Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) is an important disease featured as intense inflammation, protease imbalance, and air flow limitation and mainly induced by cigarette smoke (CS). In present study, we explored the effects of Pycnogenol® (PYC, pine bark extract) on pulmonary fibrosis caused by CS+lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure. Mice were treated with LPS intranasally on day 12 and 26, followed by CS exposure for 1 h/day (8 cigarettes per day) for 4 weeks. One hour before CS exposure, 10 and 20 mg/kg of PYC were administered by oral gavage for 4 weeks. PYC effectively reduced the number of inflammatory cells and proinflammatory mediators caused by CS+LPS exposure in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. PYC inhibited the collagen deposition on lung tissue caused by CS+LPS exposure, as evidenced by Masson's trichrome stain. Furthermore, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression and Smad family member 2/3 (Smad 2/3) phosphorylation were effectively suppressed by PYC treatment. PYC markedly reduced the collagen deposition caused by CS+LPS exposure, which was closely involved in TGF-β1/Smad 2/3 signaling, which is associated with pulmonary fibrotic change. These findings suggest that treatment with PYC could be a therapeutic strategy for controlling COPD progression.
Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Collagen ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Mice ; Phosphorylation ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Smoke ; Tobacco Products*

Artemisia argyi is used as a health supplement, tea, and food source in Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Artemisia argyi (AA) and its active compound, dehydromatricarin A (DA), on the attenuation of airway inflammation in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). The C57BL/6 mice were administered AA (50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg) and DA (10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg) by oral gavage from day 0 to 7 days and LPS treated by intranasal instillation 48 hours before the sacrifice. The treatment of AA and DA markedly decreased inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared with that in ALI-induced mice, which was accompanied by a significant reduction in the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 in BALF. Furthermore, the administration of AA and DA clearly decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) phosphorylation in comparison with that in the ALI-induced mice. The histological examination of the lung tissue revealed that the administration of AA and DA suppressed the inflammatory cell infiltration into the peribronchial and alveolar lesions induced by LPS instillation. Collectively, our results indicated that AA and DA effectively decreased the airway inflammatory response induced by LPS instillation. Therefore, AA and DA may offer a potential therapy for airway inflammatory disease.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Artemisia* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Inflammation* ; Interleukins ; Korea ; Lung ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Phosphorylation ; Tea ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate a new monoclonal antibody for Helicobacter pylori urease in gastric tissue. METHODS: A total of 107 volunteers were enrolled. All subjects underwent a 13C-urea breath test and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Gastric aspirates were analyzed for pH and ammonia. Six biopsy specimens in the gastric antrum and body were obtained for a rapid urease test and histology. The new monoclonal antibody-based H. pylori urease test (HPU) was performed to rapidly and qualitatively detect urease in two biopsy specimens. RESULTS: H. pylori infection was diagnosed in 73 subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of the HPU was 89% and 74%, respectively. The subjects were divided into two groups: one with true-positive and true-negative HPU results (n = 90) and the other with false-positive and false-negative HPU results (n = 17). Across all subjects, ammonia levels were 900.5 +/- 646.7 and 604.3 +/- 594.3 mumol/L (p > 0.05), and pH was 3.37 +/- 1.64 and 2.82 +/- 1.51 (p > 0.05). Sensitivity was higher in the presence of atrophic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia. CONCLUSIONS: HPU detected H. pylori in approximately 10 min. Gastric aspirate ammonia and pH levels did not affect the test results. Sensitivity was good in the presence of atrophic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia.
Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; Bacterial Proteins/*analysis/immunology ; Biomarkers/analysis ; Biopsy ; False Negative Reactions ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Gastritis, Atrophic/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/*enzymology/immunology ; Humans ; *Immunologic Tests ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pyloric Antrum/*microbiology/pathology ; Reproducibility of Results ; Time Factors ; Urease/*analysis/immunology ; Workflow

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of this study was to evaluate a monoclonal antibody-based test to detect Helicobacter pylori-specific antigen in gastric aspirates from humans. METHODS: Sixty-one volunteers were enrolled in the study. All of the subjects underwent a 13C-urea breath test (UBT) before esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Gastric aspirates were analyzed for pH and ammonia and used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), culture, and monoclonal antibody-based detection of H. pylori. Multiple biopsies of the gastric antrum and body were obtained for a rapid urease test (RUT) and histological evaluation. RESULTS: Thirty-six subjects were H. pylori-positive and 25 were H. pylori-negative according to the UBT results. Compared with the H. pylori-negative subjects, H. pylori-positive subjects had a higher pH (4.77+/-1.77 vs 3.49+/-1.30, p<0.05) and ammonia level (1,130.9+/-767.4 vs 184.2+/-126.3, p<0.0001). The sensitivities and specificities of the PCR test, RUT, culture test, and monoclonal antibody-based test were 100% and 72%, 89% and 100%, 47% and 100%, and 78% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The monoclonal antibody-based test for diagnosing H. pylori infection in gastric aspirates has increased sensitivity compared with the culture test and specificity as high as that of the RUT. The test may be useful as an additive test for examining gastric aspirates.
Ammonia ; Biopsy ; Breath Tests ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter pylori ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pyloric Antrum ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urease

