• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.418-425
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• 2024

Solid tumors are heterogeneous populations of multiple cell types. While the majority of the cells that comprise cancer are unable to divide, cancer stem cells have self-renewal and differentiation properties. Normal stem cell pathways that control self-renewal are overactivated in cancer stem cells, making cancer stem cells important for cancer cell expansion and progression. Dick first proposed the definition of cancer stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia, according to which cancer stem cells can be classified based on the expression of cell surface markers. Cancer stem cells maintain their potential in the tumor microenvironment. Multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment maintain quiescent cancer stem cells and serve as regulators of cancer growth. Since current cancer treatments target proliferative cells, quiescent state cancer stem cells that are resistant to treatment increase the risk of recurrence or metastasis. Various signals of the tumor microenvironment induce changes to become a tumor-supportive environment by remodeling the vasculature and extracellular matrix. To effectively treat cancer, cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment must be targeted. Therefore, it is important to understand how the tumor microenvironment induces reprogramming of the immune response to promote cancer growth, immune resistance, and metastasis. In this review, we discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms that can enhance immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.337-347
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• 2014

There is no known publication about assessment of quality of life (QOL) in Korean HIV patients. We aimed to assess the QOL of HIV patients. We developed Korean version of the WHOQOL-HIV BREF (short forms of WHOQOL-HIV, 31 questions with 6 domains). Survey data from 220 HIV-positive adults were obtained in 14 centers in South Korea. Male were dominant (202/220, 91.8%). Mean age was $40.6{\pm}12.1$. Mean CD4+ T-cell count was $414.9{\pm}226.6/ml$. Overall of WHOQOL-HIV BREF were $53.2{\pm}14.9$ (perfect score=100) (Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ = 0.942). It is similar score comparing to another country (Portugal: 54.75/100, measured by WHOQOL-HIV). Correlations of WHOQOL-HIV BREF score with patients' subjective QOL and with subjective satisfaction were 0.747 (p <0.01) and 0.651 (p <0.01), respectively. WHOQOL-HIV BREF have internal reliability. There is in need of monitoring for QOL of HIV patients in the clinical practice and trials. This survey tool could be used to assess the effect of intervention. Additionally, comparison across countries would be possible and promising.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.611-614
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• 2009

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of a wide range of autoantibodies, resulting in tissue damage. Although the susceptibility to SLE has been attributed to complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors, the influence of a genetic predisposition to SLE is supported by observations of familial aggregations. Family studies have found that siblings with an SLE-affected relative have a 20-fold higher risk of developing SLE compared with the general population. Here, we present a rare case of two male siblings with SLE. The clinical, laboratory, and histopathological findings of these individuals showed the characteristic features of SLE. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing revealed that the brothers and their mother shared the common HLA haplotype of DRB1*1501 and DQB1*0602, which is significantly associated with disease susceptibility in both family-based and casecontrol studies. This report provides an opportunity to reveal the role of genetic factors in the development of SLE.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.670-675
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• 2010

Autoimmune regulator gene (Aire) is expressed in the thymus and controls the expression of peripheral self-antigens, known as promiscuous genes. Aire and promiscuous genes are involved in T cell tolerance and autoimmunity in the thymus. Here, we identified Aire-expressing fibroblastic reticular cell (FRC), which was derived from mouse lymph node and also expressed in insulin promiscuous antigen. The expression of insulin was increased in cultured FRC over-expressed with Aire. These data suggest that Aire regulates promiscuous gene expression in FRC, and that this function might be under peripheral selection control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.791-807
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• 2021

Vasculitis is a systemic disease, characterized by inflammation of the vascular wall. Although rare, it is sometimes life-threatening due to diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage or acute glomerulonephritis. Besides primary vasculitis, whose cause is unknown, numerous conditions such as autoimmune diseases, drugs, infections, and tumors can cause secondary vasculitis. Vasculitis displays various non-specific symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings; hence, diagnosis of the disease requires integration of various results including clinical features, imaging findings, autoantibody tests, and pathological findings. In this review, we have discussed the clinical, radiologic, and pathological features of vasculitis. Further, we elaborated the imaging findings and differential diagnosis of typical vasculitis that frequently involves the lung and introduced a new international classification of vasculitis, the Diagnostic and Classification Criteria in Vasculitis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.112-123
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• 1994

