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To date, the use of red blood cells (RBCs) produced from stem cells in vitro has not proved practical for routine transfusion. However, the perpetual and wide-spread shortage of blood products, problems related to transfusion-transmitted infections, and new emerging pathogens elicit an increasing demand for artificial blood. Worldwide efforts to achieve the goal of RBC production through stem cell research have received vast attention; however, problems with large-scale production and cost effectiveness have yet to prove practical usefulness. Some progress has been made, though, as cord blood stem cells and embryonic stem cells have shown an ability to differentiate and proliferate, and induced pluripotent stem cells have been shown to be an unlimited source for RBC production. However, transfusion of stem cell-derived RBCs still presents a number of challenges to overcome. This paper will summarize an up to date account of research and advances in stem cell-derived RBCs, delineate our laboratory protocol in producing RBCs from cord blood, and introduce the technological developments and limitations to current RBC production practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red blood cell (RBC) supply for transfusion has been severely constrained by the limited availability of donor blood and the emergence of infection and contamination issues. Alternatively, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from human organs have been increasingly considered as safe and effective blood source. Several methods have been studied to obtain mature RBCs fromCD34+ hematopoietic stem cells via in vitro culture. Among them, human cord blood (CB) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factormobilized adult peripheral blood (mPB) are common adult stemcells used for allogeneic transplantation. Our present study focuses on comparing CB- and mPB-derived stem cells in differentiation from CD34+ cells into mature RBCs. By using CD34+ cells from cord blood and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood, we showed in vitro RBC generation of artificial red blood cells. Our results demonstrate that CB- and mPB-derived CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells have similar characteristics when cultured under the same conditions, but differ considerably with respect to expression levels of various genes and hemoglobin development. This study is the first to compare the characteristics of CB- and mPB-derived erythrocytes. The results support the idea that CB and mPB, despite some similarities, possess different erythropoietic potentials in in vitro culture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite screening blood donations with advanced technologies and improved donor screening, the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections persists. This risk is mainly due to blood donations collected during the window period. A precise estimate of the transfusion risk of viral infection will help to determine the effect of new and current safety measures and to prioritize and allocate limited resources. Therefore, we estimated the risk of transfusion-transmitted viral infection in blood donations collected in Korea from 2000 to 2010. Methods: Blood donations collected at 16 blood centers were tested for HIV, HCV, and HBV to estimate the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted viral infection. The residual risk was calculated in two-year periods using the incidence/window model. The incidence rates for HIV/HCV and the confirmed positive rate for HIV/HCV in first-time and repeat donors were compared. Results: The residual risks for HIV in 2004/2005 and 2009/2010 were 1 in 1,080,244 and 1 in 1,356,547, respectively. The risks for HCV in 2000/2001 and 2009/2010 were 1 in 81,431 and 1 in 2,984,415, and the risks for HBV in 2000/2001 and 2009/2010 were 1 in 45,891 and 1 in 43,666. These estimates indicate that the residual risks for HCV in Korea have declined 36.6-fold, and those for HIV and HBV have not improved significantly, compared to previous estimates. The odds ratios for HCV and HBV positivity in first-time donors compared to repeat donors were 11.8 and 19.6, respectively. Conclusions: The residual risk of HCV declined over the last decade due to improved screening reagents, implementation of the nucleic acid amplification test, and tight application of strict donor selection procedures. Current residual risk estimates for HIV and HCV in Korea are extremely low, but the risk for HBV is still high; therefore, urgent measures should focus on decreasing the residual risk of HBV. Despite the introduction of more sensitive assays in blood screening, several other factors may influence the actual residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infection. A continuous monitoring of residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infection is crucial in managing blood safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination for melanoma was introduced because melanoma carries distinct tumor-associated antigens. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of DC vaccination for melanoma in Korea. Materials and Methods: Five patients with stage IV and one with stage II were enrolled. Autologous monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) were cultured and pulsed with tumor-lysate, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, and cytokine cocktail for mature antigen-loaded DC. DC vaccination was repeated four times at 2-week intervals and 2-4x107 DC were injected each time. Results: Reduced tumor volume was observed by PET-CT in three patients after DC vaccination. Delayed type hypersensitivity responses against tumor antigen were induced in five patients. Tumor antigen-specific IFN-γ-producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot in two patients. However, the overall clinical outcome showed disease progression in all patients. Conclusion: In this study, DC vaccination using tumor antigen-loaded, mature MoDCs led to tumor regression in individual melanoma patients. Further standardization of DC vaccination protocol is required to determine which parameters lead to better anti-tumor responses and clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium through surface molecules such as E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a critical cellular event reflecting the physiological status of both cell types. Here we present a microfluidic system that can not only easily monitor the interaction between leukocytes and endothelial cells under physiological conditions, but also screen drug candidates for potential modulation of this interaction. Shear stress, which is an important factor for the binding of activated T cells to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), was easily controlled by adjusting the flow rate in the microfluidic system. Whole blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have auto-reactive T cells were infused into the activated HUVECs which subsequently showed a higher level of binding compared to a control blood sample from a person without SLE. When these autoreactive T cells were treated with immunosuppressors tacrolimus and cyclosporin A, the binding of the T cells to HUVECs was dramatically decreased. Therefore, this microfluidic system is capable of differentiating the physiological status of T cells or endothelial cells representing different disease conditions, as well as being useful for the identification of novel reagents that modulate the functions of leukocytes or endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Massive blood transfusios are uncommon. The goal of this study was to propose an ideal ratio for the blood component of massive hemorrhage treatment after review of five years of massive transfusion practice, in order to have the best possible clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We defined a 'massive transfusion' as receiving 10 or more units of red blood cells in one day. A list of patients receiving a massive transfusion from 2004 to 2008 was generated using the electronic medical records. For each case, we calculated the ratio of blood components and examined its relationship to their survival. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty four patients underwent massive transfusion during the five years of the study. The overall seven-day hospital mortality for massive transfusion patients was 26.1%. Factors independently predictive of survival were a fresh-frozen plasma (FFP)/packed red blood cell (pRBC) ratio ≥ 1.1 with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.96 (1.03-3.70), and elective admission with an OR of 2.6 (1.52-4.40). The receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curve suggest that a 1 : 1 : 1 ratio of pRBCs to FFP to platelets is the best ratio for survival. CONCLUSION: Fixing blood-component ratios during active hemorrhage shows improved outcomes. Thus, the hospital blood bank and physician hypothesized that a fixed blood component ratio would help to reduce mortality and decrease utilization of the overall blood component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lipid metabolites and cytokines, including chemokines and growth factors, are the key regulators of immune cell function and differentiation, and thus, dysregulation of these regulators is associated with various human diseases. However, previous studies demonstrating a positive correlation of cytokine levels with aging may have been influenced by various environmental factors and underlying diseases. Also, data regarding cytokine profiling in the elderly are limited to a small subset of cytokines.Methods: We compared the profiles of 22 cytokines, including chemokines and growth factors, in a case-controlled study group of a gender-matched, healthy cohort of 55 patients over the age of 65 and 55 patients under the age of 45. Assessment of serum cytokine concentrations was performed using commercially-available multiplex bead-based sandwich immunoassays.Results: Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) levels were significantly higher in the elderly patients, whereas granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were significantly lower in the elderly patients. The partial correlation analysis demonstrating the correlation between cytokine levels when