• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2006

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer among men in the developed world affecting the tongue, pharynx, larynx and oral cavity. HNSCC is thought to represent a multistep process whereby carcinogen exposure leads to genetic instability in the tissue and accumulation of specific genetic events, which result in dysregulation of proliferation, differentiation, and cell loss and the acquisition of invasive capacity. Despite therapeutic and diagnostic progress in oncology during the past decades, the prognosis of HNSCC remains poor. Thus it seems that finding a biological tumor markers which will increase the early diagnosis and treatment monitoring rates, is of paramount importance in respect to improving prognosis. In an effort to identify gene expression signatures that may serve as biomarkers, this study several genes were selected, such as H3,3A, S100A7, UCHL1, GSTP1, PAI-2, PLK, TGF${\beta}$1 and bFGF, and used 7 HNSCC cell lines that were established various anatomical sites, and also 17 other cancer cell lines were used for control group using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemical analysis with a monoclonal antibody. In this study, S100A7 showed a clearly restricted occurrence in tongue originated cell line, and GSTP1 expression level in the pharynx originated cell line was very increased, relative to corresponding other cell lines. These results suggest that S100A7 and GSTP1 genes' expression can occur during tongue and pharynx originated head and neck tumorigenesis and that genetic change is an important driving force in the carcinogenesis process. This data indicate that S100A7 and GSTP1 expression pattern in HNSCC reflect both diagnostic clue and biological marker. And this is provides a foundation for the development of site-specific diagnostic strategies and treatments for HNSCC.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.221-229
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• 1998

Purpose : The symptom of urinary tract infection in children is non-specific and systemic compared to that of adults. So the diagnosis of UTI in children can be delayed. If UTI in children is not appropriately managed, it may he resulted in renal failure, hypertension, growth failure in adolescence because there are already documented renal scar or urinary tract abnormality in infection period. Especially upper UTI that involve renal parenchyme may be result in fatal complication. The purpose of this study is analyzing the relationship between acute reactive marker and $^{99m}TC$-DMSA renal scan in upper urinary tract infection. Methods : This study included 56 children admitted at Dankook University Hospital Pediatric Department in Jan. 1995~May. 1998. We analyzed quantatively the results of acute reactive marker(CRP, ESR, WBC), pyuria, fever and compared to those of sonographically find ing and $^{99m}TC$-DMSA renal scan. Comparison between groups were performed by the chi-square (x2) test and a p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results : 1) The number of boys less than 1 year of age was larger than that of girls. But the number of boys more than 1 year of age was reversed. 2) The higher me level of reactive marker (CRP, WBC), the more the probability of upper UTI. 3) The higher fever, the more the probability of upper UTI. 4) The more pyuria, the more probability of upper UTI. 5) The more higher the grade of vesicoureteral reflux, the more probability of upper UTI. 6) $^{99m}TC$-DMSA renal scan is more sensitive and more specific diagnostic tool than renal sonogram. Conclusion : The appearance of an abnormal $^{99m}TC$-DMSA renal scan is correlated with acute reactive marker (CRP, ESR, WBC), fever, pyuria. $^{99m}TC$-DMSA renal scan can be a good valuable predictor tool in upper UTI. So we can start early treatment and decrease the incidence of complication of upper urinary tract by above indicators before knowing the result of urine culture. And we can follow up the patients in more good relationships with their parents by telling them the duration of treatment and follow-up plan.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2011

Owing to the risk of fetal loss associated with prenatal diagnostic procedures (amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling), noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) is ultimate goal of prenatal diagnosis. The discovery of circulating cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal plasma in 1997 has opened up new probabilities for NIPD by Dr. Lo et al. The last decade has seen great development in NIPD. Fetal sex and fetal RhD status determination by cffDNA analysis is already in clinical use in certain countries. For routine use, this test is limited by the amount of cell-free maternal DNA in blood sample, the lack of universal fetal markers, and appropriate reference materials. To improve the accuracy of detection of fetal specific sequences in maternal plasma, internal positive controls to confirm to presence of fetal DNA should be analyzed. We have developed strategies for noninvasive determination of fetal gender, and fetal RhD genotyping using cffDNA in maternal plasma, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) including RASSF1A epigenetic fetal DNA marker (gender-independent) as internal positive controls, which is to be first successful study of this kind in Korea. In our study, accurate detection of fetal gender through gestational age, and fetal RhD genotyping in RhD-negative pregnant women was achieved. In this assay, we show that the assay is sensitive, easy, fast, and reliable. These developments improve the reliability of the applications of circulating fetal DNA when used in clinical practice to manage sex-linked disorders (e.g., hemophilia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), RhD incompatibility, and the other noninvasive pregnant diagnostic tests on the coming soon. The study was the first successful case in Korea using cffDNA in maternal plasma, which has created a new avenue for clinical applications of NIPD.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2008

