[Antiphospholipid antibody-associated hemophagocytic syndrome].

Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are known to be causative disorders of reactive hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). We recently encountered a case of HPS associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). This patient showed severe thrombocytopenia (0.

In vivo detection of ultraviolet photoproducts and their repair in purkinje cells.

We previously developed a highly sensitive method to assess in situ repair kinetics of ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA photoproducts in epidermal cells using monoclonal antibodies specific for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproducts (64PPs) by immunohistochemistry. In order to determine whether nucleotide excision repair capacity is operative in postmitotic mature neurons, brain surfaces of adult mice were exposed to UVB, and induction and removal of CPDs and 64PPs in Purkinje cell DNA were assessed immunohistochemically. UVB penetrated brain tissue to a depth sufficient to allow quantitative study.

[A case of hypopituitarism and primary hypothyroidism associated with antiphospholipid syndrome].

Recent reports have indicated that antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are related to other clinical manifestations such as cardiac valve lesions and hemolytic anemia besides the major clinical features of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), including thrombocytopenia, and recurrent fetal demise. We recently encountered a case of multiple hormonal deficiencies in the pituitary gland and hypothyroidism associated with an APS. Hypopituitarism of the patient had occurred after her delivery and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination disclosed "empty sella" of the hypophysis, so she was thought to have Sheehan's syndrome.

[CD56-positive adult T-cell leukemia manifested by abnormal lung shadows].

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to Juntendo Izunagaoka Hospital on Aug. 29, 1998, after experiencing cough and fever for 19 days. Chest X-ray films disclosed infiltrates in the left lung field.

Simple method of designing a bilobed flap.

In the present study, we devised a new method of designing bilobed flaps. This method makes the flap easy to draw and has the merits of diffusing the tension on the flap and minimizing the dog-ear. We used this flap in 16 patients with face and head skin defects and obtained good results.

Purification, molecular cloning, and genomic organization of human brain long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase.

An acyl-CoA hydrolase, referred to as hBACH, was purified from human brain cytosol. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 100 kDa and 43-kDa subunits, and was highly active with long-chain acyl-CoAs, e.g.

Low-dose cyclosporin for multiple colonic ulcers associated with mixed connective tissue disease.

This report describes a patient with multiple colonic ulcers and mixed connective tissue disease. The histological findings of the colonic lesions showed vasculitis with T-cell infiltration, and the peripheral T cells were frequently in the activated phase of the cell cycle. In this patient, low-dose cyclosporin treatment (2.

Identification of bladder tumor-derived hyaluronidase: its similarity to HYAL1.

The glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid (HA) and its degrading enzyme, hyaluronidase, are intricately associated with tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. HA promotes tumor cell adhesion and migration, whereas its small fragments stimulate angiogenesis. Such small HA fragments are generated from the degradation of HA by hyaluronidase.

Relationship between CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio and T cell activation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

We investigated the relationship between the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells (CD4/CD8 ratio) and T cell activation, indicated by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR expression, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We found that the ratio was decreased in SLE patients and that this was significantly related to expression of HLA-DR by CD8+ (but not CD4+) T cells. These findings may assist in understanding the pathogenesis of SLE.

Nitric oxide mediates sympathetic vasoconstriction at supraspinal, spinal, and synaptic levels.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the level of the sympathetic nervous system in which nitric oxide (NO) mediates regional sympathetic vasoconstriction and to determine whether neural mechanisms are involved in vasoconstriction after NO inhibition. Ganglionic blockade (hexamethonium), alpha1-receptor blockade (prazosin), and spinal section at T1 were used to study sympathetic involvement. NO was blocked with Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME).

Effective treatment of autoimmune diseases with extremely low dose cyclosporine.

The dosage of cyclosporine administered in the treatment of autoimmune diseases has generally been comparable to those required in cases of transplantation. Here we report on the successful treatment using an extremely low dose cyclosporine (1 mg/kg/day) on four patients, involving thrombocytopenia with systemic lupus erythematosus, and interstitial pneumonitis with Sjögren's syndrome, and discuss the optimal dose of cyclosporine for autoimmune-mediated manifestations.

A new CD44V3-containing isoform is involved in tumor cell growth and migration during human breast carcinoma progression.

CD44 isoforms belong to a family of cell adhesion molecules expressed on the cell surface of many tumor cells during human breast cancer progression. In this study we have analyzed the expression of CD44v3-containing isoforms [containing heparan sulfate addition sites for growth factor binding] in primary breast tumors, axillary nodal metastases and normal breast tissue. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Southern blot, cloning, nucleotide sequencing and RT-in situ-PCR analyses, we have found that at least two CD44v3-containing isoforms, including one new species of CD44v2,deltav3-10 (deltav3 defined as a v3 exon lacking the first 24 base pairs) and another previously reported CD44v3,8-10 are preferentially expressed in human primary breast tumor and axillary nodal metastases but not in normal breast tissues.

Exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus related to cytomegalovirus infection.

We report two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in whom cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may have played a significant role in the exacerbation or onset of symptoms. The first patient had thrombocytopenia and the second had proteinuria. CMV infection was observed in both patients when their symptoms developed.

HLA-DRB1 alleles and beta 2 glycoprotein I-dependent anticardiolipin antibodies in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To investigate the association of HLA DRB1 alleles with beta 2 glycoprotein I (beta 2 GPI)-dependent anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: One hundred and forty-five Japanese patients with SLE were studied. beta 2 GPI-dependent aCL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Suppression of arachidonic acid cascade-mediated apoptosis in aflatoxin B1-induced rat hepatoma cells by glucocorticoids.

It has been shown that hypophysectomy protects aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) hepatocarcinogenesis and the prevention of apoptosis is a critical process for tumorigenesis. In this paper, we analyzed the cell death of AFB1-induced rat hepatoma Kagura-2 (K2) cells elicited by an estrogen antagonist, tamoxifen (TAM), and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) to elucidate the function of endocrine factors in AFB1 hepatocarcinogenesis. TAM and TGF-beta1 induced a typical apoptosis in K2 cells.

Very low-dose cyclosporin treatment of steroid-resistant interstitial pneumonitis associated with Sjögren's syndrome.

Cyclosporin is known to be effective for both transplantation and a spectrum of immune-mediated diseases. Because this agent also causes severe adverse effects, especially nephrotoxicity, careful monitoring is required for the development of such reactions. Here we report the successful treatment with extremely low-dose cyclosporin (1 mg/kg/day) of a patient who had steroid-resistant interstitial pneumonitis and Sjögren's syndrome.

CD44v(3,8-10) is involved in cytoskeleton-mediated tumor cell migration and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) association in metastatic breast cancer cells.

In the present study, we have employed a unique breast cancer cell line (Met-1, which was derived from a high metastatic potential tumor in transgenic mice expressing polyomavirus middle T oncogene) to study the role of CD44 variant isoform(s) in the regulation of metastatic breast tumor cell behavior. The results of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot, nucleotide sequencing, immunoprecipitation, and immunoblot analyses indicated that these cells express a major CD44 isoform (molecular weight approximately 260 kDa) containing a v3,8-10 exon insertion (designated as CD44v3,8-10). In addition, we have determined that CD44v3,8-10 binds specifically to the cytoskeletal proteins such as ankyrin.

Effect of extremely low dose cyclosporine treatment on the thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Cyclosporine is widely known to be effective in cases involving both transplantation as well as a spectrum of immune-mediated diseases, although careful monitoring is required for the preemptive detection of its adverse effects. Here we report the successful treatment by extremely low dose cyclosporine (1 mg/kg per day) of two patients with thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus.