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Biomedical subjects

K Nagakura

Publications and source records attributed to K Nagakura.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Immunological study of interferon-gamma therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma].

Immunologic and anti-tumor effects of interferon-gamma were studied in six patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. A daily dose of 10 x 10(6) JRU/m2 of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was given consecutively for five days and the treatment reiterated nine days later. Then the same dose was given every two days for three times and this regimen was also reiterated nine days later. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were analyzed before and one, three, five and eight weeks after the initial administration of IFN-gamma. Although the total number of lymphocytes and monocytes were not changed, CD8 (23.4 to 31.2%, p < 0.05), CD16 (12.4 to 19.3%, p < 0.01) and LeuHLA-DR (29.0 to 39.5%, p < 0.01) positive lymphocytes were significantly increased after the therapy. Non-induced LAK activity (0.6 to 10.8%, p < 0.05) and serum neopterin (3.5 to 10.8 nmol/L, p < 0.01) were also increased. These immunological parameters drastically changed during the consecutive administration of IFN-gamma, and tended to return to the previous value after this period. However, tumor regression was not clinically obtained. Our findings indicate that interferon-gamma stimulated the anti-tumor activity of the host, and administration of IFN-gamma is thought to be of immunological significance even in the advanced high stage cases.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Two cases of oral-stings by sperm bag of squid.

Two patients after eating raw squid complained of severe pain and foreign body sensation in their oral cavity. On consultation of a doctor, several small spindle-shaped stings stuck on the surface of the tongue and mucous membrane of the oral cavity were found. After all stings were pulled out, the pain was allayed and the wounds eventually healed. The foreign bodies were tentatively determined to be the sperm bag of Tadorodes pacificus. These cases suggest that fresh squids should be carefully prepared before eating them raw or "sashimi".

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Use of patients' sera for immunoperoxidase demonstration of infectious agents in paraffin sections.

Using patients' sera diluted from 1:10 to 1:1,000 as the primary antibodies in indirect immunoperoxidase staining, the authors visualized a variety of infectious agents in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The target lesions included 1) pyoderma caused by Staphylococcus aureus, 2) cryptococcal infection, 3) dermal sporotrichosis, 4) colon ulcer caused by amebic dysentery, 5) cutaneous leishmaniasis, and 6) chronic liver abscess containing ova of Ascaris lumbricoides. The infectious agents were clearly identified in the respective lesions. Paraffin sections of other kinds of infectious lesions served as controls to clarify the specificity of the immunostaining. While the sera of patients with bacterial and fungal infection showed a wide range of cross-reactivity against bacteria and/or fungi, those with parasitic infection exhibited a relatively good specificity for the pathogen. Almost no immunoreactivity of endogenous human IgG in the paraffin sections was demonstrated under the conditions of this study. This approach can be used in diagnostic pathology, particularly when specific heteroantisera or monoclonal antibodies are unavailable.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Serologic evidence of toxocariasis in northeast Brazil.

Sera from 54 Brazilian children with a history of tropical eosinophilia syndrome were screened for toxocariasis. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected 21 positive sera (40%). Many of these cases (15 of 21) were positive for Dilofilaria immitis as well. Of the six Toxocara-positive children with hypereosinophilia, two were asthmatic. Their sera were further examined by the Toxocara species-specific Ouchterlony's diffusion-in-gel test and one Toxocara canis and one T. cati infections were identified. This is the first report of serologically diagnosed toxocariasis in Brazil.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Identification of a pathogenic isolate-specific 30,000-Mr antigen of Entamoeba histolytica by using a monoclonal antibody.

