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Futoshi Higa,
Masao Tateyama,
Daisuke Tasato,
Yosuke Karimata,
Hideta Nakamura, Kazuya Miyagi,
Shusaku Haranaga,
Tetsuo Hirata,
Akira Hokama,
Haley L Cash,
Hiromu Toma,
Jiro Fujita
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ABSTRACT: With the increase in global transportation, imported malaria has become a significant public health concern in Japan. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed all imported malaria cases in Okinawa Prefecture from 1988 to 2012. In that period, 23 patients with imported malaria were admitted to the University of the Ryukyus Hospital. Malaria types observed included Plasmodium falciparum (14 cases), P. vivax (7 cases), combined P. falciparum and P. ovale (1 case), and combined P. vivax and P. malariae (1 case). All cases were resolved by anti-malarial treatment. The clinical data from these patients highlights the importance of collecting patient travel history and ensuring an adequate supply of both diagnostic test and drug treatments in Okinawa.
Japanese journal of infectious diseases. 01/2013; 66(1):32-5.
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ABSTRACT: Climatic conditions may have affected the incidence of influenza during the pandemic of 2009 as well as at other times. This study evaluated the effects of climatic conditions on influenza incidence in Okinawa, a subtropical region in Japan, during the 2009 pandemic using surveillance data from rapid antigen test (RAT) results. Weekly RAT results performed in four acute care hospitals in the Naha region of the Okinawa Islands from January 2007 to July 2011 were anonymously collected for surveillance of regional influenza prevalence. Intense epidemic peaks were noted in August 2009 and December 2009-January 2010 during the influenza pandemic of 2009. RAT positivity rates were lower during the pandemic period than during the pre- and post-pandemic periods. Lower ambient temperature was associated with higher influenza incidence during pre- and post-pandemic periods but not during the pandemic of 2009. Lower relative humidity was associated with higher influenza incidence during the pandemic as well as during the other two periods. The association of climatic conditions and influenza incidence was less prominent during the pandemic of 2009 than during pre- and post-pandemic periods.
Japanese journal of infectious diseases. 07/2012; 65(4):295-300.
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ABSTRACT: This research presents a simple index-guiding square photonic crystal fibers (SPCFs) that has a silica core surrounded by
air hole with two different diameters. It is demonstrated that the designed two-different-size hole-arrayed index-guiding
SPCFs has a ultra-flattened chromatic dispersion of 0 ± 0.9 ps/(nm·km) in a wavelength range of 1.34 to 1.61 μm and low confinement
loss of less than 10−7 dB/m in a wavelength range of 1.2 to 1.7 μm. It has also been shown that the proposed SPCFs show reasonable dispersion tolerance.
Keywordsphotonic crystal fiber-chromatic dispersion-confinement loss-splicing loss
Optical Review 04/2012; 16(2):54-58. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have demonstrated that the correction factor k
n
= A
eff/(πw
2), where ω = MFD/2 (MFD: mode field diameter), is above 1.20 for photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with structural parameters in the range
of d/Λ ≅ 0.40 to 0.90 (d/Λ ratio of hole diameter d and pitch Λ). By using the far-field scanning (FFS) technique and the finite difference method, the results of experimental
measurements and numerical simulations differed by only 0.9 to 3.0% for two types of PCFs. The finding that k
n
≠ 1.0 for PCFs indicates that their electrical field distribution is non-Gaussian and cannot be determined by assuming a
conventional step-index distribution for PCFs. It was also found that the ITU-T Petermann II definition is the most suitable
for MFD measurements of PCFs with non-Gaussian distribution.
