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K Takatsuki

Publications and source records attributed to K Takatsuki.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Hyperdiploid myeloma cell as an indicator of poor prognosis and drug refractoriness.

Although almost 40% of patients with multiple myeloma respond to initial chemotherapy, myeloma with no response to initial chemotherapy remains a serious problem. To understand the characteristics of drug-refractoriness of myeloma, fresh tumor cells from 13 untreated myeloma patients were fixed and stained with anti-human immunoglobulins and propidium iodide for subsequent flow cytometric analysis of DNA content. More than 10% of myeloma cells were hyperdiploid in eight cases (hyperdiploid + cases) while less than 10% of myeloma cells were hyperdiploid in five cases (hyperdiploid - cases). The proportion of hyperdiploid cells among all myeloma cells was highly correlated with incidence of myeloma cells with morphologically abnormal nuclei such as those with multiple-nuclei or convoluted nuclei (P = 0.001). Among the eight hyperdiploid + cases, two (2/8) showed good response to subsequent chemotherapy while four of five hyperdiploid - cases (4/5) responded well. Cases with poor response had more hyperdiploid myeloma cells (average 25.7% of all myeloma cells) than sensitive cases (average 6.8%), suggesting a contribution of hyperdiploid myeloma cells to primary drug resistance (P = 0.065). The 3 year survival rate of hyperdiploid+cases was 0% while that of the control group was 41.9%. These results suggest that myeloma cells with abnormal nuclear morphology may show hyperdiploidy and poor response to chemotherapy.

Adult↗

TEL/AML1 fusion gene resulting from a cryptic t(12;21) is uncommon in adult patients with B-cell lineage ALL and CML lymphoblastic transformation.

TEL is a new member of the ETS-like family on chromosome 12 and forms fusion genes with several partners in leukemia. Among these fusion genes, the TEL/AML1 translocation resulting from t(12;21) is found in approximately one quarter of the childhood B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases and its prognosis is excellent. We examined 42 adult patients with B-cell lineage ALL and 13 adult patients with lymphoblastic transformation of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) to detect TEL/AML1 fusion genes using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blotting, but no translocation was detected. These findings indicate that absence of the TEL/AML1 fusion transcript partly correlates with the poorer outcome of adult B-cell lineage ALL as compared with childhood ALL and the TEL/AML1 fusion transcript is specific for pediatric B-cell lineage ALL.

Adolescent↗

Markedly high plasma erythropoietin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor levels in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

In patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), we measured plasma concentrations of endogenous hematopoiesis-regulatory cytokines to characterize bone marrow (BM) hypoplasia which is a major cause of death. Contrary to 10 healthy individuals, all 14 patients with PNH showed increases of erythropoietin (Epo) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). There were no signs of infection, renal dysfunction or hypoxia. The lower the hemoglobin level and granulocyte count, the higher the plasma Epo and G-CSF levels. In contrast, marked differences were not found in the levels of interleukin-3 (IL-3), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or interferon-gamma) (IF-gamma). The cytokine profiles of PNH patients were quite similar to those of patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The cytokine profiles may support a pathological relationship between PNH and these stem cell disorders.

Adolescent↗

Rebamipide attenuates indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion formation by inhibiting activation of leukocytes in rats.

Granulocyte elastase released from activated leukocytes plays an important role in leukocyte infiltration. Since activated leukocytes have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal lesion formation induced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, inhibition of granulocyte elastase release from activated leukocytes may be useful in the prevention of these lesions. Rebamipide, a novel antiulcer agent, inhibited granulocyte elastase release from activated neutrophils in vitro. Rebamipide and ONO-5046, a granulocyte elastase inhibitor, markedly inhibited gastric mucosal lesion formation in rats. Gastric myeloperoxidase activity was significantly increased 3 hr after indomethacin administration. This increase was significantly inhibited by rebamipide and ONO-5046. Cimetidine did not inhibit granulocyte elastase release from activated neutrophils. Although cimetidine markedly prevented the indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion formation, it did not reduce the gastric myeloperoxidase activity. Therefore, unlike cimetidine, rebamipide may prevent indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal lesion formation by inhibiting neutrophil activation.

Alanine↗

Myelomonoblastic leukaemia cells carrying the PEBP2beta/MYH11 fusion gene are CD34, c-KIT+ immature cells.

To clarify the aspects affected by the PEBP2beta/MYH11 fusion gene involved in the inv(16), we analysed immunophenotypes in myelomonoblastic leukaemias. We found high expressions of CD34 and c-KIT antigens in myelomonoblastic cells from all patients carrying this fusion gene, including two with M4 and one CML blastic phase, in contrast to those with M4 without the fusion gene. These findings indicate that immunophenotyping is useful for detecting a leukaemia with the fusion gene in myelomonoblastic leukaemias and that the PEBP2beta/MYH11 gene is involved in immature cells expressing CD34 and c-KIT antigens.

Antigens, CD34↗

Gabexate mesilate, a synthetic protease inhibitor, prevents compression-induced spinal cord injury by inhibiting activation of leukocytes in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Gabexate mesilate is a synthetic protease inhibitor capable of inhibiting both coagulation and cytokine production by monocytes. To investigate whether gabexate mesilate is useful for the prevention of posttraumatic spinal cord injury, we examined its effect on compression trauma-induced spinal cord injury in rats. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled study. SETTING: Research laboratory at a university medical center. SUBJECTS: Male Wistar rats weighing 300 to 350 g. INTERVENTIONS: Spinal cord injury was induced by applying a 20-g weight extradurally to the spinal cord at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra for 20 mins. Spinal cord injury was evaluated by assessing the motor function of the rats 24 hrs posttrauma. The accumulation of leukocytes and histologic changes in the injured spinal cord tissue also were examined. Rats received gabexate mesilate (10 or 20 mg/kg i.p.) 30 mins before or after the compressive trauma. The effects of heparin or an inactive derivative of activated factor X (a selective inhibitor of thrombin generation) on compressive trauma-induced spinal cord injury also were examined. Leukocytopenia was induced by the administration of nitrogen mustard. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The motor disturbances observed following traumatic spinal cord compression, evaluated by Tarlov's score, and the accumulation of leukocytes in the injured tissue, evaluated by measuring tissue myeloperoxidase activity, were markedly reduced by leukocyte depletion induced by nitrogen mustard and by pre- or posttreatment of animals with gabexate mesilate. Neither heparin nor the inactive derivative of activated factor X prevented the motor disturbances and the accumulation of leukocytes. Histologic examination demonstrated that intramedullary hemorrhages observed 24 hrs after trauma at the 12th thoracic vertebra were significantly attenuated by nitrogen mustard-induced leukocytopenia and the administration of gabexate mesilate. CONCLUSIONS: The compression trauma-induced spinal cord injury demonstrated by this model was mainly mediated by leukocytes. Gabexate mesilate prevented spinal cord injury not by inhibiting coagulation, but by inhibiting the activation of leukocytes.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

Activated protein C prevents LPS-induced pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting cytokine production.

We investigated the effect of activated protein C (APC) on pulmonary vascular injury and the increase in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rats to determine whether APC reduces LPS-induced endothelial damage by inhibiting cytokine production. Intravenously administered LPS (5 mg/kg) induced pulmonary vascular injury, as indicated by an increase in the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio. LPS-induced pulmonary vascular injury was prevented by APC but not by active site-blocked factor Xa [dansyl glutamyl-glycyl-arginyl chloromethyl detone-treated activated factor X (DEGR-Xa)], a selective inhibitor of thrombin generation, or inactivated APC [diisopropyl fluorophosphate-treated APC (DIP-APC)]. APC, but not DEGR-Xa or DIP-APC, significantly inhibited the LPS-induced increase in the plasma level of TNF. APC significantly inhibited the production of TNF by LPS-stimulated monocytes in a dose-dependent fashion in vitro, but DIP-APC did not. APC did not inhibit the functions of activated neutrophils in vitro. These findings suggest that APC prevented LPS-induced pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting TNF production by monocytes and not via its anticoagulant activity. The serine protease activity of APC appears to be essential for inhibition of TNF production.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

rhs-TM prevents ET-induced increase in pulmonary vascular permeability through protein C activation.

We have previously demonstrated that recombinant human soluble (rhs) thrombomodulin (TM) inhibits the endotoxin (ET)-induced increase in pulmonary vascular permeability by inhibiting leukocyte activation. In the present study, we examined whether rhs-TM could inhibit the ET-induced increase in pulmonary vascular permeability in rats by activating protein C. rhs-TM did not inhibit ET-induced increases in pulmonary vascular permeability when its protein C activation ability was selectively inhibited by a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against rhs-TM (MAb R5G12). Histological examination revealed that neutrophil infiltration in lung tissues after ET administration was significantly reduced by rhs-TM, but infiltration was not reduced by MAb R5G12-pretreated rhs-TM. ET-induced intravascular coagulation was prevented by rhs-TM and by MAb R5G12-pretreated rhs-TM. However, ET-induced coagulation was not prevented by rhs-TM that had been treated with MAb F2H5, which cannot bind thrombin or activate protein C. These observations strongly suggest that rhs-TM prevents ET-induced pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting pulmonary accumulation of leukocytes through thrombin binding and the subsequent protein C activation and may prevent ET-induced intravascular coagulation through thrombin binding.

Animals↗

Effect of nafamostat mesilate on pulmonary vascular injury induced by lipopolysaccharide in rats.

