Woo Chul Kim

We cloned the streptolysin O gene from the Streptococcus pyogenes genome and tested the possibility of using it as an anticancer reagent. Transient transfection of the streptolysin O gene efficiently killed 293T cells after 12 hours of transfection as determined by lactate dehydrogenase release and propidium iodide uptake. No caspase activity was observed and necrosis was prominent during streptolysin O-induced cell death. Biochemical analysis of streptolysin O protein revealed that the deletion

The effect of DNA on the surface expression of major histocompatibility (MHC) class I antigens was examined in non-hematopoietic tumor cell lines. Transfection with plasmid DNA via liposome or electroporation significantly increased the surface expression of MHC class I molecules in a transient manner. Northern blot analysis showed that levels of MHC class I mRNA were increased by DNA transfection, probably via transcriptional activation. In contrast, the expression of the MHC class II and beta-

Tumor immunotherapy, capable of inducing both cellular and humoral immune responses, is an attractive treatment strategy for cancer. It has been reported that the inactivation of cell-mediated immunity by hyper-activation of humoral immunity-referred to as immune deviation-does not inhibit tumor growth. We investigated the ability of several adjuvants to elicit Thomsen-Friedenreich (T/Tn)-specific humoral immunity while avoiding immune deviation and conferring protection against tumorigenesis. T

INTRODUCTION: gene. METHODS: We constructed the pcDNA3.0-MUC1 (pcDNA-MUC1) plasmid expressing an underglycosylated MUC1 protein. BALB/c mice were immunized intradermally thrice at 2-weeks intervals with pcDNA-MUC1. Two weeks after the last immunization, tumor challenge experiments were performed using either the CT26 or TA3HA tumor cell lines, both of which transduce human MUC1. RESULTS: < 0.001). CONCLUSION: T cell infiltration into tumors, elicits tumor-specific Th1-type immune response, and i

Inducing cancer-specific cellular immune responses has become an attractive strategy in cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the role of several adjuvants in eliciting T/Tn-specific cellular immunity and protection against T/Tn expressing tumor challenge. T/Tn (9:1) antigen was purified from blood type “O” erythrocytes donated from healthy Korean volunteers. Immunization was performed using: T/Tn only, T/Tn mixed with Freund’s adjuvant (T/Tn + FA), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-con

To reveal sequence variations in the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) genes of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) strains circulating in the Korean population, the EBNA2 divergent region was amplified and sequenced from 13 EBV-1 isolates, 2 EBNA2 type 1 intertypic EBV isolates, and two EBV-2 isolates, all derived from Korean cancer patients. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that type 1 and type 2 EBNA2 divergent regions of Korean EBV isolates were almost identical to the respective regio

In assessing the effectiveness of DNA vaccines, it is important to monitor: (1) the kinetics of target gene expression in vivo; and (2) the movement of cells that become transfected with the plasmid DNA used in the immunization of a subject. In this study, we used, as a visual imaging marker, expression of the transfected human sodium/iodide symporter (hNIS) gene, which enhances intracellular radio-pertechnetate (TcO4-) accumulation. After intradermal (i.d.) and systemic injection of mice with p

Gastric extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosaassociated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) is a unique entity in that pathogenetic role of a microbial agent, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is well established. 1 Chronic antigenic stimulation by H. pylori causes proliferation of lymphoid tissue that is originally absent in normal gastric mucosa, and furthermore promotes the development of low grade malignant lymphoma by acquisition of genetic aberrations such as balanced translocations