Motosuke Hanada

Hemoglobin Yoshizuka (G10(108)β asparagine→aspartic acid): a new variant with a reduced oxygen affinity from a Japanese family

During the course of a survey, a new hemoglobin, designated hemoglobin Yoshizuka, has been encountered in a Japanese family. Clinically, mild anemia was noted in five of six heterozygous individuals but no other significant abnormalities were found. Hemoglobin Yoshizuka is characterized by the substitution of aspartic acid for asparagine at the tenth residue of the G helix in the beta-chain. Reduced oxygen affinity with almost normal heme-heme interaction was found to be a property of this abnormal hemoglobin. The asparagine residue G10(108)beta lies in the internal cavity of the tetrameric molecule and its main chain carbonyl is thought to be hydrogen bonded to histidine G10(103)alpha at the region of contact between alpha- and beta-chains. It would appear likely that the introduction of a carboxyl group into the central cavity might result in interactions between the polar groups and the substituted side chain, disrupting the system of hydrogen bonds which contribute to the stability of the contacts between unlike subunits.

Acquired B antigen and polyagglutination in a patient with gastric cancer.

Erythrocytes from a patient with blood type of A1 became nongenetically reactive with A (anti-B) serum, following the development of gastric cancer. Transient polyagglutinability was also apparent. Thein vitro acetylation of the erythrocyte antigens abolished both the acquired B antigen and the polyagglutination. Although incubation of the heterologous type A1 erythrocytes with the patients serum did not produce B antigen, deacetylase activity in the serum seems to relate to the acquired B antigen. In this case, either ileus as a result of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach, or urinary tract infections could be the cause of the acquired B antigen.

唐津, 東松浦地区における疾患別抗ATLA (adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigen) 抗体調査

The Kyusyu district is known as an endemic area of HTLV-I. But the prevalence of anti-ATLA in Saga prefecture was reportedly relatively low. In this study, in order to determine the distribution of antibody to ATL-associated antigen (anti-ATLA) in the Karatsu and Higashimatsuura districts of the northern Kyusyu, the determination of anti-ATLA status of patients in Karatsu Red Cross Hospital was carried out from September to October, 1985. Sera from 757 patients were tested for presence of anti-ATLA by Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) prepared by Eisai Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. Results obtained are as follows: 1) Overall prevalence of anti-ATLA was 13.7 per cent (104 of 757 individuals). Prevalence of anti-ATLA increased with age, reaching a maximum of 21.1 per cent for people from 60 to 69 years old. 2) Prevalence of anti-ATLA was 9.5 per cent (36 of 376) in males and 17.8 per cent (68 of 381) in females. A significant difference by sex was recognized. (p less than 0.001) 3) The positive rates of patients with non-malignant diseases were high in the Chinzei, Hizen, and Hamatama areas facing the Sea of Genkai. The positive rate of the seaside area was significantly higher than that of the mountain area. (p less than 0.001). 4) Anti-ATLA was most prevalent in the patients with neoplasms (26.1%). The positive rate of ATL patients was 100 per cent, and that of patients with malignancies other than ATL was 25.9 per cent. These results suggest that HTLV-I infection is likely to increase the incidence of other types of malignancy.