Mast Cell Repopulating Ability Is Lost During the Transition From Pre-HSC to FL HSC.

Recent advances in developmental immunology have revealed a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-independent origin for various innate immune lineages, including mast cells (MCs). It is now established that adult bone marrow (BM) long-term HSCs do not regenerate MCs but, instead, the physiological production of MCs starts before the emergence of HSCs in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region and is mostly completed before birth. However, while the AGM region represents a major site of MC generation during ontogeny, whether the first emerging HSCs in the AGM or fetal liver (FL) possess the potential to regenerate MCs is unknown.

Correlation of serum levels of complement C4a desArg with pathologically estimated severity of glomerular lesions and mesangial hypercellularity scores in patients with IgA nephropathy.

The aim of the present study was to explore serum biomarkers for the pathology of IgA nephropathy using serum proteomics. The subjects were 57 patients with IgA nephropathy who were divided into two groups (group 1, n=25; group 2, n=32) and 14 healthy controls. Serum protein profiles were analyzed using the ProteinChip surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI) system.

High serum thioredoxin levels are reduced after tonsillectomy in patients with IgA nephropathy.

Objective: The role of oxidative stress in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the most common type of primary glomerulonephritis, is unknown. We evaluated the clinical significance of serum levels of oxidative stress markers, thioredoxin (TRX) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), in patients with IgAN.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with histologically confirmed IgAN and 14 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 levels are increased in patients with IgA nephropathy.

The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) are not well understood. In this study, we examined gene expression profiles in kidneys obtained from mice with high serum IgA levels (HIGA mice), which exhibit features of human IgAN. Female inbred HIGA, established from the ddY line, were used in these experiments.

Clinical significance of alanine aminotransferase levels and the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: The natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers and the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) have not been fully elucidated among hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Eighty-four anti-HCV antibody- and HCV RNA-positive and 154 anti-HCV antibody-negative HD patients who were retrospectively observed for at least 3 years were analyzed. We investigated the factors associated with thrombocytopenia (< 1.

[Case of multiple nodular lesions of bilateral kidneys with IgG4-related systemic disease].

A 59-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of a pancreatic mass lesion. Serum gamma-globulin and IgG4 levels were elevated to 2.2 g/dL and 1,310 mg/dL, respectively.