1/6. Characterization of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected natural killer (NK) cell proliferation in patients with severe mosquito allergy; establishment of an IL-2-dependent NK-like cell line.The clinical evidence of a relationship between severe hypersensitivity to mosquito bite (HMB) and clonal expansion of EBV-infected NK cells has been accumulated. In order to clarify the mechanism of EBV-induced NK cell proliferation and its relationship with high incidence of leukaemias or lymphomas in HMB patients, we studied clonally expanded NK cells from three HMB patients and succeeded in establishing an EBV-infected NK-like cell line designated KAI3. immunoblotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses revealed that KAI3 cells as well as infected NK cells exhibited an EBV latent infection type II, where EBV gene expression was limited to EBNA 1 and LMP1. As KAI3 was established by culture with IL-2, IL-2 responsiveness of peripheral blood NK cells from patients was examined. The results represented markedly augmented IL-2-induced IL-2R alpha expression in NK cells. This characteristic property may contribute to the persistent expansion of infected NK cells. However, KAI3 cells as well as the NK cells from patients were not protected from apoptosis induced by either an anti-Fas antibody or NK-sensitive k562 cells. Preserved sensitivity to apoptosis might explain the relatively regulated NK cell numbers in the peripheral blood of the patients. To our knowledge, KAI3 is the first reported NK-like cell line established from patients of severe chronic active EBV infection (SCAEBV) before the onset of leukaemias or lymphomas. KAI3 cells will contribute to the study of EBV persistency in the NK cell environment and its relationship with high incidence of leukaemias or lymphomas in HMB patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. An adult patient with hypersensitivity to mosquito bites developing mantle cell lymphoma.hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) has been known to occur exclusively in the first 2 decades of life and is frequently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and lymphoproliferative diseases. We report here the first adult patient with HMB, a 61-year-old Japanese man who developed mantle cell lymphoma. EBV was detected in the lymph node by polymerase chain reaction and by in situ hybridization. serum levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were markedly increased, and the T-helper cell (Th)1/Th2 balance determined by intracellular cytokine levels was polarized to Th2. These findings suggest that the Th1/Th2 imbalance could partly be involved in the pathogenesis of HMB.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. vidarabine therapy for severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.PURPOSE: Severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (SCAEBV) is an intractable disease with a poor prognosis, and a definitive treatment has not been established. We administered vidarabine to patients with natural killer (NK) cell-type SCAEBV and evaluated clinical and virologic effects. patients AND methods: Four patients with SCAEBV were enrolled in this study. These patients had various symptoms, including fever, chronic hepatitis, hepatosplenomegaly, and hypersensitivity to mosquito bites. All patients had increased numbers of NK cells in their peripheral blood, and most of these were infected with EBV. Viral load was measured by in situ hybridization and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The patients all responded to the therapy, and their symptoms improved. After the therapy, the number of NK cells in their peripheral blood decreased. In two patients who were closely monitored, the viral load measured by in situ hybridization and quantitative PCR decreased in parallel with the symptomatic improvement. After discontinuing this drug, the patient's symptoms returned and the Epstein-Barr virus load increased again. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that vidarabine therapy is a therapeutic choice to control SCAEBV, although its effect may be transient.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. A case of exaggerated mosquito-bite hypersensitivity with Epstein-Barr virus-positive inflammatory cells in the bite lesion.We describe a unique patient with mosquito-bite hypersensitivity who had extremely high titres of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies. For many years he developed intractable ulcers on the sites of mosquito-bite. Epstein-Barr virus infection was detected in almost all inflammatory cells in the ulcers and in the peripheral blood lymphocytes by using in situ hybridization to Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small ribonucleic acids and by polymerase chain reaction to Epstein-Barr virus dna. The inflammatory cells in the ulcers were positive for T-cell marker. Our results suggest that the Epstein-Barr virus infection in T cells may participate in the pathogenesis of exaggerated mosquito hypersensitivity and in delayed healing of ulcers on the sites of mosquito-bite.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Atypical hypersensitivity to mosquito bites without natural killer cell proliferative disease in an adult patient.hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) is a rare disorder that occurs in the first 2 decades of life and is considered to be associated with chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and natural killer (NK) cell leukemia/lymphoma. EBV-encoded small nuclear rna (EBER)-positive NK cells infiltrate the skin lesion at the site of the mosquito bite. In this report, we present the case of an adult patient with mantle cell lymphoma complicated by atypical HMB. The anti-EBV antibody titer of the patient indicated reactivation of chronic infection with this virus, and EBV dna in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected after chemotherapy by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. However, an in situ hybridization analysis did not detect EBER-positive cells in the skin lesion at the bite site or in the lymph node. Peripheral NK cell lymphocytosis and EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease did not develop. These findings suggest that some patients with chronic EBV infection may develop HMB without NK cell proliferative disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. polymerase chain reaction identification of a hymenopteran insect in the cornea: a case report.The type of corneal injuries associated with insect encounters is related to the composition of the foreign body. However, previous reports on corneal foreign bodies as insects were rarely based on scientific evidence. Here, we report on a 49-year-old male who was stung in his left eye by an unknown insect. Emergent keratotomy was performed to remove the embedded corneal foreign body. The removed foreign body was observed under light microscopy, and a fragment of insect was suspected. The sample was sent for molecular analysis. The polymerase chain reaction product was sequenced, subjected to a BLAST search, and identified as an ichneumonoid member of the insect order hymenoptera.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = lyme (Clic here for more details about this article) |