Classification of osteonecrosis of the femoral head: Who should have surgery?

OBJECTIVES: Using a simple classification method, we aimed to estimate the collapse rate due to osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in order to develop treatment guidelines for joint-preserving surgeries. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 505 hips from 310 patients (141 men, 169 women; mean age 45.5 years (sd 14.9; 15 to 86)) diagnosed with ONFH and classified them using the Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) classification. The JIC system includes four visualized types based on the location and size of osteonecrotic lesions on weightbearing surfaces (types A, B, C1, and C2) and the stage of ONFH. The collapse rate due to ONFH was calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, with radiological collapse/arthroplasty as endpoints. RESULTS: Bilateral cases accounted for 390 hips, while unilateral cases accounted for 115. According to the JIC types, 21 hips were type A, 34 were type B, 173 were type C1, and 277 were type C2. At initial diagnosis, 238/505 hips (47.0%) had already collapsed. Further, the cumulative survival rate was analyzed in 212 precollapsed hips, and the two-year and five-year collapse rates were found to be 0% and 0%, 7.9% and 7.9%, 23.2% and 36.6%, and 57.8% and 84.8% for types A, B, C1, and C2, respectively. CONCLUSION: Type A ONFH needs no further treatment, but precollapse type C2 ONFH warrants immediate treatment with joint-preserving surgery. Considering the high collapse rate, our study results justify the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in asymptomatic patients with type C2 ONFH.Cite this article: Y. Kuroda, T. Tanaka, T. Miyagawa, T. Kawai, K. Goto, S. Tanaka, S. Matsuda, H. Akiyama. Classification of osteonecrosis of the femoral head: Who should have surgery?. Bone Joint Res 2019;8:451-458. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.810.BJR-2019-0022.R1.

A potential contribution of trappin-2 to the development of vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Trappin-2/pre-elafin is an endogenous inhibitor of human neutrophil elastase involved in inflammation, innate immunity and vascular remodelling, which consist of the complex pathological process of systemic sclerosis (SSc). OBJECTIVES: To clarify the potential role of trappin-2 in SSc. METHODS: Serum trappin-2 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 51 SSc and 18 healthy subjects. Trappin-2 expression was evaluated in SSc lesional skin and cultured endothelial cells treated with FLI1 siRNA by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-real-time PCR and/or immunoblotting. Friend leukaemia virus integration 1 (Fli1) binding to the PI3 promoter was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Since serum trappin-2 levels inversely correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate in SSc patients with renal dysfunction, SSc patients with normal renal function were analysed. Although serum trappin-2 levels were comparable between diffuse cutaneous SSc, limited cutaneous SSc and control subjects, the prevalence of digital ulcers or elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was significantly higher in SSc patients with elevated serum trappin-2 levels than in those with normal levels. Furthermore, serum trappin-2 levels were significantly increased in SSc patients with digital ulcers or elevated RVSP compared to those without. Moreover, serum trappin-2 levels positively correlated with RVSP values in SSc patients. Importantly, trappin-2 expression was enhanced in small vessels of SSc lesional skin. In cultured endothelial cells, trappin-2 expression was elevated by gene silencing of FLI1 at mRNA and protein levels and Fli1 occupied the PI3 promoter. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial trappin-2 up-regulation partially due to Fli1 deficiency can be associated with the development of SSc vasculopathy.

A Novel Diagnostic System for Infectious Diseases Using Solid-State Nanopore Devices.

Nanopore-based diagnostic systems are a promising tool for counting viruses in a specimen one by one. However, despite intensive R&D efforts, it remains difficult to recognize virus subtypes by nanopore devices. We thus propose a novel diagnostic system that combines a specialized virus recognition procedure with a nanopore detection procedure. This recognition procedure consists of three steps: 1) capture target viruses using specific probes for recognition; 2) release captured targets; and 3) detect released targets by nanopore. Proof-of-concept tests are conducted using avidin-modified fluorescent particles (as a model for viruses) and biotin-modified alkane thiol (as a model for probes). The avidin-modified particles are confirmed to be captured on electrode by biotin-modified probes and then, the particles are electrochemically released from the electrode. Consequently, the released particles are successfully detected by nanopore devices. Furthermore, the concept is also proved by using human influenza viruses (H1N1, A/PR/8/34) and sugar chain (6'-sialyllactose)-modified probes. This suggests that our concept is applicable to various infectious diseases by changing probes (ligands).

Long-term safety and efficacy of acotiamide in functional dyspepsia (postprandial distress syndrome)-results from the European phase 3 open-label safety trial.

