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Biomedical subjects

K Eguchi

Publications and source records attributed to K Eguchi.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Effects of epidermal growth factor on ornithine decarboxylase activity and DNA synthesis in rats during the perinatal period.

The effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and DNA synthesis were studied during the perinatal period in rats. EGF administration to neonatal rats increased ODC activity and DNA synthesis in neonatal rat liver, but not in brain. EGF administration to maternal rats increased ODC activity in maternal rat liver, but not in rat placenta and fetal rat liver. These data suggest that EGF has mitogenic effects on neonatal and maternal rat liver and play some important roles in fetal and neonatal growth.

Animals↗

Infection of human synovial cells by human T cell lymphotropic virus type I. Proliferation and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor production by synovial cells.

The present study was performed to clarify the relationship between human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection and chronic inflammatory arthropathy. To determine the ability of HTLV-I to infect synovial cells and the effect on synovial cell proliferation, synovial cells were cocultured with the HTLV-I-producing T cell lines (MT-2 or HCT-1). After coculture with HTLV-I-infected T cells, the synovial cells expressed HTLV-I-specific core antigens, and HTLV-I proviral DNA was detected from the synovial cells by polymerase chain reaction. These cocultured synovial cells with HTLV-I-infected T cells proliferated more actively than the synovial cells cocultured with uninfected T cells. This stimulatory effect of HTLV-I-infected T cells on synovial cell proliferation seems necessary to contact each other. After being cocultured with MT-2 cells, synovial cells proliferated more actively than control cells even after several passages. Furthermore, HTLV-I-infected synovial cells produced significant amounts of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor. These results suggest that HTLV-I can infect synovial cells, resulting their active proliferation and may be involved in the pathogenesis of proliferative synovitis similar to that found in rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Phase I study of CPT-11 and etoposide in patients with refractory solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and acceptable dose level of a cytotoxic regimen of CPT-11, a new camptothecin derivative, in combination with etoposide (VP-16) and to describe the principal toxicities associated with it. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with refractory solid tumors received VP-16 and CPT-11 daily for 3 consecutive days (days 1 through 3) every 3 or 4 weeks. Groups entered the trial at escalating CPT-11/VP-16 dose levels of 40/60, 60/60, 60/80, and 80/60 mg/m2. Thirty-four patients entered this study, of whom 33 were assessable for toxicity and 22 for therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: Granulocytopenia was so severe that this regimen required supportive therapy with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The majority of the patients experienced a 5% weight loss and diarrhea was the dose-limiting toxicity. The MTDs were 60/80 and 80/60 mg/m2 administered on days 1 through 3. Five of seven previously untreated patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) achieved partial responses (PRs) to this therapy, as did two with NSCLC who had received prior chemotherapy, two with head and neck cancer, and one with an adenocarcinoma (primary tumor unknown). CONCLUSION: The recommended dose of CPT-11/VP-16 for this regimen with G-CSF is 60/60 mg/m2 on days 1 through 3 every 3 to 4 weeks. We suggest that the combination of topoisomerase I and II inhibitors is likely to be an effective treatment strategy. The activity of this regimen against NSCLC is particularly encouraging and should be evaluated in a phase II trial.

Adult↗

Stimulation of mitogenesis in human thyroid epithelial cells by endothelin.

We investigated whether a potent vasoconstrictor, endothelin, stimulated the proliferation of human thyroid epithelial cells (thyrocytes). [3H]-thymidine incorporation into normal thyrocytes and thyrocytes from patients with Graves' disease was significantly increased at 10(-9) mol/l endothelin, reaching a plateau at 10(-8) mol/l. The proliferative responses of the thyrocytes obtained from patients with Graves' disease were similar to those of normal thyrocytes. Furthermore, the cell number of thyrocytes stimulated by endothelin was increased as compared with that of unstimulated thyrocytes. Neither indomethacin nor heparin affected this endothelin-stimulated thyrocyte proliferation. When thyrocytes were cultured with both endothelin and recombinant interleukin 1 beta, there was an additive effect on thyrocyte proliferation. The Ca2+ entry blocker, verapamil, inhibited both the proliferative responses of thyrocytes to endothelin and the additive effect of endothelin and recombinant interleukin 1 beta on thyrocyte proliferation. These results suggest that endothelin functions as a growth-promoting factor for human thyrocytes, presumably through intracellular calcium influx.

Calcium↗

Rat liver epidermal growth factor receptors in intrauterine growth retarded and heavy-for-date fetuses.

We recently reported that epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels in the first urine to be voided by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and heavy-for-dates (HFD) infants were lower than control infants (8). In this study, we analyzed EGF receptors to reveal the mechanisms controlling EGF levels. EGF binding to fetal rat liver increased markedly from day 19-21 of gestation. Fetal rats were divided into IUGR, control and HFD groups. EGF binding to the liver in each group was as follows, IUGR; 380 +/- 57 fmol/mg protein, control; 258 +/- 47, and HFD; 545 +/- 112. The binding to IUGR and HFD rat liver was significantly greater than in the control group (p < 0.05). These data suggest that IUGR rats compensate for a lack of EGF by increased receptor expression and that HFD rats consume more EGF and have decreased urinary EGF excretion. These data also suggest that EGF is closely related to fetal growth and may play some important roles in fetal growth.

