Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Specific Chemokines for Articular Cartilage Repair / 대한골다공증학회지

OBJECTIVES: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a good source for cartilage repair. Chondral defects do not heal spontaneously due to a lack of chondrocytes at the defect site and migration of surrounding chondrocytes to the injury site. The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of 19 chemokine receptors in human BMSCs stimulated by IL-1beta and TNF-alpha as an in vitro cartilage-injury condition. MATERIALS & METHODS: MSCs isolated from human bone marrow were expended for the experiments. Specifically, cells were grown either in the presence or absence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. RT-PCR was performed to evaluate the expression of 19 chemokine receptors. To evaluate changes in the expression of chemokine receptors, a reverse dot-blot assay was performed. RESULTS: We observed increased expression of CCR4, CCR6, CCR7, CCR9, CCR10, CXCR1, CXCR4, CXCR6, and CXCR7 in untreated BMSCs, while inflammation-induced BMSCs exhibited enhanced expression of CCR9, CCR10, CXCR1, CXCR4, CXCR5, CXCR6, and CXCR7. Collectively, the results showed CCR9/CYA-25, CCR10/SCYA-28, CXCR1/IL-8, CXCR4/SDF-1, CXCR6/CXCL-16, and CXCR7/SDF-1 (receptor/ligand) were expressed in normal BMSCs and showed a gradual increase upon treatment with pro-inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that chemokines, including SCYA-25, SCYA-28, IL-8, CXCL-16 and SDF-1 can be useful in repairing damaged articular cartilage.

ERRATUM: High Prevalence of Haplorchis taichui, Phaneropsolus molenkampi, and Other Helminth Infections among People in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

The article 'High Prevalence of Haplorchis taichui, Phaneropsolus molenkampi, and Other Helminth Infections among People in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR' authored by Jong-Yil Chai, Eun-Taek Han, Eun-Hee Shin, Woon-Mok Sohn, Tai-Soon Yong, Keeseon S. Eom, Duk-Young Min, Jin-Young Um, Min-Sung Park, Eui-Hyug Hoang, Bounlay Phommasack, Bounnaloth Insisiengmay, Soon-Hyung Lee and Han-Jong Rim, published in the September issue (Vol. 47, No. 3) of The Korean Journal of Parasitology (2009), has an erratum. The genus name of a parasite in the title was mistakenly given as Phaneropsolus. It should be corrected as Prosthodendrium. The Korean Journal of Parasitology apologizes to the readers for this error.

High Prevalence of Haplorchis taichui, Phaneropsolus molenkampi, and Other Helminth Infections among People in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

The prevalence of liver and intestinal helminth infections, including Opisthorchis, Haplorchis, Phaneropsolus, hookworms, Enterobius, and Taenia, was surveyed in Khammouane province, Lao PDR. Fecal specimens were collected from 1,242 people (590 men and 652 women) in 3 Mekong riverside villages and were examined by the Kato-Katz thick smear technique. The overall helminth egg positive rate was 81.1%. The positive rate for small trematode eggs, including Opisthorchis viverrini, heterophyids, and lecithodendriids, was 81.1% and the positive rate for hookworms was 6.7%. To obtain adult worms, 35 people who were positive for small trematode eggs were treated with 20-30 mg/kg praziquantel and 10-15 mg/kg pyrantel pamoate, and then purged. Diarrheic stools were collected from 33 of these people and searched for helminth parasites using a stereomicroscope. Mixed infections with various helminths (Haplorchis taichui, Haplorchis yokogawai, Prosthodendrium molenkampi, Phaneropsolus bonnei, echinostomes, hookworms, Trichostrongylus spp., Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, and/or Taenia saginata) were found. The total number of helminth specimens collected was 20,907 (approximately 634 per person). The most common species was H. taichui, followed by P. molenkampi, O. viverrini, P. bonnei, E. vermicularis, hookworms, and Trichostrongylus spp. These results show that diverse species of intestinal nematodes, trematodes, and cestodes are infecting humans in Khammouane province, Lao PDR.

