• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.85-90
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• 1999

FTY720, a novel immunosuppressant, elevated the level of endogenous sphingoid bases in a dose-dependent manner within 3 hr in $LLC-PK_1$ cells. The relative molar ratio of sphingoid bases expressed as sphingosine/sphinganine (SPN/SPA), a biomarker of altered sphingolipid biosynthesis, in $10{\;}{\mu}M$ of FTY720 showed tow-fold increase as compared with the one in control culture. FTY720 under the serum-free medium condition increased only cytosolic free sphingosine concentration, not sphinganine concentration in a time-dependent manner over the 8 hr incubation under the same condition as in serum free cultures, the SPN/SPA ratio began to fluctuate and the number of floating cells as an indicator of cytotoxicity was increased 8 hr after the addition of FTY720 to cultured cells. These results suggest that the process of FTY720-induced cell death in $LLC-PK_1$ cells.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.76-80
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• 2021

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile disease caused by the pathogenic bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, belonging to the Rickettsiaceae family. The shotgun proteomic analysis was performed using the sera of scrub typhus patients to identify the proteins having their origin in O. tsutsugamushi. Three different databases approaches were used for the identification of the proteomes. We identified the RsmD, an RNA methyltransferase as the commonly detected protein from all three approaches. This protein was not detected in the sera of healthy negative controls. We believe that this protein is a potential biomarker of Orientia tsutsugamushi present in the sera of scrub typhus patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.248-256
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• 2014

Purpose: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children has become an important public health issue because of its high prevalence and severity. Several noninvasive methods for estimating NAFLD are under investigation. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum ferritin as a biomarker of severity of pediatric NAFLD patients. Methods: A total of 64 NAFLD patient were enrolled from Severance Children's Hospital from March 2010 to February 2013. Serum ferritin levels, liver related laboratory tests, liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (2-dimensional [2D] proton density-fat fraction) and NAFLD severity markers were compared between obese group and overweight group. Correlation analyses were performed between serum ferritin and laboratory values including NAFLD severity markers. Results: In obese group, serum ferritin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, international normalized ratio (INR), MRI 2D proton density-fat fraction, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis- 4 (FIB-4) (an index score calculated from platelet count, ALT, AST and age) were significantly higher than those of overweight group. NAFLD severity markers, APRI and FIB-4, and liver specific important laboratory values, AST, ALT, INR, cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein show significant correlation with serum ferritin in NAFLD patients. Conclusion: Serum ferritin concentrations could be a candidate of useful severity marker in the pediatric NAFLD patients.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2008

The present study was conducted to examine metabolic risk factors and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of Korean females living in Seoul and to investigate the relationship between the metabolic risk factors and serum TAC. A total of 353 females aged between 20 and 64 participated in the study. Obesity indicators, blood pressure, serum lipid profile and fasting blood glucose were measured as metabolic risk factors. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay was employed to determine serum TAC of subjects. Obesity indicators such as body mass index, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio were significantly higher in the participants aged $\geq$ 50 y (older group) than in the participants aged 20-49 y (younger group) (p < 0.001). Blood pressure, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and fasting blood glucose were also significantly higher in the older group than in the younger group (p < 0.001), demonstrating significant positive correlations between age and MS risk factors. The association between FRAP and MS risk factors were also investigated. FRAP values showed significant positive correlations with age (p = 0.001), serum TG (p = 0.002) and TC (p = 0.03). A tendency of positive association between FRAP and waist circumference was observed without any significant difference (p = 0.06). Increased serum FRAP with central obesity and serum lipids may be interpreted as results of activation of antioxidant defense system against oxidative stress induced by metabolic syndrome (MS) constituent factors. However, to verify the function of FRAP as a potential biomarker of susceptibility to MS various contributors to the plasma antioxidant capacity and their biological relevance related to MS should be elucidated further.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2024

Purpose: Recently, the prevalence of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID) has shown an increasing trend worldwide. As the diagnosis of EGID requires invasive endoscopy with biopsy, noninvasive markers for detecting EGID in suspected patients, particularly children, are urgently needed. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) beyond peripheral eosinophil counts in pediatric patients with EGID. Methods: Overall, 156 children diagnosed with EGID were enrolled and 150 children with functional abdominal pain disorder (FAPD) were recruited as controls. All participants underwent endoscopic biopsy in each segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and serum ECP measurement, as well as peripheral eosinophil percent and absolute eosinophil count. Results: Comparing EGID (n=156) with FAPD (n=150) patients, serum ECP levels were significantly higher in pediatric patients with EGID than in those with FAPD (25.8±28.6 ㎍/L vs. 19.5±21.0 ㎍/L, p=0.007), while there was no significant difference in peripheral eosinophil percent and absolute eosinophil counts between the two groups. Serum ECP levels were correlated with peripheral eosinophil percent (r=0.593, p<0.001) and the absolute eosinophil count (r=0.660, p<0.001). The optimal cutoff value of serum ECP for pediatric EGID was 10.5 ㎍/mL, with a sensitivity of 69.9% and a specificity of 43.4% with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.562. Conclusion: The combination of serum ECP levels and peripheral eosinophil counts, when employed with appropriated thresholds, could serve as a valuable noninvasive biomarker to distinguish between EGID and FAPD in pediatric patients manifesting GI symptoms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9955-9960
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• 2014

