"Human pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1), which is a newly identified proto-oncogene, is highly expressed in normal pituitary tissues containing proliferating cells and in several cancers. Also, PTTG1 has been known as a securin to involve in the regulation of cell-cycle and in the progression of tumor. But the effect of PTTG1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (oral SCC) has not been studied yet. The objective of this study is to analyze the expression of PTTG1 in oral SCC cell lines (YD-10B and YD-15) and to evaluate the effect of PTTG1 on oral SCC cell lines for the migration effect by PTTG1 siRNA treatment. Western blot, migration assay, and zymography were performed to evaluate the effects of PTTG1 on the expression of MMP-2/-9 and migration activity after PTTG1 siRNA treatment. PTTG1 was expressed in oral SCC cells lines, otherwise, significantly decreased after PTTG1 siRNA treatment. There is no difference in expression of MMP-2 regardless of PTTG1 siRNA treatment. However, the enzyme activity of MMP-9 was significantly decreased. In addition, the migration activities of oral SCC cells were significantly decreased after PTTG1 siRNA treatment (p<0.001). These results suggested that the down-regulated PTTG1 could inhibit the migration of human oral SCC cells through the low MMP-9 expressions. Therefore, these findings provide a useful guideline for the migration mechanism of oral SCC depend on PTTG1 expression."

"Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign salivary gland tumor. It is biphasic and is characterized by an admixture of epithelial and spindle-shaped myoepithelial cells in a variable background stroma. Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a malignant biphasic salivary gland tumor typically composed of clear myoepithelial cells that surround epithelial-lined ducts resembling intercalated ducts. The differential diagnosis between the two tumor may be occasionally encountered because of the shared histophatologic feature. And then, it would be more reliable to differentiate the tumors based on biological behavior such as the expression of distinct intermediate filaments such as cytokeratin, invasiveness- related molecules, and the growth factor receptor to aberrantly facilitate the tumor growth, and the growth fraction of tumors. Therefore, from the 10 cases of PA and 6 cases of EMC, we immunohistochemically examined the differential expression of the cytokine 7 and 14, matrix metalloproteinase-9, C-KIT, and Ki-67 between the two tumor. At the results, there were significant differences of CK7 expression in non-luminal cells (P=0.000) and CK14 expression in luminal and non-luminal cells of the both tumors (P=0.025 and P=0.000, respectively). In the comparison of the biologic behavior, a significantly increased expression of MMP-9, C-KIT and Ki-67 was found in the cases of EMC when compared to those of PA (P=0.043, P=0.011, and P=0.000, respectively). In conclusion, the differences of CK expression in luminal and non-luminal cells between PA and EMC seem to reflect the difference of the origin and the level of the maturation of the tumor cell. Increased expression of MMP-9, C-KIT, and Ki-67 in EMC may represent more aggressive biologic behavior of the tumor compared with benign salivary tumor such as PA. Our results may be helpful to understand the histiogenesis of the two tumors and the difference of biologic behavior and to differentiate them when the limited specimen was submitted. Further study of many more cases of EMC is needed to validate the usefulness of these molecules as the diagnostic aid."

"Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common cancer of oral cancers. Recent data suggest that chemokines could be essential players in carcinogenesis and that tumor cells express chemokine receptors and use chemokines to metastasize to the target organ in many malignancies in humans. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that expression of SNPs in chemokine, CXCL1 and CXCL2 correlates with oral squamous cell carcinomas in Korean population. The CXCL1 and CXCL2 genotypes were determined in 21 subjects with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 90 control subjects without oral squamous cell carcinoma. The genotypes were determined by direct sequencing. The genotype distribution and allele frequency within the OSCC patients were not significantly different from those of control subjects. But among OSCC subjects, there was significant difference of CXCL1 gene in the degree of nuclear aberration. These findings suggest that CXCL1 -442C/T polymorphism and CXCL2 -264T/C polymorphism are not related to the development of OSCC but polymorphism of CXCL1 gene might have a relation with progression of OSCC in Korean population."

