BACKGROUND/AIMS: Melanoma antigen gene (MAGE)-A which have more than 12 subtypes is a gene family for tumor specific shared antigens, recognized by the cytotoxic T cell. Since these genes are expressed only in tumor cells and silent in normal adult tissues except in the male germ line, they may be used as diagnostic markers in detecting malignancy. During the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal tract, the hyperplastic epithelium-adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence is largely accepted and the molecular studies on each step have been issued. However, in the aspect of carcinogenesis in the gastrointestinal tract, MAGE genes have not studied yet. To explore the functional role and clinical significance of MAGE-A genes in the carcinogenesis of the colon, mRNA expression of MAGE-A1 to -A6 in the mucosal tissues obtained from the colonoscopy was investigated and the relationship between their expressions and clinicopathologic parameters was analysed. METHODS: We investigated the expression of MAGE 1~6 in 65 endoscopically biopsied samples of neoplastic and nonneoplastic tissues from the colon, using a MAGE common primer by the reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Of the 31 colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens examined, MAGE genes were expressed in 11 cases (36%). In contrast, no expression of these genes was observed in any of the 12 samples of tubular adenoma and 12 of non-specific colitis and 5 cases of normal colonic tissues. There was no significant correlation between the expression of the MAGE genes and clinicopathologic factors, such as gender, disease stage, lymph node metastasis and perineural and vascular invasion in colonic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: It is postulated that the expression of MAGE genes could reflect the late event of oncogenesis of the colon because no MAGE expression was noticed in chronic inflamamtion and adenomas which might have the important role in the process of malignant transformation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Adult ; Carcinogenesis* ; Colitis ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Genes, vif ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Melanoma ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVE: Although several prior works showed the white matter (WM) integrity changes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's disease, it is still unclear the diagnostic accuracy of the WM integrity measurements using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in discriminating aMCI from normal controls. The aim of this study is to explore diagnostic validity of whole brain automated probabilistic tractography in discriminating aMCI from normal controls. METHODS: One hundred-two subjects (50 aMCI and 52 normal controls) were included and underwent DTI scans. Whole brain WM tracts were reconstructed with automated probabilistic tractography. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values of the memory related WM tracts were measured and compared between the aMCI and the normal control groups. In addition, the diagnostic validities of these WM tracts were evaluated. RESULTS: Decreased FA and increased MD values of memory related WM tracts were observed in the aMCI group compared with the control group. Among FA and MD value of each tract, the FA value of left cingulum angular bundle showed the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 with a sensitivity of 88.2%, a specificity of 76.9% in differentiating MCI patients from control subjects. Furthermore, the combination FA values of WM integrity measures of memory related WM tracts showed AUC value of 0.98, a sensitivity of 96%, a specificity of 94.2%. CONCLUSION: Our results with good diagnostic validity of WM integrity measurements suggest DTI might be promising neuroimaging tool for early detection of aMCI and AD patients.
Alzheimer Disease ; Anisotropy ; Area Under Curve ; Brain ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Humans ; Memory ; Mild Cognitive Impairment* ; Neuroimaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; White Matter

