• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.392-397
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• 2023

In this study, recombinant Fc-fused Prostate acid phosphatase (PAP) proteins were produced in transgenic plants. PAP was fused to immunoglobulin (Ig) A and M Fc domain (PAP-IgA Fc and PAP-IgM Fc), which were tagged to the ER retention sequence KDEL to generate PAP-IgA FcK and PAP-IgM FcK. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was performed to produce transgenic tobacco plants expressing four recombinant proteins. Genomic PCR and RT-PCR analyses confirmed the transgene insertion and mRNA transcription of PAP-IgA Fc, PAP-IgM Fc, PAP-IgA FcK, and PAP-IgM FcK in tobacco plant leaves. Western blot confirmed the expression of PAP-IgA Fc, PAP-IgM Fc, PAP-IgA FcK, and PAP-IgM FcK proteins. SEC-HPLC and Bio-TEM analyses were performed to confirm the size and shape of the plant-derived recombinant PAP-Fc fusion proteins. In mice experiments, the plant-derived IgA and IgM Fc fused proteins induced production of total IgGs including IgG1 against PAP. This result suggests that IgA and IgM Fc fusion can be applied to produce recombinant PAP proteins as a prostate cancer vaccine in plant expression system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.860-864
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• 2014

PAP-1, a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from pyloric caeca extract of the starfish Asterina pectinifera was purified and characterized. First, the acidified pyloric caeca extract was put through Sep-Pak C18 solid phase extraction cartridge using a stepwise gradient. Among the eluents, RM 60 (retained materials at 60% methanol) showed good antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli D31 and was purified in C18 reversed-phase and ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography columns. The purification steps yielded two novel peptides showing strong antimicrobial activities. These peptides were named pyloric caeca A. pectinifera peptide 1 and 2 (PAP-1 and PAP-2). For the characterization of the purified peptides, the molecular weights and amino acid sequences were determined by MALDI-TOF MS and Edman degradation. The molecular weights of PAP-1 and PAP-2 were about 2951.54 Da and 2980.15 Da respectively. The amino acid sequences of PAP-1 and PAP-2 were partially determined: AIQNAGES and AIQNAAES, respectively. PAP-2 is an isoform of PAP-1, differing merely by a single residue at position 6 (glycine or alanine). The comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequences and molecular weights of the peptides with those of other known antimicrobial peptides revealed that PAP-1 and PAP-2 have no homology with any known peptides. These findings suggest that PAP-1 and PAP-2 play a significant role in the innate defense system of starfish pyloric caeca.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.893-900
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• 2011

Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) is one of the widely used biomarkers in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. It was initially identified in 1935 and is the most abundant phosphatase in the human prostate. PAP is a prostate-specific enzyme that is synthesized in prostate epithelial cells. It belongs to the acid phosphatase group that shows enzymatic activity in acidic conditions. PAP is abundant in prostatic fluid and is thought to have a role in fertilization and oligospermia. It also has a potential role in reducing chronic pain. But one of the most apparent functions of PAP is the dephosphorylation of macromolecules such as HER-2 and PI3P that are involved in the ERK1/2 and MAPK pathways, which in turn leads to inhibition of cell growth and tumorigenesis. Currently, clinical trials using PAP DNA vaccine are underway and FDA-approved immunotherapy using PAP is commercially available. Despite these clinically important aspects, molecular mechanisms underlying PAP regulation are not fully understood. The promoter region of PAP was reported to be regulated by NF-${\kappa}B$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, androgen and androgen receptors. Here, the features of PAP gene and protein structures together with the function, regulation and roles of PAP in prostate cancer are discussed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.165-170
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• 2016

Background: Nurses are the most visible, frontline personnel providing health education to patients. In particular, nurse experience with Pap examinations have the potential to influence women's attitudes toward screening for cervical cancer. However, nurses in Taiwan have lower rates of Pap testing than the general population. Understanding the factors predicting nurse intent to have a Pap exam and Pap exam status would inform interventions and policies to increase their Pap exam uptake. Therefore, the present study was undertaken. Materials and Methods: Data were collected by questionnaire from a convenient sample of 504 nurses at a regional hospital in central Taiwan between August and October 2011 and analyzed by descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and logistic regression. Results: Nurse intention to have a Pap exam was predicted by younger age, less negative attitudes toward Pap exams, and greater influence of others recommendations. However, nurses were more likely to actually have had a Pap exam if they were older, married, had sexual experience, and had a high intention to have a Pap exam. Conclusions: Nurses who are younger than 34 years old, unmarried, sexually inexperienced, and with low intention to have a Pap exam should be targeted with interventions to educate them not only about the importance of Pap exams in detecting cervical cancer, but also about strategies to decrease pain and embarrassment during exams. Nurses with less negative attitudes and experiences related to Pap exams would serve as role models to persuade women to have Pap exams, thus increasing the uptake rate of Pap exams in Taiwan.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5687-5690
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• 2012