Nafamostat mesilate (NM) is a synthetic protease inhibitor that is capable of inhibiting the various coagulation factors such as factor VIIa and thrombin. To determine whether NM may also be useful in treating adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related in sepsis, we investigated the effect of NM on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary vascular injury in rats. The intraperitoneal administration of NM prevented the pulmonary vascular injury and coagulation abnormalities induced by LPS. DEGR-factor VIIa, a selective inhibitor of factor VIIa, prevented the coagulation abnormalities, but not the pulmonary vascular injury, induced by LPS. NM did not reduce LPS-induced increase in pulmonary accumulation of leukocytes. NM did not inhibit the increase in the plasma concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) observed after administration of LPS. NM did not inhibit the function of activated neutrophils in vitro. Plasma values of total serum hemolytic complement (CH50) were markedly decreased after the administration of LPS. NM inhibited the LPS-induced decrease in plasma CH50 values. Findings suggest that NM may reduce the pulmonary vascular injury as well as the coagulation abnormalities induced by LPS. The former effect may be independent of the anticoagulant effect but dependent on the inhibitory effect of the activation of the complement system in rats administered LPS.

Animals↗

Reduction of spinal cord injury by administration of iloprost, a stable prostacyclin analog.

To investigate whether iloprost, a stable analog of prostacyclin, is useful for the prevention of posttraumatic spinal cord injury, we examined its effects on compression trauma-induced spinal cord injury in rats. Spinal cord injury was induced by applying a 20-g weight for 20 minutes to the spinal cord at the level of T-12, resulting in motor disturbances in the hindlimbs. These motor disturbances, evaluated using Tarlov's index, were markedly attenuated in rats with nitrogen mustard-induced leukocytopenia. Administration of iloprost also attenuated the motor deficits. Histological examination revealed that intramedullary hemorrhages observed 24 hours after trauma were significantly attenuated in leukocytopenic animals and in animals that received iloprost. The accumulation of leukocytes at the site of trauma, evaluated by measuring tissue myeloperoxidase activity, significantly increased with time following the trauma, peaking at 3 hours postinjury. Spinal cord myeloperoxidase activity in sham-operated animals did not increase postoperatively. Leukocyte depletion and administration of iloprost reduced the accumulation of leukocytes in the damaged spinal cord segment 3 hours posttrauma. These findings indicate that iloprost attenuates motor disturbances induced by spinal cord trauma and that its therapeutic efficacy can be partly explained by its inhibition of leukocyte accumulation at the traumatized site.

Animals↗

Kenneth MacGredie Memorial Lectureship. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) was first reported in Japan, where it has a high incidence in the southwestern region. The retrovirus, human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), is the causative agent of ATL. In ATL-endemic areas, the rate of HTLV-I carriers is high. A definite diagnosis of ATL is based on the presence of HTLV-I proviral DNA in the tumor cell DNA. ATL cells originate from the CD4 subset of peripheral T cells. ATL shows diverse clinical features but can be divided into four subtypes: acute, chronic, smoldering, and lymphoma type. Chemotherapy is not effective; the acute and lymphoma types have a poor prognosis. Familial occurrence of ATL is common. HTLV-I infection is caused by transmission of live infected lymphocytes from mother to child, from man to female, or by blood transfusion. Infection with HTLV-I can lead to other diseases, including HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and HTLV-I uveitis.

Adult↗

HTLV-I provirus in the clinical subtypes of ATL.

Adult T cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive neoplasm of mature helper T cell, which is etiologically linked with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I). We studied HTLV-I provirus in 61 cases of ATL with Southern blot analyses and long PCR. These methods detected defective virus in 34 cases (56%). Furthermore, it found two types of defective virus. The first type (type 1) defective virus had both LTRs, but lacked internal sequences, such as gag and pol. Type 1 defective virus was seen in 50% of all defective virus. The second form (type 2) of defective virus had only one LTR, and 5'-LTR was preferentially deleted. This type of defective virus could be more frequently detected in aggressive types of ATL (16/44 cases) than chronic type (1/17 cases). This defective virus might be associated with clinical subtype.

