Increase of nitrosative stress in patients with eosinophilic pneumonia

Background

Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) production is increased in asthma and reflects the degree of airway inflammation. The alveolar NO concentration (Calv) in interstitial pneumonia is reported to be increased. However, it remains unknown whether NO production is increased and nitrosative stress occurs in eosinophilic pneumonia (EP). We hypothesized that nitrosative stress markers including Calv, inducible type of NO synthase (iNOS), and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), are upregulated in EP.

Methods

Exhaled NO including fractional exhaled NO (FE_NO) and Calv was measured in ten healthy subjects, 13 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and 13 patients with EP. iNOS expression and 3-NT formation were assessed by immunocytochemistory in BALf cells. The exhaled NO, lung function, and systemic inflammatory markers of the EP patients were investigated after corticosteroid treatment for 4 weeks.

Results

The Calv levels in the EP group (14.4 ± 2.0 ppb) were significantly higher than those in the healthy subjects (5.1 ± 0.6 ppb, p < 0.01) and the IPF groups (6.3 ± 0.6 ppb, p < 0.01) as well as the FE_NO and the corrected Calv levels (all p < 0.01). More iNOS and 3-NT positive cells were observed in the EP group compared to the healthy subject and IPF patient. The Calv levels had significant positive correlations with both iNOS (r = 0.858, p < 0.05) and 3-NT positive cells (r = 0.924, p < 0.01). Corticosteroid treatment significantly reduced both the FE_NO (p < 0.05) and the Calv levels (p < 0.01). The magnitude of reduction in the Calv levels had a significant positive correlation with the peripheral blood eosinophil counts (r = 0.802, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

These results suggested that excessive nitrosative stress occurred in EP and that Calv could be a marker of the disease activity.     

A case of neonatal herpes simplex with pneumonia.

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A trisomy 13 case with Robertsonian translocation presenting with atypical findings

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不典型花斑癣1例

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3 cases of eosinophilic leukemia with atypical granulation in the eosinophils and neutrophils]

Three patients with eosinophilic leukemia and atypical granulation in the eosinophils are described. A remarkable light and electron microscopic finding was the appearance of enormous granules in the neurtophils and eosinophils. In addition the usual anomalies seen in acute leukemia, for example asynchronisation in cell maturation, fibrillar bundles, shrinkage of nucleolus and cell organelles, signs of degeneration and also the auer-rods characteristic of AML are observed.     

A case of r(21) with stigmata of atypical Down syndrome

Summary A case of r(21) with stigmata of atypical Down syndrome is presented. Karyotype of the proposita was determined as 45,XX,-21/46,XX,-21, +r(21)/47,XX,-21,+r(21),+(21). Most ring chromosomes showed double-sized ring chromosomes, which were trisomic for 21p11-21q22.3 and monosomic for 21q22.3-qter. SOD-1 activity revealed only slight elevation. The mechanism of ring formation is discussed.