Inflammatory myopathy associated with PD-1 inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the inflammatory myopathy associated with programmed cell death 1 inhibitors (PD-1 myopathy). METHODS: We studied 19 Japanese patients with PD-1 myopathy (13 men and 6 women, mean age 70 years), who were referred to Keio University. As control groups, we used 68 patients with anti-signal recognition particle antibodies, 51 patients with anti-aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetase antibodies and 460 healthy subjects. RESULTS: In regard to muscle-disease severity, 10 patients showed a mild form of disease and 9 patients showed a severe form. Non-small cell lung cancer was the most common underlying cancer. PD-1 inhibitor consisted of 11 nivolumab and 8 pembrolizumab. PD-1 myopathy occurred 29 days on average after the first administration of PD-1 inhibitor. The initial manifestation of muscle weakness was ptosis in 10 patients, 15 patients had ptosis, 13 diplopia, 8 facial muscle weakness, 10 bulbar symptoms, 13 limb weakness, 14 neck weakness, 4 cardiac involvement, 6 respiratory involvement and 16 myalgia. Ocular, facial, cardiac and respiratory involvement and myalgia were more frequently observed than controls. Serum creatine kinase was increased to 5247 IU/L on average. Autoantibodies related to inflammatory myopathy were negative, while anti-striational antibodies were found in 13 (68%) patients. HLA-C*12:02 alleles were more frequently detected than healthy controls. Muscle pathology was characterized by multifocal necrotic myofibers with endomysial inflammation and expression of MHC class I. Immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids was generally effective for muscle weakness. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our clinical, histological and immunological findings, PD-1 myopathy is a discrete subset of inflammatory myopathy.

Marked preservation of the visual and olfactory pathways in ALS patients in a totally locked-in state.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present paper examines the brains and spinal cords in 7 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) receiving artificial respirator support in a totally locked-in state (TLS) neuropathologically in order to clarify whether any anatomical structures in the central nervous system are preserved. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We found that the visual and olfactory pathways, hypothalamus, nucleus basalis of Meynert, and commissura anterior were remarkably well preserved, whereas the somatosensory, auditory, and gustatory pathways in the brain stem and/or spinal cord showed severe deterioration.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration with writing disturbance mainly consisting of omission of kana letters.

A right-handed woman developed pseudobulbar palsy and a particular writing disturbance mainly composed of omission of kana letters (OKL) at the age of 79, followed by gradual progression of generalized motor disturbance and mutism. She died at the age of 88. Postmortem examination revealed frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The precentral cortex and premotor area were the most severely degenerated among the affected frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. The omission of kana letters has been recently reported as a characteristic feature of writing disturbance in Japanese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our case indicates that OKL is not specific to ALS, and that the prefrontal and precentral cortices, common lesions between our case and ALS, are responsible for OKL. This case also shows that OKL can be caused by a pathomechanism independent from other types of writing error. The neurolinguistic analysis of our case suggests the disturbance of the moraic frame of words in the transcription process of morae into kana letters or kana-letter cards.

A Japanese patient with familial ALS and a p.K510M mutation in the gene for FUS (FUS) resulting in the totally locked-in state.

We describe a Japanese patient with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a p.K510M mutation in the fused in sarcoma gene (FUS). The patient's condition was characterized clinically by an early onset and rapid progression. The patient eventually required mechanical ventilation and progressed to the totally locked-in state. Neuropathologically, multiple system degeneration with many FUS-immunoreactive structures was observed. The involvement of the globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra, cerebellar efferent system, and both upper and lower motor neurons in the present patient was comparable to that described for ALS patients with different mutations in FUS, all of whom progressed to the totally locked-in state. However, the patient also exhibited degeneration of the cerebellar afferent system and posterior column. Furthermore, the appearance of non-compact FUS-immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions and many FUS-immunoreactive glial cytoplasmic inclusions were unique to the present patient. These features suggest that the morphological characteristics of the FUS-immunoreactive structures and distribution of the lesions vary with the diversity of mutations in FUS.

