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O Kunii

Publications and source records attributed to O Kunii.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Glutathione S-transferases as a cefpiramide binding protein in rat liver.

To clarify the intrahepatical transport mechanism of cefpiramide, we investigated effects of various agents mainly excreted into the bile by several different mechanisms on the biliary excretion of cefpiramide in rats. Sulfobromophthalein, indocyanine green, bilirubin and probenecid, known to be bound to glutathione S-transferases (GST) (EC 2.5.1.18) in liver cytosol, reduced the biliary excretion of cefpiramide, while neither secretory IgA, which is transported via vesicles in the liver, nor colchicine, which inhibits movements of vesicles, had any effect on the excretion of cefpiramide. Propranolol and metoprolol, metabolized by mixed function oxidases, had no effect on the biliary excretion of cefpiramide. In the chromatography of liver cytosol, the amount of sulfobromophthalein or benzylpenicillin bound to the GST fraction decreased in the presence of cefpiramide or probenecid. The study showed that cefpiramide was transported in the liver without relation to mixed function oxidases or vesichle-mediated transporting system, but in relation to GST which binds cefpiramide, sulfobromophthalein, benzylpenicillin and probenecid, indicating an important role of GST in the cefpiramide excretion into the bile.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[Useful abdominal ultrasonography for diagnosis of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome: two case reports].

Recently, Chlamydia trachomatis infection in sexually active women has increased. C. trachomatis cause pelvic inflammation. A few of these patients develop Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome (FHCS). Clinical symptoms of FHCS include pain of sudden onset in the right upper quadrant mimicking acute biliary disease. Diagnosis of FHCS has been weighed upon laparoscopic findings. Since FHCS is a benign disorder which responds to appropriate antibiotics, non-invasive diagnostic method would be expected. We report here two cases of FHCS, diagnosed by a high serum antibody titer against C. trachomatis and clinical manifestations. Both cases showed small effusion in the pelvic cavity detected by ultrasonography, one of them was associated with small effusion in the right perirenal space suggesting perinephritis. Detection of small effusion intra abdominal cavity or pelvic space could be useful for non-invasive diagnosis of FHCS.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[An autopsy case of fungal (Mucor) cerebral aneurysm].

An autopsy of rupture of Mucor cerebral aneurysm, not diagnosed during the patient's life, was experienced. A 63-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of disturbance of consciousness and high fever. Her past histories were diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis and nasal sinusitis. The remarkable findings on admission were moderate inflammatory data, high blood sugar level in serum and ascites. Brain CT film revealed a non-enhanced low-density area in the frontal region. The cerebrospinal fluid showed bloody color and white blood cell counts were 3300/microliter (mostly neutrophils). Under our suspected of bacterial encephalomeningitis, intravenous cefotaxime and ampicillin therapy was started immediately. Cultures of cerebrospinal fluid for bacteria were negative. The disturbance of her consciousness gradually improved under general treatment. However, her conscious level suddenly became a coma on the 6th hospital day and she died on the 9th hospital day. An autopsy revealed Mucor at the site of the rupture of the cerebral aneurysm.

Aneurysm, Infected↗
PubMed1995

[A case report of toxic shock-like syndrome due to group A streptococcal infection in an alcoholic].

A 47-year-old male with a history of alcohol abuse had a sore throat on June 8, 1994. On June 13, he had swelling and pain on his right fore-arm. He had tense swelling, redness and pain on the right lower abdomen, left upper arm and left lower leg with high fever and noticed erythema and blisters on his back of the right hand on June 18, which gradually expanding to the entire fore-arm. He was admitted to the local hospital on July 2, where he was operated with excision of the skin and drainage for an abdominal subcutaneous abscess and was given three antibiotics and an intravenous immunoglobulin preparation. Although he showed transient hypotension and moderate liver dysfunction, his condition improved day by day under such treatment. He was transferred to our hospital on July 7 because of the unknown etiology. Aspirate from the abscess contained gram-positive cocci in chains, and group A streptococci were isolated. Panipenem/betamipron was used for an antibiotic during roughly two weeks and excision of the skin and drainage for abscess was performed twice. His skin lesions were continued to improve, normalizing peripheral white blood cell counts, serum levels of CRP and the liver function. On July 24, the antibiotic was changed to intravenous ampicillin and administered for 16 days and amoxicillin was given orally after that, and he was discharged on August 16. An isolate of the infecting Streptococcus pyogenes produced pyrogenic exotoxin A, B and the serotype was T-3 type.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1994

