• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

Selenoprotein S (SelS) is widely expressed in diverse tissues where it localizes in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. We studied the potential function of SelS in erythrocyte differentiation using K562 cells stably over-expressing SelS wild-type (WT) or one of two SelS point mutants, $U_{188}S$ or $U_{188}C$. We found that in the K562 cells treated with $1\;{\mu}M$ Ara-C, SelS gradually declined over five days of treatment. On day 4, intracellular ROS levels were higher in cells expressing SelS-WT than in those expressing a SelS mutant. Moreover, the cell cycle patterns in cells expressing SelS-WT or $U_{188}C$ were similar to the controls. The expression and activation of SIRT1 were also reduced during K562 differentiation. Cells expressing SelS-WT showed elevated SIRT1 expression and activation (phosphorylation), as well as higher levels of FoxO3a expression. SIRT1 activation was diminished slightly in cells expressing SelS-WT after treatment with the ROS scavenger NAC (12 mM), but not in those expressing a SelS mutant. After four days of Ara-C treatment, SelS-WT-expressing cells showed elevated transcription of $\beta$-globin, $\gamma$-globin, $\varepsilon$-globin, GATA-1 and zfpm-1, whereas cells expressing a SelS mutant did not. These results suggest that the suppression of SelS acts as a trigger for proerythrocyte differentiation via the ROS-mediated downregulation of SIRT1.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2008

Background: A co-inhibitory molecule, B7-H4, is believed to negatively regulate T cell immunity by suppressing T cell proliferation and inhibiting cytokine production. However, the mechanism behind B7-H4-mediated tolerance remains unclear. Methods: Balb/c $(H-2^d)$ mice were fed with dendritic cell line, DC2.4 $(H-2^d)$ every day for 10 days. Meantime, mice were hydrodynamically injected with recombinant plasmid expressing B7-H4 fusion protein (B7-H4.hFc) or hFc via tail vein. One day after last feeding, mice were immunized with allogeneic B6 spleen cells. 14 days following immunization, mice were challenged with B6 spleen cells to ear back and the ear swelling was determined the next day. Subsequently, a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was also performed and cytokines profiles from the reaction were examined by sandwich ELISA. Frequency of immunosuppressive cell population was assayed with flow cytometry and mRNA for FoxP3 was determined by RT-PCR. Results: Tolerant mice given plasmid expressing B7-H4.hFc showed a significant reduction in ear swelling compared to control mice. In addition, T cells from mice given B7-H4.hFc plasmid revealed a significant hyporesponsiveness of T cells against allogeneic spleen cells and showed a significant decrease in Th1 and Th2 cytokines such as IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-5, and TNF-${\alpha}$. Interestingly, flow cytometric analysis showed that the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs in spleen was increased in tolerant mice given recombinant B7-H4.hFc plasmid compared to control group. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that B7-H4 synergistically potentiates oral tolerance induced by allogeneic cells by increasing the frequency of FoxP3+ CD4+CD25+ Treg and reducing Th1 and Th2 cytokine production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1830-1836
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• 2003

Studies using natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP) identification indicated that cattle could be selected for immunity. Several studies performed on intracellular organisms such as Mycobacterium, Salmonella, Brucella and Leishmania in human and mouse revealed that resistance against these bacteria was dependent on high activity of NRAMP1 in macrophages. However, hardly any researches have been done on Staphylococcus aureus in bovine mastitis, which is an intracellular organism and the main cause of bovine mastitis. The objectives of this study were to establish reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods, through which NRAMP1 mRNA expression could be compared and analyzed between mastitis-resistant and -susceptible cows. NRAMP1 gene and its expression were investigated using 20 cows (Holstein Friesian) in Korea. Cows were evenly split into two groups, with and without histories of clinical mastitis. Equivalent numbers of cows were randomly selected from each group. Monocytes were isolated from the bovine peripheral blood of each selected cows and activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). mRNA was separated from the monocytes and cDNA of NRAMP1 was synthesized and amplified using RT-PCR with amplification of $\beta$-actin as a control. The difference in NRAMP1 expressions of mastitis-resistant (n=10) and -susceptible (n=10) Holstein cows was analyzed. Results demonstrate that resistant cows produced more NRAMP1 mRNA than the susceptible ones, and ratios of NRAMP1:$\beta$-actin expression were higher in resistant cows with or without LPS activation. Therefore, this study could be applied to select bovine mastitis resistant cows before infection based on the expression of NRAMP1.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1159-1163
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• 2009

It has been postulated that endoplasmic (ER) stress is involved in the development of several diseases. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms have not been fully understood. Therefore, we characterized a genetic network of genes induced by ER stress using cDNA microarray and gene set expression coherence analysis (GSECA), and identified gene function as well as several transcription regulators associated with ER stress. We analyzed time-dependent gene expression profiles in thapsigargin-treated Sk-Hep1 using an oligonucleotide expression chip, and then selected functional gene sets with significantly high expression coherence which was processed into functional clusters according to the expression similarities. The functions related to sugar binding, lysosome, ribosomal protein, ER lumen, and ER to golgi transport increased, whereas the functions with mRNA processing, DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle, electron transport chain and helicase activity decreased. Furthermore, functional clusters were investigated for the enrichment of regulatory motifs using GSECA, and several transcriptional regulators associated with regulation of ER-induced gene expression were found.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2009

