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Biomedical subjects

S Ohno

Publications and source records attributed to S Ohno.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Hematological abnormalities of primary Sjogren's syndrome].

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory response mainly localized to the lacrimal and salivary glands. However, it sometimes involves extraglandular organs culminating in systemic disorders. Hematological abnormalities are not uncommon, although they rarely have clinical significance. In this study we examined 99 patients with primary SS who visited our hospital during 1989 to 1999. Patient's mean age was 54.1 years and 95 out of 99 were female. Lymphopenia and leukopenia was noted in 35 patients (35.3%) and 26 patients (26.2%) respectively, and 7 patients (7.1%) had thrombocytopenia. 43 patients (43.4%) had either of these hematological abnormalities. Patients with lymphopenia showed significantly low frequency of arthralgia and anti-SS-A/B antibody was more common in this group. Only one patient in this group required prednisolone therapy because of polyarthritis and general fatigue while others needed no specific therapy. Patients with thrombocytopenia were significantly younger and a male/female ratio was higher than those without this abnormality. They had higher tendency to accompany with skin eruption, positive anti-SS-B antibody, anti-nuclear antibody and rheumatoid factor. Three out of 8 patients with thrombocytopenia were treated with prednisolone according to the protocol for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. All of 3 patients had positive PA-IgG and normocellular bone marrow. Autoimmune mechanism such as polyclonal B cell activation may play a role in the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia.

Female↗
PubMed2000

[Pulmonary hypertension in a patient with primary Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's disease, and primary biliary cirrhosis].

A 53-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital in May 1999, because of progressive dyspnea and liver dysfunction. She had been receiving the replacement therapy of thyroid hormone for thirteen years and suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon for 9 years. She experienced exertional dyspnea and sicca symptom for 3 years, and had an episode of syncope 4 months before admission. An echocardiogram showed dilation of the right ventricle, tricuspid regurgitation and the estimated mean pressure of the pulmonary artery was higher than 120 mmHg. She was diagnosed as having severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) complicated with primary Sjogren's syndrome and primary biliary cirrhosis without portal hypertension She was treated with anticoagulant (warfarin) and oral prostagrandin I2 (prostacyclin). However, right heart failure and jaundice gradually progressed and she suddenly died in December 1999. At autopsy, the heart was enlarged with right ventricular hypertrophy. Small arteries and arterioles in the lung showed concentric intimal proliferation and severe plexogenic vascular disease. Deposition of immunoglobulin was not observed in the pulmonary arteries. Since the prognosis of PH is poor, it is important to analyze the etiology of the disease for the development of the treatment.

Fatal Outcome↗
PubMed2000

Unique characteristics of lacrimal glands as a part of mucosal immune network: high frequency of IgA-committed B-1 cells and NK1.1+ alphabeta T cells.

PURPOSE: Immunologic characterization of IgA-committed B-1 and B-2 cells, and unique subsets of T cells isolated from the murine lacrimal gland (LG), the primary exocrine tissue for the ocular surface, which is considered to be a part of the mucosal immune system. METHODS: Single cells were obtained from LGs of C57BL/6 mice by the enzyme dissociation method using collagenase type IV. Samples underwent flow cytometric analysis to characterize the unique subsets of T and B cells. To test the effectiveness of ocular vaccination, mice were immunized ocularly or nasally with cholera toxin (CT; 10 microg/mouse) suspended in phosphate-buffered saline. Antigen-specific immune responses were determined by isotype and CT-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. RESULTS: When mononuclear cells (MC) isolated from LG samples were examined by flow cytometry, approximately 28% of cells were characterized as B220+ B cells. Because surface IgA+ (sIgA+) B cells develop from B-1 and B-2 lineages, it was important to examine which subset of B cells gives rise to LG sIgA+ B cells. Examination of the MC isolated from LG samples showed that approximately 4% of cells were sIgA+ B cells. Furthermore, nearly all these sIgA+ B cells (97.5%) belonged to the B-1 lineage, especially the B-1a cell line (B220low, CD5+). Of the isolated CD3+ T cells, 75% were alpha(beta) and 25% were gamma(delta)T-cell receptor positive. The proportion of NK1.1+ alpha(beta) T cells was higher (3%) in LG samples than in submandibular gland samples (0.5%). Ocular immunization with CT-induced antigen-specific mucosal (e.g., found in tear-wash and saliva samples) and systemic (e.g., serum) immune responses. The magnitude of antigen-specific antibody responses was comparable to those induced by nasal immunization. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that LG contains unique subsets of B (e.g., sIgA+ B-1 cells) and T (e.g., NK1.1+ alpha(beta)T cells) cells. Furthermore, as a part of the mucosal immune barrier, the LG is an important immunologic tissue for the ocular surface.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Antiviral effect of (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl) cytosine on adenovirus].