BACKGROUNDS: Acotiamide is a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor for treatment of postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) symptoms of functional dyspepsia (FD). This European phase 3 open-label safety trial has been conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of acotiamide and explore the efficacy of acotiamide on PDS symptoms using the validated LPDS, quality of life using SF-36 and SF-NDI, and work productivity using WPAI. METHODS: FD-PDS patients (defined by ROME III criteria) aged ≥18 years with active PDS symptoms and without predominant overlapping symptoms of epigastric pain syndrome and related disorders were enrolled to receive 100 mg acotiamide three times daily for 1 year. Patients' safety profile and efficacy of acotiamide were monitored. KEY RESULTS: The majority of patients (81.6%) maintained exposure to acotiamide for >50 weeks, with a mean duration of 320.3 days. No specific clinically significant safety concerns have been shown, with no deaths, treatment-related severe/serious adverse events, or any clinically significant laboratory test results. Although being an open-label trial, acotiamide showed a change in severity larger than the minimum clinically important difference at weeks 1 and 2 for postprandial fullness and early satiation (meal-related symptoms), and showed improvement of quality of life and work productivity from the first measurement (at week 12) up to 1 year. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The long-term safety of acotiamide treatment was confirmed. A clinically important change for PDS symptoms, QoL, and work productivity was suggested; however a controlled trial is required to confirm this hypothetic efficacy of acotiamide. (NCT01973790).

Down-regulation of the two-component system and cell-wall biosynthesis-related genes was associated with the reversion to daptomycin susceptibility in daptomycin non-susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Daptomycin (DAP) is widely used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The emergence of DAP non-susceptible MRSA strains during therapy is a major concern in clinical settings. Recent studies revealed that MRSA spontaneously reverts to a subsequent methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strain. However, it is not clear whether DAP non-susceptible MRSA has the ability to revert to a susceptible strain. We obtained an MRSA strain pair, DAP non-susceptible strain and subsequent DAP susceptible strain, from a patient. To understand the underlying mechanism by which DAP non-susceptible MRSA reverts to a susceptible strain, we performed genetic and phenotypic analysis in the strain pair. Although whole-genome analysis revealed four missense mutations, including L826F in mprF, in both strains, the net cell-surface charge was similar between the DAP non-susceptible and susceptible strains. However, the thickness of the cell wall was higher in the DAP non-susceptible strain, which was decreased to the same level as the control after reversion to the DAP susceptible strain. Moreover, the non-susceptible strain showed higher mRNA expression of the two-component system (TCS), such as VraSR, yycG and GraS, with the up-regulated transcription levels of cell-wall biosynthesis-related genes. The expression levels of those genes were decreased after reversion to the susceptible strain. These results indicated that DAP non-susceptibility due to up-regulation of the TCS and cell-wall biosynthesis-related genes may be reversible by the discontinuation of DAP, leading to reversion to the DAP susceptible phenotype.

Specific HLA genotypes confer susceptibility to acute necrotizing encephalopathy.

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a rare and severe syndrome of acute encephalopathy triggered by viral infections. Cytokine storm is considered as the main pathogenetic mechanism of ANE. ANE is prevalent in East Asia, suggesting the association of host genetic factors. To elucidate the genetic background of Japanese ANE, we examined genotypes of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, C, B, DRB1, DQB1 and DPB1 in 31 patients. Significant positive association was observed in both the allele frequency and positivity of DRB1*09:01 (P=0.043 and 0.025, respectively), as well as those of DQB1*03:03 (P=0.034 and 0.026, respectively). The carrier frequency of DRB1*09:01 and DQB1*03:03 alleles was higher in the patients (45.16%) than in controls (28.57%). These alleles are more common in East Asian than in European populations, and are reportedly associated with various autoimmune diseases in Japanese patients. Our data provide further evidence that altered immune response based on individual HLA genotypes may contribute to ANE pathogenesis.

High-accuracy imputation for HLA class I and II genes based on high-resolution SNP data of population-specific references.

