The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is a protein module of approximately 100 amino acids, that has been found in signaling molecules, including serinelthreonine kinase, GTPase-activating protein, phospholipase, and some cytoskeletal proteins. Although the specific function of PH domain has not been defined yet, it is believed that this domain is involved in the regulation of signal transduction pathway. The expression plasmids of human PLCg PH domains were constructed to see the roles of them in IL-6 signal transduction. When these expression plasmids are transfected into B9 cells, only N-terminal of PH domain inhibited IL-6-induced B9 cell proliferation. These results suggest that N-terminal of PH domain is critical for IL-6 signal transduction in B9 cells. To search the binding proteins associated PH domains of PLCy1 in B9 cells, Glutathione S-trnaferase (GST) fusion proteins containg PH domains were expressed in E. coli. Then, IL-6-dependent B9 cells were treated with 10 unit/ml IL-6 and the cell lysates were immunoprecipited with GST-PH doman fusion proteins. In vitro kinase assay of immune complex demonstrated that p38 (38 KDa) protein was coprecipitated with NC fusion protein, but IL-6 had no additional effect on it. When S-methaionine labelled cell lysates were used for immunoprecipitation, the same result was observed, conforming the association of p38 with NC motive of PH domain.
Amino Acids ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Proliferation ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; Glutathione ; GTPase-Activating Proteins ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunoprecipitation ; Interleukin-6 ; Phospholipases ; Phosphotransferases ; Plasmids ; Signal Transduction

No abstract available.
DNA* ; Nucleolus Organizer Region*

Uterine anomalies have been reported in 4% of women with infertility and in up to 15% of those with recurrent abortion. One of the major intrauterine disorder associated with infertility and recurrent abortions is intrauterine septum, The reproductive outcome of 41 patients of intrauterine septum (7 complete, 34 incomplete) with repeated abortions or infertility was assessed after the uterine septotomy. 5 of 7 patients with comlete uterine septum undergone uterine septotomy (3; hysteroscopic metroplasty, 2; abdominal metroplasty) had total 6 pregnancies and all of them had live biths. 28 patients with incomplete uterine septum got the hysteroscopic intrauterine septotomy and the viable pregnancy rate was 62% (3 ongoing pregnancies, 13 live biths of total 26 pregnancies). 6 patients with incomplete uterine septum had not the operation and 5 patients had 5 live births after total 6 pregnancies with 1 spontaneus abortion. Even though, the number of cases were small, the live birth rate in the group of septotomy of the patients of complete uterine septum (100%, 6/6) was higher than that in the group of not-done (50%, 1/2). The live birth rate in the group of not-done of the patients with incomplete uterine septum (83%, 5/6) was higher than that in the group of hysteroscopic uterine septotomy (62%, 16/26), but 5 of 6 had short uterine septal length (<1 cm), 1 had 1.5 cm septal length in the group of not-done. All the patients with successful pregnancy outcome had no other co-factors at the diagnostic laparoscopy, but the 5 primary infertility patients with no live birth even after treatment (all were with incomplete septum; 3 undergone hysteroscopic septotomy, 2 not-done with one abortion) had other co-factors such as endometriosis, peritoneal or tubal facor. In conclusion, hysteroscopic uterine septotomy would be useful for the patients with habitutal abortion or infertility and more advanced managemnet protocols should be applied to the patients having other co-factors if there was no pregnancy even after the uterine septotomy.
Abortion, Habitual* ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy* ; Infertility* ; Laparoscopy ; Live Birth ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate

OBJECTIVE: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is one of the well known complication of conttolled ovarian hyperstimulation. Though there have been numerous protocols for the prevention of OHSS, it has not been completely preventable until now. This study was performed to identify clinical predictors for early and late OHSS. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all IVF cycles in 1993 up to June 1996 was performed. OHSS was diagnosed using the criteria of Rabau modified by Schenker. All cases of OHSS reported in this study presented with marked ovarian enlargement, ascites, oliguria, hemoconcentration and electrolyte disturbance. Ovarian stimulation was carried out using a combination of gonadotrophin releasing hormone-agonist, follicle-stimulation hormone and human menopausal gonadotrophin. 27 patients has moderate or severe OHSS presenting 3-7 days post-human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and 21 patients had severe OHSS presenting 12-17 days post-hCG. RESULTS: No patient with early OHSS went onto develop late OHSS, and no patient with late OHSS had demonstrated early OHSS. Logistic regression showed that early OHSS was predicted by the number of oocytes retrieved and the estradiol concentration on the day hCG injection (P<0.05). Late OHSS was predicted by the transferred embryos, B-hCG on 14 day after hCG injection (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Early OHSS was an acute effect of the hCG administered prior to egg retrieval in women with high estradiol and large number of retrieved oocytes. Our analysis of the risk factors for early OHSS indicates that cryopreservation of all embryos will not alter the risk of early OHSS even though it should prevent late OHSS. Late OHSS was induced by the rising serum concentration of hCG produced by the early pregnancy, the number of transferred embryos must be adjusted carefully, since it was associated with multiple gestation.
Ascites ; Chorion ; Cryopreservation ; Embryonic Structures ; Estradiol ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Oliguria ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Ovulation Induction ; Ovum ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*

