• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.575-578
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• 2012

Objective: To study the incidence, types and distribution pattern of malignant tumors in renal transplant recipients at a single center in Pakistan. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) and included all transplant patients on regular follow-up from November 1986 to December 2008. The original biopsy reports and case files of all patients who developed posttransplant malignancies were reviewed and relevant demographic, clinical, radiological, and histopathological data were retrieved and analyzed. SPSS version 10.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Over 22 years of study period, 1816 renal transplants were carried out at our center. Among these, 44 patients developed malignancies constituting an overall incidence rate of 2.4%. All patients in this study were males with a mean age of $34.9{\pm}9.5$ years (range: 9 to 60 years). The most common type of malignancy was lymphoma (27 patients, 61.4%), followed by Kaposi's sarcoma (11 patients, 25%) and skin malignancies (3 patients, 6.8%). One case each of adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), conjunctival carcinoma-in-situ and seminoma were also diagnosed. Conclusion: Posttransplant malignancies occurring in our renal transplant recipients show different incidence rates and patterns as compared with western studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.618-626
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• 2016

Pleural effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare B-cell lymphoma that has a very poor prognosis with a median survival time of around 6 months. PEL is caused by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, and is often co-infected with the Epstein Barr virus. The complement system is fundamental in the innate immune system against pathogen invasion and tumor development. In the present study, we investigated the activation of the complement system in PEL cells using human serum complements. Interestingly, two widely used PEL cell lines, BCP-1 and BCBL-1, showed different susceptibility to the complement system, which may be due to CD46 expression on their cell membranes. Complement activation did not induce apoptosis but supported cell survival considerably. Our results demonstrated the susceptibility of PEL to the complement system and its underlying mechanisms, which would provide insight into understanding the pathogenesis of PEL.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2006

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) RTA transcription factor is recruited to its responsive elements through interaction with RBP-Jk that is a downstream transcription factor of the Notch signaling pathway that is important in development and cell fate determination. This suggests that KSHV RTA mimics cellular Notch signal transduction to activate viral lytic gene expression. Here, I demonstrated that unlike other B lymphoma cells, KSHV -infected primary effusion lymphoma BCBL1 cells displayed the constitutive activation of ligand-mediated Notch signal transduction, evidenced by the Jagged ligand expression and the complete proteolytic process of Notch receptor I. In order to investigate the effect of Notch signal transduction on KSHV gene expression, human Notch intracellular (hNIC) domain that constitutively activates RBP-Jk transcription factor activity was expressed in BCBL1 cells, TRExBCBL1-hNIC, in a tetracycline inducible manner. Gene expression profiling showed that like RTA, hNIC robustly induced expression of a number of viral genes including KS immune modulatory gene resulting in downregulation of MHC I and CD54 surface expression. Finally, the genetic analysis of KSHV genome demonstrated that the hNIC-mediated expression of KS during viral latency consequently conferred the downregulation of MHC I and CD54 surface expression. These results indicate that cellular. Notch signal transduction provides a novel expression profiling of KSHV immune deregulatory gene that consequently confers the escape of host immune surveillance during viral latency.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.496-502
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• 2017

Background: Ginsenosides are the major components of Panax ginseng Meyer, an herbal medicine used for the treatment of various diseases. Different ginsenosides contribute to the biological properties of ginseng, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we investigated the antiviral effects of 15 ginsenosides and compound K on gammaherpesvirus. Methods: The antiviral activity of ginsenosides was examined using the plaque-forming assay and by analyzing the expression of the lytic gene. Results: 20(R)-Ginsenoside Rh2 inhibited the replication and proliferation of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), and its half-maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50} $) against MHV-68 was estimated to be $2.77{\mu}M$. In addition, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh2 inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced lytic replication of human gammaherpesvirus in the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-positive cell line BC3. Conclusion: Our results indicate that 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh2 can inhibit the replication of mouse and human gammaherpesviruses, and thus, has the potential to treat gammaherpesvirus infection.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.413.3-414
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• 2002

