• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.573-579
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• 2015

Apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV are protein constituents of high-density lipoproteins although their functional difference in lipoprotein metabolism is still unclear. To compare anti-atherogenic properties between apoA-I and apoA-4, we characterized both proteins in lipid-free and lipidbound state. In lipid-free state, apoA4 showed two distinct bands, around 78 and $67{\AA}$ on native gel electrophoresis, while apoA-I showed scattered band pattern less than $71{\AA}$. In reconstituted HDL (rHDL) state, apoA-4 showed three major bands around $101{\AA}$ and $113{\AA}$, while apoA-I-rHDL showed almost single band around $98{\AA}$ size. Lipid-free apoA-I showed 2.9-fold higher phospholipid binding ability than apoA-4. In lipid-free state, $BS_3$-crosslinking revealed that apoA-4 showed less multimerization tendency upto dimer, while apoA-I showed pentamerization. In rHDL state (95:1), apoA-4 was existed as dimer as like as apoA-I. With higher phospholipid content (255:1), five apoA-I and three apoA-4 were required to the bigger rHDL formation. Regardless of particle size, apoA-I-rHDL showed superior LCAT activation ability than apoA-4-rHDL. Uptake of acetylated LDL was inhibited by apoA-I in both lipid-free and lipid-bound state, while apoA-4 inhibited it only lipid-free state. ApoA-4 showed less anti-atherogenic activity with more sensitivity to glycation. In conclusion, apoA-4 showed inferior physiological functions in lipid-bound state, compared with those of apoA-I, to induce more pro-atherosclerotic properties.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2009

Apolipoprotein (apo) C-III is a marker protein of triacylglycerol (TG)-rich lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and has been proposed as a risk factor of coronary heart disease. To compare the physiologic role of reconstituted HDL (rHDL) with or without apoC-III, we synthesized rHDL with molar ratios of apoA-I:apoC-III of 1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:2. Increasing the apoC-III content in rHDL produced smaller rHDL particles with a lower number of apoA-I molecules. Furthermore, increasing the molar ratio of apoC-III in rHDL enhanced the surfactant-like properties and the ability to lyse dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine. Furthermore, rHDL containing apoC-III was found to be more resistant to particle rearrangement in the presence of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) than rHDL that contained apoA-I alone. In addition, the lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activation ability was reduced as the apoC-III content of the rHDL increased; however, the CE transfer ability was not decreased by the increase of apoC-III. Finally, rHDL containing apoC-III aggravated the production of MDA in cell culture media, which led to increased cellular uptake of LDL. Thus, the addition of apoC-III to rHDL induced changes in the structural and functional properties of the rHDL, especially in particle size and rearrangement and LCAT activation. These alterations may lead to beneficial functions of HDL, which is involved in anti-atherogenic properties in the circulation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2008

Purpose : Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) plays a major role in lipoprotein metabolism and lipid transport. Many investigators have described that Apo E polymorphisms is one of the most important genetic determinants for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between Apo E polymorphisms and serum lipid profiles in obese adolescent. Methods : We measured the serum concentrations of glucose, apolipoprotein (Apo) A1, Apo B, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), HDL and LDL-cholesterol after overnight fasting in obese adolescent. Apo E polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results : 86 obese adolescents participated in this study. The body mass index (BMI) of participants were excess of 95 percentile by age and sex. Male to female ratio was 1.7 and mean age of study group was $16.2{\pm}1.8\;years$. Mean BMI was $27.4{\pm}2.5kg/m^2$. The frequency of ${\varepsilon}2$, ${\varepsilon}3$ and ${\varepsilon}4$ allele were 8.1%, 87.2% and 4.7% respectively. Study populations were classified into the following three genotypes 1) Apo E2 group (n=13, 15.1%) carrying either the ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}2$ or ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}3$ 2) Apo E3 group (n=65, 75.6%) carrying the most frequent ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}3$ 3) Apo E4 group (n=8, 9.3%) carrying either the ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}4$ or ${\varepsilon}4/{\varepsilon}4$. No differences were found among Apo E genotypes concerning age, sex, weight, height and BMI. Apo B and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher in the Apo E4 group (P<0.05). No association were found between Apo E genotypes and glucose, Apo A1, TC, TG and HDL. Conclusions : We confirmed that serum concentrations Apo B and LDL-cholesterol were influenced by Apo E genotypes. Apo E polymorphisms seems to influence some alteration of lipid metabolism associated with obesity in adolescent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2011

