• BMB Reports
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• 제45권12호
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• pp.742-747
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• 2012

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used for heart failure therapy and promotes myocardial regeneration by inducing mobilization of bone marrow stem cells to the injured heart after myocardial infarction; however, this treatment has one weakness in that its biological effect is transient. In our previous report, we generated 5 mutants harboring N-linked glycosylation to improve its antiapoptotic activities. Among them, one mutant (Phe140Asn) had higher cell viability than wild-type hG-CSF in rat cardiomyocytes, even after treatment with an apoptotic agent ($H_2O_2$). Cells treated with this mutant significantly upregulated the antiapoptotic proteins, and experienced reductions in caspase 3 activity and PARP cleavage. Moreover, the total number of apoptotic cells was dramatically lower in cultures treated with mutant hG-CSF. Taken together, these results suggest that the addition of an N-linked glycosylation was successful in improving the antiapoptotic activity of hG-CSF, and that this mutated product will be a feasible therapy for patients who have experienced heart failure.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.22-26
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• 2005

Hygrophila auriculata (K. Schum.) Heine is a wild herb commonly found in moist places on the banks of tanks, ditches and paddy fields throughout India and is one of the main sources of Ayurvedic 'Rasayana' drug. The free radical scavenging potential of 50% aqueous alcoholic extract of H. auriculata (HAEt) was studied for DPPH scavenging activity, nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical and ferryl bipyridyl complex scavenging activity along with lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity inhibition using Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rat liver homogenate. Integral antioxidative capacity was determined by photochemiluminescence assay. HAEt showed good radical scavenging activity at various concentrations $(200-1000\;{\mu}g/ml)$ against 1,1 diphenyl, 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (32.32-77.02%) with moderate scavenging activity against Nitric oxide (12.46-52.84%), hydroxyl radical (11.69-55.26%), ferryl bipyridyl complex (17.66-58.67%) and lipid peroxidation (0.829-0.416nmoles/mg protein). The above results indicate HAEt to be very effective antioxidant. It was suggested that the varied therapeutic activities claimed for the plant in the Indian indigenous systems of medicine may be in the part due to the free radical scavenging and/ or potent antioxidant activity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2008

The Glu/$Asp^{7.32}$ residue in extracellular loop 3 of the mammalian type-I gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) interacts with $Arg^8$ of GnRH-I, conferring preferential ligand selectivity for GnRH-I over GnRH-II. Previously, we demonstrated that the residues (Ser and Pro) flanking Glu/$Asp^{7.32}$ also play a role in the differential agonist selectivity of mammalian and non-mammalian GnRHRs. In this study, we examined the differential antagonist selectivity of wild type and mutant GnRHRs in which the Ser and Pro residues were changed. Cetrorelix, a GnRH-I antagonist, and Trptorelix-2, a GnRH-II antagonist, exhibited high selectivity for mammalian type-I and non-mammalian GnRHRs, respectively. The inhibitory activities of the antagonists were dependent on agonist concentration and subtype. Rat GnRHR in which the Ser-Glu-Pro (SEP) motif was changed to Pro-Glu-Val (PEV) or Pro-Glu-Ser (PES) had increased sensitivity to Trptorelix-2 but decreased sensitivity to Cetrorelix. Mutant bullfrog GnRHR-1 with the SEP motif had the reverse antagonist selectivity, with reduced sensitivity to Trptorelix-2 but increased sensitivity to Cetrorelix. These findings indicate that the residues flanking $Glu^{7.32}$ are important for antagonist as well as agonist selectivity.

