• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

Backgrounds/Aims: Parenchymal-sparing anatomical hepatectomy (Ps-AH) based on portal ramification of the right anterior section (RAS) is a new technique to avoid unnecessarily transecting too much liver parenchyma, especially in cases of major anatomical hepatectomy. Methods: We prospectively assessed 26 patients with primary hepatic malignancies having undergone major Ps-AH based on portal ramification of the RAS from August 2018 to August 2022 (48 months). The perioperative indications, clinical data, intra-operative index, pathological postoperative specimens, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Among the 26 patients analyzed, there was just one case that had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma The preoperative level of α-Fetoprotein was 25.2 ng/mL. All cases (100%) had Child-Pugh A liver function preoperatively. The ventral/dorsal RAS was preserved in 19 and 7 patients, respectively. The mean surgical margin was 6.2 mm. The mean surgical time was 228.5 minutes, while the mean blood loss was 255 mL. In pathology, 5 cases (19.2%) had microvascular invasion, and in the group of HCC patients, 92% of all cases had moderate or poor tumor differentiation. Six cases (23.1%) of postoperative complications were graded over III according to the Clavien-Dindo system, including in three patients resistant ascites or intra-abdominal abscess that required intervention. Conclusions: Parenchymal-sparing anatomical hepatectomy based on portal ramification of the RAS to achieve R0-resection was safe and effective, with favorable short-term outcomes. This technique can be used widely in clinical practice.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.77-85
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• 2006

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-$\rho$-dioxin(TCDD) displays high toxicity in animals and has been implicated in human carcinogenesis. Although TCDD is recognized as potent carcinogens, relatively little is known about their role in the tumor promotion and carcinogenesis. It is known that TCDD can increase of cancer risk from various types of tissue by a mechanism possibly involving the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation. In this study, effects of TCDD on cellular proliferation of normal human skin and lung fibroblasts, Detroit551 and WI38 cells were investigated. In addition, to enhance our understanding of TCDD-mediated carcinogenesis, we have investigated process in which expression of Erk1/2, cyclinD1, oncogene such as Ha-ras and c-myc, and their cognate signaling pathway. TCDD that are potent activators of AhR-mediated activity was found to induce significant increase of cytochrome P4501A1 mRNA expression, suggesting a presence of functional AhR. These results support that CYP1A1 enzyme may be involved in the generation of TCDD-induced toxicity. Moreover mitogen-activated protein kinases (MARKs) phosphorylation and cyclin D1 overexpression are induced by TCDD, which corresponded with the progression of cellular proliferation. However, TCDD did not affected Ha-ras and c-myc mRNA expression. Taken together, it seems that TCDD are could be a part of cellular proliferation in non-tumorigenic normal human cells such as Detroit551 and WI38 cells through the upregulation of MAPKs signaling pathway regulating growth of cell population. Therefore, AhR-activating TCDD could potentially contribute to tumor promotion and Detroit551 and WI38 cells have been used as a detection system of tumorigenic effects of TCDD.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.11-22
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• 2019

The objective of this study was to improve the cross-sectional area and height estimation method using stream width. Stream water levels should be calculated together to simulate inundation of agricultural land. However, cross-sectional survey data of small rural rivers are insufficient. The previous study has developed regression equations between the width and the cross-sectional area and between the width and the height of stream cross-section, but can not be applied to a wide range of stream widths. In this study, cross-sectional survey data of 6 streams (Doowol, Chungmi, Jiseok, Gam, Wonpyeong, and Bokha stream) were collected and divided into upstream, midstream and downstream considering the locations of cross-sections. The regression equations were estimated using the complete data. $R^2$ between the stream width and cross-sectional area was 0.96, and $R^2$ between width and height was 0.81. The regression equations were also estimated using divided data for upstream, midstream and downstream considering the locations of cross-sections. The range of $R^2$ between the stream width and cross-sectional area was 0.86 - 0.91, and the range of $R^2$ between width and height was 0.79 ? 0.92. As a result of estimating the cross-sections of 6 rivers using the regression equations, the regression equations considering the locations of cross-sections showed better performance both in the cross-sectional area and height estimation than the regression equations estimated using the complete data. Hydrologic Engineering Center - River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) was used to simulate the flood stage analysis of the estimated and the measured cross-sections for 50-year, 100-year, and 200-year frequency floods. As a result of flood stage analysis, the regression equations considering the locations of cross-sections also showed better performance than the regression equations estimated using the complete data. Future research would be needed to consider the factors affecting the cross-sectional shape such as river slope and average flow velocity. This study can be useful for inundation simulation of agricultural land adjacent to an unmeasured stream.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.613-619
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• 2014

