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C Kurashima

Publications and source records attributed to C Kurashima.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Salvage of infarcted myocardium by angiogenic action of basic fibroblast growth factor.

Coronary collateral vessels reduce damage to ischemic myocardium after coronary obstruction. Factors that stimulate collateral formation are expected to have ameliorating effects on myocardial infarction. In a canine experimental myocardial infarct model, intracoronary injection of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) improved cardiac systolic function and reduced infarct size. Treatment with bFGF increased the number of arterioles and capillaries in the infarct. Thus, the angiogenic action of bFGF might lead to a reduction in infarct size. The application of bFGF might bring about a therapeutic modality for the salvage of infarcted myocardium.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Differential age-change in the numbers of CD4+CD45RA+ and CD4+CD29+ T cell subsets in human peripheral blood.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from people ranging in age from newborn to 102 years old and analyzed by dual color flow cytometer in terms of number and percentage of various subsets of T cells, B cells and natural killer cells (CD3, 4, 5, 8, 11b, 19, 20, 21, 25, 29, 45RA and 56). Numbers of T cells (CD3+ or CD5+ cells) significantly declined at the 3rd decade as compared with those of younger people, stayed at a relatively constant level between the 3rd and the 7th decade and gradually declined thereafter. In T cell subsets, both CD4 and CD8 positive positive cells decreased with age, but a decrease was more pronounced in the latter, showing an age-related increase of CD4/CD8 ratio. The most interesting finding was a contrasting age-change in two subsets of CD4+ T cells; i.e. a subset of suppressor inducer T cells (CD4+CD45RA+ naive cells) decreased with age, while a subset of helper inducer T cells (CD4+CD29+ memory cells) increased with age. CD20+ B cells also decreased with age in a manner similar to that observed in T cells. Natural killer cells (CD56) showed an increase in numbers with age. The relationship between these changes in various subsets of peripheral blood leukocytes and the age-related decline in immune functions has been discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Aging and immunity.

The function of the immune system peaks at around puberty and gradually declines thereafter with advance in age. The age-related decline of immunological function primarily occurs in the T cell-dependent immune system and is generally associated with increase in susceptibility to infections as well as in incidence of autoimmune phenomena in the elderly. The age-related change in T cell-dependent immune functions can be ascribed to the physiological thymic atrophy which starts in an early stage of life. Emigration of T cells from the thymus to the periphery mainly takes place in the late fetal and newborn stage, and dramatically declines after puberty. In other words, the thymic capacity to promote T cell differentiation starts to change in the early stage of life in terms of quantity and quality of T cells. Thus, the composition of T cell-subsets in the periphery gradually changes with age, resulting in the alteration of T cell functions in the elderly. The restoration of immunological functions of the aged individuals is possible and might be beneficial for them to cope with various diseases associated with aging. Physiological thymic atrophy is controlled by both extrathymic and intrathymic factors, and is not a totally irreversible process. The process of thymic atrophy might be explained by further understanding of the relationship between the neuroendocrine and the immune systems.

Aging↗
PubMed1991

Production of a monoclonal antibody strongly reacting with immature thymic T lymphocytes and its immunohistological application.

A monoclonal antibody Th-5 has been produced against mouse immature thymic lymphocytes and employed to study the process of T cell differentiation in the thymus. Immunohistologically, Th-5 positive thymic T lymphocytes were first found at Day 12 of gestation. They increased in number as well as staining intensity until Day 18 of gestation and decreased thereafter. Th-5 antigen expression was not seen in lymphoid cells in the fetal liver. In the newborn thymus, lymphocytes in the subcapsular layer were still strongly positive, while other cortical lymphocytes became moderately positive for Th-5. Th-5 positiveness was more pronounced in the medulla than in the cortex in the thymus of young adult mice. The staining pattern of Th-5 in the thymus was apparently different from those with other T cell markers (Thy-1, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8) including J11d, Pgp-1, IL-2R, and 3A10 (TCR gamma delta). Flow cytometric analyses showed that the expression of Th-5 was mostly associated with the Thy-1 antigen. However, the fluorescent intensity of Th-5 gradually declined with ontogenic development of the thymus, and the molecular size of the antigen was approximately 100 kDa, which is different from Thy-1 antigen (25-30 kDa). Considering these findings, the strong expression of Th-5 could be one of the markers of immature thymic T lymphocytes in the early phase of the ontogenic development.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Age influence on the thymic capacity to promote differentiation of T cells: induction of different composition of T cell subsets by aging thymus.

