• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.261-265
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• 2007

Hydroxyproline (HYP) is a post-translational product of proline hydroxylation catalyzed by an enzyme prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H) which plays a crucial role in the synthesis of all collagens. Considering the role of collagen and its significance in many clinically important diseases such as liver fibrosis, a great deal of attention has been directed toward the development of an assay at cell-based system. The reason is that cell-based assay system is more efficient than enzyme-based in vitro system and takes much less time than in vivo system. Several assay procedures developed for P4H are laborious, time-consuming and not feasible for the massive-screening. Here, we report the cell-based assay method of prolyl 4-hydroxylase in immortalized rat hepatic stellate HSC-T6 cells. To optimize the cell culture condition to assay for HYP content, various concentrations of reagents were treated for different times in HSC-T6 cells. Our data showed that the treatment with ascorbate in a hypoxic condition for 24 h resulted in the maximal increase of HYP by 1.8 fold. Alternatively, cobalt chloride ($5\;{\mu}M$) and ascorbate ($50\;{\mu}M$) in normoxic states exhibited similar effect on the production of HYP as in a hypoxic condition. Therefore, cobalt chloride can be substituted for a hypoxic condition when an anaerobic chamber is not available. Rosiglitazone and HOE077, known as inhibitors of collagen, synthesis decreased P4H enzyme activity by 32.3% and 15%, respectively, which coincided with previous reports from liver tissues. The level of the smooth muscle ${\alpha}$-actin, a marker of activated stellate cells, was significantly increased under hypoxia, suggesting that our experimental condition could work for screening the anti-fibrotic compounds. The assay procedure took only 3 days after treatment with agents, while assays from the primary stellate cells or liver tissues have taken several weeks. Considering the time and expenses, this assay method could be useful to screen the compounds for the inhibitor of prolyl 4-hydroxylase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.349-354
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• 2006

The aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related chemicals. The application of recombinant reporter plasmid such as the firefly luciferase gene has proven to be a very effective method to detect these chemicals. The bioassay system, CALUX, is sensitive in directly detecting AhR-agonists from a variety of environmental and biologic materials. However, responses of the AhR-dependent bioassays are dependent on the cell types used. Thus, we developed a sensitive bioassay using the recombinant mouse hepatoma cell (Hepa1c1c7) for the determination of dioxins. The recombinant cell line was stably transfected with firefly luciferase reporter gene (pGudLuc1.1). The transfected cells showed the highest induction of luciferase activity at 4.5 hr and a decrease beyond this time point. The system showed the highest sensitivity of detection ever reported. Upon TCDD exposure cells showed 2 fold increase at 10 pM and 7 fold increase at 100 pM, respectively. The passage number after the transfection played an important role in the sensitivity. The increase of passage number tended to increase the sensitivity of the cells up to 15. The media without phenol red showed a higher induction rate than with phenol red, suggesting the preferable use of phenol red-free media for the bioassay. Since each of the assays has unique characteristics that make them suitable for some screening applications and not others, development of sensitive bioanalytical methods based on a variety of cellular systems in a key to the successful determination of dioxins. The bioassay system developed in this study will contribute to further development of successful screening the AhR agonists among the environmental mixture. In addition, the rapid and sensitive nature of this cellular system can be applied as a valuable tool to screen the dioxin-like moieties among the prodrugs at the initial stage, thereby expediting the new drug discovery.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제15권5호
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• pp.295-301
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• 1999

Many of plant defense responses are consequence of transcriptional activation of related genes. We have developed a modified differential screening procedure to isolate tobacco genes that are involved in the defense responses against TMV infection. A cDNA library was constructed from Nicotiana glutinosa leaves infected by TMV under temperature shift conditions. Each of plasmid DNA in the library was hybridized on a set of slot blots to a pool of cDNA probes prepared from either TMV-infected or mock-treated tobacco leaves. Among 900 plasmid DNAs, 81 clones exhibiting significantly enhanced or reduced level of hybridization to either probe were selected for nucleotide sequencing. The clones were listed into 61 genes considering redundancy between the sequences. The genes were identified to be defense-related genes including PR-genes and genes involved in primary or secondary metabolisms. This results supports the implication that plant defense process entails a major shift in total cellular metabolisms rather than activation of a limited number of defense-related genes. Expression patterns of a number of defense-related genes. Expression patterns of a number of selected genes were examined in northern blot analyses. It is notable that the clone 630 of unknown function exhibits expression pattern similar to those of previously known PR-genes. Experiments to elucidate the roles in defense mechanism of a couple of genes newly identified in this study are in progress.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.455-464
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• 2022

