• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.47-50
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• 2001

A one-step, two-site enzyme immunoassay was developed for measuring human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum and amniotic fluid using monoclonal antibodies (McAb) by eliminating the high-dose hook effect. Three McAbs that recognize different epitopes were selected among 16 different clones on the basis of epitope mapping, two for immobilization and one for horseradish peroxidase conjugation. This one-step immunoassay system is more convenient and rapid compared to a conventional two-step sandwich immunoassay system. It did not exhibit the hook effect to around 2.7 mg/ml of AFP, which is probably one of the highest concentrations of AFP in the serum. The dose-response curve of the system was linear to 500 mg/ml of AFP and the system could differentiate as low as 1 mg/ml of AFP The intra- and inter-assay variations were in an acceptable range; 95~104% and 97~105% respectively Its correlation with other commercial systems was around 95%.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.407-412
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• 2006

Bioluminescence single-site immunometric assay for methamphetamine (MA) using the native aequorin, a photoprotein, as a signal generator was developed for the first time. MA is a potent sympathomimetic amine with stimulant effects on the central nervous system. MA abuse induces hallucinations and, thus, may cause a serious social problem. The single-site immunometric MA assay was optimized and its dose-response behavior was examined. The dose-response curve shows that the detection limit is 1.1 ${\times}$ $10^{-10}$ M and a dynamic range is four orders of magnitude with 15 $\mu$g/mL BSA-MA conjugate and 1.0 ${\times}$ $10^{-8}$ M anti-MA antibody-biotin conjugate. In order to evaluate this assay, the structurally similar compounds, amphetamine, ephedrine, norephedrine, benzphetamine and N-4-(aminobutyl)methamphetamine were examined for their crossreactivity. None of these five compounds showed any cross-reactivity. Additionally, an artificial urine solution spiked with MA was analyzed by the MA assay, and the result of the analysis demonstrated the usefulness of the present assay for the determination of MA in urine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 1992

The present study was aimed at elucidating the mode of inhibitory action of tricyclic antidepressants on the smooth muscle. Effects of amitriptyline on the isolated detrusor muscle strips of the urinary bladder of the rabbit were examined. The spontaneous rhythmic movement of the muscle preparation was frequently observed, which was decreased or abolished by addition of amitriptyline $(10^{-5}{\sim}10^{-3}\;M)$. The muscle preparation responded with contraction dose dependently to carbachol, of which dose response curve shifted to the right in the presence of either amitriptyline or atropine. However, amitriptyline produced a nonparallel shift, whereas atropine caused a parallel one. In calcium free medium, the contraction response to carbachol was markedly decreased, which was resumed by the addition of $CaCl_2$ (2.5mM), but not in the presence of either amitriptyline or nifedipine. KCI (60 mM) produced a potent contraction, which was abolished in the presence of amitriptyline or nifedipine. These results suggest that amitriptyline, unlike atropine, not only acts as a noncompetitive antagonist at cholinergic muscarine receptors but also inhibits Ca-influx through the muscle cell membrane.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.1 s.26
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• pp.9-14
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• 1980

To evaluate the adrenergic receptors for glycogenolytic responses to catecholamine, the blood glucose level, liver glycogen content and muscle glycogen level in rats were studied with treatment of epinephrine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol. In addition, to study the possibility of interconversion of adrenergic receptors, the effects of catecholamines in feeding animal were compared with those in fasting animal. The results are summarized as follow; 1) Epinephrine and norepinephine showed dose dependent increase of blood glucose level but the effect of isproterenol was not significant. 2) The prandial states of animal did not influence on effects of catecholamines on blood glucose level. 3) Liver glycogen contents were lowered by epinephrine or by norepinephrins but effect of isoproterenol was not significant. 4) Glycogen content of skeletal muscle was significantly lowered by isoproterenol and. epinephrine shifted the dose-response curve to right, but the effect of norepinephrine was not significant. 5) The effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine on blood glucose were significantly blocked by ergotamine but not by propranolol. These results indicate that the glycogenolytic response to adrenergic agents in rat is mediated by an alpha-receptor in liver and by a beta-receptor in skeletal muscle.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1107-1117
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• 1990

