• Asia Marketing Journal
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.39-57
• /
• 2014

There has been recognition of the increasing importance of cooperation as an element of marketing strategy. Such cooperation is confined to four levels based on product development, sales promotion, pricing arrangements, and place (or distribution) mechanisms as the usual marketing 4Ps mixed (Varadarajan 1986). At present, however, little is known about the nature of tie-in promotion as a cooperative sales promotion comparing three other levels. The primary goal of this study is to examine the effect of consumer - tie-in promotion relationship on loyalty. The construct of consumer - tie-in promotion relationship is based on the previous research on consumer-brand relationship. In addition, this study divides the concept of loyalty into host brand loyalty and partner brand loyalty to reflect the characteristics of tie-in promotion including program in order to determine the effect of the consumer - tie-in promotion relationship on loyalty. The results showed that the three dimensions of the consumer - tie-in promotion relationship (i.e., commitment, intimacy, and interdependence) had significantly positive effect on program loyalty. The effect of program loyalty is significantly on both host and partner brand loyalty. This study empirically tested the relationships among consumer - tie-in promotion relationship, program loyalty, host brand loyalty, and partner brand loyalty, and then compared with the difference in the suggested model for the target customers and non-target customers. As a result, for target customers, intimacy and interdependence among dimensions of consumer - tie-in promotion relationship had significantly positive influence on program loyalty. In case of non-target customers, however, commitment and interdependence among dimensions of consumer - tie-in promotion relationship had significantly positive influence on program loyalty. Also, program loyalty had significantly positive impact on host brand loyalty and partner brand loyalty in both target and non-target customers. This study has significance in that it addresses the need to identify research and academic implications by analyzing the consumer - tie-in promotion relationship to determine the relationship between tie-in promotion and loyalty, which has not been clearly described by previous studies. Furthermore, this study builds a foundation for firms and managers actively using tie-in promotion to establish tie-in promotion strategies that can maximize loyalty for both host and partner brands from the consumers' point of view.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.55 no.7
• /
• pp.316-322
• /
• 2022

Ubiquitin is relatively modest in size but involves almost entire cellular signaling pathways. The primary role of ubiquitin is maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. Ubiquitination regulates the fate of target proteins using the proteasome- or autophagy-mediated degradation of ubiquitinated substrates, which can be either intracellular or foreign proteins from invading pathogens. Legionella, a gram-negative intracellular pathogen, hinders the host-ubiquitin system by translocating hundreds of effector proteins into the host cell's cytoplasm. In this review, we describe the current understanding of ubiquitin machinery from Legionella. We summarize structural and biochemical differences between the host-ubiquitin system and ubiquitin-related effectors of Legionella. Some of these effectors act much like canonical host-ubiquitin machinery, whereas others have distinctive structures and accomplish non-canonical ubiquitination via novel biochemical mechanisms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.198-198
• /
• 2005

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.71-89
• /
• 2019

When the host states do not comply with the investor-state arbitral awards voluntarily, it is difficult for the successful claimants to seek the enforcement of arbitral awards against the host state because of the doctrine of state immunity. This raises a question whether the investors might be able to seize the assets of the state-owned enterprises, as well as those of the host states. The investors might consider the properties held by state-owned enterprises as an attractive target especially when it has been established that the host state is responsible for the act of its state-owned enterprise. In such case, the investor might argue that the close relationship between the state-owned enterprise and the host state has already been recognized so that the commercial assets of the state-owned enterprise could be subject to attachment. On the other hand, the host state might argue that the state-owned entity exists separately from the state, and thus its assets cannot be equated with those of the host state. Moreover, even if this argument is not accepted and, as a result, the properties of the state-owned entity is equated with those of the host state, the host state might still be able to argue that non-commercial assets of the state-owned enterprise are immune from execution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.10
• /
• pp.1331-1342
• /
• 2021

In this study, we evaluated the mechanism of long non-coding RNA MIR22 host gene (LncRNA MIR22HG) in osteosarcoma cells. Forty-eight paired osteosarcoma and adjacent tissues samples were collected and the bioinformatic analyses were performed. Target genes and potential binding sites of MIR22HG, microRNA (miR)-629-5p and tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 3 (TET3) were predicted by Starbase and TargetScan V7.2 and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and flow cytometry assays were utilized to determine the viability, proliferation and apoptosis of transfected osteosarcoma cells. Pearson's analysis was introduced for the correlation analysis between MIR22HG and miR-629-5p in osteosarcoma tissue. Relative expressions of MIR22HG, miR-629-5p and TET3 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. MiR-629-5p could competitively bind with and was negatively correlated with MIR22HG, the latter of which was evidenced by the high expression of miR-629-5p and low expression of MIR22HG in osteosarcoma tissues. Overexpressed MIR22HG repressed the viability and proliferation but enhanced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells, which was reversed by miR-629-5p upregulation. TET3 was the target gene of miR-629-5p, and the promotive effects of upregulated miR-629-5p on the viability and proliferation as well as its repressive effect on apoptosis were abrogated via overexpressed TET3. To sum up, overexpressed MIR22HG inhibits the viability and proliferation of osteosarcoma cells, which was achieved via regulation of the miR-629-5p/TET3 axis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.23
• /
• pp.10355-10361
• /
• 2015

