• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.173-179
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• 2009

The analysis of serum free light chains (sFLCs) can improve the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma and other plasma cell dyscrasias. As with other immunoassays, sFLCstests are subject to potential antigen excess and heterophilic antibody interference. We describe 9 cases of sFLCs antigen excess in patients with multiple myeloma using the FreeliteTM Human Kappa and Lambda Free Kits (The Binding Site ltd., Birmingham, UK) and the Hitachi7600 P module turbidimetric system. A total of 1,247 consecutive samples from 250 patients with multiple myeloma were assayed for sFLCs from April to September, 2009. The samples were assayed using an initial dilution of 1 :5and subsequent dilutions of 1 :50 and 1: 100. The same samples were analyzed for the presence of monoclonal gammopathies using serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). There were 9 samples (0.72%) of antigen excess with 3 cases of kappa (0.24%) and 6 cases of lambda (0.48%). These cases represents an example of antigen excess or "hook effect" using the serum free light chain assays and mandates high level of attention to falsely low sFLC levels due to antigen excess, especially when it is disaccordant to other assay results or clinical manifestations.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 1999

Purpose : Serum squamous cell (SCC) antigen levels were examined in uterine cervix cancer undergoing radiation therapy, and authors analyzed the relationship between SCC antigen levels and treatment results. Materials and Methods :This is a retrospective study of 181 conical carcinoma patients who received radiotherapy and examined serial serum SCC antigen from 1991 to 1997 at Soonchunhyang University Hospital. One hundred and eighteen patients underwent SCC antigen evaluation at diagnosis The relationship between the serum tumor marker level and disease free survival, recurrence pattern, and other prognostic factors were analyzed according to various statistical methods. Results : The Positivity rate (initial serum value above 2.5 ng/ml) was increased with FIGO stage (IB-IIA 57% to IV 91%) and more discriminative than cutoff value of 1.5 ng/ml. Five year disease free survival rates for the stage IB-IIA, IIB, III and IV were 79.2%, 68.7%, 33.4% and 0%, respectively. The 5-year disease free survival rate for patients with serum SCC antigen levels above 5.0 ng/ml was 34% versus 55~62% for patients with normal range (>1.5 ng/ml) or mildly elevated levels (1.5~5.0 ng/ml). Rising SCC antigen levels preceded the clinical detection of disease by a mean of 4.8 months (range 1 ~13 months). Negative linear correlation was observed between initial SCC antigen levels and relapse free survival (r=-0.226), and by multivariate analysis, initial SCC antigen level had a large impact on the relapse free survival. Conclusion : SCC antigen assay is a useful aid to predict the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix and to detect recurrence.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2007

We report the label-free biomolecules detection based on nanomechanical micro cantilevers operated in dynamic mode for detection of two marker proteins (myoglobin and creatin kinase-MB (CK-MB)) of acute myocardical infarctions. When the specific binding between the antigen and its antibody occurred on the fuctionalized microcantilever surface, mechanical response (i.e. resonant frequency) of microcantilevers was changed in lower frequency range. We performed the label-free biomolecules detection of myoglobin and CK-MB antigen in the low concentration (clinical threshold concentration range) as much as 1 ng/ml from measuring the dynamic response change of micro cantilevers caused by the intermolecular force. Moreover, we estimate the surface stress on the dynamic microcantilevers generated by specific antibody-antigen binding. It is suggested that our dynamic microcantilevers may enable one to use the sensitive label-free biomolecules detection for application to the disease diagnosis system based on mechanical immuno-sensor.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.313-320
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• 2019

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) develop through the continuous interaction with intestinal antigens such as commensal microbiome and diet. However, their respective roles and mutual interactions in the development of IELs are largely unknown. Here, we showed that dietary antigens regulate the development of the majority of $CD8{\alpha}{\beta}$ IELs in the small intestine and the absence of commensal microbiota particularly during the weaning period, delay the development of IELs. When we tested specific dietary components, such as wheat or combined corn, soybean and yeast, they were dependent on commensal bacteria for the timely development of diet-induced $CD8{\alpha}{\beta}$ IELs. In addition, supplementation of intestinal antigens later in life was inefficient for the full induction of $CD8{\alpha}{\beta}$ IELs. Overall, our findings suggest that early exposure to commensal bacteria is important for the proper development of dietary antigen-dependent immune repertoire in the gut.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2013

