• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1247-1253
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• 2014

Mutations in the DNMT3A and IDH genes represent the most common genetic alteration after FLT3/NPM1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We here analyzed the frequency and distribution pattern of DNMT3A and IDH mutations and their associations with other molecular markers in normal karyotype AML patients. Fortyfive patients were screened for mutations in DNMT3A (R882), IDH1 (R132) and IDH2 (R140 and R172) genes by direct sequencing. Of the 45 patients screened, DNMT3A and IDH mutations were observed in 6 (13.3%) and 7 (15.4%), respectively. Patients with isolated DNMT3A mutations were seen in 4 cases (9%), isolated IDH mutations in 5 (11.1%), while interestingly, two cases showed both DNMT3A and IDH mutations (4.3%). Nucleotide sequencing of DNMT3A revealed missense mutations (R882H and R882C), while that of IDH revealed R172K, R140Q, R132H and R132S. Both DNMT3A and IDH mutations were observed only in adults, with a higher frequency in males. DNMT3A and IDH mutations were significantly associated with NPM1, while trends towards higher coexistence with FLT3 mutations were observed. This is the first study to evaluate DNMT3A/IDH mutations in Indian patients. Significant associations among the various molecular markers was observed, that highlights cooperation between them and possible roles in improved risk stratification.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.165-174
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• 2002

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been identified as a peptide growth factor specific for vascular endothelial cells. In this study, we examined the effect of VEGF on radiation induced apoptosis and receptor/second messenger signal transduction pathway for VEGF effect in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). VEGF was found to protect HUVECs against the lethal effects of ionizing radiation by inhibiting the apoptosis induced in these cells by radiation exposure. VEGF (1-30 ng/ml) dose dependently inhibited apoptosis by irradiation. Pre-treatment with Flt-1 and Flk-l/KDR receptor blocked the VEGF-in duced antiapoptotic effect. Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3-kinase) specific inhibitor, Wortman in and LY294002, blocked the VEGF-induced antiapoptotic effect. These data suggest that VEGF may play an important role in survival of HUVECs due to the prevention of apoptotic cell death caused by some stresses such as ionizing radiation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.1571-1576
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• 2012

A diarylurea compound 1 possessing pyrrolo[3,2-$c$]pyridine nucleus was designed and synthesized with structure similarity to Sorafenib. Compound 1 was tested over 60-cancer cell line panel at a single dose concentration of 10 ${\mu}M$ and showed high activity. It was further tested in a five-dose mode to determine its $IC_{50}$, TGI, and $LC_{50}$ values over the 60 cell lines. Compound 1 showed high potency and good efficacy, and was accordingly tested at a single dose concentration of 10 ${\mu}M$ over a panel of 40 kinases. At this concentration, it completely inhibited the enzymatic activities of a number of oncogenic kinases, including ABL, ALK, c-RAF, FLT3, KDR, and TrkB. The target compound was subsequently tested over these 6 kinases in 10-dose testing mode in order to determine its $IC_{50}$ values.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2006

This study compared cell expansion and colony forming ability in human cord blood stem cells cultured ex vivo with two kinds of cytokine combinations, two kinds of media, presence or absence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and two or three dimensional (2D or 3D) culture environments. Purified $CD34^+$ cells were cultured in the IMDM (Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium) and SFM (Serum Free Medium) containing a cytokine cocktail-I (coc-I) (EPO, GMCSF, SCF, and IL-3) or a cytokine cocktail-II (coc-II) (TPO, G-CSF, SCF, IL-6, and Flt3/Flk-2 ligand) with or without FBS. Generally, higher cellular and clonogenic expansion were observed in the coc-I cytokine condition, compared to coc-II cytokine condition. 3D (Methocult) and 2D (IMDM + coc-I + FBS) conditions gave the greatest cell ($2,258{\pm}456$ fold) and CFU (BFU-E: $652{\pm}19$, CFU-GM: $520{\pm}58$, CFU-GEMM: $339{\pm}100$ fold) expansions, respectively. In aspect of medium, IMDM was better than SFM, except for coc-II condition without FBS. In conclusion, 'IMDM + coc-I + FBS' and 'IMDM + coc-I' were the best CFU expansions on the occasion of all culture conditions. FBS and 2D conditions had affirmative effect on CFU expansion, generally. These data might provide a variety of notions about ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells.

• BLOOD RESEARCH
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.294-298
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• 2018

