• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.555-560
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• 2008

Amino acid transporters are essential for the growth and proliferation in all living cells. Among the amino acid transporters, the system L amino acid transporters are the major nutrient transport system responsible for the $Na^+$-independent transport of neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. The L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), an isoform of system L amino acid transporter, is highly expressed in cancer cells to support their continuous growth and proliferation. 2-Aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) is a model compound for the study of amino acid transporter as a system L selective inhibitor. We have examined the effect and mechanism of BCH on cell growth suppression in HEp2 human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The BCH inhibited the L-leucine transport in a concentration-dependent manner with a $IC_{50}$ value of $51.2{\pm}3.8{\mu}M$ in HEp2 cells. The growth of HEp2 cells was inhibited by BCH in the timeand concentration-dependent manners. The formation of DNA ladder was not observed with BCH treatment in the cells. Furthermore, the proteolytic processing of caspase-3 and caspase-7 in the cells were not detected by BCH treatment. These results suggest that the BCH inhibits the growth of HEp2 human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through the intracellular depletion of neutral amino acids for cell growth without apoptotic processing.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.760-765
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• 1998

Background: Glucose uptake has been found to be increased in cancer cells, and FDG-PET imaging is used for diagnosis of cancer using this phenomenon. However, the exact mechanism of increased glucose uptake in cancer cells has not been clarified. Recent studies demonstrated the presence of glucose transporter(GLUT) mRNA expression in gastrointestinal cancer and head and neck cancer, and suggested that GLUT may be associated with glucose uptake in cancer cells. In lung cancer cells, glucose metabolism is also known to be increased. We evaluated GLUT mRNA expression in human lung cancer cell lines in order to find out the mechanism of increased glucose uptake in lung cancer. Method: Total RNA was isolated from 15 human lung cancer cell lines and immortalized bronchial epithelial cell line(BEAS-2B). After electrophoresis of $20{\mu}g$ total RNA, Northern blot analysis was done using GLUT1 cDNA and GLUT3 cDNA as probes. Results: Thirteen of 14 human lung cancer cell lines expressed GLUT1 mRNA and 10 of 14 human lung cancer cell lines expressed GLUT3 mRNA. Eight human lung cancer cell lines expressed both GLUT mRNAs. BEAS-2B expressed GLUT1 mRNA and did not express detectable GLUT3 mRNA. Conclusion: The increase of glucose metabolism in lung cancer may be associated with GLUT1 and GLUT3 expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.597-603
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• 1999

Caldesmon (CaD), one of microfilament-associated proteins, plays a key role in microfilament assembly in mitosis. We have investigated the effects of overexpression of the high molecular weight isoform of CaD (h-CaD) on the physiology of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Rat aortic VSMCs were stably transfected with plasmids carrying a full length human h-CaD cDNA under control of cytomegalovirus promoter. The majority of the overexpressed h-CaD appears to be localized predominantly on cytoskeleton structures as determined by detergent lysis. The overexpression of h-CaD, however, does not decrease the level of endogenous low molecular weight isoform of CaD. h-CaD overexpressing VSMCs (h-CaD/VSMCs) show a decreased growth rate than that of vector-only transfected cells when determined by $[^3H]thymidine$ uptake and cell counting after fetal bovine serum (FBS) stimulation. h-CaD/VSMCs were smaller than vector-transfected cells by 18% in cell diameter. These data suggest that overexpression of h-CaD can inhibit the poliferation and the cell volume of VSMCs stimulated by growth factors and that the gene therapy with h-CaD may be helpful to prevent the conditions associated with hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of VSMCs after arterial injuries.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.539-545
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• 1992

Recombinant plasmid pPLac15 determined both phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase uptake of lactose and phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase (Moon et al., 1989). A restriction mapping of the pPLac15 was compiled with several restriction enzymes and a seriese of sub clones into pUC18 was constructed. From an analysis of the proteins produced by Escherichia coli cells of transformants containing each of the recombinant subclone plasmids, it was found that the gene for phospho-$\beta$-galactosidase in pUCI8 was expressed about 1.8-folds in E. coli.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.67-81
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• 2001

Traditionally, genetic variability is generated by an extensive crossing program, which is complemented by strict selection to identify useful new recombinants. Plant biotechnology offers many opportunities for breeders to solve certain breeding problems at the molecular level. The tissue culture methodology and the genetic modification of economically important monocotyledons have undergone a revolution in the last decade. As the production of transgenic plants is a complex procedure, including the uptake of DNA molecules into the cells, the integration of foreign nucleotide sequences into the host genomic DNA and the expression of new genes in a controlled way, and as there are still many unsolved questions, further development is necessary. The methodology opens up the possibility of introducing novel genes that may induce resistance to diseases and abiotic stresses, allow the modification of dough quality and the dietetic quality of proteins, and increase the levels of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamins. In the present review, the authors would like to summarise the most important advances in wheat transformation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.353-358
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• 1996

E. coli 11 and E. coli 101, clinical isolates of Escherichia coli were resistant to various quinolones, especially MICs to norfloxacin of both strains were higher than 100 mg/ml. In the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, a proton gradient uncoupler, norfloxacin uptake in both strains was increased, suggesting that an efflux system play an important role in the norfloxacin resistance. Outer membrane proteins of the susceptible and resistant strains which could affect the route of norfloxacin entry into cells were different. When quinolone resistance determining region(QRDR) of gyrA was amplified using PCR and cut with Hinf I, QRDR in the susceptible strain yielded two fragments while QRDRs in E. coli 11 and E. coli 101 yielded only one uncut fragment. When DNA sequence of QRDR was analyzed, there were two mutations as Ser-83 and Asp-87 in both resistant strains. these residues were changed to Leu-83 and Asn-87, respectively. These results showed that the norfloxacin resistance of E. coli 11 and E. coli 101 was resulted from multiple changes-an altered DNA gyrase A subunit, a change in route of drug entry, and reduction in quinolone concentration inside cells due to an efflux system.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.348-353
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• 2006

