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T Hamaoka

Publications and source records attributed to T Hamaoka.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[A case of pulmonary, pleural, and renal tuberculosis associated with DIC and a prolonged increase in D-dimer].

A 26-year-old male who had been diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis three years ago with an antituberculous chemotherapy of only two months, complained of tiredness, exertional dyspnea and fever since a month ago. Bloody sputum, bloody stool and hematuria have developed three days before admission. Petechiae over the body trunk and lower extremities were observed on admission. Peripheral blood examination revealed lymphocytopenia (672/microliters), low hemoglobin content (6.2 g/dl), thrombocytopenia (3,000/microliters), elevated FDP (36.2 micrograms/ml) and D-dimer (25.0 micrograms/ml) values. Chest radiograph showed a massive pleural effusion in the right hemithorax, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and a cavity on CT scan. Together with positive acid-fast bacilli in sputum, diagnoses of relapsed pulmonary tuberculosis, tuberculous pleurisy associated with DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) were made. Left hydronephrosis which was presumed to be a consequence of infundibulum stenosis due to renal tuberculosis, was detected by abdominal ultrasonography. Treatment with antituberculous drugs and protease inhibitors were started with thoracic tube drainage. DIC condition was improved by the 20th hospital day and sputum culture turned to be negative after the 4th week, however, fever up to 38 degrees C continued until the end of the 7th week and a D-dimer which is a representative marker for secondary fibrinolysis, continuously showed a high level up to the 10th week of hospitalization. The patient was uneventful during the three months follow up period after discharge. DIC is a well known complication of sepsis including miliary tuberculosis, whereas it is rarely associated with cavitary tuberculosis and no case of prolonged elevation of D-dimer have been reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Suppression of allograft responses by combining donor alloantigen-specific intravenous presensitization with suboptimal doses of FK506.

C57BL/6 (B6) mice were injected i.v. with class I H-2-disparate B10.QBR spleen cells (10(7)/mouse). This regimen, termed "donor alloantigen-specific i.v. presensitization" (DSP), induced almost complete elimination of anti-B10.QBR mixed lymphocyte reaction/IL-2 production but did not affect the generation of CTL responses. Repeated (5 or 11 times) administration in vivo (over 7 or 18 days) of FK506 at suboptimal doses (0.75-1.0 mg/kg/day) failed to eliminate the capacities to exhibit MLR/IL-2 production and to generate CTL responses. Prolongation of skin graft survival was not induced by either of a single DSP or FK treatment (0.75-1.0 mg/kg/day, 11 times during 18 days) alone, but by the combination of these. Such combined treatment also resulted in almost complete reduction of CTL responses before (5 rounds of FK injection) or after (11 rounds of FK injection) recipients were engrafted with B10.QBR skin grafts. Under conditions in which lymphoid cells from mice receiving both treatments failed to generate CTL responses, the addition of recombinant IL-2 to cultures restored the CTL generation, suggesting that CTL precursors themselves are not attenuated by the combined treatment. Both prolongation of graft survival and suppression of CTL responses were obtained when the administration of FK506 was started before but not after DSP. Prolongation of graft survival could also be obtained in class I and II MHC-disparate combinations when the combined treatment was performed in a particular protocol. These results indicate that (1) DSP alone fails to prolong graft survival in class I and class I and II MHC-disparate combinations; (2) such failure is ascribed to the induction of CTL responses by CTL precursors and CTL helpers, both of which are DSP-resistant; (3) the administration of suboptimal doses of FK506 is not sufficient for the suppression of CTL responses, but is effective selectively for suppressing DSP-resistant CTL helpers; and (4) the combination of DSP with FK506 treatment in an appropriate protocol can thus prolong graft survival through the suppression of CTL-involved as well as CTL-independent graft rejection pathways.

Animals↗

Similarity in the EDTA-soluble antigens of Clostridium chauvoei and C. septicum.

