• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 2020

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that causes severe disease when the infection occurs during pregnancy. Adenosine is a purine nucleoside involved in numerous physiological processes; however, the role of adenosine receptors in T. gondii-induced trophoblast cell function has not been investigated until now. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the intracellular signaling pathways regulated by adenosine receptors using a HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell model of T. gondii infection. HTR8/SVneo human extravillous trophoblast cells were infected with or without T. gondii and then evaluated for cell morphology, intracellular proliferation of the parasite, adenosine receptor expression, TNF-α production and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathways triggered by adenosine A₃ receptor (A₃AR). HTR8/SVneo cells infected with T. gondii exhibited an altered cytoskeletal changes, an increased infection rate and reduced viability in an infection time-dependent manner. T. gondii significantly promoted increased TNF-α production, A₃AR protein levels and p38, ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation compared to those observed in uninfected control cells. Moreover, the inhibition of A₃AR by A₃AR siRNA transfection apparently suppressed the T. gondii infection-mediated upregulation of TNF-α, A₃AR production and MAPK activation. In addition, T. gondii-promoted TNF-α secretion was dramatically attenuated by pretreatment with PD098059 or SP600125. These results indicate that A₃AR-mediated activation of ERK1/2 and JNK positively regulates TNF-α secretion in T. gondii-infected HTR8/SVneo cells.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2024

Hydrothermal Reaction (HTR) was applied for the stabilization of contaminated soil with heavy metals, and then the test determined the optimal conditions for HTR. After HTR, the concentration of heavy metals in the contaminated soil increased. However, it was observed that the leachability potential significantly decreased as determined by TCLP and SPLP tests. This decrease was attributed to a decline in fractions 1-2 and an increase in fractions 3-4 as revealed by sequential extraction procedure. Due to the mineralogical characteristics of the dredged soil, distinct changes were not evident in the five-stage fraction. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to understand the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the target soil for HTR application in order to selectively address contaminants. Comparison among operating conditions determined the optimal condition to be at 240℃ for one hour.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.238-242
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• 2005

5-HT2A is one of major serotonin receptor that is involved in the action of serotonin-targeting drugs. Previous clinical studies have shown an unexpected association between lower cholesterol level and psychiatric diseases, in which T102C polymorphism of HTR2A, gene of 5-HT2A serotonin receptor, might be involved. Therefore, we hypothesized a potential association between lower cholesterol level and T102C polymorphism. The effect of the T102C polymorphism on the serum lipid profiles of 646 subjects without specific psychiatric disease was investigated. Genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. There were significantly lower levels of total cholesterol ($193.6{\pm}35.0$ versus $202.1{\pm}45.5\;mg/dl$, p = 0.016) and HDL-cholesterol ($42.7{\pm}11.6$ versus $46.3{\pm}12.7\;mg/dl$, p = 0.004) in CC genotype than non-CC genotypes. Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that the CC genotype is a strong predictor of a lower HDL-cholesterol level (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study shows that the CC genotype of the HTR2A gene is related to lower HDL-cholesterol level in Koreans. This is the first demonstration showing the potential genetic relationship between the serotonin receptor gene polymorphism and the HDL-cholesterol level.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2010

Placenta has been shown to be a site of expression of several of the monoamine membrane uptake transporters. However, the correlation between the expressions of norepinephrine transporter (NET) and placental development including gynecological diseases is still unknown. To investigate the expression and functions of NET in placenta, we conducted to compare NET expression in normal and preeclamptic placenta and analyzed the function of NET in HTR8-SV/neo trophoblast cells after NET gene transfection. The expression of NET was analyzed in placental tissues from the following groups of patients (none underwent labor): 1) term normal placenta (n=15); 2) term with preeclamptic placeneta (n=15); and 3) pre-term with preeclamptic placenta (n=11) using semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. In order to evaluate the function of NET, NET gene plasmid and NET gene-specific siRNA were trnasfected into HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells for 24 hours. NET had low expression in the pre-eclamptic placenta compare with normal placenta but no difference in western blot data. NET was expressed in the trophoblasts, and the up-regulation of NET gene stimulated the invasion of HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells by 2.5 fold (p<0.05), whereas the NET-siRNA treatment reduced invasion rates. Also, we observed that the expression of NET induces to expression and activity of MMP-9 in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells in zymography. The results suggest that the expression of NET were reduced in pre-eclampsia and should be inhibited invasion activity of trophoblasts. Therefore, these findings provide useful guidelines for the mechanisms of trophoblast invasion as well as for the basic understanding of gynecological diseases including pre-eclampsia.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2011

The glutathione S-transferase (GST) system is useful for increasing protein solubility and purifying soluble GST fusion proteins. However, purifying half of the GST fusion proteins is still difficult, because they are virtually insoluble under non-denaturing conditions. To optimize a simple and rapid purification condition for GST-pyruvate kinase muscle 2 (GST-PKM2) protein, we used 1% sarkosyl for lysis and a 1 : 200 ratio of sarkosyl to Triton X-100 (S-T) for purification. We purified the GST-PKM2 protein with a high yield, approximately 5 mg/L culture, which was 33 times higher than that prepared using a conventional method. Notably, the GST-high-temperature requirement A2 (GST-HtrA2) protein, used as a model protein for functional activity, fully maintained its proteolytic activity, even when purified under our S-T condition. This method may be useful to apply to other biologically important proteins that become highly insoluble in the prokaryotic expression system.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.239.2-239
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.2753-2760
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• 2021

