Lifestyles Associated with Prognosis After Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan

Digestive Diseases and Sciences - Hepatocellular carcinoma develops in some patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), even after achieving sustained virological response (SVR). We examined factors...     

Adherence, Internalization, and Persistence of Helicobacter pylori in Hepatocytes

Although Helicobacter pylori have been identified in the liver, the role of Helicobacter sp. in human liver diseases remains unclear. This study explored whether H. pylori were internalized and could persist in hepatocytes. The majority of an inoculum of H. pylori (1 x 10(7) colony forming units) adhered to hepatocytes. Using the gentamicin invasion assay we found that approximately 2% were internalized and persisted following passage for more than 2 months. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of intracellular Helicobacter. The number of adherent or internalized H. pylori was significantly greater with hepatocytes than with gastric epithelial cells (P < 0.05) and was also dependent on cag pathogenicity island (PAI), VacA, OipA, or BabA status. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm adherence and invasion of H. pylori into hepatocytes. Internalization of H. pylori was inhibited by antibodies to beta1-integrin receptors, genistein, and cytochalasin D (P < 0.05) consistent with beta1-integrin acting as a surface receptor with additional requirements for tyrosine kinase phosphorylation and actin polymerization. In summary, H. pylori both adhered to and invaded into hepatocytes in vitro, depending on the virulent factors, and persisted within hepatocytes during subcultures. beta1-integrin is likely a receptor involved in internalization of H. pylori into hepatocytes.     

HLA analysis of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced and idiopathic isolated ACTH deficiency

Pituitary - Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency is a rare disease; however, since immune check point inhibitors (ICIs) have become widely used, many more cases have been reported. In...     

Effect of interleukin 1 polymorphisms on gastric mucosal interleukin 1beta production in Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although epidemiological studies suggest that interleukin (IL)-1 genetic polymorphisms are involved in Helicobacter pylori-related gastric carcinogenesis, the data are conflicting regarding the effects of these polymorphisms on IL-1beta production. METHODS: IL-1B-511 polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and IL-1RN variable number of tandem repeats was determined by PCR. Mucosal IL-1beta levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To determine which factors influence mucosal IL-1beta levels, gastric inflammation, and atrophy, multiple regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: We studied 117 H. pylori-infected Japanese patients. Carriers of the IL-1B-511T/T genotype or IL-1RN*2 allele had higher mucosal IL-1beta levels than noncarriers (partial regression coefficient [PRC] +/- SE), TT versus CC: 37.6 +/- 6 [antrum] and 32.1 +/- 6 [corpus] pg/mg protein (P < 0.001 for each), *1/*2 versus *1/*1: 24 +/- 8 [antrum] (P <0.01) and 36.5 +/- 7 [corpus] (P <0.001). Simultaneous carriers of IL-1B-511T/T genotype and IL-1RN*2 allele had the highest IL-1beta levels (82.9 +/- 12 [antrum] and 87.2 +/- 11 [corpus]) and showed a synergistic effect between 2 loci. The *1/*2 carriers were closely related to atrophy (PRC +/- SE; 0.87 +/- 0.4 [antrum] and 0.93 +/- 0.4 [corpus], P < 0.05), whereas being a carrier of the -511T/T genotype was related to severe gastric inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1 genetic polymorphisms influenced H. pylori-related gastric mucosal IL-1beta levels and were related to gastric inflammation and atrophy, factors thought to be important in gastric carcinogenesis.     

Valpha24+ natural killer T-cell responses against T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells: implications for immunotherapy

Human Valpha24+ natural killer T (NKT) cells correspond to mouse Valpha14+ NKT cells, both cell types use an invariant T-cell receptor-alpha chain and are activated by glycolipids in a CD1d-dependent manner. Mouse Valpha14+ NKT cells have been reported to have an antitumour effect in vivo. Human Valpha24+ NKT cells can kill a proportion of tumour cells in a CD1d-dependent manner in vitro. We report here that many human leukaemic T-cell lines express CD1d and can be directly killed by Valpha24+ NKT cells. This killing activity was enhanced in the presence of alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer), a ligand of Valpha24+ NKT cells. Moreover, primary leukaemic T cells from five of eight T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) patients expressed CD1d and were good targets of Valpha24+ NKT cells. This cytotoxicity was increased in the presence of alpha-GalCer. Our results suggest that T-ALL is a good candidate for Valpha24+ NKT-cell-based immuno-cell therapy.     

Carotid atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors: a comparison of residents of a rural area of Okinawa with residents of a typical suburban area of Fukuoka, Japan

Areas of Japan are known worldwide for the longevity of their residents. Okinawa has the highest longevity in Japan and a low rate of death due to cardiovascular disease. We investigated carotid atherosclerotic (CA) risk factors in islands of I city in Okinawa prefecture and compared them with K town, a suburban area of Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu, to determine the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis. We investigated conventional cardiovascular risk factors in 1078 I city residents (375 men, mean age 63.7 and 703 women, mean age 60.0) in 2000 and 2364 K town residents (676 men, mean age 57.1 and 1688 women, mean age 53.0) in 1999. Carotid atherosclerosis was assessed by mean intima-media thickness (IMT) by B-mode ultrasound. The mean IMT was significantly lower in the residents of I city than in those of K town (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol (TC) and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and smoking rate were also lower in I city than in K town. Body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride (TG) level were higher in I city than in K town. In I city, multiple regression analysis found independent relationships between carotid atherosclerosis and age, sex (male), hypertension, LDL cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and diabetes. The lower mean IMT is probably related to a lower lifetime burden of atherosclerotic risk factors, which may in turn be related to the longevity of Okinawa residents. BMI was not a cardiovascular risk factor, although LDL cholesterol was a common important risk factor.     

Effect of a new cholecystokinin antagonist (FK 480) on gene expression of cholecystokinin and secretin in rat intestine

The effects of a new cholecystokinin (CCK) antagonist (FK 480; 0.1 mg/kg per day given by intragastric administration to rats for 3 days) on the expression of the CCK and secretin genes, plasma CCK immunoreactivity, and CCK content in the intestinal mucosa were examined. FK 480 increased the level of CCK mRNA in the intestine to 1.7 times the level in control rats, but did not affect the level of secretin mRNA. It did not increase plasma CCK immunoreactivity or CCK content in the intestinal mucosa. These results suggest that the ingested FK 480 directly increased CCK mRNA level in the intestine and produced a dissociation between the synthesis and release of CCK.