The regulatory role of the post \ulcorner1-and \ulcorner2-adrenoceptors on cardiac function, particularly in coronary flow rate, was investigated in the isolated rat heart treated with 10-6 M propranolol. When introduced into the left atrium of the heart, phenylephrine[10-7-10-2 M] decreased coronary flow rate and increased mean coronary resistance in a dose related fashion, but did not affect heart rate. Methoxamine also elicited the increment of coronary resistance and the decrement of coronary flow rate, though the effects of methoxamine were weaker than those by phenylephrine. The effect of phenylephrine was inhibited by 1\ulcornerM prazosin and shifting the dose-response curve to the right. The effects of clonidine, a selective \ulcorner2-adrenoceptor agonist, were studied in the heart taken from reserpinized rats. Clonidine increased coronary resistance, decreased heart rate and coronary flow rate with a dose-dependent manner. These effects were abolished by 10-6 M yohimbine, a selective \ulcorner2-antagonist, and were not affected by 10-6M prazosin. Clonidine also decreased coronary flow and increased mean coronary resistance in electric paced heart. These effects were inhibited by rawoulscine, a selective ca-antagonist. These results indicate that the stimulation of both post \ulcorner1-and \ulcorner2-adrenoceptor causes coronary vasoconstiction. And it is inferred that this model of sympathomimetics-induced coronary vasospasm may provide a useful tool for investigating spasmolytic agents which are of benefit in the treatment of variant angina.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.471-477
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• 1998

Cyclosporin A (CsA), a widely used immunosuppressant, is well known to cause nephrotoxicity and hypertension as major side effects. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of CsA-pretreatment on the activities of cytosolic guanylate cyclase (cGC) in relation to the alteration of relaxant responses in the rat thoracic aorta. CsA $(10\;{\mu}M)-preincubation$ for 90 min significantly attenuated the vasodilatation induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a cytosolic guanylate cyclase activator, shifting the dose-response curve to the right. The increase in cGMP contents induced by SNP was markedly attenuated by CsA. SNP ($1\;{\mu}M{\sim}\;mM$) increased the cGC activity dose-dependently, and the increase was completely abolished by CsA. CsA attenuated the SNP-induced cGC activation dose-dependently. The abolishing effect of CsA-pretreatment on the SNP-induced cGC activation was not affected by washing the preparation, suggesting that the inhibition is irreversible. When CsA was added simultaneously with SNP, cGC activation was not attenuated. 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine (H-7), a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, decreased SNP-induced cGC activation and blocked the CsA-attenuation of cGC activation. These results suggest that CsA directly inhibits cGC participating in the CsA-induced impairment of vasodilatation, and that PKC is involved in the inhibitory action of CsA on cGC.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.110-119
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• 2003

Purpose: Radioiodine (I-131) therapy is an effective modality to reduce both recurrence and mortality rates in differentiated thyroid cancer. Whether higher doses shows higher therapeutic responses was still debatable. The purpose of this study was to validate curve-fitting (CF) method measuring maximum permissible dose (MPD) by a biological dosimetry using metaphase analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Materials and Methods: Therapeutic effects of MPD was evaluated in 58 patients (49 females and 9 males, mean age $50{\pm}11$ years) of papillary thyroid cancer. Among them 43 patients were treated with ${\Leq}7.4GBq$, while 15 patients with ${\geq}9.25GBq$. The former was defined as low-dose group, and the latter high-dose group. Therapeutic response was defined as complete response when complete disappearance of lesions on follow-up I-131 scan and undetectable serum thyroglobulin levels were found. Statistical comparison between groups were done using chi-square test. P value less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: MPD measured by CF method using tracer and therapeutic doses were $13.3{\pm}1.9\;and\;13.8{\pm}2.1GBq$, respectively (p=0.20). They showed a significant correlation (r=0.8, p<0.0001). Exposed doses to blood measured by CF and biological methods were $1.54{\pm}0.03\;and\;1.78{\pm}0.03Gy$ (p=0.01). They also showed a significant correlation (r=0.86, p=0.01). High-dose group showed a significantly higher rate of complete response (12/15, 80%) as compared to the low-dose group (22/43, 51.2%) (p=0.05). While occurrence of side effects was not different between two groups (40% vs. 30.2%, p=0.46). Conclusion: Measurement of MPD using CF method is reliable, and the high-dose I-131 therapy using MPD gains significantly higher therapeutic effects as compared with low-dose therapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2002

