Y Tokura

Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka-ken, Japan

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Publications (88)327.08 Total impact

  • Article: Characterization of malignant T-cell line established from a rare case of CD8(+) CD56(+) Sézary syndrome.
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    ABSTRACT: The majority of mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), representatives of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), are positive for CD4, and CD8(+) cases are rare.(1) Here, we established a CD8(+) CD56(+) skin-infiltrating tumour cell line from skin blisters of a patient with CD8(+) SS. Using this cell line, the peculiar features of CD8(+) CTCL cells were studied. Patient's clinical information was described elsewhere.
    British Journal of Dermatology 09/2012; · 3.67 Impact Factor
  • Article: Augmentation of monocyte interleukin-8 production by psoralen/UVA-treated CD4+ T cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Treatment of cells with psoralen and ultraviolet A light (UVA) modulates their cytokine production. As extracorporeal photochemotherapy has been reported to induce cytokine production by monocytes, we quantified interleukin-8 (IL-8), a representative chemokine produced by monocytes, in culture supernatants from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) treated with 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and UVA. Lipopolysaccharide stimulated IL-8 production in 8-MOP-phototreated PBMC more efficiently than those untreated or treated with 8-MOP or UVA. More interestingly, when cultured with T-cell-stimulating anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies, 8-MOP/UVA-treated PBMC produced enhanced amounts of IL-8 with an increased level of IL-8 mRNA expression. Depletion of CD4 but not CD8 T cells from PBMC abrogated this augmented IL-8 elaboration, and CD4 T cells per se secreted no substantial amount of IL-8 even upon CD3/CD28 stimulation. Thus, 8-MOP/UVA-treated CD4 T cells stimulated monocytes to secrete IL-8. The IL-8 overproduction was induced by direct contact of monocytes with 8-MOP/UVA-treated CD4 T cells but not by cytokines from the treated CD4 T cells. These findings imply that in extracorporeal photochemotherapy, monocytes effectively produce IL-8 by cell-to-cell contact with 8-MOP/UVA-treated malignant CD4 T cells. The augmentation of monocyte cytokine/chemokine production by 8-MOP/UVA may be one of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficacy of extracorporeal photochemotherapy.
    Experimental Dermatology 01/2003; 11(6):564-72. · 3.54 Impact Factor
  • Article: Quinolone-photoconjugated major histocompatibility complex class II-binding peptides with lysine are antigenic for T cells mediating murine quinolone photoallergy.
    Y Tokura, N Seo, M Fujie, M Takigawa
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    ABSTRACT: Fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents cause photosensitivity dermatitis as an adverse effect and can function immunologically as photohapten. In a murine model of quinolone photoallergy, Langerhans cells are photomodified with a systemically given quinolone upon ultraviolet A irradiation of skin and thus present photohaptenic moieties to sensitize and restimulate T cells. The aim of this study is to determine the site of peptides/proteins photobound to quinolones and to assess the T cell antigenicity of quinolone-photocoupled peptides using Langerhans cells as photoadduct-presenting cells. On an amino acid composition analysis, lysine was preferentially degraded in bovine serum albumin that was ultraviolet A-conjugated with a representative quinolone ofloxacin. An affinity chromatographic study using a quinolone photoadduct-specific monoclonal antibody as ligand demonstrated preferential photocoupling of ofloxacin with a lysine-containing peptide. CD4+ T cells were purified from lymph nodes of BALB/c mice sensitized subcutaneously with ofloxacin-photomodified epidermal cells and from those sensitized epicutaneously via barrier-disrupted skin with a major histocompatibility complex class II (I-Ad)-binding, ofloxacin-photoconjugated peptide. These immune T cells proliferated in vitro in response to Langerhans cells loaded with class II-binding, lysine-containing peptides when photomodified with ofloxacin. Furthermore, epicutaneous application of the ofloxacin-photoconjugated peptide was able to prime mice for subsequent elicitation of photoallergy evoked with systemic ofloxacin and ultraviolet A light. This study suggests that lysine affords quinolone photocoupling of peptides and quinolone-photomodified peptides on class II molecules stimulate pathogenetic T cells in quinolone photoallergy.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology 12/2001; 117(5):1206-11. · 6.31 Impact Factor
  • Article: Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites as the primary clinical manifestation of a juvenile type of Epstein-Barr virus-associated natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma.
