Highly prevalent BRAF V600E and low-frequency TERT promoter mutations underlie papillary thyroid carcinoma in Koreans

Background@#The presence of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations have been associated with a poor prognosis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). The frequency of TERT promoter mutations varies widely depending on the population and the nature of the study. @*Methods@#Data were prospectively collected in 724 consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy for PTC from 2018 to 2019. Molecular testing for BRAF V600E and TERT promoter mutations was performed in all cases. @*Results@#TERT promoter alterations in two hotspots (C228T and C250T) and C216T were found in 16 (2.2%) and 4 (0.6%) of all PTCs, respectively. The hotspot mutations were significantly associated with older age at diagnosis, larger tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, higher pathologic T category, lateral lymph node metastasis, and higher American Thyroid Association recurrence risk. The patients with C216T variant were younger and had a lower American Thyroid Association recurrence risk than those with hotspot mutations. Concurrent BRAF V600E was found in 19 of 20 cases with TERT promoter mutations. Of 518 microcarcinomas measuring ≤1.0 cm in size, hotspot mutations and C216T variants were detected in five (1.0%) and three (0.6%) cases, respectively. @*Conclusions@#Our study indicates a low frequency of TERT promoter mutations in Korean patients with PTC and supports previous findings that TERT promoter mutations are more common in older patients with unfavorable clinicopathologic features and BRAF V600E. TERT promoter mutations in patients with microcarcinoma are uncommon and may have a limited role in risk stratification. The C216T variant seems to have no clinicopathologic effect on PTC.

Forkhead Transcription Factor FOXO1 Inhibits Angiogenesis in Gastric Cancer in Relation to SIRT1 / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We previously reported that forkhead transcription factors of the O class 1 (FOXO1) expression in gastric cancer (GC) was associated with angiogenesis-related molecules. However, there is little experimental evidence for the direct role of FOXO1 in GC. In the present study, we investigated the effect of FOXO1 on the tumorigenesis and angiogenesis in GC and its relationship with SIRT1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stable GC cell lines (SNU-638 and SNU-601) infected with a lentivirus containing FOXO1 shRNA were established for animal studies as well as cell culture experiments. We used xenograft tumors in nude mice to evaluate the effect of FOXO1 silencing on tumor growth and angiogenesis. In addition, we examined the association between FOXO1 and SIRT1 by immunohistochemical tissue array analysis of 471 human GC specimens and Western blot analysis of xenografted tumor tissues. RESULTS: In cell culture, FOXO1 silencing enhanced hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) expression and GC cell growth under hypoxic conditions, but not under normoxic conditions. The xenograft study showed that FOXO1 downregulation enhanced tumor growth, microvessel areas, HIF-1alpha activation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. In addition, inactivated FOXO1 expression was associated with SIRT1 expression in human GC tissues and xenograft tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that FOXO1 inhibits GC growth and angiogenesis under hypoxic conditions via inactivation of the HIF-1alpha-VEGF pathway, possibly in association with SIRT1. Thus, development of treatment modalities aiming at this pathway might be useful for treating GC.

Cytotoxicity of newly developed pozzolan cement and other root-end filling materials on human periodontal ligament cell

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro cytotoxicity of the pozzolan cement and other root-end filling materials using human periodontal ligament cell. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endocem (Maruchi), white ProRoot MTA (Dentsply), white Angelus MTA (Angelus), and Super EBA (Bosworth Co.) were tested after set completely in an incubator at 37degrees C for 7 days, Endocem was tested in two ways: 1) immediately after mixing (fresh specimens) and 2) after setting completely like other experimental materials. The methods for assessment included light microscopic examination, cell counting and WST-1 assay on human periodontal ligament cell. RESULTS: In the results of microscopic examination and cell counting, Super EBA showed significantly lower viable cell than any other groups (p < 0.05). As the results of WST-1 assay, compared with untreated control group, there was no significant cell viability of the Endocem group. However, the fresh mixed Endocem group had significantly less cell viability. The cells exposed to ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA showed the highest viability, whereas the cells exposed to Super EBA displayed the lowest viability (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The cytotoxicity of the pozzolan cement (Endocem) was comparable with ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA. Considering the difficult manipulation and long setting time of ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA, Endocem can be used as the alternative of retrofilling material.