Purpose: We aimed to assess the role of positron emission tomography using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) in the diagnosis of recurrence or the assessment of therapeutic response in cervical and ovarian cancer patients through making a comparison between FDG-PET, abdominal computed tomography (CT) and serum tumor marker. Materials and methods: We included 103 cases (67 patients) performed FDG-PET and abdominal CT. There were 42 cervical cancers and 61 ovarian cancers. We retrospectively reviewed the interpretations of PET and CT images as well as the level of tumor marker. We calculated their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for these three modalities. And then we analyzed the differences between these three modalities. Results: Tumor recurrences were diagnosed in 37 cases (11 cervical cancers and 26 ovarian cancers). For PET, CT and tumor marker, in cervical cancer group, sensitivity was 100% (11/11), 54.5% (6/11) and 81.1% (9/11), respectively. And specificity was 93.6% (29/31), 93.6% (29/31) and 100% (31/31). In ovarian cancer group, sensitivity was 96.2% (25/26), 84.6% (22/26) and 80.8% (21/26), and specificity was 94.3% (33/35), 94.3% (33/35), 94.3% (33/35), PET was highly sensitive to detect the intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal metastasis with the help of the CT images to localize the lesions. However, CT had limitations in differentiation of the recurrent tumor from benign fibrotic tissue, identification of viable tumors at the interface of tissues, and detecting extraperitoneal lesions. Conclusion: FDG-PET can be an essential modality to detect the recurrent or residual tumors in gynecologic cancer patients because of its great field of the application and high sensitivity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2017

Transmembrane protein 39A (TMEM39A) belongs to the TMEM39 family. TMEM39A gene is a susceptibility locus for multiple sclerosis. In addition, TMEM39A seems to be implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus. However, any possible involvement of TMEM39A in cancer remains largely unknown. In the present report, we provide evidence that TMEM39A may play a role in brain tumors. Western blotting using an anti-TMEM39A antibody indicated that TMEM39A was overexpressed in glioblastoma cell lines, including U87-MG and U251-MG. Deep-sequencing transcriptomic profiling of U87-MG and U251-MG cells revealed that TMEM39A transcripts were upregulated in such cells compared with those of the cerebral cortex. Confocal microscopic analysis of U251-MG cells stained with anti-TMEM39A antibody showed that TMEM39A was located in dot-like structures lying close to the nucleus. TMEM39A probably located to mitochondria or to endosomes. Immunohistochemical analysis of glioma tissue specimens indicated that TMEM39A was markedly upregulated in such samples. Bioinformatic analysis of the Rembrandt knowledge base also supported upregulation of TMEM39A mRNA levels in glioma patients. Together, the results afford strong evidence that TMEM39A is upregulated in glioma cell lines and glioma tissue specimens. Therefore, TMEM39A may serve as a novel diagnostic marker of, and a therapeutic target for, gliomas and other cancers.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 1996

Abnormalities of p53 gene are common in lung cancers and are associated with immunologically detectable p53 protein. p53 immunoreactivity is uncommon in normal cells but is frequently seen in neoplasia. Therefore, assessment of p53 expression may assist in the cytological diagnosis of malignancy. The usefulness of p53 immunostaining as a marker of malignancy in the cytological analysis of bronchial brush specimens from the patients with lung cancers was investigated in this study. A total of 71 bronchial brush samples submitted for cytologic diagnosis were immunostained with D07, a monoclonal antibody to recombinant p53 protein. Resultant p53 data were correlated with cytologic diagnosis and clinical information. Of the 17 smears with a benign cytodiagnosis, all were p53 negative. Of the 40 cases with a malignant cytodiagnosis (histologically confirmed), 35 were p53 positive and 5 were negative. Of the 14 cases that were cytologically suspicious but nondiagnostic for malignancy, 11 were p53 positive, 9 of which were subsequently proved to be malignant by histologic examination, and the remaining 2 cases were tuberculosis clinically. Forty four of 51 histologically confirmed lung carcinomas were p53 positive, including 25 of 28 squamous cell carcinomas, 13 of 17 small cell carcinomas, 3 of 3 adenocarcinomas, and 3 of 3 large cell undifferentiated carcinomas. These results suggest that p53 immunostaining could be of value as a marker of malignancy in the cytologic examination of bronchial brush specimens. Furthermore, we have shown the possible clinical utility of p53 immunostaining in cytopathological diagnosis, that is, as a valuable adjunct to morphological assessment in the analysis of cytopathologically suspicious cases.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 1999

An association of low total cholesterol in blood with psychiatric diseases and suicidal behavior has been suggested. As part of an attempt to further explore this relationship, we examine first, whether serum cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients with suicidal attempt would be lower than in non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients or normal controls, second, whether such significant difference of cholesterol levels would be present when the diagnostic groups are analyzed separately, third, whether low cholesterol level would be associated with a history of serious suicidal attempts, and finally, whether low cholesterol level in suicide attempters is a state or a trait marker. We determined the serum cholesterol levels in 231 patients admitted to an emergency room following an suicidal attempt, in the same numbers of age-, sex- and diagnosis- matched non-suicidal psychiatric controls, and in the same numbers of age-, sex matched normal controls. The seriousness of an attempt was divided into 5 grades according to the degree of the resulting medical injury. Total cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly lower compared with both psychiatric and normal controls, when sex, age, and nutritional status (i.e., body mass index) were controlled for. This significant relationship was observed in major depressive disorders and personality disorders, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar type I disorders. The severity of suicide by a lowering of blood cholesterol was related to the magnitude of the cholesterol reduction. After treatment of their psychiatric ailments, the cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly increased. This result suggests that low cholesterol level in psychiatric patients might be a potential biological marker of suicide risk. It is hypothesized that low cholesterol levels is associated with the suicide by modifying the serotonin metabolism, the production of interleukin-2 and melatonin metabolism in psychiatric patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2002

