Peripheral nerves are provided with a blood-nerve barrier which prevents the invasion of harmful substances and pathogens, and also regulates metabolic and ionic homeostasis within nerve fascicles. The barrier functions are attributed to both the concentric layer of flattened cells in the perineurium and blood vessels running in the endoneurium. The perineurial cells develop continuous tight junctions as a diffusion barrier. In order to take up a predominant nutrient, glucose, the perineurium as well as endoneurial capillaries expresses GLUT1, a glucose transporter. An axon-Schwann cell complex within peripheral nerves utilizes glucose as a major energy source via the GLUT1, as does the brain. Under conditions of a reduced utilization of glucose, only the perineurial cells can transfer other nutrients, namely monocarboxylates such as ketone bodies and lactate via MCT1. Thus, MCT1 colocalizes with GLUT1 in the perineurium but not in endoneurial capillaries. To identify the cellular origins of the nerve sheath, marker proteins such as glial specific S100 protein, GLUT1, endoneurial CD34, and EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) are useful. Immunohistochemical findings for these markers are reviewed in this paper, focusing on the perineurium and endoneurium and their derivatives, Pacinian and Meissner corpuscles. Growing evidence throws light on the critical involvement of the nerve sheaths in the development, maintenance, and diseases of peripheral nerves.

Mammals express a set of chitinase family proteins, comprising chitinases, which can hydrolyze chitin, and chitinase-like proteins without the chitinase activity but possessing chitin-binding properties. They act as endogenous lectins, regulating various physiological/pathological events. Ym1, originally identified as an eosinophil chemotactic factor or a macrophage-derived protein in parasite-infected mice, is a rodent-specific chitinase-like protein. Ym1 is also purified from eosinophilic crystals formed in the lung and urinary system in various disease models. We previously reported that major cellular sources of murine Ym1 are alveolar macrophages in the lung and neutrophils/monocytes lineage cells of the spleen and bone marrow under normal conditions. We here analyzed the detailed cellular expression of Ym1 in Mesocestoides corti (M. corti)-infected mice. Ym1 was significantly increased in the liver containing the larvae, lung, and peritoneal exudate cells in M. corti-infected mice, where activated macrophages expressed Ym1. Characteristic needle-shaped eosinophilic crystals appeared in the larvae-free lung, and Ym1 was localized to endoplasmic reticulum of activated alveolar macrophages. Moreover, swollen mesothelial cells covering the liver, spleen, and heart expressed Ym1 abundantly. Although the role of Ym1 in parasitic infection remains unclear, our findings focusing on an endogenous lectin may help in better understanding defense mechanism against parasites.

Interleukin-6 signaling activates signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), resulting in matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) production. The hip joints with rapidly destructive coxopathy (RDC) show rapid chondrolysis, probably by increased MMP-3. This study aimed to elucidate STAT3 activation in the synovial tissues with joint destruction in the early stage of RDC. Synovial tissues within 7 months from the disease onset were obtained from four RDC patients with femoral head destruction and high serum levels of MMP-3. RDC synovial tissues demonstrated the synovial lining hyperplasia with an increase of CD68-positive macrophages and CD3-positive T lymphocytes. STAT3 activation was found in the synovial tissues by immunohistochemistry using anti-phospho-STAT3 antibody. The majority of phospho-STAT3-positive cells were the synovial lining cells and exhibited negative expression of the macrophage or T cell marker. Treatment with CP690,550, a Janus Kinase inhibitor, resulted in a decrease in phospho-STAT3-positive cells, especially with high intensity, indicating effective suppression of STAT3 activation in RDC synovial tissues. Inhibitory effect of CP690,550 could work through the Janus Kinase/STAT3 axis in the synovial tissues in the early stage of RDC. Thus, STAT3 may be a potential therapeutic target for prevention of joint structural damage in RDC.

Long-term calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) administration causes irreversible nephrotoxicity. Therefore, early CNI-induced nephrotoxicity detection is necessary for patients who will need long-term CNI administration. There is no pathological indicator for early CNI-induced nephrotoxicity. Here, serial protocol kidney biopsy specimens from five kidney-transplant patients with severe CNI-induced nephrotoxicity were examined. We observed that the increase in CD44 expression in glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PECs) preceded the chronic pathological changes of CNI-induced nephrotoxicity such as tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis, arterial hyaline thickening, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). This result suggests that CD44-positive PECs have pivotal roles in FSGS development in human CNI-induced nephrotoxicity as well as rodent models. CD44 could be useful as a pathological marker for early CNI-induced nephrotoxicity detection post kidney transplantation.