Potential of B-cell-targeting therapy in overcoming multidrug resistance and tissue invasiveness associated with P-glycoprotein expressing-B cell compartments

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune mediated inflammatory disease characterized by progressive joint damage and extra-articular organ manifestations. Among the effector pathways and cells involved in the development of RA, activated B cells play a pivotal role in the pathological process of RA. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a member of ATP-binding cassette transporters, is induced on the cell membrane by certain stimuli. P-gp transports various drugs from the cytoplasm to the cell exterior, resulting in the development of drug resistance. P-gp expression on B cells appears in patients with RA as the disease activity increases, and treatment of these patients’ results in modification of over-expression of P-gp on activated B cells. Evidence suggests that P-gp expressing-activated B cells play important roles in the pathogenesis and treatment resistance in RA through the efflux of intracellular drugs and progression of infiltration in inflammatory lesions. Therapies designed to target activated B cells might overcome refractory RA. Identification of the subsets of peripheral activated B cells that express P-gp in RA patients might help the selection of suitable treatment strategy

Studies on change of taste of persimmon during the process of ripening

The difference of taste between the Hachiya-kaki (astringent kind) and Fuyuu-kaki (sweet kind) have been studied from stand-point of sugars and tannins. In the fruits of Fuyuu, the amount of reducing sugars became almost constant in the middle of September, while in the case of Hachiya the sugar-increase still continued up to November and red. sugaramount became twice as much as there was in Fuyuu. As for the nonreducing sugar (sucrose), it showed the same increase in both Fuyuu and Hachiya till October. Then in Hachiya it decreased almost to nothing in November, but in Fuyuu it continued to increase up to November. The difference offers an interesting subject for further study. The amount of total carbohydrates in Hachiya was greater than in Fuyuu when reipened. The amount of water-soluble-tannins was always greater in Hachiya than Fuyuu. Water soluble-tannin in Fuyuu disappeared from the middle of September to the beginning of October, while the tannin in Hachiya was found even in November in a fairly large quantity. It is concluded that the difference of the taste between the ripe Fuyuu and Hachiya is based on n ot the difference of sugar-contents but the change of soluble-tannin into insoluble-tannin in Fuyuu when ripened