The experience and reflections of GC labs as an independent clinical laboratory to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Background: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive testing was undertaken by independent clinical laboratories (ICLs), yet limited research exists on this matter. Drawing from Green Cross Laboratories (GC Labs)' pandemic response experience, this study seeks to offer insights for preparation for the next pandemic.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (SARS-CoV-2 rRT PCR) tests administered by GC Labs for COVID-19 diagnosis, upon request by different organizations, between February 2020 and April 2022.

Serum adipokine levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients and their contributions to the resistance to treatment.

The aim of this study was to determine whether disease activity and the type of therapy differentially modulate serum adipokine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and whether pre-therapy adipokine levels contribute to resistance to treatment. Fasting blood samples from 40 RA patients were obtained at baseline and six months following therapeutic treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α blockers. Serum levels of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and resistin were measured by ELISA.

Effect of taurine chloramine on differentiation of human preadipocytes into adipocytes.

We investigated whether taurine chloramine (TauCl), which is -endogenously produced by immune cells such as macrophages that infiltrate adipose tissue, affects the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes or modulates the expression of adipokines in adipocytes. To study the physiological effects of TauCl on human adipocyte differentiation and adipokine expression, preadipocytes were cultured under differentiation conditions for 14 days in the presence or the absence of TauCl. Differentiated adipocytes were also treated with TauCl in the presence or the absence of IL-1β (1 ng/ml) for 7 days.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of an ethanolic extract of Taheebo, the inner bark of Tabebuia avellanedae.

Taheebo, the purple inner bark of the Bignoniaceae tree Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb, which is found in tropical rain forests in northeastern Brazil, has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases for more than 1,500 years. In the current study, various animal models were used to demonstrate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of its ethanolic extract, thereby investigating its potential as a therapeutic treatment for diseases with pain and inflammation. In the hot plate and writhing tests for the in vivo analgesic effect test of Taheebo, a 200 mg/kg dose of the extract induced a significant anti-nociceptive effect and increased the pain threshold by approximately 30% compared with the control.

Association between serum thymosin β4 levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients and disease activity and response to therapy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether thymosin β4 (Tβ4) levels are increased in the serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and if this increase is associated with RA disease activity and resistance to treatment. Blood samples from 40 patients with RA were collected at baseline and 6 months after starting treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and/or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α blocker. Serum levels of Tβ4 were measured by ELISA.

Synergy between adiponectin and interleukin-1β on the expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and cyclooxygenase-2 in fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

To determine whether adiponectin may have synergistic effects in combination with the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β regarding the production of proinflammatory mediators during arthritic joint inflammation, synovial cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were treated with adiponectin, IL-1β, and their combination for 24 h. Culture supernatant was collected and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for levels of IL-6, IL-8, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Adiponectin-mediated intracellular signaling pathways were investigated to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying their synergy.

Positive rates of 2009 novel influenza A (H1N1) was high in school-aged individuals: significance in pandemic control.

In this study, data from a pandemic H1N1 outbreak in Korea were analyzed according to time, geography (districts), and age. A total of 252,271 samples collected nationwide were referred to the Greencross Reference Laboratory from June 2009 to February 2010 for H1N1 confirmation testing. Of these samples, 105,300 (41.

Effects of the pro-inflammatory milieu on the dedifferentiation of cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the inflammatory milieu and/or hypoxia induces the dedifferentiation of synovial cells into mesenchymal stem-like cells, which may contribute to the tumor-like growth of synovial cells. Expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers (CD24, CD44, CD90, CD106, CD146 and Stro-1) was compared among cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM MSCs) and normal dermal fibroblasts. After the cells were stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokines for 3 days under hypoxia or normoxia, the stem cell markers were analyzed by FACS.

WIN-34B May Have Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects by Reducing the Production of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators in Cells via Inhibition of IκB Signaling Pathways.

WIN-34B showed analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in various animal models of pain and osteoarthritis. However, the molecular mechanism by which WIN-34B inhibits pain and inflammation in vivo remains to be elucidated. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of the actions of WIN-34B using various in vitro models using fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA FLSs), RAW264.

Arthritic disease is more severe in older rats in a kaolin/carrageenan-induced arthritis model.

This study examined in an arthritis animal model whether elderly onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) is a more severe disease than younger onset rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis was induced by injecting 5% kaolin/carrageenan into the left tibiotarsal ankles of 18-month-old and 4-week-old rats. Various parameters were measured to evaluate the arthritic progression of kaolin/carrageenan-induced arthritis in the rats.

Implication of MMP-9 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in the activation of pro-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13.

We examined whether the expression and activation of pro-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 varies from that of pro-MMP-13 in the joint fluid of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. To do this, joint fluid was collected from 34 RA and 34 OA patients. The collagenase (pro-MMP-1 and MMP-13, total MMP-1, and MMP-13), gelatinase (total MMP-2 and MMP-9), stromelysin (total MMP-3), matrilysin (total MMP-7), uPA, and tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP) levels were measured by ELISA.

Increased expression of IL-1 receptors in response to IL-1β may produce more IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, and PGE₂ in senescent synovial cells induced in vitro than in presenescent cells.

Primary synovial cells with high passage number demonstrate increased production of proinflammatory mediators in response to inflammatory stimuli compared with cells with low passage number. This study used synovial cells to learn how different numbers of serial subculture passages affect the production of proinflammatory mediators in response to interleukin (IL)-1β. Synovial cells were serially subcultured in flasks until passage 7.

Groundwater contamination and natural attenuation capacity at a petroleum spilled facility in Korea.

