Publications by authors named "Fujio K"

Background: Ensitrelvir is a novel SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease inhibitor, similar to nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Several case reports have demonstrated the efficacy of 3-chymotrypsin-like protease inhibitors in treating prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in immunocompromised patients. Tacrolimus (TAC) is a widely used immunosuppressive agent whose blood level can increase significantly due to the inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) and P-glycoprotein by nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

It has been known that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can latently infect immune cells after the initial infection, and epidemiological studies have suggested its association with the onset of immune-mediated diseases (IMDs). However, the specific impact of EBV infection on IMDs pathology remains unclear. We quantified EBV load of B cell subsets (Naïve B cells, Unswitched memory B cells, Switched memory B cells, Double negative B cells, and Plasmablasts) in IMD patients as well as healthy control (HC) using bulk RNA sequencing data of 504 donors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Saroa Surgical Robot System in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP). We enrolled 60 patients who underwent RARP using either the Saroa (n = 9) or da Vinci Xi (n = 51) systems at Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital from January 2022 to March 2024. We compared preoperative characteristics, perioperative outcomes, complications, and postoperative urinary continence at three months between the two groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a disease with marked elevation of blood eosinophil associated with various symptoms in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, peripheral nerves, and skin due to systemic vasculitis. Here, we report a case of EGPA in which rhinosinusitis was treated with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) with good results. A 49-year-old man who developed bronchial asthma at age 48 was diagnosed with EGPA in our hospital.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Our systematic review and meta-analysis elucidates the postoperative complication rates associated with 3 major surgical approaches, including the scleral tunnel, glued, and flanged techniques, for sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation. An online search was performed for articles published in PubMed and EMBASE between January 1, 1975, and January 7, 2023. Original studies reporting postoperative complications of sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Alternative splicing contributes to complex traits, but whether this differs in trait-relevant cell types across diverse genetic ancestries is unclear. Here we describe cell-type-specific, sex-biased and ancestry-biased alternative splicing in ~1 M peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 474 healthy donors from the Asian Immune Diversity Atlas. We identify widespread sex-biased and ancestry-biased differential splicing, most of which is cell-type-specific.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Assessing changes in quality of life in patients with hay fever-related allergic conjunctivitis requires validated and clinically meaningful metrics. A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) that can be applied to assess Domain II of the Japanese Allergic Conjunctival Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (JACQLQ) in a smartphone app setting has yet to be determined.

Objective: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to determine MCIDs for the app-based JACQLQ in assessing hay fever-related allergic conjunctivitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: is a negative regulator of T cell activation and one of the key activators of type I interferon (IFN) and NFκB signaling via non-classical pathways. The upstream single nucleotide polymorphism of (rs2297550-G) is a genome-wide association study risk variant of systemic lupus erythematosus, and is associated with decreased expression in T cells by expression quantitative trait locus analysis.

Case Presentation: A 48-year-old female had a remittent fever, arthritis, and oral ulcers for 20 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the production of autoantibodies is a crucial characteristic, and B cells play a significant role in its pathogenesis. B cells are the immune cells most associated with the genetic predispositions of SLE, and recent clinical studies showing that anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy induces drug-free remission have underscored the importance of B cells in SLE. Meanwhile, various B cell subsets exist across different stages of differentiation, from naive B cells to plasma-cells, and identifying the important subpopulations within SLE remains a critical future challenge.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * This study explored how brain-to-muscle and brain-to-brain connectivity changes during standing and postural sway using electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) in various standing positions.
  • * Results showed enhanced muscle connectivity at peak sway in specific frequency bands and identified distinct patterns of brain connectivity that support posture control, particularly under conditions requiring more balance, like narrow-base standing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hay fever (HF) presents with various symptoms, including allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis, and requires cross-organ treatment. This study assessed the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on HF treatment trends.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the JMDC database collected between January 2018 and May 2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Long-term ramifications of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on various care-seeking characteristics of patients with diabetic retinopathy remain unclear. This study aimed to identify risk factors for dropout from regular fundus examinations (RFEs) in patients with diabetic retinopathy in Japan.