Febuxostat (Feburic tablet) in the management of hyperuricemia in a general practice cohort of Japanese patients with a high prevalence of cardiovascular problems.

Hyperuricemia is increasing in prevalence and this is paralleled by an increased incidence of acute gout. In addition, there is growing evidence of an association between high serum levels of uric acid (sUA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this preliminary report, we present 12-16 week results from a multicenter, general practice study in which we evaluated the usefulness of febuxostat in a cohort of untreated patients with hyperuricemia with a high prevalence of CVD. Febuxostat titrated from 10 mg/day up to 40 mg/day resulted in statistically significant and clinically relevant reductions in sUA after 12-16 weeks. A "responder" level of 6.0 mg/dL or lower was achieved in 95 of 100 (95%) patients. Significant reductions in sUA were achieved regardless of the presence/absence of coexisting diseases (e.g. CVD, renal insufficiency, diabetes and obesity) or the class of antihypertensive agent being used by the patient. No serious adverse reactions were noted with febuxostat. Although allopurinol has been used generally for hyperuricemia/gout, it is excreted fully via the kidneys, restricting its use in patients with reduced renal function, and its three-times-daily administration leads to poor adherence. Based on the results of this study, febuxostat may provide an easier option than allopurinol for clinicians specializing in CVDs.

Minocycline-associated rimmed vacuolar myopathy in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: The autophagic vacuolar myopathies (AVM) are a group of inherited myopathies defined by the presence of autophagic vacuoles in pathological muscle specimens. AVM can be categorized into three groups: acid maltase deficiency, myopathies characterized by autophagic vacuoles with unique sarcolemmal features, and rimmed vacuolar myopathies (RVM). While the pathogeneses of these conditions are still being elucidated, some drugs (e.g., chloroquine, its analog, hydroxychloroquine, and colchicine) can also cause AVM. Minocycline is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug that may be used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we describe the first case of minocycline-associated AVM with rimmed vacuole formation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old woman suffering from RA has been continuously treated with minocycline (200 mg/day) for the past 7 years. During this time, she developed a myopathy that predominantly affected her lower limbs. Histological studies of biopsied muscle revealed scattered atrophic myofibers with rimmed vacuoles that contained pigment granules. Histochemical staining revealed that the pigment comprised both iron and melanin, which is consistent with type II minocycline-induced cutaneous pigmentation. Under electron microscopy, autophagic vacuoles were consistently observed in association with numerous collections of pigment granules. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of minocycline-induced pigmentation in skeletal muscle. The strong association between autophagic vacuoles and the accumulation of minocycline-induced pigments suggest that long-term minocycline treatment induced pigment accumulation, leading to elevation of autophagic activity and RVM. It might also be possible that minocycline directly activated autophagy, as the observed pigments are known to form complexes containing minocycline and/or its metabolites. As long-term minocycline treatment is expected to be used more widely in the future, we must draw attention to this adverse effect.

[Suna no utsuwa (Castle of Sand): A Film Concerning Hansen's Disease].

Hansen's disease (also known as leprosy) is a chronic infection that is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It predominantly affects the peripheral nerves, skin, eyes, and nasal mucosa, Following the development of effective treatment with diaphenylsulfone followed by rifampicin, and clofazimine since 1940s, Hansen's disease has been eradicated in Japan. However, the longstanding stigma surrounding this disease, exacerbated partly by forced isolation and other regulations introduced in 1930s, has delayed the abrogation of these regulations. The influence of two Japanese films, namely Kojimanoharu (no English title; "Spring in Islets") (1940) and Casle of Sand (1974), inspired by these events and addressing the concerns regarding this disease, are discussed.

