Protective effect of Galectin-9 in murine model of lung emphysema: Involvement of neutrophil migration and MMP-9 production.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction and pulmonary emphysema. Persistent inflammation and remodeling of the lungs and airways result in reduced lung function and a lower quality of life. Galectin (Gal)-9 plays a crucial role as an immune modulator in various diseases.

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (2006)].

From October 2006 to September 2007, we collected the specimen from 356 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 14 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of isolated bacteria to various antibacterial agents and patients' characteristics. Of 414 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in infection, 407 strains were examined. The isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 64, Streptococcus pneumoniae 96, Haemophilus influenzae 87, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 52, P.

Favorable outcome with hemoperfusion of polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column for rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis: report of three cases.

We present 3 cases of rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia (RPIP) associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (C-ADM) that were treated with two courses of direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP). Despite initial treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, pulsed cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporine, the lung disease and hypoxemia deteriorated in all the patients. After PMX-DHP treatment, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and serum LDH and KL-6 were improved, the abnormal shadows in chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans gradually decreased, and, finally, all patients survived.

FDG-PET and chemotherapy for successful diagnosis and treatment of cardiac metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer was metastasized at the septal side of right atrium in 59-year-old woman who had undergone surgery for lung cancer 11 years ago. The cardiac metastasis was found by whole-body 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT), and cytologically confirmed by myocardial aspiration biopsy with right heart catheterization. The patient was treated with 4 cycles of carboplatin/pemetrexed followed by maintenance therapy with pemetrexed.

[A case of AIDS with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia which required differentiation from ANCA-related lung disease].

A 41-year-old man with fever, diarrhea and skin rash received a diagnosis of drug-induced lupus. He was given corticosteroids for 3 months and was subsequently admitted to a local hospital due to dyspnea. Pneumonia was then diagnosed and he was given a new quinolone antibacterial agent.

[A case of Epstein-Barr virus-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in an elderly person with a necrotizing pulmonary bulky mass].

A 52-year-old man presented with a pulmonary bulky mass, fever and cough. Chest CT showed a necrotizing bulky mass 10 cm in diameter in the right lung lower lobe. Transbronchial biopsy and CT-guided biopsy of the tumor and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of the right hilar lymph node did not yield a definitive diagnosis, but the histological findings showed necrosis.

Galectin-9 attenuates acute lung injury by expanding CD14- plasmacytoid dendritic cell-like macrophages.

Rationale: Galectin (Gal)-9 plays a crucial role in the modulation of innate and adaptive immunity.

Objectives: To investigate whether Gal-9 plays a role in a murine acute lung injury (ALI) model.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with Gal-9 by subcutaneous injection 24 and 48 hours before intranasal LPS inoculation.

[A case of stage IIIB pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma that responded well to chemoradiotherapy and surgery].

A 44-year-old man was admitted because he had a mass in the right upper lung field showing high uptake of FDG-PET. Although he had already received video-assisted thoracic surgery to remove the mass in another hospital, the procedure had been unsuccessful because of severe adhesion to the superior vena cava. The pathological diagnosis of a specimen obtained in surgery was pleomorphic carcinoma, clinical stage IIIb (c-T4N2M0).

[Case of osteosarcoma of the pulmonary artery].

A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for an expanding tumor in the pulmonary artery. He had visited a previous hospital complaining of dyspnea on effort and had syncope 4 months before admission, and pulmonary embolism was diagnosed because enhanced chest CT showed filling defects, with calcification in the pulmonary trunk and left pulmonary artery. Despite thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy, the filling defects grew and expanded into the extravascular portion.

Galectin-9 expands immunosuppressive macrophages to ameliorate T-cell-mediated lung inflammation.

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) plays pivotal roles in the modulation of innate and adaptive immunity to suppress T-cell-mediated autoimmune models. However, it remains unclear if Gal-9 plays a suppressive role for T-cell function in non-autoimmune disease models. We assessed the effects of Gal-9 on experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by Trichosporon asahii.

