• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.181-187
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• 2008

Purpose: In order to establish efficient palliative treatment plans. It is important to estimate the survival time of a terminally ill cancer patient as accurate as possible. Proper estimation of life expectancy aids not only in improving the quality of life of the patient, it also promotes productive communication between the medical staff and the patient. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of survival time in terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: Between January 2004 and June 2007, 67 terminally ill cancer patients who were admitted or transferred for palliative care, were included. Patients were categorized into three groups by Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio. Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics and blood samples were analyzed. Results: In univariate analysis, survival time of the highest Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio group (${\geq}12.5$) was significantly shorter than that of the others (hazard ratio (HR)=3.270, P=0.001). After adjustment for low performance status (ECOG score 4) and dyspnea, high Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (${\geq}12.5$) was significantly and independently associated with short survival time (HR=2.907, P=0.007). Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio was also significantly increased before death (P=0.001). Conclusion: Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio can be useful in predicting life expectancy in terminally ill cancer patients.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 1992

Paragonimus westermani is a common fluke in Uorea. The present study aimed to observe the cell mediated immune response in experimental paragonimiasis of mice. The mouse (BALB/c) was orally inoculated with 40 metacercariae of P. westermani from Cambaroides similis. During the infection (1, 2, 4, 6 weeks) of mouse, blastogenic response of splenic Iymphocytes to P. westermani adult antigen, metacercaria antigen, and PHA were observed. Sera from infected and noninfected mice added to normal mouse splenic Lymphocytes with or without PHA. The blastogenic response of splenic Lymphocytes to PHA was reduced after 1 week of infection. However after 6 weeks of infection, the response was restored to the control level. The blastogenic response of splenic Iymphocytes to P. westermani adult or metacercaria antigen increased significantly on 1 week after infection, and maintained up to 6 weeks after infection. The response of non-infected mice was suppressed by addition of the infected mouse serum. The present results suggested that cellular immunity was involved in P. westermani infected mice and that P. westermani anti.serum inhibited proliferation of T Iymphocytes.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 2011

T cells play a key role in viral infection. However, in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, HCV-specific T cells are dysfunctional and impaired in the liver, which is the primary site for HCV replication. There are multiple potential mechanisms for HCV-specific T cell dysfunction including induction of immune inhibitory pathways (program death-1; PD-1, cytotoxic t lymphocyte associated antigen-4; CTLA-4) and immune tolerance induced specific for the liver. However, the interaction between hepatocytes and HCV-specific CD8 T cells has not clearly established. In this study, we confirmed huh (human hepatoma) 7.5 cells expressing HLA (human leukocyte antigen) A2 presented antigen to activate HCV-specific CD8 T cells in HLA A2-restricted manner and expression of PD-L (program death ligand) 1 on huh7.5 cells reduced HCV-specific CD8 T cell activation, suggesting an immune modulatory activity. Loss of HCV-specific tetramer responses following antigenic stimulation correlated with increased caspase-3 activity. In addition, PD-L1 on huh7.5 cells rescued HCV-specific CD8 T cells from apoptosis. Our results suggest that the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 can recover the function of HCV-specific CD8 T cells in the liver, which could be applied in therapy of HCV chronic infection.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2002

