Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP antibody) is present in the sera of patients with dementia of Alzheimer's type in Asian.

BACKGROUND: In the hippocampi of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, aberrant expression of citrullinated proteins and peptidylarginase 2 (PADI2) has been identified. We explored the functional roles of these proteins by means of detection of serum anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP antibody) in patients with dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT). METHODS: Sera were obtained from 42 patients with DAT, 30 patients with other neurological disorders and 42 healthy controls. Gender ratio and age were comparable among the three groups. The level of anti-CCP antibody in sera was examined by ELISA. FINDINGS: Anti-CCP antibody was not found in the 30 patients with other neurological disorders, and only one of the 42 healthy controls (2.4%) was positive. However, surprisingly, anti-CCP antibody was clearly detected in eight of the 42 DAT patients. INTERPRETATION: Anti-CCP antibody appears to be a simple and early serologic biomarker for DAT among dementia patients. Additionally, our data imply that citrullinated proteins accumulated in the astrocytes of AD patients acquire neo-antigenicity, inducing anti-CCP antibody production.

Increased adherence of T cells to human endothelial cells in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated the adherence of T cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells in seven patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy. The adherence of T cells to endothelial cells increased significantly in all the patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy when compared with the adherence in the seronegative controls (1.3- to 2.8-fold) and compared with the adherence in the anti-HTLV-I-seropositive non-HTLV-I-associated myelopathy carriers (1.4- to 2.8-fold). Prior treatment of the endothelial cell monolayer with recombinant interferon gamma (50 IU/mL) enhanced the T cell-endothelial cell adhesion in both the controls and patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. However, values after prior treatment in the patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy were significantly higher than those in seronegative controls and carriers. The results suggest that the significantly increased T cell-endothelial cell adherence may be related to the initial stages of lymphocyte migration from the blood to the central nervous system in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

Exaggerated messenger RNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of inflammatory cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM). PATIENTS: Seventeen patients with HAM, 18 HTLV-I-seropositive carriers, and 10 seronegative individuals were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: We compared the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), IFN-beta, and IFN-gamma, and interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-1 beta by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In patients with HAM, the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction products of TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, and IL-1 alpha were detected in significantly higher incidences than in HTLV-I-seropositive carriers and seronegative controls. Furthermore, simultaneous mRNA expression of three or more of these four cytokines was detected in all patients with HAM compared with only 21.4% of HTLV-I-seropositive carriers. By contrast, there was no significant difference in mRNA expression of IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, and IL-1 beta among patients with HAM, HTLV-I-seropositive carriers, and HTLV-I-seronegative controls. CONCLUSIONS: An exaggerated mRNA expression of several inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, GM-CSF, IFN-gamma, and IL-1 alpha, was demonstrated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with HAM. Moreover, transcripts of these cytokines were simultaneously up-regulated in patients with HAM, suggesting that an inflammatory state in the central nervous system may be related to the pathogenesis of HAM.

Exon 2 containing myelin basic protein (MBP) transcripts are expressed in lesions of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Exon 2 containing myelin basic protein (MBP) transcripts are expressed during developmental myelination in mice and humans, and during remyelination subsequent to virally induced demyelination in adult mice. Since remyelination characterizes CNS lesions during experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and multiple sclerosis (MS), we investigated whether exon 2 containing isoforms of MBP are expressed in EAE lesions during relapsing disease. Exon 2 containing MBP transcripts were detected by in situ hybridization in 17 of 52 EAE mice and in 16 of 30 mice at the peak of the first or second episode of paralysis. Thus exon 2 containing MBP transcripts are expressed in lesions of the CNS during active phases of chronic relapsing autoimmune disease. Implications of these findings with respect to future therapies aimed toward enhancing remyelination in EAE and, possibly MS, are discussed.

Active production of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM antibody in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated the presence of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM in sera and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) by Western blot analysis. Analyses of 36 serum samples revealed that most patients (31/36; 86.1%) had anti-HTLV-I IgM, whereas only four of 23 (17.4%) HTLV-I carriers had it. In studies of cerebrospinal fluid, anti-HTLV-I IgM was detected in 24 of 36 (66.7%) HAM patients, whereas none was detected in nine HTLV-I carriers. The differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that persistent active replication of HTLV-I occurs in the central nervous system as well as in the peripheral blood of HAM patients, and may contribute to the development of HAM.

