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ABSTRACT: Although there is convincing evidence that human B cells can be induced to produce IgE by a combination of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and hydrocortisone (HC) in atopic subjects, it is still uncertain if this performs the same functions in allergen-specific IgE synthesis.
This study was designed to investigate the differences of IgE regulation between atopics and nonatopics, interactions of HC with IL-4, and the correlation between in vitro total IgE, allergen-specific IgE synthesis and serum IgE levels.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 16 atopic asthma patients sensitive to Dermatophagoides farinae and seven nonatopic controls were cultured with IL-4 and/or HC. Total IgE and D. farinae-specific IgE in culture supernatant were measured by ELISA and FAST.
IL-4 increased total IgE synthesis in PBMCs from both atopics and nonatopics, whereas, HC had this effect only in some atopics who showed spontaneous IgE production in vitro. HC acted synergistically with IL-4 in total IgE synthesis. Their effects were more remarkable in cases with lower total serum IgE levels. PBMCs from eight of 16 atopics produced D. farinae-specific IgE in vitro either spontaneously or by IL-4 and/or HC. HC had more profound effects than IL-4 in these patients. They also showed higher total IgE synthesis by HC, and higher specific serum IgE levels than the others. IL-4 and/or HC did not induce any D. farinae-specific IgE synthesis by PBMCs from nonatopics.
HC had a more profound effect than IL-4 on the induction of D. farinae-specific IgE synthesis in atopic patients with high serum allergen specific IgE levels. Further studies to determine the causes of these effects, such as the presence of long lived allergen specific B cells as the result of the priming effect of IL-4 in vivo, may be needed.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy 12/2000; 30(11):1576-81. · 5.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Abnormalities of bone metabolism could be followed in gastrectomized patients as a late complication. Nowadays, many biochemical and radiologic measurements are applied to detect these abnormalities. The aim of our study is to determine the valuable parameter as an appropriate screening test during long-term follow-up periods and define the usefulness of new biochemical markers for bone metabolism by comparing with traditional markers.
Fifteen patients who had undergone partial gastrectomy were chosen randomly and fifteen healthy controls were compared. Then, several biochemical and radiologic tests were measured. We excluded subjects who proved to have other causes of bone metabolism abnormalities. Ten patients and 10 controls were finally selected.
Comparing the data with those of a corresponding control group, the lumbar bone density measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) was statistically significantly lower in the patient group (p < 0.01). The urinary deoxypyridinoline, a biochemical marker for bone resorption, was statistically higher in the patient group (p < 0.025). Osteocalcin, Procollagen I C-terminal peptide (PICP) and Type I collagen C-terminal telopeptide (ICTP) were slightly but not significantly higher in the patient group. The serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were similar in both groups.
We could suggest that urinary deoxypyridinoline and QCT are appropriate parameters as screening tests for the detection of bone metabolism abnormalities in gastrectomized patients during long-term follow-up. Urinary deoxypyridinoline may be a simple and rapid test which could replace cumbersome 24-hour urinary hydroxyproline.
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 01/2000; 15(1):25-31.
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ABSTRACT: Autoimmune cholangitis is a clinical constellation of chronic cholestasis, histological changes of chronic nonsuppurative cholangitis and the presence of autoantibodies other than antimitochondrial antibody (AMA). It is uncertain whether this entity is definitely different from AMA positive primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), though it shows some differences. We report a case of autoimmune cholangitis in a 59-year-old woman, who had been previously diagnosed as AMA-positive PBC associated with rheumatoid arthritis, has been converted to an AMA-negative and anticentromere antibody-positive PBC during follow-up. The response to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is poor except within the first few months, but prednisolone was dropping the biochemical laboratory data.
Journal of Korean Medical Science 03/1999; 14(1):102-6. · 0.99 Impact Factor
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Transplantation Proceedings 09/1998; 30(5):2395-7. · 1.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A flat depressed early colon cancer (FDEC) is characterized by non-polypoid growth pattern, no association of adenomatous tissues and a tendency of even small lesions toward submucosal invasion and lymph node metastasis. It supports de novo carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer, although most colorectal cancers arise in pre-existing adenoma (adenoma-carcinoma sequence). There have been few reports of small depressed cancers because of the difficulty in colonoscopic detection and the rapid development to ulcerating advanced cancers. We report a case of flat depressed early colon cancer confined to mucosa detected by indigo carmine contrast colonoscopy.
