BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine ligand 12, and chemokine receptor type 4 are involved in cancer cell migration. Compound K (CK), a metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside by gut microbiota, is reported to have therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, the inhibitory effect of CK on SDF-1 pathway-induced migration of glioma has not yet been established. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity of CK in C6 glioma cells was determined using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit. Cell migration was tested using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assay. Phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C (PKC)α and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured by western blot assay, and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) were measured by gelatin-zymography analysis. RESULTS: CK significantly reduced the phosphorylation of PKCα and ERK1/2, expression of MMP9 and MMP2, and inhibited the migration of C6 glioma cells under SDF-1-stimulated conditions. CONCLUSIONS: CK is a cell migration inhibitor that inhibits C6 glioma cell migration by regulating its downstream signaling molecules including PKCα, ERK1/2, and MMPs.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Glioma* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metalloproteases ; Panax ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine ligand 12, and chemokine receptor type 4 are involved in cancer cell migration. Compound K (CK), a metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside by gut microbiota, is reported to have therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, the inhibitory effect of CK on SDF-1 pathway-induced migration of glioma has not yet been established. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity of CK in C6 glioma cells was determined using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit. Cell migration was tested using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assay. Phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C (PKC)α and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured by western blot assay, and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) were measured by gelatin-zymography analysis. RESULTS: CK significantly reduced the phosphorylation of PKCα and ERK1/2, expression of MMP9 and MMP2, and inhibited the migration of C6 glioma cells under SDF-1-stimulated conditions. CONCLUSIONS: CK is a cell migration inhibitor that inhibits C6 glioma cell migration by regulating its downstream signaling molecules including PKCα, ERK1/2, and MMPs.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Glioma* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metalloproteases ; Panax ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of major and minor depressive disorders in college students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was completed on a sample of 906 students (507 men and 399 women) with the self-administered form of Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (K-MINI). RESULTS: Estimated 12-month prevalence of major depressive disorder was 4.2% in men and 9.5% in women, and that of minor depressive disorder was 15.4% in men and 23.2% in women. The factors, 'female gender' and 'age of 20-21', were significantly associated with major depressive disorder. 'Poor adaptation to school' was significantly associated with major depressive disorder both in men and women, but 'poor interpersonal relationship' and 'history of school withdrawal' were associated only in men. Idea of self-injury and suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation, plan and attempt) were significantly associated with major depressive disorder in women, but were not associated with minor depressive disorder. CONCLUSION: Major and minor depressive disorders are highly prevalent in the college students. Major depressive disorder was more associated with dysfunctions and suicidal behaviors than minor depressive disorder. Campus-based mental health service is needed for the high-risk students.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depressive Disorder* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health Services ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors*

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the prevalence of suicide-related behaviors (suicidal ideation, plan and attempt) and the status of depression, anxiety and function in college students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was completed to a sample of 880 students with the self-administered form of Korean version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (K-MINI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). RESULTS: Estimated lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation was 39.2%, that of suicidal plan was 4.7% and that of suicidal attempt was 3.0%. Students with any suicide-related behaviors showed higher lifetime prevalence of major and minor depression, higher BDI and BAI scores, and poor interpersonal relationship, adaptation to college life and physical health compared to the students with no suicide-related behaviors. The average points of grades during their college life were not significantly different according to kinds of suicide-related behaviors they experienced (F=0.39, p=0.82). 96% of suicidal attempters did not use mental health services. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that a high proportion of college students experience suicide-related behaviors. The students who had experienced suicide-related behaviors showed higher depression and anxiety and poorer function compared to students with no suicide-related behaviors. Most of suicidal attempters, however, did not use mental health service. Establishing campus mental health system is necessary to early detect mental health problems and to prevent suicide of college students.
