• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.75-85
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• 2006

This study was designed to evaluate the possible DNA damaging effects of T-2 toxin using an alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) comet assay and also to investigate toxic effects in chickens. A total of 20 chickens were used in these experiments. Graded concentrations of dietary T-2 toxin (0, 4, 8, and $16{\mu}g/g$ of diet) were given to groups of 5 broiler chickens. In comet assay, The DNA damage was analysed by the tail extent moment (TEM) and tail length (TL), which were used as markers of DNA strand breaks in SCGE. A significant dose-dependent increase in the extent of DNA migration as well as in the percentage of cells with tails was observed after treatment with T-2 toxin (P<0.05). Treatment with the low T-2 toxin ($4{\mu}/g$ of diet) induced a relatively low level of DNA damage in comparison with the high T-2 toxin ($16{\mu}/g$ of diet) group. The growth rate was significantly reduced by concentrations of 8, and $16{\mu}/g$ of diet (P < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio were significantly affected by any concentrations (P < 0.05). The relative weight of the spleen, and lung was decreased by the growth inhibitory concentrations. The bursa of Fabricius, thymus, and kid- ney were decreased in relative weight by concentrations of $16{\mu}/g$ of diet. The relative weight of the liver and heart were unaffected. The hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were decreased at concentration of $16{\mu}/g$ of diet. As compared with control chickens, there was no marked change in serum components except uric acid in T-2 treated chickens. All lymphoid tissues retained atrophic and lymphoid cell depletion throughout the three weeks trial.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2013

Few studies investigated the effects of nutrition education and exercises in women with osteopenia. This study examined the relationship between changes in dietary intakes and changes in indicators related to bone health in postmenopausal women with osteopenia (-2.5 ${\leq}$ T-score ${\leq}$ 1) after a 12-week intervention. Thirty-one postmenopausal women aged > 50 years residing in Seoul were recruited and participated in nutritional education regarding bone health and general nutrition practices and aerobic exercises (three times a week; 60 min per session). Twenty-five subjects completed the study and were eligible for the analysis. Bone mineral density (BMD) at femoral neck was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Serum calcium, osteocalcin, and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) were also measured. Dietary intake was estimated by using a one-day 24 recall by a clinical dietitian. After 12 weeks, meat consumption increased (P = 0.028) but vegetable intake decreased (P = 0.005). Intakes of animal protein (P = 0.024), vitamin B1 (P = 0.012) and vitamin $B_2$ (P = 0.047) increased, and sodium intake decreased (P = 0.033). Intact PTH (P = 0.002) decreased and osteocalcin (P = 0.000) increased, however, BMD decreased (P = 0.000). Changes in mushroom consumption were positively correlated with femoral neck BMD (r = 0.673, P = 0.003). Changes in animal iron intake were negatively correlated with intact PTH (r = -0.488, P = 0.013) but were positively correlated with osteocalcin (r = 0.541, P = 0.005). These results suggested that the association between animal iron intake and biochemical markers of bone turnover may play an important role in bone metabolism. Further studies are needed to shed light on complicated mechanisms of diet, hormonal levels of bone metabolism, and bone density.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2011

Acute renal injury induced by ischemia is a major cause of high morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients and a common complication in hospitalized patients. Thus, the work with acute renal failure and renal ischemia has been studied for many years. Although serum creatinine concentration that is widely used as an index of renal function performs fairly well for estimating kidney function in patients with stable chronic kidney disease, it performs poorly in the setting of acute disease. Thus, an ideal biomarker for acute kidney injury would help clinicians and scientists diagnose the most common form of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients, acute tubular necrosis, early and accurately, and may aid to risk-stratify patients with acute kidney injury by predicting the need for renal replacement therapy, the duration of acute kidney injury, the length of stay and mortality. In this study, renal ischemia and reperfusion were performed by clapming and un-clamping right renal artery in miniature pigs. Plasma blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were examined at pre- clamping, after-clamping at 0, 1 and 3 hours. And we searched initial indicators in these samples. Also, renal tissue was collected and searched the initial indicator by PCR and western blotting. As a result, hypoxia inducible factor $1{\alpha}$ ($HIF1{\alpha}$), nuclear factor kappa-B ($NF{\kappa}B$), $I{\kappa}B$, erythropoietin (EPO), erythropoietin receptor (EPOR), angiopoietin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were showed significant changes among the renal protein. $HIF1{\alpha}$, EPO, and EPOR were showed significant changes among the renal gene. Thus, these markers will be used as initial diagnosis of acute renal failure.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.343-353
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• 2012

