• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.21-29
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• 2014

Follicular helper T ($T_{FH}$) cells are recently highlighted as their crucial role for humoral immunity to infection as well as their abnormal control to induce autoimmune disease. During an infection, na$\ddot{i}$ve T cells are differentiating into $T_{FH}$ cells which mediate memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells in germinal center (GC). $T_{FH}$ cells are characterized by their expression of master regulator, Bcl-6, and chemokine receptor, CXCR5, which are essential for the migration of T cells into the B cell follicle. Within the follicle, crosstalk occurs between B cells and $T_{FH}$ cells, leading to class switch recombination and affinity maturation. Various signaling molecules, including cytokines, surface molecules, and transcription factors are involved in $T_{FH}$ cell differentiation. IL-6 and IL-21 cytokine-mediated STAT signaling pathways, including STAT1 and STAT3, are crucial for inducing Bcl-6 expression and $T_{FH}$ cell differentiation. $T_{FH}$ cells express important surface molecules such as ICOS, PD-1, IL-21, BTLA, SAP and CD40L for mediating the interaction between T and B cells. Recently, two types of microRNA (miRNA) were found to be involved in the regulation of $T_{FH}$ cells. The miR-17-92 cluster induces Bcl-6 and $T_{FH}$ cell differentiation, whereas miR-10a negatively regulates Bcl-6 expression in T cells. In addition, follicular regulatory T ($T_{FR}$) cells are studied as thymus-derived $CXCR5^+PD-1^+Foxp3^+\;T_{reg}$ cells that play a significant role in limiting the GC response. Regulation of $T_{FH}$ cell differentiation and the GC reaction via miRNA and $T_{FR}$ cells could be important regulatory mechanisms for maintaining immune tolerance and preventing autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we review recent studies on the various factors that affect $T_{FH}$ cell differentiation, and the role of $T_{FH}$ cells in autoimmune diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.101-109
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• 2016

Reducing $[Mg^{2+}]_o$ to 0.1 mM can evoke repetitive $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spikes and seizure activity, which induces neuronal cell death in a process called excitotoxicity. We examined the issue of whether cultured rat hippocampal neurons preconditioned by a brief exposure to 0.1 mM $[Mg^{2+}]_o$ are rendered resistant to excitotoxicity induced by a subsequent prolonged exposure and whether $Ca^{2+}$ spikes are involved in this process. Preconditioning by an exposure to 0.1 mM $[Mg^{2+}]_o$ for 5 min inhibited significantly subsequent 24 h exposure-induced cell death 24 h later (tolerance). Such tolerance was prevented by both the NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 and the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonist nimodipine, which blocked 0.1 mM $[Mg^{2+}]_o$-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spikes. The AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX significantly inhibited both the tolerance and the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spikes. The intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator BAPTA-AM significantly prevented the tolerance. The nonspecific PKC inhibitor staurosporin inhibited the tolerance without affecting the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spikes. While $G{\ddot{o}}6976$, a specific inhibitor of $PKC{\alpha}$ had no effect on the tolerance, both the $PKC{\varepsilon}$ translocation inhibitor and the $PKC{\zeta}$ pseudosubstrate inhibitor significantly inhibited the tolerance without affecting the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spikes. Furthermore, JAK-2 inhibitor AG490, MAPK kinase inhibitor PD98059, and CaMKII inhibitor KN-62 inhibited the tolerance, but PI-3 kinase inhibitor LY294,002 did not. The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide significantly inhibited the tolerance. Collectively, these results suggest that low $[Mg^{2+}]_o$ preconditioning induced excitotoxic tolerance was directly or indirectly mediated through the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ spike-induced activation of $PKC{\varepsilon}$ and $PKC{\xi}$, JAK-2, MAPK kinase, CaMKII and the de novo synthesis of proteins.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.111-120
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• 2001

