Autoantibodies and immunoglobulins in atomic bomb survivors with human T-lymphotropic virus type I.

The association of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) with autoimmune disorders was investigated on the basis of prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor and anti-thyroglobulin antibody as well as immunoglobulin (Ig) serum level (IgG, IgA, and IgM). The subjects, all atomic bomb survivors, were 59 HTLV-I-seropositive people without HTLV-I-associated myelopathy or adult T-cell leukemia and 149 HTLV-I-seronegative persons. The mean serum level of IgM was higher in HTLV-I-seropositive subjects than in HTLV-I-seronegative subjects, and a significant association with HTLV-I and sex was indicated in the IgM serum level.

Plasma M-CSF as an indicator of response to chemotherapy in adult T cell leukemia patients.

The plasma concentration of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) was measured in 10 patients with acute type adult T cell leukemia (ATL) during the clinical course before and after chemotherapy. M-CSF concentration decreased significantly when the patients achieved complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) (t-test: p = 0.0001).

Incidence of intracranial meningiomas in Nagasaki atomic-bomb survivors.

Among the Nagasaki atomic-bomb survivors registered at the Scientific Data Center for Atomic-Bomb Disaster, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 45 cases of surgically treated intracranial meningioma were collected from 6 hospitals with departments of neurosurgery in or near Nagasaki City during the period from 1973 to 1992. All 45 patients were over 40 years of age at the time of diagnosis. Subsequently, the 45 cases were statistically analyzed in relationship to the estimated distance from the hypocenter by age, gender, intracranial location, histology and latent period.

Spinal cord blood flow decreases following microinjection of sodium nitroprusside into the nucleus tractus solitarii of anesthetized rats.

This study was undertaken to examine whether or not nitric oxide (NO) is involved in synaptic transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) during control of the spinal cord circulation. Employing urethane-anesthetized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated rats, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), which produces NO, was microinjected unilaterally into the NTS and the spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) was determined using labeled microspheres. Arterial blood pressure (ABP) was decreased by unilateral microinjection of SNP into the NTS, but its value was kept within the normotensive range by blood transfusion, in order to measure SCBF at normotension.

Diagnostic criteria for hypocellular acute leukemia: a clinical entity distinct from overt acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.

In order to establish diagnostic criteria for hypocellular acute leukemia (HL), we have reviewed 32 cases selected on the basis of hypothetical 40% or less cellularity, by focusing on morphology, immunophenotype, karyotype and response to low dose Ara-C (LDAC) regimen and compared them with 40 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 66 cases of overt acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The onset age ranged from 44 to 75 years (median 67 years). Bone marrow (BM) cellularity ranged from 12.

Relation of oxidative stress and glutathione synthesis to CD95(Fas/APO-1)-mediated apoptosis of adult T cell leukemia cells.

An IL-2 dependent adult T cell leukemia cell line (SO4) has been established that is sensitive to CD95-mediated apoptosis as well as a subline (R-SO4) that is resistant. Incubating SO4 cells with anti-CD95 IgM mAb caused concentration-dependent cell death. On the contrary, R-SO4 cells did not die even at 1000 ng/ml of anti-CD95 IgM mAb.

CD5-expressing B-cell lymphomas/leukemias: relatively high frequency of CD5+ B-cell lymphomas with an overall poor prognosis in Nagasaki Japan.

To characterize CD5+ B-cell neoplasms in Japan, where chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is rare and of different subtypes in comparison with Western countries, we collected 58 cases of CD5+ B-cell lymphomas/leukemias and analyzed their clinicopathologic features. According to the French-American-British (FAB) and standard histologic classification, the cases corresponded to small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL, group I; n = 22, consisting of CLL, n = 10, CLL/PL, n = 3, and CLLmixed, n = 7); intermediate differentiated lymphoma/mantle cell lymphoma (IDL/MCL, group II, n = 18); and others with CD5-positive lymphomas (group III, n = 18). The CD5+ B-cell lymphomas showed morphologic and prognostic variability among the three groups.

