• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.716-721
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• 2018

Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to tobacco smoke causing irritation and inflammation in the airways tends to reduce serum periostin concentrations in adults. We now investigate prospective cross-sectional study on 135 Korean students aged 7 years in the first grade who were participating in the Seongnam Atopy Project for Children's Happiness 2016 ($SAP_{2016}$) cohort. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show significant inverse correlations between serum periostin concentration and exposure to xylene and formaldehyde in children. Our findings suggested the need for caution in using the serum periostin level as a marker for allergic diseases, since exposure to volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde may confound the interpretation of these results.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2003

Phenotypic characteristics and genetic markers in livestock have been utilized for improvement of the economic traits including egg productivity. Korean Native Ogol Chicken (KNOC) has low egg productivity compared to White Leghorn. Therefore, in this study, serum IGF-I concentration and number of egg production were used as selection markers to improve egg productivity. KNOCs were divided into three groups showing high IGF-I concentration (IGF-I high), high egg production (EP high), and IGF-I/EP high groups. Blood was collected every 10 weeks, and serum concentrations of IGF-I, estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured by radioimmunoassay. In comparison of three groups in each generation, the highest increment of egg production was detected in the IGF-I/EP high group from 20 weeks till 40 weeks, and the IGF-I high group also showed the significant increment of egg production after 50 weeks. Interestingly, there were the increase of egg production and decrease of periods in sexual maturity in the second and third generation selected by serum IGF-I concentration, while egg weight and body weight decreased during experimental period. In conclusion, the present study suggest the possibility of IGF-I as a selection marker to improve the egg productivity of KNOC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5353-5361
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• 2012

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is an immune-stimulatory cytokine with antitumor activity in preclinical models. It plays pivotal roles in linking inflammatory immune responses and tumor progression and is a useful candidate in gene therapy of lymphoma or lymphoid leukemia. A phase I study of recombinant human IL-18 (rhIL-18) in patients with advanced cancer concluded that rhIL-18 can be safely given in biologically active doses to patients with advanced cancer. Some viruses can induce the secretion of IL-18 for immune evasion. The individual cytokine activity might be potentiated or inhibited by combinations of cytokines. Here we focus on combinational effects of cytokines with IL-18 in cancer progression. IL-18 is an important non-invasive marker suspected of contributing to metastasis. Serum IL-18 may a useful biological marker as independent prognostic factor of survival. In this review we cover roles of IL-18 in immune evasion, metastasis and angiogenesis, applications for chemotherapy and prognostic or diagnostic significance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8409-8411
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• 2014

Purpose: To assess the value of multi-tumor marker protein chips in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: Twelve tumor markers (CA19-9, NSE, CEA, CA242, CK19, ${\beta}$-HCG, AFP, SCC, c-PSA, CA125, CA724 and CA15-3) were detected by protein biochip in 220 patients with ovarian carcinomas, 205 with benign ovarian tumors and 200 healthy subjects. Results: The positivity rate was obviously higher in ovarian cancer (77.7%), than that in the benign cases (26.3%, p<0.01) and healthy subjects (4.5%, p<0.01). Serum levels of tumor markers were furthermore significantly higher in cases with lymph node metastasis (86.8%) than those without metastasis (44.7%), p<0.01. Conclusions: Multi-tumor marker protein chips provide important assistance in the diagnosis and treatment evaluation in ovarian cancers.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2014

The death toll of Colorectal Carcinoma in Korea was 1,826 and 7,721 in the years 1992 and 2011, respectively. This rate of increase was shown to be more than 4.23 times higher than that of any other form of cancer. Therefore, Colorectal Carcinoma requires various diagnostic methods, and Microsatellite Instability (MSI) was applied as a new diagnostic tool. From this study with several microsatellite markers, only marker #13 was detected and observed D13S160 13% (4/30), D13S292 13% (4/30), D13S153 10% (3/30) in order. From the results of amplication with microsatellite marker, D13S292 37% (11/30), D13S153 33% (10/30), D13S160 33% (10/30) in order were shown. The appearance of a genetic mutation, which depends on the loci of Colorectal Carcinoma, was shown amplication from rectal cancer (3.77) which was higher than that of right Colorectal Carcinoma (2.08) (p<0.018). The genetic mutation with lymph node (4.13) appeared higher than normal (1.93) (p<0.001). There were no great differences in the genetic mutation dependent on disease, histological classification and increased group of serum CEA. Accordingly, it is suggested that the correct primers, which can evaluate MSI well from colorectal carcinoma, should be chosen and that MSI be considered a good prognosis and quality control tool.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1577-1584
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• 2002

