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Biomedical subjects

Y Ina

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ina.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel glycoprotein, gp34, that is specifically induced by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I transactivator p40tax.

We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA encoding gp34, a novel glycoprotein expressed in cells bearing human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). HTLV-I has a trans-acting transcriptional activator, p40tax, that is thought to be implicated in leukemogenesis through the activation of cellular enhancers. With a subline (JPX-9) of the human T-cell line Jurkat, in which p40tax is inducible, gp34 was shown to be of cellular origin and to be transcriptionally activated by p40tax. It was also demonstrated that two species of mRNA are generated from one copy of the gp34 gene and that these mRNAs encode the identical gp34 product and differ in the 3' untranslated region. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of gp34 showed that it lacks typical signal peptides; however, it has a hydrophobic stretch for membrane anchoring and four possible N-linked glycosylation sites at the carboxy-terminal portion, indicating that it belongs to the family of membrane proteins whose carboxy-terminal portion protrudes out of the cell. The gp34 gene displayed relatively delayed induction compared with other genes activated by p40tax. Taken together with the observation of the dependence of gp34 expression on HTLV-I p40tax, unlike other p40tax-dependent genes such as those for the interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain and c-fos, which are expressed or induced under physiological conditions, we predict that the mechanism involved in the induction of gp34 expression by p40tax is distinct from and more intricate than those for the previously characterized genes.

Base Sequence↗

[Therapeutic efficacy of imipenem/cilastatin sodium on respiratory tract infections in lung cancer patients].

Imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS) was used to treat respiratory tract infections (RTI) in 54 patients with lung cancer. Out of the 54 patients studied, 53 were evaluable for the utility of IPM/CS; 42 had pneumonia, 9 had obstructive pneumonia, 1 had a lung abscess and 1 had acute bronchitis. The efficacy rate was 71.7%. Seventeen causative organisms were isolated from 14 patients. They included Staphylococcus aureus 5 strains, Staphylococcus epidermidis 4 strains, Staphylococcus sp. 2 strains, Enterococcus faecalis 1 strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2 strains, Pseudomonas fluorescens 2 strains, Acinetobacter sp. 1 strain, and the eradication rate was 81.8%. Clinical adverse effects (nausea and vomiting) were observed in 1 patient. Abnormalities in laboratory test results were observed in 3 patients. They disappeared or returned to normal values after completion of therapy or discontinuation of IPM/CS administration. IPM/CS appears to be a useful antibiotic for RTI in patients with lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Interleukin-2 receptor expression in pulmonary granulomatous diseases].

Interleukin-2 receptor expression (IL-2R) on monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM) was determined in patients with sarcoidosis and pulmonary tuberculosis. In sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, IL-2R on monocytes was detectable, while it was undetectable in healthy controls. IL-2R on AM in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis was significantly increased as compared to healthy controls. IFN-gamma, which has been shown to be increased in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis as compared to healthy controls, induced IL-2R on monocytes in healthy controls, suggesting that IFN-gamma is at least in part responsible for the induction or enhancement of IL-2R on monocytes or AM in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Phorbol myristate acetate which is known to be protein kinase C (PKC) activator induced IL-2R on monocytes, and PKC inhibitor, H7, inhibited IFN-gamma-induced IL-2R on monocytes in healthy controls. Calcium ionophore, A23187, induced IL-2R on monocytes and calmodulin antagonist, W7, inhibited IFN-gamma-induced IL-2R on monocytes. Based on these results, it seems that not only the PKC pathway but also the calcium-calmodulin pathway is involved in IFN-gamma-induced IL-2R.

Adult↗

Antigen-presenting capacity of alveolar macrophages and monocytes in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Using purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) as an antigen, antigen-presenting capacity by monocytes (Mo) and alveolar macrophages (AM) was determined in 17 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and nine healthy controls. All of the patients and healthy controls were positive for PPD skin test. Although Mo obtained from both the control and tubercular subjects revealed antigen-presenting capacity to autologous blood T-lymphocytes, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. In contrast, AM obtained from the tubercular patients, but not from the controls, showed antigen-presenting capacity to autologous blood T-lymphocytes and to lung T-lymphocytes. No significant difference was shown in HLA-DR antigen expression on AM between the control and tubercular patients. Besides, the exogenous addition of interleukin-1 (IL-1) did not induce antigen-presenting capacity by AM obtained from the controls. These results suggest that neither increased HLA-DR antigen expression on AM nor an increased release of IL-1 from AM is responsible for the enhanced antigen-presenting capacity in tuberculosis.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

[Serum soluble IL-2 receptor level in patients with sarcoidosis].

