• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 2004

Thymolipoma is rare benign tumor of the thymic gland and mostly occurs at anterior mediastinum. Thymolipoma comprises 2~9% of thymic tumor and less than 1% of mediastinal mass. Therefore, thymolipoma should be differentiated from anterior mediastinal tumor such as thymoma, germ cell tumor and lymphoma. These tumors resemble cardiomegaly, pleural effusion, basal atelectasis, pericardial tumor and cyst, pleural tumor, lung cancer and pulmonary sequestration, and differentiated from above mentioned diseases. Though most cases are asymptomatic, there can be dyspnea with compression of adjacent organ by mass effect, and myasthenia gravis. We experienced a thymolipoma simulating cardiomegaly and report the case with the review of literatures.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.610-616
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• 2021

Background: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) acts as a master switch for inflammatory responses. Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) which is an active ingredient of Panax ginseng Meyer (Araliaceae) is known to possess various therapeutic effects. However, a modulatory effect of Rg3 on TSLP expression in the inflammatory responses remains poorly understood. Methods: We investigated antiinflammatory effects of Rg3 on an in vitro model using HMC-1 cells stimulated by PMA plus calcium ionophore (PMACI), as well as an in vivo model using PMA-induced mouse ear edema. TSLP and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or real-time PCR analysis. Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) expression levels were detected using Western blot analysis. Results: Rg3 treatment restrained the production and mRNA expression levels of TSLP and VEGF in activated HMC-1 cells. Rg3 down-regulated the MDM2 expression level increased by PMACI stimulation. The HIF1α expression level was also reduced by Rg3 in activated HMC-1 cells. In addition, Rg3-administered mice showed the decreased redness and ear thickness in PMA-irritated ear edema. Rg3 inhibited the TSLP and VEGF levels in the serum and ear tissue homogenate. Moreover, the MDM2 and HIF1α expression levels in the ear tissue homogenate were suppressed by Rg3. Conclusion: Taken together, the current study identifies new mechanistic evidence about MDM2/HIF1α pathway in the antiinflammatory effect of Rg3, providing a new effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of skin inflammatory diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.575-580
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• 2008

Thymocyte-specific transcriptional regulatory systems can be used to better understand the relationship between transcription and V(D)J recombination during early T cell development. In this study, we generated transgenic mice expressing the transactivator Gal4-VP16 or the Gal4 DNA binding domain (Gal4-DBD) under the control of the lck proximal promoter, which is only active in immature thymocytes. From these studies Gal4-VP16 and Gal4-DBD expression was shown to significantly alter thymic cellularity and differentiation without significantly changing the $CD3^+$ thymocyte distribution. Furthermore, the presence of Gal4-VP16 or Gal4-DBD in the transgenic thymocytes retarded the mobility of the Gal4 DNA binding motif as determined by a gel mobility shift assay, suggesting that the developmental alteration did not affect the functional property of the transgenic proteins. These results indicated that lck promoter-driven Gal4-VP16 or Gal4-DBD expression did not affect $CD3^+$ mature thymocytes, thus this system can be applied to study transcriptional regulation of transresponder genes in bigenic mouse model thymocytes.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.932-937
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• 2002

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of Yonggak-san (YGS) on the immune reaction and apoptosis of leukemia cells. Administration of YGS(500 mg/kg) enhanced proliferation of splenocytes, thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node cells, and also YGS accelerated subpopulation of splenic Band T, thymic T and mesenteric lymph node-T lymphocytes, especially significantly increased CD4+-TH cells in BALB/c mice. YGS accelerated phagocytic activity and production of nitric oxide in peritoneal macrophages. YGS induced apoptosis of transplanted-L1210 cells in vivo, increased apoptotic cell death of cultured-L1210 and/or Molt4 human leukemia cells, decreased of mitochondrial transmembrane potential of both cells in vitro. These results suggest that YGS have an immune-regulatory effect and anti-cancer property.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.267-271
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• 2002

The purpose of this research was to investigate the immunoregulatory effect, apoptosis of L 1210 leukemia cells of Comus officinalis Sieb.et Zucc. The proliferation of cultured splenocytes and thymocytes were enhanced by the addition of SSY. Splenic, thymic and mesenteric lymph node-T lymphocytes, especially TH cells was significantly increased in SSY-administered (p.o. for 7 days) mice. SSY treatment induced the apoptosis of L1210 mouse leukemia cells. In addition, SSY accelerated the phagocytic activity and nitric oxide production in peritoneal macrophages. These results suggest that SSY have an immuno-regulatory property and anti-cancer effect.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1441-1447
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• 2003

