• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.513-519
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• 2007

Self-assembled nanoparticles have great potential to act as vehicles for hydrophobic drug delivery. Understanding nanoparticle cellular internalization is essential for designing drugs intended for intracellular delivery. Here, the endocytosis and exocytosis of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated glycol chitosan (FGC) self-assembled nanoparticles were investigated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The cellular internalization of FGC nanoparticles was initiated by nonspecific interactions between nanoparticles and cell membranes. Although adsorptive endocytosis of the nanoparticles occurred quickly, significant amounts of FGC nanoparticles were exocytosed, particularly in the early stage of endocytosis. The amount of exocytosed nanoparticles was dependent on the pre-incubation time with nanoparticles, suggesting that exocytosis is dependent on the progress of endocytosis. FGC nanoparticles internalized by adsorptive endocytosis were distributed in the cytoplasm, but not in the nucleus. In vitro cell cycle analysis demonstrated that FGC nanoparticles delivered paclitaxel into the cytoplasm and were effective in arresting cancer cell growth.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.904-910
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• 2009

The development of effective cellular imaging requires a specific labeling method for targeting, tracking, and monitoring cellular/molecular events in the living organism. For this purpose, we studied the cellular uptake of isocyanide-functionalized silver and gold nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Inside a single mammalian cell, we could monitor the intracellular behavior of such nanoparticles by measuring the SERS spectra. The NC stretching band appeared clearly at ${\sim}2,100cm^{-1}$ in the well-isolated spectral region from many organic constituents between 300 and 1,700 or 2,800 and $3,600cm^{-1}$. The SERS marker band at ${\sim}2,100cm^{-1}$ could be used to judge the location of the isocyanide-functionalized nanoparticles inside the cell without much spectral interference from other cellular constituents. Our results demonstrate that isocyanide-modified silver or gold nanoparticle-based SERS may have high potential for monitoring and imaging the biological processes at the single cell level.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.13-18
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine whether Hominis Placental pharmacopuncture solution (HPPS) combined with zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) activates RAW 264.7 cells. Methods: We soaked ZnO nanoparticles in the Hominis Placenta pharmacopuncture solution, thereby making a combined form (ZnO NP HPPS). The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on NF-${\kappa}B$ was measured by using a luciferase assay. The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on the cytokine expression was assessed by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cellular uptake of ZnO NP HPPS was measured by using a flow cytometric analysis, and cellular structural alterations were analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: Neither the HPPS nor the ZnO NPs induced intracellular ROS production in RAW 264.7 cells. Neither of the materials activated NF-${\kappa}B$ or it's dependent genes, such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, and MCP-1. However, ZnO NP HPPS, the combined form of ZnO NPs and HPPS, did induce the intracellular ROS production, as well as prominently activating NF-${\kappa}B$ and it's dependent genes. Also, compared to ZnO NPs, it effectively increa-sed the uptake by RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, cellular structural alterations were observed in groups treated with ZnO NP HPPS. Conclusions: Neither ZnO NP nor HPPS activated RAW 264.7 cells, which is likely due to a low cellular uptake. The ZnO NP HPPS, however, significantly activated NF-${\kappa}B$ and up-regulated its dependent genes such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, and MCP-1. ZnO NP HPPS was also more easily taken into the RAW 264.7 cells than either ZnO NP or HPPS.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.292-298
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• 2007

Zinc plays indispensable roles in metabolism, including cell growth, apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Kidneys are target organs for various regulators of mineral metabolism, and play a key role in zinc balance. To investigate the zinc uptake efficiency, we examined the zinc uptake and accumulation level in vivo and in vitro study. Plasma zinc concentration was peaked out at 1 hr after oral zinc administration. The renal zinc level was peaked out at 12 hr after oral zinc administration, and it was the highest in 40 mg/kg Zn-Asp administrated group in comparison with other groups. In addition, the m-RNA expression level of zinc transporter-1 (ZnT-1), zinc transporter-2 (ZnT-2) and high-affinity L-aspartate transporter (EAAT-3) in Zn-Asp administered group were increased compared with control groups and $ZnSO_4$ group. In order to investigate the intracellular zinc uptake mechanism, we performed the in vitro study by using human embryonic kidney cell line, HEK 293. Intracellular zinc level was peaked out at 3 hr after zinc treatment. In the same way, the mRNA expression level of ZnT-1 and EAAT-3 were increased compared with control group. This study showed that Zn-Asp is effective the zinc uptake into the kidney by increasing the zinc transporter expression.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2008

