Inhibition of hepatitis B virus replication by RNA interference / 대한간학회지

No abstract available.

Identification of potential lung cancer biomarkers using an in vitro carcinogenesis model

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest and commonly diagnosed neoplasms. Early diagnosis of this disease is critical for improving clinical outcome and prognosis. Because the early stages of lung cancer often produce no symptoms, it is necessary to identify biomarkers for early detection, prognostic evaluation, and recurrence monitoring of the cancer. To identify potential lung cancer biomarkers, we analyzed the differential protein secretion from transformed bronchial epithelial cells (1198 and 1170-I) as compared to immortalized normal bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and non-transformed cells (1799) all of which are derived from BEAS-2B and represent multistage bronchial epithelial carcinogenesis. The proteins recovered from the conditioned media of the cells were separated on two-dimensional gels. There was little difference between the secretome of the BEAS-2B and 1799 cells, whereas the patterns between the transformed 1198 and 1170-I cells and non-transformed 1799 cells were significantly different. Using mass spectrometry and database search, we identified 20 proteins including protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2), and triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), that were either increased or decreased simultaneously in conditioned media of both 1198 and 1170-I cells. Furthermore, levels of PGP9.5, TCTP, TIMP-2, and TPI were significantly increased not only in the conditioned media of both transformed cell lines when compared to those of BEAS-2B and 1799 cells, but also in plasmas and tissues from lung cancer patients when compared to those in normal controls. We suggest the PGP9.5, TCTP, TIMP-2, and TPI as promising candidates for lung cancer serum biomarkers.

Objective Evaluation of Secondary Cleft Lip Nose Deformity by Analysis of Nostril Shape

Cleft lip is one of the most common congenital deformities in craniofacial region. However, despite many reports on the outcome of various surgical techniques from individual medical centers, the evaluation of the outcome has been based on the subjective observation. Therefore, developing a new technique of objective and scientific evaluation for the nasal deformity of secondary cleft lip and nasal deformity is important to improve the management of the cleft lip patients. The authors have proposed a new scoring model to evaluate objectively the nasal deformity. The authors put 'x' axis on the nostril sill of noncleft side and 'y' axis on nasal tip at a right angle to x axis. The nostril of noncleft side was turned around the y axis to form the mirror image on the cleft side, and following four parameters were recorded: (1) angle difference between two nostril axis, (2) center of the nostril and distance between two centers, (3) the overlapped area of two nostrils and (4) the overlapped area ratio of two nostrils. The post-surgery images were evaluated by the three plastic surgeons, using the scale of 5 percentiles. The four parameters of each image were measured using a newly developed software and correlation coefficients of each parameter and the evaluation scale by the surgeons were obtained. Among the scores from scoring model, errors greater than 10 percents were found only in 2 of 14 cases (2/14=14%), but among the scores from examiners, errors of greater than 10 percents were 4 from 14 cases (4/14=29%). Based on the results, deviation among the individual examiners can be reduced using the objective evaluation program developed in this study. The correlation coefficients between the normalized overlap area (0.78) and the distance between the centers of two nostrils (-0.82) with the evaluated scale by surgeons were high. However, the relative area and the degree difference of two nostril axis were found to be not such a good parameters in the evaluation of the nasal deformity. We developed scoring model from analysis of nostril shape and neural network which is able to evaluate cleft lip nasal deformity objectively after selection of proper parameters.

Genome-wide expression profiling of 8-chloroadenosine- and 8-chloro-cAMP-treated human neuroblastoma cells using radioactive human cDNA microarray

Previous reports raised question as to whether 8-chloro-cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate (8-Cl-cAMP) is a prodrug for its metabolite, 8-Cl-adenosine which exerts growth inhibition in a broad spectrum of cancer cells. The present study was carried out to clarify overall cellular affects of 8-Cl-cAMP and 8-Cl-adenosine on SK-N-DZ human neuroblastoma cells by ystematically characterizing gene expression using radioactive human cDNA microarray. Microarray was prepared with PCR-amplified cDNA of 2,304 known genes spotted on nylon membranes, employing (1)P-labeled cDNAs of SK-N-DZ cells as a probe. the expression levels of approximately 100 cDNAs, representing about 8% of the total DNA elements on the array, were altered in 8-Cl-adenosine- or 8-Cl-cAMP-treated cells, respectively. The genome-wide expression of the two samples exhibited partial overlaps; different sets of up-regulated genes but the same set of down-regulated genes. 8-Cl-adenosine treatment up- egulated genes involved in differentiation and development (LIM protein, connexin 26, neogenin, neurofilament triplet L protein and p21( WAF1/CIP1)) and immune response such as natural killer cells protein 4, and down-regulated ones involved in proliferation and transformation (transforming growth factor-beta, DYRK2, urokinase-type plasminogen activator and proteins involved in transcription and translation) which were in close parallel with those by 8-Cl-cAMP. Our results indicated that the two drugs shared common genomic pathways for the down-regulation of certain genes, but used distinct pathways for the up-regulation of different gene clusters. Based on the findings, we suggest that the anti-cancer activity of 8-Cl-cAMP results at least in part through 8-Cl-adenosine. Thus, the systematic use of DNA arrays can provide insight into the dynamic cellular pathways involved in anticancer activities of chemotherapeutics.

The Benegits of Segnental Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Free Flap

Since the first report by Tansini in 1896, the latissimus dorsi muscle free flap has been widely used for various types of soft tissue defect due to reliable anatomy with a sufficient diameter of neurovascular pedicle and a sizable muscle. However, for relatively small soft tissue defect, latissimus dorsi free flap offers several distinct disadvantages of donor site including loss of the posterior axillary fold and flattening of the posterolateral chest wall, weakness of upper arm strength in extension, adduction and internal rotation. We treated three patients having various types of soft tissue defect using segmental latissimus dorsi muscular free flap depending on its descending branch of thoracodorsal neurovascular pedicles. There were no serious complications during 18 months of mean follow-up. We concluded that this method has some advantages such as no weakness of strength of the upper arm including walking on crutches, preserving the posterior axillary fold, preventing winging of the scapula and increased chance of using a flow-through technique. Here we present our cases of reconstruction of soft tissue defect using segmental latissimus dorsi free flap with a review of the literature.

Endoscopec Assisted Ultrasonic Aspiration for Axillary osmidrosis

Surgical excision of the subcutaneous tissues, with or without skin excision in the axillary hair-bearing area, has been the treatment of choice for Treating axillary a osmidrosis for the several decades. However, long periods of postoperative immobilization of a shoulder joint, partial necrosis of skin flaps or hematoma and the possibility of unsightly scars are frequent complications. For the purpose of reducing these complications, we performed ultrasonic aspiration of subcutaneous fat of the axilla, including the apocrine gland, using ultrasonic liposuction technique under confirmation of endoscopy via one small skin incision. From November 1997 to December 1998, a total of 134 patients (93 women and 41 men) received surgery for bilateral axillary osmidrosis on an outpatient basis. Sixty patients were evaluated more than 6 months after surgery. Among these patients, 6patients complained of a persistent foul odor(10%). Five patients received secondary ultrasonic aspiration for persistent foul odor and were then cured. We concluded that our method has several advantages such as 1) preservation of skin flap vascularity for the prevention of flap necrosis and axillary hair, 2) minimal scarring and bleeding, 3) shorter operation time and postoperative immobilization of the shoulder joint, 4) increased patient comfort, and 5) a safer operative method for recurred cases as a secondary method.