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of Chungjokupye-tang(CJKPT) on the anti-carcinogenic action. The cell viability of mouse spienocytes and thymocytes were enhanced by the addition of CJKPT. CJKPT were increased of splenic and thymic T lymphocytes, such as T/sub H/ cells were markedly increased by the treatment of CJKPT in vivo. CJKPT treatment induced the apoptotic cell death of Jurkat and HL60 leukemia cells. CJKPT reduced mitochondrial transmembrane potential and increased the expression of ICE, c-myc and p53 gene in Molt-4cells dose dependant manner. These results suggest that CJKPT have an anti-carcinogenic action via immunoregulatory mechanism.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1223-1229
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• 2002

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of Cheongsimondam-tang(CSODT) on the activity of immune cell and anti-carcinogenic effect of mouse leukemia cell. The addition of CSODT(1 ㎍/ml) enhanced the proliferation of cultured-splenocytes and thymocytes. And also administration of CSODT(500 ㎍/kg) accelerated subpopulation of splenic and thymic T lymphocytes especially CD4/sup +/-T/sub H/ cells in BALB/c mice. CSODT treatment decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptotic cell death of cultured-L1210 leukemia cells, and induced apoptosis in addition to decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) of transplanted-L1210 cells in vivo. These results suggest that CSODT have a cellular immuno-regulatory effect and anti-cancer property action.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.87-89
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• 2002

A 30 year-old female patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma received her fifth radioiodine ablation therapy after the subtotal thyroidectomy. The scan, which was peformed one week after the last therapy, revealed residual uptake in the thyroid bed and uptake in the anterior mediastinum suggesting metastasis. However, further evaluation of the thorax with chest CT and camera-based FDG PET confirmed normal thymus without metastatic focus. Occasionally thymus remains intact in adult and has avidity for I-131 and FDG. Therefore, normal thymus (instead of metastasis) should be considered in patients with well differentiated thyroid carcinoma and anterior mediastinal radioiodine uptake.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.314-318
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• 2021

In this paper, I present the technique of subxiphoid single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) thymectomy for thoracic surgeons to perform this procedure safely. This procedure is indicated for all anterior mediastinal masses and may be extended to lung cancer. The patient is placed in the lithotomy position, and the operator should be on the midline. Below the xiphoid process, a skin incision is made 4-5 cm horizontally at a single thumb's width down. Under two-lung ventilation, CO₂ is insufflated, maintaining 10 mm Hg. The fat tissue and thymic tissue are all resected from the sternum and pericardium between both phrenic nerves using an articulated grasper and an energy device. After retrieval of the mass with a wrap bag, a Jackson-Pratt drain is inserted instead of a chest tube. One of the advantages of this procedure is less postoperative pain than intercostal VATS. The subxiphoid approach can be used for bilateral pneumothorax, bilateral pulmonary metastasectomy, and simple lobectomy for both upper lobes and the right middle lobe.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6469-6475
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• 2015

Background: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) makes it possible to detect malignant tumors based on the diffusion of water molecules. It is uncertain whether DWI is more useful than positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) for distinguishing benign from malignant mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. Materials and Methods: Sixteen malignant mediastinal tumors (thymomas 7, thymic cancers 3, malignant lymphomas 3, malignant germ cell tumors 2, and thymic carcinoid 1) and 12 benign mediastinal tumors or mass lesions were assessed in this study. DWI and PET-CT were performed before biopsy or surgery. Results: The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value ($1.51{\pm}0.46{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$) of malignant mediastinal tumors was significantly lower than that ($2.96{\pm}0.86{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$) of benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions (P<0.0001). Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) ($11.30{\pm}11.22$) of malignant mediastinal tumors was significantly higher than that ($2.53{\pm}3.92$) of benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions (P=0.0159). Using the optimal cutoff value (OCV) $2.21{\times}10^{-3}mm^2/sec$ for ADC and 2.93 for SUVmax, the sensitivity (100%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (93.8%) by PET-CT for malignant mediastinal tumors. The specificity (83.3%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (66.7%) for benign mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. The accuracy (92.9%) by DWI was not significantly higher than that (82.1%) by PET-CT for mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between diagnostic capability of DWI and that of PET-CT for distinguishing mediastinal tumors and mass lesions. DWI is useful in distinguishing benign from malignant mediastinal tumors and mass lesions.