controlled for gender, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and serum creatinine levels further demonstrated that G-CSF, GM-CSF, and MCP-1 had significant negative correlations with age, whereas sCD40L and TGF-α had significant positive correlations.Conclusions: Future studies will focus on examining the significance of these age-related changes in circulating cytokines and other biological markers and their potential contribution to the development of different age-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been implicated as a therapeutic target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether A20, a universal inhibitor of NF-κB, might have antiarthritic effects. Methods. An adenovirus containing A20 complementary DNA (AdA20) was used to deliver A20 to human rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in vitro as well as to mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in vivo via intraarticular injection into the ankle joints bilaterally. Results. In vitro experiments demonstrated that AdA20 suppressed NF-κB activation, chemokine production, and matrix metalloproteinase secretion induced by tumor necrosis factor α in FLS. Mice with CIA that were treated with AdA20 had a lower cumulative disease incidence and severity of arthritis, based on hind paw thickness, radiologic and histopathologic findings, and inflammatory cytokine levels, than did control virus-injected mice. The protective effects of AdA20 were mediated by the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The severity of arthritis was also significantly decreased in the untreated front paws, indicating a beneficial systemic effect of local suppression of NF-κB. Surprisingly, mice treated with AdA20 after the onset of CIA had significantly decreased arthritis severity from the onset of clinical signs to the end of the study. Conclusion. These results suggest that using A20 to block the NF-κB pathway in rheumatoid joints reduces both the inflammatory response and the tissue destruction. The development of an immunoregulatory strategy based on A20 may therefore have therapeutic potential in the treatment of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to ascertain the incidence of cancer in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in comparison with that in the general population in Korea, and to identify the cancer-types, the organ involvement, and the association with immunosuppressive therapy. The study subjects were consecutive SLE patients evaluated at Kangnam St. Mary’s hospital between 1997 and 2007. The incidence rate of cancer was calculated and was analyzed in comparison to that of age- and sex-matched cohort obtained from the Korea National Cancer Registry. Nine hundred fourteen patients were observed for a total of 5,716 person-years. A total of 16 cases of cancer occurred. The average age at the diagnosis of cancer and the mean disease duration were 43 years and 11 years, respectively. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of all cancers was 1.45 (95% CI 0.74–2.16); The SIRs for the three most frequent cancers were 3.42 for cervix cancer (CI 0.00–7.26), 15.37 for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL; CI 2.90–37.68), and 43.55 for bladder cancer (CI 8.21–106.78). There were significant differences in the hematologic and renal involvement between SLE patients with cancer and without. Cyclophosphamide therapy, especially with cumulative dose more than 6 g ( p = 0.017), seemed to contribute to the increased risk of cancer. Long disease duration, damage, and hematologic involvement were associated with increased risk of cancer occurrence. SLE patients are at high risk for NHL and bladder cancer. Active cancer screening is required in SLE patients with long disease duration and damage who are treated with high dose cyclophosphamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In vitro generation of red blood cells (RBCs) is an important alternative to donor RBCs. It was impossible, however, to generate a large quantity of RBCs due to necessity of supporting stromal cells or xenogeneic or human serum for in vitro culture, which had restrictions in safety, supplies, and expenses. In addition, the low viability of erythroblasts during terminal maturation in vitro required highly efficient production protocols. Here, we present a protocol for mass production of clinical-grade RBCs from cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells in stroma-free culture by using poloxamer 188 (P188), a polymer known to be cytoprotective against hydrodynamic stress. