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Reminiscence: Chinese Research Fellows in the Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University in 1993-2005

Fumio Kaneko1, MD, PhD

1 Emeritus Professor of Fukushima Medical University.

Conflict-of-interest statement: The author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Correspondence to: Fumio Kaneko, MD, PhD, Director of Institute of Dermato-Immunology, Southern TOHOKU Research Institute for Neurosicence, 7-115 YatsuyamadaKoriyama, Fukushima, 963-8563, Japan.
Email: f.kaneko@mt.strins.or.jp
Telephone: +81-24-934-5322

Received: March 25, 2020
Revised: March 29, 2020
Accepted: March 30, 2020
Published online: December 4, 2020

ABSTRACT

This manuscript is a personal reminiscence of the collaboration with our young fellows and research fellows from China in the Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University, Japan, in 1993-2005. As demonstrated in the bibliography, they left excellent clinical and fundamental papers then and now back in their own country. They are actively studying and raising next generation in their country. I would like to introduce their study works and activities in our department. In honor of the 100 years memorial of Dermatology Department in People’s Hospital, Peking University, I would like to describe their lives in our country at the time as a short report.

Key Words: Personal reminiscence; Our young research fellows and Chinese fellows; 100 years memorial of People’s Hospital; Peking University

© 2020 The Authors. Published by ACT Publishing Group Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kaneko F. Reminiscence: Chinese Research Fellows in the Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University in 1993-2005. Journal of Dermatological Research 2020; 5(1): 206-209 Available from: URL: http://www.ghrnet.org/index.php/jdr/article/view/3042

RECALL

On the first day of December, 1987, I was appointed as Chairman and Professor of Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University from Hokkaido University School of Medicine following Professor Susumu Ijima. Since then, my research projects regarding clinical and dermatological assignments were shared with young doctors who wished to go work in my laboratory.

When I attended the 2nd Joint Dermatological Meeting of China and Japan held in Shanghai,1992, Professor Shengqing Ma from Beijing University (Figure 1) asked if a young Chinese research fellow could be accommodated for clinically basic studies in our department. A year later, a young doctor, Jian-zhong Zhang, who was able to speak some Japanese, joined us as a research fellow for two years, 1993-1994. With Mr. Koji Maruyama, who came from private enterprise, Dr. Zhang started to study the immunological influence of keratinocytes treated with vitamin D3 (VD3) because it was one of our clinical reach projects for treatment of patients with psoriasis (Figure 2A). During his stay, we attended several international academic events such as “The Tri-Continental Dermatology Meeting” to be held in Kyoto, Dr. Zhang also gave a talk on his own research work and tried to see the town after the meeting (Figure 2B). Dr Zhang met Dr. Martin Black and late Mr. Balbir Bhogal from St. John’s Institute of Dermatology on a return visit to Fukushima to attend the Eastern Japanese Dermatology Association Meeting in 1996. At that time Dr Black’ swife, Dr. Anne Kobza Black, also visited our Department (Figure 3). Dr. Zhang contributed publications of many English research papers during his stay as listed below. It was a pleasant surprise that he sent us an excellent essay entitled “Two year stay in the Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University” written in Japanese. Dr. Li-jun Zhou (Figure 4), who was a harb?? doctor from Tianjin Medical School, joined us to help Associate professor Ichiro Ono’s work on “wound healing” in our laboratory. Dr. Ono was a plastic surgeon. The second doctor from Beijing University was Dr. Gangwen Han. He joined the study group of Dr. Keiji Iwatsuki, who was a lecturer in the department. Dr. Iwatsuki’s main work was on malignant lymphoma (ML) and bullous dermatoses (1996-1998). After his 2 year stay, Dr. Han left to go directly to the USA. In 1998, Dr. Zi-gang Xu from Beijing Children’s Hospital joined also to work on T cell ML affected by Epstain-Barr virus (EBV) with Dr. Iwatsuki. Dr Zi-gang Xu demonstrated with Dr. Iwatsuki that T cell ML was mainly distributed in the East Asia regions. After returning to China, he was invited as a lecturer with his boss Dr. Rim Ma to the Japanese Darmatological Meeting for Children’s Diseases to be held in Tokyo (Figure 5).

Figure 1 Professor Shengqing Ma from Beijing University and I at the reception of 2nd Joint Meeting of China and Japan to be held in Shanghai,1992.

Figure 2 (A) Dr. Jian-zhong Zhang preparing to find keratinocytes influenced by vitamin D3 in our Laboratory, in June, 1993. (B) Dr. Zhang attended and demonstrated his work at Tri Continental Congress to be held in Kyoto, October 30, 1993. (from left, Drs. Zhen, Kaneko, Mr. Maruyama).

