Compared to other organs, the brain has limited antioxidant defenses. In particular, the hippocampus is the central region for learning and memory and is highly susceptible to oxidative stress. Glial cells are the most abundant cells in the brain, and sustained glial cell activation is critical to the neuroinflammation that aggravates neuropathology and neurotoxicity. Therefore, regulating glial cell activation is a promising neurotherapeutic treatment. Quinic acid (QA) and its derivatives possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although previous studies have evidenced QA’s benefit on the brain, in vivo and in vitro analyses of its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in glial cells have yet to be established. This study investigated QA’s rescue effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced behavior impairment. Orally administering QA restored social impairment and LPS-induced spatial and fear memory. In addition, QA inhibited proinflammatory mediator, oxidative stress marker, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in the LPS-injected hippocampus. QA inhibited nitrite release and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. Collectively, QA restored impaired neuroinflammation-induced behavior by regulating proinflammatory mediator and ERK activation in astrocytes, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic agent for neuroinflammation-induced brain disease treatments.

The 8 kDa antigenic protein of Clonorchis sinensis was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and subsequently by a column chromatographic steps. The purified protein was separated into 7 and 8 kDa protein bands through SDS-tricine gel electrophoresis, while the protein was found to migrate to a 8 kDa band in 7.5-15% SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of the antigen was estimated to be 110 kDa by Superose 6 HR 10/30 gel filtration. The purified antigen strongly reacted with the human sera of clonorchiasis. The hyperimmune sera of BALB/c mice immunized against the 8 kDa protein were reacted with both the crude extract and the excretory-secretory product of adult worms, but not with the metacercarial extract. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the protein was distributed to the tegument and subtegumental cells and also to the seminal receptacle. The present findings suggest that the 8 kDa protein is a partition of the multicomplex protein originating from various organs of adult C. sinensis, and that it is composed of several 7 and 8 kDa proteins.
Animals ; Antigens, Helminth/immunology/*isolation & purification/metabolism ; Clonorchiasis/immunology ; Clonorchis sinensis/anatomy & histology/*immunology/metabolism ; Helminth Proteins/immunology/*isolation & purification/metabolism ; Human ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Weight ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Differentiation of invasive strains of Entamoeba histolytica according to their pathogenicity has been a topic of long debate, but now the pathogenic species only is regarded as E. histolytica while the non-pathogenic species is E. dispar. The present study applied immunoblot to differentiate infections of the two species among microscopically-detected cyst-passers in Korea. The crude extract of E. histolytica separated in 5-20% gradient gels, revealed many fractions of 94, 81, 71, 50, 44, 38.5, 37.5, 29, 19, and 18 kDa when the cysteine proteinase inhibitor, E64, was supplemented. The serum IgG antibody of proven E. histolytica cases reacted with the antigenic fractions of 117, 110, 99, 68, 66, 60, 54, 52, 46, and 45 kDa. Sera of PCR confirmed 3 cases of E. dispar reacted only to the 117 kDa fraction of the E. histolytica crude extract which was regarded as non-specific. To the antigen of monoxenic E. dispar, sera of E. dispar and E. histolytica cases showed the same immunoblot reactions. The serum IgA antibody reacted with several antigenic fractions of both E. histolytica and E. dispar, but IgM and IgE antibodies showed no reaction to either antigen. Sera of 24 symptomless amebic cyst-passers were screened with the E. histolytica antigen; two were found to be infected by E. histolytica and 22 were by E. dispar. The present findings suggest that in Korea most asymptomatic cyst passers of E. histolytica are carriers of E. dispar. Immunoblot using E. histolytica antigen is a good technique for the differentiation of E. histolytica and E. dispar infections.
parasitology-protozoa ; Entamoeba histolytica ; Entamoeba dispar ; immunoblot ; pathogenecity

We have experienced three cases of mucinous ductal ectasia of the pancreas. They showed the characteristic duodenoscopic findings and underlying pathology was hyperplasia in two cases and adenocarcinoma in one case. When endoscopic retrograde pancreatography was performed, bulging ampulla of Vater, patulous ampullary orifice and mucus leakage from papillary orifice were noted. Also cyst-like dilatation of main duct or side branch of the uncinate process were observed.
Adenocarcinoma ; Ampulla of Vater ; Dilatation ; Dilatation, Pathologic* ; Hyperplasia ; Mucins* ; Mucus ; Pancreas* ; Pathology