"Human β- defensin-2 (hBD-2) is an antimicrobial peptide which is produced by epithelial cells after stimulation with microorganisms or inflammatory mediators. However, little is known as to whether the LPS and nicotine induces the expression of hBD-2 in periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of MAPKs pathway of nicotine and LPS-induced hBD-2 expression in PDL cells. The maximal expression of hBD-2 was observed in nicotine 5 mM and LPS 1 μg/ml treated PDL cells. Nicotine and LPS induced the phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 and 2 (JNK1/2), and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) MAPK. ERK1/2 inhibitor SB203580, p38 inhibitor PD98059, and JNK inhibitor SP600125, blocked the effects of nicotine and LPS on hBD-2 upregulation in PDL cells. These results collectively suggest that hBD-2 is up-regulated in nicotine and LPS-treated PDL cells through activation of p38, ERK and JNK MAPKs pathway. Our data regarding the up-regulation of hBD-2 may help us to understand the antimicrobial mechanism in periodontal disease."

"Cancer cells are often found in an ischemic condition due to the rapid outgrowth of their vascular supply, and these cells are expected to develop an increased potential for local invasive growth. Since the first steps are characterized by increased motility and invasiveness, expression of molecules involved in cellular adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) is increased in the process of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. In this work we explored the molecular characteristics and its regulatory mechanism of hypoxic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Our experiment identified that hypoxia increases α5 integrin protein levels through phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in OSCC cells."

"EGCG has inhibitory effect on a variety of cancers by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest or inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis. EGCG has been found to induce apoptosis in salivary gland carcinoma cells. But the potential anti-invasive effect of EGCG in salivary gland cancer has not been studied yet. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of EGCG on salivary gland adenocarcinoma SGT cell adhesion and migration to Type I collagen treatment. Western blot, adhesion and migration assay were performed to evaluate the impacts of EGCG on the expression of MMP-2/-9 and its upstream signaling molecules after treatment of type I collagen. SGT cell adhesion to type I collagen is significantly suppressed by EGCG. EGCG decreased expression of β1 integrin, phosphorylation of FAK, MMP-2/-9 compared with type I collagen treatment. In addition, EGCG inhibited the migration of SGT cells treated with type I collagen. These results suggest that EGCG could effectively inhibit the invasion and migration of human SGT cells by downregulating the expression of β1 integrin and MMP-2/-9 and phosphorylation of FAK, Akt, and Erk. Adhesion and migration to type I collagen of SGT cells can be influenced through EGCG."

"The present case occurred in the cervical area of 51 years old male, who was generally healthy but recently complained of cervical swelling with mild pain. The tumor recently grew rapidly for 5 months. He was referred from local hospital in the diagnosis of metastatic tumor in cervical lymph. In the biopsy procedure, the tumor mass was ill-defined and not associated with cervical lymph node. The microsection showed a highly proliferative fibrous tissue infiltrative growth into the periphery. The spindle tumor cells were stained red in Masson trichrome stain, and strongly positive for PCNA and β-catenine, and partly positive for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), but negative for S-100 and desmin. The differential diagnosis in primary biopsy examination was made as leiomyosarcoma, malignant schwannoma, and mesenchymal sarcoma. Under the diagnosis of sarcoma the patient was operated for tumor resection including cervical lymph nodes. The tumor mass was tightly attached on the lower border of left mandibular body. After the surgical operation the tumor tissue was more investigated with further immunohistochemical stainings, and discussed with several pathologists in Gangneung area. Finally the tumor was turned out to be a nodular fasciitis with pseudosarcomatous proliferation, and also confirmed that the pseudosarcomatous spindle cells belonged to the myofibroblasts originated from the fibrovascular fascial tissue. The present study demonstrated a rare case of nodular fasciitis, which should be differentially diagnosed from the malignant head and neck tumors."

