No abstract available.
Mitral Valve*

The bcl-2 gene is a proto-oncogene which extends cell survival by blocking apoptosis. Bcl-2 expression has been detected in many types of nodal and MALT lymphoma. The p53 gene is a tumor suppressor gene and p53 mutation is the most common genetic alteration in human malignancies. The relationship between the expression of bcl-2 and p53 protein in primary gastric lymphoma has been rarely reported. The authors investigated the expression of bcl-2 and p53 protein in 37 cases of primary gastric lymphoma by immunohistochemical method using bcl-2 and p53 monoclonal antibodies. There were five cases of low grade B-cell MALT lymphomas and thirty two cases of high grade B-cell lymphomas. Fifteen of 37 cases (41%) showed bcl-2 protein expression in the cytoplasm of tumor cells and 26 cases (70%) showed p53 protein expression in the nucleus of tumor cells. Bcl-2 protein was detected in 4 of 5 (80%) low grade MALT lymphomas, and in 11 of 32 (34%) high grade lymphomas. There was no significant correlation between bcl-2 expression and histologic grade of primary gastric lymphomas (p>0.05). p53 protein was positive in 25 of 32 (78%) high grade lymphomas, and in 1 of 5 (20%) low grade MALT lymphomas. The expression of p53 protein is significantly higher in high grade lymphoma than in low grade MALT lymphoma (p<0.05). The p53 expression in the bcl-2 negative cases (86%) was significantly higher than in the bcl-2 positive cases (47%). There was an inverse relationship between bcl-2 and p53 expression in primary gastric lymphoma. These results suggest that bcl-2 and p53 expression in primary gastric lymphoma may be involved in the transition from low grade MALT lymphoma to high grade lymphoma.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Apoptosis ; B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Survival ; Cytoplasm ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Proto-Oncogenes

This study was designed to identify expression of calcium-binding proteins and synaptic reorganizations of dentate mossy fibers in hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Hippocampal neuronal density was quantitively analyzed in temporal lobe epilepsy group (n=50) to investigate the degree of hippocampal sclerosis and it was compared with that of autopsy control (n=3). To verify the distribution of calcium-binding proteins in neurons of epileptic hippocampi, the parvalbumin (PV)-immunoreactive and calbindin-D28K (CB)-immunoreactive neurons were quantitively analyzed in each area of Ammon's horn by immunohistochemical stain. Also, to clarify synaptic reorganizations of the dentate mossy fibers, a part of each hippocampus was examined under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy using Timm sulphide silver method. In epileptic hippocampi, severity of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) was graded four, which consisted of 3 cases with no HS, 6 mild HS, 12 moderate HS, and 29 severe HS. The hippocampal neuronal loss was most prominent in CA1, followed by CA4 and CA2. Expression of calcium-binding proteins was more prevalent in CA2 of all groups. The proportion of PV-immunoreactive neurons in CA1 and CA4 significantly increased in the moderate and severe HS group, whereas the proportion of CB-immunoreactive neurons did not correlated with the severity of HS. Timm granules were noted in inner molecular supragranular layer of dentate gyrus of epileptic hippocampi and they tended to increase in proportion along with the severity of hippocampal sclerosis. Transmission electron microscopy showed that supragranular Timm granules corresponded to synaptic terminals of mossy fibers. These results suggest that parvalbumin appears to have more protective effect against neuronal loss and that mossy fiber synaptic reorganization seems to play a major role in pathogenesis of hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy.