PURPOSE: Adenovirus is the most frequent causative virus of conjunctivitis in Japan. Recently (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxypropyl) cytosine (HPMPC) has been promoted as a new drug against adenoviral conjunctivitis. So we examined the antiviral activity of HPMPC against adenoviruses in vitro. METHOD: The antiviral activity of HPMPC against adenovirus (Ad) type 3, type 4, type 19, and type 37 isolated from conjunctivial scrapings in Japan and the prototype of adenovirus type 5 was examined by plaque reduction assay using A 549 cells in vitro. RESULTS: The 50% inhibitory dose (ID50) of HP-MPC was 3.50 (1.44-4.79) micrograms/ml for Ad type 3, 4.50 (4.17-4.92) micrograms/ml for Ad type 4, 2.11 (1.03-3.13) micrograms/ml for Ad type 5, 1.64 (1.40-2.02) micrograms/ml for Ad type 19, and 2.02 (1.17-2.73) micrograms/ml for type 37. The 50% cytotoxic dose of HPMPC for A 549 cells was 205 micrograms/ml by the deoxythimidine uptake inhibition test, and 537 micrograms/ml by the trypan blue exclusion inhibition test. CONCLUSIONS: HPMPC proved to be highly effective in inhibiting replication of adenoviruses at lower concentrations than the cytotoxic level in vitro.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed2000

Genetic characterization of adenovirus strains isolated from patients with acute conjunctivitis in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

Genome analysis was carried out on adenovirus strains isolated from patients with acute follicular conjunctivitis in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Eighteen conjunctival scrapings, collected between December 1993 and March 1994, were analyzed by two methods: a combination of polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism and viral DNA restriction analysis, carried out using 10 restriction endonucleases: BamHI, BglI, BglII, HindIII, KpnI, SacI, SalI, SmaI, XbaI, and XhoI. Among 11 adenovirus detected by cell culture isolation, nine were Ad8, and two were Ad7. By restriction analysis the Ad8 isolates were typed as two new variants-Ad8/D11 (seven of nine samples) and Ad8/D12 (two of nine samples). Ad7 isolates were identified as a subtype of the widespread genome type Ad7b and the virulent type Ad7h, a predominant genome type circulating in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay but absent in Brazil until 1991.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2000

[The effect of intraocular lidocaine in white rabbit eyes].

PURPOSE: Recently, intraocular lidocaine anesthesia has been used in cataract surgery. We studied the toxicity of intraocular unpreserved lidocaine for corneal endothelial cell and retina using Japanese white rabbits. METHOD: They were divided into two groups. One group was injected intracamerally and the other group was injected intravitreally with 0.2 ml of unpreserved lidocaine of 0%, 0.02%, 0.2%, or 2% concentration. The number of corneal endothelial cells was measured 1 week after the injection. The rabbits were killed after measurements, and their corneas were studied histologically. The retina was examined by electroretinogram from before the injection through 1 week after the injection. RESULTS: There was no significant change in number of corneal endothelial cells after injection of 0.2% lidocaine. However, histological abnormality was seen in corneal endothelial cells after 2% lidocaine injection. There was also significant change in electroretinogram with 2% lidocaine injection. No histological abnormality was seen in the retina 1 week after the injection. CONCLUSION: The rabbit cornea and retina manifested no serious changes after the injection of lidocaine at less than 0.2% concentration functionally and histologically.

