• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.1813-1817
• /
• 2013

Background: Multiple etiologic factors are suspected to cause gastric cancer, the most important of which is infection with virulent types of Helicobacter pylori. Materials and Methods: We have compared 102 gastric cancer patients with 122 non-ulcer, non-cancer dyspeptic patients. Gastric specimens were evaluated for H. pylori infection by tissue-based detection methods. Patient sera underwent antigen-specific ELISA and western blotting using a Helicoblot 2.1 kit and antibody responses to various H. pylori antigens were assessed. Results: The absolute majority (97-100%) of both groups were H. pylori seropositive. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated serum antibodies to the low molecular weight 35kDa protein to be protective and reduce the risk of gastric cancer by 60% (OR:0.4; 95%CI:0.1-0.9). Conversely, seroreactivity to the 89kDa (VacA) protein was significantly higher in gastric cancer patients (OR:2.7; 95%CI:1.0-7.1). There was a highly significant association (p<0.001) between seroreactivity to the 116kDa (CagA) and 89kDa (VacA) proteins, and double positive subjects were found at nearly five fold (OR:4.9; 95%CI:1.0-24.4) enhanced risk of gastric cancer as compared to double negative subjects. Conclusions: Seroreactivity to H. pylori low (35kDa) and high (116kDa/89kDa) molecular weight antigens were respectively revealed as protective and risk indicators for gastric cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.275-282
• /
• 2013

Influenza virus is one of the major sources of respiratory tract infection. Due to antigenic drift in surface glycoproteins the virus causes annual epidemics with severe morbidity and mortality. Although hemagglutinin (HA) is one of the highly variable surface glycoproteins of the influenza virus, it remains the most attractive target for vaccine development against seasonal influenza infection because antibodies generated against HA provide virus neutralization and subsequent protection against the virus infection. Combination of recombinant adenovirus (rAd) vector-based vaccine and mucosal administration is a promising regimen for safe and effective vaccination against influenza. In this study, we constructed rAd encoding the globular head region of HA from A/Puerto Rico/8/34 virus as vaccine candidate. The rAd vaccine was engineered to express high level of the protein in secreted form. Intranasal or sublingual immunization of mice with the rAd-based vaccine candidates induced significant levels of sustained HA-specific mucosal IgA and IgG. When challenged with lethal dose of homologous virus, the vaccinated mice were completely protected from the infection. The results demonstrate that intranasal or sublingual vaccination with HA-encoding rAd elicits protective immunity against infection with homologous influenza virus. This finding underlines the potential of our recombinant adenovirus-based influenza vaccine candidate for both efficacy and rapid production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.482-488
• /
• 2019

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs. Replicase (Rep) proteins are considered essential for viral replication. Capsid (Cap) protein is the primary immunogenic protein that induces protective immunity. Little is known about comparison on the immunogenicity of PCV2 Rep and Cap fusion protein and Cap protein. In the present study, recombinant baculoviruses expressing the Rep-Cap fusion protein (Bac-Rep-Cap) and the Cap protein (Bac-Cap) of PCV2 were constructed and confirmed with western blot and indirect fluorescence assay. Immunogenicities of the two recombinant proteins were tested in mice. The titers of antibodies were determined with a PCV2-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a serum neutralization assay. The $IFN-{\gamma}$ response of immunized mice was measured by ELISA. The mice immunized with the Bac-Rep-Cap and Bac-Cap successfully produced Cap-specific immunoreaction. The mice immunized with the Bac-Cap developed higher PCV2-specific neutralizing antibody titers than mice injected with the Bac-Rep-Cap. $IFN-{\gamma}$ in the Bac-Rep-Cap group was increased compared to those in the Bac-Cap group. Vaccination of mice with the Bac-Rep-Cap showed significantly decreased protective efficacy compared to the Bac-Cap. Our findings will indubitably not only lead to a better understanding of the immunogenicity of PCV2, but also improved vaccines.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.202-208
• /
• 1999

