• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.438-445
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• 2009

We investigated global gene expression from both mouse liver and mouse hepatic cell lines treated with acetaminophen (APAP) in order to compare in vivo and in vitro profiles and to assess the feasibility of the two systems. During our analyses of gene expression profiles, we picked up several down-regulated genes, such as the cytochrome P450 family 51 (Cyp51), sulfotransferase family cytosolic 1C member 2 (Sult1c2), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A synthase 1 (Hmgcs1), and several genes that were up-regulated by APAP, such as growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible 45 alpha (Gadd45a), transformation related protein 53 inducible nuclear protein 1 (Trp53inp1) and zinc finger protein 688 (Zfp688). For validation of gene function, synthesized short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for these genes were transfected in a mouse hepatic cell line, BNL CL.2, for investigation of cell viability and mRNA expression level. We found that siRNA transfection of these genes induced down-regulation of respective mRNA expression and decreased cell viability. siRNA transfection for Cyp51 and others induced morphological alterations, such as membrane thickening and nuclear condensation. Taken together, siRNA transfection of these six genes decreased cell viability and induced alteration in cellular morphology, along with effective inhibition of respective mRNA, suggesting that these genes could be associated with APAP-induced toxicity. Furthermore, these genes may be used in the investigation of hepatotoxicity, for better understanding of its mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.501-517
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• 2014

Based on a summary of the previous studies on columnar joints, this study presents research strategies and subjects to understand a formation of columnar joints, and its application in South Korea as follows; geometry of colonnade and entablature, formation mechanism and pattern change, surface morphology and internal structure, platy joint at the top and the bottom of columnar joints, crack patterns in drying starch-water slurries, using numerical models and computer graphics on joint formation, scale and geometry concerned with occurrence of volcanic rock, petrological and mineralogical study of the host rock. Additionally, more research is needed, such as deformation of column pattern during the hot state, secondary landform by alteration and weathering on the Earth's surface such as rock stream, tor and tafoni. This study will take an active role in research of columnar joint and the Cenozoic lava flow of South Korea. Results of this study will be useful to the activation of geotourism and geological field study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1657-1662
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• 2012

Fucosyltransferase IV (FUT4) has been implicated in cell adhesion, motility, and tumor progression in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. We previously reported that it promotes cell proliferation through the ERK/MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying FUT4-induced cell invasion remain unknown. In this study we determined the effect of FUT4 on expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12 induced by EGF in A431 cells. Treatment with EGF resulted in an alteration of cell morphology and induced an increase in the expression of MMP-12. EGF induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kB (NF-${\kappa}B$) and resulted in phosphorylation of $IkB{\alpha}$ in a time-dependent manner. In addition, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK were shown to play a crucial role in mediating EGF-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ translocation and phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ when treated with the MAPK inhibitors, PD98059 and SB203580, which resulted in increased MMP-12 expression. Importantly, we showed that FUT4 up-regulated EGF-induced MMP-12 expression by promoting the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK, thereby inducing phosphorylation/degradation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. Base on our data, we propose that FUT4 up-regulates expression of MMP-12 via a MAPK-NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent mechanism.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.167-172
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• 2001

Nebulin is an approximately 700 kDa filamentous protein in vertebrate skeletal muscle. It binds to the Z line and also binds side-by-side to the entire thin actin filament in a sarcomere. The correlation of nebulin size with thin filament length have led to the suggestion that nebulin acts as a molecular ruler for the length of thin filaments. The C-terminal part of human nebulin is anchored in the sarcomeric Z-disk and contains an SH3 domain. SH3 domains have been identified in an ever-increasing number of proteins important for a wide range of cellular processes, from signal transduction to cytoskeleton assembly and membrane localization. However, the exact physiological role of SH3 domains remains, in many cases, unclear. To explore the role of nebulin SH3 in the cytoskeletal rearrangement that accompanies myoblast differentiation, we transfected sense and antisense nebulin SH3 domain fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein in myoblast. Cells expressing nebulin SH3 fragment showed decrease of cell-cell adhesion, and cells transfected with antisense nebulin SH3 gene showed a rounded cell morphology and loss of cell-matrix adhesion. No alteration in cell shape and differentiation were observed in control cells expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein. Perturbation of nebulin altered the cell shape and disrupted cell adhesion in myoblast, demonstrating that nebulin can affect cytoskeleton rearrangement.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2010