Background: Bronchial reactivity is known to be a component of airway hyperresponsiveness, a cardinal feature of asthma, with bronchial sensitivity, and is increments in response to induced doses of bronchoconstrictors as manifested by the steepest slope of the dose-response curve. However, there is some controversy regarding methods of measuring bronchial reactivity and clinical impact of such measurements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance and assess the clinical use by analyzing the relationship of the bronchial sensitivity, the clinical severity and the changes in pulmonary function with bronchial reactivity. Method: A total of 116 subjects underwent a methacholine bronchial provocation test. They were divided into 3 groups : mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate and cough asthma. Severe patients were excluded. Methacholine PC20 was determined from the log dose-response curve and PC40 was determined by one more dose inhalation after PC20. The steepest slope of log dose-response curve, connecting PC20 with PC40, was used to calculate the bronchial reactivity. Body plethysmography and a single breath for the DLCO were done in 43 subjects before and after methacholine test. Results: The average bronchial reactivity was 38.0 in the mild intermittent group, 49.8 in the mild persistent group, 61.0 in the moderate group, and 41.1 in the cough asthma group. There was a weak negative correlation between PC20 and bronchial reactivity. A heightened bronchial reactivity tends to produce an increased clinical severity in patients with a similar bronchial sensitivity and basal spirometric pulmonary function. There were significant correlations between the bronchial reactivity and the initial pulmonary function before the methacholine test in the order of sGaw, Raw, $FEV_1$/FVC, MMFR. There were no correlations between the bronchial sensitivity and the % change in the pulmonary function parameters after the methacholine test. However, there were significant correlations between the bronchial reactivity and the PEF, $FEV_1$, DLCO. Conclusion: There was weak significant negative correlation between the bronchial reactivity and the bronchial sensitivity, and the bronchial reactivity closely reflected the severity of the asthma. Accordingly, measuring both the bronchial sensitivity and the bronchial reactivity can be of assistance in assessing of the ongoing disease severity and in monitoring the effect of therapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.346-355
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• 1980

It has been proposed that wide individual variation in response to heparin be not considered in the conventional set protocol for the control of heparin and protamine during extracorporeal circulation. In this paper, two protocol of heparin and protamine therapy were compared to assess the role of the Activated Clotting Time [ACT] in relation to heparin, protamine, and postoperative blood loss and transfusion. The study groups consisted of the 31 patients [adults 15 and children 16] anticoagulated with the conventional heparin protocol and the 31 patients [adults 15 and children 16] anticoagulated with ACT protocol during extracorporeal circulation. In the conventional heparin protocol, two mg of heparin per kg was administered initially with an additional 0.75 mg of heparin per kg every 30 minutes of extracorporeal circulation, and reversal was accomplished with protamine in a dose of 1.5 times the total milligram of heparin. In the ACT protocol, two mg of heparin per kg was administered initially with an additional dose of heparin enough to reach an ACT of 480 seconds [within safe zone 300 to 600 seconds] from the patient`s dose response curve every 1 hour of extracorporeal circulation, and reversal was done with protamine in a dose of 1.3 times the milligram of the residual heparin. The results were summarized as follows. After a dose of 2 mg per kg of heparin, the patient`s ACT varied from 240 to 600 seconds in adults and from 240 t~ 660 seconds in children. In the ACT group the total amount of heparin administered was markedly reduced when compared to the conventional group, and less protamine was required to neutralize heparin. The dose of heparin administered decreased from 7.07 [SE 0.42] mg/kg of the conventional group to 4.92 [SE 0.32] mg/k8 of the ACT group in adults and from 10.17 [SE 1.15] mg/kg to 5.23 [SE 0.24] mg/kg in children, which represent 30.4% and 48.6% decrease respectively. The dose of protamine administered for reversal decreased from 10.6 [SE 0.63] mg/kg of the conventional group to 3.35 [SE 0.35] mg/kg of the ACT group in adults and from 15.7 [SE 1.70] mg/kg to 3.26 [SE 0.27] mg/kg in children, which represent 68.4% and 79.2% respectively. The ratio of protamine to heparin administered in the conventional group was 1.50:1 in adults and 1.54:1 in children, but in the ACT group 0.68:1 in adults and 0.62:1 in children. Postoperative blood loss and transfusion revealed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Although six patients in the conventional group and one in the ACT group needed re-exploration for continuous hemorrhage, no case of generalized oozing was encountered, and in each case a definite bleeding site was identified. Author would like emphasizing the value of the ACT protocol in controlling heparin and protamine administration during extracorporeal circulation.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.425-429
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• 1992

Cell elongation is known to be promoted by ethylene in petioles of Ranunculus sceleratus. Treatment of petiole segments with spermine resulted in an inhibition of cell elongation and of ethylene biosynthesis in the presence of applied auxin. Dose response curve for the spermine inhibition of auxin-induced ethylene production appeared similar to that of ACC-based ethylene production suggesting that the polyamine inhibits ethylene biosynthesis by blocking the conversion of ACC to etylene. Auxin-induced ethylene production was significantly promoted by treatment of the tissue with either DFMA or DFMO. specific inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis. Increased level of ethylene production by DFMA was found to be completely abolished by application of exogenous spermine at a high concentration. These results indicate that endogenous spermine plays a regulatory role in the growth response of Ranunculus petioles to auxin and ethylene.hylene.