Keigo Kinugawa

Establishment and Characterization of a New Human Testicular Seminoma Cell Line, JKT‐1

Background: A new human testicular cancer cell line (JKT‐1) was established, successfully transplanted into nude mice, and has been maintained for over 2 years. We examined the biological characteristics of JKT‐1 cells.

Prognostic factors for survival and bladder recurrence in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

Abstract Background: Prognostic factors for survival in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract have been extensively evaluated, but detailed analyses of patterns of bladder recurrence after surgery have been rare.

Activation of human CD4+CD45RA+ T cells by chrysotile asbestos in vitro

Chrysotile asbestos stimulates T lymphocyte subsets. Cell surface CD4 or CD45RA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was downregulated after incubation with chrysotile asbestos in vitro temporarily. The percentage of CD4+CD45RA+ cells and mean fluorescence intensity in CD4 or CD45RA decreased after incubation with asbestos and returned to the original level after 24 h of incubation, which suggests that chrysotile asbestos activates CD4+CD45RA+ cells. No change was observed in CD29 expression. An increased percentage of IL-2R positive cells and an elevated intracellular Ca++ level were also indicative of the activation of PBMC by chrysotile asbestos.

Efficacy of preoperative donation of autologous blood in patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy

Background: Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) has resulted in substantial blood loss and the frequent need for homologous blood transfusion. In this study, the efficacy of autologous blood transfusion, from medical and financial perspectives, was evaluated in patients undergoing RRP.

Elevated binding activity of CD8+ cells with phytohaemagglutinin by asbestos fibre in vitro.

Asbestos fibres are known to depress the mitogenic stimuli of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) to lymphocytes. We examined effects of asbestos (chrysotile) fibre on the proliferation of PHA‐stimulated lymphocytes and the PHA binding activity of lymphocytes in vitro. The incorporation of 3H‐thymidine and the expression of interleukin‐2 receptor were depressed when the cells were exposed to 50 μg/ml of chrysotile fibre. The PHA binding activity of lymphocytes was significantly enhanced after chrysotile fibre exposure, as compared with non‐exposed group. These results indicate that the depression of PHA stimuli with chrysotile fibre was not due to blocking of PHA binding to lymphocytes. The enhancement of PHA binding activity by chrysotile fibre was observed on CD8+ but not on CD4+ cells. It is possible, therefore, that treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with chrysotile fibre induces increased reactivity of CDS+ cells with PHA, and that intensely activated CD8+ cells suppress proliferation of lymphocytes.

Monotypic epithelioid angiomyolipoma of the kidney: A case report

Abstract  A case of monotypic variant of epithelioid angiomyolipoma (AML) observed in a 62‐year old woman is reported. The patient complained of abdominal fullness caused by a huge left renal mass without evidence of tuberous sclerosis complex. Imaging studies showed a left renal mass with an area showing hemorrhage and necrosis. The left renal mass, spleen and pancreatic tail were removed en bloc transabdominally. The resected tumor weighed 1200 g and showed focal necrosis and hemorrhage. Microscopically, the tumor was composed exclusively of atypical polygonal cells with copious eosinophilic cytoplasm, pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Tumor cells were considered to derive from perivascular epithelioid cells, and exhibited strong positive staining for HMB‐45 and c‐KIT, but were negative for epithelial, smooth muscle, and neural markers. As this tumor had none of the typical elements of classic AML, the final pathological diagnosis was monotypic epithelioid AML.

Analysis of the Expression of TcR Vβ Repertoires in Patients with Silicosis

Analysis of the expression of TcR Vß repertoires in patients with silicosis.: Ayako Ueki, et al. Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School—Several environmental factors have been reported to induce autoimmune diseases, e. g. progressive systemic sclerosis in the patients with silicosis. In previous papers, we reported the superantigenicity of silicate to human lymphocytes in vitro. This study was intended to determine whether the modulation of TcR Vß repertoires can be observed in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with silicosis. Twenty‐four patients with silicosis and 11 individuals who had no experience of exposure to silica dust donated periphral blood only after their informed consent was obtained. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated from 10 m/ of blood by the Ficoll‐Hypaque density centrifugation method, stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)‐conjugated monoclonal antibody specific to the TcR Vß repertoires, and analyzed flow cytometrically. The V/3 repertoires analyzed were Vß 5.3 + 5.2, 5.2, 5.1, 6.7, 8, and 12. Some distinct V/3 repertoires, V/3 5.2 + 5.3 and V/3 5.3 were predominantly but not significantly expressed in the peripheral blood lymphocytes from the patients compared with the control group, and at the same time the repertoire V/3 8 decreased in the patients, especially those with profusion rate (PR) 3. These results support the possibility that silicate acts as a superantigen in human beings as in the observations in vitro.

Crocidolite asbestos suppresses the differentiation of HL-60 cells induced by DMSO

This study was undertaken to determine if the biological function of inducers for cell differentiation is affected by asbestos fibers, which are sometimes deposited in human tissues. Protein kinase C activity, c-myc protein expression and cell surface CR3 expression were used as the markers of cell differentiation. The function of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), an inducer of cell differentiation, was suppressed by the co-culturing of crocidolite asbestos, because DMSO reacted with the hydroxyl radical released after the stimulation with crocidolite and spent itself. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibited the effect of crocidolite, reacting rapidly with .O2- before the secondary release of .OH. Asbestos fibers deposited in tissues may inhibit the function of inducers which stimulate immature cells to differentiate, because such inducers frequently are also radical scavengers.