As a remedial option, the natural attenuation capacity of a petroleum contaminated groundwater at a military facility was examined. Hydrogeological conditions, such as high water level, permeable uppermost layer and frequent heavy rainfall, were favorable to natural attenuation at this site. The changes in the concentrations of electron acceptors and donors, as well as the relevant hydrochemical conditions, indicated the occurrence of aerobic respiration, denitrification, iron reduction, manganese reduction and sulfate reduction.

Fetal bovine serum requirement for pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate-induced apoptotic cell death of MCF-7 breast tumor cells.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) can form a complex with metal ions and then act as a proteasome inhibitor, which leads to tumor cell apoptosis, and could therefore be developed as an anticancer agent. In our efforts to find factors that induce PDTC-mediated apoptosis of tumor cells, the effect of serum concentration on the apoptotic activity of PDTC was investigated. PDTC could not induce MCF-7 breast tumor cell death in serum-free media but significantly induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of ≥25 μM in media containing 10% fetal bovine serum.

Effect of taurine chloramine on the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in adiponectin- or IL-1beta-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Background: Adiponectin greatly stimulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) as did IL-1beta. We wondered whether taurine chloramine (TauCl) inhibits the production of MMPs stimulated by adiponectin in the same pattern as by IL-1beta stimulation in vitro

Methods: Synovial cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were treated with adiponectin or interleukin (IL)-1beta for 24 hr in the presence or absence of TauCl. The culture supernatant was collected and the levels of MMPs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Expression levels and association of gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 and collagenases MMP-1 and MMP-13 with VEGF in synovial fluid of patients with arthritis.

This study was performed to provide evidence, albeit indirectly, as to which matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), among the gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the collagenases MMP-1 and MMP-13, play a more proactive role in the angiogenic process in arthritic joint. Joint fluid was collected from 33 patients with rhuematoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), and protein (MMPs and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) levels were measured by ELISA, and the association of MMPs with VEGF was evaluated in joint fluid of patients with RA or OA. The levels of collagenases (total MMP-1 and total MMP-13) and gelatinases (total MMP-2 and total MMP-9) in RA joint fluid were significantly higher than those in OA fluid.

Adiponectin may contribute to synovitis and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis by stimulating vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-1, and matrix metalloproteinase-13 expression in fibroblast-like synoviocytes more than proinflammatory mediators.

Introduction: The role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of arthritis is still controversial. This study was performed to examine whether adiponectin is involved in joint inflammation and destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

Methods: Synovial cells from RA patients were treated with adiponectin or interleukin (IL)-1beta for 24 hours.

Differential effect of IL-1β and TNFα on the production of IL-6, IL-8 and PGE2 in fibroblast-like synoviocytes and THP-1 macrophages.

Inflammation in the joint of rheumatoid arthritis is a complex immune reaction facilitated by various factors, such as cytokines, cells and hypoxia. Thus, we evaluated their relative capacity to produce proinflammatory mediators in response to IL-1beta, TNF-alpha or IL-17 under hypoxia or normoxia in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) and macrophages. The level of IL-6 expression was strongly increased in both FLSs and THP-1 macrophages in response to IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, but the level by TNF-alpha was less than that by IL-1beta.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, a NF-kappaB inhibitor, upregulates MMP-1 and MMP-13 in IL-1beta-stimulated rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Activated NF-kappaB plays an important role in the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-13 in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on the expression of MMPs in IL-1beta-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) of rheumatoid arthritis patients. FLSs were treated with IL-1beta (10 ng/ml) for 24 h in the presence or absence of PDTC.

Anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects of piperine in human interleukin 1beta-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes and in rat arthritis models.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory, nociceptive, and antiarthritic effects of piperine, the active phenolic component in black pepper extract.

Methods: The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of piperine was tested on interleukin 1beta (IL1beta)-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes derived form patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The levels of IL6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were investigated by ELISA and RT-PCR analysis.

Mizoribine may suppress bone erosion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.

Mizoribine is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) that is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. However, clinical use of the drug is restricted to a few Asian countries due to a lack of comprehensive evidence on its effectiveness. The inhibitory effect of the drug on human osteoclastogenesis was investigated in the hopes of providing some clear evidence.

Hepatitis B virus X protein induces hepatic steatosis via transcriptional activation of SREBP1 and PPARgamma.

Background & Aims: Hepatic steatosis occurs frequently in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Recently, several studies suggested that steatosis plays an important role as a cofactor in other liver diseases such as hepatic fibrosis, hepatitis, and liver cancer. In contrast to HCV, however, the molecular mechanism by which HBV mediates hepatic steatosis has not been clearly studied.

Decreased expression of DNA repair proteins Ku70 and Mre11 is associated with aging and may contribute to the cellular senescence.

The gradual loss of telomeric DNA can contribute to replicative senescence and thus, having longer telomeric DNA is generally considered to provide a longer lifespan. Maintenance and stabilization of telomeric DNA is assisted by binding of multiple DNA-binding proteins, including those involved in double strand break (DSB) repair. We reasoned that declining DSB repair capacity and increased telomere shortening in aged individuals may be associated with decreased expression of DSB repair proteins capable of telomere binding.

Activation and interaction of ATF2 with the coactivator ASC-2 are responsive for granulocytic differentiation by retinoic acid.

Terminal differentiation of hematopoietic cells follows a precisely orchestrated program of transcriptional regulatory events at the promoters of both lineage-specific and ubiquitous genes. Here we show that the transcription factor ATF2 is associated with the induction of granulocytic differentiation, and the molecular interaction of ATF2 with a tissue-specific coactivator activating signal cointegator-2 (ASC-2) potentiates the differentiation procedure. All-trans retinoic acid (RA) induced the phosphorylation and expression of ATF2 in the early and middle phase of granulocyte differentiation, respectively.