"The central granular cell odontogenic tumor is a rare benign odontogenic neoplasm of uncertain hisotogenesis characterized by varying amounts of eosinophilic granular cells and apparently inactive odontogenic epithelium with variable presence of calcified tissue. We present a case of central granular cell odontogenic tumor involving the maxilla of 35-year-old man with immunohistochemical characterization of granular cells. In microscopic view, the granular cells densely packed in sheets and lobules with abundant eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm and eccentric round-to-ovoid nuclei revealed immunoreactivity for vimentin, α1-antitrysin and CD68, and NSE but not for cytokeratin and S-100 protein while the interspersed odontogenic epithelial cells were positive for cytokeratin only. Granular cells also revealed strong PAS staining. Numerous concentric structured round to ovoid calcified aggregates were also noted. The lesion was treated with excision without recurrence for 8 years. Our immuohistochemical staining findings also suggest that the granular cells of central granular cell odontogenic tumor are mesenchymal in origin with possible histiocytic differentiation."

"Central granular cell odontogenic tumor (CGCOT) is a rare benign odontogenic neoplasm, with approximately 30 cases having been reported. The pathogenesis of CGCOT as well as the designation of this lesion is controversial because of unknown histogenesis of the granular cell. We present an additional case of CGCOT involving the mandible of a 50-year-old Korean man who complained of asymptomatic swelling of the right buccal gingiva. Current lesion is microscopically characterized by densely packed polyhedral granular cells surrounding interspersed islands or strands of odontogenic epithelium. Immunohistochemically, granular cells were positive for Vimentin and CD68, and negative for cytokeratin and S-100. These features support a mesenchymal origin for the granular cells as other results previously reported."

"Exercise training effciency depends on the training load, as well as on the athlete's ability to tolerate it. Taekwondo has been recognized as an Olympic sport in the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. Taekwondo competitions are regularly organized at the regional, national and international level according to the athlete's age and skill level. An integrated psychobiological stress-related measurement during a Taekwondo competition could be of considerable interest for studies on athlete performanc and behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an official Taekwondo competition on the heart rate(HR) and galvanic skin response(GSR) which represent stress score. each 5 male and female Taekwondo athletics were participated in this experiment. All persons were raised GSR and HR during competition and punching or kicking on opposite athletics. The results were statistically significant. It was suggested that all athleics had stress about competition."

"A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a needle, or via fingerprick. They are used to determine physiological and biochemical states, such as disease, mineral contents, drug effectiveness, and organ function. Although the term blood test is used, most routine tests (except for most haematology) are done on plasma or serum, instead of blood cells. Main advantage of using saliva in diagnostics is easy and non invasive sample taking compared to peripheral blood. According to the study published, saliva contains more than 20 percent of the proteins found in blood. The purpose of present study is to compare biochemical enzymes in saliva and in blood serum and to evaluate the usefulness of saliva specimens instead of blood in dental clinic. The saliva from 215 healthy over 50 years of aged people lived in Dong-gu district, Gwangu city was collected and the analysis was performed by six enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). ELISA results were compared with blood chemistry results. The values or patterns on Alanine Aminotransperase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransperase (AST), Cholesterol and Triglyceride in saliva were not correlated with those in blood serum. However, Albumine and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) were followed the positive relationship with blood chemistry. These result showed that detection and identification of Albumine and γ-GTP level could be established by saliva ELISA analysis, so that ELISA assay on saliva could be useful alternative to serum testing."

"The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cytokine-induced osteoclastogenesis on tooth movement related to orthodontic force. We evaluated the cytotoxicity as well as the expression of OPG and RANKL, which influence the homeostasis of bone metabolism. Titanium particles were applied to human periodontal ligament cells and subcultured fourth generation cells. The ALP assay and the MTT assay were used to assess changes in cytotoxicity. After 48 hours, cytotoxicity increased proportionally with the concentration of titanium. With 20 mg, the cytotoxicity was the lowest. RT-PCR was used for assessing mRNA levels of OPG and RANKL; after 96 hours, the mRNAs of OPG and RANKL increased steeply. A western blot analysis showed that with 20 mg of titanium, the protein expression of OPG increased linearly with time, especially after 96 hours, while the protein expression of RANKL did not show significant changes with titanium processing. Given the increase in OPG expression after the initial cytotoxicity, changes in cytotoxicity with titanium may be attributable to the antagonistic effect of OPG on cytotoxicity."