Young Han Lee

Konkuk University | KU · Division of Biological Sciences

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine derived from epithelial cells and plays an essential role in the onset and activation of Th2-derived allergic inflammatory conditions, including atopic dermatitis. Despite their potential as drug targets, well-defined small molecules that effectively block TSLP expression are still lacking. A plant-...

The accurate and early detection of vertebral metastases is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Although deep-learning models have shown potential in this area, their lack of prediction reliability and robustness limits their clinical utility. To address these challenges, we propose a novel technique called Ensemble Monte Carlo Dropout (EMCD) f...

Filaggrin (FLG) is an essential structural protein expressed in differentiated keratinocytes. Insufficient FLG expression contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Saikosaponin A (SSA), a bioactive oleanane-type triterpenoid, exerts anti-inflammatory activity. However, the effects of topically applied SSA on FLG express...

We investigated whether radiomics of computed tomography (CT) image data enables the differentiation of bone metastases not visible on CT from unaffected bone, using pathologically confirmed bone metastasis as the reference standard, in patients with gastric cancer. In this retrospective study, 96 patients (mean age, 58.4 ± 13.3 years; range, 28–85...

The purposes were to assess the efficacy of AI-generated radiology reports in terms of report summary, patient-friendliness, and recommendations and to evaluate the consistent performance of report quality and accuracy, contributing to the advancement of radiology workflow. Total 685 spine MRI reports were retrieved from our hospital database. AI-g...

6041 Background: We aimed to determine the activity of anti-PD-1 inhibitor, nivolumab in metastatic and/or recurrent carcinosarcoma. Methods: In this phase 2 trial, eligible patients had histologically confirmed metastatic and/or recurrent carcinosarcoma, measurable disease, 1-3 prior chemotherapy, and adequate renal/hepatic/hematologic function. I...

11552 Background: We conducted an open-label, phase IB/II study to determine the activity and safety of the standard-of-care, doxorubicin in combined with the anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab, in patients with anthracycline-naïve soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and identified patients who would likely benefit from combination treatment....

Purpose The study was to determine the activity and safety of the TGF-β inhibitor vactosertib in combination with imatinib in patients with desmoid tumors. Patients and Methods In this investigator-initiated, open-label, multicenter, phase Ib/II trial, patients with desmoid tumors not amenable to locoregional therapies (surgery and/or radiotherapy...

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a sarcopenia prediction model by fusing numerical features from shear-wave elastography (SWE) and gray-scale ultrasonography (GSU) examinations, using the rectus femoris muscle (RF) and categorical/numerical features related to clinical information. Both cohorts (development, 70 healthy subjects; evaluation,...

We aimed to determine the activity of the anti-VEGF receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, pazopanib, combined with the anti-PD-L1 inhibitor, durvalumab, in metastatic and/or recurrent soft tissue sarcoma (STS). In this single-arm phase 2 trial (NCT03798106), treatment consisted of pazopanib 800 mg orally once a day and durvalumab 1500 mg once every 3...

In this prospective, multi-reader, multi-vendor study, we evaluated the performance of a commercially available deep neural network (DNN)–based MR image reconstruction in enabling accelerated 2D fast spin-echo (FSE) knee imaging. Forty-five subjects were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into three 3T MRIs. Conventional 2D FSE and acceler...

Background: This study aimed to predict pathologic complete response (pCR) in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ER+HER2- locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), a subtype with limited treatment response. Methods: We included 265 ER+HER2- LABC patients (2010-2020) with pre-treatment MRI, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and confirmed pathology. Using data fro...

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is an intriguing phenomenon observed in tumor masses, in which cancer cells organize themselves into capillary-like channels that closely resemble the structure and function of blood vessels. Although VM is believed to contribute to alternative tumor vascularization, the detailed regulatory mechanisms controlling these cel...

BACKGROUND To determine to the activity and safety of TGF-β inhibitor, vactosertib in combination with imatinib in patients with desmoid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this investigator-initiated, open-label, multicenter, phase I/II trial, patients with desmoid tumors not amendable to locoregional therapies (surgery and/or radiotherapy) or with di...