Efonidipine, a calcium channel blocker, is widely used for the treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. In our preliminary study using structure-based virtual screening, efonidipine was identified as a potential inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3). Although its antihypertensive effect is widely known, the role of efonidipine in the central nervous system has remained elusive. The present study investigated the effects of efonidipine on the inflammation and cell migration induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using murine BV2 and human HMC3 microglial cell lines and elucidated signaling molecules mediating its effects. We found that the phosphorylations of JNK and its downstream molecule c-Jun in LPS-treated BV2 cells were declined by efonidipine, confirming the finding from virtual screening. In addition, efonidipine inhibited the LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and nitric oxide. Similarly, the IL-1β production in LPS-treated HMC3 cells was also inhibited by efonidipine. Efonidipine markedly impeded cell migration stimulated by LPS in both cells. Furthermore, it inhibited the phosphorylation of inhibitor kappa B, thereby suppressing nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in LPS-treated BV2 cells. Taken together, efonidipine exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-migratory effects in LPS-treated microglial cells through inhibition of the JNK/NF-κB pathway. These findings imply that efonidipine may be a potential candidate for drug repositioning, with beneficial impacts on brain disorders associated with neuroinflammation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.121-129
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• 2002

Using recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, strategies for developing high producers for the recombinant human Transforming Growth $Factor-{\beta}1$ ($TGF-{\beta}1$) protein are proposed and their physiological characteristics in cell cultures were investigated. $TGF-{\beta}1$ is a pleiotrophic polypeptide involved in various biological activities, including cell growth, differentiation, and deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. The CHO cells included human $TGF-{\beta}1$ cDNA in conjunction with a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene, which was cotransfected into the cells to amplify the transfected $TGF-{\beta}1$ cDNA. As a first-round screening of the transfected cells, a relatively high $TGF-{\beta}1$-producing cell line was selected, and then, it acquired a resistance to increasing concentrations of methotrexate (MTX) up to $60{\mu}M$,resulting in a significant improvement in its $TGF-{\beta}1$ biosynthetic ability. After applying a monoclonal selection strategy to the MTX-resistant cells, more productive cells were screened, including the APP-3, App-5, and App-8 cell lines. These high producers were compared with two other cell lines (AP-l cell line without amplification of transfected $TGF-{\beta}1$ cDNA and nontransfectant of $TGF-{\beta}1$ cDNA) in terms of cell growth, $TGF-{\beta}1$ productivity, sugar uptake, and byproduct formation, in the presence or absence of MTX in the culture medium. Consequently, both monoclonal selection as well as an investigation of the physiological characteristics were found to be needed for the efficient screening of higher $TGF-{\beta}1$ producers, even after the transfection and amplification of the transfected gene.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제64권10호
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• pp.504-510
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• 2021

Population screening of newborns is an extremely important and informative diagnostic approach that allows early identification of babies who are predisposed to the development of a number of serious diseases. Some of these diseases are known and have effective treatment methods. Neonatal screening enables the early diagnosis and subsequent timely initiation of therapy. This helps to prevent serious complications and reduce the percentage of disability and deaths among newborns and young children. Primary immunodeficiency diseases and primary immunodeficiency syndrome (PIDS) are a heterogeneous group of diseases and conditions based on impaired immune system function associated with developmental defects and characterized by various combinations of recurrent infections, development of autoimmune and lymphoproliferative syndromes (genetic defects in apoptosis, gene mutation Fas receptor or ligand), granulomatous process, and malignant neoplasms. Most of these diseases manifest in infancy and lead to serious illness, disability, and high mortality rates. Until recently, it was impossible to identify children with PIDS before the onset of the first clinical symptoms, which are usually accompanied by complications in the form of severe coinfections of a viral-bacterial-fungal etiology. Modern advances in medical laboratory technology have allowed the identification of children with severe PIDS, manifested by T- and/or B-cell lymphopenia and other disorders of the immune system. This review discusses the main existing strategies and directions used in PIDS screening programs for newborns, including approaches to screening based on excision of T-cell receptors and kappa-recombination excision circles, as well as the potential role and place of next-generation sequencing technology to increase the diagnostic accuracy of these diseases.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.32-40
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• 2013