Figure 3 This is a photograph showing from left, Mr. Bhogal, Dr. Anne, Dr. Martin Black, Dr. Ken Hashimoto and Mrs. Hashimoto in 1996.

Figure 4 Dr. Li-jun Zhou (1994-1999) who was a harb doctor from Tianjin Medical School, joined to help Associate professor Ichiro Ono’s work of “wound healing” in our laboratory.

Figure 5 In 1998, Dr. Zi-gang Xu from Beijing Children’s Hospital also joined to work malignant T cell lymphoma affected by Epstain-Barr (EB) virus with Dr. Iwatsuki’s research group. This is a photograph exhibiting a reception of the Japanese Meeting for Dermatology of Child to be held in Tokyo, 2002. A central lady was Dr. Rim Ma, and Dr. Xu who looked tall and smart. They were invited to talk. My wife and I were joined at the reception.

In 2000-2001, it was first time that a female Chinese doctor, Shu-king Chen, from Sichuan University School of Medicine, joined our department. 2001 was a most splendid year in which Dr. Keiji Iwatsuki was promoted to Chairman and Professor of Department of Dermatology, Okayama University School of Medicine, and he sadly left our department. Also, Associate professor Dr.Ichiro Ono left to go to Sapporo Medical University. In their place, Dr. Koichiro Nakamura, a lecturer of Tokyo University, who previously was a research fellow in Harvard University, USA, joined our Department as Associate professor. We also received Dr. Xueyi Zheng (Figure 6) from the First People’s Hospital of Guangzhou, Guanzhou Medical University, as the 7th research fellow from China. It was a pleasure that during his stay for two years he proceeded with his dissertation at our University. In 2003-2004, Dr. Hongwei Wang joined from Peking Union Medical College Hospital and studied the complement system in Behcet’s disease (BD) with Dr. Nakamura. The last person from China was Dr. Xi-xue Chen from the First Hospital, Peking University School of Medicine and she also studied BD with Dr. Nakamura in 2005. We enjoyed the stays of all these Chinese researchers in our department thanks to Professor Dr. Shengqine Ma.

In 2006, I retired from Department of Dermatology, Fukushima Medical University and restarted as a practising dermatologist in the Institute of Dermato-Allergy and Immunology, Southern TOHOKU Research Institute for Neuroscience located in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. I sincerely wish to say” Congratulations on 100 years Anniversary of People’s Hospital, Peking University School of Medicine”.

REFERENCES

1. Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Ono I, Iwatsuki K, Kaneko F: Regulatory effects of 1,25-dehidroxyvitamin D3 and IL-8 by normal keratinocytes and a squamous cell carcinoma cell line (HCS-1). J Dermatol Sci 1994; 7: 24-31

2. Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Iwatsuki K, Ono I, Kaneko F: Effects of prostaglandin E1 on human keratinocytes and dermal fibrosis: A possible mechanism for the healing of skin ulcers. Exp Dermatol 1994; 3: 164-170

3. Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Ono I, Nihei Y, Iwatsuki K, Kaneko F: Effects of etretinate on kerachinocyte proliferation and secretion of interleukin-1α(IL-1α) and IL-8. J Dermatol 1994; 24: 633-638

4. Iwatsuki K, Harada H, Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Kaneko F: Regulation of pemphigus and desmosomeal antigen expression by keratinocyte differenciation. Dermatology 1994; 189: Suppl 1: 67-71

5. Maruyama K, Zhang JZ, Nihei Y, Ono I, Kaneko F: Regulatory effects of antipsoriatic agents on interleukin-1α production by human keratinocytes stimulated with gamma-interferon in vivo. Skin Pharmacol 1995; 8: 41-48

6. Kaneko F, Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Nihei Y, Ono I, Iwatsuki K, Yamamoto T: Prostaglandin (PG) I2 analogues, SM-10902 and SM-10906, affect human keratinocytes and fibroblasts in a manner similar to PCE 1: Therapeutic potential for wound healing. Arch Dermatol Res 1995; 287: 539-545

7. Nihei Y, Maruyama K, Zhang JZ, Kobayashi K, Kaneko F: Secretory components (polymeric immunoglobulin receptor) as an intrinsic inhibitor of biological functions of gamma-interferon. Arch Dermatol Res 1995; 287: 546-552

8. Zhang JZ, Maruyama K, Ono I, Kaneko F: Production and secretion of platelet-derived growth factor AB by cultured human kerationocytes: Regulatory effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate, ecetinate, 1,25-hihydroxy-vitamun D3 and several cytokines. J Dermatol 1995; 22: 305-309

