• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2005

Bone marrow stromal cells, a constituent of the niche for hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow, provide various factors involved in the fate decision of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Radiation, a widely used anti-cancer therapy, provokes side effects including the damage of the blood cells. Therefore, it is necessary to recover the blood cells shortly after radiation via promoting the differentiation of hematopoietic cells. In this study, we screened genes modulated by radiation in human bone marrow stromal cells in order to understand the mechanism involved in hematopoiesis after radiation. We performed differential display method by using polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and agarose gel electrophoresis. We found plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) was consistently induced by radiation. The significance of the PAI-1 gene modulation is to be determined.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.281-289
• /
• 1997

The study was designed to investigate the effects of progesterone and estrogen on the uterus of rats by immunohistochemical methods using Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) antibody. Eighteen female rats(Wistar), weighing initially about 300g, were ovariectomized. These rats were divided into four groups, progesterone-treated group, estrogen-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group, progesterone-treated group was injected with 1mg of progesterone per rat per day for 2 days and estrogen-treated group with $20{\mu}g$ of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ for 3 days and estrogen+progesterone-treated group with $17{\beta}-estrdiol$ for 3 days and then with progesterone for 2 days as above. In gross findings, the uteri were markedly hypertrophied by estrogen treatment but were not affect in size by progesterone treatment. Immunohistochemical investigation was performed on the cell types with higher appearance of PCNA positive reaction cells in four groups. The groups with higher appearance of the stromal cells were ordered as estrogen-treated group, progesterone-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group. The muscle cells were ordered as progesterone-treated group, estrogen-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and control group. Positive reaction cells of the stromal cells were total 4.6 times higher than those of muscle cells. Therefore, the affect of the hypertrophy on the uterus by estrogen was larger than those of progesterone and affect on the uterus by stromal cells were larger than those of muscle cells. The group with more PCNA positive reaction cells of luminal epithelial cells were ordered as control group, progesterone-treated group, estrogen+progesterone-treated group, and estrogen-treated group, and glandular epithelial cells were ordered as estrogen+progesterone-treated group, progesterone-treated group, control group, and estrogen-treated group. It was suggested that estrogen and progesterone did not affect on the proliferating cells of luminal epithelial cells and affection of progesterone on the development of glandular epithelial cell was larger than that of estrogen.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.5165-5169
• /
• 2013

Background: To evaluate the pathological characteristics of invasive margins in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinomas and their association with other clinicopathological features including clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: Patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical squamous cell carcinomas who received surgical treatment and had available follow-up information were identified. Their histological slides were reviewed for prognostic variables including tumor size, grade, extent of invasion, lymphovascular invasion, involvement of vaginal margin or parametrium, and lymph node metastasis. The characteristics of invasive margins including invasive pattern (closed, finger-like, or spray-like type), degree of stromal desmoplasia, and degree of peritumoral inflammatory reaction were evaluated along the entire invasive fronts of tumours. Associations between the characteristics of invasive margins and other clinicopathological variables and disease-free survival were assessed. Results: A total of 190 patients were included in the study with a median follow-up duration of 73 months. Tumour recurrence was observed in 18 patients (9%). Spray-like invasive pattern was significantly more associated as compared with closed or finger-like invasive pattern (p=0.005), whereas the degree of stromal desmoplasia or peritumoral inflammatory reaction was not. Low degree of peritumoral inflammatory reaction appeared linked with lymph node metastasis (p=0.021). In multivariate analysis, a spray-like invasive pattern was independently associated with marked stromal desmoplasia (p=0.013), whilst marked desmoplasia was also independently associated with low inflammatory reactions (p=0.009). Furthermore, low inflammatory reactions were independently associated with positive margins (p=0.022) and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.034). The patients with spray-like invasive pattern had a significantly lower disease-free survival compared with those with closed or finger-like pattern (p=0.004). Conclusions: There is a complex interaction between cancer tissue at the invasive margin and changes in surrounding stroma. A spray-like invasive pattern has a prognostic value in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.71-80
• /
• 2008

