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T Juji

Publications and source records attributed to T Juji.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

An HLA-B null allele (B*1526N) with a stop codon in exon 3 generated by a point mutation.

An HLA-B null allele was identified in a Japanese family during histocompatibility testing for bone marrow transplantation. The propositus was a healthy Japanese woman with three children, and her parents were cousins. Serological HLA typing of the family members indicated that the propositus was homozygous for the A24-Cw4-B blank (B null)-DR4.2-DQ3 haplotype. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood of the propositus was converted to first-strand cDNA using reverse transcriptase. The cDNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using HLA-B locus-specific primers. The PCR product showed no change in size upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) compared to that of normal controls, suggesting that HLA-B gene mRNA was normally expressed. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was the same as that of B*1501 except at nucleotide 369 or codon 123, where C was replaced with A; TAC encodes Tyr whereas TAA is a stop codon. This point mutation may have truncated the HLA-B molecule of the propositus, resulting in the negative results we obtained with anti-HLA-B sera.

Adult↗

A high-resolution genotyping method for HLA-C alleles and possible shared HLA-C-B haplotypes between Japanese and Caucasians.

A genotyping system for HLA-Cw alleles using methods of PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and PCR-sequence-specific primers (SSP) was developed. Genomic DNA from 167 random healthy Japanese individuals were investigated to determine HLA-C allele frequencies and their associations with HLA-A and -B loci. Nine alleles were frequently detected: Cw*0102 (18.3%), Cw*0304 (12.0%), Cw*1202 (11.4%), Cw*0303 (10.5%), Cw*1403 (10.5%), Cw*0801 (10.2%), Cw*0702 (9.0%), Cw*1402 (6.0%) and Cw*0401 (5.1%). Several HLA-C-B haplotypes such as Cw*0303-B62, Cw*0304-B60, Cw*0501-B44, Cw*0602-B13, Cw*0602-B37, Cw*0702-B7, Cw*1202-B52, Cw*1402-B51 and Cw*1502-B51 were found to be shared by Japanese and Caucasians. With the PCR-SSCP method we could detect differences in each exon of HLA-C alleles, at a low cost and simply. This method is suitable for sequence-level matching with a relatively small number of samples.

Alleles↗

Triplet repeat polymorphism within the NOTCH4 gene located near the junction of the HLA class II and class III regions in narcolepsy.

A polymorphic (CTG)n microsatellite repeat was found in the signal peptide domain of the NOTCH4 gene located near the junction of the class II and class III regions of the human major histocompatibility complex. This gene belongs to a multigene family of NOTCH originally identified as a differential factor of neuronal cells. To ascertain whether the NOTCH4 gene is involved in the development of neurogenic disease, narcolepsy, which is known to be tightly associated with HLA-DR15, this microsatellite polymorphism of the (CTG)n repeat was analyzed in Japanese patients with narcolepsy One allele, 9 repetitions of CTG (Leu) was significantly increased in the patient group. However, the significant increase of this allele in the patient group could be explained by a strong linkage disequilibrium with the HLA class II alleles, DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102 and DQB1*0602, which were more strongly associated with the disease. These results suggest that the (CTG)n repeat polymorphism in NOTCH4 does not primarily determine the susceptibility to narcolepsy.

Alleles↗

[Possible involvement of donor-derived B cells in development of post-transfusion graft-versus-host disease].

Post-transfusion graft-versus-host disease(PT-GVHD) is one of the most severe side effects of blood transfusion. To clarify the mechanism of development PT-GVHD, we characterized possible effector lymphocyte clones, presumably involved in the occurrence of PT-GVHD. By lymphocyte cloning from peripheral blood of a PT-GVHD patient, not only donor-derived cytotoxic T cell clones but also donor-derived B cell clones were established. The B cell clones produce cytotoxic IgG, directed against the patient's class II HLA. It was strongly suggested that donor-derived B cells, through production of cytotoxic IgG directed against the patient's HLA, were involved in the pathogenesis of the PT-GVHD in this case.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Molecular genetic analysis of variant phenotypes of the ABO blood group system.

