• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.123-129
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• 1999

Purpose: Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(APSGN) is a renal disease which is characterized by glomerular proliferation and inflammatory changes due to immune reaction. Although the 95% of patients with APSGN seems to recover fully and present as benign course, the remaining patients show poor prognosis. Therefore comparative retrograde study between APSGN with and without nephrotic syndrome was done to find out the any prognostic indicator to predict the outcome in patients with APSGN. Methods: We had retrospectively analyzed seventy-one patients who were diagnosed as APSGN clinically from Mar.1989 to Feb.1999 in Yonsei university medical center. Sixty-four of the patients was APSGN without nephrotic syndrome(Group A) and seven patients were in APSGN with nephrotic syndrome(Group B). Results: Patients who were diagnosed as APSGN with nephrotic syndrome were seven(9.9%) out of seventy-one. In the comparative study, sex ratio was 1:1 in group A and 1.9: 1 in group B, onset mean age was $8.9{\pm}2.6$ in group A and $8.8{\pm}2.6$ in group B. Following clinical profiles were compared but there were no significant difference between these two groups: WBC count($9413{\pm}2964\;vs\;9368{\pm}2650(/mm^3)$), hemoglobin($10.6{\pm}1.2\;vs\;10.0{\pm}0.9(gm/dL)$), ASO($746.1{\pm}640.7\;vs\;614.9{\pm}475.9(IU/ml)$), $C_3(20.1{\pm}17.0\;vs\;16.9{\pm}13.1(mg/dL)$), $C_4(22.8{\pm}9.5\;vs\;22.6{\pm}6.9(mg/dL)$), BUN($25.8{\pm}26.1\;vs\;28.1{\pm}14.5(mg/dL)$), creatinin($0.8{\pm}0.3\;vs\;0.8{\pm}0.3(mg/dL)$), $C_{cr}(80.6{\pm}28.8{\pm}62.4{\pm}31.4(ml/min/1.73\;m^2$)), the duration of edma, gross hematuria, and hypertension. However, we found that there were a significant difference in the duration of proteinuria($1.95{\pm}2.27\;vs\;13.3{\pm}21.1(months)$)(P<0.05), decreased $C_3$ duration($1.9{\pm}2.9\;vs\;7.3{\pm}5.0(weeks)$)(P<0.05) and especially it was proloned according to the amount of early urine protein excretion. Conclusion: Our study showed markedly prolonged duration of proteinuria and decreased $C_3$ duration in patients with APSGN with nephrotic syndrome. We were not able to find the definite prognostic factor that will guide the outcome of patients with APSGN accompaning nephrotic syndrome, but above findings seemed to represent as a relative indication of the outcome of the disease. All patients recovered completely and we did not experience any cases that progressed into the renal failure.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제53권5호
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• pp.530-541
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• 2002

Background : Pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity can be helpful in a differntial diagnosis of an exudative pleural effusion because it is increased in a tuberculous pleural effusion. The ADA activity is determined mainly by the lymphocyte function. Age-associated immune decline is characterized by a decrease in T-lymphocyte function. For that reason, the pleural fluid ADA level would be lower in older patients with exudative pleural effusion. This study focused on the influence of age on the pleural fluid ADA activity in patients with exudative pleural effusion. Methods : A total of 81 patients with exudative pleural effusion were enrolled in this study. In all patients, the pleural fluid ADA activity was measured using an automated kinetic method. Results : The mean age of the patients was $52.7{\pm}21.2$ years. In all patients with exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between young patients (under 65 years of age) and old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.325, p<0.05). In the 60 patients with a tuberculous pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between the young and older patients : $103.5{\pm}36.9$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $72.2{\pm}31.6$ IU/L in old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.384, p<0.05). In the 21 patients with non-tuberculous exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity of the young patients and old patients was similar : $23.7{\pm}15.3$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $16.1{\pm}10.2$ IU/L in old patients (p>0.05), and did not show any correlation with age (r=-0.263, p>0.05). The diagnostic cutoff value of pleural fluid ADA activity for tuberculous pleural effusion was lower in the older patients (25.9 IU/L) than in the younger patients (49.1 IU/L) or all patients (38.4 IU/L) with exudative pleural effusion. Conclusion : Tuberculous pleural effusion is an important possibility to consider in older patients with a clinical suspicion of a tuberculous pleural effusion, although no marked increase in the pleural fluid ADA activity is usually detected. For a diagnosis of a tuberculous pleural effusion in old patients, the cutoff for the pleural fluid ADA activity should be set lower.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.323-334
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• 1996

