Kyung-Hee Kim

EGFR Mutation Status in Primary Lung Adenocarcinomas and Corresponding Metastatic Lesions: Discordance in Pleural Metastases

UNLABELLED We evaluated EGFR and KRAS mutations between 37 paired primary tumors and corresponding metastases in lung adenocarcinoma. A substantial discordance was found in EGFR mutation status between primary tumors and corresponding metastases including pleural metastases. Moreover, the responsiveness to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors tend to be correlated with EGFR mutation status in metastatic lesions than in primary tumors. INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to compare epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KRAS mutations between primary tumors and corresponding metastases including pleural metastases in lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS Thirty-seven paired primary lung adenocarcinomas and corresponding metastatic tumors were analyzed for EGFR and KRAS mutations. In addition, 21 pleural metastases including malignant pleural effusion or pleural biopsy were used in performing these mutation analyses. RESULTS EGFR mutations were detected in 18 primary lung adenocarcinomas (48.6%) and in 16 corresponding metastases (43.2%). EGFR mutations showed a discordance rate of 16.2% (6 of 37 patients) between primary lung adenocarcinomas and corresponding metastases. Among 21 pleural metastases, 3 patients (14.3%) showed that the EGFR mutation was discordant. KRAS mutations were detected in one primary tumor and in two metastatic tumors. Eighteen patients were treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. One of seven patients who experienced partial response had EGFR mutations only in the metastasis, and two of seven patients who experienced progressive disease carried wild-type EGFR only in the metastasis. CONCLUSIONS EGFR mutations were discordant between primary tumors and corresponding metastases in a significant portion of lung adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, these discordance was also observed in metastases to the pleura, the nearest metastatic site.

Screening of α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase and Lipase Inhibitory Activity with Gangwon-do Wild Plants Extracts

We investigated α-amylase, α-glucosidase and lipase inhibitory activity of extracts collected from wild plants in Gangwon-do. 90 wild plants were collected and their water and ethanol extracts were obtained. Results of measuring α-amylase inhibitory activity indicated more than 80% of activity inhibition in 10 mg/mL concentration for ethanol extracts of three plants and water extracts of two plants. For α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, ethanol extracts of thirteen plants and water extracts of three plants showed more than 80% of activity inhibition in 10 mg/mL concentration. In the experiment of inhibiting lipase activity, ethanol extracts of seven plants and water extracts of one plants showed above 80% of activity inhibition in 10 mg/mL concentration. These results suggest that the selected extracts could be potentially used as a resource of bioactive materials for health functional foods.

The Clinicopathologic Significance of Endothelial Tubuloreticular Inclusions in Glomerular Diseases

Abstract Background: The presence of tubuloreticular inclusions (TRIs) in endothelial cells (ECs) always evokes suspicion of an association with underlying viral infections or autoimmune diseases. However, other underlying diseases can be associated with TRI expression. Since identification of the underlying disease is of primary consideration for management of glomerulonephritis (GN), it is important to clarify the clinical significance of TRI expression. Methods: The authors studied 104 renal biopsy cases having TRI. They investigated their clinicopathological profiles and focused on potential connections with underlying diseases. Results: Among 104 renal biopsy cases, 62 cases (59.6%) were associated with lupus nephritis (LN) and 20 cases (19.2%) were associated with a viral infection (hepatitis B virus (13), hepatits C virus (4), and human immunodeficiency virus (3)). Other underlying disease groups included membranous GN (MGN) (7), IgA nephropathy (7), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura (HSP) nephritis (2), and others (6). The incidence of TRIs in both LN and viral infections was significantly higher than for other diseases (p < 0.0001). Among 7 MGN cases, 2 cases were diabetes, 1 case was associated with lung cancer, another case with antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), and the others showed no evidence of systemic disease. On immunofluorescence (IF) study, 2 MGN cases, 2 IgA nephropathy cases, and 1 HSP nephritis case showed C1q deposition, with no evidence of SLE. Conclusions: TRIs were identified in MGN and other glomerular diseases, including IgA nephropathy and HSP nephritis. However, a diagnosis of LN should be considered because TRIs associated with a full-house IF pattern are usually found in LN.

