• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.449-456
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• 2008

The differentiation of mouse embryonic stem(ES) cell into smooth muscle cells(SMC) may play a major role in cardiovascular development and under pathophysiological conditions. Therefore, in the present study, we have examined the differentiation of ES cells and its related gene expression. SMC differentiation was indicated by cellular morphology and time-dependent induction of dibutyryl adenosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate(DBcAMP)and retinoic acid(RA) on smooth muscle ${\alpha}$-actin($SM{\alpha}A$), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain(SMMHC) gene expression. The control was undifferentiated ES cells(protein expressions represent 50-60kDaOct-4). The results of this study show that morphology of embryoid body and confirmation of $SM{\alpha}A$ expression by immunocytochemistry. Moreover, SMMHC and desmin expression was significantly increased by time dependent manner(5, 7, 15 days), in contrast to $SM{\alpha}A$ expression was slightly decreased on 15days. In conclusion, DBcAMP and RA stimulate mouse ES cells differentiation into SMC and enhanced $SM{\alpha}A$, SMMHC and desmin expression.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.86-97
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigate the effects of GamiSamgieum (SGMX) on hyperlipidemia using an animal model. Additionally, the underlying mechanisms were investigated by determination of gene expressions related with lipid metabolism. Methods : Forty mice were selected for use in this experiment, and then divided into five groups; Naive, Induced, SGMX 100, SGMX 200, and Lovastatin group as positive control with 8 mice each, and their blood was collected for analysis of blood and serum parameters. Results : Administration of SGMX significantly inhibited the increase of liver weight and the macrovacuolar cytoplasmic alterations in histopathologic finding. SGMX administration significantly protected the liver from pathologic elevation of AST and ALT and from lipid peroxidation. SGMX administration significantly lowered total cholesterol levels and TG, and partially upregulated the gene expression of LCAT, CYP7A1 and LDL-R receptor. Conclusion : SGMX is suggested to possess hypolipidemic effect, and thus could be a potential candidate for herbal hypolipidemic via further studies.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.54-63
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• 2003

Objectives : This study aimed to elucidate the effects of TBE on hyperlipidemia. Methods : We studied the effects of TBE on hyperlipidemia through gene expressions related with lipid metabolism and serum triglyceride as well as total and HDL-cholesterol levels, and perceived histological changes. Results : The present studies demonstrate that TBE can reduce the rise in plasma cholesterol and TG levels induced by a high-cholesterol diet and also reverse pre-established hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglycemia. In the TBE group total cholesterol levels decreased, TG levels decreased, but HDL-cholesterol levels also decreased. In the analysis of absolute and relative liver weight, TBE inhibited the weight gain induced by a high-cholesterol diet. In the histological observations, lipid droplet and apoptotic change in the TBE treated group were less compared with the control group. In the serum biochemical analysis, a difference of serum AST and ALT changes among groups was not shown, but TG and total cholesterol levels were less and HDL level decreased compared with the control group. In the gene expression related with TG and cholesterol metabolism, DGAT decreased slightly but ACAT decreased more as compared with control and Lipidil groups. Conclusion : From this study, we can infer that TBE possesses a hypolipidemic effect by inhibiting the intestinal absorption and storage of exogenous and endogenous cholesterol.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.289-298
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• 2006

3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important molecule, which mediates diverse cellular processes. For example, it is involved in regulation of sugar uptake/catabolism, DNA replication, cell division, and motility in various acterial species. In addition, cAMP is one of the critical regulators for syntheses of virulence factors in many pathogenic bacteria. It is believed that cAMP acts as a signal for environmental changes as well as a regulatory factor for gene expressions. Therefore, intracellular concentration of cAMP is finely modulated by according to its rates of synthesis (by adenylate cyclase), excretion, and degradation (by cAMP phosphodiesterase). In the present review, we discuss the bacterial physiological characteristics governed by CAMP and the molecular mechanisms for gene regulation by cAMP. Furthermore, the effect of cAMP on phosphotransferase system is addressed.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2012

In the present study, toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was investigated in the nematode, Caenohabditis elegans focusing on the upstream signaling pathway responsible for regulating oxidative stress, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed in AgNPs exposed C.elegans, suggesting oxidative stress as an important mechanism in the toxicity of AgNPs towards C. elegans. Expression of genes in MAPK signaling pathways increased by AgNPs exposure in less than 2-fold compared to the control in wildtype C.elegans, however, those were increased dramatically in sod-3 (gk235) mutant after 48 h exposure of AgNPs (i.e. 4-fold for jnk-1 and mpk-2; 6-fold for nsy-1, sek-1, and pmk-1, and 10-fold for jkk-1). These results on the expression of oxidative stress response genes suggest that sod-3 gene expression appears to be dependent on p38 MAPK activation. The high expressions of the pmk-1 gene 48 h exposure to AgNPs in the sod-3 (gk235) mutant can also be interpreted as compensatory mechanisms in the absence of important stress response genes. Overall results suggest that MAPK-based integrated stress signaling network seems to be involved in defense to AgNPs exposure in C.elegans.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.43-45
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• 2006