• BMB Reports
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.32-37
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• 2012

Alternative splicing generates several interleukin-6 (IL-6) isoforms; for them an antagonistic activity to the wild-type IL-6 has been proposed. In this study we quantified the relative abundance of IL-6 mRNA isoforms in a panel of mouse tissues and in C2C12 cells during myoblast differentiation or after treatment with the $Ca^{2+}$ ionophore A23187, the AMP-mimetic AICAR and TNF-${\alpha}$. The two mouse IL-6 isoforms identified, IL-6${\delta}$5 (deletion of the first 58 bp of exon 5) and IL-6${\delta}$3 (lacking exon 3), were not conserved in rat and human, did not exhibit tissue specific regulation, were expressed at low levels and their abundance closely correlated to that of full-length IL-6. Species-specific features of the IL-6 sequence, such as the presence of competitive 3' acceptor site in exon 5 and insertion of retrotransposable elements in intron 3, could explain the production of IL-6${\delta}$5 and IL-6${\delta}$3. Our results argued against biological significance for mouse IL-6 isoforms.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.600-602
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• 2009

집쥐응애는 야생 설치류와 소동물을 포함하여 넓은 숙주 영역을 갖고 있으며 인체도 공격할 수 있다. 그러나 애완동물에서의 기생 증례 보고는 매우 적다. 동물병원에 내원한 애완토끼에서 다수의 응애를 관찰하였고 주사전자현미경을 적용하여 집쥐응애로 동정하였다. 이는 우리나라 애완토끼에서 집쥐응애 기생증례의 첫 번째 보고이다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.322-329
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• 2014

N-acetylglucosamine kinase (GlcNAc kinase or NAGK; EC 2.7.1.59) is highly expressed and plays a critical role in the development of dendrites in brain neurons. In this study, the authors conducted structure-function analysis to verify the previously proposed 3D model structure of GlcNAc/ATP-bound NAGK. Three point NAGK mutants with different substrate binding capacities and reaction velocities were produced. Wild-type (WT) NAGK showed strong substrate preference for GlcNAc. Conversion of Cys143, which does not make direct hydrogen bonds with GlcNAc, to Ser (i.e., C143S) had the least affect on the enzymatic activity of NAGK. Conversion of Asn36, which plays a role in domain closure by making a hydrogen bond with GlcNAc, to Ala (i.e., N36A) mildly reduced NAGK enzyme activity. Conversion of Asp107, which makes hydrogen bonds with GlcNAc and would act as a proton acceptor during nucleophilic attack on the ${\gamma}$-phosphate of ATP, to Ala (i.e., D107A), caused a total loss in enzyme activity. The overexpression of EGFP-tagged WT or any of the mutant NAGKs in rat hippocampal neurons (DIV 5-9) increased dendritic architectural complexity. Finally, the overexpression of the small, but not of the large, domain of NAGK resulted in dendrite degeneration. Our data show the effect of structure on the functional aspects of NAGK, and in particular, that the small domain of NAGK, and not its NAGK kinase activity, plays a critical role in the upregulation of dendritogenesis.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.33-38
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• 2017

Objectives : Termitomyces albuminosus (Berk.) Heim is one of the famous wild edible mushrooms in the southern part of China. It is known that Termitomyces albuminosus, like Aconitum koreanum used in Korean traditional medicine, contains a kind of cerebroside, termitomycesphin, causing a pharmacologic effect on the neuron system. The pharmacologic effect of Termitomyces albuminosus can be used to possibly replace Aconitum koreanum. However, It needs to be certified as safe before it can be used. Here, a single-oral toxicity test and safety classification was conducted to obtain acute information of the toxicity of dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder and to secure its safety in clinical applications. Methods : In order to calculate approximate lethal dose(ALD), test substance was orally administered to male and female SD-rat at dose levels of 5,000 and 0 (vehicle control) mg/kg (body weight). Based on the result of this toxicity, also the estimation of safety classification was calculated using the HED-based (human equivalent dose) MOS (margin of safety). Results : There were no mortalities, test substances treatment-related clinical signs, no changes in the body or organ weights, and no gross or histopathological findings at 14 days after treatment with test substance. Thus, the approximate lethal dose of dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder was considered over 5,000 mg/kg in both female and male mice. Conclusions : Based on the limit dose, 5000 mg/kg, it was estimated that dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder is classified as "Specified class B" indicating that clinical dose is not limited to patients as safe as food.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.133-143
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• 2021