The optic nerve often suffers regenerative failure after injury, leading to serious visual impairment such as glaucoma. The main inhibitory factors, including Nogo-A, oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein, and myelin-associated glycoprotein, exert their inhibitory effects on axonal growth through the same receptor, the Nogo-66 receptor (NgR). Oncomodulin (OM), a calcium-binding protein with a molecular weight of an ~12 kDa, which is secreted from activated macrophages, has been demonstrated to have high and specific affinity for retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and promote greater axonal regeneration than other known polypeptide growth factors. Protamine has been reported to effectively deliver small interference RNA (siRNA) into cells. Accordingly, a fusion protein of OM and truncated protamine (tp) may be used as a vehicle for the delivery of NgR siRNA into RGC for gene therapy. To test this hypothesis, we constructed OM and tp fusion protein (OM/tp) expression vectors. Using the indirect immunofluorescence labeling method, OM/tp fusion proteins were found to have a high affinity for RGC. The gel shift assay showed that the OM/tp fusion proteins retained the capacity to bind to DNA. Using OM/tp fusion proteins as a delivery tool, the siRNA of NgR was effectively transfected into cells and significantly down-regulated NgR expression levels. More importantly, OM/tp-NgR siRNA dramatically promoted axonal growth of RGC compared with the application of OM/tp recombinant protein or NgR siRNA alone in vitro. In addition, OM/tp-NgR siRNA highly elevated intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and inhibited activation of the Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA). Taken together, our data demonstrated that the recombinant OM/tp fusion proteins retained the functions of both OM and tp, and that OM/tp-NgR siRNA might potentially be used for the treatment of optic nerve injury.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2005

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS)은 혈압 조절에 중요한 역할을 수행하는 생리적 조절계로써, 이 system 을 구성하는 유전자들의 이상은 본태성 고혈압의 발병과 유의하게 관련된 것으로 알려졌다. RAS의 주요한 구성 성분인 angiotensin II는 2종류의 수용체인 angiotensin II type I receptor(AT₁R)와 angiotensin II type I receptor(AT₂R)에 의해 그 효과가 매개되기 때문에, 이 수용체를 암호하는 유전자는 본태성 고혈압의 유력한 후보 유전자라고 볼 수 있다. 현재가지의 연구에 의하면, AT₁R 유전자에 존재하는 유전적 변이와 본태성 고혈압과의 관련성에 관해서는 많은 보고들이 있었지만, AT₂R 유전자에 존재하는 유전적 변이 가 본태성 고혈압에 유의한 효과를 나타내는 지에 관해서는 이렇다할 연구 성과가 별로 없는 실정이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한국인 집단을 대상으로 하여, AT₂R 유전자에 존재하는 C3123A 다형성이 한국인 집단에서 본태성 고혈압과 유의한 관련성이 있는 지를 분석하였다. 이 유전자는 인간의 X 염색체에 존재하기 때문에, 여성인 경우에는 CC, CA및 AA로 이루어진 3유전자형이 존재하지만, 남성인 경우에는 C와 A로 이루어진 2종류의 대립 유전자로 구성되어 있기 때문에, 본 연구에서는 남성과 여성을 개별적으로 나누어서 분석하였다. 연구 결과, AT₂R 유전자에 존재하는 C3123A 다형성은 남녀 모두에서 본태성 고혈압과 유의한 관련성을 나타내지 않았다(P>0.05). 그렇지만, 이 다형성에 대한 대립 유전자 빈도를 서양인 집단과 비교했을 경우에는, 한국인을 대상으로 한 본 연구에서 A 대립 유전자 빈도가 0.33인 반면에 서양인 집단은 그 빈도가 0.43～0.48로 한국인 집단보다 높은 값을 나타내었다. 따라서, AT₂R 유전자에 존재하는 C3123A 다형성과 본태성 고혈압과의 관련성에 대해서는 한국인과 유전적 배경이 다른 서양인 집단을 대상으로 한 추시가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2023

