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Biomedical subjects

K Agematsu

Publications and source records attributed to K Agematsu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Cytogenetic clonality analysis in monosomy 7 associated with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia: clonality in B and NK cells, but not in T cells.

It remains unclear which lymphoid lineages are involved in juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). We report a JMML patient who acquired monosomy 7 after intensive chemotherapy. In this case, the expression of monosomy 7 was analyzed in T, B and natural killer (NK) cells highly purified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the patient. The fluorescence in situ hybridization method revealed the expression of monosomy 7 in B cells, but not T cells. Half of the NK cells expressed monosomy 7; when NK cells were divided into CD2- and CD2+ populations, this abnormality was positive in 91.1% of CD2- NK cells but in only 14.7% of CD2+ NK cells. These results suggest that, in this JMML patient who acquired monosomy 7 after intensive chemotherapy, B cells and half of NK cells, but not T cells, have monosomy 7.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1998

Synergistic augmentative effect of interleukin-10 and CD27/CD70 interactions on B-cell immunoglobulin synthesis.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a potent cytokine that regulates immunoglobulin synthesis by B cells. CD27/CD70 interactions by direct cell-to-cell contact are also needed to produce substantial amounts of immunoglobulin. We have investigated the effects of IL-10 and CD27/CD70 interactions on the immunoglobulin synthesis. In the presence of IL-10 stimulation, the production of IgG, IgM and IgA was increased synergistically by the addition of CD27 ligand (CD70)-transfectants in a dose-dependent manner, which was completely blocked by anti-CD70 monoclonal antibody. In contrast, CD70-transfectants additively enhanced the immunoglobulin production in the presence of IL-2, IL-4, or IL-6. The synergistic enhancement of the immunoglobulin production by IL-10 and CD70-transfectants was remarkable in highly purified CD27+ B cells, but there was no immunoglobulin production in CD27- B cells. Furthermore, by the addition of CD70-transfectants, the synthesis of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 was also enhanced in the presence of IL-10. On the other hand, IL-10 diminished CD27 expression in B cells. B-cell proliferation was augmented by CD70-transfectants with IL-10 or IL-10 plus IL-2. The addition of IL-2 further augmented the immunoglobulin production which was synergistically enhanced by IL-10 and CD27 triggering. Taken together, the co-operative response to IL-10 and CD27/CD70 interactions regulates B-cell immunoglobulin production.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Theophylline accelerates human granulocyte apoptosis not via phosphodiesterase inhibition.

Theophylline, in addition to its bronchodilator effect, is reported to have an antiinflammatory action that may account for its clinical effectiveness in the reduction of inflammatory cells in the airway. In bronchial asthma, such inflammatory cytokines as GM-CSF and IL-5 are upregulated and have been proposed to cause granulocyte infiltration (neutrophils and eosinophils) in the airway by inhibition of granulocyte apoptosis. We examined the abilities of theophylline to counteract the prolongation of human granulocyte survival caused by cytokines. Theophylline was shown to shorten granulocyte survival in a dose-dependent manner. Upon incubation with a therapeutical concentration of theophylline (0.1 mM; 18 microg/ml), percentages of GM-CSF (10 ng/ml)-induced delayed apoptosis increased from 18+/-2% to 38+/-3% (p < 0.02) in neutrophils and from 21+/-2% to 35+/-2% (p < 0.02; 24-h incubation) in eosinophils. The percentage of IL-5 (5 ng/ml)-induced delayed eosinophil apoptosis also increased from 22+/-4% to 33+/-2% (P < 0. 05). In contrast, cyclic AMP (cAMP)-increasing agents (3-isobutylmethylxanthine, dibutyryl cAMP, and rolipram) inhibited granulocyte apoptosis in the control and anti-Fas antibody-treated cells. In eosinophils, the expression of bcl-2 protein decreased after incubation with theophylline. These findings suggest that theophylline accelerates granulocyte apoptosis, which may play an essential role in inflammation, and controls granulocyte longevity regardless of the elevation of intracellular cAMP levels.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1997

B cell subpopulations separated by CD27 and crucial collaboration of CD27+ B cells and helper T cells in immunoglobulin production.