A pancreatic fistula (PF) is an abnormal connection between the pancreas and adjacent or distant organs, structures, or spaces resulting from leakage of pancreatic secretions from disrupted pancreatic ducts. A PF is a rare complication that occurs during a acute and chronic pancreatitis or after traumatic or surgical disruption of the pancreatic duct. PFs are frequently classified as internal or external depending upon whether they communicate with an internal organ or the skin. Pancreatico- colonic fistulas are the most common, whereas pancreatico-gastric fistulas are the rarest. We report a rare case of a pancreatico-gastric fistula complicated by acute pancreatitis.
Colon ; Fistula ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Fistula ; Pancreatitis ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Skin

Autoimmune hepatitis accompanied by systemic erythematosus lupus is rare. Usually, lupus-related advanced liver involvement is indistinguishable from autoimmune hepatitis accompanied by lupus, as they share common clinical, biochemical, serological, and histological manifestations. However, each disease has its own diagnostic criteria, and they have been defined as two different categories. Therefore, distinguishing between the two diseases is important to determine the correct diagnosis and treatment. A 41-year-old woman was hospitalized with jaundice and a malar rash. The patient met the diagnostic criteria of both systemic erythematosus lupus and autoimmune hepatitis. After corticosteroid treatment, the patient's condition improved. Therefore, we report our experience of a rare case of autoimmune hepatitis accompanied by systemic erythematosus lupus with a review of the literature.
Adult ; Exanthema ; Female ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) transmission route is not yet clearly understood. Isolating H. pylori from stool, saliva, and vomitus is very difficult. However, H. pylori could be cultured from feces in the setting of rapid gastrointestinal tract transit. The aim of this study was to isolate H. pylori by culture and PCR in the rectum and terminal ileum during colonoscopy. METHODS: Twenty subjects with positive UBT (urea breath test) were included. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and culture of H. pylori with the rectal fluid and terminal ileal fluid during colonoscopy. RESULTS: H. pylori was cultured with rectal fluid from 9 (45.0%) of 20 subjects and with ileal fluid from 11 (55.0%) of 20 subjects. H. pylori was a little more frequently cultured from the terminal ileal fluid than the rectal fluid without statistical significance (p>0.05). PCR test detected flaA (16/20, 80.0% and 17/20, 85.0%), 16S rRNA gene (16/20, 80.0% and 17/20, 85.0%), cagA (10/20, 50.0% and 12/20, 60.0%), and ureC (9/20, 45% and 11/20, 54.5%) from the rectal fluid and the terminal ileal fluid, respectively. The specificity and sensitivity of ureC were 100%. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori could be cultured from the rectal fluid and terminal ileal fluid in the setting of rapid gastrointestinal tract transit. These results suggest of fecal-oral transmission of H. pylori.
Adult ; Antigens, Bacterial/genetics ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; Breath Tests ; Electrolytes/administration & dosage ; Feces/microbiology ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/*diagnosis/transmission ; Helicobacter pylori/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Ileum/*microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/administration & dosage ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Rectum/*microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urea/analysis ; Urease/genetics

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare disorder, characterized by compression of the third segment of the duodenum by the mesenteric artery at the level of the SMA, resulting in duodenal dilatation. The most characteristic symptoms are postprandial epigastric pain, fullness, voluminous vomiting, and eructation. The diagnosis may be difficult, but can be confirmed by upper gastrointestinal (UGI) contrast studies. We report a case of SMA syndrome in a 66-year-old patient with hematemesis. Endoscopy showed deep circular ulcerations with bleeding in the distal esophagus. Computed tomography (CT) and an UGI contrast series revealed distension of the stomach and duodenum, with a cut-off in the third portion of the duodenum. We treated the patient conservatively, but the patient's symptoms did not improve. Ultimately, the patient underwent successful gastrojejunostomy with a favorable postoperative outcome.
Aged ; Dilatation ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Eructation ; Esophagus ; Gastric Bypass ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mesenteric Arteries ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Stomach ; Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

Dieulafoy's lesion is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, but can be associated with massive, life-threatening GI bleeding. This lesion is an isolated protruding vessel of the submucosal artery associated with a small mucosal defect and normal surrounding mucosa. Although this lesion can occur throughout the GI tract (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, colon, rectum, etc), it has been rarely reported elsewhere than the stomach. Especially, there have been no reports of Dieulafoy lesion coexistent with early gastric cancer in Korea. We report the successful application of endoscopic hemoclipping for the treatment of a very rare Dieulafoy lesion coexistent with early gastric cancer.
Arteries ; Colon ; Duodenum ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hemorrhage ; Korea ; Mucous Membrane ; Rectum ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

The EST Knowledge Integrated System, EKIS (http://ekis.kribb.re.kr), was established as a part of Korea's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology initiative for genome sequencing and application research of the biological model organisms (GEAR) project. The goals of the EKIS are to collect EST information from GEAR projects and make an integrated database to provide transcriptomic and metabolomic information for biological scientists. The EKIS constitutes five independent categories and several retrieval systems in each category for incorporating massive EST data from high-throughput sequencing of 65 different species. Through the EKIS database, scientists can freely access information including BLAST functional annotation as well as Genechip and pathway information for KEGG. By integrating complex data into a framework of existing EST knowledge information, the EKIS provides new insights into specialized metabolic pathway information for an applied industrial material.
Data Mining ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Genome ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways ; Metabolomics ; Models, Biological