BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The classic immunotherapy has the inconvenience and the risk of anaphylaxis. Recent reports revealed that immunostimulatory DNA sequences (CpG motif, ISS-ODN) have been shown to act as strong Th1 response-inducing adjuvants and DNA based vaccination might be an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of allergic disease. In our study, we investigated whether ISS-ODN have anti-allergic effect in the mouse rhinitis model of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), the most common allergen in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHOD: C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with crude extract of Der f extract. After injection of ISS-ODN, several parameters of allergic response were evaluated. RESULTS: Injection with ISS-ODN suppressed itching symptom, eosinophilic infiltration into nasal mucosa and the splenic T cell proliferation after Der f allergen challenge in the murine model of allergic rhinitis. However, injection with ISS-ODN did not show a detectable Der f-specific IgE suppression. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested ISS-ODN have an anti-allergic effect in the allergic rhinitis model of Der f allergen. House dust mite allergy can be reduced by the injection with ISS-ODN.
Anaphylaxis ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cell Proliferation ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; DNA ; Eosinophils ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunotherapy ; Korea ; Mice ; Nasal Mucosa ; Pruritus ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis* ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The animal model of allergic rhinitis is important to study the pathophysiology of allergy and to design an effective therapy to ameliorate allergic diseases. Despite of numerous reported animal models of allergic rhinitis, there were few reports of murine model sensitized with house dust mite, which is one of the most common antigen that induce allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was the establishment of the murine model for house dust mite allergy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) crude extract in complete Freund's adjuvant and repetitive intranasal instillation of Der f extract a total of 6 times at 1 week intervals (group A). In some mice, allergen was intranasally instilled at 1 week intervals without sensitization of allergen (group B). RESULTS: After allergen challenge, nasal symptoms were significantly increased in group A mice. Histopathologically, the number of eosinophil in nasal mucosa were also significantly increased in group A and B mice. High level of Der f-specific IgE antibody was observed in group A mice, whereas those of group B mice was low. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that house dust mite allergy can be developed by systemic sensitization of Der f extract with adjuvant and intranasal instillation of allergen. This is more effective method than local sensitization of allergen only.
Animals ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dust* ; Eosinophils ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mice* ; Models, Animal ; Nasal Mucosa ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Rhinitis*

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma mainly occurring in the tongue base, hypopharynx, larynx and the mouth floor. Histologically, this tumor has two cell types, the basaloid cell and the squamous cell. Prognosis of this tumor was reported to be worse than that of squamous cell carcinoma due to its aggressive behavior. We experienced a case of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma in the mobile tongue, which had no mucosal involvement.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Hypopharynx ; Larynx ; Mouth Floor ; Prognosis ; Tongue*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the ciliary activity of respiratory epithelium is affected in allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were divided into an unsensitized control group and sensitized allergic group. The sensitized group was immunized intraperitoneally with ovalbumin, followed by intranasal administration of ovalbumin. Allergy was determined by an increase in nasal symptoms, the number of tissue eosinophils and a positive result to a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) test. Nasal, nasopharyneal, tracheal, and bronchial epithelial cells were obtained from both the control and allergic groups. Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was measured using a video-computerized analysis technique in vitro. We compared the CBF of two groups in each site. We also evaluated the findings of the nasal mucosa of both groups with an scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: In vitro CBF measurement demonstrated that the CBF of the control and allergic groups did not differ significantly (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: CBF is not affected by respiratory allergy.
Administration, Intranasal ; Animals ; Eosinophils ; Epithelial Cells* ; Hypersensitivity ; Nasal Mucosa ; Ovalbumin ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar ; Respiratory Mucosa ; Rhinitis*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Aloe is one of the well known substances to decrease inflammation and promote wound healing. Although little is known about its mechanism, recent studies suggest that aloe vera extracts may have the anti-allergic effect by inhibiting the mediator release evoked by mast cell activation. Therefore, we were to investigate the effect of NY945, a glycoprotein fraction of Aloe vera, on nasal mucosa of the ovalbumin (OVA) sensitized guinea pigs. Materials and Methods: Female Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were sensitized with intraperitoneal injection and subsequent inhalation of OVA. NY945 was injected intraperitonealy before intranasal challenge of OVA with an ultrasonic nebulizer. Airway resistance, mucosal permeability, histamine concentration in the nasal lavage fluid, the number of mast cells and eosinophils in nasal mucosa and serum level of OVA -specific IgE were evaluated. RESULTS: NY945 effectively inhibited respiratory airway resistance in the sensitized guinea pigs. The concentration of dye into nasal lavage fluid was rapidly increased after OVA instillation and NY945 inhibited the OVA -induced microvascular dye leakage. OVA inhalation to sensitized guinea pig resulted in prominent increase of histamine concentration in the nasal lavage fluid. This response was inhibited by intraperitoneal NY945 injection. It also inhibited accumulation of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa in sensitized guinea pigs. However, there was no change in the serum OVA -specific IgE level between the NY945 treated and control group. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that NY945 inhibits early allergic reaction via inhibition of histamine release and eosinophil infiltration.
Airway Resistance ; Aloe* ; Animals ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Glycoproteins* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Histamine ; Histamine Release ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mast Cells ; Nasal Lavage Fluid ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Ovalbumin ; Ovum ; Permeability ; Ultrasonics ; Wound Healing

