• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.82-82
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• 1997

The hepatitis B virus(HBV) is a small, enveloped virus with a circular, double-stranded DNA genome. HBV causes active and chronic hepatitis worldwide, including Korea, and is considered to be a major factor for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast to the wealth of knowledge on the gene structure and expressional regulation, immunological and pathological mechanisms for HBV-induced hepatocellular injury are not well known. In the present study, vaccinia virus which has been demonstrated to be a useful eukaryotic expression vector was used to clone the gene for HBV surface antigen, L(S+preS2+preS1). The recombinant vaccinia virus vector, pMJ-L, which contains L surface antigen gene of adr-type HBV was constructed, and subseouently used for making recombinant vaccinia virus VV-$\textrm{HBV}_{L}$. Expression of the HBV antigen was examined by immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test using mouse monoclonal anti-hepatitis B surface antigen. HBsAg was detected in the recombinant virus indicating that the VV-$\textrm{HBV}_{L}$ expressed S antigen successfully. The HBV-Vaccinia Virus recombinant obtained in this study is currently being used for studying the immunological aspects of HBV infection.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.209-214
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• 2003

To determine the clinical usefulness of Immuno Blot test, 160 samples from the patients with chronic HCV infection were analyzed. And serotyping and line probe assay were performed to evaluate the distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Korean isolates. In this group, as a result of genotyping type 1 band 2a, the serotype I and II were the most common source of HCV infection. There were no significant difference in response to the alpha-interferon HCV infection treatment with the subtype 1 b or 2a. And the serotypes of NS4 peptides were compared with the genotypes to evaluate their clinical usefulness. Among 49 cases studied for genotypes and serotype, genotype 1 b, 1 b/2b, 2a, 2a/2c and 2b were 51.0％, 2.0％, 34.6％, 8.1％ and 4.0％, respectively. The serotypes I and II were 57.1％ and 42.8％, respectively; they were matched with genotypes in 85.7％ and seemed to be easy to perform. To monitor their performing progress or treatment response, serotype test was made before the genotype test. The Result showed that there was no significant difference in response to the alpha-interferon HCV infection treatment with the subtype 1 b or 2a in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.78-81
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• 2008

Purpose: In this study, we evaluated unstable serum data of HBe antigen (HBeAg) or HBe antibody (HBeAb) in patients who experienced HBeAg seroconversion. This study have been performed to assist a medical technologist in the recognition of patients who were chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Materials and Methods: A total number of 3 patients were enrolled in this study. All patients experienced HBeAg seroconversion. Serum data of HBeAg and HBeAb were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: The data of HBeAg or HBeAb showed an unstable change during seroconversion from HBeAg to HBeAb in chronic type B hepatitis (CBH). Conclusions: Serum data of HBeAg or HBeAb can change during HBe seroconversion. These data suggest that patients with HBe seroconversion can experience an unstable oscillation of HBeAg or HBeAb value from positive to negative. Unstable data can appear naturally due to the seroconversion process.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.125-142
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• 2002

This study was carried out to purpose drawing up the efficient method of rural residents' health management, analyzing factors having influences on the behavioral intention and the behavior of hepatitis B vaccination of rural residents, using the theory of planned behavior(TPB). Surveying the first questionnaire about TPB to 439 people of rural adults over 40-year old who participated to hepatitis B examination program was made from March 14 to April 23 in 2001 at two primary health care posts in a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do and the second survey for hepatitis B vaccination was made to the last subjects of 332 people(75.6%) that had been proved as subjects of inoculation against the hepatitis B as the result of examination after two months of notification. In the behavioral intention rate of hepatitis B vaccination of the subjects within a month, 100%(the top) was 45.2%, 80-90%(the middle) was 21.1% and under 70%(the low) was 33.7%. In simple analysis, vaccination intention was related with significantly health security type and economic status(p<0.05). And vaccination intention was related with significantly all variables of attitude toward behavior and subjective norm, and economic power of utilizing medical facilities and perceived power variable of perceived behavioral control(p<0.01). The vaccination rate of the subjects within a month was 31.3%. In simple analysis, the vaccination rate was higher significantly in the lower the age was, the higher the educational level was(p<0.01), the larger the family was, and subjects having transport(p<0.05). And the vaccination rate was higher in the higher the economic power was and the higher the perceived ability was. As the results of making generalized logit analysis for behavioral intention, the more positive the subjective norm was, the higher was the score of the perceived behavioral control, the intention was higher significantly in the top class on a basis of the low class of behavioral intention. In multiple logistic regression analysis for vaccination(behavior) using intention and perceived behavioral control as dependent variables, it showed that perceived behavioral control variable only influenced significantly. The higher was the score of perceived behavioral control, it showed that they got the more vaccination(p<0.01). And even in the result having analyzed, adding the significant general characteristics variables in the simple analysis to the independent variable, the higher was the score of perceived behavioral control, it showed that they got vaccination more.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.115-128
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• 1997

Three cDNA fragments located within NS5 region of HCV were synthesized by RT using viral RNA extracted from blood sample of Korean patient as a template. The cDNAs were amplified by PCR, cloned into the T-vector, and the nucleotide sequences were determined. Comparative analysis of the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of NS5 cDNAs showed that it is closely related with HCV type 1b. The cloned NS5 cDNA showed 91-94% homology at the nucleotide sequence level and 96-98% homology at the amino acid sequence level with several strains of the HCV type 1b. The NS5 cDNAs were subcloned into E. coli expression vectors to construct pRSETA5-1, pTHAN5-1, pRSETC5-2, pRSETBB1, pRESTCB1 and pRSETB-H3. Expression of the NS5 proteins was achieved by inducing the promoter with isopropyl-thio-${\beta}$-D-galactoside (IPTG) and confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The NS5 proteins were immunoreactive against sera from Korean hepatitis C patients in Western blot analysis. Among the recombinant NS5 proteins, pRSETAS-1 plasmid derived protein, coded from aa2022 to aa2521 of HCV polyprotein, showed the strongest immunoreactivity against sera from Korean hepatitis C patients in immunoblot analysis. These results suggest that NS5 proteins would be useful as an antigen for detection of antibody against HCV in the blood samples.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.528-533
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• 2007

In a previous study we generated an anti-Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) preS1 humanized antibody (HzKR127) that showed in vivo HBV-neutralizing activity in chimpanzees. However, the antigen-binding affinity of the humanized antibody may not be sufficient for clinical use and thus affinity maturation is required for better therapeutic efficacy. In this study, phage display technique was employed to increase the affinity of HzKR127. All six amino acid residues (Glu95-Tyr96-Asp97-Glu98-Ala99-Tyr100) in the heavy (H) chain complementary-determining region 3 (HCDR3) of HzKR127 were randomized and phage-displayed single chain Fv (scFv) library was constructed. After three rounds of panning, 12 different clones exhibiting higher antigen-binding activity than the wild type ScFv were selected and their antigen-binding specificity for the preS1 confirmed. Subsequently, five ScFv clones were converted to whole IgG and subjected to affinity determination. The results showed that two clones (B3 and A19) exhibited an approximately 6 fold higher affinities than that of HzKR127. The affinity-matured humanized antibodies may be useful in anti-HBV immunotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 1991

We cloned and expressed hepatitis B viral core antigen (HBcAg) gene in E. coli using $P_{L}$ promoter system. For optimal expression of the gene, we undertook the studies on the effects of the distance between Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence and start codon, copy number of repressor gene, induction temperature, and the stability of the core antigen. The results demonstrated that the induction at 37.deg.C was more efficient than at 42.deg.C, and the 11 base pairs (bp) distance between SD sequence and start codon of HBcAg gene was more efficient than the 15 bp distance in E. coli. The copy number of cI857 repressor gene did not influence on the expression of HBcAg, and the expression level of HBcAg in mutant type (low protease activity) and wild type strains was almost the same. The produced core antigen appeared to be HBcAg not HBeAg judged by two different radioimmunoassat (RIA) kits. This result suggested that the antigen was stable in E. coli.i.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.281-286
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• 2003

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the worldwide public health problem affecting about 300 million people. The envelope protein of HBV consists of three components known as preS1, preS2, and S antigen. According to the recent study, anti-HBs Ab showed effective neutralization ability against HBV from chronic hepatitis B and liver transplant patients, suggesting the possible development of therapeutic antibody. Methods: Spleen cells immunized with S antigen of HBV were fused with myeloma cell line to obtain HBsAg specific monoclonal antibodies. High affinity antibodies against HBsAg (adr, ad and ay type) were selected by competitive ELISA method. Nucleotide sequence of the variable regions of monoclonal antibodies was analyzed by RT-PCR followed by conventional sequencing method. Results: We produced 14 murine monoclonal antibodies which recognize S antigen of HBV. Two of them, A9-11 and C6-9 showed the highest affinity. The sequence analysis of A9-11 revealed that variable regions of the heavy chain and light chains are members of mouse heavy chain I (B) and light chain lambda 1, respectively. Likewise, the sequence analysis of C6-9 revealed that variable regions of the heavy chain and light chains are members of mouse heavy chain II (B) and light chain kappa 1, respectively. Neutralization assay showed that A9-11 and C6-9 effectively neutralize the HBV infection. Conclusion: These results suggest that A9-11 and C6-9 mouse monoclonal antibodies can be used for the development of therapeutic antibody for HBV infection.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.260-266
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• 1995

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been considered as a mojor causative agent of post-transfusion related non-A, non-B hepatitis. In this study, the cDNA sequence of NS4 region of HCV (HCV-S) obtained from a Korean patient's plasms was determined. Comparative nucleotide sequence analysis between to type II. 67.2% homology to type III, and 66.4% homology to type IV. The putative amino acid sequence homologies to types I, II, III, and IV were 82.8-84.7%, 92.5-95.1%. 72.5, and 71.1%, respectively. This data strongly suggests that HCV-S should be classified as type II. Significant similarities of hydrophobicity profiles and putative transmembranous domains were found in HCV-S and four major prototypes, indicating that the protein structure is similar in spite of the heterogeneities of intertype homologies at the level of the psrimary nucleotide and amino acid sequences.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.237-241
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• 2014

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is the state which develops after complications with the infection from HIV. Irrespective of their state, all HIV infections have infectivity. According to a 2013 U.N. AIDS global report, the number of reported newly infected with HIV is constantly falling, while that of Korea has been increasing over recent years and it surpassed 10,000 in 2013. This phenomenon might be attributed to the unusualness of the blood test for early detection of HIV infection. From this fact, we can assume that we have strong possibilities for encounters with infections in the office. But many misconceptions about the disease makes patients try to hide their medical history, which can lead to a nationwide spread of the infection without proper management. Even though it may be difficult to take care of HIV patients in smaller dental offices, large scale hospitals have the means to arrange protocols to treat them. We present a case about dental treatment of a patient with AIDS that has a history of cerebral infarction and hepatitis type B under general anesthesia. The purpose of this case report was to discuss the special considerations of dental care for patients with HIV.