• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2004

The different social reflections about the benefits and the potential risks of genetically modified (GM) crops have evolved with .different reactions in different countries. Many countries including Korea are working toward setting down new guidelines. Korea requires companies to label all food that contains more than 3% GM ingredients. One of the rapid and convenient detection methods of GM ingredients is amplification of the introduced DNAs by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Many PCR kits for this purpose are commercially available. The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of commercialized GM crop detection kits. The results showed that 6 out of 15 kits tested did not meet the requirements even purposed by the manufacturers themselves in terms of stability, reproducibility, and detection limits, suggesting a potential quality control problem in their design stage or production line. The evaluation also suggests that, although the duplex and triplex detection kits allowed unambiguous detection in a single PCR reaction, the monoplex detection kits were the most sensitive to the detection of GM ingredients. The detection limits also differ between soybean and corn. Results from this study will be useful in the development of sound qualitative tracking systems of GM ingredients for monitoring throughout the cultivation of GM crops, their trans-boundary movement, and food production using GM grains as well as for complying with government guidelines associated with GM crops.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.4 s.84
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• pp.522-528
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• 2007

In the present investigation, we studied the modulating effects of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG) on the methylation status of promoter regions of cell cycle regulator, p16, in human breast cancer T-47D cells. We demonstrated that treatment of T-47D cells with caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, or EGCG partially inhibited the methylation status of the promoter regions of p16 genes determined by methylation-specific PCR. In contrast, unmethylated p16 genes were increased with the treatment of T-47D cells with $20{\mu}M$ of caffeic acid or chlorogenic acid for 6 days. Treatment of T-47D cells with 5, 20 or $50{\mu}M$ of EGCG increased the unmethylation status of p16 gene up to 100%, and the methylation-specific bands of this gene were decreased up to 50% in a concentration-dependent manner. The finding of present study demonstrated that coffee polyphenols and EGCG have strong inhibitory effects of the cellular DNA methylation process through increased formation of S-adenosyl-homocysteine(SAH) during the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)- mediated O-methylation of these dietary chemicals or an direct inhibition of the DNA methyltransferases. In conclusion, various dietary polyphenols could reverse the methylation status of p16 gene in human breast T-47D cells.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.37-51
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• 2005

Mast cell is a cell that functions mainly in our body with a respect to inflammation and allergic response. Bee venom has been progressed in a study as a model related to mechanism in alleviation of pain until now, but it is being progressed in a study relevant to immunocyte in anti-inflammation or anti-allergic response. The present study is aimed to present the basis related to a future study of gene, by researching the influence of melittin and MCD Peptide, which are major ingredients in Bee venom, upon the expression of gene in the mast cell strain. In this study, it dealt with melittin and MCD Peptide respectively, in the effective concentration after passing though the experiment of cytotoxicity by using human mast cell strain. Also, with the respect in the aspect of expression in gene that changes at this time, information was obtained through the technique of analyzing microarray. Through experimental statistics, when regarding a case that global M is significant in more than 1 or -1, in melittin, all 7 genes were accelerated, and 8 inhibited. In MCDP, 7 genes were accelerated and 17 genes inhibited. The function in the body to which these genes are related, was associated with the protein binding within a cell, the activation in the function of lymphocyte, the acceptor related to macrophage antigen. In cell nucleus, substance related to GABA A receptor, protein associated with cAMP reactive element, substance related to complement system No.8 and to B-cell, protein substance related to polycystic kidney disease, substance related to inflammation, and the protein substance of influencing coagulation of blood. Through these results of analysis, it could obtain more useful materials in clarifying the mechanism of action in melittin and MCD peptide, which are in charge of mainly medical action in the abdomen. Also, it is thought that an in-depth study on the influence of main ingredients in Bee venom, the wholly honey bee venom aqua upon anti-allergic response or anti-inflammation are further required.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.13-17
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• 2006

다양한 연구에 따르면, 고려인삼은 허약한 체질, 숙취, 폐경과 월경불순, 초기 당뇨병, 영양실조, 빈혈 및 단백질 부족, 간기능 악화, 각종 독성물질에 기인한 중독, 피로, 추위, 스트레스, 산후조리, 체력쇠퇴 등에 효능이 있음이 알려져 있다. 특히 고려인삼은 혈관 기능을 효과적으로 조절함으로 고혈압, 뇌졸중, 심근경색, 동맥경화, 관절염, 당뇨, 비만 등의 질환을 효과적으로 치료하거나 예방할 수 있는 효능이 있음이 최근 연구에 의하여 밝혀지고 있다. 그러나 고려인삼 약리효능의 표적분자(target molecule)나 생화학적 작용기전(biochemical mechanism)이 세포 및 분자 수준에서 규명되지 못하여 고려인삼이 의약품으로 인정받지 못하고 건강식품으로 분류되고 있어 소비가 한인 흑인 히스패닉 시장에 한정되고 있고, 최근에는 타 경쟁국 인삼에 비해 수출 경쟁력이 약화되고 있는 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 고려인삼 추출물과 효능성분이 혈관내피세포 기능조절에 미치는 효능 및 작용기전을 규명하여 고려인삼이 호발성 혈관질환에 대한 예방 및 치료 효능이 있음을 분자 및 유전자 수준에서 확인하고자 하였다.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.247-257
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• 2003

