1.Cloning and characterization of Giardia intestinalis cyclophilin.
Hak Sun YU ; Hyun Hee KONG ; Dong Il CHUNG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2002;40(3):131-138
The cyclophilins (Cyps) are family members of proteins that exhibit peptidylprolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase, EC 5.2.1.8) activity and bind the immunosuppressive agent cyclosprin A (CsA) in varying degrees. During the process of random sequencing of a cDNA library made from Giardia intestinalis WB strain, the cyclophilin gene (gicyp 1) was isolated. An open reading frame of gicyp 1 gene was 576 nucleotides, which corresponded to a translation product of 176 amino acids (Gicyp 1). The identity with other Cyps was about 58-71%. The 13 residues that constituted the CsA binding site of human cyclophilin were also detected in the amino acid sequence of Gicyp 1, including tryptophan residue essential for the drug binding. The single copy of the gicyp 1 gene was detected in the G. intestinalis chromosome by southern hybridization analysis. Recombinant Gicyp 1 protein clearly accelerated the rate of cis--
2.Purification and characterization of a 33 kDa serine protease from Acanthamoeba lugdunensis KA/E2 isolated from a Korean keratitis patient.
Hyo Kyung KIM ; Young Ran HA ; Hak Sun YU ; Hyun Hee KONG ; Dong Il CHUNG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2003;41(4):189-196
In order to evaluate the possible roles of secretory proteases in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, we purified and characterized a serine protease secreted by Acanthamoeba lugdunensis KA/E2, isolated from a Korean keratitis patient. The ammonium sulfate-precipitated culture supernatant of the isolate was purified by sequential chromatography on CM-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and mono Q-anion exchange column. The purified 33 kDa protease had a pH optimum of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of 55 degrees C. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride and 4- (2- Aminoethyl) -benzenesulfonyl-fluoride, both serine protease specific inhibitors, inhibited almost completely the activity of the 33 kDa protease whereas other classes of inhibitors did not affect its activity. The 33 kDa enzyme degraded various extracellular matrix proteins and serum proteins. Our results strongly suggest that the 33 kDa serine protease secreted from this keratopathogenic Acanthamoeba play important roles in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, such as in corneal tissue invasion, immune evasion and nutrient uptake.
Acanthamoeba/*enzymology/isolation & purification/pathogenicity
;
Acanthamoeba Keratitis/*parasitology
;
Animals
;
Cornea/parasitology
;
Humans
;
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
;
Korea
;
Serine Endopeptidases/chemistry/*isolation & purification/*metabolism
;
Substrate Specificity
;
Temperature
;
Virulence Factors
3.A seroepidemiological survey for toxocariasis in apparently healthy residents in Gangwon-do, Korea.
Hyun Young PARK ; Soo Ung LEE ; Sun HUH ; Yoon KONG ; Jean Francois MAGNAVAL
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2002;40(3):113-117
We investigated the sero-prevalence of toxocariasis among healthy Korean adults in 1999. A total of 314 sera from normal inhabitants in Whachon-gun, Gangwondo, Korea was examined for specific antibody levels against excretory-secretory products of second stage larvae of Toxocara (TES). The presence of cross-reactions with other helminthiases such as cysticercosis, paragonimiasis, sparganosis or clonorchiasis was also checked by specific IgG ELISA. Sera showing positive reaction against TES were also tested by IgG immunoblot and by IgE ELISA. Out of 314 subjects, 16 was found to be positive by TES IgG ELISA and immunoblot, among whom 12 were also positive by TES IgE ELISA. Among the 16 seropositive samples, two sera showed positive reaction against Paragonimus and sparganum antigen, respectively. These results inferred that cross-reactions were negligible between toxocariasis and other helminthiases. Toxocariasis seroprevalence among Korean rural adults was detected to be approximately 5%.
Adolescent
;
Aged
;
Aged, 80 and over
;
Animals
;
Antibodies, Helminth/blood
;
Cross Reactions
;
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
;
Female
;
Human
;
Korea/epidemiology
;
Larva Migrans, Visceral/*epidemiology/immunology
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
;
Seroepidemiologic Studies
;
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
;
Toxocara/immunology
4.Risk Factors and Clinical Characteristics of Post-Renal Transplant Diabetes Mellitus.