Eucommia ulmoides (Duchung) is commonly used for treatment of diabetes in Korean traditional medicine. However, the exact mechanism of its anti-diabetic effect has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, the effect of E. ulmoides extract on glucose uptake was investigated in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells. E. ulmoides extract stimulated the activity of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase that is a major regulatory molecule in glucose uptake pathway. Protein kinase B (PKB) and protein kinase C-${\xi}$ (PKC-${\xi}$), downstream mediators of PI 3-kinase, were also activated by E. ulmoides extract. We assessed the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), another regulatory molecule in glucose uptake pathway. Phosphorylation level of AMPK did not change with treatment of E. ulmoides extract. Phosphorylations of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), downstream mediators of AMPK, were not significantly different. Taken together, our results suggest that E. ulmoides may stimulate glucose uptake through PI 3-kinase but not AMPK in L6 skeletal muscle cells.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.74-80
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• 2003

Two cellular biomarker parameters of the farmed Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas were studied in vivo and in vitro after exposure to concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls in terms of neural red uptake (NRU) and lysozyme activity. The oysters exposed in vivo to the xenobiotic concentrations, 0, 30, 90, and 180 ng/g for 14 days, enhanced hemocyte NRU with occasional significant differences (P<0.05), depending on the chemical concentration and duration. An adverse tendency was manifest in the lysozyme activities both in the hemocyte and serum of the oyster treated with the chemical in a same manner, rendering these two cellular parameters as biomarker candidates against the chemical. The oysters exposed in vitro to the chemical concentrations, 0, 1, 5, 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 ng/g for 24 hrs at $10^{\circ}C$ showed a similar tendancy as those exposed in vivo to the chemical. Unlike in vivo response, however, the in vitro NRU was first influenced by very low concentration of the chemical. In in vitro results, marked but not significant increase of hemocyte NRU was noticed at the chemical concentration of 5 ng/g, where the value was almost as high as those exposed to higher chemical concentrations, up to 10,000 ng/g. An unusual result was observed in the in vitro lysozyme activity of hemocyte in which significant decrease was first noticed at the chemical concentration of 100 ng/g.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.529-535
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• 1997

The present study was aimed at investigating whether the vascular calcium regulation is altered in hypertension. Two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension were made in rats, and their thoracic aortae were taken 4 weeks later. The isometric contractile response and calcium uptake of the endothelium-denuded aortic preparations were determined. Caffeine ($0.1{\sim}35\;mmol/L$) induced a greater contraction in 2K1C and DOCA-salt hypertension than in normotensive control. When the vascular calcium store was functionally-depleted by a repeated exposure to caffeine, it took longer to reload the store and to resume the initial contraction force in response to caffeine in both 2K1C and DOCA-salt hypertension. The vascular $^{45}Ca$ uptake following the functional depletion of the cellular store was also greater in both models of hypertension than in control. Ryanodine, calcium channel activator of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, attenuated the restoration of caffeine-induced vascular contraction, which was not affected by either 2K1C or DOCA-salt hypertension. Nifedipine, an L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, attenuated the restoration of caffeine-induced contraction, which was not affected by DOCA-salt hypertension, but was more pronounced in 2K1C hypertension. Nifedipine also diminished the vascular $^{45}Ca$ uptake, which was not affected by DOCA-salt hypertension, but was more pronounced in 2K1C hypertension. Ouabain, a $Na^+,\;K^+-ATPase$ inhibitor, increased the caffeine-induced contraction by a similar magnitude in control and 2K1C hypertension, which was, however, markedly attenuated in DOCA-salt hypertension. Ouabain enhanced the vascular $^{45}Ca$ uptake, the degree of which was not affected by 2K1C hypertension, but was markedly attenuated in DOCA-salt hypertension compared with that in control. Cyclopiazonic acid, a selective inhibitor of $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, attenuated the restoration of caffeine-induced contraction, which was not affected by 2K1C hypertension, but was more marked in DOCA-salt hypertension. These results suggest that the increased vascular calcium storage may be attributed to an enhanced calcium influx in 2K1C hypertension, and to an impaired $Na^+-K^+$ pump activity of the cell membrane and subsequently increased calcium pump activity of the cellular store in DOCA-salt hypertension.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2449-2453
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• 2007

