OBJECTIVES: Cadherin/catenin adhesion complex is fundamentally involved in epithelial cancer invasion and metastasis. E-cadherin and EGFR colocalize on the basolateral membrane of epithelial cell and EGF down-regulate E-cadherin expression. In the invasion and metastasis of cancer, E-cadherin expression is decreased and growth factors receptor is overexpressed. The present study was aimed to find the role of E-cadherin, beta-and gamma-catenin, growth factors and its receptors in cervical cancer cell lines. METHODS: The cervical cancer cell cultures were treated with different time duration of EGF 30 ng/ml and TGF-a 10 ng/ml(0, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, 4 hr, 8 hr, 24 hr). The change in cancer cell morphology and the changes in E-cadherin, beta- and gamma-catenin, EGFR and activated EGFR expression were studied with a western blot analysis and an immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Through a western blot analysis, E-cadherin 120 kDa band and EGFR 170 kDa band were expressed in CaSki, HT-3 and ME-180 cell line, which showed epithelial contact growth. 1n these 3 cell lines, expression of E-cadherin did not decrease with time dependent manner. after the treatment of EGF and TGF- alpha. The expression of EGFR decreased and activated EGFR expression increased in 30 minutes to 1 hour but decreased subsequently. When the cells treated with EGF, there were no change in beta-and gamma-catenin expression with there dependent manner. The tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-and gamma-catenin increased in 30 minutes to 1 hour but decreased subsequently with activated EGFR. CONCLUSION: This study showed that an activated EGFR which has involved with tyrosine phosphorylation of beta- and gamma-catenin influenced by growth factors rather than expression of E-cadherin, has a role in the invasion and metastasis of the cervical cancer.
Blotting, Western ; Cadherins* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epithelial Cells ; gamma Catenin* ; Immunoprecipitation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Membranes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Phosphorylation* ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha* ; Tyrosine* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Osteochondroma*

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the expression of uPA and uPAR in eutopic endometrium of advanced stage endometriosis and control patients. METHODS: The 33 endometriosis patients and 32 controls were enrolled. Endometrial samples were obtained from 65 premenopausal women aged 29~44 years, undergoing laparoscopic surgery or hysterectomy for non-malignant lesions. Sufficient samples were collected from 33 patients with endometriosis stage III and IV and 32 controls without endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopic surgery. The mRNA expression of uPA and uPAR from eutopic endometrium were analyzed by RT-QC PCR. RESULTS: The mRNAs of uPA and uPAR were expressed in eutopic endometrium from endometriosis and normal controls throughout the menstrual cycle. Uterine endometrium from women with endometriosis expresses significantly (p<0.05) higher levels of u-PA mRNA than endometrium from normal women without endometriosis in the proliferative phase. There were no significant differences in expression of uPAR in eutopic endometrium between controls and endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that eutopic endometrium from endometriosis patients may be more invasive and prone to peritoneal implantation because of greater u-PA mRNA expression than endometrium from women without endometriosis. Thus, increased proteolytic activity may be one etiology for the invasive properties of the endometrium resulting in the development of endometriosis.
Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteolysis ; RNA, Messenger* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the expression of TSP-1 and -2 in eutopic endometrium of advanced endometriosis and control patients. METHODS: The 33 endometriosis patients and 32 controls were enrolled. Endometrial samples were obtained from 65 premenopausal women aged 29-44 years, undergoing laparoscopic surgery or hysterectomy for non-malignant lesions. Sufficient samples were collected from 33 patients with endometriosis stage III and IV and 32 controls without endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopic surgery. The mRNA expression from eutopic endometrium for TSP-1 and -2 were analyzed by RT-QC PCR. RESULTS: The mRNAs of TSP-1 and -2 were expressed in eutopic endometrium from endometriosis and normal controls throughout the menstrual cycle. There were no significant differences in expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 in eutopic endometrium between controls and endometriosis patients. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that TSP-1 and -2 had no crucial role compared to other molecules in the regulation of angiogenesis. These findings also suggest that dysregulation of other angiogenic regulators would be concerned in pathophysiologic role in endometriosis development.
Endometriosis* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Laparoscopy ; Menstrual Cycle ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger* ; Thrombospondin 1 ; Thrombospondins