Paclitaxel is a diterpenoid isolated from Taxus brevifolia and is an active anticancer drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer, breast cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma. Due to its low solubility in water, it is dissolved in Cremophor EL(polyethoxylated castor oil) and ethanol, which cause serious side effects including hypersensitivity. BLK460 was developed as a novel polymeric micellar paclitaxel formulation containing Aceporol460 as solubilizer (omitted)

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.165-174
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• 2018

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most lethal malignant brain tumor. Despite many intensive studies, the prognosis of glioblastoma multiforme is currently very poor, with a median overall survival duration of 14 months and 2-year survival rates of less than 10%. Although viral infections have been emphasized as potential cofactors, their influences on pathways that support glioblastoma progression are not known. Some previous studies indicated that human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) was detected in healthy brains, and its microRNA was also detected in glioblastoma patients' plasma. However, a direct link between KSHV infection and glioblastoma is currently not known. In this study, we infected glioblastoma cells and glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) with KSHV to establish an in vitro cell model for KSHV-infected glioblastoma cells and glioma stem-like cells in order to identify virologic outcomes that overlap with markers of aggressive disease. Latently KSHV-infected glioblastoma cells and GSCs were successfully established. Additionally, using these cell models, we found that KSHV infection modulates the proliferation of glioma stem-like cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6821-6832
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• 2013

Background: Soft-tissue sarcomas require tailored and multidisciplinary treatment and management. However, little is known about how sarcomas are treated and managed throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE was systematically searched using prespecified criteria. Publications (previous 10 years) that reported tumour characteristics, treatment patterns, survival outcomes, and/or safety outcomes of patients with soft-tissue sarcoma were selected. Exclusion criteria were studies of patients <18 years of age; ${\leq}10$ patients; countries other than Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, or Thailand; >20% benign tumours; sarcomas located in bones or joints; gastrointestinal stromal tumour; Kaposi's sarcoma; or not reporting relevant outcomes. Results: Of the 1,822 publications retrieved, 35 (32 studies) were included. Nearly all patients (98%, 1,992/2,024; 31 studies) were treated with surgery, and more studies used adjuvant radiotherapy than chemotherapy (24 vs 17 studies). Survival outcomes and recurrence rates varied among the studies because of the different histotypes, sites, and disease stages assessed. Only 5 studies reported safety findings. Conclusions: These findings highlight the lack of specific data available about soft-tissue sarcomas in the Asia-Pacific region. Better efforts to understand how the sarcoma is managed and treated will help improve patient outcomes in the region.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1873-1881
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• 2019

The innate immune response serves as a first-line-of-defense mechanism for a host against viral infection. Viruses must therefore subvert this anti-viral response in order to establish an efficient life cycle. In line with this fact, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes numerous genes that function as immunomodulatory proteins to antagonize the host immune system. One such mechanism through which KSHV evades the host immunity is by encoding a viral homolog of cellular interferon (IFN) regulatory factors (IRFs), known as vIRFs. Herein, we summarize recent advances in the study of the immunomodulatory strategies of KSHV vIRFs and their effects on KSHV-associated pathogenesis.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.199-206
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate radiation dose sensitivity due to displacement of human extremities in the water bolus box on radiation therapy. Water bolus box and human thigh with femur bone were constructed in computerized radiation therapy planning system to verify the absorbed dose. Two 6MV X-ray beams were irradiated bilaterally into water bolus box and then radiation dose were calculated each situation at displacement of middle axis of thigh from the center in water bolus box to right and left direction. Absorbed dose of thigh and femur bone increased by the distance of displacement. The maximum dose of thigh even increased 20% over than prescribed dose. This is in contrast to conventional concept of dose distribution in water bolus box. Based on this result, displacement of body site in the water bolus box have to be averted during radiation therapy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1655-1657
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• 2009