Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Korea and the third leading cause of death from cancer. Treatment outcomes for colon cancer are steadily improving due to national health screening programs with advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and therapeutic agents.. The Korea Colon Cancer Multidisciplinary (KCCM) Committee intends to provide professionals who treat colon cancer with the most up-to-date, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve outcomes and help them make decisions that reflect their patients’ values and preferences. These guidelines have been established by consensus reached by the KCCM Guideline Committee based on a systematic literature review and evidence synthesis and by considering the national health insurance system in real clinical practice settings. Each recommendation is presented with a recommendation strength and level of evidence based on the consensus of the committee.

Background: Migraine patients have a higher frequency of suicidality than people without migraine. The aim of this study was to identify suicidality and its risk factors in migraine patients. Methods: We enrolled 358 migraine patients from 11 hospitals. We collected data regarding their clinical characteristics and the patients completes the questionnaires. We also interviewed patients with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)plus version 5.0.0 to identify their suicidality. The International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition, beta version was used in headache diagnosis. Results: The frequency of suicidality in migraine patients was 118 (33.0%). Migraine patients with suicidality were more likely to have a major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder than those without suicidality. Among variables, risk factors for suicidality in migraine patients were female (odds ratio [OR], 4.110; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55310.878; p=0.004), attack duration (OR, 2.559; 95% CI, 1.2105.413; p=0.011), Patient Health Questionnaire9 (OR, 1.111; 95% CI, 1.0381.189; p=0.002), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder7 (OR, 1.194; 95% CI, 1.1011.294; p<0.001). Conclusions Suicidality in migraine patients is common. Therefore, clinicians who take care of migraine patients should be concerned about suicidality and its risk factors such as female gender, attack duration, depression or anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations may regulate the progression and chemosensitivity of leukemia. Few studies regarding mitochondrial aberrations and haplogroups in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and their clinical impacts have been reported. Therefore, we focused on the mtDNA length heteroplasmies minisatellite instability (MSI), copy number alterations, and distribution of mitochondrial haplogroups in Korean patients with AML. METHODS: This study investigated 74 adult patients with AML and 70 controls to evaluate mtDNA sequence alterations, MSI, mtDNA copy number, haplogroups, and their clinical implications. The hypervariable (HV) control regions (HV1 and HV2), tRNA(leu1)gene, and cytochrome b gene of mtDNA were analyzed. Two mtDNA minisatellite markers, 16189 poly-C (¹⁶¹⁸⁴CCCCCTCCCC¹⁶¹⁹³, 5CT4C) and 303 poly-C (³⁰³CCCCCCCTCCCCC³¹⁵, 7CT5C), were used to examine the mtDNA MSI. RESULTS: In AML, most mtDNA sequence variants were single nucleotide substitutions, but there were no significant differences compared to those in controls. The number of mtMSI patterns increased in AML. The mean mtDNA copy number of AML patients increased approximately 9-fold compared to that of controls (P < 0.0001). Haplogroup D4 was found in AML with a higher frequency compared to that in controls (31.0% vs. 15.7%, P=0.046). None of the aforementioned factors showed significant impacts on the outcomes. CONCLUSION: AML cells disclosed more heterogeneous patterns with the mtMSI markers and had increased mtDNA copy numbers. These findings implicate mitochondrial genome instability in primary AML cells. Therefore, mtDNA haplogroup D4 might be associated with AML risk among Koreans.
Adult ; Cytochromes b ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Genome, Mitochondrial* ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Minisatellite Repeats

Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) is a deubiquitinating enzyme that is highly expressed in neurons, and gathering evidence indicates that UCH-L1 may play pathogenic roles in many neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (PD). Additionally, lipid rafts have attracted interest in neurodegeneration as playing a common role in many neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we demonstrated that UCH-L1 associates with lipid rafts as with other PD-associated gene products. In addition, UCH-L1 regulates lipid raft-dependent endocytosis and it is not dependent on the expression and degradation of caveolin-1 or flotillin-1. Finally, UCH-L1 regulates cell-to-cell transmission of α-synuclein. This study provides evidence that many PD-associated gene products share common signaling pathways to explain the pathogenesis of PD.
alpha-Synuclein ; Alzheimer Disease ; Caveolin 1 ; Endocytosis* ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease ; Prion Diseases ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase* ; Ubiquitin*

Dogs have long shared close relationships with many humans. Due to the large number of dogs in human populations, they are often involved in crimes. Occasionally, canine biological evidence such as saliva, bloodstains and hairs can be found at crime scenes. Accordingly, canine DNA can be used as forensic evidence. The use of short tandem repeat (STR) loci from biological evidence is valuable for forensic investigations. In Korea, canine STR profiling-related crimes are being successfully analyzed, leading to diverse crimes such as animal cruelty, dog-attacks, murder, robbery, and missing and abandoned dogs being solved. However, the probability of random DNA profile matches cannot be analyzed because of a lack of canine STR data. Therefore, in this study, 10 STR loci were analyzed in 600 dogs in Korea (344 dogs belonging to 30 different purebreds and 256 crossbred dogs) to estimate canine forensic genetic parameters. Among purebred dogs, a separate statistical analysis was conducted for five major subgroups, 97 Maltese, 47 Poodles, 31 Shih Tzus, 32 Yorkshire Terriers, and 25 Pomeranians. Allele frequencies, expected (Hexp) and observed heterozygosity (Hobs), fixation index (F), probability of identity (P(ID)), probability of sibling identity (P(ID)(sib)) and probability of exclusion (PE) were then calculated. The Hexp values ranged from 0.901 (PEZ12) to 0.634 (FHC2079), while the P(ID)(sib) values were between 0.481 (FHC2079) and 0.304 (PEZ12) and the P(ID)(sib) was about 3.35 × 10⁻⁵ for the combination of all 10 loci. The results presented herein will strengthen the value of canine DNA to solving dog-related crimes.
Animal Welfare ; Animals ; Crime ; DNA ; Dogs* ; Forensic Genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Hair ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea* ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Saliva ; Siblings