Anxiety ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Prevalence ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy in Korea. Although treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy has greatly improved, the mortality rate of gastic cancer is still high, A new therapeutic trial is necessary to improve the cure rate of gastric cancer. Therefore we investigated the pre-clinical significance of HSV-tk gene therapy using retroviral vector for gastric cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LNC/HSV-tk retroviral vector and PA317/LNC/HSV-tk producer cell line were constructed. HSV-tk gene transduction and expression were detected by PCR. An in vitro ganciclovir(GCV) sensitivity test was performed by MTT assay. To evaluate in vivo GCV sensitivity, GCV was intraperitoneally injected after tumor formation in the nude mice. Bystander effect was observed in vitro MTT assay using YCC- S-2 cell line and in vivo using N87 and YCC-S-2 cell lines. RESULTS: The in vitro GCV sensitivity test showed that the growth inhibition was 30~32% with 0.5 uM GCV and 52~77% with 500 uM GCV in the HSV-tk transduced cell line in comparison with 0- 5% with 0.5 and 500 uM GCV in the parent cell line. The in vivo GCV administration showed that the tumors induced by HSV-tk transduced N87 cell line and YCC-S-2 cell line decreased completely, while the tumors with the parent cell lines continued to grow in nude mice. We observed no tumor cells in tissue specimen of the tumor induced by the N87/HSV-tk cell line after. GCV administration. In vitro and in vivo bystander effects were observed in HSV-tk/GCV system due to the resultant cell death exceeding the proportion of HSV-tk transduced cells in the mixtures of HSV-tk transduced and parent cells. CONCLUSION: HSV-tk transduced gastric cancer cell lines showed sensitivity to GCV and a bystander effect was observed. These results suggested that HSV-tk/GCV system should be evaluated in the clinical settings.
Animals ; Bystander Effect ; Cell Death ; Cell Line* ; Drug Therapy ; Ganciclovir* ; Genetic Therapy ; Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Korea ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Mortality ; Parents ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Thymidine Kinase* ; Thymidine* ; Zidovudine

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to analyze whether the p53 codon 72 single nucleotide polymorphism might be correlated with the risk and/or the prognosis of cervical cancer in Korean women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peripheral blood samples derived from patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n=68), cervical adenocarcinoma (n=37), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III (n=98) and normal controls (n=98) were examined. Germline genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes and examined by PCR amplification of the specific alleles assay described by Storey et al.5 Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-Square test or the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The proportions of individuals who were homozygous for the proline allele, and heterozygous for the two allele, homozygous for arginine allele in each group were 15%, 47%, 38% in the SCC group; 6%, 7%, 24% in the adenocarcinoma group; 7%, 33%, 60% in the CIN III group; and 11%, 38%, 51% in the control group. No significant difference was found between the three groups (p>0.05). However there was a significant difference in the adenocarcinoma group (p<0.05). Arg/Arg homozygote reduced the risk of adenocarcinoma. No significant difference existed in 5-year survival rates in the three groups (p=0.22 in SCC, p=0.91 in adenocarcinoma). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that Arg/Arg homozygocity of the p53 codon 72 would be a protective factor against the development of cervical adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Alleles ; Arginine ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Codon* ; DNA ; Female ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Logistic Models ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prognosis ; Proline ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether certain genotype of p21WAF1/Cip1 might be associated with risk of cervical cancer in Korean women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the specimens derived from cervical cancer (n=111) composed of two histologic groups; SCCA (n=67) and adenocarcinoma (n=44), CIN III (n=101) and controls (n=98). For the determination of p21WAF1/Cip1 polymorphism, DNA was examined by PCR-RFLP using BsmAI. We compared the distribution of p21WAF1/Cip1 genotype of Korean women with that of other ethnic groups and analyzed the distribution of invasive cancer, CIN III and controls. RESULTS: The genotype frequency of controls was different from that of Caucasian and Chinese (p<0.001) but similar to that of Japanese (p=0.21). There was no difference in the genotype frequency of p21WAF1/Cip1 among SCCA, CIN III and controls (p>0.05). A significant increase of Ser/Ser genotype was found in adenocarcinoma patients with high-risk HPV compared with the controls (p=0.009). The OR was 3.59, 95% CI=1.55~8.31, when comparing that group with controls. However, we could not find differences of prognosis. CONCLUSION: We found that codon 31 Ser/Ser homozygote of the p21WAF1/Cip1 would be a risk factor for the adenocarcinoma of cervix associated with high-risk HPV in Korean women.