OBJECTIVES: Interleukin-6 is a pleiotrophic cytokine that is not only a mediator in major immunologic reactions but also a growth factor of keratinocytes. We studied IL-6 mRNA expression in cervical cancer, CIN and normal cervix. And we questioned whether its expression is related to cervical carcinogenesis and other prognostic factors. METHODS: The normal cervical and cervical cancer tissues were taken from healthy women (n=16), and the patients with CIN (n=36) and cervical cancer (n=36). The IL-6 mRNA expression was examined by quantitative competitive PCR after polymerase chain reaction amplification of reverse transcriptase copies of RNA transcripts (RT-PCR). RESULTS: There was no statistically different among cervical cancer, CIN and normal cervix (p>0.05). The IL-6 mRNA expression was not different according to the grades of CIN. Its expression was not correlated with the stage of cervical cancer, size of tumor, and histopathologic type (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that IL-6 mRNA expression might not be associated with the cervical carcinogenesis and prognosis of cervical cancer.
Carcinogenesis ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia* ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Keratinocytes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger* ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether polymorphisms of gene encoding CYP1B1 is associated with the risk of endometriosis in Korean women. METHODS: We investigated 199 patients with histopathologically confirmed endometriosis rAFS stage III/IV and 183 control group women who were surgically proven to have no endometriosis. The genetic distribution of four different CYP1B1 polymorphisms at G119-T, G432-C, T449-C, and A453-G were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR products. RESULTS: We found no overall association between each individual CYP1B1 genotype and the risk of endometriosis. The odds ratio of genotype GG/GC+GG/TC+TT/AA compared to GG/CC/CC/AA (reference) was calculated as 2.06 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.003~4.216. CONCLUSIONS: This results suggest that CYP1B1 genetic polymorphism may be associated with development of endometriosis in Korean women.
Endometriosis* ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hepatitis C in blood donors have been reported to be 1.5% to 2.0% and 85 90% of post transfusion hepatitis patients show anti HCV positive results. Most agree that hepatitis C is readily spread by way of contact with blood, but a discernible history of parenteral exposure is identified in only 40% to 50% of cases. Thus other possible nonparenteral routes of transmission such as vertical, sexual and intrafamilial contact transmission need to be explored. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics of anti HCV seropositives and the infection patterns of hepatitis C in their families not only by anti HCV but also by HCV PCR to explore the possibility of HCV infection through nonparenteral household contact. METHODS: Past history, physical examination, liver function tests, HCV PCR, hepatitis B viral markers, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biopsy were done in 161 anti HCV seropositives from May, 1991 to August, 1996. Of the 161 seropositives, 42 seropositives' family members, 98 subjects, were available for investigation by anti HCV, HCV PCR and liver function tests to document intrafamilial HCV infection;their respective relationships to the index seropositive were noted. RESULTS: The 161 anti HCV seropositives were classified as follows:34 in the carrier group(21.1%), 41 in the acute hepatitis group (25.5%), 32 in the chronic hepatitis group(19.9%), 24 in the liver cirrhosis group(14.9%) and 30 in the hepatoma group(18.6%). The positive rates of HCV PCR were 55.2% in total, 46.1% in the carrier group, 55.0% in the acute hepatitis group, 76.4% in the chronic hepatitis group, 40.0% in the liver cirrhosis group, and 42.8% in the hepatoma group. The 98 family members were all anti HCV seronegative. The positive rates of HCV PCR in these family members were 10.2% in total, 7.1% in spouses, 28.6% in siblings, and 8.3% in children. CONCLUSION: Anti HCV seropositives were in various clinical states of liver disease due to HCV infecton. Although none of the family members showed anti HCV positive results, HCV PCR was positive in 10.2% of the family members indicating the need to perform HCV PCR to detect HCV infection.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Blood Donors ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Child ; Family Characteristics ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Function Tests ; Physical Examination ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Siblings ; Spouses ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cell Adhesion* ; Female ; Leiomyoma* ; Mice ; Myometrium* ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules*

This study was designed to examine fast food consumption, nutritional knowledge, food behavior and dietary intake of university students and to investigate if there were differences in these variables by fast food consumption. The questionnaire was administered to university students in Daejeon. Data(n=269) was analyzed using chih-square -test and analysis of variance. Subjects were mostly female(62%) and freshmen or sophomores(86%). Based on the frequency of fast food consumption, subjects were categorized into non-users(27.9%), users(<2 times/week, 42%) and frequent users(> or = 2 times/week, 30.1%). Those who used fast foods(n=194) consumed the foods 7.5 times per month, on the average. Subjects scored 15.6 out of 20 on a nutritional knowledge scale, showing the moderate level of knowledge. When examined by fast food use, the nutritional knowledge score was 15.5 for non-users, 16.1 for users, and 15.0 for frequent-users(p<0.05). Only two items, regarding 'fat type(animal, plant) and health' and 'importance of having breakfast', were significantly different by fast food consumption, with user group and non-users scoring higher than frequent-users(p<0.05). Food behaviors, measured by 20 items, were not desirable, with mean scores of 51.5(possible score: 20-100). Subjects showed problems in eating meals regularly, eating a variety of foods, eating breakfast, and consumption of some food groups(vegetables, fruits, and proteins). Fast food non-users showed more desirable food behaviors than users or frequent-users, such as having processed foods (p<0.001) and eating-out less frequently(p<0.01). Dietary intake data showed that some nutrient intakes, including energy, calcium, iron, zinc and folic acid were less than 75% of the RDA. Index of nutritional quality(INQ) was adequate except for calcium and zinc. Compared to non-users or user group, frequent-users of fast foods consumed higher amounts of lipids(p<0.05), and had lower INQ for calcium(p<0.01). This study described the status of fast food consumption, nutritional knowledge, food behavior of university students, and provided some baseline data for planning nutrition education for university students.
Breakfast ; Calcium ; Eating ; Education ; Fast Foods* ; Folic Acid ; Fruit ; Humans ; Iron ; Meals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Zinc

OBJECTIVES: The critical pathways provide high quality of medical services in a cost-effective manner. To investigate the decrease in length of hospital stay and increase of cost effectiveness by using critical pathways, we compared hospital stay, cost of treatment, and the patient's satisfaction before and after critical pathway use. METHODS: We made a critical pathway team, which consisted of obstetric staff members, a resident, two nurses, a pharmacist, two clerical staff members. We made critical pathways for the medical team and patients. A prospective evaluation of a critical pathway for cesarean section was used as a comparison for control patients. RESULTS: The data for 305 patients with a critical pathway were compared to those of 136 control patients. The mean hospital stay is shorter in critical pathway patients than control patients. The cost of treatment decreased and differences between DRG (Diagnosed Related Groups) and cost of treatment increased in critical pathway patients. CONCLUSIONS: Using critical pathways in cesarean section decreased the duration of hospital stay and increased cost effectivesess. The critical pathways were useful as a means to minimize cost while increasing patient satisfaction.
Cesarean Section* ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Critical Pathways* ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Patient Satisfaction ; Pharmacists ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies