Therapeutic leukapheresis is a treatment modality which selectively remove abnormal leukocytes and relieve symptoms produced by abnormally high concentration of leukocytes in the blood stream. Authors report the experiences of therapeutic leukapheresis at Seoul National University Hospital during the past 7 years(1988 to 1995). A total of 48 procedures were done for 29 patients(24 males and 5 females). The age distribution was from 16 years to 60 years and mean age was 30 years. The most common diagnosis of patients were acute lymphoblastic leukemia(7/15, 46.7%) and major indications for therapeutic leukapheresis were dyspnea, headache, abdominal pain and mental alteration. The mean leukocyte count before and after leukapheresis were 277,300/micro liter and 220,700/micro liter, respectively(20% decrease, P<0.001). Hemoglobin concentration was also decreased from 7.7g/dL to 7.1g/dL after leukapheresis(P<0.01). The mean number of leukocytes removed per procedure was 3.1x1011. Adverse reactions such as abdominal pain and dizziness were observed in two cases. The leukocyte count was decreased in all patients and improvement of symptoms was observed in four patients. In conclusion, therapeutic leukapheresis is relatively safe and can be used to relieve leukostatic symptoms in leukemic patients.
Abdominal Pain ; Age Distribution ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Headache ; Humans ; Leukapheresis* ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Male ; Rivers ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Humans ; Token Economy*

No abstract available.
Drinking*

T cell activation is a critical event for initiation and regulation of immune responses and inhibitors of such signaling pathways are clinically useful for the treatment of patients received allogratt and autoimmune disease. In the course of screening soil microorganisms from the forest of Cheju island in Korea for new immunosuppressive agent, one of Streptomyces species (CK-95441) was found to produce a new immunosuppressant, tautomycetin which also had antifungal activity. Tautomycetin showed the inhibition of T cell proliferation in murine mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and T cell activation induced by concanavalin A. Tautomycetin also blocked the induction of IL-2 gene expression which was examined in Jurkat TAg cell line in which multiple NFAT-binding sites and minimal IL-2 promoter drive the production of B-galactosidase. Also, the level of inhibition in activation-induced IL-2 receptor expression by tautomycetin was greater than those by cyclosporin A measured by flow cytometry. But, Fas ligand-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells was unaffected by tautomycetin which was measured by DNA fragmentation assay. These results suggested that tautomycetin will be able to be used as a potent immunosuppressive drug following organ transplantation.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Plasma* ; Renin*

Intermaxillary fixation and occusal splint are routine procedure for maxillofacial fracture and orthognathic surgery. When these methods could obstruct oral airway the patients who kept intermaxillary fixation and occusal splint in their mouth, are very difficult to breath after surgery. Nasal bleeding and pharyngeal edema due to nasotracheal intubation, residual effect of muscle relaxants, and anesthetic agent could be contributing factor of airway obstruction. In this study, pulmonary function test was evaluated before and after intermaxillary fixation, and intermaxillary fixation with occusal splint in 22 volunteers. The results were as follows 1. FVC, %FVC, FEV1, FEV1%, PEF, PEF50, MVV without intermaxillary fixtion were 4.45L, 88%, 4.03L, 90.9%, 10.26L/s, 5.53L/s, and 136.14L/min, and with intermaxillary fixation were 3.51L, 68.67%, 3.06L, 69.39L, 6.52L/s, 3.94L/s, and 69.39L/min. The results with intermaxillary fixation and occusal splint were 2.15L, 42.41%, 1.71L, 38.81%, 2.83L/s, 1.74L/s, and 37.14L/min. 2. Compared with before and after intermaxillary fixation, all values of pulmonary function test were decreased and after intermaxillary fixation and intermaixillary fixation with occulasal splint, the results were decreased. 3. MVV and PEF were decreased significantly with interaxillary fixtion and occusal splint, and FVC was less decreased. It meant that intermaxillary fixation and occluasal splint induced reduction of respiratory flow significantly, but less reduction of respiratory volume. 4. Intermaxillary fixation and occulsal splint induced increase of airway resistance, decrease of expiratory volume and air flow. So severe respiratory difficulty could be seen to all volunteers who kept intermaxillary fixtion and occusal splint. 5. In classification of respiratory difficulty, intermaxillary fixation with occulsal splint induced complex respiratory difficulty more than intermaxillary fixation only did. From the above results, doctors who care patients kept intermaxillary fixation and occusal splint should be aware of respiratory depression caused by these treatment.
Airway Obstruction ; Airway Resistance ; Classification ; Edema ; Epistaxis ; Humans ; Intubation ; Mouth ; Occlusal Splints ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Splints* ; Volunteers