Journal of Korean Medical Science 11/1997; 12(5):465-8. · 0.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A woman aged 45 years was presented with hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and hypomagnesemia associated with renal potassium and magnesium wasting. Her 24-hour urinary calcium excretion was strikingly low despite normocalcemia and normal creatinine clearance, which is one of characteristic findings of Gitelman's syndrome (GS). She was evaluated for the responses following Mg supplementation for 10 days, which showed marked increments in serum potassium and magnesium as well as improvements of the degree of renal potassium wasting and hypocalciuria. This amelioration of abnormal biochemical pictures in this patient after Mg supplementation proposes that the hypokalemia with renal potassium wasting and hypocalciuria may be caused by abnormal Mg metabolism.
Journal of Korean Medical Science 05/1997; 12(2):157-9. · 0.99 Impact Factor
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J S Hahm,
J Y Park,
S C Song, Y J Cho,
K H Moon,
Y H Song,
O Y Lee,
H S Choi,
B C Yoon,
M H Lee,
C S Kee,
K N Park
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ABSTRACT: The incidence of gallstone disease has increased recently in Korea and there seems to be an increased prevalence of gallstones when in association with pregnancy. Although the pathogenesis is incompletely defined, and altered motility of the gallbladder may contribute to the increased risk of gallstones during pregnancy.
We measured gallbladder volume using real-time ultrasonography to find out the mechanism for the changes of gallbladder motility during late pregnancy. Eighteen pregnant women took the gallbladder ultrasonography during their last trimester of pregnancy and after delivery; gallbladder volume and ejection fraction were calculated in each patient.
Fasting gallbladder volumes increased significantly in the last trimester of pregnancy (25.28 +/- 14.26ml) compared with postpartum (17.44 +/- 5.82 ml) (p < 0.05). Gallbladder volumes measured after fatty meals showed more increment in pregnant women (10.13 +/- 7.19 ml) than in those after delivery (4.34 +/- 3.36 ml) (p < 0.005). A significantly reduced gallbladder ejection fraction was found in the pregnant group (60.56 +/- 18.80%) compared with those after delivery (77.48 +/- 13.37%) (p < 0.005).
Gallbladder motility in late pregnancy shows significant impairment compared with that in postpartum. Thus, we suggest that gallbladder hypomotility may occur during late pregnancy, and this impairment of gallbladder motility may play an important role in gallstone formation.
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 01/1997; 12(1):16-20.
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ABSTRACT: There have been many studies concerning pathological changes in bronchial mucosa from asthmatics; however, few studies has been carried out to evaluate pathological changes according to the severity of asthma.
This study was designed to evaluate the cellular components in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and histological abnormalities in asthmatics according to the severity of asthma.
Bronchoalveolar lavages, bronchoscopic biopsies and ultrastructural examinations were performed in 13 asthmatics and 11 (BAL) or four (biopsies) non-asthmatic controls. The proportions of epithelial cells and correlations with PC20Meth which reflects bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Light microscopic examination revealed loss of epithelium, inflammatory cell infiltrations and thickening of the basement membrane which also showed significant correlation with PC20Meth. Hypertrophy of airway smooth muscles and hyperplasia of mucous glands were prominent in asthmatics but there was no difference according to the severity of asthma. Ultrastructural examination revealed that basement membrane thickening on light microscopic examination is due to the increased subepithelial collagen deposition with normal thickness of basal lamina.
These data suggest that loss of epithelial cells, infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, and increased deposition of subepithelial collagen play major roles in determining the severity of asthma and non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
Clinical & Experimental Allergy 11/1996; 26(10):1210-9. · 5.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: 1. Induction of lipocortin 1 secretion by dexamethasone has been demonstrated, although the secretory mechanism is still unknown. We have studied the effects of 12-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and/or dexamethasone on the expression, translocation, and secretion of lipocortin 1 in U937 cells. 2. The expression of lipocortin 1 and its mRNA increased during TPA-induced differentiation of U937 cells to a maximum of 1.9 fold and 8.2 fold, respectively, after 48 h. Both the protein and the mRNA levels decreased after 48 h. 3. TPA caused the translocation of lipocortin 1 from the cytosol to the membrane of U937 cells in a time-dependent manner, as determined by Western blot analysis. The translocation was concurrent with the differentiation of the cells. After 48 h of TPA treatment, 82.6 +/- 6.5% of lipocortin 1 was present in the membrane fraction compared to 41.6 +/- 1.7% in untreated cells. 4. The amount of lipocortin 1 that was externally bound (associated) with the membrane increased to 3.2 fold as the cytosol to membrane translocation of lipocortin 1 increased. 5. Dexamethasone decreased the externally bound lipocortin 1, but had no effect on the cytosol to membrane translocation. 6. This offers a model system with which the function and the secretion mechanism of lipocortin 1 can be studied. Our data is consistent with the hypothesis that the secretory mechanism is through an unknown pathway, involving the translocation of lipocortin 1 from the cytosol to the internal membranes, and then, its secretion to the external membrane.
