Early tumor regression following severe lung injury after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a patient with renal cell carcinoma.

We describe a 65-year-old man who had repeated lung injuries after reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIST) for renal cell carcinoma. Severe pneumonitis developed twice at the time of neutrophil recovery and acute graft-versus-host disease. Both episodes were successfully treated with steroid pulse therapy.

A novel role for Notch ligand Delta-1 as a regulator of human Langerhans cell development from blood monocytes.

Human Langerhans cells (LCs) are of hematopoietic origin, but cytokine regulation of their development is not fully understood. Notch ligand Delta-1 is expressed in a proportion of the skin. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) are also secreted in the skin.

Activities of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3 on monocytes.

We examined the actions of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) on human monocytes, using a serum-free culture system. GM-CSF and IL-3 did not promote the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages but rather into cells with a phenotype compatible with that of immature dendritic cells (DCs). The addition of fetal bovine serum to serum-free cultures with GM-CSF or IL-3 restored the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages.

Acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)(q22;q22) manifesting as granulocytic sarcomas in the rhinopharynx and external acoustic meatus at relapse after high-dose cytarabine: case report and review of the literature.

We report a 31-year-old female with t(8;21)(q22;q22) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), M2 in the FAB classification. Complete remission was achieved with daunorubicin and cytarabine induction therapy followed by three courses of high-dose cytarabine consolidation. Only 3 months later, the patient relapsed with granulocytic sarcomas (GSs) in her rhinopharynx, external acoustic meatus, and bone marrow.

The soluble Notch ligand, Jagged-1, inhibits proliferation of CD34+ macrophage progenitors.

The Notch/Notch ligand system controls diverse cellular processes. The proteolytic cleavage generates transmembrane and soluble forms of Notch ligands. We examined the effect of a soluble Notch ligand, human Jagged-1, on human cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells, under serum-deprived conditions, using soluble human Jagged-1-immunoglobulin G1 chimera protein (hJagged-1).

[Successful treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with G-CSF and M-CSF during long-term bone marrow suppression in hypoplastic leukemia].

A 52-year-old man was admitted for treatment of hypoplastic leukemia (M 1). After induction chemotherapy with IDR and AraC, the patient developed prolonged febrile neutropenia, and a diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was made. We started administration of AMPH-B and G-CSF, but the patient showed no clinical improvement.

Two independent clones in myelodysplastic syndrome following treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

We describe a 55-year-old Japanese woman with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) with 2 independent clones, t(1;2)(p36;p21) and t(11;12)(pl5;ql3). She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with cytological features of the bone marrow and peripheral blood. Cytogenetic evaluation revealed a 46,XX karyotype.