Statistical imputation of classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles is becoming an indispensable tool for fine-mappings of disease association signals from case-control genome-wide association studies. However, most currently available HLA imputation tools are based on European reference populations and are not suitable for direct application to non-European populations. Among the HLA imputation tools, The HIBAG R package is a flexible HLA imputation tool that is equipped with a wide range of population-based classifiers; moreover, HIBAG R enables individual researchers to build custom classifiers. Here, two data sets, each comprising data from healthy Japanese individuals of difference sample sizes, were used to build custom classifiers. HLA imputation accuracy in five HLA classes (HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DPB1) increased from the 82.5-98.8% obtained with the original HIBAG references to 95.2-99.5% with our custom classifiers. A call threshold (CT) of 0.4 is recommended for our Japanese classifiers; in contrast, HIBAG references recommend a CT of 0.5. Finally, our classifiers could be used to identify the risk haplotypes for Japanese narcolepsy with cataplexy, HLA-DRB1*15:01 and HLA-DQB1*06:02, with 100% and 99.7% accuracy, respectively; therefore, these classifiers can be used to supplement the current lack of HLA genotyping data in widely available genome-wide association study data sets.

Irsogladine maleate inhibits Porphyromonas gingivalis-mediated expression of toll-like receptor 2 and interleukin-8 in human gingival epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis is an infectious disease caused by an interaction between the host and periodontopathogenic bacteria. Regulating the immune response in human gingival epithelial cells (HGEC) may contribute to the prevention of periodontitis. Irsogladine maleate (IM) has previously been shown to regulate inflammation and the cell-cell junctional barrier in HGEC. In addition to these functions, control of bacterial recognition is important for preventing inflammation in periodontal tissue. Innate immunity in gingival epithelium is the first line of defense and plays a crucial role against bacterial challenge. Therefore, the effect of IM on regulating toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which is part of the innate immunity, was determined in this study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: OBA-9, an immortalized human gingival epithelial cell line, and primary cultured HGEC were used in this study. Real-time PCR and western blotting were performed in OBA-9 or HGEC stimulated with whole cells of Porphyromonas gingivalis or with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from P. gingivalis (PgLPS) in the presence or absence of IM to determine expression of TLR2 mRNA and production of TLR2 protein. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against TLR2 was transfected into OBA-9 to clarify the association between the induction of TLR2 and interleukin-8 (IL-8) production. RESULTS: The addition of IM into P. gingivalis or PgLPS-induced OBA-9 suppressed IL-8 production (p < 0.01). The addition of IM also abolished the induction of TLR2 by P. gingivalis or PgLPS in OBA-9 and primary cultured HGEC (p < 0.01). The suppressive effect of IM on the induction of TLR2 was also confirmed by immunohistostaining. Stimulation with peptidoglycan, a specific ligand for TLR2, suppressed the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA in the presence of IM (p < 0.01). However, LPS derived from Escherichia coli, a ligand for TLR4, did not induce the expression of TLR2 mRNA. The PgLPS-induced expression of TLR4 mRNA was abolished by IM. Knockdown of TLR2 by siRNA transfection resulted in a weaker response of induction of IL8 mRNA in P. gingivalis or PgLPS-stimulated OBA-9. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IM suppresses the induction of IL-8 production by regulating increased levels of TLR2.

Chemoradiotherapy with taxane is superior to conventional surgery and radiotherapy in the management of cutaneous angiosarcoma: a multicentre, retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS), especially for patients with tumours > 5 cm has been reported to be dismal, even after conventional surgery and radiotherapy (S + RT). OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy with taxane (T + RT) and maintenance chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients with CAS treated with T + RT and 12 patients treated with S + RT. None had distant metastasis. Tumour sites included the scalp (n = 25) and limbs (n = 3). The chemotherapy regimens used in T + RT were monthly docetaxel (n = 10), biweekly docetaxel (n = 1), weekly docetaxel (n = 5) and weekly paclitaxel (n = 1). The median radiation dose was 70 Gy. Nine patients receiving T + RT continued chemotherapy as maintenance therapy (monthly docetaxel in nine patients and monthly paclitaxel in two patients) and four patients receiving S + RT received adjuvant chemotherapy (weekly docetaxel). RESULTS: The response ratio of T + RT was 94% (14 complete remission and one partial remission). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of patients receiving T + RT was statistically higher than those receiving conventional S + RT (56% and 8%, respectively; P < 0·01). Moreover, patients who received T + RT with maintenance chemotherapy showed a significant improvement in OS than those receiving T + RT alone (P < 0·01). There was a strong trend for relapse-free survival, but it was not significant (P = 0·07). These data indicate that maintenance chemotherapy is crucial for long-term survival after T + RT. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, we suggest that T + RT followed by maintenance chemotherapy is a plausible method for managing CAS, especially large tumours that are difficult to manage with S + RT alone.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for panic disorder in the Japanese population.