닭의 전신장기에 림프종 발생이 특정인 마렉병(Marek's disease; MD)은 림프구성 백혈병(Lymphoid leukosis; LL)과 병리학적 소견이 매우 유사하여 감별이 요구된다. 마렉병 바이러스(Marek's disease virus; MDV)는 질병초기에서 후기에 이르기까지 모낭상피세포에 세포용해성 감염을 지속적으로 일으킨다. 세포용해성 감염이 있는 모낭상피세포는 변성내지 괴사되어 있고 핵내봉입체가 관찰된다. 또한 세포용해성 감염이 있는 모낭상피세포 바로 밑의 진피와 깃털 수질(feather pulp)내의 혈관주위에 림프구 침윤이 관찰된다. 이러한 피부병변은 MD의 특징적인 병변들로서 LL과 감별할 수 있는 결정적인 단서이다. 본 고에서는 MD에 관한 전반적인 것과 특히 MD 진단을 위한 피부병변의 유용성에 대해서 자세히 논하고자 한다. 양계산업에 문제를 야기하고 있는 림프구 증식성 종양은 크게 마렉병(Marek’s disease; MD)과 백혈병(Lymphoid leukosis; LL)이 있다. 이들 질환의 원인체들이 분리되기 전까지는 이들 질병들은 발병부위에 따라 질병명을 붙였다. 즉, 내부장기냐 근육에 발생한 것은 visceral lymphomatosis, 피부에 발생한 것은 skin leukosis, 말초신경의 병변은 poly­n neuritis, neuritis, neurolymphomatosis gallinarum, range paralyis로 불리었다. 또한 눈에 발생한 것은 blindness, gray eye, iritis, uveitis, ocular lymphomatosis라고 불리었다. 1961년에 Biggs는 이러한 림프구 증식성 질병을 마렉병과 백혈병 으로 분류하자는 제안을 하였고, 드디어 1960년대 중반에 림프구 증식성 병변 중의 일부에서 herpesvirus가 분리되어서 Biggs가 제안한 병명인 마렉병을 본격적으로 사용하게 되었다. MD는 마렉병 바이러스(Marek’s disease virus; MDV)가 원 인제로서 닭에 전염성이 강한 염증성에서 종양성의 병변을 내부장기, 피부, 근육, 안구, 중추신경계, 말초신경계 등에 일 으킨다. MDV는 림프종을 유발하기 때문에 처음에는 사람에서 림프종을 유발하는 Epstein-Bar 바이러스와 관련이 있을 것으로 생각되어 gamma-herpesvirus로 분류되었지만, MDV의 게놈 구조와 세포배양에서 빠르게 성장한다는 점 때문에 지금은 alpha-herpesvirus로 재분류 되었다. MDV는 바이러스 중화시험과 한천 겔 침강법에 의해서 3개의 혈청형으로 분류 된다. 혈청형 1은 종양원성 바이러스와 종양원성 바이러스의 계대배양에 의한 약독주가 있다. 혈청형 2는 자연적으로 발 생하는 비종양원성 닭의 MDV이고, 혈정형 3은 바종양원성 칠면조 herpesvirus (HVT)이다. 림프종을 유발하는 MDV 감염은 4개의 과정, 즉 초기 세포용해성 감염, 잠복감염, 후기 세포용해성 감염, 마지막으로 종양화로 나눌 수 있다. 감염의 경로를 보면, 흡입된 MDV는 폐의 대식세포에 감염한 후 전선 장기로 MDV를 전파 시킨다. 특히, 흉선, F냥, 비장 등의 림프구에 초기 세포용해성 감염을 일으키는데, B 림프구가 주로 감염된다. 세포용해성 감염음 방어하기 위해 몰려든 T 림프구가 활성화가 되면, T 세포도 감염되게 된다. 잠복감염은 여러 가지 사이토카인 등 을 포함한 면역반응에 의해서 일어나며, 이 때 잠복감염된 세포는 특히 혈중의 T 세포라고 한다. 혈중 MDV 감염세포 는 피부 모낭상피세포, 선장 등 상피세포 유래의 조직에 MDV를 전파 시켜서 이들 조직에서 후기 세포용해성 감염이 일어나게 한다. 후기 세포용해성 감염을 유발하는 것은 이러한 MDV가 감염된 혈중 림프구라는 증거는 혈중의 세포 외에는 감염성 바이러스가 없기 때문이다. 후기 세포용해성 감염이 있는 후 육안적 혹은 현미경적으로 검출이 가능한 림프종이 여러 장기에서 관찰된다. MDV가 감염되면 병변 발생부위에 따라서 다양한 임상증상이 발생한다. 즉 내부장기에 병변이 있을 경우는 침울, 체중감소, 산란율 저하 등이 발생하며, 신경계는 발생부위별 신경증상이 일어난다. 이러한 장기나 조직에서는 육안적으로 백색에서 회백색의 종양성 병변이 관찰된다. 말초신경에 병변이 발생한 경우에는 특히 좌골신경 및 신경총에서 호발하는데, 이들 조직은 편측성 혹은 양측성으로 종창되어 있다. 안구는 간혹 육안적으로 식별이 가능한 홍채 퇴색 및 증식 병변이 관찰된다. 피부형 MD는 특히 육용계에서 문제가 되고 있으며, 산란계의 내장형 MD가 발생한 경우에도 피부를 자세히 설펴보면 피부형 MD를 간혹 관찰할 수 있다. 피부형 MD는 모낭주위에 원형의 결절형태로 발생하는데, 이들 병변이 커지면 바로 옆의 병변과 융합 되어 큰 결절을 형성하기도 한다. (중략)

