• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2009

Tacrolimus is a widely used T cell targeted immunosuppressive drug, known as a calcineurin inhibitor. However, the exact pharmacological effects of tacrolimus on $CD4^+$ T cells have yet to be elucidated. This study investigated the effects of tacrolimus on $CD4^+$ T cell subsets. Mouse or human $CD4^+$ T cells were cultured with immobilized anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies in the presence of tacrolimus. The cell division of $CD4^+$ T cells was analyzed using a flow cytometer according to the expression of Foxp3. The gene expression patterns of tacrolimus-exposed T cells were examined by quantitative PCR. In the case of conventional $CD4^+$ T cells (Tconv cells), tacrolimus inhibited T cell receptor stimulation-induced cell division. In contrast, the cell division of regulatory $CD4^+$ T cells (Treg cells) was even promoted in the presence of tacrolimus, especially in humans. Tacrolimus did not promote conversion of Tconv to Treg cells in mice. Furthermore, tacrolimus modified the expression levels of Foxp3-regulated T cell receptor signal related-genes, PTPN22 and Itk, in human Treg cells. Immunosuppressive effect of tacrolimus may be attributed to the relatively enhanced proliferation of Treg cells in association with altered gene expression levels of TCR signaling molecules.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.360-365
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• 2008

In the last several years, studies on the association of oxidative stress damage with exposure in the work place have been conducted. Xenobiotics create an imbalance of the homeostasis between oxidant molecules and antioxidant defense. By monitoring oxidative stress biomarkers, information was obtained on damages induced by oxidative stress and the toxicity of xenobiotics. In the present study, a Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) was constructed using the data from the Working Environment Measurement (WEM) of painters in the shipyard industry from the past 3 years to assess the exposure status. Additionally, by measuring the concentration of urinary malondialdehyde (MDA), the effect of lipid peroxidation was examined. The subjects consisted of 68 workers who were exposed to mixed organic solvents in the painting process and 25 non-exposure controls. The exposure indices of the exposure groups were significantly different (sprayer: 0.83, touchup: 0.54, assistant: 0.13, P<0.05). The urinary MDA concentration of the exposure group was 48.60${\pm}$ 39.23 ${\mu}mol$/mol creatinine, which was significantly higher than 18.03${\pm}$16.33 ${\mu}mol$/mol creatinine of the control group (P<0.05). From the multiple regression analysis of urinary MDA, the regression coefficient for exposure grade was statistically significant. In future studies, evaluation of the antioxidant levels of subjects should be performed simultaneously with quantitative exposure measurements.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2011

Backscattered electrons (BSE) are generated at the impact of the primary electron beam on the specimen. BSE imaging provides the compositional contrast to resolve chemical features of sectioned block-face. A focused ion beam (FIB) column can be combined with a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to ensure a dual (or cross)-beam system (FIB-FESEM). Due to the milling of the specimen material by 10 to 100 nm with the gallium ion beam, FIB-FESEM allows the serial block-face (SBF) imaging of plastic-embedded specimens with high z-axis resolution. After contrast inversion, BSE images are similar to transmitted electron images by transmission electron microscopy. As another means of SBF imaging, a specialized ultramirotome has been incorporated into the specimen chamber of FESEM ($3View^{(R)}$). Internal structures of plastic-embedded specimens can be serially revealed and analyzed by $3View^{(R)}$ with a large field of view to facilitate three-dimensional reconstruction. These two SBF approaches by FESEM can be employed to unravel spatial association of (sub)cellular entities for a comprehensive understanding of complex biological systems.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.210-219
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• 2006