Purpose : Airway inflammation is considered to be a characteristic feature of asthma, and eosinophils are recognized as the most important inflammatory cells. This study aims to assess the importance of blood eosinophil count and serum eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) levels as a noninvasive marker of bronchial hyperresponsiveness(BHR) in children with suspected asthma. Methods : This study used data from 87 subjects with asthma-like symptoms(6-18 years old). The $FEV_1$ and provocative concentration producing a 20% fall in $FEV_1(PC_{20})$ on methacholin inhalation challenge test were measured. Four groups were classified based on $PC_{20}$[Group I : <2 mg/mL; Group II : 2-8 mg/mL; Group III : 8-18 mg/mL; Group IV : (18 mg/mL], and blood eosinophil count and serum ECP levels were analyzed. In addition, subjects were classified based on the cutoff value of $PC_{20}$(BHR positive group : <18 mg/mL; BHR negative group : (18 mg/mL). Then blood eosinophil count and serum ECP level were compared between these two groups. Results : Likelihood ratio test for trends revealed a significant association between the blood eosinophil count or serum ECP level, and the degree of BHR as measured by methacholine $PC_{20}$. Blood eosinophil count or serum ECP level was significantly higher in the BHR(+) group than in the BHR(-) group. Blood eosinophil count had a positive correlation with serum ECP level. Conclusion : Blood eosinophil count and serum ECP level may be a useful non-invasive clinical marker of BHR in subjects with suspected asthma. This supports the hypothesis that BHR in asthma is a consequence of airway eosinophilic inflammation.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.248-256
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• 2014

Purpose: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children has become an important public health issue because of its high prevalence and severity. Several noninvasive methods for estimating NAFLD are under investigation. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum ferritin as a biomarker of severity of pediatric NAFLD patients. Methods: A total of 64 NAFLD patient were enrolled from Severance Children's Hospital from March 2010 to February 2013. Serum ferritin levels, liver related laboratory tests, liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (2-dimensional [2D] proton density-fat fraction) and NAFLD severity markers were compared between obese group and overweight group. Correlation analyses were performed between serum ferritin and laboratory values including NAFLD severity markers. Results: In obese group, serum ferritin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, international normalized ratio (INR), MRI 2D proton density-fat fraction, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis- 4 (FIB-4) (an index score calculated from platelet count, ALT, AST and age) were significantly higher than those of overweight group. NAFLD severity markers, APRI and FIB-4, and liver specific important laboratory values, AST, ALT, INR, cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein show significant correlation with serum ferritin in NAFLD patients. Conclusion: Serum ferritin concentrations could be a candidate of useful severity marker in the pediatric NAFLD patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.693-700
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• 2007

This study was performed to investigate the effects of genistein, a kind of soy isoflavones, on fatty liver and lipid metabolism in rats fed high fat diet. Twenty four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups by dietary fat and genistein contents then raised for six weeks. The rats(n=6/group) were fed normal fat diet(NOR), high fat diet (HF), high fat with 0.1% genistein(HF+0.1%G) or high fat with 0.2% genistein(HF+0.2%G). Hepatic total lipid, triglyceride, total cholesterol and Serum GPT, as a marker for fatty liver, were significantly increased by high fat diet. Also, serum total lipid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, glucose and insulin concentration, hepatic lipogenic enzyme (fatty acid synthase and malic enzyme) activities were significantly increased by high fat diet. However, hepatic total lipid, triglyceride, total cholesterol and Serum GPT were significantly decreased by genistein intake. Also, genistein supplementation decreased serum total lipid, triglyceride, glucose and insulin concentration, hepatic lipogenic enzyme (fatty acid synthase and malic enzyme) activities. There were no differences by genistein level except for serum insulin. These results suggest that fatty liver induced by high fat diet was caused by increased serum lipid profiles and hepatic lipogenesis, whereas, genistein may be useful in inhibiting of fatty liver by reducing serum lipid profiles and hepatic lipogenesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1539-1543
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• 2015

Background: Uroplakins have been widely investigated as potential markers in patients with bladder cancer because these proteins are specific to the urothelium. However, the role of uroplakin proteins in bladder cancer remains unknown. In this study, preoperative serum levels of uroplakin III were measured in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder and examined for possible association with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: This study included 52 bladder cancer patients at various stages and 28 healthy controls. Uroplakin III levels were detected in preoperative sera using an automated dot blot system and a micro-dot blot array. Results: There was a significant increase in serum uroplakin III levels in patients with bladder cancer as compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). In addition, serum uroplakin III levels were associated with muscle-invasive status, high grade and lymphovascular invasion (p<0.02). Log-rank tests indicated high serum uroplakin III to be significantly associated with cancer-specific mortality. Conclusions: Determination of serum uroplakin III level could be valuable for identifying patients with biologically aggressive bladder cancer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.532-537
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• 2005

Increasing of body weight has been one of the important economic factors in the poultry industry. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I is a polypeptide that serves to regulate muscle development and body growth. Moreover, IGF-I is related to feed efficiency. However, there are few studies regarding the regulatory roles of chicken IGF-I/-II compared with that of mammals. Especially, the Korean Native Ogol Chicken (KNOC) has a lean body growth and its body weight is generally lighter than the broiler chicken. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate associations among serum IGF-I/-II concentration, feed efficiency, and body growth in KNOC. The body weight and feed intake of KNOC were recorded from 20 to 36 weeks at 2 weeks intervals, and blood was taken every 2 weeks. Serum IGF-I/-II were measured by RIA. Chickens were divided into two groups, high and low serum IGF-I concentration. Generally, feed efficiency and growth performance (body weight and weight gain) in the high serum IGF-I group were higher than those of the low group during the experimental period. In particular, the body weight of the IGF-I high group were significantly different from those of the IGF-I low group at 34 and 36 weeks, respectively (p<0.05). Moreover, body weight, weight gain, and feed efficiency had a significant correlation with serum IGF-I at several weeks (p<0.05 and p<0.01). These results show that IGF-I plays an important role in body growth and suggests a possibility that serum IGF-I could be used as a selection marker for body growth in KNOC.