No abstract available.
Glomerulonephritis* ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes*

Multiple species of muridae and arvicolidae rodents serve as the natural reserviors of hantaviruses. Hantaviruses are distributed in rodent populations world-widely even in geographical areas where hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) has not been reported. Serologic diagnosis of infection, using hantaviral antigen, indicates that hantaviruses are wider distributed in wild rodents. This study was designed to intended the hantavirus infection among wild rodents captured in Kyebang mountain, Kangwon-do in Korea. A total of 216 wild rodents in 3 species were trapped in July and September in 1995. Serological evidence for hantaviruses infection were tested against five hantavirus antigens by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFA). Among 100 Eothenomys regulus, 78 Apodemus peninsulae and 38 Apodemus agrarius (IFA). Among 100 Eothenomys regulus, 78 Apodemus peninsulae and 38 Apodemus agrarius; 12 C. regulus, 15 A. peninsulae and 6 A. agrarius were IF antibody positive against hantaviruses. This data suggest that Eothnomys regulus and Apodemus peninsulae would be a natural reservoir of hantaviruses.
Animals ; Diagnosis ; Gangwon-do ; Hantavirus Infections* ; Hantavirus* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Korea ; Muridae ; Murinae ; Rodentia*

Hantaviruses are distributed in rodent population world-widely even in geographical areas where hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) has not been reported. Va.ictus species of Family Muridae and Arvicolidae serve as the natural reservoirs of hantaviruses. Hantaan virus, Seoul virus, Puumala virus, Prospect Hll virus, Sin Hombre virus and New York virus are members of genus Hantavirus and isolated from lungs of A. agrarius, C glareolus, M. pennsylvanicus, P. maniculatus and P. leucopus respectively. This experiment was intended to find the distribution of hantavirus infection among wild rodents and isolate the hantavirus from lung tissue of seropositve Apodemus peninsulae, and compared the nucleotide and amino acid sequences with prototype of hantaan virus 76-118 strain. Hantaviral sequences were amplified from lung tissues of A. peninsulae by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Alignment and comparison of the 324 nucleotide of G2 region of M-genomic segment diverged 4.6% and 0% at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, and complete N protein-coding region of S-genomic segment diverged 3.7% and 1.4% nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. This is the report to spill-over on the hantaan virus from A. peninsulae to A. peninsulae in Korea.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Hantaan virus ; Hantavirus Infections ; Hantavirus* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Muridae ; Murinae* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Puumala virus ; Rodentia ; Seoul virus

