• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.256-261
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• 2016

Purpose: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in young children may progress to severe active tuberculosis (TB) disease and serve as a reservoir for future transmission of TB disease. There are limited data on interferon-${\gamma}$ release assay (IGRA) performance in young children, which our research aims to address by investigating the usefulness of IGRA for the diagnosis of LTBI. Methods: We performed a tuberculin skin test (TST) and IGRA on children who were younger than 18 years and were admitted to Chung-Ang University Hospital during May 2011-June 2015. Blood samples for IGRA were collected, processed, and interpreted according to manufacturer protocol. Results: Among 149 children, 31 (20.8%) and 10 (6.7%) were diagnosed with LTBI and active pulmonary TB, respectively. In subjects lacking contact history with active TB patients, TST and IGRA results were positive in 41.4% (29 of 70) and 12.9% (9 of 70) subjects, respectively. The agreement (kappa) of TST and IGRA was 0.123. The control group, consisting of non-TB-infected subjects, showed no correlation between age and changes in interferon-${\gamma}$ concentration after nil antigen, TB-specific antigen, or mitogen stimulation in IGRAs (P=0.384, P=0.176, and P=0.077, respectively). In serial IGRAs, interferon-${\gamma}$ response to TB antigen increased in IGRA-positive LTBI subjects, but did not change considerably in initially IGRA-negative LTBI or control subjects. Conclusion: The lack of decrease in interferon-${\gamma}$ response in young children indicates that IGRA could be considered for this age group. Serial IGRA tests might accurately diagnose LTBI in children lacking contact history with active TB patients.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.367-372
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• 2008

Purpose: Prevention of acute rejection in skin allografts without continuous immunosuppression lacks reports in worldwide literature. Needs for chronic immunosuppression preclude the use of tissue allograft as a routine surgical reconstructive option. Recently dendritic cells(DC) gained considerable attention as antigen presenting cells that are also capable of immunologic tolerance induction. This study assesses the effects of alloantigen-pulsed dendritic cells in induction of survival increase in a rat skin allograft model. Methods: Recipient-derived dendritic cells were harvested from rat whole blood and cultured with GM-CSF(200 ng/mL) and IL-4(8 ng/mL) for 2 weeks. Then donor-specific alloantigen pulsed dendritic cells were reinjected into tail vein before skin graft. The rat dorsal skin allografts were transplanted in 5 subgroups. Groups: I) untreated, II) anti-lymphocyte serum(ALS, 0.5 mL), III) FK-506(2 mg/kg), IV) DCp, VI) DCp and FK-506. Graft appearance challenges were assessed postoperatively. Results: The group V(DC and FK-506 treated) showed longest graft survival rate(23.5 days) than other groups; untreated(5.8 days), ALS(7.2 days), FK-506 (17.5 days), DCp(12.2 days). Conclusion: Donor antigen pulsed host dendritic cell combined with short-term immunosuppression prolong skin allograft survival and has potential therapeutic application for induction of donor antigen specific tolerance.

• The Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 2012

Lutheran a antigen ($Lu^a$) is detected in 6 to 8% of Caucasians and Africans. In Korean and other Asian populations, it is very rare or nearly absent. Therefore, although $Lu^a$ has a considerable immunizing capacity, sensitization to $Lu^a$ is a rare event. Here we report on a rare case of anti-$Lu^a$ in a 70 year-old female patient with Lu (a-/b+) phenotype and review the relevant literature. Due to the paucity of $Lu^a$ positive panel cells in antibody screening and identification tests, detection of this rare antibody to $Lu^a$ antigen is not feasible. Therefore, we should keep in mind the possibility of the misleading false negative result in detection of antibody to this low incidence antigen.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2005

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is well-known soluble tumor marker frequently detectable in peripheral blood of carcinoma patients and considered as good target for antigen-specific immunotherapy. However, it is known that the induction of immune response to CEA is very difficult because CEA is a self-antigen expressed in fetal cells and weakly expressed in normal colorectal epithelial cells. To enhance anti-tumor immunity specific for CEA, recombinant CEA protein was modified using listeriolysin O (LLO) for endosomal lysis and trans activator of transcription (Tat) domain for transducing extracellular proteins into cytoplasm. Methods: After immunization using dendritic cells pulsed with Tat-CEA, both Tat-CEA and LLO, and both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO, antibody titer to CEA and LLO, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and the frequency of IFN-${\gamma}$ producing T lymphocytes were measured. Results: Immunization using DC pulsed with both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO protein showed the increasement of production of CEA-specific antibody in serum, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity, the frequency of IFN-${\gamma}$ secreting T cells, compared with DC pulsed with both Tat-CEA and LLO. Furthermore the ratio of CD8+T cell to $CD4^+$ cell among CEA-specific T cells was increased in group pulsed with both Tat-CEA and Tat-LLO. Conclusion: These results suggested that DC vaccine using Tat-LLO could be used for the development of effective immunotherapy for the treatment of tumor.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

