• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.115-120
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• 2012

Retinoic acid plays an important role in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. In our present study, we evaluated the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) on cell proliferation and on the cell cycle regulation of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Cell proliferation was assessed using the MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry, and cell cycle regulatory proteins were determined by western blot. Cell proliferation was increased in the presence of a 0.1 nM to 1 ${\mu}M$ RA dose range, and maximal growth stimulation was observed in cells exposed to 1 nM of RA. Exposure of HGFs to 1 nM of RA resulted in an augmented cell cycle progression. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cell cycle regulation by RA, we measured the intracellular levels of major cell cycle regulatory proteins. The levels of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2 were found to be increased in HGFs following 1 nM of RA treatment. However, the levels of cyclin D, CDK 4, and CDK 6 were unchanged under these conditions. Also after exposure to 1 nM of RA, the protein levels of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ and $p16^{INK4A}$ were decreased in HGFs compared with the control group, but the levels of p53 and pRb were similar between treated and untreated cells. These results suggest that RA increases cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in HGFs via increased cellular levels of cyclin E and CDK 2, and decreased cellular levels of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ and $p16^{INK4A}$.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 1998

A new sampling and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) method for the analysis of underivatized cellulose are established. In this method, cellulose materials are first dissolved in N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) and diluted by adding dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to make the sample solutions of about 0.1% in 50/50 NMMO/DMSO (w/w). Sample solutions are analyzed using a glucose-treated divinylbenzene (DVB) SEC column and DMSO containing 0.05M LiBr and 2.5 blank as the eluant. The flow rate was constant at 1 mL/min and the whole SEC system including the column was heated at $80^{\circ}C$ to reduce the viscosity of DMSO. Addition of 0.05 M LiBr eliminated SEC baseline drifting, and addition of 2.5 blank seems to reduce the interaction between the sample and the column packing. SEC molecular weights were determined using a calibration curve constructed from a series of narrow pullulan standards, and they were used to measure the degree of degradation during two different pulp-to-sponge processings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1833-1837
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• 2015

An aristolactam-type alkaloid, isolated from Orophea enterocarpa, is enterocarpam-III (10-amino-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyphenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid lactam). It is cytotoxic to various human and murine cancer cell lines; however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate cytotoxic effects on and mechanism (s) of human cancer cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and human invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells compared to normal murine fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay to determine $IC_{10}$, $IC_{20}$ and $IC_{50}$ levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with 2',7'-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate and the caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities using specific chromogenic (p-nitroaniline) tetrapeptide substrates, viz., DEVD-NA, IETD-NA and LEHD-NA and employing a microplate reader. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) was measured by staining with 3, 3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide ($DiOC_6$) and using flow cytometry. The compound was cytotoxic to HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells with the $IC_{50}$ levels of $26.0{\pm}4.45$ and $51.3{\pm}2.05{\mu}M$, respectively. For murine normal fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, the $IC_{50}$ concentration was $81.3{\pm}10.1{\mu}M$. ROS production was reduced in a dose-response manner in HepG2 cells. The caspase-9 and -3 activities increased in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas caspase-8 activity did not alter, indicating the intrinsic pathway activation. Enterocarpam-III decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) dose-dependently in HepG2 cells, suggesting that the compound induced HepG2 cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. In conclusion, enterocarpam-III inhibited HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and induced human HepG2 cells to undergo apoptosis via the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway and induction of caspase-9 activity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.548-561
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• 2015

