Effect of switching from salmeterol/fluticasone to formoterol/ budesonide combinations in patients with uncontrolled asthma.

Background: Combination therapy with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long-acting β(2)-agonist (LABA) in a single inhaler is the mainstay of asthma management and salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC) and fixed-dose formoterol/budesonide combination (FBC) are currently available in Japan; however, there is nothing to choose between the two. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of switching from SFC to FBC in patients with asthma not adequately controlled under the former treatment regimen.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled longitudinal study in 87 adult patients with an Asthma Control Questionnaire, 5-item version (ACQ5) score of greater than 0.

Prognosis in adult patients with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis.

Background: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) of unknown cause has been characterized as idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH). IPH is a rare disease, which has a high prevalence in children and shows a poor prognosis. However, in adults, since there are few reports about collective cases, the details remain to be determined.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by transforming growth factor-beta1 in mouse tracheal epithelial cells.

Background And Objective: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the process by which differentiated epithelial cells undergo a phenotypic transition to mesenchymal cells. This process may occur in certain fibrotic diseases that involve airway remodelling. However, few studies have directly proved the occurrence of EMT in primary cultures of airway epithelial cells.

Involvement of the p38 MAPK pathway in IL-13-induced mucous cell metaplasia in mouse tracheal epithelial cells.

Background And Objective: IL-13 has been shown to play a pivotal role in mucous cell metaplasia, which is an important feature of the pathogenesis of asthma. However, the signalling pathways evoked by IL-13 in airway epithelial cells remain unclear. This study investigated the signalling mechanism of IL-13-induced mucous cell metaplasia in primary cultures of mouse tracheal epithelial cells (mTEC).

Blocking airway mucous cell metaplasia by inhibiting EGFR antiapoptosis and IL-13 transdifferentiation signals.

Epithelial hyperplasia and metaplasia are common features of inflammatory and neoplastic disease, but the basis for the altered epithelial phenotype is often uncertain. Here we show that long-term ciliated cell hyperplasia coincides with mucous (goblet) cell metaplasia after respiratory viral clearance in mouse airways. This chronic switch in epithelial behavior exhibits genetic susceptibility and depends on persistent activation of EGFR signaling to PI3K that prevents apoptosis of ciliated cells and on IL-13 signaling that promotes transdifferentiation of ciliated to goblet cells.

[Analysis of CD1 molecules in the process of granuloma formation with sarcoidosis].

There have been many reports studying the presentation for lipid antigen by CD1 molecules on dendritic cells (DC), mainly in the infection of acid-fast bacilli. But little is known about the expression of CD1 molecules in sarcoidosis. In this study, we analyzed the expression of CD1 molecules by immunohistochemical stain with monoclonal anti-CD1a, CD1b and CD1c antibody for the specimens of nine sarcoidosis patients (sarcoidosis group) and seven control cases (control group).

[Cyclosporin treatment of interstitial pneumonia and monitoring of serum concentration].

Recently, cyclosporin has been reported to be a promising drug for the treatment of interstitial pneumonia. Monitoring of the serum cyclosporin concentration is important for the safety and efficacy of treatment. We measured the concentrations of this drug just before (C0) and 2 hours after (C2) administration, and the area under the concentration-time curve from the start of administration for 5 hours (AUC 0-5) in 58 patients.

Impaired toll-like receptor 9 expression in alveolar macrophages with no sensitivity to CpG DNA.

Unmethylated CpG motifs in bacterial DNA or synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) potently stimulate the innate immune system, and they are recognized by Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which is expressed by monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells. However, it is unknown whether alveolar macrophages (AMs) express functional TLR9. To clarify this, we analyzed mRNA expressions of TLRs in murine AMs by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and compared with those in other tissue macrophages and lung antigen-presenting cells.

Differences in clinical features and prognosis of interstitial lung diseases between polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Objective: To assess the difference in clinical features and prognosis of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) comparing polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM).

Methods: Medical records of 28 ILD patients with PM/DM (16 PM-ILD, 12 DM-ILD) were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: Serum CPK concentrations were significantly higher in PM-ILD than in DM-ILD.

[A case of adenocarcinoma of the lung presenting symptoms of choroidal metastasis as the initial clinical manifestation].

A 51-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a complaint of disturbance in vision. Ophthalmologic examination revealed multiple choroidal tumors. High-resolution CT showed a nodular shadow in the left lower lobe.

Effects of suplatast tosilate on cytokine profile of bronchoalveolar cells in allergic inflammation of the lung.

Objective: Suplatast tosilate is an anti-allergic agent that inhibits IgE antibody production. It appears to have an inhibitory effect on the production of Th2 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5) in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the effects of suplatast on eosinophil infiltration and cytokine mRNA expression in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in a Brown Norway (BN) rat model of bronchial asthma.

Oncostatin M production by human dendritic cells in response to bacterial products.

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a pleiomorphic cytokine that belongs to the IL-6 cytokine family. It is produced by activated T cells and monocytes/macrophages and plays an important role in the process of inflammatory responses. Although dendritic cells (DCs) have been shown to secrete a variety of cytokines, it is not elucidated whether DCs are able to produce OSM.