The EDTA-soluble antigens were prepared from whole cells of six strains of Clostridium chauvoei and five strains of C. septicum and were compared by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblot analysis. SDS-PAGE profiles of the 11 strains were nearly identical, although there were slight variations in molecular mass in adjacent bands. In immunoblot analysis with two antisera against C. chauvoei and three against C. septicum, the antigens of all strains tested reacted with all five antisera and there were no differences in reactivities to the same antiserum between homologous and heterologous antigens. In an immunoblot reacted with a single antiserum, band patterns of 10 of the 11 strains were quite similar. After cross-absorption, antisera to both species lost most of their reactivities not only to heterologous antigens but also to homologous antigens. These results indicate that the two species share many common antigens and that there is a marked similarity in the antigenic properties of EDTA-soluble material.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Suppression of anti-tumor CD4+ T cell responsiveness in the tumor-bearing state and its recovery in in vitro culture free of tumor burden.

We investigated whether the responsiveness of anti-tumor CD4+ T cells suppressed in the tumor-bearing state is reversed in conditions free of tumor burden. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice bearing a syngeneic tumor (CSA1M) 1-3 wk after inoculation with CSA1M cells produced interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-4 upon in vitro culture without addition of exogenous tumor antigens. This lymphokine production was achieved through collaboration between anti-CSA1M CD4+ T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC) that had been pulsed with CSA1M tumor antigens in vivo in the tumor-bearing state. However, spleen cells from late (8-10 wk) tumor-bearing stages produced reduced levels of lymphokine production despite the presence of comparable proportions of CD4+ T cells. Because APC in these cell populations exhibited enhanced capacities to present tumor antigens, reduced responsiveness was ascribed to the dysfunction of CD4+ T cells themselves. When spleen cells from early tumor-bearing mice were preincubated for 1-2 days and recultured in fresh medium, the magnitude of lymphokine production by these cells was not changed. In contrast, the same protocol of preincubation and reculture for cells from late tumor-bearing mice resulted in the recovery of anti-tumor lymphokine-producing capacity. The recovered capacity was comparable to or slightly higher than that expressed by cells from early tumor-bearing stages. Since the CD4+ T cell content did not significantly differ before and after preincubation, enhanced lymphokine production was due to the recovered responsiveness of anti-tumor CD4+ helper T cells. The recovery of anti-tumor responsiveness was also induced in vivo by tumor removal at the late tumor-bearing stage: spleen cells from mice 2-4 wk after tumor resection efficiently produced IL-2 and IL-4. These results indicate that the immunodysfunction of anti-tumor CD4+ T cells induced in the tumor-bearing state is reversible because release from tumor burden either by preincubation in vitro or by tumor removal in vivo results in almost complete recovery of the potent anti-tumor responsiveness initially expressed.

Animals↗

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-mediated immunosuppression in the tumor-bearing state: enhanced production of TGF-beta and a progressive increase in TGF-beta susceptibility of anti-tumor CD4+ T cell function.

The present study deals with the effect of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on anti-tumor immune responsiveness at various stages of the tumor-bearing state. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice bearing a syngeneic tumor (CSA1M) 1-3 wk after inoculation with CSA1M cells produced interleukin-2 (IL-2) and macrophage-activating factor (MAF)/interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) upon in vitro culture without addition of exogenous tumor antigens. This lymphokine production was achieved through collaboration between anti-CSA1M CD4+ T cells and antigen-presenting cells that had been pulsed with CSA1M tumor antigens in vivo in the tumor-bearing state. The IL-2-producing capacity of CD4+ T cells reached the maximal level as early as one week after tumor implantation but decreased with the progress of tumor-bearing stages. In contrast, the capacity of CD4+ T cells to produce MAF/IFN-gamma was not affected but was maintained at high levels even late in the tumor-bearing state. The addition of recombinant TGF-beta (rTGF-beta) to cultures of spleen cells from various tumor-bearing stages resulted in the suppression of lymphokine production. However, the magnitude of the TGF-beta-induced suppression varied depending on which tumor-bearing stages of splenic cells were tested as a responding cell population; it was slight in cells from early (1-3 wk) tumor-bearing stages but increased in cells from donor mice at later tumor-bearing stages. Thus, spleen cells from late tumor-bearing stages with weak but significant IL-2-producing and considerable MAF/IFN-gamma producing capacities failed to produce these lymphokines when rTGF-beta was present in cultures. A progressive increase in the TGF-beta susceptibility was also observed for IL-4-producing Th2 as well as IL-2/MAF-producing Th1 cells. In addition, increased levels of TGF-beta were detected in plasma from tumor-bearing mice at late stages. Taken together, these results indicate that tumor-bearing mice exhibit enhanced production of TGF-beta as well as a progressive increase in the susceptibility of anti-tumor CD4+ T cells to TGF-beta-induced suppressive mechanisms.

