Alcohol Consumption and Cancer Risk: Two Sample Mendelian Randomization.

Although numerous observational studies have reported on the association between alcohol consumption and cancer, insufficient studies have estimated the causality. Our study evaluated the causal relationship between various types of cancer according to the frequency of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed. The research data were obtained from the publicly available MR-Base platform.

Effects of Obesity and Family History of Diabetes on the Association of rs6499861 with HDL-C Level in Korean Populations.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the associations of cholesterol ester transfer protein () rs6499861 and rs12708980 with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) considering obesity and family history of diabetes (FHD) in Korean men and women.

Methods: We analyzed the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with HDL-C among individuals selected from a hospital (n=4 294) and the Bundang-gu area in Korea (n=2 304).

Results: We found that the SNP rs6499861 was associated with a lower HDL-C level (effect per allele: -2.

Association of MC4R (rs17782313) with diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Korean men and women.

Background: Diabetes is mostly assessed by the fasting glucose level. Several studies reported that serum fasting glucose levels and cardiovascular disease are associated with MC4R.

Methods: A total of 4294 subjects participated in this study.

Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 and IgE are associated with elderly asthmatics.

Background: The pathogenesis of asthma, which is an allergic lung disease, is associated with a variety of allergens such as house dust mite, pollen, and mould, IgE containing serum IgE and allergen-specific-IgE, and inflammatory cytokines including thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17. Because aging is an essential factor in the pathogenesis of asthma, we examined biomarkers related to asthmatic subjects depending on age.

Results: Physiological indices such as FEV1(forced expiratory capacity in 1 s), FEV1 (% predicted), and FEV1/FVC(forced vital capacity) (%) in asthmatic subjects were lower than those in normal subjects.

Effect of smoking on the association of HHEX (rs5015480) with diabetes among Korean women and heavy smoking men.

Background: Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for serum fasting glucose levels have reported HHEX as possibly causal. The objective of this study was to examine the joint effect of smoking on the association of diabetes with the HHEX rs5015480 polymorphism among Korean subjects.

Methods: This replication study included a total of 4240 individuals, and multivariate linear regression and multiple logistic regression models were used.

Association between smoking and gout: a meta-analysis.

Previous studies showed that smoking is linked with the decreased risk of gout, but the results remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the associations between smoking and the risk of gout. A systematic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE was conducted.

Melatonin modulates adiponectin expression on murine colitis with sleep deprivation.

Aim: To determine adiponectin expression in colonic tissue of murine colitis and systemic cytokine expression after melatonin treatments and sleep deprivation.

Methods: The following five groups of C57BL/6 mice were used in this study: (1) group I, control; (2) group II, 2% DSS induced colitis for 7 d; (3) group III, 2% DSS induced colitis and melatonin treatment; (4) group IV, 2% DSS induced colitis with sleep deprivation (SD) using specially designed and modified multiple platform water baths; and (5) group V, 2% DSS induced colitis with SD and melatonin treatment. Melatonin (10 mg/kg) or saline was intraperitoneally injected daily to mice for 4 d.

Detrimental Effects of Higher Body Mass Index and Smoking Habits on Menstrual Cycles in Korean Women.

Background: Alteration of menstrual cycle by individual lifestyles and unfavorable habits may cause menstrual irregularity. We aimed to investigate the relationship between lifestyle factors and menstrual irregularity in Korean women using data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010-2012.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3779 nondiabetic Korean women aged 19-49 years who did not take any oral contraceptives or sex hormonal compounds.

Beyond the brain-Peripheral kisspeptin signaling is essential for promoting endometrial gland development and function.

Uterine growth and endometrial gland formation (adenogenesis) and function, are essential for fertility and are controlled by estrogens and other regulators, whose nature and physiological relevance are yet to be elucidated. Kisspeptin, which signals via Kiss1r, is essential for fertility, primarily through its central control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, but also likely through peripheral actions. Using genetically modified mice, we addressed the contributions of central and peripheral kisspeptin signaling in regulating uterine growth and adenogenesis.

