BACKGROUND: Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) influencing cellular growth and differentiation is recognized to promote wound healing by stimulating tissue repair. Although PDRN can be extracted from human placentas, PDRN medications have recently been extracted from the semen of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and salmon (Oncorhynchus keta). The present study was designed to evaluate the wound healing effects of O. keta-derived PDRN for injection (Rejuvenex) and PDRN cream (Rejuvenex Cream) in comparison with those of O. mykiss-derived PDRN injection (Placentex). METHODS: Full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of mice (n=60). The mice were divided into the following four groups according to the dressing used for the wounds: O. mykiss-derived PDRN injection group, O. keta-derived PDRN injection group, O. keta-derived PDRN cream group, and normal saline soaked dressing group (control group). We analyzed the gross findings, wound sizes, histological findings, immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the groups immediately after the treatment, and again after 4, 7, and 10 days of treatment. RESULTS: The wound healing effects were the greatest in the O. keta-derived PDRN injection and O. mykiss-derived PDRN injection groups, which showed similar scores, followed by the O. keta-derived cream and normal saline soaked dressing groups. CONCLUSION: The injection of PDRN extracted from O. keta was found to be as effective at healing full-thickness skin defects as the O. mykiss-derived PDRN injection, which is currently used in the clinic. Moreover, the O. keta-derived PDRN injection was also found to reduce the time required for wound healing.
Animals ; Bandages ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Oncorhynchus* ; Placenta ; Salmon ; Semen ; Skin ; Trout ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

Saprolegniasis is one of the most devastating oomycete diseases in freshwater fish which is caused by species in the genus Saprolegnia including Saprolegnia parasitica. In this study, we isolated the strain of S. parasitica from diseased rainbow trout in Korea. Morphological and molecular based identification confirmed that isolated oomycete belongs to the member of S. parasitica, supported by its typical features including cotton-like mycelium, zoospores and phylogenetic analysis with internal transcribed spacer region. Pathogenicity of isolated S. parasitica was developed in embryo, juvenile, and adult zebrafish as a disease model. Host-pathogen interaction in adult zebrafish was investigated at transcriptional level. Upon infection with S. parasitica, pathogen/antigen recognition and signaling (TLR2, TLR4b, TLR5b, NOD1, and major histocompatibility complex class I), pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, IL-6, IL-8, interferon γ, IL-12, and IL-10), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9 and MMP13), cell surface molecules (CD8⁺ and CD4⁺) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase) related genes were differentially modulated at 3- and 12-hr post infection. As an anti-Saprolegnia agent, plant based lawsone was applied to investigate on the susceptibility of S. parasitica showing the minimum inhibitory concentration and percentage inhibition of radial growth as 200 μg/mL and 31.8%, respectively. Moreover, natural lawsone changed the membrane permeability of S. parasitica mycelium and caused irreversible damage and disintegration to the cellular membranes of S. parasitica. Transcriptional responses of the genes of S. parasitica mycelium exposed to lawsone were altered, indicating that lawsone could be a potential anti-S. parasitica agent for controlling S. parasitica infection.
Adult ; Cytokines ; Embryonic Structures ; Fresh Water ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Interferons ; Interleukin-12 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Korea* ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Membranes ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mycelium ; Oncorhynchus mykiss* ; Oomycetes ; Permeability ; Plants ; Saprolegnia* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Virulence ; Zebrafish*

BACKGROUND: Partial or complete necrosis of a skin flap is a common problem. Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) can be extracted from trout sperm and used as a tissue repair agent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PDRN could improve the survival of random pattern skin flaps in rats. METHODS: Twenty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the PDRN treatment group (n=11) and the control group (n=11). Caudally pedicled random pattern skin flaps were elevated on their dorsal skin and resutured. The treatment group received daily intraperitoneal administration of PDRN (8 mg/kg/day), and the control group received fluid vehicle (NaCl 0.9%, 8 mg/kg/day) from day 0 to day 6. On day 7, the flap survival was evaluated and the harvested tissue surrounding the demarcation line of the necrotic area was stained with H&E, anti-rat vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) antibody, and PECAM-1/CD31 antibody. RESULTS: The average necrotic area of the flap in the PDRN group was significantly smaller when compared with that of the control group. Histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation showed that granulation thickness score and VEGF-positive staining cells were marked higher in the PDRN group than in the control group. PECAM-1/CD31-positive microvascular densities were significantly higher in the PDRN group when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that PDRN improves the survival of random pattern skin flaps in rats. These results may represent a new therapeutic approach to enhancing flap viability and achieving faster wound repair.
Angiogenesis Modulating Agents ; Animals ; Antigens, CD31 ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Polydeoxyribonucleotides ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Spermatozoa ; Surgical Flaps ; Trout ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

