Immunostimulatory DNA reverses established allergen-induced airway remodeling.

To determine whether immunostimulatory sequences of DNA (ISS) can reverse established airway remodeling, mice that had developed airway remodeling following 3 mo of repetitive OVA challenges, were treated with ISS for 1-3 mo. Systemic administration of ISS to mice that had already developed established airway remodeling significantly reduced the degree of airway collagen deposition (assessed by lung collagen content, peribronchial trichrome staining, and immunostaining with anticollagen type III and type V Abs). ISS reduced bronchoalveolar lavage and lung levels of TGF-beta1 and reduced the number of TGF-beta1-positive eosinophils and TGF-beta1-positive mononuclear cells recruited to the airway.

Oncogenic H-Ras up-regulates expression of ERCC1 to protect cells from platinum-based anticancer agents.

Tumors frequently contain mutations in the ras genes, resulting in the constitutive activation of the Ras-activated signaling pathway. The activation of Ras is involved not only in tumor progression but also in the development of resistance of the tumor cells to platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents. To investigate the potential mechanisms underlying this resistance, we analyzed the effect of activated H-Ras on the expression of the nucleotide excision repair genes.

Metallothionein-III prevents gamma-ray-induced 8-oxoguanine accumulation in normal and hOGG1-depleted cells.

Metallothioneins (MT) play an important biological role in preventing oxidative damage to cells. We have previously demonstrated that the efficiency of the protective effect of MT-III against the DNA degradation from oxidative damage was much higher than that of MT-I/II. As an extension of the latter investigation, this study aimed to assess the ability of MT-III to suppress 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), which is one of the major base lesions formed after an oxidative attack to DNA and the mutant frequency of the HPRT gene in human fibroblast GM00637 cells upon exposure to gamma-rays.

Modulation of beta-catenin phosphorylation/degradation by cyclin-dependent kinase 2.

beta-Catenin functions as a downstream component of the Wnt/Wingless signal transduction pathway, and inappropriate control of cytosolic beta-catenin is a crucial step in the genesis of several human cancers. Here we demonstrate that cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) in association with cyclin A or cyclin E directly binds to beta-catenin. In vivo and in vitro kinase assays with cyclin-CDK2 demonstrate beta-catenin phosphorylation on residues Ser(33), Ser(37), Thr(41), and Ser(45).

Effect of pregnancy and menopause on facial wrinkling in women.

Women appear to be at greater risk of developing wrinkles with age than men. To evaluate the effect of pregnancy and menopause on facial wrinkling, a total of 186 Korean women volunteers aged between 20 and 89 years were interviewed for information on menstrual and reproductive factors. An 8-point photographic scale developed for assessing the severity of wrinkles in Asian skin was used.

Capsular polysaccharide typing of domestic mastitis-causing Staphylococcus aureus strains and its potential exploration of bovine mastitis vaccine development. I. Capsular polysaccharide typing, isolation and purification of the strains.

One hundred seven isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis were investigated for colony morphology in serum-soft agar (SSA), autoagglutination in salt, and capsular serotype. Capsular polysaccharide (CP) was purified and quantified from the extracts of clinical isolates. Overall, 89 isolates (83.

Inhibition of Drynariae Rhizoma extracts on bone resorption mediated by processing of cathepsin K in cultured mouse osteoclasts.

In the traditional Korean medicine, Drynariae Rhizoma (DR) [Drynaria fortunei (kunze) J. Sm] has been reported as a good enhancer for bone healing. In this experiment, we investigate the effects of DR on bone resorption using the bone cells culture.

Numerical analysis of the three-dimensional blood flow in the korean artificial heart.

Flow in the blood sac of the Korean artificial heart is numerically simulated by finite element method. Fluid-structure interaction algorithm is employed to compute the three-dimensional blood flow interacting with the sac material. For verification of the numerical method of fluid-structure interaction, two-dimensional flow in a collapsible channel with initial tension is simulated and the results are compared with numerical solutions from the literature.

Differential effects of photoaging vs intrinsic aging on the vascularization of human skin.

Objective: To quantify the distinct effects of photoaging vs intrinsic aging of human skin on cutaneous vascularization in the Korean population.

Design: Case series.

Setting: University hospital.

Modulation of skin collagen metabolism in aged and photoaged human skin in vivo.

To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted to date to directly compare the collagen metabolism of photoaged and naturally aged human skin. In this study, we compared collagen synthesis, matrix metalloproteinase-1 levels, and gelatinase activity of sun-exposed and sun-protected skin of both young and old subjects. Using northern blot analysis, immunohistochemical stain, and Western blot analysis, we demonstrated that the levels of procollagen type I mRNA and protein in photoaged and naturally aged human skin in vivo are significantly lower than those of young skin.

Cutaneous photodamage in Koreans: influence of sex, sun exposure, smoking, and skin color.

Background: Severe wrinkles and pigmentary changes of the exposed skin indicate substantial damage due to UV radiation. Many investigators believe that the principal manifestation of photodamage in Asians is pigmentary change rather than wrinkles. However, to our knowledge, no well-designed study has investigated the characteristics of cutaneous photodamage in Asian skin.

Ultraviolet radiation increases tropoelastin mRNA expression in the epidermis of human skin in vivo.

Photoaged skin contains elastotic materials in the upper reticular dermis. This phenomenon is commonly known as solar elastosis. Little is known about the mechanisms leading to the accumulation of elastotic materials in photoaged skin, however.

Colchicine treatment in a patient with neutrophilic dermatosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Neutrophilic dermatoses (ND) are characterized by epidermal and dermal infiltrates of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), without any infectious or other detectable agents as a cause. We describe a case of ND, which very rapidly improved upon colchicine treatment. The patient was a 67-year-old female with an 8-month history of dusky-red, tender, swollen plaques and nodules with superimposed vesicles and bullae on the buttocks, hands, and ankles associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Skin is the frequent site for involvement of peripheral T-cell and natural killer cell lymphomas in Korea.

We have studied the clinicopathological features of 19 Korean cases of peripheral T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas, not including mycosis fungoides. Primary cutaneous involvement was demonstrated in eight of these 19 cases, and we recognized four clinicopathologic subtypes among these eight patients: nasal type NK/T cell lymphoma, three cases; primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, two cases; subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma, one case; lymphoma with hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous lesions, two cases. We did not, however, encounter any cases of HTLV-associated adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia, which is common in Taiwan and Japan.