Effect of obesity on the association between MYL2 (rs3782889) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol among Korean men.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Several genome-wide association studies that have examined HDL cholesterol levels have implicated myosin light chain 2 regulatory cardiac slow (MYL2) as a possible causal factor. Herein, the association between the rs3782889 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MYL2 gene and HDL cholesterol levels was tested in the Korean population.

Body mass index and mortality among Korean elderly in rural communities: Kangwha Cohort Study.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality may differ by ethnicity, but its exact nature remains unclear among Koreans. The study aim was to prospectively examine the association between BMI and mortality in Korean.

Methods: 6166 residents (2636 men; 3530 women) of rural communities (Kangwha County, Republic of Korea) aged 55 and above were followed up for deaths from 1985-2008.

The ABCG2 Polymorphism rs2725220 Is Associated with Hyperuricemia in the Korean Population.

Elevated serum uric acid levels are associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, including gout, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. Several genome-wide association studies on uric acid levels have implicated the ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, member 2 (ABCG2) gene as being possibly causal. We investigated an association between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2725220 in the ABCG2 gene and uric acid levels in the Korean population.

Identification of FAM13A gene associated with the ratio of FEV1 to FVC in Korean population by genome-wide association studies including gene-environment interactions.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex, multifactorial disease. Although smoking is a main risk factor for obstructive impairment, not all smokers develop this critical disease. We conducted a genome-wide association study to identify the association between genetic variants and pulmonary function and also examined how these variants relate to lung impairment in accordance with smoking behaviors.

Association between all-cause mortality and insurance status transition among the elderly population in a rural area in Korea: Kangwha Cohort Study.

The study purpose was to examine the association between health insurance transition and all-cause mortality. 3206 residents in Korea who participated in two surveys in 1985 and 1994, were followed-up during 1994-2008. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated using Cox hazard model.

Replication of genetic effects of MC4R polymorphisms on body mass index in a Korean population.

Obesity is associated with a variety of adverse health risks. Several genome-wide association studies of obesity have identified candidate genes, including the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) and the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene. We carried out a replication study of MC4R and FTO variants in a Korean cohort.

Suppressing effect of resveratrol on the migration and invasion of human metastatic lung and cervical cancer cells.

The antioxidant 3,4',5 tri-hydroxystilbene (resveratrol), a phytoalexin found in grapes, shows cancer preventive activities, including inhibition of migration and invasion of metastatic tumors. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of resveratrol on tumor metastasis, especially in human metastatic lung and cervical cancers is not clear. A non-cytotoxic dosage of resveratrol causes a reduction in the generation of reactive oxygen species, and suppresses phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced invasion and migration in both A549 and HeLa cells.

Life satisfaction and mortality in elderly people: the Kangwha Cohort Study.

Background: As well as biomedical risk factors, psychological factors have been reported to be related to mortality rate. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between life satisfaction and mortality in elderly people through an 11.8-year follow-up study of a prospective cohort.

Effects of SLC2A9 variants on uric acid levels in a Korean population.

Elevated uric acid levels are associated with a variety of adverse health risks. Genome-wide association studies have identified several candidate genes associated with serum uric acid levels, including SLC2A9. We carried out a replication study of SLC2A9 variants in two Korean cohorts.

Inhibitory effect of Trolox on the migration and invasion of human lung and cervical cancer cells.

The antioxidant 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) is implicated in migration and invasion of metastatic tumors. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of Trolox on metastatic cancer cells is not known. We found that a non-cytotoxic dose of Trolox decreased phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced invasion and migration of both A549 and HeLa cancer cells.

Reproductive risk factors for cardiovascular disease mortality among postmenopausal women in Korea: the Kangwha Cohort Study, 1985-2005.

Objective: The relationship between reproductive factors and the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate this relationship in Korean postmenopausal women.

Methods: Subcohort analysis was carried out using the data of 3,257 postmenopausal women (age, ≥55 y at study entry) from the Kangwha Cohort Study who were followed up from 1985 until 2005.