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Biomedical subjects

H Ohnishi

Publications and source records attributed to H Ohnishi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Clinical evaluation in oral lichen planus with chronic hepatitis C: the role of interferon treatment].

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection induces a variety of extrahepatic manifestations such as oral lichen planus (OLP). To clarify the role of HCV in the development of OLP, we investigated the occurrence of OLP in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon (IFN). Of 275 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 6 developed OLP during the IFN treatment. However, OLP developed in none of 230 patients with chronic hepatitis C who did not undergo the IFN therapy. The IFN treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients developed OLP significantly, as compared with the non-treated group (p < 0.05). 4 of 6 patients who developed OLP during the IFN treatment had a complete response with normalization of ALT levels and undetectable HCV RNA after the treatment. There were no significant correlations between the effect of the IFN treatment and outcome of OLP. Furthermore, 3 of the 6 patients developed OLP, when serum HCV RNA became negative. These results suggest that direct viral factors may not be important in the pathogenesis of OLP in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Immunological changes caused by IFN may play a role in the development of OLP associated with HCV infection.

Adolescent↗

Redo Bentall operation for the aortitis syndrome.

The aortitis syndrome is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease with an unknown etiology that may present as a variety of vascular lesions. The surgical treatment of aortitis syndrome is associated with many potential difficulties due to the inflammatory nature of the disease. A patient with the aortitis syndrome underwent the Bentall operation for annulo-aortic ectasia and aortic regurgitation 11 years prior to presentation. The operation was not performed during the active inflammatory phase. An anastomotic dehiscence required reoperation, which was performed with Piehler's method. In the aortitis syndrome, the exclusion technique, Carrel patch repair of the coronary arteries and pledgeted anastomoses should be performed for aortic root reconstruction.

Adult↗

[A case of high flow CCF with congestive hemorrhage].

The authors report a case of high flow CCF with intracerebral hemorrhage during treatment with endovascular coil embolization. A 52-year-old woman had been in good health until a sudden onset of orbital bruit and left orbital tinnitus occurred. Conjunctival chemosis and diplopia caused by left abducens palsy gradually progressed. Left internal carotid arteriography revealed a carotid-cavernous sinus fistula with direct high-flow shunt. The fistula drained into the superior orbital vein, inferior petrosal sinus, intercavernous sinus and sphenoparietal sinus with significant cortical reflux. The attempt at transarterial balloon occlusion failed. Then transvenous coil embolization was performed. During the course of endovascular treatment, follow up CT depicted intracerebral hemorrhage. Intracerebral hemorrhage was asymptomatic and thought to be caused by venous hypertension from cortical reflux. The patient underwent direct occlusion of the left sphenoparietal sinus for prevention of further hemorrhage via craniotomy. Lastly, the cavernous sinus was completely occluded by transvenous coil embolization. The signs and symptoms resolved 3 months after the procedures.

Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula↗

[Measles pneumonia presenting with multiple nodular opacities on chest radiographs].

A 22-year-old woman presented with fever, cough, and maculopapular erythematous rash on hands and feet. These symptoms developed 14 days after the onset of natural measles in the patient's daughter. Chest radiographs obtained on the first examination showed multiple nodular opacities and infiltrates in the left and right lung fields. Serological examinations disclosed elevated levels of the specific IgM antibody and a remarkably elevated hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer, indicating a recent measles infection. The patient's symptoms, skin eruptions, and abnormal chest radiograph findings disappeared after several days. However, chest computed tomographic scans taken 8 months after the initial examination revealed small, residual nodular opacities. Other than the fact that the patient had received attenuated measles virus vaccine, these findings were typical of the clinical course for atypical pneumonia. We concluded that in the differential diagnosis of multiple nodular opacities on chest radiographs, adequate attention should be given to pulmonary involvement of measles infection.

Adult↗

[Bacteria isolated from surgical infections and their susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents. Special references to bacteria isolated between April 1997 and March 1998].