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate whether quantitative water fraction parameters could predict fracture age in patients with benign vertebral compression fractures (VCFs).MethodsA total of 38 thoracolumbar VCFs in 27 patients imaged using modified Dixon sequences for water fraction quantification on 3-T MRI were retrospectively reviewed. To calcu...

We aimed to determine the activity of the anti-VEGF receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, pazopanib, combined with the anti-PD-L1 inhibitor, durvalumab, in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Further, we performed molecular characterisation with whole exome and transcriptomic sequencing to identify the determinants of response. In this single-arm, phase 2 tri...

Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is an attractive target for developing immune modulators to enhance innate immunity against ssRNA virus infections, including hepatitis C and COVID-19. Ten 3-(5-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-2-pyrazolines were tested using TLR7 reporter cells, overexpressing TLR7 and the NF-κB-inducible SEAP reporter gene to discover a novel T...

Introduction: Tubulin polymerization inhibitors induce cancer cell death; therefore, they can be developed as chemotherapeutic agents. We hypothesized that hybrid compounds, including the trans-stilbene moiety contained in resveratrol and penta-1,4-dien-3-one contained in curcumin, could inhibit tubulin polymerization. Methods: Twenty-six hybrid...

(1) Background: Desmoid tumors have a relatively high local failure rate after primary treatment using surgery and/or radiotherapy. Moreover, desmoid tumors recur at the primary site for many patients. An effective therapeutic strategy for the desmoid tumor is needed to maintain quality of life and prolong survival. (2) Method: First of all, we col...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases accompanied by severe itching. β-caryophyllene (BCP), which displays anti-inflammatory activity, is a natural agonist of cannabinoid receptor 2. However, the therapeutic effects of BCP on atopic dermatitis (AD) remain poorly understood. The current study aimed to evaluate t...

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis with characteristic involvement of the spine and sacroiliac joints. MRI may be the only indicator of disease activity or response. This study aimed to use a novel water fraction measurement technique on MRI as a biomarker to predict disease activity in patients with AS. M...

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into endothelial cells; however, the mechanisms underlying this process in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remain elusive. This study shows that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a key cytokine present in the TME, promotes the endothelial differentiation of MSCs by inducing vascular endothelial gr...

Purpose: Even though pazopanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for refractory soft tissue sarcoma (STS), little is known about the molecular determinants of the response to pazopanib. We performed integrative molecular characterization to identify potential predictors of pazopanib efficacy. Materials and methods: We...

Chalcones have a skeleton of diphenyls connected via an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group. Many chalcone derivatives have been shown to interact with tubulin. Based on previous reports, chalcones derived by substitution of a carbonyl group with 2-pyrazoline can be expected to inhibit tubulin polymerization. Therefore, 3,5-diphenyl-2-pyrazolines were p...

Filaggrin (FLG), an essential structural protein for skin barrier function, is down-regulated under chronic inflammatory conditions, leading to disruption of the skin barrier. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of how FLG changes in the context of chronic inflammation are poorly understood. Here, we identified the molecular mechanisms by wh...

The circadian clock system is closely associated with inflammatory responses. Dysregulation of the circadian clock genes in the skin impairs the skin barrier function and affects the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis. Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a proinflammatory cytokine derived from T-helper type 2 cells; it plays a critical role in the pathogenes...

Purpose: Monotherapy with eribulin or gemcitabine has been found to be moderately effective in treating soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of eribulin-gemcitabine combination therapy for the two most common histologic types of STS, liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Patients and methods: In this non-rand...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases worldwide, characterized by intense pruritus and eczematous lesions. Aberrant expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in keratinocytes is associated with the pathogenesis of AD and is considered a therapeutic target for the treatment of this disease. Saiko...

PER2 is a core circadian clock gene that regulates circadian rhythms. Interleukin (IL)-4 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of skin inflammation, including atopic dermatitis. IL-4 enhances PER2 expression, suggesting a relationship between inflammation and the circadian clock. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechani...

We aim to evaluate the performance of a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) in predicting the presence or absence of sarcopenia using shear-wave elastography (SWE) and gray-scale ultrasonography (GSU) of rectus femoris muscle as an imaging biomarker. This retrospective study included 160 pair sets of GSU and SWE images (n = 160) from December...