The lingual thyroid is the most common manilestation of benign ectopic thyroid tissue, but is still a rare clinical entity. As a result, attempts at management may prove to be rather confusing. It may present with symptoms of dysphagia, upper airway obstruction or even hemorrhage at any time from infancy through adulthood. Therefore, clinical findings, laboratory tests, and radiographic imaging studies should be employed in confirming the diagnosis and appropriate planning treatment, keeing in mind that the primary therapeutic goal is to restore the thyroid function. We report two cases of lingual thyroid gland with the review otliterature.
Airway Obstruction ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Lingual Thyroid* ; Thyroid Dysgenesis ; Thyroid Gland ; Tongue Diseases

OBJECTIVES: This study quantifies the efficacy of a short-term systemic steroid therapy in the patients with anosmia or hyposmia using the butanol threshold test (BTT) and the visual analogue scale (VAS). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirty patients with anosmia or hyposmia were included in this study from June 1996 through April 1997. The patients were divided into inflammatory and noninflammatory groups depending on the etiology. We evaluated the patients before and after the systemic steroid admi-nistration using both BTT and VAS. RESULTS: Overall improvements of olfactory function was observed upto 70% by BTT and 53% by VAS, and the therapeutic effect of steroid on olfactory malfunction was statistically significant (p=0.0001). Improvements in the olfaction was measured by BTT, which correlated strongly with the measurements by VAS with statistical significance (r=0.77578, p=0.0001). The inflammatory group showed better steroid response (83%) than the noninflammatory group (61%), but there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The systemic steroid administration may be effective in the treatment of olfactory disturbance with a good correlation between BTT and VAS.
Evaluation Studies as Topic* ; Humans ; Olfaction Disorders ; Smell

The nm23 gene was originally identified by differential screening of a cDNA library with RNA from low and high metastatic clones of a murine melanoma cell line. And the nm23 gene has been represented as a metastasis suppressor gene. The product of nm23 gene is known to be identical to nucleoside diphosphate(NDP) kinase. The lack of expression of nm23 protein has been correlated with a poorer prognosis in some human tumors, among which are breast carcinoma, malignant melanoma, gastric carcinoma and hepatcelluar cacin-oma. However, in several types of malignant tumors such as colon carcinoma, neuroblastoma and pancreatic carcinoma, unexpected overexpression of nm23 protein was found as compared with normal tissues. Also in a few studies with cervical carcinoma, the expression of nm23 protein was found to be increased as compared with normal cervical tissue recently. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the expression of nm23-H1 protein by immunohistochemistry method in a series of 40 cervical carcinomas, to determine whether the alterations in the expression of nm23-H1 protein occured in cervical carcinoma as compared with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) and normal cervices, and also analyzed the possible association between nm23 protein expression and prognostic parameters of cervical carcinoma at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital from September 1993 to March 1997. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The mean ages of normal control patients, CIN and cervical carcinomas were 42.9 (+/-5.1) years, 39.5(+/-7.7) years, and 49.3(+/-11.7) years respectively. All cases of cervical carcinoma were squamous cell carcinomas. And the number of each stages Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, III and IV were 13 cases, 8 cases, 6 cases, 9 cases, 2 cases, and 2 cases respectively. 2. In cervical carcinoma, nm23-H1 protein expression was significantly increased as compared with CIN and normal cervical tissue(t=5.017>1.96). 3. In cervical carcinoma, the nm23-H1 protein expression was more increased in higher stages(p=0.021). But it had no significant correlations with primary tumor size, lymphovascular space invasion, parametrial invasion or lymph node metastasis. Our results on nm23-H1 protein expression in cervical carcinoma suggest that cervical carcinoma seems to belong to the group of tumors, like colon carcinoma and neuroblastoma, pancreatic carcinoma in which nm23-H1 overexpression is associated with a more malignant phenotype. In this study, nm23-H1 protein was more expressed in higher clinical stages of cervical carcinoma. Therefore the expression of nm23-H1 protein probably may have a prognostic significance in cervical carcinoma. But a further prospective study on a larger population is needed to establish the role of nm23 gene in this kind of tumor.
Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Line ; Cervix Uteri* ; Clone Cells ; Colon ; Female ; Gene Library ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Mass Screening ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroblastoma ; Phenotype ; Phosphotransferases ; Prognosis ; RNA

