• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2425-2430
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• 2015

Clinical resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is one of the major hindrances in the treatment of human cancers. EHZ2 is involved in drug resistance and is overexpressed in drug-resistant cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated the effects of EHZ2 on cisplatin -resistance in A549/DDP and AGS/DDP cells. EHZ2 mRNA and protein were found to be significantly overexpressed in A549/DDP and AGS/DDP cells, compared to parental cells. EHZ2 siRNA successfully silenced EHZ2 mRNA and protein expression. Proliferation was inhibited and drug resistance to cisplatin was improved. Flow cytometry showed that silencing of EHZ2 arrested A549/DDP and AGS/DDP cells in the G0/G1 phase, increasing apoptosis, rh-123 fluorescence intensity and caspase-3/8 activities. Silencing of EHZ2 also significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression levels of cyclin D1 and MDR1,while up-regulating p15, p21, p27 and miR-218 in A549/DPP cells. Furthermore, silencing of EHZ2 also significantly increased the expression level of tumor suppressor factor miR-218. We also found down-regulating EHZ2 expression increased methylation in A549/DDP and AGS/DDP cells. This study demonstrates that drug resistance can be effectively reversed in human cisplatin-resistant lung and gastric cancer cells through delivery of siRNAs targeting EHZ2.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.113-123
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• 1988

A series of water-soluble polyparacyclophanes bearing two diphenylmethane or two diphenyl ether skeletons were investigated to develop useful host compounds by using 1-anilinonaphthalene-6-sulfonate (ANS) and 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) as fluorescent hydrophobic substrates in aqueous solution. It was noteworthy that remarkable fluorescent enhancements and blue shifts of ANS and TNS were observed only in the presence of 1,6,20,25-tetraaza[6.1.6.1] paracyclophane (CPM 44) and 1,6,21,27-tetraaza [7.1.7.1] paracyclophane (CPM 55) for diphenylmethane skeleton, and 1,7,21,27-tetraaza-14,34-dioxa [7.1.7.1] paracyclophane (CPE 55) and 1,8,22,29-tetraaza-15,36-dioxa [8.1.8.1] paracyclophane (CPE 66) for diphenyl ether skeleton, comparing with ${\alpha}-\;and\;{\beta}-cyclodextrins$. However, their acyclic analogues such as 4,4'-dimethylaminodiphenylmethane and 4,4'-dimethylaminodiphenyl ether, and paracyclophanes whose cavities were smaller showed only small effects under the same conditions. These facts suggested that hosts and substrates were in an intimate contact which would not occur without larger structures, and thus that guest molecules were strongly incorporated in the hydrophobic cavities of these larger paracyclophanes. The effects of pH on the fluorescent intensity of ANS-CPM 44, ANS-CPM 55, ANS-CPE 55, ANS-CPE 66, TNS-CPM 44, TNS-CPM 55, TNS-CPE 55 and TNS-CPE 66 systems were not significant below pH 2.0, but their fluorescent intensities were markedly reduced with increasing ionic strength.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2002

PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) deposited in soil are one of serious problems against sustainable land use. In this paper, chemical soil flushing in a packed sandy soil matrix using a natural surfactant, $\beta$-cyclodextrin (CD) was studied via a fluorescence spectroscopy and a dye labelling. The contaminants are lipophilic ring compounds- phenanthrene and naphthalene. Sand type and flushing intensity (rate and concentration) are chosen as important investigation variables. The removal efficiencies were proportional to flow rate, concentration, temperature of the flushing solution and voidity of the sand column. Initial sorption of the surfactant onto the soil matrix was found to be a key step while flow shear was more crucial in the latter steps. The residual portion of the surfactant, which was most likely to be due to the initial sorption, would not be so influential on this type of soil washing for long times. These results will be useful in future for pilot scale in situ washing and for establishing better soil washing strategy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.353-361
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• 2011