Galectin-9 ameliorates immune complex-induced arthritis by regulating Fc gamma R expression on macrophages.

Galectin-9 up-regulated Fc gamma RIIb expression of mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro but down-regulated Fc gamma RIII expression. Galectin-9-treated macrophages stimulated with immune complexes (IC) produced less TNFalpha and IL-1 beta but more IL-10 than PBS-treated macrophages. Macrophage enhancing effects on IC-induced C5a and neutrophil chemotactic activity were also diminished for galectin-9-treated macrophages.

Galectin-9 accelerates transforming growth factor beta3-induced differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells to chondrocytes.

Galectin-9 (Gal-9), a beta-galactoside binding lectin, plays a crucial role in innate and adaptive immunity. In the rat collagen-induced arthritis model, administration of Gal-9 induced repair of existing cartilage injury even when joints were already swollen with cartilage destruction. We thus attempted to explore the role of Gal-9 in chondrocyte differentiation utilizing human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) pellet cultures.

Galectin-9 suppresses the generation of Th17, promotes the induction of regulatory T cells, and regulates experimental autoimmune arthritis.

The effects of galectin-9 on a mouse collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model were assessed to clarify whether galectin-9 suppresses CIA by regulating T cell immune responses. Galectin-9 suppressed CIA in a dose-dependent manner, and such suppression was observed even when treatment was started on 7 days after the booster, indicating its preventive and therapeutic effects. Galectin-9 induced the decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-17, IL-12, and IFNgamma in the joint.

Beneficial effect of galectin 9 on rheumatoid arthritis by induction of apoptosis of synovial fibroblasts.

Objective: To compare the expression of galectin 9 (Gal-9) in synovial tissue (ST) from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and osteoarthritis (OA) patients and to evaluate the effects of Gal-9 on fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in these patients.

Methods: The expression of Gal-9 in ST and FLS was compared using immunohistochemical techniques. Apoptotic cells in RA and OA ST samples were detected by TUNEL assay.

Galectin-9 in physiological and pathological conditions.

We first cloned galectin-9 (Gal-9)/ecalectin as a T cell-derived eosinophil chemoattractant. Gal-9 plays a role in not only accumulation but also activation of eosinophils in experimental allergic models and human allergic patients, because Gal-9 induces eosinophil chemoattraction in vitro and in vivo and activates eosinophils in many aspects. Gal-9 requires divalent galactoside-binding activity but not the linker peptide of Gal-9 to exhibit its biological functions, and an unidentified matrix metalloproteinase is involved in the release of Gal-9.

Selective eosinophil adhesion to fibroblast via IFN-gamma-induced galectin-9.

Among galectin family members, galectin-9 was first described as a potent eosinophil chemoattractant derived from Ag-stimulated T cells. In the present study a role of galectin-9 in the interaction between eosinophils and fibroblasts was investigated using a human lung fibroblast cell line, HFL-1. RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blot analyses revealed that both galectin-9 mRNA and protein in HFL-1 cells were up-regulated by IFN-gamma stimulation.

Association of galectin-9 with eosinophil apoptosis.

Background: There is no information whether galectin-9 (a novel eosinophil chemoattractant) was associated with pathogenesis of eosinophilic disorders.

Methods: We assessed the expression of galectin-9 with imunostaining and in situ hybridization both in the lesion of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, and peripheral blood eosinophils of eosinophilic patients (E-Eos) in comparison with those of normal volunteers (N-Eos). Regulation of expression of galectin-9 on eosinophils and the effect of galectin-9 on apoptosis of eosinophil were also evaluated.

Two cases of Sjögren's syndrome with multiple bullae.

Here, we report two rare female cases of Sjögren's syndrome with multiple bullae, involving a 66- and a 51-year-old. Neither had any obvious pulmonary complaint. Chest radiographs and high-resolution CT (HRCT) scans showed interstitial linear and nodular opacities and multiple bullae.