[Roles of histamine in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and reevaluation of the clinical usefulness of antihistamines].

Histamine has been reported to play an important role in pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. However, H1-blockers are not recommended as the first drug for asthma therapy in the guidelines. Histamine may play various roles in allergic airway inflammation through the H1 receptor (H1R), H2R, and H4R in immune cells including T lymphocytes and dendritic cells.

Analysis of pulmonary allergic vasculitis with eosinophil infiltration in asthma model of mice.

Here the authors report pulmonary allergic vasculitis with eosinophil infiltration in an asthma model of mice and investigated its pathogenesis. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA). After the inhalation of OVA, the authors measured the cell number and cytokine concentration in the blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

Dipyridamole inhibits intracellular calcium transients in isolated rat arteriole smooth muscle cells.

Dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine uptake as well as a cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, is commonly used in prophylactic therapy for patients with angina pectoris. However, the effects of dipyridamole on systemic blood vessels, especially on the peripheral vascular system, are not well understood. Therefore, the effect of dipyridamole on ATP-induced arteriole contraction was examined with special reference to intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) using real-time confocal microscopy.

A new breath-holding test may noninvasively reveal early lung abnormalities caused by smoking and/or obesity.

Background: Smoking and obesity are leading global causes of death. The aim of the present study was to develop a test to detect early lung abnormalities caused by smoking and/or obesity and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and major contributory factors.

Methods: One hundred twenty-nine healthy adults, 20 to 40 years of age, with normal spirometry findings, were divided into the following five groups: 38 healthy subjects (15 female subjects); 46 smokers (5 female smokers); 18 overweight nonsmokers (2 female nonsmokers; normal body mass index [BMI], >or= 25 kg/m(2); range, 25.

Enhanced goblet cell hyperplasia in HDC knockout mice with allergic airway inflammation.

Background: Histamine is known to have immunoregulatory roles in allergic reactions through histamine receptor 1 (H1R), H2R, H3R and H4R. However, its role in goblet cell hyperplasia in the airways of asthma patients is yet to be clarified.

Objective: This study was designed to examine the role of histamine in goblet cell hyperplasia using histamine-deficient mice (Hdc-/- mice) with allergic airway inflammation.

[Case of systemic lupus erythematosus occurring after induced abortion and drug eruption].

We describe a19 year-old woman who was diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) after abortion. She had taken anti-convulsants for epilepsy since she was 8 years old. Induced abortion surgery was performed at six weeks in her pregnancy.

Progress in allergy signal research on mast cells: the role of histamine in goblet cell hyperplasia in allergic airway inflammation - a study using the Hdc knockout mouse.

Although histamine is a central mediator in the immediate allergic reaction, its role in goblet cell hyperplasia in the airway of asthma is not completely understood. This study was designed to examine the role of histamine in goblet cell hyperplasia using histamine-deficient mice (Hdc(-/-) mice) with allergic airway inflammation. Wild-type and Hdc(-/-) C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA).

[Results of a survey of community-acquired-pneumonia and evaluation of old and new Japanese Respiratory Society guidelines].

We evaluated the usefulness of domestic and foreign guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with community-acquired-pneumonia at 23 institutions in 6 prefectures of the Tohoku Area, from December 2003 to November 2004. Based on the old and new Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) guidelines, we evaluated severity, clinical efficacy and detection of atypical pneumonia. As for severity, the old guidelines led to the diagnosis of an excessive number of 'severe' cases.

[Cytoprotective effects of heat shock protein-70 in bronchial epithelium against neutrophil elastase-induced cell injury].

Background: Neutrophil releases several mediators during inflammation, including neutrophil elastase (NE) that impairs bronchial epithelial function. The stress response and stress proteins protect cells against a variety of cytotoxic conditions. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that bronchial epithelial heat shock protein (Hsp-70) would protect a NE-induced cell injury.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 promoter polymorphism C-509T is associated with asthma.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is increased in the lungs of individuals with asthma and may modulate airway inflammation and remodeling. Some genetic studies have found that a C-to-T single-nucleotide polymorphism (C-509T) in the TGF-beta1 gene promoter may be associated with altered gene expression and asthma phenotype. To build on these data, we performed a case-control association study at this locus involving 527 subjects with asthma and 170 control subjects without asthma.

Sequence variants in the FcepsilonRI alpha chain gene.

There is a relationship between IgE levels and expression of high-affinity IgE receptors (FcepsilonRI). Because the alpha chain is the only portion of the receptor that binds directly to IgE, we reasoned that sequence variants in the FcepsilonRI alpha gene may exist that alter these binding events. We screened all of the exons and the promoter region of the FcepsilonRI alpha chain gene with genomic DNA from 389 asthmatic and 341 normal control subjects for mutations by using single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis.

Cloning and functional analysis of the mouse 5-lipoxygenase promoter.

5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5), an enzyme essential for the formation of all leukotrienes, is highly regulated at multiple levels, including gene transcription. The human ALOX5 promoter sequence has been cloned and is well characterized. Several important cis-acting elements have been identified including a G+C-rich sequence approximately 145-179 base pairs (bp) upstream from the ATG start codon.