Male Mongolian gerbils $(60{\sim}80g)$ were given DL-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO; 250mg/kg, ip) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG; 50 mg/k, ip), respectively, 1 h prior to transient (7 min) occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (OBC7) and a daily dose of one of them for 6 days after recirculation, and the polyamine contents, activities of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases (ODC and SAM-DC), and light microscopic findings of the hippocampus were evaluated. The hippocampal putrescine (PT) levels of the control gerbils treated with saline (STGr), markedly increased after OBC7, showing a peak level at 24 h after recirculation. The peak PT level was reduced in DFMO treated gerbils (DTCr) and in MGBG treated gerbils (MTGr). And 7 days after recirculation, the PT level of DTGr was decreased to about 75% of the PT level in the sham operated group (nonTGr) and to about 55% of the STGr level, respectively. The hippocampal spermidine (SD) level of STGr tended to decline, showing the lowest value at 8 h after recirculation. But the spermidine (SD) level of DTGr was somewhat higher at 8 h after OBC7 than those of STGr and MTGr The hippocampal spermine (SM) levels of all the experimental groups were little changed for 7 days after OBC. OBC7 markedly increased the hippocampal ODC activity. reaching a maximum (about 3 times higher than preischemic level) at 8 h and rapidly recovered to the control value by 24 h in STGr gerbils, and the OBC7-induced increase of ODC activity was significantly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. Whereas OBC7 induced a rapid decrease of the hippocampal SAMDC activity follwed by gradual recovery to the preischemic level, and the decrease of the SAMDC activity was slightly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. 7 Days after OBC7 the histological finding of the hippocampal complex stained with cresyl violet showed an extensive delayed neuronal damage in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus, sparing the CA3 region. And the neuronal death was aggevated by DFMO but significantly attenuated by MGBG. The immunochemical reactivity of hippocampus to anti-GFAP antibody was significantly increased in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus 7 days after OBC7, but was little changed in the CA3. And the increase of the anti-GFAP immunoreactivity was moderately enhanced by DFMO and significantly suppressed by MGBG. These results suggest that the polyamine metabolism may play a modulatory role in the ischemic brain damage.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제48권8호
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• pp.832-838
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• 2005

Purpose : Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is relatively common in childhood. Its extrapulmonary manifestations have been reported so much, but hepatitis associated with it has been reported rarely in Korea. Methods : A clinical study was performed on 556 patients of M. pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed serologically at Gil hospital from January 2001 to December 2004. We reviewed 65 cases among these patients, who had elevated level of serum AST and ALT greater than 50 IU/L respectively without evidence of hepatitis A, B, C, Cytomegalovirus and Ebstein-Barr virus infections. Results : Hepatitis occurred in 11.7% of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, especially in fall and winter times. Male to female ratio was 1.2 : 1 and the mean age was 4 years and 3 months. Besides hepatitis, cough(95.4%), sputum(52.3%) and dyspnea(12.3%) were common as pulmonary manifestations. And among gastrointestinal manifestations, nausea/vomiting(26.2%) was the most common symptom, followed by poor oral intake(12.3%), diarrhea(12.3%) and abdominal pain(6.2%). In addition to hepatomegaly(4.6%) and splenomegaly(4.6%), coarse breathing sound was the most common physical manifestation, followed by rale(63.1%), pharyngeal injection(26.2%), and rash(10.8%). Anemia was noted in 20.0%, neutrophilia in 10.8%, eosinphilia in 38.5% and thrombocytosis in 6.2%, respectively. Mean level of ESR and CRP was 32.02 mm/hr and 6.69 mg/dL, respectively. Mean level of AST and ALT was 293.80 IU/L and 181.48 IU/L, respectively. Hyperbilirubinemia was noted in 7.7% and hypoalbuminemia was noted in 58.5%. Lobar or lobular pneumonia(78.5%) was the most common finding in chest X-ray and left lower lobe(39.2%) was most commonly affected. Pleural effusion was noted in 26.2%. Mean duration of hospitalization was 9.91 days. Serum AST/ALT level was normalized within 9.94 days and pulmonary consolidation resolved within 14.29 days. Conclusion : The prognosis of M. pneumoniae hepatitis is good. However, liver function should be considerately checked in M. pneumoniae infection because its incidence is not so low.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.115-124
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• 2010

