Expressions of the Proinflammatory Cytokines in Rat Kidney with Cyclic Episodes of Short Ischemia-reperfusion of Left Common Iliac Artery / 체질인류학회지

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in NF-kappaB and proinflammatory cytokines expression following courses of reperfusion after various cycles of ischemic preconditioning in the rat kidney. Thirty five weeks old Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to 3, 6 and 10 cycles of ischemic preconditioning that composed of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reperfusion at the left common iliac artery using rodent vascular clamp. The left kidney obtained after 0, 3, 6, 24 and 72 hours of reperfusion followed by each cycle. The expression patterns of NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and ICAM-1 were detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting methods. Apoptosis were detected by TUNEL assay. The results were as follows; In the ischemic preconditioning group, the mortality increased from 24 hours after reperfusion when cyclic episodes of short ischemia and reperfusion were increased. The highest level of NF-kappaB expression in outer medulla of the kidney from 0 hr to 24 hrs of reperfusion is detected after 10 cycles of ischemic preconditioning. The highest level of NF-kappaB expression at 72 hrs of reperfusion is revealed after 3 cycles of ischemic preconditioning. The highest level of TNF-alpha expression in outer medulla of the kidney at 0 hr and 6, 24, 72hrs of reperfusion is shown after 10 cycles of ischemic preconditioning. After 3 hrs of reperfusion, all ischemic preconditioning groups shows similar expression. The highest level of IL-1beta and ICAM-1 expression in outer medulla of the kidney is observed at all of reperfusion times after 10 cycles of ischemic preconditioning. The highest level of apoptosis in rat kidney outer medulla at all of reperfusion times is shown after 10 cycles of ischemic preconditioning. In conclusion, 3 or 6 times of remote ischemic preconditioning in the common iliac artery could reduce the expression of NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and ICAM-1. However, more than 10 times of remote ischemic preconditioning increased ischemia-reperfusion injury, caused by increased expression of NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and ICAM-1.

Serum Levels of Zinc and Copper are Associated with Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum trace element levels with disease activity in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The serum levels of zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers in 80 patients th , 26 osteoarthritis (OA), and 30 healthy controls (HC). We also measured the levels of zinc and copper in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with RA. We nvestigated the clinical parameters simultaneously obtained at sampling of serum and analyzed correlation between serum levels of trace elements and disease activity in RA. RESULTS: In RA, the levels of serum zinc were significantly lower than that of HC, and thelevels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were significantly higher than those of HC. In active RA, the levels of serum zinc were more decreased , and the levels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were more increased than those of inactive group of RA. The levels of both copper and ceruloplasmin showed positive correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP. On the other hand, the levels of serum zinc showed negative correlation with the levels of serum ESR and CRP. CONCLUSION: Serum zinc levels are significantly lower and serum copper levels significantly higher in patients with active RA and these trace elements were useful parameter of disease activity in RA.

Characteristics and Arterial Distribution of Rectus Femoris Muscle in Korean / 체질인류학회지

Free -flap which is transferred to recipients is a thin flat tissue isolated from human body and nutrient vessel of free - flap is ligated with similarly sized vessel. Free -flap reconstruction is widely used, due to high rate of flap survival and functional refinements, although it gives disadvantage of long surgery time and inefficient adaptation. This study demonstrates the characteristics and arterial supply of rectus femoris muscle of thigh. Seventy thighs (35 right, 35 left) of the 35 cadavers (19 males/16 females) which were clinically normal and without deformity were dissected and measured, according to Martin measurements. 1. The average length and width of rectus femoris muscle were 396.7 +/-39.9 mm and 36.5 +/-7.9 mm, respectively. The length of female subjects was significantly different from that of male subjects (P 0.05). 2. In the origin and insertion of rectus femoris muscle, anterior tendon and posterior tendon were not different between female and male subjects. 3. Artery of the rectus femoris muscle arises from deep femoral artery. The length of pedicle from the entering point of the rectus femoris muscle was average 19.0 +/-11.9 mm. The length from the entering point of the rectus femoris muscle to spliting point was 13.7 +/-7.7 mm of P1, 12.6 +/-7.5 mm of P2, and 14.8 +/-11.63 mm of P3 pedicles. 4. The frequency of the blood vessels inserted into the rectus femoris muscle was the first highest at the portion of 32.5 ~35% and the second highest of 35 ~37.5% and 37.5 ~40% ranges, when anterior superior iliac spine from center of the patellar was considered as 100% of portion. 5. According to the method by Kimata et al. (1998) classifying perforators based on the anatomic variations, type 1 and VIII were 83.58% and 5.97% respectively. Type 5, 6 and 7 were not observed. 6. Femoral nerves inserted into the rectus femoris muscle were distributed within 7.5 ~45% portion when anterior superior iliac spine from center of the patella was converted into 100%. The portion of 17.5 ~20% had the highest frequency of nerves. In conclusion, length of the rectus femoris muscle in Korean were different depending on gender, whereas tendon lengths were not. These data demonstrate artery pattern in Korean and provide anatomical potential for rectus femoris muscle to be used as a free -flap muscle.