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    ABSTRACT: Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites or mosquito allergy is a mysterious disorder that has been reported mainly in Japanese patients (at least 58 patients) in the first two decades of life. The skin lesion at bite sites is typically a bulla that develops into necrosis. Patients simultaneously exhibit a high temperature and general malaise and subsequently may experience lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Recent studies have revealed that this mosquito hypersensitivity is associated with chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection and natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. The natural killer cell, infected with monoclonal (or oligoclonal) Epstein-Barr virus, seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of the hypersensitivity. Half of the patients reported died of hemophagocytic syndrome (or malignant histiocytosis), granular lymphocyte proliferative disorder, or lymphomas. We propose that this disease, defined as the triad of hypersensitivity to mosquito bites, chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection, and natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma, is a clinical entity mostly seen in Asians.
    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 11/2001; 45(4):569-78. · 3.99 Impact Factor
  • Article: Percutaneous peptide immunization via corneum barrier-disrupted murine skin for experimental tumor immunoprophylaxis.
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    ABSTRACT: Percutaneous peptide immunization is a method in which tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are primed in the lymph nodes and spleen following application of tumor peptides to corneum barrier-disrupted murine skin. Immunized mice are protected against subsequent challenge with corresponding tumors and suppress the growth of established tumors. CTL expansion after peptide application seems to be mediated by epidermal Langerhans' cells. In the human, disruption of permeability barrier by tape stripping also induces activation of epidermal Langerhans' cells. Thus, percutaneous peptide immunization provides a simple and noninvasive means of inducing potent antitumor immunity that may be exploited for cancer immunotherapy in the human.
    Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 10/2001; 941:139-46. · 3.15 Impact Factor
  • Article: Photoactivational cytokine-modulatory action of 8-methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A in lymphocytes, monocytes, and cutaneous T cell lymphoma cells.
    Y Tokura, N Seo, H Yagi, M Takigawa
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    ABSTRACT: Treatment with 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and ultraviolet A light (UVA) has been reported to modulate cytokine production in various cells. Our study was conducted to see the effects of 8-MOP/UVA on the expression/production of cytokines in peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes in relation to the therapeutic mechanisms of extracorporeal photochemotherapy. 8-MOP/UVA augmented the expression of mRNAs for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-2 and reduced those for IL-4 and IL-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from normal subjects and Sézary syndrome patients. This enhancement of Th1 cytokines was caused by increment of cytokine production by Th1 cells but not by conversion of Th2 cells to produce Th1 cytokines. The number of IFN-gamma-secreting lymphocytes was markedly increased in 8-MOP/UVA-treated PBMCs 20 h after treatment, and its amount was elevated in culture supernatants. However, this enhanced production of IFN-gamma was found only until three days after 8-MOP phototreatment, and its level was rapidly declined by five days after treatment. In addition to this Th1-polarized action, 8-MOP/UVA-treated PBMCs produced enhanced amounts of IL-8 upon stimulation with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies. Phototreated CD4+ but not CD8+ cells provided excellent T cell help for monocytes to produce IL-8 via a direct cell-to-cell contact mechanism. These findings suggest that 8-MOP/UVA has a transient but biologically active Th1-skewing action in T cells, and the phototreated T cells simultaneously stimulate monocytes to produce IL-8. It is suggested that 8-MOP/UVA exerts a beneficial therapeutic effect on malignant Th2 neoplasms as a Th1-skewing cytokine modifier and that 8-MOP-phototreated CD4+ T cells allow monocytes to become effective tumor antigen-presenting cells for tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells.
    Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 10/2001; 941:185-93. · 3.15 Impact Factor
  • Article: Interleukin-10 expressed at early tumour sites induces subsequent generation of CD4(+) T-regulatory cells and systemic collapse of antitumour immunity.
