• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.26-30
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• 2015

nc886 (=vtRNA2-1, pre-miR-886, or CBL3) is a newly identified non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that represses the activity of protein kinase R (PKR). nc886 is transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol III) and is intriguingly the first case of a Pol III gene whose expression is silenced by CpG DNA hypermethylation in several types of cancer. PKR is a sensor protein that recognizes evading viruses and induces apoptosis to eliminate infected cells. Like viral infection, nc886 silencing activates PKR and induces apoptosis. Thus, the significance of the nc886:PKR pathway in cancer is to sense and eliminate pre-malignant cells, which is analogous to PKR's role in cellular innate immunity. Beyond this tumor sensing role, nc886 plays a putative tumor suppressor role as supported by experimental evidence. Collectively, nc886 provides a novel example how epigenetic silencing of a ncRNA contributes to tumorigenesis by controlling the activity of its protein ligand.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2023

Tumors are surrounded by a variety of tumor microenvironmental cells. Profiling individual cells within the tumor tissues is crucial to characterize the tumor microenvironment and its therapeutic implications. Since single-cell technologies are still not cost-effective, scientists have developed many statistical deconvolution methods to delineate cellular characteristics from bulk transcriptome data. Here, we present an overview of 20 deconvolution techniques, including cutting-edge techniques recently established. We categorized deconvolution techniques by three primary criteria: characteristics of methodology, use of prior knowledge of cell types and outcome of the methods. We highlighted the advantage of the recent deconvolution tools that are based on probabilistic models. Moreover, we illustrated two scenarios of the common application of deconvolution methods to study tumor microenvironments. This comprehensive review will serve as a guideline for the researchers to select the appropriate method for their application of deconvolution.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2001

Giant cell tumor is usually found around the knee joint, especially in the distal femur or proximal tibia. Despite being classified as benign, it has unusual biological behavior of local aggressiveness and tend to have severely destructive lesion and develop rare pulmonary metastasis. Therefore, when the patient is presented to the physician with an expansile lytic lesion of challenging clinicopathologic entity extending to subchondral bone, the physician faces up to difficulties in treatment. We report a case of 25 years old patient having recurrent giant cell tumor in the right distal femur which developed metastasis to lung. The primary bone lesion was treated with local curettage and fillings with methylmethacrylate, but when he returned to the hospital two years later, the recurrence had developed with lung metastasis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.4-9
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• 2018

Cancer metabolism as a field of research was founded almost 100 years ago by Otto Warburg, who described the propensity for cancers to convert glucose to lactate despite the presence of oxygen, which in yeast diminishes glycolytic metabolism known as the Pasteur effect. In the past 20 years, the resurgence of interest in cancer metabolism provided significant insights into processes involved in maintenance metabolism of non-proliferating cells and proliferative metabolism, which is regulated by proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors in normal proliferating cells. In cancer cells, depending on the driving oncogenic event, metabolism is re-wired for nutrient import, redox homeostasis, protein quality control, and biosynthesis to support cell growth and division. In general, resting cells rely on oxidative metabolism, while proliferating cells rewire metabolism toward glycolysis, which favors many biosynthetic pathways for proliferation. Oncogenes such as MYC, BRAF, KRAS, and PI3K have been documented to rewire metabolism in favor of proliferation. These cell intrinsic mechanisms, however, are insufficient to drive tumorigenesis because immune surveillance continuously seeks to destroy neo-antigenic tumor cells. In this regard, evasion of cancer cells from immunity involves checkpoints that blunt cytotoxic T cells, which are also attenuated by the metabolic tumor microenvironment, which is rich in immuno-modulating metabolites such as lactate, 2-hydroxyglutarate, kynurenine, and the proton (low pH). As such, a full understanding of tumor metabolism requires an appreciation of the convergence of cancer cell intrinsic metabolism and that of the tumor microenvironment including stromal and immune cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1047-1049
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• 2015

Background: This systematic analysis was conducted to investigate pathological diagnosis of vertebral tumor metastasis with unknown primaries. Methods: Clinical studies conducted to pathologically investigate vertebral tumor metastasis were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled diagnosis (PD) of each pathological confirmation was calculated. Results: For vertebral tumor metastasis, 5 clinical studies which included 762 patients were considered eligible for inclusion. Systematic analysis suggested that, for all patients with vertebral tumor metastasis, dominant PD was pathologically confirmed with lung cancer in 21.7% (165/762), with breast cancer in 26.6% (203/762) and with prostate cancer in 19.2% (146/762). Other diagnosis that could be confirmed included lymphoma, multiple myeloma, renal cancer, for example, in this cohort of patients. Conclusions: This systemic analysis suggested that breast, lung and prostate lesions could be the most common pathological types of cancer for vertebral tumor metastasis formunknown primaries, and other common diagnoses could include lymphoma, multiple myeloma, renal cancer.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.552-562
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• 1994

