Clinicopathological investigation of medial smooth muscle cell atrophy in small arteries in kidney allografts.

Introduction: Atrophy of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the media of small arteries is occasionally observed, especially in long-term kidney allograft biopsies. The intima-media ratio is used as an index of arteriosclerosis in native kidneys, and medial SMC atrophy suggests severe arteriosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological significance of medial SMC atrophy in small arteries in biopsies from long-term kidney transplants.

Significance of Glomerular Capillary C4d deposition in Kidney Allograft Biopsies with Microvascular Inflammation.

Aim: To elucidate the clinical and histological significance of glomerular capillary C4d (GC-C4d) deposition in allograft biopsies with microvascular inflammation (MVI), indicating antibody-mediated rejection (AMR).

Methods: The study included MVI biopsies defined as Banff g score ≥1 and/or peritubular capillary (ptc) score ≥1, with available HLA class Ⅰ and/or class Ⅱ single antigen test results. Biopsies with ABO-incompatible transplantation and diagnosis of T cell-mediated rejection without AMR were excluded.

Neoantigen mRNA vaccines induce progenitor-exhausted T cells that support anti-PD-1 therapy in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis.

Background: Gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis. Current treatments, including the first-line therapy of combination chemotherapy with nivolumab for advanced recurrent gastric cancer, have shown limited efficacy against peritoneal dissemination. In this study, we evaluated neoantigen (neoAg)-mRNA lipid nanoparticle (LNP) as a potential agent in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, focusing on its effects on neoAg-specific CD8 T cell responses and antitumor efficacy in a murine gastric cancer model.

The Anti-Nucleocapsid IgG Antibody as a Marker of SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Hemodialysis Patients.

Hemodialysis patients, due to impaired kidney function and compromised immune responses, face increased risks from SARS-CoV-2. Anti-nucleocapsid IgG (anti-IgG N) antibodies are a commonly used marker to assess prior infection in the general population; however, their efficacy for hemodialysis patients remains unclear. A retrospective study of 361 hemodialysis patients evaluated anti-IgG N antibodies for detecting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The factor (F)VIII K1693N mutation (FVIII-Nara) in a patient with moderate hemophilia A confers resistance to thrombin-catalyzed cleavage at Arg1689 involving P' position.

Background: Some patients with nonsevere hemophilia A (HA) are diagnosed with reduced factor (F)VIII activity (FVIII:C) relative to FVIII antigen (FVIII:Ag) and are classified as cross-reactive material-positive. We previously found a novel FVIII-Lys1693Asn (K1693N) natural mutation in a patient with HA with moderate phenotype (FVIII:C/FVIII:Ag = 1.9 IU/dL/124 IU/dL).

Generation of a Severe Hemophilia A Humanized Mouse Model Capable of Inducing an Anti-FVIII Immune Response.

Factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy induces anti-FVIII neutralizing antibodies in approximately 30% of patients with severe hemophilia A (HA). Owing to the lack of experimental systems that allow for the study of human anti-FVIII immune responses, the mechanisms underlying replacement therapy-induced anti-FVIII antibodies in HA patients remain largely unknown. Therefore, experimental systems that enable the study of human anti-FVIII immune responses are needed.

Discrepancy in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Status Among PCR, Serological, and Cellular Immunity Assays of Nucleocapsids: A Historical Cohort Study.

: Limited research has compared tests assessing humoral and cellular immunity related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study evaluated immunoglobulin G for nucleocapsid (IgG(N)) and T-spot for nucleocapsid (T-spot(N)) assays against polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results for identifying infected individuals. : This study included participants who had completed five blood samplings since their second COVID-19 vaccination between 9 September 2021 and 6 November 2022.

Acute kidney injury caused by ureteral obstruction after Deflux injection treatment for vesicoureteral reflux after pediatric kidney transplantation: a case report.

Background: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after pediatric kidney transplantation (KT) is a frequent urologic complication. Endoscopic Deflux injection is a treatment option. However, ureteral obstruction after Deflux injection treatment is a potential complication that may have serious outcomes for patients who have undergone KT.

Risk Factors and Treatments of Lymphoceles in Living Renal Transplants: A Single-Center Experience.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine interventions and identify risk factors for lymphocele formation following kidney transplant.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 296 adult kidney transplants from 2010 to 2022 to investigate postoperative lymphocele formation. We divided patients into lymphocele cases and nonlymphocele cases.

NMNAT1 Is Essential for Human iPS Cell Differentiation to the Retinal Lineage.

Purpose: The gene encoding nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthetase localized in the cell nucleus, is a causative factor in Leber's congenital amaurosis, which is the earliest onset type of inherited retinal degeneration. We sought to investigate the roles of NMNAT1 in early retinal development.

