• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3307-3312
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• 2015

The papillary patterned lesion of thyroid may be challenging with many diagnostic pitfalls. Tumor stroma plays an important part in the determination of the tumor phenotype. CD34 is thought to be involved in the modulation of cell adhesion and signal transduction as CD34(+) fibrocytes are potent antigen-presenting cells. Smooth muscle actin (SMA) positivity could be diagnostic for fibroblast activation during tumorigenesis. We aimed to examine the expression of CD34 and alphaSMA in the stroma of papillary thyroid hyperplasia, papillary thyroid carcinoma and papillary tumors of uncertain malignant potential in order to elucidate their possible differential distribution and roles. A total number of 54 cases with papillary thyroid lesions were studied by routine H&E staining, CD34 and ASMA immunostaining. ASMA was not expressed in benign papillary hyperplastic lesions while it was expressed in papillary carcinoma, indicating that tumors have modulated stroma. Although the stroma was not well developed in papillary lesions with equivocal features of uncertain potentiality, CD34 was notable in such cases with higher incidence in malignant cases. So ASMA as well as CD34 could predict neoplastic behavior, pointing to the importance of the stromal role. Differences between groups suggest that the presence of CD34 + stromal cells is an early event in carcinogensis and is associated with neoplasia, however ASMA+ cells are more likely to be associated with malignant behavior and metastatic potential adding additional tools to the light microscopic picture helping in diagnosis of problematic cases with H&E.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.477-481
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• 2012

The rhizomes of Acorus gramineus have frequently been used in traditional medicine mainly for sedation as well as enhancing brain function. In this study, the anti-allergic activity of A. gramineus was investigated. The 70% ethanol extract of the rhizomes of A. gramineus was found to inhibit the allergic response against 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)-catalyzed leukotriene (LT) production from rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-1 cells and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells with $IC_{50}$'s of 48.9 and > $200{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Among the 9 major constituents isolated, ${\beta}$-asarone, (2R,3R,4S,5S)-2,4-dimethyl-1,3-bis (2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran (AF) and 2,3-dihydro-4,5,7-trimethoxy-1-ethyl-2-methyl-3-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)indene (AI) strongly inhibited 5-LOX-catalyzed LT production in A23187-treated RBL-1 cells, AI being the most potent ($IC_{50}=6.7{\mu}M$). Against ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release by antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells, only AI exhibited strong inhibition ($IC_{50}=7.3{\mu}M$) while ${\beta}$-asarone and AF showed 26.0% and 39.9% inhibition at $50{\mu}M$, respectively. In addition, the ethanol extract of A. gramineus showed significant inhibitory action against the hapten-induced delayed hypersensitivity reaction in mice by oral administration at 200 mg/kg. Therefore, it is suggested that A. gramineus possesses anti-allergic activity and the constituents including ${\beta}$-asarone and AI certainly contribute to the anti-allergic activity of the rhizomes of A. gramineus.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2020

Background: Previous studies have shown that lung cancer stem cells express CD133 and that certain cancer stem cells express cancer germline antigens (CGAs). The transcriptional regulation of CD133 is complicated and poorly understood. We investigated CD133 and CGA expression in a non-small cell lung cancer cell line. Methods: The expression levels of CD133 and CGAs (MAGE-6, GAGE, SSX, and TRAG-3) were measured in an NCI-H292 lung cancer cell line. The methylation status of the CD133 gene promoter region was analyzed. The expression levels and promoter methylation statuses of CD133 and CGAs were confirmed by treatment with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (ADC). Results: After treatment with ADC, CD133 expression was no longer detected. MAGE-6 and TRAG-3 were detected before ADC treatment, while GAGE and SSX were not detected. ADC treatment upregulated MAGE-6 and TRAG-3 expression, while GAGE expression was still undetected after treatment, and only weak SSX expression was observed. GAGE expression was not correlated with expression of CD133, while the levels of expression of MAGE-6, TRAG-3, and SSX were inversely correlated with CD133 expression. Conclusion: These results showed that CD133 expression can be regulated by methylation. Thus, the demethylation of the CD133 promoter may compromise the treatment of lung cancer by inactivating cancer stem cells and/or activating CGAs.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2002