Differential expression of Yes-associated protein and phosphorylated Yes-associated protein is correlated with expression of Ki-67 and phospho-ERK in colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a transcriptional co-activator and functions as a nuclear downstream effector of the Hippo pathway. Differential expression of YAP and phosphorylated Yes-associated protein (pYAP), which are involved in the expression of Ki-67 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) in colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRAC), is not clear. Herein, we hypothesized that nuclear expression of YAP could predict cell proliferation and poor prognosis, while cytoplasmic expression of pYAP would show a reverse correlation with cell proliferation. Paraffin-embedded samples from 144 CRAC patients were studied using immunohistochemistry for YAP, pYAP, Ki-67 and pERK. Frozen samples from 20 CRAC patients were examined for YAP mRNA in tumor and non-tumor tissues, using quantitative real-time PCR. High nuclear YAP expression coincided with high Ki-67 expression (P=0.002). The high nuclear YAP expression group tended to display a poor overall and disease-free survival (P=0.089 and P=0.089, respectively), but YAP mRNA levels in the 20 CRAC tissues were not significantly different in comparison with the 20 non-tumor tissues (P=0.929). We observed an inverse correlation between high cytoplasmic pYAP expression and high Ki-67 expression (P=0.001). Nuclear pERK expression was positively correlated with nuclear YAP expression, but negatively correlated with cytoplasmic pYAP expression (P=0.017 and P=0.020, respectively). Activated nuclear YAP and inactivated cytoplasmic pYAP in CRAC showed a positive correlation with Ki-67 and nuclear pERK expression, suggesting that the expression of YAP and pYAP is a possible predictor of tumor cell proliferation and prognosis in CRAC.

Analysis of General Components, Mineral Contents, and Dietary Fiber Contents of Synurus deltoides

This study was conducted to estimate the general components, minerals, and dietary fiber contents of Synurus deltoides. S. deltoides contained 81.1% moisture content, and the proportions of crude fat, crude protein, crude ash, and crude fiber were 0.3%, 4.2%, 2.6%, and 3.5%, respectively. Potassium (3,249.1 mg) was the most abundant component among the minerals in S. deltoides. In addition, S. deltoides contained many other minerals, e.g. calcium (854.8 mg), phosphorus (60.3 mg), magnesium (344.7 mg), sodium (57.3 mg), zinc (1.7 mg), iron (30.9 mg), copper (0.8 mg), and manganese (5.8 mg). Almost all of the mineral contents of S. deltoides were higher than those of Aster scaber and Ligularia fischeri, except for zinc, copper, and manganese. Total dietary fiber (TDF), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) contents of S. deltoides were 42.6 g, 37.9 g, and 4.7 g, respectively, and these were also higher than those of A. scaber and L. fischeri used in this study. These results suggest that S. deltoides may be a valuable nutrient source.

Repair of the Complete Radial Tear of the Anterior Horn of the Medial Meniscus in Rabbits: A Comparison between Simple Pullout Repair and Pullout Repair with Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Implantation

Purpose To evaluate the degree of biological healing response that occurs between the anterior horn of the medial meniscus (MM) and the tibial plateau and investigate the biological healing response after injection of human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) in a rabbit model. Materials and Methods Twenty-five rabbits with a mean body weight of 2.5 kg were chosen for this study. On the left knee, a complete radial tear was made at the anterior tibial attachment site of MM and after removal of tibial cartilage, pullout repair of the torn MM was performed on the tibial plateau. On the right knee, the same procedure was performed, and a scaff old (matrix gel) that contained human bone marrow stem cell was implanted between MM and the tibial plateau. A biopsy was performed at 2 (group 1), 4 (group 2), and 8 (group 3) weeks postoperatively. The authors compared the differences in the degree of biological healing of each group and investigated the degree of biologic healing after hBMSC implantation by comparing the left knee with the right knee. Results On the biopsy of 40 knees of 20 rabbits that survived after operation, all groups did not show the healing response between the undersurface of MM and the tibial plateau. There was no significant difference in terms of the pathological criteria such as fibroblasts and fibrochondrocytes etc., with and without hBMSC implantation. Conclusions There was no attachment between the repaired MM and the tibial plateau after complete radial tear on MM and the authors could not identify the effect of hBMSC.