The annual multicenter studies on isolated bacteria from infections in general surgery and their antimicrobial susceptibility have been conducted in 19 facilities in Japan since July 1982. This paper describes the results obtained during the period from April 1997 to March 1998. The number of cases investigated as objectives was 215 for one year. A total of 420 strains (170 strains from primary infections and 250 strains from postoperative infections) were isolated from 174 cases (80.9% of total cases). In primary infections, the isolation rate of anaerobic bacteria was higher than in postoperative infections, while in postoperative infections, those of aerobic Gram-positive bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were higher than in primary infections. Among aerobic Gram-positive bacteria, the isolation rate of Enterococcus faecalis was the highest, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, which was frequently isolated from postoperative infections. Among anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria, Peptostreptococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. were commonly isolated from both types of infections. Among aerobic Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli was most predominantly isolated from primary infections, followed by P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae in this order, and from postoperative infections, P. aeruginosa was most predominantly isolated, followed by E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Among anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria, Bacteroides fragilis group was the majority of isolates from both types of infections. We found neither vancomycin nor arbekacin resistant strains of S. aureus, and found no vancomycin resistant strains of Enterococcus spp. The susceptibility of P. aeruginosa against carbapenems did not decline in the year 1997, while resistance of B. fragilis group against cephems advanced increasingly.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Gene structure of mouse BIT/SHPS-1.

BIT/SHPS-1/SIRPalpha/P84 is a unique molecule with a high degree of homology with immune antigen recognition molecules (immunoglobulin, T-cell receptor and MHC), and is highly expressed in the brain. The extracellular region contains three immunoglobulin-like domains (V-type, C1-type and C1-type), and the intracellular region contains two signalling motifs that interact with SHP-2 protein tyrosine phosphatase. BIT-coated plates support cell-substrate adhesion and neurite extension of neurons, and BIT participates in neuronal signal transduction. Diversity of the V-type domain sequences of human BIT has been reported. In the present study we analysed the structure of the mouse BIT gene (Bit). The protein coding region consists of eight exons corresponding to a signal peptide, a V-type domain, a C1-type domain, a C1-type domain, a transmembrane region and three parts of one cytoplasmic region. The two signalling motifs are encoded in one exon. Four splicing forms of mouse BIT were revealed. We also found the sequence diversity in three mouse strains, namely BALB/c, 129/Sv and C57BL/6. The substitution patterns of amino acids and nucleotides indicate positive pressure to alter the amino acids in the V-type domain in evolution. Immunoblot analyses showed that mouse BIT and human BITalpha are predominantly expressed in the brain. On the bases of these findings we discuss the possibility that BIT contributes to the genetic individuality and diversity of the brain.

Alternative Splicing↗

AF17q25, a putative septin family gene, fuses the MLL gene in acute myeloid leukemia with t(11;17)(q23;q25).

The t(11;17) has been described in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and the AF17 gene was previously cloned as a fusion partner of the MLL gene in t(11;17)(q23;q21)-AML. We analyzed one patient with de novo AML and one with therapy-related AML with t(11;17)(q23;q25) and identified the AF17q25 gene on chromosome 17q25, a putative septin family gene, fused with MLL. AF17q25 encoded at least three kinds of proteins [type I (568 a.a.), type II (594 a.a.), and type III (574 a.a.)] that contained two kinds of different amino acid sequences at the COOH terminus. The MLL-AF17q25 fusion transcript consisted of type I AF17q25 transcript. The AF17q25 protein is homologous to septin family proteins, including H5, NEDD5, CDC10, and hCDCrel, which is one of the fusion partners of MLL in t(11;22)(q23;q11)-AML. These results suggest that AF17q25 and hCDCrel might define a new septin family particularly involved in the pathogenesis of 11q23-associated leukemia.

Adult↗

Pattern of FHIT gene expression in normal and leukaemic cells.

Chromosomal aberrations and inactivation of tumour suppressor genes are frequent in acute leukaemia. To determine whether the FHIT gene is involved in the development of leukaemia, we examined the FHIT transcript in 65 leukaemia cell lines, 5 fresh acute leukaemia patients at diagnosis and in complete remission, normal peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from 14 healthy volunteers and Epstein-Barr (EB) virus transformed 5 B-cell lines (EB-lines), using nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. The transcripts were classified into 4 patterns: pattern I revealed the normal transcripts only, pattern II the altered transcripts in addition to the normal transcripts, pattern III the altered transcripts without the normal transcripts and pattern IV an absence of normal and altered FHIT transcripts. Nineteen cell lines were classified as pattern I, 32 as pattern II, 2 as pattern III and 12 as pattern IV. The frequency of loss of FHIT expression (pattern III or IV) varied in each type of leukaemia cell line; the order ranked from the highest incidence was acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL), B-precursor ALL, B-ALL, and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). No genomic rearrangement was found in any samples examined. All of 5 patients showed same pattern II FHIT transcripts at 2 different stages of the disease. All normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and EB-lines were classified as pattern I or II. Our results suggested that patterns III and IV of FHIT transcripts might be associated with the development of a subset of leukaemia, while pattern II which has so far been reported as an aberrant transcript in varieties of malignant tumours might not be associated with leukaemogenesis.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases↗

Establishment of a long-surviving murine model of myocardial infarction: qualitative and quantitative conventional microscopic findings during pathological evolution.