To evaluate the performance of a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) in detecting local tumor progression (LTP) after tumor ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on follow-up arterial phase CT images. The DCNN model utilizes three-dimensional (3D) patches extracted from three-channel CT imaging to detect LTP. We built a pipeline to autom...

Purpose: Desmoid tumor, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, is well-characterized by abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Various therapeutic options, including imatinib, are available to treat desmoid tumor. However, molecular mechanism of why imatinib works remains unclear. Here, we describe potential roles of NOTCH2 and HES1 in clinical respons...

There is accumulating evidence that compounds containing N -acylhydrazone or 4-chromenone moieties can be active against multiple cancer cell types, yet the combined effect of these chemical groups is unclear. This study aimed to develop more effective anti-cancer compounds by combining 4-chromenone and N -acylhydrazone. Thirteen derivatives were d...

Purpose: The positron emission tomography (PET)-magnetic resonance (MR) system is a newly emerging technique that yields hybrid images with high-resolution anatomical and metabolic information. With PET-MR imaging, a definitive diagnosis of breast abnormalities will be possible with high spatial accuracy and images will be acquired for the optimal...

The effect and mechanistic evidence of biochar on the (im)mobilization of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in multi-contaminated soils, with respect to the role of surface-functional groups and organic/inorganic compounds of biochar, are poorly understood. Herein, biochars produced from grass residues, rice straw, and wood were applied to a mining...

Objective. Contrast-enhanced MR (CE-MR) imaging is often required to improve lesion detection and characterization and to increase diagnostic confidence. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness, as well as the use pattern, of the macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent Clariscan in real-world clinical practice in Korea. Materi...

Background: Desmoid tumor, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, is well-characterized by abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Various therapeutic options, including imatinib, are available to efficiently treat desmoid tumor. However, molecular mechanism of why imatinib works remains poorly understood. Here, we describe the potential roles of NOTCH2...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to bring greater efficiency in radiology by performing tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence, also at a much faster rate than human performance. In recent years, milestone deep learning models with unprecedented low error rates and high computational efficiency have shown remarkable performan...

11551 Background: Based on the central role played by the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) in immunosuppression, we assessed the activity and safety of VEGFR inhibitor pazopanib plus anti-PD-L1 blockade durvalumab in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Methods: We did a single-arm, single-center, phase 2 study that enrolled patients with...

Background Pazopanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is recommended as the standard treatment for refractory soft tissue sarcoma (STS). However, there are comparatively few molecular determinants for predicting pazopanib efficacy. Based on correlative studies regarding the predictive impact of PD-L1, we investigated the clinical relevan...

In recent years, deep learning techniques have been applied in musculoskeletal radiology to increase the diagnostic potential of acquired images. Generative adversarial networks (GANs), which are deep neural networks that can generate or transform images, have the potential to aid in faster imaging by generating images with a high level of realism...

Aim: There are limited data on the feasibility of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression as a prognostic biomarker in metastatic angiosarcoma. Patients & methods: We retrospectively collected and analyzed the data on PD-L1 expression in 70 angiosarcoma patients who were diagnosed at our center between 2005 and 2019. Results: Thirteen (19...

Matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) initiates the breakdown of matrix networks by cleaving fibrillar collagen during the pathophysiological progression of skin aging. Ageratum houstonianum ethanol extract (AHE) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat external wounds and skin diseases. However, the mechanism of action underlying A. ho...

We designed 21 ethyl 3,5-diphenyl-2-cyclohexenone-6-carboxylate derivatives to identify compounds exhibiting anticancer activity. To measure the inhibitory effects of the compounds on cancer cell growth, a long-term survival clonogenic assay was performed. Since compounds containing a cyclohexenone moiety inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, an...

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has different prognostic factors according to the detection modality. The purpose of this study was to compare parameters from a radiomic analysis of ultrasonography (US) images for DCIS detected on screening mammography (MMG) and US and detected on screening US only. A total of 154 surgically confirmed DCIS visible...