PURPOSE: Since umbilical cord blood (UCB), which used to be discarded, was found to be a source of enriched hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, basic research to elucidate characteristics of UCB hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and its clinical application to bedside transplantation have been attempted. Moreover, stem cell transplantation (SCT) has expanded its role, not only in hematopoietic reconstitution, but in cancer therapy, stem cell expansion and gene therapy. This study was aimed to clarify the characteristics of UCB HSC comparing differences between term and preterm babies in term of 1) hematologic parameters, 2) immunophenotypic characteristics studied by flow cytometer utilizing CD34 and several other monoclonal antibodies (MoAb), and 3) hematopoietic capacity by clonogenic assays. METHODS: UCB was obtained from 18 term babies and 13 preterms after informed consents. Samples were initially tested for complete blood counts. Immunophenotypic characteristics were studied in 11 cases (preterm, 4; term, 7) by two laser FACscan plus (Becton Dickinson) with FITC-conjugated MoAb to CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8, CD10, CD16+ 56, CD19, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD71, Thy-1, and HLA-DR. Clonogenic assays were performed by methylcellulose method. RESULTS: The mean hematologic parameters for all groups were : white blood cell, 12.7x103/microliter; hemoglobin 14.8g/dL; platelets, 230x103/microliter. The parameters for preterms and terms were as follows : white blood cell, 10.6x103/microliter vs 13.9x103/microliter; hemoglobin 13.5g/dL vs. 15.4g/dL; platelets, 188x103/microliter vs 254x103/microliter; mononuclear cells 5.1x103/microliter vs 6.4x103/microliter, respectively. Parameters other than hemoglobin and platelet counts were not significantly different between the two groups. The colony-forming units granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) count and count for all colonies identified on day 14 were 10,888+/-11,257.3/mL and 16,504+/-16,531.6/mL, respectively. However, there was no significant differences in clonogenic assays between the term and preterm groups. The percentage of CD34+ cells in mononuclear cells was 1.5+/-1.5%, with 1.0+/-0.2% for preterms and 1.8+/-1.9% for terms. The number of CD34+ cells was 5.5+/-4.1x104/mL, with 3.8+/-2.0x104/mL for preterms and 6.5+/-4.7x104/mL, respectively. These findings suggested that the percentage and number for CD34 cells and the number of CFUs be higher in term babies than in preterms, but the differences failed to meet statistical significances. As T cell markers, CD3 (pan-T cell) and CD5 (early developmental T cell) were positive in 28.5% and 32.8%, respectively. The CD4 : CD8 ratio for all was 2.2+/-0.5, with 2.3+/-0.3 for preterms and 2.1+/-0.6 for terms, respectively, tending to decrease with gestational age with transient increase when approaching to the term. CD10 and CD19 expression as markers for B cell-associated antigens were 1.8+/-1.6% and 6.5+/-4.6%, respectively. Myeloid marker CD33 was positive in 2.24%, while CD71 (transferrin receptor) in 43.7%. Thy-1 was 30.0% with peak of 63.4% at 32th gestational week. As a subpopulation study among HSCs, CD34+CD38- cells were 2.1+/-1.5%, CD34+ HLA-DR+ was present in 85.3+/-3.1%, while CD34+CD19+ cells were 1.7+/-1.6%. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that T cells in UCB were immature, that the number of CD8+ cells which are known to be implicated in graft-versus-host disease, was relatively low, that B cell expression was low, and that UCB were enriched with primitive HSCs. As UCB for preterms were not significantly different from that of terms, the UCB from preterm babies might be used as a source of HSCs. Moreover, the cell number for adequate engraftment might be inferred from calculating mononuclear cells in UCB as the mononuclear cell count had a good correlation with CFUs.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood Cell Count ; Cell Count ; Fetal Blood* ; Genetic Therapy ; Gestational Age ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; HLA-DR Antigens ; Leukocytes ; Methylcellulose ; Platelet Count ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; T-Lymphocytes ; Umbilical Cord*

No abstract available.
Apoptosis* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans*

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 plays an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis and has been described as a useful tumor marker and one of the poor prognostic indicators in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To investigate the role and cellular localization of TGF-beta1 during multistep hepatocarcinogenesis we performed a quantitative analysis of TGF-beta1 mRNA and immunohistochemical expression of TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta receptor II (TGF-betarII) in female Sprague-Dawley rats. The experimental groups included neoplastic lesions produced by Solt-Farber's protocol, regenerating liver after partial hepatectomy, and normal control. Quantitative change of TGF-beta1 mRNA was analysed by competitive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). TGF-beta1 protein and TGF-betarII expression were evaluated by immunohistochemical stain. The discrete tumor nodules were detected on 14th day and then increased in number and size. Three HCCs were induced on 8th or 9th month. RT-PCR demonstrated TGF-beta1 mRNA band in all examples of the normal and regenerating liver, nodules and HCCs. Competitive RT-PCR displayed higher TGF-beta1 mRNA in nodules, HCCs and regenerating liver than in normal controls. Hepatocytes from control and regenerating livers showed weak immunoreactivity for TGF-beta1. In contrast, the cytoplasm of hepatocytes of nodules in 7th, 8th and 9th month and HCCs were intensely stained for TGF-beta1. Some sinusoidal cells showed immunoreactivity for TGF-beta1 in all experimental groups. In early phase of carcinogenesis, the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in liver of 12h, 1d and 3d showed transiently increased immunoreactivity for TGF-beta1 and The immunoreactivity decreased thereafter. TGF-beta1 mRNA was also detected in the neoplastic hepatocytes by in-situ hybridization. Although TGF-betarII expression was correlated with TGF-beta1 immunoreactivity during early phase of carcinogenesis, hepatocytes in most nodules in 7th, 8th, 9th month and carcinomas showed decreased or little immunoreactivity for TGF-betarII. Based on the above results, it is concluded that TGF-beta1 expression increases not only in precancerous nodules but also in HCCs and its increase seems to be correlated with decrease or loss of TGF-betarII expression although its mechanism remains unclear. Hepatocytes may be a major cellular source of TGF-beta1 during hepatocarcinogenesis.
Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cytoplasm ; Diethylnitrosamine* ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Transforming Growth Factors*

No abstract available.
Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic*

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

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Skin Tests* ; Skin*