Transcutaneous immunization refers to the topical application of antigens onto the epidermis. Transcutaneous immunization targeting the Langerhans cells of the skin has received much attention due to its safe, needle-free, and noninvasive antigen delivery. The skin has important immunological functions with unique roles for antigen-presenting cells such as epidermal Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells. In recent years, novel vaccine delivery strategies have continually been developed; however, transcutaneous immunization has not yet been fully exploited due to the penetration barrier represented by the stratum corneum, which inhibits the transport of antigens and adjuvants. Herein we review recent achievements in transcutaneous immunization, focusing on the various strategies for the enhancement of antigen delivery and vaccination efficacy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 1997

Recent reports indicate that the clinical usefulness of prostate specific antigen (PSA), particulary in the differentiation of benign prostate hyperplasia from prostate cancer, can be improved by measuring the amount of free PSA in serum. Measuring free PSA is especially useful in attempts to improve diagnositc performance of PSA in the diagnostic gray zone of total PSA. The objective of this study was to develop free PSA assay kit using sandwich microplate enzyme immunoassay format. We chose a test format with polyclonal anti-PSA antibodies coated on the wells and monoclonal anti-free PSA antibodies for quantification to gain higher test sensitivity. We adpoted 10 uL of specimen and 2 hours of first incubation time with detecting antibody for free PSA EIA format using microplate. The within-day and between-day precision (%CV) in the high and low concentration ranges were below 4%. The correlation coefficient between in-house free PSA assay and commercial assay kit was r=0.9965 (slope=0.0984, y intercept=0.0173, N=27). No hook effect was found by 40 ng/mL and correlation coefficient (r) value of the fitted linear regression was over 0.995. The recovery tests were in the range of 98.9∼104.1％ for free PSA. In conclusion, in-house free PSA enzyme immune assay is cost effective, simple and rapid and could be useful for the prognosis after theraphy as well as for the differential diagnosis between prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.335-344
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• 2015

Background: A raised carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) may be associated with significant pathology during the postoperative follow-up of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 305 patients who underwent surgical resections for primary lung adenocarcinoma at a single institution between April 2006 and February 2013. Results: Preoperative CEA levels were significantly associated with age, smoking history, pathologic stage including pT (pathologic tumor stge), pN (pathologic nodal stage) and overall pathological stage, tumor size and differentiation, pathologically positive total lymph node, N1 and N2 lymph node, N2 nodal station (0/1/2=1.83/2.94/7.21 ng/mL, p=0.019), and 5-year disease-free survival (0.591 in group with normal preoperative CEA levels vs. 0.40 in group with high preoperative CEA levels, p=0.001). Preoperative CEA levels were significantly higher than postoperative CEA levels (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Postoperative CEA level was also significantly associated with disease-free survival (p<0.001). A follow-up serum CEA value of >2.57 ng/mL was found to be the appropriate cutoff value for the prediction of cancer recurrence with sensitivity and specificity of 71.4% and 72.3%, respectively. Twenty percent of patients who had recurrence of disease had a CEA level elevated above this cutoff value prior to radiographic evidence of recurrence. Postoperative CEA, pathologic stage, differentiation, vascular invasion, and neoadjuvant therapy were identified as independent predictors of 5-year disease-free survival in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The follow-up CEA level can be a useful tool for detecting early recurrence undetected by postoperative imaging studies. The perioperative follow-up CEA levels may be helpful for providing personalized evaluation of lung adenocarcinoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5261-5264
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• 2015