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.484-488
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• 1994

Background : The antigen-specific receptor on the surface of most peripheral T lymphocytes is a disulfide-linked heterodimer composed of $\alpha$ and $\gamma$ subunits, noncovalently associated with CD3 polypeptides. Recently, a novel type of CD3-associated heterodimer was described on a T cell subset that does not express CD4 or CD8 molecules. This second type of TCR dimer is composed of chains encoded for by the $\gamma$- and $\delta$-TCR genes. These cells may exert both cytotoxic and lymphokine producing functions. Although it was reported that some ${\gamma}{\delta}$-TCR might recognize an MHC-linked determinant, the funεtion or physiologic ligand for this new receptor is not yet clear. It was found that ${\gamma}{\delta}$-TCR can react with 65 kD heat shock protein of M. tuberculosis, which suggests the possible protective role of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T lymphocytes against tuberculosis. In our previous study, there was neither the increase in number nor the functional activation of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in the peripheral blood from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Now we report the distribution of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in the regional sites of M. tuberculosis infection, especial1y tuberculous lymphadenitis. Methods : Lymph nodes from patients with pathologically-proven tuberculous lymphadenopathy (n=5) and reactive hyperplasia (n=3) were used. Tissues were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after removal and stored below $-70^{\circ}C$. The cryostat sections of these frozen specimens were stained with anti-Leu-4 Ab, Identi-T TCR ${\delta}1$, and Identi-T ${\beta}F1$. The number of positively stained cells were counted at high power field. Results : The infiltration of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells was significantly higher in the lymph nodes from patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy than that with reactive hyperplasia ($16.3{\pm}10.3%$ vs. $1.7{\pm}1.5%$). Conclusion : These results suggest that ${\gamma}{\delta}$) T cells may play a role in the defense against M. tuberculosis infection, especially in the regional sites of infection.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 1999

The alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay, called the comet assay, has been applied to the detection of DNA damage from a number of chemical and biological factors in vivo and in vitro. The comet assay is a novel method to assess DNA single-strand breaks, alkali-labile sites in individual cells. The effect of peach kernel extracts on radiation-induced DNA damage in human blood lymphocytes was evaluated by the SCGE assay. The lymphocytes, with or without pretreatment of the extracts, were exposed to 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 Gy of $^{60}Co$ gamma ray. Significantly increased tail moment, which was a marker of DNA strand breaks in the comet assay, showed an excellent dose-response relationship. The treatment of the peach kernel extracts reduced the DNA damage by 30 % in irradiated groups as compared to that in non-treated control groups. The result indicates that the extracts shows radioprotective effect on lymphocyte DNA when assessed by the comet assay.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 1997

