• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.227-227
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• 2005

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6227-6231
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• 2013

In the past, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was endemic in the general Korean population. The association of HBV infection with the occurrence of liver cancer has been well demonstrated in several epidemiologic studies. While the mortality rates of liver cancer in Korea have decreased steadily over the last decade, the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in mothers remains high at 3-4%, and 25.5% of these HBsAg positive mothers are positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). HBV infection caused almost a quarter of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases and one-third of deaths from HCC. These aspects of HBV infection prompted the Korean government to create a vaccination program against HBV in the early 1980s. In 1995, the Communicable Disease Prevention Act (CDPA) was reformed, and the government increased the number of HBV vaccines in the National Immunization Program (NIP), driving the vaccination rate up to 95%. In 2000, the National Health Insurance Act (NHIA) was enacted, which provided increased resources for the prevention of perinatal HBV infection. Then in 2002, the Korean government, in conjunction with the Korean Medical Association (KMA), launched an HBV perinatal transmission prevention program. The prevalence of HBsAg in children had been high (4-5%) in the early 1980s, but had dropped to below 1% in 1995, and finally reached 0.2% in 2006 after the NIP had been implemented. After the success of the NIP, Korea finally obtained its first certification of achievement from the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WPRO-WHO) for reaching its goal for HBV control. An age-period-cohort analysis showed a significant reduction in the liver cancer mortality rate in children and adolescents after the NIP had been implemented. In addition to its vaccination efforts, Korea launched the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) for 5 leading sites of cancer, including the liver, in 1999. As a consequence of this program, the 5-year liver cancer survival rate increased from 13.2% (1996-2000) to 23.3% (2003-2008). The development of both the primary and secondary prevention for liver cancer including HBV immunization and cancer screening has been of critical importance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2011

In January 2010, high mortalities of ducklings occurred in two adjacent farms. Ducklings in farm A showed neurologic signs including paddling, opisthotonus and lameness, but ducklings from farm B had no specific clinical signs. At post mortem, diffused hemorrhagic spots in the liver and hemorrhages in the small intestine were observed in ducklings from farm A, and ducklings from farm B had only proventricular ulceration. Microscopically, multiple necrosis of hepatocytes, hyperplasia of the bile ducts, hemorrhages, infiltration of lymphocytes and bacterial colonies were commonly observed in the liver of ducklings from both farms. Also, type A and C duck hepatitis virus (DHV) were isolated from farm A and farm B, respectively and Salmonella typhimurium was commonly isolated and identified serologically and biochemically. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the co-infection of DHV and Salmonella typhimurium in ducklings, and co-circulation of type A and C duck hepatitis viruses in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7213-7218
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• 2014

Background: Egypt has one of the highest prevalences of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide. Although the IL28B gene polymorphism has been shown to modify the course of chronic HCV infection, this has not been properly assessed in the Egyptian population. Materials and Methods: The IL28B rs12979860 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was therefore examined in 256 HCV-infected Egyptian patients (group II) at different stages of disease progression and in 48 healthy volunteers (group I). Group II was subdivided into GII-A (chronic hepatitis patients, n=119), GII-B (post hepatitis cirrhosis, n=66) and GII-C (HCC on top of cirrhosis, n=71). Results: The C/T genotype was the commonest in all groups. It was more frequent in GI (52%) than in GII (48%). There was no significant difference in the frequency of C/T and C/C or T/T genotypes between groups and subgroups (p=0.82). Within the subgroups; the C/C genotype was more common in GII-B while C/T and T/T genotypes were more common in GII-C, though with no significant difference (p=0.59 and p=0.80). There was no significant association between IL28B rs12979860 SNP and viral load, ALT, AFP level, METAVIR scores for necro-inflammation and fibrosis, and Child-Pugh classification. Conclusions: 1) IL28Brs12979860 C/T genotype is the commonest genotype in HCV-associated CH and HCC in Egypt. 2) IL28Brs12979860 polymorphisms are not associated with disease progression or aggression (histological staging, severity of fibrosis in CH or the incidence of post-HCV HCC). 3) Differences in IL28Brs12979860 genotypes could be a consequence of environmental or ethnic variation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.106-110
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• 2009

