• 분석과학
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.271-277
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• 2005

혈액 내 urea는 임상진단 시 신장 기능을 판단하는 중요한 표지물질로서 측정되고 있다. 단백질 등 질소화합물의 최종 대사물인 urea는 콩팥의 사구체에서 걸러져 소변으로 배출되는데, 사구체의 거르는 능력이 저하되면 결국 혈액 속의 urea 농도가 증가하게 되어 신장 기능의 정상여부를 판단할 수 있게 된다. 이러한 임상진단 결과의 신뢰성 향상을 위해서는 측정결과가 일차분석법으로 인증된 인증표준 물질과 소급성 고리를 유지해야 한다. 본 연구에서는 혈청 내 urea의 일차분석법으로서 $15^N_2$-urea를 내부 표준물질로 사용하는 동위원소희석 액체크로마토그라피-질량분석법 (ID-HPLC/MS)을 개발하였다. 이 방법은 측정원리상 고도의 정확성이 확보될 뿐 아니라 별도의 유도체화가 필요 없기 때문에 빠르고 편리하다. $C_{18}$-분리관에 0.1 mmol/L $NH_4Cl$ buffer를 이동상으로 사용하여 urea를 분리하였는데, 이 완충용액은 비교적 분자량이 작은 urea를 질량분석하는데 방해가 크지 않은 장점이 있다. HPLC와 질량분석기의 인터페이스로서 positive mode의 electrospray ionization (ESI)를 사용하여 높은 감도와 재현성을 성취하였다. 국제적으로 인정된 인증표준물질의 분석을 통해 최적화된 방법의 유효성을 확인하였으며, 국제비교시험에도 참여하여 좋은 결과를 얻었다. ISO guide에 따라 불확도를 계산하였으며, 확장 불확도는 95% 신뢰도에서 약 1.8%로 나타났다. 이 분석법은 표준연에서 개발 중인 혈청인증표준물질을 인증하는 일차기준측정절차로도 사용되고 있다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.323-328
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• 2007

SOX (Sry-related HMG box) family proteins, which have an evolutionarily conserved DNA binding domain, have crucial roles in cell differentiation. However, their target genes remain enigmatic. Some members of the SOX family may have roles in regulation of cell proliferation. We established stable NT2/D1 cell lines overexpressing SOX15 (SOX15-NT2/D1), and a modified 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells exhibited significantly slower growth than the controls. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that an increased fraction of the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells were in G1-G0. In addition, a microarray analysis identified 26 genes that were up-regulated in the SOX15-NT2/D1 cells, but none that were down-regulated genes. Among the up-regulated genes, IGFBP5, S100A4, ID2, FABP5, MTSS1, PDCD4 have been shown to be related to cell proliferation and/or the cell cycle.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.5605-5611
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• 2012

Background: In the last two decades, pioneering research on anti-tumour activity of saffron has shed light on the role of crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal, as broad spectrum anti-neoplastic agents. However, the exact mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. Identification and characterization of the targets of bioactive constituents will play an imperative role in demystifying the complex anti-neoplastic machinery. Methods: In the quest of potential target identification, a dual virtual screening approach utilizing two inverse screening systems, one predicated on idTarget and the other on PharmMapper was here employed. A set of target proteins associated with multiple forms of cancer and ranked by Fit Score and Binding energy were obtained from the two independent inverse screening platforms. The validity of the results was checked by meticulously analyzing the post-docking binding pose of the picrocrocin with Hsp90 alpha in AutoDock. Results: The docking pose reveals that electrostatic and hydrogen bonds play the key role in inter-molecular interactions in ligand binding. Picrocrocin binds to the Hsp90 alpha with a definite orientation appropriate for nucleophilic attacks by several electrical residues inside the Hsp90-alpha ATPase catalytic site. Conclusion: This study reveals functional information about the anti-tumor mechanism of saffron bioactive constituents. Also, a tractable set of anti-neoplastic targets for saffron has been generated in this study which can be further authenticated by in vivo and in vitro experiments.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.15-27
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• 2020