No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Humans

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we examined the effect of morphine on NO- and peroxynitrite-induced cell death using a human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line which abundantly expresses micro, delta and K-opioid receptors. METHODS: The cultured cells were pretreated with morphine (100 micrometer) and exposed to 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1, 1mM). Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA was done with the extracts from SH-SY5Y cells. The cells were treated with selective ligands for opioid receptor subtypes and with PI3-kinase inhibitors. Cell damage was assessed by using an MTT assay. Spectrophotometric absorption spectra were measured from the mixture of morphine (100 micrometer) plus peroxynitrite (1 mM) at room temperature. RESULTS: SIN-1 treated cells showed the occurrence of a specific form of chromosomal DNA fragmentation which pretreatment with morphine inhibited. The selective ligands for opioid receptor subtypes, [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO, micro-opioid receptor agonist), [D-Pen2,5] enkephalin (DPDPE, delta-opioid receptor agonist) and U-69593 (K-opioid receptor agonist) at a concentration of 10 micrometer did not prevent the cell death induced by SIN-1. Naloxone (20 micrometer) hardly antagonized the effect of morphine in SIN-1-induced cell death. The PI3-kinase inhibitors Wortmannin and LY294002 did not inhibit the action of morphine on apoptotic cell death. In the measurements of spectrophotometric absorption spectra, the peak of the absorbance of the mixture of morphine plus peroxynitrite at 295 300 nm disappeared three minutes after mixing. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that morphine protected the human neuroblastoma cell line,SH-SY5Y, from peroxynitrite-induced apoptotic cell death. However, it is suggested that the protective action of morphine is not via the activation of opioid receptors and/or the PI3-kinase pathway but possibly via direct chemical reaction.
Absorption ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Enkephalins ; Humans* ; Ligands ; Morphine* ; Naloxone ; Neuroblastoma* ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Receptors, Opioid

No abstract available.
Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphoscintigraphy* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to review the clinical and hematologic findings of the preterm infants delivered from pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH) mothers. METHODS: The data were collected by reviewing the medical records on the current prognosis of preterm birth and sending questionnaires on the status of NICU. We reviewed the medical records from two university hospitals and two resident training hospitals in Gwangju-Chonnam to evaluate the neonatal prognosis of preterm birth from Jan. 1, 1995 to Dec. 31, 1997. RESULTS: The average survival rate of total preterm babies was 79.6%. According to birth weights, survival rate from less than 1,000 gm was 10%, 1,000-1,499 gm was 55.3%, 1,500-1,999 gm was 82.2%. Maternal risk factors were pretmature rupture of membrane(42.2%), preterm labor (21.3%), PIH(10.7%), multiple pregnancy(8.2%) and incompetent internal os of cervix(4.2%). The average gestational age and birth weight were 34.2+/-2.3 weeks and 1,940+/-620 gm in the preterm infants born to mothers with PIH. The death rate was 12.9% in the preterm infants born to mothers with PIH. There were no significant differences in the incidence of RDS, use of assisted ventilation and surfactant, and frequency of the blood transfusion between the preterm infants born to normotensive mothers and those to mothers with PIH. There were significant differences in the total WBC count, platelet count and the concentration of the Mg, Ca and P between the preterm infants born to normotensive mothers and those to mothers with PIH. CONCLUSION: Our results may be helpful to predict the perinatal complications and manage the preterm infants by considering the clinical and hematologic findings of preterm infants born to mothers with PIH.
Birth Weight ; Blood Transfusion ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced* ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Mothers* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Platelet Count ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Survival Rate ; Ventilation

Protein Kinase C (PKC) relays information in the form of a various extracellar signals across the membrane and is known to play an important role in the production of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes, in the antigen-presentation of Langerhans cell, and in inflammatory reactions. The presentation of allergens to T lymphocytes is likely an important aspect in the pathophysiological mechanism of allergic rhinitis. Although several theories have been formulated in allergic rhinitis, signal transduction of this disease remains unknown. In this study, we focused on the role of the enzyme PKC in the allergic mucosa of the nose. Specifically, we investigated the role and the distribution of PKC isozymes in the mucous membrane of the nose. We obtained nasal mucous membrane specimens from 10 patients with house dust mite allergy and 10 patients with normal nasal mucous membrane. We performed an immunohistochemical study, an RT-PCR, and a densitometric measurement. PKCalpha, PKCbeta, and PKCzeta proteins were detected in the subepithelial layer of the allergic mucosa. However there were no detectable reactions in the nonallergic mucosa. In the RT-PCR for PKCalpha, PKCbeta and PKCzeta, there was no difference between the allergic and nonallergic nasal mucous membrane in terms of m-RNA expression. It is possible that the signal transduction pathway of PKC and over-expression of PKC protein at the post-transcription level contribute to the development of allergic inflammation in allergic nasal mucosa.
Allergens ; B-Lymphocytes ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Isoenzymes ; Membranes ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Mucosa* ; Nose ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinases* ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis ; Signal Transduction ; T-Lymphocytes