• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.1114-1124
• /
• 1997

Background : Endothelin(ET) is a very potent vasoconstrictive peptide produced by endothelial cells of pulmonary artery. The endothelin level was increased in plasma of primary pulmonary hypertension and acute pulmonary thromboembolism and it was suggested that the endothelin might do a critical role in the cardiopulmonary dysfunction in these two conditions. But the exact mechanism of increase of ET has not been known. In these two conditions, platelet activation and thrombosis are the main pathophysiologic findings. So there is a possibility that the platelet might stimulate endothelin secretion from endothelial cells. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate the role of platelet and its mediators on endothelin production in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial(BPAE) cells. Method : Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells, ATCC certified cell line 209, were cultured and treated with human platelets($10^6{\sim}10^8/ml$), thrombin (0.1~10u/ml), TGF-${\beta}1$(1~100uM), serotonin(1~100uM), and endotoxin(1ug/ml) in a final volume of 500ul for 18 hours. Levels of ir(immunoreactive)-ET in each conditioned medium were measured by a radioimmunoassay specific for ET. Result : The increase of ir-ET levels was platelet number and time dependent over 18 hours. When washed human platelets were added($10^8/ml$), the ir-ET levels were significantly higher than that of control(p<0.05) at 8 and 18 hours after culture. Subthreshold concentration of platelets($10^7/ml$) coincubated with endotoxin(1ug/ml) or subthreshold dose of thrombin(0.1u/ml) stimulated ir-ET secretion from BPAE cells significantly(p<0.05) compared with control. Thrombin(1ug/ml, 10ug/ml) and TGF-${\beta}1$(100pM, 1000pM) significantly increased ir-ET secretion from BP AE cells(p<0.05) compared with control, but serotoin(1~100uM) and endotoxin(1ug/ml) did not stimulate the ir-ET secretion. Conclusions : Platelets stimulate endothelin secretion from bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The mechanism of increase of endothelin secretion seems to be a stimulation by platelet itself or by mediators, such as TGF-${\beta}1$, secreted from activated platelets. And, in this study, the priming effect of platelets on endothelin secretion from BPAE cells could be another possibility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 1997.04a
• /
• pp.103-103
• /
• 1997

일시적인 국소 뇌허혈 rat model에서 중대뇌동맥의 폐쇄시간에 따른 뇌조직의 손상정도를 비교 조사하였다. 웅성 Wistar rats를 isoflurane 홉입마취하에서 우측 내경동맥내로 17 mm의 silicone-coated 4-0 nylon monofilament를 삽입하여, 중대뇌동맥의 기저부를 30분, 60분 또는 90분동안 폐쇄한 후 이 monofilament를 다시 밖으로 뽑아내므로써 23 시간동안 recirculation 시키는 일시적 국소 뇌허혈 rat model을 사용한 결과, 수술 후 거의 모든 rats에서 left hemiparesis 또는 좌측으로의 circling과 같은 신경학적 결손이 나타나므로써 높은 성공률을 가지고서 비교적 용이하게 뇌허혈을 유발시킬 수 있었으며, 2 mm 두께의 fresh brain coronal slices에 대하여 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) 염색법을 시행하여 slice surface의 사진을 찍고 computerized 영상분석법을 이용하여 필요한 면적을 측정하므로써, coronal slice의 infarction size (%)는 총 면적에 대한 infarction 면적의 %로서, 부종율 (%)은 대조측 대뇌반구 면적의 2배에 대한 동측 대뇌반구와 대조측 대뇌반구 면적 차이의 %로서 산정되어졌다. 30분 허혈군에서는 본 염색법으로는 infarction이 거의 확인되지 않았으나 60분 허혈군 (n=13)에서는 우측 somatosensory frontoparietal cortex와 striatum 양자 모두 또는 일부 rats에서는 striatum에만 국한된 ulfarction이 확인되어졌으며 90분 허혈군 (n=12)에서는 거의 대부분의 rats에서 위 두 지역 모두에서 infarction이 확인되어졌다. Infarction size (%)는 60분과 90분 허혈군 각각에서, frontal pole로부터 5 mm되는 slice에서는 11.9$\pm$1.2 (평균치$\pm$표준오차), 13.7$\pm$1.9이었으며 7 mm되는 slice에서는 19.1$\pm$1.8, 21.9$\pm$2.1이었으며 9 mm되는 slice에서는 14.7$\pm$2.4, 19.7$\pm$2.2이었다. 또한 부종율 (%)은 60분과 90분 허혈군 각각에서, frontal pole로부터 5 mm되는 slice에서는 3.1$\pm$0.6, 3.8$\pm$0.7이었으며 7 mm되는 slice에서는 3.5$\pm$0.3, 5.7$\pm$1.0이었으며 9 $\pm$되는 slice에서는 3.4$\pm$0.5, 5.7$\pm$0.9이었다. 한편 90분 동안의 중대뇌동맥 폐쇄에 따른 뇌조직 손상을 cresyl violet 염색법, NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry, GFAP immunohistochemistry를 사용하여 일부 측정한 결과, 위의 손상지역에서는 뇌신경세포체들의 shrinkage 내지는 소실됨을 확인할 수 있었으며, NADPH-diaphorase-positive neuron들도 대부분 dendrite와 axon같은 cell process들의 fragmentation, shrinkage 내지는 소실되므로써 intensity의 감소현상이 나타났으며, reactive gliosis로 말미암아 GFAP immunoreactive intensity의 증가현상이 나타났다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.185-195
• /
• 2000