Changes in Laminin beta 1 Chain Expression in Renal Cortex by the Intervention with Cilazapril and Losartan on Adriamycin-Induced Nephropathy / 대한해부학회지

Laminin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is distributed in the basement membrane of renal glomerulus. Laminin has been demonstrated to regulate the development and differentiation of glomeruli and play an important role in the filtering function of glomeruli. To address whether laminin beta 1 chain is associated with the pathogenic states of renal injury and recovery, nephropathy were induced by intravenous adriamycin injection and subsequently cured by treatment with antihypertensive drugs, cilazapril (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ACEi) and lozartan (angiotensin receptor blockade, ARB), which have been known to be effective on renal protection. The results we obtained were as follows: 1. At 6 and 12 weeks after adriamycin injection, epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules exhibited intensive deposition of laminin beta 1 chain reactive gold particles. Cytoplasm of podocytes and mesangial cells in glomeruli showed an increase in the gold particle deposition as compared with that of controls. The mRNA level of laminin beta 1 chain was enhanced in the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules. 2. Following cilazapril administration to adriamycin -induced nephropathy rats, laminin beta 1 chain reactive gold particle deposition was reduced in the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules, podocytes, and mesangial cells. The level of laminin beta 1 chain transcripts was remarkably decreased in the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules. 3. Following losartan administration to adriamycin -induced nephropathy rats, podocytes and mesangial cells were deposited with reduced number of laminin beta 1 chain reactive gold particles. The laminin beta 1 chain reactive gold particles and level of laminin beta 1 chain mRNA transcripts were remarkably reduced in the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules. 4. Treatment with mixture of cilazapril and losartan to adriamycin -induced nephropathy rat resulted in a decrease in laminin beta 1 chain reactive gold particle deposition within the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules, podocytes, and mesangial cells. Laminin beta 1 chain mRNA expression in the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules nearly disappeared. These results consequently suggest that laminin beta 1 chain may be synthesized within the epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules, podocytes and mesangial cells and laminin beta 1 chain may play an important role on tissue recovery of the renal tissues injured by adriamycin.

Generation and maintenance of type II collagen-specific T-cell line expressing conserved TCR-CDR3 motifs among patients with rheumatoid arthritis Author

BACKGROUND: To determine the molecular structure of type II collagen-specific T-cell receptors associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We generated CII-specific T-cell lines of 8 RA patient s by prolonged in vitro culture with bovine CII (bCII) and the immunogenic peptide (256-270) of human CII. The proliferation response towards CII stimulation was measured from the uptake of 3 H-thymidine. Changes in the secretion of Th 1 and Th2 cytokines in the culture supernatent were measured by ELISA. The TCR clonotypes of these T-cells were examined by RT-PCR/ SSCP analyses of all 22 V beta chains. RESULTS: T-cells from patients' tissue exhibited strong proliferation index upon CII stimulation, which was maintained up to 6 months in the culture. The secretion of INF-gamma from these T-cells increased along with the duration of culture time, while the amount of IL-4 production did not show significant changes. The SSCP band patterns of patients' T-cells appear as discrete bands unlike the smeary streak produced from normal samples. Some SSCP bands, each representing selected expansion of a TCR containing certain subtype of V beta peptides, appeared to be identical in more than one patients. Among these, the expansion of SSCP band representing the V beta 14 CDR3 region persisted after switching the antigen to the immunogenic human peptide (256-270). CONCLUSION: CII-reactive T-cells expressing distinct CDR3 motifs are selectively expanded in the peripheral blood and synovial fluid of RA patients, and their persistent proliferation upon CII stimulation, as well as the production Th 1-type cytokines, may play pivotal roles in RA pathogenesis.