No abstract available.
Humans ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis*

It hae been well established that, specifi alterations in members of the ras gene family, H-ras, K-ras and N-ras, can convert them into active oncogenes. These alterations are either point mutations occurirg in either codon 12, 13 or 61, or alternatively, a 5- to 50-fold amplification of the wfld-type gene. Activated ras oncogenes have been found in a significant proportion of all turnors, but the incidence varies considerably with the tumor type : it is frequent (20~40%) in colarectal eancer and acute myeloid leukemia, but absent or preaent rarely in breast and atomach cancer. But the role of c-K-ras point mutatio in the development of cancers in the female genital tract has not been extensively studied. Polymerase chain reaction followed by gel electrophoresis was performed respectively using wild-type normal and specific point mutation primers{GGT->GAT, GGT->AGT, GGT->TGT and GGT->GTT) to detect, point, mutation of codon 12 of c-K-ras oncogene. The c-K-ras oncogene point mutation was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization using synthetic oligonucleatide probe. 3'-end Iabelled with digoxigenin -dUTP. With this method, the frequency of point mutation on codon 12 of c-K-ras oncogene was examined the tissues in 37 casea of ovarian cancer, 7 cases of endometrial cancer, 36 cases of the gestational trophoblastic tumor, 60 cases of cervical cancer. The relationship between the presence of a c-K-ras point mutation and clinicopathological characteristics of the female genital tract cancers were also analysed. The results were as follows; 1. The incidence of four point mutations on codon 12 of c-K-ras oncogene in 37 ovarian cancers was 45.9% (17/37) and distribution were 43.2% (16/37), 2.7% (1/37) and 0% (0/37) in GGT-->GAT, GGT-->AGT, GGT-->TGT, and GGT-->GTT, respectively. According to histological type, in ovarian cancers, The point mutation of K-ras oncogene waspositive in 45 % (10/22) of serous cystadenocarcinomas. The incidence of four point mutations on codon 12 among 37 patients with ovarian cancer according to histological type was 45.5 % (10/22) with serous cystadenocarcinoma, 57.1% (4/7) of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. Comparing the positive rate of point mutations of K-ras oncogen among 37 patients with ovarian cancer with the clinical stage, point mutation was detected in 28.5% (2/7) of patients with stage I, 40.0% (2/5) with stage II, and 52.0% (13/25) with stage III/IV. There was no statistically significant increasement of point mutations with the advance of the clinical stage of ovarian cancer. Comparing the positive rate of point mutations of K-ras oncogen among 37 patients with ovarian cancer according to the histologic grade point mutation was detected in 50.0 % (2/4) 0f patients with grade I, 451.7 % (5/12) with grade II and 47.6 % (10/21) with grade III. 2. The incidence of point mutations of K-ras oncogen among 33 patients with ovarian cancer who were performed pelvic lymph node dissection was 57.1 % (12/21) of the patients with pelvic lymph node metastases and 16.7% (2/12) of the patients without pelvic lymph node metastases. There was statistically significant difference between the positive rate of c-K-ras point mutations and the pelvic lymph nodal status(P<0.05). 3. In 7 cases of endometrial cancer, positive rate of K-ras point was 42.8 % (3/7). Point mutations were also detected in 2 cases from 4 choriocarcinomas, but, the point mutation was only detected in 1 case from 60 cervical carcinomas. From these results, we may suggest that the point mutation on codon 12 c-K-ras oncogene are considered to be one of the important genetic change in the tumor formation and progression of ovarian of c-K-ras oncogene seems to be the one stop in the multistep process of tumor formation in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the point mutation of c-k-ras gene could occur more frequently in the patients of ovarian cancer with pelvic lymph node metastases than in those without pelvic metastases, suggesting the orle in tumor progression. And we concluded that point mutation on codon 12 is comparable frequent in uterine endometrial carcinomas and have significance as an event that contributes to progrssion of endometrial cancers and choriocarcinoma, but cervical carcinoma do not appear to have c-K-ras point mutation in general. More studies will be necessary, but the detection of c-k-ras point mutation as the possibility of biological tumor marker to predict clinical outcome may be utilized in female malignancies.
Blotting, Southern ; Breast ; Choriocarcinoma ; Codon ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; Digoxigenin ; Electrophoresis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female* ; Genes, ras ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes* ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Point Mutation* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

