• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1336-1349
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• 2023

Objective: The study was conducted to screen differentially expressed miRNAs in sows at early pregnancy by high-throughput sequencing and explore its mechanism of action on embryo implantation. Methods: The blood serum of pregnant and non-pregnant Landrace×Yorkshire sows were collected 14 days after artificial insemination, and exosomal miRNAs were purified for high throughput miRNA sequencing. The expression patterns of 10 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR quantified the abundance of serum exosomal miR-192 in pregnant and control sows, and the diagnostic power was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The target genes of DE miRNAs were predicted with bioinformatics software, and the functional and pathway enrichment analysis was performed on gene ontology and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes terms. Furthermore, a luciferase reporter system was used to identify the target relation between miR-192 and integrin alpha 4 (ITGA4), a gene influencing embryo implantation in pigs. Finally, the expression levels of miRNAs and the target gene ITGA4 were analyzed by qRT-PCR, and western blot, with the proliferation of BeWo cells detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Results: A total of 221 known miRNAs were detected in the libraries of the pregnant and non-pregnant sows, of which 55 were up-regulated and 67 were down-regulated in the pregnant individuals compared with the non-pregnant controls. From these, the expression patterns of 10 DE miRNAs were validated. The qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed a significantly higher expression of miR-192 in the serum exosomes extracted from pregnant sows, when compared to controls. The ROC analysis revealed that miR-192 provided excellent diagnostic accuracy for pregnancy (area under the ROC curve [AUC]=0.843; p>0.001). The dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-192 directly targeted ITGA4. The protein expression of ITGA4 was reduced in cells that overexpressed miR-192. Overexpression of miR-192 resulted in the decreased proliferation of BeWo cells and regulated the expression of cell cycle-related genes. Conclusion: Serum exosomal miR-192 could serve as a potential biomarker for early pregnancy in pigs. miR-192 targeted ITGA4 gene directly, and miR-192 can regulate cellular proliferation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2024

Purpose: Trauma is an important public health concern, and it is important to increase the survival rate of patients with trauma and enable them to return to society in a better condition. Initial treatment in the emergency department (ED) is closely associated with the prognosis of patients with trauma. However, studies regarding laboratory biomarker tests that can help predict the prognosis of trauma patients are limited. Presepsin is a novel biomarker of inflammation that can predict a poor prognosis in patients with sepsis. This study aimed to determine whether presepsin could be used as a prognostic indicator in patients with polytrauma. Methods: The study included patients with trauma who had visited a single regional ED from November 2021 to January 2023. Patients who had laboratory tests in the ED were included and analyzed retrospectively through chart review. Age, sex, injury mechanism, vital signs, surgery, the outcome of ED treatment (admission, discharge, transfer, or death), and trauma scores were analyzed. Results: Overall, 550 trauma patients were enrolled; 59.1% were men, and the median age was 64 years (interquartile range, 48.8-79.0 years). Patients in a hypotensive state (systolic blood pressure, <90 mmHg; n=39) had higher presepsin levels (1,061.5±2,522.7 pg/mL) than those in a nonhypotensive state (n=511, 545.7±688.4 pg/mL, P<0.001). Patients hospitalized after ED treatment had the highest presepsin levels (660.9 pg/mL), followed by those who died (652.0 pg/ mL), were transferred to other hospitals (514.9 pg/mL), and returned home (448.0 pg/mL, P=0.041). Conclusions: Serum presepsin levels were significantly higher in trauma patients in a hypotensive state than in those in a nonhypotensive state. Additionally, serum presepsin levels were the highest in hospitalized patients with trauma, followed by those who died, were transferred to other hospitals, and returned home.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.909-920
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• 2020

Cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels ([Ca²⁺]_c) change dynamically in response to inducers, repressors, and physiological conditions, and aberrant [Ca²⁺]_c concentration regulation is associated with cancer, heart failure, and diabetes. Therefore, [Ca²⁺]_c is considered as a good indicator of physiological and pathological cellular responses, and is a crucial biomarker for drug discovery. A genetically encoded calcium indicator (GECI) was recently developed to measure [Ca²⁺]_c in single cells and animal models. GECI have some advantages over chemically synthesized indicators, although they also have some drawbacks such as poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), low positive signal, delayed response, artifactual responses due to protein overexpression, and expensive detection equipment. Here, we developed an indicator based on interactions between Ca²⁺-loaded calmodulin and target proteins, and generated an innovative GECI sensor using split nano-luciferase (Nluc) fragments to detect changes in [Ca²⁺]_c. Stimulation-dependent luciferase activities were optimized by combining large and small subunits of Nluc binary technology (NanoBiT, LgBiT:SmBiT) fusion proteins and regulating the receptor expression levels. We constructed the binary [Ca²⁺]_c sensors using a multicistronic expression system in a single vector linked via the internal ribosome entry site (IRES), and examined the detection efficiencies. Promoter optimization studies indicated that promoter-dependent protein expression levels were crucial to optimize SNR and sensitivity. This novel [Ca²⁺]_c assay has high SNR and sensitivity, is easy to use, suitable for high-throughput assays, and may be useful to detect [Ca²⁺]_c in single cells and animal models.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2004

