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Biomedical subjects

T Kusaba

Publications and source records attributed to T Kusaba.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Low-dose aclarubicin in blastic transformation of essential thrombocythemia.

We attempted treatment with low-dose aclarubicin (ACR), a new anthracycline, in a 66-year-old man with blastic transformation of essential thrombocythemia (ET). Two courses of ACR (20 mg/day x 7 days) were given intravenously. He showed a good response to this therapy without severe side effects. He has since maintained a state of prolonged remission. These observations indicate that low-dose ACR may be beneficial for management of the blastic transformation of ET.

Aclarubicin↗
PubMed1991

[Herpes zoster in connective tissue diseases: II. Rheumatoid arthritis and mixed connective tissue disease in comparison with systemic lupus erythematosus].

We investigated the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) and the immunological state to HZ in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) in comparison with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). HZ occurred in 6 (25%) out of 24 patients with RA and 4 (22%) out of 18 patients with MCTD. One patient had had HZ before the diagnosis of RA. On the other hand, all 4 patients with MCTD had had HZ before the diagnosis of MCTD. The patients with RA and MCTD showed normal or higher antibody titers to varicella zoster virus (VZV) than normal subjects as assayed by both complement fixation technique and neutralization test. However, the antibody levels were not very high compared to those in patients with SLE. On the other hand, only 7 (50%) of 14 patients with RA and 4 (40%) of 10 patients with MCTD showed positive skin reactions to VZV antigen, whereas all 15 normal subjects had positive reactions. Thus, cellular immunity to VZV was thought to be impaired in these diseases. In the patients who were receiving less than 10 mg/day of prednisolone, 7 (64%) of 11 had positive skin reactions in RA patients and 3 (60%) out of 5 patients with MCTD, whereas none (0%) out of 3 patients with RA and 1 (20%) out of 5 patients with MCTD who were receiving 10 mg/day or more prednisolone showed positive skin reactions. These results suggest that the high incidence of HZ in patients with RA and MCTD is probably due to an impaired cellular immunity as in the case of SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Herpes zoster in connective tissue diseases: I. Association with systemic lupus erythematosus and its immunological abnormalities].

We determined the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) in 119 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). HZ occurred in 56 patients (47%), and 9 patients had had HZ even before SLE developed. After diagnosis of SLE, an incidence of zoster was high, 5.45 cases per 100 person-years. It was found that the susceptibility to HZ was not related to the presence of renal disorder or maximum dose of corticosteroids. The patients with SLE who had had HZ showed significantly higher antibody titers than those without a history of HZ and normal subjects as assayed by both complement fixation technique and neutralization test. On the other had, only 17 of 55 patients (31%) with SLE showed positive skin reactions to varicella zoster virus (VZV) antigen, whereas all 15 normal subjects had positive reactions. In the patients who were receiving less than 10 mg/day of prednisolone, 11 of 17 (65%) had positive skin reactions to VZV antigen, whereas only 4 of 31 (13%) patients who were receiving 10 mg/day or more prednisolone showed positive reactions. It was of interest that in 7 patients with SLE who had not received corticosteroids, only 2 (29%) patients showed positive skin reactions to VZV antigen. These results suggest that high incidence of HZ in patients with SLE is probably due to an impaired cellular immunity because of both underlying disease and corticosteroid treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Spontaneous rupture of renal angiomyolipoma.

We report a case of renal angiomyolipoma with retroperitoneal hemorrhage treated by enucleation in a 47 year-old male. The mass in the anterior side of the left kidney, revealed by sonography and CT, was diagnosed as angiomyolipoma with a retroperitoneal hematoma caused by its spontaneous rupture. Removal of hematoma and enucleation of the tumor were performed after the diagnosis. Diagnosis and treatment of ruptured renal angiomyolipoma are discussed.

Hemangioma↗
PubMed1990

High incidence of herpes zoster in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: an immunological analysis.

The incidence of herpes zoster was determined in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the cellular and humoral immunity to varicella zoster virus (VZV) investigated in 45 of these 92 patients. The incidence of herpes zoster was high, occurring in 40 patients (43%), though it was benign in all. Patients with SLE who had had zoster showed significantly higher antibody titres than normal subjects. On the other hand, only 13 of 43 (30%) patients with SLE showed positive delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions to VZV antigen, despite a history of infections with VZV, whereas all 15 normal subjects had positive reactions. Skin reactions to VZV correlated directly with the ratio of OKT4+ to OKT8+ T cells and inversely with the dose of corticosteroids. These results suggest that the high incidence of herpes zoster in patients with SLE is probably due to defects in cellular immunity and that normal or higher titres of antibodies to VZV will not act as a preventive against zoster. In addition, reactivation of VZV, whether symptomatic or not, seemed often to occur in patients with SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-like, neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactive and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-positive nerve fibers in the prostate gland of the monkey (Macacus fuscatus).