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness among adults in the western countries. Hyperglycemia is a condition, that induces apoptotic cell death in a variety of cell types in diabetes, but the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the study is to understand the effects of high Glucose on Human Retinal Endothelial Cells. Retinal endothelial cells were cultured in Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM) containing 5, 25 and 50 mM Glucose, incubated for 24, 36 and 48 hours in humidified 5 % CO$_2$ incubator at 37$^{\circ}C$. Human Retinal Endothelial Cell Line (HREC) were characterized for morphology with different treatment by phase contrast microscopic analysis. Number of dead and viable cells was counted by trypan blue exclusion and supported by MTT assay. The intracellular Hydrogen peroxide (H$_2$O$_2$), a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation in high glucose conditions was assessed by FOX II assay and apoptosis by caspase-3 assay. The high glucose treated cells undergoing DNA fragmentation was witnessed by Agarose gel electrophoresis. We found that the cells incubated with 25 and 50 mM glucose containing medium for 48 hours altered the morphology of the cell, induced apoptosis and DNA fragmentation. The dead cell number were high in 25 and 50 mM when compared to the cells incubated with 5 mM glucose for 24, 36, and 48 hours. Also, the H$_2$O$_2$ levels and the activity of caspase-3 were increased in high glucose treated cells. Conclusions/interpretation: Our results demonstrated that elevated glucose induces apoptosis in cultured HREC. The hyperglycemia-induced increase in apoptosis may be dependent on caspase activation. The association between ROS generation and caspase-3 activation on high glucose treated cells is yet to be investigated.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2005

This study was carry out to investigate the quality characteristics of Korean native black ground pork compared with modern genotype ground pork during refrigerated storage. Korean native black pig and modern genotype pig were slaughtered at 75 kg and 105 kg of live weight, and for 240 days and 210 days of feeding periods, respectively. The ground lean pork (M. semimembranosus) was stored for 9 days at 4℃. The crude fat and crude protein contents were significantly (p<0.05) higher in Korean native black pork. The pH value after 5 days of storage was significantly (p<0.05) lower in Korean native black pork than in modern genotype pork. WHC of Korean native black pork was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of modern genotype pork over time. The Korean native black pork maintained black reddish color because it had lower CIE L/sup */ value and higher CIE a/sup */ value than the modern genotype pork. CIE L/sup */, b/sup */, C/sup */ and h/sup O/ values decreased as storage time increased. TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance), POV (peroxide value) and FOX (ferrous oxidation xylenol orange) tended to increase as storage time increased in all of the groups, in particular, those values increased more rapidly in Korean native black pork. Total saturated fatty acid and stearic acid contents had significantly higher in Korean native black pork (p<0.05).

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.112-121
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• 2022

Calorie restriction (CR) and the activation of autophagy extend healthspan by delaying the onset of age-associated diseases in most living organisms. Because protein kinase CK2 (CK2) downregulation induces cellular senescence and nematode aging, we investigated CK2's role in CR and autophagy. This study indicated that CR upregulated CK2's expression, thereby causing SIRT1 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. CK2α overexpression, including antisense inhibitors of miR-186, miR-216b, miR-337-3p, and miR-760, stimulated autophagy initiation and nucleation markers (increase in ATG5, ATG7, LC3BII, beclin-1, and Ulk1, and decrease in SQSTM1/p62). The SIRT1 deacetylase, AKT, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMPK, and forkhead homeobox type O (FoxO) 3a were involved in CK2-mediated autophagy. The treatment with the AKT inhibitor triciribine, the AMPK activator AICAR, or the SIRT1 activator resveratrol rescued a reduction in the expression of lgg-1 (the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of LC3B), bec1 (the C. elegans ortholog of beclin-1), and unc-51 (the C. elegans ortholog of Ulk1), mediated by kin-10 (the C. elegans ortholog of CK2β) knockdown in nematodes. Thus, this study indicated that CK2 acted as a positive regulator in CR and autophagy, thereby suggesting that these four miRs' antisense inhibitors can be used as CR mimetics or autophagy inducers.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.207-213
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• 1998