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    ABSTRACT: We investigated the relationship between transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-secreting T-regulatory (Tr) cells and anti-B16 melanoma immunity, and studied the association of early cytokines expressed at tumour sites with the generation of Tr cells. A large number of CD4(+) Tr cells producing interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta accumulated with functionally depressed CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) at tumour sites on day 20 after subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation of B16 tumour cells. Tr cells consisted of two populations, which were termed T helper 3 (Th3) and Tr1 cells. B16-infiltrating Tr cells strongly inhibited the generation of B16-specific T helper 1 (Th1) cells in a TGF-beta-dependent manner and were assumed to suppress effective generation of CTLs. In addition, B16 cells markedly progressed in mice transferred adoptively by the cultured B16-infiltrating Tr cells compared with untreated mice. The capacity of these Tr cells to produce TGF-beta was hampered by neutralizing anti-IL-10 and partly anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) injected intralesionally during the early development of B16 tumours, and this treatment markedly attenuated B16 growth. Furthermore, a lesional injection of recombinant mouse IL-10 at an early tumour site resulted in the vigorous progression of B16 tumours. These results provide evidence that Tr cells, belonging to the T helper 3/T-regulatory 1 (Th3/Tr1) type, are activated in B16-bearing hosts under the influence of T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines, mainly IL-10 (produced at early tumour lesions), and that this regulatory T-cell population functions as a suppressor of anti-B16 immunity.
    Immunology 09/2001; 103(4):449-57. · 3.32 Impact Factor
  • Article: What are the most promising strategies for the therapeutic immunomodulation of allergic diseases?
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    ABSTRACT: Specific immunotherapy and other immunomodulatory strategies have long been a stronghold in the management of allergic diseases. In particular, "immunodeviation-therapy" or "vaccination for allergies", i.e. the redirection of Th2-type immune responses towards a Th1-response pattern, has become an ever more popular concept. The present feature of CONTROVERSIES complements our previous discussion of atopy (Röcken et al., Exp Dermatol 7: 97--104, 1998), and is dedicated to a critical analysis of the general problems and limitations one faces with the main immunomodulatory strategies traditionally considered in this context. We also explore alternative approaches that appear promising in order to achieve both a more effective and/or a more specific immunotherapy of allergic diseases. Given that the mast cell remains a key protagonist in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases finally, this feature examines how innovative, more selectively mast cell-targeted strategies may be developed for the management of allergic diseases.
    Experimental Dermatology 05/2001; 10(2):128-37; discussion 138-40. · 3.54 Impact Factor
  • Source
    Article: What are the most promising strategies for the therapeutic immunomodulation of allergic diseases?Note
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Specific immunotherapy and other immunomodulatory strategies have long been a stronghold in the management of allergic diseases. In particular, “immunodeviation-therapy” or “vaccination for allergies”, i.e. the redirection of Th2-type immune responses towards a Th1-response pattern, has become an ever more popular concept. The present feature of CONTROVERSIES complements our previous discussion of atopy (Röcken et al., Exp Dermatol 7: 97–104, 1998), and is dedicated to a critical analysis of the general problems and limitations one faces with the main immunomodulatory strategies traditionally considered in this context. We also explore alternative approaches that appear promising in order to achieve both a more effective and/or a more specific immunotherapy of allergic diseases. Given that the mast cell remains a key protagonist in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases finally, this feature examines how innovative, more selectively mast cell-targeted strategies may be developed for the management of allergic diseases.
    Experimental Dermatology 03/2001; 10(2):128 - 140. · 3.54 Impact Factor
  • Article: Nonerythrodermic, leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with indolent clinical course: Th2-type tumor cells lacking T-cell receptor/CD3 expression and coinfiltrating tumoricidal CD8 T cells.
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    ABSTRACT: As typically represented by Sézary syndrome, the leukemic form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) mostly exhibits erythroderma. A patient with CTCL had slowly developing skin tumors as well as chronic leukemia. The tumor cell was CD4+ CD7- Th2 cells lacking T-cell receptor/CD3 complex and persistently occupied 27% to 48% of peripheral blood lymphocytes. In skin tumors, only 13% of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were malignant cells and substantial numbers of nonmalignant CD4+ or CD8+ T cells and B cells coinfiltrated. CD8+-infiltrating T cells had cytotoxic activity against the malignant T cell. Our case demonstrates the existence of the leukemic form of CTCL presenting with skin manifestation other than erythroderma and parapsoriatic patches. The nonerythrodermic feature and indolent course may be associated with the lack of T-cell receptor/CD3 expression and coinfiltration of a high percentage of nontumor lymphocytes, including tumoricidal CD8+ T cells.
