• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.275-285
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• 2008

Antimicrobial drugs are widely used in poultry industry as growth promoters or to control infectious diseases. However, this practice is reported to have caused high resistance to antimicrobial drugs in normal chicken flora and pathogens. Antimicrobial resistance to Escherichia coli (E. coli) from chicken has been mainly reported in normal flora, but rare in pathogenic organism in Korea, recently. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate prevalence of antimicrobials resistance, transfer of R plasmid, and association between antimicrobial drug resistance and O serotype of 203 pathogenic E. coli from poultry in Korea during the period from April 2003 to December 2005. These isolates showed a high resistance to tetracycline (Tc, 93.6%), nalidixic acid (Na, 92.6%), streptomycin (Sm, 81.8%), ampicillin (Ap, 77.3%), ciprofloxacin (Ci, 70.9%), sulfisoxazole (Su, 66.5%), and trimethoprim (Tp, 58.1%). Two hundred-one (99.0%) of the isolates were resistant to one or more drugs. They showed 57 different resistant patterns, and the most prevalent resistant pattern among them was Tc, Sin, Su, Ap, Tp, Ci, Na. Sixty-eight (33.8%) of the isolates transferred all or a part of their antimicrobial resistant pattern to the recipient strain by R plasmid. The most common antimicrobial resistant pattern was Tc, Sm, Su, Ap, Tp, Ci, Na in serotype O78, O88 and O15, respectively. These results exhibit high individual and multiple resistance to antimicrobials of pathogenic E. coli from poultry in Korea. They also suggest the needs for surveillance to monitor antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria that can be potentially transmitted to humans from food animals and to regulate the abuse of antimicrobials on food-producing animals in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2011

Background: Although the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis has progressively decreased all over the world, drug-resistant tuberculosis is major obstacle in treating tuberculosis. This study was performed to examine the current prevalence and risk factors of drug resistant tuberculosis in a single tertiary hospital in Busan, Korea. Methods: We enrolled 367 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis on a retrospective basis who had undergone mycobacterium culture and drug sensitivity tests between January 2005 and December 2009. We analyzed all clinical and radiographic parameters to find predictors related to drug resistant tuberculosis. Results: At least one incident of drug resistance was found in 75 (20.4%) patients. Isoniazid (18.8%) was the most frequent resistant drug, followed by rifampin (10.9%), ethambutol (7.1%), streptomycin (4.9%), and fluoroquinolone (2.7%). Resistance to second-line drugs was found in 37 (10.1%) patients. Multidrug resistance and extensively drug resistance was evident in 39 (10.6%) and 4 (1.1%) patients, respectively. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, history of previous treatment including relapse (odd ratio [OR], 11.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.92~26.08; p<0.01), treatment failure (OR, 24.1; 95% CI, 5.65~102.79; p<0.01) and an age of below 46 years-old (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.62~8.65; p<0.01) were found to be independent predictors of multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Conclusion: We found that the prevalence of drug resistant tuberculosis was considerably high. A careful consideration for possible drug resistant tuberculosis is warranted in patients with a history of previous treatment or for younger patients.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2020

Clostridial bacteria are zoonotic agents, which cause severe necrotizing enteritis, pseudo-membrane colitis, enterotoxemia to both humans and animals. The objective of this study was to monitor the antibiotic resistance of Clostridium isolates on clinical specimens from wild animals in Seoul zoo for 5 years. Clostridium isolates were verified by using Vitek2 compact machine. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed by antibiotic disc diffusion test, which was followed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test method. The frequency of Antimicrobial resistance of Clostridium isolate was the greatest in gentamicin (87%), then in order of amikacin (80%). There were 55.6% of Clostridium isolates showed multiple drug resistance (MDR). These results showed that a lot of Clostridial bacteria from wild animals in Seoul zoo were acquired antibiotic resistance. Because of the wild animal's aggressive manner, it has been hard to collect clinical samples from wild animals in a zoo to exam antibiotic susceptibility. For these reasons, empirical use of antibiotics has been performed in frequently. It may cause to increase the emergence of antibiotic resistance bacteria. In addition, the antibiotic resistance bacteria from zoo animals can be spread to other wild animals which inhabit around the zoo. Therefore, regular monitoring of antibiotic resistance Clostridial bacteria is important to protect animals and humans from Clostridial diseases.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 1999

