Serum Lmmunoglobulin G and M Level after Xenograft Valve or Valved Conduit Implantation / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to confirm that peripheral blood sampling for measuring of serum immunoglobulin can predict immunological changes after xenograft implantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between March 2006 and January 2007, 19 patients were enrolled (10 xenograft implantation group, 9 control group). Through 3 peripheral blood samples, we measured changes in serum immunoglobulin G and M levels preoperatively, and 2 and 10 days postoperatively. RESULT: In both groups, serum immunoglobulin levels showed similar changes-they decreased 2 days postoperatively, then increased up to the baseline levels 10 days postoperatively. However, this postoperative change of immunoglobulin G and M was not significantly different in absolute value or pattern between the 2 groups (Ig G; p-value=0.393, Ig M; p-value=0.193). CONCLUSION: We could not predict immunological changes after xenograft implantation by measuring serum immunoglobulin levels by simple blood sampling. Direct checking of alpha-Galactose antibody may confirm an immunological reaction after xenograft implantation.

Mutation analysis of p31(comet) gene, a negative regulator of Mad2, in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Failure of mitotic checkpoint machinery leads to the chromosomal missegregation and nuclear endoreduplication, thereby driving the emergence of aneuploidy and tetraploidy population. Although abnormal nuclear ploidy and the resulting impairment of mitotic checkpoint function are typical physiological event leading to human hepatocellular carcinoma, any mutational change of mitotic checkpoint regulators has not yet been discovered. Therefore, we investigated the mutation of p31(comet), a recently identified mitotic checkpoint regulator, in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Of 51 human hepatocellular carcinoma tissue and 6 cell lines tested, five samples exhibited nucleotide sequence variations dispersed on four sites within the entire coding sequence. Among these sites with sequence substitutions, three were found to be missense mutation accompanied with amino acid change but one was a silent mutation. Of these sequence substitutions, two were present in both tumor and non-tumor liver tissues, suggesting the possibility of polymorphism. The present findings indicate that p31(comet) does not have an impact on the formation of aneuploidy and tetraploidy found in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

PMA-induced up-regulation of MMP-9 is regulated by a PKCalpha-NF-kappaB cascade in human lung epithelial cells

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is associated with airway remodeling and tissue injury in asthma. However, little is known about how MMP-9 is up-regulated in airway epithelial cells. In this study, we show that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induces MMP-9 expression via a protein kinase Calpha(PKCalpha)-dependent signaling cascade in BEAS-2B human lung epithelial cells. Pretreatment with either GF109203X, a general PKC inhibitor, or Go6976, a PKCalpha/beta isozyme inhibitor, inhibited PMA-induced activation of the MMP-9 promoter, as did transient transfection with PKCalpha antisense oligonuclotides. PMA activated NF-kappaB by phosphorylating IkappaB in these cells and this was also inhibited by GF109203X and Go6976, suggesting that PKCalpha acts as an upstream regulator of NF-kappaB in PMA-induced MMP-9 induction. Our results indicate that a "PKCalpha-NF-kappaB"-dependent cascade is involved in the signaling leading to PMA-induced MMP-9 expression in the lung epithelium.

Effect of Synaptic Loss on Memory in a Neural Network Model

BACKGROUND: In order to understand the pathogenesis and symptom development in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we attempted to develop a computer model for memory impairment in this study. METHODS: We made a simple autoassocia-tive memory network, first developed by Hopfield, which remembers numbers or patterns, transformed it into an AD model by pruning synapses, and measured its memory performance as a function of synaptic deletion. RESULTS: Decline in memory performance was measured as amount of synaptic loss increased and its mode of decline varied with different synaptic pruning methods. CONCLUSIONS: The developed computer model demonstrated how synaptic loss could cause memory impairment through a series of computer simulations, and suggested a new way of research in AD.

A Case of Metastatic Choriocarcinoma following Preterm Delivery at 34th Week of Pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Choriocarcinoma associated with a normal pregnancy is rare. Futhermore, choriocarcinoma coexistent with a viable pregnancy is even rarer and associated with a greater risk of hepatic and cerebral involvement. So timely diagnosis of the disease is important for successful treatment and aggressive diagnostic procedures may therefore warranted. The patient should be treated with primary intensive combination chemotherapy(EMA-CO) and the selective use of irradiation and surgical therapy. We experienced a case of metastatic choriocarcinoma of lung and kidney following preterm delivery at 34th week of pregnancy and so present it with brief review of literature.

A case of Primary Hemangiopericytoma of the Lung / 결핵

Primary hemangiopericytomas of the lung are uncommon sarcomas that arise from pericytes that surround the basement membrane of capillaries and small venules within the lung parenchyma. The presenting symptoms and signs depend on the location of the tumor and radiologic features are not diagnostic. The behavior of pulmonary hemangiopericytomas is difficult to predict and all tumors should be considered potentially malignant. Wide surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment. We report a case of primary hemangiopericytoma of the lung with a brief review of literature.