Animals↗

[A case of severe interstitial pneumonia probably due to Chlamydia pneumoniae].

A 64-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea and high fever. The patient had a relative bradycardia and severe hypoxemia. Velcr rales were heard throughout the entire lung fields. Leucocytosis was absent. Chest X-ray showed bilateral diffuse reticular shadows. Corticosteroid pulse therapy and minocycline were introduced on the suspicion of either idiopathic interstitial pneumonia or Chlamydial pneumonia. Subsequently, his symptoms gradually improved. Although the patient had no history of exposure to birds, the titer of complement fixation test for Chlamydia was 1:32 during the acute illness. Microplate immunofluorescence antibody technique proved infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae. We consider this is a rare case of severe pneumonia caused by C. pneumoniae.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Thymic stroma-derived T-cell inhibitory factor (TSTIF). 2: TSTIF acts on the antigen-presenting cell to inhibit antigen-stimulated T-cell proliferation.

Culture supernatant (SN) was obtained from the monolayer of the MRL104.8a thymic stromal cell clone. This SN alone induced proliferation of helper T-cell (Th) clones because it contained IL-7. However, addition of the SN to cultures of Th stimulated with antigen plus antigen-presenting cells (APC) resulted in potent inhibition of their proliferation. This suppression was ascribed to a factor (designated thymic stroma-derived T-cell inhibitory factor, TSTIF) that is contained in the MRL104.8a SN and distinct from IL-7. TSTIF affected antigen-stimulated proliferation of both type 1 helper (Th1) and type 2 helper (Th2) T-cell clones. The TSTIF effect was also observed by the presence of the MRL104.8a SN only in the initial 24 hr pre-culture during the entire course (48-72 hr) of antigenic stimulation. Pre-exposure of Th cells to the SN in the absence of Ag/APC induced their proliferation upon stimulation with Ag/APC in the next 48 hr cultures. However, pre-cultures of Th cells with the SN in the presence of APC alone (without antigen) resulted in potent inhibition of the subsequent Ag/APC-stimulated proliferation. Interaction of TSTIF with APC but not with responding Th cells was further demonstrated in the following experiment: APC alone were exposed to the MRL104.8a SN and used for stimulation of Th that had not been exposed to the SN. Such an APC population exhibited a remarkably reduced capacity to induce antigen-stimulated Th proliferation when compared to that induced by freshly prepared APC or APC cultured in the absence of the MRL104.8a SN. These results indicate that TSTIF exerts its inhibitory effect on the antigen-stimulated T-cell proliferation by acting on APC.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of intraduodenal infusion of loxiglumide on pancreatic exocrine secretion.

Inhibitory effect of loxiglumide (D,L-4-(3, 4-dichlorobenzoylamino)-5-(N-3-methoxypropyl-pentylamino)-5- oxo-pentanoic acid, CAS 107097-80-3) on exocrine pancreatic secretion was compared between intraduodenal and intravenous administration. Doubling doses of intravenous cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) resulted in a dose-dependent increase of pancreatic secretion from 50 to 400 ng/kg/h. Both intraduodenal and intravenous loxiglumide of 5 and 10 mg/kg/h produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the pancreatic protein secretion to all doses of CCK-8. Cumulative increment of pancreatic protein output was inhibited by 79% and 77% at 10 mg/kg/h of intraduodenal and intravenous loxiglumide, respectively. Extents of the inhibition were similar to each other between the two routes of loxiglumide infusion. However, plasma levels of loxiglumide after intraduodenal administration were about half of those observed after intravenous administration of the corresponding dose, although plasma CCK levels were not different. Intraduodenal loxiglumide is as effective as intravenous loxiglumide in inhibitory potency on pancreatic secretion. Therefore, possible therapeutic indications of oral loxiglumide could be expected.

Animals↗

Expression of VLA-4 on thymocytes. Maturation stage-associated transition and its correlation with their capacity to adhere to thymic stromal cells.