The intracellular parasite Babesia microti is among the most significant species causing human babesiosis and is an emerging threat to human health worldwide. Unravelling the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of babesiosis is crucial in developing new diagnostic and preventive methods. This study assessed how priming with B. microti surface antigen 1 (BHSA 1) and seroreactive antigen 5-1-1 (BHSA 5-1-1) mediate protection against B. microti infection. The results showed that 500 ㎍/ml rBMSA1 and rBMSA5-1-1 partially inhibited the invasion of B. microti in vitro by 42.0±3.0%, and 48.0±2.1%, respectively. Blood smears revealed that peak infection at 7 days post-infection (dpi) was 19.6%, 24.7%, and 46.7% in the rBMSA1, rBmSA5-1-1, compared to the control groups (healthy mice infected with B. microti only), respectively. Routine blood tests showed higher white blood cell, red blood cell counts, and haemoglobin levels in the 2 groups (BMSA1 and BMSA5 5-1-1) than in the infection control group at 0-28 dpi. Moreover, the 2 groups had higher serum interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-17A levels, and lower IL-10 levels than the infection control group throughout the study. These 2 potential vaccine candidate proteins partially inhibit in vitro and in vivo B. microti infection and enhance host immunological response against B. microti infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1027-1030
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• 2013

Background: Peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) that shows the microscopic intra-peritoneal spread of gynaecologic cancers is not used in staging but is known as prognostic factor and effective in planning the intensity of the therapy. False negative or false positive results clearly affect the ability to make the best decision for therapy. In this study we assessed levels of tumour markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9), in peritoneal washing fluid to establish any possible contribution to the peritoneal washing cytology in patients operated for gynaecologic cancer. Materials and Methods: Preoperative tumour markers were studied in serum of blood samples obtained from the patients for preoperative evaluation of a gynaecologic operation. In the same group peritoneal tumour markers were studied in the washing fluid obtained for intraoperative cytological evaluation. Results: This study included a total of 94 patients, 62 with malignant and 32 with benign histopathology. The sensitivity of the cytological examination was found to be 21% with a specificity of 100%. When evaluated with CEA the sensitivity of the cytological examination has increased to 37%. Conclusions: In addition to examination of PWC, the level of CEA, a tumour marker, in peritoneal washing fluid can make a diagnostic contribution. Determining the level of CEA in peritoneal washing fluid will be useful in the management of gynaecologic cancers.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.853-860
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate genes which are differently expressed in human blood by administrating of OLT-2. OLT-2 was medical precipitation composed of three medicinal herbs, Ginseng Radix, Astragali Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, and anti-leukemia effect of it was evaluated from Byung Hun Jeon of Wonkwang University this study was approved by Institutional Review Board of Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (Taejeon, Korea) and four male subjects participated in this study. Gene expressions were evaluated by cDNA chip, in which 24,000 genes were spotted. Hierarchical cluster and biological process against the genes, which expression changes were more than 1.6 fold, were constructed by cluster 3.0 providing Stanford University and EASE(http://apps1 .maid.nih.gov/DAVID). Five groups were clustered according to their expression patterns. Group A contained gene decreased by OLT-2 and increased genes by OLT-2 were involved in Group B, C, D. In biological process, expression of genes involved in cytokine or cell calcium signaling, such as interleukin 18 and G-protein beta 4 were increased, but protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type c, which function is cell adhesion between antigen-presenting cell and T or B-cell, was decreased by OLT-2. This study provides the most comprehensive available survey of gene expression changes in response to anti-leukemia effect of OLT-2 in human blood.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2001