Effect of newer quinolones on the extra- and intra-cellular chemiluminescence response of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

The direct effect of four quinolones on the intracellular production and extracellular release of reactive oxygen species was investigated in vitro using a chemiluminescence (CL) assay. Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) were obtained from healthy volunteers and exposed for 10 min at 37 degrees C to 1.6, 6.25 and 25 mg/L ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin and temafloxacin. The luminol-dependent CL response of the PMNs was then measured for 30 min following stimulation with nonopsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The intracellular CL response was also measured for 30 min during phagocytosis of lumispheres. The integrated CL was calculated and compared for cells which were incubated with the antibiotic and unincubated controls. Preincubation with ofloxacin resulted in increased zymosan and PMA-induced, luminol-dependent CL. Similar increases were observed for ciprofloxacin except that 25 mg/L decreased the PMA-induced, luminol dependent CL. Preexposure to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin did not affect lumisphere-induced CL significantly, although there was a tendency for this to decrease after exposure to ciprofloxacin. In contrast sparfloxacin and temafloxacin caused progressive decreases in zymosan and PMA-induced, luminol-dependent PMN CL which reached statistical significance at the higher concentrations. The same pattern was observed in the experiments using lumispheres. These findings indicate that these quinolones modulate the oxygen metabolism of PMNs and that this effect varies with the individual drug.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1994

Opsonic activity of sera and blister fluid from severely burned patients evaluated by a chemiluminescence method.

Burn wound sepsis is the most common and severe complication in the patients with severe burn. To know the systemic and local defect in immunity of burned patients, we measured the luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) response of normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) upon exposure to zymosan particles, bacteria or Candida albicans that were opsonized with any of patient's serum, blister fluid of burn wound or pooled normal serum (blood type AB). Sera from patients exhibited lower opsonic activities than those of pooled normal serum in the early postburn days. The levels of serum immunoglobulins, complement components and plasma fibronectin were found to correlate well with opsonin-index (OI), which was determined based on the CL response data obtained during the course of infusion therapy with fresh frozen plasma. Furthermore, patient's blister fluid showed much lower opsonic activity against bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa than patient's own serum. These results indicate that blister fluid is also not effective to opsonize bacteria because of the marked depression of the levels of immunoglobulins and complement components. Destruction of the skin barrier by thermal injury and impairment of systemic or local humoral immunity may predispose these patients to burn wound sepsis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Two cases of Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus sepsis].

We encountered two relatively rare cases of sepsis due to Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus (C. fetus). Case 1. A 54-year-old female with abdominal polysurgery developed a slight fever and vomiting in August 1984. Despite the administration of some digestive drugs by her family doctor, these symptoms continued. In mid-October, she was hospitalized with high fever with chill and rigor on the skin. On the third hospital day, C. fetus was detected in the blood culture. After combination chemotherapy of intravenous drip infusion of latamoxef (LMOX) (2 g/day) and oral administration of erythromycin (EM) (800 mg/day), her symptoms improved. Case 2. A 57-year-old male with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy was hospitalized because of slight fever, general edema and pleural effusion. On the 6th hospital day, C. fetus was detected in the blood culture and he was diagnosed with sepsis. Under treatment with the intravenous drip of LMOX (2 g/day) and oral administration of EM (1200 mg/day), his condition improved. Both cases had common underlying diseases such as hypoproteinemia with edema and problems in the lower intestinal tract; the former had polysurgery and malabsorption syndrome, the latter had diffuse ulceration of the colon. Such underlying conditions may have permitted the invasion of C. fetus into the blood.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1994

Anti-endotoxic activity of murine monoclonal antibody (E5) assessed by inhibition of priming of human phagocytes by endotoxin.