Pneumococcal surfacce protein A (PspA) is an important virulence factor and an antigenically variable surface protein of the pneumococci. To purify the PspA from S. pneumoniae KNIH1156 , a clinical isolate (type 19F), we have taken advantage of the fact that PspA is released from the surface of pneumococci into the medium by growing in a CDM-ET medium and PspA is capable of binding human lactoferrin, the iron carrier protein. PspA of S. pneumoniae KNIH1156 was purified from culture supernatant by human lactoferrin (hLf) affinity chromatography. The purified PspA was confirmed with anti-PspA antiserum and also had the binding capacity to hLf specifically. To determine whether the purified PspA could elicit protection in mice against pneumococcal inflection, we immunized the mice with purified PspA and subsequently challenged with S. pneumoniae KNIH1156. Immunization with purified PspA protected mice from 500 times the $LD^{50}$ of S. pneumoniae KNIH1156. Therefore, it has been shown that purified PspA fromS. pneumoniae KNIH1156 (type 19F) is a protective immunogen.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.104-112
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• 2006

We previously reported that DA-9601, ethanol herbal extract of Artemisia asiatica, inhibited histamine and leukotriene releases in guinea pig lung mast cells activated with specific antigen/antibody reaction. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of DA-9601 on the OVA-induced airway inflammation in allergic asthma mouse model. BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA. DA-9601 was administered orally 1 h before every local OVA-challenge. OVA-specific serum IgE was measured by ELISA, recruitment of inflammatory cells in BAL fluids and lung tissues by Diff-Quik and H&E staining, respectively, the expressions of CD40, CD40L and VCAM-1 by immunohistochemistry, goblet cell hyperplasia by PAS staining, activities of MMPs by gelatin zymography, expressions of mRNA and proteins of cytokines by RT-PCR and ELISA, activities of MAP kinases by western blot, and activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ by EMSA. DA-9601 reduced IgE level, recruitment of inflammatory cells into the BAL fluid and lung tissues, expressions of CD40, CD40L and VCAM-1 molecules, goblet cell hyperplasia, MMPs activity, expressions of mRNA and productions of various cytokines, activities of MAP kinases and NK-${\kappa}B$ increased from OVA-challenged mice. These data suggest that DA-9601 may be developed as a clinical therapeutic agent in allergic diseases due to suppressing the airway allergic inflammation via regulation of various cellular molecules expressed by MAP kinases/NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1999

A piezoelectric (PZ) biosensor system detecting Salmonella spp. was developed. The system consisted of an oscillator, a frequency counter and an antibody-immobilized quartz crystal. An anti-Salmonella antibody was immobilized on one gold. surface of the quartz crystal with protein A. Salmonella detection was made by measuring resonant frequency shift owing to a mass change by specific binding of microbial cells to the gold surface of the PZ crystal. The PZ antibody sensor was operated optimally at 0.1M phosphate buffer, pH 7.2 and $35^{\circ}C$. The sensor was quite specific to Salmonella spp. The obtained frequency shift was correlated with the Salmonella concentration in the range of $10^5{\sim}10^6\;CFU/mL$. The frequency shift increased further by addition of polystyrene beads. The Salmonella detection which is indicated by a steady-state microbial adsorption to the quartz crystal was accomplished within 50min.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1464-1467
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• 2006

Artemisia princeps Pampanini, which is named as Sajabalssuk (SJ-1) in Korea, was fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and their antiallergic activities were investigated. When SJ-l was fermented with some LAB isolated from human feces, the inhibition of NO production in RAW264.7 cells and antioxidant activities of SJ-1 were not affected. However, the inhibitory activity of SJ-1 against degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells induced by IgE was increased by LAB fermentation. Among the LAB tested, Bifidobacterium infantis K-525 provided the most potent inhibitory effect of SJ-1 against degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells. SJ-1 extract fermented with B. infantis K-525 (F-SJ-1) potently inhibited the mouse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction induced by IgE with antigen, skin dermatitis induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, and scratching behaviors induced by compound 48/80. These inhibitory activities of F-SJ-1 were more potent than those of SJ-1. These findings suggest that the inhibition of SJ-1. extract against IgE-induced allergic diseases, such as rhinitis and asthma, can be enhanced by LAB fermentation.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 2012

