• Applied Microscopy
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.134-139
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• 2016

Detailed structural and molecular imaging of intact organs has incurred academic interest because the associated technique is expected to provide innovative information for biological investigation and pathological diagnosis. The conventional methods for volume imaging include reconstruction of images obtained from serially sectioned tissues. This approach requires intense manual work which involves inevitable uncertainty and much time to assemble the whole image of a target organ. Recently, effective tissue clearing techniques including CLARITY and ACT-PRESTO have been reported that enables visualization of molecularly labeled structures within intact organs in three dimensions. The central principle of the methods is transformation of intact tissue into an optically transpicuous and macromolecule permeable state without loss of intrinsic structural integrity. The rapidly evolving protocols enable morphological analysis and molecular labeling of normal and pathological characteristics in large assembled biological systems with single-cell resolution. The deep tissue volume imaging will provide fundamental information about mutual interaction among adjacent structures such as connectivity of neural circuits; meso-connectome and clinically significant structural alterations according to pathologic mechanisms or treatment procedures.

• 대한방사성의약품학회지
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.118-122
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• 2015

Suicidal gene therapy is based on the transduction of tumor cells with "suicide" genes encoding for prodrug-activating enzymes that render target cells susceptible to prodrug treatment. Suicidal gene therapy results in the death of tumor with the expression of gene encoding enzyme that converts non-toxic prodrug into cytotoxic product. Cytochrome P450 4B1 (CYP4B1) activates 4-ipomeanol (4-IPO) or 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA) to cytotoxic furane epoxide and unsaturated dialdehyde intermediate.In this study, therapeutic effects of suicidal gene therapy with rabbit CYP4B1/2-AA or 4-IPO system were evaluated in HT-29 (human colon cancer cell). pcDNA-CYP4B1 vector was transfected into HT-29 by lipofection and stable transfectant was selected by treatment of hygromycin ($500{\mu}g/mL$) for 3 weeks. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed for confirmation of CYP4B1 expression in CYP4B1 gene transduced cell. The cytotoxic effects of CYP4B1 transduced cell were determined using dye-exclusion assay after treatment of 2-AA or 4-IPO for 96 hrs. Dye-exclusion assay showed that $IC_{50}$ of HT-29 and CYP4B1 transduced HT-29 was 0.01 mM and 0.003 mM after 4-IPO or 2-AA treatment at 96 hrs exposure, respectively. In conclusion, CYP4B1 based prodrug gene therapy probably have the potential for treatment of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.161-170
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• 2004

분자영상은 살아있는 개체의 몸 속에서 일어나는 생물학적 반응이나 특정한 표적분자를 비관혈적이며 반복적으로 영상화하는 기술이다. 이를 위해서는 두 가지 기본 요소가 요구되는 바 하나는 관심 생물현상에 의해 농도나 분광특성이 변하는 분자영상용 추적자이며 다른 하나는 이런 추적자를 모니터링하는 장비이다. 분자 핵의학 영상기술은 이제 신경과학분야에서도 활발히 적용되고 있으며 신경관련 기초연구나 뇌질환 관련 신약개발에 이미 중요한 역할을 하고 있다. 최근에는 살아있는 개체에서 약제 투여가 뇌에 미치는 약물학적, 생리적 영향을 조사하는 데에도 이용되고 있다. 다가오는 미래에는 각종 뇌질환에서 특이적 표적을 공략하는 새로운 분자치료가 개발되어 뇌질환 치료에 혁명적인 변화를 가져올 것으로 예상되고 있다. 그 예로, 파킨슨씨 병과 같은 퇴행성 신경질환에 줄기세포를 이용한 자가수선, 신경보호, 약물분비 치료, 성장인자와의 병행치료 등이 개발되고, 유전자 치료도 이용될 것으로 보인다. 신경 분자 핵의학 영상은 이와 같은 새로운 뇌질환 치료기술의 개발에 있어서 뇌 안에서 일어나는 분자수준의 변화를 실시간으로 모니터링함으로써 관련연구에 크게 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.102-107
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• 2007

