Fetal ductus arteriosus constriction and heart failure following maternal cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor ingestion: A case report / 대한산부인과학회지

We report a case of premature constriction of the fetal ductus arteriosus following maternal ingestion of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor at 37 weeks' gestation. Fetal sonography at 38+2 weeks' gestation revealed tricuspid regurgitation, absent transpulmonary valve flow, right heart enlargement, and pericardial effusion. An immediate delivery resulted in a good postnatal outcome with dramatic improvement in the clinical and echocardiographic findings. Maternal exposure to Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), especially late in gestation, can cause premature constriction of the ductus arteriosus, heart failure, and fetal death. Therefore, the use of NSAIDs late in gestation should be considered in limited cases with close fetal heart monitoring.

Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Host Resistance Against Listeria Monocytogenes Infection and the Cytokine Production in Mice / 대한치료방사선과학회지

PURPOSE: To evaluate the qualitative immunologic changes by ionizing radiation, we studied the altered capacities of the macrophages and lymphocytes to produce cytokines in conjunction with resistance to Listeria monocytogenes (LM) infection in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/c mice and Listeria monocytogenes were used. The mice were infected intraperitoneally with 105LM at 1 day after irradiation (300cGy) and sacrificed at 1, 3, 5 days after infection, and then the numbers of viable LM per spleen in the irradiated and control group were counted. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and nitric oxide (NO) were assessed after irradiation. RESULTS: Under gamma-ray irradiation with a dose range of 100-850cGy, the number of total splenocytes decreased markedly in a dose-dependent manner, while peritoneal macrophages did so slightly. Cultured peritoneal macrophages produced more TNF-alpha in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during the 24 hours after in vitro irradiation, but their capacity of TNF-alpha production showed a decreased tendency at 5 days after in vivo total body irradiation. With 100cGy and 300cGy irradiation, cultured peritoneal macrophages produced more NO in the presence of LPS during the 24 hours after in vitro irradiation than without irradiation. Activated splenocytes from irradiated mice (300cGy) exhibited a decreased capacity to produce IL-2 and IFN-gamma with Concavalin-A stimulation at 3 days after irradiation. When BALB/c mice were irradiated to the total body with a dose of 300cGy, they showed enhanced resistance during early innate phase, but a significant inhibition of resistance to LM was found in the late innate and acquired T-cell dependent phases. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased early innate and decreased late innate and acquired immunity to LM infection by ionizing radiation (300cGy) may be related to the biphasic altered capacity of the macrophages to produce TNF-alpha and the decreased capacities of the lymphocytes to produce IL-2 and IFN-gamma in addition to a marked decrease in the total number of cells.

Expression of Rous Sarcoma Virus Enhancer Factor Gene in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We have previously cloned three enhancer factor genes encoding proteins that bind to long terminal repeats (LTRs) of Rous sarcoma virus. Among these genes, RSV- EF-I gene is expressed in rat hepatoma tissues and several proliferating cell lines but not in normal rat liver tissues. We have isolated the human homologue of RSV-EF-I gene and examined its expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have screened the human genomic library and cDNA library of Hep G2 cell line derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma to isolate the human homologue of RSV-EF-I gene. RESULTS: We have isolated one cDNA clone containing about 1.5 kb insert and sequenced. Sequence analysis reveals that this human homologue of RSV-EF-I gene has a high similarities to human YB-1 mRNA, human DNA-binding protein B (dbpB) gene and other Y-box protein genes. It is expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma but very slightly in normal human liver tissues in Northern blot analysis. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the human homologue of RSV-EF-I gene presumably belongs to Y-box protein family genes and plays a role in the transformation of the human hepatoma cells.

Changes of Nitric Oxide Metabolite and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha in the Urine of Patients with Superficial Bladder Tumors after BCG Immunotherapy / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) is widely used in the therapy of superficial bladder tumors. Clinical and animal studies suggest that immunological responsiveness to BCG antigens correlates with anti-tumor activity. But its mode of action is unclear. In this studies, we evaluated the changes of nitric oxide(NO) metabolite and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) in the urine of patients with superficial bladder tumors after BCG immunotherapy. Both NO and TNF-alpha in the urine specimens of patients treated with BCG were analyzed prior to BCG instillation and 4, 8 and 24 hours afterwards. After 6th BCG instillation. urinary NO increased significantly and showed a maximum of secretion at eight hours(p<0.05). After 6th BCG instillation, urinary TNF-alpha increased and showed a maximum of secretion at eight hours but had no statistical significance. These results suggest that intravesical BCG therapy increased the urinary NO and TNF-alpha secretion which may be related to the anti-tumor activity.