The frequencies of ${\gamma}$-ray-induced micronuclei (MN) in cytokinesis-blocked (CB) lymphocytes at several doses were measured in three donors of human and C57BL/6 mice. Measurements performed after irradiation showed a dose-related increases in MN frequency in each of the donors studied. The relative sensitivity of mouse in spleen lymphocytes (SLs) compared with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) was estimated by best fitting linear-quadratic model based on the radiation-induced MN data over the range from 0 cGy to 400 cGy. In the case of MN frequency with 0.2 per CB cell, the relative sensitivity of mouse SLs was 1.67. Compared with the radiation-induced MN formation in the PBLs of human, the SLs of mouse were more radiosensitive. Using this MN assay with human PBLs and mouse SLs, studies were performed to determine whether the water fraction of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer) against radiation-induced MN in human PBLs after in vitro irradiation (3Gy) and in SLs of C57BL/6 mice after in vivo irradiation (3Gy). The frequency of MN in human PBLs was reduced by water fraction of ginseng (0.5mg/ml of medium) both pre-and post treatment (p<0.0l) in vitro. In addition, the frequency of MN in mouse SLs was also reduced by pretreatment of ginseng (2mg/ml of drinking water for 7days) in vivo. The data suggested that the ginseng may reduce cell damage caused by ${\gamma}$-rays in vitro and in vivo. Further studies are needed to characterize better the protective nature of ginseng extract, its fractions and compounds.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.289-293
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• 2006

Diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome is an autoimmune syndrome that is characterized by the oligoclonal expansion of CD8+ T-lymphocytes in response to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens. The clinical manifestations include bilateral enlargement of the parotid glands, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis, lymphocytic hepatitis, neurological involvement and systemic lymphadenopathies. In addition to a positive HIV test, the diagnostic histopathological findings are CD8+ T-lymphocytic infiltrations in the lymphnodes, liver, lung, muscle and the salivary or lacrimal glands without granulomatous or neoplastic involvement. We report a case of pulmonary involvement of diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome that was associated with a human immunodeficiency virus infection.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2004

Firstly, we compared the two staining techniques, Giemsa and Acridine orange, to determine micronuclei on samples of cultures of five healthy human peripheral blood lymphocytes after ${\gamma}-irradiation\;(^{137}Cs)$ in dose ranges of 0 to 800cGy. It was found that the Acridine orange staining method gives more reliable results than the usual Giemsa staining method in micronucleus tests. Moreover, the frequency of micronuclei in cytokinesis-blocked human B-lymphocytes was studied after in vitro irradiation in dose ranges of 0 to 50cGy. After setting and separating the B-lymphocytes, the frequency of radiation-induced micronuclei were observed as the end-point markers for the low-dose radiation dosimetry after staining with Giemsa and Acridine orange dyes. The micronuclei frequency in B-lymphocytes was significantly elevated from 10 to 30cGy ${\gamma}-irradiation$. The determination of micronuclei in B-lymphocytes after staining with Acridine orange was higher than that of Giemsa. The frequency of micronuclei in B-lymphocytes was observed to be at least two times higher than those of T-lymphocytes Giemsa in dose increasing. Therefore, the determination of low-dose radiation-induced micronuclei in B-lymphocytes after staining with Acridine orange is likely to have the greatest potential in the estimation of low dose radiation exposure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 1995

Adaptive response induced by low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ irradiation in human peripheral lymphocytes was examimed. Human lymphocytes were exposured to low dose of ${\gamma}-ray$ (priming dose, 0.01Gy) followed by high dose (challenging dose, 1.5Gy) after various time intervals (4, 7, 20 hours). Frequencies of micronuclei were enumerated in both primed and unprimed groups. Maximum reduction in frequency of micronuclei was observed when challenging dose irradiation was followed by priming dose after 4hr incubation period. When challenging doses were irradiated 7 or 20hr after priming dose, frequencies of micronuclei were reduced slighty. However, these reduction were not statistically significant. In this study, human peripheral lymphocytes were irradiated at Go phase and they showed adaptive response induced by low dose radiation. Since micronucleus assay is relatively simpler and faster than other methods, it may be a good tool for evaluating radiation-induced adaptive responses.