Objective : To study the Oriental Medicine-based strategies or therapeutics for chronic HBV infection. Methods : A chronic HBV carrier was treated with only oriental therapies. Then, serum biochemical parameters were serially chased, and change of HBV-DNA level was evaluated. Result : The biochemical indicators (AST, ALT, gamma-GTP, bilirubin) fluctuated during the treatment period. After one episode of drastic elevation of serum aminotransferase, HBV-DNA disappeared from the blood along with normalization of biochemical parameters within two years of beginning treatment. Conclusion : Oriental Medicine-based therapeutics could be an alternative strategy against chronic infection of HBV.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.57-57
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• 2003

Dimethyl-4,4’-dimethoxy-5,6,5’, 6’-dimethylenedioxybipheny-2,2’ -dicarboxylate (DDB) is a synthetic analogue of Schisandrin C, one of the components isolated from Fructus Schisandrae which is a traditional Chinese medicine and has been known to be effective in improvimg liver functions. DDB is currently used clinically for patients with hepatitis virus B. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.178-178
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• 1996

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the serious problems in Southeast Asia including Korea because it causes chronic hepatitis, which can easily be transformed In fatal conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatoma. Even though lots of informations on structural characteristics and gene expression mechanisms have been accumulated, the mechanism for HBV-induced hepatocellular injury which is believed to be the consequences of the immunological response is not well understood. In order tn perform immunopathological studies for prevention and treatment of HBV infection, we designed transgenic mice as a disease model which can mimic HBV infection, In this study, a promoter-HBV DNA fragment for the preparation of HBV transgenic mice has been constructed. To add a proper enzyme site on 5' end of HBV gene, total HBV (subtype adr) gene was inserted into BamHI site of pBluescript SK vector and reextracted by PstI-SacI treatment A liver-specific promoter, rat ${\alpha}$ 2u globulin gene promoter, was insrted to pBluescript SK vector and reextracted by BamHI-PstI treatment, Promoter-HBV DNA was constructed by ligation of two fragments using identical PstI sites. For large scale production of promoter-HBV DNA, it was inserted to BamHI-SacI site of pBluescript SK vector.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.699-703
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• 1992

An oriental drug, named NP-S, traditionally used as a therapeutic agent for hepatitis B was characterized by separating into volatile and non-volatile fractions. The volatile fraction contained ammonia as determined by ammonia kit and eight peaks when it was analyzed by gas chromatography that are not identified yet. The elemental analysis showed that the non-volatile fraction contained 15.5% carbon, 4.8% hydrogen, 11% nitrogen, and 10% sulfur along with a few trace elements such as Cl, Si, Mg and Zn. NP-S contained 6.7% peptide, 0.3% free amino acids such as Lys, Pro, Arg, lie, Tyr, Phe, His, Thr and Ser and 0.1% inorganic phosphate. The drug showed antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium, StaPhylococcus aureus and Candida albieans and also had antioxidant activity when thiobarbituric acid reacting substances(TBARS) method was applied.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.545-552
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• 2008

A hepadnaviruses replicates its DNA genome via reverse transcription of an RNA template (pregenomic RNA or pgRNA), which has a cap structure at the 5' end and a poly(A) tail at the 3' end. We have previously shown that the 5' cap is indispensable for encapsidation of the pgRNA. A speculative extension of the above finding is that the cap contributes to encapsidation via its interaction with the poly(A) tail, possibly involving eIF4E-eIF4G-PABP interaction. To test this hypothesis, poly(A)-less pgRNAs were generated via cleavage by a cis-acting hepatitis delta virus ribozyme sequence. We found that accumulation of the poly(A)-less pgRNA was markedly diminished, mostly likely due to its reduced stability. Importantly, however, the remaining poly(A)-less pgRNAs were nonetheless encapsidated and reverse transcribed normally when the reduced stability was taken account. Our finding clearly contradicts the notion that the poly(A) tail has any function in encapsidation and viral reverse transcription.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2006

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural protein 5A protein (NS5A), which consists of three functional domains, is involved in regulating viral replication, interferon resistance, and apoptosis. Recently, the three-dimensional structure of the domain 1 was determined. However, currently the molecular basis for the domains 2 and 3 of HCV NS5A is yet to be defined. Toward this end, we expressed, purified the domain 2 of the NS5A (NS5A-D2), and then performed biochemical and structural studies. The purified domain 2 was active and was able to bind NS5B and PKR, biological partners of NS5A. The results from gel filtration, CD analysis, 1D $^1H$ NMR and 2D $^1H-^{15}N$ heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) spectroscopy indicate that the domain 2 of NS5A appears to be flexible and disordered.