Surfactant protein A directly interacts with TLR4 and MD-2 and regulates inflammatory cellular response. Importance of supratrimeric oligomerization.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the binding of pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A) to TLR4 and MD-2, which are critical signaling receptors for lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). The direct binding of SP-A to the recombinant soluble form of extracellular TLR4 domain (sTLR4) and MD-2 was detected using solid-phase binding, immunoprecipitation, and BIAcore. SP-A bound to sTLR4 and MD-2 in a Ca2+-dependent manner, and an anti-SP-A monoclonal antibody whose epitope lies in the region Thr184-Gly194 blocked the SP-A binding to sTLR4 and MD-2, indicating the involvement of the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) in the binding.

Alloiococcus otitidis is a ligand for collectins and Toll-like receptor 2, and its phagocytosis is enhanced by collectins.

Alloiococcus otitidis has been found to be associated with otitis media with effusion. In this study we investigated whether TLR2 and collectins, surfactant protein A (SP-A) and mannose-binding lectin (MBL), interacted with A. otitidis.

Effect on coronary flow velocity reserve in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: comparison between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist.

Background: The effects of angiotensin antagonists on coronary circulation in type 2 diabetes are unclear. We aimed to assess whether 4 weeks of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist improves coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Twenty-four asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to temocapril (2 mg/d) or candesartan (8 mg/d).

High incidence of Alloiococcus otitidis in children with otitis media, despite treatment with antibiotics.

Acute otitis media (AOM) and otitis media with effusion (OME) are common diseases in childhood. Alloiococcus otitidis is a newly recognized species of gram-positive bacterium which was recently discovered as a pathogen associated with OME. Although some studies show that A.

Analysis of 95 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the external and middle ear.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, 5-year survival, and prognostic factors of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the external and middle ear.

Methods: A multi institutional study. Ninety five cases of patients from 10 institutions were reviewed on their age and sex distribution, initial complaints, stages, tumor locations, treatments, and outcomes.

High frequency of Alloiococcus otitidis in the nasopharynx and in the middle ear cavity of otitis-prone children.

Objective: Colonization of middle ear pathogens is facilitated in the nasopharynx of otitis-prone children, and is associated with the development of otitis media. Recently, a new species of bacterium, Alloiococcus otitidis, is considered as one of the major middle ear pathogens. However, as far as we know, no study has been reported concerning the prevalence of A.

[Relationship between pollen allergy and oral allergy syndrome].

We recently evaluated the relationship between pollen allergy and oral and pharyngeal hypersensitivity to fruits and vegetables (oral allergy syndrome) over 8 years (1995 approximately 2002) in Sapporo. 1. Of 843 patients with birch pollen (BP) allergy (CAP score 2 or more), 378 patients (37%) had episodes of oral allergy syndrome (OAS), and the rate in BP allergy was higher than in other allergies.

Difference in cytokine production and cell activation between adenoidal lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes of children with otitis media.

We evaluated the immunological potential of adenoidal lymphocytes from children with recurrent otitis media. Interleukin-4 release and CD69 expression were lower in adenoidal lymphocytes than in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Our results suggest that there may be a difference between the immunological potential of adenoidal lymphocytes and that of PBL in children with otitis.

Expression and localization of platelet-activating factor receptor in human nasal mucosa.

Background: Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has been thought to be a potent mediator of allergic rhinitis because PAF was recovered from the nasal lavage fluid of patients with allergic rhinitis after allergen provocation. Furthermore, PAF receptor antagonist attenuates the antigen-induced increase in nasal airway resistance and nasal vascular permeability in sensitized guinea pigs.

Objective: To clarify the expression of PAF receptor in human nasal mucosa by investigating PAF receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and its protein localization using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemical analyses, respectively.

Analysis of local control in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma according to the WHO classification.

Purpose: To analyze the influence of radiotherapy doses, chemotherapy doses, and clinical parameters on in-field disease control to assess the optimal radiation doses for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma according to the newly proposed WHO classification.

Patients And Methods: Subjects consisted of 35 extranodal marginal-zone B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type, 75 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), 14 follicular lymphomas, 17 extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphomas, nasal type, eight unclassified peripheral T-cell lymphomas, four anaplastic large-cell lymphomas, T/null cell type, and five others. 59 patients received radiotherapy alone.

HLA-DR- and CD11c-positive dendritic cells penetrate beyond well-developed epithelial tight junctions in human nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis.

The epithelial barrier of the upper respiratory tract plays a crucial role in host defense. In this study, to elucidate whether there is antigen monitoring by dendritic cells (DCs) beyond the epithelial tight-junction barrier in allergic rhinitis, we investigated the expression and function of tight junctions and characterized DCs in the epithelium of nasal mucosa from patients with allergic rhinitis. In reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, mRNAs of tight-junction proteins occludin, JAM-1, ZO-1, and claudin-1, -4, -7, -8, -12, -13, and -14 were detected in the nasal mucosa.

Induction of CD69 expression and Th1 cytokines release from human peripheral blood lymphocytes after in vitro stimulation with Alloiococcus otitidis and three middle ear pathogens.

Alloiococcus otitidis is a recently discovered pathogen of otitis media. However, only a limited number of studies are available about the pathogenic and immunological role of A. otitidis.

p53, K-ras, c-kit and beta-catenin gene mutations in sinonasal NK/T-cell lymphoma in Korea and Japan.