This paper proposes using sodium-cooled fast reactor technologies for use in hydrogen vapor methane (SMR) modification. Using three independent energy rings in the Russian BN-600 fast reactor, steam is generated in one of the steam-generating cycles with a pressure of 13.1 MPa and a temperature of 505 ℃. The reactor's second energy cycles can increase the gas-steam mixture's temperature to the required amount for efficient correction. The 620 ton/hr 540 ℃ steam generated in this cycle is sufficient to supply a high-temperature synthesis current source (700 ℃), which raises the steam-gas mixture's temperature in the reactor. The proposed technology provides a high rate of hydrogen production (approximately 144.5 ton/hr of standard H₂), also up to 25% of the original natural gas, in line with existing SMR technology for preparing and heating steam and gas mixtures will be saved. Also, exergy analysis results show that the plant's efficiency reaches 78.5% using HTR heat for combined hydrogen and power generation.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.922-936
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• 2022

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), a monoamine, as a local regulator in the mammary gland is a chemical signal produced by the mammary epithelium cell. In cows, studies have shown that 5-HT is associated with epithelial cell apoptosis during the degenerative phase of the mammary gland. However, studies in other tissues have shown that 5-HT can effectively promote cell viability. Whether 5-HT could have an effect on mammary cell viability in dairy cows is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) effect of 5-HT on the viability of bovine mammary epithelial cells and its related signaling pathways, (2) interaction between prolactin (PRL) and 5-HT on the cell viability. The bovine mammary alveolar cell-T (MAC-T) were cultured with different concentrations of 5-HT for 12, 24, 48 or 72 hours, and then were assayed using cell counting kit-8, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunobloting. The results suggested that 20 μM 5-HT treatment for 12 or 24 h promote cell viability, which was mainly induced by the activation of 5-HT receptor (5-HTR) 1B and 4, because the increase caused by 5-HT vanished when 5-HTR 1B and 4 was blocked by SB224289 and SB204070. And protein expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (eEF2), janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) were decreased after blocking 5-HT 1B and 4 receptors. When MAC-T cells were treated with 5-HT and PRL simultaneously for 24 h, both the cell viability and the level of mTOR protein were significantly higher than that cultured with 5-HT or PRL alone. In conclusion, our study suggested that 5-HT promotes the viability of MAC-T cells by 5-HTR 1B and/or 4. Furthermore, there is a reciprocal relationship between PRL and 5-HT.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.43-45
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• 2016

Whole body energy balance is achieved through the coordinated regulation of energy intake and energy expenditure in various tissues including liver, muscle and adipose tissues. A positive energy imbalance by excessive energy intake or insufficient energy expenditure results in obesity and related metabolic diseases. Although there have been many obesity treatment trials aimed at the reduction of energy intake, these strategies have achieved only limited success because of their associated adverse effects. Serotonin is among those traditional pharmacological targets for anti-obesity treatment because central 5-HT functions as an anorexigenic neurotransmitter in the brain. Thus, there have been many trials aimed at increasing the activity of 5-HT in the central nervous system, and some of the developed methods are already used in the clinical setting as anti-obesity drugs. However, recent studies suggest the new functions of peripheral serotonin in energy homeostasis ranging from the endocrine regulation by gut-derived serotonin to the autocrine/paracrine regulation by adipocyte-derived serotonin. Pharmacological inhibition of 5-HT synthesis leads to inhibition of lipogenesis in epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT), induction of browning in inguinal WAT and activation of adaptive thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Fat specific Tph1 knock-out (Tph1 FKO) mice exhibit similar phenotypes as mice with pharmacological inhibition of 5-HT synthesis, suggesting the localized effects of 5-HT in adipose tissues. In addition, Htr3a KO mice exhibit increased energy expenditure in BAT and Htr2a KO mice exhibit the decreased lipid accumulation in WAT. These data suggest the clinical significance of the peripheral serotonergic system as a new therapeutic target for anti-obesity treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1113-1120
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• 2010

This study investigated the efficacy of macelignan and hot water with Chinese traditional herb (CTH) extract on altering severe diabetic conditions in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice. Previously, the anti-diabetic effects of macelignan were partly reported as a PPAR $\alpha/\gamma$-dual agonist. Here, we futher studied whether a combination of macelignan and CTH had more beneficial effects or not. The macelignan and CTH compound significantly decreased fasting blood glucose and HbA1c compared to macelignan-treated mice, and also significantly improved postprandial glucose, insulin sensitivity, and plasma lipid profiles (FFA, and TG). On the other hand, insulin levels were not significantly changed compared to the diabetic control group. There were no significant changes in the concentrations of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, but there were changes in HTR and AI. These results suggest that the macelignan and CTH compound ameliorates hyperglycemia and efficiently improves postprandial glucose, insulin sensitivity, and hyperlipidemia compared with macelignan in db/db mice. Moreover, the macelignan and CTH compound seems to be more potent in affecting diabetic complications than macelignan.