Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Severe Asthma With Fungal Sensitization in Korea.

Purpose: Severe asthma with fungal sensitization (SAFS) is associated with life-threatening exacerbation and severe airflow limitation. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of fungal sensitization in asthma and clinical characteristics of SAFS.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the Cohort for Reality and Evolution of Adult Asthma in Korea and the Korean Severe Asthma Registry cohorts.

17β-Estradiol Promotes Tumorigenicity Through an Autocrine AREG/EGFR Loop in ER-α-Positive Breast Cancer Cells.

We previously reported that the level of EGFR expression is directly associated with the survival rate of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer patients. Here, we investigated how ER activation by 17β-estradiol (E2), the most potent form of estrogen, affects the expression or activity of EGFR or EGFR-related genes in ER+ breast cancer cells. As expected, E2 enhanced cell proliferation, the induction of S phase, and tumor growth in ER+ breast cancer models.

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity shows benign behavior: Results from a 77-case clinicopathological and molecular study.

Papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP) is a low-grade renal tumor characterized by oncocytic cells with apical nuclei, GATA3 expression, and frequent KRAS mutations. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize and determine prognostic significance of PRNRP by conducting clinical, histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic analyses while reviewing prior reports. A total of 506 patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) who underwent curative nephrectomy from 1989 to 2023 were analyzed, leading to the reclassification of 77 cases (17 %) as PRNRP.

Inhibition of Interleukin-8/C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 2 Signaling Axis Prevents Tumor Growth and Metastasis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Introduction: Previously, we reported that interleukin-8 (IL-8) was associated with poor prognosis of basal-like breast cancer patients and has been identified as a pro-tumorigenic factor, facilitating cell invasion and migration. Here, we investigated the pharmacological impact of inhibitors targeting the chemokine receptors, C-X-C chemokine receptor 1 (CXCR1) and C-X-C chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), which are activated by IL-8.

Methods: The survival rates of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients by IL-8 were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier plotter.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Increases the Risk of Lung Abscess: Findings from a Nationwide Cohort Study.

This study aimed to investigate the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), assessed by the Fatty Liver Index (FLI), and the occurrence of lung abscess within a large population-based cohort. We conducted a nationwide retrospective study using data from 367,930 subjects who underwent National Health check-ups between 2009 and 2018. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to evaluate the association between the FLI and the incidence of lung abscess and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) after adjusting for age, sex, and relevant covariates.

Induction of SUSD2 by STAT3 Activation Is Associated with Tumor Recurrence in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Sushi domain-containing protein 2 (SUSD2), a transmembrane protein containing a sushi motif, has been reported to have tumor-promoting functions in various types of cancer, including breast cancer. However, the regulatory mechanism of SUSD2 and its function in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer have not been fully identified as yet. In this study, we explored the potential of targeting SUSD2 to overcome trastuzumab (TRZ) resistance in HER2+ breast cancer.

Clinical Characteristics of T2-Low and T2-High Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap: Findings From COREA Cohort.

Purpose: Despite the emerging biologics, biomarkers and treatment options for asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) are still limited, requiring further research.

Methods: We enrolled 378 ACO patients from a multicenter real-world asthma cohort in Korea and compared the clinical characteristics, lung function, and exacerbation between type 2 (T2)-high and T2-low groups. We used the following comparisons: 1) low vs.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma revisited: impact of the World Health Organization 2022 classification on prognostication.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of the revised papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) classification and evaluate its validity with regard to oncological outcome stratification.

Patients And Methods: Identifying 527 patients with PRCC who underwent surgical resection from 1995 to 2022, a tissue microarray was constructed for immunohistochemical and molecular characterisation. Re-classification according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2022 criteria and nuclear grading according to the WHO/International Society of Urological Pathologists criteria were done.

Artificial intelligence algorithm for neoplastic cell percentage estimation and its application to copy number variation in urinary tract cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer is characterized by frequent mutations, which provide potential therapeutic targets for most patients. The effectiveness of emerging personalized therapies depends on an accurate molecular diagnosis, for which the accurate estimation of the neoplastic cell percentage (NCP) is a crucial initial step. However, the established method for determining the NCP, manual counting by a pathologist, is time-consuming and not easily executable.