Objectives: This aim of this study was to effectively isolate mesenchymal stem cells (hSMSCs) from human submandibular skin tissues (termed hSMSCs) and evaluate their characteristics. These hSMSCs were then chemically induced to the neuronal lineage and analyzed for their neurogenic characteristics in vitro. Materials and Methods: Submandibular skin tissues were harvested from four adult patients and cultured in stem cell media. Isolated hSMSCs were evaluated for their multipotency and other stem cell characteristics. These cells were differentiated into neuronal cells with a chemical induction protocol. During the neuronal induction of hSMSCs, morphological changes and the expression of neuron-specific proteins (by fluorescence-activated cell sorting [FACS]) were evaluated. Results: The hSMSCs showed plate-adherence, fibroblast-like growth, expression of the stem-cell transcription factors Oct 4 and Nanog, and positive staining for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) marker proteins (CD29, CD44, CD90, CD105, and vimentin) and a neural precursor marker (nestin). Moreover, the hSMSCs in this study were successfully differentiated into multiple mesenchymal lineages, including osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. Neuron-like cell morphology and various neural markers were highly visible six hours after the neuronal induction of hSMSCs, but their neuron-like characteristics disappeared over time (24-48 hrs). Interestingly, when the chemical induction medium was changed to Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS), the differentiated cells returned to their hSMSC morphology, and their cell number increased. These results indicate that chemically induced neuron-like cells should not be considered true nerve cells. Conclusion: Isolated hSMSCs have MSC characteristics and express a neural precursor marker, suggesting that human skin is a source of stem cells. However, the in vitro chemical neuronal induction of hSMSC does not produce long-lasting nerve cells and more studies are required before their use in nerve-tissue transplants.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.551-557
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• 2015

Background: Differentiating morphologic features based on hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining is the most common method to classify pathological subtypes of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its accuracy and inter-observer reproducibility in pathological diagnosis of poorly differentiated NSCLC remained to be improved. Materials and Methods: We attempted to explore the role of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in diagnosing pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) with poorly differentiated features by HE staining or with elevated serum adenocarcinoma-specific tumor markers (AD-TMs). We also compared the difference of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation rate between patients with confirmed SQCC and those with revised pathological subtype. Logistic regression analyses were used to test the association between different factors and diagnostic accuracy. Results: A total of 132 patients who met the eligible criteria and had adequate specimens for IHC confirmation were included. Pathological revised cases in poor differentiated subgroup, biopsy samples and high-level AD-TMs cases were more than those with high/moderate differentiation, surgical specimens and normal-level AD-TMs. Moreover, biopsy sample was a significant factor decreasing diagnostic accuracy of pathological subtype (OR, 4.037; 95% CI 1.446-11.267, p=0.008). Additionally, EGFR mutation rate was higher in patients with pathological diagnostic changes than those with confirmed SQCC (16.7% vs 4.4%, p=0.157). Conclusions: Diagnosis based on HE staining only might cause pathological misinterpretation in NSCLC patients with poor differentiation or high-level AD-TMs, especially those with biopsy samples. HE staining and IHC should be combined as pathological diagnostic standard. The occurrence of EGFR mutations in pulmonary SQCC might be overestimated.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.236-243
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• 2006

Microarray analysis of gene expression has become a powerful approach for exploring the biological effects of drugs, particularly at the stage of toxicology and safety assessment. Acetaminophen (APAP) has been known to induce necrosis in liver, but the molecular mechanism involved has not been fully understood. In this study, we investigated gene expression changes of APAP using microarray technology. APAP was orally administered with a single dose of 50 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg into ICR mice and the animals were sacrificed at 6, 24 and 72 h of APAP administration. Serum biochemical markers for liver toxicity were measured to estimate the maximal toxic time and hepatic gene expression was assessed using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays capable of determining the expression profile of >30,000 well-substantiated mouse genes. Significant alterations in gene expression were noted in the liver of APAP-administered mice. The most notable changes in APAP-administered mice were the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, and calcium signaling pathway, cystein metabolism, glutatione metabolism, and MAPK pathway. The majority of the genes upregulated included insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1, heme oxygenase 1, metallothionein 1, S100 calcium binding protein, caspase 4, and P21. The upregulation of apoptosis and cell cycle-related genes were paralleled to response to APAP. Most of the affected gene expressions were returned to control levels after 72 hr. In conclusion, we identified potential hepatotoxicity makers, and these expressions profiling lead to a better understanding of the molecular basis of APAP-induced hapatotoxicity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 1998

Retinoids are applied to not only cancer prevention but also cancer chemotherapy by stimulating differentiation of cells. We studied differentiation inducing effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) by studying proportion of high dense fractions of stem-like cells and the size of S phase fraction in cell cycle. From mammary organoids obtained from 7- to 8-week old F344 female rat mammary gland, we cultured rat mammary epithelial cells (RMEC) and treated physiological doses of $10^{-6}$, $10^{-7}$, and $10^{-8}$ M ATRA from the first day and then cultured for 4, 7, and 14 days. After that, immunostaining was performed using peanut agglutinin (PNA) and anti-Thy-1.1 monoclonal antibody (Thy-1.1) that can be used as markers of differentiation. We separated four different cell subpopulations by flow cytometry: cells negative to both reagents (B-), PNA-positive cells (PNA+), Thy-1.1-positive cells (Thy-1.1+), and cells positive to both reagents (B+). We observed continuous decreases of high dense fractions of stem-like cells (PNA+ subpopulations) for 14 days and as much decreases as high doses of ATRA, which were thought to be proportional to doses of ATRA. We labeled RMEC with bromodeoxyuridine and investigated cell cycle fractions that went through S phase. We observed a tendency of decrease of S phase fraction with time in culture, which, is thought to be related to continuous decreases of PNA+ subpopulations and inhibitory role of ATRA on cell cycle. These results suggest that physiological doses of ATRA could stimulate differentiation of RMEC and convert stem-like RMEC to differentiated cells in SFM for a relatively long period of 14 days.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.106-115
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• 1995

