With a recent increase in dietary supplements (DS) consumption among children in Korea, this study was performed to examine the influencing factors on children's DS consumption. A nationwide survey was conducted employing 3 representative samples of children for summer & fall of 2008 and spring of 2009 by stratified multistage sampling of 120 survey sites per season based on the 2005 census population. Approximately 30 households from each survey site were screened for residing children of 0-19 years and about 1,700 households remained as eligible samples per season. Trained dietitians visited households to perform face-to-face interview to children and/or parents regarding DS consumption including health functional foods (HFF), vitamins/minerals (V/M) supplements and other food supplements during 1 month prior to interview. Out of 5,328 children responded, 18.7% reported DS consumption. Consumption rate was higher in boys (19.9% vs. 17.3% in girls, P < 0.05) and youngsters (22.8% compared to 15.0% in adolescents, P < 0.001). Children from higher income family (P < 0.001), those living in apartments (P < 0.001), those residing in metropolitan area (P < 0.001), and those of mothers with higher education (P < 0.001) were more likely to take DS. Also, mother's employment status and occupation were significantly associated with children's DS consumption. The most popular DS was HFF (72.1%), which was consumed more in children of higher income family. It is revealed that socioeconomic factors affect children's DS consumption significantly. Also it is necessary to estimate children's V/M intake from DS and foods together especially because there are tolerable upper limits set for V/M for safety purposes.
Adolescent ; Censuses ; Child ; Dietary Supplements ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Functional Food ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Occupations ; Parents ; Seasons ; Socioeconomic Factors

Cholesterol is one of major components of cell membrane and plays a role in vesicular trafficking and cellular signaling. We investigated the effects of cholesterol on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activation in human dermal fibroblasts. We found that tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) expression and active form MMP-2 (64 kD) were dose-dependently increased by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD), a cholesterol depletion agent. In contrast, cholesterol depletion-induced TIMP-2 expression and MMP-2 activation were suppressed by cholesterol repletion. Then we investigated the regulatory mechanism of TIMP-2 expression by cholesterol depletion. We found that the phosphorylation of JNK as well as ERK was significantly increased by cholesterol depletion. Moreover, cholesterol depletion-induced TIMP-2 expression and MMP-2 activation was significantly decreased by MEK inhibitor U0126, and JNK inhibitor SP600125, respectively. While a low dose of recombinant TIMP-2 (100 ng/ml) increased the level of active MMP-2 (64 kD), the high dose of TIMP-2 (> or = 200 ng/ml) decreased the level of active MMP-2 (64 kD). Taken together, we suggest that the induction of TIMP-2 by cholesterol depletion leads to the conversion of proMMP-2 (72 kD) into active MMP-2 (64 kD) in human dermal fibroblasts.
Anthracenes/pharmacology ; Butadienes/pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cholesterol/metabolism/*physiology ; Cyclodextrins/pharmacology ; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors/physiology ; Fibroblasts/*drug effects/*metabolism/ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoprecipitation ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors/physiology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/*metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nitriles/pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2/*metabolism

BACKGROUND: The association of de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigens (HLA) antibodies (DSA) and development of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is still undetermined. METHODS: We prospectively screened de novo DSA in 167 KTRs during 32 months after kidney transplantation (KT). Timing of DSA detection was at 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplant and annually thereafter and when clinically indicated. DSA levels were determined by Luminex assays and expressed as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). We evaluated the incidence, characteristics of DSA, and association between DSA and tacrolimus trough levels or AMR. RESULTS: De novo DSA developed in 16 KTRs (9.6%) and acute AMR occurred more commonly in KTRs with de novo DSA compared to KTRs without de novo DSA (18.8% vs. 0%, P < 0.001). All de novo DSA were against class II antigens. The mean number of DSA was 1.8 ± 1.2 and the average MFI of DSA was 7,399 ± 5,470. Tacrolimus trough level during the first 0–2 months after KT was an independent predictor of DSA development (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.50–0.99; P = 0.043). No differences were found in the number of DSA, average MFI of DSA, and tacrolimus levels during the first year between de novo DSA-positive KTRs with AMR and those without AMR. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that monitoring of DSA and maintaining proper tacrolimus levels are essential to prevent AMR during the initial period after KT.
Antibodies* ; Fluorescence ; Graft Rejection ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II ; HLA Antigens ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Prospective Studies ; Tacrolimus ; Transplant Recipients

A 38-year-old man, who underwent a second kidney transplantation (KT), was admitted because of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) complicated by BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN). He was placed on hemodialysis at the age of 24 years because of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. At the age of 28 years, he underwent a living donor KT from his father; however, 1 year after the transplantation, he developed a recurrence of the primary glomerular disease, resulting in graft failure 2 years after the first KT. Ten years later, he received a deceased-donor kidney with a B-cell-positive-cross-match. He received 600 mg of rituximab before the KT with three cycles of plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin (0.5 g/kg) therapy after KT. During the follow-up, the first and second allograft biopsies at 4 and 10 months after KT revealed AMR with a recurrence of primary glomerular disease that was reclassified as C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN). He received a steroid pulse, rituximab, plasmapheresis, and immunoglobulin therapies. The third allograft biopsy demonstrated that the BKVAN was complicated with AMR and C3GN. As the azotemia did not improve after repeated conventional therapies for AMR, one cycle of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m²×4 doses) was administered. The allograft function stabilized, and BK viremia became undetectable after 6 months. The present case suggests that bortezomib therapy may be applicable to patients with refractory AMR, even in cases complicated with BKVAN.
Adult ; Allografts ; Azotemia ; Biopsy ; BK Virus ; Bortezomib* ; Fathers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Immunoglobulins ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Plasmapheresis ; Recurrence ; Renal Dialysis ; Rituximab ; Transplants ; Viremia