ABO is clinically the most important blood group system in transfusion medicine and includes many variant phenotypes. To understand the molecular genetic basis of this polymorphic system, we have analyzed genomic DNAs obtained from Japanese individuals possessing variant ABO phenotypes including A2, Ax, Ael, cis-AB, Bx, and Bel. By polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and nucleotide sequence analyses, we identified 11 different alleles. These alleles had nucleotide sequences different from those of the previously described 13 different alleles responsible for the common ABO phenotypes. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the alleles responsible for those variant phenotypes showed that the amino acid residues at position 266 and 268 may be crucial for transferase specificity, whereas those at positions 214, 216, 223, 291, and 352 may be critical for the activity level. Nine of the 11 alleles, responsible for the A2, Ax, Ael, cis-AB, Bx, and Bel phenotypes, were presumed to be generated from common ABO alleles by single nucleotide mutations such as nonsynonymous substitution, deletion, or insertion. Two other alleles, responsible for the A2 and Ael phenotypes, may have originated by recombination, gene conversionlike events or accumulation of nucleotide substitutions. Our data indicate that different alleles could cause the same ABO variant phenotypes, and that these alleles do not necessarily belong to a single evolutionary lineage.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

HLA class II alleles in Ainu living in Hidaka District, Hokkaido, northern Japan.

The Ainu people are considered to be the descendants of preagricultural native populations of northern Japan, while the majority of the population of contemporary Japan (Wajin) is descended mainly from postneolithic migrants. Polymorphisms of the HLA-DRB1, DRB3, and DQB1 alleles were investigated in DNA samples of 50 Ainu living in Hidaka district, Hokkaido. Unique features of the Ainu in this study were high incidences of DRB1*1401, DRB1*1406, and a newly described allele, DRB1*1106 (20%, 17%, and 5%, respectively). On the other hand, several common alleles in Wajin (DRB1*1502, 1302, 0803, and 1501) were found at relatively low frequencies (1-2%) in Ainu. Previously DRB1*1406 was described as a characteristic allele of some Native American or northeast Asian ethnic groups, and DRB1*1106 had been found in only two Singapore Chinese and one Korean. Principal component analysis of various populations based on HLA class II allele frequencies places the Ainu population midway between other east Asian populations, including Wajin, and Native Americans. These observations may support the hypothesis that the Ainu people are the descendants of some Upper Paleolithic populations of northeast Asia from which Native Americans are also descended.

Alleles↗

HLA-A null allele with a stop codon, HLA-A*0215N, identified in a homozygous state in a healthy adult.

A healthy adult having no serologically detectable HLA class I A locus antigens was identified. The parents of the individual are consanguineous. Results of a family study indicated that the individual is homozygous for the B46-Cw1-DR8.1 haplotype, which was shown to be positively associated with A*0207 in our previous study. The HLA-A null individual is healthy and exhibits no apparent immunological abnormality. Total RNAs extracted from peripheral blood were converted to cDNAs. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product, which is of the same size as the normally expressed gene, was easily obtained from the cDNAs with HLA-A locus-specific primers. The nucleotide sequence of this null allele (A*0215N) was the same as that of A*0207 except for a single nucleotide substitution which resulted in a stop codon in exon 4. From its nucleotide sequence, a truncated molecule was expected to be produced; however, the immunoprecipitation study failed to detect the predicted product. Genomic DNAs from 29 unrelated individuals who expressed only one HLA-A antigen with HLA-B46, were analyzed by a PCR-sequence-specific oligonucleotide method. None of the samples possessed this stop codon. Therefore, A*0215N is likely to be a rare allele generated by a single point mutation from A*0207.

Adult↗

Extensive polymorphism of ABO blood group gene: three major lineages of the alleles for the common ABO phenotypes.

Polymorphism of the ABO blood group gene was investigated in 262 healthy Japanese donors by a polymerase chain reactions-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method, and 13 different alleles were identified. The number of alleles identified in each group was 4 for A1 (provisionally called ABO*A101, *A102, *A103 and *A104 according to the guidelines for human gene nomenclature), 3 for B (ABO*B101, *B102 and *B103), and 6 for O (ABO*O101, *O102, *O103, *O201, *O202 and *O203). Nucleotide sequences of the amplified fragments with different SSCP patterns were determined by direct sequencing. Phylogenetic network analysis revealed that these alleles could be classified into three major lineages, *A/*O1, *B and *O2. In Japanese, *A102 and *B101 were the predominant alleles with frequencies of 83% and 97% in each group, respectively, whereas in group O, two common alleles, *O101 (43%) and *O201 (53%), were observed. These results may be useful for the establishment of ABO genotyping, and these newly described ABO alleles would be advantageous indicators for population studies.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Identification and DNA typing of two Cw7 alleles (Cw*0702 and Cw*0704) in Japanese, with the corrected sequence of Cw*0702.

Two alleles encoding HLA-Cw7 antigens, tentatively called C7J1 and C7J2, have been identified in Japanese using a PCR-SSCP method. The nucleotide sequence of full-length C7J1 cDNAs showed a high degree of homology to the reported Cw*0702 sequence except in exon 1. We then resequenced the allele carried by the cell line JY in which Cw*0702 was first identified, according to a request from the WHO Nomenclature Committee. The results revealed complete identity between the corrected Cw*0702 sequence and the C7J1 sequence. On the other hand, the C7J2 sequence was completely identical to the reported Cw*0704 sequence. Sequences specific for Cw*0702 and Cw*0704 were confirmed using PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSO methods. Moreover, association analysis with other HLA locus alleles showed positive associations of Cw*0702 with HLA-B7, -B39, and -B67 and of Cw*0704 with HLA-B70 in Japanese.

Alleles↗

HLA-B40, B18, B27, and B37 allele discrimination using group-specific amplification and SSCP method.

We developed a system for discriminating HLA-B40, B18, B27, and B37 alleles using a two-step PCR method followed by SSCP analysis. Fragments (0.8 kb) including exon 2, intron 2, and exon 3 were amplified in the first PCR. We used two sets of primers, one specific for HLA-B60-related alleles and the other specific for HLA-B61-related, B18, B27, and B37 alleles. No amplifications of other class I genes or pseudogenes were observed. In the second PCR, exon 2 and exon 3 were amplified separately, using diluents of the first PCR products as templates. HLA-B61-related, B18, B27, B37, and B60-related alleles were clearly discriminated in the SSCP analysis of the second PCR products. In a population study in which B61 alleles were analyzed, B*4003 was detected in two Japanese individuals in addition to two B61 alleles previously reported to occur in Japanese, B*4002 and B*4006. The relative frequencies of B*4002, B*4006, and B*4003 in Japanese were 58, 35, and 6%, respectively. The individuals having B*4003 are the first non-South Americans in whom this allele has been detected. The SSCP banding patterns of 18 HLA-B60-positive Japanese population samples were identical to those of a B*40012 sample for both exon 2 and exon 3. We also demonstrated that the B37 allele occurring in some Japanese is B*3701.

Alleles↗

HLA-DM gene polymorphisms in atopic dermatitis.

HLA-DM molecules are involved in the antigen-processing pathway of HLA class II-restricted antigen presentation. We investigated polymorphisms of HLA-DM genes in atopic dermatitis by using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction-fragment length polymorphism method to examine a possible contribution of these genes to the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Genomic DNA was extracted from 37 Japanese patients with atopic dermatitis and 52 control subjects. After polymerase chain reaction amplification of the polymorphic third exon of DMA and DMB genes, amplified products were digested with restriction endonucleases to determine HLA-DM alleles. FokI, HinfI, AciI and SfaNI were used for DMA; HhaI, BsrI, ApaLI, and Bsp1286I for the DMB gene. We identified three DMA alleles and also three DMB alleles. One of 37 patients possessed the DMA*0103 allele, which has been reported as a rare allele in Caucasian populations. Any DMA and DMB alleles were not increased in the patients. The DMA*0102 allele was estimated to constitute a haplotype with DRB1*1201/DQB1*0301 and DRB1*0901/DQB1*0301 in a Japanese population. HLA-DM genes are not considered to contribute primarily to the susceptibility of atopic dermatitis. Further investigation of the functional roles of HLA-DM gene polymorphisms will be useful for a better understanding of susceptibility loci in HLA class II-associated disease.

Adolescent↗

Study of aspartate at residue 9 of HLA-C molecules in Japanese patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

The frequency of aspartate at residue 9 (Asp-9) of HLA-C molecules was investigated among 75 Japanese patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 50 healthy controls. We developed a technique of polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) amplification of genomic DNA for HLA-C alleles with a codon for Asp-9. The specificity of amplification was confirmed by direct sequencing of the amplified products and amplification from total RNA (RT-PCR). Asp-9 was positive in all individuals with Cw6 and/or Cw7, but negative in the others, indicating that Asp-9 was specific to Cw6 and Cw7 antigens in our subjects. The frequency of Asp-9 was significantly increased in the patient group (48% vs. 20%; P < 0.002). The frequency of alanine at residue 73 (Ala-73), which was positive for Cw4, Cw6, Cw7, and some C blanks, was also increased in our previous study (81% vs. 48%; P < 0.0001). Asp-9 is located on a beta sheet of alpha 1 domain of HLA-C molecule and influences the peptide binding of the C pocket of the groove together with Ala-73. Both Asp-9 and Ala-73 could contribute to the disease susceptibility to psoriasis vulgaris in the immune responses.

Alleles↗