Keywordsphotonic crystal fiber (PCF)-pure silica core fiber (PSCF)-mode field diameter (MFD)-effective area (A
eff)-correction factor (k
n
)
Optical Review 04/2012; 17(4):388-392. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A new simple structure of an index-guiding highly nonlinear dispersion-flattened square photonic crystal fiber (HNDFSPCF)
with low confinement losses is proposed. The results reveal that it is possible to design five-rings HNDF-SPCFs with a flattened
dispersion of 0.43 ps/(nm·km), low dispersion slope of -0:02 ps/(nm2·km), low confinement loss of approximately 103 dB/m, and a large nonlinear coefficient of approximately 35W-1 km-1 at 1.55 μm. It is also observed that the confinement loss is less than 10-1 dB/m in the wavelength range of 1.2 –1.7 μm.
Optical Review 04/2012; 14(3):120-124. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This paper presents dispersion-flattened modified hexagonal photonic crystal fibers (MH-PCFs) with extremely low confinement
loss. The finite difference method (FDM) with an anisotropic perfectly matched boundary layer (PML) is used to investigate
the chromatic dispersion and confinement properties. It is demonstrated that it is possible to obtain an ultra-flattened dispersion
of 0 ± 0:41 ps/(nm·km) in the wavelength range of 1.35–1.65 mm and an extremely low confinement loss of less than 10−4 dB/km from a four-ring MH-PCF. Effective single-mode operation of the MH-PCF is confirmed for the entire band of interest.
Optical Review 04/2012; 14(4):165-168. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: ITU-T round robin measurement results for nonlinear constant (n 2 /A eff ) of various Ge-doped optical fibers using various methods are presented. Nonlinear empirical equations between (n 2 /A eff ) and A eff , also n 2 and A eff are proposed.
Opto-Electronics and Communications Conference, 2008 and the 2008 Australian Conference on Optical Fibre Technology. OECC/ACOFT 2008. Joint conference of the; 08/2008
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Morikazu Akamine, Kazuya Miyagi,
Teruhito Uchihara,
Masato Azuma,
Satomi Yara,
Futoshi Higa,
Shusaku Haranaga,
Masao Tateyama,
Akiko Matsuzaki,
Takashi Nakayama,
Jiro Fujita
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ABSTRACT: An 85-year-old man patient was admitted to the hospital complaining of fever and bilateral leg pain with swelling and erythema. A laboratory investigation revealed leukocytopenia, thus suggesting sepsis. Gram negative rods were detected in the specimen from the affected skin and empiric antibacterial therapy was initiated. The following day, his symptoms worsened and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from the blood culture and the skin specimen. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not show the typical characteristics of necrotizing fasciitis. In spite of intensive medical treatment, the patient's condition became critical, and on day 10 after admission, he died of multiple organ failure. An autopsy revealed necrotizing fasciitis due to P. aeruginosa. This is a rare case and its clinical presentation was atypical. The clinical diagnosis of this infection may be difficult, and therefore such cases warrant the careful attention of physicians.
Internal Medicine 02/2008; 47(6):553-6. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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Masashi Nakamatsu,
Natsuo Yamamoto,
Masumitsu Hatta,
Chikara Nakasone,
Takeshi Kinjo, Kazuya Miyagi,
Kaori Uezu,
Kiwamu Nakamura,
Toshinori Nakayama,
Masaru Taniguchi,
Yoichiro Iwakura,
Mitsuo Kaku,
Jiro Fujita,
Kazuyoshi Kawakami
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ABSTRACT: Previously, we demonstrated that Valpha14+ NKT cells and IFN-gamma are important upstream components in neutrophil-mediated host defense against infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. In the present study, we extended these findings by elucidating the role of IFN-gamma in this Valpha14+ NKT cell-promoted process. Administration of recombinant IFN-gamma to Jalpha18KO mice prolonged the shortened survival, promoted the attenuated clearance of bacteria and improved the reduced accumulation of neutrophils and synthesis of MIP-2 and TNF-alpha in the lungs, in comparison to wild-type (WT) mice. In addition, intravenous transfer of liver mononuclear cells (LMNC) from WT mice into Jalpha18KO mice resulted in complete recovery of the depleted responses listed above, whereas such effects were not detected when LMNC were obtained from IFN-gammaKO or Jalpha18KO mice. Activation of Valpha14+ NKT cells by alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) significantly enhanced the clearance of bacteria, accumulation of neutrophils and synthesis of MIP-2 and TNF-alpha in the infected lungs; this effect was significantly inhibited by a neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma antibody. Finally, in a flow cytometric analysis, TNF-alpha synthesis was detected largely by CD11b(bright+) cells in the infected lungs. Our results demonstrated that IFN-gamma plays an important role in the neutrophil-mediated host protective responses against pneumococcal infection promoted by Valpha14+ NKT cells.