The present study investigates the expression of VLA-4 on thymocytes at various stages of maturation and their capacity to adhere to thymic stromal cells. Whole thymocytes were stained with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8, as well as anti-VLA-4 antibodies. Flow microfluorometric analyses revealed that a) most of CD4-8- (double negative DN) and CD4-8intermediate thymocyte populations expressed large amounts of VLA-4, b) the levels of VLA-4 were considerably and markedly reduced on CD4+8+ (double positive DP) and single positive (SP) (CD4+8- or CD4-8+) populations, respectively. This contrasted with an increase in the levels of LFA-1 along with thymocyte maturation. DN, DP, and SP subsets were isolated and examined for their capacity to express VLA-4 and to adhere to fibronectin (FN) molecules as well as thymic stromal cells expressing FN. DN, DP, and SP subsets were confirmed to express the respective high, low, and very low levels of VLA-4, respectively. Approximately 70% of DN thymocytes became bound to FN-precoated culture plates, whereas 30 to 40% of DP and only 10 to 20% of SP cells adhered to FN. Similar patterns of adhesion were observed between these thymocyte subsets and thymic stromal monolayers. The binding of the DN subset to FN-plates or thymic stromal monolayers was inhibited only marginally by the RGDS peptide, but was efficiently inhibited by V10 peptide (cell-binding sequence that is located in the V region on FN and reacts with the VLA-4 integrin) or anti-VLA-4 antibody. Anti-VLA-4 antibody plus RGDS peptide strongly inhibited DN cell binding to FN-coated plates and thymic stromal monolayers. These results indicate that i) VLA-4 expressed on DN thymocytes functions as an important integrin for interacting with thymic stromal cells; ii) the expression level of this integrin decreases with the progress of thymocyte maturation, and iii) most of the mature thymocytes (SP) are rendered less adhesive to thymic stromal cells by reducing the level of VLA-4 expression.

Animals↗

Instability of assembled T-cell receptor complex that is associated with rapid degradation of zeta chains in immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes.

The intracellular fate of newly synthesized T-cell receptor (TCR) chains was compared in CD4+CD8+ (double positive; DP) thymocytes and in CD4+CD8- or CD4-CD8+ (single positive; SP) thymocytes. Purified DP and SP thymocytes from normal adult mice were analyzed by pulse-chase metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation with specific anti-TCR antibodies. Biosynthesis of invariant chains (CD3 gamma, -delta, -epsilon, and zeta) was comparable between DP and SP thymocytes, whereas DP thymocytes synthesized TCR alpha and TCR beta chains at lower and higher levels than SP thymocytes, respectively. These newly synthesized TCR chains were degraded at different rates in SP thymocytes based on their sensitivities for degradation as previously reported: TCR alpha, TCR beta, CD3 gamma, and CD3 delta chains were rapidly degraded and CD3 epsilon and zeta chains were stable. Although the degradation rates of clonotypic and invariant CD3 chains were similar in DP and SP thymocytes, the zeta subunit was rapidly degraded in DP thymocytes (t1/2, approximately 1.5 hr). Degradation of zeta was inhibited by NH4Cl, implicating lysosomes as the site of degradation. Comparison of TCR subunit assembly in DP and SP thymocytes demonstrated that, despite the same relative rate of formation of TCR complexes in a pulse period (30 min), complete complexes were unstable and degraded during the subsequent 6 hr of chase in DP thymocytes. This contrasted with the stability and a progressive increase in the levels of completely assembled complexes in SP thymocytes. Thus, these results demonstrate that a unique posttranslational regulation operates in the formation of TCR complexes in DP thymocytes and that lack of stability of complete TCR complexes is a crucial mechanism that may account for the limited surface TCR expression on this thymocyte subset.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Particular types of tumor cells have the capacity to convert transforming growth factor beta from a latent to an active form.