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules found in multicellular eukaryotes which are implicated in development of cancer, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Expression is controlled by transcription factors (TFs) that bind to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow (or transcription) of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA. Interactions result in biological signal control networks. Materials and Methods: Molecular components involved in cSCC were here assembled at abnormally expressed, related and global levels. Networks at these three levels were constructed with corresponding biological factors in term of interactions between miRNAs and target genes, TFs and miRNAs, and host genes and miRNAs. Up/down regulation or mutation of the factors were considered in the context of the regulation and significant patterns were extracted. Results: Participants of the networks were evaluated based on their expression and regulation of other factors. Sub-networks with two core TFs, TP53 and EIF2C2, as the centers are identified. These share self-adapt feedback regulation in which a mutual restraint exists. Up or down regulation of certain genes and miRNAs are discussed. Some, for example the expression of MMP13, were in line with expectation while others, including FGFR3, need further investigation of their unexpected behavior. Conclusions: The present research suggests that dozens of components, miRNAs, TFs, target genes and host genes included, unite as networks through their regulation to function systematically in human cSCC. Networks built under the currently available sources provide critical signal controlling pathways and frequent patterns. Inappropriate controlling signal flow from abnormal expression of key TFs may push the system into an incontrollable situation and therefore contributes to cSCC development.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.217-221
• /
• 2008

Free-living Naegleria fowleri leads to a fatal infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis in humans. Previously, the target cell death could be induced by phagocytic activity of N. fowleri as a contact-dependent mechanism. However, in this study we investigated the target cell death under a non-contact system using a tissue-culture insert. The human microglial cells, U87MG cells, co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites for 30 min in a non-contact system showed morphological changes such as the cell membrane destruction and a reduction in the number. By fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, U87MG cells co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites in a non-contact system showed a significant increase of apoptotic cells (16%) in comparison with that of the control or N. fowleri lysate. When U87MG cells were co-cultured with N. fowleri trophozoites in a non-contact system for 30 min, 2 hr, and 4 hr, the cytotoxicity of amebae against target cells was 40.5, 44.2, and 45.6%, respectively. By contrast, the cytotoxicity of non-pathogenic N. gruberi trophozoites was 10.2, 12.4, and 13.2%, respectively. These results suggest that the molecules released from N. fowleri in a contact-independent manner as well as phagocytosis in a contact-dependent manner may induce the host cell death.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.263-267
• /
• 2021

Periodontal disease is primarily associated with bacterial infection such as dental plaque. Dental plaque, an oral biofilm harboring a complex microbial community, can cause various inflammatory reactions in periodontal tissue. In many cases, the local bacterial invasion and host-mediated immune responses lead to severe alveolar bone destruction. To date, plaque control, non-surgical, and surgical interventions have been the conventional periodontal treatment modalities. Although adjuvant therapies including antibiotics or supplements have accompanied these procedures, their usage has been limited by antibiotic resistance, as well as their partial effectiveness. Therefore, new strategies are needed to control local inflammation in the periodontium and host immune responses. In recent years, target molecules that modulate microbial signaling mechanisms, host inflammatory substances, and bone immune responses have received considerable attention by researchers. In this review, we introduce three approaches that suggest a way forward for the development of new treatments for periodontal disease; (1) quorum quenching using quorum sensing inhibitors, (2) inflammasome targeting, and (3) use of FDA-approved anabolic agents, including Teriparatide and sclerostin antibody.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.621-629
• /
• 2022

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) typically contain multiple immunogenic molecules that include antigenic proteins, making them good candidates for vaccine development. In animal models, vaccination with OMVs has been shown to confer protective immune responses against many bacterial diseases. It is possible to genetically introduce heterologous protein antigens to the bacterial host that can then be produced and relocated to reside within the OMVs by means of the host secretion mechanisms. Accordingly, in this study we sought to develop a novel platform for recombinant OMV (rOMV) production in the widely used bacterial expression host species, Escherichia coli. Three different lipoprotein signal peptides including their Lol signals and tether sequences-from Neisseria meningitidis fHbp, Leptospira interrogans LipL32, and Campylobactor jejuni JlpA-were combined upstream to the GFPmut2 model protein, resulting in three recombinant plasmids. Pilot expression studies showed that the fusion between fHbp and GFPmut2 was the only promising construct; therefore, we used this construct for large-scale expression. After inducing recombinant protein expression, the nanovesicles were harvested from cell-free culture media by ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the obtained rOMVs were closed, circular single-membrane particles, 20-200 nm in size. Western blotting confirmed the presence of GFPmut2 in the isolated vesicles. Collectively, although this is a non-optimized, proof-of-concept study, it demonstrates the feasibility of this platform in directing target proteins into the vesicles for OMV-based vaccine development.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.73-80
• /
• 2004

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites which cause infection by invading and replicating within cells. The immune system has mechanisms which can attack the virus in extracellular and intracellular phase of life cycle, and which involve both non-specific and specific effectors. The survival of viruses depends on the survival of their hosts, and therefore the immune system and viruses have evolved together. Immune responses to viral infection may be variable depending on the site of infection, the mechanism of cell-to-cell spread of virus, physiology of the host, host genetic variation, and environmental condition. Viral infection of cells directly stimulates the production of interferons and they induce antiviral state in the surrounding cells. Complement system is also involved in the elimination of viruses and establishes the first line of defence with other non-specific immunity. During the course of viral infection, antibody is most effective at an early stage, especially before the virus enters its target cells. The virus- specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes are the principal effector cells in clearing established viral infections. But many viruses have resistant mechanism to host immune responses in every step of viral infection to cells. Some viruses have immune evasion mechanism and establish latency or persistency indefinitely. Furthermore antibodies to some viruses can enhance the disease by the second infection. Immune responses to viral infection are very different from those to bacterial infection.