• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2001

Background: Many types of cancer become resistant to current chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic intervention. To overcome this situation application of gene therapy by the introduction of suicide genes followed by their prodrugs may be promising. A viral enzyme, Herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSV-tk), which converts ganciclovir from an inactive prodrug to a cytotoxic agent by phosphorylation, are being actively investigated for use in gene therapy for cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether combining prodrug-activating gene therapy and irradiation might result in enhanced antitumor effects. Methods: The HSV-tk gene was cloned into the retroviral vector, pLXSN and established the clones producing retroviruses carrying the HSV-tk gene. The carcinoma cell line, HCT116 and Huh-7 were transduced with high-titer recombinant retroviruses. These cell lines were treated with ganciclovir before or after irradiation for the defining combinational effect of suicide gene therapy and radiotherapy. Results: The titers of cloned PA3 17 amphotropic retroviruses ranged from 4 to 6 X $10^6CFU/ml4$. After selectional periods, the expression of HSV-tk was confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The growth of cells expressing HSV-tk was inhibited as increase of GCV dose after 48 hr and the growth inhibitory effect of GCV was much higher after 72 hr. When the cells transduced with HSV-tk gene were exposed to radiation, the growth inhibitory effect of GCV was significantly increased, as compared with non-transduced parental cells. Conclusions: The results suggest that the addition of HSV-tk gene therapy to standard radiation therapy may improve the effectiveness of treatment for solid tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5551-5556
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• 2012

Cytological examination is widely used as a diagnostic tool because of the ease of collecting cells from the involved area. However, the diagnostic yield of cytological examination is unsatisfactory; the reasons include sampling error, poorly prepared samples, small numbers of malignant cells, and low grades of cellular atypia. In this study, we focused on the high infectivity of adenovirus towards epithelial cells and applied the luciferase-expressing adenoviral vector to a new cancer cell detection tool. In addition, adenoviral infectivity was enhanced by modifying viral fiber proteins. The sensitivity of the diagnostic tool was tested using the NCI-H1299 lung cancer cell line, and validated in body fluid samples from cancer patients with a variety of etiology. Results showed that the adenovirus efficiently transfected NCI-H1299 with high sensitivity. Only 10 cancer cells were sufficient for detection of luciferase signals. In body fluid samples, the adenovirus confirmed the diagnosis for malignant and benign cancer, but not in non-epithelial cell derived samples. This study provides proof-of-concept for a more reliable and sensitive diagnostic tool for epithelium-derived cancer.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 2007

To investigate the innate immune response involved in early stage of anti-viral defence, carps were injected with UV-inactivated spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV), poly inosinic:cytidylic acid (Poly I:C) and concanavalin A (Con A), respectively and examined lysozyme activity, serum complement activity and chemiluminescent (CL) response of leucocytes isolated from head kidney at 3 days post-injection. There was no significant difference in plasma lysozyme activities among all experimental groups. However, lysozyme activities of head kidney in the groups injected with antiviral activity inducers were significantly higher than those of the control injected with physiological saline. Bactericidal activities of serum of the groups injected with antiviral activity inducers were not significantly different from control group. However, the CL responses were significantly higher at lower dose of Poly I:C and Con A, whilst dose-dependent increase was shown in UV-inactivated SVCV-injected group. In the challenge test with 1×104 TCID50/fish of SVCV at 4 days post-injection, UV-inactivated SVCV- and Poly I:C-injected groups showed higher relative percent survival (RPS) than Con A-injected group. Furthermore, strong protection was observed in the group injected higher dose of Poly I:C although showed lower activities in lysozyme and CL response. These results suggested that Poly I:C might stimulate other factors belonging to non-specific immune system have induced protective immunity against the SVCV challenged.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1037-1047
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• 2016

HOX transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved in many different species and are involved in important cellular processes such as morphogenesis, differentiation, and proliferation. They have also recently been implicated in carcinogenesis, but their precise role in cancer, especially in cervical cancer (CC), remains unclear. In this work, using microarray assays followed by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we found that the expression of 25 HOX genes was downregulated in CC derived cell lines compared with non-tumorigenic keratinocytes. In particular, the expression of HOXA9 was observed as down-modulated in CC-derived cell lines. The expression of HOXA9 has not been previously reported in CC, or in normal keratinocytes of the cervix. We found that normal CC from women without cervical lesions express HOXA9; in contrast, CC cell lines and samples of biopsies from women with CC showed significantly diminished HOXA9 expression. Furthermore, we found that methylation at the first exon of HOXA9 could play an important role in modulating the expression of this gene. Exogenous restoration of HOXA9 expression in CC cell lines decreased cell proliferation and migration, and induced an epithelial-like phenotype. Interestingly, the silencing of human papilloma virus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogenes induced expression of HOXA9. In conclusion, controlling HOXA9 expression appears to be a necessary step during CC development. Further studies are needed to delineate the role of HOXA9 during malignant progression and to afford more insights into the relationship between downmodulation of HOXA9 and viral HPV oncoprotein expression during cercical cancer development.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.581-585
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• 2002

