• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1023-1035
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of colon cancer stem cells (CSCs) during chemically-induced rat multi-step colon carcinogenesis with or without the treatment with a specific cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor drug (celecoxib). Two experiments were performed, the first, a short term 12 week colon carcinogenesis bioassay in which only surrogate markers for colon cancer, aberrant crypt foci (ACF) lesions, were formed. The other experiment was a medium term colon cancer rat assay in which tumors had developed after 32 weeks. Treatment with celecoxib lowered the numbers of ACF, as well as the tumor volumes and multiplicities after 32 weeks. Immunohistochemical proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling indexes LI (%) were downregulated after treatment by celecoxib. Also different cell surface antigens known to associate with CSCs such as the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), CD44 and CD133 were compared between the two experiments and showed differential expression patterns depending on the stage of carcinogenesis and treatment with celecoxib. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the numbers of CD133 cells were increased in the colonic epithelium after 12 weeks while those of CD44 but not CD133 cells were increased after 32 weeks. Moreover, aldehyde dehydrogenase-1 activity levels in the colonic epithelium (a known CSC marker) detected by ELISA assay were found down-regulated after 12 weeks, but were up-regulated after 32 weeks. The data have also shown that the protective effect of celecoxib on these specific markers and populations of CSCs and on other molecular processes such as apoptosis targeted by this drug may vary depending on the genetic and phenotypic stages of carcinogenesis. Therefore, uncovering these distinction roles of CSCs during different phases of carcinogenesis and during specific treatment could be useful for targeted therapy.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

The intracellular parasite Babesia microti is among the most significant species causing human babesiosis and is an emerging threat to human health worldwide. Unravelling the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of babesiosis is crucial in developing new diagnostic and preventive methods. This study assessed how priming with B. microti surface antigen 1 (BHSA 1) and seroreactive antigen 5-1-1 (BHSA 5-1-1) mediate protection against B. microti infection. The results showed that 500 ㎍/ml rBMSA1 and rBMSA5-1-1 partially inhibited the invasion of B. microti in vitro by 42.0±3.0%, and 48.0±2.1%, respectively. Blood smears revealed that peak infection at 7 days post-infection (dpi) was 19.6%, 24.7%, and 46.7% in the rBMSA1, rBmSA5-1-1, compared to the control groups (healthy mice infected with B. microti only), respectively. Routine blood tests showed higher white blood cell, red blood cell counts, and haemoglobin levels in the 2 groups (BMSA1 and BMSA5 5-1-1) than in the infection control group at 0-28 dpi. Moreover, the 2 groups had higher serum interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-17A levels, and lower IL-10 levels than the infection control group throughout the study. These 2 potential vaccine candidate proteins partially inhibit in vitro and in vivo B. microti infection and enhance host immunological response against B. microti infection.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.473-480
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• 2017

Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-1 (PvMSP1) gene codes for a major malaria vaccine candidate antigen. However, its polymorphic nature represents an obstacle to the design of a protective vaccine. In this study, we analyzed the genetic polymorphism and natural selection of the C-terminal 42 kDa fragment within PvMSP1 gene ($PvMSP1_{42}$) from 77 P. vivax isolates, collected from imported cases of China-Myanmar border (CMB) areas in Yunnan province and the inland cases from Anhui, Yunnan, and Zhejiang province in China during 2009-2012. Totally, 41 haplotypes were identified and 30 of them were new haplotypes. The differences between the rates of non-synonymous and synonymous mutations suggest that $PvMSP1_{42}$ has evolved under natural selection, and a high selective pressure preferentially acted on regions identified of $PvMSP1_{33}$. Our results also demonstrated that $PvMSP1_{42}$ of P. vivax isolates collected on China-Myanmar border areas display higher genetic polymorphisms than those collected from inland of China. Such results have significant implications for understanding the dynamic of the P. vivax population and may be useful information towards China malaria elimination campaign strategies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.484-488
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• 1994

연구배경 : 최근에 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 램프구가 결핵균의 항원과 반응함이 알려져 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구가 결핵균에 대한 방어기전에 관여할 가능성이 제시되고 있다. 본 교실의 연구와 다른 연구에 의하면 폐결핵 환자의 말초혈액에서 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구의 숫적 증가나 기능의 활성화가 관찰되지 않아 폐결핵 환자에서 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구는 전신적으로 활성화되지 않고 국소병변에서 방어기능을 나타내는 것으로 생각할 수 있다. 이에 저자들은 일차적으로 결핵의 국소병변으로 조직을 얻기가 쉬운 결핵성 림프절에서 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구의 분포를 관찰하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방법 : 조직검사상 결핵성 림프절염(n=5)과 반응성 과형성(reactive hyperplasia) (n=3)으로 진단된 환자의 림프절을 대상으로 CD4, ${\alpha}{\beta}$ TCR, ${\gamma}{\delta}$ TCR에 대한 단일 클론항체를 이용해 면역조직화학검사를 시행하였다. 결과 : 반응성 과형성 림프절에서는 총 T 림프구중 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구의 비율이 $1.7{\pm}1.5%$였고 결핵성 림프절에서는 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구가 전체 T 림프구의 $16.3{\pm}10.3%$를 차지하고 있어 결핵성 림프절에서 반응성 과형성 림프절에 비해 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구의 침윤이 유의하게 증가되어 있었다(p<0.05). 결론 : ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구가 결핵균 감염 국소 병변부위에서 방어기전에 관여할 가능성이 있을 것으로 생각되고 향후 국소 결핵 병변에서의 ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T 림프구 기능에 관한 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.