Anesthesia, Local↗
PubMed2000

Severity of seropositive isolated Raynaud's phenomenon is associated with serological profile.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the clinical severity of seropositive isolated Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and its serological background by analyzing digital blood flow data obtained by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). METHODS: We analyzed digital blood flow by LDF in 13 healthy volunteers, 55 patients with seropositive isolated RP, and 13 patients with anti-Scl-70 antibody positive systemic sclerosis (SCL). The serological profiles of patients with RP were as follows: 30 patients had the anti-centromere antibody (C) and 19 the anti-RNP antibody (RNP). We designated the RP in each patient group as C-RP, RNP-RP, and SCL-RP. We used an "arm-raising test" by which blood pressure could be passively depressed, and the cold provocation test, which induced vasoconstriction through the sympathetic reflex. We defined 2 variables, the recovery velocity after cold exposure (RV-CE) and the increase in the amplitude of the digital pulse wave during the arm-raising test (IA-AR), that are the most reliable and sensitive variables indicating the severity of RP. RESULTS: Both RV-CE and IA-AR correlated significantly with the clinical severity of RP. In IA-AR and RV-CE, there was a significant difference between C-RP and RNP-RP (IA-AR 107.1 +/- 25.63 vs 37.4 +/- 17.25%; RV-CE 0.0667 +/- 0.010 vs 0.035 +/- 0.0096 V/s), showing that C-RP tended to be less severe than RNP-RP. CONCLUSION: We defined 2 variables that correlated with the clinical severity of RP; using them we found that anti-centromere antibody positive RP is less severe than RNP-RP

Arm↗
PubMed2000

[Assessment on intermittent intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis].

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy (IVCY) is effective for treating patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) who were 1) refractory to methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MP) or 2) could not be treated with MP because of severe diabetes or steroid induced psychosis. METHODS: Seven patients with biopsy proven DPLN were studied after informed consent. Five of them received IVCY after a failure to achieve renal remission with at least 2 cycles of MP therapy. Of the other 2 patients, one had severe diabetes and the other a history of steroid induced psychosis. Bolus therapy with cyclophosphamide (0.5 g/m2 body surface area) was given once a month for 6 consecutive months and then once every 3 months for a total treatment period of 1 year. All patients were given oral prednisone, 0.5 mg/kg per day. The prednisone dose was tapered to the minimal dose required for controlling the disease. After 1 year, the renal status of the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: At 1 year, 4 of the 7 patients achieved substantial improvement. Although the other 3 patients did not satisfy the definition of substantial improvement, none of them had progressive disease. Adverse events were mild and did not require any treatment, with 2 cases of leukocytopenia without fever or major infection. No cases of hemorrhagic cystitis or amenorrhea were observed. CONCLUSIONS: IVCY was 1) effective in the treatment of DPLN which was refractory to MP and 2) relatively safe with minimal side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Bacterial infection in the conjunctiva of patients with adenoviral conjunctivitis].

PURPOSE: We evaluate the microbiological features of mixed infection in adenovirus-infected conjunctiva. SUBJECTS: Isolation of bacteria was performed in 82 samples of adenoviral conjunctivitis at six eye clinics in Japan. METHODS: For microbiological diagnosis, we performed immunochromatography (IC) and polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis for detection and serotyping of adenovirus, and PCR for detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis antigens out of 82 samples with adenoviral conjunctivitis. RESULTS: Pathogenic bacteria were isolated in 6 samples out of 82. Out of these 6 cases, 5 samples were gram-negative rods and most of them were Flavobacterium meningosepticum (4 samples). Adenovirus type 8 was isolated from all these mixed infection cases. However, HSV-1 and Chlamydia trachomatis were not found. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, it is suggested that gram-negative rods, especially F. meningosepticum, are the most common bacteria causing mixed bacterial infection in adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed2000