Objective: To verify the expression of leptin receptor (OB-R) in oocytes and preimplantation embryos, the involvement of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK or Erk1/2) in the leptin signaling, and effect of leptin on the oocyte maturation in mice. Method: RT-PCR analysis of OB-R was conducted in germinal vesicle (GV)-intact and MII stage oocytes, and 1, 2, 8-cell embryos and blastocysts. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB), polar body extrusion, monitored in the presence or absence of leptin ($1{\mu}M$). Following the leptin treatment, temporal changes in MAPK activity were verified by immunoprecipitation and in vitro kinase assay in MII oocytes. Results: The expression of OB-R mRNA was found in GV and MII oocyte but not in the embryos. MAPK activity of the MII oocytes was significantly increased by brief incubation in the HTF supplemented with leptin ($1{\mu}M$). Priming of PD098059, a MEK inhibitor to leptin treatment attenuated the activation of MAPK by leptin in MII oocytes. Following 24 hrs of culture of the GV oocytes, leptin significant increased the GVB and 1 st polar body extrusion. Conclusion: This result suggested that functional interaction between leptin and OB-R resulted in potentiation of MAPK (Erk1/2) activity in MII oocytes through MEK activation and that leptin might be a local regulator of meiotic maturation of the mouse oocytes.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2020

Background: Nivolumab and pembrolizumab are antagonists of the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) receptor that function as immuno-oncological agents. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nivolumab and pembrolizumab in elderly patients in outpatient settings. Methods: The safety and efficacy of nivolumab and pembrolizumab were compared retrospectively among patients at the Veterans Health Service (VHS) Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, from September 1, 2017 to August 25, 2018. Results: Eighty-seven patients were selected for the study. The median progression-free survival was 63 days for nivolumab (95% confidence interval (CI), [14 to 282]) vs. 243 days for pembrolizumab (95% CI, [22 to 348]) (p =0.04). The objective response rate (ORR) was 0% in the nivolumab group vs 5.6% in the pembrolizumab group (p =0.310). All the patients exhibited treatment-related adverse effects. More than 89% of the patients exhibited diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Pneumonia, of grades three or higher, was the most common adverse effect, followed by weakness and anorexia. Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference between the nivolumab group and the pembrolizumab group with respect to the ORR. The incidence and severity of the adverse effects in this study were higher than those of previous studies; however, these adverse effects are generally manageable in a real-world clinical setting. Further randomized controlled studies will be necessary to confirm these results in elderly patients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.413-423
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• 1997

The importance of the kidney in the development of hypertension was first demonstrated by Goldblatt and his colleagues more than fifty years ago. Many hormones and other regulatory factors have been proposed to play a major role in the development of hypertension. Among these factors angiotensia II (ANG II) is closely involved in renal hypertension development since it directly regulates $Na^+$ reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule. Thus the aim of the present study was to examine signaling pathways of low dose of ANC II on the $Na^+$ uptake of primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs) in hormonally defined seum-free medium. The results were as follows: 1) $10^{-11}$ M ANG II has a significant stimulatory effect on growth as compared with control. Alkaline phosphatase exhibited significantly increased activity. However, leucine aminopeptidase and ${\gamma}-glutamyl$ transpeptidase activity were not significant as compared with control. In contrast to $10^{-11}$ M ANG II stimulated $Na^+$ uptake $(108.03{\pm}2.16% of that of control)$, $10^{-9}$ M ANG II inhibited ($92.42{\mu}2.23%$ of that of control). The stimulatory effect of ANG II on $Na^+$ uptake was amiloride-sensitive and inhibited by losartan (ANG II receptor subtype 1 antagonist) and not by PD123319 (ANG II receptor subtype 2 antagonist). 2) Pertussis toxin (PTX) alone inhibited $Na^+$ uptake by $85.52{\pm}3.52%$ of that of control. In addition, PTX pretreatment prevented the AMG II-induced stimulation of $Na^+$ uptake. 8-Bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), forskolin, and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) alone inhibited $Na^+$ uptake by $88.79{\pm}2.56,\;80.63{\pm}4.38,\;and\;84.47{\pm}4.74%$ of that of control, respectively, and prevented the ANG II-induced stimulation of $Na^+$ uptake. However, $10^{-11}$ M ANG II did not stimulate cAMP production. 3) The addition of 12-O-te-tradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 0.01 ng/ml) to the PTCs produced significant increase in $Na^+$ uptake ($114.43{\pm}4.05%$ of that of control). When ANG II and TPA were added together to the PTCs, there was no additive effect on $Na^+$ uptake. Staurosporine alone had no effect on $Na^+$ uptake, but led to a complete inhibition of ANG II- or TPA-induced stimulation of Na'uptake. ANG II treatment resulted in a $111.83{\mu}4.51%$ increase in total protein kinase C (PKC) activity. In conclusion, the PTX-sensitive PKC pathway is the main signaling cascade involved in the stimulatory effects of ANG II on $Na^+$ uptake in the PTCs.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.489-498
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• 2004