Mi Hwa JANG ; Sun Dong JUNG ; Yong Hwan LEE ; Ji Hyun LEE ; Keun Tae KIM ; Jin Min KONG
Korean Journal of Nephrology 1998;17(6):957-963
To investigate the risk factors and clinical characteristics of postrenal transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM), we reviewed the records of 177 renal allograft recipients in Maryknoll Hospiatal whose allografts had functioned longer than 6 months. Nineteen patients (10.7%) developed PTDM at 5.0+/-7.8 (1-52) months; 9 (47%) of these within 1 month. PTDM patients were older than nondiabetic renal transplants (42+/-2 vs 37+/-1 years, P<0.05). Body mass index tended to be higher in PTDM (23.5+/-1.0 vs 21.8+/-0.3kg/m2, P=0.09). Number of acute rejections (0.6+/-0.2 vs 0.5+/-0.1) and serum creatinine at 1 year after transplantation (1.2+/-0.8 vs 1.3+/-0.3mg/dL) were not different. Fasting (103.6+/-10.4 vs 84.4+/-1.6mg/dL, P<0.05) and postprandial (189.2+/-24.8 vs 118.6+/-2.3 mg/dL, P<0.01) blood sugars, measured before transplantation, were higher in PTDM. CsA blood level at 1 month posttransplantation was higher in PTDM (350+/-34 vs 279+/-8ng/mL, P<0.05). Fasting serum insulin was significantly higher (28.2+/-12.2 vs 7.3+/-2.0 microunit/dL, P<0.05) and serum C-peptide tended to be higher in PTDM patients compared with euglycemic renal recipients (6.3+/-1.6 vs 3.8+/-0.9ng/dL, P=0.08). All the PTDM patients were treated by either insulin or oral agent; 15 of 19 required no treatment after 4.7+/-6.9 months. In conclusion, prevalence of PTDM was 10.7%. PTDM patients were older. Body mass index was tended to be higher. Fasting and postprandial blood sugars, measured before transplantation, were higher in PTDM. Faslting serum insulin was higher and C-peptide tended to be higher in diabetics. These results suggested that increased insulin resistance plays a major role in the pathogenesis of PTDM.
Allografts
;
Blood Glucose
;
Body Mass Index
;
C-Peptide
;
Creatinine
;
Cyclosporine
;
Diabetes Mellitus*
;
Fasting
;
Humans
;
Insulin
;
Insulin Resistance
;
Prevalence
;
Risk Factors*
5.Evaluation of taxonomic validity of four species of Acanthamoeba: A. divionensis, A. paradivionensis, A. mauritaniensis, and A. rhysodes, inferred from molecular analyses.
Hua LIU ; Eun Kyung MOON ; Hak Sun YU ; Hae Jin JEONG ; Yeon Chul HONG ; Hyun Hee KONG ; Dong Il CHUNG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2005;43(1):7-13
The taxonomy of Acanthamoeba spp., an amphizoic amoeba which causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and chronic amoebic keratitis, has been revised many times. The taxonomic validity of some species has yet to be assessed. In this paper, we analyzed the morphological characteristics, nuclear 18s rDNA and mitochondrial 16s rDNA sequences and the Mt DNA RFLP of the type strains of four Acanthamoeba species, which had been previously designated as A. divionensis, A. parasidionensis, A. mauritaniensis, and A. rhysodes. The four isolates revealed characteristic group II morphology. They exhibited 18S rDNA sequence differences of 0.2-1.1% with each other, but more than 2% difference from the other compared reference strains. Four isolates formed a different clade from that of A. castellanii Castellani and the other strains in morphological group II on the phylogenetic tree. In light of these results, A. paradivionensis, A. divionensis, and A. mauritaniensis should be regarded as synonyms for A. rhysodes.
Acanthamoeba/*classification/*genetics
;
Animals
;
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
;
DNA, Ribosomal/genetics
;
Phylogeny
;
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
;
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics
6.Psychosocial Health of Disease-Free Breast Cancer Survivors Compared with Matched Non-cancer Controls.
Boyoung PARK ; Moo Hyun LEE ; Sun Young KONG ; Eun Sook LEE
Cancer Research and Treatment 2019;51(1):178-186
PURPOSE: The present study investigated the psychosocial health of disease-free breast cancer survivors who receive health examinations compared to matched non-cancer controls in a community setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used baseline data from the Health Examinee cohort, which is composed of subjects participating in health. The disease-free breast cancer survivors were defined as those who were ≥ 2 years from initial diagnosis of breast cancer who had completed treatment. Females without a history of cancer were randomly selected at 1:4 ratio by 5-year age groups, education, and household income as a comparison group. We analyzed results from the Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form (PWI-SF) as a psychosocial health measurement. RESULTS: A total of 347 survivors of breast cancer and 1,388 matched controls were included. Total scores on the PWI-SF were lower in breast cancer survivors than matched non-cancer controls (p=0.006), suggesting a lower level of psychosocial stress in breast cancer survivors. In comparison to the control group, prevalence of drinking, smoking and obesity were lower, while exercising for ≥ 150 min/wk was higher in breast cancer survivors (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that breast cancer survivors have better health behaviors than their noncancer controls. After adjusting for other sociodemographic variables, breast cancer survivors were 36% less likely to be included in the stress group (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.42 to 0.98). CONCLUSION: The disease-free breast cancer survivors resuming daily life demonstrated better psychosocial health status compared to matched non-cancer controls.
