Spatial Distribution of Diabetes Prevalence Rates and Its Relationship with the Regional Characteristics / 보건행정학회지

This study purposed to analyze the relationship between spatial distribution of Diabetes prevalence rates and regional variables. The unit of analysis was administrative districts of city·gun·gu. Dependent variable was the age- and sex- adjusted diabetes prevalence rates and regional variables were selected to represent three aspects: demographic and socioeconomic factor, health and medical factor, and physical environment factor. Along with the traditional ordinary least square (OLS) regression analysis, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was applied for the spatial analysis. Analysis results showed that age- and sex-adjusted diabetes prevalence rates were varied depending on regions. OLS regression showed that diabetes prevalence rates had significant relationships with percent of population over age 65 and financial independence rate. In GWR, the effects of regional variables were not consistent. These results provide information to health policy makers. Regional characteristics should be considered in allocating health resources and developing health related programs for the regional disease management.

Purification of Native Ag85 Complex, 38-kDa and MTB12 Protein Antigens from the Culture Filtrate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The purification of immunodominant native protein antigens from the culture filtrates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is needed for the development of new vaccines and immunodiagnostic reagents against tuberculosis. In the present study, we conducted large scale purification of well-known secreted antigens, Ag85 complex, 38-kDa, and MTB12, from the culture filtrate proteins (CFPs) prepared from M. tuberculosis H37Rv grown as a surface pellicle on synthetic Sauton medium. The protein and antigen concentrations of culture filtrates were sufficiently increased after 6 week of culture. The MTB12 antigen was detected as early as 1 week of culture, and Ag85 complex and 38-kDa antigen were detected after 2 and 3 week of culture, respectively, by immunodiffusion with specific antiserum against 100-fold concentrated culture filtrates. For large-scale purification, the six-week-culture filtrates of M. tuberculosis H37Rv diluted 2.5-fold with 20 mM Tris-HCl, (P)H 8.3 were subjected to anion-exchange chromatography. The CFPs were eluted with 100 mM NaCl-20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.3 and concentrated by ultrafiltration. The concentrated CFPs were fractionated with ammonium sulfate, and followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography (FPLC). Eventually, 10 mg of Ag85 complex, 0.56 mg of 38-kDa, and 1.81 mg of MTB12 antigens were purified from 1 liter of the six-week-culture filtrates of M. tuberculosis H37Rv which contained 307.81 mg of protein of culture filtrate.

Induction of TNF-alpha, IL-12, IL-10, MCP-1 and IL-8 in Human Peripheral Blood Monocytes in Response to the Cell Wall-Associated Triton X-100 Soluble Protein (TSP) Antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a potent inducer of cytokine production by mononuclear phagocytes, which are an important cellular component in the first line immune defence. In this study, the cell wall-associated Triton X-100 soluble protein (TSP) antigens, TSP-H37Rv, TSP-H37Ra, TSP-K, and TSP-BCG, were isolated from M. tuberculosis H37Rv, M. tuberculosis H37Ra, M. tuberculosis K-strain, and M. bovis BCG, respectively. The monocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy individuals and were co-cultured with each TSP antigens and the secretory proteins of M. tuberculosis (PPD and 30-kDa antigen) to measure the production of cytokines; tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, interleukin (IL)-12, IL-8 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). The TSP-H37Rv antigen- stimulated monocytes showed higher level of TNF-a and IL-12 production compared to those of other TSP antigens and PPD. Especially, IL-12 production in response to the TSP-H37Rv antigen was significantly elevated in comparison with that of PPD-stimulated monocytes (TSP-H37Rv, 255.5+/-256.9 pg/ml; PPD, 55.7+/-55.4 pg/ml). However, the 30-kDa antigen did not induce TNF-alpha expression and also showed the lowest level of cytokine and chemokine production by monocytes. MCP-1 and IL-8 production were similarly increased in response to all TSP antigens and the PPD antigen. The production of IL-12 by the TSP-H37Rv antigen stimulation was significantly increased in PPD reactors than that in the non-reactor group, while the levels of other cytokines stimulated with each TSP antigens, 30-kDa and PPD antigen were not significantly different between the tuberculin reactor and the non-reactor groups. These results suggest that the cell wall-associated TSP antigen isolated from M. tuberculosis H37Rv acts as a more potent IL-12 inducer than the PPD antigen in innate immune response and thus it could further activate the Th1-mediated immune responses effectively against M. tuberculosis infection.

Isolation of a Specific Antigen from the Triton X-100 Soluble Protein (TSP) Of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tremendous efforts have been made to develop better vaccines and diagnostic markers for the effective control of tuberculosis. Recently, we reported that the Triton X-100 soluble protein (TSP) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced strong T-cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production in humans, and also conferred a significant level of protection against tuberculosis in a mouse model. In this study, the TSP was prepared by Triton X-100 extraction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli, which was followed by Triton X-114 phase partitioning. Western blot analysis using sera of 177 active pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 323 healthy individuals revealed that the TSP contained a immunodominant 40-kDa antigen specifically reacting with some sera from pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The 40-kDa antigen was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, and partially characterized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and N-terminal sequencing. Results of this study suggest that 40-kDa molecule of the TSP antigen from the cell suface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be used as a serodiagnostic marker as well as a potential vaccine candidate against tuberculosis.

Immunologic Characteristics of CATCH 22 Syndrome

PURPOSE: Microdeletion of chromosome 22q11.2 are associated with DiGeorge syndrome(DGS), velocardiofacial syndrome(VCFS) and conotruncal anornaly face syndrome(CTAFS). DGS was originally described as an irnmunodeficiency disorder secondary to impaired T cell production due to thymic aplasia or hypoplasia. But the frequency E: severity of immunodeficiency of other clinical syndromes associated with the chromosome 22qll deletion has not been investigated. This study was undertaken to investigate the frequency and severity of immunodeficiency, the relation- ship of the immunodeficiency to clinical phenotypes, and the change of immunologic status with age in CATCH 22 syndromes patients. METHODS: Sixteen patients with CATCH 22 syndrome with characteristic clinical phenotype and chromosome 22qll deletion were studied. Hurnoral and cellular irnmunities were examined by measuring serurn IgG, IgA, IgM level and by T cell subset through flow cytometry and lymphocyte proliferation test by common T cell mitogens respectively. RESULTS: 69Zo of patients with CATCH 22 syndrome were found to have evidence of immunocompromise. The severity of the immunodeficiency did not correlate with any particular phenotypic features nor was it restricted to patients who were categorized as having DiGeorge syndrome. The severity of immunodeficiency tended to be normalized with age. CONCLUSION: The presence of the immunocompromise is common and its severity cannot be predicted based on the clinical phenotype of CATCH 22 syndrome. Therefore, each child with CATCH 22 syndromes regardless of clinical phenotype should be extensively assessed for earlier detection of subclinical immunodeficiency.