufficiency and bacterial infections were frequently found in these patients. It is therefore important to recognize this condition in patients receiving continuous infusion of 5-FU.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Weekly 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-flurouracil and leucovorin in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

The effect of biochemical modulation of weekly high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 24 h infusion by leucovorin (LV) in the treatment of 39 consecutive patients with advanced gastric cancer without prior chemotherapy from October 1996 to August 1997 was examined. There were 21 male and 18 female patients with a median age of 56 years. The regimen consisted of 5-FU 2600 mg/m2 and LV 150 mg administered by 24 h infusion weekly for 6 weeks followed by a 2 week break. The treatment was repeated every 8 weeks until disease progression, patient refusal or unacceptable toxicity. Placement of a central vascular device and a portable external infusion pump was required in all patients and was used for outpatient treatment. The response to treatment was evaluated every 8 weeks. A total of 395 chemotherapy treatments were given with a mean of 10 (2-24). This response rate was: 33% (12 of 36) partial response (PR) rate, 33% (12 of 36) stable disease (SD) and 33% (12 of 36) progressive disease (PD). In general, the toxicity was mild but two toxic deaths occurred, one due to neutropenic sepsis and the other due to hyperammonemia. The median time to progression was 4 months. The overall median survival was 7 months. The survivals of the PR, SD and PD were 12, 8 and 5 months, respectively. This regimen showed a modest activity against gastric cancer with acceptable toxicity. Weekly 24 h infusion of high-dose 5-FU with LV in an outpatient setting for patients with gastric cancer is feasible and deserves further study as a basis for combination therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Stroke incidence and survival among middle-aged adults: 9-year follow-up of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although stroke mortality rates in the United States are well documented, assessment of incidence rates and case fatality are less well studied. METHODS: A cohort of 15 792 men and women aged 45 to 64 years from a population sample of households in 4 US communities was followed from 1987 to 1995, an average of 7. 2 years. Incident strokes were identified through annual phone contacts and hospital record searching and were then validated. RESULTS: Of the 267 incident definite or probable strokes, 83% (n=221) were categorized as ischemic strokes, 10% (n=27) were intracerebral hemorrhages, and 7% (n=19) were subarachnoid hemorrhages. The age-adjusted incidence rate (per 1000 person-years) of total strokes was highest among black men (4.44), followed by black women (3.10), white men (1.78), and white women (1.24). The black versus white age-adjusted rate ratio (RR) for ischemic stroke was 2.41 (95% CI, 1.85 to 3.15), which was attenuated to 1.38 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.89) after adjustment for baseline hypertension, diabetes, education level, smoking status, and prevalent coronary heart disease. There was a tendency for the adjusted case fatality rates to be higher among blacks and men, although none of the case fatality comparisons across sex or race was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: After accounting for established baseline risk factors, blacks still had a 38% greater risk of incident ischemic stroke compared with whites. Identification of new individual and community-level risk factors accounting for the elevated incidence of stroke requires further investigation and incorporation into intervention planning.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1999

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the F gene of Newcastle disease viruses isolated from chickens and an owl in Taiwan.

