• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.333-338
• /
• 2003

Cytogenetic and hematological analysis was performed in bovine peripheral blood from the regions around Wolsong nuclear power plant and control area. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes from cattle was used as a biomarker of radiobiological effects resulting from exposure to environmental radiation. An estimated dare of radiation was calculated by a best fitting linear-quadratic model based on the radiation-induced MN formation from the bovine lymphocytes exposed in vitro to radiation over the range from 0 Gy to 4 Gy. MN rates in lymphocytes of cattle from Wolsong nuclear power plant and control area were 9.87/1,000 and 9.60/1,000, respectively. There were no significant differences in MN frequencies and hematological values in cattle between Wolsong and control area. The study indicates that the MN assay is a rapid, sensitive and accurate method that can be used to monitor a large population exposed to radiation.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.41 no.8
• /
• pp.597-603
• /
• 2008

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that induces changes in various inflammatory skin cells. The prevalence of AD is as high as 18% in some regions of the world, and is steadily rising. However, the pathophysiology of AD is poorly understood. To identify the proteins involved in AD pathogenesis, a comparative proteomic analysis of protein expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from AD patients and healthy donors was conducted. Significant changes were observed in the expressions of fourteen proteins, including the vinculin, PITPNB, and Filamin A proteins. Among the proteins, $\alpha$-SNAP and FLNA decreased significantly, and PITPNB increased significantly in AD patients compared with control subjects; these findings were further confirmed by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. The comparative proteome data may provide a valuable clue to further understand AD pathogenesis, and several differentially regulated proteins may be used as biomarkers for diagnosis and as target proteins for the development of novel drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.12
• /
• pp.7315-7319
• /
• 2013

Background: The metastasis gene osteopontin (OPN) is subject to alternative splicing, which yields three messages, osteopontin-a, osteopontin-b and osteopontin-c. Osteopontin-c is selectively expressed in invasive, but not in noninvasive tumors. In the present study, we examined the expression of OPN-c in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and assessed its value as a diagnostic biomarker. Methods: OPN-c expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 63 ESCC samples and correlated with clinicopathologic factors. Expression was also examined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 120 ESCC patients and 30 healthy subjects. The role of OPN-c mRNA as a tumor marker was investigated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that OPN-c was expressed in 30 of 63 cancer lesions (48%)and significantly associated with pathological T stage (P=0.038) and overall stage (P=0.023). Real time PCR showed that OPN-c mRNA was expressed at higher levels in the PBMCs of ESCC patients than in those of healthy subjects (P<0.0001) with a sensitivity as an ESCC biomarker of 86.7%. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that expression of OPN-c is significantly elevated in ESCCs and this upregulation could be a potential diagnostic marker.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.20 no.3 s.50
• /
• pp.209-213
• /
• 2005

Due to steady increase of childhood asthma, exposure to air toxics including PAHs have been thought as an etiology for the asthma. PAHs -involvement in airway inflammation, such as IgE production, is the potential mechanism of the PAHs-induced asthma. Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), particularly CYP1A1 is known enzyme to metabolite PAHs and to be induced by PAHs. The CYP1A1 expression has been emphasized as an biomarker for PAHs - exposure. The present study was performed to clarify the etiology of childhood asthma with PAHs-exposure using mRNA expression of CYP1A1 . The study Objects were Korean children who were asthma patients (cases) or other hospital controls (N=20; age,3 $\~$ 16; boys,56$\%$). As result, we detected expression of the CYP1A1 in all peripheral blood specimens which were collected from the subjects. Moreover, we found approx. 300 fold-higher expression of the CYP1A1 in the cases than that in the controls (p(<)0.01). When we considered age which was related to Asthma, the above significant trend was somewhat diluted, however, the relation between asthma and the Cypih i expression waL stronger than that between asthma and age (chi square,7.99 vs. 3.34). Therefore, our study supports that PAHs induce or worse childhood asthma and suggests application of expression of the CYP1A1 as an initiation or progress biomarker for PAHs - induced childhood asthma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.16
• /
• pp.6955-6960
• /
• 2014

