<i>ERBB2</i> kinase domain mutation in a gastric cancer metastasis

LEE, JONG WOO,SOUNG, YOUNG HWA,KIM, SU YOUNG,PARK, WON SANG,NAM, SUK WOO,KIM, SANG HO,LEE, JUNG YOUNG,YOO, NAM JIN,LEE, SUG HYUNG Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 APMIS Vol.113 No.10

<P>ERBB2 is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family. Recent studies revealed that the kinase domain of the <I>ERBB2</I> gene was mutated in human cancers, including gastric cancer. Despite the importance of cancer metastasis in the pathogenesis of cancers, data on the <I>ERBB2</I> kinase domain mutation in cancer metastasis are lacking. In this study, to explore the possibility that <I>ERBB2</I> mutation is involved in the metastasis mechanism, we analyzed the kinase domain of <I>ERBB2</I> for the detection of somatic mutations in 58 gastric adenocarcinomas with lymph node metastasis. We found one <I>ERBB2</I> mutation, which was detected in the lymph node metastasis, but not in the primary tumor of the same patient. The <I>ERBB2</I> mutation was a missense mutation which substituted an amino acid in exon 21 (V832I). We simultaneously analyzed the somatic mutations of <I>EGFR</I>, <I>K-RAS</I>, <I>PIK3CA</I> and <I>BRAF</I> genes in the sample with the <I>ERBB2</I> mutation, and found that this metastatic carcinoma did not harbor any of the mutations. Our data suggest that <I>ERBB2</I> kinase domain mutation occasionally occurs in metastatic gastric carcinoma and might play a role in the metastatic process of some gastric carcinomas.</P>

Association study of Toll-like receptor 9 gene polymorphism in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Hur, J.-W.,Shin, H.D.,Park, B.L.,Kim, L.H.,Kim, S.-Y.,Bae, S.-C. Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 Tissue antigens Vol.65 No.3

<P>Abstract: </P><P>Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLR) play an important role in both adaptive immunity and innate immunity. Genetic variations within <I>TLR</I> genes are known to be associated with a variety of inflammatory and infectious diseases. <I>TLR9</I> is potentially associated with autoimmune diseases, because it participates in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the maturation of dendritic cells. We investigated the association of four <I>TLR9</I> gene polymorphisms (<I>−1486 T>C</I>, <I>−1237 C>T</I>, <I>+1174 A>G</I> and <I>+2848 G>A</I>) with the susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related phenotypes in 680 Korean people (350 SLE patients and 330 controls). <I>TLR9</I> gene polymorphisms were not significantly associated with the susceptibility to SLE and related phenotypes.</P>

Tidal influence on the sea-to-air transfer of CH₄ in the coastal ocean

HAHM, DOSHIK,KIM, GUEBUEM,LEE, YONG-WOO,NAM, SUNGH-YUN,KIM, KYUNG-RYUL,KIM, KUH Munksgaard International Publishers 2006 Tellus. Series B, Chemical and physical meteorolog Vol.58 No.1

<P>ABSTRACT</P><P>We obtained real-time monitoring data of water temperature, salinity, wind, current, CH<SUB>4</SUB> and other oceanographic parameters in a coastal bay in the southern sea of Korea from July 8 to August 15, 2003, using an environmental monitoring buoy. In general, the transfer velocity of environmental gases across the air–sea interface is obtained exclusively from empirical relationships with wind speeds. However, our monitoring data demonstrate that the agitation of the aqueous boundary layer is controlled significantly by tidal turbulence, similar to the control exercised by wind stress in the coastal ocean. The sea-to-air transfer of CH<SUB>4</SUB> is enhanced significantly during spring tide due to an increase in the gas transfer velocity and vertical CH<SUB>4</SUB> transport from bottom water to the surface layer. Thus, our unique time-series results imply that the sea-to-air transfer of gases, such as CH<SUB>4</SUB>, DMS, DMHg, N<SUB>2</SUB>O, CO<SUB>2</SUB> and <SUP>222</SUP>Rn, from highly enriched coastal bottom waters, is controlled not only by episodic wind events but also by regular tidal turbulence in the coastal ocean.</P>

Identification of a novel HLA-DRB1*09 allele, DRB1*0904, in the Korean population, by sequence-based typing

Song, C.-H.,Baek, J.-Y.,Heo, Y.-S.,Kwack, K.,Kwon, O.-J. Munksgaard International Publishers 2006 Tissue antigens Vol.67 No.2

Quantitative research on skin pore widening using a stereoimage optical topometer and Sebutape^®

Jo, Ho Youn,Yu, Dong Soo,Oh, Chil Hwan MUNKSGAARD INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS LTD 2007 SKIN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.13 No.2