Three kinds of experiments were performed to see the differential effect of aging thymus on T cell differentiation in nude mice and thymectomized mice. In the experiment of thymus grafting into nude mice, the thymic capacity to promote T cell differentiation was the highest at newborn stage, and declined to 80% of the peak level at as early as 1 week of age. The level at 4 weeks of age was 50-60% of the peak level and did not greatly change thereafter with advancing age of thymus donors, up to 24 months of age. However, composition of T cell subsets differed with age of thymus graft; i.e. L3T4(CD4)+ T cells were more easily induced than Lyt-2(CD8)+ T cells by aging thymus, resulting in an increase of the ratio of L3T4+/Lyt-2+ T cells with advancing age of thymus donors. The decreased number of T cells and their subsets in the mice thymectomized at 4 weeks of age could be almost totally recovered by the grafting of newborn thymus, but less efficiently by the grafting of 24-month-old thymus. In the latter case again, L3T4+ T cells were more easily induced than Lyt-2+ T cells, resulting in an increase of the ratio of L3T4+/Lyt-2+ T cells by the grafting of the old thymus. In neonatal mice thymectomized 3 days after the birth, Lyt-2+ T cells were more severely affected than L3T4+ cells, resulting in high ratio of L3T4+/Lyt-2+ T cells. It was suggested that the capacity of the thymus to induce T cells started to decline as early as 1 week of age and did not greatly change between 4 weeks and 24 months of age. However, the composition of T cell subsets induced by the thymus changed with age, with preference for L3T4+ T cells over Lyt-2+ T cells.

Aging↗
PubMed1991

Cooperative complement- and bacterial lectin-initiated bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The recognition of glycoconjugate receptors on sialidase-treated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) by the Gal/GalNAc-reactive fimbrial lectin of Actinomyces viscosus T14V has previously been shown to initiate lactose-inhibitable phagocytosis and subsequent killing of the bacteria. Although a mutant lacking fimbriae, A. viscosus 147, was not destroyed by this mechanism, the present studies demonstrate that the deposition of C3 fragments on this bacterium by anti-A. viscosus 147 immunoglobulin M (IgM) prior to incubation with either untreated or sialidase-treated PMNs correlated with a reduction in viability of approximately 2 log10. This bactericidal activity was unaffected by lactose. A similar decrease in viability was observed following the addition of untreated PMNs to A. viscosus T14V preincubated with anti-A. viscosus 147 IgM and complement, conditions favorable for C3- but not lectin-mediated bactericidal activity. Neither IgM nor complement alone was opsonic for either strain, and individually they did not alter killing of A. viscosus T14V by sialidase-treated PMNs or inhibition of this bactericidal activity by lactose. The number of viable A. viscosus T14V cells was decreased by approximately 3.5 log10 when the bacteria were incubated with IgM and complement prior to the addition of sialidase-treated PMNs, and lactose only partially inhibited this response. Thus, the PMN-dependent bactericidal activity initiated by the participation of both the actinomyces lectin and complement was significantly greater than that achieved by either ligand alone.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1990

Immunohistological study of senile brains by using a monoclonal antibody recognizing beta amyloid precursor protein: significance of granular deposits in relation with senile plaques.

Immunochemical analyses revealed that a monoclonal antibody Am-3 recognized beta amyloid precursor protein (beta APP) in senile plaques extracted from Alzheimer's brain, but did not recognize beta amyloid protein. Immunohistochemically, however, the staining pattern of Am-3 in frozen section of Alzheimer's brain was almost the same with that of rabbit polyclonal antibody to beta amyloid peptide which could recognize both beta amyloid protein and beta APP. In other words, beta APP was present in senile plaques of various types, cerebrovascular amyloid and granular deposits. The granular deposits were 5-10 microns in size and laminarily distributed in the 1st, 3rd and 4th layers of cerebral cortex. They were especially abundant in 1st and 4th layers where senile plaques were usually fewer in number. Although the distribution in the cerebral cortex was different between the senile plaques and the granular deposits, the number of the granular deposits was well correlated with that of senile plaques. The granular deposits were negative in Congo-red birefringence, but contained beta amyloid protein as well as beta APP fragment judging from positive staining by both Am-3 and polyclonal antibody to synthetic beta amyloid peptide. Thus, they could be regarded as "pre-amyloid".