The usefulness of DNA databases is well known. In Korea, many cases have been solved since the establishment of DNA databases in 2010. DNA profiles obtained from criminal evidence are analyzed and are kept in databases, and matching profile is searched. On the matching occasion, DNA databases can provide some investigative information. Close family members, for example father, son or brother, share more alleles than unrelated people. This genetic closeness can be searched using the so called familial searching, and many successful cases have been reported. Management of DNA databases including familial searching needs continuous monitoring and control, especially from ethical view points. Many different views for familial searching have been presented, and each country running DNA databases has their own different policies. We present the utility, approaches and different policies of familial searching as well as arguments for and against familial searching. We also suggest that our appropriate guidelines be mandatory and a proper administrative process be prepared for the start of familial searching.
Alleles ; Criminals ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; DNA ; Fathers ; Humans ; Korea ; Running ; Siblings

PURPOSE: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play an important role in the formation of cartilage and bone, as well as regulating the growth of chondroblasts and osteoblasts. In this study, we investigated whether recombinant human BMP adenoviruses are available for ex vivo gene therapy, using human fibroblasts and human bone marrow stromal cells in an animal spinal fusion model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human fibroblasts and human bone marrow stromal cells were transduced with recombinant BMP-2 adenovirus (AdBMP-2) or recombinant BMP-7 adenovirus (AdBMP-7), referred to as AdBMP-7/BMSC, AdBMP-2/BMSC, AdBMP-7/HuFb, and AdBMP-2/HuFb. We showed that each cell secreted active BMPs by alkaline phosphatase staining. Since AdBMP-2 or AdBMP-7 tranducing cells were injected into the paravertebral muscle of athymic nude mice, at 4 weeks and 7 weeks, we confirmed that new bone formation occurred by induction of spinal fusion on radiographs and histochemical staining. RESULTS: In the region where the AdBMP-7/BMSC was injected, new bone formation was observed in all cases and spinal fusion was induced in two of these. AdBMP-2/BMSC induced bone formation and spinal fusion occurred among one of five. However, in the region where AdBMP/HuFb was injected, neither bone formation nor spinal fusion was observed. CONCLUSION: The osteoinductivity of AdBMP-7 was superior to that of AdBMP-2. In addition, the human bone marrow stromal cells were more efficient than the human fibroblasts for bone formation and spinal fusion. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that AdBMP-7/ BMSC would be the most useful approach to ex vivo gene therapy for an animal spinal fusion model.
Adenoviridae* ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; Cartilage ; Chondrocytes ; Fibroblasts ; Genetic Therapy* ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Spinal Fusion* ; Spine

PURPOSE: Bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-7, a member of TGF-beta1 superfamily, is an endogenous antifibrotic protein highly expressed in normal kidney. It is not known, however, whether human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) express BMP-7 or if BMP-7 protects against peritoneal fibrosis and by what mechanism. We examined the effect of BMP-7 overexpression in TGF-beta1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HPMC and in TGF-beta1 signaling in HPMC to elucidate the mechanisms of antifibrotic effect of BMP-7. METHODS: Growth arrested and synchronized HPMC were stimulated with 2 ng/mL of TGF-beta1 to induce EMT. HPMC were transiently transfected with adenovirus-mediated human BMP-7 (AdBMP-7) or with GFP (AdGFP). EMT was defined as downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA). RESULTS: HPMC constitutively expressed BMP-7 mRNA and protein. BMP-7 mRNA and protein expression were significantly inhibited by 50 mM D-glucose, 2x diluted commercial peritoneal dialysis solution, and 2 ng/ml of TGF-beta1. Transfection of AdBMP-7 resulted in 2.5-fold increase in BMP-7 mRNA expression in HPMC. TGF-beta1 significantly decreased E-cadherin and increased alpha-SMA expression in GFP transfected cells. BMP-7 overexpression effectively reversed TGF-beta1-induced E-cadherin and alpha-SMA expression and significantly suppressed TGF-beta1-induced phosphorylation of Smad2/3, ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPK in HPMC as compared to GFP transfected cells. CONCLUSION: BMP-7 is an endogenous antifibrotic protein and downregulation of BMP-7 in HPMC by high glucose, PD solution, and TGF-beta1 may permit the development of peritoneal fibrosis during long-term PD. Our data demonstrate that BMP-7 overexpression reverses TGF-beta1-induced EMT of HPMC and consequent peritoneal fibrosis possibly through inhibition of Smad2/3 and MAPK phosphorylation.
Actins ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7* ; Cadherins ; Down-Regulation ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Glucose ; Humans ; Kidney ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Fibrosis ; Peritoneum* ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Up-Regulation