• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.182-188
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• 2000

High soy consumption leading to high exposures of soy isoflavones has been associated with a reduced risk of cancers at many sites. As part of a study focusing on the chemopreventive mechanisms, we have investigated the modulating effects of daidzein and genistein, a prominent and more bioavailable isoflavone in soy foods, on murine immune function. Daidzein (50 mg/kg) or genistein (50 mg/kg) was administered p.o. once a day for 7 days in BALB/c mice. Daidzein decreased the mitogen-stimulated proliferation of murine splenocyte, but genistein increased it. Daidzein stimulated the secretion of interleukin-4, but inhibited the secretion of ${\gamma}$-interferon, interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$. Genistein stimulated the secretion of ${\gamma}$-interferon, interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$, but inhibited the secretion of interleukin-4. Daidzein and geiustein inhibited the production of nitric oxide and enhanced the phagocytic activity in peritoneal macrophage. These results suggest that cancer preventive effects of daidzein is partly concerned with the secretion of $T_{H}$2 cells cytokine and the activation of macrophage phagocytosis, and genistein is partly concerned with the secretion of $T_{H}$l cells cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ and the activation of macrophage phagocytosis.sis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 1989

A patient with primary adenocarcinoma of Bartholin's gland is reported and the literatures relevant to this disease reviewed. Not only this disease is very rare but also primary carcinomas of Bartholin's gland are misdiagnosed as cysts or abscesses in half of the cases, leading to considerable delay in diagnosis. And so, It was wasted long time before definitive therapy. However, because of a different clinical behavior, cancer of the Bartholin's gland should be distinguished from other vulvar carcinomas. Histologically, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are the most common. Virtually all histologic types of Bartholin's gland carcinoma metastasize to lymph node, bone, lung and liver in distant sites. The authors data and a review of the literature support the concept that radical vulvectomy with or without bilateral inguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy is required. On the other hand, except primary radiation treatment for small or medium sized cancers, the results obtained by radiation therapy in carcinoma of the vulva including Bartholin's gland are generally discouraging. A role for postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy suggests because of high incidence of positive inguinal-femoral Iymph nodes. In the near time, natural history and biological behavior of Bartholin's gland cancer must be disclosed in detail. And also optimal treatment modality and prognostic factors shall be determine.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.591-599
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• 2009

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play important roles in nervous system functions and are involved in a variety of diseases. We previously demonstrated that ginsenosides, the active ingredients of Panax ginseng, inhibit subsets of nAChR channel currents, but not ${\alpha}7$, expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Mutation of the highly conserved Leu247 to Thr247 in the transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) channel pore region of ${\alpha}7$ nAChR induces alterations in channel gating properties and converts ${\alpha}7$ nAChR antagonists into agonists. In the present study, we assessed how point mutations in the Leu247 residue leading to various amino acids affect 20(S)-ginsenoside $Rg_3$ ($Rg_3$) activity against the ${\alpha}7$ nAChR. Mutation of L247 to L247A, L247D, L247E, L247I, L247S, and L247T, but not L247K, rendered mutant receptors sensitive to $Rg_3$. We further characterized $Rg_3$ regulation of L247T receptors. We found that $Rg_3$ inhibition of mutant ${\alpha}7$ nAChR channel currents was reversible and concentration-dependent. $Rg_3$ inhibition was strongly voltage-dependent and noncompetitive manner. These results indicate that the interaction between $Rg_3$ and mutant receptors might differ from its interaction with the wild-type receptor. To identify differences in $Rg_3$ interactions between wild-type and L247T receptors, we utilized docked modeling. This modeling revealed that $Rg_3$ forms hydrogen bonds with amino acids, such as Ser240 of subunit I and Thr244 of subunit II and V at the channel pore, whereas $Rg_3$ localizes at the interface of the two wild-type receptor subunits. These results indicate that mutation of Leu247 to Thr247 induces conformational changes in the wild-type receptor and provides a binding pocket for $Rg_3$ at the channel pore.