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. This study was designed to investigate whether apoA-I affects apoptosis and cytokine production of human blood neutrophils in an in vitro culture system. Spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils was significantly delayed by apoA-I. In addition, high density lipoprotein containing apoA-I also delayed apoptosis of neutrophils. Apoptosis of neutrophils was inhibited by anti-scavenger receptor type B-I antibodies. The amounts of interleukin-8, interferon (IFN)-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) in the supernatants of cultured neutrophils treated with apoA-I were significantly increased. Combined treatment of neutrophils with IFN-$\gamma$ and apoA-I produced higher amounts of IP-10 and TNF-$\alpha$ than did treatment with IFN-$\gamma$ or apoA-I alone. The present study reveals that apoA-I activates neutrophils to produce cytokines and delays spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils. These findings suggest that apoA-I, although a well-known negative acute-phase protein, has a pro-inflammatory effect in neutrophils.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.199-203
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• 2016

Apolipophorin-III (apoLp-III) was isolated and purified from the last larval hemolymph of Galleria mellonella by KBr gradient ultracentrifugation and gel chromatography (Sephadex G-100). After KBr gradient ultracentrifugation, the lipophorin-free fractions were used as the samples for gel chromatography. The purity of the finally purified apoLp-III was confirmed by SDS-PAGE after gel chromatography. In this study, we found that apoLp-III is taken up into the adult testes in Galleria mellonella. The testes were dissected from day-1 or -2 adults in cold Ringer's solution and used for tissue culture. The protein moiety of apoLp-III was labeled with FITC dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at room temperature under conditions of continuous stirring for 1 h. The FITC-labeled apoLp-III was purified with a Sephadex G-25 PD-10 column. The tissues of the adult testes were incubated at room temperature for 30 min with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled apoLp-III. Fluorescein microscopy and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) revealed that the adult testis tissues internalize the FITC-labeled apoLp-III. The results showed that apoLp-III is taken up by the adult testes.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 1999

The Apolipoprotein E type 4 allele (ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$) is genetically associated with the common late onset familial and sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease. The BchE-k variant, which is the common variant of the BchE gene, has been reported to show allelic association with AD in subjects who are also carriers of the ${\varepsilon}4$ allele of the ApoE, especially in subjects over the age of 75. This study was performed to evaluate the distribution of the ApoE and the BchE genotypes in the healthy and AD groups and to evaluate the synergy between the BchE-k variant and the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ in AD. The ApoE and the BchE genotypes were determined in DNA samples from 610 healthy people and 60 LOAD patients by using ARMS by standard agarose gel electrophoresis. The effect of the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ was closely related to AD(p<0.05). A comparison between the AD patients and the healthy individuals, both with the ${\varepsilon}4$ allele, indicated an interaction between the BchE-k and the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$(p<0.05). The association of the BchE-k with AD was limited to carriers of the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ allele, among whom the presence of the BchE-k gave an odds ratio of AD 3.48 (95% C.I. 1.3-9.2). Therefore, these results suggested that further evidence of an association between the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ and LOAD, and the BchE-k acts in synergy with the ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ as a susceptibility gene for AD.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2003

Background: Apoptosis has been implicated in pathogenesis of various disease. Apo-1/Fas (CD95) is one of the main pathway of apoptosis. To examine the possible relationship between Apo-1/Fas (CD95) and primary knee osteoarthritis, MvaI restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) in human Apo-1/Fas (CD95) gene was assessed. Methods: Genotype and allele frequencies in promoter region in the Apo-1/Fas (CD95) gene were studied by PCR-RFLP in 226 Korean controls and 148 Korean patients with primary knee osteoarthritis. Results: No statistically significant difference in the genotypic distribution and allelic frequencies was found between the control and the knee oateoarthritis patients. But in the severe grade (grade 3, 4) Kellgren-Lawrence score patients, the frequency of $MvaI^*1$ (G) allele was significantly decreased (P=0.0392) and the of $MvaI^*2$ (A) allele frequency was significantly increased (P=0.0473) compared to the normal controls. Conclusion: Apo-1/Fas (CD95) gene polymorphism is a part a determinant factor of severity in knee osteoarthritis, the patients with $MvaI^*2$ (A) allele is more severe radiologic progression. Further substantiation studies are needed in larger patient samples and various other apoptosis related genes to elucidate the mechanism of osteoarthritis, including the Fas ligand gene analysis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.353-357
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• 2002