Kidney ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), is associated with the migration of inflammatory cells into the kidney. Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), a member of the Rho family of small GTPase, plays an important role in inflammatory cell migration by cytoskeleton rearrangement. Here, we investigated the role of Rac1 on kidney I/R injury and macrophage migration. Male mice were subjected to either 25 min of bilateral ischemia followed by reperfusion (I/R) or a sham operation. Some mice were administrated with either NSC23766, an inhibitor of Rac1, or 0.9% NaCl (vehicle). Kidney damage and Rac1 activity and expression were measured. The migration and lamellipodia formation of RAW264.7 cells, mouse monocyte/macrophage, induced by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, a chemokine) were determined using transwell migration assay and phalloidin staining, respectively. In sham-operated kidneys, Rac1 was expressed in tubular cells and interstitial cells. In I/R-injured kidneys, Rac1 expression was decreased in tubule cells in correlation with the damage of tubular cells, whereas Rac1 expression increased in the interstitium in correlation with an increased population of F4/80 cells, monocytes/macrophages. I/R increased Rac1 activity without changing total Rac1 expression in the whole kidney lysates. NSC23766 administration blocked Rac1 activation and protected the kidney against I/R-induced kidney damage and interstitial F4/80 cell increase. NSC23766 suppressed monocyte MCP-1-induced lamellipodia and filopodia formation and migration of RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate Rac1 inhibition protects the kidney against I/R via inhibition of monocytes/macrophages migration into the kidney.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.588-593
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• 2014

Tumor angiogenesis is important in tumorigenesis and therapeutic interventions in cancer. To know inhibitor and effector of tumor angiogenesis in cancer, the specific gene of tumor and angiogenesis may develop the mechanisms of cancer suppression and therapy. Recently, we described the role of RalA-binding protein 1 (RLIP76) in tumor angiogenesis. Tumor vascular volumes were diminished, and vessels were fewer in number, shorter, and narrower in RLIP76 knockout mice than in wild-type mice. Moreover, angiogenesis in basement membrane matrix plugs was blunted in the knockout mice in the absence of tumor cells, with endothelial cells isolated from the lungs of these animals exhibiting defects in migration, proliferation, and cord formation in vitro. RLIP76 is expressed in most human tissues and is overexpressed in many tumor types. In addition, the protein regulates tumorigenesis and angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. As the export of chemotherapy agents is a prominent cellular function of RLIP76, it is a major factor in mechanisms of drug resistance. Moreover, RLIP76 acts as a selective effector of the small GTPase, R-Ras, and regulates R-Ras signaling, leading to cell spreading and migration. Furthermore, in skin carcinogenesis, RLIP76 knockout mice are resistant, with tumors that form showing diminished angiogenesis. Thus, RLIP76 is required for efficient endothelial cell function and angiogenesis in solid tumors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.36-36
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• 1998