To provide information on the epidemiology of Newcastle disease (ND) of poultry in Taiwan, ND virus isolates from chickens and an owl were investigated by restriction site analysis and sequencing of their gene. A 1,349 base fragment of the F (fusion protein) gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The PCR products were analyzed using restriction endonucleases, HinfI, BstOI, and RsaI. Three strains isolated from chickens during the 1995 epidemic outbreak had the same restriction sites as that of a 1994 isolate; the number of the restriction sites of HinfI, BstOI, and RsaI were 4, 2, and 4, respectively. In the F gene of the strain isolated from an owl during the same outbreak an additional restriction site of HinfI was found. The 1991 isolate had only 3 restriction sites. The F gene of the owl isolate was amplified by RT-PCR and followed by direct sequencing. The deduced amino acid sequence at the cleavage site of the F protein was of virulent strains, 112R-R-Q-K-R-F117. The F gene of Ow/Tw/2209/95 was phylogenetically most closely related to that of Ck/Tw/2137/95 isolated from the same outbreak. The present results indicate that the causative virus of the 1995 ND outbreak had already been present in Taiwan.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Can dobutamine stress echocardiography predict cardiac events in nonrevascularized diabetic patients following acute myocardial infarction?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the prognostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) performed early after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is as high in diabetic patients as in nondiabetic patients. DESIGN: Inception cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary cardiac referral center. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Three hundred thirty-eight patients (116 diabetic and 222 nondiabetic) who underwent DSE after AMI were followed up for cardiac events. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Outcome events were as follows: "hard" events consisted of cardiac death and nonfatal reinfarction, while "all events" included hard events and unstable angina. The mean follow-up duration was 21 +/- 9 months. DSE results were positive in 69 diabetic patients (59.5%) and 129 nondiabetic patients (58.1%; p = 0.817). During the follow-up period, there were 25 cardiac deaths, 16 cases of nonfatal reinfarction, and 55 cases of unstable angina. The Kaplan-Meier life table showed that a positive DSE result was associated with a lower event-free survival rate in nondiabetic but not in diabetic patients in terms of hard and all events. By multivariate analysis, a positive DSE result was the strongest independent predictor of future cardiac events in nondiabetic patients. However, in diabetics, a shorter dobutamine time, rather than a positive DSE result, independently predicted cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary data suggest that different DSE variables should be considered when assessing the likelihood of future events in diabetic and nondiabetic patients after AMI. The observation of shorter dobutamine time, instead of DSE positivity, has a higher prognostic value in diabetics. In diabetic patients, the only significant role of DSE positivity is for predicting future unstable angina; however, its predictive value is not as good as in nondiabetic patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is the only treatment with curative potential for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). From June 1986 to April 1997, we treated 12 patients with primary MDS (5 men, 7 women, median age, 36.5 years) by allo-SCT. All patients had one or more of the following poor prognostic factors: intermediate-2 or high-risk categories according to the International Prognostic Scoring System; disease progression during follow-up; heavy transfusion requirements and recurrent infections. The median duration from diagnosis of MDS to allo-SCT was 6 months. The preconditioning regimen included total body irradiation combined with either high-dose cytarabine (n = 6), high-dose cyclophosphamide (n = 4), or other regimens (n = 2). Ten patients received bone marrow transplantations and two patients received peripheral blood stem cell transplantations. Prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) consisted of standard cyclosporin and short-course methotrexate. Acute GVHD of grade 2 or above occurred in 10 patients, while chronic GVHD occurred in seven of the nine patients who survived longer than 6 months after allo-SCT. With a median follow-up of 50 months, all nine patients with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donors survived. One patient had a relapse 6 months after transplantation and achieved complete remission again with low-dose cytarabine therapy. The three patients receiving allo-SCT from unrelated or HLA-mismatched donors died of grade 3 to 4 acute GVHD and infection within 5 months after transplantation. The estimated disease-free survival at 4 years was 67% (95% confidence interval, 40-93%), and the overall survival was 75% (95% confidence interval, 50-99%). Our data suggest that allo-SCT should be considered early in the clinical course for young MDS patients with a poor prognosis and a matched sibling donor.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of losartan and extended-release felodipine in patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