Autopsy ; Calbindin 1 ; Calcium* ; Calcium-Binding Proteins* ; Dentate Gyrus ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Neurons ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Sclerosis* ; Silver ; Temporal Lobe*

This study was carried out to elucidate the cytokine mRNAs expression and morphological features according to a microglial proliferation and apoptosis in a rat lumbar spinal cord, after a right sciatic nerve transection. The control group was composed of 5 rats (Spraque-Dawley) and the experimental group was composed of 70 rats. On post operation day (pod) 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 eight rats were sacrificed on those days. On pod 10 five rats were sacrificed as well as five rats sacrificed on post operation weeks 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. On light microscopy, activated microglia were often found in a perineuronal position around motoneurons in the ventral gray matter and more randomly distributed throughout the neuropil in the dorsal gray matter of lumbar spinal cord. GSA I-B4-positive microglia began to increase from 1 day after transection, and reached peak at 2~3 days and it persisted at 5~7 days and decreased thereafter. TUNEL-positive microglia was not observed in control group and began to increase from 5 days after transection and increased gradually until 3 weeks and decreased thereafter. On in situ RT-PCR, the positive signal for IL-1alpha and IL-6 mRNA was found mainly in the cytoplasm of the activated microglia and astrocytes at 1 day after transection and showed stronger signal at 3 days and decreased gradually until 10 days. TNF-alpha mRNA was detected 1 day after transection and remained for 7 days and localized to activated microglia as well as probably some astrocytes. The signal intensity of IL-1alpha and IL-6 mRNA was generally stronger than TNF-alpha mRNA. On transmission electron microscopy, there were chromatin condensation with margination toward nuclear membrane and condensation of cytoplasm at 3 days after transection. Apoptotic bodies were found after 5 days and increased gradually until 3 weeks. According to the above findings, it is concluded that apoptosis appears to be one mechanism by which activated microglia are gradually eliminated and cytokine expression seems to played an active role in the microglial turnover.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Astrocytes ; Chromatin ; Cytokines ; Cytoplasm ; Interleukin-6 ; Microglia ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Neuropil ; Nuclear Envelope ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Spinal Cord* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Familial aggregation of the phenotypes can be caused by common environmental and genetic factors, but there has been no family study on familial aggregation of the bronchial asthma, and genetic role of atopy and bronchial responsiveness in the development of asthma in Korean families. OBJECTIVE: We did family study to evaluate the familial aggregation of bronchial asthma, and the genetic role of atopy and bronchial responsiveness in the development of asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaire, serum total IgE level, skin prick test with 10 common aeroallergens, and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were performed in 154 parents of atopic asthmatics, 72 parents of atopic control, and 65 parents of non-atopic control. RESULTS: Bronchial asthma was more prevalent in parents of atopic asthmatics(7.1% ) than in parents of non-atopic control(0% ). Geometric mean of serum total IgE level was not different among parents of atopic asthmatics, atopic control, and non-atopic control(2.03+0.06, 2.10 +0.07, and 1.89 +0.09 IU/ml). Positive rates of skin prick test to 10 common aeroallergens were more prevalent in parents of atopic asthmatics(43.0% ) and atopic control(43.0% ) than in parents of non-atopic control(27.8%). Prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine was more prevalent in parents of atopic asthmatics(17.0% ) than in parents of atopic control(7.2%) and non-atopic control(1.5%), and slope of dose-response curve was more increased in parents of atopic asthmatics(11.0+ 1.5) than in parents of atopic control and non-atopic control(4.8+ 0.7 and 3.0+ 0.5). CONCLUSION: Bronchial asthma runs in Korean families, and genetic role of atopy and bronchial responsiveness may be important in the development of asthma.