MIC test of 16 chemotherapeutic agents was performed on 24 isolates of Edwardsiella tarda collected from flounders. They revealed resistance against combinations of ampicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, flumequine, doxycycline(DOXY), nalidixic acid, novobiocin, oxolinic acid, oxytetracycline(OTC), thiamphenicol(TP) and sulfonamide. Two strains carried transferable R plasmid encoding Otc Kanamycin Tp and Otc chloramphenicol Doxy Tetracycline Tp, respectively. The R plasmids were not similar each other on the basis of their digestion pattern of restriction endonuclease, suggesting distribution of different transferable R plasmid among E. tarda from flounders.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.159-163
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• 1976

One hundred and sixty one Escherichia coli strains isolated from 24 swine (11 swine fed with feedstuffs containing 7.5mg/kg of tetracycline and 13 swine not received antibiotic) were studied for the drug resistance and distribution of R factors. About 42 per cent of E. coli strains isolated from pigs of a herd fed with tetracycline (TC)-containing feeds were resistant to TC, streptomycin(SM), sulfisomidine(SA), ampicillin (AP) and kanamycin (KM), alone or in combination thereof, but none of the swine not receiving antibiotic containing feedstuffs excreted E. coli resistant to these drugs, Among resistant strains, 18.2% were found to be singly resistant to TC, whereas 81.8% were resistant to two or more antibiotics. The most common pattern was the triple resistant to TC, SM and SA(30.3%), and follolwed by double ones to TC and SM(24.2%). About one half of resistant strains carried R factors which were tranferable to the recipients by conjugation. In spite of feeding with feedstuffs containing only TC, high incidences of multiple resistance and R factors were observed in the E. coli isolated from these swine.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.153-164
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• 2023

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small population of tumor cells characterized by self-renewal and differentiation capacity. CSCs are currently postulated as the driving force that induces intra-tumor heterogeneity leading to tumor initiation, metastasis, and eventually tumor relapse. Notably, CSCs are inherently resistant to environmental stress, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy due to high levels of antioxidant systems and drug efflux transporters. In this context, a therapeutic strategy targeting the CSC-specific pathway holds a promising cure for cancer. NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2; NFE2L2) is a master transcription factor that regulates an array of genes involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species/electrophiles. Accumulating evidence suggests that persistent NRF2 activation, observed in multiple types of cancer, supports tumor growth, aggressive malignancy, and therapy resistance. Herein, we describe the core properties of CSCs, focusing on treatment resistance, and review the evidence that demonstrates the roles of NRF2 signaling in conferring unique properties of CSCs and the associated signaling pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.527-535
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• 2021

Lysosomes are organelles surrounded by membranes that contain acid hydrolases; they degrade proteins, macromolecules, and lipids. According to nutrient conditions, lysosomes act as signaling hubs that regulate intracellular signaling pathways and are involved in the homeostasis of cells. Therefore, the lysosomal dysfunction occurs in various diseases, such as lysosomal storage disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers. Multiple forms of stress can increase lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), resulting in the induction of lysosome-mediated cell death through the release of lysosomal enzymes, including cathepsin, into the cytosol. Here we review the molecular mechanisms of LMP-mediated cell death and the enhancement of sensitivity to anticancer drugs. Induction of partial LMP increases apoptosis by releasing some cathepsins, whereas massive LMP and rupture induce non-apoptotic cell death through release of many cathepsins and generation of ROS and iron. Cancer cells have many drug-accumulating lysosomes that are more resistant to lysosome-sequestered drugs, suggesting a model of drug-induced lysosome-mediated chemoresistance. Lysosomal sequestration of hydrophobic weak base anticancer drugs can have a significant impact on their subcellular distribution. Lysosome membrane damage by LMP can overcome resistance to anticancer drugs by freeing captured hydrophobic weak base drugs from lysosomes. Therefore, LMP inducers or lysosomotropic agents can regulate lysosomal integrity and are novel strategies for cancer therapy.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2012

