• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.375-383
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• 2013

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is thought to account for more than 80% of primary liver cancers. Both HBV and HCV can establish chronic liver inflammatory infections, altering hepatocyte and liver physiology with potential liver disease progression and HCC development. Cyclophilin A (CypA) has been identified as an essential host factor for the HCV replication by physically interacting with the HCV non structural protein NS5A that in turn interacts with RNA-dependent RNA polymerase NS5B. CypA, a cytosolic binding protein of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A, is overexpressed in many cancer types and often associated with malignant transformation. Therefore, CypA can be a good target for molecular cancer therapy. Because of antiviral activity, the CypA inhibitors have been tested for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Nonimmunosuppressive Cyp inhibitors such as NIM811, SCY-635, and Alisporivir have attracted more interests for appropriating CypA for antiviral chemotherapeutic target on HCV infection. This review describes CypA inhibitors as a potential HCC treatment tool that is contrived by their obstructing chronic HCV infection and summarizes roles of CypA in cancer development.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.123-126
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• 2010

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a common cause of acute hepatitis, but is rarely responsible for neonatal hepatitis. HAV infection is usually transmitted by the fecal-oral route, but during the neonatal period can be transmitted by the intrauterine vertical route or postnatal horizontal route. HAV infection is usually self-limited, but it can be potentially life-threatening in adults. The clinical course and symptoms are mild and the infection can be asymptomatic in newborns. Recently, we experienced a case of symptomatic neonatal hepatitis A. To our knowledge, this is the first case of neonatal hepatitis with HAV infection in Korea.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.191-198
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• 2015

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is responsible for approximately 350 million chronic infections worldwide and is a leading cause of broad-spectrum liver diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although it has been well established that adaptive immunity plays a critical role in viral clearance, the pathogenetic mechanisms that cause liver damage during acute and chronic HBV infection remain largely known. This review describes our current knowledge of the immune-mediated pathogenesis of HBV infection and the role of immune cells in the liver injury during hepatitis B.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2015

Henoch-Sch$\ddot{o}$nlein purpura can result from exposure to an antigen after infection with several types of organisms. However, Henoch-Sch$\ddot{o}$nlein purpura caused by a primary Epstein-Barr virus infection has been rarely reported. Here, we report the case of a 32-month-old female patient who presented with Henoch-Sch$\ddot{o}$nlein purpura. Based on abnormal liver function test results and positive results for Epstein-Barr virus infection markers, a diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus hepatitis manifesting as Henoch-Sch$\ddot{o}$nlein purpura was made. Treatment with methyl-prednisolone and hydration improved the symptoms, and a switch to oral steroids was effective in completely alleviating the purpura. No recurrence was noted and no liver function abnormalities were detected during the follow up period.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2016

Hepatitis B virus infection can cause hepatic fibrosis leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However the mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that Hepatitis B virus X-protein (HBx) increases vimentin, fibronectin, slug, snail and NOX4 expression. Because NOX4-mediated reactive oxygen species can increase slug and snail, which can induce fibrosis, HBx may be a key regulator of hepatic fibrosis development via NOX4 induction.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3232-3238
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• 2014

Mollugin has been reported to have various biological activities including antineoplastic, antitumor, antiviral against the hepatitis B virus, anti-aging and antimutagenic activities. An effective and concise synthesis of mollugin in two steps including kinetic control from the cheap starting material 1,4-naphthoquinone has been introduced, and mollugin derivatives thus prepared are screened for their inhibition ability against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the dihydrobenzochromene structure might be an additional anti-HCV agent as a new leading compound.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2006

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic inflammatory disease that is characterized by invasive synovial hyperplasia, leading to progressive joint destruction. Recent studies have described that RA is caused by virus, bacteria or outside material. Approximately 2 to 20% of RA cases arc reported to be associated with infected hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the mechanisms underlying virus-induced RA are still unknown. Moreover, few molecular studies have addressed the inflammatory aspects of HCV-associated autoimmune RA. In this study, we aimed to determine whe ther or not another HCV core protein transactivates the IL-8 gene expression, prototypic chemokine, in synovial cell. Methods: To establish the HCV core expressing stable synovial cell line, pCI-neo-core, a plasmid encoding HCV core protein, were transfected to HIG-82 cell line that is an established cell line from rabbit periaricular soft tissue. We examined the morphological changes and cell cycle distribution of HIG-82 cells with expression of HCV core protein by inverted microscopy and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Also, we determined the mRNA levels of Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 related to the inflammation by RT-PCR and then analyzed regulation of IL-8 expression by the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Results: Our study showed no significant differences in morphology and cell cycle between HIG-82 control cell line and HIG-82 expressing HCV core protein. However, expression of HCV core protein induces the IL-8 mRNA expression in HIG-82 core cells via activated NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Conclusion: These results suggest that HCV core protein can lead to enhanced IL-8 expression. Such a proinflammatory role may contribute to the etiologic pathogenesis in RA patients with HCV infection.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1385-1389
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• 2005

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogen related to the development of liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the efficient methods to suppress HBV replication have not been developed yet. Therefore, we have used RNA interference (RNAi) as a potential tool for the suppression of HBV replication. Here, we designed a 21 nt small intefering dsRNA (siRNA) against hepatitis B virus X (HBx) RNA with 3' overhanging ends derived from T7 promoter. It has been reported that HBV X protein plays an important role in HBV gene expression and viral replication. The suppression of HBx gene expression by the 21 nt siRNA was investigated by Northern blot analysis and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assay. The level of HBx mRNA was decreased by siRNA in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the 21 nt siRNA inhibited the HBV replication in hepatocellular carcinoma cell.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.337-341
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• 1999

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a positive strand RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family and the major cause of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis. Vaccine development for HCV is essential but has been slowed by poor understanding of the type of immunity that naturally terminates HCV infection. The DNA-based immunization technique offers the potential advantage of including cellular immune responses against conserved internal proteins of a virus, as well as the generation of antibodies to viral surface proteins. Here, we demonstrate that cell lines expressing the HCV core and/or NS3 proteins can induce a specific CTL response in mice, and these results suggest a possibility that the HCV core and NS3 DNA can be used to induce CTL activity against the antigen in mice and can be further developed as a therapeutic and preventive DNA vaccine.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.17-29
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• 1997

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to determine associated risk factors, a population-based seroepidemiologic study was carried out. In 1993, a health examination survey of the population was carried out in rural area known to have a high incidence of liver cancer. The study population were those who volunteered to participate in a health survey over 10 years of age. Examinees were interviewed by specially trained staffs. Sera from 1,033 study subjects were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by .everse passive hemagglutinin (RPHA) estimation and for hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) by 2nd generation passive hemagglutinin (PHA) estimation. The age and sex standardized prevalence of HBsAg was 6.3% which was similar to national average, but that of anti-HCV was 5.1% which was 4 to 5 times higher than that of blood donors or other health examinees in Korea. In a multivariate analysis, transfusion history, surgical operative history, and acupuncture history were not associated with HBsAg positivity. In contrast, acupuncture history (adjusted odds ratio[OR]=2.2 : 95% Confidence interval[CI] 1.0-4.7) and surgical operative history(adjusted OR=2.0 : 95% CI 1.0-4.1) were associated with anti-HCV positivity. The present study suggest that there is an highly endemic area of HCV infection in Korea and probably this endemicity is associated with a parenteral source of HCV infection other than blood transfusion.