Dynamin-related protein 2A (AtDRP2A, formally ADL6), a member of the dynamin family, is critical for protein trafficking from the TGN to the central vacuole. However, the mechanism controlling its activity is not well understood in plant cells. We isolated Arabidopsis sec13 homolog1 (AtSeh1) that interacts with AtDRP2A by a yeast two-hybrid screening. AtSeh1 has four WD40 motifs and amino acid sequence homology to Sec13, a component of COPII vesicles. Coimmunoprecipitation and protein pull-down experiments demonstrated specific interaction between AtSeh1 and AtDRP2A. AtSeh1 bound to the pleckstrin homology domain of AtDRP2A in competition with the C-terminal domain of the latter, and this resulted in inhibition of the interaction between AtDRP2A and PtdIns3P in vitro. AtSeh1 localized to multiple locations: the nucleus, the prevacuolar compartment and the Golgi complex. Based on these results we propose that AtSeh1 plays a role in regulating cycling of AtDRP2A between membrane-bound and soluble forms.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.166-171
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• 2013

While high-dose ionizing radiation results in long term cellular cytotoxicity, chronic low-dose (<0.2 Gy) of X- or ${\gamma}$-ray irradiation can be beneficial to living organisms by inducing radiation hormesis, stimulating immune function, and adaptive responses. During chronic low-dose-rate radiation (LDR) exposure, whole body of mice is exposed to radiation, however, it remains unclear if LDR causes changes in gene expression of the whole brain. Therefore, we aim to investigate expressed genes (EGs) and signaling pathways specifically regulated by LDR-irradiation ($^{137}Cs$, a cumulative dose of 1.7 Gy for total 100 days) in the whole brain. Using microarray analysis of whole brain RNA extracts harvested from ICR and AKR/J mice after LDR-irradiation, we discovered that two mice strains displayed distinct gene regulation patterns upon LDR-irradiation. In ICR mice, genes involved in ion transport, transition metal ion transport, and developmental cell growth were turned on while, in AKR/J mice, genes involved in sensory perception, cognition, olfactory transduction, G-protein coupled receptor pathways, inflammatory response, proteolysis, and base excision repair were found to be affected by LDR. We validated LDR-sensitive EGs by qPCR and confirmed specific upregulation of S100a7a, Olfr624, and Gm4868 genes in AKR/J mice whole brain. Therefore, our data provide the first report of genetic changes regulated by LDR in the mouse whole brain, which may affect several aspects of brain function.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.551-571
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• 2020

Nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1) protein has been identified as an obligatory transcription factor in midbrain dopaminergic neurogenesis, but the global set of human NURR1 target genes remains unexplored. Here, we identified direct gene targets of NURR1 by analyzing genome-wide differential expression of NURR1 together with NURR1 consensus sites in three human neural stem cell (hNSC) lines. Microarray data were validated by quantitative PCR in hNSCs and mouse embryonic brains and through comparison to published human data, including genome-wide association study hits and the BioGPS gene expression atlas. Our analysis identified ~40 NURR1 direct target genes, many of them involved in essential protein modules such as synapse formation, neuronal cell migration during brain development, and cell cycle progression and DNA replication. Specifically, expression of genes related to synapse formation and neuronal cell migration correlated tightly with NURR1 expression, whereas cell cycle progression correlated negatively with it, precisely recapitulating midbrain dopaminergic development. Overall, this systematic examination of NURR1-controlled regulatory networks provides important insights into this protein's biological functions in dopamine-based neurogenesis.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.47-56
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• 2011

Objectives : This study investigated whether the water extract of Spatholobi Caulis (SCE) has the ability to protect hepatocyte against oxidative stress induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) in vitro and $CCl_4$ in vivo. Methods : In vitro, HepG2 cells pre-treated with Spatholobi Caulis water extract (1, 3, 10, $30{\mu}g$/ml) for 12h and further incubated with tBHP ($100{\mu}M$) for the next 12h. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. In vivo, rats were orally administrated with the aqueous extract of Spatholobi Caulis (SCE; 50, 100 mg/kg) for 4 days and then, injected with $CCl_4$ 1 mg/kg body weight to induce acute liver damage. Results : Treatment with SCE inhibited cell death induced by tBHP, as evidenced by alterations in the levels of the proteins associated with apoptosis:SCE prevented a decrease in $Bcl_2$, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and pro-caspase-3. Moreover, SCE inhibited the ability of tBHP to generate $H_2O_2$ production, thereby restoring GSH content. Moreover, SCE treatments in rats effectively decreased liver injuries induced by a single dose of $CCl_4$, as evidenced by decreases in hepatic degeneration and inflammation as well as plasma alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities. Consistently, treatments of SCE also protected liver in rats stimulated by $CCl_4$, as indicated by restoration GSH and prevention of MDA in the liver. Conclusions : SCE has the ability 1) to protect hepatocyte against oxidative stress induced by tBHP and 2) to prevent $CCl_4$-inducible acute liver toxicity. Present findings may be informative not only in elucidating the pharmacological mechanism of Spatholobi Caulis, but in determining its potential application for oxidative cellular damage in the liver.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.187-194
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• 2011