Ongoing basic molecular analyses are being performed in mice, and a simple long-surviving murine model of myocardial infarction (MI) would be very useful in this regard. Although a few studies have induced MI in mice by coronary artery ligation, the induction involves a complex technique and has a relatively high mortality rate. In addition, the identification of the basic pathological sequence is essential to the interpretation of experimental results. We developed a simple technique for the induction of MI in mice and examined qualitative and quantitative conventional microscopic findings during the pathological evolution over a 28-day observation period. Male BALB/c mice weighing approximately 25-30 g were anesthetized and then ventilated with a positive pressure ventilator. The heart was exposed by thoracotomy. Left coronary artery occlusion was performed by thermocoagulation using a thermocoagulation knife at the level of the tip of the left atrium. After establishing this surgical method, we used it to induce MI in 71 mice. The operative and postoperative mortality rates of this model were 5.6% (4/71) and 12.6% (9/71), respectively. In 3 (5.2%) of the 58 surviving mice, the area of infarct was not sufficient. The infarct area in the remaining 55 mice was 40 +/- 9% of the entire perimeter of the left ventricle. Conventional microscopic examinations with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson-trichrome staining disclosed that all of the characteristic histopathological features of MI occurred 1-2 days earlier than those in rats. Our surgical technique provides a sufficient infarct area, with an acceptable mortality rate. The present study clarified the histopathological sequence in this long surviving murine MI model.

Animals↗

Involvement of Rab4 in regulated exocytosis of rat pancreatic acini.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Rab4, a Ras-related small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein, has been suggested to participate in exocytosis. The function of Rab4 in regulated exocytosis of pancreatic acini was examined in this study. METHODS: Subcellular localization of Rab4 was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The Rab4 function in regulated exocytosis was examined by introducing Rab4 hypervariable carboxy-terminal domain peptide (Rab4 peptide) and anti-Rab4 antibody into streptolysin O-permeabilized acini. The regulation of Rab4 by cholecystokinin (CCK) and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) was investigated by examining their effects on [32P]GTP binding rate into the Rab4 immunoprecipitates. The participation of protein kinase C in the Rab4 regulation by CCK was confirmed by calphostin C pretreatment of acini. RESULTS: Rab4 was localized on zymogen granule membranes. Both Rab4 peptide and anti-Rab4 antibody enhanced calcium-stimulated amylase release from streptolysin O-permeabilized acini, suggesting the inhibitory role of Rab4 in exocytosis. CCK and TPA increased GTP binding to Rab4. Calphostin C attenuated the stimulatory effect of CCK on GTP binding to Rab4. CONCLUSIONS: Rab4 negatively modulates regulated exocytosis of pancreatic acini and is controlled by CCK through a protein kinase C pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Falx meningioma presenting as acute subdural hematoma: case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute subdural hematomas caused by meningiomas have been rarely encountered. Pathophysiologic mechanisms and clinical considerations in these patients have not been sufficiently explored. We addressed the possible mechanism of spontaneous hemorrhage in our case and briefly discuss the optimal treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: This case of falx meningioma presenting as an acute subdural hematoma in a 78-year-old woman is described. On initial computed tomography (CT), an enhancing tumor of the falx appeared to be the cause of hemorrhage. Only faint contrast staining in the periphery of the tumor was seen on right external carotid arteriograms, with no evidence of other vascular supply. Extravasation of contrast material during the procedure occurred suddenly and was successfully treated by endovascular embolization using a microcatheter. The hematoma was emergently evacuated with gross total removal of the tumor. Pathologic examination confirmed a transitional meningioma with abundant hyalinized structures. Disruption of a thin-walled vessel adjacent to the tumor capsule was assumed to be the site of hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: The longstanding ischemia of the tumor was considered to have produced the deposition of hyalin in the tissue, which changed the hemodynamics within the tumor, producing vascular stress leading to rupture. The prognosis of patients with meningiomas complicated by acute subdural hematoma is generally poor, with mortality reported in approximately one-half of such patients. Surgical exploration is the most effective treatment and should be conducted before irreversible brain damage has occurred.

Acute Disease↗

Alterations of the p53, p21, p16, p15 and RAS genes in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We investigated the alterations of the p53, p21, p16, p15 and RAS genes in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-ALL cell lines by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis and direct sequencing. Mutations of the p53 gene were found in three of 57 (5%) patients at diagnosis, one of 14 (7%) patients at relapse and in 12 of 18 (67%) cell lines. In these 12 cell lines, four had more than two mutations of the p53 gene. The p53 mutations were found in four of five cell lines whose original fresh leukemic cells were simultaneously examined original fresh leukemic cells. However, only one of the four fresh leukemic cells had the same mutation. All patients with p53 mutations in the course of disease died. Mutations of the p21 gene were not identified in 71 fresh samples and in 18 cell lines. N-RAS mutations were found in two of 57 (4%) fresh T-ALL patients at diagnosis, and four of 18 cell lines (22%), whereas no mutations were detected in any samples at relapse. Alterations of the p16 gene were found in 18 of 47 (38%) patients at diagnosis and in seven of 14 (50%) at relapse. These differences were not statistically significant. There were no differences in the frequency of alteration of the p16 and p15 genes between event-free patients and the remaining patients. Furthermore, we found the methylation of p16 gene in three of seven patients lacking homozygous deletions, suggesting higher frequency of p16 inactivation than previous reports in T-ALL. Interestingly, we found that one allele is inactivated by methylation and another allele had nonsense mutation in one cell line (KOPT-KI), resulting in loss of protein expression of p16. This type of p16 inactivation has not been so far reported in leukemia. We conclude that, (1) p53 mutations are infrequent at diagnosis but tend to be associated with poor clinical outcome; (2) RAS and p21 mutations may not be involved in the pathogenesis of T-ALL; (3) not only frequent alterations of p16 and p15 genes but also methylation of p16 gene are involved in initiating the leukemogenesis of T-ALLs, and (4) these 5 genes are independently involved in T-ALL.

Adolescent↗

Interleukin-10 inhibits hepatic injury and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma mRNA expression induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B or lipopolysaccharide in galactosamine-sensitized mice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in D-galactosamine (GalN)-sensitized mice. The aim of this study was to examine the ability of interleukin-10 (IL-10), a recently characterized, highly potent anti-inflammatory mediator, to protect sensitized mice against hepatotoxicity induced by SEB or LPS. METHODS: IL-10 was injected at various concentrations into BALB/c mice treated by GalN/SEB or GalN/LPS. Liver injury was assessed biochemically and histologically. Serum levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were measured and the expressions of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA in the liver and spleen were determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Treatment with IL-10 markedly reduced serum transaminase activities in a dose-dependent manner and reduced hemorrhagic liver damage in sensitized mice exposed to either toxin. IL-10 also inhibited increases in serum TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma concentrations with either toxin. Treatment with IL-10 significantly reduced TNF-alpha mRNA and IFN-gamma mRNA expression in the liver and spleen after administration of either toxin to sensitized mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that IL-10 is capable of regulating both T cell- and macrophage-mediated hepatic injury in vivo and that this cytokine might be useful in the treatment of acute liver failure.

Animals↗

Elevated intracellular IFN-gamma levels in circulating CD8+ lymphocytes in patients with fulminant hepatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Fulminant hepatitis usually takes a rapidly progressive course, terminating in death within a short period. Experimental studies have demonstrated that immunological mechanisms play an important role, especially those involving virus-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and their production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). However, there are no immunological markers for prediction of the development of fulminant hepatitis in man. METHODS: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from four patients with fulminant hepatitis, six with acute hepatitis and 11 healthy volunteers as normal controls were analyzed. Intracellular IFN-gamma production in both CD8 positive and negative T lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Populations of CD8+ IFN-gamma+ T lymphocytes were significantly increased in patients with fulminant hepatitis, as compared with those with acute hepatitis and normal controls. Production of IFN-gamma in CD8+ T lymphocytes of patients with fulminant hepatitis was also elevated, furthermore significantly correlating with the prothrombin time (r=-0.64, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The capacity for IFN-gamma production by CD8+ lymphocytes is up-regulated in fulminant hepatitis, and this may be important for the development of fulminant hepatitis.