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Umbilical CB CD34+ cells were cultured for 21 days in medium containing several cytokines, and roughly fibrin-eliminated CB derived plasma was added from Day 13. To enhance the final RBC production, P188 was added from Day 13 and the cell count and viability were compared with controls lacking P188. RESULTS: Erythroid expansion between Day 17 and Day 21 was significantly higher in cultures treated with P188, with a mean of 1.5 times and maximum of 3.6 times higher expansion than in controls lacking P188. The enhanced survival resulted from increased stability of the RBC membrane and decreased fragility. The erythroid cells were enucleated up to 95% and demonstrated hematologic variables similar to those of reticulocytes. CONCLUSION: This RBC production protocol is a simple stroma- and serum-free culture method ensuring enhanced viability of terminally mature erythroid cells and can be easily applicable to mass production of clinical-grade RBCs as well as erythropoiesis research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: There is no appropriate alternative source of red blood cells (RBCs) to relieve the worsening shortage of blood available for transfusion. Therefore, in vitro generation of clinically available RBCs from hematopoietic stem cells could be a promising new source to supplement the blood supply. However, there have been few studies about the generation of clinical-grade RBCs by coculture on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and various cytokine supplements, even though the production of pure RBCs requires coculture on stromal cells and proper cytokine supplements. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Umbilical cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells were cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with two cytokine sets of stem cell factor (SCF) plus interleukin-3 (IL-3) plus erythropoietin (EPO) and SCF plus IL-3 plus EPO plus thrombopoietin (TPO) plus Flt-3 for 1 week, followed by coculture upon MSCs derived from bone marrow (BM) or CB for 2 weeks. RESULTS: Almost pure clinical-grade RBCs could be generated by coculturing with CB-MSCs but not BM-MSCs. Expansion fold and enucleation rate were significantly higher in coculture with CB-MSCs than BM-MSCs. Despite a 2.5-fold expansion of erythroblasts in the presence of TPO and Flt-3 for 8 days, the final RBC count was higher without TPO and Flt-3. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first report on generating clinical-grade RBCs by in vitro culture with human MSCs and compared effectiveness of several cytokines for RBC production. This provides a useful basis for future production of clinically available RBCs and a model of erythropoiesis that is analogous to the in vivo system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) for differentiating secondary from primary Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), and also compared PDU with nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) for the assessment of microvascularity in undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) patients with RP. Microvascularity in the nailfold and finger tip was evaluated using PDU with cold challenge, and the findings of PDU were classified according to the qualitative grading system before and after cold challenge. NFC was performed at the same day in all persons. The results of PDU were compared with the clinical, laboratory data, and the findings of NFC. The 14 UCTD patients with RP were included in our study. Seven patients were suspected of secondary RP in NFC examination, thus NFC yielded a correct classification into secondary RP in 50% of the UCTD patients. The PDU finding of pattern II, which is regarded as the finding of secondary RP, was observed in 12 UCTD patients with RP. Thus, PDU yielded a correct classification into secondary RP in 86% of UCTD patients. In conclusion, we confirmed that PDU has a higher correct classification rate than NFC for the diagnosing of secondary RP in UCTD patients. Our results suggest that PDU has better accuracy than NFC in differentiating secondary from primary RP, and PDU is more useful in assessing microvascular abnormalities in UCTD patients with RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives In peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, the number of CD34+ cells infused is considered a predictor of haematopoietic engraftment. However, the currently accepted minimal threshold of CD34+ cells/kg was determined by counting CD34+ cells before freezing, and the loss of viable CD34+ cells during freezing, cryopreservation or thawing prior to reinfusion has not been assessed. Materials and Methods Total and viable CD34+ cells were quantified using single platform flow cytometry and viability dye, 7-amino actinomycin D (7-ADD), at the time of collection and prior to reinfusion in 46 peripheral haematopoietic stem cell grafts from 36 patients. The time to engraftment of neutrophil and platelet was assessed by routine peripheral blood cell counts performed daily. Results The median number of viable CD34+ cells harvested was 3·6 × 106/kg (range 0·05–21·2), and the median viability was 98% (range 70–100%) before freezing. After thawing, the median number of viable CD34+ cells was reduced to 2·2 × 106/kg (range 0·04–14·8) and the median viability was reduced to 71% (range 31–89%). The number of viable CD34+ cells/kg before freezing and after thawing significantly correlated with engraftment of neutrophils ( P < 0·0001 both) and platelets ( P = 0·007 and 0·006, respectively). Although the minimum dose for engraftment (2·0 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg) was harvested in 37 of 46 cases (85%), only 25 cases (54%) met this threshold at the time of reinfusion. For