Isolation of Nine Bacteriophages Shown Effective against Erwinia amylovora in Korea.

Erwinia amylovora is a devastating bacterial plant pathogen that infects Rosaceae including apple and pear and causes fire blight. Bacteriophages have been considered as a biological control agent for preventing bacterial infections of plants. In this study, nine bacteriophages (ΦFifi011, ΦFifi044, ΦFifi051, ΦFifi067, ΦFifi106, ΦFifi287, ΦFifi318, ΦFifi450, and ΦFifi451) were isolated from soil and water samples in seven orchards with fire blight in Korea. The genetic diversity of bacteriophage isolates was confirmed through restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern analysis. Host range of the nine phages was tested against 45 E. amylovora strains and 14 E. pyrifoliae strains and nine other bacterial strains. Among the nine phages, ΦFifi044 and ΦFifi451 infected and lysed E. amylovora only. And the remaining seven phages infected both E. amylovora and E. pyrifoliae. The results suggest that the isolated phages were different from each other and effective to control E. amylovora, providing a basis to develop biological agents and utilizing phage cocktails.

CDH3/P-Cadherin regulates migration of HuCCT1 cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common subtype of primary hepatobilliary cancer. Despite advances in surgical and medical therapy, its survival rate remains poor. Compared to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common liver malignancy, the underlying mechanisms of cholangiocarcinoma carcinogenesis are poorly characterized. P-cadherin (CDH3) is a cadherin super family member. Although CDH3 is frequently over-expressed in cholangiocarcinoma tissues, its roles have never been characterized. To determine the roles of CDH3 in cholangiocarcinoma, we investigated CDH3 function in HuCCT1 cells using specific siRNA. Transfection with CDH3 siRNA did not affect proliferation of HuCCT1 cells. However, cell migration and invasion were significantly reduced when CDH3 was down-regulated. In addition, expressions of several biomarkers for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were not changed by CDH3 down-regulation. These results suggest that CDH3 regulates cell migration independent of EMT in cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Successful revascularization of coronary artery occluded by massive intracoronary thrombi with alteplase and percutaneous coronary intervention.

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our institution with sudden and persistent chest pain for 3 days. Coronary angiography showed massive thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery. The patient received intracoronary thrombolysis with alteplase (recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, rt-PA). On repeated angiography, there was marked resolution of intracoronary thrombus. After percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation, the final result was complete revascularization of the right coronary artery (TIMI grade 3 distal flow). This case demonstrates that intracoronary rt-PA can result in local thrombus reduction in patients undergoing PCI, especially with a large thrombus burden.

Right ventricular wall hematoma secondary to percutaneous coronary intervention.

Intramyocardial hematoma is known to be associated with myocardial infarction, chest trauma, coronary artery bypass operation, and complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We describe here a rare case of 50-year-old man with a huge right ventricular (RV) wall hematoma which was newly developed two hours after PCI. The patient was treated conservatively with a successful outcome. We discuss plausible mechanisms for the development of RV wall hematoma and treatment options for the case.