We investigated the capacities of various tumor types to generate an active versus latent form of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in its culture supernatants (SNs). Tumor cell lines were divided into three types depending on the form and magnitude of TGF-beta detected in their culture SNs: some (2 of 7 lines) generated mostly an active form (Type A); others (4 of 7) generated exclusively a latent form (Type B); and the remaining line (1 of 7) produced only marginal levels of active/latent TGF-beta (Type C). When Type A tumor cells were cultured at lower numbers, cultures failed to generate active TGF-beta. However, the addition of Type B tumor cell culture SNs containing only a latent form of TGF-beta resulted in the generation of the potent activity of active TGF-beta. This capacity was observed for another Type A tumor but not for other types (Type B and Type C). An active form of TGF-beta was detected in culture SNs of Type A tumor cells as early as 3-6 h after the addition of Type B tumor culture SNs. The emergence of an active form of TGF-beta was also observed in cultures of Type A tumor cells, the protein synthesis of which was almost completely inhibited by pretreatment with cycloheximide. Moreover, the Type B tumor SN used for the induction of active TGF-beta activity was found to contain latent TGF-beta with an apparent molecular weight of about 200,000. Type A tumor cells were also capable of generating active TGF-beta by the addition of recombinant TGF-beta of latent form with a small molecular weight (about 60,000), although the generation of active TGF-beta was much weaker after the addition of small latent TGF-beta than after the addition of large latent TGF-beta. Taken collectively, these results indicate that particular types of tumor cells have the capacity to generate an active form of TGF-beta and that such capacity can be attributed to their potential to convert TGF-beta from a latent (mainly large type) to an active form.

Animals↗

Type II collagen-induced murine arthritis: induction of arthritis depends on antigen-presenting cell function as well as susceptibility of host to an anticollagen immune response.

Two sets of ((resistant x susceptible) F1----parent) and (parent----F1) chimeric mice were prepared. In the chimeric combinations involving BALB/c and DBA/1 mice, all (F1----F1) chimeras developed arthritis as well as potent anticollagen responses after immunization with collagen, whereas all (F1----BALB/c) and (BALB/c----F1) chimeras induced neither arthritis nor immune responses. This type of F1 T cells could be activated with APC from DBA/1 but not from BALB/c mice. Thus, the failure of the [F1 in equilibrium with BALB/c] chimeras to mount anticollagen responses was due to a defect at the APC level. Another arthritis-resistant strain, C57BL/6, exhibited adequate APC function, but reduced T cell responsiveness, representing an intermediate responder. In the chimeric combinations involving C57BL/6 and DBA/1 mice, (F1----F1) and (C57BL/6----C57BL/6) chimeras developed very high and very low incidence of arthritis, respectively. (C57BL/6----F1) chimeras developed an appreciable incidence of arthritis under conditions in which this group of chimeras generated intermediate levels of anticollagen responses. In contrast, (F1----C57BL/6) chimeras developed low incidence of disease despite induction of strong responses. Moreover, cells from collagen-immunized (F1----C57BL/6) chimeras, when transferred into T cell-depleted B cell mice of F1 or C57BL/6 strain, produced comparable immune responses in both groups but induced much more severe arthritis in F1 than in C57BL/6 recipients. These results indicate that: i) two types of arthritis-resistant strains can be identified, each of which has anticollagen APC defect as a low responder and reduced T cell responsiveness as an intermediate responder and ii) a discrepancy between the degree of anticollagen responses and clinical arthritis is attributed to the differential susceptibility to anticollagen immune responses.

Animals↗

Identification of IL-7-dependent bone marrow-derived Thy-1-B220- lymphoid cell clones that rearrange and express both Ig and T cell receptor genes.

Bone marrow stromal cell lines and lymphoid cell lines were co-established from the Whitlock-Witte type of long term liquid cultures of MRL/1 and C57BL/10 (B10) (Thy-1.1) bone marrow cells. The present study investigates the immunologic nature of parental and cloned lymphoid cell lines. Both strains of parental lines and their clones did not grow alone but proliferated on the monolayers of co-established parental stromal cell lines from a syngeneic or alternative strain. When various lymphokines or cytokines were tested for their capacity to support the growth of these lymphoid cell clones, only IL-7 could substitute for the growth-promoting function of stromal cells. These IL-7-dependent clones expressed neither Thy-1 nor B220 Ag. However, all of them from two strains were found to rearrange synchronously H chain of Ig as well as gamma chain of TCR genes. Some of the clones transcribed a mature size of IgH mRNA. Co-expression of mRNA for lambda 5 but not for IgL chain (kappa, lambda) genes resulted in the generation of cell surface mu chain in these clones. Other clones expressed a smaller size of IgH mRNA without exhibiting surface mu chain. Irrespective of the differences in IgH rearrangements and its mRNA expression, a mature size TCR gamma mRNA was detected in all of the clones. Thus, these results demonstrate the existence of untransformed (IL-7-dependent) immature lymphoid cells rearranging both Ig and TCR genes. Their unique features concerning cell surface markers (B220- mu+), specific growth factor requirement, and various modes of Ig/TCR gene rearrangements are discussed in the context of early lymphoid development.