B cell immunoglobulin production is regulated by helper T cells through direct interaction and secreted cytokines. In the present study, we functionally analyzed CD27 in cord and peripheral blood B cells. Adult peripheral blood B cells were separated into CD27+ and CD27- cells, which differed in their morphology. Cord blood B cells did not express CD27, and CD27 expression on peripheral blood B cells increased with age. Only CD27+ B cells had the ability to produce immunoglobulin, which was increased by contact with a tumor necrosis factor-related transmembrane ligand, CD70. Adult peripheral blood CD27+ B cells can be further subdivided into two discrete subtypes: IgD- CD27+ and IgD+ CD27+ B cells. IgD- CD27+ B cells produce IgG, IgM and IgA, whereas IgD+ CD27+ B cells predominantly produce IgM. The addition of activated CD4+ CD45RO T cells expressing CD70 caused down-regulation of CD27 expression on activated B cells, and this down-modulation was completely blocked by anti-CD70 monoclonal antibody, indicating direct T-B cell contact via CD27/CD70. The triggering via CD27 and CD40 additively increased the immunoglobulin production under Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain plus interleukin-2 stimulation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that peripheral blood B cells are separated into subpopulations by CD27 and IgD expression and that CD27+ B cells produce large amounts of immunoglobulin by interaction with the CD70 molecule.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Later development of Fas ligand-mediated cytotoxicity as compared with granule-mediated cytotoxicity during the maturation of natural killer cells.

We classified CD56+ CD3- natural killer (NK) cells into CD2- CD56dim (CD2- NK), CD2+ CD56dim (CD2+ NK) and CD2+ CD56bright populations, and investigated mainly functional differences between the former two populations. CD2- and CD2+ NK cells were the same in their morphology and several surface molecules except for CD2. The percentages of CD2- NK cells in total NK cells were higher in the cord blood and marrow than in the peripheral blood of adults or children. Freshly isolated CD2- NK cells had CD2 in the cytoplasm, and gradually expressed it on the surface upon incubation with interleukin-2 (IL-2). These results demonstrated that CD2 is an antigen which appears on the surface during the maturation of NK cells. The granule-mediated cytotoxicities, which are mainly performed by the perforin molecule, of CD2+ NK cells against K562 and Daudi cells were higher than those of CD2- NK cells, and they were inhibited to the levels of CD2- NK cells by the addition of a blocking anti-CD2 monoclonal antibody (mAb). Fas ligand (FasL) mRNA was expressed in freshly isolated CD2+ NK cells but not in the CD2- NK cells. Neither freshly isolated NK populations showed FasL-mediated cytotoxicity, and only CD2+ NK cells lysed Fas-transfected targets after the 24-hr incubation with IL-2. Based on these results, CD2- NK cells have already developed granule-mediated cytotoxicity equal to that of CD2+ NK cells except for the CD2-associated activity, but they, unlike CD2+ NK cells, totally lack FasL-mediated cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that FasL-mediated cytotoxicity may be acquired at more mature stages of NK-cell maturation than granule-mediated cytotoxicity.

CD2 Antigens↗
PubMed1996

CD27/CD70 interaction directly induces natural killer cell killing activity.

The CD27 molecule is expressed on a portion of natural killer (NK) cells as well as T and B cells. To provide the functional capacity of CD27 molecule on NK cells, we here highly purified CD3- CD56+ NK cells by flow cytometry (purity > 98%), and investigated their NK cell activity via CD27/CD70 interaction using a CD70-transfectant by a 4 h 51Cr-release assay. The enhancement of NK activity by purified NK cells in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interleukin-12 (IL-12) against CD70/Nalm-6 was not recognized as compared to against mock/Nalm-6. However, after a coculture with the fixed CD70/300-19, the purified NK cells increased the NK cell activity against K562, the value being 10 to 20% higher than coculture with the mock/300-19 in the presence of IL-2 or IL-12. The enhancement of NK activity was blocked by the addition of anti-CD70 monoclonal antibody (mAb). In addition, conjugation of NK cells to the target was increased by coculture with the CD70/300-19 without increased expression of adhesion molecules. In the parallel experiment, there was no increase in the killing capacity of NK cells. These results strongly show that CD27/CD70 interaction directly enhances NK activity in the presence of IL-2 or IL-12 by increasing the effector and target conjugate formation, indicating that CD27/CD70 interaction plays an important role in the cytotoxic function of NK cells.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1995

CD27-CD70 interactions regulate B-cell activation by T cells.

