• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2005

HtrA2/Omi is a mammalian mitochondrial serine protease homologous to the E. coli HtrA/DegP gene products. Recently, HtrA2/Omi was found to have a dual role in mammalian cells, acting as an apoptosis-inducing protein and being involved in maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. By screening a human brain cDNA library with $A{\beta}$ peptide as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified HtrA2/Omi as a binding partner of $A{\beta}$ peptide. The interaction between $A{\beta}$ peptide and HtrA2/Omi was confirmed by an immunoblot binding assay. The possible involvement of HtrA2/Omi in $A{\beta}$ peptide metabolism was investigated. In vitro peptide cleavage assays showed that HtrA2/Omi did not directly promote the production of $A{\beta}$ peptide at the ${\beta}/{\gamma}$-secretase level, or the degradation of $A{\beta}$ peptide. However, overexpression of HtrA2/Omi in K269 cells decreased the production of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ by up to 30%. These results rule out the involvement of HtrA2/Omi in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. However, the fact that overexpression of HtrA2/Omi reduces the generation of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ suggests that it may play some positive role in mammalian cells.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.138.1-138.1
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• 2003

Inflammatory responses from activated microglia are one of major causes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Particularly, proinflammatory cytokines (PC), such as IL-l$\beta$ and TNF-$\alpha$, and nitric oxide (NO) are correlated with AD by inducing the chronic inflammation in the brain. In the present study, we found that microglia are activated by lipopolisaccharide (LPS) and Abeta42 (A$\beta$42), and those activated microglia produced such repertoires up to 72h with a turning point at 24h. However, no dose dependecy was found during the chasing time courses (6h to 72h). (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2009

Thirty-eight Vibrio spp. were isolated from the sea waters harvested from the 22 stations located on the west coast of the Korean peninsula in September 2006. The isolates consisted of V. parahaemolyticus (n=21), V. alginolyticus (n= 16) and V. cholerae non-01 (n=1), among which 35 isolates displayed resistance against two of the tested antibiotics. Among the 38 isolates, 18 isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance against more than four 4 antibiotics. In particular, minimum inhibitory concentration $(MIC)_{50}$ and $MIC_{90}$ of ampicillin-resistant isolates were as high as $2,048{\mu}g{\cdot}mL^{-1}$ and $4,096{\mu}g{\cdot}mL^{-1}$ respectively. $\beta$-lactamase production was examined to analyze the ampicillin-resistance. Some Vibrio spp. isolates produced $\beta$-lactamase, however antibiotics resistance pattern and $\beta$-lactamase production were not clearly related to each other. A genetic relationship between resistance and gene expression was confirmed in the ampicillin-resistant isolates.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 1989

From the roots of Puisatiila koreana, three monodesmosides(pulsatilla saponins A, B and D) and two bisdesmosides(pulsatilla saponins F and H) were isolated. The structure of these saponins have been determined as hederagenin 3-O-${\beta}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1{\to}2$)- ${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranoside(A), hederagenin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyrano syl($1{\to}4$) - ${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranoside(B), hederagenin 3-O- ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl ($1{\to}2$)-[${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl($1{\to}4$]-${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranoside(D), 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1{\to}2$)-{${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyrano syl($1{\to}4$)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyrano syl($1{\to}6$)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyI ester (F) and 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1{\to}2$)-[${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl($1{\to}4$)]- ${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-${\alpha}$-L-lharnnopyranosyl($1{\to}4$)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl($1{\to}6$)-${\beta}$-D-glucop yranosyl ester(H) on the basis of chemical and spectral studies. Pulsatilla saponin B is the first report of its presence in plants but saponins A, D, F, and H have recently been isolated from the same genus p. cernua.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

Progressive memory impairment such as that associated with depression, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) can interfere with daily life. In particular, AD, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, prominently features a memory and learning impairment that is related to changes in acetylcholine and abnormal ${\beta}$-amyloid ($A{\beta}$) deposition in the brain. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dehydroevodiamine HCl (DHED) on cognitive improvement and the related mechanism in memory-impaired rat models, namely, a scopolamine-induced amnesia model and a $A{\beta}_{1-42}$-infused model. The cognitive effects of DHED were measured using a water maze test and a passive avoidance test in the memory-impaired rat models. The results demonstrate that DHED (10 mg/kg, p.o.) and Donepezil (1 mg/kg, p.o.) ameliorated the spatial memory impairment in the scopolamine-induced amnestic rats. Moreover, DHED significantly improved learning and memory in the $A{\beta}_{1-42}$-infused rat model. Furthermore, the mechanism of these behavioral effects of DHED was investigated using a cell viability assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, and intracellular calcium measurement in primary cortical neurons. DHED reduced neurotoxicity and the production of $A{\beta}$-induced ROS in primary cortical neurons. In addition, similar to the effect of MK801, DHED decreased intracellular calcium levels in primary cortical neurons. Our results suggest that DHED has strong protective effects against cognitive impairments through its antioxidant activity and inhibition of neurotoxicity and intracellular calcium. Thus, DHED may be an important therapeutic agent for memory-impaired symptoms.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