Microbes and Infection 04/2007; 9(3):364-74. · 3.10 Impact Factor
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Chikara Nakasone,
Natsuo Yamamoto,
Masashi Nakamatsu,
Takeshi Kinjo, Kazuya Miyagi,
Kaori Uezu,
Kiwamu Nakamura,
Futoshi Higa,
Hiromichi Ishikawa,
Rebecca L O'brien,
Koichi Ikuta,
Mitsuo Kaku,
Jiro Fujita,
Kazuyoshi Kawakami
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ABSTRACT: The present study was designed to elucidate the role of Vgamma4(+) gammadelta T cells, a major subset of pulmonary gammadelta T cells, in host defense against infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. The proportion and number of whole gammadelta T cells, identified as CD3(+) and TCR-delta(+) cells, and Vgamma4(+) gammadelta T cells, identified as CD3(+) and TCR-Vgamma4(+) cells, increased in the lungs at 3, 6 and 12h post-infection. Survival of infected mice and lung bacterial clearance were severely impaired in TCR-Vgamma4(-/-) mice compared with control wild-type (WT) mice. The impaired host protection in TCR-Vgamma4(-/-) mice correlated well with attenuated recruitment of neutrophils in lungs. MIP-2 and TNF-alpha synthesis in the infected tissues was significantly reduced in TCR-Vgamma4(-/-) mice compared with WT mice. Similar results were noted in the synthesis of TNF-alpha, but not clearly of MIP-2, by lung leukocytes stimulated with live bacteria. Our results demonstrate that Vgamma4(+) gammadelta T cells play an important role in the neutrophil-mediated host defense against S. pneumoniae infection by promoting the synthesis of TNF-alpha and possibly of MIP-2 in the lungs.
Microbes and Infection 04/2007; 9(3):251-8. · 3.10 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is a life-threatening infectious disease in immunocompromised patients. Unmethylated CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) protects hosts in a mouse model. In the present study, we tested the adjuvant effect of CpG-ODN in anti-fungal chemotherapy. Administration of either fluconazole (FLCZ) or CpG-ODN was effective in extending survival, accelerating clearance of fungi and preventing disseminated infection. Combination of both agents provided more beneficial effect than either agent alone. Cytokine balance in the infected lungs was biased to Th1-type response by CpGODN, while FLCZ did not further promote. These results suggest that CpG-ODN is a promising adjuvant in chemotherapy against this infection.
Microbiology and Immunology 02/2007; 51(8):741-6. · 1.30 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Erythromycin (EM) and rifampicin (RFP) have mainly been used to treat patients with Legionella pneumonia. Since intravenous ciprofloxacin (CPFX) became available in Japan from 2000, many reports have been published detailing successful treatment of Legionella pneumonia with CPFX. In this study, we compared the evolution of patients with Legionella pneumonia treated with CPFX to those treated with EM.
The study included nine patients treated with CPFX and eighteen patients treated with EM. Diagnosis of these patients was made by culture, PCR, urinary antigen assay or a serological method. A comparison was made of the patients' characteristics, severity of pneumonia, efficacy of each agent and the clinical course.
