Early transmembrane events in tumour cell responses observed by stopped-flow fluorometry

AbstractEarly transmembrane events of tumour cells (mouse myeloma X5563 and lymphoma RDM4) after binding of a monoclonal antibody against mouse MHC antigen and a mitogenic lectin, Con A, were examined by stopped-flow fluorometry with 3 different fluorescent probes. The results showed that membrane fluidities of the cells increased first after binding of anti H-2Kk monoclonal antibody (11-4.1), then calcium was released from intracellular stores into the cytoplasma, and lastly calcium influx occurred from the external medium into the cytoplasma. While Con A only induced calcium influx from the external medium into the cytoplasma

Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) and Regulatory T Cells in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammatory Disease

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that is the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and associated with multiorgan inflammatory disorders, including HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and uveitis. HTLV-1-infected T cells have been hypothesized to contribute to the development of these disorders, although the precise mechanisms are not well understood. HTLV-1 primarily infects CD4+ T helper (Th) cells that play a central role in adaptive immune responses. Based on their functions, patterns of cytokine secretion, and expression of specific transcription factors and chemokine receptors, Th cells that are differentiated from naïve CD4+ T cells are classified into four major lineages: Th1, Th2, Th17, and T regulatory (Treg) cells. The CD4+CD25+CCR4+ T cell population, which consists primarily of suppressive T cell subsets, such as the Treg and Th2 subsets in healthy individuals, is the predominant viral reservoir of HTLV-1 in both ATL and HAM/TSP patients. Interestingly, CD4+CD25+CCR4+ T cells become Th1-like cells in HAM/TSP patients, as evidenced by their overproduction of IFN-γ, suggesting that HTLV-1 may intracellularly induce T cell plasticity from Treg to IFN-γ+ T cells. This review examines the recent research into the association between HTLV-1 and Treg cells that has greatly enhanced understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying immune dysregulation in HTLV-1-associated neuroinflammatory disease

Prevalence of albuminuria and renal dysfunction, and related clinical factors in Japanese patients with diabetes: The Japan Diabetes Complication and its Prevention prospective study 5

Aims/Introduction To clarify the prevalence of albuminuria and renal dysfunction, and related factors in Japanese patients with diabetes, we analyzed the baseline data of the Japan Diabetes Complication and its Prevention prospective study. Materials and Methods We used the data of 355 patients with type 1 diabetes and 5,194 patients with type 2 diabetes to evaluate the prevalence of albuminuria and renal dysfunction, and related factors. A binomial logistic regression analysis was used to investigate independent contributing factors for estimated glomerular filtration rate Results The prevalence of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria was 15.2% (54/355) and 3.1% (11/355) in type 1 diabetes patients, and 25.0% (1,298/5,194) and 5.1% (265/5,194) in type 2 diabetes patients, respectively. The proportion of renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate Conclusions We showed the recent prevalence of albuminuria and renal dysfunction, and related factors in Japanese type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients using the baseline data of the Japan Diabetes Complication and its Prevention prospective study. The current results suggest that renal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes is heterogeneous, and different mechanisms might be involved in albuminuria and deterioration of renal function

Prospective randomized study for optimal insulin therapy in type 2 diabetic patients with secondary failure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The large clinical trials proved that Basal-Bolus (BB) insulin therapy was effective in the prevention of diabetic complications and their progression. However, BB therapy needs multiple insulin injections per a day. In this regard, a biphasic insulin analogue needs only twice-daily injections, and is able to correct postprandial hyperglycemia. Therefore it may achieve the blood glucose control as same as that of BB therapy and prevent the diabetic complications including macroangiopathy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In PROBE (Prospective, Randomized, Open, Blinded-Endpoint) design, forty-two type 2 diabetic patients (male: 73.8%, median(inter quartile range) age: 64.5(56.8~71.0)years) with secondary failure of sulfonylurea (SU) were randomly assigned to BB therapy with a thrice-daily insulin aspart and once-daily basal insulin (BB group) or to conventional therapy with a twice-daily biphasic insulin analogue (30 Mix group), and were followed up for 6 months to compare changes in HbA1c, daily glycemic profile, intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid artery, adiponectin levels, amounts of insulin used, and QOL between the two groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 6 months, HbA1c was significantly reduced in both groups compared to baseline (30 Mix; 9.3(8.1~11.3) → 7.4(6.9~8.7)%, p < 0.01, vs BB;8.9(7.7~10.0) → 6.9(6.2~7.3)%, p < 0.01), with no significant difference between the groups in percentage change in HbA1c (30 Mix; -14.7(-32.5~-7.5)% vs BB -17.8(-30.1~-11.1)%, p = 0.32). There was a significant decrease in daily glycemic profile at all points except dinner time in both groups compared to baseline. There was a significant increase in the amount of insulin used in the 30 Mix group after treatment compared to baseline (30 Mix;0.30(0.17~0.44) → 0.39(0.31~0.42) IU/kg, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in IMT, BMI, QOL or adiponectin levels in either group compared to baseline.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both BB and 30 mix group produced comparable reductions in HbA1c in type 2 diabetic patients with secondary failure. There was no significant change in IMT as an indicator of early atherosclerotic changes between the two groups. The basal-bolus insulin therapy may not be necessarily needed if the type 2 diabetic patients have become secondary failure.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials number, NCT00348231</p