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of serum free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio (%fPSA) for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa) in men with different serum total PSA (tPSA) categories. Materials and Methods: From January 2010 to December 2013, a total of 225 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) underwent tPSA and %fPSA measurements. Histological examination with calculation of Gleason score and whole body bone scans were performed in identified cases of PCa. Results: PCa was diagnosed in 44 (19.6%) patients and the remaining 181 patients had benign prostate disease. PCa was detected in 5 (23.8%), 13 (8.7%) and 26 (47.3%) cases with tPSA level ranges ${\leq}4ng/ml$, 4 to 10 ng/ml and >10 ng/ml, respectively. The average Gleason score was $7.2{\pm}0.2$. Some 6 (13.6%) out of 44 PCa patients had bone metastases. The sensitivity was 80% and specificity was 81.3% at the cut-off %fPSA of 15% in PCa patients with a tPSA level below 4 ng/mL. A lower %fPSA was associated with PCa patients with Gleason score ${\geq}7$ than those with Gleason score ${\leq}6$ ($11.7{\pm}0.98$ vs. $16.5{\pm}2.25%$, P=0.029). No obvious relation of %fPSA to the incidence of bone metastasis was apparent in this study. Conclusions: The clinical application of %fPSA could help to discriminate PCa from benign prostate disease in men with a tPSA concentration below 4 ng/mL.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.422-427
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• 1996

The anti-Ex-A IgG was specifically labeled with stable isotopes, DL-His-2,4-$d_2$, L-Phe-$d_5$, L-Trp-$d_5$, L-Tyr-2,6-$d_2$ and L-[1-$^{13}C$]Trp, by growing hybridoma cell in serum-free medium. By use of NMR spectroscopy with selectively labeled Fab fragment, we applied a paratope mapping on antigen-antibody complex. Assignments of the observed carbonyl carbon resonances have been determined by using $^{13}C$-$^{15}N$ double labeling method in order to assign the Trp resonances. Photo CIDNP was also applied to investigate the antigen-binding site(s) on the surface residues of antibody. We found that Trp 36, which is located at the $V_H$ domain, is an important residue to bind to Ex-A, however, two Tyr on the surface of anti-Ex-A IgG plays no crucial role to bind to antigen. On the basis of these results, we demonstrate that stable isotope-aided NMR strategy can be extended to molecular structural analyses of the complex of an Fab fragment and a protein antigen.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.221-227
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• 2014

Background: Aberrant phenotypes in acute leukemia have variable frequency and their prognostic and predictive relevance is controversial, despite several reports of clinical significance. Aims: To determine the prevalence of aberrant antigen expression in acute leukemia, assess clinical relevance and demonstrate immunophenotype-karyotype correlations. Materials and Methods: A total of 73 (40 AML and 33 ALL) newly diagnosed acute leukemia cases presenting to KAMC, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were included. Diagnosis was based on WHO criteria and FAB classification. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, conventional karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization for gene rearrangements were performed. Results: Aberrant antigens were detected in 27/40 (67.5%) of AML and in 14/33 (42.4%) in ALL cases. There were statistically significant higher TLC in Ly+ AML than in Ly-AML (p=0.05) and significant higher blast count in ALL with aberrant antigens at presentation and day 14 (p=0.005, 0.046). There was no significant relation to clinical response, relapse free survival (RFS) or overall survival (p>0.05), but AML cases expressing ${\geq}2$ Ly antigens showed a lower median RFS than those expressing a single Ly antigen. In AML, CD 56 was expressed in 11/40. CD7 was expressed in 7/40, having a significant relation with an unfavorable cytogenetic pattern (p=0.046). CD4 was expressed in 5/40. CD19 was detected in 4/40 AML associated with M2 and t (8; 21). In ALL cases, CD33 was expressed in 7/33 and CD13 in 5/33. Regarding T Ag in B-ALL CD2 was expressed in 2 cases and CD56 in 3 cases. Conclusions: Aberrant antigen expression may be associated with adverse clinical data at presentation. AML cases expressing ${\geq}2$ Ly antigens may have shorter median RFS. No specific cytogenetic pattern is associated with aberrant antigen expression but individual antigens may be related to particular cytogenetic patterns. Immunophenotype-karyotype correlations need larger studies for confirmation.