Improved expression by cytomegalovirus promoter/enhancer and behavior of vascular endothelial growth factor gene after myocardial injection of naked DNA.

Direct injection of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene plasmid DNA into the myocardium was shown to induce development of new blood vessels to increase the circulation in the heart of patients with coronary artery diseases. However, such angiogenic gene therapy (via naked DNA) was limited by low level of gene expression. Furthermore, the temporal and spatial characteristics of VEGF gene transfer in the heart are not known.

Optimal salt concentration of vehicle for plasmid DNA enhances gene transfer mediated by electroporation.

In vivo electroporation has emerged as a leading technology for developing nonviral gene therapies, and the various technical parameters governing electroporation efficiency have been optimized by both theoretical and experimental analysis. However, most electroporation parameters focused on the electric conditions and the preferred vehicle for plasmid DNA injections has been normal saline. We hypothesized that salts in vehicle for plasmid DNA must affect the efficiency of DNA transfer because cations would alter ionic atmosphere, ionic strength, and conductivity of their medium.

[The expression of E-cadherin in human and rat hepatic stellate cells: evidence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition].

Background/aims: The embryonal origin of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the principal cells in hepatic fibrogenesis, is still intriguing. We have previously demonstrated that human HSCs express cytokeratins which suggests the epithelial origin of these cells. To further explore the origin and the differentiation of HSCs we studied the expression of E-cadherin, the specific marker of epithelial cells, in human and rat HSCs.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia predominantly associated with IgA anti-E and anti-c.

A patient with warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) due to predominance of immunoglobulin A (IgA) with an Rh specificity, considered to be the first case in Korea, is described. A 13-year-old male patient with severe hemolytic anemia showed a weak reactivity (1+) in the direct antiglobulin test (DAT) by using anti-IgG antiglobulin reagent. This finding, however, could not fully explain the patient's severe AIHA.

Mechanism of silica-induced ROS generation in Rat2 fibroblast cells.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cell signaling pathway. Previously, we found that silica induced immediate ROS generation and sequential cellular responses such as kinase activation in Rat2 cells as well as an increase of intracellular calcium concentration in A549 cells. However, the detailed mechanism underlying the immediate ROS generation induced by silica in fibroblast cells remains to be elucidated.

Identification of the elements regulating the expression of the phospholipase C delta1.

Recently we cloned the phospholipase C deltal (PLC-delta1) promoter region and found that PLC-delta1 is selectively expressed in several tissues. In order to establish the common and cell-type specific transcriptional elements, 1.8 kilobase of the 5'-flanking region of PLC-delta1 was characterized in several cell lines.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene promoter polymorphism in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of pneumoconiosis. TNF2, a polymorphism in the TNF-a gene promoter, has been associated with an increase in TNF-alpha production and airway inflammation. To investigate the frequency of TNF2 in patients who have coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and to determine whether it is associated with development of a large opacity in CWP, we investigated the expression ofthe TNF2 allele in 80 patients who had CWP and in 54 healthy controls using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

An outbreak of malaria in penguins at the Farm-land Zoo.

In June of 1983 authors had investigated the occurrence of the avian malaria in the Humboldt penguins imported from Japan to the Farm-land Zoo in central district of Korea. The disease was characterized by acute course and high mortality. The peripheral blood smears from the affected penguins demonstrated different developmental stages of Plasmodium sp.

The Epidemiological Studies On The Filariasis In Korea: II. Distribution And Prevalence Of Malayian Filariasis In Southern Korea.

During 1964 to 1967, a survey of 30,534 persons for filariasis was made on all over the country with the following results: 1. Among 24,816 draftees from all over the country in the army recruitment camp 155(0.63 %) were found infected with Brugia malayi.