Adult↗

Effects of cytokines on the binding of leukocytes to cultured rat hepatocytes and on the expression of ICAM-1 by hepatocytes.

Adhesions of leukocytes to hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells mediates the induction and progression of hepatic injury. However, in contrast to endothelial cells, information regarding the regulation of interactions between leukocytes and hepatocytes is limited. In the present study, we investigated the effect of inflammatory mediators including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on the adhesion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes or lymphocytes to primary cultured rat hepatocytes, and on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) gene in hepatocytes. Both polymorphonuclear leukocyte and lymphocyte adhesion to hepatocytes were enhanced after exposure of hepatocytes to IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, but not after exposure to LPS, SEB or IL-1beta. The adhesion induced by either IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha was inhibited by monoclonal antibodies against ICAM-1 or lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1). Nonstimulated hepatocytes expressed faintly ICAM-1 mRNA, which increased slightly during the culture period. ICAM-1 mRNA expression was up-regulated to a greater extent by incubating hepatocytes with IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha, and peaked after 12 hr of incubation with TNF-alpha and after 24 hr with IFN-gamma. These results indicate that IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha induce the expression of ICAM-1 on parenchymal hepatocytes and that the LFA-1-ICAM-1 pathway plays an important role in the interaction between hepatocytes and neutrophils or lymphocytes.

Animals↗

Consistent detection of CALM-AF10 chimaeric transcripts in haematological malignancies with t(10;11)(p13;q14) and identification of novel transcripts.

The t(10;11)(p13-14;q14-21) is a rare but recurring translocation associated with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Recently the CALM gene was cloned from the t(10;11) breakpoint of U937 and fused to AF10, a putative transcription factor, which had been identified as one of the fusion partners of the MLL gene. In order to define the involvement of these genes in primary leukaemias and cell lines with t(10;11), we analysed the expression of fusion transcripts by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in five patient samples including ALL, AML and lymphoblastic lymphoma, and three monocytic cell lines (P31/Fujioka, KP-Mo-TS and U937). The CALM-AF10 fusion transcript was detected in all samples; however, the AF10-CALM fusion was not detected in two patient samples and one cell line. In RT-PCR analysis there were six isoforms of the CALM-AF10 fusion transcripts and five of AF10-CALM fusion transcripts. We also detected novel transcripts in U937. Sequence analysis revealed that all these isoforms had in-frame junctions and that some of them resulted from alternative splicing at different exons of CALM and others from different breakpoints at CALM and/or AF10. There were at least two different breakpoints of CALM and three of AF10 gene. Our results suggest that the CALM-AF10 fusion gene is a constant feature and is involved in the pathogenesis of haematological malignancies with t(10;11)(p13-14;q14-21), showing various and often multilineage phenotypes. Thus, t(10;11) needs to be investigated by RT-PCR for identification of the genes involved.

Adult↗

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor stimulates interactions of Shp2 with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Grb2 in cultured cerebral cortical neurons.

Shp2, a protein tyrosine phosphatase possessing SH2 domains, is utilized in the intracellular signaling of various growth factors. Shp2 is highly expressed in the CNS. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, which also shows high levels of expression in the CNS, exerts neurotrophic and neuromodulatory effects in CNS neurons. We examined how BDNF utilizes Shp2 in its signaling pathway in cultured cerebral cortical neurons. We found that BDNF stimulated coprecipitation of several tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins with anti-Shp2 antibody and that Grb2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) were coprecipitated with anti-Shp2 antibody in response to BDNF. In addition, both anti-Grb2 and anti-PI3-K antibodies coprecipitated Shp2 in response to BDNF. The BDNF-stimulated coprecipitation of the tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, Grb2, and PI3-K with anti-Shp2 antibody was completely inhibited by K252a, an inhibitor of TrkB receptor tyrosine kinase. This BDNF-stimulated Shp2 signaling was markedly sustained as well as BDNF-induced phosphorylation of TrkB and mitogen-activated protein kinases. In PC12 cells stably expressing TrkB, both BDNF and nerve growth factor stimulated Shp2 signaling similarly to that by BDNF in cultured cortical neurons. These results indicated that Shp2 shows cross-talk with various signaling molecules including Grb2 and PI3-K in BDNF-induced signaling and that Shp2 may be involved in the regulation of various actions of BDNF in CNS neurons.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