Medicine is undergoing a revolution in the understanding of the mechanisms through which disease processes develop. The advent of genetics and molecular biology to oncology not only is providing surrogate predictors of therapy response and survival which are forming the basis for selection among established treatment options, but is providing targets for new directions in therapy as well. Molecular modification of somatic cells for the purposes of protecting the normal cells from the toxicity of cancer chemotherapy, for the sensitization of the tumor cells to therapy and use of conditionally replicating viral vector have been new directions of cancer treatment which have reached the clinical arena. Advances in molecular pharmacology and vector design summarized in this paper may provide solutions to some of the existing problems in the technology of gene transfer therapy. Continued basic research into the biological basis of human disease, systemic studies of the application of these discoveries to therapy and the improvement of vector for gene delivery all combined may result in advances in this important field of therapy over the next few years.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Monitoring toxicity levels in specific biological compartments is necessary to evaluate the ecotoxicological risk associated with soil environmental pollution. Gene expression, as potential biomarker, is increasingly used as rapid early warning systems in environmental monitoring and ecological risk assessment procedures. Various representative species are currently used for the purpose of assessing soil toxicity, however, investigations on toxicological assessments using endpoint based on gene-level have been limited. In this review, we will present the current trends in organisms and endpoints used in soil toxicity study and report gene expression related to toxicity using soil organism, and C. elegans as promising organisms for this approach.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.278-285
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• 1999

In order to use heat shock promoter for the detection of toxic substances, dnaK promoter was amplified from E. coli genomic DNA by using a polymerase chain reaction(PCR) followed by sequencing and sub-cloning into the multi-cloning site of the plasmid, pUCD615. The pUCD615 is a broad-host-range vector containing promoterless lux operon originated from V.fischeri. The recombinant plasmid was transfered to E. coli DH5$\alpha$ through electroporation. The recombinant E. coli showed several patterns of bioluminescent responses to ethanol stress. The bioluminescent E. coli also showed responses to other toxic substances including FeK3(CN)6, CdCl2, p-nitrophenol and HgCl2. The increases of RLU(Relative Light Unit) were observed at 100ppm of FeK3(CN)6, 10ppm and 100ppm and 100ppm of CdCl2, 1ppm of 10ppm of p-nitrophenol and at 1ppm of HgCl2.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2003

Metallothionein gene expression activity of cadmium was investigated in a human lung epithelial cell line. Cells, grown to near confluence, were exposed to 0∼10 ${\mu}$M Cd metal for 6 hours. Cadmium did not cause morphological alteration in lung epithelial cells that are characteristic of cell damages such as cell shrinkage, detachment of the cell from its neighbors, cytoplasmic and chromatic condensation. However, metallothionein genes of MT-1 and MT-2 were rapidly induced in the treated cell measured by RT-PCR. Regarding the induction pattern of motallothionein mRNA, MT-1 mRNA was induced in a dependent manner. MT-2 mRNA induction, which was measured using oligo primers based on cDNA of human reticulocytes, seemed to be slightly increased in low doses but decreased at high concentration used in the experiment.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2003

고혈압은 다양한 유전적 요인과 환경적 요인이 상호작용하는 다인자성 질환으로 알려져 있으며, 최근의 연구에 의하면 사립체 DNA에 존재하는 유전적 다형성이 고혈압과 유의한 관련성을 나타낸다는 보고가 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한국인 집단을 대상으로 하여 사립체 DNA의 5178번째 위치의 염기서열에 존재하는 A/C 다형성이 고혈압과 관련성을 나타내는 지를 분석하였다. 환자-대조군 연구를 수행한 결과, 사립체 DNA의 5178번째 위치에 존재하는 다형성의 대립 유전자 빈도는 한국인에서 고혈압군과 정상 혈압군 사이에 유의한 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 따라서, 이 다형성은 적어도 한국인에 대해서는 고혈압에 유의하게 영향을 미치는 유전적 소인은 아닌 것으로 사료된다.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2001

We performed to evaluate the safety of GMOs for a long term exposure in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. In this study, groups often or fifteen SD rats were fed one of the following four diets for 90 days: (1) AIN-76A rodent diet only; (2) AIN-76A rodent diet containing 5% genetically modified soybean from USA; (3) AIN-76A rodent diet containing 5% genetically non-modified soybean from USA; (4) AIN-76A rodent diet containing 5% genetically non-modified soybean from Korea. The effects of AIN-76A rodent diet containing genetically modified soybean on body weights, food uptake, water consumption, hematology, serum bio-chemistry, urinalysis, organ weights, gross findings and histopathological findings were not significantly different, compared with others. Taken together, these results suggested that genetically modified soybean did not induce any toxic effects in rats treated for 90 days.