A case of warfarin-induced eosinophilia.

Warfarin is widely used in clinical practice all over the world. We report a man in whom prominent eosinophilia appeared after the initiation of warfarin administration following aortic valve replacement. Laboratory data following the administration and discontinuation of warfarin suggested that this drug was responsible for the eosinophilia. It is important to recognize the possibility of warfarin-induced hypereosinophilia as a latent adverse effect even when there are no clinical signs or symptoms.

Differential contribution of three mitogen-activated protein kinases to PDGF-BB-induced mesangial cell proliferation and gene expression.

This study examined the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in PDGF-BB-induced proliferation and gene expression of human mesangial cells (MC). PDGF-BB stimulation of MC increased mRNA for transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and increased the cell numbers. To inhibit activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38, MC were infected with recombinant adenovirus containing dominant-negative mutants of ERK, JNK, and p38 (Ad-DN-ERK, Ad-DN-JNK, Ad-DN-p38, respectively), respectively. Infection of MC with Ad-DN-ERK or Ad-DN-JNK inhibited PDGF-BB-induced increase in [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and cell numbers, whereas Ad-DN-p38 did not. Ad-DN-ERK inhibited MCP-1 and PAI-1 mRNA expression in MC, but not TGF-beta1. Ad-DN-JNK and Ad-DN-p38 inhibited TGF-beta1 and MCP-1 mRNA expression, but not PAI-1. The inhibition of activator protein-1 (AP-1) in MC, by adenovirus containing dominant-negative mutant of c-Jun (Ad-DN-c-Jun), inhibited PDGF-BB-induced cell proliferation and TGF-beta1, MCP-1, and PAI-1 expressions. Furthermore, Ad-DN-JNK or Ad-DN-p38, but not Ad-DN-ERK, attenuated PDGF-BB-induced AP-1 activation in MC, indicating the involvement of JNK and p38 in AP-1 activation. Our results indicated that ERK and JNK, but not p38, participated in PDGF-BB-induced MC proliferation. PDGF-BB-induced expression of TGF-beta1 was mediated by JNK and p38, MCP-1 expression was through ERK, JNK, and p38, whereas PAI-1 expression was due to only ERK. AP-1 activation, which was partially due to JNK and p38 activations, was involved in MC proliferation and these three gene expressions. Thus, three MAP kinases seem to contribute to progression of glomerular disease via different molecular mechanisms.

Role of mitogen-activated protein kinase family in serum-induced leukaemia inhibitory factor and interleukin-6 secretion by bone marrow stromal cells.

1: In the haematopoietic microenvironment, bone marrow stromal cells play an important role in regulating haematopoiesis by expressing various cytokines, including leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). However, the intracellular signal that regulates cytokine secretion in bone marrow stromal cells has not been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family in serum-induced secretion of LIF and IL-6 by bone marrow stromal cells. 2: Transformed human bone marrow stromal cells (HS-5) were stimulated with foetal calf serum (FCS) to produce LIF and IL-6. FCS also induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). 3: Both PD98059 (MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor) and SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) attenuated FCS-induced LIF protein production and gene expression. SB203580 decreased IL-6 production and gene expression, but PD98059 had no effect on IL-6 production and gene expression. 4: Expression of a dominant-negative mutant form of JNK1 that blocked FCS-induced JNK activity had no effect on protein production and gene expression of these cytokines. 5: These findings demonstrate that both ERK and p38 MAPK are involved in FCS-induced LIF secretion, whereas only p38 MAPK is important for IL-6 secretion, and that FCS-induced activation of JNK has no effect on the production of LIF and IL-6. We conclude that, in spite of their similar biological effects, they are differentially regulated at the level of MAPK activity in bone marrow stromal cells.

Enhancement of glomerular platelet-derived growth factor beta-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in hypertensive rats and its inhibition by calcium channel blocker.

The molecular mechanism of glomerular injury in hypertension remains to be clarified. In this study, to examine the possible role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors in hypertensive glomerular injury, we specifically measured glomerular PDGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in various models of hypertensive rats using immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. A high-salt diet significantly enhanced glomerular PDGF beta-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation of Dahl-salt sensitive rats (DS-rats) without an increase in its protein levels, and this enhancement was associated with an elevation of blood pressure and glomerular injury. Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) at hypertensive phase also had higher glomerular PDGF beta-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation levels than control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), while SHR did not. Thus, DS-rats and SHRSP, which are well known to represent severe glomerular injury, had the enhanced PDGF beta-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, while SHR, a hypertensive model without significant glomerular injury had no increased tyrosine phosphorylation. Treatment of DS-rats or SHRSP with benidipine, a calcium channel blocker, significantly lessened the increase in glomerular PDGF beta-receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, reduction of urinary protein and albumin excretion. These results suggest that the enhanced activation of glomerular PDGF beta-receptors may be responsible for the development of hypertensive glomerular injury and that the suppression of this receptor activation by a calcium channel blocker may contribute to its renal protective effects.