Recruitment of immature neutrophils in peripheral blood following leukocytapheresis therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the cellular mechanism underlying filtration leukocytapheresis (LCAP) therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thirteen patients with refractory RA each underwent three sessions of LCAP. Before (pre-) and after (post-) the completion of the first LCAP session, peripheral blood was sampled and analyzed for neutrophil surface markers using flow cytometry.

Rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes express BCMA and are stimulated by APRIL.

Objective: Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) are among the principal effector cells in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was undertaken to examine the variety of stimulating effects of APRIL and its specific effect on FLS in the affected RA synovium.

Methods: Synovium and serum samples were obtained from patients with RA, patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and healthy subjects.

Expression of BAFF and BAFF-R in the synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The elevated expression of B-cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) is associated with systemic autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The present study was undertaken to determine the distribution of BAFF and its receptor BAFF-R in the cells residing in the rheumatoid synovium.

Methods: The expression of BAFF and BAFF-R in synovial tissues obtained from 12 RA patients was examined by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.

Significant elevation of IgG anti-WRN (RecQ3 RNA/DNA helicase) antibody in systemic sclerosis.

Werner syndrome, caused by the homologous mutation of RecQ3 RNA/DNA helicase (WRN), is often misdiagnosed as systemic sclerosis (SSc) because of apparent similar skin changes and its relatively high frequency in Japan. The present study was undertaken to determine whether anti-WRN antibodies assayed by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay occur in 41 SSc patients (30 diffuse and 11 limited types) and, if so, to determine any clinical association, such as skin sclerosis. Serum level of IgG anti-WRN antibody in SSc was significantly higher than that from 30 age- and sex-matched normal volunteers (P < 0.

A retrospective study of the fluctuation in serum levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate the fluctuation in serum levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP) retrospectively in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Serum levels of anti-CCP were measured retrospectively in 131 patients with RA and 90 patients with non-RA rheumatic diseases using a commercially available kit. All sera were collected from patients during the 22-year period, 1982-2004.

Production and characterization of recombinant human anti-HBs Fab antibodies.

Recombinant human Fab antibodies were generated with different reactivities against the hepatitis B virus surface (HBs) antigen. To isolate the antibodies, a method was used that combined transformation of human B cells by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection with a primer-vector system developed for isolating DNA fragments of human Ig Fab portions. With this method, monoclonal and oligoclonal cell lines producing anti-HBs antibodies were established and three anti-HBs Fab antibodies were isolated from two of these cell lines.

Elevated immunoglobulin G antibodies to the proline-rich amino-terminal region of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-2 in sera from patients with systemic connective tissue diseases and from a subgroup of Sjögren's syndrome patients with pulmonary involvements.

Associations of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and autoimmune diseases have been hypothesized. We have analysed IgG antibodies to EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)-2 in sera from Japanese patients with autoimmune systemic connective tissue diseases (CTD), exemplified by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and secondary SS (classical CTDs complicated with SS). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which uses glutathione-S-transferase polypeptides fused to EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)-2 and EBNA-1 was developed.

Detection of autoantibody against carbonic anhydrase II in various liver diseases by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using appropriate conditions.

Background: Immunoglobulin G autoantibody against carbonic anhydrase (CA) II has been detected in the sera of patients with a variety of autoimmune diseases. Antibody against CAII has also been described as a serological marker for distinguishing between cases of autoimmune cholangitis (AIC) and those of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). However, the optimal antibody measurement conditions (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: ELISA) have not yet been established.

Detection of anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La antibodies of IgA and IgG isotypes in saliva and sera of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

To assess the frequency and the possibility of local production of autoantibodies against SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), serum and saliva samples were obtained from 42 patients with SS, 10 with rheumatoid arthritis without sicca syndrome, and 12 healthy volunteers. Autoantibodies were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting. The frequencies of IgA anti-SS-A antibody, IgA anti-SS-B antibody, IgG anti-SS-A antibody and IgG anti-SS-B antibody in serum from SS patients were 45%, 50%, 43% and 21%, respectively.

Complete sequencing and characterization of 21,243 full-length human cDNAs.

As a base for human transcriptome and functional genomics, we created the "full-length long Japan" (FLJ) collection of sequenced human cDNAs. We determined the entire sequence of 21,243 selected clones and found that 14,490 cDNAs (10,897 clusters) were unique to the FLJ collection. About half of them (5,416) seemed to be protein-coding.

Effects of intravenous anesthetics on interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers.

Background: Surgical trauma has been shown to augment the plasma concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, which are important mediators of host defense mechanisms and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Recently, it has been shown that certain kinds of surgery provoke not only a proinflammatory response (SIRS) but also a concurrent anti-inflammatory response. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the effects of intravenous anesthetics on the synthesis of interleukin (IL)-6 (a proinflammatory cytokine) and IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory cytokine) by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers.