Objective: To testify whether the increased peripheral blood natural killer (pbNK) cells fraction and their cytolytic activity could coincide with patient's history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and to evaluate these factors are can be valuable diagnostic markers in RSA. Methods: Women with a history of RSA comprised the patient group (n=35). Normal fertile women, who were experienced at least one healthy term birth without history of infertility or recurrent miscarriage, were included as the healthy control group (n=15). The pbNK cells of $CD3^-/CD56^+/CD16^+$ and their cytolytic activities against K562 cells were measured by flow cytometry and the values were compared between study and control groups. Results: Proportions of pbNK cells among peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) ($14.2{\pm}5.2$ vs. $9.4{\pm}3.7%$, p=0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 7.8) was significantly higher in the patient group. The odds ratio of having RSA history was increased as 8.4 folds (59% of sensitivity, 80% of specificity, and 95% CI: 2.0 to 35.8) in patients who showed pbNK cells fraction above 12.1% which was determined as cut-off value by using ROC curve analysis. The cytolytic activities of pbNK cells which measured by three different ratio of effecter pbNK cells to target K562 cells and calculated by the percent of cytolytic K562 cells, were significantly higher in study group than that of control group (in 50:1 ratio, $48.3{\pm}19.0$ vs. $31.3{\pm}11.9%$, p=0.002; in 25:1 ratio, $37.0{\pm}18.1$ vs. $20.2{\pm}9.2%$, p<0.001; in 12.5:1 ratio, $23.5{\pm}12.7$ vs. $12.4{\pm}7.3%$, p=0.001). With the cut-off values of cytolytic activity of pbNK cells as 43.1% (50:1), 26.9% (25:1), and 17.4% (12.5:1) each, the risk of having RSA history was increased by 10.0, 11.4, and 15.0 folds in patients who had increased in each effector of pbNK to target of K562 cells ratio. Conclusion: The analysis of pbNK cells fraction and their cytolytic activity can be valuable diagnostic markers for RSA. We are going to planning the large scaled studies which include the data of obstetric outcomes in subsequent pregnancies to clarify our results of this study.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.241-250
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• 1999

Background: Persistent nonproductive cough is a major adverse effect encountered with ACE inhibitor treatment and the most frequent reason for withdrawal of the drug. The mechanism of cough was postulated to be associated with accumulation of bronchial irritants which are substrates of ACE. It has been speculated that occurrence of this adverse effect is genetically predetermined ; in particular, variants of the genes encoding ACE. To investigate this relationship, we determined ACE gene Insertion/Deletion polymorphism in subjects with and without a history of ACE inhibitor-induced cough. Methods: Among the 339 patients with ACE inhibitor treatment, subjects who developed cough that resolved when not taking medication were designated to cough group and other subjects who did not complain cough were designated to non-cough group. Clinical characteristics of the patients were collected by review of medical records. ACE genotypes were determined by PCR amplification of DNA from peripheral blood and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: 37 patients complained of dry cough(cough group) and 302 patients did not complained of cough(non-cough group). The incidence of ACE inhibitor induced dry cough was 10.9%. There was a preponderance of females in the cough group (M : F=24.3% : 75.7%) compared to the non-cough group (M : F=49.7% : 50.3%, p=0.004). There was no significant difference in mean age, underlying diseases, and kinds and frequencies of ACE inhibitors and their mean dosage between the both groups. ACE genotypic frequencies were I/I : I/D : D/D=16.2% : 18.9% : 64.9% in the cough group and 18.9% : 18.2% : 62.9% in the non-cough group which showed no significant difference between the both groups(p=0.926). Allelic frequencies were I : D = 25.7% : 74.3% and 28.0% : 72.0% in the cough and non-cough group respectively and the difference was not significant(p = 0.676). Conclusion: The incidence of ACE inhibitor-induced cough are 10.9%, and women are more susceptible to ACE inhibitor-induced cough. ACE inhibitor-induced dry cough is not associated with ACE gene Insertion/Deletion polymorphism.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.78-85
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• 1999

