BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has been reported that various inflammatory and immune reactions are involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. We tried to investigate whether the TNF receptor superfamilies are involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirteen carotid atheroma specimens(frozen sections : 10 cases, paraffin section : 5 cases) were obtained from the patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy at Samsung Medical Center and one normal aortic tissue was obtained from a transplantation donor in brain death. In the carotid endarterectomy specimens and a normal aortic tissue , the expressions of R110(TR1), 139(TR2) and DR3(TR3), members of the TNF receptor superfamilies were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies. Simultaneously, we evaluated the expressions of foam cells, smooth muscle cells, T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis identified a strong expressions of foam cells and smooth muscle cells in all atheroma. But, the expression of T-lymphocytes was minimal and that of B-lymphocytes was rare. The expression of DR3(TR3) was seen in all atheroma as strongly positive. The expression of 139(TR2) was observed well in frozen sections, but not in paraffin sections. Whereas, that of R110(TR1) was observed in paraffin sections as weakly positive, but not in frozen section. The areas where the TNF receptor superfamilies were expressed correlated to the area of foam cell presence. The expression of DR3 also correlated with expression of smooth muscle cells. In normal aortic tissue, the expression of inflammatory cells or TNF receptor superfamilies was not observed except smooth muscle cells which were observed in normal artery. CONCLUSION: Foam cells and smooth muscle cells were abundantly present in atheroma. The TNF receptor superfamilies are expressed in the atheroma and the region of expression was coincident with the presence of foam cells.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; B-Lymphocytes ; Brain Death ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Foam Cells ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Paraffin ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic* ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tissue Donors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

OBJECTIVE: Activated endothelial cells mediate the cascade of reactions in response to hypoxia for adaptation to the stress. It has been suggested that hypoxia, by itself, without reperfusion, can activate the endothelial cells and initiate complex responses. In this study, we investigated whether hypoxia-induced endothelial products alter the endothelial permeability and have a direct cytotoxic effect on nerve cells. METHODS: Hypoxic condition of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC) was induced by CoCl2 treatment in culture medium. Cell growth was evaluated by 3,4,5-dimethyl thiazole-3,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Hypoxia-induced products (IL-1beta, TGF-beta1, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and VEGF) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Endothelial permeability was evaluated by Western blotting. RESULTS: Prolonged hypoxia caused endothelial cells to secrete IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and VEGF. However, the levels of IL-1, IL-10, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, IFN-gamma and nitric oxide remained unchanged over 48 h hypoxia. Hypoxic exposure to endothelial cells induced the time-dependent down regulation of the expression of cadherin and catenin protein. The conditioned medium taken from hypoxic HUVECs had the cytotoxic effect selectively on neuroblastoma cells, but not on astroglioma cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the possibility that endothelial cell derived cytokines or other secreted products with the increased endothelial permeability might directly contribute to nerve cell injury followed by hypoxia.
Anoxia ; Astrocytoma ; Blotting, Western ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Cytokines ; Down-Regulation ; Endothelial Cells* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurons* ; Nitric Oxide ; Permeability ; Reperfusion ; Stroke* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Umbilical Veins ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role of aquaporin-4(AQP4) in cerebral edema formation, we studied the expression and subcellular localization of AQP4 in astrocytes after focal cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Cerebral ischemia were induced by permanent middle cerebral artery(MCA) occlusion in rats and estimated by the discoloration after triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) immersion. Change of AQP4 expression were evaluated using western blot. Localization of AQP4 was assessed by confocal microscopy and its interaction with alpha-syntrophin was analyzed by immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: After right MCA occlusion, the size of infarct and number of apoptotic cells increased with time. The ratio of GluR1/GluR2 expression also increased during ischemia. The polarized localization of AQP4 in the endfeet of astrocytes contacting with ventricles, vessels and pia mater was changed into the diffuse distribution in cytoplasm. The interactions of AQP4 and Kir with alpha-syntrophin, an adaptor of dystrophin complex, were disrupted by cerebral ischemia. CONCLUSION: The deranged spatial buffering function of astrocytes due to mislocalized AQP4/Kir4.1 channel as well as increased assembly of Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors might contribute to the development of edema formation and the excitotoxic neuronal cell death during ischemia.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Aquaporin 4 ; Astrocytes ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Edema* ; Brain Ischemia* ; Cell Death ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cytoplasm ; Dystrophin ; Edema ; Immersion ; Immunoprecipitation ; Ischemia ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Neurons ; Pia Mater ; Rats* ; Receptors, AMPA ; Receptors, KIR

Membranous nephropathy is one of the most common causes of the nephrotic syndrome in adults. Membranous nephropathy is known as a disease associated with many other disorders and the presumed etiology of the disease is a deposition of circulating immune complexes. But, it has rarely been reported in association with autoimmune thyroiditis. We report a case of membranous nephropathy associated with Graves' disease and review the literature regarding this disease entity.
Adult ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous* ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Immune Complex Diseases ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune

A 63-year old man, who was a stone mason, was hospitalized due to dyspnea and generalized edema. Chest X-ray showed the presence of multiple scattered small nodular opacities in both lobes and egg-shell calcification in both hilum. Laboratory finding showed proteinuria and hematuria and antinuclear antibody was positive. Renal biopsy revealed membranous nephropathy and tubular atrophy. He was treated with cyclophosphamide, but proteinuria has been sustained. In literature reviewed, silicosis was associated with various forms of glomerulonephritis, but in Korea, such case has not been reported except the one case of microscopic polyangitis with membranous glomerulonephropathy associated with pulmonary silicosis. We experienced membranous nephropathy in a patient with pulmonary silicosis, thus we report it.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Silicosis* ; Thorax