Epitope spreading occurs in active but not passive EAE induced by myelin basic protein.

Using experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, EAE, as a model for the study of autoimmune demyelinating disease in the CNS, previous studies have indicated that spread may occur with respect to the specificity of T cell responses during disease. This phenomenon, known as epitope spreading, is central to therapeutic strategies in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, in EAE, the clinical course, neuropathology and immunopathogenesis vary depending upon host factors and the method of disease induction. Since passive EAE in SJL/J mice resembles MS clinically and neuropathologically, this model was chosen to study the immune phenomenon of epitope spreading. T cells specific for whole 18.5 kDa MBP were used to initiate disease since MBP or one of its naturally occurring cleavage fragments may initiate a more physiological immune response than one generated to an artificially designed synthetic peptide. While a progressive increase in T cell responsiveness specific for the immunodominant MBP 87-106 region was observed during disease, there was no evidence of either intermolecular epitope spreading to the immunodominant region of proteolipid protein (PLP) 139-151 or of intramolecular epitope spreading to the exon 2 encoded region of MBP, which is spliced out of 18.5 kDa MBP. In addition there was no shift in immunodominance toward the subdominant MBP 16-35 region during disease. In contrast during active EAE induced by MBP, epitope spreading to the immunodominant epitope of PLP, 139-151, was observed. These data demonstrate that immune responses generated during passive versus active EAE may differ, and suggest that significant epitope spreading does not occur in chronic relapsing demyelinating disease initiated with T cells specific for whole MBP in the absence of exogenous antigen, complete Freund's adjuvant and pertussis. Implications of these findings with regard to epitope spreading in MS are discussed.

Interferon-alpha treatment in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. Studies of clinical and immunological aspects.

We treated 17 patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in an open, nonrandomized, uncontrolled study. They were administered 1.5-9.0 x 10(6) international units of IFN-alpha daily for 4 weeks, and 4 patients showed a marked clinical response, 7 showed a moderate response and the others did not show any clinical response. Increased unstimulated (spontaneous) peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) proliferation was observed in all patients who were measured lymphocyte transformation. Spontaneous PBL proliferation was significantly inhibited by IFN-alpha treatment (P less than 0.01), whereas anti-HTLV-I-antibodies did not show any significant changes. Likewise, decreased stimulation indices to phytohemagglutinin (SI) due to increased spontaneous PBL proliferation were significantly increased after IFN-alpha treatment (P less than 0.01). In the patients who showed marked clinical responses, the changes of SI in IFN-alpha treatment were higher than those in other patients. These data indicate that further studies are warranted for evaluation of IFN-alpha treatment of HAM in a randomized, controlled study.

Presence of serum anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM antibodies means persistent active replication of HTLV-I in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated serum IgM antibodies against human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in 29 HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM) patients and 34 HTLV-I carriers, using western blot analysis. Anti-HTLV-I IgM was detected in all 6 post-transfusional HAM patients and in 19 of 23 (83%) HAM patients with no history of blood transfusion, but in only 4 of 21 (19%) HTLV-I carriers. In HAM patients, HTLV-I proviral DNA integrated into peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) was detected by Southern blot analysis in all of the 6 (100%) and 18 of the 23 (78%). In contrast, it was detected in only 2 of 25 (8%) HTLV-I carriers. For the serum anti-HTLV-I IgM and HTLV-I provirus in PBL, the differences between the HAM and HTLV-I carriers were statistically significant (P less than 0.01). Our data indicate that the increased HTLV-I proviral DNA in PBL is produced by the persistent active replication of HTLV-I in HAM. Furthermore, Southern blot analysis showed intense bands in HAM patients with histories of blood transfusion, in whom the progression of the disease had been rapid. We conclude that the persistent active replication of HTLV-I is an important factor in the pathogenesis of HAM.

Production of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor by human T-lymphotropic virus type I-infected human glioma cells.