Focal epithelial hyperplasia(FEH) is Human papilloma virus - induced, localized proliferation of oral squamous epithelium. FEH usually occurs in the childhood, but occasionally affects the young and middle-aged adults. Sites of the greatest involvement include the labial, buccal and lingual mucosa, but lesions of gingiva or tongue have also been reported. This disease is typically characterized by multiple soft, non-tender flattened papules and plaques. Occasional lesions show a slight papillary surface change. Individual lesions are small, discrete and well demarcated. The histopathologic hallmark of FEH is acanthosis of the oral epithelium. Cells demonstrating viral cytopathic changes including koilocytes or mitosoid cells may be present. The 5-year-old female of this case visited Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University with a chief complaint of exophytic lesions on gingiva. Sessile papillary papules were detected by clinical examination on buccal gingiva at the maxillary left and right second deciduous molars. The patient did not complain of pain by palpation. An excisional biopsy was carried out for a histological examination and acanthosis was observed. The lesions were diagnosed as FEH. FEH would regress spontaneously after several months or years. Conservative excision may be performed for diagnostic or esthetic purpose. The risk of recurrence after this therapy is minimal, and there is no malignant transformation.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2000

We have determined and analyzed the full-length cDNA sequence of a coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) Korean isolate (CVB3-Korea/97) which has been known as a general human pathogen. The whole genome contains 7,400 nucleotides and has a single large open reading frame with 6,555 nucleotides that encodes a potential polyprotein precursor of 2,185 amino acids. The genome also contains a 5' non-coding region (NCR) of 741 bases and a 3' NCR of 104 bases followed by poly(A) tail. Sequence homologies of nucleotides and deduced amino acids between the CVB3-Korea/97 strain and the prototype (Nancy strain) were 81.7% and 91.5%, respectively. The genes encoding the functional proteins including viral protease and RNA dependent RNA polymerase showed higher homology than those encoding the structural proteins. We have further analyzed the sequences of 5' NCR, VP1 and VP2 of CVB3-Korea/97, which are known as cardiovirulent determining factors at the nucleotide and amino acid levels. Although the CVB 3-Korea/97 strain was isolated from an aseptic meningitis patient without cardiomyopathy, its 234th nucleotide and 165th amino acid were uracil and Asn as same as those of other cardiovirulent strains one. However, the 155th amino acid of VP1, which closely associated with cardiovirulence, was replaced with $Arg^{155}$ by single nucleotide substitution from $A^{2916}$ to $T^{2916}$. Moreover, additional amino acid substitutions were observed in the flanking region of $Asp^{155}$. Taken together, amino acid(s) substitution in VP1 may playa critical role in determining cardiovirulence of the CVB3-Korea/97 strain rather than individual nucleotide replacements in the 5' NCR and/or an amino acid substitution in VP2.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2011

One hundred Capsicum accessions were screened for symptomatic response and resistance to Tomato spotted wilt virus-pb1 (TSWV-pb1). Symptom and its severity rating were checked by visual observation at 9, 12, 14, and 45 days after inoculation, respectively. Enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay was performed all tested individuals on non-inoculated upper leaves after the third rating to indentify viral infection. Leaf curling was predominant in almost susceptible individuals of each accession. Stem necrosis was most frequent in wild species while yellowing in commercial hybrids and Korean land race cultivars. Ring spot, a typical symptom of TSWV, was rarely detected in some of a few accessions. Different levels of resistance to TSWV-pb1 were observed among the tested accessions. High level of resistance was detected in 4 commercial cultivars of Kpc-35, -36, -57, and -62, and 8 wild species of PBI-11, C00105, PBC076, PBC280, PBC426, PBC495, PBC537, and PI201238 through seedling test by mechanical inoculation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.341-350
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• 2016