Purpose: Sebaceous epithelioma (sebaceoma) is a benign tumor with sebaceous differentiation. It presents primarily as a yellowish papule or nodule on the face and scalp. It must be differentiated from basal cell carcinoma and other appendageal tumors. We report a giant sebaceous epithelioma on the scalp and describe the immunohistochemical character of the cells in sebaceous epithelioma to epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). Methods: A 55-year-old-man who presented with 5-cm-diameter 2-cm-height, round shape exophytic ulcerated tumor on his head presented for treatment. The patient had noticed the lesion 40 years prior as a small yellowish plaque and 18 months ago, the plaque started to grow progressively larger. We excised the lesion with 1 cm resection margin, considering the possibility of malignancy because this lesion grossly resembled basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The defect was repaired with the use of a splitthickness skin graft. Results: When we excised the lesion, the margin was clear. Histology showed nodules that consisted of an admixture of basaloid cells and mature adipocytes lacking an organized lobular architecture. Strong expression of EMA on mature adipose cells confirmed the differential diagnosis from BCC with sebaceous differentiation because of the absence of a nuclear palisade pattern and cleft-like spaces on the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) section. Conclusion: We treated the giant sebaceous epithelioma on the scalp with surgical excision and a split-thickness skin graft. It is important to know that the diagnosis of sebaceous epithelioma should be made based on the histologic pattern of the H&E section. Immunohistochemistry with EMA can help to confirm the differential diagnosis between sebaceous epithelioma and BCC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.408-420
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• 2014

Yeast surface-displayed antibody libraries provide an efficient and quantitative screening resource for given antigens, but suffer from typically modest library sizes owing to low yeast transformation efficiency. Yeast mating is an attractive method for overcoming the limit of yeast transformation to construct a large, combinatorial antibody library, but the optimal conditions have not been reported. Here, we report a large synthetic human Fab (antigen binding fragment) yeast surface-displayed library generated by stepwise optimization of yeast mating conditions. We first constructed HC (heavy chain) and LC (light chain) libraries, where all of the six CDRs (complementarity-determining regions) of the variable domains were diversified mimicking the human germline antibody repertoires by degenerate codons, onto single frameworks of VH3-23 and $V{\kappa}1$-16 germline sequences, in two haploid cells of opposite mating types. Yeast mating conditions were optimized in the order of cell density, media pH, and cell growth phase, yielding a mating efficiency of ~58% between the two haploid cells carrying HC and LC libraries. We constructed two combinatorial Fab libraries with CDR-H3 of 9 or 11 residues in length with colony diversities of more than $10^9$ by one round of yeast mating between the two haploid HC and LC libraries, with modest diversity sizes of ${\sim}10^7$. The synthetic human Fab yeast-displayed libraries exhibited relative amino acid compositions in each position of the six CDRs that were very similar to those of the designed repertoires, suggesting that they are a promising source for human Fab antibody screening.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.255-266
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• 2007

The protective effect of the Synadenium carinatum latex lectin (ScLL), and the possibility of using it as an adjuvant in murine model of vaccination against American cutaneous leishmaniasis, were evaluated. BALB/c mice were immunized with the lectin ScLL (10, 50, 100$[\mu}g$/animal) separately or in association with the soluble Leishmania amazonensis antigen (SLA). After a challenge infection with $10^6$ promastigotes, the injury progression was monitored weekly by measuring the footpad swelling for 10 weeks. ScLL appeared to be capable of conferring partial protection to the animals, being most evident when ScLL was used in concentrations of 50 and 100${\mu}g$/animal. Also the parasite load in the interior of macrophages showed significant reduction (61.7%) when compared to the control group. With regard to the cellular response, ScLL 50 and 100 ${\mu}g$/animal stimulated the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction significantly (P < 0.05) higher than SLA or SLA plus ScLL 10 weeks after the challenge infection. The detection of high levels of IgG2a and the expression of mRNA cytokines, such as IFN-$\gamma$, IL-12, and TNF-$\alpha$ (Th1 profiles), corroborated the protective role of this lectin against cutaneous leishmaniasis. This is the first report of the ScLL effect on leishmaniasis and shows a promising role for ScLL to be explored in other experimental models for treatment of leishmaniasis.