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T Tojo

Publications and source records attributed to T Tojo.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Characterization of autoantibodies that recognize U4/U6 small ribonucleoprotein particles in serum from a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

We identified autoantibodies that recognize the U4/U6 snRNPs in a serum from a 63-year-old Japanese patient (TT) with primary Sjögren's syndrome. This patient's serum immunoprecipitated U4 and U6 sn-RNAs exclusively from 32P-labeled HeLa cell extracts and a newly identified 120-kDa protein along with the Sm core proteins (B'/B, D, E, F, and G) from [35S] methionine-labeled HeLa cell extracts. Immunoblotting demonstrated that only the 120-kDa protein was recognized by this unique serum. In glycerol density gradient centrifugation, the 120-kDa protein reactive with TT serum cosedimented with U4 and U6 snRNAs, suggesting that the 120-kDa protein is a unique component of the U4/U6 snRNP particle. In the same study, the U4/U6 snRNP precipitated by TT serum sedimented only in the lower density, whereas anti-Sm antibodies precipitated U4/U6 snRNAs in a broad range of the gradient. This result suggests the presence of at least two molecular forms of the U4/U6 snRNP particles; larger particles, probably the U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex, and free particles. Thus, the U4/U6 snRNP recognized by TT serum includes the U4 and U6 snRNAs, with Sm core proteins, and the novel 120-kDa protein, and appears to be a free particle not associated with larger complexes.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1992

Specificity of antibodies to single-stranded (ss) DNA in SLE patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome.

Although the concept of anti-phospholipid syndrome has been proposed in patients with SLE and other rheumatic diseases, the immunological mechanism is still controversial. Recently, the crossreactivity between anti-cardiolipin antibody and anti-ssDNA antibodies has been discussed in relation to this syndrome. In the present study, the specificity such as the avidity and the crossreactivity of anti-ssDNA antibodies was examined to find a clue to clarify the question why all of anti-cardiolipin antibody positive patients do not have any specific clinical features, thrombosis and spontaneous abortion. The avidity of IgG anti-ssDNA antibodies was examined by salt elution studies in solid phase ELISA. The avidity of anti-ssDNA antibodies tended to be lower in 10 patients with specific features than in other 10 patients without those features. The crossreactivity of affinity purified IgG anti-ssDNA antibodies was investigated by competitive ELISA. Purified anti-ssDNA antibodies from 4 patients without specific features were slightly inhibited by negatively charged phospholipids, cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine, whereas purified anti-ssDNA antibodies from 2 patients with specific features, who were considered to have anti-phospholipid syndrome, were little inhibited by these phospholipids. The above results suggest that the specificity of anti-ssDNA antibodies appears, at least partly, in different manners whether specific features are present or absent in anti-cardiolipin antibody positive patients. Moreover, anti-ssDNA antibodies and anti-phospholipid antibodies may form separate groups of antibodies in patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMed1992

Initial predictors of survival in patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

We conducted a retrospective study of 86 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) to clarify the initial predictors of survival at the first visit to the hospital. A life-table analysis of survival was performed concerning 137 items from their histories, physical examinations, and laboratory data. The observed cumulative survival rates were 78.0 percent at 5 years and 68.2 percent at 10 years. Ten items were found to be the initial predictors of survival in patients with SSc. Of these 10 items, 9 items showed significant differences within 5 years of the first visit to the hospital. Patients with resting electrocardiographic abnormalities, such as atrial or ventricular arrhythmias, or conduction disturbances, pulmonary fibrosis on the chest x-ray films, or decreased vital capacity had significantly lower survival rates. However, patients with anti-centromere antibody had a significantly better survival rate. In addition, males, aged patients over 65 years old, and patients with proteinuria, leucopenia, or hypergammaglobulinemia had significantly lower survival rates. Only patients with proximal scleroderma at the first visit to the hospital had a significantly lower survival rate after 8 years. These results are useful in predicting individual patients at risk of shortened survival and in managing these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Application of an expandable metallic Z-type stent for stenosis of the left main bronchus following tuberculosis--a case report].

A 32-year-old man had been suffering from dyspnea on exertion and stridor, which were due to stenosis of the left main bronchus as a complication of bronchial tuberculosis. A three-connection stent, 1.2 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in length was placed at the site of the bronchial stenosis. Dyspnea disappeared 2 days after the procedure, and the pulmonary function 3 weeks later showed considerable improvements in %FVC, FEV1 and MMF.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Clinical significance of anti-nucleolar antibodies detected by immunoprecipitation method in patients with systemic sclerosis].

We have characterized a clinical significance of anti-U3RNP, anti-7-2RNP, anti-RNA polymerase I and anti-PM-Scl antibody, autoantibodies to nucleolar proteins detected by immunoprecipitation method in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). In 248 patients with SSc, anti-U3RNP antibody was positive in 9 (3.6%), anti-7-2RNP antibody was positive in 7 (2.8%) and anti-RNA polymerase I antibody was positive in 3 (1.2%). But none of 248 patients was positive for anti-PM-Scl antibody. Anti-U3RNP antibody positive SSc patients showed significantly lower frequency of joint and lung involvements, compared with anti-U3RNP antibody negative SSc patients. Anti-7-2RNP antibody was found only in patients with limited scleroderma. The anti-7-2RNP antibody could be detected before appearance of skin thickening, so this indicate the usefulness of detecting anti-7-2RNP antibody in the early stage of SSc. Two of 3 anti-RNA polymerase I antibody positive patients were classified as diffuse scleroderma. All anti-RNA polymerase I antibody positive patients had high incidence of internal organ involvements including lung, heart and kidney, so two of these patients died of heart failure. These data showed the close clinical association of antigenic specificities of anti-nucleolar antibodies analysed by immunoprecipitation method, and indicated the usefulness of detecting these anti-nucleolar antibodies in subgrouping of patients with SSc.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Interaction of the expression of two membrane genes, acrA and plsA, in Escherichia coli K-12.

The mutation acrA1, leading to acriflavine sensitivity through disorganization of the plasma membrane, is located between proC and purE on the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome. Gene plsA has been reported to determine biosynthesis of membrane phospholipid and to be located very near acrA (1). Genes acrA and plsA fall into different cistrons and are arranged in the order proC-acrA-plasA-purE. The genes were shown to interact with each other. Introduction of acrA mutation into a plsA temperature-sensitive mutant mitigated the heat sensitivity. Plasmid (F-gal+) stability in acrA mutants was restored by introduction of the plasA mutation into the acrA cells. When an Hfr plsA donor was conjugated with an acrA recipient, or when reciprocally conjugated, the exogenotes were eliminated at high frequency during subsequent subcultivation in broth. However, the exogenotes were not eliminated in all other allelic combinations of genes acrA and plsA. When an F-gal+ plasmid was introduced into the unstable heterozygotes (acrA+plsA/acrApls1+), the plasmids were stably hosted, whereas the acrA+ plasA exogenotes were spontaneously lost at a high frequency. On the other hand, when the unstable heterozygotes carrying F-gal+ were cultured in acriflavine-containing medium, the F-gal+ plasmids were preferentially eliminated but the acrA+plasA exogenotes were not affected. The results suggest that the organization of the plasma membrane controls the recombination of the exogenotes introduced into zygotes.

Acridines↗