Asthma* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Methacholine Chloride ; Parents ; Phenotype ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Exercise can aggravate asthmatic symptoms in many patients with bronchial asthma. It is caused by that inhaled air bypasses nasal cavity and goes directly to the lower airways through open mouth dring exercise. Although the pathogenetic mechanisms of exercise-induced asthma(EIA) have not been clarified yet, there is evidence that chemical mediators, released from the inflammatory cells triggered by airway cooling or drying, might be responsible for induction of bronchoconstriction. However, it has been controversial which chemical mediators or cells are involved in such process. Objectiye . The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of activated mast cells in the pathogenesis of EIA and find out whether or not sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (LTC4/d4/E4) are involved in the exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eleven asthmatics with documented exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and 10 control subjects were studied. Before and 6 hours after free running for 6 minutes, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV,) and the concentrations of N- methylhistamine, LTE4, and creatinine in unine collected for 6 hours after exercise were determined. RESULT: Urinary concentrations of N-methylhistamine(mean+SE, ng/mg creatinine) of EIA patients before and after exercise were 159+40 and 450+75, respectively. Those of control subjects were 208+ 54 and 275+ 62, respectively. Uninary N-methylhistamine levels of EIA group increased significantly after exercise, while those of control group did not change. Urinary concentrations of LTE,(mean+SE, pg/mg creatinine) of EIA patients before and after exercise were 15.6 k2.6 and 22.2+5.8, respectively. Those of control subjects were 10.4+ 4.0, 18.2 +7.0, respectively. The concentrations of LTE4 in the urine samples collected before exerise revealed no difference between EIA and control subjects (p=0.07). There was no change after exercise in both groups. Percent fall of FEV, was 29.1+8.0% (mean+SD) in EIA group and 3.4 + 4.0% in control group, respectively. There was no correlation between reduction of FEV, and change in urinary concentrations of N-methyl-histmine after exercise. CONCLUSTION: Chemical mediators of activated mast cells may be involved in exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, but there is little evidence for enhanced sulfidopeptide leukotriene generation as assessed by urinary LTE4.
Asthma ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Creatinine ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Leukotriene E4 ; Leukotrienes ; Mast Cells ; Mouth ; Nasal Cavity ; Running

BACKGROUND: Bronchial hbyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key feature of asthma, and may precede the development of asthma. Genetically determined and acquired factors may contribute to development of BHR. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate expression of bronchial responsiveness to methacholine according to age, sex, smoking habit, and atopy in general population without bronchial asthma, a cross sectional study was performed. METHOD: A total of 1,190 general population who composed of 408 subjects with age less than 19 years (young age group), 621 subjects with age from 20 to 40 years (middle age group), and 161 subjects with age more than 41 years (old age group) were enrolled. Evaluations were made by a questionnaire, serum IgE level and skin prick test to common inhalant allergens, and methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT). Bronchial responsiveness were evaluated by positive rate of MBPT (PC,p-methacholine 4 25mg/ml), and slope of dose- response curve (slope, %fall of FEV, / log[last concentration of methacholine, mg/ml]). RESULT: Positive rate of MBPT was 11.0%, and slope (mean+SE) was 10.6+0.2 %/mg/ml. Postive rate of MBPT was more prevalent in the young age group than in middle and old age groups (19.6% vs. 6.6% vs. 6.2%, p<0.05), and slope was higher in young age group than in other groups (14.4+0.4 vs. 8.6+0.3 vs. 8.9+0.5 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). No significant differences in positive rate of MBPT and slope were noted according to sex in young and old age groups. However, in the middle age group, slope was higher in females than in males (9.5+0.4 vs. 7.9+ 0.3 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). No significant differences of slope was observed according to smoking habit in males of middle age group, but in males of old age group, the slope was higher in subjects with smoking habit than those without it (9.6+0.8 vs. 6.5+0.9 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). Significant relationship was observed between geometric value of serum IgE level and slope(r=0. 152, p=0.009). The postive rate of MBPT and slope were significantly higher in subjects with positive skin rea,ctivity to common inhalant allergens than those without it (14.3% vs. 8.6%, p ( 0.05; 11.8+0.4 vs. 9.8+0.3 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). The difference of bronchial responsiveness according to skin reactivity was observed in young and middle age groups, but not in old age group. CONCLUSION: Bronchial responsiveness to methacholine is significantly higher in children than in adults, in middle-aged females than in middle-aged males. Atopy and smoking may have a dif ferent role to determine the bronchial responsiveness depending upon age and sex.