    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 12/2000; 43(5 Pt 2):946-54. · 3.99 Impact Factor
  • Article: Disordered expression of inhibitory receptors on the NK1-type natural killer (NK) leukaemic cells from patients with hypersensitivity to mosquito bites.
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    ABSTRACT: Recent studies have revealed the existence of a distinct type of NK cell leukaemia of the juvenile type, which presents with hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) as an essential clinical manifestation and is infected with clonal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This disorder is thus called HMB-EBV-NK disease and has been reported in Orientals, mostly from Japan. We investigated the profile of cytokine production and the expression of both types of NK inhibitory receptors, i.e. CD94 lectin-like dimers and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors, in NK leukaemic cells from three patients with HMB-EBV-NK disease. It was found that freshly isolated NK leukaemic cells expressed mRNA for interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and additionally produced IL-10 upon stimulation with IL-2, indicating that the NK cells were of NK1 type. More than 98% of NK cells from the patients bore CD94 at a higher level than did normal NK cells, whereas p70 or NKAT2, belonging to immunoglobulin-like receptor, was not expressed in those NK cells. Freshly isolated leukaemic NK cells transcribed mRNA for CD94-associated molecule NKG2C at an abnormally high level, and upon stimulation with IL-2 and/or IL-12 they expressed NKG2A as well. The disordered expression of these inhibitory receptors not only provides some insights into the pathogenesis of HMB-EBV-NK disease but also can be used as phenotypic markers for the diagnosis of this type of NK cell leukaemia.
    Clinical & Experimental Immunology 07/2000; 120(3):413-9. · 3.36 Impact Factor
  • Article: Immune responses to photohaptens: implications for the mechanisms of photosensitivity to exogenous agents.
    Y Tokura
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    ABSTRACT: A photohaptenic moiety is one of the salient properties of photoallergic chemicals. Clinically, it is likely that photohaptens are the main causative substances in photoallergic contact dermatitis and drug photoallergy. Photohaptens bind covalently to protein under exposure to ultraviolet A light (UVA). Because of this photocoupling ability, cells are easily photoderivatized with a photohapten by UVA irradiation, becoming immunogenic photohapten-modified cells. Langerhans cells photomodified with a photohapten can stimulate immune T cells when photomodification is performed with a non-phototoxic dose of UVA.
    Journal of Dermatological Science 04/2000; 23 Suppl 1:S6-9. · 3.72 Impact Factor
  • Article: Formation of antigenic quinolone photoadducts on Langerhans cells initiates photoallergy to systemically administered quinolone in mice.
    A Ohshima, N Seo, M Takigawa, Y Tokura
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    ABSTRACT: Quinolone antibacterial agents are well known to cause photoallergy as a side-effect. Murine photoallergy to fluoroquinolones is a T cell-mediated immune response, evoked either by systemic fluoroquinolone and subsequent exposure of skin to ultraviolet A light or by subcutaneous injection of fluoroquinolone-photomodified epidermal cells. In this photosensitivity, epidermal Langerhans cells may be photomodified initially with the drug and thus present photohaptenic moieties to sensitize and restimulate T cells. Although we have shown that Langerhans cells photocoupled in vitro with fluoroquinolones are capable of stimulating sensitized T cells, it remains unclear whether systemically given fluoroquinolone photomodifies Langerhans cells upon ultraviolet A irradiation of the skin and the Langerhans cells become photohapten-bearing, T cell-stimulatory cells. In a murine model of fleroxacin photoallergy induced by intraperitoneal injection of the drugs plus ultraviolet A irradiation of skin, we found that Langerhans cells as well as keratinocytes are photoderivatized with fleroxacin as demonstrated with a fluoroquinolone-specific monoclonal antibody. Langerhans-cell-enriched epidermal cells prepared from mice treated with fleroxacin and ultraviolet A induced proliferation of sensitized T cells, indicating that photomodified Langerhans cells are functional. There was an optimal range of ultraviolet A dose to quantitatively and qualitatively form fleroxacin-photomodified Langerhans cells, as excess ultraviolet A rather reduced the photoantigen-presenting capacity of Langerhans cells presumably because of drug phototoxicity. Our study suggests that Langerhans cells serve as photoantigen-presenting cells in drug photoallergy.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology 04/2000; 114(3):569-75. · 6.31 Impact Factor
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    Article: Percutaneous peptide immunization via corneum barrier-disrupted murine skin for experimental tumor immunoprophylaxis.