Endothelial cell-binding activity of anti-U1-ribonucleoprotein antibodies in patients with connective tissue diseases.

In order to elucidate the immunological properties of anti-U1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibody, one of the autoantibodies detected in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs), we tested the endothelial cell-binding by anti-U1-RNP antibodies and epitopes on human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) to which the autoantibody bound. IgG fractions positive for anti-U1-RNP from patients with CTDs bound to the HPAECs. Furthermore, intact and F(ab')2 IgG anti-U1-RNP purified by affinity chromatography also bound to endothelial cells.

Psychiatric dysfunction in connective tissue diseases: association with Sjögren's syndrome.

Abstract We studied 217 patients with connective tissue disease (CTD), comprising 55 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), 34 with secondary SS, and 128 without SS. Psychiatric manifestations were investigated using three questionnaires: the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 (AIMS2), the Cornell Medical Index (CMI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Stratified analysis revealed that the frequency of a neurotic state (levels III + IV in CMI) in both primary SS patients (53%; 29% + 24%) and secondary SS patients (67%; 41% + 26%) was significantly greater than in CTD patients without SS (34%; 20% + 14%) (P < 0.

Cloning and expression of human anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibodies from Epstein-Barr virus transformed oligoclonal libraries.

Peripheral blood was obtained from a healthy human volunteer and transformed with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This produced an oligoclonal cell library in culture medium that was screened by ELISA for anti-human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) activity. RNA from two positive clones was applied to RT-PCR using antibody-specific primers, and the light (kappa and lambda) and heavy chain genes (gamma and mu) were cloned into the plasmid vector pFab1-His2.

Autoantibodies against C-reactive protein (CRP) in sera of patients with systemic rheumatic diseases.

Abstract An assessment of the frequency of serum autoantibodies against modified C-reactive protein (mCRP) in systemic rheumatic diseases and the association of these autoantibodies with clinical and laboratory findings in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Serum levels of autoantibodies against mCRP were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 125 patients with SLE and in 213 patients with other systemic rheumatic diseases. The frequency of patients with high antimodified CRP antibody levels was 32% in SLE, 22% in systemic sclerosis (SSc), 19% in polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), 43% in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), 29% in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 33% in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and 43% in overlap syndrome.

Increase of cytokine production by pulmonary artery endothelial cells induced by supernatants from monocytes stimulated with autoantibodies against U1-ribonucleoprotein.

Objective: To clarify the pathogenetic role of autoantibodies against U1-RNP (ribonucleoprotein) (anti-U1-RNP) in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), we examined whether supernatants of monocytes which were stimulated with anti-U1-RNP could induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines by human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs).

Methods: Monocytes from MCTD patients (n = 11) and normal volunteers (n = 11) were stimulated with purified antibodies against U1-RNP or double-stranded DNA and their supernatants were added to cultures of HPAECs. Cell-associated cytokines were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Immunological analysis of pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases.

Objective: To analyze the immunological characteristics of the sera of patients with inflammatory connective tissue diseases complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Methods: Sera of 24 patients with mixed connective tissue disease complicated by PH (MCTD-PH), sera of 11 patients with other connective tissue diseases complicated by PH (Other-PH; 6 systemic sclerosis, 3 systemic lupus erythematosus, 2 rheumatoid arthritis), and sera of 15 patients with MCTD not complicated by PH (MCTD-non-PH) were tested for IgG antibodies against U1RNP proteins, U1RNP-70K protein, U1RNP-A protein, and U1RNP-C protein, and for IgG and IgM antibodies to beta2-glycoprotein I dependent cardiolipin (CL) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We also measured the serum levels of von Willebrand factor related antigens and interleukin 6 (IL-6).

Clinical and laboratory features of lupus patients with complicating pulmonary disease.

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of pulmonary involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to clarify the clinical and laboratory characteristics in SLE patients with various pulmonary involvements. A retrospective study (n = 137) revealed that the types of pulmonary involvement found in SLE patients were: pleuritis (9%), interstitial pneumonia (8%), pulmonary infarction (7%), pulmonary infection (4%), pulmonary hypertension (2%), restrictive dysfunction (28%) and decreased diffusion capacity (43%). The incidences of pericarditis (P < 0.

Bacterial expression of a human recombinant monoclonal antibody fab fragment against hepatitis B surface antigen.

The Fab fragment was cloned from the monoclonal cell line TAPC301-CL4, which was produced using the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation method. This cell line produces a human monoclonal antibody (CL4MAb) against the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). This MAb was shown to have hepatitis B virus (HBV) neutralizing activity in chimpanzees.

Diagnosis and physiopathology of laryngeal deposits in autoimmune disease.

We report the clinical features and pathology of a previously unreported form of vocal fold disease seen in 4 patients, 3 of whom were diagnosed as autoimmune disease. The characteristic features of these lesions were found as bilateral transverse lesions in the mid portion of the vocal folds. The patients had dysphonia and diplophonia.