Breast Neoplasms*
;
Breast*
;
Cohort Studies
;
Diagnosis
;
Drinking
;
Education
;
Family Characteristics
;
Female
;
Health Behavior
;
Humans
;
Obesity
;
Prevalence
;
Smoke
;
Smoking
;
Survivors*
7.Genetic analyses of Acanthamoeba isolates from contact lens storage cases of students in Seoul, Korea.
Hak Sun YU ; Kyung Hee CHOI ; Hyo Kyung KIM ; Hyun Hee KONG ; Dong Il CHUNG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 2001;39(2):161-170
We conducted both the small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA RFLP analyses for a genetic characterization of Acanthamoeba isolates from contact lens storage cases of students in Seoul, Korea. Twenty-three strains of Acanthamoeba from the American Type Culture Collection and twelve clinical isolates from Korean patients were used as reference strains. Thirty-nine isolates from contact lens storage cases were classified into seven types (KA/LS1, KA/LS2, KA/LS4, KA/LS5, KA/LS7, KA/LS18, KA/LS31). Four types (KA/LS1, KA/LS2, KA/LS5, KA/LS18) including 33 isolates were regarded as A. castellanii complex by riboprints. KA/LS1 type was the most predominant (51.3%) in the present survey area, followed by KA/LS2 (20.9%), and KA/LS5 (7.7%) types. Amoebae of KA/LS1 type had the same mtDNA RFLP and riboprint patterns as KA/E2 and KA/E12 strains, clinical isolates from Korean keratitis patients. Amoebae of KA/LS2 type had the identical mtDNA RFLP patterns with A. castellanii Ma strain, a corneal isolate from an American patient as amoebae of KA/LS5 type, with KA/E3 and KA/E8 strains from other Korean keratitis patients. Amoebae of KA/LS18 type had identical patterns with JAC/E1, an ocular isolate from a Japanese patient. Three types, which remain unidentified at species level, were not corresponded with any clinical isolate in their mtDNA RFLP and riboprint patterns. Out of 39 isolates analyzed in this study, mtDNA RFLP and riboprint patterns of 33 isolates (84.6%) were identical to already known clinical isolates, and therefore, they may be regarded as potentially keratopathogenic. These results suggest that contact lens wearers in Seoul should pay more attention to hygienic maintenance of contact lens storage cases for the prevention of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Acanthamoeba/classification/*genetics/isolation & purification
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Acanthamoeba Keratitis/parasitology/prevention & control
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Animals
;
Contact Lenses/*parasitology
;
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
;
DNA, Protozoan/genetics
;
Human
;
Korea
;
Students
8.Comparison of the seroconversion rate after primary hepatitis B vaccination and after revaccination of non-responders in full-term infants according to mother's HBsAg seropositivity.
Jang Hee KANG ; Jae Won MOON ; Seung Hyun KONG ; Kwang Su HWANG ; Ji Sun MOK ; Hyeon Jung LEE
Korean Journal of Pediatrics 2008;51(11):1165-1171
PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the true extent of non-responsiveness in full-term infants born from HBsAg-negative or HBsAg-positive mothers and vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) at 0, 1, and 6 months of age and to evaluate the effect of revaccination among non-responders. METHODS: The study included 716 full-term infants born in 2004-2007. Of 716, 662 infants (A group) were born to HBsAg- negative mothers and 54 infants (B group: 50, except HBsAg-positive infants) were born to HBsAg-positive mothers. All infants were administered DNA recombinant vaccines at 0, 1, and 6 months of age. B group infants received hepatitis B immunoglobulin at birth. Anti-HBs titers were tested at 7-12 and 9-15 months in A and B groups, respectively. Three revaccination doses were administered to non-responders whose anti-HBs titers were under 10 mIU/ml; revaccinated infants were retested at 1-3 months after last vaccination. The association between HBeAg seropositivity of mother and the failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was evaluated. RESULTS: The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were higher in A group (94.1%) than in B group (78%, P<0.001). The seroconversion rates were high in revaccinated infants (A group non-responders: 96.9%, B group non- responders: 87.5%). The failure of HBV immunoprophylaxis was significantly associated with maternal HBeAg seropositivity (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The seroconversion rates after primary hepatitis B vaccination were low in B group infants. Revaccination of non-responders in B group was very effective. Therefore, anti-HBs testing and revaccination of B group is very important. Revaccination of non-responders in A group was also very effective. Thus, testing the immune status of infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers even after primary hepatitis B vaccination should be considered. However, to realize this, further studies on the cost-effectiveness of anti-HBs testing in healthy full-term infants are necessary.
