Molecular mimicry in pauci-immune focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis.

Pauci-immune focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis (FNGN) is a severe inflammatory disease associated with autoantibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA). Here we characterize autoantibodies to lysosomal membrane protein-2 (LAMP-2) and show that they are a new ANCA subtype present in almost all individuals with FNGN. Consequently, its prevalence is nearly twice that of the classical ANCAs that recognize myeloperoxidase or proteinase-3.

Laparoscopic splenectomy reverses thrombocytopenia in patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Pegylated-interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin remains the most effective therapeutic regimen for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Thrombocytopenia is a common side effect of this treatment, often leading to discontinuation of a potentially curative therapy. We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic splenectomy in correcting thrombocytopenia, thus allowing completion of IFN therapy.

Selective translation of eukaryotic mRNAs: functional molecular analysis of GRSF-1, a positive regulator of influenza virus protein synthesis.

To understand the regulation of cap-dependent translation initiation mediated by specific 5' untranslated region (UTR) RNA-protein interactions in mammalian cells, we have studied the selective translation of influenza virus mRNAs. Previous work has shown that the host cell mRNA binding protein guanine-rich sequence factor 1 (GRSF-1) bound specifically to conserved viral 5' UTR sequences and stimulated translation of viral 5' UTR-driven mRNAs in vitro. In the present study, we have characterized the functional domains of GRSF-1 and mapped the RNA binding activity of GRSF-1 to RRM 2 (amino acids 194 to 275) with amino-terminal deletion glutathione S-transferase (GST)-GRSF-1 proteins.