The in vitro activity of a murine monoclonal antibody (E5) reactive with endotoxin was examined in human whole blood by measuring the luminol-chemiluminescence (CL) activity in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) as an index of the priming effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the release of reactive oxygen species. Whole blood samples obtained from healthy adults showed a significantly enhanced CL response to PMA after incubation with LPS (100 ng/ml, Escherichia coli O111:B4) for 10 min at 37 degrees C, as compared with untreated blood samples, through no CL response was induced by LPS itself. This priming effect of LPS varied from person to person. Similarly, various degrees of the priming effect were observed with other LPS preparations derived from E. coli O55:B5, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Salmonella typhimurium. However, the priming effects of these LPS or a synthetic lipid A (LA-15-PP) of E. coli were significantly prevented to various degrees when such endotoxins were treated with E5 for 30 min at 37 degrees C prior to being added to blood samples. The inhibitory effect E5 was dose-dependent and was most potent against the LPS of E. coli O111:B4. These results indicate that E5 suppresses the priming effect of LPS on oxygen radical release from human whole blood, and therefore suggest that E5 may be a useful drug for supportive therapy in patients with gram-negative septicemia or endotoxemia, especially in a case involving serious neutrophil-mediated organ injury caused by excessive release of oxygen free radicals.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Comparative study of the effects of cefodizime and HBW 538 in potentiating the production of reactive oxygen species by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The immunomodulatory activity of cefodizime (CDZM), an aminothiazolylcephalosporin, was compared to that of HBW 538, a derivative of the CDZM side chain at position 3 (the mercaptothiazolyl group) in respect to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by human whole blood and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in vitro. Ten-fold diluted whole blood and PMN from healthy individuals were incubated with CDZM or HBW 538 alone at the concentrations of 1, 10, or 100 micrograms/ml, or CDZM or HBW 538 at 100 micrograms/ml in combination with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) at 100 U/ml or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 1 microgram/ml. The production of ROS was measured by a chemiluminescence (CL) assay in which luminol was added to a mixture and after which the PMN or whole blood were stimulated with nonopsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate. The following results were obtained: (1) The CL responses of whole blood and PMN were slightly but not significantly enhanced by CDZM at 100 micrograms/ml, whereas both CL responses were significantly enhanced by exposure to HBW 538 at 10 and 100 micrograms/ml. (2) The enhanced PMN CL response which followed priming with TNF-alpha or LPS was not augmented by CDZM but was significantly augmented by HBW 538. These results indicate that the ability of the HBW 538 molecule to enhance the production of ROS by stimulated PMN and to act agonistically with TNF-alpha or LPS is abrogated when HBW 538 is part of the CDZM molecule.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cefotaxime↗
PubMed1994

Primary retroperitoneal synovial sarcoma.

We present a patient with primary retroperitoneal synovial sarcoma which showed a monophasic fibrous pattern, the fourth such case to be described, and a review of the literature. Synovial sarcoma cells in the present case were stained positive for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), of which histology was differentiated from other spindle cell sarcoma with similar light microscopic features. Retroperitoneal synovial sarcoma is usually treated surgically, however only one of 16 cases identified in the literature survived five years after resection. Due to the high fatality rate, physicians should be alerted to the possibility of this disorder in the differential diagnosis of an abdominal mass.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Priming effect of pseudomonal leukocidin on chemiluminescence response of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

To clarify effects of pseudomonal leukocidin (42.5 kd) on chemiluminescence (CL) production of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), rabbit PMNs were stimulated by zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) after pretreatment with the leukocidin, which by itself stimulated little chemiluminescence response. The extent of CL responses stimulated by zymosan or PMA was respectively 5.3- or 3.5-fold greater in leukocidin (1.5 micrograms/ml)-pretreated PMNs than in non-pretreated ones. The priming effect of the leukocidin was greater than that of G-CSF and related to some steps before NADPH oxidase activation. The increased CL productions might be related to tissue damages caused by pseudomonal infections in vivo.

