Tamoxifen-inducible cardiac-specific Cre transgenic mouse using VIPR2 intron / 한국실험동물학회지

Genetically engineered mouse models through gene deletion are useful tools for analyzing gene function. To delete a gene in a certain tissue temporally, tissue-specific and tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mice are generally used. Here, we generated transgenic mouse with cardiac-specific expression of Cre recombinase fused to a mutant estrogen ligand-binding domain (ERT2) on both N-terminal and C-terminal under the regulatory region of human vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 2 (VIPR2) intron and Hsp68 promoter (VIPR2-ERT2CreERT2). In VIPR2-ERT2CreERT2 transgenic mice, mRNA for Cre gene was highly expressed in the heart. To further reveal heart-specific Cre expression, VIPR2-ERT2CreERT2 mice mated with ROSA26-lacZ reporter mice were examined by X-gal staining. Results of X-gal staining revealed that Cre-dependent recombination occurred only in the heart after treatment with tamoxifen. Taken together, these results demonstrate that VIPR2-ERT2CreERT2 transgenic mouse is a useful model to unveil a specific gene function in the heart.

A case of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 대한내과학회지

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a potentially fatal complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HPSCT) that occurs relatively early after the transplantation. The occurrence of PTLD is usually associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in patients who are treated by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. PTLD presents as diverse manifestations, ranging from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to high grade malignant lymphoma. In the present work, we describe a case of PTLD that was successfully treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone) chemotherapy in a 21-year-old female who received HLA-matched sibling HPSCT for severe aplastic anemia. At 120 days after transplantation, she had symptoms of dysphagia and a foreign body sensation in the throat and was diagnosed as PTLD, diffuse large B cell lymphoma involving a tonsil, cervical lymph nodes, an adrenal gland, and the liver. Three courses of R-CHOP resulted in complete remission.

A case of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 대한내과학회지

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a potentially fatal complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HPSCT) that occurs relatively early after the transplantation. The occurrence of PTLD is usually associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in patients who are treated by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. PTLD presents as diverse manifestations, ranging from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to high grade malignant lymphoma. In the present work, we describe a case of PTLD that was successfully treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone) chemotherapy in a 21-year-old female who received HLA-matched sibling HPSCT for severe aplastic anemia. At 120 days after transplantation, she had symptoms of dysphagia and a foreign body sensation in the throat and was diagnosed as PTLD, diffuse large B cell lymphoma involving a tonsil, cervical lymph nodes, an adrenal gland, and the liver. Three courses of R-CHOP resulted in complete remission.

A case of leptomeningeal metastasis from adenocarcinoma of the lung improved by treatment with Gefitinib / 대한내과학회지

Leptomeningeal metastasis occurs in approximately 1% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and this is an extremely serious complication. Without treatment, the median survival of patients is 4~6 weeks. The treatment options currently available are limited and achieve only modest results. Gefitinib was recently approved for the treatment of advanced/refractory non-small cell lung cancer. In addition, there have been case reports showing activity of gefitinib against brain metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer patients. However, there is limited data on the ability of gefitinib to cross the blood-brain barrier. We report the case of a patient with leptomeningeal metastasis from adenocarcinoma of the lung that had a dramatic response to gefitinib treatment.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Severe Pulmonary Hypertension: A Case Report / 영남의대학술지

Pulmonary hypertension is an increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein or pulmonary capillaries. Depending on the cause, pulmonary hypertension can be a severe disease with markedly decreased exercise tolerance and right-sided heart failure. Pulmonary hypertension can present as one of five different types: arterial, venous, hypoxic, thromboembolic, or miscellaneous. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with severe pulmonary hypertension is a rare disease. A 52-year-old man presented with a complaint of aggravating dyspnea. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 61.5 mmHg by Doppler echocardiogram. The patient was prescribed diuretics, digoxin, bronchodilator, sildenafil, bosentan and an oxygen supply. However, he ultimately died of cor pulmonale. Thus, diagnosis and early combination therapy are important.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Depression in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Due to the irreversible nature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the treatment aim in patients with COPD is not to cure but to reduce the symptoms, increase lung function, and improve the quality of life. It has been suggested that depression is a common emotional disturbance in patients with COPD who are faced with a major physical impairment and embarrassing symptoms. This study evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: A total of 59 patients with a registered diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were selected. Depression was assessed using the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. The quality of life was assessed using the Korean version of the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression was 17.0%. In the correlation model, the interaction of the FEV1% over predicted value and SGRQ score(symptom, activity, impact, overall score) was statistically significant. The interaction of the FEV1% over predicted value and depression scale(CES-D) was also statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between the SGRQ scores(symptom, activity, impact, overall score) and the depression scale. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is relatively high. The pulmonary function and the living standards were found to be significant risk factors for depression.