• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.465-468
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• 2010

Vertebral artery loop formation causing encroachment on cervical neural foramen and canal is a rare cause of cervical radiculopathy. We report a case of 61-year-old woman with vertebral artery loop formation who presented with right shoulder pain radiating to her arm for 2 years. Plain radiograph and computed tomography scan revealed widening of the right intervertebral foramen at the C5-6 level. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiogram confirmed the vertebral artery loop formation compressing the right C6 nerve root. We had considered microdecompressive surgery, but the patient's symptoms resolved after conservative management. Clinician should keep in mind that vertebral artery loop formation is one of important causes of cervical radiculopathy. Vertebral artery should be visualized using magnetic resonance angiography in suspected case.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2022

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare disease characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury without any association with preceding diarrhea. Dysregulation of the complement system is the most common cause of aHUS, and monoclonal humanized anti-C5 antibodies are now recommended as the first-line treatment for aHUS. However, if the complement pathway is not the cause of aHUS, C5 inhibitors are ineffective. In this study, we report the second reported case of aHUS caused by DGKE mutations in Republic of Korea. The patient was an 11-month-old infant who presented with prodromal diarrhea similar to typical HUS, self-remitted with conservative management unlike complement-mediated aHUS but recurred with fever. While infantile aHUS often implies genetic dysregulation of the complement system, other rare genetic causes, such as DGKE mutation, need to be considered before deciding long-term treatment with C5 inhibitors.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.43-49
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• 2010

Enterococcus faecalis, a gram-positive bacterium, has been implicated in endodontic infections, particularly in chronic apical periodontitis. Proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$), are involved in the pathogenesis of these apical lesions. E. faecalis has been reported to stimulate macrophages to produce TNF-$\alpha$. The present study investigated the mechanisms involved in TNF-$\alpha$ production by a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 in response to exposure to E. faecalis. Both live and heat-killed E. faecalis induced high levels of gene expression and protein release of TNF-$\alpha$. Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of endocytosis, prevented the mRNA up-regulation of TNF-$\alpha$ by E. faecalis. In addition, antioxidant treatment reduced TNF-$\alpha$ production to baseline levels. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase also significantly attenuated E. faecalis-induced TNF-$\alpha$ expression by RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 in RAW 264.7 cells was also stimulated by E. faecalis. These results suggest that the phagocytic uptake of bacteria is necessary for the induction of TNF-$\alpha$ in E. faecalis-stimulated macrophages, and that the underlying intracellular signaling pathways involve reactive oxygen species, ERK, p38 MAP kinase, NF-${\kappa}B$, and AP-1.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1007-1013
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• 2015

A COG (Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins) algorithm was applied to detect conserved genes in 711 prokaryotes. Only COG0080 (ribosomal protein L11) was common among all the 711 prokaryotes analyzed and 58 COGs were common in more than 700 prokaryotes. Nine COGs among 58, including COG0197 (endonuclease III) and COG0088 (ribosomal protein L4), were conserved in a form of one gene per one organism. COG0008 represented 1356 genes in 709 of the prokaryotes and this was the highest number of genes among 58 COGs. Twenty-two COGs were conserved in more than 708 prokaryotes. Of these, two were transcription related, four were tRNA synthetases, eight were large ribosomal subunits, seven were small ribosomal subunits, and one was translation elongation factor. Among 58 conserved COGs in more than 700 prokaryotes, 50 (86.2%) were translation related, and four (6.9%) were transcription related, pointing to the importance of protein-synthesis in prokaryotes. Among these 58 COGs, the most conserved COG was COG0060 (isoleucyl tRNA synthetase), and the least conserved was COG0143 (methionyl tRNA synthetase). Archaea and eubacteria were discriminated in the genomic analysis by the average distance and variation in distance of common COGs. The identification of these conserved genes could be useful in basic and applied research, such as antibiotic development and cancer therapeutics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2002

