Hatae Y

Colorimetric determination of hyaluronate degraded byStreptomyces hyaluronidase

Abstract A novel method for determination of hyaluronate usingStreptomyces hyaluronidase is described. Optimum conditions for the enzymatic reaction were determined. It was not necessary to separate hyaluronate from other glycosaminoglycans. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of hyaluronate in urine and synovial fluid.

Prognostic Impact of CD45 Antigen Expression in High-Risk, Childhood B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group (CCLSG)

To evaluate the clinical implications of CD45 expression in acute childhood lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), we measured the CD45 expression of blast cells from 133 untreated patients with childhood B-precursor ALL (n=118) or T-ALL (n=15). CD45 expression (≥20%) was detected in all 15 cases (100%) of T-ALL, and 101 cases (86%) of B-precursor ALL. In 122 cases, the fluorescence intensity of the CD45 expression was measured as a relative value; the ratio of average linear values (RALV) of CD45 on the blasts to that on CD3-positive T-lymphocytes from the same specimen. The expression was more intense in the T-ALL cases than in the B-precursor ALL cases (RALV, mean ± SE: T-ALL 0.230 ± 0.04 vs. pro-B ALL 0.150 ± 0.012/pre-B ALL 0.153 ± 0.019, p < 0.05). However, the intensity of the CD10, CD19, CD20 and CD34 antigen immunoreactivity did not correlate with the CD45 expression. Patients with hyperdiploidy (chromosome number >50) showed significantly lower levels of CD45 expression than patients with t(1;19) or normal karyotypes (RALV, mean ± SE: 0.081 ± 0.022 vs. 0.133 ± 0.03/0.143 ± 0.019, p < 0.05). Other clinical features such as age, gender and WBC count did not correlate with CD45 expression. The prognostic implications of CD45 expression were studied in non-high-risk (low-risk + intermediate-risk) (n=60) and high-risk patients (n=52) with B-precursor ALL who had been treated with the risk-directed protocol of ALL-941 trial. Although CD45 expression did not correlate with the event-free survival (EFS) of the non-high-risk patients, there was a significant correlation between the expression levels and the EFS of the high-risk patients: the 3-year EFS rate of the CD45lowgroup (n=26, RALV=0.017 - 0.132) was 88 ± 7% versus the CD45highgroup (n=26, RALV=0.133 - 0.450) at 34 ± 24% (p < 0.05). These results show that the levels of expression of the CD45 antigen on leukemic lymphoblasts are significantly correlated with the clinical features and prognosis of childhood ALL.

Hepatitis C virus infection and chronic liver diseases after treatment of malignant disease in children: A multicenter study from the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group of Japan

BackgroundWe studied the prevalence of chronic liver diseases, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, as late effects of therapeutic regimens against childhood malignancies in Japan.MethodsPatients were long-time survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL), neuroblastoma, and osteosarcoma, who had been treated and completed the Childrens Cancer and Leukemia Study Group (CCLSG) protocols for more than 6 months at CCLSG participating institutions. The study was initially done in 1993, and as a follow-up study using a retrospective questionnaire in 1997.ResultsThe overall prevalence of HCV infection in the 1993 study was 8.1% of 443 children. Among those long-term survivors in the 1993 study, 36 (8.1%) children (24 with ALL, 6 with ANLL, 2 with NHL, and 4 others) showed liver dysfunction. The details of the HCV-positive long-term survivors were 26 (13.3%) with ALL, 4 (12.9%) with ANLL, 1 (2%) with NHL, and 5 (3%) with others. The overall prevalence of HCV infection in the 1997 study at the same institutions was 0.6%. Only a slight reduction (5.6%) of HCV antibody positivity was noted in the 1997 follow-up study, while marked reduction (77.2%) of chronic liver disorders was noted during the same follow-up period in 623 children.ConclusionsThe high frequency of HCV hepatitis among ALL children is thought to be related to frequent blood transfusions. The 1997 study is the lowest reported prevalence of HCV hepatitis among children with leukemia and malignant diseases.

A 25-Year Observation of a Japanese Female Patient with Hb Nottingham who has Two Children with the Same Disorder

We undertook a 25-year observation of a female patient with an unstable variant, Hb Nottingham or β98(FG5)Val→Gly, GTG>GGG. The proband was diagnosed with Hb Nottingham at the age of 9 years. Splenectomy was performed in order to successfully aid her height growth due to chronic anemia at the age of 11, although anemia improvement was transient. She experienced pregnancy/delivery twice, at age 23 and 26, respectively. During both pregnancies, a large number of nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) appeared in her peripheral blood. No developmental delay of the fetus was noted in either pregnancy, and she gave birth without any maternal complications or perinatal problems. Both babies were diagnosed with Hb Nottingham. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a long-term observation of a proband with Hb Nottingham, including her pregnancy/delivery and the neonatal course of her children with the same disorder.

Long survivors with Ki-1 lymphoma having t(2;5) (p23;q35). Does the presence or absence of t(2;5) influence the prognosis of patients with Ki-1 lymphoma?

Abstract We experienced three patients with CD30+ diffuse large cell lymphoma having chromosomal abnormalities. The first patient was an 8‐year‐old girl with bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. A biopsy of a cervical lymph node revealed diffuse large cell lymphoma (stage III), positive for CD30 and a chromosomal abnormality. t(2;5). She attained a remission and is now in complete remission 108 months after diagnosis, despite frequent relapses. The second patient was a 13‐year‐old boy with right axillar and supraclavicular lymph‐node adenopathy. A biopsy of a cervical lymph node revealed diffuse large cell lymphoma (stage III), positive for CD30 and a chromosomal abnormality, t(2;5). He attained remission and was in continuous first remission 112 months after diagnosis. The third patient was an 11‐year‐old boy with fever and bilateral cervical lymph node revealed diffuse large cell lymphoma (stage III), positive for CD30 and chromosomal abnormality without t(2;5). He showed a very aggressive clinical course. Only the patients with Ki‐1 lymphoma having t(2;5) survived over 100 months from the diagnosis, despite the advanced stage of the disease. These findings and a review of the literature showed that the presence or absence of t(2;5) may influence the outcome of Ki‐1 lymphoma.