[Immunological and clinical features of vernal keratoconjunctivitis between persons with and without systemic atopic dermatitis].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there exists immunological or clinical difference between patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis(VKC), which is characterized by conjunctival proliferative changes belonging to the serious spectrum of allergic conjunctival diseases, complicated by atopic dermatitis(AD) and those without AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 52 patients with VKC (33 patients with AD, 19 without AD). Clinical severity was determined on the basis of clinical scores of conjunctival, corneal, and limbal lesions. The serum level of total IgE, the proportion of eosinophils in peripheral blood, antigen specific IgE antibodies (radioallergo sorbent test, RAST), and tear levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 were measured. RESULTS: The serum level of total IgE and the number of positive RAST antigens were significantly higher in VKC patients with AD than in those without AD. No significant difference was observed in the proportion of peripheral blood eosinophils, distribution of clinical types of VKC, or clinical severity between VKC patients with and without AD. Although tear IL-4 level in VKC patients with AD was significantly higher than in those without AD, no difference was observed in tear level of IL-5 between these groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that clinical features are similar or identical in VKC regardless of the presence of AD. However, it is suggested that there may be a different immunological background between VKC patients with AD and those without AD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression correlates with tumor neovascularization and prognosis in human colorectal carcinoma patients.

The role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in tumor neovascularization of human colorectal carcinoma is yet to be delineated. One hundred colorectal carcinoma specimens were evaluated for COX-2 expression and CD34-stained microvessel density (MVD) by immunohistochemical methods. The relationships between COX-2 expression and clinicopathological feature of the patients, MVD, and survival time were analyzed. Increased COX-2 expression was significantly correlated with pathologically unfavorable findings such as tumor size (> 3.0 cm), tumor differentiation (poor, moderate > well differentiated), number of metastatic lymph nodes (24), and Dukes' stage (Dukes' B, C, and D). Larger number of microvessels congregated around the COX-2-expressing area, and the Spearman rank correlation test showed a strong correlation between COX-2 expression and tumor MVD (P < 0.0001). Patients with COX-2-positive tumors had a significantly (P = 0.037, by log-rank test) shorter survival time than those with negative tumors did. In the multivariate analysis, however, only Dukes' stage and number of metastatic lymph nodes remained as independent prognostic factors. Augmented tumor neovascularization may be one of the several effects of COX-2 responsible for poor prognosis in human colorectal carcinoma patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Localization of the pathogenic gene of Behçet's disease by microsatellite analysis of three different populations.

PURPOSE: Behçet's disease (BD) is known to be associated with HLA-B51 in many ethnic groups. However, the pathogenic gene responsible for BD is as yet unknown. To localize the critical region of the pathogenic gene, microsatellite markers distributed around the HLA-B gene were investigated. The BD patients studied were of three ethnic origins: Japanese, Greek, or Italian. METHODS: The total group consisted of 172 BD patients, of whom were 95 Japanese, 55 Greek, and 22 Italian. Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers distributed within 1100 kb of the HLA-B gene were analyzed using PCR and subsequent automated fragment detection by fluorescent-based technology. RESULTS: Among the eight markers, allele 348 of the MIB microsatellite was remarkably common in all three BD populations (Japanese, PC: = 0.000014; Greek, PC: = 0. 00047; Italian, PC: = 0.11). However, HLA-B51 was found to be the marker most strongly associated with BD in each population (Japanese, PC: = 0.000000000017; Greek, PC: = 0.00000032; Italian, PC: = 0. 0074). In genotypic differentiation between the patients and controls, only HLA-B51 was found to be significantly associated with BD in all three populations. Stratification analysis suggested that significant associations of BD with MICA and other microsatellites resulted from a linkage disequilibrium with HLA-B51. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the pathogenic gene of BD is HLA-B51 itself and not other genes located in the vicinity of HLA-B.

Behcet Syndrome↗
PubMed2000

Dystrobrevin localization in photoreceptor axon terminals and at blood-ocular barrier sites.

