This study was performed to evaluate the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) upon angiogenesis in the rat cornea, to examine its possible application as an alternative angiogenic inducer and to provide basic data for further studies. Angiogenesis was induced by cornea micropocket assay, as previously described. Eight of thirty two eyes of Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups, namely, a non-NGF group (Group 0), a 0.5 ng of NGF group (Group 0.5), a 1.0 ng of NGF group (Group 1.0) and a 5.0 ng of NGF group (Group 5.0). Pellets made of poly-2-hydroxylethylmethacrylate and sucralfate were implanted into the corneal stroma no closer than 1 mm from the limbus. After the implantation, the number of new vessels, vessel length and circumferential neovascularization were examined daily under the surgical microscope over a period of 7 days. The area of neovascularization was determined using a mathematical formula. Although new vessels in Group 0 and Group 0.5 were first observed at day 5, those of Groups 1.0 and 5.0 were first noted on days 4 and 3, respectively. However, the growth rates of new vessels in Groups 1.0 and 5.0 were higher than those of Groups 0 and 0.5 with the passage of time. The number, length, circumferential neovascularization and areas covered by the vessels in Groups 1.0 and 5.0 were significantly more than in Group 0 and Group 0.5 (p<0.05). This study showed that NGF had a dose-dependent angiogenic effects on the rat cornea and that the minimal effective dose of NGF was 1.0 ng per cornea. Also, it showed that NGF would be useful in angiogenic studies as an alternative angiogenic inducer.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents/*toxicity ; Animals ; Cornea/blood supply/*drug effects ; Corneal Neovascularization/*chemically induced ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor/*toxicity ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: There are controversies on the role of iron overload in the mechanism of liver injury in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of peripheral iron overload, and to study the presence of HFE mutations (C282Y, H63D, S65C) in a cohort of Korean NAFLD patients. METHODS: 255 patients with NAFLD were included. The patients had been diagnosed as having NAFLD by the criteria of elevated aminotransferase levels, compatible ultrasonographic findings and exclusion of other etiologies. Blood samples were tested for chemistry, iron profile, and mutational analysis for HFE gene (C282Y, H63D, S65C). RESULTS: Of the 255 NAFLD patients, the prevalence of peripheral iron overload was 19.2% according to the cutoff level of transferrin saturation (TS) > 45%, and 3.9% of NAFLD patients were having hyperferritinemia over 400 ng/mL. Hyperferritinemia was significantly associated with elevated serum levels of fasting glucose, AST and TS. We found the presence of H63D mutation, either heterozygote or homozygote, among the NAFLD patients with peripheral iron overload. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of peripheral iron overload in the Korean NAFLD patients was not rare, and the presence of H63D mutation among NALFD patients was identified. Further studies on the significance of iron overload or HFE mutation in the pathogenesis of NAFLD are needed.
Adult ; Cohort Studies ; Fatty Liver/*etiology/genetics ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/*genetics ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Iron Overload/complications/*epidemiology ; Korea ; Male ; Membrane Proteins/*genetics ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Prevalence ; Transferrin/metabolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection has been estimated as being approximately 5% among global HBsAg carriers. The anti-delta positive rate in Koreans had been reported as being 0.85% in 1985. While the prevalence of HBV has been decreased from nearly 10% to 5% during the past twenty years, there have been no more studies on the anti-delta prevalence in Koreans. The aim of this study was to estimate the anti-delta prevalence in Koreans and to study the clinical characteristics of anti-delta positive patients in a single center. METHODS: Serum anti-delta was measured in one hundred ninety four HBsAg-positive patients who were admitted to our hospital from February 2003 to August 2003. We checked the genotypes of the HBV in the anti-delta positive patients. The clinical features of the anti-delta positive patients were compared to those clinical features of the anti-delta negative patients from the aspect of age, gender, mode of transmission, the positivity of HBeAg and serum HBV DNA. RESULTS: Serum anti-delta was positive in seven patients among the 194 subjects, giving a 3.6% positive rate. Among these seven patients, six had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the other one had cholangiocarcinoma. All of the anti-delta positive patients had the C genotype of HBV. The anti-delta positive patients showed significantly suppressed HBV DNA replication compared to the anti-delta negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: In Koreans, anti-delta was positive mainly in HCC patients with an approximate prevalence of 4%, and this rate has not changed much for the past twenty years. HBV DNA replication was suppressed by HDV infection.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology ; English Abstract ; Female ; Hepatitis Antibodies/analysis ; Hepatitis D/complications/*epidemiology/immunology ; Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology ; Hepatitis delta Antigens/analysis ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Neoplasms/virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence