• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2013

Biologically active peptides, including growth factors and cytokines, participate in various biological processes in human skin. They could provide a great advantage of maintaining healthy skin. Many peptide growth factors like epidermal growth factor (EGF) and human growth hormone (hGH) have been used in cosmetic formulations. The delivery of peptide growth factors across the Stratum corneum, however, seems not sufficient because of their physical properties such as high molecular weight and hydrophilicity. So increasing the penetration of growth factors of interest into skin would be a major concern for ensuring their maximum biological efficacy. In this study, we have identified several skin penetration-enhancing peptides which facilitate delivery of growth factors, when fused at N-terminus of the target protein, into skin. For efficient and rapid screening, we constructed a skin-penetrating assay system using Franz cell and porcine skin. Next, we carried out phage display screening using M-13 bacteriophage with random 12 -amino acid library on its coat protein P3 on that system. After several selection rounds, peptide sequences facilitate the penetration of phages through the porcine skin were identified from a large population of phages. We found that phages with the most potent peptide (S3-2, NGSLNTHLAPIL) could penetrate the porcine skin eight times more than those with control peptide (12 mino acids scrambled peptide). Furthermore, growth factors conjugated with S3-2 peptide penetrate porcine skin three to five times efficiently than non-conjugated growth factors. In conclusion, our data shows that the skin penetration-enhancing peptide we have characterized could increase the delivery of growth factors and is useful for cosmeceutical application.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.379-386
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• 2014

PURPOSE. These days, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received worldwide attention because of their potentiality in tissue engineering for implant dentistry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate various growth inducing factors in media for improvement of acquisition of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and colony forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F). MATERIALS AND METHODS. The mouse BMMSCs were freshly obtained from female C3H mouse femur and tibia. The cells seeded at the density of $10^6$/dish in media supplemented with different density of fetal bovine serum (FBS), $1{\alpha}$, 25-dihydroxyvitamin (VD3) and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF). After 14 days, CFU-F assay was conducted to analyze the cell attachment and proliferation, and moreover for VD3, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay was additionally conducted. RESULTS. The cell proliferation was increased with the increase of FBS concentration (P<.05). The cell proliferation was highest at the density of 20 ng/mL rhEGF compared with 0 ng/mL and 200 ng/mL rhEGF (P<.05). For VD3, although the colony number was increased with the increase of its concentration, the difference was not statistically significant (P>.05). CONCLUTION. FBS played the main role in cell attachment and growth, and the growth factor like rhEGF played the additional effect. However, VD3 did not have much efficacy compare with the other two factors. Improvement of the conditions could be adopted to acquire more functional MSCs to apply into bony defect around implants easily.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.719-723
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• 2012

A close association between the obesity hormone leptin and breast cancer progression has been suggested. The present study investigated the molecular mechanism for enhanced leptin expression in breast cancer cells and its functional significance in breast cancer aggressiveness. We examined whether leptin expression level is affected by the oncoprotein human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2), which is overexpressed in ~30% of breast tumors. Here, we report, for the first time, that HER2 induces transcriptional activation of leptin in MCF10A human breast epithelial cells. We also showed that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling was involved in leptin expression induced by HER2. We showed a crucial role of leptin in the invasiveness of HER2-MCF10A cells using an siRNA molecule targeting leptin. Taken together, the results indicate a molecular link between HER2 and leptin, providing supporting evidence that leptin represents a target for breast cancer therapy.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.356-358
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• 2003

The use of cultured epidermal sheet grafts for large full-thickness wound has been tempered by weak points such as long culture periods, difficulty in handling the fragile sheets, high costs and the detachment of the skin cells from the culture dishes by enzymatic digestion. To overcome the drawback of epidermal sheet grafts, we have developed a transplantation method to spray the cultured human keratinocytes with the mixtures of rhEGF and fibrin gel matrix to the full-thickness wounds on the dorsum of the athymic mice to regenerate epithelial layers. Wound biopsies were retrieved at 7, 14 and 21 days after transplantation and retrieved biopsies were analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Transplanted keratinocytes and EGF-fibriin gel accelerated wound regeneration compared with control groups. The technique developed in this study overcomes the drawbacks of the current cultured epidermal sheet grafts and accelerates epidermal wound healing.