Objective: There is increasing evidence that chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is recognized to be a local inflammatory disease, and there is substantiating evidence to support the role of the inflammatory responses in its pathogenesis, and clinical value in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. Prunella vulgaris has been traditionally used in treatment of inflammatory diseases, including of scrofula, goiter, and allergy diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of Prunella vulgaris on inflammatory cytokines and cytopathological alternation in the rat model of non-bacterial prostatitis induced by castration and $17{\beta}-estradiol$ treatment. Methods: Two-month-old rats were treated with $17{\beta}-estradiol$ after castration for induction of experimental non-bacterial prostatitis, which is similar to human chronic prostatitis in histopathological profiles. Prunella vulgaris as an experimental specimen, and testosterone as a positive control, were administered orally. The prostates were evaluated by histopathological parameters including the epithelial score and epithelial-stromal ratio for glandular damage, and the expression of inflammatory cytokine genes including the interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-5, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$. Results: While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation, the rats treated with Prunella vulgaris showed a diminished range of tissue damage. Epithelial score was improved in Prunella vulgaris over that of the control (P<0.05). The epithelial-stromal ratio was lower with Prunella vulgaris when compared to that of the control (P<0.05). In the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of inflammatory cytokine genes, Prunella vulgaris inhibited the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ genes, while it modulated the expression of IL-5, which is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Prunella vulgaris may protect the glandular epithelial cells and also inhibit stromal proliferation in association with the immune modulation including the suppression of inflammatory cytokines and promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokine. From theses results, we suggest that Prunella vulgaris could be a useful remedy agent for treating chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.26-31
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Chronic inflammatory gingival lesions occur as pyogenic granulomas or non-specific chronic suppurative lesions. Methods: Of the 59 chronic inflammatory gingival lesions examined, plasma cell granuloma (n=14), which showed an intense antibody-mediated immune reaction with the increased infiltration of plasma cells, was observed as a pseudotumor-like gingival overgrowth and myofibroblastic or fibrohistiocytitc proliferation of stromal cells with a heavy collection of plasma cells. The levels of CD3, CD20, CD31, CD68, RANKL, cathepsin G, cathepsin K, lysozyme, TNF${\alpha}$, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in the 14 cases of gingival plasma cell granuloma with immunohistochemical detection were measured to determine the pathogenetic progresses of the plasma cell granuloma compared to the common pyogenic granuloma (n=45) in the gingiva. Results: The gingival lesions of the plasma cell granuloma could be divided into three histological types, plasma cell predominant type (PPT, n=8), mixed inflammatory cell type (MICT, n=2), and sclerosed fibrosis type (SFT, n=4). The PPT showed a condensed infiltration of plasma cells into the perivascular spaces of the granulomatous lesion with frequent formation of Russel's body in their cytoplasm. The MICT showed the concomitant infiltration of many macrophages together with plasma cells, resulting in the diffuse destruction of stromal fibrous tissue. The SFT showed granulomatous lesions replaced gradually by thick collagenous fibrous tissue, resembling an inflammatory pseudotumor. The SFT expressed strongly the lymphocytic markers, CD3 and CD20, and the macrophage/monocyte markers, CD31 and CD68, but showed reduced expression of common inflammatory markers, TNF${\alpha}$, cathepsin G, lysozyme, MMP-2, and MMP-9, as well as the reduced expression of osteoclastogenic markers, RANKL and cathepsin K. Conclusion: These results suggest that a gingival plasma cell granuloma shows variable gene expression for cell-mediated immunity and stromal tissue degeneration, undergoing sclerotic fibrosis with a persistent inflammatory reaction.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.178-182
• /
• 2008

We report here a case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in the stomach that was diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNA). A 67 year old male patient underwent regular check-ups for five years due to the presence of a submucosal tumor that was found in the fundus of the stomach incidentally. EUS-FNA was performed to evaluate the tumor, which had increased in size from 1 cm to 2.8cm. A cytologic smear revealed cohesive sheets or clusters of spindle cells with elongated nuclei. Immunohistochemical staining revealed a strong positive reaction for c-kit and CD34, without any reaction for smooth muscle actin and Ki-67. Therefore, a diagnosis of GIST was made.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.210-216
• /
• 2007