Appropriate control of blood pressure has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension. Losartan potassium, a selective antagonist of the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor, has been shown to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of losartan and extended-release (ER) felodipine in Taiwanese patients with mild to moderate hypertension. Patients with mild to moderate hypertension (sitting diastolic blood pressure, 95-115 mm Hg) were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, parallel study. Sitting blood pressure, heart rate, adverse reactions, and serum biochemistry values were assessed during 2 weeks of placebo and 12 weeks of active treatment. Each patient received 50 mg of losartan or 5 mg of felodipine ER once daily, and the dosage was adjusted to double the initial level at week 6 if necessary. Of the 44 patients randomly allocated to receive losartan (n = 23) or felodipine (n = 21) therapy, 37 completed the study; three patients in the losartan group and four in the felodipine group withdrew because of adverse experiences, or were lost to follow-up. The mean reductions in sitting diastolic blood pressure at 6 and 12 weeks were significant with both losartan (-8.6 and -11.38 mm Hg, respectively) and felodipine (-9.2 and -10.69 mm Hg, respectively), and did not differ significantly between the two groups. Both losartan and ER felodipine were well tolerated by patients. However, the ER felodipine group had a significantly higher rate of drug-related flushing than the losartan group (24% vs 0%, p = 0.022). The results indicate that once-daily administration of losartan is as effective and well tolerated as once-daily ER felodipine in blood pressure reduction.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Neutrophil adherence to lung epithelial cells induce interleukin-8 release.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil recruitment to the lungs and transmigration through the pulmonary epithelium to reach the respiratory tract are characteristics of airway inflammation. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) plays a critical role in the recruitment of neutrophils to epithelial cells. We investigated the effect of neutrophil adherence to epithelial cells on cytokine secretion. METHODS: The production of IL-8 from cultured A549 epithelial cells was assayed and neutrophil adherence assay in the presence or absence of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) plus tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) plus interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) stimulation was studied on cultured A549 epithelial cells. The role of an adhesion molecule in the modulation of neutrophil adherence was examined by pretreatment with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) blocking antibody. RESULTS: There was an increase in IL-8 release from epithelial cells that was time-dependent and in the magnitude of neutrophil adherence to the epithelial cells. Stimulation of epithelial cells with IFN-gamma +TNF-alpha +IL-1 beta significantly increased IL-8 release and neutrophil adherence. The spontaneous or IFN-gamma +TNF-alpha +IL-1 beta-induced IL-8 release was significantly augmented after the addition of neutrophils. The inhibition of neutrophil adherence to epithelial cells by ICAM-1 blocking antibody downregulated the augmented release of IL-8 with or without IFN-gamma +TNF-alpha +IL-1 beta stimulation. Placing a membrane filter on cultured epithelial cells to prevent neutrophil adherence significantly decreased IL-8 release from epithelial cells with IFN-gamma +TNF-alpha +IL-1 beta stimulation. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that lung epithelial cells not only provide a harboring site for neutrophils to be activated, but also amplify the neutrophil sequestration in the lung by releasing IL-8. Moreover, the release of IL-8 is dependent on the adherence between neutrophils and lung epithelial cells.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed1999

Upregulation of IL-5 receptor expression on bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells from patients with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a potent eosinophilopoietic factor implicated in the chronic inflammatory cell accumulation accompanying bronchial asthma. We studied the expression of the IL-5 receptor alpha-subunit (IL-5R alpha) on bone marrow-derived cluster of differentiation molecule 34 positive (CD34+) progenitor cells in asthmatics to prove the ability of progenitor cells to respond to IL-5 more readily. METHODS: Non-adherent non-T cells (NANT) were separated from heparinized bone marrow blood from 6 asthmatics and 3 normal subjects, loaded with CD34+ and IL-5R alpha monoclonal antibodies conjugated with immunofluorescence and then analyzed by flow cytometry. Colonies grown from progenitor cells cultured in methylcellulose were determined for 14 days in the presence or absence of growth factors, including granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3. RESULTS: The proportion of IL-5R alpha expression on the CD34+ cell surface was significantly increased in asthmatics (12.9 +/- 3.3%, n = 6, p = 0.0163) compared to normal subjects (1.8 +/- 0.6%, n = 3). A significantly greater number of colonies committed to eosinophilic differentiation were found in the asthmatic subjects. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated an increased expression of IL-5R alpha on bone marrow-derived progenitor cells in asthmatics. This supports the concept that bone marrow-derived progenitor cells are ready for eosinophilopoiesis.

Adolescent↗