An intensive chemotherapy of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: CHOP followed by etoposide, vindesine, ranimustine, and mitoxantrone with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support.

An intensive combination chemotherapy regimen supported by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was evaluated in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients in a multiinstitutional, cooperative study. Vincristine 1 mg/m2 i.v.

Features of the cytokines secreted by adult T cell leukemia (ATL) cells.

Adult T cell leukemia (ATL) cells show a mature helper-inducer T cell phenotype and are thought to secrete many kinds of cytokines in vivo, complicating the clinical features in these patients. In an attempt to specify the cytokines produced by ATL cells, we measured the cytokine concentration in the culture supernatants of three ATL cell lines, all of which were confirmed to be true peripheral blood ATL cell in origin. All these cell lines showed the same cytokine production profile, secreting IL1-alpha, IL1-beta, LD78(MIP-l alpha), TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and GM-CSF, but not secreting IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 Ra), IL-4, IFN-alpha, and G-CSF irrespective of the stimulatory agents used.

Progression from myelodysplastic syndrome to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with Philadelphia chromosome and p190 BCR-ABL transcript.

We describe a patient with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) who developed it 2.5 years after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The patient initially had refractory anaemia (RA), but progressed to refractory anaemia with excess blasts (RAEB) 2 years later, that terminated in ALL.

The significance of artificial cerebrospinal fluid as perfusate and endoneurosurgery.

To compare the benefits of physiological saline solution and artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as perfusates, we investigated 12 patients with presumed symptomatic aqueductal stenosis by clinical course and CSF analysis. In all patients, endoneurosurgical third ventriculostomy and cine magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the patency of ventriculostomy. After endoneurosurgery, patients who received the saline solution experienced high fever, headaches, and elevated cell count in lumbar CSF.

The chronic administration of docosahexaenoic acid reduces the spatial cognitive deficit following transient forebrain ischemia in rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether chronic administration of docosahexaenoic acid is able to reduce spatial cognitive deficit following transient ischemia in rats. In addition, we investigated whether the chronic treatment of docosahexaenoic acid is able to protect the hippocampal neuronal damage induced by either hypoxia in vitro or cerebral ischemia in vivo. A chronic administration of 200 mg/kg/day docosahexaenoic acid over 21 days did not affect the content of docosahexaenoic acid in the hippocampus, but did tend to increase it in the frontal cortex.

Activity of Fgr protein-tyrosine kinase is reduced in neutrophils of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myelogenous leukemia.

The Fgr protein-tyrosine kinase, p55(c-fgr), is specifically expressed and functions in cells of myelomonocytic lineages. We examined levels of expression and enzymatic activity of p55(c-fgr) peripheral blood neutrophils of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) by comparison with those of normal individuals. While neutrophils of eight normal subjects gave uniform results, the specific enzymatic activity of p55(c-fgr), a ratio of the total kinase activity versus the protein level was reduced in seven out of eight patients with MDS and all of five patients with CML.

Randomized trials between behenoyl cytarabine and cytarabine in combination induction and consolidation therapy, and with or without ubenimex after maintenance/intensification therapy in adult acute myeloid leukemia. The Japan Leukemia Study Group.

Purpose: We analyzed complete remission (CR), disease-free survival (DFS), and event-free survival (EFS) rates in two groups of patients treated with either N4-behenoyl-1-beta-D-arabinosylcytosine (BHAC) or cytarabine, and analyzed DFS with or without ubenimex, a biologic response modifier.

Patients And Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were randomized to receive either BHAC or cytarabine as remission-induction combination chemotherapy and two courses of consolidation therapy. After maintenance/intensification therapy, patients in CR were randomized to receive either ubenimex and no drug.

The radiographic restoration of the ventricular system after third ventriculostomy.

