Polymorphism of the MUC1 mucin gene is associated with susceptibility to lung adenocarcinoma and poor prognosis.

MUC1 is a highly glycosylated glycoprotein that is often overexpressed in adenocarcinomas. MUC1 has molecular diversity because of a variable number of tandem repeats (from 25-125 repeats) in the extracellular domain of its core protein. MUC1 plays an important role in facilitating invasion and metastasis of malignant cells, and it also inhibits anti-cancer immune activity against malignant cells.

Tacrolimus reduces urinary excretion of leukotriene E(4) and inhibits aspirin-induced asthma to threshold dose of aspirin.

Background: The exact mechanism of aspirin-induced asthma is not clear. It has been postulated that precipitation of asthma attacks by aspirin is linked to inhibition of COX activity and massive release of cysteinyl leukotriene into the airway. Tacrolimus, a macrolide-derived immunosuppressant, is used for immunosuppression in organ transplantation and also for allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis.

Acetaldehyde induces histamine release from human airway mast cells to cause bronchoconstriction.

Background: Approximately half of the Japanese asthmatics experience exacerbation of asthma after alcohol consumption. We previously reported that this phenomenon is probably caused by histamine release from mast cells by acetaldehyde stimulation. However, no reports have described the effects of acetaldehyde on human airway mast cells.

Cysteinyl leukotrienes induce nuclear factor kappa b activation and RANTES production in a murine model of asthma.

Background: It has been demonstrated that both cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) and cytokines are involved in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma. Nonetheless, the exact mechanism involved in the interaction between these 2 molecules has yet to be determined.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of cysLTs on allergic airway inflammation and allergen-specific cytokine production in a murine model of asthma.

Production of TNF-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells through activation of nuclear factor kappa B by specific allergen stimulation in patients with atopic asthma.

Stimulation by specific allergens induces inflammatory cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with atopic asthma, but the mechanism remains unknown. PBMCs were collected from six patients with atopic asthma with an immunoglobulin E-radioallergosorbent test score to Dermatophagoides farinae of > or = 4 and six nonatopic healthy subjects (score = 0) using a dish adhesion method after density gradient centrifugation. CD23 expression in PBMCs was analyzed by the fluorescence-activated cell sorting method.