• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.2027-2033
• /
• 2014

Background: We aimed to assess RET proto-oncogene polymorphisms in three different Iranian families with medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), and performed molecular dynamics simulations and free energy stability analysis of these mutations. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 48 patients and their first-degree relatives with MTC confirmed by pathologic diagnosis and surgery. We performed molecular dynamics simulations and free energy stability analysis of mutations, and docking evaluation of known RET proto-oncogene inhibitors, including ZD-6474 and ponatinib, with wild-type and mutant forms. Results: The first family consisted of 27 people from four generations, in which nine had the C.G2901A (P.C634Y) mutation; the second family consisted of six people, of whom three had the C.G2901T (P.C634F) mutation, and the third family, who included 12 individuals from three generations, three having the C.G2251A (P.G691S) mutation. The automated 3D structure of RET protein was predicted using I-TASSER, and validated by various protein model verification programs that showed more than 96.3% of the residues in favored and allowed regions. The predicted instability indices of the mutated structures were greater than 40, which reveals that mutated RET protein is less thermo-stable compared to the wild-type form (35.4). Conclusions: Simultaneous study of the cancer mutations using both in silico and medical genetic procedures, as well as onco-protein inhibitor binding considering mutation-induced drug resistance, may help in better overcoming chemotherapy resistance and designing innovative drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.1185-1189
• /
• 2015

Background: Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) with solid tumors causes mortality and morbidity at a significant rate. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of filgastrim and lenograstim started with the first dose of antibiotics in hospitalized patients diagnosed with FN. Materials and Methods: Between February 2009 and May 2012, 151 patients diagnosed with FN were evaluated, retrospectively. In those considered appropriate for hospitalization, convenient antibiotic therapy with granulocyte colony stimulating factors was started within first 30 minutes by completing necessary examinations in accordance with FEN guide recommendations. Results: In this study, 175 febrile neutropenia attacks in 151 patients were examined. Seventy three of the patients were male and 78 were female. The average age was 53.6 and 53.6, respectively. The most common solid tumor was breast carcinoma in 38 (25%). One hundred and five FN patients (58%) were those who received granulocyte colony stimulating factors as primary prophylaxis. Conclusions: While studies comparing both drugs generally involve treatments started for prophylaxis, this study compared the treatment given during the febrile neutropenia attack. Compared to lenograstim, filgastrim shortens the duration of hospitalization during febrile neutropenia attack by facilitating faster recovery with solid tumors.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.137-145
• /
• 2000

Carcinogenesis is a multi-stage process that generally consists of at least three steps; initiation, promotion, and progression. If one of these carcinogenic steps were suppressed or delayed, the cancer could be prevented. Cancer chemoprevention is defined to be inhibition or reversal of the carcinogenic process by the specific chemical agents and is a novel approach to cancer management alternative to conventional chemotherapy. Chlorophylln(CHL), a water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll, containing sodium and copper, has been known to be strong antimutagen in several test systems, but its mechanism of antimutagenic action is unknown. In the present experiment, the possibility of CHL as chemopreventive drugs on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene(DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis was investigated by mutagenicity test, carcinogenicity test, and frequency or spectrum of H-ras mutations in the both of DMBA-induced and chlorophylln-pretreated-DMBA induced tumor by polymerase chain reaction and non-isotopic restriction fragment length polymorphism. The treatment of CHL reduced the yields and multiplicity of the 0.5% DMBA-induced tumor, 86% to 62.5% and $3.7{\pm}0.6$ to $1.4{\pm}0.3$, respectively. The occurrence of histidine revertant by $20{\mu}mole$ DMBA was inhibited 25.6 to 81.7% by 1 to $5{\mu}M$ CHL in a dose-dependent manner. The mutation rates of H-ras gene in DMBA-induced and CHL-pretreated-DMBA induced tumor were 96%, 94% of which the most mutations were in codon 12/13. These results suggest that CHL inhibits the carcinogenic action of DMBA by the formation of complex between CHL and DMBA or the inhibition of the activation of DMBA in vivo. But CHL did not affect the mutation rates or its spectrum in already formed tumor.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.45-50
• /
• 2008