Objectives : We selected three herb-combined remedies, Bigihwan (BGH), Daechilgitang (DCGT) and Mokwhyangbinranghwan (MHBRH), through Donguibogam text-mining analysis, and evaluated their anti-cancer effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells. Methods : Cytotoxicity was assessed by an MTT assay. Apoptosis rate, autophagy and ROS level were detected by flow cytometry. The autophagy was also observed by Cyto-ID staining fluorescence microscopy. The expression of autophagy, mitophagy and pexophagy regulatory proteins was detected by Western blot analysis. Results : BGH showed the strongest effect among the three prescriptions in inhibiting Hep3B cell viability, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Autophagy blockers improved cell viability and reduced apoptosis after BGH and DCGT treatments, indicating that autophagy by these prescriptions enhanced Hep3B cells against their cytotoxicity. However, MHBRH enhanced the reduction of cell viability and apoptosis by autophagy blockers. Induction of autophagy by BGH treatment was associated with mitophagy due to mitochondrial dysfunction than DCGT and MHBRH-treated cells. In addition, induction of apoptosis by BGH treatment was ROS-dependent and showed the possibility of pexophagy involvement. Conclusion : Although further studies need to be conducted to study the efficacy and mechanism of accurate anticancer activity, the present results will serve as important sources of understanding the mechanism of action of herbal remedies prescribed for liver disease as documented in Donguibogam.

• 대한방사성의약품학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.54-60
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• 2019

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) imaging plays an important role in surgery of patients with breast cancer and melanoma. In this study, avidin (Av), a tetrameric protein glycosylated with mannose and N-acetylglucosamine molecules, was labeled with $^{64}Cu$ and then evaluated for LN imaging. $^{64}Cu$-Labeled $NeutrAvidin^{TM}$ (NAv), a non-glycosylated form of Av, was used for comparison. 1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-conjugated Av and NAv were prepared from the corresponding proteins and DOTA-NHS ester, which were then labeled with copper-64 and purified using PD-10 columns. The numbers of DOTA molecules conjugated to Av and NAv were 4.9 and 3.3, respectively. [$^{64}Cu$]Cu-DOTA-conjugated Av and NAv were prepared in 93% and 73% radiochemical yields, respectively. In vitro serum stability study showed that copper-64 remained stable on all radiotracers for 24 h (>97%). MicroPET/CT images showed that high radioactivity was accumulated in LNs within 15 min after footpad-injection of radiotracers. Tissue distribution data of mice demonstrated significantly higher uptake in the popliteal (PO) LN than lumbar (LU) LN for $^{64}Cu$-labeled Av (relative % ID/g excluding the injection sites: 66.2% and 26.0%, respectively) compared with those of $^{64}Cu$-labeled NAv (43.0% and 49.2%, respectively). The results of this study suggest that mannose molecules on Av enabled the radiotracer to retain in the first LN after mouse footpad-injection.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.7.1-7.11
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• 2023

The gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne intracellular pathogen that is widespread in the environment. The functions of hypothetical proteins (HP) from various pathogenic bacteria have been successfully annotated using a variety of bioinformatics strategies. In this study, a HP Imo0888 (NP_464414.1) from the Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e strain was annotated using several bioinformatics tools. Various techniques, including CELLO, PSORTb, and SOSUIGramN, identified the candidate protein as cytoplasmic. Domain and motif analysis revealed that the target protein is a PemK/MazF-like toxin protein of the type II toxin-antitoxin system (TAS) which was consistent with BLASTp analysis. Through secondary structure analysis, we found the random coil to be the most frequent. The Alpha Fold 2 Protein Structure Prediction Database was used to determine the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the HP using the template structure of a type II TAS PemK/MazF family toxin protein (DB ID_AFDB: A0A4B9HQB9) with 99.1% sequence identity. Various quality evaluation tools, such as PROCHECK, ERRAT, Verify 3D, and QMEAN were used to validate the 3D structure. Following the YASARA energy minimization method, the target protein's 3D structure became more stable. The active site of the developed 3D structure was determined by the CASTp server. Most pathogens that harbor TAS create a crucial risk to human health. Our aim to annotate the HP Imo088 found in Listeria could offer a chance to understand bacterial pathogenicity and identify a number of potential targets for drug development.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.310-317
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• 2022