Scaffold-Free Coculture Spheroids of Human Colonic Adenocarcinoma Cells and Normal Colonic Fibroblasts Promote Tumorigenicity in Nude Mice

The aim of this study was to form a scaffold-free coculture spheroid model of colonic adenocarcinoma cells (CACs) and normal colonic fibroblasts (NCFs) and to use the spheroids to investigate the role of NCFs in the tumorigenicity of CACs in nude mice. We analysed three-dimensional (3D) scaffold-free coculture spheroids of CACs and NCFs. CAC Matrigel invasion assays and tumorigenicity assays in nude mice were performed to examine the effect of NCFs on CAC invasive behaviour and tumorigenicity in 3D spheroids. We investigated the expression pattern of fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) by immunohistochemical staining. CAC monocultures did not form densely-packed 3D spheroids, whereas cocultured CACs and NCFs formed 3D spheroids. The 3D coculture spheroids seeded on a Matrigel extracellular matrix showed higher CAC invasiveness compared to CACs alone or CACs and NCFs in suspension. 3D spheroids injected into nude mice generated more and faster-growing tumors compared to CACs alone or mixed suspensions consisting of CACs and NCFs. FAP-α was expressed in NCFs-CACs cocultures and xenograft tumors, whereas monocultures of NCFs or CACs were negative for FAP-α expression. Our findings provide evidence that the interaction between CACs and NCFs is essential for the tumorigenicity of cancer cells as well as for tumor propagation.

Quality Properties of Fish Paste Containing Green Laver Powder

Abstract This study was conducted to promote the utilization of fish paste added with green laver powder as a food product. Thetested concentrations of green laver powder were 0, 3, 5, and 7%. The pH of the samples ranged from 6.71 to 6.90, andmoisture content ranged from 70.03 to 70.57%. The L and a values of the samples decreased as the concentration of greenlaver powder increased and b value increased. Folding test in all test samples showed AA that mean good flexibility. In thetexture meter test, hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness increased according to increasing concentration of green laverpowder. However, gumminess and brittleness of the fish paste decreased upon addition of green laver powder. In thesensory evaluation, fish paste prepared with 5% green laver powder was preferred over other fish pastes. These resultssuggest that green laver powder can be applied to fish paste for the purpose of high quality and functionality.Key Words: Green laver powder, fish paste, quality properties

Incontinentia pigmenti in a newborn with NEMO mutation.

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) (OMIM #308300) is a rare X-linked dominant neuroectodermal multisystemic syndrome due to mutations in the gene for NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO). A term newborn girl who was born with erythematous vesicular eruptions developed recurrent seizures during the first and second weeks of her life. The serial MRIs demonstrated diffuse, progressive brain infarctions and subsequent encephalomalacia as well as brain atrophy. Skin biopsy found it was consistent with the vesicular stage of IP. Genetic analysis revealed a deletion exon 4-10 in NEMO gene associated with IP. We hereby report a Korean female baby with IP confirmed by mutation analysis of NEMO gene.

Association of PD-L1 expression and PD-L1 gene polymorphism with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

Programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD-1)/programmed death-1 ligand-1 (PD-L1) interaction has been linked to tumor immune evasion. PD-L1 expression has been indicated in identifying non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients for treatment with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic values of PD-L1 expression and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PD-L1 gene in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). The 147 NSCLC tissues consisted of 84 samples of ADC and 63 samples of SqCC. All tissue microarray paraffin blocks were used for PD-L1 immunohistochemical assays with 22C3, SP263, and SP142 clones. Three SNPs in the PD-L1 gene, rs4143815, rs822336, and rs822337, were genotyped using SNP pyrosequencing. The PD-L1 expression was significantly higher in SqCC than in ADC. Among ADCs, PD-L1 expression was significantly higher in papillary and solid types than in lepidic and acinar types. Statistical associations of the PD-L1 expression with a shorter disease-free survival outcome and lymph node metastasis in the ADCs were found but no associations in SqCCs. Among the three SNPs, the rs4143815 genotype CC was statistically associated with positive 22C3 PD-L1 labeling in NSCLCs. The rs4143815 genotype GG instead showed a trend of shorter survival outcomes but did not reach statistical significance in the ADCs. Our results showed a significantly higher prevalence of positive PD-L1 expression in lung SqCC than in ADC. However, the PD-L1 expression and rs4143815 genotype GG might be useful for the prediction of poor prognosis in lung ADC cases.