• Annals of Clinical Microbiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2014

Rapidly growing mycobacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and are increasingly being recognized as opportunistic pathogens. Recently, a new species, Mycobacteium conceptionense, has been validated from the Mycobacterium fortuitum third biovariant complex by molecular analysis. However, there are few reports, and postsurgical wound infection by this species is rare. We report a case of postsurgical wound infection caused by M. conceptionense in an immunocompetent patient that was identified by a sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA, hps65, and rpoB genes.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2000

Purpose : Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura(HSP) is a common pediatric discase presenting most frequently with skin, gastrointestinal, joint and renal manifestations. The prognosis of HSP is mainly determined by the involvement of the kidney, but prognostic markers have not been established. We evaluated the patients who have HSP nephritis with nephrotic syndrome. Method : Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were observed and analyzed in 34 cases with HSP which were manifested by nephrotic syndrome hospitalized at Kyung Hee university Hospital during the period from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1998. Results : 1) Male to female ratio was 1.3:1, and mean age at onset was 8.3 year. 2) Mean duration from symptom onset to renal biopsy was 10.5 weeks. 3) Proportion of patients presenting with acute nephritis was 32.4$\%$, gross hematuria 17.6$\%$, microscopic hematuria 50$\%$. 4) The findings of renal biopsy were 20 cases of grade II, 11 cases of grade III, 2 cases of grade I, 1 case of grade IV according to classification by ISKDC. 5) Patients with grade I were recovered with no residual defect, but patients with grade IV shows active renal disease(states C). Conclusion : Among the 디le patients with Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura accompanying nephrotic syndrome, more aggressive treatment might be needed in patients showing crescents formation on renal biopsy. A prospective study will be needed to explore the progression of this disease.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.57-58
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• 2018

An accurate diagnostic marker for detecting early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (eHCC) is clinically important, since early detection of HCC remarkably improves patient survival. From the integrative analysis of the transcriptome and clinicopathologic data of human multi-stage HCC tissues, we were able to identify barrier-to-autointegration factor 1 (BANF1), procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 3 (PLOD3) and splicing factor 3b subunit 4 (SF3B4) as early HCC biomarkers which could be detected in precancerous lesions of HCC, with superior capabilities to diagnose eHCC compared to the currently popular HCC diagnostic biomarkers: GPC3, GS, and HSP70. We then showed that SF3B4 knockdown caused G1/S cell cycle arrest by recovering $p27^{kip1}$ and simultaneously suppressing cyclins, and CDKs in liver cancer cells. Notably, we demonstrated that aberrant SF3B4 overexpression altered the progress of splicing progress of the tumor suppressor gene, kruppel like factor 4 (KLF4), and resulted in non-functional skipped exon transcripts. This contributes to liver tumorigenesis via transcriptional inactivation of $p27^{kip1}$ and simultaneous activation of Slug genes. Our results suggest that SF3B4 indicates early-stage HCC in precancerous lesions, and also functions as an early-stage driver in the development of liver cancer.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2011

While many isolates of Alternaria alternata are common saprophytes on trees and shrubs, this study clearly demonstrated that A. alternata is a primary pathogen in lilac (Syringa sp.), causing a leaf-blight that affects different Syringa species. Isolates of Alternaria sp. were collected from leaf blight samples of lilacs in the field. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and morphological characterization were used to identify lilac blight pathogen. Based on 100% ITS nucleotide sequence identities to the Alternaria genus in the GenBank and morphological features, these isolates were identified as A. alternata. Disease symptoms were reproduced in lilac plants inoculated with A. alternata mycelial plugs and sprayed with a fungus-free culture filtrate, indicating that pathogenesis in lilac involves secondary metabolites or toxins. Diagnostic primers were developed to detect Alternaria sp. and A. alternata in lilac leaf blight based on ITS region and four known genes associated with pathogenesis in A. alternata: mixed-linked glucanase precursor, endopolygalacturonase, hsp70, and histone genes. The results from our study indicated A. alternata is a primary pathogen in lilac leaf blight, and these diagnostic primers can be used as a tool for the fast detection of A. alternata associated with lilac leaf blight.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2002

The present study was conducted to elucidate genes involved in the primordial-primary follicular transition. By using suppression subtractive hybridization, day1- and day5-subtracted cDNA libraries were obtained with the forward and reverse subtraction method, respectively. In toto, 357 clones were sequenced and analyzed by BLAST and RIKEN program. Sequences of 330 clones significantly matched database entries while 27 clones were novel. Forty-two and 47 genes with known functions were different between day1 and day5 ovaries. Four genes, GDF8, lats2, septin2, and wee1, from the day1 subtracted cDNA library, and 6 genes, HSP84, laminin2, MATER, MTi7, PTP, and wrn, from day5-subtracted cDNA library were chosen, and their differential expression was evaluated using RNAs from whole ovaries as well as captured primordial and primary follicles by laser captured microdissection. Results from the present study would provide insight for the future study on the mechanisms involved in primordial-primary follicle transition in the mouse in addition to the human ovary.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2021

