[Case of calcified brain abscess].
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Brain Abscess↗
Biomedical subjects
A Imai
Publications and source records attributed to A Imai.
[Wegener's granulomatosis and its clinical study].
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Adolescent↗
Mechanism of the immunosuppressive effect in vivo of novel immunosuppressive drug beta-SQAG9, which inhibits the response of the CD62L+ T-cell subset.
INTRODUCTION: We synthesized sulfo-glycolipid, beta-SQAG9 (designate square beta-SQAG9 liposome, because it efficiently forms a liposome structure) that possessed immunosuppressive effects such as inhibition of T-cell responses in human allogeneic MLR and skin allograft survival in rats, and bound to CD62L (L-selectin) in vitro. In this study, we further investigated the immunosuppressive mechanism in vivo by beta-SQAG9 liposome in a skin-allografted rat model. METHODS: ACI rats (RT1(a)) were grafted skin of LEW rats (RT1(1)) treated with PBS or beta-SQAG9 liposome IV once a day for 7 days. Subsequently, we investigated the population of T cells and CD62L(+) T-cell subset in the spleen, axillary lymph nodes (ALNs), and peripheral blood of skin-allografted rats by two-color flow cytometry. RESULTS: Five of 11 (45.5%) rats that were treated with 50 mg/kg beta-SQAG9 liposome showed graft survival and another showed moderate rejection in graft. The CD62L(+) T-cell subset population in ALNs of beta-SQAG9 liposome-treated rats decreased in a dose-dependent manner. No significant difference in the T-cell population was observed between the beta-SQAG9 and control groups. These data suggest that beta-SQAG9 could bind to the CD62L(+) T-cell subset in vivo as well as in vitro and affect T-cell migration, which might lead to T-cell tolerance in vivo.
Animals↗
Independent phosphatidylinositol synthesis in pituitary plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum.
Phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), the most abundant phosphoinositide, is the precursor of phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate which is converted to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, the lipid hydrolysed as an early step in signal transduction by many stimuli. It is generally thought that a single enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum, PtdIns synthase (CDP-diglyceride:myoinositol 3-phosphatidyltransferase, EC 2.7.8.11), is responsible for PtdIns synthesis and that newly synthesized PtdIns is transported to the plasma membrane by exchange proteins. Several investigators have proposed that there are two functionally distinct pools of PtdIns, one responsive to stimulation and the other not, and that the stimulus-responsive pool may be synthesized at a different site within the cell, perhaps within the plasma membrane. Indeed, it was suggested that there is PtdIns synthase activity in plasma membrane isolated from rat liver. GH3 rat pituitary tumour cells are an excellent model system to study stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). Conversion of PtdIns to polyphosphoinositides and TRH (and GTP)-activated phosphoinositide hydrolysis are known to occur in plasma membrane isolated from GH3 cells. Here we report that PtdIns synthase activity in the plasma membrane of GH3 cells is distinct from that present in the endoplasmic reticulum. The plasma membrane PtdIns synthase may be responsible for a portion of PtdIns re-synthesis that occurs during cell stimulation.
1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase↗
Lack of evidence for expression of Fas ligand in Fas-bearing tumors.
Interaction of Fas and its ligand plays an important role in the cell death by means of apoptosis in a variety of cell types. We recently demonstrated the frequent expression of Fas in female reproductive tract tumors, which prompted us to examine the local production of Fas ligand by the Fas-bearing tumors. Human endometrial and ovarian carcinomas, surgically removed, were studied. No expression of Fas ligand messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) as assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using oligonucleotide primers according to published sequences were observed; Fas ligand mRNA was detected in lymphocytes. Immunoblotting of membrane proteins with the specific antibody failed to demonstrate any substantial level of immunoreactive Fas ligand in these tumors. The results for both mRNA expression and immunoreactivity suggest that human ovarian and endometrial carcinomas lack the Fas ligand. The demonstration of absence of Fas ligand expression raises the possibility that the stimulated proliferation of the Fas ligand-absent tumors may occurs by release of Fas-Fas ligand system-associated apoptosis.
Apoptosis↗
Alternative gonadotropin-releasing hormone processing products secreted from endometrial carcinoma.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor is demonstrated in uterine endometrial carcinoma. The endometrial carcinoma also produces GnRH or -like peptide, which prompted us to examine whether the intratumoral serves as natural ligand for its receptor. Endometrial carcinomas surgically removed had been screened for GnRH receptor expression before analysis. The in endometrial carcinoma cell-enriched culture media was characterized by immunoblots in tricine-supplied electrophoresis system and subsequent amino acid sequencing. Three major proteins of 10.0 kDa, 7.6 kDa and 1.1 kDa corresponding to pre-proGnRH, proGnRH and decapeptide GnRH, respectively, were detected in all of the ten endometrial carcinoma specimens tested. Immunoreactive contents in the culture media, assessed by RIA, ranged from 0.08 to 0.1 nM. In chorionic cell-conditioned media, only 1.1-kDa protein was detected. Endometrial carcinoma cells secrete alternative GnRH processing products in addition to natural GnRH. The GnRH variants may compete with mature GnRH at the level of its receptors, perhaps counteracting the GnRH signaling pathway to retard cell proliferation.