Immunohistochemical Phenotype of T Cells Invading Muscle in Inclusion Body Myositis.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy of aged people with poor response to therapy. To characterize muscle-invading inflammatory cells, we performed immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies on muscle biopsies from 10 patients with IBM with durations of illness from 3 to 84 months. At the surface of muscle fibers, 79% and 48% of CD8+ cells were positive for killer cell lectin-like receptor subfamily G, member 1 (KLRG1) and CD57, respectively. CD8+KLRG1+ cells are highly differentiated cytotoxic cells. On an average, 27% of CD8-CD57+KLRG1+ cells at the surface were CD4+. Proportions of CD28+ cells among KLRG1+ cells showed a negative correlation with duration of illness (r = -0.68). These changes indicated progressive differentiation of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, PD-1 expression on CD57+ and CD8+ cells increased early, then fluctuated, and reincreased in later stages. PD ligand-1 (PD-L1) and PD-L2 were expressed on adjacent cells including muscle fibers. T cell large granular lymphocytes (LGLs) are potent effector cells and cells with ultrastructure indistinguishable from LGLs were seen in the sarcoplasm along with lymphocytes undergoing degeneration. Together, along the course of IBM, some inflammatory cells retained the potential for cytotoxicity whereas others indicated suppression by exhaustion, senescence, or through the PD-1 pathway.

Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy which showed deposition of C5b-9 in the necrotic muscle fibers and was successfully treated with intensive combined therapy with high-dose glucocorticoids, tacrolimus, and intravenous immunoglobulins.

Currently, no standard treatment strategy has been established for immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM). Here we present a case of IMNM which was successfully treated with intensive combined therapy with high-dose glucocorticoids, tacrolimus, and intravenous immunoglobulins. Her muscle weakness was rapidly progressive and severe so that she became bedridden one week after admission. She was complicated with dysphagia and had serum myogenic enzymes elevation, ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and interstitial lung disease. Serum anti-SRP antibody was positive and her muscle biopsy revealed many necrotic fibers with minimal inflammation. Further histological analysis demonstrated infiltration of phagocytic macrophages with deposition of membrane attack complex (C5b-9) in the necrotic muscle fibers, suggesting activation of complement pathway and macrophages as a pathomechanism of this disease. She was diagnosed as IMNM and was immediately initiated a combination therapy described above, which led to dramatic clinical improvements. Recent studies suggest that intravenous immunoglobulins and tacrolimus can inhibit the activation of complement pathway and macrophages. Our present case suggests that early initiation of intensive combined therapy including intravenous immunoglobulins and tacrolimus might be effective for preventing irreversible muscle damages by disrupting a pathogenic activation of complement and macrophages in IMNM.

A morphometric study of the vagus nerve in amyotropic lateral sclerosis with circulatory collapse.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) shows peculiar abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system, including sympathetic hyperactivity, which might result in sudden death. In general, the sympathetic hyperactivity could be caused by disruption of vagal inhibition. Our objective was to evaluate the vagus nerve morphometrically in autopsy cases of ALS with sympathetic hyperactivity and circulatory collapse (CC). We investigated 10 autopsied ALS patients, six of whom had exhibited autonomic storms or CC. We also examined 10 patients without ALS as controls, and one patient with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) who died from CC, for comparison. After obtaining the visceral branch of the left vagus nerve at necropsy, we analyzed the density of the myelinated and unmyelinated fibers, and the fiber diameter distribution for each fiber. Results showed that the densities of both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in ALS patients with or without CC were not significantly different from those in control patients. In contrast, the GBS patient showed marked reduction in the whole myelinated and large unmyelinated fiber density. In conclusion, the autonomic storms or CC due to sympathetic hyperactivity in ALS could not be ascribed to the deafferentation of the baroreflex, and more central neural pathophysiology should be investigated.