Acridines↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of opsonophagocytic dysfunctions in severely burned patients by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence.

We compared the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) response of peripheral blood from severely burned patients with that from normal controls to evaluate the primary defense level against bacterial infection in the patients. The CL was measured upon addition to diluted whole blood of a soluble stimulus, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or particulate stimuli such as bacteria or zymosan without special opsonization. In the early post-burn days, the initial rate of whole blood CL induced with the particulate stimulus was much lower than that in the normal controls, whereas the rate was higher when PMA was used as a stimulus. The number of granulocytes in the patients' blood had increased and isolated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) from the patients exhibited higher CL responses to the particulate or soluble stimulus as compared with those of normal controls. The results suggest that the PMNs in burn patients were activated and normally mobilized in the early post-burn period but the opsonizing capacity in the blood decreased. In fact, the serum levels of complement, immunoglobulins and fibronectin were found to be lower in the blood from the patients than those from normal controls and a supplement of freshly frozen plasma of human immunoglobulin preparations restored the initial rate of the whole blood CL upon phagocytosis. The prognosis is still poor when severe infection occurs in the patients with decreased CL response of whole blood. Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rh G-CSF) enhanced the CL response of PMNs from burn patients. The administration of rhG-CSF may be useful for decreasing the morbidity of severe infection following burn injury in the near future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Effect of recombinant human interleukin-2 on the chemotaxis and chemiluminescence of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Recently, unusual frequency of bacteremia and neutrophil dysfunction during interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy for advanced cancer has been reported. To determine the cause of this dysfunction, we investigated the effects of recombinant human IL-2 on the chemotaxis and chemiluminescence (CL) response of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which is elevated after IL-2 administration, on the chemotaxis of human PMNs in vitro. After incubation of various concentrations of IL-2 or TNF-alpha with PMNs obtained from healthy adults, the chemotactic response to stimulation with N-formyl-l-methionyl-l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine was measured by a modified Boyden chamber method. The CL response of PMNs and whole blood was measured by stimulation with non-opsonized zymosan, Staphylococcus aureus or phorbol myristate acetate after 10-minute incubation with IL-2. PMN chemotaxis (IL-2 concentration: 1, 10, 100, 1000 U/ml) and the CL response of PMNs and whole blood (IL-2 concentration: 1, 10, 100 U/ml) were unchanged when compared with the responses of untreated cells. However, PMN chemotaxis was significantly inhibited after incubation with TNF-alpha at concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 U/ml. These results demonstrate that IL-2 has no direct effect on PMN function; however, TNF-alpha which increases in concentration following IL-2 therapy inhibits PMN chemotaxis, indicating that this factor may be a cause of chemotactic defects in PMNs during IL-2 therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[A case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with ascites caused by hypoproteinemia after a massive bleeding from a gastric ulcer].

A case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) developed in an old man whose ascitic fluid was related neither to portal hypertension nor nephrotic syndrome, but with severe hypoalbuminemia emerged after a massive bleeding from a gastric ulcer in a malnutrition state. Ascitic fluid, increasing day by day, yielded Enterobacter cloacae and Bacteroides fragilis. Though autopsy was not carried out because of refusal of his family, neither liver necropsy, nor abdominal CT scan nor repeated abdominal ultrasonography showed findings suggesting existence of liver cirrhosis. In the presence of his ascites, the extent of a chemiluminescence (CL) response of polymorphonuclear cells from volunteers was significantly lower than that of his serum. This report shows that SBP can develop in a patient with ascites unrelated to portal hypertension when ascitic fluid induces little CL response.

Aged↗