Schizophrenia has many clinical expressions and probably different etiologic factors. Infections, autoimmune mechanism and related neurodevelopmental abnormalities have been suggested as possible etiologic factors of schizophrenia. It has been reported that immunoreactivity to heat shock proteins, which play a protective role against environmental stresses in a cell, might be related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Therefore, we examined the immunoreactivity to heat shock protein 70kDa and 90kDa(HSP70 and 90) in 91 patients with schizophrenia and 83 normal controls. Ig G antibodies to HSP70 and 90 of sera were quantitated by ELISA. The optical density(OD) was measured by an automated microplate reader at a wavelength of 490nm. The amounts of antibodies to HSPs were expressed as arbitrary units(AU)/ml related to a standard serum. The limit for elevated antibody titers(anti-HSPs positive or negative) was set at two standard deviations added to the mean of the normal controls. Twenty nine(31.9%) of the 91 patients showed anti-HSP70 positive and 19(20.9%) of those showed anti-HSP90 positive. On the other hand, only 1(1.4%) of the normal controls and 4(4.8%) of those showed anti-HSP70 positive and anti-HSP90 positive, respectively. The titers of anti-HSP70 positive were related with BPRS scores, while those of anti-HSP90 positive were not. There were no relationship between antibody titers and clinical variables including age at onset, duration of illness, family history of schizophrenia or number of admission. The titers of anti-HSP70 positive were significantly associated with anti-HSP90 positive. Our results suggest the presence of abnormal immune reactivity involving HSP70 and HSP90 in a subset of patients with schizophrenia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
• /
• 2005.09a
• /
• pp.344-347
• /
• 2005

Helper T(Th) cells regulate immune response by producing various kinds of cytokines in response to antigen stimulation. The regulatory functions of Th cells are promoted by their differentiation into two distinct subsets, Th1 and Th2 cells. Th1 cells are involved in inducing cellular immune response by activating cytotoxic T cells. Th2 cells trigger B cells to produce antibodies, protective proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign substances. Because cellular and humoral immune responses have quite different roles in protecting the host from foreign substances, Th cell differentiation is a crucial event in the immune response. The destiny of a naive Th cell is mainly controlled by cytokines such as IL-4, IL-12, and IFN-${\gamma}$. To understand the mechanism of Th cell differentiation, many mathematical models have been proposed. One of the most difficult problems in mathematical modeling is to find appropriate kinetic parameters needed to complete a model. However, it is relatively easy to get qualitative or linguistic knowledge of a model dynamics. To incorporate such knowledge into a model, we propose a novel approach, fuzzy continuous Petri nets extending traditional continuous Petri net by adding new types of places and transitions called fuzzy places and fuzzy transitions. This extension makes it possible to perform fuzzy inference with fuzzy places and fuzzy transitions acting as kinetic parameters and fuzzy inference systems between input and output places, respectively.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.339-342
• /
• 2004

Germination is a process which characterized with nescient synthesis of genes. Among the genes synthesized during the germination of wheat embryos, germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were defined. Germin is a water soluble homopentameric glycoprotein which is remarkable resistant to degradation by a broad range of proteases including pepsin. Germin proteins found to have strong oxalate oxidase activity which produces hydrogen peroxide by degrading oxalic acid. The current study, aimed to localize the germin genes, proteins and enzymatic activities in developing coleoptiles which is a rapidly growing protective tissue of leaf primordium and shoot apex. Non-radioactively abeled germin riboprobes were employed to localize germin mRNAs in situ. FITC (Fluorescein isothiocyanate) and alkaline phosphatase linked anti-germin antibodies were used to localize germin proteins under the fluorescence and light microscopy and finally germin enzymatic activity was localized by using appropriate enzyme assay. The results revealed that in coleoptiles germin genes, proteins and their enzymatic activity were predominantly associated with the cells of epidermis and vascular bundle sheath cells.

• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.357-364
• /
• 2014

This study examined effect of a transcranial magnetic stimulation device with a commercial-frequency approach on the neuronal cell death caused ischemia. For a simple transcranial magnetic stimulation device, the experiment was conducted on an ischemia induced rat by transcranial magnetic stimulation of a commercial-frequency approach, controlling the firing angle using a Triac power device. The transcranial magnetic stimulation device was controlled at a voltage of 220 V 60 Hz and the trigger of the Triac gate was varied from $45^{\circ}$ up to $135^{\circ}$. Cerebral ischemia was caused by ligating the common carotid artery of male SD rats and reperfusion was performed again to blood after 5 minutes. Protein Expression was examined by Western blotting and the immune response cells reacting to the antibodies of Poly ADP ribose polymerase in the cerebral nerve cells. As a result, for the immune response cells of Poly ADP ribose polymerase related to necrosis, the transcranial magnetic stimulation device suppressed necrosis and had a protective effect on nerve cells. The effect was greatest within 12 hours after ischemia. Therefore, it is believed that in the case of brain damage caused by ischemia, the function of brain cells can be restored and the impairment can be improved by the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.59 no.4
• /
• pp.170-176
• /
• 2015

In vaccine development, the major points may be induction of effective and increased levels of antibody production. This is especially the case when the antigenic sources are carbohydrates. For many years, thus, we have researched various types of formulations such as liposomal and conjugate vaccines. However, the fastidious formulation process and high costs are a problem. For this reason, there is currently a focus on utilizing immunoadjuvants. In this present study, we tested if platycodin D (PLD) from Platycodon Radix have immunoadjuvant activity against the cell wall of Candida albicans (CACW). The resulting data showed that in the murine model of antibody production, CACW combined with PLD [CACW/PLD/IFA] increased the production of antibodies specific to C. albicans when compared to the antibody production by [CACW/IFA]-induction, which was used as a negative control (P<0.05). In the case of [CACW/PLD/IFA], the antibody production was 1.4 times as that of the CFA. In addition, formulations containing either had a prolonged antibody inducing activity maintaining the initial titers of antibody as compared to the CFA formula. Cytokine profiling with the antisera displayed that the PLD produced both Th1 and Th2 immunoresponses, but Th1 dominant was much greater (P<0.05). Furthermore, [CACW/PLD/IFA] formula enhanced resistance of mice against disseminated candidiasis, whereas the CFA had no such effect. In conclusion, PLD has an immunologic activity, which is protective against the disease. Thus, PLD can be a goof candidate for a new immunoadjuvant in development of the fungal vaccine.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.65-71
• /
• 2007

Purpose: In the Korean armed forces, vaccination against tetanus is done when personnel join the military service, but we do not know how many military personnel are vaccinated and how many soldiers have protection against tetanus. We performed a qualitative analysis of the tetanus antibody in Korean military personnel by using the TQS (Tetanus Quick Stick) Methods: This study used a prospective collection method for military personnel visiting to the emergency department of a tertiary armed forces hospital from July 2005 to January 2007. We performed an analysis by using the TQS and asked whether the personnel had been inoculated during military service. Results: The number of enrolled military personnel was 474. Among them, 412 had been vaccinated against tetanus after entering the military service. The positive rate of TQS was 91.3% (373 patients) after vaccination for tetanus. Conclusion: Many military personnel were inoculated with tetanus toxoid during military service and have protective antibodies for tetanus. According as TQS should be used for military personnel who visit the emergency department of an armed forces hospital. Also, anti-tetanus immunoglobulin should not normally be used a positive TQS for tetanus prophylaxis.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.43 no.9
• /
• pp.604-608
• /
• 2010

Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) mediates proinflammatory responses in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and it upregulates the expression of secretory group IIA phospholipase $A_2$ ($sPLA_2$-IIA). $sPLA_2$-IIA plays a pivotal role in inflammation, and antithrombin (AT) possesses properties that are beneficial to endothelial cells. Therefore, we investigated the effects of AT on the expression of $sPLA_2$-IIA in TNF-$\alpha$-stimulated HUVECs. TNF-$\alpha$ potently upregulated the expression of $sPLA_2$-IIA, and prior treatment of cells with AT inhibited the expression of $sPLA_2$-IIA in HUVECs. Also, antibodies or siRNA for syndecan-4 blocked the protective effect of AT. Furthermore, PI3-kinase and the AKT pathway are significantly involved in the AT-mediated inhibition of the expression of $sPLA_2$-IIA. These results show that AT effectively suppresses the upregulated $sPLA_2$-IIA expression, which might contribute to the cytoprotective effects of AT in the treatment of severe inflammatory diseases.