• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

Polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, are ubiquitous in living cells and are essential for eukaryotic cell growth. These polycations interact with negatively charged molecules such as DNA, RNA, acidic proteins and phospholipids and modulate various cellular functions including macromolecular synthesis. Dysregulation of the polyamine pathway leads to pathological conditions including cancer, inflammation, stroke, renal failure and diabetes. Increase in polyamines and polyamine synthesis enzymes is often associated with tumor growth, and urinary and plasma contents of polyamines and their metabolites have been investigated as diagnostic markers for cancers. Of these, diacetylated derivatives of spermidine and spermine are elevated in the urine of cancer patients and present potential markers for early detection. Enhanced catabolism of cellular polyamines by polyamine oxidases (PAO), spermine oxidase (SMO) or acetylpolyamine oxidase (AcPAO), increases cellular oxidative stress and generates hydrogen peroxide and a reactive toxic metabolite, acrolein, which covalently incorporates into lysine residues of cellular proteins. Levels of protein-conjuagated acrolein (PC-Acro) and polyamine oxidizing enzymes were increased in the locus of brain infarction and in plasma in a mouse model of stroke and also in the plasma of stroke patients. When the combined measurements of PC-Acro, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated, even silent brain infarction (SBI) was detected with high sensitivity and specificity. Considering that there are no reliable biochemical markers for early stage of stroke, PC-Acro and PAOs present promising markers. Thus the polyamine metabolites in plasma or urine provide useful tools in early diagnosis of cancer and stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.109-119
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• 2009

Objectives: This study was aimed to clarity the relationship between the pattern of dampness-phlegm and metabolic syndrome in acute stroke patients. Methods: Three hundred fifty-nine subjects were recruited from the patients admitted to the Internal Medical Department at Kyunghee University Oriental Medical Center, Donggnk University Ilsan Oriental Medical Center, Kyungwon University Songpa Oriental Medical Center and Kyungwon University Incheon Oriental Medical Center from April 2007 to March 2008. We diagnosed dampness-phlegm by Oriental medical diagnosis and analyzed their characteristics with type of stroke, blood test result, Sasang constitution, lifestyle and metabolic syndrome. Results: I. On the demographic variables of the patients, the weight and body mass index, the rate of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, silent infarction were significantly higher in dampness-phlegm group than in the control. 2. There was no significant difference of stroke type between the dampness-phlegm group and the control. 3. According to the blood test, the dampness-phlegm group showed higher total cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood sugar and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol than the control group with statistical significance. 4. According to the Sasang constitution distribution, the rate of Tae-Eum was significantly higher in dampness-phlegm group than in the control. 5. According to lifestyle, smoking and drinking were significantly lower in the dampness-phlegm group than in the control. Otherwise, exercise and dietary habits showed no significant difference between the two groups. 6. There were much more patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome in the dampness-phlegm group than in the control. 7. Metabolic syndrome, silent infarction and obesity showed close relationship with dampness-phlegm pattern in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: According to the analysis, the relationship between the patterns of dampness-phlegm and metabolic syndrome in acute stroke patients were clarified. These results can be utilized in the future as a basis material.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.979-987
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• 2008

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of acute stroke patients between excess syndrome and deficiency syndrome groups. Method : We recruited stroke patients from the patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine of Kyunghee University Oriental Medical Center, Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Medical Center, Kyungwon University Songpa Oriental Medical Center and Kyungwon University Incheon Oriental Medical Center from April 2007 to August 2008. We diagnosed acute stroke patients as either excess syndrome or deficiency syndrome and analyzed their characteristics for type of stroke, blood test result. Sasang constitution and lifestyle. Result : We found height, weight, BMI, W/H ratio, hypertension, diabetes, migraine, silent infarction, TG, total lipid, HDL-chol, RBC, Hb, hematocrit, alcohol, smoking and Sasang constitution (Tae-eum, So-yang) were more associated with the excess syndrome group. And we found sea food and Sasang constitution(So-eum) was more associated with the deficiency syndrome group. Conclusion : According to the analysis, we found that the excess syndrome group had more risk factors than the deficiency syndrome group. These results could be utilized in the future as a basis material for Oriental medicine therapy. Further studies will be needed to better understand the differences between excess syndrome and deficiency syndrome groups among acute stroke patients.