[Effects of a thromboxane-synthetase inhibitor in patients with chronic persistent coughing and no airwayhyperresponsiveness].

We studied the effects of the thromboxane-synthetase inhibitor ozagrel in 22 patients with chronic persistent coughing who did not have airwayhyperresponsiveness. Treatment with ozagrel (400 mg/day for 2 weeks) reduced coughing in 12 patients. Sputum from the patients in whom ozagrel was effective had a higher percentage of lymphocytes and a lower percentage of neutrophils than did sputum from those in whom ozagrel was not effective.

Establishment of a monkey kidney epithelial cell line with the BARF1 open reading frame from Epstein-Barr virus.

We previously reported that the BARF1 (BamH1-A right frame 1) gene product from Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) may have oncogenic properties since injection into new-born rats of transfected cell lines resulted in the development of BARF1 expressing tumors, which were aggressive in the case of murine fibroblasts and transient in that of human B lymphocytes. As EBV has been associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and evidence of BARF1 transcription in this cancer was emerging from our biopsy analyses, we examined the effects of BARF1 transfection into primate primary epithelial cells. The expression of the BARF1 open reading frame in primary monkey kidney epithelial cells led us to the establishment of continuously dividing lines.

[Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: present and future].

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of important problems of public health in the south of Asian countries and North Africa. The Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) is thought to be a key factor in this cancer as attested by several facts: the constant presence of the EBV genome in all malignant cells, the expression of several viral proteins with known oncogenic activity and the precession of serological modifications. Several proto-oncogenes were also activated in relation with viral gene expression.

[Cough-variant asthma successfully treated with a peptide leukotriene receptor antagonist].

A 47-year-old woman complained of coughing for over 5 weeks. The coughing was not relieved by bronchodilators (theophylline, beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist; procaterol), anti-allergic agents (azelastine, ozagrel), an inhaled corticosteroid (beclomethasone dipropionate), a macrolide antibiotic (clarithromycin), or codeine phosphate. A peptide leukoriene receptor antagonist (pranlukast) completely abolished the coughing and increased the cough threshold to capsaicin.

Antibody and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity responses against the BamHI A rightward open-reading frame-1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in EBV-associated disorders.

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is an important antiviral effector mechanism. ADCC to the protein encoded by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BamHI A rightward open-reading frame-1 (BARF1) was studied by transducing Raji-tk- cells with the BARF1 gene using a retroviral expression vector. The transduced Raji cells expressed BARF1 on the cell surface, as determined by flow cytometry.

Protective effects of human urinary trypsin inhibitor against trypsin-induced relaxation in rat aorta.

Objectives: To investigate the vasodilatory responses induced by trypsin, and to determine the antitrypsin effects of human urinary trypsin inhibitor on blood vessels.

Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled study, with repeated measurements.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Epstein-Barr virus vectors for gene delivery to B lymphocytes.

Basic research in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) molecular genetics has provided means to maintain episomes in human cells, to efficiently deliver episomes with up to 150 kbp of heterologous DNA to human B lymphocytes, and to immortalize human B lymphocytes with EBV recombinants that can maintain up to 120 kbp of heterologous DNA. Episome maintenance requires an EBV nuclear protein, EBNA1, whereas immortalization of cells with EBV recombinants requires EBNA1, EBNA2, EBNA3A, EBNA3C, EBNALP, and LMP1. EBV-derived vectors are useful for experimental genetic reconstitution in B lymphocytes, a cell type frequently used in establishing repositories of human genetic deficiencies.

Expression of the DNase encoded by the BGLF5 gene of Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelial cells.

In contrast with most Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected healthy carriers, nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients frequently have increased serum levels of antibodies directed against EBV-DNase. These antibodies are potentially interesting serological markers for the diagnosis and the follow-up of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this context, it is important to determine whether malignant EBV-infected cells are the source of significant amounts of EBV-DNase contributing to antigenic stimulation.

Purified recombinant EBV desoxyribonuclease in serological diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

To evaluate applications of highly purified recombinant EBV DNAase in the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC, we tested sera from patients with NPC, other EBV-associated diseases and EBV-seropositive and -seronegative healthy subjects by immunoblotting and DNAase inhibitory assay. The results were compared with those obtained by the conventional immunofluorescence assays against the EBV-specified early antigens and capsid antigens. The antigenic specificity of the immunoblotting assay for IgG antibody against the viral enzyme, but not that for the IgA antibody, was correlated with DNAase-inhibitory activity of the sera and their titers of IgG antibodies against the viral early antigens.

Transcriptional expression of Epstein-Barr virus genes and proto-oncogenes in north African nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from North Africa show an unusual bimodal age distribution. As elsewhere, the tumor is closely associated with the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The expression of EBV genes and c-onc genes was studied in biopsy specimens from tumors at different clinical stages from 11 young (10 to 30-year-old) and 11 adult (30 to 65-year-old) patients.

[Chronic persistent coughing successfully treated with ozagrel].

A 25-year-old woman complained of coughing for over 8 weeks. The coughing was not relieved by a bronchodilator (beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist; clenbuterol), and anti-allergic agent (azelastine), or an inhaled corticosteroid. The thromboxane synthetase inhibitor ozagrel completely abolished her cough.

Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA in well and poorly differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines.

Undifferentiated and poorly differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were known to be tightly associated with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Its association with well differentiated NPC was also reported. In the present study, the presence of EBV was investigated by nucleic acid hybridization, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Immunoblot and in situ hybridization in two well differentiated NPC cell lines (CNE-1 and HK-1) and two other poorly differentiated NPC cell line (CNE-2 and CNE-3).