platelet engraftment, determination of viable CD34+ cells prior to reinfusion was more important than enumeration at the time of collection. Conclusion Quantification of post-thaw viable CD34+ cells better represents the actual composition of the graft and may be a more accurate predictor of haematopoietic engraftment than post-thaw total CD34+ cell counts, or prefreeze determinations, especially for platelet engraftment. It is necessary to develop good quality controls for freezing and thawing procedures to minimize variance in cell viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DCs), used in clinical trials for cancer immunotherapy, require processing on an expanded scale to conform to current good manufacturing practice guidelines. This study evaluated a large-scale monocyte enrichment procedure with a commercially available cell separator (Elutra, Gambro BCT) and analyzed the capacity of enriched monocytes to differentiate into DCs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Mononuclear cells were collected in two patients with malignant melanoma and seven healthy donors by leukapheresis. Continuous-counterflow elutriation with the Elutra was performed to enrich and purify monocytes from leukapheresis products. Purity and recovery of enriched monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. DCs were generated from the elutriated monocytes and characterized by phenotypic surface marker and stimulatory capacity in an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. RESULTS: In the leukapheresis products, the total MNC count was 7.3 × 109 ± 0.7 × 109 and the mean percentage of CD14+ monocytes was 16.5 ± 3.8 percent, which increased to 68.9 ± 7.4 percent after elutriation with the Elutra. The mean monocyte recovery was 94.3 percent. Elutriated monocytes were successfully cultured into phenotypically and functionally mature DCs. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the Elutra cell separator allows for fast and easy enrichment of monocytes within a closed system. Furthermore, these monocytes can be differentiated into functionally mature DCs. Compared to plastic adherence and immunomagnetic selection methods, the elutriation procedure is inexpensive, efficient, and very effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a national survey of that status of plasma exchange in Korea in 2001–2002. Expansion of the clinical application of plasma exchange; Establishment of a nationwide registry for plasma exchange in the country; Categories of indications for plasma exchange.

We report a case of Hughes–Stovin syndrome (HSS) associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. A 24-year-old man who has no clinical features suggestive of Behcet’s disease was admitted for hemoptysis and dyspnea. Radiological and laboratory evaluation revealed multifocal pulmonary artery aneurysms involving bilateral segmental pulmonary artery, thrombi in right atrium and ventricle, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Accordingly, HSS associated with hyperhomocysteinemia was diagnosed, and the clinical and radiological improvement was achieved after treatment with prednisolone, warfarin, and folic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) task force that developed new Guidelines for the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells discusses core principles that should guide the responsible transition of basic stem cell research into appropriate clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims The Gout Impact Scale (GIS), a part of the Gout Assessment Questionnaire 2.0, is used to measure gout-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Although several studies have been conducted on the factors affecting the HRQOL of patients with gout, few have focused on lifestyle factors. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between lifestyle habits and HRQOL using the GIS in patients with gout. Methods We used data from the Urate-Lowering TheRApy in Gout (ULTRA) registry, a prospective cohort of Korean patients with gout treated at multiple centers nationwide. The patients were aged ≥18 years and met the 2015 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism gout classification criteria. They were asked to complete a GIS and questions regarding their lifestyle habits at enrollment. Results The study included 232 patients. ‘Gout concern overall’ scores in the GIS were significantly lower in patients who exercised more frequently and consumed soft drinks and meat less, and ‘well-being during attack’ scores were significantly lower in patients who consumed vegetables and exercised more frequently. The frequency of vegetable consumption had a negative linear relationship with the ‘well-being during attack’ and ‘gout concern during attack’ scores (p = 0.01, p = 0.001, respectively). The frequency of exercise had a negative linear relationship with the ‘gout concern overall’ and ‘gout concern during attack’ scores (p = 0.04 and p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusions Patients with gout who frequently consumed vegetables and exercised regularly experienced less impact of gout, exhibiting a better GIS that represented HRQOL.

