• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.58-61
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• 2015

Objective: The XIST gene is considered to be an attractive candidate gene for skewed X-chromosome inactivation and a possible cause of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the XIST gene promoter mutation is associated with idiopathic POI in a sample of the Korean population. Methods: Subjects consisted of 102 idiopathic POI patients and 113 healthy controls with normal menstrual cycles. Patients with the following known causes of POI were excluded in advance: cytogenetic abnormalities, prior chemo- or radiotherapy, or prior bilateral oophorectomy. Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results: The mean age of onset of ovarian insufficiency was $28.7{\pm}8.5years$ and the mean values of serum luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones and estradiol in the POI group were $31.4{\pm}18.2mIU/mL$, $74.5{\pm}41.1mIU/mL$, and $30.5{\pm}36.7pg/mL$, respectively. We found no cytosine to guanine (C43G) variation in the XIST gene in both POI patients and controls. Conclusion: The C43G mutation in the promoter region of the XIST gene was not present in the Korean patients with idiopathic POI in our study, in contrast to our expectation, suggesting that the role of XIST in the pathogenesis of POI is not yet clear.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.147-164
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• 2009

Objectives : We investigated the effects of Sopungsungi-won(Shu!engshunqiyuan) (SSEx1, SSEx2) to treat the metabolic syndrome by the molecular mechanism of regulation of PPAR and modulation of mitochondrial MCAD, VLCAD mRNA expression. Methods : Mouse NMu2Li liver cells and C2C12 skeletal muscle myogenic progenital cells were transiently transfected with expression plasmids for PPAR(PPAR${\alpha}$, PPAR${\delta}$), a luciferase reporter gene construct containing 3 copies of the PPRE from the rat acyl-CoA oxidase gene and ${\beta}$-galactosidase gene. Cells were treated with several concentrated kinds of SSEx1, SSEx2 at the initial time of culture and analyzed PPAR${\alpha}$, PPAR${\delta}$ reporter gene activity using spectrophotometer (405 nm). Total RNA was extracted from SSEx1, SSEx2 and measured mRNA levels of mitochondrial MCAD, VLCAD. Representative RT-PCR bands are shown. Results : 1. SSEx1 increased the expression of PPAR${\alpha}$ reporter gene activities at 0.1 ${\mu}$g/ml (p${\mu}$g/ml (p<0.05), SSEx2 at 0.1 ${\mu}$g/ml (p${\mu}$g/ml (p<0.05) significantly in NMu2Li liver cell lines. 2. SSEx1 increased the expression of PPAR${\alpha}$ reporter gene activities at 1 ${\mu}$g/ml (p${\mu}$g/ml (p${\alpha}$ reporter gene activities in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. 4. SSEx1 increased the modulation of mitochondrial MCAD mRNA expression (p<0.05) significantly in NMu2Li liver cell lines. 5. SSEx1, SSEx2 both increased the modulation of mitochondrial MCAD mRNA expression (p<0.05) significantly in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Conclusions : These results show the SSEx1, SSEx2 can be used as therapeutic agent for metabolic syndrome and it's molecular mechanisms of PPAR more contribute to the activation of PPAR${\alpha}$ then PPAR${\delta}$ reporter gene activities and it's total RNA more contribute to the modulation of mitochondrial MCAD then VLCAD mRNA expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.2 s.69
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• pp.176-181
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• 2005

To study calmodulin (CaM) gene expression and its regulation, rice CaM promoter (RCaM-2) was isolated and fused to $\beta-glucuronidase$ (GUS), reporter gene. X-Glue staining patterns revealed that GUS localization is high in meristemic tissues such as the stem apex, stolen tip, and vascular regions. GUS staining in the transverse sections of stem and petiole was restricted to the inside of the vascular system, and cortex and epidermis located outside of the vascular system usually did not show GUS staining even a plant that expressed strong activity. GUS activity was found to be tissue specific expressed and exhibited a dramatic transient increase in response to wounding. These results suggest that the 5'-flanking region of RCaM gene regulates wound-inducible expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.2153-2159
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• 2015

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is known to cause porcine enzootic pneumonia (EP), an important disease in swine production. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of sonicated protein fractions of M. hyopneumoniae on inflammatory response and gene expression in the murine alveolar macrophage MH-S cell line. The effects of sonicated protein fractions and intact M. hyopneumoniae on the gene expression of cytokines and iNOS were assessed using RT-PCR. The Annealing Control Primer (ACP)-based PCR method was used to screen differentially expressed genes. Increased transcription of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, COX-2, and iNOS mRNA was observed after exposure to the supernatant (SPT), precipitant (PPT), and intact M. hyopneumoniae protein. A time-dependent analysis of the mRNA expression revealed an upregulation after 4 h for IL-6 and iNOS and after 12 h for IL-1β and TNF-α, for both SPT and PPT; the fold change in COX-2 expression was less. A dose- and time-dependent correlation was observed in nitrite (NO) production for both protein fractions; however, there was no significant difference between the effects of the two protein fractions. In a differential gene analysis, PCR revealed differential expression for nine gene bands after 3 h of stimulation — only one gene was downregulated, while the remaining eight were upregulated. The results of this study provide insights that help improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of and macrophage defenses against M. hyopneumoniae assault, and suggest targets for future studies on therapeutic interventions for M. hyopneumoniae infections.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2009