The T cell antigen receptor (TcR) in combination with costimulatory signals triggered by accessory molecules present on the surface of the antigen-presenting cells (APC) regulates the activation and growth of T lymphocytes. Calyculin A and Okadaic acid is known to be an inhibitor of serine/threonine phosphatase and RK-682 specifically blocks functions of tyrosine phosphatase. To investigate roles of these inhibitors in TcR-mediated signaling cascade, chimeric molecule CD8-5 which contains the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the human CD8a molecule and the cytoplasmic tail of TcR 5 chain were stably expressed in Jurkat cell line. CD8-5 chimeric protein induced tyrosine phosphorylation of various cytoplasmic substrates and IL-2 gene expression in a NFAT dependent manner by stimulation with anti-CD8 mAb OKT8 as seen in TcR stimulation. When CD8-5 transfectants were preincubated with Okadaic acid, Calyculin or RK682, they differentially affected tyrosine phosphorylation of signaling mediators including CD8-5 molecule. When Jurkat Tag cell line was used where SV40 T antigen is stably expressed and the expression of p-galactosidase is driven by the multiple NFAT binding sites plus minimal IL-2 promoter, these phosphatase inhibitors -RK682, Calyculin A, Okadaic acid- effectively inhibited IL-2 gene expression at the concentration of 1.2832 x 10 ' M, 3.9924 x 10 M, 7.2707 x 10 M respectively. These results suggested that Okadaic acid, Calyculin or RK682 modulate TcR-proximal as well as TcR-distal signaling events during T cell activation.
Antigen-Presenting Cells ; Antigens, Viral, Tumor ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line ; Cytoplasm ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Jurkat Cells ; Okadaic Acid* ; Phosphorylation ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tyrosine

No abstract available.
Animals ; Isoproterenol* ; Plasma* ; Rats* ; Renin*

An ABO discrepancy was observed in a 19-year-old man clinically diagnosed as congenital hypogammaglobulinemia. The patient's red cell was typed as group O, and his serum had no ABO isoagglutinins. Absence of A antigen and B antigen on patient's RBC was confirmed by adsorption- elution test and saliva test. A-transferase and B-transferase activities were not demonstrated in patient's serum. Patient's serum protein electrophoresis revealed hypogammaglobulinemia pattern, and immunoglobulin levels were markedly decreased. Complete absence of B lymphocytes was observed on patient's lymphocyte subset profile. Patient's father and mother were typed as blood group O and no abnormalities were recognized in their serum protein electrophoresis patterns and immunoglobulin concentration.
Agammaglobulinemia ; B-Lymphocytes ; Electrophoresis ; Fathers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Mothers ; Saliva ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: There are some previous reports about partial D in Korea. However, the frequency of the partial D in Korea is still unknown. In this study, subtypes of partial D were analyzed by the use of various commercially available anti-D reagents. METHODS: We collected 273 cases determined as RhD negative by RhD typing using the tube method with monoclonal IgM/IgG anti-D reagent (Bioscot. Livingston, UK) from 80,062 cases that were screened between January 2004 and August 2007. The cases were divided into three periods (I, II, III), according to the manufacturers and numbers of anti-D reagents used. A weak D test was performed by using the tube method with various anti-D reagents. The cases with different reactivity between anti-D reagents were determined as partial D, and further analyzed the subtypes by reactivity patterns according to the target epitope of anti-D reagents. An additional test using the ID-Partial D Typing Card (DiaMed, Cressier, Switzerland) was conducted during period III. RESULTS: Five cases showed reactivity patterns of weak D and 16 cases showed reactivity patterns of partial D. Ten cases of partial D were typed as DVI and three cases were typed as DFR. During period III, five cases were typed as DVI and one case was typed as DFR. These results were different from the results obtained with the use of the ID-Partial D Typing Card. CONCLUSION: DVI, which is the most common subtype of partial D, is also common in Korea. Therefore, RhD typing and a weak D test should be performed using combined anti-D reagents that enable the differentiation of DVI from other subtypes.
Indicators and Reagents* ; Korea