Background: The cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay is a standard cytogenetic tool employed to evaluate chromosomal damage subsequent to pesticide exposure. Objectives: To evaluate the pooled levels of total micronuclei (MN) and binucleated cells with micronuclei (MNC) in 1000 binucleated lymphocytes among population occupationally exposed to pesticides and further determine the more sensitive biomarker of CBMN. Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis on the pooled levels of MN and MNC in binucleated lymphocytes among occupationally pesticide-exposed populations was conducted using STATA 10.0 software and Review Manager 5.0.24 in this study. Results: We found significant differences in frequencies of MN and MNC in 1000 binucleated lymphocytes between pesticide-exposed groups and controls, and the summary estimates of weighted mean difference were 6.82 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 4.86-8.78] and 5.08 (95% CI: 2.93-7.23), respectively. However, when we conducted sensitivity analyses further, only the MN remained statistically different, but not the MNC, the summary estimates of weight mean difference were 2.86 (95% CI: 2.51-3.21) and 0.50 (95% CI: -0.16-1.17), respectively. We also observed pesticide-exposed subjects had significantly higher MN frequencies than controls among smokers and nonsmokers, male and female populations, and American, Asian and European countries in stratified analyses. Conclusions: The frequency of MN in peripheral blood lymphocytes might be a more sensitive indicator of early genetic effects than MNC using the CBMN assay for occupationally pesticide-exposed populations.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.317-322
• /
• 2003

Cytogenetic and hematological analysis was performed in peripheral blood from the Korean native goat bred in the nuclear power plant (Wolsong and Uljin) and control area. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes from goat was used as a biomarker of radiobiological effects resulting from exposure to environmental radiation. An estimated dose of radiation was calculated by best fitting linear-quadratic model based on the radiation-induced MN data over the range from 0 to 4 Gy from the goat lymphocytes with in vitro irradiation. MN rates in goats from the Wolsong and Uljin nuclear power plant, and control area were 9.60/1000, 6.83/1000 and 9.88/1000, respectively. There were no significant differences in MN frequencies and hematological values in goats between nuclear power plant and control area. High level of platelet in the goat from Uljin nuclear power plant was observed, which seemed to be related to the goat management.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.467-472
• /
• 2014

Obesity is known to be strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and develops owing to interactions between genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals, and analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. Global DNA methylation of peripheral blood cells has recently been proposed as a potential biomarker for disease risk. Repetitive element DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with prominent obesity-related chronic diseases, but little is known about its relationship with weight status. In this study, we quantified the methylation of Alu elements in the peripheral blood DNA of 244 healthy women with a range of body mass indexes (BMIs) using pyrosequencing technology. Among the study participants, certain clinical laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic- pyruvic transaminase, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were found to be strongly associated with BMI. Moreover, a U-shaped association between BMI and Alu methylation was observed, with the lowest methylation levels occurring at BMIs of between 23 and $30kg/m^2$. However, there was no significant association between Alu methylation and age, smoking status, or alcohol consumption. Overall, we identified a differential influence of BMI on global DNA methylation in healthy Korean women, indicating that BMI-related changes in Alu methylation might play a complex role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.4 no.5
• /
• pp.393-399
• /
• 2010