We investigated the effects of breed, laying age, and egg storage period on the vitality of chicks using the Hwanggalsaek Jaeraejong, Korean Rhode Island Red, and Korean White Leghorn chicken breeds. Their eggs were collected during the early laying period (27~29 weeks) and late laying period (50~52 weeks) and were stored for 3 days, 7 days and 14 days. After the eggs hatched, the hatching time, production performance, and organ weight of chicks were investigated. IL-6 gene expression level and relative length of telomeres were analyzed to determine the physiological activity of the chicks. HSP gene expression level and heterophil to lymphocytes ratio were also analyzed to examine the degree of stress response in the chicks. The results showed that breed and laying age influenced the vitality of chicks, but the egg storage period did not. Korean Leghorn chicks were considered the weakest breed in terms of vitality owing to their low survival rate, small heart size, low physiological activity, and high stress response level. Although the survival rate of chicks produced in the early laying period was low, their high physiological activity and low stress response indicated that they had a high vitality than the chicks produced in the late laying period. In conclusion, to obtain chicks with high vitality, it would be desirable to select a high vitality breed and avoid the use of chicks produced in the late laying period.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.713-722
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• 2012

When proteins extracted from longissimus dorsi muscles of Landrace and Berkshire at the finishing stage were compared by 2-DE, the Landrace demonstrated a quantitative increase in proteins related to slow skeletal muscle function, such as serum albumin precursor, troponin T (slow skeletal muscle; sTnT) and myoglobin. In contrast, the Berkshire exhibited comparatively elevated enzymes involved in metabolic pathways, fast skeletal muscle function, and energy production, such as heat shock 27-kDa protein (HSP27)-1, TnT (fast skeletal muscle; fTnT), muscle creatine kinase, phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1), triosephosphate isomerase (Tpi1) and adenylate kinase isoenzyme 1 (AK1). When compared to growing Berkshire, finishing Berkshire showed increased levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member L1 (ALDHL1), and muscle creatine kinase. In contrast, the growing Berkshire muscle had elevated levels of HSP27-1, sTnT, fTnT, serum albumin precursor, PGM1, AK1, and Tpi 1 as compared to the finishing Berkshire. The Landrace longissimus dorsi muscle may be composed of slower skeletal muscle, whereas Berkshire is composed of a faster skeletal muscle. The uniquely elevated quantities of proteins involved in skeletal muscle function, energy metabolism, and cytoskeleton function in the growing Berkshire indicate that these factors support growth and maintenance during the growing stage when compared with the finishing Berkshire.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.319-323
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• 2004

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 is of great interest because of its important roles in the oxidation of numerous drugs and xenobiotics. HDJ-1, a molecular chaperone in human, is known to assist the correct folding of unfolded proteins. To achieve a high yield of recombinant human CYP3A4 in Escherichia coli, the CYP3A4 encoding gene was co-expressed with the chaperone HDJ-1, under the control of an inducible tac promoter in a bicistronic format. The levels of expression of the CYP3A4 in the bicistronic construct reached up to 715 nmol $(liter culture)^{-1}$ within 16 h at $37^{\circ}C$, which was about a 3.3-fold increase compared to that of the CYP3A4 alone without the HDJ-1. By co-expression with HDJ-1, the catalytic activity of CYP3A4 was also increased by -15-fold. The amount of activity increase was similar to that of the CYP production at the whole cell level. The present over-expression system may be useful for the rapid production of large amounts of active CYP3A4 in E. coli.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.220-229
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• 2021

Lonicera caerulea (Honey berry, HB) has been used in medical treatment in Russia, Japan, China and Korea. It has high level of vitamin C and polyphenolics. Polyphenolics can improve anti-inflammatory effect and prevent cancer, diabetes mellitus type 2. Also, Vitamin C is a representative anti-oxidant. however, it is still unknown what effect it will have on the oxidation stress of the reproductive system. In previous studies, ROS can be produced when it is exposed to heat stress and has negative effect on sperm's maturation, capacitation, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction and fusion of egg and sperm. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the antioxidant effects of L. Caerulea on the sperm and mice. At first, it conducted using ICR mouse (n = 20) for 4 weeks. There are four groups of mice (n = 5 per group). Also, L. Caerulea was taken by oral gavage. Group I (control) kept at 23℃-27℃ and administer D.W (0.5 mL/day), Likewise, Group II (HB) kept at room temperature but gave HB (250 mg/kg, 0.5 mL/day), Group III (HB + HS) received heat stress (40℃) using hyperthermia induction chamber and gave HB at same dose. and Group IV (HS) exposed heat stress only. Mainly, we showed degree of gene expression using Western blot in SOD, HSP 70, 17β-HSD and Real-time PCR. It can find correlation between intracellular activity like steroid hormone, apoptosis under ROS and antioxidant activity of L. Caerulea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.295-300
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• 2014

The actin cytoskeleton plays an important role in macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses by modulating the activation of Src and subsequently inducing nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ translocation. In spite of its critical functions, few papers have examined how the actin cytoskeleton can be regulated by the activation of toll-like receptor (TLR). Therefore, in this study, we further characterized the biological value of the actin cytoskeleton in the functional activation of macrophages using an actin cytoskeleton disruptor, cytochalasin B (Cyto B), and explored the actin cytoskeleton's involvement in morphological changes, cellular attachment, and signaling events. Cyto B strongly suppressed the TLR4-mediated mRNA expression of inflammatory genes such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), without altering cell viability. This compound also strongly suppressed the morphological changes induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 ligand. Cyto B also remarkably suppressed NO production under non-adherent conditions but not in an adherent environment. Cyto B did not block the co-localization between surface glycoprotein myeloid differentiation protein-2 (MD2), a LPS signaling glycoprotein, and the actin cytoskeleton under LPS conditions. Interestingly, Cyto B and PP2, a Src inhibitor, enhanced the phagocytic uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran. Finally, it was found that Cyto B blocked the phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at 1 min and the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) at 5 min. Therefore, our data suggest that the actin cytoskeleton may be one of the key components involved in the control of TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages.