BACKGROUND: Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors are family of molecules that regulate the cell cycle. The CDKN2, a CDK4 inhibitor, also called p16, has been implicated in human tumorigenesis. The CDKN2 inhibits the cyclin/CDK complexes which regulate the transition from G1 to S phase of cell cycle. There is a previous report that homozygous deletion of CDKN2 region on chromosome 9p21 was detected frequently in astrocytoma, glioma and osteosarcoma, less frequently in lung cancer, leukemia and ovarian cancer, but not detected in colon cancer and neuroblastoma. However, little is known about the relationship between CDKN2 and laryngeal cancer. Therefore this study was initiated to investigate the role of CDKN2 in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 5 human laryngeal carcinoma cell lines whether they have deletions or losses of CDKN2 gene expression by DNA-PCR or RT-PCR, respectively. We examined 8 fresh frozen human laryngeal cancer tissues to detect the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of CDKN2. PCR was performed by using microsatellite markers of short arm of human chromosome 9 (D9S126, D9S144, D9S156, D9S161, D9S162, D9S166, D9S171, D9S200 and D9SIFNA). For informative cases, allelic loss was scored if the signal of one allele was significantly decreased in tumor DNA when compared to the same allele in normal DNA. RESULTS: The CDKN2 DNA deletion was observed in 3 cell lines. The CDKN2 mRNA expression was observed in only one cell line, which was very weak. LOH was detected in 7 cases (87.5%). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that CDKN2 plays a role in the carcinogenesis of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Alleles ; Arm ; Astrocytoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line* ; Chromosomes, Human ; Colonic Neoplasms ; DNA ; Genes, p16* ; Glioma ; Head* ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Leukemia ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Lung Neoplasms ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Neck* ; Neuroblastoma ; Osteosarcoma ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; S Phase

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency of underlying diseases associated with respiratory distress in full-term infants, as well as its relation to the mode of delivery and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 4,264 infants who had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Chonnam University Hospital (CUH) over 5 years from January 2000 to December 2004. Full-term infants with respiratory distress such as transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), congenital pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) and pneumothorax were included. We analysed the incidence of underlying disease, its relation to the mode of delivery, rate of mechanical ventilator therapy, prevalence of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), mortality and the length of hospitalization of surviving patients. RESULTS: Of the 4,264 patients who admitted to the NICU of CUH over the last five years, preterm infants made up 2,278 (53.4%) and full-term infants made up 1,982 (46.5%). The number of full-term patients who admitted due to respiratory distress associated with respiratory system problems excluding a congenital anomaly was 246 (12.4%). The most common underlying disease was TTN (n=161, 65.4%), and the next was RDS (n=39, 15.9 %), congenital pneumonia (n=11, 4.5%), MAS (n=7.9, 8.5%), and pneumothorax (n=14, 5.7 %). RDS was more statistically common in full-term infants born by Caesarian section (P<0.05). But there was no difference according to the mode of delivery statistically in other respiratory tract diseases. The rate of mechanical ventilator therapy was significantly higher in RDS and MAS, and the prevalence of HIE was higher in MAS (P<0.05). Mortalities of RDS and MAS were 7.7% and 9.5% each. There was no significant difference in the length of hospitalization of surviving patients. CONCLUSION: TTN was the most common respiratory tract disease in the full-term infant, and RDS was more common in the infant who was born by Cesarean section. The rates of mechanical ventilator therapy and mortality were significantly higher in the infants with RDS and MAS, and HIE was exclusively manifested by infants with MAS.
Cesarean Section ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Jeollanam-do ; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Diseases* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Perforations of the upper gastrointestinal tract are uncommon complications after performing an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Perforations after an EGD procedure are likely to occur in the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus, where endoscope passage is anatomically difficult. Life-threatening complications including mediastinitis, a mediastinal abscess, pericarditis and sepsis can develop in most cases of a perforation. However, without such fatal complications, an abscess that is localized at the neck is extremely rare following an esophageal perforation. We experienced a case of a localized abscess in the neck after EGD and successfully treated the abscess without surgical management. We emphasize the importance of early detection for neck space infections caused by EGD-induced injuries.
Abscess ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Esophageal Perforation ; Esophagus ; Hypopharynx ; Mediastinitis ; Neck ; Pericarditis ; Sepsis ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Histiocytosis is a relatively rare disorder of the reticuloendothelial system involving the proliferation of histicoytes, granulation tissue, and inflammatory cells in many different organ systems1). Thus, the three manifestations of the same basic pathologic process:Eosinophilic granuloma, Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, and Letterer-Siwe disease have been classified as localized, chronic disseminated and acute disseminated histiocytosis-X. They were therefore included under the term histiocytosis-X and this concept has been generally accepted. The authors have experienced one case of histiocytosis-X, a rare disease. A 11 month-old femal patient presented with gradually enlarged palpable mass on the occipital area. The occipital skull was defected in a punched out fashion. The mass was completely removed. The pathologic findings revealed Histiocytosis-X and the patient was given chemotherapy.
Drug Therapy ; Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Granulation Tissue ; Granuloma ; Histiocytosis ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Infant ; Mononuclear Phagocyte System ; Rare Diseases ; Scalp* ; Skull

Bowen's disease was originally described by Bowen in 1912 and is believed to be a squamous cell carcinoma in situ. It develops on any part of the skin surfaces or mucous membranes. But the lesions on the vulvar region are relatively rare. The gross appearance of vulvar lesion, which shows erosion, ulceration or pigmentation, is different from that of typical Bowen's disease. We, herein, report a case of Bowen's disease arising on a vulvar region with a review of the literature.
Bowen's Disease* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Mucous Membrane ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Ulcer ; Vulva*

Nasal glioma is a rare, benign, congenital tumor, which is ectopic sequested brain tissue that has lost its intracranial connection. It is thought to be the result of an abnormality in embryonic development. A 2-month-old female patient presented with firm, noncompressible, pinkish, 0.6 cm-diameter, protruding mass on the glabella from birth. No intracranial connection was found by MRI. Histopathological finding showed an unencapsulated pale-staining fibrillary glial tissue, which contains astrocytes and some neurons. Immunohistochemically, the glial tissue and astrocytes were positive for GFAP(glial fibrillary acidic protein), and neurons were positive for NSE(neuron-specific enolase).
Astrocytes ; Brain ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurons ; Parturition ; Pregnancy

Osteomas are benign osteoblastic tumors that occur mainly in the fronto-ethmoid areas ofthe head and neck region. When they occasionally occur in the temporal bone, the external auditory canal is the most common site of origin; they rarely occur in the mastoid region. Moreover, mastoid osteoma with mastoiditis is an extremely rare entity in the temporal bone. Recently, the authors experienced a case of mastoid osteoma with mastoiditis in the left temporal bone. The mastoid osteoma was completely resected itself without a mastoidectomy, only for correction of the cosmetic deformity; the mastoiditis was not treated. Hence, the authors report the first case of a mastoid osteoma with mastoiditis in Korea, along with a review of the related literature.
Cosmetics ; Ear Canal ; Head ; Korea ; Mastoid ; Mastoiditis ; Neck ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoma ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVES: Doxycycline is commonly used in medicine for its bacteriostatic antimicrobial properties. Recent studies have reported that doxycycline also has anti-inflammatory effects. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 has been found to be involved in the physiological and pathological process of inflammatory airway disease. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, is known to stimulate the expression of MMP and mucin genes in the airway and intestinal epithelial cells. Therefore, the effects and signal pathways of doxycycline on PMA-induced MUC5B expression dependent MMP-9 in human airway epithelial cells were investigated. METHODS: In human NCI-H292 airway epithelial cells, MUC5B and MMP-9 mRNA expression, MUC5B protein expression, and MMP-9 protein activity after the treatment with PMA, MMP-9 or doxycycline were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, enzyme immunoassay, gelatin zymography, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: PMA increased MMP-9 and MUC5B expression. MMP-9 increased MUC5B expression. Doxycycline inhibited PMA-induced MUC5B expression, and PMA-induced MMP-9 mRNA expression and protein activity. Doxycycline inhibited phosphorylation of p38 induced by PMA and MMP-9. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that doxycycline inhibited PMA-induced MUC5B mRNA expression and protein production through the MMP-9 and p38 pathways in human NCI-H292 airway epithelial cells.
Blotting, Western ; Doxycycline ; Epithelial Cells ; Gelatin ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Inflammation ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Mucins ; Phorbols ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Kinase C ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; Thiram

OBJECTIVES: Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) is widely used as a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, PKC is involved in the secretion of mucins. MUC16, one of the membrane-bound mucins, is produced in human airway epithelial cells. However, the effect and signaling pathway of PMA on MUC16 expression in human airway epithelial cells has not been reported. Therefore, the effect and brief signaling pathway of PMA on MUC16 expression were investigated in human airway epithelial cells in this study. METHODS: In the mucin-producing human NCI-H292 airway epithelial cells and the primary cultures of normal nasal epithelial cells, the effect and signaling pathway of PMA on MUC16 expression were investigated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR, enzyme immunoassay, and immunoblot analysis with several specific inhibitors and small interfering RNA (siRNA) for p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). RESULTS: PMA increased MUC16 expression, and activated phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. However, it did not activate phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) inhibited PMA-induced MUC16 expression, while U0126 (ERK1/2 inhibitor) did not. In addition, the knockdown of p38 MAPK by p38 MAPK siRNA significantly blocked PMA-induced MUC16 mRNA expression. Rottlerin (PKCdelta inhibitor) inhibited PMA-induced MUC16 expression, and also inhibited the phosphorylation of activated p38 MAPK by PMA. CONCLUSION: These results show for the first time that PMA-induced MUC16 expression is regulated by activation of the PKCdelta and p38 MAPK signaling pathway in human airway epithelial cells.
Acetophenones ; Benzopyrans ; Butadienes ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Mucins ; Nitriles ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Phorbols ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinase C ; Protein Kinases ; Pyridines ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering

OBJECTIVES: Delphinidin is one of the anthocyanidins. It is believed to have anti-inflammatory property including antioxidant, antiangiogenic, and anti-cancer properties. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of delphinidin in mucin-producing human airway epithelial cells has not been determined. Therefore, this study was conducted in order to investigate the effect and the brief signaling pathway of delphinidin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MUC8 and MUC5B expression in human airway epithelial cells. METHODS: In mucin-producing human NCI-H292 airway epithelial cells and primary cultures of normal nasal epithelial cells, the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR, enzyme immunoassay were used for investigating the expressions of MUC8, MUC5, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), after LPS treatment and delphinidin treatment. And the signaling pathway of delphinidin on LPS-induced MUC8 and MUC5B expression was investigated using the RT-PCR, and immunoblot analysis. To confirm the involvement of TLR4 in LPS-induced MUC8 and MU5B expression, the cells were transfected with TLR4 siRNA. RESULTS: In NCI-H292 airway epithelial cells, LPS (100 ng/mL) significantly induced TLR4, MUC8, and MUC5B expression. TLR4 siRNA significantly blocked LPS-induced MUC8 and MUC5B mRNA expression. LPS (100 ng/mL) significantly activated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal related kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Delphinidin (50 and 100 microM) inhibited LPS-induced TLR4, MUC8, and MUC5B expression and LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK. In the primary cultures of normal nasal epithelial cells, delphinidin (50 and 100 microM) significantly inhibited LPS-induced TLR4, MUC8, and MUC5B gene expression. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that delphinidin attenuates LPS-induced MUC8 and MUC5B expression through the TLR4-mediated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathway in human airway epithelial cells. These findings indicated that delphinidin may be a therapeutic agent for control of inflammatory airway diseases.
Anthocyanins ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Lipopolysaccharides ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases* ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Toll-Like Receptors*