British Journal of Pharmacology 05/1996; 117(8):1780-4. · 4.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Hyperlipidemia, especially hypercholesterolemia, may contribute to glomerulosclerosis as it does to atherosclerosis. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) stimulates the production of extracellular matrix by mesangial cells in culture as well as the proliferation of mesangial cells. This study was carried out to examine the effects of LDL on the type IV collagen (CIV) production by cultured rat mesangial cells (CRMC). Subconfluent CRMC monolayers which were grown in RPMI with 20% lipid-free fetal calf serum for 48 h were challenged with LDL (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 micrograms/ml) for another 48 h. LDL was prepared from normal human plasma. Mesangial cell proliferation was examined by [3H]-thymidine uptake. Production of CIV was evaluated as the expression of CIV on the cell surface by flow-cytometric analysis. The collagen synthesis was measured by the [3H]-proline uptake. Total RNA was extracted from CRMC at 6 and 24 h of incubation with 150 micrograms/ml LDL, and Northern blotting and hybridization was performed with cDNAs for alpha 1-CIV, for 72-kD collagenase and for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2. The amount of total mRNA was corrected with beta-actin mRNA. Mesangial cell proliferation increased in all concentrations studied and had a peak value of 221% with 150 micrograms/ml of LDL. Expression of CIV increased by 30-60% in 100-200 micrograms/ml of LDL. Collagen synthesis also increased by 50-70% in 150-200 micrograms/ml of LDL. The mRNA ratio (procollagen alpha 1(IV)/beta-actin) increased to 133% at 24 h. The mRNA ratio (TIMP-2/beta-actin) increased to 137% at 24 h. mRNA ratios at 6 h showed no change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nephron 02/1994; 67(3):327-33. · 13.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The expression of CD23 on human tonsillar B cells is increased following treatment with interleukin 4 (IL-4) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), while that of surface immunoglobulins (sIgs) is increased by IL-4 but decreased by TPA. This suggests that the signaling by these effectors may result from distinct second messenger-generating systems. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the signal transduction pathways responsible for the expression of CD23 and sIgs by using different protein kinase C (PKC) and tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors. Our results showed that B cells expressed varying amounts of sIgs depending on different activators and inhibitors. Sphingosine, a PKC inhibitor, almost completely reversed the TPA-induced decrease in sIgM and sIgD expression. Other PKC inhibitors, e.g., H7 and staurosporine, had similar but less profound effects. In comparison, the up-regulation of CD23 by IL-4 and TPA was only partially blocked by these PKC inhibitors. TK inhibitors, such as herbimycin A and genistein, decreased both the IL-4- and TPA-induced CD23 expression by 50-80%, but had modest effects on sIgs expression. These findings indicate that CD23 and sIgs expression is regulated by independent pathways; PKC is important for the regulation of sIgs expression while the signals through TK pathways might play the major role in CD23 expression.
Cellular Immunology 12/1993; 152(1):176-85. · 1.97 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The low affinity IgE receptor (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) has been proposed to be involved in the regulation of IgE synthesis. The present study was undertaken to investigate the responses to in vitro stimulation by allergen (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; D.p) and/or interleukin-4 (IL-4) of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) isolated from atopic and non-atopic subjects. IL-4 induced up to 5 fold increase in CD23 expression on PBLs from both atopic patients and normal controls, whereas the D.p extract increased CD23 expression on cells from 7 of 8 atopic donors and from 2 of 8 normal controls. The combination of IL-4 and allergen had an additive effect of CD23 expression. PBLs from 6 of 8 atopic patients but 1 of 8 normal controls showed significant proliferative responses to D.p extract whereas IL-4 did not induce any cell proliferation. The dose of D.p extract required for the maximal CD23 expression was 20 fold higher than that for cell proliferation. These results imply that allergen stimulation, presumably through proliferating allergen specific T cells which secrete IL-4, activates B cells from most atopic donors and a few non-atopic donors resulting in increased CD23 expression. This allergen-mediated CD23 expression may play an important role in specific IgE production.
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 02/1992; 7(1):54-60.