In this study, cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) fraction extracted from the mulberry fruit (Morus alba L.) was investigated for its neuroprotective effects against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and glutamate-induced cell death in rat primary cortical neurons. Cell membrane damage and mitochondrial function were assessed by LDH release and MTT reduction assays, respectively. A time-course study of OGD-induced cell death of primary cortical neurons at 7 days in vitro (DIV) indicated that neuronal death was OGD duration-dependent. It was also demonstrated that OGD for 3.5 h resulted in approximately 50% cell death, as determined by the LDH release assay. Treatments with mulberry C3G fraction prevented membrane damage and preserved the mitochondrial function of the primary cortical neurons exposed to OGD for 3.5 h in a concentration-dependent manner. Glutamate-induced cell death was more pronounced in DIV-9 and DIV-11 cells than that in DIV-7 neurons, and an application of $50{\mu}M$ glutamate was shown to induce approximately 40% cell death in DIV-9 neurons. Interestingly, treatment with mulberry C3G fraction did not provide a protective effect against glutamate-induced cell death in primary cortical neurons. On the other hand, treatment with mulberry C3G fraction maintained the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in primary cortical neurons exposed to OGD as assessed by the intensity of rhodamine-123 fluorescence. These results therefore suggest that the neuroprotective effects of mulberry C3G fraction are mediated by the maintenance of the MMP and mitochondrial function but not by attenuating glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in rat primary cortical neurons.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.337-343
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• 2009

We developed a novel on-chip activity assay using protein arrays for quantitative and rapid analysis of transglutaminase activity in mammalian cells. Transglutaminases are a family of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent enzymes involved in cell regulation as well as human diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory diseases and tumor progression. We fabricated the protein arrays by immobilizing N,N'-dimethylcasein (a substrate) on the amine surface of the arrays. We initiated transamidating reaction on the protein arrays and determined the transglutaminase activity by analyzing the fluorescence intensity of biotinylated casein. The on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was proved to be much more sensitive than the $[^3H]putrescine$-incorporation assay. We successfully applied the on-chip assay to a rapid and quantitative analysis of the transglutaminase activity in all-trans retinoic acid-treated NIH 3T3 and SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, the on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was sufficiently sensitive to determine the transglutaminase activity in eleven mammalian cell lines. Thus, this novel on-chip transglutaminase activity assay was confirmed to be a sensitive and high-throughput approach to investigating the roles of transglutaminase in cellular signaling, and, moreover, it is likely to have a strong potential for monitoring human diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.526-531
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• 2014

Human PARP family consists of 17 members of which PARP-1 is a prominent member and plays a key role in DNA repair pathways. It has an N-terminal DNA-binding domain (DBD) encompassing the nuclear localisation signal (NLS), central automodification domain and C-terminal catalytic domain. PARP-1 accounts for majority of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymer synthesis that upon binding to numerous proteins including PARP itself modulates their activity. Reduced PARP-1 activity in ageing human samples and its deficiency leading to telomere shortening has been reported. Hence for cell survival, maintenance of genomic integrity and longevity presence of intact PARP-1 in the nucleus is paramount. Although localisation of full-length and truncated PARP-1 in PARP-1 proficient cells is well documented, subcellular distribution of PARP-1 fragments in the absence of endogenous PARP-1 is not known. Here we report the differential localisation of PARP-1 Nterminal fragment encompassing NLS in PARP-$1^{+/+}$ and PARP-$1^{-/-}$ mouse embryo fibroblasts by live imaging of cells transiently expressing EGFP tagged fragment. In PARP-$1^{+/+}$ cells the fragment localises to the nuclei presenting a granular pattern. Furthermore, it is densely packaged in the midsections of the nucleus. In contrast, the fragment localises exclusively to the cytoplasm in PARP-$1^{-/-}$ cells. Flourescence intensity analysis further confirmed this observation indicating that the N-terminal fragment requires endogenous PARP-1 for its nuclear transport. Our study illustrates the trafficking role of PARP-1 independently of its enzymatic activity and highlights the possibility that full-length PARP-1 may play a key role in the nuclear transport of its siblings and other molecules.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2015