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state in advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Our objective was to describe cases of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) in advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and discuss its pathophysiology. Five ventilator-dependent patients with ALS, with no previous history of diabetes, showed development of marked hyperglycemia (plasma glucose levels of 755-1544 mg/dl) after preceding infectious episodes. All patients had severe generalized muscle wasting and tetraplegia. The initial manifestations of HHS were fever, drowsiness, or polyuria. Hydration and intravenous insulin therapy were markedly effective, resulting in favorable recovery without the necessity of chronic medication for hyperglycemia in all cases. Seventy-five grams oral glucose tolerance tests performed via feeding tubes in two patients after the successful treatment of HHS revealed increased insulin resistance and diminished early-phase insulin secretion with preserved total insulin secretion. In conclusion, a marked loss of skeletal muscle, the largest glucose consumer of the human body, with background abnormality of early-phase insulin secretion, might be a causative factor of HHS in advanced ALS.

Variable phenotypes in a family with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy harboring a 3291T > C mutation in mitochondrial DNA.

We present a Japanese family suffering from mitochondrial encephalomyopathy associated with a T-to-C transition at mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) nucleotide position 3291. Clinical manifestations of the patients include cerebellar ataxia with myopathy, recurrent headache, and myoclonus and epilepsy. The phenotypic variation among the affected members of a single family and the mutational analysis showing maternal inheritance in a heteroplasmic fashion are consistent with well-recognized phenomena associated with many pathogenic point mutations of mtDNA tRNA genes. The 3291 mutation is a rare mtDNA mutation whose clinical presentation had only been reported in three sporadic cases. This is the first report of a family segregating the 3291 mutation with multigenerational matrilinear recurrence of mitochondrial encephalopathy. Our findings provide conclusive evidence for the pathogenicity of the 3291T > C mutation in mtDNA and its characteristic clinical heterogeneity.

A case of dropped head syndrome due to focal myositis that worsened with cellulitis and improved only by treatment of cellulitis.

Dropped head syndrome due to focal myositis is extremely rare. Due to the rarity of the disease, its clinical characteristics and prognosis remain unknown. We present a unique case of dropped head syndrome due to focal myositis that exacerbated following cellulitis and was dramatically improved along with the improvement of her cellulitis only treated with antibiotics. We should consider the possibility of preceding trigger event such as infection when we face with the exacerbation of focal myositis before making a decision of strengthening immunosuppressive therapy to avoid unnecessary increase of glucocorticoid.

Mild form of Danon disease: two case reports.

Danon disease is typically lethal by the mid-twenties in male patients due to cardiomyopathy. This report aims to describe two unrelated male patients showing mild manifestations of the disease. A 39-year-old man presented with a 10-year history of elevated serum creatine kinase levels with slowly progressive muscle weakness. Muscle pathology showed autophagic vacuoles with sarcolemmal features. Genetic testing revealed a hemizygous mutation in exon 9b, an alternatively spliced exon, of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP-2) (c.1097_1098delAA). Cardiac testing showed asymptomatic mild left ventricular hypertrophy. He had borderline intelligence. Early stage of retinopathy was detected. Another male patient, currently 53-year-old, had asymptomatic supraventricular extrasystole and muscle weakness but no intellectual disability, harboring the same mutation. He also had retinopathy. The present patients commonly carry a mutation in exon 9b of LAMP-2, suggesting that mutations in the exon are associated with a mild form of Danon disease.

[Successful treatment of multiple sinus thromboses and meningitis due to aspergilli and alpha-streptococci with preemptive antimycotic therapy: a case report].