Objective: The study was planned with the purpose of examining the attitude of women who have pap-smear test for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer, factors affecting their decisions and their feelings and experiences during this period. Materials and Methods: A phenomenological method was used. Data were collected between March 2012 and April 2012 using standard and purposive samplings from 17 women. A detailed interview with women were held in their houses and recorded. The data collection tool consisted of two parts, one of which is information form with 17 questions identifying sociodemographic and cervical cancer risk factors of women and the second part is made up of semi-structured interview form with 15 alternative questions taking literature and the pap-smear test into consideration. Collected data were put into a written document. Content analysis was held by loading the documents into NVIVO 8 Statistical Programme. Results: The study comprised themes such as cervical risk factor, decision of taking pap-smear test, taking pap-smear test, knowledge about pap-smear test, relieving factors during pap-smear test, obstructive factors during pap-smear test, gynecological examination and feelings of women during and after pap-smear test while waiting for the results. Conclusions: As women perceive gynaecological examinations differently from other examinations, they have different feelings in each process of the Pap smear test. Medical staff should advise women more clearly on the nature and advantages of the Pap-smear test.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.287-298
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between emotion related to Pap smear and continuous participation in Pap smear screening by married women. The subjects for this study were 209 married women who had at least one previous Pap smear. The data were collected using a self reported survey questionnaire which was developed by the researchers. It's Cronbach's alpha score ranged from .8799 to .9118. Data analysis was done by descriptive statistics. ANOVA, t-test and Pearson correlation using the SPSS Win program. The results are as follows: 1. The mean for continuous participation in Pap smear screening over the past three years was 1.95. 2. The mean score for negative emotions related to Pap smear screening was 3.2. 3. The mean score for positive emotions related to Pap smear screening was 3.9 4. Positive correlations were found between positive emotion and continuous participation in Pap smear screening (r=.417, p<.05). A weak negative correlation was found between negative emotion and continuous participation in Pap smear screening (r=-.213, p<.05). In conclusion, negative and positive emotions had a significant effect on continuous participation in the Pap smear screening among married women. This suggests that reducing negative emotions and activating messages which relate to positive emotions may be an effective strategy for increasing continuous participation in Pap smear screening.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.225-233
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was to assess the intention of undergoing Pap testing and to identify influencing factors of HPV knowledge and their attitude related to Pap test by sexual activity among unmarried nurses. Methods: A cross sectional survey design was employed, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire amongst 343 unmarried nurses. Descriptive statistics was utilized to analyze data and inferential statistics used an independent-t test and ${\chi}^2$ test for the differences in measurement variables, and odds ratios for factors on intention of Pap testing by sexual activity. Results: Nurses not sexually active were significantly higher in intention of Pap testing (${\chi}^2$=40.15, p<.001) and influencing factors of HPV knowledge (t=3.93, p=.048) than did nurses who were sexually active. Factors influencing intention were regularity of the breast self-examination (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=4.20, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.93~9.17), HPV knowledge (AOR=2.49, 95% CI=1.36~4.56), and attitudes toward the Pap test(AOR=2.33, 95% CI=1.25~4.34) amongst nurses who never had sexual experience. Conclusion: It is necessary to minimize negative attitudes of Pap testing and to increase HPV knowledge in order to improve intention of Pap testing for women who were not sexually active. More focus would be given to sexually active women to get Pap tested as a preventive measure for cervical cancer.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.83-86
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• 2014

Poly(A) polymerase (PAP) play an essential role for maturation of mRNA by adding the adenylate residues at the 3' end. PAP functions are regulated through protein-protein interaction at its C-terminal region. In this study, cyclophilin A (CypA), a member of the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase family, was identified as a partner protein interacting with the C-terminal region PAP. The interaction between PAP and CypA was inhibited by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A. Deletion analysis revealed that the N-terminal 56 residues of CypA are sufficient for the interaction with PAP. Interestingly, we observed that PAP and CypA colocalize in the nucleus during SDF-1-induced chemotaxis, implying that CypA could be involved in the regulation of polyadenylation by PAP in the chemotactic cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5501-5504
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• 2012

Cervical cancer is an important woman's health problems worldwide, especially in low socio-economic countries. The aim of this study was to compare the Pap smear screening results between Akha hill tribe and urban women who live in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. Screening was conducted for 1,100 Akha women and 1,100 urban women who came to have the Pap smear at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital and 1 private cytology laboratory from January to June 2008. The demographic characteristics and factors related to abnormal Pap smears of these women were gathered using closed model questionnaires. Abnormal Pap smears were defined according to the Bethesda 2001 system. The results showed that the prevalence of abnormal Pap smears was 12.2% in Akha women and 4.5% in urban women. The highest prevalence of Pap abnormalities was found in the 41-50 years age group in both populations (4.5% in Akha and 1.7% in urban women). In both populations, abnormal Pap smears were found in <21 years age groups. From the questionnaires, the possible risk factors related to the higher prevalence of abnormal Pap smears in Akha women were early age at marriage (${\leq}17$ years), high frequency pregnacies and high parity and no/low education level. In conclusion, cervical cancer control by education and early detection by Pap smear screening is necessary for hill tribe women. More Pap smear screening service units should be set to improve the coverage for the risk group women who got married in young age, especial in ethnic groups.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8905-8910
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• 2014

Background: Coverage of cervical pap smear test in Nepal is below general global values. One of the reasons may be that cervical cancer prevention policy of Nepal has 'Visual Inspection of Cervix with Acetic Acid' as the only screening tool. The focus of present study was to find out association of demographic factors, knowledge and attitude regarding cervical Pap smear test with its practice by women in Nepal. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional analytical observational study was conducted between February 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013. Participants were interviewed with the help of a structured questionnaire. Chi square and multivariate logistic regression tests were used to detect associations of variables with pap smear practice. Results: Chi square test showed that practice was significantly associated with knowledge about pap smear test and cervical cancer, having favourable attitude towards the test, urban residency and 36-50 years age-group. Pap smear utilization was not associated with age-at-marriage, parity and age-at-first-child-birth. Multivariate logistic regression showed favorable attitude towards pap smear test as the only variable which significantly influenced pap smear practice (p= 0.006, OR: 2.4). Conclusions: Pap smear coverage has been found to be 15.7% which is lower than global average and that for developing countries. Health education programs which are effective not only in increasing knowledge about cervical cancer and pap smear test but also effective in positively changing attitude towards the test should be organized to increase pap smear coverage.