We investigated the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected human glioma cells (KG-1-C and T98G). When glioma cells were co-cultured with HTLV-I-producing T cell lines (HCT-1 and MT-2), GM-CSF was detected in the culture supernatant. GM-CSF was produced in all the co-cultures even after several passages. In co-cultures of KG-1-C and HCT-1 cells with Millicell, the amount of GM-CSF produced in the supernatant was almost as low as in the culture of HCT-1 alone. Moreover, for co-cultures of KG-1-C and HCT-1 or MT-2 cells, the production of GM-CSF was significantly suppressed in the presence of IgG from patients with HAM. Double-label immunostaining showed that GM-CSF-producing glioma cells always were stained by a monoclonal antibody against HTLV-I p19, indicating that HTLV-I infection of glioma cells caused GM-CSF production. These data suggest that human glial cells infected with HTLV-I gain the ability to produce cytokines.

Characterization of adherent T cells to human endothelial cells in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

To clarify the phenomenon of increased adherence of T cells to endothelial cells (EC) in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM), we determined the surface markers and expression of lymphocyte function antigen-1 (LFA-1) in T cells adherent or nonadherent to EC. The percentage of activated or HLA-DR+ T cells and the expression of LFA-1 in the adherent cell population were significantly higher than those in the nonadherent cell population. Moreover, the CD4 to CD8 ratio of the HLA-DR+ cells in the EC-adherent T cells was significantly higher than that in the nonadherent cells. Collectively, these results indicate that increased adherence of T cells to EC in HAM patients is based on the increase of activated T cells with high density LFA-1 expression in the peripheral blood. Moreover, CD4+ HLA-DR+ cells exhibited more adhesive activity to EC than CD8+ HLA-DR+ cells, suggesting that activated CD4+ cells, rather than activated CD8+ cells, may be important as the first trigger for T cell-infiltration to the central nervous system in the immunopathogenesis of HAM.

Antiproliferative factor against the human glioblastoma cell line T98G identified in culture supernatants of CD4+ cells from patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) derived from patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM) for antiproliferative activity against the human glioblastoma cell line T98G. When T98G cells were cultured with condition medium containing culture supernatants of MNC from patients with HAM, the proliferation of T98G cells was significantly suppressed, compared with that of supernatants from HTLV-I seropositive carriers or seronegative controls. To clarify which population of MNC produced the antiproliferative humoral factor for T98G cells, we separated MNC into macrophage-depleted or B cell depleted populations, and further to both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by using the panning method or plastic adherence. These studies demonstrated that the antiproliferative activity was mediated by a humoral factor produced by T cells, specifically CD4+ cells. This activity was blocked by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Moreover, IFN-gamma levels were elevated in the culture supernatants of CD4+ cells from HAM patients. Thus, the antiproliferative activity against T98G cells is mainly due to IFN-gamma derived from CD4+ cells of patients with HAM.

Heparin treatment in patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy: a preliminary study.

Ten patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) were treated in an uncontrolled preliminary trial of heparin. In 7 patients, motor dysfunction improved substantially and the effect continued for more than a month after the discontinuation of therapy. Sensory and urinary disturbances also improved in 3 of 4 and in 2 of 10 patients, respectively. Heparin did not alter the subsets of peripheral blood lymphocytes nor the titers of anti-HTLV-I antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Spontaneous proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes, however, was depressed significantly (P < 0.05) in all cases. Heparin therapy has some advantages in cost, ease of administration and fewer side effects compared to other therapies such as plasmapheresis and interferon-alpha. We conclude that heparin can be administered safely to HAM, and that a double-blind placebo-controlled trial is warranted to determine its efficacy in HAM.

Locked-in syndrome and abnormal orientation of the right vertebral artery in a young man.

A 35-year-old man developed a cerebral infarction and experienced transient ischemic attacks originating from the vertebrobasilar artery, as well as locked-in syndrome. He recovered with minimal neurological deficit. On cerebral angiography, the orientation of the right vertebral artery was markedly abnormal as it entered the foramina of the transverse process at the level of the third cervical vertebra. We concluded that the abnormal orientation of the vertebral artery caused the thrombosis and that the transient ischemic attacks, locked-in syndrome and cerebral infarction were brought about by thromboemboli originating in this artery.

[Transverse myelopathy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus associated with positive anticardiolipin antibody--a case report].

