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Biomedical subjects

C W Kim

Publications and source records attributed to C W Kim.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in Kikuchi's disease.

Kikuchi's disease is a fairly common self-limited disorder among Orientals that usually involves the cervical lymph nodes of young individuals and occurs predominantly in females. Frequently, the disease is associated with fever or flu-like symptoms, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), neutropenia, and lymphocytosis with atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, suggesting a viral origin. However, no infectious agent has been identified. The presence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, known as human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV 8), was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in archival tissue from 26 cases of Kikuchi's disease using published sequences of KSHV/HHV 8 as primers. PCR products were further characterized by Southern blot analysis. Forty reactive lymph nodes and a case of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) were included as negative and positive controls, respectively. Patients consisted of 10 men and 16 women with a mean age of 27 years. All patients were previously healthy and presented with cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy. None were positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or otherwise immunocompromised. Viral DNA was amplified by PCR in six cases of Kikuchi's disease (23%) and the control KS tissue. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the amplified products were KSHV/HHV 8. In the reactive lymph nodes, no viral genome was amplified by PCR. The presence of DNA sequences of KSHV/HHV 8 in a substantial portion of Kikuchi's disease suggests that KSHV/HHV 8 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of a subset of Kikuchi's disease.

Adolescent↗

Seasonal variation of IgG subclass antibodies to house dust mite in sera from mite-sensitive asthmatic patients.

BACKGROUND: House dust mite is an important cause of bronchial asthma. Seasonal variation of environmental house dust mite allergen levels and the specific IgE antibody to house dust mite have been reported. OBJECTIVE: We studied the changes in IgG subclass antibodies to house dust mite associated with seasonal variation of house dust mite allergen levels in houses of mite-sensitive asthmatic patients. METHODS: In 14 mite-sensitive asthmatic patients, house dust mite allergen (Der f 1) contents in bedding were measured monthly, and IgG subclass antibodies to house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae), were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) every 3 months from July to December. RESULTS: The concentration of Der f 1 in dust from bedding reached maximum levels in August and September, and significantly decreased in November and December compared with August and September (P < .05). Levels of D. farinae-specific IgG4 antibodies significantly decreased in December compared with September (P < .05) with no statistically significant change between September and June (P > .05). Levels of D. farinae-specific IgG2 antibodies decreased significantly in December compared with June (P < .05). The levels of IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies to D. farinae showed no significant differences during the study period. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that seasonal changes in natural exposure to house dust mite allergen might lead to concurrent changes in specific IgG4 antibodies to house dust mite in mite-sensitive asthmatic patients and each IgG subclass antibodies to house dust mite might have a different kinetics.

Adolescent↗

Establishment and characterization of a mantle cell lymphoma cell line.

A mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cell line (JeKo-1) was established from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with a large cell variant of MCL showing leukaemic conversion. JeKo-1 cells were Epstein-Barr virus negative and showed a B-cell phenotype with IgM+, IgD+, CD3-, CD5+, CD10-, CD19+, CD20+ and CD23-; they overexpressed cyclin D1, Bcl-2, c-Myc and Rb proteins. Bcl-1/J(H) gene rearrangement was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, although karyotypic analysis showed 40/41 chromosomes devoid of apparent t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation. JeKo-1 cells were highly tumourigenic in SCID mice.

Aged↗

A case of glomeruloid hemangioma associated with multicentric Castleman's disease.

Glomeruloid hemangioma is a term that was coined J.K.C. Chan and colleagues in 1990 because the condition is histopathologically similar to renal glomeruli. In the three cases described to date, there have been signs of POEMS syndrome of multicentric Castleman's disease. We present the case of a 44-year-old Korean woman who developed glomeruloid hemangioma in association with multicentric Castleman's disease and some features of POEMS syndrome. It is interesting that in this patient, the first biopsy specimen revealed an immature vascular tumor that could not be precisely classified and the second indicated glomeruloid hemangioma. The present case may lend support to the suggestion that in POEMS disease, some types of vascular proliferations develop in response to angiogenic stimuli that show a spectrum of histopathologic features, and glomeruloid hemangioma is one of the reactive vascular proliferations. We believe that the primitive vascular tumor seen in the first biopsy specimen may be the most immature stage of this spectrum.

Adult↗

Subcutaneous tissue involvement of CD30-positive large cell lymphoma.

There are several types of T-cell lymphoma presenting with subcutaneous tissue involvement showing different clinical features and prognoses. The entity of subcutaneous involvement of T-cell lymphoma should be differentiated. We report a case of CD30-positive large cell lymphoma which initially presented with subcutaneous tissue involvement only, but progressed to systemic dissemination.