In order to detect Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus with immunological methods, the surface glycoprotein of a recent IHNV-Sn isolated from farmed rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) in China was amplified and cloned into pET27b(+) vector (designated as pET27b-G ). The expression of recombinant plasmid pET27b-G in E. coli BL21(DE3) was induced and determined by SDS-PAGE analysis. The predicted molecular weight of glycoprotein protein was approximately 55 kD and was confirmed in this study. The inclusion body of glycoprotein was treated with urea at different urea concentrations, and dialyzed into PBS buffer. Purified glycoprotein with high concentration was obtained after dialyzed in the PBS buffer. Antisera against glycoprotein were produced from immunized rabbits. The prepared antisera could react specifically with both the recombinant glycoprotein and natural glycoprotein of the IHNV-Sn isolated in the test of indirect ELISA, and the titer against the recombinant glycoprotein was 1:20,000. IFA showed that the antisera can recognize the glycoprotein located on the surface of IHNV-Sn and IHNV reference strain. These results indicated that the expressed glycoprotein was immunogenical and antigenical and could be functional as the natural IHNV glycoprotein. These results established a foundation for further study on vaccine and rapid diagnosis of IHNV.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Fish Diseases ; immunology ; virology ; Gene Expression ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Neutralization Tests ; Oncorhynchus mykiss ; Rabbits ; Rhabdoviridae Infections ; immunology ; veterinary ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

There is a limitation to estimate vitamin B12 intake due to a lack of data on vitamin B12 content in many Korean foods. In this study, vitamin B12 content was determined in some seaweeds, fish, and shellfish and their product that are consumed in Korea using a modified microbioassay with Lactobacillus delbruecki ATCC 7830. Dried laver and dried seasoned and toasted laver contained very high levels of vitamin B12 (66.8 and 55.2-71.3 microg/100 g, respectively. Sea lettuce and seaweed fulvescene also contained high vitamin B12 content of 5.47-9.41 and 6.46-7.20 microg/100 g, respectively, whereas sea mustard and sea tangle contained low levels of vitamin B12; vitamin B12 was not detected in seaweed fusifome. Pacific saury, trout, sea-bass, or squid contained 12.01, 2.00, 0.49 and 2.33 microg vitamin B12/100 g, respectively. Ochellatus octopus, and naked sand lance contained 0.72-1.43 and 3.68 microg vitamin B12/100 g, respectively. Dried Alaska pollack contained 0.19-2.64 microg vitamin B12/100 g. Shellfish such as little neck clam and small ark shellfish contained high levels of vitamin B12 of 30.5-40.5 microg/100 g, and mussel and abalone contained 17.71 and 7.82 microg/100 g, respectively. Of unique Korean traditional fermented seafood products, salt-fermented products of squid (2.91 microg/100 g), clams (34.31 microg/100 g), Alaska pollack roe (9.98-12.02 microg/100 g), hairtail guts (4.58 microg/100 g) or small shrimp (0.58-1.55 microg/100 g), and fish sauce from anchovies (1.52-1.78 microg/100 mL), sand eel (0.22-0.24 microg/100 mL) or small shrimp (0.19-0.78 microg/100 mL) were analyzed. A few commercial brands of flying fish roe (0.73-1.73 microg/100 g), canned tuna (0.40 microg/100 g), and fried fish paste (0.25-0.69 microg /100 g) were also analyzed. In conclusion, vitamin B12 content in these foods, chosen considering the Korean food culture, should contribute to improve the present vitamin B12 food database. It may be helpful to estimate vitamin B12 intake more correctly than before, and provide additional information for dietary education related to vitamin B12 and meal management.
Alaska ; Bivalvia ; Decapodiformes ; Diptera ; Eels ; Korea ; Lactobacillus ; Meals ; Mustard Plant ; Neck ; Octopodiformes ; Seafood ; Seasons ; Seaweed ; Shellfish ; Silicon Dioxide ; Trout ; Tuna ; Ulva ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamins

Germ cells make two major decisions when they move from an indeterminate state to their final stage of gamete production. One decision is sexual commitment for sperm or egg production, and the other is to maintain mitotic division or entry into meiosis. It is unclear whether the two decisions are made as a single event or separate events, because there has been no evidence for the presence of germ cell sex prior to meiosis. Here we report direct evidence in the fish rainbow trout that gonia have distinct sexuality. We show that dazl expression occurs in both male and female gonia but exhibits differential intracellular distribution. More strikingly, we show that boule is highly expressed in male gonia but absent in female gonia. Therefore, mitotic gonia possess sex, sperm/egg decision and mitosis/meiosis decision are two independent events, and sperm/egg decision precedes mitosis/meiosis decision in rainbow trout, making this organism a unique vertebrate model for mechanistic understanding of germ cell sex differentiation and relationship between the two decisions.
Animals ; Female ; Fish Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Male ; Meiosis ; Oncorhynchus mykiss ; genetics ; physiology ; Ovary ; cytology ; metabolism ; Ovum ; cytology ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Sex Determination Processes ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; metabolism ; Testis ; cytology ; metabolism