*05:01 and *11:01 Is Associated with Adverse Drug Reactions to Isoniazid and Rifampin for Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in South Korea.

Screening and treating healthcare workers (HCWs) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are essential for tuberculosis (TB) infection control. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to anti-TB drugs present challenges to patient safety and treatment completion. This study investigated the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and the risk of ADRs, especially drug hypersensitivity (DHS) and hepatotoxicity, in HCWs with LTBI receiving isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) therapy.

IFITM3-mediated activation of TRAF6/MAPK/AP-1 pathways induces acquired TKI resistance in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been the standard of care for advanced and metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the therapeutic effect of TKI monotherapy remains unsatisfactory given the high rates of acquired resistance to TKI therapy despite favorable initial tumor response.

Materials And Methods: To define the TKI-resistance mechanism and identify new therapeutic target for TKI-resistant ccRCC, an integrative differential gene expression analysis was performed using acquired resistant cohort and a public dataset.

Invasiveness of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Clinical Significance and Integrative Diagnostic Strategy.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to determine the clinicopathologic, radiologic, and molecular significance of the tumor invasiveness to further stratify the patients with high-grade (HG) upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who can be treated less aggressively.

Materials And Methods: Clinicopathologic and radiologic characteristics of 166 surgically resected HG UTUC (48 noninvasive, and 118 invasive) cases were evaluated. Six noninvasive UTUC cases with intratumoral tumor grade heterogeneity were selected for whole-exome sequencing (WES) to understand the underlying molecular pathophysiology.

Suppression of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-Alpha Overcomes Resistance to Trastuzumab through STAT3-Dependent IL-6 Reduction in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) plays an essential role in the proliferation and invasion of malignant cancer cells. However, the functional role of PDGFR alpha (PDGFRA) in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer has not been fully clarified yet. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of PDGFRA and the therapeutic potential of PDGFR inhibitors as part of an effort to overcome trastuzumab (TRZ) resistance.

Chemokine (C-C motif) Ligand 2 Is Regulated Through the EGFR/Src Pathway in HER2-positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Background/aim: Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) influences growth and metastasis and is associated with poor prognosis in various cancers. However, the regulatory mechanism of CCL2 induction by human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is not fully understood in breast cancer. Thus, we investigated how CCL2 expression is regulated in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer.

Tumorigenicity of EGFR- and/or HER2-Positive Breast Cancers Is Mediated by Recruitment of Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) has a clinically aggressive nature. It is prevalent in young women and is known to often relapse rapidly. To date, the molecular mechanisms regarding the aggressiveness of BLBC have not been fully understood.

Doxorubicin Induces Bone Loss by Increasing Autophagy through a Mitochondrial ROS/TRPML1/TFEB Axis in Osteoclasts.

Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, has been linked to an increased risk of bone damage in human patients and induces bone loss in mice. DOX induces autophagy, which contributes to bone homeostasis and excess autophagy in osteoclasts (OCs), resulting in bone loss. We hypothesized that DOX-induced bone loss is caused by the induction of autophagy in OCs.

Synaptophysin, CD117, and GATA3 as a Diagnostic Immunohistochemical Panel for Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Urinary Tract.

Although SCNEC is based on its characteristic histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) is commonly employed to confirm neuroendocrine differentiation (NED). The challenge here is that SCNEC may yield negative results for traditional neuroendocrine markers. To establish an IHC panel for NED, 17 neuronal, basal, and luminal markers were examined on a tissue microarray construct generated from 47 cases of 34 patients with SCNEC as a discovery cohort.

Morin Disrupts Cytoskeleton Reorganization in Osteoclasts through an ROS/SHP1/c-Src Axis and Grants Protection from LPS-Induced Bone Loss.

Morin is a naturally occurring flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Therefore, we hypothesized that morin may prevent inflammatory bone loss by reducing oxidative stress. To investigate the effect of morin on inflammatory bone loss, mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Ethyl Gallate Dual-Targeting PTPN6 and PPARγ Shows Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Obese Effects.

The emergence of the high correlation between type 2 diabetes and obesity with complicated conditions has led to the coinage of the term "diabesity". AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ) antagonists have shown therapeutic activity for diabesity, respectively. Hence, the discovery of compounds that activate AMPK as well as antagonize PPARγ may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic agents for diabesity.