${\gamma}$-Glutamyltransferase (GGT: E.C. 2.3.2.2.) is a glycoprotein enzyme which is involved in glutathione metabolism and amino acid transport through the plasma membrane. It is distributed widely in several organs including liver and kidney. Several isozymes of GGT have been reported and some of the isozymes may be associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. We have produced six monoclnal antibodies (mAbs) against GGT purified from the liver of 2-acetamidofluorene (AAF) treated rats. All of the six mAbs were obtained by immunizing mice with liver GGT Six hybridomas which produced anti-GGT Abs were extensively subcloned and injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice to obtain large quantities of Abs. These mAbs were purified from ascites by ammonium sulfate precipitation and protein A sepharose CL-4B column chromatography. Using these mAbs we preformed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and autoradiography (ARG) to study the distribution of GGT isozyme in tissue. The results indicate that GGT-mAb 1 is specific for the AAF treated liver GGT, GGT-mAb 5 for the normal liver GGT, and GGT-mAb 6 for the normal kindey GGT. These mAbs may be used to evaluate the distribution of GGT isozymes in different tissues.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.883-888
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• 2003

Purpose : The etiology of hemolytic anemia can be classified as either cellular or extracellular defects of red blood cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and laboratory findings of hemolytic anemia concerning its etiological classification. Methods : Clinical and laboratory findings of the patients with hemolytic anemia treated from January 1987 to May 2002 at Severance Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into two groups based on the types of red cell defects(group I : erythrocytic defect, group II : extraerythrocytic defect). Results : Twenty one cases were included in group I, thirty four cases in group II, and three cases were unclassified. In group I, nineteen cases(90.5%) were diagnosed as hereditary spherocytosis and were proved to have red cell membrane disorders while two cases(9.5%) were shown to have red cell enzyme deficiencies. In group II, thirteen cases(38.2%) were noted as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, eleven cases(32.4%) as traumatic or microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, four cases(11.8%) as drug induced hemolytic anemia, two cases(5.9%) were related with systemic lupus erythematosus and one case(2.9%) with malignancy. Hemoglobin at the time of diagnosis(7.5 g/dL vs. 6.2 g/dL, P<0.05) and the incidence of splenomegaly(85.7% vs. 18.2%, P<0.05) were higher in group I though blood urea nitrogen(9.0/0.4 mg/dL vs. 27.8/1.6 mg/dL, P<0.05) was higher in group II. Conclusion : Comparing the clinical features of pediatric hemolytic anemia, we concluded as following : In cases associated with extraerythrocytic defect, blood tests revealed significant initial lower hematocrit with higher level of BUN and Cr while cases with erythrocytic defect, splenomegaly were more common noted.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.371-379
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• 1992