Background Production of immunosuppressive enzymes such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is one of the strategies employed by hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), to circumvent immune surveillance. Moreover, IDO has the ability to convert $CD4^+CD25^-$ conventional T cells into regulatory T cells (Tregs). In this study, we evaluated the expression of IDO in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) patients and its correlation with the Treg marker, FOXP3, as well as clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods Thirty-seven newly diagnosed CN-AML patients were enrolled in our study along with 22 healthy individuals. The expression of the IDO and FOXP3 genes was analyzed by SYBR Green real-time PCR. Results Both IDO and FOXP3 were highly upregulated in CN-AML patients compared to control groups (P=0.004 and P=0.031, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between IDO and FOXP3 expression among AML patients (r=0.512, P=0.001). Expression of IDO and FOXP3 showed no significant correlation with laboratory parameters such as white blood cell and platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, bone marrow blast percentage, gender, and FLT3 mutation status (P>0.05). Conclusion Higher IDO expression in CN-AML patients may be associated with an increased Treg phenotype which may promote disease progression and lead to poor prognosis of CN-AML patients.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was carried out in order to estimate atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and sources using pine needles as a passive air sampler (PAS) in urban (Pyeongtaek), semirural (Anseong) and rural (Jincheon) sites. Methods: One-year-old pine needles were collected for analysis of their PAH concentrations ($C_{p,n}g/g$ dry) at the end of December. PAHs concentrations in the ambient air ($C_a$, $ng/m^3$) were calculated with a $Log(C_p/C_a)-LogK_{oa}$ correlational equation. Results: PAHs concentrations in ambient air ($C_a$) were high, in the order of urban ($114.03ng/m^3$), semirural ($105.17ng/m^3$) and rural ($61.91ng/m^3$) sites. However, distributions of PAH isomer concentrations were very similar. PAHs of which molecular weight is smaller than 228.30 (AcPy, Acp, Flu, Phen, Ant, Flt, Pyr, BaA, Chry) made up most of the PAHs in the ambient air (96.6-98.5%). Conclusion: At urban, semirural and rural sites, it was concluded that the main source of PAHs in the ambient air ratio of each PAH isomer concentration was cars, especially diesel vehicles.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1848-1858
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• 2010

Phenylaminopyrimidines represent a large group of new selective anticancer agents, the majority of which exert their action through the inhibition of specific kinases. In this study, a new series of N-substituted-2-aminopyrimidines has been designed and synthesized. A selected group of the synthesized derivatives was screened at a single dose concentration of 10 ${\mu}M$ over a panel of 60 cancer cell-lines. Compound 12e has showed great inhibitory and strong lethal effect over almost all of the 60 cell-lines and accordingly was further tested in a 5-dose testing mode to determine its $IC_{50}$ values, where it showed great efficacies with intermediate potencies over the tested cell-lines. The compound was also tested over a panel of 52 kinases to explore its kinase inhibitory profile, and was found to be a selective but moderate inhibitor over FLT3 kinase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2010

Human tumors, including those of the hepatobiliary system, express a number of specific antigens that can be recognized by T cells, and may provide potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Dendritic cells (DCs) are rare leucocytes that are uniquely potent in their ability to capture, process and present antigens to T cells. The ability to culture sufficient numbers of DCs from human bone marrow or blood progenitors has attracted a great deal of interest in their potential utilization in human tumor vaccination. $CD34^+$ peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) were obtained from a patient with a hepatocellular carcinoma. The PBSCs were cultured in the X-VIVO 20 medium supplemented with the Flt-3 Ligand (FL), GM-CSF, IL-4 and TNF-$\alpha$ for 12 days. The morphology and functions of the cells were examined. The generated cells had the typical morphology of DCs. When the DCs were reinjected into the same patient, an augmentation of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity was observed. Concomitantly, an increase in the natural killer (NK) cell activity was also detected in the patient. These results suggest that DCs-based cancer immunotherapy may become an important treatment option for cancer patients in the future.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2015

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) causes a major upper respiratory tract infection often leading to severe illness and death in the elderly. Thus, it is important to induce safe and effective mucosal immunity against this pathogen in order to prevent pnuemocaccal infection. However, this is a very difficult task to elicit protective mucosal IgA antibody responses in older individuals. A combind nasal adjuvant consisting of a plasmid encoding the Flt3 ligand cDNA (pFL) and CpG oligonucleotide (CpG ODN) successfully enhanced S. pneumoniae-specific mucosal immunity in aged mice. In particular, a pneumococcal surface protein A-based nasal vaccine given with pFL and CpG ODN induced complete protection from S. pneumoniae infection. These results show that nasal delivery of a combined DNA adjuvant offers an attractive potential for protection against the pneumococcus in the elderly.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.26
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• pp.4.1-4.6
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was carried out to determine whether or not pine needles can be used as passive samplers of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the correlation between accumulated PAH concentrations in air (Ca, ng/$m^3$) and those deposited on pine needles (Cp, ng/g dry). Methods: PAHs in ambient air was collected using low volume PUF sampler and pine needles was gathered at same place for 7 months. Results: A good correlation ($R^2$=0.8582, p<0.05) was found between Ca and Cp for PAHs with a higher gaseous state in air (AcPy, Acp, Flu, Phen, Ant, Flt, Pyr, BaA and Chry), but there was a poorer correlation ($R^2$=0.1491, p=0.5123) for the PAHs with a lower gaseous state (BbF, BkF, BaP, DahA, BghiP and Ind123). A positive correlation ($R^2$=0.8542) was revealed between the logarithm of the octanol-air partitioning coefficient ($logK_{oa}$) and Cp/Ca for the PAHs with a higher gaseous state in air, but there was a negative correlation ($R^2$=0.8131) for the PAHs with a lower gaseous state. The Ca-Cp model could not be used to estimate PAHs concentrations in air using deposited PAHs concentrations on pine needles, but the logKoa-Cp/Ca model could be used. Conclusions: It was found that pine needles can be used as passive samplers of atmospheric PAHs.