Cross-talk between Integrin and SMAD Signal Pathway in Articular Chondrocyte / 대한정형외과연구학회지

PURPOSE: Identifying the signal cross-talk between integrin signaling cascade and TGF-beta 1 signaling cascade in articular chondrocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To analyze integrin or TGF-beta 1 mediated signaling pathways from extracellular stimuli, type II collagen was coated on the cell culture plate and TGF-beta 1 was added to cell culture media. Chondrocytes were cultured in the conditioned media with each or both stimuli. Altered activation of signaling proteins detected with western blot technique. RESULTS: More rapid attachment of cells was observed in the type II collagen coated group than non-coated group. The phosphorylated SMAD 2 and 3 were expressed in the type II collagen coated group and synergistically up-regulated phosphorylation in the co-treated group. The phosphorylated FAK at tyrosine 925 was activated by TGF-beta 1 treatment and synergistically up-regulated by both stimuli. But there was no meaningfully changed phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38, as known downstream molecules of FAK cascade. CONCLUSION: This result means that SMAD 2, SMAD 3 and tyrosine 925 of FAK are involved in this signal cross-talking in articular chondrocytes.

Correlation between Serum Estrogen and Spatial Memory in Peripartal Rats / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to find possible effect of pregnancy and parturition on spatial memory, especially in relation to levels of estrogen during the third trimester and postpartal period in rats. METHODS: 25 female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into pregnant group (N=14) and control group (N=11). Changes in spatial memory during 6 weeks including third trimester and postpartal period were measured using Morris water maze. Time to reach the platform in the maze was indicator of spatial memory. Serum estrogen level was measured on 1 week before delivery, postpartal day 1, and day 14. RESULTS: Both groups showed gradual improvement in performance by trial days and weeks, but no significant difference was found between the two groups. However in the third trimester, pregnant group showed a trend of less achievement on 3 days of learning than control group. Serum estrogen levels did not differ significantly between groups over the 6 weeks of period. However there was positive correlation between serum estrogen level on postpartum day 1 and time to reach platform on postpartum week 2, and negative correlation between estrogen level on postpartum day 14 and latency to the platform on postpartum week 5. CONCLUSION: These results imply that changes in the serum estrogen level may have dual effects on the spatial learning in peripartal period. It is suggested that decline in cognitive function might occur either by failure of rapid decrease of estrogen, immediately after parturition, or retarded restoration of estrogen in later postpartal period.

A Longitudinal Study on the Growth Pattern of Craniofacial Skeleton in Skeletal Class III / 대한치과교정학회지

The purpose of this study was to find the characteristics of lateral cephalogram of skeletal class III malocclusion patients to whom orthognathic surgery was essential. For this study 37 patients with skeletal class III and going to treat or be treated orthognathic surgery(age 7 - 17) were selected to experimental group and 56 people with normal occlusion ( age 8 - 13) were selected to normal group and the two groups were evaluated and statistically analyzed and the results were as follows. 1. In comparison of experimental group and normal group in prepubertal group, there were significant differences in ANS-Ul/Me-Li, Mx. Length/Mn.Length, S-N/Go-Me, Wits, ANB, SN-Pog, IMPA, Facial Convexity, APDI (P<0.05) 2. In comparison of experimental group and normal group in pubertal group, there were significant differences in ANS-Ul/Me-LI, S-GoN-Me, Mx.LengtWMn.Length, S-N/Go-Me, Wits, Saddle Angle, SNB, ANB, SN-Pog, R MA, Interincisal Angle, Facial Convexity, APDI (P<0.05) 3. Among items showing characteristics of skeletal class M malocclusion, there were no significant differences between prepubertal group and pubertal group in other items except Mx. LengtblMn. Length, APDI (P<0.05) 4. The significant correlationship was the highest between Saddle Angle and SNB, SN-Pog and SNB, ANB and Facial Convexity in experimental group.