In molecular imaging studies via magnetic resonance imaging, in vivo cell tracking is an important issue for the observation of cell therapy or disease behavior. High resolution imaging and longitudinal study are necessary to track the cell movement. Since the field inhomogeneity extends over several voxels, we have performed the numerical analysis using the sub-voxel method dividing a voxel of MR image into several elements and the information about the field inhomogeneity distribution around the micro-beads. We imbedded ferrite-composite micro-beads with the size of $20-150{\mu}m$ in the subject substituted for cells to induce local field distortion. In the phantom imaging with the isotropic voxel size of $200{\mu}m^3$, we could confirm the feasibility of sub-voxel tracking in a 3.0 T MRI.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.57-78
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• 2023

Understanding the chemical composition of the brain helps researchers comprehend various neurological processes effectively. Understanding of the fundamental pathological processes that underpin many neurodegenerative disorders has recently advanced thanks to the advent of innovative bioanalytical techniques that allow high sensitivity and specificity with chemical imaging at high resolution in tissues and cells. Mass spectrometry imaging [MSI] has become more common in biomedical research to map the spatial distribution of biomolecules in situ. The technique enables complete and untargeted delineation of the in-situ distribution characteristics of proteins, metabolites, lipids, and peptides. MSI's superior molecular specificity gives it a significant edge over traditional histochemical methods. Recent years have seen a significant increase in MSI, which is capable of simultaneously mapping the distribution of thousands of biomolecules in the tissue specimen at a high resolution and is otherwise beyond the scope of other molecular imaging techniques. This review aims to acquaint the reader with the MSI experimental workflow, significant recent advancements, and implementations of MSI techniques in visualizing the anatomical distribution of neurochemicals in the human brain in relation to various neurogenerative diseases.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.140-147
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• 2011

이 연구에서는 폐종양의 정량적 개선을 위하여 분자체를 이용하여 내부 움직임을 측정하고 평가된 데이터를 기반으로 소동물 PET 영상내의 폐종양을 국소화하고자 하였다. 소동물 폐 영역의 내부 움직임은 방사성물질을 흡착한 분자체를 이용하여 소동물 폐 영역에 부착함으로써 구현하였다. 폐 영역의 내부 움직임 표적으로 사용된 분자체는 약 37 kBq의 Cu-64를 흡착시켜 폐종양을 모사하였다. 소동물 PET 영상은 Siemens Inveon 스캐너를 이용하여 획득하였으며 외부 움직임 데이터는 트리거 생성 장치인 BioVet을 이용하였다. SD-Rat PET 영상은 $^{18}F$-FDG 37 MBq/0.2 mL을 미정맥으로 주사하고 60분 후 20분간 데이터를 획득하였다. 리스트모드 데이터의 각 선응답은 외부 트리거 장치에 의해 획득된 트리거신호를 이용하여 2 bin에서 16 bin으로 사이노그램을 획득하였다. 획득된 사이노그램 데이터는 OSEM 2D 알고리즘을 이용하여 4회의 반복으로 재구성하였다. 종양의 정량적 분석을 위한 PET 영상은 종양을 묘사한 분자체 영역에 관심영역을 설정하고 계수와 SNR 그리고 FWHM을 이용하여 평가하였다. 움직임 표적으로 사용된 분자체의 크기는 $1.59{\times}2.50mm$이었으며, 기준 영상으로 획득한 체외 분자체 수직 및 수평 FWHM은 $2.91{\times}1.43mm$이었다. 정적영상과 4 bin 그리고 8 bin 영상에서의 수직 FWHM은 각각 3.90 mm, 3.74 mm, 3.16 mm이었으며 수평 FWHM은 각각 2.21 mm, 2.06 mm, 1.60 mm이었다. 정적영상, 4 bin, 8 bin, 12 bin 그리고 16 bin의 계수 값은 각각 4.10, 4.83, 5.59, 5.38, 5.31이었다. 정적영상, 4 bin, 8 bin, 12 bin 그리고 16 bin의 SNR은 4.18, 4.05, 4.22, 3.89, 3.58이었다. FWHM은 게이트 수의 증가에 따라 계속 향상됨을 확인하였다. 그러나 계수 값과 SNR은 게이트 수의 증가에 따라 계속 향상되지 않고 특정 bin 수에서 가장 높은 값을 보여 소동물 폐 영역에서의 종양 영상화시 SNR의 손실을 최소화하면서 향상된 계수 값을 얻을 수 있는 게이트 수를 획득하였다. 내부 움직임 측정은 최적화된 종양 국소화 영상을 획득할 수 있으며 외부 움직임 모니터링 시스템을 사용하지 않고 장기별 움직임 예측 모델링을 위한 유용한 방법이 될 것으로 기대된다.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.427-436
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• 2021