Vascular diseases are significant complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), and the endothelial cells may play a pivotal role in the development of vascular disease in DM. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) released from endothelium is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide and circulating level of ET-1 is increased in a variety of disease states. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes of responsiveness to ET-1 in DM, and we experimented on the changes in the ET-1-induced contraction, levels of nitrite and lipid peroxidation, and ET-1 immunoreactivity in aorta from streptozotocin-induced DM rats. DM was induced by single injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg, i.p.). The immunoreactive ET-1 levels in endothelial layer of thoracic aorta were much higher in DM rats than control rats. Nitrite in tissue homogenate was decreased and plasma nitrite was increased in DM rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased in DM rats and cGMP was not significantly different between control and DM rats. ET-1 produced concentration- dependent contractile responses that are significantly attenuated in DM rats compared to controls. In the presence of selective $ET_A$ receptor antagonist BQ610, the maximum contraction was decreased and the concentration ratios for BQ610 yielded $pA_2$ values of 7.3 (slope, 0.65) in control rats, whereas BQ610 had no antagonistic effect on ET-1-induced contraction in DM rats. However, pretreatment with BQ788, an $ET_B$ receptor antagonist, maximum response was decreased and the dose-response curves for ET-1 were shifted to the right in both groups and $pA_2$ values were 7.9 and 7.7 (slope, 1.05 in control and DM rats), respectively. IRL 1620 and sarafotoxin S6c, $ET_B$ agonists, induced relaxation in control rats but not in DM rats. These results indicate that endothelial cell dysfunction and enhanced immunoreactivity of ET-1 have been found in DM rat and ET-1-induced contraction was attenuated in DM rat. These attenuated responses might be at least in part caused by the alteration of $ET_A$ receptor properties (e.g. desensitization), and partly related with an alteration in intracellular mechanism for contraction to ET-1.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.117-129
• /
• 2000

This study was carried out to examine proliferative activity and expression of c-myc oncoprotein and p2lras in normal and preneoplastic rat livers induced by an in vivo mid-term chemical carcinogenesis assay. Sixty, six-week-old male specific pathogen free Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into five groups. Group I was received a single intraperitoneal(IP) dose(200mg/kg) of diethylnitrosamine(DEN). Group 2(10 rats) was operated partial hepatectomy(PH) and Group 3 was received IP(200mg/kg) DEN, fed two weeks later with 500ppm of phenobarbital(PB). Group 4 was received IP(200mg/kg) DEN, fed two weeks later 500ppm(PB) and PH at week 3 after the onset of experiment. While group 5(20 rats) was not treated and used as a control group. All the rats were sacrificed at age 14 weeks except 10 rats from group 5 were sacrificed at the onset of experiment. Livers of all rats were examined for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine(BrdU) incoporation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), silver-binding nucleolar organizer regions(AgNORs) counts per nucleus and expression of c-myc oncoprotein and p21ras. Both the number and area of the preneoplastic lesions were significantly(p<0.01) compared to other groups. A significant(p<0.01) increase in immunoreactive cells were detected in preneoplastic hepatocytes in Groups 3 and 4 by PCNA and BrdU immunohistochemical stain. The number of the positive cells were significantly(p<0.05) lower in normal 14-week-old rats than those of 6-week-old rats. The results showed that proliferative activity of the hepatocytes was increased by treatment with DEN, PH and PB. Meanwhile, AgNORs counts per nucleus were significantly(p<0.05) increased in the preneoplastic hepatocytes of rats in both groups 3 and 4. The expression of c-myc oncoprotein and p21ras were more readily localized within the hepatic preneoplastic lesions such as hyperplastic nodules. Especially, group 4 showed significantly (p<0.05) overexpressed levels compared to groups 1 and 3. These findings suggest that PCNA, BrdU and AgNORs are significantly increased and c-myc oncoprotein and p21ras are significantly overexpressed in hepatic preneoplastic lesions induced by mid-term carcinogenesis. So these parameters can be an effective markers for hepatic prencoplastic lesions.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.269-275
• /
• 1996