Controlled gene expression in specific cells is a valuable tool for gene therapy. We attempted to determine whether the lentivirus-mediated Tet-On inducible system could be applied to cancer gene therapy. In order to select the genes that induce cancer cell death, we compared the ability of the known pro-apoptotreic genes, Bax and tBid, and a cell cycle inhibitor, p21cip1/waf1, and determined that Bax was the most effective. For the cancer cell-specific expression of $rtTA2^S$-M2, we tested the matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) promoter and determined that it is highly expressed in cancer cell lines, including SNU475 cells. The co-transduction of two lentiviruses that contain sequences for TRE-Bax and $rtTA2^S$-M2, the expression of which is controlled by the MMP-2 promoter, resulted in the specific cell death of SNU475, whereas other cells with low MMP-2 expression did not evidence significant cell death. Our data indicate that the lentivirus-mediated Tet-On system using the cancer-specific promoter is applicable for cancer gene therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.79-100
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• 2010

Objective: Production of ROS from glucose toxicity results in injury of pancreatic $\beta$-cells in diabetes models. This study was undertaken to examine the influence of Lespedeza Cuneata extract (LCE) on cytoprotective effects on glucose toxicity, insulin secretion and gene expression in RIN-m5F cells. Methods: First, we measured LCE's antioxidant activity by DPPH free radical-scavenging activity and SOD activity. After the various concentrations of LCE were added to the RIN-m5F cells, we measured cell viability with glucose stimulation by MTT assay and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. We analyzed gene expression with Agilent whole mouse genome 44K oligo DNA microarray and searched for related pathways in KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes). Lastly we measured INS-1, INS-2, INS-R, IRS-1, IRS-2, IRS-3, GLP-1R, and GLP-2R mRNA expression by real time RT-PCR. Results: Free radical-scavenging activity, SOD activity and insulin secretion increased dependent on LCE concentration, but LCE did not show considerable cytoprotective effect on RIN-m5F cells. More than twice expressed gene was 6362 in Oligo DNA chip. In KEGG, the most related pathway was the metabolic pathway. In the insulin signaling pathway, up expressed genes were Irs1, Mapk8, Akt1, and Lipe and down expressed genes were Rhoq, Fbp2, Prkar2b, Gck, and Prkag1. In real time RT-PCR, IRS-2, and IRS-3 expression increased significantly compared to the control group on LCE $12{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration and GCK expression decreased significantly compared to the control group. Conclusions: These results show that LCE encourages insulin secretion and insulin metabolism by complicated gene mechanisms. Further mechanism study and clinical study seem to be necessary about Lespedeza Cuneata.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.451-454
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• 2005

Introduction of foreign genes into brain cells, such as neurons and astrocytes, is a powerful approach to study the gene function and regulation in the neuroscience field. Calcium phosphate precipitates have been shown to cause cytotoxicity in some mammalian cells and brain cells, thus leading to low transfection efficiency. Here, we describe a retrovirus-mediated gene delivery method to transduce foreign genes into brain cells. In an attempt to achieve higher gene delivery efficiency in these cells, we made several changes to the original method, including (1) use of a new packaging cell line, Phoenix ampho cells, (2) transfection of pMX retroviral DNA, (3) inclusion of 25 mM chloroquine in the transduction, and (4) 3- 5 h incubation of retroviruses with target cells. The results showed that the modified protocol resulted in a range of 40- 60% gene delivery efficiency in neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, these results suggest the potential of the retrovirus-mediated gene delivery protocol being modified and adapted for other transfection-refractory cell lines and primary cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 1998

The reporter plasmid pMT-lacZ containing the metallothionein (MT) promoter region (-320∼+58 with respect to the transcription initiation site) fused to the lacZ gene in a P-element vector was constructed. Transgenic Drosophila bearing the MT-lacZ fusion gene were established by P-element mediated transformation. Expression of the MT-lacZ fusion gene in transformants was examined during development. By treatment with low concentration of cadmium (>1O uM) or paraquat (>50 uM), increased expression of B-galactosidase was shown in fat body, brain lobe, and ganglion transgenic larval tissues. The results show that transformants bearing the MT-lacZ fusion gene are useful for further studies on the mechanism of regulation of MT gene expression and for monitoring toxic metals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1557-1561
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the promoter methylation status of the E-cadherin gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its association with clinical pathological parameters, and to explore the relationship between downregulation of E-cadherin gene expression and the methylation status of its promoter region. Methods: Nested methylation-specific PCR was performed to examine CpG methylation within the 5' CpG island of the E-cadherin gene in lung cancer and para-cancerous tissue from 37 patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to measure the level of E-cadherin mRNA. Results: Of thirty-seven cases, 12 (32.4%) samples showed aberrant CpG methylation in tumor tissues compared with the corresponding normal tissues. In addition, a reduction in E-cadherin mRNA levels was observed in 11 of the 12 (91.7%) tumor tissues carrying a methylated E-cadherin gene. However, only 10 (43.5%) cases displayed reduced mRNA levels in tumor tissues from the remaining 23 cases (excluding 2 samples from which mRNA was unavailable) without methylation events. Downregulation of E-cadherin gene expression significantly correlated with the promoter methylation status of this gene. Conclusion: These results provide strong evidence that the methylation status of E-cadherin gene contributes to a reduction in the expression of E-cadherin mRNA, and may play a role in the development and progression of NSCLC.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2002

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) phosphorylates the second messenger diacylglycerol (DAG) to phosphatidic acid and it may play a role in signal transduction in Escherichia coli as well as in eukaryotic cells. In addition, DGK is important for microorganisms to adapt to several physiological stimuli. In Bacillus subtilis, the effect of stress on dgk transcription was examined by northern hybridization. The high level of dgk transcription was induced against high osmolarity, low pH value and low temperature. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the dgk gene and dgk upstream locus (ORF2, ORF3 and ORF4) were transcribed as a polycistronic mRNA to form an approximately 2.5 kb transcript.