Adult↗

Gene therapy for adult T cell leukemia using human immunodeficiency virus vector carrying the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is derived from CD4+ T cells and has a poor prognosis because of its resistance to chemotherapy. To evaluate the effectiveness of gene therapy for ATL, the effect of ganciclovir on ATL cell lines transfected with the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-TK) was analyzed. To transfer the HSV-TK gene to ATL cells, a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vector that has specific infectivity to CD4+ cells was used. HSV-TK was inserted into the long terminal repeats of HIV-1 and driven by the SL3 promoter HXBSL3TK. HXBSL3TK was co-transfected with HXBCAT as a reporter into MT2 or HUT102 cells by DEAE-dextran. The cells were incubated with ganciclovir, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity was analyzed. The CAT activity of the MT2 cells and HUT102 cells transfected with HXBSL3TK decreased dose-dependently with ganciclovir. HXBSL3TK was also co-transfected into COS cells with an HIV-1 packaging vector that has gag, pol, and env driven by a cytomegalovirus promoter. The supernatant was transferred to MT2 cells or Raji cells and incubated with ganciclovir. Ninety percent of the MT2 cells transduced by HXBSL3TK and incubated with ganciclovir were killed, but Raji cells were not killed. In addition, HXBTK that expresses the HSV-TK gene and Tat gene driven by the LTR of HIV-1 was constructed. HXBTK had a higher expression of the HSV-TK gene and higher sensitivity to ganciclovir than did HXBSL3TK.

Animals↗

Two types of defective human T-lymphotropic virus type I provirus in adult T-cell leukemia.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), an aggressive neoplasm of mature helper T cells, is etiologically linked with human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1). After infection, HTLV-I randomly integrates its provirus into chromosomal DNA. Since ATL is the clonal proliferation of HTLV-I-infected T lymphocytes, molecular methods facilitate the detection of clonal integration of HTLV-I provirus in ATL cells. Using Southern blot analyses and long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) we examined HTLV-I provirus in 72 cases of ATL, of various clinical subtypes. Southern blot analyses revealed that ATL cells in 18 cases had only one long terminal repeat (LTR). Long PCR with LTR primers showed bands shorter than for the complete virus (7.7 kb) or no bands in ATL cells with defective virus. Thus, defective virus was evident in 40 of 72 cases (56%). Two types of defective virus were identified: the first type (type 1) defective virus retained both LTRs and lacked internal sequences, which were mainly the 5' region of provirus, such as gag and pol. Type 1 defective virus was found in 43% of all defective viruses. The second form (type 2) of defective virus had only one LTR, and 5'-LTR was preferentially deleted. This type of defective virus was more frequently detected in cases of acute and lymphoma-type ATL (21/54 cases) than in the chronic type (1/18 cases). The high frequency of this defective virus in the aggressive form of ATL suggests that it may be caused by the genetic instability of HTLV-I provirus, and cells with this defective virus are selected because they escape from immune surveillance systems.

Adult↗

Preferential hematopoiesis by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone engrafted in SCID mice.

In paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), little is known about the molecular events leading to the clinical manifestations except for the hemolysis. To unfold the complex pathophysiology, it is necessary to elucidate the nature of the PNH clone. PNH exhibits an acquired stem cell disorder, a clonal expansion of affected cells, concomitant depression of normal hematopoiesis in bone marrow (BM), and, although infrequently, the development of leukemia. The PNH clone is thus expected to exhibit some neoplastic features. We report here that CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells of PNH-BM yielded blood cells of three lineages with PNH phenotype alone when transplanted into sublethally irradiated severe combined immunedeficient mice. The hematopoiesis persisted for more than 10 months and did not always need human cytokines. In contrast, the hematopoiesis by control grafts obtained from healthy volunteers required an intense cytokine treatment. This in vivo model defines the preferential hematopoiesis of pluripotent PNH progenitor cells, indicating the intrinsic growth abnormality of PNH clone.

Adult↗

An intensive chemotherapy of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: CHOP followed by etoposide, vindesine, ranimustine, and mitoxantrone with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support.

SUMMARY: An intensive combination chemotherapy regimen supported by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was evaluated in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients in a multiinstitutional, cooperative study. Vincristine 1 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, Adriamycin 40 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, prednisolone 40 mg/m2 i.v. days 1 to 3 and 8 to 10, etoposide 35 mg/m2 i.v. days 1 to 8, vindesine 2 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, ranimustine 50 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, mitoxantrone 7 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, and G-CSF 50 mg/m2 s.c. days 9 to 21 were given for 2 to 4 courses every 3 weeks to 83 patients with ATLL. Complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were achieved in 35.8 and 38.3 percent, respectively, of 81 evaluable patients. The median survival of all patients was 8.5 months, with a predicted 3-year survival of 13.5 percent by the Kaplan-Meier method. The median duration of response was 7.6 months (range 0.2-42.7), and 13 patients were alive. Their median survival time was 29.1 months (range 19.2-44.7). In 67.6 percent of courses, white blood cell (WBC) nadirs were < 1.0 x 10(9)/L. Days required for the recovery of WBC from the nadir to > 1.0 x 10(9)/L were <5 days in 71.4 percent of the treatment courses. The G-CSF supported an intensified chemotherapy regimen for ATLL and yielded better response rate and longer survival compared to previous reports in Japan. Because duration of remission is still short, further studies of postremission therapy or other strategies are warranted.

Adult↗