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    ABSTRACT: H-2K(b)-restricted tumor epitope peptides, including tyrosinase-related protein 2 residues 181-188 (TRP-2) and connexin 37 residues 52-59 (MUT1), were applied to permeability barrier-disrupted C57BL/6 (B6) mouse skin from which the stratum corneum of the epidermis had been removed by tape-stripping. This procedure primed tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the lymph nodes and spleen, protected mice against subsequent challenge with corresponding tumor cells, and suppressed the growth of established tumors. Preventive and therapeutic effectiveness was correlated with the frequency of tumor-specific CTL precursors. MHC class II Ia(b+) cells separated from tape-stripped skin, compared with those from intact skin, exhibited a strong antigen-presenting capacity for CTL, suggesting that CTL expansion after peptide application is primarily mediated by epidermal Langerhans cells. Thus, percutaneous peptide immunization via barrier-disrupted skin provides a simple and noninvasive means of inducing potent anti-tumor immunity which may be exploited for cancer immunotherapy.
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 01/2000; 97(1):371-6. · 9.68 Impact Factor
  • Article: Keratinocytes from patients with lupus erythematosus show enhanced cytotoxicity to ultraviolet radiation and to antibody-mediated cytotoxicity.
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    ABSTRACT: Keratinocyte cytotoxicity is an important component of the immunopathology of photosensitive lupus erythematosus, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) has been shown to be an important mechanism by which autoantibodies, especially those specific for SS-A/Ro, can induce keratinocyte damage in models of photosensitive lupus. We provide further evidence that keratinocytes from patients with photosensitive lupus show significantly greater ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced cytotoxicity, and that ADCC of these targets is especially enhanced by autologous patient's serum or by anti-SS-A/Ro+ sera. Keratinocytes from normal uninvolved skin of 29 patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) were grown in cell culture and tested as targets in cytotoxicity experiments in vitro. Cultured keratinocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) showed significantly greater cytotoxicity following UVR treatment than did keratinocytes from normal adult controls or from neonatal foreskins (P < 0.01). The same cultures also showed greater UVR-induced binding of IgG from fractionated anti-SS-A/Ro+ preparations. ADCC experiments were also performed using keratinocytes cultured from patients with SLE, SCLE, discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), and normal controls. When keratinocytes were incubated in autologous serum plus a standard mononuclear cell effector population, the percentage of ADCC observed was significantly greater in cultures containing keratinocytes and sera from the SLE and SCLE patients (P < 0.001). When cultured keratinocytes were added to different IgG antibody probes, plus standard mononuclear effector populations, greater ADCC was seen using the anti-SS-A/Ro probe and keratinocytes from patients with SLE or SCLE. With normal human neonatal keratinocyte targets, the anti-SS-A/Ro probe induced greater ADCC than that seen with anti-ssDNA or normal human serum. We have shown that keratinocytes from patients with some forms of lupus erythematosus (SLE and SCLE) show greater cytotoxicity in vitro when irradiated with UVR, and greater susceptibility to ADCC whether the antibody source is their own serum or an anti-SS-A/Ro probe.
    Clinical & Experimental Immunology 11/1999; 118(1):164-70. · 3.36 Impact Factor
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    Article: Lymphocyte stimulation test with drug-photomodified cells in patients with quinolone photosensitivity.