Objective : Astragali Radix (AR) and Cinnamomi Cortex (CC) are used to enhance immune response in Asian traditional medicine. Immuno-potentiation of the combination of AR and CC were evaluated on the cellular and humoral immune response using murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and OVA-immunized mice. Methods : This study was designed to investigate the immuno-potentiative effects of AR, CC, and AR with CC on nitric oxide synthesis in RAW 264.7 cells and proliferation and production levels of Intereukin-2 (IL-2) in mouse splenocytes. In addition, we evaluated the plasma-specific antibody responses and splenocyte proliferation on ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized mice treated with herbal extracts. Results : Combination treatment with AR and CC increased nitric oxide synthesis in RAW 264.7 cells and IL-2 level in splenocytes (p<0.001). Combination of AR and CC significantly enhanced the Concanavalin A- (Con A ; T cell mitogen) and lipopolysaccharide-(LPS ; B cell mitogen) induced splenocyte proliferation on the OVA-immunized mice. Combination of AR and CC also significantly enhanced plasma levels of OVA-specific IgG (p<0.01), IgG1 (p<0.05) and total IgM (p<0.01) compared with the OVA-immunized control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that combination of AR and CC could be used as therapeutic profile on activation of immune response.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.3243-3248
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• 2013

The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) inhibits matrix metalloproteinases activity and modulates cellular proliferation and apoptosis. The human serum albumin-TIMP-2 with folic acid conjugate (termed HT2-folate) was synthesized to promote uptake through folate receptors (FRs), and a corresponding radio-labeled compound was prepared for tumor diagnosis by positron emission tomography (PET). $^{68}Ga$-NOTA-HT2-folate was synthesized from $^{68}Ga$ and the NOTA chelator with HT2-folate. The fusion protein was identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The radioligand was prepared with a high radiochemical yield. Cell-surface association of $^{68}Ga$-NOTA-HT2-folate significantly increased over time in FR-positive tumor cells. In animal PET and biodistribution studies, tumor uptake was very high as early as 1 h after radioligand injection. Folate conjugation enhanced the selective receptor-targeting efficacy of HT2 in FRexpressing tumors, and its radioligand will be useful as an in vitro tool and for in vivo tumor diagnosis by PET imaging.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.304-311
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• 2015

Most follicles in the mammalian ovary undergo atresia. Granulosa cell apoptosis is a hallmark of follicle atresia. Our previous study using a microRNA (miRNA) microarray showed that the let-7 microRNA family was differentially expressed during follicular atresia. However, whether the let-7 miRNA family members are related to porcine (Sus scrofa) ovary follicular apoptosis is unclear. In the current study, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression levels of let-7 family members in follicles and granulosa cells were similar to our microarray data, in which miRNAs let-7a, let-7b, let-7c, and let-7i were significantly decreased in early atretic and progressively atretic porcine ovary follicles compared with healthy follicles, while let-7g was highly expressed during follicle atresia. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis and Hoechst33342 staining demonstrated that let-7g increased the apoptotic rate of cultured granulosa cells. In addition, let-7 target genes were predicted and annotated by TargetScan, PicTar, gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways. Our data provide new insight into the association between the let-7 miRNA family in granulosa cell programmed death.