Reactive humsn mesothelial cells were examined by immunocytochemical stain with intermediate filaments (cytokeratin [CK1, CK7, CK8, CK18, CD19), vimentin, desmin, actin), epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), MHC class II antigen (HLA-DR), LeuM-1 (CD15), $\alpha1-antitrypsin$(ACT), $\alpha1-antichymotrypsin$ (ACHT), CD68(KP-1) and FcyRIII(CD16). The mesothelial cells were isolated from patients with liver cirrhosis and pleural effusion, and short-term cultured in RPMI 1640 media containing 10% heat inactivated fetal calf serum and 1% identical supernatant fluid of the patients' transudates. The results obtained are as follows 1. The cultured-reactive mesothelial cells were positive for the protein of cytoskeleton such as cytokeratin and vimentin, but negative for desmin and actin. The resting mesothelial cells showed positive reactions for cylokeratin, but negative for vimentin, desmin and actin. 2. The primary antibodies to the cytokeratin were strongly reactive for CK1, CK8 and CK18 but negative for CK7 and CK19 in both reactive and resting mesothelial cells. 3. Resting mesothelial cells showed negative reactions for CEA, but strong positive reactions in cultured-reactive mesothelial cells. 4. The markers for the monocytes/histiocytes(CD11b, CD14, CD16, CD68, Iysozyme and $\alpha1-antitrypsin$ and $\alpha1-antichymotrypsin$) were nonreactive in resting mesothelial cells, but lysozyme and $\alpha1-antitrypsin$ were weakly reactive in reactive and proliferative mesothelial cells. 5. MHC Class II molecule(HLA-DR antigen) was negative in both resting and reactive mesothelial cells. These results suggest that the short-term cultured, reactive mesothelial cells show a newly aberrant expression of the vimentin and calcine-embryonic antigen. The reason of the aberrant expression of the intermediate filament and oncofetal antigen in reactive and proliferative mesothelial cells should be further evaluated.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 1997

Steroid induced bone loss is a serious problem in frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome especially in growing children. In order to evaluate whether $1-(OH)D_3$ (IL Sung Pharma.Co.) is effective in preventing steroid induced bone loss, we gave $0.5{\mu}g$ of $1-(OH)D_3$ for one year to forty patients with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome, receiving longterm prednisolone therapy (mean duration $50.12{\pm}29.40$ months). We checked the following markers before and after $1-(OH)D_3$ therapy. i.e. bone mineral density(BMD) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA) at the 2nd to 4th lumbar spine, serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone(PTH), osteocalcin and urine pyridinoline(U-PYD). BMD($g/cm^2$) was increased even steroid therapy from $0.71{\pm}0.0\;to\;0.73{\pm}0.0$ (p<0.05). Lumbar spine BMD is a sensitive marker for evaluating steroid induced bone loss in children receiving longterm corticosteroid therapy and that $1-(OH)D_3$ appears to be effective in treating and preventing steroid induced bone loss.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.2-10
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• 2017

Early detection and proper management of kidney rejection are crucial for the long-term health of a transplant recipient. Recipients are normally monitored by serum creatinine measurement and sometimes with graft biopsies. Donor-derived cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) in the recipient's plasma and/or urine may be a better indicator of acute rejection. We evaluated digital PCR (dPCR) as a system for monitoring graft status using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based detection of donor DNA in plasma or urine. We compared the detection abilities of the QX200, RainDrop, and QuantStudio 3D dPCR systems. The QX200 was the most accurate and sensitive. Plasma and/or urine samples were isolated from 34 kidney recipients at multiple time points after transplantation, and analyzed by dPCR using the QX200. We found that donor DNA was almost undetectable in plasma DNA samples, whereas a high percentage of donor DNA was measured in urine DNA samples, indicating that urine is a good source of cfDNA for patient monitoring. We found that at least 24% of the highly polymorphic SNPs used to identify individuals could also identify donor cfDNA in transplant patient samples. Our results further showed that autosomal, sex-specific, and mitochondrial SNPs were suitable markers for identifying donor cfDNA. Finally, we found that donor-derived cfDNA measurement by dPCR was not sufficient to predict a patient's clinical condition. Our results indicate that donor-derived cfDNA is not an accurate predictor of kidney status in kidney transplant patients.