Adenocarcinoma ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cervix Uteri ; Codon* ; DNA ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Prognosis* ; Risk Factors ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the pregnancy outcomes of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) class A1 to those of GDM A2. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 99 women who were diagnosed as GDM during prenatal care and managed until delivery from March 1996 to September 2007. Subjects were grouped into GDM class A1 and class A2. The obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were 57 cases of GDM class A1 and 42 cases of GDM class A2. Hemoglobin A1c level of GDM A2 group was significantly higher than GDM A1 group. We could not find any significant difference in obstetric (body mass index, hypertensive disorder, preterm delivery, preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membrane) and neonatal outcomes (gestational age at delivery, macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnea of neonate, sepsis, Apgar score, congenital anomaly) between the two groups other than increased frequency of cesarean delivery and admission to neonatal intensive care unit in GDM A2 group. CONCLUSION: After proper management, overall pregnancy outcomes of women with GDM class A2 are comparable to those with GDM class A1.
Apgar Score ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Dystocia ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prenatal Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Sepsis ; Shoulder ; Tachypnea

BACKGROUND: Economy class syndrome is medically described as deep vein thrombosis, it is worldwide issued that Long-Distance Air-Travel is a risk factor for venous thromboemborism. Some study provides evidence and theoretical explanations for the hypothesis that long-distance is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. The purpose of this study is to provide the useful prevention of venous thromboembolism for long-distance travelers in comparison to the effect of long distance air-travel on serum viscosity and prothrombin time between flight level and ground level. METHODS: Subjects selected healthy volunteers that had no abnormal findings in evaluation (alpha2-plasmin inhibitor, plasminogen, anti-thrombin III, protein C, protein S) for hypercoagulability. 5subjects (1 male, 4 females) had a seat on economy class of ground training facility designed for flight attendant and their activities limited as possible during about 8 hours at Sep. 16, 2001. Also, 5 subjects had a seat on the economy class of Asiana Airlines (B-777) from Sydney in Australia to Seoul in Korea at Mar. 3, 2002. In the flight, Actual flight altitude was 31,000 feet, cabin altitude was 4,800 feet and cabin temperature was 25degrees C. We have investigated the serum viscosity used by viscometer and prothrombin time. These data were analyzed statistically by General linear model (spsswin ver. 10.0). RESULTS: The results showed that there were no differcence between Flight Group and Ground Group statistically. However, the serum viscosity of flight group by position was some higher than ground group but these defference was not statistically significance (P=0.419). Also, the serum viscosity of flight group by time had a decreased trend but these trend was not statistically significance (P=0.061). The prothrombin time of flight group by position was some lower than ground group but these defference was not statistically significance (P=0.472). Also, the prothrombin time of ground group by time had a decreased trend but these trend was not statistically significance (P=0.217). CONCLUSION: This study shows the prediction to venous thrombosis more closely relates to prothrombin time than serum viscosity under immobilization to healthy people on the ground environment. Exercise is more useful method than hydration to prevent venous thrombosis on the ground environment. In the flight environment, we think that hydration is also useful method to prevent venous thrombosis because of more dry environment inside flying aircraft. But, this study was decreased serum viscosity between samples according to time. I think serum viscosity can be reduced by vibration effect inside flying aircraft. Serum viscosity and prothrombin time between samples according to position were not statistically significant. I think that risk for the healthy people is poorly quantified and possibly overestimated that long-distance air-travel is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism.
Aircraft ; Altitude ; Australia ; Diptera ; Facility Design and Construction ; Foot ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Male ; Plasminogen ; Protein C ; Prothrombin Time* ; Prothrombin* ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Thrombophilia ; Venous Thromboembolism ; Venous Thrombosis ; Vibration ; Viscosity*

PURPOSE: Febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the commonest bacterial infections in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of the first episode of febrile UTI occurring in children over 5 years compared to those in infants younger than a year. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 10 patients over 5 years, having febrile UTI, and 25 controls under 1 year. Clinical characteristics including symptoms at admission, the time interval between symptom onset and hospital visit and/or diagnosis, duration of fever, urinalysis, and other laboratory and imaging test results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Most patients in the control group showed only high fever at the time of presentation to the hospital. However, 60% of the case group had fever along with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as abdominal and flank pain, vomiting, as well as relatively mild pyuria. The case group showed a longer duration between symptom onset and hospital visit and/or diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment of UTI increases the risk of permanent renal scarring and associated complications. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of febrile UTI is vital for very young infants, as well as children considering that febrile UTI could be an important cause of febrile illness in children over 5 years.
Bacterial Infections ; Child ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Pyuria ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vomiting