Age at Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care Has No Relationship with Mortality for Childhood-Onset Type 1 Diabetes in Japan: Diabetes Epidemiology Research International (DERI) Mortality Study

Objective\ud \ud To follow up Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes for a maximum of 40 years to examine when they transitioned from pediatric care to adult care and to explore whether the attending physician, i.e., pediatrician or internist, was associated with prognosis.\ud \ud Methods\ud \ud Participants consisted of 1,299 patients who had been diagnosed as having type 1 diabetes at less than 15 years old between 1965 and 1979 identified through two nationwide surveys. Patients were classified as having received either pediatric care or adult care at the age of 15 and 30, and were compared for differences in mortality associated with the attending physician.\ud \ud Results\ud \ud The attending physicians were confirmed for a total of 1,093 patients at the age of 15. Of these patients, 43.8% and 40.3% received pediatric care and adult care, respectively. Of the 569 patients receiving pediatric care, 74.2%, 56.6%, 53.4%, and 51.3% continued with pediatric care at 20, 30, 40, and 50 years old, respectively. The attending physicians (pediatrician or internist) at the age of 15 and 30 had no significant impact on their survival (P = 0. 892, 0.411, respectively).\ud \ud Conclusions\ud \ud More than half of the patients who had received pediatric care at the age of 15 continued to receive pediatric care even after the age of 30, suggesting that their transition was far from smooth, while the attending physician at the age of both 15 and 30 was not a prognostic factor for mortality. Thus, the timing for transition to adult care in these patients has no relationship with mortality in Japan

Functional and structural basis of the nuclear localization signal in the ZIC3 zinc finger domain

Disruptions in ZIC3 cause heterotaxy, a congenital anomaly of the left–right axis. ZIC3 encodes a nuclear protein with a zinc finger (ZF) domain that contains five tandem C2H2 ZF motifs. Missense mutations in the first ZF motif (ZF1) result in defective nuclear localization, which may underlie the pathogenesis of heterotaxy. Here we revealed the structural and functional basis of the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of ZIC3 and investigated its relationship to the defect caused by ZF1 mutation. The ZIC3 NLS was located in the ZF2 and ZF3 regions, rather than ZF1. Several basic residues interspersed throughout these regions were responsible for the nuclear localization, but R320, K337 and R350 were particularly important. NMR structure analysis revealed that ZF1–4 had a similar structure to GLI ZF, and the basic side chains of the NLS clustered together in two regions on the protein surface, similar to classical bipartite NLSs. Among the residues for the ZF1 mutations, C253 and H286 were positioned for the metal chelation, whereas W255 was positioned in the hydrophobic core formed by ZF1 and ZF2. Tryptophan 255 was a highly conserved inter-finger connector and formed part of a structural motif (tandem CXW-C-H-H) that is shared with GLI, Glis and some fungal ZF proteins. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of Karyopherin α1/α6 impaired ZIC3 nuclear localization, and physical interactions between the NLS and the nuclear import adapter proteins were disturbed by mutations in the NLS but not by W255G. These results indicate that ZIC3 is imported into the cell nucleus by the Karyopherin (Importin) system and that the impaired nuclear localization by the ZF1 mutation is not due to a direct influence on the NLS

Abnormally High Levels of Virus-Infected IFN-γ+CCR4+CD4+CD25+ T Cells in a Retrovirus-Associated Neuroinflammatory Disorder

BACKGROUND:Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a human retrovirus associated with both HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), which is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease, and adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). The pathogenesis of HAM/TSP is known to be as follows: HTLV-1-infected T cells trigger a hyperimmune response leading to neuroinflammation. However, the HTLV-1-infected T cell subset that plays a major role in the accelerated immune response has not yet been identified. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Here, we demonstrate that CD4(+)CD25(+)CCR4(+) T cells are the predominant viral reservoir, and their levels are increased in HAM/TSP patients. While CCR4 is known to be selectively expressed on T helper type 2 (Th2), Th17, and regulatory T (Treg) cells in healthy individuals, we demonstrate that IFN-gamma production is extraordinarily increased and IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and Foxp3 expression is decreased in the CD4(+)CD25(+)CCR4(+) T cells of HAM/TSP patients as compared to those in healthy individuals, and the alteration in function is specific to this cell subtype. Notably, the frequency of IFN-gamma-producing CD4(+)CD25(+)CCR4(+)Foxp3(-) T cells is dramatically increased in HAM/TSP patients, and this was found to be correlated with disease activity and severity. CONCLUSIONS:We have defined a unique T cell subset--IFN-gamma(+)CCR4(+)CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells--that is abnormally increased and functionally altered in this retrovirus-associated inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system