• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2019

Tuberculosis, a chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), differs in its status latency and activity because of the characteristics of MTB, immune status of the host, and genetic susceptibility. The host defense mechanism against MTB is caused mainly by interactions between macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells. CD44 is expressed in activated T cells when infected with MTB and regulates lymphocyte migration. In addition, CD44 mediates leukocyte adhesion to the ECM and plays a role in attracting macrophages and $CD4^+$ T cells to the lungs. Therefore, genetic polymorphism of the CD44 gene will inhibit the host cell immune mechanisms against MTB. This study examined whether the genetic polymorphism of the CD44 gene affects the susceptibility of tuberculosis. A total of 237 SNPs corresponding to the CD44 genes were analyzed using the genotype data of 443 tuberculosis cases and 3,228 healthy controls from the Korean Association Resource (KARE). Of these, 17 SNPs showed a significant association with the tuberculosis case. The most significant SNP was rs75137824 (OR=0.231, CI: 1.51~3.56, $P=1.3{\times}10^{-4}$). In addition, rs10488809, one of the 17 significant SNPs, is important for the tuberculosis outbreak can bind to the JUND and FOS transcription factors and can affect CD44 gene expression. This study suggests that polymorphism of the CD44 gene modulates the host susceptibility to tuberculosis in a variety of ways, resulting in differences in the status of tuberculosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1930-1939
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• 2013

It has been reported that Chungkukjang, one of Korean traditional fermented soybean products, may improve hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. In this study, we sought to investigate the immunoenhancing effects of Chungkukjang in ovariectomized mice. For the first period, female SLC ddy mice were either sham-operated (Sham; n=27) or ovariectomized (OVX; n=27). As a basal diet, ovariectomized mice were fed low-calcium diet for faster induction of osteoporosis for six weeks, and those in the Sham group were fed AIN-76 diet. For the second period, half of the OVX group (n=9) and the Sham group (n=9) were fed a Chungkukjang-based diet (CKJ); whereas the other half (OVX; n=9/ Sham; n=9) were fed a casein-based diet (CSI) for 8 weeks. After a second period, we collected the blood via heart puncture and measured the splenocytes proliferation, T lymphocyte subsets by flowcytometry, and levels of serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$) by ELISA assay. The OVX+CKJ group showed higher splenocytes proliferation, higher ratio of CD4/CD8, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ cytokines compared to the OVX+CSI group. The Sham+CKJ group showed cytokine productions, such as higher levels of IL-10 and IFN-${\gamma}$, and lower levels of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ compared to the Sham+CSI group. The result of this study suggests that Chungkukjang may lower the proinflammatory cytokine levels in both the OVX and Sham groups. In addition, Chungkukjang could make a balance of T cell subset proliferations and enhance the splenocyte proliferations in the OVX group.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.30.1-30.8
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• 2023

Metformin is a treatment used widely for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with few side effects and acts by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis and glucose absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Lymphoma is one of the most common hematological malignancies in dogs. Chemotherapy is used mainly on lymphoma, but further research on developing anticancer drugs for lymphoma is needed because of its severe side effects. This study examined the anticancer effects of metformin alone and in combination with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a glucose analog, on EL4 cells (mouse T cell lymphoma). Metformin reduced the metabolic activity of EL4 cells and showed an additive effect when combined with 2-DG. In addition, cell death was confirmed using a trypan blue exclusion test, Hochest 33342/propidium iodide (PI) staining, and Annexin V/PI staining. An analysis of the cell cycle and mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) to investigate the mechanism of action showed that metformin stopped the G2/M phase of EL4 cells, and metformin + 2-DG decreased MMP. Metformin exhibited anticancer effects as a G2/M phase arrest mechanism in EL4 cells and showed additive effects when combined with 2-DG via MMP reduction. Unlike cytotoxic chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs, metformin and 2-DG are related to cellular glucose metabolism and have little toxicity. Therefore, metformin and 2-DG can be an alternative to reduce the toxicity caused by chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs. Nevertheless, research is needed to verify the in vivo efficacy of metformin and 2-DG before they can be used in lymphoma treatments.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 1999

Background: Ineffective cell-mediated immune response in human tuberculosis is associated with a depressed Thl cytokine response and reduced production of IFN-$\gamma$. Most persons infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis are healthy tuberculin reactors with protective immunity, but a minority with ineffective immunity develop extensive pulmonary tuberculosis. The cell-mediated immune response is an important aspect of host resistance to mycobacterial infection and is believed to be tightly regulated by a balance between Th1 cytokines including IFN-$\gamma$, IL-12, IL-18, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and Th2 counterparts such as IL-4, monocyte chemoattractant protein-l (MCP-l). Methods: Proliferation and mRNA expression of IFN-$\gamma$, RANTES and MCP-l by RT-PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to in vitro stimulation with mycobacterial antigens were compared in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with cured and treatment failure and in tuberculin-positive and tuberculin-negative healthy subjects. Results: Defective proliferative responsiveness to aqueous TSP antigen was involved with treatment failure tuberculosis patients. Aqueous TSP antigen-induced IFN-$\gamma$ and RANTES mRNA expression was decreased in treatment failure tuberculosis patients compared with healthy tuberculin reactors and cured tuberculosis patients (23.1 % versus 90.0% for IFN-$\gamma$ and 46.2% versus 70.0% versus 46.2% for RANTES). The frequency of MCP-l mRNA expression to aqueous TSP antigen in treatment failure tuberculosis patients was greater than in healthy tuberculin reactors and cured tuberculosis patients (76.9% versus 40.0%). Conclusion: The increasing expression of MCP-1 mRNA in response to aqueous TSP antigen might be predicted to favor Th1 responses and restricted Th1 responses in treatment failure of pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.372-378
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• 2011

We extracted polysaccharide from the sea hare, Aplysia kurodai, purified it partially, and experimented its immune response using the human blood lymphocytes and macrophage cell lines. Aplysia kurodai polysaccharide fraction (APF) improved the growth of the T cell (Jurkat) up to 40% by treatment for 48 hours, and decreased the growth of blood cancer, Jiyoye cell line. The APF on RAW 264.7 cell also increased interleukin-12 up to 47%. In contrast, the secretion of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma by treatment of only APF or APF and concanavalin A on Jurkat for 24 hours and 48 hours didn't influence significantly. These results suggest that the APF has possible immune regulating ability.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.415-422
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• 2010

Red ginseng(RG, steamed and dried root of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, family Araliaceae) and fermented red ginseng(FRG, fermented red ginseng by yeast and lactic acid bacteria) are known to show different pharmacological effects by changed composition of saponins through fermentation. We examined the effects of RG and FRG on $\beta$-hexosaminidase secretion, ICAM-1 expression, the mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocyte from mice in ex vivo systems and HaCaT cell(keratinocyte) proliferation to compare the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects between both groups. RG groups showed inhibition of $\beta$-hexosaminidase secretion and ICAM-1 expression at $1{\mu}g/ml$, $10{\mu}g/ml$ and the same effects were observed at all concentrations in FRG groups. In our study, RG increased LPS-induced B cell proliferation at $1{\mu}g/ml$ and ConA-induced B cell proliferation at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ but FRG decreased LPS- and ConA-induced lymphocytes at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$. We showed that FRG increased the proliferation of HaCaT at 1, $10{\mu}g/ml$ but not by RG. These findings suggest that RG and FRG might have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, which can be needed to proper clinical concentration to applied to various allergic diseases and inflammation.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2006

Purpose: Cancer is a genetic disease caused by alterations in key regulators of cell growth and cell turnover, We investigated apoptotic cell death and cell proliferation in gastric adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Materials and Methods: The TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL) method and immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 were peformed, using paraffin-embedded tissues of 41 gastric adenomas and 100 gastric adenocarcinomas. These results were compared with histopathologic parameters. Results: The Ki-67 labelling index was higher in adenocarcinomas than in adenomas and the apoptotic index was higher in adenomas than in adenocarcinomas. There were no significant difference between the apoptotic index/Ki-67 labelling index and clinicopathological parameters. Conclusion: We propose that cell proliferation is more closely associated with gastric adenocarcinomas than apoptosis is, but that neither has any clinical significance as a prognostic factor in gastric adenocarcinomas. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2006;6:91-96)

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.209-212
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• 2005

Sarcoidosis, a multisystemic granulomatous disorder of unknown causes, which presents with bilateral hilar adenopathy, pulmonary infiltration, and cutaneous, ocular, bones, and nervous and reticuloendothelial systems involvement, commonly involves young adults of both sexes. Herein, the case of a 70-year-old male, with progressive hoarseness of two weeks' duration and mild dyspnea, is reported. A fiberoptic bronchoscopy, performed to investigate the hoarseness, revealed paralysis of the left vocal cord, but with no other local abnormality. Two nodules, as pathologic findings, showed noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas. We note a rare case of sarcoidosis, with vocal cord palsy, in Korea.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.245-252
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• 2003

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease(PTLD) has emerged as a potential life-threatening complication of immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation. The occurrence of PTLD is usually associated with an Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) infection in patients who are treated by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. PTLD is represented by diverse manifestations ranging from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to high grade malignant lymphoma. This is a case report of a late PTLD in a child. The patient is a 14-year-old girl, who presented as malignant lymphoma 44 months after successful renal transplantation. There was no evidence of EBV infection. On bone marrow study, many neoplastic lymphoid cells were defected. Aggressive chemotherapy for PTLD had resulted in clinical remission. However the patient expired from uncontrolled sepsis and septic shock after 77 days.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 1989

Cell-mediated and humoral immune reactions in mice infected with pathogenic Acanthamoeba culbertsoni were observed according to the period of time after amoebic infection by intranasal inoculation. The degrees of blastogenesis of spleen cells induced by mitogens, which were measured using radioactive [$^3H$]-thynndine, were compared between infected and non-infected control groups. The mitogens used in this blastogenesis experiment were concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide(LPS). On the other hand, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed for the detection of humoral antibodies against A, culbertsoni. The levels of blastogenesis of splenocytes and strum litres in the experimental group showed increasing tendency a week after inoculation of A. cuzberiseni, although there was no difference between the experimental and control groups in other periods of the experimental time.