Tumorigenicity of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxides ((+)BPDE-1, (-)BPDE-1) was investigated in transgenic TG-AC mice carrying v-Ha-ras oncogene fused to the promoter of the mouse embryonic a-like, z-globin gene. Animals were topically treated twice per week for 25weeks with BPDE (10$\mu$g/mouse) and BP (10, 20, 40$\mu$g/mouse). In addition, animals were treated with BPDE or BP (initiated) followed by TPA (2$\times$2.5$\mu$g/week, for 4 weeks) for promotion study. In the continuous treatment of BPDE or BP, animals treated with 40$\mu$g BP showed $100\%$ tumor response after 20 weeks, $40\%$ of mice for 20$\mu$g BP, and $20\%$ for (+)BPDE-1, but (-)BPDE-1 and 10$\mu$g BP did not show any tumor response. After 25 weeks, most tumors turned out to be carcinomas in animals treated with 40$\mu$g BP. In BPDE or BP/TPA Initiation-promotion study, papilloma response occurred earlier (6 weeks after TPA treatment) than in continuously treated animals with BPDE or BP. RT-PCR assay for transgene expression showed that BP or BPOE was not transgene dependent in its tumorigenicity, but TPA was. Several Cytokine genes(TGF-a, TNF-a) and c-myc gene expressions were monitored in skin tissues during BP carcinogenesis. In early stage of BP treatment, the gene expressions were elevated(c-myc,TGF-a) or unchanged(TNF-a) compared to control, but the levels were gradually decreased during both middle and late stages of cacinogenesis, Gene expression levels of skin papillomas in acetone initiated-TPA promoted animals were close to those of middle stage or between middle and late stages. i-NOS was also highly expressed in carcinoma and papilloma, These data suggest that transgene expressions of TG-AC mice were not dependent on BP carcinogenesis and that TG-AC mice were more sensitive to TPA regardless of types of initiators. In addition, genes(TGF-a, c-myc, TNF-a, i-NOS) were modulated in the skin during BP cacinogenesis or TPA promotion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.699-705
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• 2015

Vemurafenib has recently been used as drug for treatment of melanomas with $BRAF^{V600E}$ mutation. Unfortunately, treatment with only vemurafenib has not been sufficiently effective, with recurrence after a short period. In this study, three vemurafenib-resistant $BRAF^{V600E}$ melanoma cell lines, $A375P^R$, $A375M^R$ and SKMEL-$28^R$, were established from the original A375P, A375M and SKMEL-28 cell lines. Examination of the molecular mechanisms showed that the phosphorylation levels of MEK and ERK, which play key roles in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, were reduced in these three cell lines, with increased phosphorylation levels of pAKTs limited to SKMEL-$28^R$ cells. Treatment of SKMEL-$28^R$ cells with 100 nM paclitaxel resulted in increased apoptosis and decreased cellular proliferation, invasion and colony formation via reduction of expression levels of EGFR and pAKTs. Moreover, vemurafenib-induced pAKTs in SKMEL-$28^R$ were decreased by treatment with an AKT inhibitor, MK-2206. Taken together, our results revealed that resistance mechanisms of $BRAF^{V600E}$-mutation melanoma cells to vemurafenib depended on the cell type. Our results suggested that paclitaxel should be considered as a drug in combination with vemurafenib to treat melanoma cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5807-5815
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• 2015

Background: Ovarian cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy and constitutes the fifth leading cause of female cancer death. Some biological parameters have prognostic roles in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and their expression may contribute to tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential prognostic value of SKP2, genes P27Kip1, K-ras, c-Myc, COX2 and HER2 genes expression in ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on two hundred formalin fixed paraffin embedded ovarian cancer and normal adjacent tissues (NAT). Gene expression levels were assessed using real time PCR and Western blotting. Results: Elevated expression levels of SKP2, K-ras, c-Myc, HER2 and COX2 genes were observed in 61.5% (123/200), 92.5% (185/200), 74% (148/200), 96 % (192/200), 90% (180/200) and 78.5% (157/200) of cancer tissues, respectively. High expression of SKP2 and down-regulation of P27 was associated with advanced stages of cancer. Conclusions: The association between high expression of c-Myc and SKP2 with low expression of P27 suggested that the Skp2-P27 pathway may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis. Reduced expression of P27 is associated with advanced stage of cancer and can be used as a biological marker in clinical routine assessment and management of women with advanced ovarian cancer.