Purpose : Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia has been to be developed frequently in school age children and adolescence and hard to see under 3 year-old children. But it seems to be increased in number of patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia under 3-year old in clinical practice in these days. We have aimed to examine the characteristics of clinical findings of Mycoplasma pneumonia under 3 year-old children. Methods : We had performed retrospective review of medical records of 30 patients with Mycoplasmal pneumonia under 3-year old children who admitted to Department of Pediatrics, Kyunghee University Hospital from Jan. 1994 to Dec. 1997. The diagnostic criteriae was Cold agglutinin titer>1:64 or Mycoplasma antibody titer>1:80. Results : Mycoplasmal pneumonia was 30 out of 235 cases(12.7%) of total pneumonia under 3 year old children. Male female ratio was 1.3 : 1 and age distributions were 0~1y : 0, 1~2y : 8, 2~3y : 22 cases. Clinical symptoms and signs were cough(100.0%), sputum(83.3%), fever(80.0%) rhinorrhea(33.3%), vomiting(33.3%), moist rale(86.7%), decreased breathing sound(26.7%), wheezing(20.0%), and pharyngeal injection(30.0%). Thirteen out of 30 cases(43.3%) had unilateral infiltration, 10 cases(33.4%) had bilateral infiltration, 1 case(3.3%) had pleural effusion, and 6 cases(20.0%) had negative findings on chest radiography and there was no cases of atelectasis. On laboratory findings, 6 out of 30 cases(20.0%) had leukocytosis, 1 case(3.3%) had neutrophilia, 10 cases(30.0%) had eosinophilia, 17 cases(56.7%) had increased ESR, and 18 cases(60.6%) had positive CRP. Positive cold agglutinin titers(>1 : 64) were 19 cases(63.3%), and positive mycoplasma antibody(M-ab) titers(>1 : 80) were 27 cases(93.3%). Mycoplasma antibody test was more valuable than cold agglutinin test for the diagnosis of Mycoplasmal pneumonia and there was no correlation between cold agglutinin titer and mycoplasma antibody titer. Mycoplasma-polymerase chain reaction(M-PCR) was done with 13 cases, 12 out of 13 cases(92.3%) were positive. M-PCR test was valuable to the diagnosis of Mycoplasmal pneumonia but it will be needed to further study for their clinical application. Among 30 cases, 5 cases(16.7%) had complications, 3 cases(10.0%) had skin rash, 1 case(3.3%) had pleural effusion, 1 case(3.3%) had arthralgia, but all complications were mild and recovered without residual sequelae. Conclusion : The occurrence of Mycoplasmal pneumonia under 3 year-old children was not rare from this study. Clinical characteristics of Mycoplasmal pneumonia under 3-year old were normal radiologic findings in many cases, low complication rate, mild clinical course, and tend to rapid recovery compared with general manifestations of Mycoplasmal infectionsin children and adolescence. There were likely to be missed patients with Mycoplasmal pneumonia which did not diagnose by conventional serologic tests that had low sensitivity and specificity. We have to pay attention to the Mycoplasmal infection of the young children with pneumonia during epidemic periods of Mycoplasmal infection.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.457-473
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• 2002

The purposes of this study is to evaluate the combination effects of TGF-${\beta}_1$ and PDGF-BB on the periodontal ligament cells to use as a regeneration promoting agent of periodontal tissue. Human periodontal ligament cells were prepared from the first premolar tooth extracted for the orthodontic treatment and were cultured in DMEM/100% FBS at the $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator. Authors measured the DNA synthesis, total protein, collagen and noncollagenous protein synthesis according to the concentration of TGF-${\beta}_1$,(1,5ng/ml) and PDGF-BB (1,10 ng/ml) in combination. To explore further this delayed effect of TGF-${\beta}_1$, we preincubated human periodontal ligament cells with TGF-${\beta}_1$ for 4 or 24 hours before PDGF-BB stimulation. The results were as follows: The DNA synthetic activity was increased dose dependently by TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF-BB. The combination of TGF-${\beta}_1$ and PDGF-BB consistently enhanced the DNA synthetic activity to PDGF-BB alone. The ability of TGF-${\beta}_1$ to enhance DNA synthetic activity in PDGF-BB treated periodontal ligament cells was dose dependent. The maximum mitogenic effect was at the 5ng/ml of TGF-${\beta}_1$ and l0ng/ml of PDGF-BB. Preincubation of cell with TGF-${\beta}_1$ resulted in significantly greater response to PDGF-BB at all TGF-${\beta}_1$ concentration studied, and may be useful for clinical application in periodontal regenerative procedures. The total protein, collagen and noncollagen synthesis was increased dose pendently by TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF-BB. The % of collagen was slightly decreased according to the concentration of TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF-BB. The effect of TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF-BB were not specific for collagen synthesis since it also increased noncollagenous protein synthesis. This study demonstrates that PDGF-BB is major mitogens for human periodontal ligament cells in vitro, and supports a role for TGF-${\beta}_1$ as a regulation of the mitogenic and total protein formation to PDGF-BB in these cells.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.339-352
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• 2008