PURPOSE: This study involved a population-based survey to provide evidence of public awareness of risk factors of gastric cancer and to investigate attitudes for the screening of gastric cancer in the South Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a nationwide random selection method, 2014 subjects were enrolled in the study between 5 September 2006 and 25 September 2006. RESULTS: In terms of the awareness of risk factors, awareness was scored as the percentage of the probability of developing gastric cancer when a subject had a particular risk factor. For the risk factors, stress ranked highest with a score of 73.5%, followed by chronic gastritis (score of 72.1%), gastric ulcer (score of 71.2%) and a previous gastrectomy history (score of 68.7%). Other factors included a diet of charred foods (score of 67.3%), alcohol use (score of 65.3%), salty diet (score of 65.1%), history of smoking (score of 64.3%) and Helicobacter pylori infection (score of 57.5%). Subjects believed that 60.4% of all gastric cancers were preventable by lifestyle modification and the subjects believed that regular screening could prevent 72.1% of all gastric cancers. However, 54% of subjects did not receive regular screening and the most common reason for not undergoing screening was a lack of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Public education about the risk factors of gastric cancer and of lifestyle modifications and the importance of regular screening regardless of the presence of symptoms should be emphasized to reduce gastric cancer mortality in South Korea.
Diet ; Gastrectomy ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori ; Life Style ; Mass Screening ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomach Ulcer ; Trout

BACKGROUND: The effects of the dietary administration of two heat-inactivated whole bacteria from the Vibrionaceae family, singly or combined, on innate immune response of the rainbow trout were studied. The two bacteria (Pdp11 and 51M6), which were obtained from the skin of rainbow trout, showed in vitro characteristics that suggested they could be considered as potential fish probiotics. METHODS: The fish were fed four different diets: control (non-supplemented), or diets supplemented with heat-inactivated bacteria at 10(8) cfu/g Pdp11, 10(8) cfu/g 51M6 or with 0.5x10(8) cfu/g Pdp11 plus 0.5x10(8) cfu/g 51M6 for 4 weeks. Six fish were sampled at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, and then the main humoral (natural haemolytic complement activity and serum peroxidase content) and cellular innate immune responses (leucocyte peroxidase content, phagocytosis, respiratory burst and cytotoxicity) were evaluated. RESULTS: The serum peroxidase content and the natural haemolytic complement activity increased with time, reaching the highest values in the third and fourth weeks of feeding, respectively. The phagocytic ability of specimens fed the mixture of the two inactivated bacteria was significantly higher than in the controls after 2 and 3 weeks of treatment. The same activity increased significantly in rainbow trout fed the Pdp11 diet for 2 weeks or the 51M6 diet for 3 weeks. Respiratory burst activity was unaffected by all the experimental diets at all times assayed. Cytotoxic activity had significantly increased after 3 weeks in fish fed the 51M6 diet. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated the usefulness of incorporating inactivated probiotic bacteria into fish diets.
Bacteria ; Complement System Proteins ; Diet ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Oncorhynchus mykiss ; Peroxidase ; Phagocytosis ; Probiotics ; Respiratory Burst ; Skin ; Vibrionaceae

Animals ; Erythrocytes ; physiology ; Oncorhynchus mykiss ; physiology ; Oxygen ; Water ; chemistry

The aim of this study is to investigate the status of the websites of plastic surgery clinics in Seoul, and to elucidate the factors that affect the page views. Directors of the clinics were asked by telephone as to whether their clinics have an website, and the rank of their sites were measured using the Navvy (ve r 2.75) program. The gene ral characteristics of each clinic and directors were surveyed using the list of members for the Korean association of clinical plastic surgeons. The characteristics of the websites were also surveyed and categorized into their accessibility, introduction, contents, interactions, and etc. The relationship between each variable, the possession of a homepage and the rank were analyzed by univariate analysis and the independent effects of these variables were examined by multiple logistic regression analysis. The results are as follows: 196 out of 252 clinics(77.8%) had a website and 77 of these sites were ranked below the 150,000th place. In multiple logistic regression analysis, younger directors had a higher likelihood of possessing a website, and the location of the clinic also significantly affected whether or not there was a website. The websites of the clinics located in Kangnam/Seocho-gu and run by more than 2 plastic surgeons had a higher tendency to rank be low the 150,000th place. However, the char acteristic s of the website did not aff ect the r ank distribution. Considering the above results, the characteristics of the clinics and surgeons may contribute greatly for the clinics to have a website and to have a high rank. In addition, the characteristics of the site may not be a major influencing fac tor.
Internet ; Logistic Models ; Seoul* ; Surgery, Plastic* ; Telephone ; Trout