Importance The loss of the physiologic cervical lordotic curve is a common degenerative disorder known to be associated with abnormal spinal alignment. However, the changing trends among sex and age groups has not yet been well established. Objective To analyze the temporal trends in cervical curvature across sex and age groups using an automated...

Estrogen overproduction is closely associated with the development of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Aromatase, encoded by the cytochrome P450 19 (CYP19) gene, regulates estrogen biosynthesis. This study aimed to identify active flavones that inhibit CYP19 expression and to explore the underlying mechanisms. CYP19 expression was evaluate...

The structure of the isoflavone compound, 3-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-6,7-dimethoxy-4H-chromen-4-one (5), was elucidated by 2D-NMR spectra, mass spectrum and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Compound 5, C19H16O6, was crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c with the cell parameters; a = 12.0654(5) Å, b =11.0666(5) Å, c = 23...

Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) is a natural polyphenolic compound that induces an anti-inflammatory response. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the chrysin-induced suppression of C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) gene expression in atopic dermatitis (AD)-like inflammatory microenvironment. We showed that chrysin in...

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation specifically in cancer cells may be a promising strategy for their selective killing. The synthetic chalcone derivative (E)-3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (DPP23) exerts antitumor activity through ROS-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells but not in healthy cells. Howeve...

Background Pazopanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is recommended as the standard treatment for refractory soft tissue sarcoma (STS). However, there are comparatively few molecular determinants for predicting pazopanib efficacy. Based on correlative studies regarding the predictive impact of PD-L1, we investigated the clinical relevan...

Ultrasonography (US) is noninvasive and offers real-time, low-cost, and portable imaging that facilitates the rapid and dynamic assessment of musculoskeletal components. Significant technological improvements have contributed to the increasing adoption of US for musculoskeletal assessments, as artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer-aided detec...

Background: Developing personalized strategies for cancer has shown good efficacies. Methods: We assessed the molecular targets programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), microsatellite instability (MSI), and PIK3CA. Seventy-four patients with liposarcomas who underwent curative resection were assessed for PD-L1 expression in the tumor and tumor-infiltr...

Filaggrin (FLG) is a structural component of the stratum corneum that is essential for maintaining the barrier function of the skin and for the formation of natural moisturizing factors. 6,7-Dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene (Agerarin) is a bioactive compound derived from Ageratum houstonianum, a plant that is used as a traditional medicine to tre...

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a large precursor protein of and β-endorphin. POMC expressed in keratinocytes regulates various pathophysiological responses, such as pruritus in atopic dermatitis. Interleukin (IL)-31 is a T helper 2 (Th2)-derived cytokine that functions as a pruritogen, stimulating the sensory neurons in the skin. However, the regul...

Breast cancer is a common malignancy among women worldwide. Gelatinases such as matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 play crucial roles in cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. To develop a novel platform compound, we synthesized a flavonoid derivative, (E)-5-((4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)methyleneamino)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonitril...

WNT11 is a member of the non-canonical Wnt family and plays a crucial role in tumor progression. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying WNT11 expression are unclear. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is a major inflammatory cytokine produced in the tumor microenvironment and contributes to processes associated with tumor progression, such a...

Aurora kinases are Ser/Thr kinases that function as mitotic regulators. 5-Methoxy-2-(2-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one (DK1913) is a synthetic pan-Aurora kinase inhibitor. However, the mode of action of DK1913 concerning the induction of apoptosis is unclear. Here, we report that DK1913 triggered apoptosis, as revealed by flow cytometry an...

Purpose To generate short tau, or short inversion time (TI), inversion recovery (STIR) images from three multi‐contrast MR images, without additional scanning, using a deep neural network. Methods For simulation studies, we used multi‐contrast simulation images. For in‐vivo studies, we acquired knee MR images including 288 slices of T1‐weighted (T...

Objectives To assess the clinical utility of a prototype sequence for metal artifact reduction, the multiacquisition variable–resonance image combination selective (MAVRIC-SL) at 3 T. This sequence allows a surgical prosthesis-dependent reduction in the number of spectral bins. We compared the prototype MAVRIC SL to the conventional two-dimensional...