The antigenic characterizations and serological reactions of human liver flukes, Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini, were analyzed by immunoblot. The antigenic profiles of the crude extract of Clonorchis contained major proteins of 8, 26-28, 34-37, 43, and 70 kDa, and those of Opisthorchis 34-37, 43, 70, and 100 kDa. Of these, the 8, 26-28 and 34-37 kDa bands of Clonorchis and the 100 kDa of Opisthorchis were major components of each excretory-secretory antigen. The 8 and 26-28 kDa bands were specific to Clonorchis but the 100 kDa of Opisthorchis cross-reacted with the sera of clonorchiasis, and the 34-37, 70 and 100 kDa bands cross-reacted with sera of other helminthiases. The frequency and intensity of the immunoblot reactions were positively correlated with the intensity of the liver fluke infection.
Animals ; Antigens, Helminth/analysis/*chemistry/immunology ; Clonorchiasis/*diagnosis ; Clonorchis sinensis/*immunology ; Cross Reactions ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/veterinary ; Humans ; Immunoblotting/veterinary ; Molecular Weight ; Opisthorchiasis/*diagnosis ; Opisthorchis/*immunology

No abstract available.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*

We evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with SO dyskinesia(n=16) who were confirmed by ERCP manometry during past 5 years. They were 14 male and 2 female and mean age was 52-year-old(range, 32-75). According to the criteria suggested by Hogan and Geenen, 13 patients were classified into biliary type and 3 patients into pancreatic type. Among the patients with biliary type(n=13), 12 patients fulfilled the criteria for group II dysfunction of SO and 1 patient for group III. Among the patients with pancreatic type(n=3), all fulfilled the criteria for group II. The manometric abnormalities were increased basal pressure(n=4), tachyoddia(n=7), increased retrograde propagation(n=3), tachyoddia and increased retrograde propagation(n=l), and tachyoddia and increased basal pressure(n=l). As treatment, 12 patients received conventional endoscopic sphincterotomy and 3 patients received endoscopic pancreatic sphincterotomy in addition to conventional endoscopic sphincterotomy. Satisfactory results (complete absence or marked reduction of pain) were obtained in 13(87%) out of 15 patients by endoscopic treatment. In conclusion, SO dyskinesia is not so common disease and the detection of patients with SO dyskinesia may increase by frequent application of ERCP manometry.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Dyskinesias ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manometry ; Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction* ; Sphincter of Oddi* ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic

If manometric profiles of sphincter of Oddi(SO) measured from the pancreatic duct and the bild duct are essentially equal, then measurement of manometric profiles from only one duct would be adequate in evaluating SO dysfunction. We report a series of 9 patients whom we evaluate with SO manometry. Cannulation of both the biliary sphincter segment and pancreatic sphincter segment was archived consecutively in one session and we compared the manometric parameters of choledochal sphincter from those of pancreatic sphincter. 1) In 7 out of 9 patients(78%), normal manometric finding of SO were seen in both choledochal and pancreatic sphincters. However, in 2 out of 9 cases(22%) abnormal manometric findings were noted in only one sphincter segment. Elevation of basal pressure(n = l) and increased retrograde propagation(n = 1) were found in the pancreatic sphincter segment alone. 2) Tbe mean intraductal pressure in the pancreatic duct was significantly greater(12.6+/- 5.8mmHg) than that of common bile duct(3.8+/- 3.3mmHg)(p<0.01). However, basal pressure, amplitude, frequency and propagation sequence in the phasic contraction of SO were not different significantly between choledochal and pancreatic sphincter segment. In conclusion, SO manometry of both the pancreatic and bile duct is needed if complete manometric information is desired. Selective cannulation of common bile duct and pancreatic duct during SO manometry is necessary in order to diagnose segmental 50 dysfunction.
Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Catheterization ; Common Bile Duct ; Humans ; Manometry ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Sphincter of Oddi