This study was conducted to do the comparative analysis of mating type locus controlling the direct formation of fruiting body in Schizophyllum commune which is indigenous to North America with that of other identified mating locus. The 3120 bp Y-region nucleotide of A $\alpha$ 3 mating locus activating a developmental pathway in S. commune was determined, and appeared to have about 96% homology to S. commune 1-71 $A\alpha$3 allele indigenous to South America, showing strongly a conservative feature. This nucleotide analysis also showed above 96% homology highly in the seven presumed exons, and about 97% in the acidic rich region (AR), about 99% in homeodomain (H7), about 97% in the basic rich region (BR), about 95% in the serine rich region (Ser) respectively. In the comparative analysis to the translated polypeptide sequence, S. commune A $\alpha$ 3 mating locus containing Y-region also showed about 97% homology to the region of S. commune indigenous to North America, but the identity ratio to Y1 including Y4, Y5, Y6 different allele types was declined to about 41~49%. In the analysis of functional loci controlling mating activity, it is assumed to have a highly conservative feature showing about 98% homology in homeodomain polypeptide. Especially, it is notable that the homology ratio of above 85% in homeodomain motif between mating type alleles was higher than in the AR, BR, Ser showing about 10~50% homology.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.328-338
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• 1998

Porphyromonas endodontalis, an anaerobic Gram negative cocobacillus which was known to be associated with the infected root canals and periapical lesions, is very difficult to culture and to detect by the traditional method in that it requires much time to induce the specific black pigmentation, and it is very sensitive to oxygen and the antibiotics added in the culture medium. In this study, the nucleotide sequences of the 'probe h' (0.73kb), one of the specific DNA probes top. endodontalis (ATCC 35406) which had been developed by our department, was determined and then a pair of primers for PCR amplification was fabricated to identify P. endodontalis. The plasmids containing 'probe h' were purified by $Wizard^{TM}$ Midipreps DNA Purification System (Promega Corp.), and the nucleotide sequences of the 'probe h' were determined by the dideoxy chain termination method using TaqTrack Sequencing System (Promega Corp.) and detected by fluorescent labelling method. The sense/antisense PCR primers were designed with computer software (Lasergene, DNASTAR Ind. PCR was done with a programmable GeneAmp PCR System 2400 (Perkin Elmer-Cetus Co.). Each sample containing the whole genomic DNA of P. endodontalis and other black-pigmented Bacteroides was itailly denatured at $94^{\circ}C$ for 5 min and then subjected to 30 cycles, each of them consisting of 60s at $94^{\circ}C$, 60s at $60^{\circ}C$, and 90s. at $72^{\circ}C$. The amplified DNA was resolved electrophoretically in a 1.0 % agarose gel in 1X TAE buffer, stained with EtBr, and photographed on a UV transilluminator. The results were as follows : 1. The nucleotide sequences of 'probe h' (743 base pairs) were obtained by dideoxy chain termination method, and from that results the specific primers to P. endodontalis (ATCC 35406), 'Primer H1/ Primer H2', were designed. 2. It has been found that 'Primer H1/H2' could detect P. endodontalis (ATCC 35406) using PCR. 3. The PCR system with this primers may be a powerful technique to amplify the specific sequences of 'probe h' of P. endodontalis (ATCC 35406) that produce distinct identification of it from other black-pigmented Bacteroides, and this could help us to determine the nature of periapical disease.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.281-290
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare microRNA (miRNA) gene expression in saliva using miRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays in healthy and aggressive periodontitis (AP) patients. Methods: PCR arrays of 84 miRNAs related to the human inflammatory response and autoimmunity from the saliva samples of 4 patients with AP and 4 healthy controls were performed. The functions and diseases related to the miRNAs were obtained using TAM 2.0. Experimentally validated targets of differentially expressed miRNAs were obtained from mirTarBase. Gene ontology terms and pathways were analyzed using ConsensusPathDB. Results: Four downregulated miRNAs (hsa-let-7a-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-181b-5p, and hsa-miR-23b-3p) were identified in patients with AP. These miRNAs are associated with cell death and innate immunity, and they target genes associated with osteoclast development and function. Conclusions: This study is the first analysis of miRNAs in the saliva of patients with AP. Identifying discriminatory human salivary miRNA biomarkers reflective of periodontal disease in a non-invasive screening assay is crucial for the development of salivary diagnostics. These data provide a first step towards the discovery of key salivary miRNA biomarkers for AP.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.40.1-40.12