A 63-year old man, who was a stone mason, was hospitalized due to dyspnea and generalized edema. Chest X-ray showed the presence of multiple scattered small nodular opacities in both lobes and egg-shell calcification in both hilum. Laboratory finding showed proteinuria and hematuria and antinuclear antibody was positive. Renal biopsy revealed membranous nephropathy and tubular atrophy. He was treated with cyclophosphamide, but proteinuria has been sustained. In literature reviewed, silicosis was associated with various forms of glomerulonephritis, but in Korea, such case has not been reported except the one case of microscopic polyangitis with membranous glomerulonephropathy associated with pulmonary silicosis. We experienced membranous nephropathy in a patient with pulmonary silicosis, thus we report it.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Silicosis* ; Thorax

Enterococcus is a normal flora of the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract. With the increased use of vancomycin and third generation cephalosporins, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in USA and Europe since 1986. In Korea, patients with VRE infection or colonization were increasingly reported recently and VRE may become a serious nosocomial pathogen in the near future. So we report a case of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium peritonitis in a patient on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
Cephalosporins ; Colon ; Enterococcus ; Europe ; Humans ; Korea ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Vancomycin

Fungal peritonitis is one of the leading causes of patient dropout from continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy. Although the most causative agents of peritonitis associated with CAPD are bacteria, fungi are implicated in up to 10% of cases. The most common organism of fungal peritonitis is Candida specises, but Trichosporon beigelii was reported as a rare causative agent of fungal peritonitis. We experienced a case of CAPD peritonitis by Trichosporon beigelii, which was treated with CAPD catheter removal, and antifungal agents with amphotericin B and fluconazole. Thus, we report our experience of CAPD peritonitis caused by Trichosporon beigelii and review of the literature.
Amphotericin B ; Antifungal Agents ; Bacteria ; Candida ; Catheters ; Fluconazole ; Fungi ; Humans ; Patient Dropouts ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Trichosporon*

OBJECTIVES: To provide reference data for the study and treatment of thoracic scoliosis.SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There have been no reports on the prevalence of thoracic scoliosis in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2011 to October 2012, radiographs of patients under 80 years of age who underwent routine chest radiographs were retrospectively reviewed. Based on their age when the chest radiographs were obtained, the patients were divided into 8 groups. The prevalence and angle of the curve of thoracic scoliosis were investigated in each age group, and the prevalence of thoracic scoliosis according to sex, the direction of the curve, number of vertebrae in the major curve, the location and rotation of the apical vertebrae, and osteophyte location were examined. RESULTS: The prevalence of thoracic scoliosis was 2.4% (621 patients), and female patients (3.0%, 375 of 12471) showed a higher prevalence than male patients (1.8%, 246 of 13654) (p<0.001). Right curvature was present in 445 patients and left curvature in 176 patients. In each age group, the prevalence and degree of thoracic scoliosis were 1.1% (14.2°±3.2°), 2.3% (17.4°±7.7°), 2.5% (17.0°±8.9°), 1.9% (15.8°±5.9°), 1.3% (15.5°±6.6°), 2.1% (18.0°±13.6°), 2.9% (14.3°±3.6°), and 6.1% (16.2°±4.8°), respectively. The mean curvature in all scoliosis patients was 16.0°±7.0°. The angle of the curve was significantly different by sex (15.4°±7.1° for males, 16.8°±7.6° for females). The average curve angle of patients with thoracic scoliosis was 16.0°±7.0°, among whom it was 10°–20° in 533 patients, 20°–30° in 64, 30°–40° in 11, and over 40° in 13. CONCLUSIONS This study could be used as a reference point for the study and treatment of thoracic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To provide reference data for the study and treatment of thoracic scoliosis. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There have been no reports on the prevalence of thoracic scoliosis in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2011 to October 2012, radiographs of patients under 80 years of age who underwent routine chest radiographs were retrospectively reviewed. Based on their age when the chest radiographs were obtained, the patients were divided into 8 groups. The prevalence and angle of the curve of thoracic scoliosis were investigated in each age group, and the prevalence of thoracic scoliosis according to sex, the direction of the curve, number of vertebrae in the major curve, the location and rotation of the apical vertebrae, and osteophyte location were examined. RESULTS: The prevalence of thoracic scoliosis was 2.4% (621 patients), and female patients (3.0%, 375 of 12471) showed a higher prevalence than male patients (1.8%, 246 of 13654) (p<0.001). Right curvature was present in 445 patients and left curvature in 176 patients. In each age group, the prevalence and degree of thoracic scoliosis were 1.1% (14.2°±3.2°), 2.3% (17.4°±7.7°), 2.5% (17.0°±8.9°), 1.9% (15.8°±5.9°), 1.3% (15.5°±6.6°), 2.1% (18.0°±13.6°), 2.9% (14.3°±3.6°), and 6.1% (16.2°±4.8°), respectively. The mean curvature in all scoliosis patients was 16.0°±7.0°. The angle of the curve was significantly different by sex (15.4°±7.1° for males, 16.8°±7.6° for females). The average curve angle of patients with thoracic scoliosis was 16.0°±7.0°, among whom it was 10°–20° in 533 patients, 20°–30° in 64, 30°–40° in 11, and over 40° in 13. CONCLUSIONS: This study could be used as a reference point for the study and treatment of thoracic scoliosis.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Osteophyte ; Prevalence ; Radiography ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis ; Spine ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Thorax