• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.48-56
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• 2023

Genomic information stored in the DNA is transcribed to the mRNA and translated to proteins. The 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of the mRNA serve pivotal roles in post-transcriptional gene expression, regulating mRNA stability, translation, and localization. Similar to DNA mutations producing aberrant proteins, RNA alterations expand the transcriptome landscape and change the cellular proteome. Recent global analyses reveal that many genes express various forms of altered RNAs, including 3'UTR length variants. Alternative polyadenylation and alternative splicing are involved in diversifying 3'UTRs, which could act as a hidden layer of eukaryotic gene expression control. In this review, we summarize the functions and regulations of 3'UTRs and elaborate on the generation and functional consequences of 3'UTR diversity. Given that dynamic 3'UTR length control contributes to phenotypic complexity, dysregulated 3'UTR diversity might be relevant to disease development, including cancers. Thus, 3'UTR diversity in cancer could open exciting new research areas and provide avenues for novel cancer theragnostics.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.76-83
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• 2022

Neurons-on-a-Chip technology has been developed to provide diverse in vitro neuro-tools to study neuritogenesis, synaptogensis, axon guidance, and network dynamics. The two core enabling technologies are soft-lithography and microelectrode array technology. Soft lithography technology made it possible to fabricate microstamps and microfluidic channel devices with a simple replica molding method in a biological laboratory and innovatively reduced the turn-around time from assay design to chip fabrication, facilitating various experimental designs. To control nerve cell behaviors at the single cell level via chemical cues, surface biofunctionalization methods and micropatterning techniques were developed. Microelectrode chip technology, which provides a functional readout by measuring the electrophysiological signals from individual neurons, has become a popular platform to investigate neural information processing in networks. Due to these key advances, it is possible to study the relationship between the network structure and functions, and they have opened a new era of neurobiology and will become standard tools in the near future.

• 분석과학
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.124-130
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• 2007

In this study, we present the preparation and characterization of oxidized fullerene and fullerene dimer [$C_{120}$]. From the XRD data, other weak peaks with pristine fullerene [$C_{60}$] peaks were observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns for fullerene dimer [$C_{120}$]. SEM micrographs for the fullerene dimer [$C_{120}$] indicated that practically all the surface state was shown the drastic morphology changes and its outer surface is clearly visible and resulted in clogging and frost-like formation. From the MALDI-TOF mass spectra, the differences in the spectra recorded on two kinds of fullerene are due to the oxidation including chemical bonding and bridging between the $C_{60}$ molecules. We also obtained additional information from FT-IR spectra on functional component on the chemically modified surface of oxidized fullerene and fullerene dimer [$C_{120}$].

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.26-39
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• 2024

Gold nanostructures (Au NSs) are useful and interesting matrices for mass spectrometric analysis of various biomolecules based on organic matrix-free laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS). Au NSs provide high efficiency and versatility in LDI-TOF-MS analysis based on their well-established synthesis and surface functionalization, large surface area, high laser absorption capacity, and photothermal conversion efficiency. Therefore, Au NSs based LDI-TOF-MS can be a facile, functional, and efficient analytical method for important small biomolecules owing to its simple preparation, rapid analysis, salt-tolerance, signal reproducibility, and quantitative analysis. This review chronologically summarizes the important advance of Au NSs-based LDI-TOF-MS platforms in terms of in-depth mechanism, signal enhancement, quantitative analysis, and disease diagnosis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.8.1-8.17
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• 2024

Follicular helper T cells (Tfh) play a crucial role in generating high-affinity antibodies (Abs) and establishing immunological memory. Cytokines, among other functional molecules produced by Tfh, are central to germinal center (GC) reactions. This review focuses on the role of cytokines, including IL-21 and IL-4, in regulating B cell responses within the GC, such as differentiation, affinity maturation, and plasma cell development. Additionally, this review explores the impact of other cytokines like CXCL13, IL-10, IL-9, and IL-2 on GC responses and their potential involvement in autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer. This review highlights contributions of Tfh-derived cytokines to both protective immunity and immunopathology across a spectrum of diseases. A deeper understanding of Tfh cytokine biology holds promise for insights into biomedical conditions.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.281-287
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• 2011

Background: Biodegradable polymers have increasingly been recognized for various biological applications in recent years. Here we examined the immunostimulatory activities of the novel poly(aspartic acid) conjugated with L-lysine (PLA). Methods: PLA was synthesized by conjugating L-lysine to aspartic acid polymer. PLA-nanoliposomes (PLA-NLs) were prepared from PLA using a microfluidizer. The immunostimulatory activities of PLA-NLs were examined in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs). Results: PLA-NLs increased the number of BM-DCs when added to cultures of GM-CSF-induced DC generation on day 4 after the initiation of cultures. Examination of the phenotypic properties showed that BM-DCs generated in the presence of PLA-NLs are more mature in terms of the expression of MHC class II molecules and major co-stimulatory molecules than BM-DCs generated in the absence of PLA-NLs. In addition, the BM-DCs exhibited enhanced capability to produce cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$. Allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions also confirmed that the BMDCs were more stimulatory on allogeneic T cells. PLA- NL also induced further growth of immature BM-DCs that were harvested on day 8. Conclusion: These results show that PLA-NLs induce the generation and functional activities of BM-DCs, and suggest that PLA-NLs could be immunostimulating agents that target DCs.

