• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7277-7284
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• 2015

Background: The Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway is an important regulator of cellular functions such as proliferation, survival and cell adhesion. Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling is associated with tumor initiation and progression; ${\beta}$-catenin mutations explain only 30% of aberrant signaling found in breast cancer, indicating that other components and/or regulation of the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin pathway may be involved. Objective: We evaluated AXIN2 rs2240308 and rs151279728 polymorphisms, and expression profiles of ${\beta}$-catenin destruction complex genes in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We collected peripheral blood samples from 102 breast cancer and 102 healthy subjects. The identification of the genetic variation was performed using PCR-RFLPs and DNA sequencing. RT-qPCR was used to determine expression profiles. Results: We found significant association of AXIN2 rs151279728 and rs2240308 polymorphisms with breast cancer risk. Significant increase was observed in AXIN2 level expression in breast cancer patients. Further analyses showed APC, ${\beta}$-catenin, CK1${\alpha}$, GSK3${\beta}$ and PP2A gene expression to be associated to clinic-pathological characteristics. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated, for the first time, that AXIN2 genetic defects and disturbance of ${\beta}$-catenin destruction complex expression may be found in breast cancer patients, providing additional support for roles of Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin pathway dysfunction in breast cancer tumorigenesis. However, the functional consequences of the genetic alterations remain to be determined.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2005

The full sequence analysis of 16 different $\beta-actin$ genes isolated from a single Rivulus marmoratus was performed. The numbers of isolated $\beta-actin$ genes varied from 1764 to 1769. They showed different amino acid residues at the exon 1 region. We named this new gene R. marmoratus $\beta-actin$ 2 gene. Intraspecific variation of R. marmoratus $\beta-actin$ 2 gene was also examined. Major differences of 16 isolated $\beta-actin$ genes, compared to already reported R. marmoratus $\beta-actin$ gene (GenBank AF168615), were observed in both deduced amino acid sequences (1~2%) and intron 2 sequences (4~5%). In this paper, we confirmed the intraspecific variation of $\beta-actin$ gene in this species.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 2012

Recently, the prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase conferring high-level resistance to aminoglycosides has been increasing in Gram-negative bacilli globally. We determined the prevalence and genotype of these methylase-producing bacteria, and characterized the co-resistance to ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics and quinolone in Gram-negative clinical isolates collected in 2010 at a hospital in Korea. Among 65 amikacin-resistant isolates screened from 864 Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), 16S rRNA methylase genes were detected from 49 isolates, including Acinetobacter baumannii (43), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Proteus mirabilis (2) and Serratia marcescens (1), Empedobacter brevis (1). All of the 16S rRNA methylase genotype was armA and no variant sequences of amplified PCR products for armA were noted. The 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria showed much higher resistance to aminoglycoside for Enterobacteriaceae and glucose non-fermenting (NF)-GNB and to imipenem for glucose NF-GNB, than the non-producing isolates. All of the 16S rRNA methylase producing Enterobacteriaceae had the extended-spectrum-${\beta}$-lactamase. In addition, two K. pneumoniae concurrently produced both plasmid-mediated AmpC ${\beta}$-lactamase and qnrB gene. All of the amikacin-resistant A. baumannii (43) co-harbored armA 16S rRNA methylase and $bla_{OXA-23}$ carbapenemase. In conclusion, 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria were very prevalent among GNB in South Korea, and were commonly associated with co-resistance, including carbapenem and quinolone.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2018

The starfish, Asterina pectinifera Muller and Troschel (Asterinidae) is an indigenous species commonly found in all coasts of Korea causes damages to shellfish farms. In order to exterminate A. pectinifera, they are dried and used as fertilizer. Although various studies have been conducted to create high added value from the retrieved A. pectinifera, their actual utilization is relatively low. Accordingly, this study aimed to find new practical uses of starfish by identifying useful ingredients for skin anti-aging. Two polyhydroxysteroids and one asterosaponin were isolated from the A. pectinifera. The structures of these compounds were identified as $5{\alpha}$-cholestane-$3{\beta},6{\alpha},7{\alpha},8,15{\alpha},16{\beta},26$-heptol, $5{\alpha}$-cholestane-$3{\beta},4{\beta},6{\alpha},7{\alpha},8,15{\beta},16{\beta},2$6-octol, and asterosaponin $P_1$ on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic analysis. Among these compounds, we have found that asterosaponin $P_1$ increased epidermal stem cell proliferation and the expression of hyaluronan synthase-2 and hyaluronan synthase-3 gene, which are enzymes that synthesize water-binding matrix hyaluronic acids in keratinocytes. In addition, asterosaponin $P_1$ increased synthesis of pro-collagen type I, a major dermal collagen in fibroblasts. As a result, asterosaponin $P_1$ isolated from A. pectinifera could be used as a useful cosmetic ingredient that improves skin symptoms accompanying skin aging.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.95-98
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• 2001

$\beta$$_2$-Adrenergic receptors($\beta$$_2$-AR) contribute to cardiovascular regulation by influencing several functions and a several studies suggest that a decreased function of the $\beta$$_2$-AR may be involved in essential hypertension. We investigated the Arg16Gly mutation of $\beta$$_2$-AR gene, which show enhanced agonist-promoted downregulation of the receptor and yielded different results in terms of association with essential hypertension. We studied the relationship between genetic variation in the $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor gene and hypertension in a Korean population using Nde I restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. There were significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between essential hypertensive and normotensive group (Odds ratio(CI) = 1.71 (1.09-2.70)). Therefore, our result suggests that the Nde I RELP of the $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor gene may be useful as a genetic marker in hypertension diagnostics in Korean population.

