• Molecules and Cells
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.100005.1-100005.15
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• 2024

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with a complex genetic basis, presenting both in familial and sporadic forms. The hexanucleotide (G₄C₂) repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene, which triggers distinct pathogenic mechanisms, has been identified as a major contributor to familial and sporadic Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases. Animal models have proven pivotal in understanding these mechanisms; however, discrepancies between models due to variable transgene sequence, expression levels, and toxicity profiles complicate the translation of findings. Herein, we provide a systematic comparison of 7 publicly available Drosophila transgenes modeling the G₄C₂ expansion under uniform conditions, evaluating variations in their toxicity profiles. Further, we tested 3 previously characterized disease-modifying drugs in selected lines to uncover discrepancies among the tested strains. Our study not only deepens our understanding of the C9orf72 G₄C₂ mutations but also presents a framework for comparing constructs with minute structural differences. This work may be used to inform experimental designs to better model disease mechanisms and help guide the development of targeted interventions for neurodegenerative diseases, thus bridging the gap between model-based research and therapeutic application.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.233-246
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease mainly affecting young women of childbearing age. SLE affects the skin, joints, muscles, kidneys, lungs, and heart. Cardiovascular complications are common causes of death in patients with SLE. However, the complexity of the cardiovascular system and the rarity of SLE make it difficult to investigate these morbidities. Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) serve as a novel tool for drug screening and pathophysiological studies in the absence of patient samples. Methods and Results: We differentiated CMs from HC- and SLE-iPSCs using 2D culture platforms. SLE-CMs showed decreased proliferation and increased levels of fibrosis and hypertrophy marker expression; however, HC-and SLE-monolayer CMs reacted differently to SLE serum treatment. HC-iPSCs were also differentiated into CMs using 3D spheroid culture and anti-Ro autoantibody was treated along with SLE serum. 3D-HC-CMs generated more mature CMs compared to the CMs generated using 2D culture. The treatment of anti-Ro autoantibody rapidly increased the gene expression of fibrosis, hypertrophy, and apoptosis markers, and altered the calcium signaling in the CMs. Conclusions: iPSC derived cardiomyocytes with patient-derived serum, and anti-Ro antibody treatment could serve in effective autoimmune disease modeling including SLE. We believe that the present study might briefly provide possibilities on the application of a combination of patient-derived materials and iPSCs in disease modeling of autoimmune diseases.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.438-450
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• 2024

Arabidopsis MORC1 (Microrchidia) is required for multiple levels of immunity. We identified 14 MORC1-interacting proteins (MIPs) via yeast two-hybrid screening, eight of which have confirmed or putative nuclear-associated functions. While a few MIP mutants displayed altered bacterial resistance, MIP13 was unusual. The MIP13 mutant was susceptible to Pseudomonas syringae, but when combined with morc1/2, it regained wild-type resistance; notably, morc1/2 is susceptible to the same pathogen. MIP13 encodes MED9, a mediator complex component that interfaces with RNA polymerase II and transcription factors. Expression analysis of defense genes PR1, PR2, and PR5 in response to avirulent P. syringae revealed that morc1/2 med9 expressed these genes in a slow but sustained manner, unlike its lower-order mutants. This expression pattern may explain the restored resistance and suggests that the interplay of MORC1/2 and MED9 might be important in curbing defense responses to maintain fitness. Indeed, repeated challenges with avirulent P. syringae triggered significant growth inhibition in morc1/2 med9, indicating that MED9 and MORC1 may play an important role in balancing defense and growth. Furthermore, the in planta interaction of MED9 and MORC1 occurred 24 h, not 6 h, post-infection, suggesting that the interaction functions late in the defense signaling. Our study reveals a complex interplay between MORC1 and MED9 in maintaining an optimal balance between defense and growth in Arabidopsis.