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    ABSTRACT: Quinolone antibacterial agents, known to elicit photosensitive dermatitis as an adverse effect, have both phototoxicity and photoallergenicity. The latter potency is mainly derived from their photohaptenic moiety; quinolones covalently bind to protein and cells upon exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) light. Our previous study has shown the in vivo and in vitro antigenicity of quinolone-photomodified cells in mice. Here, we examined the presence of sensitized lymphocytes that react with quinolone-photomodified autologous cells in patients with photosensitivity to quinolones. A flow cytometric analysis using a monoclonal antibody specific to quinolone photoadducts demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were successfully photomodified with quinolones upon exposure to UVA. PBMC from quinolone-photosensitive patients were cocultured with autologous PBMC photomodified with the causative drug. Modest but significant proliferative responses of responder lymphocytes were found in patients photosensitive to lomefloxacin, fleroxacin, and enoxacin, indicating photoallergic mechanism in these patients. On the other hand, sparfloxacin-photosensitive patients exhibited negative lymphocyte stimulation test, suggesting that its photosensitivity is mainly phototoxic. When UVA-preirradiated quinolones were used as stimulators, only fleroxacin exceptionally stimulated patients' PBMC, indicating its prohaptenic as well as photohaptenic properties. These findings suggest the presence of circulating sensitized T cells in patients with photosensitivity to certain quinolones.
    Journal of Dermatological Science 10/1999; 21(1):34-41. · 3.72 Impact Factor
  • Article: Treatment of T lymphocytes with 8-methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A induces transient but biologically active Th1-skewing cytokine production.
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    ABSTRACT: 8-Methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A light is suggested to shift T lymphocytes from Th2 to Th1 cells. To clarify this issue, we examined the effects of 8-methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A on the expression/production of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal subjects and a Sézary syndrome patient. 8-Methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A augmented the expression of mRNAs for interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 and reduced those for interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. It seems that this enhancement of Th1 cytokines is caused by increment of cytokine production by Th1 cells but not by conversion of Th2 cells to produce Th1 cytokines. The number of interferon-gamma-secreting lymphocytes was markedly increased in 8-methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells 20 h after treatment, whereas that of Th2 cytokine-producing cells was decreased. Accordingly, the amount of interferon-gamma was elevated in culture supernatants from 8-methoxypsoralen-phototreated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, whereas interleukin-4 was significantly reduced. This enhanced production of interferon-gamma, however, was found only until 3 d after 8-methoxypsoralen phototreatment and was declined by 5 d after treatment. Finally, 8-methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A treatment of T cells regulated their ability to induce keratinocyte CD54 expression. Our results show that 8-methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A has a transient but biologically active Th1-skewing action in human T cells, suggesting that 8-methoxypsoralen/ultraviolet A exerts a beneficial therapeutic effect on Th2-mediated or Th2-malignant diseases.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology 09/1999; 113(2):202-8. · 6.31 Impact Factor
  • Article: E- and P-cadherin expression during murine hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling.
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    ABSTRACT: The role of adhesion molecules in the control of hair follicle (HF) morphogenesis, regression and cycling is still rather enigmatic. Since the adhesion molecules E- and P-cadherin (Ecad and Pcad) are functionally important, e.g. during embryonic pattern formation, we have studied their expression patterns during neonatal HF morphogenesis and cycling in C57/BL6 mice by immunohistology and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of both cadherins was strikingly hair cycle-dependent and restricted to distinct anatomical HF compartments. During HF morphogenesis, hair bud keratinocytes displayed strong Ecad and Pcad immunoreactivity (IR). While neonatal epidermis showed Ecad IR in all epidermal layers, Pcad IR was restricted to the basal layer. During later stages of HF morphogenesis and during anagen IV-VI of the adolescent murine hair cycle, the outer root sheath showed strong E- and Pcad IR. Instead, the outermost portion of the hair matrix and the inner root sheath displayed isolated Ecad IR, while the innermost portion of the hair matrix exhibited isolated Pcad IR. During telogen, all epidermal and follicular keratinocytes showed strong Ecad IR. This is in contrast to Pcad, whose IR was stringently restricted to matrix and secondary hair germ keratinocytes which are in closest proximity to the dermal papilla. These findings suggest that isolated or combined E- and/or Pcad expression is involved in follicular pattern formation by segregating HF keratinocytes into functionally distinct subpopulations; most notably, isolated Pcad expression may segregate those hair matrix keratinocytes into one functional epithelial tissue unit, which is particularly susceptible to growth control by dermal papilla-derived morphogens. The next challenge is to define which secreted agents implicated in hair growth control modulate these follicular cadherin expression patterns, and to define how these basic parameters of HF topobiology are altered during common hair growth disorders.