A specific deleted version of ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR1 (ARR1) lacking the signal receiver domain (1.152 amino acids)-coding sequence, referred to as $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$, was amplified using Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA prepared from adult leaves and transferred into the genome of Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun under the transcriptional control of a ${\beta}$-estradiol-inducible expression system. The ectopic expression of $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$ affected the morphology of transgenic seedlings and their segments in vitro. In the presence of an inducer, ${\beta}$-estradiol, ectopic expression of $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$ induced only the formation of soft, pseudo-bulbous tissue in the root tip region of intact seedlings, which appeared similar to callus generated on a hypocotyl segment in the presence of 2,4-D and 6-benzyladenine (BA), both at $1\;{\mu}M$. Those callus tissues on the root tip region could not generate shoots unless $1\;{\mu}M$ BA was supplied. In segment culture, ectopic expression of $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$ induced calluslike tissue around the cut-end of cotyledon and hypocotyl segments with occasional shoot formation, suggesting that the expression of $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$ could substitute for the effects of cytokinin on these segments. Additionally, treatment with only ${\beta}$-estradiol induced NtWUS, a WUS ortholog in tobacco, which was detected during the process of callus tissue formation in the root tip region and also in cotyledon or hypocotyl segments. These findings suggest that the NtWUS might be associated in the transdifferentiation process caused by the functional regulation of $ARR1{\Delta}DDK$ in transgenic tobacco seedlings.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.663-668
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• 2013

The effects of polymers on the cocrystallization of adefovir dipivoxil (AD) and suberic acid (SUB) were investigated. The polymeric additives in the present study were poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). When the polymers were added to the solution of AD and SUB, their effects were limited to the morphology and crystallinity of the AD/SUB cocrystal, which could be also achieved without polymeric additives by the excess amount of SUB in the solution or through the solvent-assisted grinding. When the polymers were mixed with AD before adding SUB in the solution, PEG was dramatically more effective at the same amount with possible alteration of the cocrystal structure. Also, PAA completely inhibited the formation of crystals. The present study demonstrated that the effects of polymers on the cocrystallization could be tuned by simply modifying the mixing strategy.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 1996

We examined the expression of the heat shock proteins (HSPs) and glucose-regulated proteins (GRPs) during phorbol 1 2-myristate 1 3-acetate (PMA)-induced megakaryocytic differentiation of human er"'throleukemia K562 cells. PMA-treated K562 cells showed a cell growth arrest and alteration in morphology and patterns of gpllIa and c-myc expression, characteristic of megakaryocytic differentiation. During the megakaryocytic differentiation, HSP9OA, HSP9OB, and HSP28 mRNA and protein levels markedly decreased, while GRP78/B and GRP94 mRNA levels were enhanced. On the other hand, HSP7OA and HSP7OB mRNA levels were reduced, but HSP7O protein levels were not changed by PMA treatment. These results suggest specific roles for the HSPs and GRPs in K562 cell proliferation and megakaryocic differentiation.tion.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.325-334
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• 2007

Recently, quorum sensing has been implicated as an important global regulator controlling the production of numerous virulence factors such as capsular polysaccharides in bacterial pathogens. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of smcR, a homolog of V. harveyi luxR identified from V. vulnificus ATCC29307, were analyzed. The amino acid sequence of SmcR from V. vulnificus was 72 to 92% similar to those of LuxR homologs from Vibrio spp. Functions of SmcR were assessed by the construction of an isogenic mutant, whose smcR gene was inactivated by allelic exchanges, and by evaluating its phenotype changes in vitro and in mice. The disruption of smcR resulted in a significant alteration in biofilm formation, in type of colony morphology, and in motility. When compared with the wild-type, the smcR mutant exhibited reduced survival under adverse conditions, such as acidic pH and hyperosmotic stress. The smcR mutant exhibited decreased cytotoxic activity toward INT 407 cells in vitro. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal $LD_{50}$ of the smcR mutant was approximately $10^2$ times higher than that of parental wild-type. Therefore, it appears that SmcR is a novel global regulator, controlling numerous genes contributing to the pathogenesis as well as survival of V. vulnificus.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2013

In tissue engineering application, a fibrous structure of scaffolds has been issued as an alternative system to regulate cell survival and tissue regeneration, and electrospinning technique has been popularly used to generate fibrous meshes or sheets mimicking the structure of native extracellular matrix (ECM). However, recent strategy in the scaffold development is expanded to provide the structural property as well as a biological property of native ECM, a variety of surface modification techniques have been used to introduce biological property. In this study, we developed biomimetic poly(L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PLCL) nano- and micro-fibrous scaffolds as a unique platform with structural and biological properties with native ECM using electrospinning method and gamma-ray irradiation. Surface morphology of the scaffolds was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and alteration of surface property was evaluated with toluidine blue O staining, water contact angle measurement and ATR-FTIR analysis.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 2012

The aim of this study is to analyze the mid-term changes of beach and dune morphology at Sohwang beach, Korea using by Total Station. Measurements executed 4 times during two year. Based on ArcInfo as point cloud obtained through precise measurement data by Total Station, alteration of beach and dune was analyzed at DEM, of which cell size is about 1m. Since these artificial constructions have influenced current systems of this region, the large-scale sand movements above mentioned have occurred around the jetty and the sea-wall. There occurred sedimentation in the north of the Jetty and erosion in the south of the Jetty, which is installed at the central part of object area. The direction of recent topographic development does not coincide with that of wind, and, rather, topographic changes occurred mainly at beaches and dunes due to the transformation of coastal water flow caused by artificial structure nearby. If precise measurement is conducted periodically, and long term monitoring is carried out by installing equipment measuring movement pattern of sediment around artificial structure, cause of topographic change around the object area could be discovered.