• BMB Reports
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• 제47권9호
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• pp.494-499
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• 2014

NADH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is known to be involved in the regulation of energy synthesis and metabolism, and the functional studies of NQO1 have largely focused on metabolic disorders. Here, we show for the first time that compared to NQO1-WT mice, NQO1-KO mice exhibited a marked increase of permeability and spontaneous inflammation in the gut. In the DSS-induced colitis model, NQO1-KO mice showed more severe inflammatory responses than NQO1-WT mice. Interestingly, the transcript levels of claudin and occludin, the major tight junction molecules of gut epithelial cells, were significantly decreased in NQO1-KO mice. The colons of NQO1-KO mice also showed high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, which are known to affect transcriptional regulation. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that NQO1 contributes to the barrier function of gut epithelial cells by regulating the transcription of tight junction molecules.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2002년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.2
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• pp.307.2-308
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• 2002

Acharan sulfate. a new glycosaminoglycan(GAG) isolated from the giant African snail Achatina fulica. was shown to have antitumor activity in vivo. To elucidate the mechanisms for the antitumor activity. we examined its impact on professional antigen presenting cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Acharan sulfate stimulated cytokine production (TNF-a and IL -1b). nitric oxide release. and morphological changes in a dose dependent manner on a macrophage cell Line Raw 264.7 cells. The differentiation-inducing activity of acharan sulfate was examined on immature DCs. Immature DCs were generated from mouse bone marrow (BM) cells by culturing with GM-CSF and IL-4, and then stimulated with acharan sulfate. The resultant DCs were then examined for funcional and phenotypic properties. It was found that acharan sulfate could induce functional maturation of immature DCs as determined by increased allogenic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and IL-12 production. Phenotypic. analysis for the expression of class II MHC molecules and major co-stimulatory molecules such as B7-1, B7-2 and CD40 also confirmed that acharan sulfate could induce maturation of immature DCs. These results suggest that that the antitumor activity of acharan sulfate is at least in part due to activation adn induction of differentiation of professinal antigen presenting cells. (omitted)

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제11권8호
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• pp.679-684
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• 2001

천연흑연은 단위구조가 탄소육각망평면이 평행하게 배열된 층상으로 전기전도도 및 윤활성이 우수하나 소수성이 매우 강하며, 표면화학적 목성이 거의 없기 때문에 다른 물질과 흡착이 쉽게 일어나지 않아 분산이 매우 어려운 물질이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 제타전위를 이용하여 흑연에 ABDM을 흡착시켜 표면특성을 소수성에서 친수성으로 변화시키고 수중현탁액 중에서 흑연입자의 분산 메커니즘을 DLVO이론을 이용하여 설명하였다. 흑연의 제타전위가 22.5mV가 되도록 ABDM의 흡착량 (20mg/g) 및 조건 (PH 10에서 12시간 흡착)을 만족시키면 분산안정성 (T$_{1/2}$) 이 44.5시간인 고분산성 흑연 현탁액을 제조할 수 있다.

• Carbon letters
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.192-197
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• 2015

In the present work, we propose a molecule (C₁₄H₁₄) that can be used as a building block of hexagonal diamond-type crystals and nanocrystals, including wurtzite structures. This molecule and its combined blocks are similar to diamondoid molecules that are used as building blocks of cubic diamond crystals and nanocrystals. The hexagonal part of this molecule is included in the C₁₂ central part of this molecule. This part can be repeated to increase the ratio of hexagonal to cubic diamond and other structures. The calculated energy gap of these molecules (called hereafter wurtzoids) shows the expected trend of gaps that are less than that of cubic diamondoid structures. The calculated binding energy per atom shows that wurtzoids are tighter structures than diamondoids. Distribution of angles and bonds manifest the main differences between hexagonal and cubic diamond-type structures. Charge transfer, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet-visible spectra are investigated to identify the main spectroscopic differences between hexagonal and cubic structures at the molecular and nanoscale. Natural bond orbital population analysis shows that the bonding of the present wurtzoids and diamondoids differs from ideal sp³ bonding. The bonding for carbon valence orbitals is in the range (2s^0.982p^3.213p^0.02)-(2s^0.942p^3.313p^0.02) for wurtzoid and (2s^0.932p^3.293p^0.01)-(2s^0.992p^3.443p^0.01) for diamantane.