Animals↗

Tumor-bearing mice exhibit a progressive increase in tumor antigen-presenting cell function and a reciprocal decrease in tumor antigen-responsive CD4+ T cell activity.

Splenic CD4+ T cells from BALB/c mice bearing a syngeneic tumor (CSA1M) 2 to 3 wk after the inoculation with CSA1M cells produced IL-2 and macrophage-activating factor upon in vitro cultures. This lymphokine production was achieved without stimulation of these T cells with exogenous stimulating tumor Ag. However, elimination of APC from spleen cells resulted in almost complete abrogation of the capacity of CD4+ T cells to produce IL-2/macrophage-activating factor. The lymphokine production was regained when APC from CSA1M-bearing mice were added back to cultures. APC from normal or another syngeneic tumor (Meth A)-bearing mice failed to regain the lymphokine production. These observations demonstrated that the lymphokines were produced by CD4+ T cells from CSA1M-bearing hosts through their collaboration with APC binding CSA1M tumor Ag in the tumor-bearing state. The lymphokine-producing capacity of whole spleen cells from tumor-bearing mice reached the maximal level around 2 to 3 wk after tumor implantation but gradually decreased with the progress of tumor-bearing stages. Importantly, tumor-bearing stage-related changes were observed in a different fashion in the capacities of anti-CSA1M CD4+ T cells vs CSA1M tumor Ag-binding APC. The capacity of APC increased with the progress of tumor-bearing stages as demonstrated by the stimulation of CSA1M-immunized T cells with APC from different CSA1M-bearing stages. In contrast, the reactivity of anti-CSA1M T cells to APC from a given CSA1M-bearing stage decreased with the tumor-bearing stage. These results demonstrate a stage-related increase tumor Ag-binding APC function, as well as a reciprocal reduction in tumor Ag-responsive CD4+ T cell activity.

Animals↗

Cell-cell interaction in graft rejection responses: induction of anti-allo-class I H-2 tolerance is prevented by immune responses against allo-class II H-2 antigens coexpressed on tolerogen.

The intravenous sensitization of C57BL/6 (B6) mice with class I H-2-disparate B6-C-H-2bm1 (bm1) spleen cells results in almost complete abrogation of anti-bm1 CD8+ helper (proliferative and interleukin 2-producing) T cell (Th) activities. Although an appreciable portion of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) precursors themselves remained after this regimen, such a residual CTL activity was eliminated after the engrafting of bm1 grafts, and these grafts exhibited prolonged survival. In contrast, the intravenous sensitization with (bm1 x B6-C-H-2bm12 [bm12])F1 cells instead of bm1 cells failed to induce the prolongation of bm1 graft survival as well as bm12 and (bm1 x bm12)F1 graft survival. In the (bm1 x bm12)F1-presensitized B6 mice before as well as after the engrafting of bm1 grafts, anti-bm1 CTL responses that were comparable to or slightly stronger than those observed in unpresensitized mice were induced in the absence of anti-bm1 Th activities. bm1 graft survival was also prolonged by intravenous presensitization with a mixture of bm1 and bm12 cells but not with a mixture of bm1 and (bm1 x bm12)F1 cells. The capacity of CD4+ T cells to reject bm12 grafts was eliminated by intravenous presensitization with antigen-presenting cell (APC)-depleted bm12 spleen cells. However, intravenous presensitization with APC-depleted (bm1 x bm12)F1 cells failed to induce the prolongation of bm1 graft survival under conditions in which appreciably prolonged bm12 graft survival was induced. More surprisingly, bm1 graft survival was not prolonged even when the (bm1 x bm12)F1 cell presensitization was performed in CD4+ T cell-depleted B6 mice. This contrasted with the fact that conventional class I-disparate grafts capable of activating self Ia-restricted CD4+ as well as allo-class I-reactive CD8+ Th exhibited prolonged survival in CD4+ T cell-depleted, class I-disparate cell-presensitized mice. These results indicate that: (a) intravenous presensitization with class I- and II-disparate cells fails to reduce anti-allo-class I rejection responses that would otherwise be eliminated using only class I-disparate cells; (b) such failure is generated according to the coexpression of both classes of alloantigens on a single cell as tolerogen; and (c) allo-class II antigens coexpressed on tolerogen function to activate CD4+ as well as non-CD4+ Th leading to the generation of anti-class I effector T cell responses.