Biosynthesis and secretion of anterior pituitary hormones are under the control of specific hypothalamic stimulatory and inhibitory factors. Among them, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) is the major stimulator of pituitary somatotrophs activating GH gene expression and secretion. Human GHRH is a polypeptide of 44 amino acids initially isolated from pancreatic tumors, and the gene for the hypothalamic form of GHRH is organized into 5 exons spanning over 10 kilobases (kb) on genomic DNA and encodes a messenger RNA of 700-750 nucleotides. Several neuropeptides classically associated with the hypothalamus have been found in the extrahypothalamic regions, suggesting the existence of novel sources, targets and functions. GHRH-like immunoreactivity has been found in several peripheral sites, including placenta, testis, and ovary, indicating that GHRH may also have regulatory roles in peripheral reproductive organs. Furthermore, higher molecular weight forms of the GHRH transcripts were identified from these organs (1.75 kb in testis; 1.75 and >3 kb in ovary). These tissue-specific expression of GHRH gene suggest the existence of unique regulatory mechanism of GHRH expression and function in these organs. In fact, placenta-specific and testis-specific promoters for GHRH transcripts which are located in about 10 kb upstream region of hypothalamic promoter were reported. The use of unique promoters in extrahypothalamic sites could be refered in a different control of GHRH gene and different functions of the translated products in these tissues. Somatotrophs and lactotrophs have been thought to be derived from a common bipotential progenitor, the somatolactotrophs, which give origins to either phenotypes. Although the precise mechanism responsible for the lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary gland has not been yet clalified, there are several candidators for the generation of lactotrophs. In human, the presence of GHRH peptides with different size from authentic hypothalamic form in the normal anterior pituitary and several types of adenoma were demonstrated. Recently our group found the existence of immunoreactive GHRH and its transcript from the normal rat anterior pituitary (gonadotroph> somatotroph> lactotroph), and the GHRH treatment evoked the increased proliferation rate of anterior pituitary cells in vitro. The transgenic mouse models clearly shown that GHRH or NGF overexpression by anterior pituitary cells induced development of pituitary hyperplasia and adenomas particularly GH-oma and prolactinoma. Taken together, we hypothesize that the pituitary GHRH could serve not only as a modulator of hormone secretion but as a paracrine or autocrine regulator of anterior pituitary cell proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly enough, the expression of Pit-1 homeobox gene (the POU class transcription factor) was confined to somatotrophs, lactotrophs and somatolactotrophs in which GHRH receptors are expressed commonly. Concerning the mechanism of somatolactotroph and lactotroph differentiation in the anterior pituitary, we have focused following two possibilities; (1) changes in the relative levels or interactions of both hypothalamic and intrapituitary factors such as dopamine, VIP, somatostatin, NGF and GHRH; (2) alterations of GHRH-GHRH receptor signaling and Pit-1 activity may be the cause of lactotroph differentiation or pituitary hyperplasia and adenoma formation. Extensive further studies will be necessary to solve these complicated questions.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.121-131
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The significance of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in gastric carcinoma (GC) is controversial, leading to ambiguous concepts in traditional classifications. This study aimed to determine the prognostic threshold of meaningful NED in GC and clarify its unclear features in existing classifications. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and neural cell adhesion molecule was performed for 945 GC specimens. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test and univariate/multivariate models with percentages of NED ($P_{NED}$) and demographic and clinicopathological parameters. Results: In total, 275 (29.1%) cases were immunoreactive to at least 1 neuroendocrine (NE) marker. GC-NED was more common in the upper third of the stomach. $P_{NED}$, and Borrmann's classification and tumor, lymph node, metastasis stages were independent prognostic factors. The cutoff $P_{NED}$ was 10%, beyond which patients had significantly worse outcomes, although the risk did not increase with higher $P_{NED}$. Tumors with ${\geq}10%$ NED tended to manifest as Borrmann type III lesion with mixed/diffuse morphology and poorer histological differentiation; the NE components in this population mainly grew in insulae/nests, which differed from the predominant growth pattern (glandular/acinar) in GC with <10% NED. Conclusions: GC with ${\geq}10%$ NED should be classified as a distinct subtype because of its worse prognosis, and more attention should be paid to the necessity of additional therapeutics for NE components.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.31-39
• /
• 2008

