• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.187-191
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• 2017

Bone marrow aspirates concentrate (BMAC) transplantation is a well-known technique for cartilage regeneration with good clinical outcomes for symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an important role in evaluating the degree of cartilage repair in cartilage regeneration therapy instead of a second assessment via an arthroscopy. We experienced a case of hypertrophic regeneration of the cartilage and a presumed simultaneous regeneration of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus after BMAC transplantation for a cartilage defect at the lateral tibial and femoral condyle. This report provides the details of a case of an unusual treatment response after a BMAC transplant. This report is the first of its kind to demonstrate a MR image that displays the simultaneous regeneration of the cartilage and meniscus with a differentiation ability of the mesenchymal stem cell to the desired cell lineage.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.87-93
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• 2009

Purpose: TThis study examined the effect of repetitive magnetic stimulation (RMS) on the viability and proliferative response of human adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (hATSCs) in vitro. Methods: The hATSCs were cultured primarily from human adipose tissue harvested by liposuction and incubated in a $37^{\circ}C$ plastic chamber. The cells were exposed to a repetitive magnetic field using a customized magnetic stimulator (Biocon-5000, Mcube Technology). The RMS parameters were set as follows: repetition rate=10Hz, 25Hz (stimulus intensity 100%= 0.1 Tesla, at 4cm from the coil), stimulated time= 1, 5, and 20 minutes. Twenty four hours after one application of RMS, the hATSCs were compared with the sham stimulation, which were kept under the same conditions without the application of RMS. The cells were observed by optical microscopy to determine the morphology and assessed by trypan blue staining for cell proliferation. The apoptosis and viability of the hATSCs were also analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of Annexin V and MTT assay. Results: After RMS, the morphology of the hATSCs was not changed and the apoptosis of hATSCs were not increased compared to the sham stimulation. The viability of the cells was similar to the cells given the sham stimulation. Interestingly, the level of hATSC proliferation was significantly higher in all RMS groups. Conclusion: The application of RMS may not cause a change in morphology and viability of hATSCs but can increase the level of cell proliferation in vitro. RMS might be useful as an adjuvant tool in combination with stem cell therapy without adverse effects.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.233-245
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• 2008

Multiple Myeloma is malignant tumor that malignant proliferous plasma cell to originate from bone marrow invades bone multiply. Objectives : Therapy for Multiple Myeloma includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy and self-stem cell transplantation, but it has no effect for a majority of Multiple Myeloma patients. So we diagnosed it as Wei symptom, oliguria, or dysuria(遺尿) in Oriental medicine, and treated it using the Oriental medical system. Methods : The patient was treated using acupuncture, electroacupuncture, herbal acupuncture treatment, moxibustion, physical treatment and western medicine. We observed 12 kinds of symptoms in the patient when admitted to the hospital. Results : 1. Paraplegia, urination desire, voluntary urination, and other symptoms improved except for a period of complication. 2. Defecation desire, sensory disturbance of the body and lower extremities, self-made changes, maintenance of body posture, and other symptoms improved during admitting days. 3. Voluntary defecation, pains of the neck and lower extremities, and other symptoms had irregular changes during admitting days. Conclusions : This study demonstrates the necessity of having more clinical study about Mutiple Myeloma.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.504-509
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• 2017

Ischemia is a serious disease, characterized by an inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of the anti-microbial peptide SR-0379 on the stem cell-mediated therapy of ischemic diseases. The migratory and tube-forming abilities of human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were enhanced by treatment with SR-0379 in vitro. Intramuscular administration of SR-0379 into a murine ischemic hindlimb significantly enhanced blood perfusion, decreased tissue necrosis, and increased the number of blood vessels in the ischemic muscle. Moreover, co-administration of SR-0379 with EPCs stimulated blood perfusion in an ischemic hindlimb more than intramuscular injection with either SR-0379 or EPCs alone. This enhanced blood perfusion was accompanied by a significant increase in the number of CD31- and ${\alpha}$-SMA-positive blood vessels in ischemic hindlimb. These results suggest that SR-0379 is a potential drug candidate for potentiating EPC-mediated therapy of ischemic diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.8
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• pp.363-368
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• 2024

Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra, is caused by various genetic and environmental factors. Current treatment methods are medication and surgery; however, a primary therapy has not yet been proposed. In this study, we aimed to develop a new treatment for PD that induces direct reprogramming of dopaminergic neurons (iDAN). Achaete-scute family bHLH transcription factor 1 (ASCL1) is a primary factor that initiates and regulates central nervous system development and induces neurogenesis. In addition, it interacts with BRN2 and MYT1L, which are crucial transcription factors for the direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons. Overexpression of ASCL1 along with the transcription factors NURR1 and LMX1A can directly reprogram iDANs. Using a retrovirus, GFP-tagged ASCL1 was overexpressed in astrocytes. One week of culture in iDAN convertsion medium reprogrammed the astrocytes into iDANs. After 7 days of differentiation, TH+/TUJ1+ cells emerged. After 2 weeks, the number of mature TH+/TUJ1+ dopaminergic neurons increased. Only ventral midbrain (VM) astrocytes exhibited these results, not cortical astrocytes. Thus, VM astrocytes can undergo direct iDAN reprogramming with ASCL1 alone, in the absence of transcription factors that stimulate dopaminergic neurons development.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.101-101
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• 2003