Localization of Laminin and Laminin beta 1 chain on Gomeruli of Developmental Rat Kidney / 체질인류학회지

Laminin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein composed of three polypeptide chains such as alpha , beta, and gamma is distributed in basement membranes of epithelium, muscle, and nervous tissues. Laminin functions as an extracellular cytoskeleton and regulates the differentiation and polarization of cells adjacent to the basement membrane. Along with type IV collagen and heparan sulfate proteoglycan, laminin forms a spike -like structure in the renal glomerular basement membrane (GBM). It has been previously demonstrated that the distribution and immune reaction of laminin are changed in response to the conditions of glomerulonephritis and that laminin plays a role in the reformation of GBM as well as the regeneration of renal glomerular cells. In the present study, the profile of expression and distribution of laminin/laminin beta1 chain were examined in different developmental stages and upon adriamycin administration. Kidney obtained from fetuses (16, 18, and 20 days old) and infants (1 and 7 days old) of Sprague -Dawley rats were either cryosectioned for immunohistochemical assays or ultrathin -sectioned for electron microscopy using immunogold staining methods. The results were as follows: 1. Intensive expression of laminin was observed in the GBM and surrounding mesenchymal tissues obtained from 16, 18, and 20 days old fetuses and in the glomerulus from one day neonates, whereas the level of staining decreased in the glomerulus from 7 days old infants. 2. Immunogold particles were observed in the comma -shaped nephron, in particular in cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, vesicles and nuclear membrane of endothelial cells and mesangial cells obtained from 18 days old fetuses. 3. The immune reactions of laminin beta1 chain were trace detected in the kidney from fetuses (16, 18, and 20 days old) and weakly in tissues surrounding blood capillary and mesangial tissues from one day old neonates. 4. After 24 hours following adriamycin treatment, the reactivity of laminin was slightly enhanced in the renal glomerulus, when compared with that of untreated controls. This enhancement persisted up to 1 week of adriamycin treatment. Laminin beta1 chain was weakly detectable, while further treatment with adriamycin for another 24 hours reduced the intensity of laminin beta1 chain. Taken together, these results suggest that laminin is localized in the GBM at the high level during early fetal stages but the expression levels decrease after birth. Moreover, administration with adriamycin may result in an increase in the immune reactivities of laminin and laminin beta1 chain by renal tissue damage followed by renal regeneration.

Purturbation of Th1 / Th2 Balance by Interleukin 4 Receptor alpha Variant Q576R in Rheumatic Disease / 대한면역학회지

No abstract available.

The Clinical Significance of IgG Antibodies to Native Human Type II Collagen in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한면역학회지

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical significance of IgG antibodies to native type II collagen (IgG nCII) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: IgG antibodies to native type II collagen (anti-HnCII) were measured in 287 patients with RA, 34 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 50 normal controls by improved ELISA using avidin-biotin system and 100% normal goat serum. The clinical and laboratory variables were investigated in patients with RA at the time of sampling. RESULTS: The titers of anti-HnCII were higher in RA than OA and normal control (median value 5.2 in RA, 3.0 in OA, 1.7 a.u in normal) (p3 year). There was no differences in age, sex, erosions on X-ray, mean steroid dose, use of DMARD, extraarticular manifetations such as lung involvement, rheumatoid nodule, Sjogren's syndrome between groups with anti-HnCII positive and negative. However, deformity was more frequently found in anti-HnCII negative (p<0.05). Among the 83 patients measured anti-HnCII serially (mean interval; 15+/-6 month), 11 of 24 patients with anti- HnCII positve (45.8%) were converted to negative and 19 of 59 patients with anti- HnCII negative (32.2%) were converted to positive. The levels of CRP decreased in groups converted from positive to negative (p<0.05) and vice versa (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the levels of IgG HnCII fluctuate with positive correlation with acute phase reactants and may reflect the inflammatory activity of RA.