Temporal changes of plasma vitellogenin (VTG), alkaline-labile protein phosphorus (ALPP), calcium (Ca), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were examined in the $estradiol-17\beta$ ${E_2}$-administered immature rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli. Fish were intraperitoneally injected with ${E_2}$ (5 ㎎/kg B.W.) in 70% ethanol and then plasma were extracted at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days. VTG band was detected at a molecular weight position of about 170 kDa on Day 3 in SDS-PAGE. This band became more distinct at 6 days but its was gradually thinned with time-course, and not detected at 15 days. Plasma ALPP and Ca increased suddenly at 1 day and the highest concentrations were detected at 6 days and then these concentrations decreased gradually with time-course. ALPP and Ca concentrations at 15 days after E2 administration were very similar to that before E2 administration. GPT was increased at 1 day and higher GPT was detected at 3 days. However, GPT was gradually decreased with time-course. GPT and HSI at 15 days after E2 administration were also very similar to that before E2 administration. HSI was also increased at 1 day and the highest value was detected at 3 days and then gradually decreased with time-course. These results suggest that plasma ALPP, Ca, GPT and HSI could be utilized as a biomarker of exogenous E2 exposure in coastal ecosystem, because the changes of ALPP, Ca, GPT and HSI after E2 administration are very similar to that of VTG.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.275-287
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• 2016

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, has been widely used as a preclinical marker predictive of morbidity and mortality. Although many studies have reported a positive association between CRP and mortality, uncertainty still remains about this association in various populations, especially in rural Korea. Methods: A total of 23 233 middle-aged participants (8862 men and 14 371 women) who were free from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and acute inflammation (defined by a CRP level ${\geq}10mg/L$) were drawn from 11 rural communities in Korea between 2005 and 2011. Blood CRP concentration was analyzed as a categorical variable (low: 0.0-0.9 mg/L; intermediate: 1.0-3.0 mg/L; high: 3.1-9.9 mg/L) as well as a continuous variable. Each participant's vital status through December 2013 was confirmed by death statistics from the National Statistical Office. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the independent association between CRP and mortality after adjusting for other risk factors. Results: The total quantity of observed person-years was 57 975 for men and 95 146 for women, and the number of deaths was 649 among men and 367 among women. Compared to the low-CRP group, the adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality of the intermediate group was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 1.40) for men and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.61) for women, and the corresponding values for the high-CRP group were 1.98 (95% CI, 1.61 to 2.42) for men and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.95) for women. Similar trends were found for CRP evaluated as a continuous variable and for cardiovascular mortality. Conclusions: Higher CRP concentrations were associated with higher mortality in a rural Korean population, and this association was more prominent in men than in women.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.315-327
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• 1995

Diverse neurotoxic insults result in proliferation and hypertrophy of astrocytes, a subtype of glia in central nervous system. The hallmark of this response, often terms "reactive gliosis", is the enhanced expression of the major intermediate filament protein of castrocytes, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). These changes in the astrocytes suggest that GFAP may be a useful biochemical indicator of neurotoxicity. To investigate this possibility, we administered intra-peritoneally prototype nerotoxicants, metharnphetamine (MAP, 5 mg/kg), cocaine (30 mg/kg), N-buthyl benzenesulfonamide (NBBS, 300 mg/kg) and trimethytin (TMT, 8 mg/kg) to Wistar Rats and then assessed the effects of these agents on content of GFAP, which were determined by Sandwish ELISA and evaluated with neurotoxic symptoms, and quantitative changes of imrnunoreactivity of GFAP by light microscopic image analysis in specific regions. We found that assay of GFAP revealed time- and region-dependant patterns of neurotoxicity. The GFAP immunoreactivity of rat brain was increased in substantia nigra and hippocampus by MAP, NBBS and TMT; in roedial septal nucleus and nucleus accurnbens, it was also increased by RrBBS. Sandwich ELISA showed that GFAP levels of cerebrum in all groups on days 3 and 7 and that of brainstem(including cerebellum) in MAP, NBBS groups on day 1 and 3 were increased. A review of the background, design and results of these experiments are presented in this paper. Our findings indicate that GFAP is a sensitive and specific biomarker of neurotoxicity.otoxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3613-3618
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• 2014