Nerve fibers containing immunoreactivities for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and exhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivity were examined by means of histochemical and immunohistochemical methods in the caudal lobe of the prostate in the monkey, Macacus fuscatus. TH-like immunoreactive nerve fibers were distributed abundantly in the interstitium where smooth muscle fiber bundles were rich and scarcely in the paraurethral region where they were rare. NPY-like immunoreactive nerve fibers, less abundant than TH-like immunoreactive nerve fibers, were observed not only in the interstitium but also around the prostatic acini. AChE-positive nerve fibers were much denser around the acini than in the interstitium. Both the NPY-like immunoreactive and the AChE-positive nerve fibers showed an intimate spatial association with the epithelium of the acini. Judging from the distribution pattern of these nerve fibers, the following assumption is possible. Secretion of the prostatic gland as well as the outflow of the prostatic fluid into the urethra induced by contraction of the smooth muscle cells in the interstitium may be controlled by sympathetic adrenergic nerves, while cellular secretion of the acinar epithelium is regulated by parasympathetic cholinergic nerves. The NPY-like immunoreactive nerve fibers around the acini may be non-noradrenergic; they may regulate the cellular secretion by acting on the cholinergic nerves as well as by having a direct effect on the acinar secretory cells.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1990

[Quantitation of intact form of complement protein B and its fragment Ba in human serum by radioimmunoassay].

A sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay for intact complement protein B and its smaller fragment Ba is described which quantitates human B and Ba to 30 ng/ml. The assay was proved to be useful to evaluate the activation of the alternative pathway of the complement system by measuring intact B and Ba in normal human sera activated with zymosan. In sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the level of intact B was decreased and that of Ba was increased in the active phase, and the level of Ba was increased though intact B which was within normal limits in the inactive phase. The present result suggests that the activation of the alternative pathway is occurring both in the active and inactive phase in SLE, and the measurement of intact B and Ba concentration in pathological sera would be useful to evaluate the activation of the alternative complement pathway.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Two cases of amyopathic dermatomyositis with fatal rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonitis].

Two middle-aged women showed typical erythematous heliotrope eruption and Gottron's sign without any symptom of myositis. The patients were diagnosed as 'amyopathic dermatomyositis' because of normal serum CPK levels, normal EMG and no histological abnormality by muscle biopsy. Clinical manifestations improved by the treatment with corticosteroids. During tapering of corticosteroids, however, intersititial pneumonitis developed and rapidly progressed. The first patients was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy, azathiopurine and methotrexate. The second patients was treated with betamethazone, methlprednisolone pulse therapy and cyclosporin A. In spite of these extensive immunosuppressive therapies, both patients died of pulmonary insufficiency a few months after admission. In the literature there has been only several cases of amyopathic dermatomyositis and only one case with fatal rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonitis. A new approach to the treatment of this disease should be made.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMed1990

Successful treatment of refractory systemic lupus erythematosus with intravenous immunoglobulins.

Two cases of refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg). In Case 1, the immediate recovery from severe pancytopenia and the improvement of proteinuria were observed, following IVIg therapy in high doses (450 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days. In Case 2, 3 courses of IVIg therapy (100 mg/kg) for 6 to 8 days resulted in a significant reduction of massive proteinuria. In both cases, the improvement of immunological variables was also seen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Liver abnormalities and liver membrane autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The hepatic involvement of 57 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was studied with special reference to liver membrane autoantibody (LMA). Liver abnormalities were found predominantly in patients with active SLE (27/48 (56%) in active SLE v 3/20 (15%) in inactive SLE). They were, however, rather mild or moderate and tended to disappear as the disease activity of SLE decreased. In this respect the liver abnormalities observed in this study differed from those in patients with lupoid hepatitis. The incidence of LMA in active SLE (8/11 (73%] was significantly greater than that in inactive SLE (4/12 (33%)). The mean LMA index value in active SLE was 8.3, which was also greater than the 2.9 in inactive SLE. Furthermore, in active SLE the mean LMA titre was significantly higher in patients with liver abnormalities than in those without. These results suggest that LMA may be associated with the activity of SLE and may be one of the factors which cause transient liver abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Avascular necrosis of bone in systemic lupus erythematosus: possible role of haemostatic abnormalities.

The pathogenesis of avascular necrosis of bone (ANB) was investigated in 111 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (24 with ANB, 87 without ANB); patients' ages, corticosteroid treatment, clinical and laboratory features associated with SLE, and haemostatic profiles were all taken into account. The mean ages of patients with and without ANB at the time of diagnosis of SLE was 24.1 and 31.2 years respectively. The mean maximal daily dose of prednisolone in the group with ANB was 50.8 mg, which was significantly higher than the dose (41.8 mg) in the group without ANB. Disease features of SLE, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, hyperlipidaemia, nephrotic syndrome, hypertension, and disease activity, were not found to be related to ANB. The percentage of patients who had lupus anticoagulant as well as a shorter activated partial thromboplastin time was greater in those with ANB than in those without. Multiple factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of ANB in SLE, and it is suggested that haemostatic abnormalities, which could be influenced by corticosteroids and young ages, play some part in the development of ANB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Phorbol ester receptors and the induction of differentiation in the human T lymphoblastic cell line MOLT-3.

To examine the mechanism of induction of differentiation in the human malignant T-lymphoblastic cell line, MOLT-3, by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), the role of receptors for phorbol esters was investigated. Binding of [20-3H]-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate to TPA-resistant subclones derived from MOLT-3 was less than 50% of that of the parental MOLT-3. Scatchard analysis showed that the concentration of phorbol ester receptors in a TPA-resistant subclone was about 50% of that in the parental MOLT-3, but affinities of binding were similar, indicating that more than a certain number of phorbol ester receptors is required to induce differentiation by TPA in this human T cell line.

Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins↗