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Age-related hyperplasia of the thymus and T-cell system in the Buffalo rat. Immunological and immunohistological studies.

This report describes the development of hyperplasia of both the thymus and the peripheral T-cell system with advancing age in the Buffalo rat. Buffalo/Mna rats do not show age-related thymic involution, but rather develop thymic hyperplasia with advancing age. This thymic growth is expansile and there is no infiltration of the surrounding tissues. Because the enlarging thymus occupies the thoracic cavity, most of the rats die of respiratory failure by the age of 24 months. Thymic enlargement is due to primary hyperplasia of cortical epithelial cells and the large number of proliferating lymphocytes. The hyperplastic epithelial cells are bizarre in shape and strongly positive when stained with Th-3 monoclonal antibody (MoAb), anti-thymosin antibody and anti-EGF antibody, but negative with Th-4 MoAb. The patterns of distribution of CD-5+, CD-4+ and CD-8+ lymphocytes within the hyperplastic thymus are similar to those seen in young rats of other species. The high level of T-cell emigration from the thymus to the periphery appears to persist throughout life, since the percentage of normal splenic T-cells also increase with advancing age and exceed 70% of the total by 24 months of age. This thymic enlargement with abnormal hyperplasia of cortical epithelial cells can be prevented by hypophysectomy.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

Immunopathological study of neuropeptide expression in human salivary gland neoplasms.

The immunoreactivity of anti-neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and anti-Leu-7 on formalin-fixed sections of human salivary gland neoplasms was determined by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. In addition, neuropeptides, such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, somatostatin, and substance P, in human salivary gland neoplasms were expressed, whereas other polypeptides, including glucagon, cholecystokinin, leu-enkephalin and calcitonin, were absent. When 182 paraffin-embedded examples of human salivary gland tumors, including 112 benign and 70 malignant neoplasms, were examined immunohistochemically, positive immunoreactivity was observed in: 51 cases with NSE (59%) and 46 cases with Leu-7 (54%) of 86 pleomorphic adenomas; 11 cases with Leu-7 (61%) of 18 Warthin's tumors; 7 cases with Leu-7 (58%) of 12 acinic cell carcinomas; 5 cases with NSE (31%) of 16 adenoid cystic carcinomas; 5 cases with NSE (42%) and 4 cases with Leu-7 (33%) of 12 adenocarcinomas; 4 cases with NSE (25%) and 6 cases with Leu-7 (38%) of 16 undifferentiated carcinomas. The other tumors, such as oxyphilic adenomas, basal cell adenomas, epidermoid carcinomas, and mucoepidermoid carcinomas, were nonreactive. Neuropeptides were observed in the neoplastic epithelial cells of certain tumors such as Warthin's tumors, acinic cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas and undifferentiated carcinomas. These findings suggest the possibility that cells of neuroendocrine origin, present in certain neoplastic salivary gland epithelia may play a significant role in the histogenesis of human salivary gland neoplasms.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1990

Immunopathological analysis of interstitial renal lesions in elderly people.

The incidence of focal lymphoid infiltrates in the renal interstitium was examined in autopsy cases of young and old subjects, and the infiltrating lymphocytes were immunohistologically characterized by a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Histologically, 198 and 227 autopsy cases over 60 years of age (87.2%) were shown to have mononuclear cell infiltrates of varying degree in the renal interstitium, whether or not these were accompanied by progressive arteriosclerotic changes. Above all, severely infiltrating foci in the renal interstitium were frequently found in the elderly over 70 years of age overlapping arterio-artherolosclerotic changes. In contrast, in the 54 younger control subjects under 49 years of age, the incidence of such a lesion was less (5.6%). An immunohistologic study revealed that the infiltrating mononuclear cells were predominantly composed of CD4+ cells, whereas CD22+ B cells were apparently lesser in number. Moreover, a considerable proportion of T cells was activated as judged by IL-2 receptor expression. From these findings, we now propose that susceptibility to the development of interstitial renal lesions in the elderly involves the cellular immune response, and may be related to an age-associated disturbance in regulatory T-cell function.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Immunohistologic study on focal lymphocytic infiltration in the liver of the elderly autopsy cases].