Purpose BVAC-B is an autologous B cell- and monocyte-based immunotherapeutic vaccine that contains cells transfected with a recombinant human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene and loaded with the natural killer T cell ligand alpha-galactosylceramide. Here, we report the first BVAC-B study in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods Patients with advanced gastric cancer refractory to standard treatment with HER2+ immunohistochemistry ≥ 1 were eligible for treatment. Patients were administered low (2.5×107 cells/dose), medium (5.0×107 cells/dose), or high dose (1.0×108 cells/dose) of BVAC-B intravenously four times every 4 weeks. Primary endpoints included safety and maximum tolerated BVAC-B dose. Secondary endpoints included preliminary clinical efficacy and BVAC-B-induced immune responses. Results Eight patients were treated with BVAC-B at low (n=1), medium (n=1), and high doses (n=6). No dose-limiting toxicity was observed, while treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in patients treated with medium and high doses. The most common TRAEs were grade 1 (n=2) and grade 2 (n=2) fever. Out of the six patients treated with high-dose BVAC-B, three had stable disease with no response. Interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 increased after BVAC-B treatment in all patients with medium and high dose, and HER2-specific antibody was detected in some patients. Conclusion BVAC-B monotherapy had a safe toxicity profile with limited clinical activity; however, it activated immune cells in heavily pretreated patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer. Earlier treatment with BVAC-B and combination therapy is warranted for evaluation of clinical efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Achieving target serum uric acid (SUA) levels is important in gout management. Guidelines recommend lowering SUA levels to

IntroductionThe intricate connection between gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis has gained prominence, although the specific microbial species contributing to RA development remain largely unknown. Recent studies have sought to comprehensively explore alterations in the human microbiome, focusing on identifying disease-related microbial species through blood analysis. Consequently, this study aimed to identify RA-associated microbial species using a serum microbial array system and to investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of potential microbial species for RA treatment.MethodsSerum immunoglobulin M levels against 384 intestinal microbial species were assessed using a microbial microarray in patients with RA and healthy individuals. We investigated the therapeutic potential of the identified microbial candidate regarding arthritis development, immune responses, gut barrier function, and gut microbiome using a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model.ResultsOur findings revealed significant alterations in antibody levels against 36 microbial species in patients with RA compared to healthy individuals. Notably, the antibody levels against Peptoniphilus gorbachii (PG) were decreased in patients with RA and exhibited an inverse correlation with RA disease activity. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PG produced acetate and butyrate, while exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties. In CIA mice, PG administration suppressed arthritis symptoms, reduced the accumulation of inflammatory monocytes in the mesenteric lymph nodes, and downregulated gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the ileum. Additionally, PG supplementation restored intestinal barrier integrity and partially resolved gut microbial dysbiosis in CIA mice. The fecal microbiota in PG-treated mice corresponded to improved intestinal barrier integrity and reduced inflammatory responses.ConclusionThis study highlights the potential of serum-based detection of anti-microbial antibodies to identify microbial targets at the species level for RA treatment. Moreover, our findings suggest that PG, identified through the microbial microarray analysis, holds therapeutic potential for RA by restoring intestinal barrier integrity and suppressing the immunologic response associated with RA.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has collaborated with Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research & Extension Services and Chonnam National University to establish a ground observation tower for evaluating the value-added products (such as surface reflectance and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and improving algorithms of domestic development satellites (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-3, 3A and 7). The ground measurement tower, installed at the Jeollanamdo Naju ground observation site (NGOS), constantly observes surface hyperspectral reflectance and atmospheric information, providing the advantage of real-time algorithm validation improvement when satellite acquires images of the site. The NGOS operates hyperspectral radiometer equipment (6 types), meteorological observation equipment (5 types), sky radiometer (1 type), and eddy flux observation equipment (2 types), along with a web service for display and data processing. The ground observation site equipment that is being installed and operated can be utilized in various fields such as carbon circle, agriculture, environment, atmosphere and climate change, in addition to validation of satellite value-added products. This study aims to introduce KARI NGOS for user data sharing and highlight the characteristics of the measured data.