PURPOSE: Dystrobrevin is a newly discovered dystrophin-associated protein with multiple sites for phosphorylation on tyrosine residues. In the present study, the cellular distribution and subcellular localization of dystrobrevin were examined in the adult rat retina, cornea, lens, iris, ciliary body, and cultured Müller cells. METHODS: Immunoblot analysis, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy were used to examine dystrobrevin expression. RESULTS: Immunoblot analysis showed that an approximately 87-kDa band was expressed predominantly in the lens, retina, iris and ciliary body, whereas an approximately 60-kDa band was expressed in cultured Müller cells, cornea, retina, iris, and ciliary body. Confocal microscopy demonstrated dystrobrevin in the inner limiting membrane, outer plexiform layer, and retinal pigment epithelium and around blood vessels in the retina. At the ultrastructural level, dystrobrevin was localized under cell membranes of rod spherules and cone pedicles of photoreceptor cell terminals but often was found in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and Müller cells. Furthermore, dystrobrevin was colocalized with beta-dystroglycan in corneal endothelium; lens, iris, and ciliary epithelia; and cultured Müller cells. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that dystrobrevin is expressed in neurons, glia, and endothelial cells in the rat retina. In addition, dystrobrevin is localized at the blood-ocular barrier sites in extraocular tissue. These data suggest that dystrobrevin plays an important role in visual function.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Spontaneous apoptosis in advanced esophageal carcinoma: its relation to Fas expression.

The prognostic importance of spontaneous apoptosis and its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and Fas expression have yet to be delineated in esophageal carcinoma. Specimens from 65 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were used for immunohistochemical evaluation of Fas, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and apoptosis. The mean apoptotic index (AI) of 65 tumors was 1.38 +/- 0.99% (range, 0.10-4.49%). Thirty-nine (60.0%) patients had a high AI, and 26 (40.0%) patients had a low AI. Low AI was correlated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.0197) and weak Fas expression (P = 0.0093). Patients with a low AI had significantly (P = 0.0095) worse survival than those with a high AI. However, by multivariate analysis, low AI alone was not an independent prognosticator. When combined with cellular proliferation index, AI became an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.0283) in this group of patients. Our results suggest that enhanced Fas expression is responsible for high AI in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. High AI, combined with the cellular proliferation labeling index, could be an independent prognostic indicator.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2000

[A case of colon cancer with tension pneumothorax and empyema as a consequence of colo-pleural fistula].

A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with fever and chest pain. Chest radiography revealed left pleural effusion with left pneumothorax and small nodular shadows in the right lung field. On CT of the chest and abdomen, multiple nodules were seen in both lung fields, and masses appeared in the liver and spleen. Fiberoptic colonoscopy showed obstruction at the end of the transverse colon. Biopsy of this obstruction proved it to be cancer. In this patient, a colo-pleural fistula was also diagnosed using thoracoscopy under local anesthesia and from the inflow of contrast medium from the colon into the thoracic cavity seen in abdominal radiographs. This was a rare case of a colo-pleural fistula without diaphragmatic deficiencies. Medical thoracoscopy is useful for the diagnosis of complicated pleural effusions as was seen in this case.

Anesthesia, Local↗
PubMed2000

[Two cases of acute lupus peritonitis].

We report two cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) diagnosed when acute peritonitis was appeared. Case 1 was a 20 year-old woman suffering from stomachache and right lower abdominal pain. Case 2 was a 40 year-old woman with diarrhea, epigastralgia, pollakisuria. In both cases, their peritoneal fluids were exudative with positive autoantibodies. After high dose steroid therapy, abdominal symptoms and ascites improved promptly. However, due to the complication of lupus nephritis, additional therapy was necessary. To characterize the feature of lupus peritonitis (LP), we examined the clinical and laboratory findings of LP from the literature. In patients with acute LP, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea were significantly more common compared with chronic LP patients (P < 0.05), and fever, arthritis, central nervous system involvement and cystitis were more common. In patients with chronic LP, pleural effusion and pericardial effusion were more common compared with acute LP patients. Gastrointestinal manifestations such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea were more common in patients with acute LP compared with patients with chronic LP. Most patients with chronic LP were asymptomatic, ascites and serositis being the only clinical findings. The response to steroid therapy was better in acute LP.

Acute Disease↗