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the major agents responsible for food poisoning during summer in Korea, which is transmitted via seawater or seafoods. Recently, distribution of the bacteria in the marine environment has been increased due to global warming. Great concern also has been raised regarding public hygiene as well as marine culture by the emergence of pathogens with antibiotic resistance. Therefore, distribution of V. parahaemolyticus and antibiotic resistance of the isolates were monitored in 7 coastal areas of Kyonggi Province and Incheon by sampling seawater, fishes and clams monthly. V. parahaemolyticus was detected from 47.7% of 966 samples (seawater 61.9%, seafoods 41.8%) analyzed using $CHROMagar^{TM}$ and TCBS agar plates as well as multiplex PCR. Among 13 antibiotics tested, resistance to vancomycin and ampicillin was observed in 97.3% and 87.3% of the isolates, respectively, and the ratios of them resistant to cephalothin (48.8%) and rifampin (46.1%) were also high. The isolates were most highly sensitive to chloramphenicol (91.7%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (91.8%). The ratio of sensitivity for other antibiotics was also high in the descending order of gentamycin (82.3%), tobramycin (74.8%), nalidixic acid (71.6%), tetracyclin (69.4%), cefotaxime (63.0%). About 69% of the isolates showed multiple drug resistance toward 3 antibiotics including vancomycin and ampicillin. Two of them exhibited resistance for 11 antibiotics used in this study. Plasmid profile analysis of the isolates with antibiotic resistance revealed that 55.1% of them retained plasmids of 24 different types. However, no clear inter-relationship between the resistance and the plasmid profile has been observed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2793-2800
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• 2015

In molecular-targeted cancer therapy, acquired resistance to gemcitabine is a major clinical problem that reduces its effectiveness, resulting in recurrence and metastasis of cancers. In spite of great efforts to reveal the overall mechanism of acquired gemcitabine resistance, no definitive genetic factors have been identified that are absolutely responsible for the resistance process. Therefore, we performed a cross-platform meta-analysis of three publically available microarray datasets for cancer cell lines with acquired gemcitabine resistance, using the R-based RankProd algorithm, and were able to identify a total of 158 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 76 up- and 82 down-regulated) that are potentially involved in acquired resistance to gemcitabine. Indeed, the top 20 up- and down-regulated DEGs are largely associated with a common process of carcinogenesis in many cells. For the top 50 up- and down-regulated DEGs, we conducted integrated analyses of a gene regulatory network, a gene co-expression network, and a protein-protein interaction network. The identified DEGs were functionally enriched via Gene Ontology hierarchy and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses. By systemic combinational analysis of the three molecular networks, we could condense the total number of DEGs to final seven genes. Notably, GJA1, LEF1, and CCND2 were contained within the lists of the top 20 up- or down-regulated DEGs. Our study represents a comprehensive overview of the gene expression patterns associated with acquired gemcitabine resistance and theoretical support for further clinical therapeutic studies.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.14
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• 2020

The emergence of livestock-associated (LA)-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in livestock animal has become a significant zoonotic concern. In the present study, we investigated nationwide prevalence of LA-MRSA across pork production chain including pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. A total of 40 MRSA strains were isolated during the investigation and the overall prevalence of MRSA was 3.4% (n = 37), 0.6% (n = 2), and 0.4% (n = 1) in pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing analyses revealed that the 2 most significant clonal lineages in pork production chain in Korea were ST398 (n = 25) and ST541 (n = 6). All of the 40 MRSA isolates were further characterized to investigate key genotypic and phenotypic correlates associated with the emergence and spread of clonal complex 398 (CC398; ST398, and ST541) LA-MRSA. Although the prevalence of swine-associated MRSA was still relatively low and mostly restricted to pig farms, multidrug-resistant CC398 LA-MRSA isolates with new spa types (t18102 and t18103) were identified as a major clonal lineage. The CC398 LA-MRSA strains tended to exhibit increased levels of multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype compared with non-CC398 MRSA strains. Of note, in comparison with non-CC398 MRSA isolates, CC398 LA-MRSA isolates exhibited significantly enhanced tetracycline (TET) and zinc resistance. These findings suggested that co-selection pressure associated with MDR phenotype, especially TET resistance, and zinc resistance may have played a significant role in the emergence and persistence of CC398 LA-MRSA in pig farms in Korea.