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cytokines IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta on the proliferation and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) in vitro. Subcultured HNECs were incubated in a medium containing recombinant human (rh) cytokines rhIL-1beta rhTNF-alpha and rhTGF-beta at concentrations of 0.01 ng/ml, 0.1 ng/ml, 1 ng/ml, 10 ng/ml, and 100 ng/ml. After a two-day incubation with these cytokines, daily cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay for six days. The CBF was measured at concentrations of 1 ng/ml of rhIL-1beta 10 ng/ml of TNF-alpha and 1 ng/ml of TGF-beta solutions. While rhIL-1beta inhibited proliferation of HNECs in concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners, rhTNF-alpha stimulated HNEC growth at concentrations ranging from 0.01 ng/ml to 10 ng/ml in concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners. In contrast, rhTGF-beta inhibited HNEC growth irrespective of concentration and incubation time. The CBF of the human nasal ciliated epithelial cells increased after the addition of rhIL-1beta and rhTNF-alpha The CBF increased progressively for four hours after the addition of rhIL-1beta and rhTNF-alpha The increased CBF continued for 24 hours and decreased after two days. However, no variation of the CBF was observed after the addition of rhTGF-beta regardless of concentration or incubation time. The results of this study suggest that during acute inflammation, IL-1beta TNF-alpha and TGF-beta may have important roles in the repair and defense mechanism of the human nasal epithelium by regulating the proliferation and CBF of nasal epithelial cells.
Cell Proliferation ; Cytokines* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Nasal Mucosa ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: To discover the etiology of birth defects and low birth weight, it is necessary to establish epidemiological birth defects monitoring system in Korea. Our aim was to develop new practical model in Incheon to establish birth defects monitoring system to evaluate the incidence rate and patterns of birth defects in Korea. METHODS: Public health center and private hospitals and clinics participated in this monitoring system. Web based reporting system have been built. Trained nurses actively collected the records obtained from delivery units in the participating hospitals during 2 years (first year: December 1st, 1998-November. 31, 1999; second year: January 1 st, 2000-December 31 th, 2000). RESULTS: Through this monitoring system at 1 st year and 2 nd year, we observed 25 birth defect cases from 2482 births, 28 birth defect cases from 3490 births including live births and stillbirths. The incidence of birth defect per thousand person was 10.1, 8.0 respectively. At 1st year, the highest proportion of birth defects was 28.0% in musculoskeletal system. The proportion of birth defects in gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system and cleft lip & cleft palate were 20.0%, 12.0%. 12.0%. At 2 nd year, the highest proportion of birth defects was 21.4% in gastrointestinal system The proportion of birth defects in cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system were 17.9% and 14.3%. CONCLUION: In conclusion, we could build population-based monitoring system for birth defects successfully in Yonsu gu, Incheon. To establish population-based monitoring system for birth defects in Korea, it is necessary to organize the reporters of public health center and private hospitals and clinics, to build an available reporting system, and to extend participating centers for birth defects monitoring systems.
Cardiovascular System ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Environmental Exposure ; Hospitals, Private ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Musculoskeletal System ; Parturition* ; Public Health ; Stillbirth