• Journal of Endocrine Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 2018

Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family plays a crucial role in the growth of malignant tumors. EGFR and human EGFR 2 (HER2) protein overexpression are associated with an unfavorable prognosis and are important therapeutic targets in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between EGFR and HER2 expression and clinicopathological factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) at a single institution. Methods: A total of 129 consecutive patients with PTC were enrolled in this study and underwent thyroid surgery between October 2013 and February 2015. EGFR and HER2 protein expression was evaluated in the 129 primary tumors by immunohistochemistry, and the results were compared with the clinicopathological features. Results: Of the 129 PTC tumors, 20 (15.5%) were HER2 positive, and 109 (84.5%) were HER2 negative. Moreover, EGFR positivity were observed in 111 (86%) tumors. The mean age of the patients was $46.3{\pm}11.9years$ (range, 20-74 years), and the mean tumor size was $1.08{\pm}0.75cm$ (range, 0.2-3.5 cm). Tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, histological subtype, and TNM stage were not significantly associated with EGFR or HER2 expression. Meanwhile, high Ki-67 labeling index was significantly associated with EGFR expression (P=0.002), HER2 expression was significantly associated with younger age (${\leq}45years$) and cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Based on our data, it is not clear whether EGFR and HER2 expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness in PTC.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.245-249
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• 2008

Epidermal growth factor is a single-chain polypeptide consisting of 53 amino acids and has a potent mitogenic activity that stimulates proliferation of various normal and neoplastic cells through the interaction with its specific receptor(epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR). Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common salivary benign tumor and histologically, it contains the epithelial cell, the myo-epithelial cell and mesenchymal ingredient, which is various aspect. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is an infiltrative malignant salivary gland tumor with three different histological patterns: cribriform, tubular or solid. The tumor cell structure composed of modified myoepithelial cell, and basaloid cell. In this study, we used an immunohistochemical technique to investigate the expression of EGF in 6 specimens of adenoid cystic carcinoma and 10 specimens of pleomorphic adenoma taken from patients treated at Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dankook University. The results were as follows. 1. In pleomorphic adenoma, ductal structure and scattered spindle cells in hyalinized stroma, disclosing myxoid stroma and hyalin, cartilage formation were observed. Immunohistologically, weak EGF expression in ductal structure and negative in stromal area were observed. 2. Cribriform type of adenoid cystic carcinoma showed numerous pseudocyst surrounded by dark small neoplastic cells in the back-ground of fibrous connective tissue and moderate EGF expression of dark cells adjacent to pseudo lumen in cribriform pattern, while weak expression in other most cells. 3. Tubular type of adenoid cystic carcinoma showed numerous ductal pattern surrounded by two layered neoplastic cells in the back-ground of fibrous connective tissue and strong EGF expression in luminal cells of ductal structure, while weak expression in outer cells. From the results obtained, we suggest that EGF is mainly biosynthesized in cells forming duct like structures of tubulo-ductal type or cribriform adenoid cystic carcinoma and it may play a role, as a cell mitogen in adenoid cystic carcinoma growth.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.179-184
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• 2006

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: To explore the effect of recombinant human EGF on the proliferation and survival of human fibroblast cell lines following irradiation. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Fibroblast was originated human skin and primary cultured. The trypan blue stain assay and MTT assay were used to study the proliferative effects of EGF on human fibroblast cell lines in vitro. An incubation of fibroblasts with rhEGF for 24 hours immediately after irradiation was counted everyday. Cell cycle distributions were analyzed by FACS analysis. $\underline{Results}$: Number of fibroblast was significantly more increased rhEGF (1.0 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM, 1,000 nM) treated cell than control after 8 Gy irradiation. Most effective dose of rhEGF was at 160 nM. These survival differences were maintained at 1 week later. Proportion of S phase was significantly increased on rhEGF treated cells. $\underline{Conclusion}$: rhEGF cause increased fibroblast proliferation following irradiation. We expect that rhEGF was effective for radiation induced wound healing.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2020