In this study, we analyzed signal transduction by equine follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (eFSHR) on sti- mulation with recombinant $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ ($rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$), natural porcine FSH (pFSH), and natural human FSH (hFSH). cAMP stimulation in CHO-K1 cells expressing eFSHR was determined upon exposure to different doses (0-1450 ng/mL) of these hormones. The $EC_{50}$ value of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was 53.35 ng/mL. The Rmax values of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ and pFSH were 28.12 and 2.88 ng/mL, respectively. The activity of $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was much higher than that of natural pFSH. However, signal transduction in CHO PathHunter Parental cells expressing eFSHR was not enhanced by stimulation with natural hFSH. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ was completely active in cells expressing eFSHR. However, natural hFSH did not invoke a signal response in cells expressing eFSHR. Particularly, natural pFSH was weakly active in the same cells. These results showed that $eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ has potent activity in cells expressing eFSHR. Thus, $rec-eelFSH{\beta}/{\alpha}$ may efficiently bind to eFSHR, where as natural hFSH does not bind to eFSHR.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.349-357
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of body mass index(BMI) on insulin. fasting blood sugar(FBS), and hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c). This study analyzed the data of 2015, The Sixth KNHANES, and it was included to 4554 subject over 20 years old. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis(SPSS 25.0). The major findings, BMI was positively correlated with insulin(r=0.397, p<0.001), FBS(r=0.241, p<0.001), and HbA1c(r=0.237, p<0.001). Factors affecting insulin are overweight(${\beta}=.130$, t=8.193, p<0.001), obesity(${\beta}=.390$, t=24.390, p<0.001) and age. the explanatory power is 13.1% (F=53.584, p<0.001). Factors affecting FBS were overweight(${\beta}=.072$, t=4.478, p<0.001), obesity(${\beta}=.186$, t= 11.485, p<0.001), age, the explanatory power was 10.6% (F=42.351, p<0.001). Factors affecting HbA1c were overweight(${\beta}=.059$, t=3.712, p<0.001), obesity(${\beta}=.190$, t=11.895, p<0.001) age and sex, the explanatory power is 14.1% (F=58.134, p<0.001). Based on this study result, diabetes mellitus prevention and management programs should include interventions related to obesity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.737-742
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• 2009

Hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$) is a heterodimeric transcriptional activator that mediates gene expression in response to hypoxia. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has been noted as an effective therapeutic target for ischemic diseases such as myocardiac infarction, stroke and cancer. By using a yeast two-hybrid system and a random peptide library, we found a 16-mer peptide named F29 that directly interacts with the bHLH-PAS domain of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. We found that F29 facilitates the interaction of the HIF-$1{\alpha/\beta}$ heterodimer with its target DNA sequence, hypoxia-responsive element (HRE). The transient transfection of an F29-expressing plasmid increases the expression of both an HRE-driven luciferase gene and the endogenous HIF-1 target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Taken together, we conclude that F29 increases the DNA-binding ability of HIF-$1{\alpha}$, leading to increased expression of its target gene VEGF. Our results suggest that F29 can be a lead compound that directly targets HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and increases its activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.242-245
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• 2005

The most common feature of neurodegenerative disease (i.e. Alzheimer's disease, AD) is the increased number of activated microglial cells nearby the pathogenic area of the brain, such as amyloid plaque in AD. An abnormality of protein regulation and an imbalance of clearance against ${\beta}-amyloid\;(A{\beta})$ produced amyloid precursor protein (APP) can turn microglia into the activated feature out of the ramified resting phase. We examined the possibility that ginsenoside Rb1 could attenuate the microglial activation induced by massive $A{\beta}$ that has known to induce a chronic inflammation, which is a major cause of AD by damaging neuronal cells (i.e. apoptosis or necrosis). Aggregated $A{\beta}42\;(5\;{\mu}M)$ peptide was used with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ($10\;{\mu}g$) for a comparative control up to 48hours. We found that Rb1 reduced the production of nitric oxide as well as proinflammatory cytokines, such as $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2024

Purpose: Choledochal cysts are congenital anomalies that occur as localized cystic or fusiform dilatations of the biliary tree. Reflux and stasis of pancreatic enzymes in the biliary duct may relate to the development of intestinal metaplasia which might be an important factor related to the carcinogenesis of choledochal cyst, thus the expression of beta-catenin in the metaplastic epithelium might be associated with malignant transformation of choledochal cyst epithelium. Methods: This study was conducted at a tertiary care pediatric center between October 2014 and March 2017. Forty patients were evaluated for epithelial lining, mural ulceration, fibrosis, inflammation, and metaplasia. Results: Out of 40, 12 cases (30.0%) were the infantile age group and 28 cases (70.0%) were in the classic pediatric group. Ulceration was classified as grade 0 (14 cases, 35.0%), grade 1 (17 cases, 42.5%), or grade 2 (nine cases, 22.5%). Inflammation was classified as grade 0 (2 cases, 5.0%), grade 1 (26 cases, 65.0%), or grade 2 (12 cases, 30.0%). Fibrosis was classified as grade 0 (five cases, 12.5%), grade 1 (11 cases, 27.5%), grade 2 (17 cases, 42.5%), or grade 3 (seven cases, 17.5%). Metaplasia was noted in five (12.5%) out of 40 cases. All choledochal cysts with metaplasia showed beta-catenin nuclear positivity on immunohistochemistry and were followed up. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of detailed histopathological examination and documentation of metaplastic changes. Metaplasia was associated with beta-catenin nuclear positivity. These findings suggest a potential role for beta-catenin as a marker of metaplastic changes in choledochal cysts.