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OBJECTIVE: Some growth factors may promote tumor growth by affecting tumor angiogenesis. Midkine(MK) are polypeptides that belong to a new family of heparin-binding growth/differentiation factor and has also been reported to be angiogenic. In various tumor tissues, MK was highly expressed between tumor and normal tissues; however, the pattern of MK expression in normal cervix and cervical cancer has not been established. The aim of this study was to determine the MK mRNA expression in cervical cancer. And we questioned whether its expression is related to cancer stages and prognostic factors. METHODS: The cervical and cervical cancer tissues were taken from patients; healthy women(n=15), and the patients with cervical cancer(n=29). The MK mRNA expression was examined by quantative competitive PCR after polymerase chain reaction amplification of reverse transcriptase copies of RNA transcripts(RT-PCR). RESULTS: The cervical cancer expressed higher levels of MK mRNA than normal cervix(p<0.05). The MK mRNA expression was not correlated with the cervical cancer stage and histopathologic type(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that increased MK mRNA expression is associated with the development of cervical cancer.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Peptides ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger* ; RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the expression of FAS-associated factor 1 (FAF1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in normal ovary and ovarian cancer, and also analyzed the correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 in ovarian cancer. METHODS: The patient group consisted of 29 unrelated Korean women diagnosed as ovarian cancers and control samples were obtained from 7 patients who underwent oophorectomy for benign disease of uterus, and normal ovary was confirmed histologically from biopsy. We examined FAF1 and HSP70 expression by western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining in normal ovary and ovarian cancer. Furthermore, we examined a correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 in ovarian cancer. RESULTS: The expression of FAF1 was lower in ovarian cancer than that in normal ovary (P=0.02), and the expression of HSP70 was increased in ovarian cancer in comparison to that in normal ovary (P=0.03). The expression of FAF1 was decreased in advanced stages (stage III or stage IV) as compared with early stages (stage I or stage II) (P=0.01). The expression of HSP70 was not significantly related with ovarian cancer histology (P=0.10), but the expression of HSP70 was most increased with papillary serous carcinomas and undifferentiated ovarian cancer. The expression of FAF1 was inversely correlated with the expression of HSP70 in ovarian cancer (Spearman correlation coefficience=-0.47). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the expression of FAF1 or HSP70 each seems to have a meaning as a biomarker for early detection of ovarian cancer. The expressions of FAF1 and HSP70 seem to be more valuable in predicting ovarian cancer when used together because of their inverse correlation. This is the first study about the expression of FAF1 in ovarian cancer and the correlation between FAF1 and HSP70 expression in ovarian cancer.
Biopsy ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Ovariectomy ; Ovary ; Uterus

BACKGROUND: EGF and TGF-a are ligands for the EGF-receptor and act as mitogens for a variety of tissues. TGF-a, in particular, has been implicated as an autocrine growth factor for several cancer cell lines. TGF-B exerts an inhibitory effect on the growth of most epithelial cell types, and the loss of responsiveness to this growth inhibition has been implicated in the development of a variety of human cancers. In the present study, we evaluate whether EGF, TGF-a and TGF-B modulate apoptosis and cell cycle progression in cervical cancer cell lines. MATERIALS & METHODS: The effect of EGF, TGF-a and TGF-B on apoptosis and cell cycle such as CaSki and HeLa cell lines was analysed by flow cytometry RESULTS: 1. TGF-B did not induce apoptosis in CaSki and HeLa cell lines. 2. TGF-B as well as EGF, TGF-a, did not affect the process of apoptosis significantly. 3. The time to occur apoptosis was different between CaSki and HeLa cells treated by growth factots. 4. G1 phase was the checkpoint in CaSki and HeLa cells treated with TGF-B. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TGF-B as well as EGF, TGF-a does not induce apoptosis and cell growth inhibition.
Apoptosis* ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints* ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epithelial Cells ; Flow Cytometry ; G1 Phase ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Ligands ; Mitogens ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

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

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: The aim of this study was to explore the association between E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism and the risk of cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN) in a Korean population. METHODS: We investigate 107 patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer, 119 patients with histopathologically confirmed CIN and 112 control group women who were surgically proven to have normal cervices. The genetic distribution of E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products. RESULTS: We found no overall association between each individual E-cadherin promoter -160C>A genotype and the risk of cervical cancer and CIN. In the cervical cancer group, the allele frequency of C was 83.6%, in the control group 83.5%, showing no significant difference (p=0.941). Similarly, in the CIN group, the allele frequency of C was 81.9%, in the control group 83.5%, showing no significant difference (p=0.645). A subgroup analysis of the clinical parameters in CC, CA, AA genotype also showed no significant difference suggesting the lack of an association between E-cadherin promoter -160C>A polymorphism and cervix cancer stages (p=0.413), then its polymorphism and HPV infection (p=0.634). CONCLUSION: our results show that Korean women with specific polymorphism in E-cadherin promoter -160C>A are neither more susceptible to develop the cervical cancer or CIN nor more valuable for the cancer progression.
Cadherins ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

The technique of plssma exchange has been applied to a number of immune disorders in which c4eulating antibodies are present. We observed a patient with bullous pemphigoid and serious side effects of longterm use of steroid therspy. We applied ten times of plasmapheresis to him over six months period. After the plasmapheresis, clinical symptoms have greatly improved and steroid maintenance doses have been decreased. We have not observed any side effect of plasmapheresis such as thrambotopenia or hypogarnrnaglobulinemia during the whole therapeutic period.
Antibodies ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Plasmapheresis*

Rasch was the first to use the term carcinoma erysipelatoides in the dermatologic literature, and it is most frequently associated with breast carcinoma. This inflammatory type of rnetastatic carcinoma of the breast is an uncommon but well known entity. It occurrs almost exclusively in women, tends to appear in the anterior chest wall, and is usually found after recognition of the primary tumor which is usually adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma. It has an acute inflammatory process with rapid progress, with many fatalities resulting in a short time. We report a case of carcinoma erysipela,toides originating from a breast carcinoma with characteristic clinical and histopathologic findings.
Adenocarcinoma ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma ; Female ; Humans ; Skin* ; Thoracic Wall

Serum IgE values were determined in 100 patients vith atogic dermatitis in the Department of Dermatology at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from Oct. 1, 1978 to Mar. 31, 1980. Mean IgE value of patients is 293. 4 unit/ml which is significantly higher than reference value, and the following results were obtained. 1. The mean IgE value in adults with atopic dermatitis, 339.8 unit/ml, 30 cases: more tian 16 years old) was significantly higher than in children(251. 4 unit /ml, 70 cases). 2. Male patierts showed higher IgE va,lue (mean 324. 5 unit/ml, 62 cases,' than female patients (242.7 unit/ml, 38 cases). 3. No close correlation was demonstrated between IgE values and eosiniphils in blood. 4. Patients with parasitic infesta,tion (5 cases) showed relatively increased IgE values (mean; 116. 2 unit/ml;. 5. Patients wifh bronchial asthma (2 cases) showed high IgE values exceeding 1000 unit/ml, 6. IgE. values roughly correlated with severity of the dermatitis. Four cases with high IgE values exceeding 1000 unit/ml were included in the clinically severe group.
Adult ; Asthma ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Male ; Reference Values