The study was designed to observe the effect of different dietary fats on the incidence of colorectal tumor and in vivo cell proliferation in colon carcinogenesis. Male Sprague Dawley rats were intrarectally infused with chemical carcinogen(methylnitrosourea, MNU) and fed 16%(w/w) fat diet containing one of dietary fats(beef tallow, corn oil, perilla oil) for 30 weeks. To measure in vivo cell proliferation, the incorporation of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine(BrdU) into DNA was localized using the monoclonal anti-BrdU antibody. Large number of tumors were found in the distal colon and tumor incidence was increased in the order of perilla oil(57.7%)$\alpha$-linolenic acid rich in perilla oil could have a protective effect against colon cancer compared to saturated fatty acid or n-6 linoleic acid.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2000

We have investigated the efficacy of liposome encapsulated N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartic acid (PALA) for the treatment of the C-26 murine colon tumor in Balb/c mice, and have compared it in this regard to free PALA. Healthy female Balb/c mice and C-26 tumor inoculated mice were randomized for the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) study and the in vivo therapy study, and the survival was measured after a single intraperitoneal injection of the drug. The maximum tolerated dose for intraperitoneally administered drug was found to be 750 mg/Kg for free PALA, and was greater than the maximum dose possible (150 mg/Kg) for PALA encapsulated in both DSPC and DSPG liposomes. When drug was administered one day after tumor implantation, 150 mg/Kg of PALA in DSPG liposomes increased the percentage of tumor bearing mice surviving at day 36 from 8% (buffer control) to 88%. In contrast, 150 mg/Kg free PALA increased the day 36 surviving percentage to only 25%. A 150 mg/Kg dose of PALA in DSPC liposomes increased the surviving percentage to 50%, while a 75 mg/Kg dose of PALA in sterically stabilized liposomes increased the surviving percentage to 78%. These results show that PALA in negatively charged or sterically stabilized liposomes can exhibit considerably greater potency than free PALA in C-26 tumor bearing mice.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 2003

Objective : Though modern medicine has made various studies in cancer treatment, the results of the treatments are not satisfactory. Considering this, Oriental medicine can be a breakthrough in treatment of cancer, and therefore, its constant research eagerly needed. According to preceding studies, Hangamjedoktang (Kangaizhidu-tang) with Hagocho appeared to be statistically significant against cancer, and therefore to seek a better medication for cancer, Holotrichia which seemed to be effective against cancer was added to the formula, and herbs which showed an anti-tumor effect in preceding studies composed Hangamyagjaebang. The efficacy of both Hangamjedoktang with Holotrichia (HJJ) and Hangamyagjaebang (Kangaiyaocaijang) (HM) was compared. Methods : To examine the anti-cancer effect of HJJ and HM, inhibitory effect on solid tumor growth in mice induced by Sarcoma-180 (s-180), change of body and organ weight in tumor bearing mice and the activity of machrophages and lymphocytes in the spleen were examined. Results : 1. In the HJJ and HM treated groups, tumor growth was markedly decreased. 2. HJJ and HM increased the activity of ALP which is produced from the splenocytes transplanted with S-180. 3. HJJ and HM increased the ACP activity of the macrophages of the mice transplanted with S-180. Conclusion : These results suggest that HJJ and HM are good candidates for new drugs for cancer therapy.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.201-204
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• 2016

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan that can modulate the environment of the infected host. An unfavorable environment modulated by T. gondii in the brain includes tumor microenvironment. Literature has suggested that T. gondii infection is associated with development of brain tumors. However, in Korea, epidemiological data regarding this correlation have been scarce. In this study, in order to investigate the relationship between T. gondii infection and brain tumor development, we investigated the seroprevalence of T. gondii among 93 confirmed brain tumor patients (various histological types, including meningioma and astrocytoma) in Korea using ELISA. The results revealed that T. gondii seropositivity among brain tumor patients (18.3%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with that of healthy controls (8.6%). The seropositivity of brain tumor patients showed a significant age-tendency, i.e., higher in younger age group, compared with age-matched healthy controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study supports the close relationship between T. gondii infection and incidence of brain tumors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.172-175
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• 1992

Giant cell tumor is the second most common benign tumor of the bone. But, the incidence in the ribs is rare. Clinical features of giant cell tumor may vary markedly from latent to very aggressive. Recently, we experienced clinically aggressive form of giant cell tumor in the right 2nd rib and report this case with reviewing the articles of giant cell tumor.