Recent studies have demonstrated that human periodontal ligament cells express receptor activation of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL) which enhances the bone resorbing activity of osteoclasts differentiated from hematopoietic preosteoclasts. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of p38 MAPK and JNK kinase upon regulating RANKL and OPG in response to $IL-1{\beta}$(l ng/ml) in rat periodontal ligament cells. Soluble RANKL was measured by immunoassay. The effects of p38 MAPK on RANKL and OPG expression was determined by RT-PCR. The results were as follows: 1. Periodontal ligament cells which stimulated by $IL-1{\beta}$ increased soluble RANKL synthesis by dose-dependent pattern. 2. p38 MAP kinase inhibitor (SB203580) showed regulation of soluble RANKL expression by dose-dependent manners. 3. p38 MAP kinase inhibitor (SB203580) regulated the expression of RANKL, but it dose regulate the expresseion of OPG. 4. JNK (c-jun $NH_2-terminal$ kinase) inhibitor (PD98059) did not regulate mRANKL and mOPG. These results suggested that p38 MAPK play a significant role in RANKL gene expression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.2401-2406
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• 2013

From January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2010, 101 patients with stage II-III breast cancer were enrolled in this study and subjected to an anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen with or without docetaxel. Surgery was performed after 2-6 cycles of chemotherapy, and the clinical response was determined by pathological and histochemical assessments. The clinical response rate, as indicated by complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD), were 6.9, 52.5, 36.6, and 4.0%, respectively. A multivariable correlation analysis indicated that the overall clinical response rate correlated with the number of metastatic lymph nodes, number of chemotherapy cycles, and vessel invasion status. Importantly, the CR rate was only associated with the number of chemotherapy cycles. Nonparametric tests failed to detect a correlation between HER2 or Topo $II{\alpha}$ status and clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in these patients. When they were stratified by HER2 or HR status, for HER2-positive patients the CR rate was associated with vessel invasion and Topo $II{\alpha}$ status. Based on our findings, we propose that HR, HER-2 and Topo $II{\alpha}$ are not putative predictive biomarkers of chemotherapy outcome for breast cancer patients. Topo $II{\alpha}$ expression level was only inversely correlated with CR rate among HR-positive patients. Importantly, the achievement of CR was largely related to the number of chemotherapy cycles.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.161-174
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• 2013

이 연구는 저작근 통증 환자에게 Morphine을 주사하였을 때의 조절 효과를 확인하기 위해서 시행되었으며, 경희대학교 치과대학병원 구강내과에 내원한 환자 중 RDC/TMD로 근막통증으로 진단된 환자들이 지원하였다. 실험군은 총 네 군으로 구성되었으며 saline 주사군, lidocaine 주사군, morphine 1.5mg 주사군, morphine 3.0 mg 주사군에 각각 10명씩 배정하였다. 통증부위에 주사 전, 주사 후 1시간, 24시간, 48시간에 각각 주관적인 통증 평가인 시각유추척도검사, 맥길통증설문지검사 그리고 통증부위표시검사와 객관적인 통증 평가인 압력통증역치검사와 압력통증한계검사를 실시하였다. 검사 후 평가된 자료를 통계 처리하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. 주관적인 통증평가에서 morphine 3 mg 군은 48시간 후 통계학적으로 유의성 있는 효과가 있었다.(VAS: p<0.01, MGQ: p<0.001, PD: p<0.05) 2. 객관적인 통증평가에서 morphine 1.5 mg 군은 1시간 후 통계학적으로 유의성 있는 효과가 있었다.(PPT: p<0.01, PPTol: p<0.05) 3. 맥길통증설문지에서 lidocaine 군, morphine 1.5 mg 군 그리고 morphine 3 mg 군은 모두 처치 후 1시간부터 효과가 있었으나 상대적으로 morphine 3 mg 군에서 통계학적으로 유의성 있게 더 큰 효과가 있었다.(1h: p<0.01, 24h: p<0.01, 48h: p<0.001) 이상의 연구 결과로 저작근에 통증이 있는 환자에게 morphine 주사 시 주관적인 평가에서 48시간 후 통증 조절 효과가 있었고, morphine 3 mg이 더 효과가 있었으며, 향후 시간 연장에 따른 지속적인 추가 연구가 필요 할 것으로 생각된다.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.137-145
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• 2006