Toxoplasma gondii, a ubiquitous, intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, infects an estimated one-third of the human population as well as a broad range of warm-blooded animals. We have observed that some tyrosine kinase inhibitors suppressed the growth of T. gondii within host ARPE-10 cells. Among them, afatinib, human epithermal growth factor receptor 2 and 4 (HER2/4) inhibitor, may be used as a therapeutic agent for inhibiting parasite growth with minimal adverse effects on host. In this report, we conducted a proteomic analysis to observe changes in host proteins that were altered via infection with T. gondii and the treatment of HER2/4 inhibitors. Secreting proteins were subjected to a procedure of micor basic reverse phase liquid chromatography, nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and ingenuity pathway analysis serially. As a result, the expression level of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K, semaphorin 7A, a GPI membrane anchor, serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A, and calpain small subunit 1 proteins were significantly changed, and which were confirmed further by western blot analysis. Changes in various proteins, including these 4 proteins, can be used as a basis for explaining the effects of T. gondii infections and HER2/4 inhibitors.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.395-402
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• 2005

In considering the healing process of injured periodontal tissue, healing rate would be influenced by the cellular activity of periodontal fibroblasts(PDLFs). In addition, the reattachment among PDLFs should be induced for healing process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of epidermal growth factor(EGF) on the proliferation and attachment of PDLFs and to verify the efficacy of EGF as a storage media or a pre-replantation conditioner of traumatically avulsed tooth. Human recombinant epidermal growth factor(hrEGF) and human periodontal fibroblasts from first premolar were prepared. At first, MTT assay was done to evaluate the toxic effect on human periodontal fibroblast and the maximum cellular growth of EGF. Cellular proliferation rate was then compared between control group and 10ng/ml EGF added group. Also, western blot was done to evaluate the expression of fibronectin in both groups. The results were as follows: 1. From MTT assay, EGF showed no toxic effect on PDL fibroblasts. The highest proliferation was shown at 10ng/ml EGF. 2. In 10ng/ml EGF added group, the degree of proliferation of PDLFs was significantly higher than that in control group. 3. Fibronectin expression of EGF added group was also significantly higher than that of control group. From this study we could conclude that EGF enhanced the regeneration rate of periodontal fibroblast, which could be used as a pretreatment agent or a storage media for traumatically avulsed teeth.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2014

The effects of erlotinib combined with celecoxib in a lung cancer xenograft model were here explored with a focus on possible mechanisms. A xenotransplanted lung cancer model was established in nude mice using the human lung cancer cell A549 cell line and animals demonstrating tumour growth were randomly divided into four groups: control, erlotinib, celecoxib and combined (erotinib and celecoxib). The tumor major axis and short diameter were measured twice a week and after 40 days tissues were collected for immunohistochemical analyses of Bcl-2 and Bax positive cells and Western-blotting analyses for the epidermal growth factor recepto (EGFR), P-EGFR, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Tumor size in the combined group was smaller than in the others (p<0.01) and the percentage of Bcl-2 positive cells was fewer in most cases (p<0.01), while that of Bax positive cells was greater than in the erlotinib and celecoxib groups (P>0.05). Western blotting showed decreased expression of P-EGFR and COX-2 with both erlotinib and celecoxib treatments, but most pronouncedly in the combined group (P<0.05). Simultaneous blockage of the EGFR and COX-2 signal pathways exerted stronger growth effects in our human xenotransplanted lung cancer model than inhibition of either pathway alone. The anti-tumor effects were accompanied by synergetic inhibition of tumor cell apoptosis, activation of p-EGFR and expression of COX-2.