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.649-658
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• 2001

We shall find the condition for a Finsler space with a special ($\alpha$.$\beta$)-metric L($\alpha$.$\beta$) satisfying L$^2$ =2$\alpha$$\beta$ to be a Douglas space. The special Randers change of the above Finsler metric by $\beta$ is also studied.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2012

Background: While qualitative analysis of methylation has been reviewed, the quantitative analysis of methylation has rarely been studied. We evaluated the methylation status of CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) by using pyrosequencing. Then, we evaluated the association between methylation at the promoter regions of these tumor suppressor genes and the clinicopathological parameters of the NSCLCs. Methods: We collected tumor tissues from a total of 53 patients with NSCLCs and analyzed the methylation level of the CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions by using pyrosequencing. In addition, we investigated the correlation between the hypermethylation of CDKN2A and the loss of $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression. Results: Hypermethylation of CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions were 16 (30.2%), 22 (41.5%), and 21 tumors (39.6%), respectively. The incidence of hypermethylation at the CDKN2A promoter in the tumors was higher in undifferentiated large cell carcinomas than in other subtypes (p=0.002). Hyperrmethylation of CDKN2A was significantly associated with $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss (p=0.045). With regard to the clinicopathological characteristics of NSCLC, certain histopathological subtypes were found to be strongly associated with the loss of $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression (p=0.016). Squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma showed $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss more frequently. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves analysis showed that methylation level and patient survival were barely related to one another. Conclusion: We quantitatively analyzed the promoter methylation status by using pyrosequencing. We showed a significant correlation between CDKN2A hypermethylation and $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2011

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuronal loss and extracellular senile plaques containing $\beta$-amyloid peptide (A$\beta$). The deposition of the A$\beta$ peptide following proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by $\beta$-secretase (BACE1) and $\gamma$-secretase is a critical feature in the progression of AD. Among the plant extracts tested, the ethanol extract of Petasites japonicus leaves showed novel protective effect on B103 neuroblastoma cells against neurotoxicity induced by A$\beta$, as well as a strong suppressive effect on BACE1 activity. Ethanol extracts of P. japonicus leaves were sequentially extracted with methylene chloride, ethyl acetate and butanol and evaluated for potential to inhibit BACE1, as well as to suppress A$\beta$-induced neurotoxicity. Exposure to A$\beta$ significantly reduced cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death. However, pretreatment with ethyl acetate fraction of P. japonicus leaves prior to A$\beta$ (50 ${\mu}M$) significantly increased cell viability (p<0.01). In parallel, cell apoptosis triggered by A$\beta$ was also dramatically inhibited by ethyl acetate fraction of P. japonicus leaves. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction suppressed caspase-3 activity to the basal level at 30 ppm. Taken together, these results demonstrated that P. japonicus leaves appear to be a useful source for the inhibition and/or prevention of AD by suppression of BACE1 activity and attenuation of A$\beta$ induced neurocytotoxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5187-5190
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ${\beta}$-catenin immunoexpression and histopathological grades of lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). $\beta$-Catenin abnormal expression was found in 29% of the squamous cells of well differentiated LSCC, 63% of moderately differentiated and 86% of poorly differentiated, and therefor was significantly associated with histological grade (p=0.000). Nuclear $\beta$-catenin expression appeared in 5% of the cells and was also correlated with the histological grades (p=0.000). In 14.7% of the cells it was localized in the cytoplasm, again correlating with histology (p=0.002). According to this study the expression of $\beta$-catenin is an independent prognostic factor for histological grade and to the tumor differentiation. This appears to reflect a structural association and the role of $\beta$-catenin in tumor progression.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.382-386
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• 1998

A soluble dietary fiber, $\beta$-glucan, contained in oat and barley has nutritional benefits such as hypocholesterolemic effects and influences blood glucose regulation. The contents of $\beta$-glucan in both cereals range from 3 to 7% with the exception of a certain barley genotype which contains up to 16% $\beta$-glucan. $\beta$-Glucan is distributed mainly in the cell walls of endosperm and the distal (bran) portion of kernel. Various procedures have been developed for increasing the extraction yield of $\beta$-glucan. Oat gum prepared with weak alkali extractionand alcohol proecipitation following protein removal usually contains 80% $\beta$-glucan.The most commonly used method for $\beta$-glucan quantitiation is an enzymatic procedure combining lichenase plus $\beta$-glucosidase followed by measuring the amount of glucos released by glucose oxidase-peroxidase treatment. The increase in foam-and emulsion-stabilizing capacity of $\beta$-glucan is due to the increase in viscosity of the aqueous phase. Therefore, $\beta$-glucan shows great potentials as a thickener and a stabilizer.