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have enormous potential in the biomedical sciences because they can grow continuously and differentiate into any kind of cell in the body. However, for future application in regenerative medicine, it is still a challenge to control the differentiation of PSCs without using genetic materials. To control the differentiation of PSCs, small molecules might be the best substitute for genetic materials considering the following advantages: small size, which enables penetration of plasma membrane; easy-to-modify structure; and low chance of genetic recombination in treated cells. Herein, we introduce small molecules that induce the neuroectodermal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The small molecules were identified via ESC-based consecutive screenings of small-molecule libraries composed of 324 natural compounds or 93 selected drugs. The natural compounds discovered in the first screening were used to select 93 structurally similar drugs out of 1,200 approved drugs. In the second screening, among the 93 compounds, we found 4 drugs that induced the neuroectodermal differentiation of ESCs. These drugs were progesteroneor corticoid-derivatives. Our results suggest that small molecules targeting the progesterone receptor or glucocorticoid receptor could be used as chemical tools to induce the differentiation of PSCs into a specific germ lineage.

• 식물조직배양학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.111-115
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• 1994

벼(Oryza sativa L. cv Nipponbaie)배양세포에 중력 450,000 x g를 처리하여 cDNA library를 만들고, 무처리 및 고중력을 처리한 cDNA 프로브로 스크리닝을 실시하여 고중력에 특이적으로 양성반응을 나타내는 GSC 13 및 GSC124 cDNA를 선발하였다. 선발된 두 유전자 GSC 13 및 GSC 124의 길이는 각각 1.34 및 0.67 kilobase pairs였으며, 배양세포내에서 관련된 transcript의 크기는 각각 2.0 및 1.9 kilobase pairs인 것으로 나타났다. 두 유전자를 프로브로한 Northern hybridization을 실시한 결과 GSC 13, GSC 124 공히 배양세포내에 고중력처리에 의해 특이적으로 축적되는 mRNA가 나타났으며, 중력강도 300,000 x g 에 비해 450,000 x g 처리에서 더욱 강한 축적을 보였고 450,000 x g 4시간 처리에서 최대의 수준을 보였다.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.147-152
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• 1998

Cinnamaldehydes and related compounds were synthesized from various cinnamic acids based on the $2^{I}$-hydroxycinnamaidehyde isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume. The cytotoxicity to human solid tumor cells such as A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, XF498 and HCT15 were measured. Cinnamic acid, cinnamates and cinnamyl alcohols did not show any cytotoxicity against the human tumor cells. Cinnamaldehydes and realted compounds were resistant to A549 cell line up to 15 .mu.g/ml. In contrast, HCT15 and SK-MEL-2 cells were much sensitive to these cinnamaidehyde analogues which showed $ED{50} values 0.63-8.1{\mu}g/ml.$Cytotoxicity of the saturated aldehydes was much weak compared to their unsaturated aldehydes. From these studies, it was found that the key functional group of the cinnamaldehyde-related compounds in the antitumor activity is the propenal group.p.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.85-93
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• 1992

This experiment was Conducted ta screening for the anti-cancer efficacy from the wild plants which are naturally growing in the Korea. The results are as follows. The results were shown thatZea may L. nad significantly effects on mediculal efficacy anganist anti-tumor by usulg the totalpacked cell volume methods and also, severals plants, such as Sofonum nigrum, Patrinia hispidoBunge, Eragrostis, ferrugenia Beauv, Salaginela pouzolgiana Spring, Platrycarya strobilacea Bunge,Codonopsis lanceolata Benth. et Hook fil. which are collected from Giri and Mooju mountain in Koreaand Nagano in Japan were showed effects on auti-tumor. But the pharmaceologial activities ofPharbitis nil Choisy was believed to strong effec on anti - cancer tumors, while toxicity of its wasshown high that induced te kill all used mice. Extraction of Patrinia hispida Bunge, Pharbitis nilChoisy, Toilis japonica DC, Eragrostis erruginea Beauv. and Forsythia koreana Nakai showed effec-tively supressed on growth rate of cancer tumor by the below 50 percent of T/C ratio at 30mg /mlof extraction from plant. That Is strong activity while Reynouxria japonica Houtt. was observed onlymild activities. The above results many possibly suggest that Patrinia hispido Bunge and Eragrostisferrugina Beauv. inhibited the growth of cancer tumor by the both total packed cell volume methodand cytotoxicity method. Although basic research is still going on, we will find out an accurate moth-od for developing useful medicinal plant to improve pharmacological activites against anti-cancertumor, especialy, in Eragrostis ferruginea Beauv.