Serum levels of soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R) by an ELISA method in 28 patients with sarcoidosis and 16 healthy controls were studied, and the source of sIL-2R was further examined. sIL-2R in serum was significantly higher in sarcoidosis than in controls. In sarcoidosis sIL-2R in serum significantly correlated with serum ACE level, and was significantly higher in stage II or III patients than in stage O patients. sIL-2R in supernatants of cultured monocytes (Mo) and alveolar macrophages (AM) was significantly higher in sarcoidosis than in controls. sIL-2R in supernatants of cultured T lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood or BALF was barely detectable in sarcoidosis, while it was undetectable in controls. Furthermore, sIL-2R in serum was significantly correlated with sIL-2R in supernatants of cultured Mo and AM. These results indicate that sIL-2R in serum is an useful index of the disease activity of sarcoidosis, and may be mainly derived from IL-2R on Mo and AM.

Adult↗

Molecular evolution of human T-cell leukemia virus.

Phylogenetic trees for the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and its related viruses were constructed by use of nucleotide sequences of the long terminal repeat (LTR) and the tax gene. The trees showed that the viruses diverged from a common ancestral virus and that they are classified into two groups whose hosts are either primates or bovines. However, the topology of the trees for the viruses differed from that for the hosts. This suggests that HTLV-I and HTLV-I-related viruses evolved independently of host-species divergence and that interspecies transmission between human and monkeys occurred in the past. The nucleotide diversity of the tax genes of HTLV-I was estimated to be 0.025. This value is more than 10 times larger than that of human globin genes, but it is about 20 times smaller than that of hemagglutinin genes of influenza A viruses. Thus, the genetic variability of the HTLV-I genes seems to be higher than that of nuclear genes but much lower than the genes of typical RNA viruses. Furthermore, we examined functional constraints on the overlapping region of the rex and tax genes. The results obtained imply that for the overlapping region, the tax gene has much stronger constraints against amino acid changes than the rex gene.

Animals↗

Evolutionary origin of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses.

From what viruses the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs) originated is an extremely controversial question. To address this question, we have analyzed nucleotide sequences of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) and HIVs by using the techniques for understanding molecular evolution. In particular, we compared the nucleotide sequences of whole genomes, gene region by gene region, between a given pair of viruses, including four types of SIVs--isolated from mandrills (Papio sphinx), African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops), sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)--as well as HIVs. Phylogenetic trees for all gene regions examined showed that the present HIVs may have emerged as different variants of SIVs of Old World monkeys, possibly from recombination between viruses related to SIVs.

Biological Evolution↗

Antigen-presenting capacity in patients with sarcoidosis.

Antigen-presenting capacity by monocytes and AMs was determined in 13 patients with sarcoidosis and nine healthy control subjects, using PPD as the antigen. The patients and healthy control subjects all had positive PPD skin tests. Monocytes from both the control subjects and the patients with sarcoidosis exhibited antigen-presenting capacity to autologous peripheral T-lymphocytes, without any significant difference between the two groups. The AMs from patients, but not control subjects, demonstrated antigen-presenting capacity to autologous peripheral T-lymphocytes. Antigen-presenting capacity by monocytes and AMs to lung T-lymphocytes was lower than to peripheral T-lymphocytes, but not significantly. Antigen-presenting capacity was not significantly different between patients with sarcoidosis who had positive and negative PPD skin tests. The mechanism of enhanced antigen-presenting capacity by AMs in sarcoidosis is uncertain at present, but no significant difference was observed in DR antigen expression on AMs between controls and patients with sarcoidosis, and the addition of exogenous IL-1 or IFN-gamma did not induce antigen-presenting capacity by AMs in controls, suggesting that neither increased DR antigen expression on AMs nor increased release of IL-1 or IFN-gamma from AMs is responsible. Thus, these results suggest that T-lymphocyte activation in sarcoidosis may in part be attributable to an enhanced antigen-presenting capacity by AMs.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

[Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) in Japan].