Background: Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies have been used to treat patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). However, the effect of therapies in cancer patients has yet to be investigated comprehensively. We hypothesized that cyclic thermal therapy would improve blood flow and microcirculation and improve the symptoms driven by CIPN. Methods: The criteria of assessment were blood volume in region of interest (ROI) in the images, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 questionnaire scores. The blood volume was quantified by using red blood cell (RBC) scintigraphy. All patients were treated 10 times during 10 days. The thermal stimulations, between 15° and 41°, were repeatedly delivered to the patient's hands. Results: The total score of the questionnaires, the score of questions related to the upper limbs, the score of questions closely related to the upper limbs, and the score excluding the upper limbs questions was decreased. The blood volume was decreased, and the variance of blood volume was decreased. During cooling stimulation, the blood volume was decreased, and its variance was decreased. During warming stimulation, the blood volume was decreased, and its variance was decreased. Conclusions: We suggest that cyclic thermal therapy is useful to alleviate CIPN symptoms by blood circulation improvement. RBC scintigraphy can provide the quantitative information on blood volume under certain conditions such as stress, as well as rest, in peripheral tissue.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.62-67
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• 2003

MRI of laser-polarized $^{129}$ Xe under continuous flow conditions has recently been used for imaging of porous materials, however, any attempts at using a continuously circulating flow of laser-polarized $^3$He have not been made until now, presumably due to its extremely long spin exchange time (5-10 hrs). Since the inherent NMR sensitivity of $^3$He is 80 times greater than that of $^{129}$ Xe when considering the natural abundance, $^3$He can be expected to be a better nucleus for imaging than $^{129}$ Xe even under continuous flow conditions. In this report, the first MRI with continuously flowing laser-polarized $^3$He is shown for a phantom of Teflon tubing, demonstrating the feasibility of $^3$He imaging under continuous flow.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.386-394
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• 2019

Trypanosoma cruzi infection results in debilitating cardiomyopathy, which is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the endemic regions of Chagas disease (CD). The pathogenesis of Chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCM) has been intensely studied as a chronic inflammatory disease until recent observations reporting the role of cardio-metabolic dysfunctions. In particular, we demonstrated accumulation of lipid droplets and impaired cardiac lipid metabolism in the hearts of cardiomyopathic mice and patients, and their association with impaired mitochondrial functions and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in CD mice. In the present study, we examined whether treating infected mice with an ER stress inhibitor can modify the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy during chronic stages of infection. T. cruzi infected mice were treated with an ER stress inhibitor 2-Aminopurine (2AP) during the indeterminate stage and evaluated for cardiac pathophysiology during the subsequent chronic stage. Our study demonstrates that inhibition of ER stress improves cardiac pathology caused by T. cruzi infection by reducing ER stress and downstream signaling of phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor ($P-elF2{\alpha}$) in the hearts of chronically infected mice. Importantly, cardiac ultrasound imaging showed amelioration of ventricular enlargement, suggesting that inhibition of ER stress may be a valuable strategy to combat the progression of cardiomyopathy in Chagas patients.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.23-29
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• 2005

Molecular imaging with targeted contrast agents enables tissues to be distinguished by detecting specific cell-surface receptors. In the present study, a ligand-targeted acoustic nanoparticle system is used to identify angioplasty-induced expression of tissue factor by smooth muscle cell within carotid arteries. Pig carotid arteries were overstretched with balloon catheters, treated with tissue factor-targeted or a control nanoparticle system, and imaged with intravascular ultrasound before and after treatment. Tissue factor-targeted emulsion bound and increased the echogenicity and gray-scale levels of overstretched smooth muscle cell within the tunica media, versus no change in contralateral control arteries. Expression of stretch-induced tissue factor in carotid artery media was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The potential for abnormal thrombogenicity of balloon-injured arteries, as reflected by smooth muscle expression of tissue factor, was imaged using a novel, targeted, nanoparticulate ultrasonic contrast agent.