For enhancing the gene delivery efficiency of polyplexes, a new formulation was developed using PEI conjugated Pluronic F127 copolymer as an effective additive. Low molecular weight, branched polyethylenimine Mw 600 (LMW BPEI 600) was conjugated to the terminal end of Pluronic F127. The PEI-modified Pluronic copolymers formed a micellar structure in aqueous solution, similar to that of unmodified Pluronic copolymer. PEI modification of Pluronic copolymer increased the size of micelles while concomitantly raising the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The PEI-modified Pluronic copolymer was used as a micellar additive to enhance the gene transfection efficiency of pre-formulated polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles composed of luciferase plasmid DNA and branched PEI Mw 25k (BPEI 25k) or polylysine Mw 39k (PLL 39k). The luciferase gene expression levels were significantly enhanced by the addition of the BPEI-modified Pluronic copolymer for the two formulations of BPEl and PLL polyplexes. The results indicated that the BPEI-modified Pluronic copolymer micelles ionically interacted on the surface of DNA/BPEI (PLL) polyplexes which might facilitate cellular uptake process.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.455-462
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• 2010

Purple acid phosphatase is important for phosphorus remobilization in plants, but its role in plant adaptation to low phosphorus availability is not known. The cDNA encoding O. sativa purple acid phosphatase (OsPAP1) has 1008 bp with an open reading frame of 335 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of OsPAP1 cDNA shows of 50-51% identity with other plant purple acid phosphatases. OsPAP1 was expressed in rice plants and in cell cultures in the absence of phosphate ($P_i$). The expression was organ-specific with the strongest expression in $P_i$-deprived roots. Functional expression of the OsPAP1 gene in the transgenic Arabidopsis line was confirmed by northern and western blot analysis. OsPAP1 overexpression lines had higher phosphatase activity than wild-type. Overexpression of OsPAP1 in Arabidopsis plants resulted in increased Pi accumulation under Pi sufficient condition. These results show that the OsPAP1 gene represents more efficient $P_i$ uptake and can be used to develop new transgenic dicotyledonous plants.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.238-254
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• 1994

Cyclosporine A is an immunosuppressant commonly used for patients receiving organ transplants. Gingival overgrowth is an adverse side-effect seen in about 8-26% of patients taking cyclosporine A which have been shown to increase the DNA synthesis of gingival fibroblast at the concentration of $10^{-9}g/ml$ in vitro. Glycyrrhetinic acid is the active pharmacological ingredients of licorice which exerts steroid-like action and anti-viral activity. Oleanolic acid, which were isolated from Glechoma hederacea, has been shown to act as inhibitors of tumor promotion in vivo and to be less cytotoxic retinoic acid. This study has been performed to evaluate the effects of glycyrrhetinic acid and oleanolic acid on cyclosporine A induced cell activity in vitro. Human gingival fibroblasts were isolated from explant cultures of healthy gingiva of orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and transferred to the walls of microtest plates. Fibroblasts were cultured in growth medium added $10^{-9}g/ml$ cyclosporineA and $50{\mu}l/ml$ lipopolysaccharides. Cells between the 4th and 6th transfer in culture were used for this study. The morphology of gingival fibroblst were examined by inverted microscope. The effects of cyclosporine A on the time course of DNA sythesis by human gingival fibroblasts were assessed by $[^3H]-thymidine$ uptake assays. Cyclosporine A was found to stimulate DNA synthesis of human gingival fibroblast at a concentration of $10^{-9}g/ml$. In the presence of lipopolysaccharide derived from Fusobacterium nucleatum, addition of cyclosporine A results in reversal of inhibition at the concentration which normally inhibits gingival fibroblast proliferation. The cell acitivities in the presence of glycyrrhetinic acid and oleanolic acid were decreased, and increased cell acitivities by cyclosporine A were decreased by glycyrrhetinic acid and oleanolic acid at the concentration of $200{\mu}g/ml$. These results suggested that the increased cell activities by cyclosporine A modulated by glycyrrhetinic acid and oleanolic acid.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.438-447
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• 2011

Deinococcus radiodurans is extremely resistant to various genotoxic conditions and chemicals. In this study, we characterized the effect of a sublethal concentration (100 ${\mu}M$) of cadmium (Cd) on D. radiodurans using a whole-genome DNA microarray. Time-course global gene expression profiling showed that 1,505 genes out of 3,116 total ORFs were differentially expressed more than 2-fold in response to Cd treatment for at least one timepoint. The majority of the upregulated genes are related to iron uptake, cysteine biosynthesis, protein disulfide stress, and various types of DNA repair systems. The enhanced upregulation of genes involved in cysteine biosynthesis and disulfide stress indicate that Cd has a high affinity for sulfur compounds. Provocation of iron deficiency and growth resumption of Cd-treated cells by iron supplementation also indicates that CdS forms in iron-sulfur-containing proteins such as the [Fe-S] cluster. Induction of base excision, mismatch, and recombinational repair systems indicates that various types of DNA damage, especially base excision, were enhanced by Cd. Exposure to sublethal Cd stress reduces the growth rate, and many of the downregulated genes are related to cell growth, including biosynthesis of cell membrane, translation, and transcription. The differential expression of 52 regulatory genes suggests a dynamic operation of complex regulatory networks by Cd-induced stress. These results demonstrate the effect of Cd exposure on D. radiodurans and how the related genes are expressed by this stress.