Biomedical subjects

Nobuo Ohta

Publications and source records attributed to Nobuo Ohta.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Th1 and Th2 CD4+ T cells and Tc1 and Tc2 CD8+ T cells of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis.

A Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance with a predominance of Th1 cytokines has been suggested to be of pathogenic importance in Wegener's granulomatosis. To evaluate the role of Th1/Th2 cytokines in Wegener's granulomatosis, the subsets of Th1, Th2, Tc1 and Tc2 cells from patients with active Wegener's granulomatosis were examined by intracellular cytokine flow cytometry. The population of Tc1 cells (72.0 +/- 14.4 per cent) in Wegener's granulomatosis was significantly increased compared with Tc1 cells (37.3 +/- 14.6 per cent) in control (p<0.05). Th1, Th2 and Tc2 cells in Wegener's granulomatosis were not significantly increased compared with the control cells. These results indicate that the predominance of Tc1 cells might contribute to the mechanism of the pathogenesis of Wegener's granulomatosis.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

[Identification of airborne pollen and airborne particles with pollen allergen (Cry j 1, Dac g) by aeroallergen immunoblotting technique].

After collection of airborne particles with a seven-day recording volumetric spore trap (Burkard model) using optically clear, pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive tapes, a dry PVDF membrane was pressed down firmly onto the adhesive tape, antigen-antibody reaction was performed in full contact with the tapes and PVDF membrane. Dark purple spots from airborne pollen allergens were examined under a light microscope to evaluate the form of pollens and particles wit h the antigenicity. It is clarified that identification of the form of pollens with the antigencity is possible not only pollens with the antigenicity but a pollen has already lost its shape, and it is also clarified that some airborne particular matters have the pollen antigencity. Airborne samples were collected during the Cryptomeria japonica or grass pollen season. Samples collected during the C. japonica pollen season were treated with anti-Cry j 1 monoclonal antibody, and those during the grass pollen season with anti-Dac g rabbit IgG. Samples collected during the C. japonica and the grass pollen peak season were treated with antibodies from sera of pollinosis patients. Spots originated not only from relevant pollen grains but also from parts of airborne particular matter have the pollen antigenicity and some spots could not observed for any kind of particles.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alternative oxidase (AOX) genes of African trypanosomes: phylogeny and evolution of AOX and plastid terminal oxidase families.

To clarify evolution and phylogenetic relationships of trypanosome alternative oxidase (AOX) molecules, AOX genes (cDNAs) of the African trypanosomes, Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma evansi, were cloned by PCR. Both AOXs possess conserved consensus motifs (-E-, -EXXH-). The putative amino acid sequence of the AOX of T. evansi was exactly the same as that of T. brucei. A protein phylogeny of trypanosome AOXs revealed that three genetically and pathogenically distinct strains of T. congolense are closely related to each other. When all known AOX sequences collected from current databases were analyzed, the common ancestor of these three Trypanosoma species shared a sister-group position to T. brucei/T. evansi. Monophyly of Trypanosoma spp. was clearly supported (100% bootstrap value) with Trypanosoma vivax placed at the most basal position of the Trypanosoma clade. Monophyly of other eukaryotic lineages, terrestrial plants + red algae, Metazoa, diatoms, Alveolata, oomycetes, green algae, and Fungi, was reconstructed in the best AOX tree obtained from maximum likelihood analysis, although some of these clades were not strongly supported. The terrestrial plants + red algae clade showed the closest affinity with an alpha-proteobacterium, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and the common ancestor of these lineages, was separated from other eukaryotes. Although the root of the AOX subtree was not clearly determined, subsequent phylogenetic analysis of the composite tree for AOX and plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) demonstrated that PTOX and related cyanobacterial sequences are of a monophyletic origin and their common ancestor is linked to AOX sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