A membrane glycoprotein CD4 functions as a co-receptor of a T lymphocyte. The co-receptor function has been attributed to a protein tyrosine kinase, p56lck, which is activated upon CD4 binding to MHC molecule. In this study, we present evidences that one of the pathways through which CD4 transmits its signal is cytoskeleton association of p56lck tyrosine kinase as well as CD4 itself. Cytoskeletal association of both proteins is inhibited by a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, indicating that tyrosine protein kinase activation is important for cytoskeletal association of CD4 and p56lck. Cytoskeletal association of these proteins by CD4 cross-linking is not affected by inhibitors of protein kinase C nor PI3-kinase. Taken together, these results suggest that CD4 cross-linking activates a tyrosine kinase which then induces the simultaneous association of CD4 and p56lck with cytoskeleton.
Antigens, CD4/metabolism* ; Antigens, CD4/drug effects ; Cross-Linking Reagents ; Cytoskeleton/metabolism* ; Down-Regulation (Physiology) ; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Genistein/pharmacology ; Human ; Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck)/metabolism* ; Lymphocyte Specific Protein Tyrosine Kinase p56(lck)/antagonists & inhibitors ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Protein Binding ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate/pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tyrosine/metabolism

Human contains large number of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in its genome. One of the HERV families, HERV-K, entered human genome most recently and includes many members with full-length intact proviruses. Normally, these proviruses do not express but infrequently they seem to express in cancers or autoimmune disease patients. To investigate expression mechanisms of these endogenous retroviruses, a DNA copy of HERV-K was cloned and its expression was studied. The transfection of the full-length clone into human cell lines did not produce any detectable viral capsid protein, Gag, and the transcription from its own promoter in LTR was extremely poor. The transcription was less than 10 percent compare to the exogenous retrovirus. However, when the Gag coding region was cloned under CMV promoter, Gag could be expressed efficiently and secreted as particles, probably virus like particles. The efficient expression also required a nuclear export signal. The expressed Gag could also package its own genomic RNA. These results indicate that the LTR of HERV-K is normally not active but its genes have a potential to express and possibly produce infectious particles.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Capsid Proteins ; Cell Line ; Clinical Coding ; Clone Cells* ; DNA* ; Endogenous Retroviruses ; Genome ; Genome, Human ; Humans* ; Nuclear Export Signals ; Product Packaging* ; Proviruses ; Retroviridae ; RNA ; Transfection

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously called Churg-Strauss syndrome, is an anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis, accompanied by asthma, hypereosinophilia, nonfixed pulmonary infiltrates, and sinusitis. Peripheral neuropathy is common in patients with EGPA; however, a few cases of EGPA with central nervous system (CNS) involvement have been reported. A 45-year-old female referred for right side weakness and posterior neck pain was diagnosed as EGPA with subarachnoid hemorrhage and mononeuritis multiplex. She was effectively treated with a high dose glucocorticoid, cyclophosphamide, and intravenous immunoglobulin. EGPA with CNS involvement is uncommon and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore more rapid and accurate diagnostic evaluation may be required. EGPA should be considered in patients with neurological symptoms and hypereosinophilia.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Asthma ; Central Nervous System ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome ; Cyclophosphamide ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Middle Aged ; Mononeuropathies* ; Mortality ; Neck Pain ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Sinusitis ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Vasculitis

Fenoverine is a non-atropine like spasmolytic drug that inhibits calcium channel currents in the smooth muscle. It has been occassionally reported that fenoverine can cause rhabdomyolysis under the certain conditions such as hepatic dysfunction, concomitant use of HMG-CoA reductase, mitochondrial myopathy, lipid storage myopathy or malignant hyperthermia. However, there is no report of fenoverine-induced rhabdomyolysis in type 2 diabetic nephropathy patient. So we describe here a case of fenoverine-induced rhabdomyolysis in type 2 diabetic patient. A 70-year-old man had both lower legs and shoulder pain for 5 days prior to hospital admission. He was a type 2 diabetic patient and had been managed for diabetic nephropathy. He had been consumed common doses of fenoverine for 20 days due to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Results of investigations showed evidence of rhabdomyolysis. Fenoverine therapy was stopped after admission and he was treated supportive care, his condition was recovered. In this case, renal function impairment may have been a predisposing factor for fenoverine-induced rhabdomyolysis. The incidence of muscular complications of fenoverine therapy could be reduced by avoidance of prescription of the drug in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Calcium Channels ; Causality ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Malignant Hyperthermia ; Mitochondrial Myopathies ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscular Diseases ; Oxidoreductases ; Prescriptions ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Shoulder Pain

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to evaluate whether doctors and nurses in a single hospital were at an increased risk of acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection in 2011 and to identify risk factors for H. pylori seroprevalence. METHODS: Nurses (n=362), doctors (n=110), health personnel without patient contact (medical control, n=179), and nonhospital controls (n=359) responded to a questionnaire during a health check-up, which included questions on socioeconomic status, education level, working years, and occupation in 2011. The prevalence of H. pylori was measured by serology. RESULTS: The seroprevalence rate was 29.8% (nurses), 34.5% (doctors), 30.7% (medical control), and 52.9% (nonhospital control). Among younger subjects (<40 years of age), the nonhospital control had a higher seropositivity rate (48.1%) than nurses (29.2%), doctors (29.8%), and the medical control (24.8%), which was not observable in subjects > or =40 years of age. The risk factors for H. pylori seroprevalence were not different for health and nonhealth personnel. A multivariate analysis indicated that seropositivity significantly increased with age, the province of residence, and a gastroscopic finding of a peptic ulcer. CONCLUSIONS: The medical occupation was not associated with H. pylori infection. The seroprevalence of H. pylori in one hospital in 2011 was found to be 38.7%, most likely due to the improvement in socioeconomic status and hospital hygiene policy in Korea.
Administrative Personnel ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Antibodies, Bacterial/*blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/blood/*epidemiology ; Helicobacter pylori/*immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Staff, Hospital ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Staff, Hospital ; *Occupational Health ; Peptic Ulcer/epidemiology ; *Personnel, Hospital ; Pharmacists ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Residence Characteristics ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Hypotension following spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery can produce adverse maternal and neonatal effects. Single treatment with ephedrine does not prevent spinal anesthesiainduced hypotension and phenylephrine alone induces severe bradycardia. However, the combined treatment of phenylephrine with ephedrine as an infusion was observed to be effective without bradycardia. METHODS: Thirty-two term parturients were randomized into three groups to receive ephedrine, phenylephrine or combination infusion (group E, group P and group EP, respectively) starting with spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamic parameters, such as SBP, PR, CI, SVRI, SVI, were measured before and until 15 min after spinal anesthesia. Rescue boluses for hypotension comprised of phenylephrine 100microg. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in all hemodynamic parameters among three groups. However, 1 min Apgar score in the group E was significant lower than P group (P = 0.008). Nausea & vomiting scores, total fluid intake, phenylephrine rescues, umbilical vein pH, and 5 min Apgar scores did not show significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Three methods are all effective to prevent hypotension following spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. However, although there was no fetal acidosis, 1 min Apgar score of ephedrine group was significantly lower than that of phenylephrine alone group.
Acidosis ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Apgar Score ; Bradycardia ; Cesarean Section ; Ephedrine ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypotension ; Nausea ; Phenylephrine ; Pregnancy ; Umbilical Veins ; Vomiting