Panic disorder (PD) is a moderately heritable anxiety disorder whose pathogenesis is not well understood. Due to the lack of power in previous association studies, genes that are truly associated with PD might not be detected. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in two independent data sets using the Affymetrix Mapping 500K Array or Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0. We obtained imputed genotypes for each GWAS and performed a meta-analysis of two GWAS data sets (718 cases and 1717 controls). For follow-up, 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested in 329 cases and 861 controls. Gene ontology enrichment and candidate gene analyses were conducted using the GWAS or meta-analysis results. We also applied the polygenic score analysis to our two GWAS samples to test the hypothesis of polygenic components contributing to PD. Although genome-wide significant SNPs were not detected in either of the GWAS nor the meta-analysis, suggestive associations were observed in several loci such as BDKRB2 (P=1.3 × 10(-5), odds ratio=1.31). Among previous candidate genes, supportive evidence for association of NPY5R with PD was obtained (gene-wise corrected P=6.4 × 10(-4)). Polygenic scores calculated from weakly associated SNPs (P<0.3 and 0.4) in the discovery sample were significantly associated with PD status in the target sample in both directions (sample I to sample II and vice versa) (P<0.05). Our findings suggest that large sets of common variants of small effects collectively account for risk of PD.

Irsogladine maleate regulates epithelial barrier function in tumor necrosis factor-α-stimulated human gingival epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: As epithelial cells function as a mechanical barrier, the permeability of the gingival epithelial cell layer indicates a defensive capability against invasion by periodontal pathogens. We have reported the expression of claudin-1 and E-cadherin, key regulators of permeability, in the gingival junctional epithelium. Irsogladine maleate (IM) is a medication for gastric ulcers and also regulates Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-stimuated chemokine secretion and E-cadherin expression in gingival epithelium. In this study, we have further investigated the effects of IM on the barrier functions of gingival epithelial cells under inflammatory conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined the permeability, and the expression of claudin-1 and E-cadherin, in human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, with or without IM. RESULTS: TNF-α increased the permeability of HGECs, and IM abolished the increase. TNF-α reduced the expression of E-cadherin in HGECs, and IM reversed the reduction. In addition, immunofluorescence staining showed that TNF-α disrupted claudin-1 expression in HGECs, and IM reversed this effect. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that IM reverses the TNF-α-induced disruption of the gingival epithelial barrier by regulating E-cadherin and claudin-1.

Case-control study with narcoleptic patients and healthy controls who, like the patients, possess both HLA-DRB1*1501 and -DQB1*0602.

In previous studies, we suggested that the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha and its receptor 2 (TNFR2) genes could be associated with the susceptibility to human narcolepsy, and that haplotype carrying DRB1*1502 had a negative association with the disorder. To further evaluate these associations, we herein compared narcoleptic patients with healthy individuals who, like the patients, possessed both DRB1*1501 and DQB1*0602. Results agreed with the negative association of DRB1*1502 and positive association of the TNF-alpha(-857T) and TNFR2-196R combination with the disorder. In addition, a significant association of the TNF-alpha(-857T) homozygote with the disorder and an increase in a rare haplotype carrying DRB1*1501 and TNF-alpha(-857T) in the patients were also observed in the present study.

[A complete response persisting for seven months with the use of TS-1 in a patient with paraaortic lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer].

TS-1, a novel oral anticancer agent, was administered to a 68-year-old male patient with a paraaortic lymph node metastasis, 42 x 28 mm in size, of gastric cancer. The patient received four courses of treatment. Each treatment course consisted of a four-week administration followed by two drug-free weeks. The daily dose was 120 mg for the first two courses and 100 mg for the last two. A partial response was obtained after completion of the first course and a complete response was observed after the second. As of February, 2000, eleven months after the first administration, no regrowth of the tumor was observed either radiographically or by tumor marker levels. Adverse effects included stomatitis (grade 1), neutropenia (grade 3) and anemia (grade 1), all of which were temporary and needed no treatment. The patient's QOL improved gradually after the treatment. He is now in a good health and undergoes regular check-ups.

Identification of a telomeric boundary of the HLA region with potential for predisposition to human narcolepsy.