Adult↗

Pathologic characteristics of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Korea.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) represent a heterogeneous group of peripheral T-cell lymphomas arising in the skin and show considerable variations in clinicopathological features. This study was designed to examine viral genomes and cellular proliferation markers in CTCLs arising in Korea. On the basis of their morphologic characteristics and immunophenotypes, 43 cases of primary CTCL were classified, and evaluated for association with either HTLV-I or EBV, p53 protein immunoreactivity and Ki-67 labeling index (LI). EBV was demonstrated in 15 cases (35%) either by EBER in-situ hybridization or PCR; particularly high rates were exhibited by angiocentric T-cell lymphomas. PCR was used to detect HTLV-I proviral DNA, but none was found. The p53 expression rate was higher in large cell lesions, but the Ki-67 LI failed to show any significant differences among the different types. We therefore concluded that in Korea, HTLV-I is less frequently associated with CTCL than in other endemic countries. EBV was found particularly in angiocentric lesions, regardless of cell size or degree of pleomorphism. Because of its high positive rates in high grade lesions, the p53 expression showed positive correlation with histologic grade; however, the Ki-67 labeling index did not correlate with the histologic grade in CTCL.

Adolescent↗

Human herpesvirus 8 in Kaposi's sarcoma and Kaposi's sarcoma-mimicking vascular tumors.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) had been a rare and unusual vascular tumor until a recent epidemic of a disseminated and fulminant form of KS in AIDS patients. Infectious agents have been suspected of causing KS, and recently partial genomic DNA sequences of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) have been identified in AIDS-associated KS lesions. Since then, genomic DNA sequences of HHV8 have been isolated in other forms of KS. Although the partial genomic DNA sequence of HHV8 was reported to be, if rare, identified in vascular tumors other than Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the presence of HHV8 in a very large fraction of KS indicates that detection of HHV8 by PCR is a useful auxiliary tool in differentiating KS from other KS-mimicking vascular tumors. We examined whether the 233-bp segment of the viral DNA was detected in Korean patients with KS and other KS-mimicking vascular tumors. HHV8 sequences were identified in all of nine classic type of KS but not in three epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas and seven angiosarcomas. Our results confirm the relatively restricted distribution of HHV8 and also argue against the likelihood of secondary colonization of KS cells by HHV8.

Adult↗

Hemophagocytic syndrome associated with occult B-cell lymphoma: an autopsy case.

Hemophagocytic syndrome has been observed in various disorders, including malignant histiocytosis, peripheral T-cell lymphoma, and viral or bacterial infections. However, B-cell lymphoma has seldom been associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. We report a case of B-cell lymphoma that was associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. The diagnosis was not made until the time of autopsy.

Aged↗

Radioprotective effects of 2-(allylthio)pyrazine an experimental chemopreventive agent: effects on detoxifying enzyme induction.

2-(Allylthio)pyrazine (2-AP), which is effective in suppressing constitutive and inducible cytochrome P450 2E1 expression, exhibits hepatoprotective and chemopreventive effects. The radioprotective effects of 2-AP were examined in animals in association with the expression of microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). 2-AP pretreatment (100 mg/kg/day, for 2 days) prior to total body irradiation (TBI) at the dose of 8 Gy increased the 30 day survival rate of mice to 91% from 48% in TBI alone. 2-AP caused an increase in the mean survival time of mice exposed to 9 Gy of TBI. Light microscopic examinations revealed that exposure of mice to 8 Gy of gamma-ray radiation resulted in hepatocyte degeneration in the surviving animals at day 1 through day 22 with certain extents of necrosis observed at early times, whereas 2-AP pretreatment protected the liver against ionizing radiation with no hepatic necrosis being observed. Mice irradiated at the dose of 8 Gy showed time-related decreases in the counts of WBC, RBC and platelet. 2-AP treatment, however, failed to protect the peripheral blood cells against gamma-irradiation and resulted in no improvement in the ratio of myeloid to erythroid bone marrow cells, as compared to TBI alone. Northern blot analysis revealed that exposure of mice to 8 Gy of TBI plus 2-AP exhibited greater mEH and mGSTA3 mRNA levels in the liver than those with TBI alone, although mGSTP1 mRNA level failed to be altered. Studies were also extended to determine the effects of 0.5 Gy gamma-irradiation in combination with 2-AP on the expression of hepatic mEH and GST genes in rats. Whereas mEH, rGSTA2, rGSTA3 and rGSTA5 mRNA levels were elevated 2- to 2.8-fold at 24 h after 2-AP treatment at the dose of 30 mg/kg, rats exposed to both 2-AP and 0.5 Gy of irradiation showed greater relative increases in the mRNAs. 2-AP enhanced the mEH and rGSTA2 gene expression to greater extents at day 1 after irradiation than after 3-5 consecutive daily treatment. The radiation-inducible mRNA levels of rGSTA3/5 and rGSTM1/2 were affected less by 2-AP pretreatment than were those of mEH and rGSTA2. These results demonstrate that 2-AP exhibits radioprotective efficacy against gamma-ray ionizing radiation in both mice and rats, which might be associated with enhanced expression of mEH and GST genes, but not with hematological improvement.