• Oncology Letters
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.2029-20238
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• 2019

In vitro culture of patient-derived tumor cells offers many advantages in the development of novel therapies for colorectal cancer. Although various culture systems have been developed, the long-term expansion of patient-derived tumor cells remains challenging. The present results suggested that tumor cells isolated from colorectal cancer patient-derived xenografts can be efficiently immortalized in conditioned medium from irradiated feeder cells containing Y-27632, a rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor. Patient-derived tumor cells proliferated rapidly, reaching 90-95% confluence in ~6 days. Short tandem repeat analysis suggested that these tumor tissues and cultured cells presented 13 identical short tandem repeat loci, including Amelogenin, Penta E, Penta D, D2S1338 and D19S433. Their epithelial phenotype was confirmed by staining for epithelial cell adhesion molecule and cytokeratin 20, whereas vimentin was used as a mesenchymal marker. When cells were transferred to 3D cultures, they continued to proliferate, forming well-defined tumor spheroids. Expression levels of human telomerase reverse transcriptase and C-Myc mRNA were increased in cultured cells. Finally, immortalized cells were used for the screening of 65 anticancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration, allowing the identification of gene-drug associations. In the present study, primary culture models of colorectal cancer were efficiently established using a ROCK inhibitor and feeder cells, and this approach could be used for personalized treatment strategies for patients with colorectal cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.964-970
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• 2008

Purpose : Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) and propionic aciduria (PA) are inborn errors in the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids. The study was undertaken to investigate the genotypes and clinical features of Korean patients with MMA and PA. Methods : This study examined 12 patients with MMA and eight with PA. We analyzed various clinical features, laboratory findings, treatments, and neuro-developmental outcomes. Diagnoses were based on the presence of characteristic compounds detected by amino acid analysis in serum and organic acid analysis in urine. Mutation analysis was performed in the genes of MUT, MMAA, MMAB, and MMACHC for MMA and PCCA and PCCB for PA. Results : Among the 20 patients, six patients were diagnosed before one month of age and nine patients were diagnosed after the newborn period. Five patients were diagnosed via a neonatal screening test. Patients with early-onset forms had more severe illness at presentation and generally poor outcomes. A favorable outcome was obtained in 55% patients; most of them were of a late-onset type or diagnosed by neonatal mass screening test without symptoms. Genotypes were confirmed in all patients with MMA. We detected 11 different mutations by MUT gene analysis in 10 patients, and three different mutations in MMACHC genes in two patients. PCCA and PCCB gene mutations were identified in 14 of the 16 alleles, in eight patients with PA. Conclusion : Organic aciduria is a fatal disease; however, better outcomes are expected whenever early diagnosis and prompt management are made possible. Mutation analysis is useful for confirming diagnoses and planning management strategies.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.218-236
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• 1995

The author studied prognostic indicators of sixty Korean male alcoholics in psychological, social and biological aspects who were divided into abstinent and drinking groups. Thirty patients were assigned to each group. They were controlled in age and sex. Both groups were compared in terms of the demographic characteristics, past drinking history, treatment history, famaily history, ego strength and personality factors differences and distribution of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene Al allele. Also the author studied relation of clinical course, alcoholic family history and dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene Al allele in both groups. The results were as follows; 1) The abstinent group had higher rate of married state, higher economic status, longer education years and maintained more stable job than the drinking group. But made no differences in occupation and religion. 2) The abstinent group showed higher rate of living with family members than the drinking group, and wives and fellows of the alcoholics anonymous were important factors for maintenance of abstinence. Family loading and parent's characters were not different. 3) The abstinent group had longer maximal length of abstinence but mean amount of alcohol consumption per day were larger than the drinking group. But there were no differences in duration of past drinking, drinking pattern, main drinking time, first drinking age and preference of the kind of alcoholic beverage in the past drinking history. 4) The abstinent group showed stronger treatment motivation, absolute abstinence in treatment goal, more voluntary adimission and maintained longer therapeutic relationship otter discharge than the drinking group. But both groups showed negative attitude toward antabuse therapy. 5) The abstinent group had higher mean score in ego strength scale than the drinking group. 6) In the personality factor questionnaire, the abstinent group showed strong laugh poise and the trait of praxernia, conservatism personality but the drinking group showed tough poise, the trait of weak ego strength(unstableness) and tough mindedness personality. 7) In comparision of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene A1 allele, the prevalence of A1 allele was seventy percent and the frequency was 0.38 in the abstinent group. The prevalence of A1 allele was sixty percent and the frequency was 0.42 in the drinking group. Both groups were not significantly different in A1 allele prevalence and frequency. 8) In comparision of dopamine $D_2$ receptor gene A1 allele according to alcoholic family history, the prevalence of A1 allele was seventy percent and the frequency was 0.43 in the family history positive group. The prevalence of A1 allele was sixty-one percent and the frequency was 0.38 in the family history negative group. Both groups were not significantly different in A1 allele prevalence and frequency. In comparision of past drinking history according to alcoholic family history, the family history positive group showed earlier first drinking and problem drinking, but the family history negative group hod longer duration of past drinking. The mean amount of alcohol consumption per day, the longest duration of abstinence and Alcoholism Screening Test of Seoul Natoinal Mental Hospital(NAST) results were not significant. In conclusion, the results suggest that successful prognostic indicators of Korean alcoholics are married state, higher economic status, longer education years, stable job, living with family members, longer abstinence during past drinking history, strong treatment motivation, absolute abstinence in treatment goal, voluntary adimission, maintained therapeufic relationship, strong ego strength and the trait of praxernia, conservatism personality. But occupation, religion, alcoholic family history, parent's characters, duration of past drinking, drinking pattern, main drinking time, first drinking age, preference of the kind of alcoholic beverage, attitude to antabuse therapy and distribution of dopamine $D_2$ receptor A1 allele were not significantly related to the prognostic indicators of Korean alcoholics.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2006

It is well-known that paclitaxel($Taxol^{(R)}$), which is extracted from the pacific and English yew, has been used as a chemotherapeutic agent for ovarian carcinoma and advanced breast carcinoma and Cyclosporin A, which is highly lipophilic cyclic peptide and isolated from a fungus, has been also used as an useful immunosuppressive drug after transplantation and is associated with cellular apoptosis. Since 1953, in which James Watson, Rosalind Franklin and Francis Crick discovered the double helical structure of DNA, a few kinds of techniques for identifying gene expression have been developed. In postgenomic period, many of researchers have used the DNA microarray which is high throughput screening technique to screen large numbers of gene expression simultaneously. In this study, we searched and screened the gene expression in the oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines treated with $Taxol^{(R)}$, cyclosporin or cyclosporin combined with $Taxol^{(R)}$ using cDNA microarray. The results were as following; 1. It was useful that the appropriate concentration of Cyclosporin A and $Taxol^{(R)}$ used in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line was under 1${\mu}g/ml$ and 3${\mu}g/ml$. 2. In the experimental group in which $Taxol^{(R)}$ and $Taxol^{(R)}$ + Cyclosporin A were used, the cell growth was extremely decreased. 3. In the group in which Cyclosporin A was used, the MTT assay was rarely decreased which means the activity of succinyl dehydrogenase is remained in mitochondria but in the group in which the mixture of Cyclosporin A and $Taxol^{(R)}$ were used, the MTT assay was extremely decreased. 4. In the each group in which Cyclosporin A(3 ${\mu}g/ml$) and $Taxol^{(R)}$(1 ${\mu}g/ml$) were used, the cell arrest was appeared in $G_2/M$ phase and in the group in which $Taxol^{(R)}$(3 ${\mu}g/ml$) was used, the cell arrest was appeared in both S phase and $G_2/M$ phase. 5. In the oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line treated with $Taxol^{(R)}$, several genes including ANGPTL4, RALBP1 and TXNRD1, associated with apoptosis, SUI1, MAC30, RRAGA and CTGF, related with cell growth, HUS1 and DUSP5, related with cell cycle and proliferation, ATF4 and CEBPG, associated with transcription factor, BTG1 and VEGF, associated with angiogenesis, FDPS, FCER1G, GPA33 and EPHA4 associated with signal transduction and receptor activity and AKR1C2 and UGTA10 related with carcinogenesis were detected in increased levels. The genes that showed increaced expression in the oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line treated with Cyclosporin A were CYR61, SERPINB2, SSR3 and UPA3A which are known as genes associated with cell growth, carcinogenesis, receptor activity and transcription factor. The genes expressed in the HN22 cell line treated with cyclosporin combined with $taxol^{(R)}$ were ALCAM and GTSE1 associated with cancer invasiveness and cell cycle regulation.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 2004

Stress-susceptible pigs have been known as the porcine stress syndrome (PSS), swine PSS, also known as malignant hyperthermia (MH), is characterized as sudden death and production of poor meat quality such as PSE (pale, soft and exudative) meat after slaughtering. PSS and PSE meat cause major economic losses in the pig industry. A point mutation in the gene coding for the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) in porcine skeletal muscle, also known calcium (Ca$^{2+}$) release channel, has been associated with swine PSS and halothane sensitivity. We used the PCR-RFLP(restriction fragment length polymorphism) and PCR-SSCP (single strand conformation polymorphism) methods to detect the PSS gene mutation (C1843T) in the RYR1 gene and to estimate genotype frequencies of PSS gene in Korean pig breed populations. In PCR-RFLP and SSCP analyses, three genotypes of homozygous normal (N/M), heterozygous carrier (N/n) and homozygous recessive mutant (n/n) were detected using agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively. The proportions of normal, carrier and PSS pigs were 57.1, 35.7 and 7.1％ for Landrace, 82.5, 15.8 and 1.7％ far L. Yorkshire, 95.2, 4.8 and 0.0％ for Duroc and 72.0, 22.7 and 5.3％ for Crossbreed. Consequently, DNA-based diagnosis for the identification of stress-susceptible pigs of PSS and pigs producing PSE meat is a powerful technique. Especially, PCR-SSCP method may be useful as a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive test for the large-scale screening of PSS genotypes and pigs with PSE meat in the pork industry.y.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.215-225
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• 2005

Objective : It has long been known about the osteogenic effect of CTF-HAS on bone tissues. However, it has not been determined the effect of CTF-HAS on cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to screen the CTF-HAS mediated differentially expressed genes in cancer cells such as HepG2 hepatoma cells lines. Oligonucleotide microarray approach were employed to screen the differential expression genes. Methods : CTF-HAS was prepared by boiling and stored at $-70^{\circ}C$ until use. Cells were treated with various concentrations of CTF-HAS(0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 10, $20mg/m{\ell}$) for 24 h. Cytotoxicity was tested by MTT assay. To screen the differentially expressed genes in cancer cells, cells were treated with $1.5mg/m{\ell}$ of CTF-HAS. For oligonucleotide microarray assay, total RNA was used for gene expression analysis using oligonucleotide genechip (Human genome U133 Plus 2.0., Affimatrix Co.). ResuIts : It has no cytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells in all concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 10, $20mg/m{\ell}$). More than twofold up-regulated genes were 19 genes. The number of more than twofold down-regulated genes was 13. Discussion : This study showed the screening of CTF-HAS mediated differentially regulated genes using combined approaches of oligonucleotide microarray. The screened genes will be used for the better understanding in therapeutic effect of CTF-HAS on cancer field.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.217-226
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• 2014

Root-knot symptoms were found on a commercial tomato cultivar carrying Mi, a resistance gene to root-knot nematodes including Meloidogyne incognita, M. arenaria, and M. javanica in 2012 at Buyeo, Chungnam Province in Korea. The isolate was identified as M. incognita based on molecular analyses using two species-specific primer sets. Pathogenicity of the isolate on one susceptible and three resistant tomato cultivars to the root-knot nematodes was tested. The nematode isolate showed strong pathogenicity on all the tested cultivars at all tested incubation temperatures. In addition, resistance degree of 33 commercial tomato cultivars, 8 susceptible and 25 resistant cultivars to root-knot nematodes, was also tested. Plants were determined as resistant when they suppressed the nematode reproduction. All the cultivars demonstrated strong susceptibility to the nematode regardless of resistance of the tomato cultivars. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the occurrence of Mi infecting M. incognita isolate in Korea. On the other hand, to construct an efficient screening method for selecting resistant breeding source to the nematode isolate, root-knot development of M. incognita on four tomato cultivars according to several conditions such as inoculum concentration, plant growth stage, and incubation period after transplant was investigated. Reproduction of the nematode on all the tested cultivars according to inoculum concentration increased in a dose-dependent manner. Except for inoculum concentration, there was no significant difference in reproduction level of the cultivars according to the other tested conditions. On the basis of the results, we suggest an efficient screening method for new resistant tomato to the nematode isolate.