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) produced against trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica strain HM-1:IMSS, reacted with all of 42 isolates and 4 clones showing pathogenic zymodeme (Z) patterns, i.e., Z-II, Z-II alpha-, Z-II (glucose phosphate isomerase: gamma +), Z-VII, Z-VII (glucose phosphate isomerase: alpha lack, gamma +), Z-XI, Z-XIV, and Z-XIX, regardless of culture conditions, geographical origins, or host symptoms in an indirect fluorescence antibody test. In contrast, the MAb failed to react with 14 isolates possessing nonpathogenic zymodemes Z-I and Z-VIII and did not react with other enteric protozoan parasites, such as E. histolytica-like Laredo, Entamoeba hartmanni, Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Dientamoeba fragilis, Trichomonas hominis, and Giardia lamblia. Western immunoblotting analysis showed that the molecular weight of the antigenic component recognized by the MAb was exclusively 30,000 in pathogenic isolates of different zymodemes. These results suggest that the 30,000-molecular-weight antigen is a marker of pathogenic isolates and that the indirect fluorescent-antibody test with the MAb is useful for the accurate discrimination of pathogenic amebae.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Amebiasis in institutions for the mentally retarded in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

A parasitologic survey of 620 mentally retarded patients, institutionalized in five different facilities in Kanagawa Prefecture, revealed a high incidence (12.6%) of infection with Entamoeba histolytica. A concomitant serologic survey, by the indirect fluorescent antibody test, gave a much higher incidence (26.5%). Moreover, most zymodeme patterns of the amebae isolated from infected individuals were of a pathogenic type (Zymodeme II). Our findings demonstrate that the mentally retarded in Japan, as in the United States, still are plagued by a high rate of amebic infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin administered intravesically immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma].

Absorption of tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin (THP) administered immediately after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma (TUR-Bt) has not been reported. In this study, we have examined the absorption of THP and the systemic toxicity in the early post-TUR period. Of 21 patients with bladder carcinoma, 10 had a solitary tumor and 11 multiple tumors. Twenty mg THP in 40 ml of sterile water was intravesically administered on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28, and then every 4th week. The THP solution was retained for 2 hours. The blood THP concentration was measured 30 minutes and 2 hours after the intravesical administration on days 1, 7 and 28. No systemic side effects were observed. Thirteen of the 38 (34%) samples contained a detectable level (more than 1 ng/ml) of THP on the post-TUR-Bt on day 1, 8, of 42 (19%) on day 7, and 3 of 18 (17%) on day 28. Altogether, 24 of the 98 (24%) samples contained more than 1 ng/ml THP. The highest blood THP level was 23 ng/ml on day 1. The differences between frequency of detection of blood THP in the samples at 30 minutes and 2 hours were not statistically significant. The difference between average concentration of blood THP of patients with solitary and multiple tumors also was not significant. These results indicate that intravesical THP administration starting within 24 hours after TUR-Bt can not result in significant systemic absorption of THP, and the systemic toxicity can be avoided.

Absorption↗
PubMed1989

[Chemosensitivity testing on human bladder cancer cell lines, using MTT-assay].

Sensitivity of human transitional cancer cells to anticancer agents was evaluated utilizing cultured cell lines. T-24, MGH-U1 and KU-1. Simultaneously, chemosensitivity tests combined with 42 degrees C hyperthermia were performed. Cells inoculated in 96-well multiplates for 48 hours, were exposed to graded concentrations of doxorubicin (DOX), mitomycin C (MMC), bleomycin (BLM), peplomycin (PEP), cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP) for 2 to 48 hours. After additional culture for 48 hours, viable cell numbers were estimated by the dye exclusion assay (DEA) and tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT-assay). In 2-hour exposure, most of anti-cancer agents did not significantly suppress the growth of the cell lines. Only DOX suppressed the cell growth. In 6-hour and 48-hour exposure, DOX, MMC and CDDP showed significant growth inhibitory effect on the transitional cancer cell lines. The effect of BLM and PEP was insufficient. The hyperthermia of 42 degrees C enhanced the growth inhibitory effect of MMC and CDDP, but did not influence the effect of DOX. In comparison of DEA and MTT-assay, viable cell numbers measured by DEA well correlated with the optical density in MTT-assay. Since MTT-assay is a semiautomated, rapid and inexpensive assay with good reproducibility, it can be a useful substitute for DEA in chemosensitivity testing of cancer cells.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1989

An outbreak of amebiasis in an institution for the mentally retarded in Japan.