No significant differences were observed between the two groups, in regard to age, gender, underlying disease or severity of pneumonia. In addition, the period of time from onset of the disease until appropriate therapy did not differ significantly between the two groups. In the CPFX group, all of the patients were cured and in the EM group 16 out of the 18 patients were cured. Although there were no significant differences, the time to apyrexia, normalization of leukocytosis and a 50% decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) occurred within a relatively shorter time frame in the CPFX group than in the EM group (3.5 versus 4 days, 4 versus 5.2 days, and 2.9 versus 10.3 days, respectively). And, the duration of antibiotic treatment in the CPFX group was significantly shorter than in the EM group.
CPFX was as effective as erythromycin in the treatment of Legionella pneumonia. The effects of treatment may appear relatively earlier and the duration of treatment was significantly shorter in patients treated with CPFX therapy than with EM therapy.
Internal Medicine 02/2007; 46(7):353-7. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This paper presents a novel technique for the control of chromatic dispersion and confinement loss in hexagonal photonic crystal
fibers (H-PCFs). It is demonstrated that it is possible to obtain very low chromatic dispersion of 0 ± 0:38 ps/(nm·km) in
the wavelength range of 1.41 to 1.66 μm and confinement loss of less than 0.0001 dB/km from a six ring modified H-PCF (MH-PCF).
The higher order dispersion at 1.55 μm is about −0.001 ps/(nm2-km).
Optical Review 12/2006; 14(1):14-16. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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Takeshi Kinjo,
Masashi Nakamatsu,
Chikara Nakasone,
Natsuo Yamamoto,
Yuki Kinjo, Kazuya Miyagi,
Kaori Uezu,
Kiwamu Nakamura,
Futoshi Higa,
Masao Tateyama,
Kazuyoshi Takeda,
Toshinori Nakayama,
Masaru Taniguchi,
Mitsuo Kaku,
Jiro Fujita,
Kazuyoshi Kawakami
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: CD1d-restricted NKT cells are reported to play a critical role in the host defense to pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the contribution of a major subset expressing a Valpha14-Jalpha18 gene segment remains unclear. In the present study, we re-evaluated the role of NKT cells in the neutrophilic inflammatory responses and host defense to this infection using mice genetically lacking Jalpha18 or CD1d (Jalpha18KO or CD1dKO mice). These mice cleared the bacteria in lungs at a comparable level to wild-type (WT) mice. There was no significant difference in the local neutrophilic responses, as shown by neutrophil counts and synthesis of MIP-2 and TNF-alpha, in either KO mice from those in WT mice. Administration of alpha-galactosylceramide, a specific activator of Valpha14+ NKT cells, failed to promote the bacterial clearance and neutrophilic responses, although the same treatment increased the synthesis of IFN-gamma, suggesting the involvement of this cytokine downstream of NKT cells. In agreement against this notion, these responses were not further enhanced by administration of recombinant IFN-gamma in the infected Jalpha18KO mice. Our data indicate that NKT cells play a limited role in the development of neutrophilic inflammatory responses and host defense to pulmonary infection with P. aeruginosa.
Microbes and Infection 11/2006; 8(12-13):2679-85. · 3.10 Impact Factor
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Kiwamu Nakamura, Kazuya Miyagi,
Yoshinobu Koguchi,
Yuki Kinjo,
Kaori Uezu,
Takeshi Kinjo,
Morikazu Akamine,
Jiro Fujita,
Ikuo Kawamura,
Masao Mitsuyama,
Yoshiyuki Adachi,
Naohito Ohno,
Kiyoshi Takeda,
Shizuo Akira,
Akiko Miyazato,
Mitsuo Kaku,
Kazuyoshi Kawakami
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ABSTRACT: The present study was designed to elucidate the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 in the host response to Cryptococcus neoformans. Both TLR2 knockout (KO) and TLR4KO mice produced interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-12p40 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in sera and cleared this fungal pathogen from infected lungs at a comparable level to control littermate (LM) mice. Synthesis of these cytokines was not significantly different in the lungs of these KO mice and LM mice, although IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12p40 tended to be lower in TLR2KO, but not TLR4KO, mice than in controls. In addition, there was no significant reduction detected in the synthesis of IL-12 and TNF-alpha by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from TLR2KO and TLR4KO mice upon stimulation with live yeast cells. Finally, HEK293 cells expressing either TLR2/dectin-1 or TLR4/MD2/CD14 did not respond to C. neoformans in the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) detected by a luciferase assay. Our results suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 do not or only marginally contribute to the host and cellular response to this pathogen.
FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology 07/2006; 47(1):148-54. · 2.44 Impact Factor
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Makoto Furugen,
Shin Yamashiro,
Maki Tamayose,
Yui Naha, Kazuya Miyagi,
Chikara Nakasone,
Teruhito Uchihara,
Shusaku Haranaga,
Masato Azuma,
Satomi Yara,
Takashi Shinzato,
Futoshi Higa,
Hiromu Toma,
Masao Tateyama,
Jiro Fujita
[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a history of fever, headache and disorientation. His cerebrospinal fluid revealed eosinophilia and his serum had an antibody against Angiostrongylus cantonensis (A. cantonensis). Then, he was diagnosed as eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by A. cantonensis. He was treated with repeated lumbar punctures and oral prednisolone. Although a symptom he had been suffering from at the time of his admission was urinary retention, this symptom disappeared as his general condition improved. Therefore his case was considered to be Elsberg syndrome with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by A. cantonensis.
Internal Medicine 02/2006; 45(22):1333-6. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Interleukin (IL)-12 is a critical cytokine in the T helper (Th)1 response and host defense against intracellular microorganisms, while its role in host resistance to extracellular bacteria remains elusive. In the present study, we elucidated the role of IL-12 in the early-phase host defense against acute pulmonary infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, a typical extracellular bacterium, using IL-12p40 gene-disrupted (IL-12p40KO) mice. IL-12p40KO mice were highly susceptible to S. pneumoniae infection, as indicated by the shortened survival time, which was completely restored by the replacement therapy with recombinant (r) IL-12, and increased bacterial counts in the lung. In these mice, recruitment of neutrophils in the lung was significantly attenuated when compared to that in wild-type (WT) mice, which correlated well with the reduced production of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the infected tissues at the early phase of infection. In vitro synthesis of both cytokines by S. pneumoniae-stimulated lung leukocytes was significantly lower in IL-12p40KO mice than in WT mice, and addition of rIL-12 or interferon (IFN)-gamma restored the reduced production of MIP-2 and TNF-alpha in IL-12p40KO mice. Neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody (mAb) significantly decreased the effect of rIL-12. Anti-IFN-gamma mAb shortened the survival time of infected mice and reduced the recruitment of neutrophils and production of MIP-2 and TNF-alpha in the lungs. Our results indicated that IL-12p40 plays a critical role in the early-phase host defense against S. pneumoniae infection by promoting the recruitment of neutrophils to the infected tissues.
Microbes and Infection 12/2004; 6(14):1241-9. · 3.10 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present study was designed to elucidate the role of gammadelta T cells in the host defense against pulmonary infection with Cryptococcus neoformans. The gammadelta T cells in lungs commenced to increase on day 1, reached a peak level on day 3 or 6, and then decreased on day 10 after intratracheal infection. The increase of these cells was similar in monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1-deficient mice, although that of NK and NKT cells was significantly reduced. The number of live microorganisms in lungs on days 14 and 21 was significantly reduced in mice depleted of gammadelta T cells by a specific mAb compared with mice treated with control IgG. Similarly, elimination of this fungal pathogen was promoted in gammadelta T cell-deficient (TCR-delta(-/-)) mice compared with control littermate mice. Finally, lung and serum levels of IFN-gamma on days 7 and 14 and on day 7 postinfection, respectively, were significantly higher in TCR-delta(-/-) mice than in littermate mice, whereas levels of TGF-beta showed the opposite results. IL-4 and IL-10 were not different between these mice. IFN-gamma production by draining lymph node cells upon restimulation with cryptococcal Ags was significantly higher in the infected TCR-delta(-/-) mice than in control mice. Our results demonstrated that gammadelta T cells accumulated in the lungs in a manner different from NK and NKT cells after cryptococcal infection and played a down-modulatory role in the development of Th1 response and host resistance against this fungal pathogen.