악성종양의 진단 및 치료에 있어서 특정 종양에 대한 항체를 이용하는 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 단세포군항체를 이용한 방사면역신티그라피로 암의 조기 진단 및 영상화가 가능하고 나아가 방사면역치료는 암의 선택적 치료에 도움이 될 수 있다. 위암은 우리나라에서 가장 흔한 악성종양으로 방사면역신티그라피와 방사면역치료법이 새로운 방법으로 모색되고 있다. 이러한 진단 및 치료법의 성공여부를 결정하는 중요한 인자의 하나가 종양조직내에서 종양관련 항원의 농도와 분포이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 단세포군 항체를 이용한 방사면역학적 방법의 임상 이용을 위한 기초 연구의 일환으로 in vitro quantitative autoradiography를 이용하여 종양 관련항원인 TAG-72와 CEA의 위암조직내 농도 및 분포를 측정하였다. 33예의 위암조직에서 얻은 동결절편을 $1.3\sim83.3$ nmol/liter의 $^{125}I$ 표지 항 TAG-72 단세포군 항체 B-72.3과 항 CEA 단세포군 항체 CEA-79로 반응시킨 후 이 표본들의 자가방사법 디지탈 영상을 H & E 염색과 immunoperoxidase염색 표본과 비교하였으며, 특정 단세포군 항체의 결합에 대한 컴퓨터 분석으로 조직내 항원의 농도와 분포를 측정하였다. TAG-72는 25예(75.7%)의 조직에서 검출되었으며 그 농도는 $8.4\sim525.3$ pmol/gram이었고, CEA는 32예 (96.9%)에서 검출되었으며 그 농도는 $8.8\sim592.9$ pmol/gram 이었다. CEA의 위암 조직내 발현농도는 중앙치가 101.7 pmol/gram 으로 TAG-72의 중앙치인 27.9 pmol/gram 보다 높았다. TAG-72의 조직내 분포는 41.4%에서 병변 부위의 암세포 분포와 일치하였고, CEA의 분포는 병변 부위의 80.5%에서 암세포와 일치하는 소견을 나타내었다. TAG-72의 농도는 점액성 선종(mucinous adenocarcinoma)과 점액함유 선종(mucin containing adenocarcinoma)에서 다른 선종보다 더 높았다. CEA의 농도는 위암의 병리학적 종류에 따른 유의한 차이가 없었다. 이상의 결과로 위암조직에서 TAG-72와 CEA항원이 다양하게 발현됨을 알 수 있었고 CEA는 TAG-72 보다 더 빈번하게 균일한 분포로 발현하는 것으로 나타났다.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.161-169
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• 2008

Purpose: To better understand the corneal regeneration after alkali burn regarding the initial clinical progression and the therapy, we investigated the changes of the multi factors following chemical injury in cornea. Methods: This study was performed to observation on the healing process of alkali burned cornea in aspect of immunohistochemistry by immunofluorescence or H-E staining and TUNEL assay. Results: The results showed that although a healing process occurred after alkali burn, apoptosis of epithelial, stromal and endothelial cells in the cornea was continuously observed. Neovascularization and expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA) from limbus and from injured cornea, respectively, were observed after 3 days of alkali burn. Formation of collagen III in corneal stroma and increased expression of chondroitin sulfate are coincident with expression of ${\alpha}$-SMA and transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}$). Conclusions: These data suggest that medical treatment within 3 days of alkali burn will be effective to inhibit neovascularization and formation of collagen III and chondroitin sulfate. This study extends our immumohistochemical understanding of healing process in alkali burned cornea, and the results get in this study will be cornerstones in the development of therapeutic agent for accelerating renewal of chemical damaged cornea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.499-508
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• 2019

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are primarily responsible for metastasis and recurrence, have self-renewal, differentiation, therapeutic resistance, and tumor formation abilities. Numerous studies have demonstrated the signaling pathways essential for the acquisition and maintenance of CSC characteristics, such as WNT/${\beta}$-catenin, Hedgehog, Notch, B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (BMI1), Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), and TGF-${\beta}$ signals. However, few therapeutic strategies have been developed that can selectively eliminate CSCs. Recently, neutralizing antibodies against Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have shown promising outcomes in clinical trials of melanoma, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer, as well as in hematologic malignancies. ICIs are considered to outperform conventional anticancer drugs by maintaining long-lasting anti-cancer effects, with less severe side effects. Several studies reported that ICIs successfully blocked CSC properties in head and neck squamous carcinomas, melanomas, and breast cancer. Together, these findings suggest that novel and effective anticancer therapeutic modalities using ICIs for selective elimination of CSCs may be developed in the near future. In this review, we highlight the origin and characteristics of CSCs, together with critical signaling pathways. We also describe progress in ICI-mediated anticancer treatment to date and present perspectives on the development of CSC-targeting ICIs.