We report on a study performed to determine a boundary of the region with the potential to contribute to the predisposition to human narcolepsy (the susceptibility region) in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. We investigated a Japanese narcolepsy family, in which a de novo chromosomal recombination occurred between the HLA-DRB1 and HLA-B genes in the proband. The recombinant chromosome carrying HLA-DRB1*1501 was transmitted to the affected child and grandchild, suggesting that a strong genetic factor(s) predisposing to the disorder was (were) present on the chromosome, and that the recombination breakpoint could be regarded as a boundary to the susceptibility region. To search for the breakpoint, we carried out allele typing at various polymorphic sites, e.g., microsatellite repeat polymorphisms, restriction fragment length polymorphisms, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the HLA region, and examined haplotypes with the polymorphic sites in the family members. Haplotype analyses revealed that the recombination breakpoint was present approximately 50 kb to the telomeric side of the palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-2 (PPT2) gene in the HLA class III region. From the gene map of the HLA region, the cyclic AMP response element-binding protein-related protein gene (CREB-RP) appeared to be located at the telomeric end in the 50-kb region. Therefore, the data presented here suggest that the susceptibility region for the disorder in the family is present on the centromeric side of the CREB-RP gene in the recombinant Chromosome 6 carrying HLA-DRB1*1501.

Treatment of rat experimental brain tumors by herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene-transduced allogeneic tumor cells and ganciclovir.

Transfer of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene, followed by administration of ganciclovir (GCV), generates the "bystander effect," in which HSVtk-negative wild-type cells are killed by GCV, as are HSVtk-expressing cells. Our previous study demonstrated that intracranial 9L gliomas could be efficiently treated due to this bystander effect by injecting the 9L glioma cells transduced with the HSVtk gene in the vicinity of the preimplanted wild-type 9L glioma and then administering GCV. For a possible clinical application of the bystander effect-mediated cell killing, we tested HSVtkgene-transduced allogeneic C6 glioma cells (C6tk) instead of syngeneic 9L glioma cells transduced with the HSVtk gene. Fisher rats were implanted intracranially with wild-type 9L glioma cells, subsequently injected with C6tk cells at the same brain coordinate, and thereafter treated with GCV or saline. When the rats were treated with GCV, a significant retardation of tumor growth was observed by serial magnetic resonance imaging, although this growth retardation was less prominent than that observed with 9L glioma cells transduced with the HSVtk gene; consequently, survival was prolonged (P < .01). Tumors that received C6tk cells contained almost no HSVtk-positive cells after treatment with GCV. Rejection of allogeneic tumor cells, although possibly incomplete in the brain, can also contribute to the safety of this therapeutic strategy.

Cryptococcus albidus-induced summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

We studied summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis believed to be induced by Cryptococcus albidus in the home environments of the patients. All patients had antibodies that were reactive to Cryptococcus neoformans and Trichosporon cutaneum in sera and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids. Cryptococcus albidus strains were isolated from 62.5% of the patient home environments. Trichosporon cutaneum was found in none of the patient homes. To study local antibody production in the lung, we cultured BAL cells to measure anti-C. neoformans and anti-T. cutaneum antibodies in the culture supernatants by the ELISA method. IgG, IgA, and IgM anti-Cryptococcus and anti-Trichosporon antibodies were found in all culture supernatants. A significant correlation was observed in antibody binding activity between Cryptococcus and Trichosporon antigen. However, the amount of IgA and IgM antibody bound to C. neoformans was significantly higher than was bound to T. cutaneum. Most anti-Cryptococcus and anti-Trichosporon antibody was absorbed by C. albidus. Our results suggest that C. albidus may be an etiologic agent in most of the cases we studied, and that IgA and IgM antibody in BAL fluid may be secreted by plasma cells in the lung.

Significant association of a single nucleotide polymorphism in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene promoter with human narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which multiple factors, including environmental and genetic factors, are involved. A genetic factor strongly associated with the disorder has been found in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II region: the haplotype, DRB1*1501-DQB1*0602, predisposes to narcolepsy. No susceptibility genes other than the HLA-haplotype have been found. In this paper, we performed an association study of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene located in the HLA class III region with human narcolepsy, in which we examined the known single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region in 49 narcoleptic patients, who were all positive for DRBI*1501, and 111 healthy control individuals. The results indicated that the frequency of the genotype at position -857 (-857SNP) was significantly different between the patients and controls, and the allele frequencies of 857SNP revealed that the frequency of -857T was significantly increased in the patients as compared with that in the controls (P=0.0068). In addition, haplotypes presumed from HLA-DRB1, -857SNP and HLA-B loci suggested that -857T was mainly associated with DRB1 alleles other than DRB1*1501: the significant increase in frequency of -857T in the patients was not caused by allelic association with DRB1*1501. Therefore, it is conceivable that the TNF-alpha with 857T was associated with narcolepsy independently of the strong association of DRB1*1501 with the disorder. Altogether, the data presented here lead us to propose that TNF-alpha could be a new susceptibility gene in human narcolepsy.