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the pharmaco-dynamic pattern of proteomic expression in cervical carcinoma cells (CaSki cell line; HPV-16 positive) after in vitro treatment by the etoposide. METHODS: We analyzed proteomic profiling in cervical carcinoma cells after etoposide treatment using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) with MALDI-TOF-MS used for protein identification. Then, we tested the several experimental methods for verification and functional identification, including MTT assay, PI staining, DNA fragmentation assay, FDA, FACS and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Etoposide inhibited the CaSki cervical cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner and the optimal concentration of etoposide is 2micrometer(IC50) in the CaSki cervical cancer cells. The etoposide induced apoptosis, as determined by DNA fragmentation assay, FACS, and Western blot. The etoposide increased the protein expression of Fas (Apo-1/CD95), p53, pRb and caspase-3, but decreased the level of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 precursor and subsequently triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway (release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-9). To this end, we analyzed CaSki cancer cells using 2-DE. Eight proteins (XAP-5, HXC-36, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2B catalytic subunit, G2/mitotic-specific cyclin B1, T-box transcription factor TBX20, diacylglycerol kinase, amiloride-sensitive amine oxidase, HEF-like protein, ras-related protein Rab-20) were down-regulated and nine proteins (RNA 3'-terminal phosphate cyclase-like protein, late endosomal/lysosomal Mp1 interacting protein, glia maturation factor, replication protein A 14 kDa subunit, mago sashi protein homolog, 14 kDa phosphohistidine phosphatase, protein C14 or f48, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitior A, retinoic acid-binding protein II) were up-regulated in etoposide-treated CaSki cells when compared with non-treated cells. CONCLUSION: Our results clearly indicate that etoposide induced cell death by apoptosis. These findings may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the apparent anti-tumoral effects of etoposide.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Calcineurin ; Caspase 3 ; Catalytic Domain ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cyclin B1 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; Cytochromes c ; Diacylglycerol Kinase ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Etoposide ; Glia Maturation Factor ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Oxidoreductases ; Proteomics ; Replication Protein A ; Transcription Factors ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Eosinophilia* ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

Mucous gland adenoma of the bronchus is a rare benign tumor arising from the bronchial mucous gland. It accounts for less than 0.5 % of all lung tumors. In adults, tracheal tumors are most often malignant. Among benign tumors arising in the trachea, mucous gland adenoma of the trachea is extremely rare. First case was reported by Ferguson and Cleeland in 1988, as "Mucous gland adenoma of the trachea". Microscopic study shows it to arise from normal submucosal mucous glands forming glandular or tubular structures composed of mucous secreting cells. Common symptoms were cough, hemoptysis, recurrent and protracted pneumonia, shortness of breath, and wheeze. Duration of symptoms before diagnosis varied from a few weeks to 10 years with prolonged symptoms being usual. Management of these tumors should be complete excision, including pulmonary resection because two instances of recurrence after local excision have been reported.
Adenoma* ; Adult ; Bronchi ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumonia ; Recurrence ; Trachea*

OBJECTIVE: Paclitaxel is currently used in the treatment of ovarian, breast, gastric, colorectal, lung and recurrent cervical cancer. Initial studies on the mechanism of action of paclitaxel have demonstrated that this drug alters microtubule assembly, by inhibiting microtubule depolymerization and changing microtubule dynamics. Although treatment of various tumor cells with paclitaxel induces apoptosis, but early paclitaxel-targeted proteins is not yet known. We tried to search paclitaxel-targeted proteins and to investigate its functions. METHODS: The effects of paclitaxel on HeLa cervical cancer cell growth were evaluated by cell proliferation assay, DAPI stain, and FACS analysis. We performed proteome analysis including 2-DE and MALDI-TOF-MS in nontreated-and paclitaxel-treated HeLa cells, as a result, we identified TACC3 protein that is down-regulated with paclitaxel treatment. We tried to characterize TACC3 functions through in vitro treatment of paclitaxel or RNAi technique. RESULTS: Paclitaxel- and TACC3 siRNA-treated cells are unable to proceed normally through the cell cycle and are arrested in G2/M phase and reveal apoptotic morphology. TACC3 levels after paclitaxel treatment decreased as a time- and dose- dependent manner both mRNA and protein levels. We confirmed that the role of TACC3 down-regulation for microtubule stabilization was similar to that of paclitaxel. Also, TACC3 is expressed at high levels in various cancer cells and tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: This study is proposed that the TACC3 protein may be participated in microtubule formation as an oncoprotein during mitosis and be regulated by paclitaxel as a novel target.