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an antimetabolic of the pyrimidine derivatives that is used in chemotherapy for the treatment of several types of cancer. 5-FU have poor oral absorption and short biological half-time and strong side effects. Microneedle introduced to find a solution of problems. Microneedle device with roll was manufactured for transdermal delivery of various drugs. 5-FU was mixed in non-ionic surfactant such as tween 20 and tween 80. Camscope was used to analysis the permeation magnitude of treated skin by microneedle and trypan blue staining. The 5-FU solution with surfactant measured by ZETA-potential analysis system for stability of solution. The skin permeation rate of 5-FU determined by HPLC. We confirmed that cross treated skin was dyed more deeply than parallel treated skin through trypan blue staining. The results indicate that skin permeation rate of 5-FU was increased with the treatment types and treatment times.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.91-96
• /
• 2018

Nephrotic syndrome in the first year of life, characterized by renal dysfunction and proteinuria, is associated with a heterogeneous group of disorders. These disorders are often related to genetic mutations, but the syndrome can also be caused by a variety of other diseases. We report an infant with nephrotic syndrome associated with a neuroblastoma. A 6-month-old girl was admitted with a 10% weight loss over 10 days and nephrotic-range proteinuria. She was ill-looking, and her blood pressure was higher than normal for her age. Her cystatin-C glomerular filtration rate was decreased, and levels of plasma renin, aldosterone, and catecholamines were elevated. Renal ultrasonography and abdominal computed tomography showed a retroperitoneal prevertebral mass encasing both renal arteries and the left renal vein. The mass was partially resected laparoscopically, and the pathologic diagnosis was neuroblastoma. Findings on a simultaneous renal biopsy were unremarkable. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and several anti-hypertensive drugs, including an alpha blocker. Two months later, the mass had decreased in size and the proteinuria and hypertension were gradually improving. In an infant with abnormal renin-angiotensin system activation, severe hypertension, and nephrotic-range proteinuria, neuroblastoma can be considered in the differential diagnosis.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.12
• /
• pp.1705-1711
• /
• 2009

Carcinoma cells that had acquired resistance to a chemotherapeutic drug often show cross-resistance to various other cytotoxic drugs. In the present study, we explored the effect of heat shock in cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells SNU601/Cis2 to figure out the efficacy of hyperthermia in drug-resistant carcinoma. While SNU601/WT cells showed a high-sensitivity response to heat shock by dying through apoptosis, SNU601/Cis2 cells were considerably resistant to mild heat shock, but died by necrosis upon treatment with harsh heat shock. The occurrence of necrosis in SNU601/Cis2 cells was linked to the suppression of both JNK1/2 activation and HSP27 induction in response to heat shock. Since necrosis is closely associated with tumor malignancy and poor prognosis through inflammatory responses, our result suggests that hyperthermic treatment should be carefully applied when it is combined with chemotherapy.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.396-401
• /
• 2015

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates the expression of several cytoprotective genes. More recently, genetic analyses of human tumors have indicated that Nrf2 may cause resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we found that the expression levels of Nrf2 and its target genes GCLC, HO-1, NQO1 were significantly higher in cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549/CDDP) cells than those in A549 cells, and this resistance was partially reversed by Nrf2 siRNA. 3,4,5,5,7-Pentamethoxyflavone (PMF), a natural flavon extracted from Rutaceae plants, sensitized A549/CDDP to CDDP and substantially induced apoptosis compared with that of CDDP alone treated group, and this reversal effect decreased when Nrf2 was downregulated by siRNA. Mechanistically, PMF reduced Nrf2 expression leading to a reduction of Nrf2 downstream genes, and in contrast, this effect was decreased by blocking Nrf2 with siRNA. Taken together, these results demonstrated that PMF could be used as an effective adjuvant sensitizer to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs by downregulating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 1992