CD27, a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family, binds to its ligand CD70, a member of the TNF family, and subsequently induces T-cell costimulation and B-cell activation. CD27 is expressed on resting T and B cells, whereas CD70 is expressed on activated T and B cells. Utilizing transfected murine pre-B-cell lines expressing human CD27 or CD70, we have examined the effect of such transfectant cells on human B-cell IgG production and B-cell proliferation. We show that the addition of CD27-transfected cells to a T-cell-dependent, pokeweed mitogen-driven B-cell IgG synthesis system resulted in marked inhibition of IgG production, whereas the addition of CD70-transfected cells enhanced IgG production. The inhibition and enhancement of pokeweed mitogen-driven IgG production by CD27 and CD70 transfectants were abrogated by pretreatment with anti-CD27 and anti-CD70 monoclonal antibodies, respectively. In contrast, little or no inhibition of IgG production and B-cell proliferation was noted with CD27-transfected cells or either anti-CD27 or CD70 monoclonal antibody in a T-cell-independent Staphylococcus aureus/interleukin 2-driven B-cell activation system. In this same system CD70-transfected cells enhanced B-cell IgG production and B-cell proliferation, and this enhancement could be gradually abrogated by addition of increasing numbers of CD27-transfected cells. These results clearly demonstrate that interactions among subsets of T cells expressing CD27 and CD70 play a key role in regulating B-cell activation and immunoglobulin synthesis.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1995

Direct cellular communications between CD45R0 and CD45RA T cell subsets via CD27/CD70.

The engagement of CD27 with its ligand CD70 is considered to play an important role in T cell costimulation. In the present study, we investigated both the kinetics of CD70 expression and the contribution of its interaction with CD27 in T cell immune responses. CD70 was found to be expressed almost equally on both activated CD4 and CD8 T cells. On subsets of CD4 T cells, however, CD70 expression was induced preferentially on the CD45R0 T cell population after activation, whereas its expression was not noted on CD45RA T cells for almost 2 wk following activation. In long-term culture with media containing T cell growth factor (TCGF) and rIL-2, the expression of CD70 was increased markedly on CD45R0 T cells and minimally expressed on CD45RA T cells. In addition, strong surface expression of CD70 was observed on T cell clones originally derived from CD45R0+ CD4 T cells, whereas T cell clones originally derived from CD45RA+ CD4 T cells showed lower levels of expression. The addition of irradiated, activated CD45R0 T cells to CD45RA T cells caused a down-regulation of CD27 expression and an up-regulation of CD25 expression. These changes were blocked by addition of the anti-CD70 mAb, suggesting that direct contact between CD45R0 T cells and CD45RA T cells via CD27/CD70 occurred, leading to the activation of CD45RA T cells as measured by CD25 expression. These observations strongly support the notion that the engagement of CD27 plays an important regulatory role in the communication of subsets of CD45R0 and CD45RA T cells.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1995

CD27/CD70 interaction directly drives B cell IgG and IgM synthesis.

CD27 is a T cell activation antigen expressed on a majority of peripheral blood T cells. CD27 is also expressed on a subpopulation of human B cells, and it is reported that CD27+ B cells secrete both IgG and IgM. CD70, a ligand for CD27, is expressed on activated T and B cells, suggesting an interaction between T and B cells via CD27/CD70 ligation. Here, we analyze B cell immunoglobulin synthesis using a CD70 transfectant and present functional data showing that B cells secrete large amounts of IgG and IgM as a result of the CD27/CD70 interaction. A flow cytometric analysis showed that CD27 expression was increased and CD70 was expressed on tonsillar and peripheral blood B cells after activation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain (SAC) plus interleukin (IL-2). In addition, the proliferation of B cells was enhanced mildly by the addition of CD70 transfectant, and its proliferation was blocked by anti-CD70 mAb. More importantly, the CD70 transfectant enhanced IgG and IgM production by purified B cells greatly in the presence of SAC plus IL-2. The enhancement was completely blocked by the addition of either anti-CD70 mAb or anti-CD27 mAb. Strongly suggesting that the interaction of CD27 with its ligand, CD70, on B cells plays an important role in B cell growth and differentiation to produce IgG and IgM.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

CD27 is a signal-transducing molecule involved in CD45RA+ naive T cell costimulation.