[Effect of clarithromycin on symptoms and mucociliary transport in patients with sino-bronchial syndrome].

The effect of clarithromycin on symptoms and on mucociliary transport (as assessed by the saccharin test) were studied in 32 patients with sino-bronchial syndrome. Before treatment with clarithromycin, the nasal clearance time was significantly longer in these patients (70.3 +/- 64.

The lytic cycle of Epstein-Barr virus in the nonproducer Raji line can be rescued by the expression of a 135-kilodalton protein encoded by the BALF2 open reading frame.

In Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-carrying nonproducer Raji cells, the induction of the viral replicative cycle by chemical treatment is limited to only the early stage and viral DNA synthesis is totally inhibited. We previously showed the absence of two messenger RNAs that are encoded by the BamHI-A fragment of the EBV genome and that correspond to open reading frames BALF2 and BARF1 in chemically induced Raji cells. Since the BALF2 gene encodes a 135-kDa DNA-binding protein which was immunoprecipitated by antibody against ICP8 protein, a key protein in herpes simplex virus replication, we asked whether the lack of productive cycle in Raji cells is due to the absence of expression of the BALF2 gene.

[A case of chronic persistent cough caused by gastro-esophageal reflux].

Although gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is one of the major causes of chronic persistent cough (CPC) in the USA and in Europe, it is a rare cause of CPC in Japan. We report a rare case of CPC caused by GER, in which treatment with an H2-blocker or with a proton pump inhibitor was successful. A 65-year-old woman had complained of coughing for over 25 years.

Expression of the complementary-strand transcripts from BamHI-A region of the Epstein-Barr virus genome in various induced virus-carrying B cell lines.

The complementary-strand transcripts from Epstein-Barr virus BamHI-A-I fragments (also called the BARF0 RNAs) were first found in a nasopharyngeal carcinoma passaged in nude mice, c15, and soon proved to exist in various EBV-associated tumors and virus-carrying B cell lines. The data from previous studies revealed that the BARF0 transcripts have a highly spliced structure, whereas the evidence about their in vivo translational products remains few. The BARF0 RNA is also somehow considered as a new member of the viral latent transcripts.

[Congenital protein C deficiency with pulmonary infarction].

A 45-year-old man was admitted with left chest pain and hemoptysis. Chest CT on admission showed multiple areas of wedge-shaped consolidation in both lung fields. A perfusion lung scintigram showed bilateral deficits in both lungs, whereas a ventilation scintigram was normal.

[Epidural anesthesia with high dose fentanyl for a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy].

Dilated cardiomyopathy is defined as a syndrome of dilated ventricles with gross impairment of ventricular systolic function. Recently, there are several anesthetic reports regarding this syndrome. But any appropriate anesthetic method has not been established.

[A case of prostatic adenocarcinoma with pulmonary metastases--diagnosis by transbronchial lung biopsy and immunohistochemistry].

Metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma was found in a 79-year-old man, who had symptoms of general malaise and poor appetite. An extensive work-up including a transurethral resection of the prostate, failed to establish the primary site of the malignancy. By administering chlormadinone acetate for prostatic hypertrophy, the pulmonary metastases improved dramatically.

[A case of diffuse lung disease with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia pattern].

A 63-year-old male with a history of cement exposure visited our hospital in August of 1992 with chief complaints of yellow sputum and cough. Chest CT on admission revealed segmental fine nodular shadows in the right lower lobe and a band-like shadow in the left lower lobe. The transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimen showed alveolitis with a minimal degree of eosinophilic infiltration and organizing exudates in the dilated peripheral air spaces.

Expression and tumorigenicity of the Epstein-Barr virus BARF1 gene in human Louckes B-lymphocyte cell line.

We previously showed that the Epstein-Barr virus, which encodes the BARF1 gene, could transform rodent fibroblasts. In this work, the expression of the BARF1 gene was studied in the human Louckes B-lymphocyte cell line. Introduction of the BARF1 open reading frame under the control of the Mo-MuLV LTR promotor into nontumorigenic Louckes lymphoid cells led to the activation of the c-myc protooncogene and increased expression of the B-cell surface proteins, the transferrin receptor, CD21, and CD23.

[Two cases of pulmonary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with primary lung cancer, in which symptoms were rapidly improved by resection of the primary lesions].

Pulmonary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHO) is a syndrome of unknown etiology, presenting with osteitis of the long bones, arthritis, and clubbing of digits, associated with lung cancer or other chronic pulmonary or pleural diseases. Although about 3-10 percent of cases of lung cancer were reported to be associated with PHO in USA or Europe, reports of these cases are relatively rare in Japan. We report two cases of PHO associated with primary lung cancer, in which symptoms were rapidly improved by resection of the primary lesions.

Epstein-Barr virus genotypes in NPC biopsies from north Africa.

The genotypes of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were investigated in North African nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biopsies, nasopharyngeal chronic inflammation (NCI) biopsies, and saliva of healthy individuals from Algeria and Tunisia where there is an intermediate incidence of NPC. The prevalence of A-type virus in NPC, NCI biopsies and saliva of healthy individuals was found in these regions by means of a PCR assay. Restriction enzyme polymorphism analysis by Southern blotting revealed that all North African EBV variants have a conserved restriction site on BamHI W'-I' and XhoI LMP gene.

[Effect of erythromycin on mucociliary transport and clinical symptoms in patients with sinobronchial syndrome].

The effect of erythromycin (EM) on mucociliary transport function assessed by saccharin test and clinical symptoms were studied in 19 patients with sinobronchial syndrome (SBS). Before treatment with EM, the mean nasal clearance time (NCT) of SBS patients was 51.9 +/- 40.