Stathmin, also called oncoprotein 18, is a founding member of the family of microtubule-destabilizing proteins that play a critical role in the regulation of mitosis. At the same time stathmin has been recognized as one of responsible factors in cancer cells. The aim of this study was to assess stathmin status, its correlations with clinicopathological parameters and its role as a progosnostic marker in EC patients. The protein and mRNA levels of stathmin were examined byimmunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization in 100EC tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues. mRNA and protein expression of stathmin in three EC cell lines(EC9706, ECa109, EC1 commonly used in research) were also analyzed using immunocytochemistry, western blot and in situ hybridization. The prognostic value of Stathmin expression within the tumor tissues were assessed by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. We showed that stathmin expression was significantly higher in EC tissues than in adjacent noncancerous tissues. High stathmin immunostaining score in the EC was positively correlated with tumor differentiation, Tumor invasion, Lymph node metastases, and TNM stage. In addition, we demonstrated that three EC cell lines examined, were constitutively expressing a high level of stathmin. Of those, EC-1 showed the strongest mRNA and protein expression for the stathmin analyzed. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that significantly longer 5-year survival rate was seen in EC patients with high Stathmin expression, compared to those with low expression of Stathmin expression. Furthermore, multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed that Stathmin was an independent factors affecting the overall survival probability. In conclusion, our data provide a basis for the concept that stathmin might be associated with EC development and progression. High levels of Stathmin expression in the tumor tissues may be a good prognostic marker for patients with EC.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2014

Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric inflammation includes induction of inflammatory mediators interleukin (IL)-8 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which are mediated by oxidant-sensitive transcription factor NF-${\kappa}B$. High levels of lipid peroxide (LPO) and increased activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a biomarker of neutrophil infiltration, are observed in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa. Panax ginseng Meyer, a Korean herb medicine, is widely used in Asian countries for its biological activities including anti-inflammatory efficacy. The present study aims to investigate whether Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) inhibits H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation in Mongolian gerbils. One wk after intragastric inoculation with H. pylori, Mongolian gerbils were fed with either the control diet or the diet containing RGE (200 mg RGE/gerbil) for 6 wk. The following were determined in gastric mucosa: the number of viable H. pylori in stomach; MPO activity; LPO level; mRNA and protein levels of keratinocyte chemoattractant factor (KC, a rodent IL-8 homolog), IL-$1{\beta}$, and iNOS; protein level of phospho-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$(which reflects the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$); and histology. As a result, RGE suppressed H. pylori-induced mRNA and protein levels of KC, IL-$1{\beta}$, and iNOS in gastric mucosa. RGE also inhibited H. pylori-induced phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and increases in LPO level and MPO activity of gastric mucosa. RGE did not affect viable H. pylori colonization in the stomach, but improved the histological grade of infiltration of poly-morphonuclear neutrophils, intestinal metaplasia, and hyperplasia. In conclusion, RGE inhibits H. pyloriinduced gastric inflammation by suppressing induction of inflammatory mediators (KC, IL-$1{\beta}$, iNOS), MPO activity, and LPO level in H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.466-475
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• 2017

Dietary supplements have exhibited myriads of positive health effects on human health conditions and with the advent of new technological advances, including in the fields of proteomics, genomics, and metabolomics, biological and pharmacological activities of dietary supplements are being evaluated for their ameliorative effects in human ailments. Recent interests in understanding and discovering the molecular targets of phytochemical-gene-protein-metabolite dynamics resulted in discovery of a few protein signature candidates that could potentially be used to assess the effects of dietary supplements on human health. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is a folk medicine, commonly used as dietary supplement in China, Japan, and South Korea, owing to its different beneficial health effects including anti-diabetic implications. However, neither mechanism of action nor molecular biomarkers have been discovered that could either validate or be used to evaluate effects of persimmon on human health. In present study, Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic studies were accomplished to discover proteomic molecular signatures that could be used to understand therapeutic potentials of persimmon leaf extract (PLE) in diabetes amelioration. Saliva, serum, and urine samples were analyzed and we propose that salivary proteins can be used for evaluating treatment effectiveness and in improving patient compliance. The present discovery proteomics study demonstrates that salivary proteomic profile changes were found as a result of PLE treatment in prediabetic subjects that could specifically be used as potential protein signature candidates.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2021

Objectives : Delirium is a temporary brain dysfunction and systemic inflammation is important factor in its pathophysiology. Whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), one of the inflammatory markers, can be used as an inflammatory marker in delirium patients was investigated in comparison with C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were referred for consultation for delirium at hospital for one year. The NLR and CRP values at admission and delirium status were divided into the medical and the surgical treatment group, and the interaction between them was analyzed through repeated measures ANOVA. Results : NLR was maintained without significant difference before and after delirium in the medical treatment group and the surgical treatment group, but CRP decreased in the medical treatment group and increased in the surgical treatment group during delirium, showing a significant interaction. Conclusions : In delirium patients, the NLR remained constant, but the CRP differed according to the treatment group and the delirium state. This suggests the possibility that NLR could be used complementary to CRP as an inflammatory marker in delirium patients.