CD27 is a 120-kDa transmembrane homodimeric molecule expressed on the majority of T cells, B cells, and NK cells that belongs to the TNFR/nerve growth factor receptor family. The interaction between CD27 and its ligand, CD70, is thought to play an important role in T cell activation. In this paper we have examined the signal-transducing potential of CD27 in T cell costimulation. Anti-CD27 mAb, anti-1A4, induced substantial proliferation of peripheral blood T cells in the presence of a suboptimal dose of PMA, phytohemagglutinin, anti-CD2, or anti-CD3 together with a second Ab to cross-link the CD27 molecule. This T cell proliferation was also observed by using CD70 transfectant cells. CD27 cross-linking maximally induced proliferation of CD45RA+CD4 T cells but only slightly induced proliferation of CD45RO+CD4 T cells. CD27-mediated T cell proliferation did not seem to be dependent on the IL-2/IL-2R system because no detectable level of IL-2 was secreted, and only a partial inhibition was observed with anti-IL-2 and anti-IL-2R Abs. Furthermore, an increase in intracellular Ca2+ was observed in PMA-treated T cells when the CD27 molecule was cross-linked. More importantly, CD27 ligation induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation, especially 70 kDa of cellular substrate, including ZAP-70, in T cells. Herbimycin A, a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, blocked T cell proliferation induced by CD27 ligation, suggesting the possibility that the activation of protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C is required for CD27-mediated T cell costimulation. These results clearly demonstrate that the CD27/CD70 interaction induces costimulatory signals in T cells, especially CD45RA+ naive T cells, indicating that CD27 serves as a T cell signal-transducing molecule.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Differential regulation of CD27 expression on subsets of CD4 T cells.

Our earlier studies showed that although CD27 was stably expressed on the CD45RA(+)-CD45RO-CD29low subset of CD4 T cells, its expression on the CD45RA-CD45RO+CD29high subset of CD4 T cells was gradually lost within 3 weeks after PHA activation. In the present study, we further determined the mechanisms by which the CD27 expression was differentially regulated on the subsets of CD4 T cells. We showed that disappearance of CD27 from the surface of the CD45RA-CD45RO+ subset of CD4 T cells was not solely due to the shedding of the CD27 molecule from the cell surface since the release of a soluble form of the CD27 molecule from the CD45RO+ CD4 T cells was consistently less than that from CD45RA+ CD4 T cells. Although the surface CD27 expression was undetectable on long-term cultured T cell lines originally derived from CD45RO+ CD4 T cells, some of these cells still expressed intracellular CD27 and CD27 mRNA. Moreover, restimulation could not induce CD27 expression on such cells. Further analysis of CD27 protein and mRNA expression at a clonal level showed that cloned cells derived from CD45RO+ CD4 T cells having lost cell surface expression of CD27 were of two types: one expressed intracellular CD27 mRNA and protein whereas the second lacked both intracellular CD27 mRNA and protein.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1994

Role of CD27 in T cell immune response. Analysis by recombinant soluble CD27.

CD27 is a disulfide-linked 120-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on the majority of T cells, B cells, and NK cells; it has homology to a family of molecules that includes the receptors for nerve growth factor and TNF. Previous studies strongly suggest that the CD27 molecule plays a key role in the process of T cell activation. To further determine its role in T cell activation, a recombinant soluble molecule composing only the extracellular domain of CD27 was produced by transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells. We have defined the binding properties of recombinant soluble CD27 (rsCD27) to CD27 ligand (CD27L) cDNA transfected NIH 3T3 cells and have determined its functional effects on in vitro T cell activation as well as on PWM-driven B cell IgG synthesis. rsCD27 bound specifically to CD27L and the binding was inhibited by one of our anti-CD27 mAbs, anti-1A4, suggesting that the 1A4 epitope of CD27 plays a role in the binding to CD27L. Functionally, rsCD27 inhibited T cell proliferation induced by various stimuli, such as PHA, tetanus toxoid, and anti-CD2, as well as PWM-driven B cell IgG synthesis, similar to the effects of adding anti-1A4. Determination of CD27L expression showed that CD27L mRNA is induced rapidly on activated T and B cells. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence that CD27-CD27L interaction plays a critical role in T cell activation as well as in T cell-dependent B cell IgG synthesis, suggesting that the CD27-CD27L interaction may constitute a component of the T cell-T cell or T cell-B cell interaction seen after activation with Ag or mitogen.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1994

A marked decrease in defensin mRNA in the only case of congenital neutrophil-specific granule deficiency reported in Japan.

A deficiency of defensins (human neutrophil peptides, HNP) has been previously demonstrated in two individuals with congenital neutrophil-specific granule deficiency (SGD), but its genetic basis is not well understood. We have studied another case of SGD, the only case reported in Japan, to elucidate the molecular basis of defensin deficiency. Using Western blot analysis, we showed for the first time that HNP-4, a novel human defensin, was also deficient in the patient's neutrophils. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the defensin mRNA was absent in the bone marrow cells of the patient. Limited Southern blot analysis, using a defensin cDNA probe, did not reveal any differences in fragment patterns of the genomic DNA between the patient and the control. We propose that the defensin deficiency in our patient is a consequence of a marked decrease in defensin mRNA in neutrophil precursors. Our findings were consistent with a previous speculation suggesting that the SGD defect occurs at the level of transcription.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hypercalcemia associated with all-trans-retinoic acid in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Recent reports have described clinical benefits of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). This paper describes severe hypercalcemia (serum calcium: 18.7 mg/dl) in association with ATRA treatment in a 14 year old girl with APL. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations were normal (0.21 ng/ml), which precludes the possibility of primary hyperparathyroidism or ectopic PTH secretion as a cause of the hypercalcemia. As for the factors which can accelerate mineral resorption, there were no apparent increases in the levels of PTH-related protein (PTH-rP), prostaglandins and vitamin D metabolites. In our in vitro experiment, ATRA did not stimulate the leukemic cells to produce PTH-rP. We speculate that ATRA, like PTH, may increase osteoclastic activity and induce hypercalcemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of the T-cell surface antigen CD27.

CD27 is a T-cell surface antigen expressed on the majority of peripheral T cells and belongs to a newly defined receptor family including the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors, the B-cell activation antigen CD40, and the Fas antigen. Although the function of CD27 has not been defined, several experimental observations support the notion that this molecule plays an important role in the process of T-cell activation. In this paper, we have demonstrated that a rapid hyperphosphorylation of CD27 is induced by a cyclic AMP-inducing agent, forskolin, and a membrane-permeable cAMP analogue, 8-bromo-cAMP, as well as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). In addition, increased phosphorylation of CD27 in T-cell activation either via CD2 or CD3 pathways was strongly suppressed by a cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinase inhibitor, H-8, but only slightly by a protein kinase C inhibitor, staurosporine. These results suggest that protein kinase A might be a key kinase responsible for CD27 phosphorylation in the process of T-cell activation. CD27 is the first T-cell surface antigen demonstrated to be phosphorylated by the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A-mediated pathway.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1992

Fetal liver T cell receptor gamma/delta+ T cells as cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for maternal alloantigens.

We have established fetal liver-derived T cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta+, CD3+ T cell lines that are cytotoxic for maternal T cells. Fetal liver-derived lymphoid progenitors yielded predominantly TCR-gamma/delta+ cell clusters when cultured on fetal bone marrow-derived stromal cells in the presence of a cytokine cocktail under magnetic force. These tightly adherent clusters were cloned by limiting dilution and the resulting cell lines analyzed for phenotype and function. Six of eight TCR-gamma/delta lines from 8-9.5-wk gestation fetuses were V delta 2+ as compared with zero of eight lines from later stages of gestation (10 and 15 wk), where all the lines were V delta 1+. In cytotoxicity assays, these TCR-gamma/delta+, CD3+, CD4-, and CD8+ or CD8- long-term cultured lymphoid cells (LLC) were killer cells active against the class I antigens on maternal T cells. Of the cell lines, the CD8+ TCR-gamma/delta+ LLC had the highest levels of killer activity. Thus fetal liver TCR-gamma/delta+ T cells may play a crucial role in protection against invading maternal T cells generated in the feto-maternal interaction.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1992

Ki-1 positive large cell anaplastic lymphoma: multiple bone lytic lesions and interleukin-6.

Ki-1-positive large cell anaplastic lymphoma (Ki-1 LCAL) is recognized as a clinicopathologic syndrome with fever, peripheral lymphadenopathy and cutaneous nodules; the neoplastic cells express Hodgkin's disease-associated antigen, Ki-1 (CD30). We review here a recent case of Ki-1 LCAL with multiple bone lesions with destruction and present additional information. Although bone absorption is reported in some cases of Ki-1 LCAL, the genesis of bone absorption is unclear. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important regulator of osteoclast formation and activation and can induce bone absorption. In our case, the surgically removed tumor tissue was studied for IL-6 mRNA expression and IL-6 secretion without any stimulation. Northern blot analysis showed strong IL-6 mRNA expression in the tumor tissue and ELISA assay showed a large amount of IL-6 in culture supernatants of the tumor tissue. Based on these results, coupled with the reported evidence, we discuss the close relationship between the presence of osteolytic lesions and IL-6 production in Ki-1 LCAL.

Antigens, CD↗