An experiment was conducted with twenty crossbred male lambs to assess the effect of cotton (Gossypium) seed meal (CSM) on blood constituents and immunity. Lambs were randomly assigned to a reference diet (30% deoiled peanut meal, DPNM) and four test diets containing 40% of either raw, 45 minutes cooked, 1% $Ca(OH)_2$ and iron (1 free gossy-pol, FG : 0.3 Fe) treated CSM (replacing approximately 50%, reference concentrate mixture). These isonitrogenous and isocaloric concentrate mixtures were fed to meet 80% of protein requirements (NRC, 1985) along with ad lib maize hay for 180 days. Blood was collected at 60, 120 and 180 days post feeding. The lambs were sensitized with Brucella abortus S99 antigen after 140 days and were subjected to ELISA and delayed type hypersensitivity. Blood haemoglobin, erythrocyte count, leucocyte count, total protein, total albumin, total globulin, urea, creatinine concentration and aspartate aminotransferase activity in lambs fed on raw or processed CSM were comparable to the values of reference lambs. The higher (p<0.01) blood glucose levels observed in CSM fed lambs at 60 days of feeding was latter reduced to the levels comparable with those on reference diet at 120 and 180 days of feeding. The alanine amino transferase activity was lower in lambs fed raw and cooked CSM containing diets at 120 and 180 days of feeding. A marginal increase in serum iron and alkaline posphatase activity was observed in iron treated group and raw CSM fed lambs, respectively. The humoral immune response and DTH reactivity was lower (p<0.05) in lambs fed raw CSM (consuming 302.83 mg FG/day). Cooking, $Ca(OH)_2$ and iron treatment of raw CSM showed a positive response in alleviating the suppression of immune response owing to the reduced consumption of FG by 40.19, 17.40% and 26.73%, respectively in these diets. The present study thus indicated that consumption of 40% raw CSM (302.83 mg FG/day) though did not affect majority of the haematological and blood biochemical parameters, but markedly suppressed the immune mechanism of lambs.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2006

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic, multisystemic disorder which is more frequently seen in the Mediterranean basin, Middle East, and Far East. The causes and pathogenesis of BD are unknown although many possibilities are being investigated. The diagnosis of BD is based on clinical manifestations because there are no pathognomonic laboratory tests. So, the purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of HLA-B51 in patients with BD. We used the whole blood of 33 patients diagnosed with BD at Chosun University Hospital from August 2003 to January 2006. For the HLA-B51 test, we extracted the DNA from the whole blood of 33 BD patients, and we investigated it through the nested PCR method. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/PC 10.0. The frequencies of gender of the 33 cases diagnosed as BD were male 13 (39.4%) and female 20 (60.6%). The frequencies of age group of the 33 cases diagnosed as BD were 20 yrs 8 (24.2%), 30 yrs 12 (36.4%), 40 yrs 8 (24.2%), 50 yrs 1 (3.0%), and 60 yrs and 70 yrs 2 (6.1%), respectively. The frequencies of HLA-B51 of the 33 cases diagnosed as BD were HLA-B51-negative 18 (54.5%) and HLA-B51-positive 15 (45.5%). In conclusion, BD occurred more often in women than men (1: 1.53), and the mean age of the BD patients was 39.8 years old. HLA-B51 was positive in 45.5% of patients with BD, and was statistically significant in age (p<0.05).

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 1995

The effect of different fatty acids supplementation on antobody production of Salmonella typhi was studied in ICR mice. Subjects supplemented their diets with $50\mu$g of extracted pig oil(as a saturated fatty acid) and fish oil (as a unsaturated fatty acid) / 2 days for 8 weeks. Blood was collected control and experimental groups of mice after 8 weeks of oil supplementation. The different fatty acids supplementation reduced unsaturated fatty acids composition in mice liver such as $C_{18:3}, \; C_{20:3}\; and\; C_{20:4}\; except\; C_{18:1}\; and\; C_{18:2}/C_{18:0}$ in fish oil and pig oil groups compared to control group. Also, the phagocytic activities of mice macrophages for Candida albicans was reduced by 6% in pig oil group and 9％ in fish oil group than control group. The antigen-stmulated lympocite proliferative response was significantly increased by fatty acid in pig oil group(48％) but 57％ in fish oil group. The different fatty acid supplementation increased antibody production in both experimental groups than control group ; this increase was only significant in pig oil group(1:$2^4$) on mice but not in fish oil group(1:$2^0$) compared to control group(1:$2^0$), however, increased antibody titer in both groups in vitro spleen cell culture supernatant(1:$2^3$ in fish oil group and 1:$2^2$ in pig oil group compared to control group 1:$2^0$). Thus, fish oil supplementation was immunosuppresive agent in macrophage phagocytosis, in-vivo antobody producibilities and lympocyte proliferation but pig oil supplementation was more effective than fish oil in antibody formation in-vivo. We find that antibody producibilities affected by fed on different fatty acids were considered by balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acid, and $C_{20:3}/C_{20:4}$ ratio. Also, it affected to antigen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytic activities.