Culture Media↗
Ultrasonographic monitoring of high dose rate interstitial implant using template technique for oral tongue cancer.
192Ir high dose rate (HDR) fractionated interstitial brachytherapy was performed on two patients with tongue cancer with the aid of real-time intraoral ultrasonographic (US) guidance and the template technique. Blind-ended catheters with metallic rods (Obturator, Nucletron, the Netherlands) were inserted into the tongue from the submandibular region. This US monitoring allows for detection of the accurate location of both tumor and catheters in real-time motion. After implantation, we reconfirmed the position of the catheters by CT examination. Intraoral US monitoring was thus found to be a useful procedure for accurate implantation of brachytherapy for tongue cancer.
Brachytherapy↗
A case-control study of uterine endometrial cancer of pre- and post-menopausal women.
Endometrial cancers are generally divided into at least two different pathogenetic types. One occurs from the proliferative endometrium, depending on continuous estrogen stimulation, while the other is not related to the stimulation and occurs from the atrophic endometrium of older post-menopausal women. In order to assess the risk factors for endometrial carcinoma (EC), a case-control study with 136 Japanese women having EC and with 376 healthy controls for ECs in Japan, together with an immunohistochemical analyses on p53, estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) of EC patients was undertaken. Nulliparity, increased BMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, later age at menopause and personal cancer history were all seen predominantly in the EC group. Frequency of irregular menses, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity in the EC patients under 40-year old was significantly higher than the control group. Immunohistochemical expressions of ER (P<0.05) and PR (P<0. 01) were more frequently recognized in the EC of the pre-menopausal than in the post-menopausal patients. On the other hand, p53 overexpression was detected in 27.2% of the post-menopausal EC group, while only found in 7.1% of the pre-menopausal EC group. These findings indicate that possible factors related to endometrial carcinogenesis are different between the pre- and post-menopausal EC patients. Namely, untreated ovarian dysfunction such as PCOS with unopposed estrogenic action in the endometrium may be associated with development and growth of EC in younger women, yet abnormality of p53 gene may be more concerned with the development of the post-menopausal EC, independently of sex steroid influence.
Adult↗
Brain involvement in Hodgkin's disease: case reports and review of the literature.
Hodgkin's disease involving in the central nervous system is extremely rare. It usually spreads contiguously, as visceral involvement is generally thought to occur secondary to involved adjacent lymph nodes. We report three such cases found in our institution in the last two decades. Based upon our limited experience together with reported data, whole brain irradiation combined with systemic chemotherapy remains the treatment of choice for these lesions.
Adolescent↗
Radiation and low dose adriamycin for the treatment of carcinoma of the hypopharynx.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of adriamycin in radiation therapy for hypopharyngeal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma without distant metastasis were treated. Adriamycin was administered i.v. and weekly (15 mg i.v./once a week, median 64 mg) concurrently with radiation therapy to 38 patients, 76% (34 out of 45) of whom were in an advanced stage (III or IV). RESULTS: Overall survival, cause specific survival and local control rates at 5 years were respectively, 49%, 66% and 69% and better than results obtained in the 1970's. Radiation therapy achieved an 84% (38 out of 45) response rate at 40 Gy. Treatment without voice function loss was attained for 16 patients, consisting of 15 local CR (all T1 and 12 out of 26 T2 tumors) by radical radiation therapy and one posterior wall resection for a T2 tumor. Overall and cause specific survival rates were 57% and 91% at 5 years. Twenty patients who underwent further surgery showed 69% overall and 74% cause specific survival rates. The remaining nine patients, who lost local control, died within 16 months. In 18 patients with T2 cancer originating from the pyriform sinus, 69% local control was obtained for patients using adriamycin compared with 20% for patients without adriamycin (p = 0.17). No severe side effect from the addition of adriamycin has been found so far. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation therapy using low dose adriamycin with or without follow-up surgery is safe and has potential to be a good option.
Adult↗
Changes in performance status of elderly patients after radiotherapy.