Background: Promoter hypermethylation is a common event in human cancer. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a gene involved in DNA repair, which is methylated in a variety of cancers. We aimed to explore the methylation status of MGMT gene among the North Eastern population where esophageal cancer incidence and exposure to carcinogens like nitrosamines is high. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer cases along with equal number of age, sex and ethnicity matched controls were included in this study. Methylation specific PCR was used to determine the MGMT methylation status in serum samples. Results: Aberrant promoter methylation of the MGMT gene was detected in 70% of esophageal cancer cases. Hypermethylation of MGMT gene was found to be influenced by environmental factors like betel quid and tobacco which contain potent carcinogens like nitrosamines. Tobacco chewing and tobacco smoking habit synergistically with MGMT methylation elevated the risk for esophageal cancer development [adjusted OR=5.02, 95% CI=1.35-18.74; p=0.010 for tobacco chewing and Adjusted OR=3.00, 95% CI=1.22-7.36; p=0.014 for tobacco smoking]. Conclusions: Results suggest that the DNA hypermethylation of MGMT is an important mechanism for MGMT gene silencing resulting in esophageal cancer development and is influenced by the environmental factors. Thus MGMT hypermethylation can be used as a biomarker for esophageal cancer in high incidence region of North East India.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.92-99
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• 2018

Objectives: Albuminuria has emerged as a biomarker for several medical conditions, and vitamin D has received attention due to its associations with various disorders. We evaluated the association between low serum vitamin D levels and prevalent albuminuria by sex in the Korean general population. Methods: We analyzed 9823 participants (4401 males, 5422 females) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 (KNHANES V-2), and categorized them as having a normal range of vitamin D levels, vitamin D insufficiency, or vitamin D deficiency. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to compare the risk of albuminuria across these groups. Stratified analyses were conducted by smoking status, obesity, and renal function. Results: Albuminuria was found in 325 of the 4401 male participants (7.4%) and in 455 of the 5422 female participants (8.4%). Among the males, vitamin D deficiency was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for albuminuria of 1.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 2.97, p<0.05). However, such an association was not found in females. The association was stronger in male current smokers (OR, 3.54; 95% CI, 1.47 to 8.50; p=0.005). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that sex differences exist in the association between serum vitamin D deficiency and albuminuria. Additionally, we observed that the association was stronger in current smokers than in the overall male population, but was not seen in non-smokers. Therefore, different approaches by sex and smoking status might be needed when considering using vitamin D as a biomarker for renal function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.4833-4837
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• 2015

Biomarkers for preclinical diagnosis of cancer are valuable tools for detection of malignant tumors at early stages in groups at risk and screening healthy people, as well as monitoring disease recurrence after treatment of cancer. However the complexity of the body's response to the pathological processes makes it virtually impossible to evaluate this response to the development of the disease using a single biomarker that is present in the serum at low concentrations. An alternative approach to standard biomarker analysis is called immunosignature. Instead of going after biomarkers themselves this approach rely on the analysis of the humoral immune response to molecular changes associated with the development of pathological processes. It is known that antibodies are produced in response to proteins expressed during cancer development. Accordingly, the changes in antibody repertoire associated with tumor growth can serve as biomarkers of cancer. Immunosignature is a highly sensitive method for antibody repertoire analysis utilizing high density peptide microarrays. In the present review we discuss modern methods for antibody detection, as well as describe the principles and applications of immunosignature in research and clinical practice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2006

The effects of the erect bipedal stance exercise on bone mass and the biomarkers of bone formation and resorption were investigated in rats. Five-week old rats were assigned into control and exercise groups. The rats of exercise group were weight-bearing-trained for 13 weeks in the cage designed to adjust progressively the height from 26.5 cm to 31.5 cm to force the rats rising an erect bipedal stance for feeding and drinking. There was no significant difference in food intakes between two groups. But body weight gain was significantly increased in control group. The lengths of femur, tibia, humerus and radius were significantly longer in control group than exercise group, but the femur and tibia weights per body weight were significantly higher in exercise group than control group. Also the breaking force of femur and tibia in exercise group were higher than control group significantly. The calcium contents of femur and tibia were significantly increased in exercise group than control group. The activity of bone specific alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP) and the osteocalcin contents of serum (the biomarkers of bone formation) in exercise group were higher than control group, but the carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (P1CP) contents of serum did not show any difference between two groups. However the urinary deoxypridinolin (DPD) excretion, biomarker of bone resorption, was significantly lower in exercise group than control group. From these results, it has been indicated that the erect bipedal stance exercise enhanced the density and the strength of femur and tibia by increasing biomarkers of bone formation and suppressing a biomarker of bone resorption in rats.

• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.686-697
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• 2018

Purpose: Several markers for eosinophilic inflammation have been proposed to predict response to asthma treatment. However, definitive criteria for treatment decisions have not yet been established. We investigate a potentially useful relatively non-invasive biomarker, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), to predict favorable responses to budesonide or montelukast, common treatment for children with asthma. Methods: Young children (1 to 6 years old) were enrolled in this randomized, parallel, 2-group, open-label trial. Criteria for eligibility included: 1) being symptomatic during the run-in period; and 2) having a serum EDN (sEDN) level ${\geq}53ng/mL$, with positive specific immunoglobulin E to house dust mite. Eligible patients were randomly placed into 2 groups: the BIS group received budesonide inhalation suspension (BIS) 0.5 mg once daily; the MONT group received montelukast 4 mg once daily. Ineligible patients were invited to receive montelukast 4 mg once daily (OBS group). Treatment period was 12 weeks. Results: Asthma control days increased significantly in the BIS and MONT groups (P < 0.000) over the 12-week study period. There was no significant change in sEDN in the BIS group but there was a significant decrease in the MONT group (P < 0.000). Patients in the OBS group with high EDN levels (> 53 ng/mL) showed a significant decrease due to MONT treatment (P = 0.023). Rescue medication usage significantly decreased in the BIS and MONT groups (P < 0.000). Conclusions: EDN is a useful relatively non-invasive biomarker for predicting responses to montelukast and budesonide treatment of preschool children with beta2-agonist responsive recurrent wheeze and multiple-trigger wheeze (Trial registry at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000008335).