Yoshihiro Shidara

Effects of danazol at the immunologic level in patients with adenomyosis, with special reference to autoantibodies: A multi-center cooperative study

OBJECTIVE We attempted to evaluate the effects of danazol on autoantibodies, in particular, to phospholipids, and on the immune system in patients with adenomyosis. STUDY DESIGN Forty-two patients with adenomyosis who had high titers of autoantibodies were randomly chosen, and they received 400 mg/day of danazol for 4 months (n = 22) or underwent hysterectomy (n = 20). RESULTS Among the six autoantibodies we investigated, the incidence of antiphosphatidylinositol immunoglobulin G was the highest (42.9%), followed by antiphosphatidylglycerol immunoglobulin G (38.1%). The autoantibody titers decreased with time and were comparable to the control values 16 weeks after treatment in both groups. Total serum levels of immunoglobulin G and M were high before treatment, but immunoglobulin M levels decreased significantly in week 8 during treatment with danazol, whereas C4 levels increased and C3 levels decreased with danazol. CONCLUSION Danazol has an inhibitory effect on the autoimmunologic response associated with adenomyosis.

Inhibitors of platelet aggregation and blood coagulation isolated from the human placenta

We identified 2 potent proteins with inhibiting activities of platelet aggregation and blood coagulation from the human placenta. Ultracentrifugation of placental homogenate showed that these proteins are incorporated in the microsomal membrane. These proteins were solubilized in Triton X-100 by means of sonication. The inhibitors were purified by several steps of chromatography and gel filtration in a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, having molecular weights of 450 000 and 45 000. The aggregation inhibitor was different from inhibitors reported previously such as phosphatase and prostacyclin-like substance. The coagulation inhibitor was capable of inactivating tissue thromboplastin.

A case report: verrucous carcinoma of the endometrium--the difficulty of diagnosis, and a review of the literature.

A verrucous carcinoma is a subtype of well‐differentiated squamous‐cell carcinomas, arising in the vagina, vulva, and uterine cervix. But a verrucous carcinoma very rarely arises in the uterine endometrium. The present paper presents a case of a verrucous carcinoma of the endometrium that is described in association with the tumor marker SCC; this paper also includes a review of the relevant literature.