Correlation of transvaginal radiofrequency myolysis and estrogen, progesteron receptor in uterine myoma / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in hormone receptors of myoma cells and volume decrement of myoma after radiofrequency myolysis. METHODS: From 2005 January to 2006 January, thirty patients who have had high-frequency myolysis were included in this study. Needle aspiration biopsy was done at the central portion of myoma pre- and 6 months post-operation. Radiofrequency myolysis were done for 20 minutes until discoloration of myoma was accomplished to 80%. The stain intensity of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) was classified into "negative", "trace", "weak", "moderate" and "strong". RESULTS: The volume decrement was 96.4% in the group that showed trace to week stain intensity (under 50% stain intensity), but it decreased to 66.6% in the group that showed strong stain intensity (over 50%, moderate to strong)(P<0.05). ER showed moderate to strong positive response in 79% of patients before operation, but it showed negative to week response in 83% of patients after the operation. Also, PR showed moderate to strong positive response in 80% of patients before operation, but it showed negative to week response in 86% of patients after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: To coagulate entire myoma, we suggested that controlling the intensity of operation by lengthening the time or expanding the extent of operation was more effective in treatment, because the volume decrement of myoma was larger in case that ER and PR was under 50% before the operation.

The Outcome of Pregnancy Combined with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura and the Effect of Pregnancy on the Severity of This Disease / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is greatest in female during their childbearing years, so the concurrence of pregnancy and ITP is not unusual. Numerous studies have examined the outcomes of newborns, whereas fewer studies have been conducted with regard to the morbidity of obstetric patients with ITP. This study was aimed to find the outcome of pregnancy combined with ITP and the influence of the pregnancy on the severity of this disease. METHODS: From January 1996 to December 2005, a total of 62 pregnant women with ITP and their 73 deliveries were recruited for the study. Among them, 38 were diagnosed with ITP during pregnancy and the other 24 had pre-existing ITP before pregnancy. RESULTS: The severity of thrombocytopenia was exacerbated during pregnancy, but recovered to a level of non-pregnant period after delivery in most cases. The outcome of pregnancy of all the patients was uneventful except each one case of fetal demise at 35 gestational weeks and preterm delivery at 30 gestational weeks. One patient suffered from multiple subdural hemorrhage during pregnancy, which was spontaneouly recovered. Twenty newborns (27.8%) had transient congenital thrombocytopenia and 18 of them required treatment for hemostatic impairment. CONCLUSION: For women with ITP, Pregnancy can affect the severity of ITP, but life-threatening complication was almost lacking. Although, in not a few cases, there may need to treat both mothers and infants to raise their platelet counts, most mothers with ITP can proceed with their pregnancies and delivery healthy infant without complication.

Acute appendicitis in pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical course and pregnancy outcome, according to perforation or no perforation of appendix, in the patients who went through the appendectomy for acute appendicitis during pregnancy. METHODS: We reviewed the chart of paients who went through the appendectomy for acute appendicitis during pregnancy in department of general surgery of the Catholic University of Korea Holy Family Hospital and St. mary's Hospital from January 1994 to May 2004. RESULTS: The incidence rate of acute appendicitis during pregnancy (56.1%) was highest at the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. There was not significant difference in clinical course, subjective symptoms, physical examination results, and the incidence rate of leukocytosis between non-perforated appendicitis (NPAPP) group and perforated appendicits (PAPP) group. The incidence rate of pregnancy loss that was spontaneous abortion and intrauterine fetal death, was 2.9% in NPAPP group and 7.7% in PAPP group, but, there was not significant differnence between two groups. There was not also significant difference in the incidence rate of low birth weight for gestational age. We could find nothing for fetal anomaly. Finally, the term delivery rate was 92.8% and 92.3% in each of the two groups, and patients had no obstetrical and surgical complications. CONCLUSION: In this study, we could find that perforation or no perforation of appendix wieghed with the clinical course, objective symptoms, examination results, and pregnancy outcome of patients. But, we thought that the larger population of perforation group would be needed for more accurate results.