On the basis of the previous study[1], miscibility were investigated and intermolecular interaction strength for the miscibility were relatively compared for the blends poly{2,2-(m-phenylene)-5,5'-bibenzimidazole}(PBI) with two aromatic polyimides (PIs) synthesized by another dianhydride. Aromatic PAAs were prepared by the reaction of condensation of two diamines, 4,4'-methylene dianiline(4,4'-MDA) and 4,4'-oxydianiline(4,4'-ODA) with 3,3',4,4'-diphenylsulfone tetracarboxylic dianhydride(DSDA) using DMAc, and then converted into PIs after curing. PBI/PAA blends were prepared by solution blending. Cast films or precipitated powders of the PBI/PAA blends were cared at a high temperature to transform into PBI/PIs blends. Miscibility and specific intermolecular interaction for miscibility in the blends were investigated, and compared with previous polyimide structures of PBI/PIs blends [1]. Two blends, PBI/DSDA+4,4'-MDA(Blend-V) and PBI/DSDA+4,4'-ODA(Blend-VI), were found miscible : the evidences were optically clear films, synergistic single composition dependent $T_g{\prime}s$, and frequency shifts of N-H stretching band as much as $39{\sim}40cm^{-1}$, and of C=O stretching band near 1730 and $1780cm^{-1}$, 5~6 and $3{\sim}4cm^{-1}$, respectively. The specific intermolecular interactions existing between PBI and PIs were relatively analyzed with the area(A) formed between the $T_g{\prime}s$ of the measured and that of the calculated by the Fox equation at all compositions, the ${\kappa}$ values in Gordon-Taylor equation obtained from the measured $T_g{\prime}s$, and differences of the frequency shifts in the functional N-H and carbonyl stretching band. From the results, the area(A) and the ${\kappa}$ values for Blend-V and VI were smaller than those for Blend-III and IV used in previous study[1]. Differences of the frequency shifts in the functional groups(N-H and C=O) also showed similar tendency. Thus, specific intermolecular interaction strength in terms of hydrogen bonding of PBI/PI blends is dependent upon chemical structures of PIs, that is, PIs it seems that $SO_2$ group in dianhydride(DSDA) has weaker hydrogen bond strength than those of C=O in BTDA. In other words, it implies that the former occupied bulk space than the latter due to the sterric effect.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2013

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to determine accurately the part of the tragus to be used to form the Ala-Tragal line or Camper's line in orthognathic profile patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 150 dentate subjects with age of 18-40 years with orthognathic profile were sampled. Life-size lateral digital photographs of the face with fox plane were taken in natural head position. Different angles between Eye-Ear plane and occlusal plane ($OT_1$-OP), Eye-Ear plane and ala-superior border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_1$), Eye-Ear plane and ala-middle border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_2$) and Eye-Ear plane and ala-inferior border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_3$) were calculated using computer software package, AutoCAD 2004. From the three angles formed by the Eye-ear plane ($OT_1$ or FH plane) and the ala-tragal lines, the one closest to the angle formed between Eye-Ear plane ($OT_1$) and occlusal plane (OP) was used to determine the occlusal plane of orientation. The obtained results were subjected to ANOVA F test, Tukey's Honestly significant difference test, followed by Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation test. P values of less than 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. RESULTS. The mean of base line angle i.e. $OT_1$-OP angle ($11.96{\pm}4.36$) was found to be close to $OT_1-AT_2$ angle ($13.67{\pm}1.93$) and $OT_1-AT_3$ angle ($10.31{\pm}2.03$), but $OT_1$-OP angle was found to be more closer to $OT_1-AT_3$ angle. Comparison of mean angles showed that $OT_1$-OP angle in both males (11.68) and females (12.51) is close to $OT_1-AT_3$ angle (males- 11.01, females- 11.95). CONCLUSION. The line joining from ala to the lower border of the tragus was parallel to the occlusal plane in 53.3% of the subjects. There was no influence of the sex on the level of occlusal plane.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.726-734
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• 2023

Background: Skeletal muscles play a key role in physical activity and energy metabolism. The loss of skeletal muscle mass can cause problems related to metabolism and physical activity. Studies are being conducted to prevent such diseases by increasing the mass and regeneration capacity of muscles. Ginsenoside Rg5 has been reported to exhibit a broad range of pharmacological activities. However, studies on the effects of Rg5 on muscle differentiation and growth are scarce. Methods: To investigate the effects of Rg5 on myogenesis, C2C12 myoblasts were induced to differentiate with Rg5, followed by immunoblotting, immunostaining, and qRT-PCR for myogenic markers and promyogenic signaling (p38MAPK). Immunoprecipitation confirmed that Rg5 increased the interaction between MyoD and E2A via p38MAPK. To investigate the effects of Rg5 on prevention of muscle mass loss, C2C12 myotubes were treated with dexamethasone to induce muscle atrophy. Immunoblotting, immunostaining, and qRT-PCR were performed for myogenic markers, Akt/mTOR signaling for protein synthesis, and atrophy-related genes (Atrogin-1 and MuRF1). Results: Rg5 promoted C2C12 myoblast differentiation through phosphorylation of p38MAPK and MyoD/E2A heterodimerization. Furthermore, Rg5 stimulated C2C12 myotube hypertrophy via phosphorylation of Akt/mTOR. Phosphorylation of Akt induces FoxO3a phosphorylation, which reduces the expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF1. Conclusion: This study provides an understanding of how Rg5 promotes myogenesis and hypertrophy and prevents dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy. The study is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to show that Rg5 promotes muscle regeneration and to suggest that Rg5 can be used for therapeutic intervention of muscle weakness and atrophy, including cancer cachexia.