To examine the interrelationship between transgenic insertion patterns and transgene expression profiles in established transgenic fish lines, four stable transgenic marine medaka Oryzias dancena germlines harboring ${\beta}$-actin regulator-driven RFP reporter constructs were selected. The established transgenic strains were characterized with regard to their transgenic genotypes (insertion pattern, concatemer formation, and transgene copy number based on genomic Southern blot hybridization and qPCR assay) and expression characteristics at the mRNA (qRT-PCR), protein (western blot), and phenotypic (fluorescent appearance) levels. From comparative examinations, it was found that transgenic expression at both the transcription and translation levels could be significantly downregulated in transgenic strains, potentially through methylation-mediated transgene silencing that was particularly associated with the formation of a long tail-to-head tandem concatemer in the chromosomal integration site(s). When this occurred, an inverse relationship between the transgene copy number and fluorescence intensity was observed in the resultant transgenic fish. However, with the other transgenic genotype, transgenic individuals with an identical Southern blot hybridization pattern, containing a tandem concatemer(s), had very different expression levels (highly robust vs. low expression strengths), which was possibly related to the differential epigenetic modifications and/or degrees of methylation. The concatemer-dependent downregulation of transgene activity could be induced in transgenic fish, but the overall pattern was strain-specific. Our data suggest that neither a low (or single) transgene copy number nor tandem transgene concatemerization is indicative of strong or silenced transgene expression in transgenic fish carrying a ubiquitous transgene. Hence, a sufficient number of transgenic lineages, with different genotypes, should be considered to ensure the establishment of the best-performance transgenic line(s) for practical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 1981

Iron and titanium, the major constituents in iron ores, were X-ray spectrometrically determined by using the dilution parameter method. A standard and samples possessing a similar composition were diluted with the diluent $ZrO_2$ to their proper respective ratios. After measuring the intensity of the fluorescent X-ray, the dilution parameter was calculated from the following equation. $Pa=\frac{\frac{I_{as}}{(I_{as})_d}}{D-1}{^{-1}}$The dilution parameters were used to correct the difference between the matrix effect of the standard and that of the sample. The content of the major constituents was calculated, without using any standard calibration curves, from the following equation;$W_a=W_a^*{\cdot}{\frac{I_as}{I_{as}^*}{\cdot}\frac{P_a^*}{P_a}$where asterisks indicate the standard. The results agreed with those of the wet analysis within 2% of relative error, and the precision of the experiment was also tolerably good.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2003

This study has investigated the temperature-sensitive liposomes, which release anticancer drug(doxorubicin) at the hyperthermia temperature$(~40^{\circ}C)$. The temperature-sensitive liposomes were modified with a copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide(NIPAAm) and acrylamide(AAm), which exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at the hyperthermia temperature. The release of doxorubicin from the modified liposomes was determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity with changing temperature and time. The release of doxorubicin from liposomes modified with poly(NIPAAm-co-AAm) copolymer was increased significantly, because poly(NIPAAm-co-AAm) could undergo the conformational transition in the narrow hyperthermia temperature region$(~40{\pm}2^{\circ}C)$. Moreover, we observed that doxorubicin released from liposomes within 5 minutes, and the size of modified liposomes was 120~170 nm. In this study, we have prepared temperature-sensitive liposomes which could be controlled by temperature. They can be applied in the field of a drug delivery system for tumor targeting by temperature control.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.74-78
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• 2020

A push-pull conjugated dye (DCMP) was covalently immobilized on a silanized glass surface to produce a high sensitivity pH sensor film for operating in the acidic region. A pH-sensitive sensor film was prepared by photo-initiating copolymerization of a modified DCMP (DCMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate on the silanized glass surface. The absorbance of the sensor film increased with increasing pH between pH 2.0 and 5.0, and the fluorescence intensity of the film also increased about 50 times with increasing pH in the same pH range. The sensor film was reversible and reproducible under acidic conditions. The sensor film showed a relatively short response time between 20-50 seconds and high selectivity for proton in the presence of various metal ions.