9. Maruyama K, Zhang JZ, Nihei Y, Ono I, Kaneko F: Regulatory effects of gamma-interferon on IL-6 and IL-8 secretion by cultured human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. J Dermatol 1995; 22: 901-906

10. Zhang JZ, Ma SQ, Maruyama K, Kaneko F: Effect of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 on cell proliferation, morphological alternation and expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 molecules in culture human keratinocyte. Rinshou Hifuka 1995; 6: 342-344

11. Inoue M, Zhou L, Gunji H, Ono I, Kaneko F: Effect of cytokines in burn blister fluids on fibrobalast proliferation and their inhibition using neutralizing antibodies. Wound Rep Reg 1996; 4: 426-432

12. Han GW, Ohtsuka M, Iwatsuki K, Harada H, Kaneko F: Screening results of HTLV-1 and Epstein-Barr virus DNA sequences in mycosis fungioides and Sezary syndrome in Japan. Eur J Dermatol 1997; 7: 95-98

13. Zhou LJ, Inoue M, Gunji H, Ono I, Kaneko F: Effects of prostaglandin E1 on cultured dermal fibroblasts from normal and hypertrophic scarred skin. J Dermatol Sci 1997; 14: 217-224

14. Iwatsuki K, Harada H, Otsuka M, Han G, Kaneko F: Latent Epstain-Barr virus infection is frequently detected in subcutaneous lymphoma associated with hemophagocytosis but not in non-fatal cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis. Arch Dermatol 1997; 133: 787-788

15. Xu ZG, Iwatsuki K, Oyama N, Ohtsuka M, Satoh M, Kikuchi S, Akiba H, Kaneko F: The latency pattern of Epstain-Barr virus infection and viral IL-10 expression in cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphomas. Br J Cancer 2001; 84: 920-925

16. Zheng X, Nakamura K, Tojo M, Oyama N, Nishibu A, Satoh M, Kakinuma T, Wakunaga M, Takaki K, Kaneko F: TGF-beta(1)-mediated regulation of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) synthesis and secretion by HaCaT cellsco-stimulated with TNF-alpha and INF-gamma. J Dermatol Sci 2002; 30: 154-160

17. Kaneko F, Nakamura K, Sato M, Tojo M, Zheng X, Zheng JZ: Epidemiology of Behcet’s disease in Asia Contries and Japan. Adamantiasis-Behcet’s Diseases, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, ed. by Christos C. Zouboulis, Kluwer Acadeic/Plenum Publishers, New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Behcet’s disease, 2003, pp25-29

18. Tojo M, Zheng X, Yanagihori H, Oyama N, Isogai E, Nakamura K, Kaneko F: Detection of microbial DNA in skin lesions from patients with Behcet’s disease. Adamantiades-Behcet’s Disease, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. ed. by Christos C. Zouboulis, Kluwer Acadeic/Plenum Publishers, New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Behcet’s disease, 2003, pp185-190

19. Tojo M, Zheng X, Yanagihori H, Oyama N, Takahashi K, Nakamura K, Kaneko F: Detection of herpes virus genomes in skin lesions from patients with Behcet’s disease and other related inflammatory diseases. Acta Derm Venereol 2003; 83: 1-4

20. Zheng X, Nakamura K, Furukawa H, Nishibu A, Takahashi M, Tojo M, Kaneko F, Kakinuma T, Saeki H, Tamaki K: Urtraviolet A irradiation inhibits thymus and activation-related chemokine (TARC/CCL17) production by a human keratinocyte HaCat cell line. Eur J Dermatol 2003; 13: 348-353

21. Zheng X, Nakamura K, Furukawa H, Nishibu A, Takahashi M, Tojo M, Kaneko F, Kakinuma T, Tamaki K: Demonstration of TARC and CCR4mRNA expression and distribution using in sitsu RT-PCR in lesional skin of atopic dermatitis. J Dermatol 2003; 30: 26-32

22. Tojo M, Yanagihori H, Zhen X, Oyama N, Isogai E, Nakamura K, Kaneko F: Detection of microbial DNA in skin lesions from patients with Behcet’s disease. Adv Exp Med Biol 2003; 528: 185-190

23. Wang H, Nakamura K, Inoue T, Kawakami Y, Hashimoto S, Oyama N, Kaneko F, Fujita T, Nishida T, Mizuki N: Mannose-binding lectin polymorphisms in patients with Behcet’s disease. J Dermatol Sci 2004; 36: 115-117

24. Kaneko F, Nakamura K, Furukawa H, Oyama N, Nakamura T, Zheng X: Biological characteristics of the sensitive Japanese skin. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2005; 27: 66-67

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