Adoptive transfer of T-helper cell type 1 clones attenuates an asthmatic phenotype in mice.

T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) cells have been postulated to have a significant role in protective immunity against allergic diseases. However, recent studies using polarised Th1 cells showed conflicting effects on both airway responsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in a mouse asthma model. The current study explored the effects of adoptive transfer of established Th1 clones on a murine model of atopic asthma. Mice (BALB/c) were sensitised with ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged with aerosolised OVA (5%, 20 min) for 5 days. Just before starting the first challenge, Th1 clones (5x10(6) x body(-1)) or PBS alone were injected via the tail vein. After assessment of airway responsiveness to methacholine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained. Histological examination, including morphometric analysis, measurement of cytokines in the BALF and Northern blotting of lung chemokines, was also performed. Adoptive transfer of Th1 clones showed a significantly increased total number of cells, whereas significantly decreased eosinophils were found in the BALF, when compared with mice with injection of vehicle alone or splenic mononuclear cells. Administration of Th1 clones significantly decreased the infiltration of eosinophils but increased mononuclear cells in the peribronchial area. Goblet cell hyperplasia and peribronchial fibrosis were also suppressed by Th1 clones. The transfer of Th1 cells significantly decreased airway responsiveness. Th1 injection significantly increased interferon gamma in the BALF, but significantly decreased interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13. Eotaxin mRNA was predominantly expressed in the lungs of asthma model mice, whereas RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) predominates in such mice with Th1 transfer. In conclusion, results suggest that the adoptive transfer of T-helper cell type 1 clones can suppress both lung eosinophilia and airway responsiveness, but increase noneosinophilic inflammation in a mouse model of asthma.     

Role for "uremic toxin" in the progressive loss of intact nephrons in chronic renal failure.

We studied the effect on the progression of glomerular sclerosis of two different experimental maneuvers, peritoneal dialysis and oral adsorbent, which remove circulating substances in different fashions. Munich-Wistar rats with established glomerular sclerosis, verified by renal biopsy analysis at seven weeks after subtotal nephrectomy, were treated for four weeks with either peritoneal dialysis (PD) or oral charcoal adsorbent (AST-120). Treatment was initiated at eight weeks. Rats were paired in treatment and control groups according to the similarity in the degree of sclerosis determined at biopsy with a minimum of 50 glomeruli analyzed. Systolic blood pressure and BUN and creatinine clearance, measured at seven to eight weeks, were not different among groups. In Group 2 rats, PD was performed with 1.5% dextrose for eight one-hour cycles, six days per week, while Group 1 control rats had zero indwelling time of the dialysate. Group 4 rats received AST-120, an oral adsorbent charcoal, mixed 5% by weight with standard rat chow and given ad libitum from 8 to 12 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy, while control Group 3 rats received only rat chow. Whole kidney GFR at 12 weeks was significantly higher in Group 2 PD versus Group 1 control (0.50 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.30 +/- 0.05 ml/min, P less than 0.05). There was no statistical difference for BUN and whole kidney creatinine or inulin clearance in Group 4 AST-120 treated versus Group 3 control rats. Light microscopic studies in autopsy specimens revealed that both PD and AST-120 attenuated progression of glomerular sclerosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptors on normal human gastric epithelia and gastric carcinomas

Tissues of normal human gastric mucosae and 15 advanced gastric carcinomas were studied immunohistologically for the presence of receptors for epidermal growth factor (EGF) by use of a murine monoclonal antibody (528IgG), which reacts with the binding domain of human EGF receptor. On normal gastric mucosae, only parietal cells showed positive staining. On cancer tissues, definite staining was observed in 9 of 15 cases. Their staining intensities were variable and weaker in general compared to those of either gastric parietal cells or normal tonsilar squamous epithelium. No apparent correlation of EGF receptor staining with the grade of histologic differentiation or lymph node metastases of these gastric carcinomas was noted.     

Proliferating pilomatricoma: a subset of pilomatricoma.

Proliferating pilomatricoma is a histopathological entity that was proposed by Kaddu et al. in 1997. Proliferating pilomatricoma represents a distinctive histopathological entity; it should be differentiated from other benign and malignant neoplasms with features of hair matrix differentiation. Kaddu reported that an incompletely excised proliferating pilomatricoma may have a greater potential for local recurrence, because histopathologically it showed variable nuclear atypia and several mitotic figures. We report two patients with proliferating pilomatricoma and describe their clinical and pathological features.     

A clinical study on 34 cases of urothelial cancer of upper urinary tract

Thirty-four cases of tumor of the renal pelvis or ureter or both have been treated in our department during the past decade. The primary tumor was in the renal pelvis in 11 cases, in the ureter in 21 cases and in the ureter and renal pelvis in 2 cases, a co-existent tumor in the bladder was found in 4 cases. Seventeen patients had a tumor on the right side and 17 on the left side. The most frequent symptom was gross hematuria (70.6%) and flank pain was the presenting symptom in 7 cases (20.6%). On the intravenous pyelography, a filling defect in the renal pelvis or ureter (41.2%) and nonvisualization (53.0%) were frequent findings. Twenty-nine cases had undergone total nephroureterectomy with resection of a bladder cuff, 3 had simple nephrectomy and 2 had open biopsy alone. Postoperative radiation therapy was done in 1 case, chemotherapy in 10 cases, and 6 cases of them were treated by CAP therapy (cis-dichlorodiamine platinum, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide). Actual and relative 5-year survival rates were 53.8% and 63.5%, and no significant difference was found in survival rate between the patients with renal pelvic tumors and those with ureteral tumors.     

Combination chemotherapy with pirarubicin (THP), cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone (VEP-THP therapy) in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Twenty-eight patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were treated with a combination of (2'-R)-4'-o-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (pirarubicin, THP), cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone (VEP-THP therapy). Eleven (45.8%) of twenty-four evaluable patients achieved complete response (CR). CR rate (52.8%) was higher in the intermediate-grade histology group than in high- or low-grade group. Toxicity was generally acceptable although leukopenia less than 2,000/microliters was observed in 17 (60.7%) of 28 patients. Clinical signs of cardiotoxicity were not observed and alopecia was mild. Therefore, VEP-THP therapy is useful as a first-line chemotherapy in the treatment of NHL, particularly for the patients with intermediate-grade histology. Higher CR rate and longer relapse-free survival can be expected by administering a greater dose of THP or employing a schedule of fractionated low doses.     

A simplified method for determining erythrocyte pyrimidine 5''-nucleotidase (P5N) activity by HPLC and its value in monitoring lead exposure.

The method for determining erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase (P5N EC 3.1.3.5) activity has been simplified using an automated high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC). The activity determined by the simplified method agreed closely with that obtained by conventional methods. In 161 lead workers P5N activity declined linearly with increasing blood lead concentrations (Pb-B) between 20 and 80 micrograms/100 g, and correlated well with Pb-B (r = -0.87). For the same group of workers, correlation coefficients between Pb-B v ALA-D activity, zinc protoporphyrin, ALA-U, and coproporphyrin were -0.87, 0.73, 0.70, and 0.32, respectively. At Pb-B greater than or equal to 40 micrograms/100 g, the validity of P5N (1.86 at a cut off of 10 less than or equal to units) was higher than that of other indicators examined. P5N activity was fairly stable during the storage of samples for two weeks at 4 degrees C. Determination of P5N activity by this method may be a useful indicator in screening for moderate exposure to lead.