Methods: We extracted demographic and health checkup data (April 2018 to March 2021) from the JMDC database.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Autoimmune diseases, among the most common disorders of young adults, are mediated by genetic and environmental factors. Although CD4FOXP3 regulatory T cells (T) play a central role in preventing autoimmunity, the molecular mechanism underlying their dysfunction is unknown. Here, we performed comprehensive transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling of T in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) to identify critical transcriptional programs regulating human autoimmunity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This systematic scoping review assess the effect of cyclophosphamide (CY) administration during childhood on ovarian function in patients with juvenile-onset connective tissue diseases.

Methods: A MEDLINE database search was conducted using terms related to CY, juvenile-onset connective tissue diseases, and ovarian function. Studies were included if they met specific criteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Scientists studied muscle samples from people with two types of muscle diseases called dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) to understand how they differ.
  • They found certain genes related to muscles and immune cells, showing that specific immune responses are involved in muscle damage.
  • The research showed that DM has unique features compared to PM, indicating that different types of muscle diseases have different causes and effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has transformed our understanding of immune-mediated arthritis, which comprises rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis. This review outlines the key findings and advancements in scRNA-seq studies focused on the pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis and its clinical application. In rheumatoid arthritis, scRNA-seq has elucidated the heterogeneity among synovial fibroblasts and immune cell subsets in inflammatory sites, offering insights into disease mechanisms and the differences in treatment responses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to update the 1998 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Core Outcome Set by evaluating existing domains and generating new ones, involving both patients and collaborators in the process.
  • - A survey collected responses from 100 patients and 145 collaborators, revealing that patients focused on life-impact domains while collaborators emphasized clinical aspects, highlighting a need for balanced input from both groups.
  • - Findings showed agreement on some domains for inclusion in the updated SLE Core Outcome Set, while also identifying areas that need more explanation and suggesting new domains for consideration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and the incidence of intestinal Behçet disease (BD) in patients with BD.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at The University of Tokyo Hospital, including patients with BD diagnosed between April 2005 and November 2023. Cox models and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate hazard ratios (HRs) and cumulative incidence of intestinal BD, respectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We herein report a novel de novo KCNH5 variant in a patient with refractory epileptic encephalopathy. The patient exhibited seizures at 1 year and 7 months old, which gradually worsened, leading to a bedridden status. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral atrophy and cerebellar hypoplasia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to understand how B cells respond to targeted therapy (belimumab) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using single-cell transcriptome data.
  • Researchers performed single-cell RNA sequencing on blood samples from four SLE patients at various time points during treatment, identifying distinct changes in B cell populations over time.
  • Findings reveal notable dynamics, such as declines in certain B cell types and downregulated activation pathways, suggesting new insights into the immunological effects of anti-BAFF therapy and the potential for immune profiling to predict treatment responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: This study aimed to compare subjective allergic conjunctivitis symptoms and anti-allergic eye drop use patterns between antihistamine-releasing contact lens users and daily disposable soft contact lens users during Japan's hay fever season.

Methods: This web-based retrospective cohort study included daily disposable soft contact lens or antihistamine-releasing contact lens users with a history of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis who regularly used daily disposable soft contact lenses since the previous year. The total ocular symptom score (range 0-20) based on 5-item questionnaire scores and time from the start of the hay fever season to the initiation of anti-allergic eye drop treatment were compared between antihistamine-releasing contact lens users and daily disposable soft contact lens users.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • TGF-β is a cytokine that signals through SMAD proteins, with SMAD3 playing a crucial role in regulating dendritic cell (DC) differentiation, especially from CD115 common DC progenitors.
  • In normal cells, SMAD3 is expressed but is down-regulated during the development of certain DC types, while SMAD2 remains consistent.
  • Mice lacking SMAD3 showed an increased number of cDCs and related progenitors, suggesting that repressing SMAD3 promotes cDC differentiation by allowing the expression of genes such as FLT3, IRF4, and ID2, with the help of transcriptional co-repressors like c-SKI and phosphorylated STAT3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Current strategies that target cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α), or signaling molecules (e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), previously called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a growing concern worldwide, with liver fibrosis being a critical determinant of its prognosis. Monocyte-derived macrophages have been implicated in MASH-associated liver fibrosis, yet their precise roles and the underlying differentiation mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we unveil a key orchestrator of this process: long chain saturated fatty acid-Egr2 pathway.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF