• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2011

Chronic alcohol consumption contributes to numerous diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and liver cirrhosis. Epidemiological studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption is a risk factor for dementia. Along this line, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is caused by the accumulation of amyloid-$\beta$ ($A{\beta}$ plaques in neurons. In this study, we hypothesized that chronic ethanol consumption is associated with pathological processing of APP in AD. To investigate the relationship between chronic alcohol consumption and $A{\beta}$ production, brain samples from rats fed an alcohol liquid diet for 5 weeks were analyzed. We show that the expression levels of APP, BACE1, and immature nicastrin were increased in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and striatum of the alcohol-fed group compared to the control group. Total nicastrin and PS1 levels were induced in the hippocampus of alcohol-fed rats. These data suggest that the altered expression of APP and $A{\beta}$-producing enzymes possibly contributes to the chronic alcohol consumption-mediated pathogenesis of AD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1102-1105
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• 1998

Chronic granulomatous disease in childhood is a rare inheritable disorder of phagocytic cells in which defective production of the reactive intermediates of oxygen predisposes the patient to severe recuring pyogenic infections. The lung is the most common site of infection and pulmonary disease is the primary cause of death for greater than 50% of children with chronic granulomatous disease. Although the role of surgery in management of this disease remains undefined, rapid diagnosis of the underlying pulmonary problem is crucial to determine the most appropriate antimicrobial therapy and surgical techniques such as lobectomy of involved areas lead to more rapid recovery and thus allow the antibiotics to be more efficacious in these cases. We have treated a one month old male baby who had the chronic granulomatous disease with pulmonary infection. Wide surgical resection of the affected lobe and use of antibiotics and antifungals were carried out with good clinical results. He was well after the operation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.30-47
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• 2006

Objective : The present study is aimed to elucidate the effects of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense on immunomodulation and the potential as an herbal remedy for cancer treatment. Method : It was performed through measurement of effects Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense extract (CJE) on NO production, NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine gene expressions related with macrophage and NK cell activity. Result : 1. CJE did not show any direct cytotoxic effects on 7250, HT1080, Hep G2 and CT-26 cells. 2. CJE activated macrophages partially to product NO and up-regulated gene expressions for iNOS in RAW 264.7 cells. 3. CJE promoted cytotoxicity of NK cells against YAC-1 cells at higher concentration than 200 ${\mu}g/ml$. 4. CJE up-regulated gene expressions for $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-2, iNOS, $IFN-{\gamma}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in mice splenocytes.　５. CJE inhibited lung tumor metastasis induced by CT-26 cell transplantation compared with the control group.　Conclusion : It could be concluded that CJE is an effective herbal drug for immune modulating and anti-cancer treatment by promoting activity of macrophages and NK cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.456-462
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• 2011

Purpose: Synthesis of regulated on activation, normal T-cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) in the airway has previously been shown to be elevated after respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. However, since few studies have examined whether RSV-infected asthma patients express a higher level of RANTES than do normal individuals, we used a murine model of asthma to address this question. Methods: We prepared Dermatophagoides farinae-sensitized mice as an asthma model, and then infected them with RSV and analyzed the changes in airway responsiveness and the cell populations and cytokine levels of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Results: RANTES synthesis increased in response to RSV infection in both control mice and in asthma model (D. farinae) mice. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of RANTES produced following RSV infection between control and D. farinae mice. RSV infection affected neither interferon-${\gamma}$ synthesis nor airway responsiveness in either control or D. farinae mice. Conclusion: RSV infection did not induce more RANTES in a murine model of asthma than in control mice.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.219-229
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• 2016

Fatty liver is a common metabolic disorder of dairy cows during the transition period. Historically, the diagnosis of fatty liver has involved liver biopsy, biochemical or histological examination of liver specimens, and ultrasonographic imaging of the liver. However, more convenient and noninvasive methods would be beneficial for the diagnosis of fatty liver in dairy cows. The plasma metabolic profiles of dairy cows with fatty liver and normal (control) cows were investigated to identify new biomarkers using $^1H$ nuclear magnetic resonance. Compared with the control group, the primary differences in the fatty liver group included increases in ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyric acid, acetone, glycine, valine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, citrulline, and isobutyrate, and decreases in alanine, asparagine, glucose, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid glycerol, and creatinine. This analysis revealed a global profile of endogenous metabolites, which may present potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of fatty liver in dairy cows.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1115-1119
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• 2007

This study was conducted to determine the difference between satellite cells (porcine) and myoblasts (C2C12) in their differentiation under the influence of 2, 4-thiazolidindion. C2C12 myoblast cells and porcine satellite cells (isolated from 10 d old $Landrace{\times}Duroc$ piglets) were grown to absolute confluency. Post confluent cells (day 0) were further exposed to adipogenic induction medium along with 2, 4-thiazolidindion ($8{\mu}M$) for 2 d. Thereafter, cells were exposed to 2, 4-thiazolidindion alone every 2 d till day 10 and analysed. The control was cultured in differentiation medium without any treatment. Increased (p<0.05) expression of transcriptional factors i.e. C/EBP-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ and transition of cells to adipocyte morphology was noticed from 2 d and 4 d onwards in satellite cells (Porcine) and myoblasts (C2C12) respectively. Myogenesis was observed to be suppressed completely in case of satellite cells compared to myoblasts in response to 2, 4-thiazolidindion. Pax-7 (transcriptional factor) appeared as a sole entity to satellite cells only, as it was not identified in case of myoblasts. Although both the cells were converting to adipoblasts, the degree of their conversion was different in response to 2, 4-thiazolidindion. Therefore, the hypothesis that satellite cells contribute various domains to the growing myoblasts appeared obscured and found to be dependent on the proliferative energy/or degree of fusion. However, it revealed satellite cells as currency to myoblasts/muscle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1000-1006
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• 2010

Phosducin (PDC) is a photoreceptor cell-specific protein that is phosphorylated by cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase. PDC and PDC-like proteins (PDCL, PDCL2, and PDCL3) are members of a conserved family of small thioredoxin-like proteins that modulate the ${\beta}$- and ${\gamma}$-subunits of G-proteins. In mammals, Pdc, Pdcl, and Pdcl3 genes show ubiquitous expression; however, Pdcl2 gene expression is limited to the testis and ovary. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression patterns of chicken Pdcl2 (cPdcl2) during testicular and ovarian development. Protein sequence comparisons performed using the CLUSTAL X program revealed that the amino acid sequences and potential phosphorylation sites of cPDCL2 and mammalian PDCL2 proteins were highly conserved. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that cPdcl2 was differentially expressed in the testis and ovary. Specifically, cPdcl2 expression was detected at low levels in the ovary at all time points. In the testis, cPdcl2 expression was detected at low levels until 5 weeks of age. At 8 weeks of age, however, cPdcl2 showed increased expression levels in the testis. Using in situ hybridization, we detected high levels of cPdcl2 expression in the testis, particularly in the spermatocytes and round spermatids. In summary, our data describe expression patterns of germ cell-specific Pdcl2 during testicular and ovarian development in chickens.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.575-582
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• 1991

To increase the production of glutathione by the expression of recombinant gsh plasmids, two genes responsible for the biosynthesis of glutathione were isolated and cloned. To clone a gshI gene, the GS903 mutant strain, which is deficient in $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity, has been raised. A gshI gene was cloned using pBR322 plasmid as a 3.6 Kb PstI DNA fragment isolated from E. coli K-12 chromosomal DNA. Also a gshIl gene was cloned using pUC13 plasmid as a 2.2 Kb PstI-BamHI DNA fragment. To study the effects of plasmid copy number and passenger DNA size on the expression levels of the gsh genes, various recombinant plasmids containing different sets of genes were constructed. The expression levels of the gsh genes were increased approximately twice higher in pUC series plasmids than that in pBR322 plasmid. But the sizes of the passenger DNA containing the gsh genes in the vector plasmid did not affect on the expression levels of the gsh genes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1393-1400
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• 2008

Recent study has demonstrated an increasing prevalence of food allergy in Korean children. Specific probiotic bacteria may promote potentially anti-allergenic processes through induction of Th1-type immunity and enhance the regulatory lymphocyte. This study investigated whether orally administrated probiotics could suppress allergic responses in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy mouse model. Thus, female C3H/HeJ mice were orally sensitized with OVA and cholera toxin for 4 weeks. Lactobacillus acidophilus AD031, Bifidobacterium lactis AD011, and L. acidophilus AD031 plus B. lactis AD011 were fed to mice from 2 weeks before the sensitization. The OVA-induced mice that were not treated with probiotics had significantly increased serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1, and OVA-specific IgA in feces. However, the mice treated with probiotics suppressed production of the OVA-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgA. The level of IL-4 was significantly lower, and the levels of INF-$\gamma$ and IL-10 were significantly higher in the mice treated with probiotics than that in the non-treated mice. The groups treated with probiotics had decreased levels of degranulated mast cells, eosinophil granules, and tail scabs. These results indicate that L. acidophilus AD031 and B. lactis AD011 might be useful for the prevention of allergy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.127-132
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• 2010

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which include hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), the superoxide anion (${O_2}^-{\cdot}$), and the hydroxyl radical ($OH{\cdot}$), are generated as by-products of oxidative metabolism in cells. The cerebral cortex has been found to be particularly vulnerable to production of ROS associated with conditions such as ischemia-reperfusion, Parkinson's disease, and aging. To investigate the effect of ROS on inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission, we examined the electrophysiological mechanisms of the modulatory effect of $H_2O_2$ on GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSCs) in mechanically isolated rat cerebral cortical neurons retaining intact synaptic boutons. The membrane potential was voltage-clamped at -60 mV and mIPSCs were recorded and analyzed. Superfusion of 1-mM $H_2O_2$ gradually potentiated mIPSCs. This potentiating effect of $H_2O_2$ was blocked by the pretreatment with either 10,000-unit/mL catalase or $300-{\mu}M$ N-acetyl-cysteine. The potentiating effect of $H_2O_2$ was occluded by an adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin, and was blocked by a protein kinase A inhibitor, N -(2-[p-bromocinnamylamino] ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride. This study indicates that oxidative stress may potentiate presynaptic GABA release through the mechanism of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent pathways, which may result in the inhibition of the cerebral cortex neuronal activity.