A 62-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with 11 days of headache, 2 days of right eye ache and 1 day of fever and lethargy. Neurological examination revealed nuchal stiffness, right proptosis, bilateral ptosis, and right abducens palsy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination revealed elevated white cell count (164 /microl) and protein level (115 mg/dl). Cranial MRI showed sphenoid sinusitis, thromboses of the right superior ophthalmic vein, bilateral cavernous sinuses, left sphenoparietal sinus and left sigmoid sinus, and enhanced meninges. Purulent meningitis and multiple mycotic cerebral venous sinus thromboses were diagnosed. After empirical therapy with meropenem, fever persisted and CSF cell count further elevated (668/microl on day 3). Additional treatment with liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB) and low-dose heparin from day 3 ameliorated her symptoms and lowered her CSF cell count. Laboratory test on admission later revealed elevated serum aspergillus antigen (index = 3.6) and positive blood culture for streptococcus viridans. L-AMB was replaced by voriconazole due to skin rash, and the latter was changed to itraconazole due to drug-induced hepatitis. She was discharged without complication and has been free of recurrence for 7 months. Aspergillus has a propensity to invade cerebral vessels and meninges, causing local thrombosis and meningitis with high mortality and morbidity. Direct penetration from adjacent sphenoid sinus can be a cause of cavernous sinus thrombosis, due to extreme thinness of the wall of sphenoid sinus. Cerebral venous sinuses lack valves, and this may facilitate the spread of mycotic thrombus to the other sinuses. Early preemptive treatment with antimycotic agents brought a favorable outcome to our patient.

Tertiary lymphoid organs in the inflammatory myopathy associated with PD-1 inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Programmed cell death 1 inhibitors have revolutionized therapy for cancer by their outstanding effectiveness. However, they may cause adverse effects, among which inflammatory myopathy is one of the most disabling. To elucidate its mechanism, we analysed muscle biopsies and compared them with other inflammatory myopathies. METHODS: Muscle biopsies from three patients with inflammatory myopathy after treatment with PD-1 inhibitors for cancer were subjected to immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses to localize CD8+ cytotoxic cells and markers of lymphoid follicles. For comparison, two cases of polymyositis and one of juvenile dermatomyositis were examined. RESULTS: Nearly identical pathological features were observed in the three cases. In the island-like foci of inflammation, muscle fibers were undergoing degeneration. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, macrophages, CD4+ cells, and B cells were observed in the foci. CD8+ cells were seen outside and inside the basal lamina of non-necrotic muscle fibers. Lymphoid follicle-like structures with CD21+ follicular dendritic cells were present. The blood vessels in the foci showed features consistent with the high endothelial venules, on which their markers, PNAd and CCL21, were expressed. In polymyositis, blood vessels stained only faintly for PNAd and CCL21, while in juvenile dermatomyositis, in which tertiary lymphoid follicle-like structure was reported in the past, they stained positively. CONCLUSIONS: In inflammatory myopathy associated with PD-1 inhibitors, CD8+ cells appear to predominantly destruct muscle fibers. The presence of lymphoid follicle-like structures and expression of PNAd and CCL21 on the endothelial cells suggest the tertiary lymphoid organs are formed, and involved in the leakage of lymphocytes. Thus, in the three cases examined, formation of the tertiary lymphoid organs is likely to play an important role in genesis of the PD-1 myopathy.

Mitophagy in three cases of immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy associated with anti-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase autoantibodies: ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies.

Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) associated with anti-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) autoantibodies occurs in patients both with and without history of statin-intake. The mechanisms of muscle fiber degeneration in this condition remain unknown. We studied pathological changes in muscle biopsies from three patients lacking history of statin-intake. Ultrastructural observations showed accumulation of degenerating mitochondria, glycogen granules and autophagic vacuoles, forming large composites in three cases, along with various nonspecific changes. The autophagic vacuoles often contained remnants of mitochondria, indicating mitophagy. Furthermore, upregulation of B-cell lymphoma 2/adenovirus E1B 19 kD-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), a protein involved in mitophagy, was observed in two cases examined. In three cases of sporadic inclusion body myositis, two polymyositis, and three IMNM with anti-signal recognition particle antibody, BNIP3 was upregulated less frequently, and ultrastructural change of mitophagy was rarely seen. These findings suggested that mitophagy plays an important role in muscle fiber degeneration in IMNM with anti-HMGCR autoantibodies.