Genome-wide analysis of low-dose irradiated male Drosophila melanogaster with extended longevity.

Ionizing radiation generates oxidative stress, which is thought to be a major cause of aging. Although living organisms are constantly exposed to low levels of radiation, most studies examining the effect of radiation have focused on accelerated aging and diminished life span that result from high-dose radiation. On the other hand, several studies have suggested that low-dose radiation enhances the longevity of Drosophila melanogaster.

Alteration of cytokine profiles in mice exposed to chronic low-dose ionizing radiation.

While a high-dose of ionizing radiation is generally harmful and causes damage to living organisms, a low-dose of radiation has been shown to be beneficial in a variety of animal models. To understand the basis for the effect of low-dose radiation in vivo, we examined the cellular and immunological changes evoked in mice exposed to low-dose radiation at very low (0.7mGy/h) and low (3.

Risk factors for bone mineral density at the calcaneus in 40-59 year-old male workers: a cross-sectional study in Korea.

Background: Few epidemiologic studies have attempted to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for osteopenia and osteoporosis in middle-aged Asian men. We performed this study to determine the prevalence and risk factors of osteopenia and osteoporosis in this population.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to July, 2004.

Specific proteolysis of the A-kinase-anchoring protein 149 at the Asp582 residue by caspases during apoptosis.

A-kinase-anchoring protein 149 (AKAP149) is a member of a structurally diverse, though functionally similar anchoring protein family and is localized to the outer membrane of mitochondria and in the endoplasmic reticulum-nuclear envelope network. AKAP149 plays an important role in controlling the subcellular localization and temporal specificity of protein phosphorylation and mRNA metabolism by tethering kinases and phosphatases, such as protein kinase A and type I protein phosphatase, through its N-terminal protein-binding motifs and mRNAs via its C-terminal RNA-binding motifs. It is well recognized that caspases play a central role in transducing and amplifying the intracellular death signal and that apoptosis is executed as a consequence of caspase-mediated cleavage of multiple cellular substrates.

Genome-wide screening and identification of novel proteolytic cleavage targets of caspase-8 and -10 in vitro.

Apoptosis executed by the mammalian caspase family plays a fundamental role in cellular homeostasis. Deregulation of this process is associated with several human diseases. The multimerization of ligand-induced death receptors results in the recruitment of the death inducing signaling complex and autocatalytic activation of initiator caspases, including caspase-8 and -10.

Low-dose radiation stimulates the proliferation of normal human lung fibroblasts via a transient activation of Raf and Akt.

The biological effects of low-dose radiation have been investigated and debated for more than a century, but its cellular effects and regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study shows the human cellular responses to low-dose radiation in CCD-18 Lu cells, which are derived from normal human lung fibroblasts. We examined a colony-forming assay for cell survival by ionizing radiation.

Incidence and risk factors of insulin resistance syndrome in 20-59 year-old Korean male workers.

We investigated the incidence of insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) according to the criteria of diagnoses suggested by the American College of Endocrinology/ American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the risk factors associated with the development of IRS. Among 2,048 subjects without a history of/or drug treatment for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia with normal findings at baseline, 1,578 subjects aged 20-59 yr were followed prospectively for 2 yr. The incidence of IRS was 6.

Comprehensive analysis of time- and dose-dependent patterns of gene expression in a human mesenchymal stem cell line exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation.

We focused on the transcriptional responses induced by low and very low doses of ionizing radiation with time effect. Regardless of their importance only a few limited studies have been done. Here we applied a large-scale gene transcript profile to elucidate the genes and biological pathways.

Low-dose of ionizing radiation enhances cell proliferation via transient ERK1/2 and p38 activation in normal human lung fibroblasts.

This study shows the human cellular responses and the mechanism of low-dose ionizing radiation in CCD 18 Lu cells, which are derived from normal human lung fibroblasts. Cell proliferation and viability assay were measured for the cells following gamma-irradiation using trypan blue, BrdU incorporation, and Wst-1 assay. We also examined genotoxicity using a micronuclei formation assay.

Potential of dark-striped field mice, Apodemus agrarius coreae, for use as a biological radiation dosimeter for human environments.

This study examined the possibility of using striped field mice as a biological dosimeter or indicator for surveillance of the ecological effects of boundary radiation emitted by nuclear power plants. For this study, the external morphological characteristics and isoenzymic electrophoretypes of Korean domestic dark-striped field mice were studied after they were captured, controlled for reproduction, and their exact species were identified. In terms of morphological external characteristics, the dark-brown coat, dark back stripe, head-to-tail length, tail length, and ear length matched the taxonomical characteristics of dark-striped field mice.

[The incidence and risk factors of hypertension that developed in a male-workers' cohort for 3 years].

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and morbidity in Korea. In this study, the prevalence and incidence of developing hypertension in a male-workers' cohort were investigated during 3-years follow-up with a view to find the risk factors that affected the development of hypertension.

Methods: Among the 5,374 people who participated in a routine health check up, 3,852 people with normal blood pressure and who had no history of hypertension were prospectively followed up for 3 years.

Gamma-irradiation and doxorubicin treatment of normal human cells cause cell cycle arrest via different pathways.

Ionizing radiation and doxorubicin both produce oxidative damage and double-strand breaks in DNA. Double-strand breaks and oxidative damage are highly toxic and cause cell cycle arrest, provoking DNA repair and apoptosis in cancer cell lines. To investigate the response of normal human cells to agents causing oxidative damage, we monitored alterations in gene expression in F65 normal human fibroblasts.

Radioprotective effects of various cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and C3H mice.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of HGFs (GM-CSF, IL-3 and SCF) in irradiated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro, and the survival effect of lethally irradiated C3H mice in vivo. The irradiation of human PBMCs using a (137)Cs irradiator showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth up to a dose of 5 Gy. This cell growth inhibition induced apoptosis, which was associated with the down-regulation of Bcl-2, up-regulation of Bax, depolarization of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Delta psi m), and caspase-3 and -9 activation.

Nuclear factor-kappaB activation correlates with better prognosis and Akt activation in human gastric cancer.

Purpose: Because the biological significance of constitutive nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in human gastric cancer is unclear, we undertook this study to clarify the regulatory mechanism of NF-kappaB activation and its clinical significance.

Experimental Design: Immunohistochemistry for NF-kappaB/RelA was done on 290 human gastric carcinoma specimens placed on tissue array slides. The correlations between NF-kappaB activation and clinicopathologic features, prognosis, Akt activation, tumor suppressor gene expression, or Bcl-2 expression were analyzed.

Histopathological changes of the liver after praziquantel treatment in Clonorchis sinensis infected rabbits.

The rabbits were infected with Clnorchis sinensis and were treated with praziquantel at the dose of 50 mg/kg x 2 x 2 days afer 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks and 7 months from the infection. Their livers were observed histopathologically 1, 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. The findings are summarized as below: The changes of the liver in control rabbits were relatively mild until 2 weeks after infection.