<P>Background/aims</P><P>The treatment of skin pore widening is concerned with cosmetics sciences, but an objective and quantitative measurement method of the severity of skin pore widening has not been developed. In this study, bioengineering methods were applied to evaluate skin pore widening. The results from bioengineering measurements were compared with clinical visual assessment.</P><P>Methods</P><P>In order to quantify skin pore widening, three-dimensional data of skin pore were produced by a stereoimage optical topometer (SOT). The sizes of follicular infundibulum were measured quantitatively, with reserved sebum by Sebutape<SUP>®</SUP>. 50 female volunteers were divided into two groups. Group A was tested by the cosmetics including active ingredient and group B by placebo. The constricting effect of skin pores by cosmetics was measured for immediate effect and long-term effect.</P><P>Results</P><P>In the immediate effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. In SOT, the size of the skin pores of group A had changed after application of cosmetics but there were no changes in group B. In the long-term effect, there was no statistical difference between groups A and B in visual scoring. TA, TV, SA, and SV of skin pores of groups A and B were decreased in 3 and 6 months by SOT. In Sebutape<SUP>®</SUP> measurement, there was decreased volume of reserved sebum in groups A and B. The result of the Sebutape<SUP>®</SUP> study was similar to that of SOT.</P><P>Conclusion</P><P>Evaluation of skin pore change by visual assessment is difficult, but bioengineering tools are more reliable and useful methods for the assessment of skin pore change.</P>

Objective evaluation for severity of atopic dermatitis by morphologic study of skin surface contours

Son, Sang W.,Park, Sang Y.,Ha, Seung H.,Park, Gyu M.,Kim, Min G.,Moon, Jong S.,Yoo, Dong S.,Oh, Chil H. Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 Skin research and technology Vol.11 No.4

<P>Background/aims</P><P>Wide variation in outcome methodology can make the interpretation of patient outcomes confusing and the comparison of the results of different studies almost impossible. It is important to objectively measure and record the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) for routine clinical practice and research. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether morphologic study of skin surface contours might be helpful to objectively quantify the severity of AD.</P><P>Methods</P><P>Thirty atopic patients (12 females, 18 males) participated in this study. Moisturizer was applied twice daily for 2 weeks. Bioengineering methods such as D-Squame®, corneometer, evaporimeter, and spectrophotometer were measured at the start of the study and after 1 week and 2 weeks. In addition, we assessed moisturizer effects after 3 h of moisturizer application.The stereoimage optical topometer (SOT) based on a new concept of stereoimage was applied for this study. We compared SOT, other bioengineering methods, and the severity scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index.</P><P>Results</P><P>After 3 h of application with moisturizer, the results measured by SOT, conventional optical profilometer (COP), D-Squame®, and corneometer showed significant differences (<I>P</I><0.05). After 1 and 2 weeks, there were significant changes in the results measured by SOT, COP, D-Squame®, corneometer, spectrophotometer, and SCORAD index. We observed a significant correlation between bioengineering methods and the SCORAD index (<I>P</I><0.05).</P><P>Conclusion</P><P>These data indicate that morphologic study of skin surface contours are useful in evaluating of AD severity. If we would combine methods to evaluate the physiologic changes and those such as SOT to measure the morphological changes of skin surface, we could evaluate more objectively and quantitatively the severity of AD.</P>

Effects of nicotine on proliferation, cell cycle, and differentiation in immortalized and malignant oral keratinocytes

Lee, Hwa-Jeong,Guo, Han-Young,Lee, Sun-Kyung,Jeon, Byung-Hun,Jun, Chang-Duk,Lee, Suk-Keun,Park, Myung-Hee,Kim, Eun-Cheol Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 Journal of oral pathology & medicine Vol.34 No.7

<P>Background: </P><P>Numerous epidemiological studies have reported that tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for oral cancer, but relatively little is known about the effect of nicotine, a major product of cigarette smoking, on immortalized oral keratinocytes and cancer cells.</P><P>Methods: </P><P>We investigated the effects of nicotine on the growth and differentiation of immortalized human oral keratinocytes (IHOK), primary oral cancer cells (HN4), metastatic oral cancer cells (HN12), and human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT), in the monolayer and in the three-dimensional (3D) raft cultures using the MTT assay, Western blotting, and cell cycle analysis.</P><P>Results: </P><P>Nicotine inhibited the proliferation of immortalized and malignant keratinocytes in dose- and time-dependent manners as determined by MTT assay. The 3D organotypic culture showed that nicotine at high concentration (300 <I>μ</I>M) inhibits epithelial maturation, surface keratinization, and decreased epithelial thickness. Flow cytometry showed that nicotine inhibited cell cycle progression by inducing G<SUB>0</SUB>/G<SUB>1</SUB> arrest of HaCaT, IHOK, HN4, and HN12 cells without causing apoptosis. Nicotine treatment increased p21 expression in immortalized cells (HaCaT, IHOK) and oral cancer cells (HN4, HN12), but decreased pRb and p53 expression in oral cancer cells. Moreover, after high-dose nicotine treatment, the involucrin expression increased markedly in immortalized cells, but not in oral cancer cells.</P><P>Conclusions: </P><P>We demonstrated that nicotine inhibits growth through cell cycle arrest at G<SUB>0</SUB>/G<SUB>1</SUB> phase probably by increasing the expression of p21<SUP>WAF1/CIP1</SUP>. Nicotine also affects epithelial differentiation in immortalized and malignant oral keratinocytes. Malignant oral keratinocytes appear to be more resistant to the effects of nicotine on epithelial growth and differentiation as compared to the immortalized cells.</P>

