• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2017

Vivax malaria reemerged in Korea in 1993 and the outbreak has been continued with fluctuating numbers of annual indigenous cases. Understanding the nature of the genetic population of Plasmodium vivax circulating in Korea is beneficial for the knowledge of the nationwide parasite heterogeneity and in the implementation of malaria control programs in the country. Previously, we analyzed polymorphic nature of merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) and MSP-$3{\alpha}$ in Korean P. vivax population and identified the Korean P. vivax population has been diversifying rapidly, with the appearance of parasites with new genetic subtypes, despite the recent reduction of the disease incidence. In the present study, we developed simple PCR-RFLP methods for rapid subtyping of MSP-1 and MSP-$3{\alpha}$ of Korean P. vivax isolates. These PCR-RFLP methods were able to easily distinguish each subtype of Korean P. vivax MSP-1 and MSP-$3{\alpha}$ with high accuracy. The PCR-RFLP subtyping methods developed here would be easily applied to massive epidemiological studies for molecular surveillance to understand genetic population of P. vivax and to supervise the genetic variation of the parasite circulating in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.469-479
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• 2019

Plasmodium vivax is usually considered morbidity in endemic areas of Asia, Central and South America, and some part of Africa. In Thailand, previous studies indicated the genetic diversity of P. vivax in malaria-endemic regions such as the western part of Thailand bordering with Myanmar. The objective of the study is to investigate the genetic diversity of P. vivax circulating in Southern Thailand by using 3 antigenic markers and 8 microsatellite markers. Dried blood spots were collected from Chumphon, Phang Nga, Ranong and, Surat Thani provinces of Thailand. By PCR, 3 distinct sizes of $PvMSP3{\alpha}$, 2 sizes of $PvMSP3{\beta}$ and 2 sizes of PvMSP1 F2 were detected based on the length of PCR products, respectively. PCR/RFLP analyses of these antigen genes revealed high levels of genetic diversity. The genotyping of 8 microsatellite loci showed high genetic diversity as indicated by high alleles per locus and high expected heterozygosity ($H_E$). The genotyping markers also showed multiple-clones of infection. Mixed genotypes were detected in 4.8% of $PvMSP3{\alpha}$, 29.1% in $PvMSP3{\beta}$ and 55.3% of microsatellite markers. These results showed that there was high genetic diversity of P. vivax isolated from Southern Thailand, indicating that the genetic diversity of P. vivax in this region was comparable to those observed other areas of Thailand.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.200-205
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• 1979

Effects of monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, ${\alpha}-polygel$, sodium ultrametaphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate on the growth of bacteria, pH and acidity in single culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and mixed-culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were investigated. Phosphates exerted definite effect in enhancing the growth of the bacteria and acidity of the fermented milk. For the single-culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus monosodium phosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate were most effective in terms of bacterial growth and acidity, whereas for the mixed-culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus monosodium phosphate and disodium phosphate showed the best results. In the presence of the phosphates, particularly of trisodium phosphate, the decrease of viable count of bacteria in fermented milk during storage was reduced significantly. The stability of the fermented milk prepared with the mixed-culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus was improved by the addition of phosphates, particularly of monosodium phosphate.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2002

Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder with a strong genetic component. There are many candidate genes for obesity and its related phenotypes. We studied genetic variations between Korean obese and lean groups. Polymorphisms investigated were the Msp I polymorphism of the $\alpha$$_{2A}$-adrenergic receptor ($\alpha$$_{2A}$-AR) gene, the Mnl I polymorphism of the $\alpha$$_2$-adrenergic receptor ($\alpha$$_2$-AR) gene, the BstO I polymorphism of the $\beta$$_3$-adrenergic receptor ($\beta$$_3$-AR) gene, the Pml I polymorphism of the lamin A/C (LMNA) gene, the Hga I polymorphism of the clearance receptor (NPRC) gene, the Msp I polymorphism of the leptin gene, BclI polymorphism of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCPI) gene and the Hha I polymorphism of the fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene. Among these genetic markers, Pml I polymorphism at the LMNA gene and Bcl I polymorphism at the UCP1 gene were significantly associated with obesity. However, further studies are required whether thease findings are reproduced in large population, although two polymorphisms might be useful as genetic markers in the ethiology of obesity in Korean population.ion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5557-5563
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• 2015

Background: Cholelithiasis is associated in 54%-98% of patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder, and a high incidence among females suggests a role of female hormones in the etiology of the disease. Cytochrome $P450C17{\alpha}$ (CYP-17) is a key enzyme involved in estrogen metabolism and polymorphisms in CYP-17 are associated with altered serum levels of estrogens. Thus, we investigated whether the CYP-17 MspA1 gene polymorphism might impact on risk of gall bladder cancers or gallstones, as well as to determine if this gene polymorphism might be linked with estrogen serum levels and lipid profile among the North Indian gall bladder cancer or gallstone patients. Materials and Methods: CYP-17 gene polymorphisms (MspA1) were genotyped with PCR-RFLP in cancer patients (n=96), stone patients (n=102), cancer + stone patients (n=52) and age/sex matched control subjects (n= 256). Lipid profile was estimated using a commercial kit and serum estrogen was measured using ELISA. Results: The majority of the patients in all groups were females. The lipid profile and estrogen level were significantly higher among the study as compared to control groups. The frequency of mutant allele A2 of CYP17 MspA1 gene polymorphism was higher among cancer (OR=5.13, 95% CI+3.10-8.51, p=0.0001), stone (OR=5.69, 95%CI=3.46-9.37, p=0.0001) and cancer + stone (OR=3.54, 95%CI=1.90-6.60, p=0.0001) when compared with the control group. However there was no significant association between genotypes of CYP17 MspA1 gene polymorphism and circulating serum level of estrogen and lipid profile. Conclusions: A higher frequency of mutant genotype A1A2 as well as mutant allele A2 of CYP-17 gene polymorphism is significantly associated with risk of gallbladder cancer and stones. Elevated levels of estrogen and an altered lipid profile can be used as predictors ofgall bladder stones and cancer in post menopausal females in India.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4113-4117
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• 2012