Main strategy for a treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), due to a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, is a pharmaceutical supplement of dopamine derivatives or ceil replacement therapy. Both of these protocols have pros and cons; former exhibiting a dramatic relief but causing a severe side effects on long-term prescription and latter also having a proven effectiveness but having availability and ethical problems Embryonic stem (ES) cells have several characteristics suitable for this purpose. To investigate a possibility of using ES cells as a carrier of therapeutic gene(s), human ES (hES, MB03) cells were transfected with cDNAs coding for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in pcDNA3.1 (+) and the transfectants were selected using neomycin (250 $\mu /ml$). Expression of TH being confirmed, two of the positive clone (MBTH2 & 8) were second transfected with GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH 1) in pcDNA3.1 (+)-hyg followed by selection with hygromycin-B (150 $\mu /ml$) and RT-PCR confirmation. By immune-cytochemistry, these genetically modified but undifferentiated dual drug-resistant cells were found to express few of the neuronal markers, such as NF200, $\beta$-tubulin, and MAP2 as well as astroglial marker GFAP. This results suggest that over-production of BH4 by ectopically expressed GTPCH I may be involved in the induction of those markers. Transplantation of the cells into striatum of 6-OHDA- denervated PD animal model relieved symptomatic rotational behaviors of the animals. Immunohistochemical analyses showed the presence of human cells within the striatum of the recipients. These results suggest a possibility of using hES cells as a carrier of therapeutic gene(s).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2018

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The heavy incidence and severe or lethal damage caused by T. gondii infection clearly indicate a need for the development of an effective vaccine. T. gondii GRA8 is a member of the dense granules protein family and is used as a marker of acute infection. In the present study, we evaluated the protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination based on a recombinant eukaryotic plasmid, pDsRed2-GRA8, against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. BALB/c mice were intramuscularly immunized with the pDsRed2-GRA8 plasmid and then challenged by infection with the highly virulent GFP-RH strain of T. gondii. The specific immune responses and protective efficacy against T. gondii of this vaccine were analyzed by measuring cytokine and serum antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation assays, and the survival times of mice after challenge. Our results showed that mice immunized with pDsRed2-GRA8 demonstrated specific humoral and cellular responses, induced higher IgG antibody titers with predominant IgG2a production; increased levels of IL-10, IL-12 (p70), $IFN-{\gamma}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and splenocyte proliferation; and prolonged survival times compared to those of control mice. The present study showed that DNA immunization with pDsRed2-GRA8 induced humoral and cellular immune responses, and all immunized mice showed greater Th1-type immune responses and longer survival times than those of control mice. These results indicated that T. gondii GRA8 DNA immunization induces a partial protective effect against acute toxoplasmosis.

• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.998-1009
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• 2018

Study Design: Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from rat olfactory mucosa were cultured, characterized, and transplanted into a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). Purpose: To evaluate different doses of OECs in a rat model of SCI. Overview of Literature: SCI causes permanent functional deficit because the central nervous system lacks the ability to perform spontaneous repair. Cell therapy strategies are being explored globally. The clinical use of human embryonic stem cell is hampered by ethical controversies. Alternatively, OECs are a promising cell source for neurotransplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of allogenic OEC transplantation in a rat model of SCI. Methods: OECs were cultured from the olfactory mucosa of Albino Wistar rats; these cells were characterized using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Rats were divided into five groups (n=6 rats each). In each group, different dosage ($2{\times}10^5$, $5{\times}10^5$, $10{\times}10^5$, and >$10{\times}10^5$) of cultured cells were transplanted into experimentally injured spinal cords of rat models. However, in the SCI group, only DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium) was injected. Rats were followed up upto 8 weeks post-transplantation. The outcome of transplantation was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) scale; motor-evoked potential studies; and histological examination. Results: Cultured cells expressed 41% of p75NTR, a marker for OEC, and 35% of anti-fibronectin, a marker for olfactory nerve fibroblast. These cells also expressed $S100{\beta}$ and glial fibrillary acid protein of approximately 75% and 83%, respectively. All the transplanted groups showed promising BBB scores for hind-limb motor recovery compared with the SCI group (p<0.05). A motor-evoked potential study showed increased amplitude in all the treated groups compared with the SCI. Green fluorescent protein-labeled cells survived in the injured cord, suggesting their role in the transplantation-mediated repair. Transplantation of $5{\times}10^5$ cells showed the best motor outcomes among all the doses. Conclusions: OECs demonstrated a therapeutic effect in rat models with the potential for future clinical applications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1129-1133
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• 2007

Osteopetrosis, a rare osteosclerotic bone disease characterized by a defect in osteoclast function and the reduced generation of superoxide by leukocytes, can be classified into several types based on their mode of inheritance, age of onset, severity, and associated clinical symptoms. Stem cell transplantation is the only curative therapy for the infantile malignant type, although alternative treatments, such as corticosteroids, calcitriol, and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$ have been attempted in patients with milder clinical types. In addition, IFN-${\gamma}$ therapy has been reported to increase bone resorption and hematopoiesis and to improve leukocyte function. Here, we present the cases of two patients with osteopetrosis who benefited from either 3 or 6 years of INF-${\gamma}$ therapy that resulted in improved blood counts and no further pathological fractures.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2010

Monogenic diseases are resulted from modifications in a single gene of human cells. Because their treatment with pharmacological medicine have a temporary effect, continuous nursing care and retreatment are required. Gene therapy, gene targeting and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) are considered permanent treatment methods of them. In gene therapy, however, retroviral vectors that have potential toxicity caused by random insertion of harmful virus are used as vehicles for transferring genetic materials. On the other hand, gene targeting could replace and remove the modified gene though homologous recombination (HR) induced by site-specific endonucleases. This short review provides a brief overview on the recently tailored endonucleses with high selectivity for HR.