Apoptosis ; Breast ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Lung ; Microtubules ; Mitosis ; Paclitaxel ; Proteome ; RNA, Messenger ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Growth regulation of cancer cells very frequently involves tumor suppressor gene p53, Rb and cell cycle regulator, however the molecular biologic mechanisms of growth regulation in ovarian carcinoma cells are not fully defined. To assess the mechanism of growth suppression, we treated IFN-gama in ovarian carcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Growth suppression by treatment of IFN-gama was determined by cell proliferation assay in ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Apoptosis was determined by DNA fragmentation assay and electron microscopy. Molecular mechanism of the apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell by IFN-gama was further analyzed by the western blot. RESULTS: We found that IFN-gama had remarkable growth- suppressive effects in PA-1 and A2774 ovarian carcinoma cells in a time-dependent manner. Apoptosis was observed in PA-1 and A2774 cell following treatment of IFN- gama by DNA fragmentation assay and EM. The expression of IRF-1 protein from A2774 and PA-1 cell extracts was elevated by increasing the concentration of IFN-gama. IFN-gama caused an increased expression of the important apoptosis-related gene, ICE (interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme) protein in A2774 and PA-1. CONCLUSION: The coordinate induction of IRF-1 and ICE by IFN-gama in ovarian carcinoma cells suggests a functional relationship between these proteins in programmed cell death. The significance of this study is the molecular biologic background of IFN-gama considered as an alternative treatment trial of ovarian cancers.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cell Extracts ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA Fragmentation ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Ice ; Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 ; Microscopy, Electron ; Ovarian Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: A skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM), followed by immediate reconstruction, which has aesthetic advantages, is being increasingly used to treat many early breast carcinomas; however, there are few data regarding the outcome and safety of this procedure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of utilizing a SSM with immediate reconstruction compared with the outcome of a conventional mastectomy. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 169 patients who underwent a SSM with immediate reconstruction, and 2102 patients who received a conventional mastectomy between January 1996 and December 2002, at the Asan Medical Center. The patient and tumor characteristics, as well as the types of reconstruction, incidences of recurrence and survival rates were examined. RESULTS: The mean age of the SSM group was younger (39 vs. 47 years, p < 0.001), and the mean tumor size smaller than those of the mastectomy group (2.6 vs. 3.2cm, p = 0.002). Lymph node involvement was present in 39.6% and 48.4% of the SSM and mastectomy groups, respectively (p = 0.24). The proportion at early stages (0 and 1) in the SSM group was higher than those in the mastectomy group (50.9 vs. 30.7%, p < 0.001). In the high-risk patients, postoperative radiation was administered to 24.1 and 54.9% of the SSM and mastectomy group, respectively (p = 0.002). With a median follow-up of 41 months, the recurrence rates for the SSM and mastectomy groups were 11.8 (20 of 169 patients) and 14.4% (303 of 2102 patients), respectively (p = 0.22). There were no differences in the locoregional and distant recurrences between the two groups. The 5-year disease free survivals for the SSM and mastectomy groups were 81.9 and 81.7%, respectively (p = 0.71). The 5-year overall survivals for the SSM and mastectomy groups were 91.7 and 88,8%, respectively (p = 0.13). In a univariate analysis, the factors associated with a recurrence and the survival rates were the tumor stage and a lymph node positive state. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were found in the recurrence and survival rates of the SSM group, with immediate reconstruction, compared to those of the mastectomy only group. A skin-sparing mastectomy, with immediate reconstruction, which has greater aesthetic benefits, appeared to be an oncologically safe treatment option for breast carcinomas.
Breast Neoplasms ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Mastectomy* ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis* ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND/AIMS: MELD-Na (model for end-stage liver disease with incorporation of serum sodium) was suggested to provide better survival prediction than MELD alone for patients with end stage liver disease. However, there is no data verifying the usefulness of MELD-Na for predicting short term mortality of cirrhotic patients in Korea. This study was aimed to determine whether MELD-Na would be more accurate in predicting short term mortality than other scoring systems such as Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) or MELD. METHODS: Data from 355 patients admitted due to liver cirrhosis were retrospectively reviewed. The cumulative survival rates were obtained. Prediction of mortality rate for three months and one year were analyzed using the area under the receiver's operating characteristics curve (AUC). RESULTS: One hundred patients (28%) died during the study period. All of the three systems showed significant differences in the cumulative survival rate according to the scores on admission (p<0.001). The AUC of CTP, MELD, and MELD-Na in predicting three-months mortality were 0.828, 0.845, and 0.862 (p>0.05), and the AUC of each score system for death within one year were 0.792, 0.800, and 0.831, respectively (p>0.05). The AUC of MELD-Na in predicting short term death were the highest, although it was not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that only MELD-Na was significantly related to three-month mortality (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: MELD-Na is more appropriate in predicting short term mortality, but larger scale studies are needed to confirm the superiority of MELD-Na to MELD and CTP in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; *Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Analysis ; Time Factors

The General Rules for the Study of Primary Liver Cancer was published in June 2001 as the first edition. Since then, the 5th edition of the General Rules for the Study of Primary Liver Cancer was published by the 17th Committee of the Korean Liver Cancer Association based on the most recent data. The 5th edition of the General Rules for the Study of Primary Liver Cancer ranged over numerous topics such as anatomy, medical assessment of the patients, staging of hepatocellular carcinoma, description of the image findings, summary of hepatic resection, description of the surgical specimens, liver transplantation, reporting the pathological findings, pathological examinations of liver specimen, non-surgical treatment, radiotherapy, and assessment of tumor response after non-surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The 5th General Rules for the Study of Primary Liver Cancer will not only become the basis of academic development for liver cancer studies in Korea, but also serve as the primary form of national liver cancer data accumulation based on standardized rules.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Neoplasms* ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Radiotherapy