Ten adult patients were treated by third ventriculostomy for idiopathic aqueductal stenosis. Idiopathic aqueductal stenosis was diagnosed according to MR imaging; aqueductal stenosis secondary to tumor, hemorrhage, and/or infection was excluded. Following a third ventriculostomy under a flexible neuroendoscope, all patients were reviewed at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, and MR images with ventricular measurements were repeated for evaluation of the radiographic restoration of the ventricular system.

Incidence and characteristics of clonal hematopoiesis in remission of acute myeloid leukemia in relation to morphological dysplasia.

We studied 34 patients in remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by performing clonal analysis of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells and mononuclear (MN) cells, using X-linked DNA polymorphisms, in conjunction with the assessment of morphological myelodysplastic changes, performed by a scoring method. Nine patients demonstrated a non-random or skewed X-chromosome inactivation pattern in PMN cells. Three of these nine patients had an apparently random pattern in MN cells (group A), whereas the remaining six patients demonstrated no difference between the inactivation patterns of PMN and MN cells (group B).

Alterations of the p27KIP1 gene in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

The protein p27KIP1 belongs to a recently identified family of proteins termed cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs). These proteins play an important role in regulating cell-cycle progression and loss of their function has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) may induce cell growth arrest through p27 activation.

Circulation of red blood cells having high levels of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate protects rat brain from ischemic metabolic changes during hemodilution.

Background And Purpose: We designed the present study to examine the effects of red blood cell oxygen-delivering capacity on ischemic brain metabolism during hemodilution with respect to red blood cell 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate content.

Methods: A modification of red blood cell 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate content was achieved by an exchange transfusion of blood in which red blood cells were treated with either phospho(enol)pyruvate or inorganic phosphate in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hematocrit values of circulating blood were varied from 30% to 20% during transfusion.

A randomized trial comparing interferon-alpha with busulfan for newly diagnosed chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase.

A multicenter randomized study was conducted to compare the effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) with that of busulfan in newly diagnosed patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase. From October 1988 to October 1991, 170 patients were randomized to receive either IFN-alpha or busulfan. Of 159 eligible patients, 31 (38.

[Indication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA identical sibling in adult acute myeloblastic leukemia--comparative study of BMT and chemotherapy in patients with the first remission state. Nagoya BMT Group. Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group].

The indication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA identical siblings during the first remission of acute myeloblastic leukemia was discussed according to the results of BMT and chemotherapy study groups. The comparison of disease free survival between both groups was done, after selection biases such as risk factors and time of BMT were adjusted by multivariate analysis or matched-pair analysis. In conclusion, patients with more than one high risk factors for leukemia relapse, that is, high peripheral white blood cell count (PBC) (> 20,000/cmm) at diagnosis or more than two remission induction courses should be considered for BMT, and the indication of treatments for patients with no high risk factors should be determined depending on situations of the disease and patient's intention.

Inversion(10)(q11q24) in a case of adult T-cell leukemia.

We report a case of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) with complex chromosome abnormalities including an inversion (10)(q11q24) in a 64-year-old man. Although some abnormalities of chromosome 10 have been seen in ATL and other lymphoid neoplasias, inv(10)(q11q24) has previously been reported only in a case of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Recent studies have revealed a rearrangement of a novel homeobox-containing gene called TCL-3 or HOX11 on 10q24 in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the specific chromosome translocation t(10;14)(q24;q11), and thus the significance of 10q24 aberrations in leukemogenesis is indicated.

Clinical significance of tissue polypeptide antigen in serum of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in serum was measured at diagnosis in 27 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) (1 FAB M0, 1 M1, 10 M2, 7 M3, 5 M4, 1 M5, 1 M6 and 1 MU). Statistical analysis disclosed a close correlation of TPA level with age (P < 0.01), hemoglobin level (P < 0.

[A randomized double-blind controlled study of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with neutropenia induced by consolidation chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia. (rG.CSF clinical study group)].

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind controlled study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rG.CSF) in reducing infectious morbidity and neutropenia induced by consolidation chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One hundred and twenty-four eligible patients were randomized to receive either rG.