Neural tissue has limited intrinsic capacity of repair after injury, and the identification of alternate sources of neural stem cells has broad clinical potential. We isolated mesechymal-like stem cells from human adipose tissues (AT-MSCs), and studied on transdifferentiation-promoting conditions in neural cells. Dopaminergic and cholinergic neuron induction of AT-MSCs was also studied. Neural differentiation was induced by adding bFGF, EGF, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and butylated hydroxyanisole(BHA) in N2 Medium and N2 supplement. The immunoreactive cells for $\beta$-tubulin III, a neuron-specific marker, GFAP, an astrocyte marker, or Gal-C, an oligodendrocyte marker, were found. AT-MSCs treated with bFGF, SHH and FGF8 were differentiatied into dopaminergic neurons that were immunopositive for TH antibody. Differentiation of MSCs to cholinergic neurons was induced by combined treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), retinoic acid (RA) and sonic hedgehog (Shh). AT-MSCs treated with DMSO and BHA rapidly assumed the morphology of multipolar neurons. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of a number of neural markers including neuro D1, $\beta$-tubulin III, GFAP and nestinwas markedly elevated during this acute differentiation. While the stem cell markers such as SCF, C-kit, and Stat-3 were not expressed after preinduction medium culture, we confirmed the differentiation of dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons by TH/$\beta$-tubulin III or ChAT/ $\beta$-tubulin III positive cells. Conclusively, AT-MSCs can be differentiated into dopaminergic and cholinergic neuronsand these findings suggest that AT-MSCs are alternative cell source of treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.350-364
• /
• 1999

The distribution of mast cells and nerves were investigated in the submandibular and sublingual glands of postnatal rats, using morphometric, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. Mast cells were observed in the submandibular and sublingual glands of postnatal development. Number of mast cells gradually increased in both glands following development. At birth, mast cells were relatively fewer in submandibular gland than those in sublingual gland, and they were mainly distributed in parenchymal tissues. At $2{\sim}4$ weeks, most of the mast cells were observed in the connective tissues, surrounding neurovascular elements, but some mast cells were closely related with the acini of submandibular gland. PGP 9.5 immunoreactive nerve fibers were found in the submandibular and sublingual glands of all developmental age. The nerve fibers were showed in varicose shape, and mainly located in adjacent area of ducts and vascular components of both glands. The number of nerve fibers were increased rapidly until 8 weeks, but they were not increased any more until 24 weeks. Therefore, it is suggested that mast cells and nerve fibers related with each other, and that their interactions may play roles not only in maturation of secretory units but also growth and differentiation of the tubular structures of the rat submandibular and sublingual glands during postnatal development.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.41 no.5
• /
• pp.462-474
• /
• 1994

Background : In acute lung injury, activated neutrophils play an important role in tissue damage. For neutrophils to participate in lung inflammation, chemotactic factors released from mononuclear phagocytes are needed to bring these cells to the local site of inflammation, with interleukin-8 (IL-8) being one of the most specific and important chemotactic factors for neutrophils. IL-8 also induces the expression of adhesion molecules and activates neutrophils to release various inflammatory mediators. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) is one of the most important causes of adult respiratory distress syndrome and can cause release of many inflammatory cytokines including IL-8 leading to acute lung injury. But little is known about the regulatory mechanism of LPS-induced IL-8 gene expression in mononuclear phagocytes. Method : Human alveolar macrophages(HAM) and peripleral blood monocytes(PBMC) were isolated from healthy volunteers. Time and dose relationship of LPS-induced IL-8 mRNA expression was observed by Northern blot analysis. To evaluate the regulatory mechanism of LPS-induced IL-8 gene expression, pretreatment of actinomycin D(AD, $5{\mu}g/ml$) and cycloheximide(CHX, $5{\mu}g/ml$) was done and Northern blot analysis for IL-8 mRNA and ELISA for immunoreactive IL-8 protein in culture supernatant were performed. Results : 1) In HAM, dose and time dependent LPS-induced IL-8 mRNA expression was observed with peak mRNA level at 8 hours post-stimulation. 2) In PBMC, dose and time dependent LPS-induced IL-8 mRNA expression was also observed with peak mRNA level at 4 hours post-stimulation. 3) AD decreased expression of LPS-induced IL-8 gene expression at both mRNAand protein levels in both types of cells. 4) CHX decreased expression of LPS-induced IL-8 gene expression at protein level in both cell types but in HAM, superinduction of IL-8 mRNA was observed while decreased expression of IL-8 mRNA was observed in PBMC. Conclusion : Time and dose dependent LPS-induced IL-8 gene expression was observed in mononuclear phagocytes which is at least partly regulated pretranslationally. LPS-induced IL-8 mRNA expression in HAM needs no de novo protein synthesis and may be under the control of a labile repressor protein while de novo protein synthesis may be needed in PBMC.