L-[18F]FMAU ([18F]1b) was prepared from the precursor 2-O-[(trifluoromethyl)-sulfonyl]-1,3,5-tri-Obenzoyl- α-L-ribofuranose, by coupling the radioactive fluoro-sugar with the corresponding silylated thymine in 4 steps. The final products, including the α and β anomers, were purified using reverse phase HPLC with an appropriate solvent (5% CH3CN/H2O) at a flow rate of 3.0 mL/min. The total elapsed time of synthesis was about 180-200 min from EOB. The α/β anomeric ratio of the compounds was about 1:9, and the radiochemical purity of the product (β-form) was >98% with decay-corrected yields of 25-35%. All radioactive samples were confirmed using co-injection with pure non-radioactive analogues in every step. In the cellular uptake in vitro test of herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK) gene expressed cells, the percent uptake of injected dose (%ID) of L- and D-FMAU was 37.28 and 65.86, respectively after 240 min incubation. However, the relative uptake (MCA-TK/MCA cellular uptake ratio) of L-FMAU was higher than that of D-FMAU (%ID of L-FMAU, 0.36 and D-FMAU, 0.93 after 240 min incubation in MCA cells). This means that L-FMAU will show better specific HSV1-TK gene expressed cell uptake for selective HSV1-TK gene imaging.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1130-1134
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• 2005

To monitor the possibility of horizontal gene transfer between transgenic potato and bacteria in the environment, the gene flow from glufosinate-tolerant potato to bacteria in soils was investigated. The soil samples treated with the leaf tissue of either glufosinate-tolerant or glufosinate-sensitive potato were subjected to PCR and Southern hybridization to determine possible occurrence of glufosinate-resistant soil bacteria and to detect the bar (phosphinothricin acetyltransferase) gene, conferring tolerance to glufosinate. The bar gene was not detected from genomic DNAs extracted at different time intervals from the soil samples, which had been treated with the leaf tissue of either transgenic or non-transgenic potato for 2 to 8 weeks. In addition, the level of glufosinate-resistant bacteria isolated from the soil samples treated with the leaf tissue of transgenic potato was similar to that of the samples treated with non-transgenic potato after 4 months of incubation at $25^{\circ}C$. The bar gene was not detected in the genomic DNAs extracted from colonies growing on the plate containing glufosinate, indicating that the bacteria could acquire the resistant phenotype to glufosinate by another mechanism without the uptake of the bar gene from glufosinate-tolerant potato.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.36-39
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• 2003

Many defined cell culture media were formulated over 3() years ago and may be deficient in certain micronutrients whose essentiality has only subsequently been recognised. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether alpha-minimal essential medium (MEM) supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum contained sufficient selenium for optimal activity of the selenium containing enzymes cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) in cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Additionally, the effect of zinc deficiency and metallothionein (MT) overexpression on cGPx and PHGPx activity was studied. The addition of 100 nM of selenous acid to the culture medium increased cGPx expression by 10-fold and PHGPx by about 2-fold in both wild-type CHO-K1 cells and CHO-K1 cells overexpressing mouse MT-1. Zinc deficiency had no significant effect on enzyme activity, but cells overexpressing mouse MT-1 had higher levels of cGPx activity. Zinc deficiency decreased cell survival but overexpression of MT-1 was partially protective, probably because its presence in quantity favoured the uptake, sequestration and cellular retention of any remaining zinc. This study demonstrates that selenium in complete alpha-MEM is insufficient for optimal cGPx and PHGPx activity and may compromise the cellular response to oxidative stress.