The Journal of Immunology 07/2004; 172(12):7629-34. · 5.79 Impact Factor
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Kazuyoshi Kawakami,
Yuki Kinjo,
Kaori Uezu, Kazuya Miyagi,
Takeshi Kinjo,
Satomi Yara,
Yoshinobu Koguchi,
Akiko Miyazato,
Kazutoshi Shibuya,
Yoichiro Iwakura,
Kiyoshi Takeda,
Shizuo Akira,
Atsushi Saito
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ABSTRACT: Interferon (IFN)-gamma plays an essential role in host defense against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its synthesis is critically regulated by interleukin (IL)-12, IL-18 and the recently identified IL-23. The present study was designed to determine the roles of these cytokines in IFN-gamma-mediated host defenses against M. tuberculosis. For this purpose, we compared host protective responses in IL-12p40 and IL-18 double-knockout (DKO) mice (which lacked both IL-12/IL-18 and also IL-23) and IFN-gamma gene-disrupted (GKO) mice. DKO mice were more resistant to the infection than GKO mice, as indicated by their extended survival and reduced live colony numbers in spleen, liver and lung. IFN-gamma was detected by ELISA in liver and lung homogenates, but not in spleen and serum, and in all organs by RT-PCR in DKO mice at comparable or reduced levels to those in wild-type mice. IFN-gamma production was reduced by depletion of CD4+ T cells, but not of natural killer (NK), NKT, gammadeltaT and dendritic cells. Neutralization of IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha by specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) significantly shortened the survival time of the infected DKO mice. Furthermore, anti-TNF-alpha mAb partially attenuated IFN-gamma synthesis in the liver of these mice. Finally, the expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in the spleen, liver and lung was considerable in DKO mice but only marginal or undetected in GKO mice. Our results indicate the presence of IL-12-, IL-18- and IL-23-independent host protective responses against mycobacterial infection mediated by IFN-gamma, which was secreted from helper T cells.
Microbes and Infection 05/2004; 6(4):339-49. · 3.10 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present study was designed to elucidate the role of Valpha14(+) NKT cells in the host defense against pulmonary infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae using Jalpha281 gene-disrupted mice (Jalpha281KO mice) that lacked this lymphocyte subset. In these mice, pneumococcal infection was severely exacerbated, as shown by the shorter survival time and marked increase of live bacteria in the lung compared to wild-type (WT) mice. The proportion of Valpha14(+) NKT cells, detected by an alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer)-loaded CD1d tetramer, increased in thelung after S. pneumoniae infection. This increase was significantly reduced in mice with a genetic disruption of monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, which was produced in the early phaseof infection in WT mice. In the lungs of Jalpha281KO mice, the number of neutrophils was significantly lower at 12 h than that in WT mice. In support of this finding, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 and TNF-alpha synthesis in infected lungs was significantly reduced at 3 h and at both 3 and 6 h, respectively, in Jalpha281KO mice, compared to WT mice. In addition, treatment of mice with alpha-GalCer significantly improved the outcome of this infection. Our results demonstrated MCP-1-dependent recruitment of Valpha14(+) NKT cells and their critical role in early host protection against S. pneumoniae by promoting the trafficking of neutrophils to the site of infection.
European Journal of Immunology 01/2004; 33(12):3322-30. · 5.10 Impact Factor