Unlike RNA interference, whose usage is limited to eukaryotic cells, Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) technique is applicable to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. PNA has been proven to be an effective agent for blocking gene expressions and has several advantages over other antisense techniques. Here we developed a parallel computing software that provides the ideal sequences to design PNA oligos to prevent any off-target effects. We applied a new approach in our location-finding algorithm that finds a target gene from the whole genome sequence. Message Passing Interface (MPI) was used to perform parallel computing in order to reduce the calculation time. The software will help biologists design more accurate and effective antisense PNA by minimizing the chance of off-target effects.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1683-1690
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• 2013

The cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) homolog, GlxR, controls the expression of several genes involved in the regulation of diverse physiological processes in Corynebacterium glutamicum. In silico analysis has revealed the presence of glxR binding sites upstream of genes ptsG, adhA, and ald, encoding glucose-specific phosphotransferase system protein, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), respectively. However, the involvement of the GlxR-cAMP complex on the expression of these genes has been explored only in vitro. In this study, the expressions of ptsG, adhA, and ald were analyzed in detail using an adenylate cyclase gene (cyaB) deletion mutant and glxR deletion mutant. The specific activities of ADH and ALDH were increased in both the mutants in glucose and glucose plus ethanol media, in contrast to the wild type. In accordance, the promoter activities of adhA and ald were derepressed in the cyaB mutant, indicating that glxR acts as a repressor of adhA. Similarly, both the mutants exhibited derepression of ptsG regardless of the carbon source. These results confirm the involvement of GlxR on the expression of important carbon metabolic genes; adhA, ald, and ptsG.

• Proceedings of the Korean Statistical Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.17-23
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• 2005

In this paper we consider the well-known semiparametric proportional hazards models for survival analysis. These models are usually used with few covariates and many observations (subjects). But, for a typical setting of gene expression data from DNA microarray, we need to consider the case where the number of covariates p exceeds the number of samples n. For a given vector of response values which are times to event (death or censored times) and p gene expressions(covariates), we address the issue of how to reduce the dimension by selecting the significant genes. This approach enables us to estimate the survival curve when n ${\ll}$p. In our approach, rather than fixing the number of selected genes, we will assign a prior distribution to this number. The approach creates additional flexibility by allowing the imposition of constraints, such as bounding the dimension via a prior, which in effect works as a penalty To implement our methodology, we use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. We demonstrate the use of the methodology to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) complementary DNA (cDNA) data and Breast Carcinomas data.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2011

Panax ginseng root has been used as a major source of ginsenoside throughout the history of oriental medicine. In recent years, scientists have found that all of its biomass, including embryogenic calli and flower buds can contain similar active ingredients with pharmacological functions. In this study, transcriptome analyses were used to identify different gene expressions from embryogenic calli and fl ower buds. In total, 6,226 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained from cDNA libraries of P. ginseng. Insilico analysis was conducted to annotate the putative sequences using gene ontology functional analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes orthology biochemical analysis, and interproscan protein functional domain analysis. From the obtained results, genes responsible for growth, pathogenicity, pigments, ginsenoside pathway, and development were discussed. Almost 83.3% of the EST sequence was annotated using one-dimensional insilico analysis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.326-332
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• 2012

Mast cells play pivotal pathologic roles in allergic disease involving T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. Fisetin has been known as an anti-allergic agent having inhibitory effects on the IL-4 and IL-13 gene expressions in inflammatory immune cells. However, its molecular mechanisms for suppressive effects of fisetin on IL-4 and IL-13 in activated mast cells have been incompletely elucidated. In this study we found that fisetin significantly inhibited the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin (PI)-induced production of IL-4 and IL-13 in mast cells. The levels of mRNA were dramatically decreased by fisetin, indicating the suppression might be regulated at the transcriptional levels. Western blot analysis of the nuclear expression of various transcription factors involved in the promoter activation indicated that suppression of c-Fos was prominent together with significant down-regulation of nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NF-AT) and NF-${\kappa}B$, but not c-Jun. Furthermore, the nuclear expression of GATA binding protein 2 (GATA-2) transcription factor was significantly down-regulated by fisetin. Taken together, our study indicated fisetin has suppressive effects on IL-4 and IL-13 gene expression through the regulation of selective transcription factors.