Immunologic and immunohistologic analyses were performed on lymphocytic infiltration in periportal areas of the liver obtained from 105 autopsy cases over 60 years of age and 63 cases under 60 years of age, all cases showing no symptoms of overt liver diseases. Lymphocytic infiltration in the periportal areas began to be found in the livers of young autopsy cases in the 4th decade, with an incidence of more than 60%. The incidence reached 100% in cases of 6th decade and over, accompanied by increased severity. The infiltrating lymphocytes consisted mainly of T cells, (approximately 85%), regardless of sex, age and underlying diseases. In terms of T cell subsets composing the infiltrating lymphocytes, there were 3 types; A:CD4+ cells greater than CD8+ cells. B:CD4+ cells = CD8+ cells. C:CD4+ cells greater than CD8+ cells. Type A was seen in 60/105 cases (57%), type B in 10/105 (9%) and type C in 35/105 (34%). The presence of cases with predominant CD8+ cells appeared to be characteristic of lymphocytic infiltration lesions in the liver, and was different from lesions in other organs. It was suggested that lesion of lymphocytic infiltration in the periportal areas of the liver might be of an autoimmune nature, gradually advancing with age.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Establishment of a monoclonal antibody against senile plaques and its application for immunohistological and immunoelectron microscopical studies in the brain of the elderly.

A monoclonal antibody (Am-3) was produced against senile plaques in the brain of a patient with Alzheimer's disease. Am-3 was reactive with senile plaques of typical, primitive and diffuse type not only in the brain used as immunogen, but also those in the brain of 15 out of 25 autopsy cases of the aged people. Moreover, Am-3 was also reactive with granular materials of various sizes scattered in the 1st, 3rd and 4th layers of the cerebral cortices of the cases with severe dementia. Am-3 was also reactive with vessel wall of the congophilic angiopathy. By immunoelectron microscopic examination, Am-3 was positive with amyloid fibril in the core and crown of senile plaques, and in the congophilic angiopathy.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Focal lymphocytic infiltration in the adrenal cortex of the elderly: immunohistological analysis of infiltrating lymphocytes.

The incidence of mononuclear cell infiltration in the adrenal cortex was examined in autopsy cases of young and old subjects, and the infiltrating mononuclear cells were immunohistologically characterized by monoclonal antibodies. Histologically, 110 of 174 autopsy cases of persons greater than 60 years (63.2%) were shown to have mononuclear cell infiltration of varying degree within the adrenal cortex, whereas such a lesion was observed in lesser incidence (7.4%) in the 54 younger, control subjects aged less than 49 years. In addition, severely infiltrating lesions in the adrenal cortex were found frequently in the elderly greater than 70 years. Immunohistochemical study revealed that the infiltrating mononuclear cells were mainly composed of CD3+ T cells. The major proportion of CD3+ T cells expressed CD4, whereas CD8+ T cells were less in number. Moreover, a considerable proportion of CD4+ T cells was activated as judged by interleukin 2 receptor expression. These findings indicate that T lymphocytes infiltration in aged human adrenal cortex may represent a pre-clinical manifestation of organ-specific autoimmune adrenalitis which is based on autoimmunity associated with ageing process.

Adrenal Cortex↗
PubMed1989

Spontaneous development of organ-specific autoimmune lesions in aged C57BL/6 mice.

We have shown that spontaneously occurring, organ-specific autoimmune lesions develop in aged C57BL/6 mice of both sexes, especially in 24-month-old senescent mice. The inflammatory lesions were found in the multiple organs such as salivary gland, kidney, pancreas, lung, and liver, associated with ageing process. Organ-specific autoimmune lesions first appeared in 6-month-old C57BL/6 mice, and were aggravated with advancing age. In contrast, significant inflammatory changes did not develop in the thyroid, stomach, testis, ovary, and prostate in aged C57BL/6 mice. The incidence and severity of organ-specific autoimmune lesions in this strain of non-autoimmune mice increase with advance of age. The most severely affected lesion was sialadenitis developed in the submandibular salivary gland of aged mice, and a significant difference between male and female mice was noted only in the salivary gland. The infiltrating cells within the lesions of multiple organs consisted mainly of Thy 1.2+ and L3T4+ cells. Autoantibodies were detected in the sera of the mice with each corresponding organ-specific autoimmune lesions.

Aging↗