We have analyzed 1559 operated cases during the 32 year period, from October, 1958 to December, 1990. Annual incidence of the surgical treatment decreased from 101[1960] to 25[1990]. The ratio between male and female was 2.1: 1 and the age of peak incidence was in the 3rd and 4th decades. Recently, patients below the age of 20 years were decreased, but above 50 years were much increased. The patients were consisted of far-advanced case in 71.8% and moderately-advanced case in 22.0% in 1990, as compared with 44% and 54% correspondingly in 1960. Preoperative sputum positivity decreased from 91%[1958~1963] to 38%[1982~1990]. Preoperative antituberculous chemotherapy for more than 3 years increased from 16% [1958~1963] to 56.5% [1982~1990]. From the view of surgical indication, totally destroyed lung and destroyed lobe or segment has been main indication. Recently empyema with parenchymal lesion was increased, and so more extensive surgical resection such as pleuropneumonectomy was performed more frequently. The trends in the mode of surgical treatment revealed that thoracoplasty has virtually disappeared and operations required for residuals of pleural disease have increased. Postoperative mortality increased from 1.6-2.0% to 3.6% recently as well as morbidity. On the basis of our study, far-advanced and drug-resistant patients increased in number recently, whose pulmonary function was poor. So postoperative mortality and morbidity was increased despite improved anesthetic and surgical techniques. Proper surgical intervention should be considered before the appearance of resistance for all chemotherapeutic drugs.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.4-10
• /
• 2015

Etifoxine (etafenoxine, $Stresam^{(R)}$) is a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic with an anticonvulsant effect. It was developed in the 1960s for anxiety disorders and is currently being studied for its ability to promote peripheral nerve healing and to treat chemotherapy-induced pain. In addition to being mediated by $GABA_A{\alpha}2$ receptors like benzodiazepines, etifoxine appears to produce anxiolytic effects directly by binding to ${\beta}2$ or ${\beta}3$ subunits of the $GABA_A$ receptor complex. It also modulates $GABA_A$ receptors indirectly via stimulation of neurosteroid production after etifoxine binds to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) of the outer mitochondrial membrane in the central and peripheral nervous systems, previously known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). Therefore, the effects of etifoxine are not completely reversed by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. Etifoxine is used for various emotional and bodily reactions followed by anxiety. It is contraindicated in situations such as shock, severely impaired liver or kidney function, and severe respiratory failure. The average dosage is 150 mg per day for no more than 12 weeks. The most common adverse effect is drowsiness at the initial stage. It does not usually cause any withdrawal syndromes. In conclusion, etifoxine shows less adverse effects of anterograde amnesia, sedation, impaired psychomotor performance, and withdrawal syndromes than those of benzodiazepines. It potentiates $GABA_A$ receptor-function by a direct allosteric effect and by an indirect mechanism involving the activation of TSPO. It seems promising that non-benzodiazepine anxiolytics including etifoxine will replenish shortcomings of benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors according to animated studies related to TSPO.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.271-283
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study was to aid in the prediction of tumor cell tolerance to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. For this study, cell surviving curves were obtained for human squamous cell carcinoma KB cell line after radiation exposure and/or administration of antitumor drugs. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10Gy were irradiated at a dose rate of 210cGy/min using /sup 60/Co Irradiator ALDORADO 8. After irradiation, KB cell lines (3×104cells/ml) were exposed to 2㎍/ml of bleomycin or cisplatin for 1 hour. The viable cells were determined by MTT assay for each radiation dose and/or each drug at the 4th day. And they were compared to control values. The obtained results were as follows : 1. The slope of the surviving curve after irradiation of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10Gy on KB cell line was relatively steep. 2. There was no significant difference between the cytotoxicity of bleomycin compared to control group. But, there was significant difference between the cytotoxicity of cisplatin compared to control group. And the cytotoxicity of cisplatin was greater than that of bleomycin on KB cell line. 3. There were significant differences of surviving fractions after irradiation of 2Gy and 10Gy with 2㎍/ml of bleomycin compared with the groups of irradiation only on KB cell line. 4. There were significant differences of surviving fractions after irradiation of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10Gy with 2㎍/ml of cisplatin compared with the groups of irradiation only on KB cell line. 5. There was significant difference of surviving fraction between groups after irradiation of 10Gy with 2㎍/ml of bleomycin and cisplatin.