Activation of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes by beta 2-microglobulin or TAP1 gene disruption and the introduction of recipient-matched MHC class I gene in allogeneic embryonic stem cell-derived dendritic cells.

A method for the genetic modification of dendritic cells (DC) was previously established based on the in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells to DC (ES-DC). The unavailability of human ES cells genetically identical to the patients will be a problem in the future clinical application of this technology. This study attempted to establish a strategy to overcome this issue.

Psychological stress can trigger atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice: an inhibitory effect of corticotropin-releasing factor.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the skin and is usually associated with a family history of atopic diathesis. It has been well established that many environmental or psychological factors aggravate AD. However, it is not clear whether psychological stress by itself can trigger AD.

Zeta-chain-associated protein-70 molecule is essential for the proliferation and the final maturation of dendritic epidermal T cells.

Adult murine epidermis contains members of the epithelial gammadelta T-cell family called dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs). Their development and maturation have been the subjects of investigations, but the details are still unclear. T-cell receptor (TCR) zeta-chain-associated protein-70 (ZAP-70), one of the protein tyrosine kinases required for TCR signaling, plays a pivotal role in the development of alphabeta T cells.

Genetic analyses of two cases of Werner's syndrome.

We report two cases of Werner's syndrome (WS). First, a 42-year-old Japanese man was referred on suspicion of systemic sclerosis (SSc) because of scleroderma-like skin atrophy and foot ulcers. Second, a 51-year-old woman with malignant fibrous histiocytoma was referred on suspicion of premature aging syndrome.

Altered thymic T-cell selection due to a mutation of the ZAP-70 gene causes autoimmune arthritis in mice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which afflicts about 1% of the world population, is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology that primarily affects the synovial membranes of multiple joints. Although CD4(+) T cells seem to be the prime mediators of RA, it remains unclear how arthritogenic CD4(+) T cells are generated and activated. Given that highly self-reactive T-cell clones are deleted during normal T-cell development in the thymus, abnormality in T-cell selection has been suspected as one cause of autoimmune disease.

Compound heterozygosity for the Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A gene associated with a mild phenotype.

We describe a case of a 7-year-old boy diagnosed as xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XPA). Severe photosensitivity developed at 5 months after birth, and at a visit to our hospital at the age of five years, multiple brownish freckles were present on the face. XPA complementing (XPAC) gene compensated the ability of DNA repair after UV-irradiation of the fibroblasts.