A 52-year-old woman who developed acute transverse myelopathy following systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was reported. At the age of 46, she was diagnosed as having atypical psychosis. Neurological examination revealed mild depressive state, paraparesis, diffuse hyperreflexia, hypesthesia below the breasts, and urinary disturbance. Gait was slightly ataxic and Romberg sign was positive. Laboratory study disclosed lymphocytopenia, positive antinuclear antigen, false positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratories flocculation test and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time. IgG anticardiolipin antibody (aCLA) was positive, whereas IgM aCLA was negative. Cerebrospinal fluid was normal except the elevation of %IgG. Nerve conduction studies were normal and no abnormality was detected in the brain and spinal cord by MRI and CT. We treated her by two series of steroid pulse therapy, which resulted in marked improvement of symptoms and disappearance of aCLA. Before and after the pulse therapy, symptoms were fluctuated in parallel with the levels of aCLA. These findings suggest the relation of aCLA to the transverse myelopathy in SLE. This is the first case report of a good prognosis of myelopathy in a SLE patient who was treated by steroid pulse therapy with the aim of disappearance of aCLA.

[A case of Crow-Fukase syndrome associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

A 40-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of paresthesia and weakness of the limbs. At the age of 38, he was diagnosed as having an idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) which have been refractory to oral administration of prednisolone and splenectomy. Platelet-associated IgG was elevated markedly at that time. It was, however, only mildly elevated on this admission. He showed polyneuritis, generalized pigmentation, hirsutism, and marked edema on the legs. The bone X-ray disclosed a lytic lesion in the left iliac bone, which was confirmed as a plasmacytoma by bone biopsy. Axonal degeneration with marked loss of myelinated figure was seen on sural nerve biopsy. Serum immunoelectrophoresis revealed his monoclonal IgG was lambda type. Then, he was diagnosed as having a Crow-Fukase syndrome associated with ITP. Plasma exchange, pulse therapy, and irradiation to plasmacytoma resulted in a slight improvement of the polyneuritis and the skin symptoms, and a disappearance of edema. However, ITP has not responded to these therapies. Although the same autoimmune mechanism is suggested in these conditions, we could not clarify how this monoclonal IgG produce both polyneuritis and ITP.

The efficacy of interferon-alpha treatment in human T-lymphotropic virus type-I-associated myelopathy.

We investigated the efficacy of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment in 5 patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM). Treatment with IFN-alpha yielded clinical improvement of gait, and sensory and/or sphincter disturbance in 4 out of the 5 HAM patients. IFN-alpha treatment did not bring about uniform changes in lymphocyte subsets or anti-HTLV-I antibody titer of peripheral blood. Although the stimulation indexes to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen were decreased in the culture of the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in the 5 HAM patients before the treatment, the stimulation indexes to these mitogens were significantly increased except in 1 case after the IFN-alpha treatment. These changes were based primarily on the depression of the spontaneous proliferation of PBL without mitogen. These results appear to point out a very important phenomenon for the investigation of the pathogenesis of HAM.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I(HTLV-I) associated myelopathy in Nagasaki: clinical features and treatment of 21 cases.

The clinical features of 21 patients (7 men and 14 women, aged 24-65) with human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) associated myelopathy (HAM) in Nagasaki were reviewed. Gait disturbance with spastic paraplegia and bladder dysfunction were the main clinical symptoms. Gait disturbance was observed in all patients and bladder dysfunction was found in 20/21 (95.2%). Mild sensory disturbance was observed in 11/21 (52.3%) patients. Only 4 patients had received blood transfusions before the onset of illness. On the other hand, 6 patients who had family histories of HAM or spastic paraplegia were included as familial clusters of HAM. The study on the T-cell subpopulations revealed a significant increase in the percentage of OKT11+ cells, OKT3+ cells, OKT4+ cells, OKT8+ cells, OKIa1+ cells and IL-2R+ cells. We treated these 21 patients with plasma exchange (PE) and/or prednisolone in an uncontrolled manner. Both treatments were effective (PE: 11/18, prednisolone: 14/20), though the effects were not sufficient. In 5 patients, PE produced rapid and dramatic improvement. Anti-HTLV-I antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were not correlated with the efficacy of both treatments.