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We previously observed 80.7% seropositivity and a significant interaction between gender and hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine type (Havrix vs. Epaxal) on the seropositivity approximately 11 months after single-dose HAV vaccinations in Korean young adults. Our objective was to evaluate seropositivity approximately 2 years after a single-dose HAV vaccination and the influence of demographic characteristics on seropositivity, including the interaction between gender and vaccine type. Seronegative medical school students were randomly vaccinated with Havrix or Epaxal. Based on a total serum anti-HAV antibody titer cutoff of 20 IU/mL, 338 participants (76.0%) of the 445 vaccinees were seropositive 20-25 months after a single-dose HAV vaccination. The seropositive rates were similar after vaccination with Havrix (77.0%) and Epaxal (74.9%). Univariate analysis indicated that female (p = 0.052) and less obese (p < 0.001) participants had a higher seropositive rate, whereas other characteristics such as age, alcohol use, smoking history, vaccine type, and follow-up duration were not associated with seropositivity. Multivariate analysis indicated that women (p = 0.026) and participants with moderate alcohol use (p < 0.001) showed significantly higher seropositive rates than men and participants with no or low alcohol use, respectively. The seropositive rates after vaccination with Havrix and Epaxal were 70.9% and 67.5% in men and 87.7% and 91.3% in women, respectively (p for interaction = 0.304). Compared with the seropositive rate approximately 11 months after vaccination, the seropositive rate decreased substantially only in men in the Havrix group (11.0% points), and consequently, the interaction between gender and vaccine type disappeared while seropositivity remained high (87.7% and 91.3% in Havrix and Epaxal groups, respectively) among women approximately 2 years after vaccination. Further studies are needed to assess whether the seropositive rate would be maintained in all groups more than 2 years after a single-dose HAV vaccination.

The eotaxin gene family (eotaxin, eotaxin-2, and eotaxin-3) has been implicated in the recruitment of eosinophils, basophiles, and Th2 lymphocytes that is a central aspect of allergic diseases such as asthma. To determine whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of eotaxin gene family are associated with susceptibility to asthma, we scanned 225 asthma patients and 294 non-asthmatic controls using the direct sequencing method. We further investigated the relationships among each SNP, eosinophils, and serum total IgE levels in asthma patients. Eleven SNPs were identified in the eotaxin gene family. We found that EoB179T > C (P = 0.0001), EoB275C > T (P = 0.018) of the eotaxin-2 and EoA2497T > G (P = 0.003) of the eotaxin-3 were significantly associated with the susceptibility of asthma. Furthermore, our data demonstrated for the first time that EoA2497T > G (P = 0.005) is related to serum total IgE level while EoA77C > T (P = 0.035) and EoA2497T > G (P = 0.033) are related to the peripheral blood eosinophil counts in asthma. Our results suggest that the polymorphisms of the eotaxin gene family are associated with the susceptibility of asthma and Eotaxin-3 might play the critical role for the recruitment of eosinophils and the maintenance of IgE levels.

We evaluated the relationship between polymorphisms in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes and smoking status in a case-controlled study of a Korean population. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method and prognostic factors, such as staging and grading were evaluated for 126 bladder cancer patients, and 204 control subjects. Smoking represented a high-risk factor (odds ratio (OR)=4.8, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.9-8.0) for the patients with bladder cancer. The frequency of GSTM1 null individuals was higher than in the controls, but the differences were not statistically significant (OR=1.56, 95% CI=2.9-8.0). For Korean subjects who smoked more than 1 pack of cigarettes per year (PPY), the increased risk of bladder cancer was associated with the GSTM1 null genotype (OR=0.5, 95% CI=0.3-0.9). Low-stage bladder tumors were more common among the GSTM1 null genotypes (OR=2.3; 95% CI=1.1-5.5). This study suggests that in Korean subjects the GSTM1 null genotype may be associated with increased risk for bladder cancer, in a manner that appears to depend upon smoking status. And also, in bladder cancer patients the GSTM1 null genotype appears to be associated with a poorer prognosis with low stage bladder tumors.

To improve understanding of glutathione S-transferase (GST) behavior in terms of a development and prognostic factor for gastric adenocarcinoma, we investigated the association between the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes and gastric cancer risk or the prognostic value of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes was evaluated. Using a polymerase chain reaction-based method, the frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes and prognostic factors, such as staging, differentiation, and histologic type (intestinal vs. diffuse), were evaluated in 80 patients with curatively resected primary gastric adenocarcinoma. The frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null individuals were higher in the gastric cancer group, but the differences were not statistically significant (for GSTM1 null odds ratio (OR)=0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.49-1.51 and for GSTT1, OR=0.97; 95% CI=0.55-1.71). Since the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes are potential indicators of gastric adenocarcinoma, we examined the relationship between the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes and prognostic factors. In terms of the histologically diffuse type of cancer, GSTM1 indicated an approximately 3.24-fold increase (OR=3.24; 95% CI=1.05-10.17). With respect to gastric cancer differentiation, the frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype was linked with a statistically significant increase in risk (3.42-fold) for the high-grade type (OR=3.42; CI=1.02-13.24). Our results indicate that there is no obvious relationship between GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms and the development of gastric cancer. However, in Korean gastric adenocarcinoma patients the GSTM1 null genotype appears to be associated with a poorer prognosis.