By combining conventional single cell analysis with flow cytometry and public database searches with bioinformatics tools, we extended the expression profiling of thymic stromal cotransporter (TSCOT), Slc46A2/Ly110, that was shown to be expressed in bipotent precursor and cortical thymic epithelial cells. Genome scale analysis verified TSCOT expression in thymic tissue- and cell type- specific fashion and is also expressed in some other epithelial tissues including skin and lung. Coexpression profiling with genes, Foxn1 and Hoxa3, revealed the role of TSCOT during the organogenesis. TSCOT expression was detected in all thymic epithelial cells (TECs), but not in the $CD31^+$endothelial cell lineage in fetal thymus. In addition, ABC transporter-dependent side population and Sca-$1^+$ fetal TEC populations both contain TSCOT-expressing cells, indicating TEC stem cells express TSCOT. TSCOT expression was identified as early as in differentiating embryonic stem cells. TSCOT expression is not under the control of Foxn1 since TSCOT is present in the thymic rudiment of nude mice. By searching variations in the expression levels, TSCOT is positively associated with Grhl3 and Irf6. Cytokines such as IL1b, IL22 and IL24 are the potential regulators of the TSCOT expression. Surprisingly, we found TSCOT expression in the lung is diminished in lung cancers, suggesting TSCOT may be involved in the suppression of lung tumor development. Based on these results, a model for TEC differentiation from the stem cells was proposed in context of multiple epithelial organ formation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.349-354
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• 2010

Previously, we reported that overexpression of Opa (Neisseria gonorrhoeae opacity-associated)-interacting protein 5 (OIP5) caused multi-septa formation and growth defects, both of which are considered cancer-related phenotypes. To evaluate OIP5 as a possible cancer therapeutic target, we examined its expression level in 66 colorectal cancer patients. OIP5 was upregulated about 3.7-fold in tumors and over 2-fold in 58 out of 66 colorectal cancer patients. Knockdown of OIP5 expression by small interfering RNA specific to OIP5 (siOIP5) resulted in growth inhibition of colorectal and gastric cancer cell lines. Growth inhibition of SNU638 by siOIP5 caused an increase in sub-G1 DNA content, as measured by flow cytometry, as well as an apoptotic gene expression profile. These results indicate that knockdown of OIP5 may induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Therefore, we suggest that OIP5 might be a potential cancer therapeutic target, although the mechanisms of OIP5-induced carcinogenesis should be elucidated.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.332-338
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• 2009

Rheological behavior of natural hydrogel produced from seeds of three Salvia spp. (S. miltiorrhiza (SM), S. sclarea (SS), S. viridis (SV)) was investigated by using a Rheometer equipped with a cone and plate geometry measuring system under never-dried condition. Different chemical contents of such hydrogels give significant effects on their rheological properties. Because of incomplete penetration of water inside the hydrogels after drying before-dried hydrogels were used for rheological analysis. To know molecular interactions which predominated in the gel formation, some constituents were externally added to the 1.0% (w/w) hydrogel. Addition of urea to disrupt hydrogen bonds reduced 3.4-67% viscosity of the untreated hydrogels and changed viscoelastic properties from gel to liquid-like behavior. Neutral salts added to the hydrogel solution at 0.1 M also lowered the viscosity in a manner related with increase in size of cations and temperature. Changing from gel state to liquid-like state was also easily confirmed by oscillation measurement (storage, G', and loss, G", modulii) typically observed in the cases of potassium sulfate and potassium thiocyanate. Influence of pH variation on the viscosity explained that weak alkaline condition (pH 8-9) creates a higher resistance to flow due to increasingly electrostatic repulsions between negative charges ($COO^-$) Importance of calcium bridges was also demonstrated by recovery of viscosity of the hydrogels by addition of calcium after acidification. The summarized results indicate that electrostatic repulsion is a major contributor for production of hydrogel structure.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.334-338
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• 2003

In this study, We evaluated the removal efficiency of natural organic matters(NOM) in the Ultrafiltration(UF) and Nanofiltration(NF) membranes with molecular weight cutoff of 2500(GH), 8000(GM) and 250(HL), respectively. Filtration type was cross-flow filtration. The investigation result about raw water structure was hydrophobic 28%, hydrophilic 53% and transphilic 19%, in conjunction with XAD8/4 resin fractionation method. We were compared with UF(GM, GH) and NF(HL), in operation characteristic. In spite of poor MWCO, GM(8000Da) was superior than GH(2500Da), in the efficiency of total operation. It was showed the NF(HL) 80%, UF(GM) 50%, in the removing efficiency of HAAFP.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.474-479
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• 2018

