• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.746-750
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• 2003

Lactose operon contains two CRP binding sites at promoter(CRP1 site) and operator(CRP2 site) regions at lac operon. CRP protein can bind to both sites with the different binding affinity. CRP1 site, major CRP binding site, acts the transcription activation with the fully unknown mechanism by binding of CRP. In this study, the binding affinities of CRP1 site and CRP2 site were measured with the fluorescein-labeled oligomers, which contain CRP1 site and the three different spacing sequences between GTGA and TCAC at CRP2 site. Results showed that CRP:cAMP complex bound to CRP1 site 3 times more strongly than CRP2 site and the base spacing between GTGA and TCAC was not the only factor to affect the binding affinity of CRP to CRP2 site.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2000

CRP (cyclic AMP receptor protein) regulate transcription of catabolite-sensitive genes in Escherichia coli. Wild-type and mutant CRP (S83G and S128A) proteins were used to measure the thermal stability and the temperature-dependent structural change by proteolytic digestion, UV spectrophotometer and CD spectrapolarimeter. The result indicated that wild-type CRP was more thermally stable than the mutant CRPs in the presence of cAMP. At a low temperature, wild-type CRP with cAMP was more sensitive to subtilisin than the mutant CRPs. At a high temperature, there was no difference of sensitivity to subtilisin among wild-type, S83G and S128A CRPs. CD spectra suggested that the secondary structure of CRP was destroyed partially at a high temperature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.5
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• pp.207-214
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• 2013

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly. Several studies have reported the clinical usefulness of serum procalcitonin, a biomarker of bacterial infection. However, the association between the levels of procalcitonin and the severity in the elderly with CAP has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of procalcitonin as a predictor of severity and mortality in the elderly with CAP. Methods: This study covers 155 CAP cases admitted to Pusan National University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2010. Patients were divided into two groups (${\geq}65$ years, n=99; <65 years, n=56) and were measured for procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell, confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure, 65 years or older (CURB-65) and pneumonia severity of index (PSI). Results: The levels of procalcitonin were significantly correlated with the CURB-65, PSI in totals. Especially stronger correlation was observed between the levels of procalcitonin and CURB-65 in the elderly (procalcitonin and CURB-65, ${\rho}$=0.408 with p<0.001; procalcitonin and PSI, ${\rho}$=0.293 with p=0.003; procalcitonin and mortality, ${\rho}$=0.229 with p=0.023). The correlation between the levels of CRP or WBC and CAP severity was low. The existing cut-off value of procalcitonin was correlated with mortality rate, however, it was not correlated with mortality within the elderly. Conclusion: The levels of procalcitonin are more useful than the levels of CRP or WBC to predict the severity of CAP. However, there was no association between the levels of procalcitonin and mortality in the elderly.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.113-122
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of children diagnosed as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) in Korea. Methods: Diagnosis was made based on clinical features and confirmed by a mutation in the cold-induced autoinflammatory syndrome 1 (CIAS1) gene. Especially, osteocartilaginous overgrowth in the patella or distal femur was so characteristic that its presence warranted a diagnosis of chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous and articular/NOMID. Results: We observed the clinical features of 9 Korean CAPS patients. All the patients suffered from an urticarial rash with recurrent fever. Among the 9 patients, 6 presented with rash and 4 with fever on the 1st or 2nd days of birth. Eight patients showed myalgia, and 7 patients showed arthralgia in the joints, and 6 patients showed radiologic findings of arthropathy including cupping of the metaphysis, excessive growth of the epiphysis, osteopenia or overgrowth of the cartilage. Four patients showed brain atrophy, enlarged ventricles or leptomeningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging. Intellectual disability was observed in 1 patient. Five patients had eye involvement as conjunctivitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis, avascular area or papillary edema, and 3 patients showed progressive hearing loss. All 9 patients showed increased C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Conclusions: All the patients carried a mutation on exon 3 of the CIAS1 gene. After the anakinra (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist) therapy, the fever and rash immediately disappeared, and CRP and ESR were improved.