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of endodontic treatment on levels of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the saliva of patients with symptomatic apical periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with mandibular molars with symptomatic apical periodontitis were enrolled in this study. An initial saliva sample was collected just before administration of anesthesia for root canal treatment, which was performed at the first visit. A second saliva sample was collected at a control visit 1 week after treatment. Salivary SP and CGRP levels were evaluated quantitatively using biochemical assays. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis, the paired samples t-test, and the Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.05). Results: The postoperative salivary level of SP was significantly lower than the preoperative level (p = 0.005). However, the postoperative salivary level of CGRP was similar to the preoperative level (p = 0.932). Visual analog scale (VAS) scores of patients' subjective pain were found to be positively correlated with salivary levels of SP (r = 0.421; p = 0.040). No statistically significant correlations were observed between salivary levels of CGRP and VAS scores for patients' subjective percussion tenderness (p = 0.533) or VAS scores for patients' subjective pain (p = 0.459). Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, salivary SP levels may be used as an objective indicator in the diagnosis and assessment of the degree of pain in endodontic diseases.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.409-422
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to identify the bacteria isolated from acute endodontic lesions by cell culture and 16S rDNA sequencing. The necrotic pulpal tissue was collected from 17 infected root canals, which were diagnosed as being either an acute pulpitis or acute periapical abscess. Samples were collected aseptically from the infected pulpal tissue of the infected root canals using a barbed broach and a paper point. The cut barbed broaches and paper points were transferred to an eppendorf tube containing 500 ul of 1 XPBS. The sample solution was briefly mixed and plated onto a BHI-agar plate containing $5\%$ sheep blood. The agar plates were incubated in a $37^{\circ}C$ anaerobic chamber for 7 days. The bacteria growing on the agar plate were identified by 16S rRNA coding gene (rDNA) cloning and sequencing at the species level. Among the 71 colonies grown on the agar plates, 56 strains survived and were identified. In dental caries involving the root canals, Streptococcus spp. were mainly isolated. Actinomyces, Clostridia, Bacteroides and Fusobacteria were isolated in the periapical lesion without dental caries. Interestingly, two new Actinomyces spp. (ChDC B639 and ChDC B631) were isolated in this study. These results showed that there was diversity among the species in endodontic lesions, This suggests that an endodontic infection is a mixed infection with a polymicrobial etiology. These results may offer the bacterial strains for pathogenesis studies related to an endodontic infection.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2017

Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis (GASA) genes are involved in plant hormone signaling, cell division and elongation, as well as in responses to stress conditions in plants. In this study, we isolated a GASA gene from hybrid poplar (Populus alba ${\times}$ P. glandulosa) and analyzed its physiological phenotype and molecular functions in poplar. PagGASA cDNA encodes a putative protein composed of 95 amino acids containing an N-terminal signal peptide and a conservative cysteine-rich C-terminal domain. Southern blot analysis revealed that one or two copies of the PagGASA are present in the poplar genome. The PagGASA transcripts were highly detected in flowers and roots. Moreover, the expression of PagGASA was induced by growth hormone (gibberellic acid) and stress hormones (abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid). By using transgenic analysis, we showed that the upregulation of PagGASA in poplar provides high tolerance to drought stress. Therefore, our results suggest that PagGASA plays an important role in drought stress tolerance via stress-related plant hormone signaling in poplar.