    Experimental Dermatology 09/1999; 8(4):237-46. · 3.54 Impact Factor
  • Article: Depletion of IL-10- and TGF-beta-producing regulatory gamma delta T cells by administering a daunomycin-conjugated specific monoclonal antibody in early tumor lesions augments the activity of CTLs and NK cells.
    N Seo, Y Tokura, M Takigawa, K Egawa
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    ABSTRACT: It has been demonstrated that gamma delta T cells accumulating in early tumor lesions and those purified from spleen cells of tumor-bearing mice attenuate the activity of CTLs and NK cells. We, therefore, investigated whether depletion of gamma delta T cells from early lesions of tumors results in restoration of CTL and NK cell activities and subsequent regression of tumors. A daunomycin-conjugated anti-gamma delta TCR mAb UC7-13D5 (Dau-UC7) was prepared to efficiently deplete gamma delta T cells. An in vitro study revealed that Dau-UC7 specifically lysed gamma delta TCR+ cells and effectively inhibited splenic gamma delta T cells from tumor-bearing mice to produce cytotoxic cell-suppressive factors. Furthermore, intralesional injections of Dau-UC7 at an early stage of tumor development led to augmentation of tumor-specific CTL as well as NK cell activities and to the resultant regression or growth inhibition of the tumors. On analysis of cytokine profile, gamma delta T cells transcribed mRNAs for IL-10 and TGF-beta, but not IL-4 or IFN-gamma, suggesting the T regulatory 1-like phenotype. Finally, a blocking study with mAbs showed that the inhibitory action of gamma delta T cells on CTLs and NK cells was at least partly mediated by IL-10 and TGF-beta. These results clearly demonstrated the novel mechanism by which T regulatory 1-like gamma delta T cells suppress anti-tumor CTL and NK activities by their regulatory cytokines in early tumor formation.
    The Journal of Immunology 08/1999; 163(1):242-9. · 5.79 Impact Factor
  • Article: Downregulation of innate and acquired antitumor immunity by bystander gammadelta and alphabeta T lymphocytes with Th2 or Tr1 cytokine profiles.
    N Seo, Y Tokura
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    ABSTRACT: It has been thought that natural killer (NK) cells appearing early in tumor lesions play a pivotal role in the innate immunity against tumor cells. Although NK cells serve as the first tumoricidal effector cells, they subsequently promote a shift in effectors from themselves to tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that mediate the acquired immunity. The mechanism of this shift has not been fully elucidated, however, NK cell-derived T helper (Th) 1 cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-gamma seem to play a key role. Another NK-lineage, termed natural killer T (NK T) cells, may also participate in the innate period when they acquire the ability to secrete Th1 cytokines. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10, belonging to Th2, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), belonging to T regulatory (Tr) 1 cytokines, are known to suppress the development of NK, NK T cells, as well as CTLs and to block Th0 cell differentiation to Th1 cells, suggesting that tumor cells can evade the innate and acquired immunity by virtue of cells producing these inhibitory cytokines. In early tumor lesions of murine B16 melanoma, gammadelta T and alphabeta intermediate (int) T cells that co-infiltrate with NK and NK T cells can produce Th2 cytokines and inhibit the innate immunity. In MM2 mammary tumor-bearing mice, gammadelta T cells appearing both lesionally and systemically secrete Tr1-type cytokines and depress the acquired immunity. These Th2- or Tr1-type gammadelta T and alphabeta(int) T cells downregulate the tumoricidal cells by means of both their secreted cytokines and express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules.
    Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research 07/1999; 19(6):555-61. · 3.06 Impact Factor

Institutions

  • 1988–2012
    • Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
      • Department of Dermatology
      Hamamatsu, Shizuoka-ken, Japan
  • 1998–1999
    • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
      Berlin, Land Berlin, Germany
  • 1991–1994
    • Yale-New Haven Hospital
      New Haven, CT, USA
    • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
      Chevy Chase, MD, USA