The results of an epidemiological survey in a 190-patient institution for mentally retarded were reported. Twenty percent of the patients had either cysts or trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica in their stools, and 38% were positive serologically. The amebic outbreak revealed a sex-independent but age-dependent distribution; younger patients had more serious symptoms in cases invasive amebiasis. A high prevalence of amebic infection was found in the heavily retarded patients, and the positive cases tended to concentrate in certain training classes. Further demographic analysis suggests that the amebic infection was possibly caused by abnormal behavior of heavily retarded patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Radiographic evaluation of blunt renal trauma.

Radiographic evaluation was performed on 18 patients with blunt renal trauma. Of 18 patients 11 had minor injury. Four of 11 patients with minor injury had a normal intravenous pyelogram (IVP), and other 7 were confirmed to have minor renal injury by computed tomographic (CT) scan. Seven patients had major injury. Six patients were diagnosed by both IVP and CT, and five by angiography. CT scan was reliable in major injury and had the high staging accuracy. Angiography was useful in specific patients. Therefore, we conclude that IVP or CT scan should be performed as the initial evaluation, and CT scan or angiography might be used as the second examination in selected patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Serum uptake of doxorubicin intravesically administered soon after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma].

To obtain the maximum prophylactic effect of intravesical chemotherapy on the bladder tumor recurrence treatment should be started early. Since 1983, we have been initiating prophylactic instillation of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DXR) on the first post-transurethral resection (TUR) day. This study was conducted to define serum uptake of DXR and systemic toxicity in the early post-TUR period. Fifteen TURs were carried out on 14 patients with superficial bladder carcinoma. DXR (30 mg) in normal saline (30 ml) was intravesically administered 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after TUR, and every 4 weeks thereafter. DXR solution was kept in the bladder for 2 hours. The serum DXR concentration was measured 30 minutes and 2 hours after the instillation through 1 to 5 days after TUR. Intolerable vesical irritability was seen in 4 of 60 instillations. No systemic side effects, however, were observed. Three of 24 samples contained a detectable level (10 ng/ml) of DXR on the post-TUR day 1, 6 of 22 samples on the post-TUR day 3, and 6 of 14 samples on the post-TUR day 5. Overall, 15 of 60 samples contained more than 10 ng/ml DXR. The highest serum DXR level was 47 ng/ml at the post-TUR day 1. Frequency of detection and average levels of serum DXR in 30-minute and 2-hour samples were not significantly different. Average concentrations in patients with multiple or diffuse tumor and solitary tumor were also not significantly different. These results indicate that intravesical instillation starting within 24 hours after TUR does not produce significant serum uptake of DXR, and systemic toxicity can thereby be avoided.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1988

Serodiagnosis of Chagas' disease using monoclonal antibody against Trypanosoma cruzi-specific Mr 25,000 antigen.

A mouse monoclonal antibody TCF87, prepared previously, was reactive with Trypanosoma cruzi-specific Mr 25,000 antigen regardless of strain. The Mr 25,000 antigen was recognized by all sera from chagasic patients living in different areas of South America, when examined by Western immunoblotting analysis. Although many antigens of T. cruzi epimastigotes were also recognized by sera from patients with leishmaniasis, the Mr 25,000 antigen of T. cruzi did not react with leishmaniasic sera. These results indicate that Mr 25,000 antigen recognized by TCF87 is valuable as a diagnostic antigen for Chagas' disease. When a competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using TCF87 was carried out, all sera from Chagas' disease patients showed positive inhibition. By contrast, all patients with leishmaniasis or other parasitic diseases were scored as seronegative. The present study suggests that competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal antibody against the Mr 25,000 antigen of T. cruzi will be useful for serodiagnosis of Chagas' disease in areas where leishmaniasis is co-endemic.

Animals↗