In contrast to the human lutropin receptor (hLHR) and rat LHR (rLHR), very few naturally occurring mutants in other mammalian species have been identified. The present study aimed to delineate the mechanism of signal transduction by three constitutively activating mutants (designated M410T, L469R, and D590Y) and two inactivating mutants (D383N and Y546F) of the eel LHR, known to be naturally occurring in human LHR transmembrane domains. The mutants were constructed and measured cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation via homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assays in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells. The activating mutant cells expressing eel LHR-M410T, L469R, and D590Y exhibited a 4.0-, 19.1-, and 7.8-fold increase in basal cAMP response without agonist treatment, respectively. However, inactivating mutant cells expressing D417N and Y558F did not completely impaired signal transduction. Specifically, signal transduction in the cells expressing activating mutant L469R was not occurred with a further ligand stimulation, showing that the maximal response exhibited approximately 53% of those of wild type receptor. Our results suggested that the constitutively activating mutants of the eel LHR consistently occurred without agonist treatment. These results provide important information of LHR function in fish and regulation with regard to mutations of highly conserved amino acids in glycoprotein hormone receptors.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.101-108
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• 1998

We investigated the effect of ${\alpha}-subunit$ of the stimulatory GTP-binding protein ($G{\alpha}_s$) gene mutation on the expression of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) receptor (TRH-R) gene in GH3 cells and in growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas of acromegalic patients. In the presence of cyclohexicmide, forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine, cholera toxin, and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) decreased rat TRH-R (rTRH-R) gene expression by about 39%, 43.7%, and 46.7%, respectively. Transient expression of a vector expressing mutant-type $G{\alpha}_s$ decreased the rTRH-R gene expression by about 50% at 24 h of transfection, whereas a wild-type $G{\alpha}_s$ expression vector did not. The transcript of human TRH-R (hTRH-R) gene was detected in 6 of 8 (75%) tumors. Three of them (50%) showed the paradoxical GH response to TRH and the other three patients did not show the response. The relative expression of hTRH-R mRNA in the tumors from patients with the paradoxical response of GH to TRH did not differ from that in the tumors from patients without the paradoxical response. Direct PCR sequencing of $G{\alpha}_s$ gene disclosed a mutant allele and a normal allele only at codon 201 in 4 of 8 tumors. The paradoxical response to TRH was observed in 2 of 4 patients without the mutation, and 2 of 4 patients with the mutation. The hTRH-R gene expression of pituitaty adenomsa did not differ between the tumors without the mutation and those with mutation. The present study suggests that the expression of TRH-R gene is not likely to be a main determinant for the paradoxical response of GH to TRH, and that $G{\alpha}_s$ mutation may suppress the gene expression of TRH-R in GH-secreting adenoma. However, a certain predisposing factor(s) may play an important role in determining the expression of TRH-R.

• 생약학회지
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• 제36권2호통권141호
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• pp.109-115
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• 2005

The herb of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) has been used as an edible wild herb and to treat heart failure and gastritis. We have already reported antihyperlipidemic anti-tumor effects of this plant. To enlarge the commercial availability of this food, it was investigated whether the extracts of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum reduce hyperlipidemia and obesity or not. The plants tested in this experiment were collected from two eco-types of Is. Ullung and Mt. Odae cultivated at Pyongchang. Extracts were prepared by extracting the fresh leaves and those dried at $36^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. Pretreatment with the ethanolic extracts for two weeks(p.o.) reduced serum triglyceride-, total cholesterol- and LDL-cholesterol contents in rats induced by Triton WR-1339, respectively. Furthermore, oral administration of the extracts also inhibited the hyperlipidemia induced with oral diet of 30% corn oil. In the other attempt to find to alleviate the obesity, the model rats with obesity were induced by the high fat-diet for six weeks. Post-treatment with the extracts for two weeks significantly reduced the hyperlipidemia. Retroperitoneal-, epidymal- and total abdominal fat pad weights were considerably reduced at 100 mg/kg oral administration of the extracts. Increased feces lipid contents were also found in the rat treated with the extracts. The extract may lead to the higher activity in treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity than of the dried one.