Enteral nutritional support has been used via tube feeding for dysphagic stroke patients. We performed long and short term trials to evaluate the effects of commercial enteral nutritional supports on nutrition and health in stroke patients (mRS = 3~5) and quality of life in their caregivers. For a long term study, we recruited chronic (${\geq}$ 1 yrs) stroke patients (n = 6) and administered them 6 cans/day (1,200 kcal) of the commercial enteral formula N for 6 months according to IRB-approved protocol. We collected peripheral blood at 0, 2, 4 and 6 months. For a short term study, we recruited acute (${\leq}$ 3 months) stroke patients (n = 12) and randomly administered them two different commercial enteral formulas, N or J, for 2 weeks. We collected their blood at 0, 4, 7 and 14 day of the administration. Blood samples were analyzed to quantify 19 health and nutritional biomarkers and an oxidative stress biomarker, malondialdehyde (MDA). In order to evaluate quality of life, we also obtained the sense of competence questionnaire (SCQ) from all caregivers at 'before' and 'after trials'. As results, the enteral formula, N, improved hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in the long term trial and maintained most of biomarkers within normal ranges. The SCQ levels of caregivers were improved in the long term treatment (P < 0.05). In a case of the short term study, both of enteral formulas were helpful to maintain nutritional status of the patients. In addition, MDA levels were decreased in the acute patients following formula consumption (0.05 < P < 0.1). Most of health and nutrition outcomes were not different, even though there is a big difference in price of the two products. Thus, we evaluate the formula N has equal nutritional efficacy compared to the formula J. In addition, long term use of enteral formula N can be useful to health and nutrition of stroke patients, and the quality of life for their caregivers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.213-222
• /
• 2002

The alkaline comet assay has been used with increasing popularity to investigate the level of DNA damage in biomonitoring studies within the last decade in Western countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the alkaline comet assay as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage for monitoring in the Korean population, and also to evaluate the effect of nutritional status and lifestyle factors on H2O2 induced oxidative DNA damage measured by the alkaline comet assay in human lymphocytes. The study population consisted of 61 healthy Korean male volunteers, aged 20-28. Epidemiological background data including dietary habits, smoking habits and anthropometrical measurements were collected through personal interviews. After blood collection, the comet assay in peripheral lymphocytes and plasma lipids analysis was carried out and the results analyzed. Tail moment (TM) and tail length (TL) of the comet assay were use\ulcorner to measure DNA damage in the lymphocytes of the subjects. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations were observed between DNA damage (TM or TL) and smoking habits expressed as cigarettes smoked per day and pack years (r = 0.311 and 0.382 for TM, r = 0.294 and 0.350 for TL, respectively). There were also significant positive correlations between DNA damage parameter and waist-hip ratio. Higher plasma triglyceride levels were associated with increased damage to DNA. There were no correlations between the consumption frequencies of vegetables and DNA damage to the subjects. However, consumption frequencies of fruit and fruit juice intake were inversely associated with the TM and TL. The results indicate that die comet assay is a simple, rapid and sensitive method for detecting lymphocyte DNA damage induced by cigarette smoking. Consumption of fruit or fruit juices could potentiall modify the damaged DNA in the human peripheral lymphocytes of young Korean men.

• Journal of Korean geriatric psychiatry
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.17-23
• /
• 2012

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still obscure even to specialists. To improve the diagnostic accuracy, to find at-risk people as early as possible, to predict the efficacy or adverse reactions of pharmacotherapy on an individual basis, to attain more reliable results of clinical trials by recruiting better defined participants, to prove the disease-modifying ability of new candidate drugs, to establish prognosis-based therapeutic plans, and to do more, is now increasing the need for biomarkers for AD. Among AD-related biochemical markers, cerebrospinal beta-amyloid and tau have been paid the most attention since they are materials directly interfacing the brain interstitium and can be obtained through the lumbar puncture. Level of beta-amyloid is reduced whereas tau is increased in cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients relative to cognitively normal elderly people. Remarkably, such information has been found to help predict AD conversion of mild cognitive impairment. Despite inconsistent findings from previous studies, plasma beta-amyloid is thought to be increased before the disease onset, but show decreasing change as the disease progress. Regarding other peripheral biochemical markers, omics tools are being widely used not only to find useful biomarkers but also to generate novel hypotheses for AD pathogenesis and to lead new personalized future medicine.