Background: Prenatal exposure to infectious and/or inflammatory insults can increase the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia later in life. We investigated whether Valeriana fauriei (VF) treatment alleviates prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits and social interaction impairment induced by maternal immune activation (MIA). Methods and Results: Pregnant mice were exposed to polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (5 mg/kg, viral infection mimic) on gestational day 9. The adolescent offspring received daily oral treatment with VF (100 mg/kg) and injections of clozapine (5 mg/kg) for 30 days starting on the postnatal day 35. The effects of VF extract treatment on behavioral activity impairment and protein expression were investigated using the PPI analysis, forced swim test (FST), open field test (OFT), social interaction test (SIT), and immunohistochemistry. The MIA-induced offspring showed deficits in the PPI, FST, OFT, and SIT compared to their non MIA-induced counterparts. Treatment with the VF extract significantly recovered the sensorimotor gating deficits and partially recovered the aggressive behavior observed in the SIT. The VF extract also reversed the downregulation of protein expression induced by MIA in the medial prefrontal cortex. Conclusions: Our results provide initial evidence of the fact that the VF extract could reverse MIA-induced behavioral impairment and prevent neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.415-420
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• 2010

In Korea, oysters are used as an ingredient of Kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage) in early winter. Although viral contamination of oysters, including contamination by norovirus, can provoke gastroenteric illness, little is known of the epidemiological relationship to outbreaks. We postulated that Kimchi ripening can reduce the infectivity of norovirus, in order to test this hypothesis, we carried out a model experiment. Since norovirus is currently regarded as non-culturable, feline calicivirus (FCV) was used as a surrogate to examine the activation of norovirus with Kimchi ripening. In commercial well-prepared Kimchi, the infectivity ($TCID_{50}$) of FCV decreased by 2 log every 12 hours and reached the limit of detection after 48 hours during over-aging at $25^{\circ}C$. During storage at $4^{\circ}C$, the infectivity ($TCID_{50}$) of FCV decreased slowly and reached 5.00 $TCID_{50}$ after 48 hours. The low pH appears to affect the infectivity of FCV directly via organic acids produced by ripening during over-aging and storage. In neutralized lab-prepared Kimchi (pH 7.0), the infectivity ($TCID_{50}$) of FCV also decreased and reached the limit of detection after 72 hours at $4^{\circ}C$. This indicates that there are substances beside organic acids in Kimchi that originate from the raw materials and are produced during ripening. Among the raw materials, salt-fermented anchovies and garlic showed high direct antiviral activity. The main factor decreasing the infectivity of FCV in Kimchi was the high acidity caused by organic acids, regardless of the type, produced by ripening. Furthermore, unknown secondary products of microorganisms associated with Kimchi ripening and antiviral materials originating from raw material might contribute to the decreased infectivity of FCV, the surrogate of norovirus.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.437-447
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• 1999

Type I diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) results from the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic $\beta$ cells by a progressive $\beta$ cell-specific autoimmune process. The pathogenesis of autoimmune IDDM has been extensively studied for the past two decades using animal models such as the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse and the Bio-Breeding (BB) rat. However, the initial events that trigger the immune responses leading to the selective destruction of the $\beta$ cells are poorly understood. It is thought that $\beta$ cell auto-antigens are involved in the triggering of $\beta$ cell-specific autoimmunity. Among a dozen putative $\beta$ cell autoantigens, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) has bee proposed as perhaps the strongest candidate in both humans and the NOD mouse. In the NOD mouse, GAD, as compared with other $\beta$ cell autoantigens, provokes the earliest T cell proliferative response. The suppression of GAD expression in the $\beta$ cells results in the prevention of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. In addition, the major populations of cells infiltrating the iselts during the early stage of insulitis in BB rats and NOD mice are macrophages and dendritic cells. The inactivation of macrophages in NOD mice results in the prevention of T cell mediated autoimmune diabetes. Macrophages are primary contributors to the creation of the immune environment conducive to the development and activation of $\beta$cell-specific Th1-type CD4+ T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells that cause autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are both believed to be important for the destruction of $\beta$ cells. These cells, as final effectors, can kill the insulin-producing $\beta$ cells by the induction of apoptosis. In addition, CD8+ cytotoxic T cells release granzyme and cytolysin (perforin), which are also toxic to $\beta$ cells. In this way, macrophages, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells act synergistically to kill the $\beta$ cells in conjunction with $\beta$ cell autoantigens and MHC class I and II antigens, resulting in the onset of autoimmune type I diabetes.