최근 인체에 유해한 요인으로 대기오염의 주성분인 미세먼지에 대한 관심이 증가하고 있다. 특히 직경이 2.5 ㎛ 미만인 PM_2.5는 인간의 폐 상피세포에서 자가포식을 동반한 산화적 스트레스를 유발하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나 PM_2.5가 산화적 스트레스 하에서 자가포식을 증가시키는지와 이 과정이 ROS 의존적인지에 대한 연구는 충분하지 않은 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 PM_2.5가 인간 폐 상피 A594 세포에서 ROS 생성을 통해 자가포식을 촉진하는지를 조사하였다. 우리의 결과에 의하면, PM_2.5와 H₂O₂를 함께 처리한 세포에서는 각각이 단독 처리된 세포에 비하여 세포 생존력이 유의적으로 감소하였으며, 이는 전체 및 미토콘드리아 ROS 생성의 증가와 관련이 있었다. 또한, PM_2.5와 H₂O₂의 동시 처리는 Cyto-ID 염색을 통해 확인된 바와 같이 자가포식 유도의 증가와 LC3, p62 및 beclin 1과 같은 자가포식 바이오 마커 단백질의 발현을 증가시켰다. 그러나 NAC의 전처리에 의하여 ROS의 생성을 인위적으로 차단하였을 경우, PM_2.5와 H₂O₂의 동시 처리에 의한 세포 생존율의 감소와 자가포식 유도는 현저하게 억제되었다. 따라서, PM_2.5에 의해 유도된 ROS 생성이 A549 세포에서 자가포식 유도에 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 추측되며, 이는 PM_2.5에 의해 유도될 수 있는 폐 기능 손상이 산화적 스트레스 하에서 더욱 증가할 수 있음을 의미한다.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.326-338
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• 2020

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that causes disorientation, mood swings, problems with language, and difficulty remembering recent events. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs) and memantine have been used to slow the course of the disease, but they can neither modify its progression nor prevent disease onset. Previous studies have suggested that Kami-guibi-tang (KGT) could be beneficial for supporting cognitive function in AD patients, but few clinical trials have been published. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of KGT in improving cognitive function in AD patients. Methods: The study will be a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, single-center trial conducted using subjects diagnosed with mild AD by neurologists. Study subjects will be randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group. The treatment group will receive KGT granules for 24 weeks, while the control group will receive placebo granules. AchEI administration will be maintained in both groups during the entirety of the study. Subjects will be assessed using the following exams: the Seoul Neuropsychologic Screening Battery (SNSB) for cognitive function; brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for brain metabolite, neurotransmitter, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements; the Korean version of Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (KQol-AD) for quality of life; the Caregiver-Administered Neuropsychiatric Inventory (CGA-NPI) for neurobehavioral symptoms; blood tests for amyloid and tau proteins and general blood parameters; and electrocardiography (ECG) before and after taking the medication. Discussion: Our findings will provide insight into the feasibility of large-scale trials to consolidate evidence for the efficacy of KGT for dementia treatment. Registration ID in CRIS: KCT0002904 (Clinical Research Information Service of the Republic of Korea).

• 분석과학
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.92-99
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• 2014

본 연구에서는 음이온 고체상 추출법 (AE SPE; anion exchange solid phase extraction)을 사용하여 간섭요인을 제거한 후, 친화 크로마토그래피 AF HPLC; affinity high performance liquid chromatography)와 유도결합 플라스마 질량분석법 (ICP/MS; inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry)을 사용하여 한국인의 혈청에서의 셀레노 단백질을 분리하고 정량하였다. 먼저 동위원소 희석법으로 셀레늄 총량을 분석한 결과, 건강한 한국 사람의 혈청내 평균농도는 $94.3{\pm}2.3ngg^{-1}$ 이었다. AE SPE와 AF 컬럼을 online으로 연결하여 셀레노단백질인 glutathione peroxidase (GPx), selenoprotein P (SelP), selenoalbumin (SeAlb)을 분리하고, 후 컬럼 동위원소 희석법 (PC ID; post column isotope dilution)으로 정량하였다. 혈청 인증표준물인 BCR-637을 분석한 결과 전체 셀레노 단백질의 합은 $85.4{\pm}3.4ngg^{-1}$으로 문헌값인 $81{\pm}7ngg^{-1}$과 일치하는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 20 명의 건강한 한국인의 혈청에서 얻은 셀레노 단백질 GPx, SelP 및 SeAlb 의 농도는 각각 $12.1{\pm}1.4ngg^{-1}$, $57.2{\pm}2.0ngg^{-1}$, 그리고 $20.0{\pm}1.9ngg^{-1}$ 이었으며 이들의 합인 $89.3ngg^{-1}$은 셀레늄의 총량값인 $94.3ngg^{-1}$과 거의 같은 값으로 혈청에서의 셀레늄은 주로 셀레노 단백질로 구성되어 있음을 알았다. 이 중 GPx의 농도는 간섭을 제거하기 전인 $25.0ngg^{-1}$에 비해 50% 이상 크게 감소하였는데 이로서 간섭은 주로 GPx에 포함되어 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. AE SPE는 간섭요인인 Cl과 Br을 제거 하는데 매우 효과적임을 보여주었다.