Methods: We used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and established NMNAT1-knockout (KO) hiPSCs using CRISPR/cas9 technology to reveal the roles of NMNAT1 in human retinal development.

Complement Receptor 1 Enhancement in Recurrent Membranous Nephropathy Following Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report.

Membranous nephropathy (MN) recurs in some kidney allograft patients, and recurrence increases graft failure rates. We present a unique case of recurrent MN in first and second allografts showing glomerular capillary wall-positivity for complement receptor 1 (CR1) consistent with immunoglobulin G (IgG). A man in his late 20s developed MN and started hemodialysis.

Group of longitudinal adverse event patterns after the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccination with a latent class analysis.

Introduction: Vaccination has been implemented as a useful measure to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is a tendency for individuals to avoid vaccination due to the possibility of adverse events, making it important to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and their adverse events. This study explored longitudinal adverse event patterns and factors that influence adverse events following the second to fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine through a latent class analysis.

Comparison of preemptive and non-preemptive kidney transplantation outcomes in children aged <6 years.

We aimed to compare the outcomes of pediatric kidney transplantation (KT) between preemptive KT (PEKT) and non-PEKT in children aged < 6 years. Seventy-four pediatric recipients aged < 6 years who underwent KT were divided into the PEKT and non-PEKT groups. They were retrospectively evaluated for patient and graft survival, graft function, growth, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

The mechanism of multistep progression of the transcriptional cascade in activated microglia as approached by a proteome approach.

The ocular cytokine network plays pivotal roles in terms of the initiation and progression of retinal degeneration. Several types of immunocompetent cells such as microglia participate in inflammation, and a temporal transition in the molecular events of inflammation has been hypothesized. We previously found that the Csf2 gene was induced in the early phase of retinal degeneration.

Modeling and predicting individual variation in COVID-19 vaccine-elicited antibody response in the general population.

As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines are one of the most important tools in infectious disease control. To date, an unprecedentedly large volume of high-quality data on COVID-19 vaccinations have been accumulated. For preparedness in future pandemics beyond COVID-19, these valuable datasets should be analyzed to best shape an effective vaccination strategy.

Enhancing Mass spectrometry-based tumor immunopeptide identification: machine learning filter leveraging HLA binding affinity, aliphatic index and retention time deviation.

Accurately identifying neoantigens is crucial for developing effective cancer vaccines and improving tumor immunotherapy. Mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidomics has emerged as a promising approach to identifying human leukocyte antigen (HLA) peptides presented on the surface of cancer cells, but false-positive identifications remain a significant challenge. In this study, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomics and next-generation sequencing were utilized to identify HLA-presenting neoantigenic peptides resulting from non-synonymous single nucleotide variations in tumor tissues from 18 patients with renal cell carcinoma or pancreatic cancer.

Overexpression of UBE2E2 in Mouse Pancreatic β-Cells Leads to Glucose Intolerance via Reduction of β-Cell Mass.

Genome-wide association studies have identified several gene polymorphisms, including UBE2E2, associated with type 2 diabetes. Although UBE2E2 is one of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes involved in the process of ubiquitin modifications, the pathophysiological roles of UBE2E2 in metabolic dysfunction are not yet understood. Here, we showed upregulated UBE2E2 expression in the islets of a mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

Antibody Profiling of Microbial Antigens in the Blood of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Recipients Using Microbial Protein Microarrays.

Although studies have demonstrated that infections with various viruses, bacteria, and parasites can modulate the immune system, no study has investigated changes in antibodies against microbial antigens after the COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. IgG antibodies against microbial antigens in the blood of vaccinees were comprehensively analyzed using microbial protein microarrays that carried approximately 5000 microbe-derived proteins. Changes in antibodies against microbial antigens were scrutinized in healthy participants enrolled in the Fukushima Vaccination Community Survey conducted in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, after their second and third COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations.

Antibody-mimetic drug conjugate with efficient internalization activity using anti-HER2 VHH and duocarmycin.

Antibody-mimetic drug conjugate (AMDC) is a cancer cell-targeted drug delivery system based on the non-covalent binding of mutated streptavidin and modified biotin, namely Cupid and Psyche. However, the development of AMDCs is hampered by difficulties in post-translational modification or poor internalization activity. Here, we report an expression, refolding, and purification method for AMDC using a variable heavy chain of heavy chain-only antibodies (VHHs).

Five doses of the mRNA vaccination potentially suppress ancestral-strain stimulated SARS-CoV2-specific cellular immunity: a cohort study from the Fukushima vaccination community survey, Japan.

The bivalent mRNA vaccine is recommended to address coronavirus disease variants, with additional doses suggested for high-risk groups. However, the effectiveness, optimal frequency, and number of doses remain uncertain. In this study, we examined the long-term cellular and humoral immune responses following the fifth administration of the mRNA severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine in patients undergoing hemodialysis.