Adult ; Allergens ; Asthma* ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Male ; Methacholine Chloride* ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: It is said that tuberculous pleuritis responds well to anti-tuberculous drug in general, so no further aggressive therapeutic management is unnecesarry except in case of diagnostic thoracentesis. But in clinical practice, we often see some patients who need later decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or thickening despite several months of anti-tuberculous drug therapy. Therefore, we want to know the clinical difference between a group who received decortication due to complication of tuberculous pleuritis despite of anti-tuberculous drug and a group who improved after 9 months of anti-tuberculous drug only. METHODS: We reviewed 20 tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 1) who underwent decortication due to dyspnea caused by pleural loculation or severe pleural thickening despite of anti-tuberculous drug therapy for 9 or more months, and 20 other tuberculous pleuritis patients(group 2) who improved by anti-tuberculous drug only and had similar degrees of initial pleural effusion and similar age,sex distribution. Then we compared between the two groups the duration of symptoms before anti-tuberculous drug treatment and pleural fluid biochemistry like glucose, LDH, protein and pleural fluid cell count and WBC differential count, and we also wanted to know whether there was any difference in preoperative PFT value and postoperative PFT value in the patients who underwent decortication, and obtained following results. RESULTS: 1) Group 1 patients had lower glucose level{63.3+/-30.8(mg/dl)} than that of the group 2{98.5+/-34.2(mg/dl), p<0.05}, and higher LDH level{776.3+/-266.0(IU/L)} than the group 2 patients{376.3 +/-123.1(IU/L), p<0.05), and also longer duration of symptom before treatment{2.0+/-1.7(month)} than the group 2{ 1.1 +/-1.2(month), p<0.05)}, respectively. 2) In group 1, FVC changed from preoperative 2.55+/-0.80(L) to postoperative 2.99+/-0.78(L)(p<0.05), and FEV1 changed from preoperative 2.19 +/- 0.70(L/sec) to postoperative 2.50+/-0.69(L/sec) (p<0.05). 3) There was no difference in pleural fluid protein level(5.05+/-1.01(gm/dL) and 5.15+/-0.77 (gm/dl), p>0.05) and WBC differential count between group 1 and group 2. CONCLUSION: It is probable that in tuberculous pleuritis there is a risk of complication in the case of showing relatively low pleural fluid glucose or high LDH level, or in the case of having long duraton of symptom before treatment. We thought prospective study should be performed to confirm this.
Biochemistry ; Cell Count ; Drug Therapy ; Dyspnea ; Glucose ; Humans ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pleurisy ; Prospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

Treatment with certain DNA-damaging agents induce a complex cellular response comprising pertubation of cell cycle progression and/or apoptosis on proliferating mammalian cells. Our studies were focused on the cellular effects of nickel (II) acetate, DNA-damaging agent, on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Fragmented DNAs were examined by agarose gel electrophoresis and cell cycle was determined by DNA flow cytometry using propidium iodide fluorescence. Apparent DNA laddering was observed in cells treated with 240 microM nickel (II) and increased with a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment of nickel (II) acetate resulted in apoptosis which was accompanied by G2/M cell accumulation. Proportion of CHO cells in G2/M phase was also significantly increased in cells exposed to at least 480 microM nickel (II) from 57.7% of cells in the G0/G1 phase, 34.7% in the S phase, and 7.6% in the G2/M1 phase for 0 microM nickel (II), to 58.6%, 14.5%, and 26.9% for 640 microM nickel (II). These findings suggest that nickel (II) can modulate cellular response through some common effectors involving in both apoptotic and cell cycle regulatory pathways.
Animal ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; CHO Cells/drug effects* ; CHO Cells/cytology ; Cell Cycle/drug effects* ; DNA Fragmentation/drug effects ; Flow Cytometry ; G2 Phase/drug effects ; Hamsters ; Mitosis/drug effects ; Nickel/pharmacology*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of p53 and Ki-67 expressions in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: Immunohistochemical expressions of p53 and Ki-67 in 205 patients with colorectal cancer were examined. Results were correlated with clinical and pathological parameters. RESULTS: Overexpression of p53 was significantly associated with a proximal location of the tumor (P=0.031) and with lymph node involvement (P=0.030); however, Ki-67 expression was not correlated with any of the clinicopathological variables. Positive p53 staining was significantly associated with a higher level of Ki-67 (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of p53 was strongly correlated with lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer; thus, p53 may be used as a possible prognostic marker in patients with colorectal cancer.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis