Different Pathological Roles of Toll-Like Receptor 9 on Mucosal B Cells and Dendritic Cells in Murine IgA Nephropathy

Although pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is still obscure, pathological contribution of mucosal immunity including production of nephritogenic IgA and IgA immune complex (IC) has been discussed. We have reported that mucosal toll-like receptor (TLR)-9 is involved in the pathogenesis of human and murine IgAN. However, cell-type expressing TLR9 in mucosa remains unclear. To address this, we nasally challenged cell-specific CpG DNA ((i): dendritic cell: (DC), (ii): B cell, (iii): both), known as ligand for TLR9, to IgAN prone mice and analyzed disease phenotype of each group. After 8 times of the weekly administration, every group showed deterioration of glomerular damage. However, CpG-A-group showed clear extension of mesangial proliferative lesions with increase of serum IgA-IgG2a IC and its glomerular depositions, while CpG-B-group showed extent of glomerular sclerotic lesions with increase of serum and glomerular IgA and M2 macrophage infiltration. Present results indicate that mucosal TLR9 on B cells and DC may differently contribute to the progression of this disease via induction of nephritogenic IgA or IgA-IgG IC, respectively. This picture is suggestive for the pathological difference between child and adult IgAN

An application of wavelet analysis to the human cerebral evoked potential

Adopting Wavelet analysis for the analysis of the waveform of EP (Evoked Potential), it was intended to confirm possibility of the subjective diagnosis for schizophrenia, epilepsy and healthy subject. 1. Each waveform of EPs (SEP, VEP and AEP) of 100 healthy male subjects (25.4±3.1 y.o.), 100 male schizophrenics (31.6± 10.4 y.o.) and 99 male epileptics (35.9± 13.1 y.o.) were subjected to the Wavelet analysis and the multiresolution analysis. As a result, the difference of Wavelet values among these subject groups were verified significantly. The Wavelet values was defined as the square means of each wavelet coefficients at each scale of multiresolution analysis. 2. The waveform of EPs of each subject were discriminated by use of discriminant method derived from Wavelet Function, in order to judge to which subject group the subject belongs, according to the wavelet values. Analyzing the waveform of EP, between 15~600msec of latency, the highest value of sensitivity, 89%, 87% and 88% was obtained for normal subject, schizophrenics and epileptics, respectively. As the conclusion, the possibility of the subjective diagnosis for schizophrenia, epilepsy, and normal subjects, by Wavelet analysis of EP waveform, were verified possible

Differences in waveforms of cerebral evoked potentials among healthy subjects, schizophrenics, manic-depressives and epileptics

The differences in the waveform of Cerebral EP (Evoked Potential)s ; SEP, VEP and AEP, among healthy subjects, schizophrenics, manic-depressives and epileptics were investigated. In 585 subjects of both sexes comprising these diagnostic groups, 6 channels of EPs, each 2 channels for each sensory modality, were recorded simultaneously/ parallelly from each subject, without assigning a mental task. Then, waveforms of the g-m (group mean) EPs of each diagnostic group were superimposed for inspection. Peak latencies and inter-peak amplitudes of individual EPs were statistically tested among (ANCOVA) and between (Scheffe’s multiple comparison test) these diagnostic groups for each channel (modality), and for each sex. The waveforms of g-m EPs of each diagnostic group differed from each other. The differences of latencies and inter-peak amplitudes among these diagnostic groups attained to the significant level (P<0.05), with more significant differences between healthy subjects and each of these pathological diagnostic groups than between each of these pathological diagnostic groups, for each sex. Thus the differences in the waveform of EPs among these diagnostic groups were confirmed even taking the effect of medication on EPs into consideration. These results might suggest the existence of a waveform for individual EPs specific to each of these diagnostic groups, for each sex

Effect of Zinc Acetate Dihydrate (NobelzinR) Treatment on Anemia and Taste Disorders in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease with Hypozincemia

Some patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) receiving hemodialysis develop erythropoietin-resistant anemia, possibly due to zinc deficiency. The frequency of zinc deficiency in CKD (stages 1-5 and 5D) and CKD improvement via zinc supplementation are not completely verified. Here 500 CKD patients (Stage 1/2, n=100; Stage 3, n=100; Stage 4, n=100, Stage n=5, 100; Stage 5D, n=100) will be recruited to determine the frequency of serum zinc deficiency at each CKD stage. Patients with serum zinc concentrations <80 μg/dL will be treated with zinc acetate dihydrate (NobelzinR) to evaluate its effects on hypozincemia, taste disturbances, and anemia