Morphometric assessment of nuclei in Bowen's disease and bowenoid papulosis

Yu, Dong-Soo,Kim, Gina,Song, Hae-Jun,Oh, Chil-Hwan Munksgaard International Publishers 2004 SKIN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.10 No.1

<P>Background: </P><p>Occasionally, Bowen's disease and bowenoid papulosis cannot be distinguished in microscopic finding. Their clinical presentations are quite different from one another. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histological differences in Bowen's disease and bowenoid papulosis, by comparing the size and shape of nuclei, using image analysis system.</p><P>Methods: </P><p>We performed morphometric assessment on 13 specimens of Bowen's disease and eight specimens of bowenoid papulosis using an image analysis system, and the following parameters were calculated, such as nuclear contour index (NCI), irregularities of nucleus (IN), form factor (form AR) and circulatory factor (form PE).</p><P>Results: </P><p>For NCI, there were significant differences between the Bowen's disease and bowenoid papulosis, and IN also shows significant differences between these two dis-eases, showing that Bowen's disease has more corrugated or indented nucleus contour than bowenoid papulosis. In the parameter of form PE, there were significant differences between the two diseases, indicating that Bowen's disease has more oval-shaped nuclei than bowenoid papulosis. There were no significant differences in form factor between Bowen's disease and bowenoid pupulosis.</p><P>Conclusions: </P><p>Significant differences were found in the morphometric evaluation between Bowen's disease and bowenoid papulosis. The nuclei were larger, more oval and more irregular margins in Bowen's disease than bowenoid papulosis.</p>

Variations in the behaviors to novel objects among five inbred strains of mice

Kim, D.,Chae, S.,Lee, J.,Yang, H.,Shin, H.-S. Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 Genes, brain, and behavior Vol.4 No.5

<P><B>Novelty stimuli cause various behavioral responses, such as exploration and avoidance, and contextual variables may contribute to the behavioral outputs. Here, we tried to compare the behavioral responses to novel objects of five inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6J, 129/svJae, C3H/HeJ, BALB/cJ and DBA/2J) by using a modified novel object test where a small light-weight cube wrapped with paper was presented to mice in a home cage without beddings. In response to these objects, the C57BL/6J, 129/svJae and C3H/HeJ mice showed mild exploratory behaviors, such as approaching, sniffing or brief contact. In striking contrast, the BALB/cJ and DBA/2J mice, which have been known to show high avoidance/low exploration in other behavioral paradigms, exhibited play-like secondary reactions toward the objects after initial primary exploratory behaviors. Specifically, DBA/2J mice would move the object around in the cage, holding it with their mouths, and BALB/cJ mice would gnaw the object, eventually stripping off the wrapping paper. Such behaviors decreased when similar objects were presented repeatedly. The present results suggest that active manipulations of novel objects may be a relevant parameter for measuring novelty-induced behaviors in mice and appear to be strongly influenced by genetic factors.</B></P>

Indirect indicator of transport stress in hematological values in newly acquired cynomolgus monkeys

Kim, Choong-Yong,Han, Jin Soo,Suzuki, Teruo,Han, Sang-Seop Munksgaard International Publishers 2005 Journal of medical primatology Vol.34 No.4

<P>Abstract: </P><P>Indicators of transport stress were investigated in blood parameters of five male cynomolgus monkeys obtained from abroad. They underwent air and ground travel-related stress in transport cages for a 15-hour transit time. On arrival, hematological parameters of white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit values were within the limits of reference range, indicating that these parameters were not typical changes derived from transport stress loading. An increase in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio with a marked increase in neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocytes was observed on arrival, and the increased N/L ratio returned approximately to the normal level 1 week after arrival. The serum cortisol level markedly increased on the day of arrival and it returned to normal 1 week after arrival. These findings indicate that the transport process was stressful for animals, showing increases in N/L ratio as well as cortisol level. Thus, it is possible that an increase in N/L ratio may be utilized as an indirect indicator of transport stress in newly acquired cynomolgus monkeys, as it has the similar pattern of change in cortisol with an increased cortisol level on the day of arrival.</P>