BACKGROUND: To examine the feasibility of external radiation therapy for patients 80 years old and older. METHODS: We analyzed changes in the performance status (PS) of 1353 patients by external radiotherapy at Osaka Teishin Hospital. In addition, factors influencing PS change and interruption of treatment were assessed in patients undergoing radical and palliative radiotherapy. RESULTS: Among elderly patients aged 80 years or more (n=67), two patients showed deterioration in PS (3%), whereas 128 (10%) did so among those 79 years old or younger. The rate of treatment completion was 90% (60/67) for patients aged 80 years and over compared with 89% (1146/1286) for younger patients. Changes in PS were more frequent for palliative treatment (improvement 83/683, 12%; deterioration 77/683, 11%) than for radical treatment (improvement 12/305, 4%; deterioration 21/305, 7%) because patients with better performance status and early disease stages underwent radical treatment. For radical radiotherapy, patients with advanced disease (stages III and IV) showed more changes (improvement 4/108, 4%; deterioration 17/108, 16%) than those with early ones (stages I and II)(improvement 7/132, 5%; deterioration 3/132, 2%) (p<0.01). Better treatment results showed a higher treatment completion rate (CR 99%, PR 86%) than poor treatment results (NC 75%, PD 50%)(p<0.01). For palliative therapy, better performance status (PS 0-2) showed a better correlation with completion of treatment (403/451 or 89%) than did poor performance status (PS 3-4)(174/ 232, 75%)(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Age is not a limiting factor for external radiation therapy. Poor performance status is a significant predisposing factor for interruption of palliative radiotherapy.
Adolescent↗
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone has a biphasic action on aromatase activity through protein kinase C in granulosa cells.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) exerts direct effects on the ovary by binding to its specific receptor, and stimulates inositol phospholipid turnover in granulosa cells. This study was undertaken to determine the involvement of protein kinase C in the action of GnRH on follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated aromatase activity in rat granulosa cells. The aromatase activity was examined by conversion of exogenously supplied androstenedione to estrogen. FSH stimulated aromatase activity, with a low rate of estrogen production for the first 18 hours, followed by a high rate of production on further incubation. Addition of GnRH potentiated the aromatase response to FSH in the first 18 hours, but caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the FSH-stimulated aromatase activity from 20 to 45 hours of incubation. Half-maximal effects of GnRH occurred at 10 nM. Both of the biphasic actions of GnRH on aromatase response to FSH were mimicked by protein kinase C activators, phobol myristate acetate (PMA) and oleoylacetyl glycerol; maximal effects occurred at 1 to 10 ng/mL. When the cells were exposed first to FSH for 18 hours and then to PMA, the second phase of estrogen production was also suppressed. The second phase, producing quantitative estrogen, might result from induction of the enzyme, because cycloheximide (100 ng/mL) prevented the FSH-induced activation of aromatase from 20 hours of incubation. These results indicate that the biphasic actions of GnRH on FSH-stimulated aromatase activity are mediated by protein kinase C. The inhibitory action of GnRH on quantitative steroidogenesis caused by prolonged FSH stimulation might be expressed through the impaired induction of aromatase.
Androstenedione↗
Age as a prognostic factor for late local recurrence of early tongue cancer treated with brachytherapy.
BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine predisposing factors on late local recurrence of early oral tongue cancer (T1-2N0). METHODS: We analysed 152 patients with no evidence of disease 2 years after interstitial radiation therapy without external radiation. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed age to be the only significant prognostic factor for late local control (p = 0.03). We then examined the influence of age by comparing the results between 36 older patients (age more than, or equal to, 65) and 116 other control patients (age less than 65). Aged patients showed poor local control rates of 62% at 10 years after treatment, whereas the corresponding figures for control patients were 90% (p = 0.003). The cause specific survival rate at 10 years was also lower in elderly patients (75%) than in control patients (93%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Age is a predisposing factor for late local recurrence in patients free from disease 2 years after treatment.
Adult↗
Tongue cancer treated with brachytherapy: is thickness of tongue cancer a prognostic factor for regional control?
BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the predisposing factor for lymph node metastasis and examine the influence of thickness for lymph node recurrence in oral tongue cancer. METHODS: We analysed 254 patients with early oral tongue cancer (T1-2N0) who were treated with brachytherapy from 1967 through 1985. RESULTS: T category (p = 0.005), and thickness (p = 0.04) were identified as a significant predisposing factors for neck failure. 50%, 40% and 30% were the incidences of lymph node metastasis for patients with thickness of tumor more than 11 mm, 6-10 mm and 5 mm or less. Furthermore, T category (largest diameter of lesion) correlates strongly to thickness of tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is not an independent factor, thickness is a significant predisposing factor for lymph node metastasis.
Adult↗
5 Gy irradiation does not alter the expression level of WT1 (Wilms tumor gene) in K562 and ML1.
Recently, Wilm's Tumor gene (WT1) has been identified as a predisposing indicator for the activity of leukemia. To know the influence of irradiation on the expression level of WT1, we examined changes in WT1 expression after 5 Gy of irradiation of the K562 and ML1 cell lines (lymphoblastic cell lines). 48 hours after irradiation we could not find any alteration in the expression of WT1 at the mRNA and protein levels. Therefore, our results indicate that 5 Gy of irradiation does not induce differentiation of the leukemia cells.
DNA-Binding Proteins↗