Twenty-nine patients with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) in Japan diagnosed by an open lung biopsy were reviewed. A total of 70% of the patients were idiopathic and 2/3 of the remaining were associated with connective tissue disease. All 29 cases of BOOP showed bilateral pulmonary infiltration on chest X-rays. BOOP can be classified based on the chest X-ray findings into three major types, Type I, Type II and unclasSified type. In Type I shadows appear in the lung fields. In Type II abnormal shadows are seen in the bi-basilar peripheral field with the reduction of the lung volume. Cases of Type I showed inflammatory findings more frequently than cases of Type II. Among 29 BOOP patients, two idiopathic cases died.

Adult↗

[Long-term therapeutic effects of erythromycin and newquinolone antibacterial agents on diffuse panbronchiolitis].

The present study reviewed and summarized the long-term therapeutic effects of erythromycin or newquinolone antibacterial agents on diffuse panbronchiolitis. Various parameters before and after the treatment were analyzed in 101 patients selected from 227 diffuse panbronchiolitis patients gathered from 26 institutes in Japan. Patients had been treated with either erythromycin or newquinolone antibacterial agent for more than 3 months. Patients treated with erythromycin showed significant improvement of dyspnea on exertion, findings of chest X-ray, data on blood gas analysis, rate of ESR, titer of cold coagulation and amount of sputum, compared with patients treated with the newquinolone antibacterial agent. Among the patients treated with erythromycin, those patients with the initial high cold coagulation titer showed better improvement following treatment. However, there was no significant difference in improvement, depending upon either the duration between the time of onset of the disease, the initiation of treatment, and the initial severity of the disease.

4-Quinolones↗

[A case of miliary tuberculosis with prolonged high fever for more than 2 months under antituberculous therapy].

A 28 year-old male was admitted to our hospital with persistent cough and high fever. He was diagnosed to have miliary tuberculosis by the transbronchial lung biopsy specimen and tuberculous choroidal lesions in the ocular fundus. Antituberculosis therapy was immediately started. In spite of the fact that the bacilli were sensitive to the antituberculosis drugs used and he had no other complications, high fever persisted and lasted for more than 2 months. When tuberculosis is suspected, and antituberculosis treatment is tried to observe its clinical response, the presence of similar cases mentioned above should be taken into consideration.

Adult↗

[The treatment, course and prognosis of sarcoidosis cases].

Sarcoidosis is a disorder with a highly variable prognosis. Although spontaneous cure is common, a small number of patients become progressively worse. In this study, we analysed 433 patients with sarcoidosis who presented to our institute. Twenty-seven patients (6.2%) of them developed serious morbidity. We studied the clinical course, prognosis and use of steroid therapy in those 27 patients. Eight (29.6%) of the 27 patients developed severe disability during their clinical course, in spite of their mild clinical symptoms and findings at first presentation. Therefore, clinical symptoms and findings, such as ocular disorders, ECG abnormalities, negative reaction to PPD, serum ACE values and lymphocyte count are not always useful markers for the prognosis of sarcoidosis. The relationship between maximum serum ACE values during the course and the duration of the active phase was investigated in 93 patients who were followed throughout their course of the disease. Improvement occurred more often within 5 years in the patients with DR5(+) HLA class II or DRw53(-) compared to patients with DR5(-) or DRw53(+). Using various combinations of specific antigens, the following 5 groups revealed good prognoses, frequently improving within 5 years, 1) DR5(+) and DR4(-), 2) DR5(+) and DRw53(-), 3) DR5(+), DR4(-) and DR8(-), 4) DR5(+), DR4(-) and DR9(-), 5) DR5(+), DR4(-), DR8(-) and DR9(-). HLA class II antigens may also play an important role in the prognosis of sarcoidosis. Since relapses almost always occurred after cessation of steroid therapy, the duration of treatment should be as long as possible and the dosage should also be tapered carefully.

Adolescent↗

[A case of pigeon breeder's disease].

A 73-year-old woman developed dry cough and exertional dyspnea. She had been breeding pigeons for thirty years. Her serum showed positive precipitin reaction against pigeon serum. Furthermore the lymphocyte stimulation test against pigeon serum was positive. An X-ray film of the chest showed diffuse ground glass infiltrate, fine nodular shadows and reticular shadows. Histopathology revealed diffuse interstitial infiltration with mononuclear cells and occasional giant cell formation as well as granuloma formation in the bronchiole. The symptoms subsided after admission. From these results, this case was diagnosed as pigeon breeder's disease. She had the subacute form probably because of her old age and smoking. It could be that exacerbation of pneumonitis was caused by cessation of smoking in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms. This is the fifth case reported in Japan.

Aged↗

Host-independent evolution and a genetic classification of the hepadnavirus family based on nucleotide sequences.