Animals↗

Intrapulmonary sublesions detected before surgery in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with multiple intrapulmonary lesions remains controversial. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with lung cancer, in whom preoperative evaluation disclosed intrapulmonary nodules distinct from the main tumor, were analyzed retrospectively to establish the optimal treatment in such cases. RESULTS: These sublesions proved to be intrapulmonary metastases (PM) in 16 cases (30%), multiple primary lung cancers in 7 cases (13%), and various nonmalignant lesions in the others. The survival of the 53 patients, and of patients with clinical Stage I/II disease in particular, compared favorably with that of all patients with resected lung cancer. Those with multiple sublesions had a poorer prognosis, irrespective of their nature. Although patients with PM as sublesions often had clinically advanced cancer, metastatic foci, per se, did not influence the survival data as calculated by a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that the existence of a solitary intrapulmonary sublesion should not preclude surgical treatment, unless surgery is contraindicated because of other clinical and radiologic findings.

Humans↗

Increased adherence of T cells to human endothelial cells in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated the adherence of T cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells in seven patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy. The adherence of T cells to endothelial cells increased significantly in all the patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy when compared with the adherence in the seronegative controls (1.3- to 2.8-fold) and compared with the adherence in the anti-HTLV-I-seropositive non-HTLV-I-associated myelopathy carriers (1.4- to 2.8-fold). Prior treatment of the endothelial cell monolayer with recombinant interferon gamma (50 IU/mL) enhanced the T cell-endothelial cell adhesion in both the controls and patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. However, values after prior treatment in the patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy were significantly higher than those in seronegative controls and carriers. The results suggest that the significantly increased T cell-endothelial cell adherence may be related to the initial stages of lymphocyte migration from the blood to the central nervous system in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

Aged↗

Magnetic resonance imaging detection of aortic and pulmonary artery wall thickening in the acute stage of Takayasu arteritis. Improvement of clinical and radiologic findings after steroid therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Early diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis in the acute stage (prepulseless stage) is extremely difficult. Identification of a useful approach to detecting the initial changes of arteritis is therefore desirable. METHODS: Careful clinical examination of a young woman with persistent fever and dry cough revealed faintly audible bruits at the cervical, supraclavicular, and abdominal regions. Aortographic features suggested thickening of the wall of the descending thoracic aorta. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of this area was diagnostic. RESULTS: MRI demonstrated involvement of the ascending aorta and right main pulmonary artery. Steroid therapy (prednisolone 60 mg/day) induced dramatic clinical and radiologic improvement in 2 months. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of MRI-documented reduction in the thickness of the walls of both the aorta and the pulmonary artery following steroid therapy.

Acute Disease↗

A prognostic-factor risk index in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy.

Prognostic factors for response and survival were retrospectively evaluated in 192 previously untreated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had received either vindesine plus cisplatin or mitomycin plus vindesine plus cisplatin as initial treatment. Univariate analysis demonstrated that squamous-cell histology, early stage, and a small number of metastatic sites were favorable prognostic factors for response to chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model indicated that the number of metastatic sites was the only significant pretreatment factor for response (P = 0.0005). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the number of metastatic sites (P = 0.0002), sex (P = 0.0009), serum albumen levels (P = 0.0018), performance status (P = 0.0026) and lactic dehydrogenase values (P = 0.0026) contributed independently to survival. On the basis of these five prognostic factors, a prognostic index for survival was used to define three prognostic groupings (good, intermediate, and poor) for survival (median survival, 16.5 vs 9.4 vs 4.6 months; P = 0.0001). This particular regression model should aid in the design and analysis of new treatment strategies and may be useful for indirect comparisons of different studies carried out in similar patient populations.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with primary lung cancer.

To elucidate the factors which influence the value of hemoglobin, the nadir value of hemoglobin, frequency of blood transfusion and prognostic value of blood transfusion in patients with primary lung cancer during intensive chemotherapy, the hematological features of 124 patients entered into a randomized phase III study containing cisplatin were retrospectively analyzed. There was no difference in the percent nadir hemoglobin value of the first course of chemotherapy (% of pretreatment value) in any of the subgroups with respect to sex, body weight loss, performance status, age, stage, number of metastatic sites or treatment arms. The only predictive indicator for the nadir hemoglobin value in the first course of chemotherapy was the pretreatment value of hemoglobin. The equation for the regression line was y = 1.07 + 0.73x (R2 = 0.663, p < 0.001). The lowest nadir hemoglobin value (% of pretreatment value) during all chemotherapy courses was significantly lower in the subgroups older than 60 years and those with body weight loss. There was an inverse correlation between the accumulated dose of cisplatin and the lowest nadir hemoglobin value (p < 0.05). The frequency of blood transfusion in patients with more than two metastatic sites was significantly higher than in those with one or no metastatic sites (p < 0.05). Survival of patients who had required blood transfusion after chemotherapy was significantly shorter than that of patients who had not (p < 0.05).