This study is aimed at offering basic data about prevention of Hepatitis B virus and infection control to dental hygiene students who will work mostly at dental offices which are characteristically exposed to a high risk of HBV infection. For this study, surveyed were 188 sophomores and juniors of the dental hygiene department who volunteered to undergo the tests of HBsAg and HBsAb. The examination of the blood collected from the samples and analysis of their perception about hygiene resulted in following conclusion: Positive HBsAg Four was found in 4 testees(2.1%) while 118(62.8%) revealed positive HBsAb. Juniors showed higher positive rate in HBsAg whereas sophomores had higher positive rate in HBsAb. But such difference has statistically no significance. Generally, students seemed to pay little attention to HBV, judging from the survey of their perception about the present state of HBsAg and HBsAb(p>0.05), conduct of infection(p<0.05), completion of 3 requested vaccinations(p>0.05), and formation of antibody(p>0.05). With regard to the infection routes of HBV, most students(92.4%) replied "through blood", which is statistically insignificant, though. Next ratio goes to the reply "through contaminated injectors". This reply came more from sophomores than from juniors, a difference which is statistically significant(p<0.05). The lowest rate of possible infection(29.2%) was thought to be "through breast-feeding of a positive mother"(p<0.05). In general, it turned out that sophomores had more knowledge about the infection routes of HBV than juniors. In terms of clinical history among family members, 6(3.1%) reported that some of their family members are currently suffering from a liver complaint, 3(1.6%) replied their family members were once afflicted, and 4(2.1%) said their members died of hepatitis. Except 10(4.7%), all the surveyees replied that their states of health are better than normal. Generally, sophomores are healthier than juniors except for the very health case, a difference which is statistically of no value.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1325-1331
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• 2012

Tumor formation and growth is dictated by a very small number of tumor cells, called cancer stem cells, which are capable of self-renewal. The genesis of cancer stem cells and their resistance to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy via mechanisms such as multidrug resistance, quiescence, enhanced DNA repair abilities and anti-apoptotic mechanisms, make it imperative to develop methods to identify and use these cells as diagnostic or therapeutic targets. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) is used as a cancer stem cell marker. In this study, we evaluated ALDH1 expression in CaSki, HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cells using the Aldefluor method to isolate ALDH1-positive cells. We showed that higher ALDH1 expression correlated with significantly higher rates of cell proliferation, microsphere formation and migration. We also could demonstrate that SiHa-ALDH1-positive cells were significantly more tumorigenic compared to SiHa-ALDH1-negative cells. Similarly, SiHa cells overexpressing ALDH1 were significantly more tumorigenic and showed higher rates of cell proliferation and migration compared to SiHa cells where ALDH1 expression was knocked down using a lentivirus vector. Our data suggested that ALDH1 is a marker of cervical cancer stem cells and expand our understanding of its functional role.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7351-7355
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• 2014

Background: Laryngeal carcinogenesis is a multifactorial process that has not been fully elucidated. Despite extensive research, reliable markers with diagnostic and prognostic value are still lacking. It was recently reported that an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may correlate with an increased risk of recurrence, tumor aggressiveness and poorer prognosis in various malignancies. The aim of this study was to examine whether NLR could be used as an inflammatory marker to differentiate laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients from benign laryngeal lesion (BLL) and precancerous laryngeal lesion (PLL) patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 209 patients admitted to a tertiary referral center with laryngeal lesions and undergoing biopsies to establish their histopathological diagnosis. We reviewed the patient files for their clinical, histopathological and laboratory data. The patients were divided into three groups according to their histopathological findings, as BLL, PLL and LSCC groups. The patients in the PLL group were also divided into three subgroups as mild, moderate and severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ (CIS) subgroups. The groups were compared for NLR and the other laboratory data. Results: The mean NLRs of the BLL, PLL and the LSCC groups were $2.12{\pm}0.86$, $2.32{\pm}0.68$ and $3.46{\pm}1.51$, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean NLRs of the patients with PLL and LSCC were significantly higher than the patients with BLL (p=0.031 and p=0.001, respectively). The mean NLRs were similar among mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia and severe dysplasia / CIS groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating NLR in BLL, PLL and LSCC. NLR is an inexpensive, reproducible and widely available blood test, and could be a useful inflammatory marker to differentiate LSCC from BLL and PLL.