Dexamethasone effects on survival, differentiation, and proliferation of peritoneal (or B-1 cells) and splenic B cells / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Although the characteristic feature and function of peritoneal B (B-1) cells are very different from splenic B (B-2) cells, peritoneal B cell study is not known well. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of dexamethasone on peritoneal (or B-1 cells) and splenic B cells (or B-2 cells). METHODS: The synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasome, was injected to BALBc mice intraperitoneally or subcutaneously at 4-5 pm for 7 days. Expression level of B cell surface marker analyzed by flow cytometry. The purified peritoneal B cell and splenic B cells were obtained and cell survival rate was analysed by flow cytometry. Isolated B cells were cultured in medium with different concentration of dexamaethasone. During the culture of these cells, immunoglobulin secreted into the culture supernatants was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Entering of S phase was measured by proliferative assay. RESULTS: Subcutaneous injection of high dose of Dexamethasone for 7 days did not affect cell surface markers of peritoneal and splenic B cells. However, all cell surface markers of peritoneal B cell after the treatment of dexamethasone are reduced by daily intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone for 2 days. The survival rate of peritoneal and splenic B cell decrease with increasing concentration of dexamethasone. Proliferation of peritoneal B cells was less affected by dexamethasone than that of splenic B cells (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone induced apoptosis in both peritoneal and splenic B cells. Proliferation and differentiation of splenic B cells were affected by dexamethasone, but peritoneal B cells are less sensitive to dexamethasone.

Inhibition of clusterin gene expression via shRNA increases chemosensitivity to paclitaxel in xenografted PEOH cells / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inhibition of Clusterin gene expression via shRNA decreases proliferation and metastasis and increases chemosensitivity to paclitaxel in xenografted PEOH cells. METHODS: 1 x 10(6) paclitaxel resistant cell lines transduced with Clusterin shRNA in lentiviral inoculated subcutaneously into the flank region of 6 to 8 week-old female nude mice. Parental cells transduced with LacZ was used as a control. Tumor growth was measured twice every week and calculated by using the formula: length x width x depth x 0.5236. The mice were sacrificed and examined for Clusterin expression on tumor cells and counted the metastasis sites. RESULTS: shRNA for Cluaterin works in vivo and it is the in accord with the in vitro results. Although shRNA for Clusterin group showed decreased tumor growth and proliferation it has not statistical significance. But transfection of Clusterin shRNA on PEOH significantly increased paclitaxel-sensitivity (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: shRNA targeting of the Clusterin gene decreased the ovarian cancer cell's paclitaxel resistance.

Prevalence and risk factors of chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhea among Korean women / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Through a large sample group, the prevalence and risk factors of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea infection in low risk Korean women were examined. METHODS: Among patients visited the department of obstetrics and gynecology of the secondary and tertiary hospital between September 2005 to January 2006, 2,410 women older than 18 years were selected as the determination sample recruitment method. In addition to their disease history and parity, the living standard, a vaginal specimen, it was examined by a polymerase chain reaction test method. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-square and Fisher's test were used. RESULTS: Chlamydia infection was found to be closely associated with age (P=0.0485), the marital status (P=0.0086), smoking (P=0.0148), and drinking (P=0.0077), and additionally, the number of sex partners (P=<0.0001). Gonorrhea infection showed a significant difference according to the past history of venereal diseases (P=0.036), and a higher incidence was shown in the group with the past history of venereal diseases. The incidence of the simultaneous infection of Chlamydia and gonorrhea showed a significantly higher incidence in the cases with the past history of venereal diseases (P=0.0454), and a higher frequency of sexual intercourse (P=0.0306) and a larger number of sex partners (P=0.0009). CONCLUSION: It is thought that the urgent improvement of the lack of knowledge on Chlamydia and the early management considering the fact that the age of sexual contact is decreasing gradually are required, and based on the selected high risk factors, not only treatments in a wide range but also its prevention should be carried out simultaneously.