Aims: The aims of this study were to identify the association between cervical muscle pain and TMD by pressure pain response, and to find cervical muscles showing moderate to severe pressure pain that are correlated with masticatory muscle pain. Methods: Patients(n=129, female 65.9%, mean age 28.8 years) answered a TMD questionnaire asking about headache, neck pain, emotional stress, sleep disturbance, parafunction habits, and pain intensity. A clinical examination of the masticatory system was performed. Of the neck muscles, (1) the upper sternocleidomastoid, (2) the middle sternocleidomastoid, (3) the upper trapezius, (4) the splenius capitis, (5) the semispinalis capitis, (6) the scalene medius, and (7) the levator scapulae muscles were examined by palpation. Pressure pain or tenderness of all palpation sites was scored from 0 to 3 according to the pain response. The variables of sum of pressure pain scores were calculated from pressure pain scores and were used for statistical analyses. Results: Eighty patients(62.0%) answered that they suffer from neck pain in the TMD questionnaire. More than 40% of sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius examination sites showed moderate to severe tenderness in the cervical muscles, and 36% of middle masseter in the masticatory muscles. For the 129 patients, the sum of cervical muscle pain scores(mean=12.88, SD=8.06) and the sum of TMD pain scores(mean=5.36, SD=5.10) were moderately correlated($\rho$ = 0.502, P < 0.001). The sum of TMD pain scores tends to increase as the sum of cervical muscle pain scores increases(Y = 0.395${\cdot}$X, $R^2$ = 0.659, P < 0.001). In the patients with masticatory muscle disorders, the sum of sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius pain scores(mean = 8.67, SD = 4.95) and the sum of temporalis and masseter pain scores(mean = 3.37, SD = 3.56) showed moderate correlation($\rho$ = 0.375, P < 0.001). Those two variables were in a proportionate relationship(Y = 0.359${\cdot}$X, $R^2$ = 0.538, P < 0.001). In a partial correlation analysis of the sum of unilateral pain scores, the sum of right cervical muscle pain scores and the sum of left cervical muscle pain scores showed the highest correlation(r = 0.802, P < 0.001). The sum of right TMD pain scores and the sum of left TMD pain scores were moderately correlated(r = 0.481, P < 0.001). For the twenty patients with unilateral TMD pain, the partial correlation coefficient between the sum of ipsilateral cervical muscle pain scores and the sum of contralateral cervical muscle pain scores was the largest(r = 0.597, P = 0.009). A partial correlation between the sum of primary TMD side pain scores and the sum of ipsilateral cervical muscle pain scores was 0.564(P = 0.015). Conclusions: TMD is associated with cervical muscle pain on condition of pressure pain response to palpation. Of the cervical muscles, sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius frequently exhibit moderate to severe pressure pain, and they are closely related to the masticatory muscle pain. The characteristic of symmetric involvement of pain is prominent in cervical muscles; however, TMD can affect the level of cervical muscle pain to modify its symmetric nature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.1343-1352
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• 1997

Background : Heat-treated cells are known to be protected from lysis by TNF, which is considered to play a central role in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced acute lung injury. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of heat shock response by heat-pretreatment on the acute lung injury of the rats induced by intratracheally administered TNF-$\alpha$, Methods : We intratracheally instilled either saline or TNF (R&D, 500ng) with and without heat pretreatment in Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250~350 g. The heated rats were raised their rectal temperature to $41^{\circ}C$ and was maintained thereafter for 13 minutes at 18 h before intratracheal administration of saline or TNF. After 5 h of intratracheal treatment, lung leak, lung myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and heat shock proteins were measured in rats. Lung leak index was defined as counts per minute of $I^{25}$ in the right lung divided by counts per minutes of $I^{25}$ in 1.0 ml of blood. All data are expressed as means ${\pm}$SE. Results : There is no difference in acute lung leak index ($0.099{\pm}0.024$ vs $0.123{\pm}0.005$) among the rats given saline intratracheally with and without heat pretreatment, but MPO activity showed a decreased tendency in heat-pretreated rats ($4.58{\pm}0.79\;U/g$) compared with heat-unpretreated rats ($7.32{\pm}0.97\;U/g$) (P=0.064). Rats administered TNF intratracheally with heat-pretreatment had decreased lung leak index ($0.137{\pm}0.012$) and lung MPO activity ($5.51{\pm}1.04\;U/g$) compared with those of heat-unpretreated and TNF-administered rats ($0.186{\pm}0.016$, $14.34{\pm}1.22\;U/g$) (P<0.05 in each). There were no significant difference of lung leak index and MPO activity between TNF-treated rats with heat-pretreatment and saline-treated rats with and without heat-pretreatment. Conclusion : The heat shock response attenuated neutrophil recruitment and acute lung leak induced by intratracheal instillation of TNF-in rats.