We have previously demonstrated that kudzu root extracts have a hypocholesterolemic effect on rats fed diets high in fat and cholesterol. To further elucidate the mechanism involved, in this study we investigated the effect of water extracts of kudzu root, Pueraria radix, on the production of apolipoprotein B$_{100}$ (APo B$_{100}$) in HepG$_2$ liver cells and secretion of apolipoprotein B$_{48}$ (Apo B$_{48}$) in Caco$_2$ cells. Human cell lines, HepG$_2$ liver cells and Caco$_2$ intestinal epithelial cells, were grown with various concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) of water extracts of kudzu root in the media. The kudzu root extract decreased Apo B$_{100}$ production and secretion. Treatment of HeP G$_2$ cells with the kudzu root extract also significantly decreased the intracellular total and free cholesterol concentration, and also decreased esterified cholesterol but was only significant at the highest dose of 2%. Apo B$_{48}$ production, but not secretion, from enterocytes was lowered by the kudzu root extracts. This research provided evidence that the hypocholesterolemic properties of kudzu root may be a consequence of decreased production and secretion of Apo B$_{100}$ in the liver and Apo B$_{48}$ in the intestine.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.767-776
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• 2014

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized with progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Synaptic dysfunction is an early pathological feature that occurs prior to neurodegeneration and memory dysfunction. Mounting evidence suggests that aggregation of amyloid-${\alpha}$ ($A{\alpha}$) and hyperphosphorylated tau leads to synaptic deficits and neurodegeneration, thereby to memory loss. Among the established genetic risk factors for AD, the ${\varepsilon}4$ allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the strongest genetic risk factor. We and others previously demonstrated that apoE regulates $A{\alpha}$ aggregation and clearance in an isoform-dependent manner. While the effect of apoE on $A{\alpha}$ may explain how apoE isoforms differentially affect AD pathogenesis, there are also other underexplored pathogenic mechanisms. They include differential effects of apoE on cerebral energy metabolism, neuroinflammation, neurovascular function, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. ApoE is a major carrier of cholesterols that are required for neuronal activity and injury repair in the brain. Although there are a few conflicting findings and the underlying mechanism is still unclear, several lines of studies demonstrated that apoE4 leads to synaptic deficits and impairment in long-term potentiation, memory and cognition. In this review, we summarize current understanding of apoE function in the brain, with a particular emphasis on its role in synaptic plasticity and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, involving low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1), syndecan, and LRP8/ApoER2.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2003

Objective:Recently, many experimental evidences have been reported that psychiatric diseases are closely related with neurodevelopmental abnormalities and this can be properly explained by apoptosis. It is known that Apo-1/Fas is one of the genes in charge of apoptosis related with neurodevelopmental abnormalities. In this study, the association between bipolar disorder and functional polymorphism in Apo-1/Fas promoter gene has been investigated. Method:For 81 bipolar disorder patients and 217 healthy control subjects, MvaI restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) of Apo-1/Fas promoter gene was analyzed after polymerase chain reaction(PCR) amplification. Result:There was a statistical significant difference in genotypic distribution(${\chi}^2$=16.656, df=2, p=0.0002) and allelic frequencies(${\chi}^2$=14.225, df=1, p=0.0002) between bipolar disorder patients and healthy control subjects. Conclusion:Our results suggest an association between functional polymorphism in Apo-1/Fas promoter gene and bipolar disorder and provide the important genetic information related with the pathogenesis of the disease. Further studies employing larger samples are required to clarify the present results.