Breast cancer is a prevalent heterogeneous malignant disease. Gene expression profiling by DNA microarray can classify breast tumors into five different molecular subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER-2, basal and normal-like which have differing prognosis. Recently it has been shown that immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2), can divide tumors to main subtypes: luminal A (ER+; PR+/-; HER-2-), luminal B (ER+;PR+/-; HER-2+), basal-like (ER-;PR-;HER2-) and Her2+ (ER-; PR-; HER-2+). Some subtypes such as basal-like subtype have been characterized by poor prognosis and reduced overall survival. Due to the importance of the ER signaling pathway in mammary cell proliferation; it appears that epigenetic changes in the $ER{\alpha}$ gene as a central component of this pathway, may contribute to prognostic prediction. Thus this study aimed to clarify the correlation of different IHC-based subtypes of breast tumors with $ER{\alpha}$ methylation in Iranian breast cancer patients. For this purpose one hundred fresh breast tumors obtained by surgical resection underwent DNA extraction for assessment of their ER methylation status by methylation specific PCR (MSP). These tumors were classified into main subtypes according to IHC markers and data were collected on pathological features of the patients. $ER{\alpha}$ methylation was found in 25 of 28 (89.3%) basal tumors, 21 of 24 (87.5%) Her2+ tumors, 18 of 34 (52.9%) luminal A tumors and 7 of 14 (50%) luminal B tumors. A strong correlation was found between $ER{\alpha}$ methylation and poor prognosis tumor subtypes (basal and Her2+) in patients (P<0.001). Our findings show that $ER{\alpha}$ methylation is correlated with poor prognosis subtypes of breast tumors in Iranian patients and may play an important role in pathogenesis of the more aggressive breast tumors.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.452-456
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• 2015

Obesity is the fifth leading risk for death globally, and a significant challenge to global health. It is a common, complex, non-malignant disease and develops due to interactions between the genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals; analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. To assess the effects of excessive weight and obesity on gene-specific methylation levels of promoter regions, we determined the methylation status of four genes involved in inflammation and oxidative stress [interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ ($TNF{\alpha}$), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and glucose transport 4 (GLUT4)] in blood cell-derived DNA from healthy women volunteers with a range of body mass indices (BMIs) by methylation-specific PCR. Interestingly, the samples from obese individuals ($BMI{\geq}30kg/m^2$) showed significantly increased hypermethylation for IL6 gene compared to normal weight ($BMI<23kg/m^2$) and overweight sample ($23kg/m^2{\leq}BMI<30kg/m^2$) (P = 0.034 and P = 0.026). However there was no statistically significant difference in promoter methylation of the other 3 genes between each group. These findings suggest that aberrant DNA methylation of IL6 gene promoter may play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity and IL6 methylation could be used as molecular biomarker for obesity risk assessment. Further studies are required to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

We isolated and cultured bacteria inhabiting solar saltern ponds in Taean-Gun, Chungnam Province, Korea. All of the isolated 64 strains were found to be moderately halophilic bacteria, growing in a salt range of 2-20 %, with an optimal concentration of 5% salt. Bacterial diversity among the isolated halophiles was evaluated via RFLP analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA sequences. The combination of restriction enzyme digestions with HaeIII, CfoI, MspI and RsaI generated 54 distinct patterns. A neighbor-joining tree of the partial 16S rDNA sequences resulted in the division of the 64 strains into 2 major groups, 45 strains of ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ (70.3%) and 19 strains of Firmicutes (29.7%). The ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$ and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacterioides groups, which were repeatedly found to exist in thalassohaline environments, were not represented in our isolates. The ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ group consisted of several subgroups of the Vibrionaceae (37.5%), Pseudoalteromonadaceae (10.9%), Halomonadaceae (7.8%), Alteromonadaceae (7.8%), and Idiomarinaceae (6.3%). Members of Salinivibrio costicola (29.7%) were the most predominant species among all of the isolates, followed by Halobacillus treperi (12.5%). Additionally, three new species candidates were found, based on similarities of the 16S rDNA sequences to those of previously published species.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1255-1262
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• 2014

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate any associations between benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR gene (FokI, BsmI, ApaI and Taq${\alpha}$I loci) and the CYP17 gene (MspA1I locus), as well as TA repeat polymorphism in SRD5A2 gene among Lebanese men. Materials and Methods: DNA extracted from blood of 68 subjects with confirmed BPH and 79 age-matched controls was subjected to PCR/PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The odds ra=tio (OR) of having a genotype and the relative risk (RR) of developing BPH for having the genotype were calculated and the alleles were designated risk-bearing or protective. Results: Our data indicated that the A and B alleles of the VDR ApaI and BsmI SNPs were highly associated with increased risk of BPH (p=0.0168 and 0.0002, respectively). Moreover, 63% of the controls compared to 43% of the subjects with BPH were homozygous for none of the risk-bearing alleles (p=0.0123) whereas 60% of the controls and 28% of the subjects with BPH were homozygous for two or more protective alleles (p<0.0001). Conclusions: For the first time, our study demonstrated that ApaI and BsmI of the VDR gene are associated with risk of BPH among Lebanese men. Our study also indicated that overall polymorphism profile of all the genes involved in prostate physiology could be a better predictor of BPH risk.