DNA
;
Hepatitis
;
Hepatitis B
;
Hepatitis B e Antigens
;
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
;
Hepatitis B virus
;
Humans
;
Immunization, Secondary
;
Immunoglobulins
;
Infant
;
Mothers
;
Parturition
;
Vaccination
;
Vaccines, Synthetic
9.Effects of supplementation with antifreeze proteins on the follicular integrity of vitrified-warmed mouse ovaries: Comparison of two types of antifreeze proteins alone and in combination.
Min Kyung KIM ; Hyun Sun KONG ; Hye Won YOUM ; Byung Chul JEE
Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine 2017;44(1):8-14
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of supplementing vitrification and warming solutions with two types of antifreeze proteins (AFPs) and the combination thereof on the follicular integrity of vitrified-warmed mouse ovaries. METHODS: Ovaries (n=154) were obtained from 5-week-old BDF1 female mice (n=77) and vitrified using ethylene glycol and dimethyl sulfoxide with the supplementation of 10 mg/mL of Flavobacterium frigoris ice-binding protein (FfIBP), 10 mg/mL of type III AFP, or the combination thereof. Ovarian sections were examined by light microscopy after hematoxylin and eosin staining, and follicular intactness was assessed as a whole and according to the type of follicle. Apoptosis within the follicles as a whole was detected by a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling assay. RESULTS: The proportion of overall intact follicles was significantly higher in the type III AFP-supplemented group (60.5%) and the combination group (62.9%) than in the non-supplemented controls (43.8%, p<0.05 for each). The proportion of intact primordial follicles was significantly higher in the FfIBP-supplemented (90.0%), type III AFP-supplemented (92.3%), and combination (89.7%) groups than in the non-supplemented control group (46.2%, p<0.05 for each). The proportions of non-apoptotic follicles were similar across the four groups. CONCLUSION: Supplementation of the vitrification and warming solutions with FfIBP, type III AFP, or the combination thereof was equally beneficial for the preservation of primordial follicles in vitrified mouse ovaries.
Animals
;
Antifreeze Proteins*
;
Apoptosis
;
Deoxyuridine
;
Dimethyl Sulfoxide
;
DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase
;
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
;
Ethylene Glycol
;
Female
;
Fertility Preservation
;
Flavobacterium
;
Hematoxylin
;
Humans
;
Mice*
;
Microscopy
;
Ovary*
;
Vitrification
10.Subgenus classification of Acanthamoeba by riboprinting.
Dong Il CHUNG ; Hak Sun YU ; Mee Yul HWANG ; Tae Ho KIM ; Tae Ook KIM ; Ho Cheol YUN ; Hyun Hee KONG
The Korean Journal of Parasitology 1998;36(2):69-80
Subgenus classification of Acanthamoeba remains uncertain. Twenty-three reference strains of Acanthamoeba including 18 (neo)type-strains were subjected for classification at the subgenus level by riboprinting. PCR/RFLP analysis of 18S rRNA gene (rDNA). On the dendrogram reconstructed on the basis of riboprint analyses, two type-strains (A. astronyxis and A. tubiashi) of morphological group 1 diverged early from the other strains and were quite distinct from each other. Four type-strains of morphological group 3, A. culbertsoni, A. palestinensis, A. healyi were considered taxonomically valid, but A. pustulosa was regarded as an invalid synonym of A. palestinensis. Strains of morphological group 2 were classified into 6 subgroups. Among them, A. griffini which has an intron in its 18S rDNA was the most divergent from the remaining strains. Acanthamoeba castellanii Castellani, A. quina Vil3, A. lugdunensis L3a, A. polyphaga Jones, A. triangularis SH621, and A. castellanii Ma strains belonged to a subgroup, A. castellanii complex. However, A. quina and A. lugdunensis were regarded as synonyms of A. castellanii. The Chang strain could be regarded as A. hatchetti. Acanthamoeba mauritaniensis, A. divionensis, A. paradivionensis could be considered as synonyms of A. rhysodes. Neff strain was regarded as A. polyphaga rather than as A. castellanii. It is likely that riboprinting can be applied for rapid identification of Acanthamoeba isolated from the clinical specimens and environments.
Acanthamoeba/genetics
;
Acanthamoeba/classification*
;
Animal
;
DNA, Protozoan/analysis
;
Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods*
;
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*
;
RNA, Protozoan/genetics
;
RNA, Protozoan/analysis*
;
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics
;
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/analysis*