Adult↗

Interferon-alpha and dexamethasone inhibit adhesion of T cells to endothelial cells and synovial cells.

We investigated whether interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and glucocorticoids affected the adhesion of T cells to human umbilical endothelial cells or human synovial cells. About 30% of peripheral blood T cells could bind to unstimulated endothelial cells, but only a few T cells could bind to unstimulated synovial cells. When both endothelial cells and synovial cells were cultured with recombinant IFN-gamma (rIFN-gamma), the percentage of T cell binding to both types of cells increased in a dose-dependent manner. rIFN-alpha and dexamethasone blocked the T cell binding to unstimulated endothelial cells. Furthermore, rIFN-alpha and dexamethasone suppressed T cell binding to both endothelial cells and synovial cells stimulated by IFN-gamma, and also inhibited intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on both endothelial cells and synovial cells stimulated by IFN-gamma. These results suggest that IFN-alpha and glucocorticoids may inhibit T cell binding to endothelial cells or synovial cells by modulating adhesion molecule expression on these cells.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

HTLV-I associated arthritis: characteristics of an HTLV-I virus infected T cell line from synovial fluid.

A T cell line from mononuclear cells in the synovial fluid of a patient with polyarthritis was established. The T cell line reacted with serum samples positive for antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and with monoclonal antibody to HTLV-I p19. In Southern blotting with an env-pX-LTR HTLV-I probe and digestion of T cell line DNA with the restriction enzymes ClaI, DraI, and PstI generated fragments that were identical to those found in two HTLV-I infected T cell lines established from adult T cell leukaemia or HTLV-I associated myelopathy. The T cell line expressed CD2, CD3, CD4, CD45RA, CD29, HLA-DR, CD25, and CD26 antigens, but not CD8 and CD20 antigens. Large amounts of interleukin 6, interferon gamma, and tumour necrosis factor alpha were secreted in the culture supernatants of this cell line. This line helped immunoglobulin production by B cells, but not K562, Raji, and synovial cell lysis.

Aged↗

Primary Sjögren's syndrome with antibodies to HTLV-I: clinical and laboratory features.

The prevalence of antibodies to human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) was studied in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. Thirteen of 36 serum samples were positive by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and particle agglutination assay for antibodies to HTLV-I and were confirmed by western blotting. The presence of antibodies to HTLV-I may signify an HTLV-I carrier state. These patients had a high occurrence of extraglandular manifestations such as uveitis, myopathy, and recurrent high fever compared with patients who did not have antibodies to HTLV-I. Patients with antibodies to HTLV-I had an increased spontaneous proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with those without the antibodies. The proportions of activated and memory T cells (HLA-DR+ CD3+, CD25+ CD3+, and CD29+ CD4+ cells) were higher in HTLV-I carriers than in non-carriers. The presence of antibodies to HTLV-I in some patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome suggests that HTLV-I may cause primary Sjögren's syndrome or its extraglandular manifestations, or both.

Adult↗

Increase of CD23-positive cells in peripheral blood from patients with IgA nephropathy and non-IgA proliferative glomerulonephritis.

CD23 is a surface marker of activated B cells as well as a low-affinity Fc receptor for IgE. In this study, we enumerated CD23-positive peripheral blood lymphocytes and evaluated their clinical significance in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Twenty-five patients with IgAN and 16 patients with non-IgA proliferative glomerulonephritis (PGN) were studied. Twenty-seven healthy adults served as controls. CD23-bearing cells were enumerated by flow cytometry, and serum IgE levels were measured by latex photometric immunoassay. Significant increases in the number of CD23-positive cells were observed in patients with IgAN (p less than 0.01) and PGN (p less than 0.05) compared with controls. A significant elevation of serum IgE levels was also observed in the patients with IgAN and PGN (p less than 0.05). No positive correlation between the number of CD23-positive cells and serum IgE levels was observed. We also examined the induction of surface CD23 expression on peripheral lymphocytes by interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-gamma, IFN-alpha, phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, lipopolysaccharide and phorbol myristate acetate. IL-4 was revealed to have a significantly potent effect on the induction of cell surface CD23 compared with other stimulants. It was concluded that many patients with IgAN or PGN show high serum IgE levels and/or high CD23-positive cell counts in their peripheral blood, suggesting that hyperactivation of B cells might be involved in the development of IgAN and non-IgA PGN. It appeared that IL-4 may play a significant role in the etiology of these types of glomerulonephritis.

Adult↗