Animals↗

Tumor-immunotherapy with the use of tumor-antigen-pulsed antigen-presenting cells.

Our previous study demonstrated that the administration of antigen-presenting cells (APC) pulsed with tumor cell membrane fraction to naive syngeneic mice results in effective induction of tumor-specific protective immunity in vivo. The present study examined whether tumor-antigen-pulsed APC can produce the inhibitory effect on the growth of tumor cells when administered to tumor-bearing hosts. Naive BALB/c mice were inoculated with viable tumor cells. Five days later, these mice started to receive the relevant tumor-antigen-pulsed APC at 3- to 4-day intervals. The administration of tumor-antigen-pulsed APC induced the rejection or growth inhibition of a growing tumor in approximately half of the recipient mice. Moreover, it was demonstrated that tumor-specific immunity was induced in such tumor-regressed mice. These results indicate that tumor-antigen-pulsed APC are effectively applicable to the tumor-specific immunotherapy.

Animals↗

Decreased numbers of cholecystokinin-immunoreactive nerve cells in the cerebral cortex of LEC rats with a hereditary hepatitis.

The distribution of CCK-immunoreactive cells was investigated by the indirect fluorescence method in the cerebral cortex of LEC (Long-Evans Cinnamon) rats which have recently been introduced as a model of jaundice and hepatic encephalopathy. Reduction of CCK-immunoreactive nerve cells was observed in the brains of LEC rats with stage III to V hepatic encephalopathy in comparison with the rats without hepatic encephalopathy. These observations were confirmed by counting the CCK-positive nerve cells at magnification x 125. 3 microscopic fields per animal were immunostained and CCK-immunoreactive nerve cells counted. The number of CCK-immunoreactive cells per field was 28.5 +/- 0.7 (mean +/- SEM, n = 5) in rats without hepatic encephalopathy, and 14.1 +/- 2.0 (n = 3) in rats with stage III to V hepatic encephalopathy. Thus, the number of CCK-immunoreactive nerve cells was significantly less in rats with stage III to V hepatic encephalopathy (p less than 0.05). A decrease in CCK-immunoreactive nerve cells was not observed in the rats with stage I or II hepatic encephalopathy. This study shows that there is a relationship between the severity of hepatic encephalopathy and the number of CCK-immunoreactive nerve cells in the cerebral cortex.

Animals↗

Tumor-specific T cell lines: capacity to proliferate and produce interleukin 2 in response to various forms of tumor antigens.

Anti-tumor proliferative T cell lines were established from cultures of lymph node cells from BALB/c mice immunized to syngeneic CSA1M fibrosarcoma with the CSA1M tumor cell membrane. The cultures were maintained throughout in the absence of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL2). Cell surface phenotypes of all T cell lines established were Thy-1+, Ig-, L3T4+ and Lyt-2-. Their proliferation was induced in a tumor antigen dose-dependent fashion and a tumor antigen-specific way. Such proliferative responses were inhibited by the addition to cultures of anti-class II H-2d (anti-I-Ad) or anti-L3T4 but not of anti-class I H-2d or anti-Lyt-2 monoclonal antibody. None of the T cell lines exhibited any cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity but they all produced IL2 upon stimulation with CSA1M tumor antigens, indicating that they represent helper-type T cell (Th) lines. The activation of these tumor-specific Th lines was induced with either CSA1M tumor cells themselves, or their membrane or detergent-solubilized fraction depending on the presence of antigen-presenting cells (APC). Most importantly, activation was also inducible by membranous tumor antigen-pulsed APC, which were capable of producing potent anti-tumor protective immunity when administered in vivo into syngeneic BALB/c mice. These results indicate that the tumor-specific Th lines established here can be activated with various forms of tumor antigens for their expression of helper function. Since Th lines of this type have not been described previously, our Th lines provide an intriguing tool for investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which tumor-specific Th recognize tumor antigens.

Animals↗