Further characterization of memory T cells existing in a case of CD8 deficiency

CD8 deficiency is a rare primary immunodeficiency caused by a defect of ZAP-70, which plays a pivotal role in T cell activation. We previously reported the existence of memory phenotype-CD4+ T cells in a case of CD8 deficiency, which demonstrates that activation signals through ZAP-70 are not essential to the phenotypic conversion of T cells from "naive" to "memory." In this study, we further characterized CD45RO+ T cells in a CD8 deficient patient. We showed that the patient's CD45RO+ T cell population had a wide variety of T cell receptor Vbeta-chain gene usage, and contained few clonally expanded T cells, while many clonally expanded T cells were present in the memory T cell population of age-matched healthy children. These results suggest that various kinds of antigens were involved in the differentiation of the patient's T cells, and that the differentiation into memory T cells was not accompanied by profound T cell proliferation. Moreover, our findings confirmed that the patient's CD45RO+CD4+ T cells had acquired effector-cytokine producing ability, indicating that there exists an alternative activation pathway which is independent of ZAP-70 for the acquisition of effector-cytokine producing ability.     

Uncommon Type of Meningiomas with Conspicuous Plasmo-lymphocytic Infiltration: An Immunohistochemical and Histochemical Study

Two cases of meningioma revealing conspicuous plasmo lymphocytic tissue and hyalinized fibrous tissue components are reported. Histopathological examination of the plasmo lymphocytic infiltration was performed. Both lesions showed polyclonality of plasma cells as revealed by positive reactions for 1gG and paraimmunoglobulin χ- and λ light chains, and amyloid infiltration into the fibrous stroma and blood vessel walls. The histochemical and immunohistochemical characteristics of the lesion in relation to its etiology are briefly discussed. Acta Pathol. Jpn. 32: 190∼194, 1989.     

Quantitative determination of dihydroetorphine in rat plasma and brain by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The extraordinarily strong analgesic dihydroetorphine (DHE) was registered as one of the most strictly controlled narcotic drugs by the United Nations in 1999. However, an effective detection method for DHE in biological samples has not yet been established. We developed a quantitative method for assay of DHE in rat plasma and brain by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry equipped with an ionspray interface. A 0.5-ml volume of plasma and brain homogenate spiked with buprenorphine (internal standard) was purified by the solid-phase extraction column Bond Elute Certify. DHE produced numerous weak fragment ions by collision induced dissociation. Therefore, collision energy was utilized to decompose the interferences, and the protonated molecular ion was used for both precursor and product ion monitoring. As a result of the method validation, the dynamic concentration range was determined as 0.05-10 ng/ml. DHE in these samples was stable for 2 months at -4 degrees C and for 24 h at ambient temperatures. Using the present method, DHE was detected in rat plasma and brain tissue after intravenous injection (0.5 microg/kg).     

General Pathology Of Kawasaki Disease

Systemic pathological alterations were studied in thirty-seven autopsied patients with Kawasaki disease. Systemic vasculitis was the most characteristic pathological finding and was present in all the patients. In addition to the vasculitis, there was a high incidence of inflammatory lesions in various organs and tissues: in the heart, endocarditis, myocarditis, and pericarditis; in the digestive system, stomatitis, sialoduct-adenitis, catarrhal enteritis, hepatitis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, and pancreas ductitis; in the respiratory system, bronchitis and segmental interstitial pneumonia; in the urinary system, focal interstitial nephritis, cystitis, and prostatitis; in the nervous system, aseptic leptomeningitis, choriomeningitis, ganglionitis, and neuritis; in the hematopoietic system, lymphadenitis, splenitis, and thymitis. Dermatitis, panniculitis or myositis were also observed in some patients. Therefore, Kawasaki disease is a systemic inflammatory disease which mainly affects the cardiovascular system. These systemic inflammatory lesions are considered to correspond to the variegated clinical manifestaitions. The relationship between Kawasaki disease and infantile polyarteritis nodosa (IPN) were discussed, based on the clinicopathological characteristics.     

Crystal Growth in Poly(L‐lactide) Thin Film Revealed by in situ Atomic Force Microscopy

Direct visualization of crystal growth in poly(L ‐lactide) thin films was carried out by using a temperature‐controlled atomic force microscopy (AFM). At the initial stage of crystallization, edge‐on lamellar crystals have nucleated and elongated. Subsequently, the edge‐on lamellar crystals showed S‐shaped morphology and changed their orientation from edge‐on manner to flat‐on one. The curvature of edge‐on lamellar crystal has been discussed in terms of inclination and distortion of polymer chains in the crystal. In addition, mechanism on the formation of flat‐on crystal from edge‐on lamellae was proposed as derivative growth on the basis of in situ AFM observation of crystal growth and enzymatic degradation.

     

Functional evaluation of lung by Xe-133 lung ventilation scintigraphy before and after lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) in patients with pulmonary emphysema

We evaluated the respiratory functions of patients with pulmonary emphysema who underwent lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) by the mean transit time (MTT) with Xe-133 lung ventilation scintigraphy, forced expiration volume in 1 sec (FEV1.0), residual volume (RV), distance walked in 6 min (6-min walk), and the Hugh-Jones classification (H-J classification) before and after LVRS. In 69 patients with pulmonary emphysema (62 men, 7 women; age range, 47-75 years; mean age, 65.4 years +/- 6.1, preoperative H-J classification, III (two were II)-V) who underwent LVRS, all preoperative and postoperative parameters (MTT 3 weeks after LVRS and the others 3 months after LVRS) were judged statistically by the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and Odds ratio. Every postoperative parameter was improved with a significant difference (P < 0.05) compared to preoperative parameters. MTT at 3 weeks after LVRS was not associated with %FEV1.0 and the H-J classification at 3 months after LVRS, but was associated with RV and a 6-min walk at 3 months after LVRS. MTT was useful for the clinical evalution of aerobic capability after LVRS.     

Increased production of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase in leptomeningeal cells through contact with astrocytes

Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) is dominantly expressed in the leptomeninges surrounding the brain and secreted into the cerebrospinal fluid as β-trace, a major cerebrospinal fluid protein. To examine the interaction between the leptomeninges and the brain parenchyma, we co-cultured rat leptomeningeal cells with cells dissociated from the neonatal rat cortex and found that the production of L-PGDS was remarkably increased after the co-cultivation. A similar increase in L-PGDS production was observed by the co-culturing of the leptomeningeal cells with cells dissociated from astrocyte-rich cultures or with 1321-N1 astrocytoma cells. When a crude membrane fraction prepared from 1321-N1 cells was added to leptomeningeal cell cultures, L-PGDS gene expression was slowly increased up to 48 h after the addition. These results indicate that leptomeningeal cells enhance their L-PGDS production by a slow activation of L-PGDS gene expression through their contact with astrocytes.