We investigated whether increased contractile responsiveness to epidermal growth factor (EGF) is associated with altered activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the aortic smooth muscle of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. EGF induced contraction and MAPK activity in aortic smooth muscle strips, which were significantly increased in tissues from the DOCA-salt hypertensive rats compared with those from sham-operated rats. AG1478, PD98059, and LY294002, inhibitors of EGF receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase, MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), respectively, inhibited the contraction and the activity of ERK1/2 that were elevated by EGF. Y27632 and GF109203X, inhibitors of Rho kinase and protein kinase C, respectively, attenuated EGF-induced contraction, with no diminution of ERK1/2 activity. Although EGF also elevated the activity of EGFR tyrosine kinase in both sham-operated and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats, the expression and the magnitude of activation did not differ between strips. These results strongly suggest that EGF induces contraction by the activation of ERK1/2, which is regulated by the PI3K pathway in the aortic smooth muscle of DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권12호
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• pp.1690-1697
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• 2009

CD11c와 CD80 및 CD86과 같은 보조 수용체는 주로 수지상 세포에서 발현되는 세포 표지 인자이다. 본 연구에서는 KG-1, HL-60, NB4 및 THP-1 세포와 같은 여러 종류의 백혈병 세포를 이용하여 이들 세포에 재조합 Flt-3 리간드를 처리하였을 때 수지상 세포의 표면 인자인 CD11c의 발현에 어떠한 변화가 있는가를 조사하였다. KG-1 세포뿐만 아니라 NB4세포와 HL-60 세포에서도 Flt-3 수용체가 발현됨을 확인하였으나 THP-1 세포에서는 이들 수용체가 발현되지 않았다. KG-1 세포를 Flt-3 리간드나 granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)와 tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$를 섞은 배양액에서 배양하였을 때 세포 증식은 억제되었으며 CD11c 발현은 현저히 증가되었다. 그러나 Flt-3 리간드를 처리한 KG-1세포에서는 GM-CSF와 TNF-$\alpha$를 처리한 세포에서와는 다르게 major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I 및 MHC-II의 발현은 증가되지 않았다. Flt-3 리간드는 HL-60 세포와 NB4 세포의 CD11c 발현도 증가시켰으나 THP-1 세포에서는 아무런 영향이 없었다. CD11c의 발현과 비교하여 CD11b의 발현은 Flt-3 리간드에 의하여 KG-1 세포에서는 약하게 증가하였으나 NB4 세포와 HL-60 세포에서는 증가되지 않았다. KG-1 세포를 Flt-3 리간드로 처리하였을 때 extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2)와 p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK)의 단백질 인산화가 증가되었으며 Flt-3 리간드에 의한 CD11c 발현의 증가는 MEK의 억제제인PD98059에 의하여 사라짐을 확인하였다. 본 연구 결과는 Flt-3 수용체 리간드의 처리에 의하여 $CD34^+$ myelomonocyte분화 단계인 KG-1 세포와 promyelocyte 분화 단계의 백혈병 세포에서 수지상 세포와 유사한 세포 형으로 분화된다는 것을 보였고 Flt-3 수용체 리간드에 의한 이들 백혈병 세포의 수지상 세포유사 세포로의 분화는 ERK-1/2의 활성화에 의하여 일어날 수 있음을 보여 준다.