Expression of Epstein-Barr Virus Gene Products, Bcl-2 and p53 Proteins in Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas

The authors studied EBV genome expression in 40 conventionally processed samples of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC), using in situ hybridization for EBERs and immunohistochemistry for LMP, Bcl-2 and p53 proteins. The NPCs consisted of 6 keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (KSCs), 13 nonkeratinizing carcinomas (NKCs) and 21 undifferentiated carcinomas (UCs). The results were summarized as follows: 1) EBERs were expressed in 80.0% of all the NPCs (32/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 92.3% of NKCs (12/13), in 90.5% of the UCs (19/21), and in 16.7% of the KSCs (1/6). In positive cases, the nuclei of tumor cells displayed uniformly strong staining. 2) LMP was expressed in 10.0% of all the NPCs (4/40), all of which were UC. The LMP expression in the UCs was not correlated to the expression of EBERs, Bcl-2 and p53 proteins. 3) Bcl-2 protein was detected in 85.0% of all the NPCs (34/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 92.3% of the NKCs (12/13), in 90.5% of the UCs (19/21), and in 50.0% of the KSCs (3/6). 4) p53 protein was detected in 75.0% of all the NPCs (30/40). As for the subtypes, they were detected in 81.0% of the UCs (17/21), in 69.2% of the NKCs (9/13), and in 66.7% of the KSCs (4/6). 5) In the NPCs the expression of EBER showed a significantly positive correlation with that of p53 or Bcl-2 protein. The above results indicate that the association of EBV with NPC is chiefly with poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas. Additionally, carcinomas commonly display widespread, strong immunoreactivity of Bcl-2 and p53 proteins over tumor cells. In conclusion, these observations indicate that the EBV-association in NPC appears to contribute to the overexpression of tumor-related genes during carcinogenesis.

Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis: A case report

Congenital hepatic fibrosis is an uncommon disease of children and young adults with two major risks: gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by portal hypertension, and cholangitis related to bacterial infection of dilated intrahepatic bile ducts. It is characterizeed by stony hard hepatomegaly and portal hypertension with rather well preserved hepatic function and architecture, and frequent association of the renal lesions. We have recently experienced a case of congenital hepatic fibrosis in a 24 year-old Korean male. The chief complaint was hematemesis from esophageal varices. There were marked hepatosplenomegaly, mild pancytopenia and the liver function test was within normal engorgement and dilatation of portal and splenic veins and multiple cysts of both kidneys.

Hemangiopercytoma of the Meninges: The immunohistochemical study for the relationship between hemangiopericytic meningioma and peripheral hemangiopericytoma

Hemangiopericycic maningioma is clinically and pathologically similar to peripheral Hemangiopericytoma and now tends to be terned as hemangiopericytoma of central nervous system. The authors studied 3 cases of hemangiopericytic meningioma obtained from 3 patients, 1 case of meningotheliomatous meningioma, angioblastic meningioma and transitional meningioma, and 2 cases of peripheral hemangiopericytoma, which had operated from November 1988 to May 1989 at the department of neurosurgery, Pusan Inje University Hospital. The authors analysed and compared the immunohistochemical finding and light microscopic apearance. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) Classic maningioma (meningotheliomatous meningioma, transitional meningioma and angioblastic meningioma) shows reactivity to both EMA and vimentin. 2) Hemangiopercicytic meningioma and peripheral hemangiopericytoma are reactive only to vimentin, so the two tumors are suggested as same type of tumor. 3) One of 3 cases of hemangiopericytic meningioma shows whorling and interlacing bundles of spindle cells, the peculiar light microscopic features of transitional meningioma, suggesting transitional or mixed form of hemangiopericytic meningioma and transitional meningioma.

Hemangiopercytoma of the Meninges: The immunohistochemical study for the relationship between hemangiopericytic meningioma and peripheral hemangiopericytoma

Hemangiopericycic maningioma is clinically and pathologically similar to peripheral Hemangiopericytoma and now tends to be terned as hemangiopericytoma of central nervous system. The authors studied 3 cases of hemangiopericytic meningioma obtained from 3 patients, 1 case of meningotheliomatous meningioma, angioblastic meningioma and transitional meningioma, and 2 cases of peripheral hemangiopericytoma, which had operated from November 1988 to May 1989 at the department of neurosurgery, Pusan Inje University Hospital. The authors analysed and compared the immunohistochemical finding and light microscopic apearance. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) Classic maningioma (meningotheliomatous meningioma, transitional meningioma and angioblastic meningioma) shows reactivity to both EMA and vimentin. 2) Hemangiopercicytic meningioma and peripheral hemangiopericytoma are reactive only to vimentin, so the two tumors are suggested as same type of tumor. 3) One of 3 cases of hemangiopericytic meningioma shows whorling and interlacing bundles of spindle cells, the peculiar light microscopic features of transitional meningioma, suggesting transitional or mixed form of hemangiopericytic meningioma and transitional meningioma.