48 research outputs found

    Maoto, a Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine, Inhibits Uncoating of Influenza Virus

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    We previously reported in randomized controlled trials that maoto, a traditional herbal medicine, showed clinical and virological efficacy for seasonal influenza. In this study, a culturing system for influenza was used to test the effect of maoto. A549 cells in the culture were infected with influenza virus A (PR8) and followed after treatment with maoto; the virus titers in the culture supernatant, intracellular viral proteins, and viral RNA were determined. When infected cells were cultured with maoto for 24 hr, the virus titer and protein were significantly reduced compared with medium only. Other subtypes, A/H3N2, H1N1pdm, and B, were also inhibited by maoto. Proliferation of viral RNA in a 6 hr culture was inhibited by maoto in the early phase, especially in the first 30 min. Focusing on the entry step of the influenza virus, we found that endosomal pH, regulated by vacuolar-type H+ ATPase (V-ATPase) located in the membrane, was increased when treated with maoto. We also found that uncoating of influenza viruses was also inhibited by maoto, resulting in the increase of the number of virus particles in endosomes. These results strongly suggest that the inhibition of endosomal acidification by maoto results in blocking influenza virus entry to cytoplasm, probably through the inhibition of V-ATPase. The present study provides evidence that supports the clinical use of maoto for the treatment of influenza

    Characteristics of claudin expression in follicle-associated epithelium of Peyer's patches: Preferential localization of claudin-4 at the apex of the dome region

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    Gut-associated lymphoreticular tissue (GALT), such as Peyer's patches (PP) and cecal patches, are important inductive sites for mucosal immune responses. As such, the GALT may have an epithelial barrier different from that of villous epithelium. In this study, we investigated the immunohistochemical distribution of the claudin family and occludin in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches and cecal patches of murine intestine. Unique profiles of claudin-2, -3, -4 and occludin expression were noted in the tight junctions of the FAE: claudin-4 was preferentially expressed in the apex region; claudin-2 was only weakly expressed on the crypt side of the FAE compared to stronger expression on the crypt side of villous epithelial cells; claudin-3 and occludin were found throughout the dome. These unique expression patterns were present also in cecal patch FAE. We also found that claudin-4 expression in the FAE of Peyer's patches and cecal patches corresponded with the presence of TUNEL-positive apoptotic cells, and Peyer's patch-deficient mice had expression patterns of claudin and occludin in villous epithelia similar to those in wild-type mice. We conclude that claudin-4 expression is preferentially associated with the dome region of FAE, the mucosal inductive site of the murine intestine. In that location and it might correlate with the cell life cycle, help maintain the apex configuration of the dome, or be a factor favoring the uptake of antigens by the FAE

    Bortezomib-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone induction/consolidation and bortezomib maintenance for transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: phase 2 multicenter trial

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    [Objectives:] We conducted a phase II trial to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of bortezomib-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone (VCD) induction, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), VCD consolidation, and bortezomib maintenance in transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients in Japan (UMIN000010542). [Methods:] From 2013 to 2016, 42 patients with a median age of 58 (range 42–65) years with NDMM were enrolled in 15 centers. The primary endpoint was the complete response (CR) /stringent CR (sCR) rate after transplantation, and overall/progression-free survival rates were also evaluated. [Results:] Following induction therapy, the overall response rate was obtained in 71% of patients, including a CR/sCR of 10% and a very good partial response (VGPR) of 26%. Twenty-six of the 42 patients completed ASCT following the protocol and CR/sCR and VGPR rate 100 days after ASCT was 26% and 17%, respectively. During consolidation therapy, 3 of the 24 patients achieved deeper responses. Eight of the 18 patients completed 2-year bortezomib maintenance without disease progression and grade 3/4 toxicities. Five patients were VGPR or partial response after ASCT but maintained response with 2-year bortezomib maintenance. Two-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 92.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 78.5%−97.5%) and 62.6% (95% CI: 45.8%−75.5%), respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities (≥ 10%) included neutropenia (19%) and anemia (17%) in induction, and thrombocytopenia (29%) in consolidation. [Conclusion:] VCD induction/consolidation and bortezomib maintenance with ASCT for NDMM resulted in a high CR/sCR rate and provided good overall/progression-free survival in Japan

    Integrative Annotation of 21,037 Human Genes Validated by Full-Length cDNA Clones

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    The human genome sequence defines our inherent biological potential; the realization of the biology encoded therein requires knowledge of the function of each gene. Currently, our knowledge in this area is still limited. Several lines of investigation have been used to elucidate the structure and function of the genes in the human genome. Even so, gene prediction remains a difficult task, as the varieties of transcripts of a gene may vary to a great extent. We thus performed an exhaustive integrative characterization of 41,118 full-length cDNAs that capture the gene transcripts as complete functional cassettes, providing an unequivocal report of structural and functional diversity at the gene level. Our international collaboration has validated 21,037 human gene candidates by analysis of high-quality full-length cDNA clones through curation using unified criteria. This led to the identification of 5,155 new gene candidates. It also manifested the most reliable way to control the quality of the cDNA clones. We have developed a human gene database, called the H-Invitational Database (H-InvDB; http://www.h-invitational.jp/). It provides the following: integrative annotation of human genes, description of gene structures, details of novel alternative splicing isoforms, non-protein-coding RNAs, functional domains, subcellular localizations, metabolic pathways, predictions of protein three-dimensional structure, mapping of known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identification of polymorphic microsatellite repeats within human genes, and comparative results with mouse full-length cDNAs. The H-InvDB analysis has shown that up to 4% of the human genome sequence (National Center for Biotechnology Information build 34 assembly) may contain misassembled or missing regions. We found that 6.5% of the human gene candidates (1,377 loci) did not have a good protein-coding open reading frame, of which 296 loci are strong candidates for non-protein-coding RNA genes. In addition, among 72,027 uniquely mapped SNPs and insertions/deletions localized within human genes, 13,215 nonsynonymous SNPs, 315 nonsense SNPs, and 452 indels occurred in coding regions. Together with 25 polymorphic microsatellite repeats present in coding regions, they may alter protein structure, causing phenotypic effects or resulting in disease. The H-InvDB platform represents a substantial contribution to resources needed for the exploration of human biology and pathology

    Integrative annotation of 21,037 human genes validated by full-length cDNA clones.

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    publication en ligne. Article dans revue scientifique avec comité de lecture. nationale.National audienceThe human genome sequence defines our inherent biological potential; the realization of the biology encoded therein requires knowledge of the function of each gene. Currently, our knowledge in this area is still limited. Several lines of investigation have been used to elucidate the structure and function of the genes in the human genome. Even so, gene prediction remains a difficult task, as the varieties of transcripts of a gene may vary to a great extent. We thus performed an exhaustive integrative characterization of 41,118 full-length cDNAs that capture the gene transcripts as complete functional cassettes, providing an unequivocal report of structural and functional diversity at the gene level. Our international collaboration has validated 21,037 human gene candidates by analysis of high-quality full-length cDNA clones through curation using unified criteria. This led to the identification of 5,155 new gene candidates. It also manifested the most reliable way to control the quality of the cDNA clones. We have developed a human gene database, called the H-Invitational Database (H-InvDB; http://www.h-invitational.jp/). It provides the following: integrative annotation of human genes, description of gene structures, details of novel alternative splicing isoforms, non-protein-coding RNAs, functional domains, subcellular localizations, metabolic pathways, predictions of protein three-dimensional structure, mapping of known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identification of polymorphic microsatellite repeats within human genes, and comparative results with mouse full-length cDNAs. The H-InvDB analysis has shown that up to 4% of the human genome sequence (National Center for Biotechnology Information build 34 assembly) may contain misassembled or missing regions. We found that 6.5% of the human gene candidates (1,377 loci) did not have a good protein-coding open reading frame, of which 296 loci are strong candidates for non-protein-coding RNA genes. In addition, among 72,027 uniquely mapped SNPs and insertions/deletions localized within human genes, 13,215 nonsynonymous SNPs, 315 nonsense SNPs, and 452 indels occurred in coding regions. Together with 25 polymorphic microsatellite repeats present in coding regions, they may alter protein structure, causing phenotypic effects or resulting in disease. The H-InvDB platform represents a substantial contribution to resources needed for the exploration of human biology and pathology

    Impact of relative dose intensity on bone marrow suppression induced by S-1: retrospective observational study

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    Abstract Background S-1 (a combination of tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil) is used to treat various cancers. Bone marrow suppression is a dose-limiting toxicity of S-1. The relationship between relative dose intensity (RDI) and bone marrow suppression has not been investigated. Hence, we aimed to elucidate the threshold for RDI to identify bone marrow suppression induced by S-1. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, patients who initiated S-1 treatment at Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Medical Center East between June 2015 and June 2017 were included. Bone marrow suppression induced by S-1 was assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. The relationships between grade 3 or higher bone marrow suppression induced by S-1 and RDIs (i.e., 70, 75, and 80%) were investigated using the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Results We identified 143 patients in this study. The median RDI was 78.8%. Bone marrow suppression induced by S-1 developed in 19 (13.3%) patients. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model revealed that grade ≥ 2 lymphocytopenia was associated with bone marrow suppression induced by S-1 regardless of the threshold for RDI. In addition, RDI > 75% [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.71, p  80% (HR = 1.65, p < 0.05) were associated with bone marrow suppression induced by S-1. Conclusions Reduced dose of S-1 still has the risk of developing bone marrow suppression. Clinicians should assess RDI to identify high risk patients with bone marrow suppression induced by S-1
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