There is increasing evidence that stromal reaction in cancer has an important diagnostic and prognostic significance. The aim of our study is to analyze the relation between the increase in mast cell number and the expression CD34 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA) in the stroma of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We investigated a total of 29 CIN (1,2,3) and 21 SCC (microinvasive and invasive) specimens and compared the distribution of $CD34^+$ stromal cells, ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells, transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ $(TGF-{\beta}1)^+$ cells, and the density of mast cells using immunohistochemistry with antibodies against CD34, ${\alpha}$-SMA, TGF-${\beta}1$, and c-Kit (CD117) respectively. Computerized image analysis was to evaluate the positive area (%) and density of the respective immunoreactive cells. In CIN $CD34^+$ cells were abundant in the stroma but no ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells were identified except the wall of blood vessels. $CD34^+$ cells were progressively decreased along the continuum from CIN 2 to microinvasive SCC and not observed in the stroma of invasive SCC. Whereas ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells were only observed in the stroma of microinvasive and invasive SCC. We found more intense TGF-${\beta}1$ expression in the increased mast cells in the stroma of invasive SCCs than that in the stroma of CIN. These results indicate that disappearance of $CD34^+$ stromal cells and appearance of ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells are associated with the stromal change of CIN to SCC and the transformation of $CD34^+$ stromal cells into ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells is mediated by TGF-${\beta}1$ secretions in the stromal mast cell of SCC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.515-524
• /
• 2020

Objective: Human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) exhibit variable differentiation potential and can be divided accordingly into distinct subpopulations whose ratios vary with donor age. However, it is unknown whether the same is true in pigs. This study investigated MSC subpopulations in miniature pig and compared their characteristics in young (2 to 3 months) and adult (27 to 35 months) pigs. Methods: Osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic capacity of isolated MSCs was evaluated by von Kossa, Alcian blue, and oil red O staining, respectively. Cell surface antigen expression was determined by flow cytometry. Proliferative capacity was assessed with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Expression of marker genes was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Porcine MSCs comprised cells with trilineage and bilineage differentiation potential (tMSCs and bMSCs, respectively) and non-differentiating stromal cells (NDSCs). The tMSC and bMSC fractions were smaller in adult than in young pigs (63.0% vs 71.2% and 11.6% vs 24.0%, respectively, p<0.05); NDSCs showed the opposite trend (25.4% vs 4.8%; p<0.05). Subpopulations showed no differences in morphology, cell surface antigen expression, or proliferative capacity, but octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) expression was higher in tMSCs than in bMSCs and NDSCs (p<0.05), whereas sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) expression was higher in tMSCs and bMSCs than in NDSCs (p<0.05). Aging had no effect on these trends. Conclusion: Porcine MSCs comprise distinct subpopulations that differ in their differentiation potential and OCT4 and SOX2 expression. Aging does not affect the characteristics of each subpopulation but alters their ratios.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.131-138
• /
• 2013

During cancer progression, bone marrow derived myeloid cells, including immature myeloid cells and macrophages, progressively accumulate at the primary tumour site where they contribute to the establishment of a tumour promoting microenvironment. A marked infiltration of macrophages into the stromal compartment and the generation of a desmoplastic stromal reaction is a particular characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and is thought to play a key role in disease progression and its response to therapy. Tumour associated macrophages (TAMs) foster PDA tumour progression by promoting angiogenesis, metastasis, and by suppressing an anti-tumourigenic immune response. Recent work also suggests that TAMs contribute to resistance to chemotherapy and to the emergence of cancer stem-like cells. Here we will review the current understanding of the biology and the pro-tumourigenic functions of TAMs in cancer and specifically in PDA, and highlight potential therapeutic strategies to target TAMs and to improve current therapies for pancreatic cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.268-271
• /
• 2004

Purpose: Most gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have gain-of-function mutations of the KIT or the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) genes, but approximately $10\%$ of the GISTs are wild types for both the KIT and the PDGFRA genes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation might be responsible for the pathogenesis of GIST. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the EGFR gene in 60 GISTs for the detection of somatic mutations by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and DNA sequencing in exon 18, 19, and 21 encoding the kinase domain. Results: The SSCP analysis revealed no evidence of EGFR mutations in exon 18, 19, and 21 in GISTs. Conclusion: The data indicate that the EGFR gene may not be mutated in human GIST and suggest that therapies targeting the mutated EGFR gene products might not be useful in the treatment of GISTs.