Mutations of p53, K-ras, c-kit, and beta-catenin gene were examined in 100 cases of sinonasal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) from Korea and Japan. Age of patients ranged from 12 to 72 (median 41.0) in Korea and 27 to 82 (median 61.

Effects of cetirizine on substance P release in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

To evaluate the effect of cetirizine hydrochloride on substance P release in allergic rhinitis, we performed a single-blind placebo-controlled study of 14 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (7 treated with cetirizine and 7 with placebo). After an initial nasal allergen challenge with lavages, the subjects received treatment with placebo or cetirizine hydrochloride (10 mg by mouth daily) for 1 week, followed by the second nasal allergen challenge with lavages. The levels of albumin, histamine, and substance P in nasal lavages before and after allergen challenge were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Expression and function of tight junctions in the crypt epithelium of human palatine tonsils.

The human palatine tonsils have surface and crypt stratified epithelium and may be initiated via the epithelium to mount immune responses to various presenting antigens. Here we investigated the expression and function of tight junctions in the epithelium of human palatine tonsils from patients with tonsillar hypertrophy or recurrent tonsillitis. Occludin, ZO-1, JAM-1, and claudin-1, -3, -4, -7, -8, and -14 mRNAs were detected in tonsillar hypertrophy.

Interaction of soluble form of recombinant extracellular TLR4 domain with MD-2 enables lipopolysaccharide binding and attenuates TLR4-mediated signaling.

TLRs have been implicated in recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. TLR4 is a signaling receptor for LPS, but requires MD-2 to respond efficiently to LPS. The purposes of this study were to examine the interactions of the extracellular TLR4 domain with MD-2 and LPS.

Expression and localization of steroid receptors in human nasal mucosa.

Objective: To investigate the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) in nasal mucosa.

Material And Methods: Human turbinates were obtained after turbinectomy from seven patients. The expression and localization of steroid receptors were examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry.

[Factors influencing long-term progress in patients with vestibular neuritis].

We previously reported that platform stabilometry was effective in evaluating the condition of patients with vestibular neuritis. In the present study, we increased the patient population (n = 31) and followed them up for long-term (253.5 +/- 36.

Expression of neurokinin a receptor mRNA in human nasal mucosa.

In airway tissues, it has been suggested that tachykinins act as the transmitter for afferent sensory nerves which respond to various irritants and may be involved in airway allergic reactions. Three classes of tachykinin receptor have been recognized, denoted NK1, NK2 and NK3, which exhibit preferential affinity for substance P, neurokinin A and neurokinin B, respectively. We used molecular probes to study the gene expression and distribution of NK2 receptor in human nasal mucosa.

[Study of thromboxane A2 antagonist reduction in the treatment of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis].

We investigated whether or not we could reduce the medication for patients with perennial allergic rhinitis after improvement of the nasal symptoms. We administered the thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist Ramatroban, which also improves non-specific hypersensitivity, for 4 weeks and then reduced the dose to half for 4 weeks and investigated the severity of general symptoms and each nasal symptom (sneeze, rhinorrhea, and congestion). There was a significant improvement in the severity of general symptoms and each nasal symptom for the first 4 weeks (p<0.

Usefulness of rapid quantitative measurement of myoglobin and troponin T in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Background: New equipment, the Cardiac Reader(TM), which can measure blood concentrations of troponin T (T) and myoglobin (M) in only 15 min at the bedside was evaluated for early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: A total of 34 consecutive patients with AMI who came to hospital within 24 h after onset were studied. Blood samples were collected from the patients at admission and 6, 12, 24, 48 h after onset to qualitatively and quantitatively measure T, M and creatine kinase-MB fraction.

Effects of glucocorticoids on infiltrating cells and epithelial cells of nasal polyps.

Glucocorticoids are known to be effective in the treatment of nasal polyps (NPs). To examine the mechanisms of their effect, we evaluated 1) the ability of glucocorticoids to induce the apoptosis of eosinophils and T lymphocytes in NPs, and 2) the ability of dexamethasone to down-regulate epithelial cell functions that relate to eosinophilic inflammation. In vitro and in vivo, glucocorticoids increased the apoptosis of both eosinophils and T lymphocytes in NPs.

Effect of glucocorticosteroids on tumour necrosis factor-alpha-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in cultured primary human nasal epithelial cells.

Objective: In order to confirm the direct effect of glucocorticosteroids on epithelial intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression, we examined ICAM-1 expression on primary cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) at both protein and mRNA levels.

Material And Methods: HNECs were stimulated with recombinant human TNF-alpha (20 pg/mL-20 ng/mL) for specified time periods (0, 12, 24, and 48 h) and ICAM-1 mRNA and the soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) concentrations were measured by quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. We also evaluated surface expression of ICAM-1 by flow cytometry 48 h after stimulation and determined the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 expression.

[Oral allergy syndrome among patients with birch pollinosis in Sapporo].

We evaluated the relationships between oral and pharyngeal hypersensitivity to fruits and vegetables (oral allergy syndrome) and birch pollinosis in 2003 in Sapporo. 1. Of 153 patients with birch pollinosis (seasonal nasal or ocular symptom and CAP positive [birch pollen CAP score 2 or more]), 65 patients (42%) have episode of oral allergy syndrome (OAS).