Cisplatin is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of HCC, but many patients will ultimately relapse with cisplatin-resistant disease. Used in combination with cisplatin, resveratrol has synergistic effect of increasing chemosensitivity of cisplatin in various cancer cells. However, the mechanisms of resveratrol enhancing cisplatin-induced toxicity have not been well characterized. Our study showed that resveratrol enhances cisplatin toxicity in human hepatoma cells via an apoptosis-dependent mechanism. Further studies reveal that resveratrol decreases the absorption of glutamine and glutathione content by reducing the expression of glutamine transporter ASCT2. Flow cytometric analyses demonstrate that resveratrol and cisplatin combined treatment leads to a significant increase in ROS production compared to resveratrol or cisplatin treated hepatoma cells alone. Phosphorylated H2AX (${\gamma}H2AX$) foci assay demonstrate that both resveratrol and cisplatin treatment result in a significant increase of ${\gamma}H2AX$ foci in hepatoma cells, and the resveratrol and cisplatin combined treatment results in much more ${\gamma}H2AX$ foci formation than either resveratrol or cisplatin treatment alone. Furthermore, our studies show that over-expression of ASCT2 can attenuate cisplatin-induced ROS production, ${\gamma}H2AX$ foci formation and apoptosis in human hepatoma cells. Collectively, our studies suggest resveratrol may sensitize human hepatoma cells to cisplatin chemotherapy via gluta${\gamma}H2AX$mine metabolism inhibition.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.180-187
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• 2013

The author surveyed and analyzed the research papers of korean journal of clinical laboratory science (KJCLS) that have been posted for 28 years from 17 volumes in 1985 to 44 volumes in 2012 in the time of 50th anniversary of foundation of the korean association of medical technologists (KAMT) of in 2012. This study is aimed to provide members with basic materials helpful to research development and suggest development measures of journal. The author analyzed the number of papers, research field, type of papers, and number of authors based on the title of paper. The total number of papers is 916 and average number of paper is 33. The research field was biochemistry 167 (18.2%), microbiology 160 (17.4%), histology & cytology 99 (10.8%), molecular genetics 77 (8.5%), hematology 69 (7.5%), physiologic function 64 (7.0%), immunology 60 (6.5%), blood bank 33 (3.6%), radioimmunoassay 33 (3.6%), parasitology 27 (2.9%), quality control 18 (2.0%), urinalysis & body fluid 13 (1.4%), cytogenetics 12 (1.3%), flow cytometry analysis 6 (0.7%), and other articles were 78 (8.5%). Regarding the type of papers, original article was 777 (84.8%), case report 52 (5.7%), review 23 (2.5%), others 64 (7.0%). Regarding the number of paper authors, single author was 208 (22.7%), 2-man joint authors 178 (19.4%), 3-man joint authors 181 (19.8%), 4-man joint authors 151 (16.5%), over-5-man joint authors 198 (21.6%). The average number of papers was 33 for 28 years from 1985 to 2012, it is fewer than number of technologists and professors working currently regardless of the level of quantity and quality. The KAMT needs paper promoting measures and strategic investment on the scholarly journals that can aggressively promote to members and inspire research desire for korea citation index (KCI) registered article selection of KJCLS in the future.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.819-823
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• 1994

For the development of rice-derived fat replacing ingredient, low dextrose equivalent (D.E.) malto dextrin was prepared by enzyme hydrolysis, and its physical and rheological properties were studied. The molecular sizes of rice maltodextrin were measured by gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-50. Gel permeation column chromatograms showed a large single peak, suggesting a limited hydrolysis, and the average degree of polymerization decreased from 72.8 for 3 D.E. maltodextrin to 48.7 for 6 D.E. maltodextrin. Cold water solubility of maltodextrin was increased with increasing D.E. value and its values ranged from 47.3% to 71.3%. 8% solution of rice maltodextrin showed pseudoplastic behavior. Flow behavior index was decreased as D.E. value was increased.