Animals↗

MRI demonstration of occult purely chondral fractures of the tibia: a potential mimic of meniscal tears.

We report the case of a 12-year-old boy with bilateral, purely chondral fractures of the tibia. The patient had Crohn's disease treated with systemic corticosteroids. MR images of the knee were initially interpreted to show a bucket-handle tear of the lateral meniscus. However, arthroscopic evaluation revealed purely chondral fractures of the tibial plateau without meniscal damage. Re-evaluation of the MR study identified the chondral fracture of the lateral tibial articular cartilage detected arthroscopically. This purely chondral fracture of the tibial plateau represented a rare finding in the symptomatic knee that mimicked a meniscal tear by history, physical exam, and MR imaging.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Difficulties with the "N + 7 rule" in endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

In an effort to facilitate the use of interference screw fixation in the tibia, a method to orient the tibial tunnel termed the "N + 7 Rule" was prospectively applied to 60 consecutive endoscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions performed by a single surgeon. Four cases were excluded because a breach in the described protocol for application of the N + 7 rule was identified at the time of the operation. Of the remaining 56 cases, 28 (50%) were fixed with an interference screw on the tibia, whereas 28 (50%) required fixation with sutures tied over a post. The 28 cases not amenable to interference screw fixation included 17 cases in which the tibial tunel was too long and 11 cases in which the tunnel was too short. It appears that the applicability of the N + 7 rule to an individual surgeon's practice may be altered by small variations in operative technique.

Adult↗

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) level and its correlation with eosinophil number or IgE level of peripheral blood in patients with various skin diseases.

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a cationic protein derived from eosinophil granulocytes, and has been studied mainly in atopic diseases and considered as a useful marker of disease activity in atopic dermatitis. We measured the serum ECP levels in patients with various skin diseases (n = 875) and in normal healthy controls (n = 79), and evaluated the correlation between ECP level and blood eosinophil number, or ECP and IgE levels. Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in patients with drug eruption (15.8 +/- 1.7 micrograms/l), psoriasis (15.1 +/- 6.0 micrograms/l), acute urticaria (13.9 +/- 1.4 micrograms/l) than in healthy controls (4.5 +/- 0.3 micrograms/l) (P < 0.05) and also significantly elevated in patients with elevated eosinophil numbers (15.2 +/- 1.0 micrograms/l) compared to those in patients with normal eosinophil numbers (8.8 +/- 0.3 micrograms/l) (P < 0.001). Serum ECP level and eosinophil number in peripheral blood were also correlated in patients with psoriasis (gamma = 0.82, P < 0.01), drug eruption (gamma = 0.31, P < 0.01) and acute urticaria (gamma = 0.20, P < 0.05). However, no correlation between ECP and IgE levels in all of the patients was found. Among the patients with chronic urticaria, ECP levels showed an increasing trend in patients with angioedema, cold urticaria and dermographic urticaria as compared with those in healthy controls. Our results suggest that, even though the role of ECP released from activated eosinophils is still unknown, its measurement might be of help to understand the pathogenesis of some skin disorders.

Adolescent↗

Epstein-Barr virus-associated primary gastrointestinal lymphoma in non-immunocompromised patients in Korea.

We examined 81 cases of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas in Korea, including 64 gastric lymphomas and 17 intestinal lymphomas, for EBV expression by EBER-1 in situ hybridization (ISH) and EBNA-1 PCR. In EBER-1 positive cases, we performed immunohistochemistry for latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) and EBV diffuse early antigen (EA(D)) to compare EBV latent gene expression and lytic process. EBER-1 was detected in 15 of 81 cases of lymphomas. EBER-1 expression showed three different patterns on tumour cells; diffuse 4/81 (5%), localized 4/81 (8%), and a few scattered pattern 7/81 (9%). We regarded diffuse pattern and localized pattern as EBER-1 positive group (8/81: 10%). Diffuse pattern of EBER-1 was shown in all three T-cell lymphomas and one B-cell lymphoma. A localized pattern was seen all in B-cell lymphomas. The EBER-1 expression was 11% in the stomach (7/64) and 6% in the intestine (1/17). Five of the eight EBER-1 positive gastric lymphomas were histologically diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and the other three were peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified, one angiocentric lymphoma, and one intestinal T-cell lymphoma by REAL classification. Eight MALT type gastric B-cell lymphomas showed no EBV association. EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA-1) was detected in 15 of 45 resected cases (33%) by PCR. EBER-1 positive cases were all EBNA-1 positive. Twelve EBNA-positive/EBER-negative cases consisted of seven cases showing a few scattered EBER-1 positive lymphocytes. LMP-1 and diffuse early antigen (EA(D)) was detected in five and three cases, respectively. Although follow-up information in our series was incomplete, it seemed that there was no significant difference in their staging or prognosis between EBER-positive cases and EBER-negative group. It is concluded that EBV is associated with some lymphomas among Koreans without overt pre-existing immunodeficiency, especially in T-cell lymphomas.

Adolescent↗