An analysis of molecular phylogeny was undertaken to examine whether the evolution of the hepadnavirus family is host-dependent. Using the nucleotide sequences of 18 strains, we constructed phylogenetic trees. The trees obtained show that all 12 strains of hepatitis B virus can be classified into four subgroups that are not compatible with conventional subtypes. We estimated the rate of synonymous (silent) substitution for hepatitis B virus to be 4.57 x 10(-5) per site per year. Applying this rate to the phylogenetic tree, we estimated that duck hepatitis B virus diverged from a common ancestor about 30,000 years ago at the earliest, that woodchuck hepatitis virus and ground squirrel hepatitis virus diverged about 10,000 years ago, and that hepatitis B virus diverged within the last 3000 years. Because these divergence times of the viruses are much more recent than those of the host species, it suggests that the hepadnavirus family evolved independently of host-species divergence.

Animals↗

HLA and sarcoidosis in the Japanese.

One hundred fourteen patients with sarcoidosis, who were diagnosed as having sarcoidosis histologically, have been typed for HLA class 1 (A, B, and C) and class 2 (DR and DQ) antigens. Controls consisted of 478 healthy Japanese subjects. The frequencies of HLA-A1, HLA-Bw46, HLA-Cx46, HLA-DRw8, HLA-DRw9, and HLA-DRw52 were significantly increased in sarcoidosis compared to control subjects, but only four patients were positive for HLA-A1. Increased frequencies of HLA-Bw46 and HLA-Cx46 were thought to be attributable to linkage disequilibrium with HLA-DRw8. Patients with HLA-DRw52 were the most frequent (84 cases of 113). No significant differences were observed between HLA-DRw52-positive and HLA-DRw52-negative patients in their clinical features, but all of the patients with muscular involvement (six cases) were positive for HLA-DRw52. Among patients positive for HLA-DRw52, those with HLA-DR5 showed a significantly better clinical course and earlier onset of the disease than those with HLA-DRw8. These results suggest that HLA antigens may play an important role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Adult↗

[Antigen presentation in pulmonary tuberculosis].

Antigen presenting capacity (APCC) by monocytes (Mono) and alveolar macrophages (AM), using PPD as the antigen, was determined in 15 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 9 healthy controls who all showed positive PPD skin tests. Results were as follows: 1) Mono from both healthy controls and tuberculosis showed APCC to autologous peripheral T lymphocytes, and no significant difference was observed between the two groups. 2) AM from tuberculosis showed APCC to autologous peripheral T lymphocytes, however AM from healthy controls did not. 3) APCC by autologous Mono or AM to lung T-lymphocytes was lower than that to peripheral T-lymphocytes, but the difference was not significant. 4) In tuberculosis, APCC, observed before chemotherapy, was remarkably weakened during the first two months of therapy, and almost recovered to the previous level thereafter. 5) The mechanism which enhances APCC by AM in tuberculosis is uncertain. But neither increased DR antigen expression on AM nor release of IL-1 from AM suggested to be be responsible for the enhanced APCC in tuberculosis.

Adult↗

Calcium influx and the Ca2+-calmodulin complex are involved in interferon-gamma-induced expression of HLA class II molecules on HL-60 cells.

Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) induces HLA-DR and -DQ molecules and causes an accumulation of transcripts in HL-60 cells. Experiments were, therefore, designed to investigate the intracellular signaling molecules regulating the appearance of HLA class II molecules. The expression of HLA class II (DR and DQ) molecules induced by IFN-gamma was blocked by a calmodulin antagonist, W7, but not by a protein kinase C inhibitor, H7. Furthermore, a direct activator of protein kinase C, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, was unable to induce HLA class II (DR) molecule expression. These results suggest that IFN-gamma induces HLA class II molecules on HL-60 cells by way of a calcium-calmodulin pathway and not by way of a protein kinase C pathway. Calmodulin is activated by a transient rise in the cytosolic free calcium. In fact, IFN-gamma evoked a calcium influx into HL-60 cells, whereas depletion of Ca2+ from culture medium resulted in a failure of IFN-gamma to induce DR expression. Furthermore, the calcium ionophore A23187 by itself induced DR molecule expression. These results suggest that IFN-gamma stimulates calcium influx by a so-called receptor-mediated calcium channel and activates the calmodulin branch of the calcium messenger system, resulting in the induction of DR molecules on the surface of HL-60 cells.

Calcimycin↗