• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.173-180
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• 2001

스트레스가 질병 및 동통과 밀접하게 관련되어 있다는 것은 주지의 사실이며, 정서적으로 중요한 구강안면영역에는 측두하악관절장애증, 구강작열감증후군 등의 다양한 스트레스성 질환이 존재하는데, 이들의 병리학적 기전에 대해서는 아직도 논란의 여지가 있다. 그리고 중추신경계인 뇌는 스트레스 반응 및 동통 신호의 전달과 조절 등에서 중요한 역할을 하는 부분이다. 이에 저자는 스트레스와 신경과의 병리적관계를 조직학적으로 밝히고자 구속스트레스하의 백서 뇌조직을 채취하여 전자현미경으로 세포변화를 관찰하였다. 생후 8주된 Sprague-Dawley계 웅성 백서 (322-367 g/bw)를 대조군으로 3마리, 실험군으로 15마리를 배정하였다. 실험군은 구속스트레스를 실험 전기간에 걸쳐 부여하였다. 모든 실험동물의 뇌간을 적출하여, 전자현미경으로 조직변화를 관찰하였으며, 그 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 정상 대조군에서는 정상적인 형태의 수상돌기 및 세포체가 관찰되었다. 2. 구속스트레스군의 5일군과 7일군에서 작은 크기의 사립체가 다수 출현하였다. 3. 구속스트레스 3일군부터 핵주위의 공포화(vacuolization)로 핵과 세포질이 이개되었으며, 7일군에서는 이러한 핵주위의 변성이 현저하였다. 구속스트레스 부여 후 뇌세포의 미세구조를 관찰한 결과, 세포내 미세구조 및 세포간극의 변화가 있었던 것은 스트레스에 의해 신경세포가 변성될 수 있다는 것을 의미하는 것으로, 이는 스트레스와 관련된 구강안면동통 등의 질병 기전을 밝히는데 도움이 되리라 사료되며, 향후 이에 대한 추가적인 조직학적, 분자생물학적인 연구가 필요하리라 생각된다.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.265-276
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• 2000

스트레스가 타액선 조직을 변형시키고 파괴시킬 수 있다는 것은 이미 보고된 바 있다. 이는 구속스트레스 시에 관찰되는 apoptosis에 의한 것인데, 이 과정에 관여하는 caspase-3는 세포의 DNA를 분절시킴으로서 apoptosis를 일으킨다고 알려진 세포내 단백효소이다. 이에 기존에 관찰되었던 구속 스트레스에 의한 apoptosis의 형태적 변화가 apoptosis를 유도하는 caspase-3와 어떠한 시기적 상관관계를 가지고 있는지를 구명하기 위하여 본 실험을 시행하였다. 웅성 백서 (Sprague-Dawley, 8주) 를 사용하여 실험 전 기간에 걸쳐 구속스트레스를 가한 후 30분, 1시간, 3시간, 6시간, 24시간, 3일, 5일, 7일에 희생시켰다. 그 후 실험동물의 악하선을 절취하여 동결절편을 제작한 후, caspase-3에 대한 형광항체로 면역형광법을 시행하여 관찰하였다. 1. 정상대조군에서는 caspase-3가 타액선 조직 전반에서 미약하게 관찰되었다. 2. 구속스트레스 부여 30분에서 caspase-3는 강반응을 보였고, 실험기간이 경과됨에따라 점차 6시간군에서 부터는 현저히 감소하였다. 3. Caspase-3는 구속 스트레스 30분에 도관과 선포세포 모두에서 발현되었으나, 선포세포에서는 조기에 급격히 소실되었고 도관세포에서는 전 실험 기간에 걸쳐 서서히 소실되었다. 이와 같은 연구 결과에서, 세포내 caspase-3는 조직의 형태적 변화가 나타나기 이전에 발현하는 것으로 보아 caspase-3는 형태적 변화를 예견할 수 있는 진단 지표로 사용될 수 있을 것으로 사료되며 이후 임상적으로 적용하기 위한 지속적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.651-661
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• 2019

Targeting the pathogen viability using drugs is associated with development of drug resistance due to selective pressure. Hence, there is an increased interest in developing agents that target bacterial virulence. In this study, the inhibitory effect of ciclopirox, an antifungal agent with iron chelation potential, on the microbial virulence factors was evaluated in 26 clinical MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from Alexandria Main University Hospital, a tertiary hospital in Egypt. Treatment with 9 ㎍/ml ciclopirox inhibited the hemolytic activity in 70% isolates, reduced pyocyanin production, decreased protease secretion in 46% isolates, lowered twitching and swarming motility, and decreased biofilm formation by 1.5- to 4.5-fold. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that treatment with ciclopirox downregulated the expression levels of alkaline protease (aprA) and pyocyanin (phzA1). Ciclopirox is used to treat hematological malignancies and the systemic administration of ciclopirox is reported to have adequate oral absorption with a satisfactory drug safety profile. It is important to calculate the appropriate clinical dose and therapeutic index to reposition ciclopirox from a topical antifungal agent to a promising virulence-modifying agent agent against P. aeruginosa, a problematic Gram-negative pathogen.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.823-830
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• 2023

Lactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium and used in the dairy food industry. The ameliorating effects of Lactobacillus species on atopic dermatitis (AD) have been extensively studied, but the specific effect of L. lactis strains has not yet been investigated. In this study, the efficacy of L. lactis LB 1022, isolated from natural cheese, was evaluated using RAW 264.7, HMC-1 and HaCaT cell lines and an ovalbumin-sensitized AD mouse model. L. lactis LB 1022 exhibited nitric oxide suppression and anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Oral administration of L. lactis LB 1022 to AD mice significantly reduced the levels of IgE, mast cells, and eosinophils, and a range of T cell-mediated T helper Th1, Th2, and Th17-type cytokines under interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). In addition, L. lactis LB 1022 treatment increased the concentration of short-chain fatty acids. Overall, L. lactis LB 1022 significantly modulated AD-like symptoms by altering metabolites and the immune response, illustrating its potential as candidate for use in functional food supplements to alleviate AD.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.566-571
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• 2007

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent stimulator of bone resorption in periodontitis. Co-culture systems of mouse calvaria-derived osteoblasts and bone marrow-derived preosteoclasts were used as an in vitro osteoclast differentiation. This study revealed that co-cultures using ddY or ICR mouse strain responded differently to LPS while responded equally to $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$. Thus, the different response to LPS indicates dissimilarity of two mouse stains in their capacity for generating osteoclasts while the two mouse strains share the similarity in response to $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$. To identify which cells between osteoblasts and preosteoclasts in the co-culture are responsible for the dissimilarity, the reciprocal co-cultures were performed between ddY and ICR mouse strains. The treatment of $1,25(OH)_2D_3$ to ddY/ICR (osteoblasts from ddY/preosteoclasts from ICR) and ICR/ddY reciprocal co-cultures also showed the similarity. In case of LPS treatment, the results of ddY/ICR were similar to ddY/ddY and the results of the other reciprocal co-culture, ICR/ddY combination, were consistent with those of ICR/ICR. It suggests that the dissimilarity between the two mouse strains may resident in osteoblasts but not in preosteoclasts. Therefore, the osteoblast is responsible for mouse strain-dependent osteoclastogenesis in response to LPS. Although mouse models will continue to provide insights into molecular mechanisms of osteoclastogenesis, caution should be exercised when using different mouse strains, especially ddY and ICR strains as models for osteoclast differentiation.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.1327-1331
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• 2008

In order to determine whether peach contains compounds to regulate adipocyte differentiation, extracts of flesh/pericarp of yellow/white peach were prepared in water, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), or n-butanol solvent and determined for effects on adipocyte differentiation in C3H10T1/2 or 3T3-L1 cells. Interestingly, none of peach extracts has statistically significant stimulatory effect on the adipocyte differentiation in C3H10T1/2. Furthermore, the presence of EtOAc extract of white peach pericarp (WPP) was found to inhibit lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells both by microscopic examination of Oil Red O-stained lipid droplets and by spectrophotometric quantification of extracted stain, indicating a significant inhibitory effect on adipocyte differentiation. The inhibition of lipid accumulation was accompanied by a significant decrease in the expression levels of adipocyte molecular markers-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$, CAAT enhancer binding protein $\alpha$, and fatty acid-binding protein. Thus, this study determined that WPP EtOAc extract contains the inhibitory compound(s) on adipogenesis.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.179-189
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• 2020

Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a potent antioxidant with protective effects against neurotoxicity. However, it is currently unclear whether EGCG protects neuronal cells against radiation-induced damage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cells. The effects of UV irradiation included apoptotic cell death, which was associated with DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enhanced caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. UV irradiation also increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and mitochondrial pathway-associated cytochrome c expression. However, pretreatment with EGCG before UV exposure markedly decreased UV-induced DNA fragmentation and ROS production. Furthermore, the UV irradiation-induced increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cytochrome c upregulation, and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation were each ameliorated by EGCG pretreatment. Additionally, EGCG suppressed UV-induced phosphorylation of p38 and rescued UV-downregulated phosphorylation of ERK. Taken together, these results suggest that EGCG prevents UV irradiation-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells by scavenging ROS and inhibiting the mitochondrial pathways known to play a crucial role in apoptosis. In addition, EGCG inhibits UV-induced apoptosis via JNK inactivation and ERK activation in PC12 cells. Thus, EGCG represents a potential neuroprotective agent that could be applied to prevent neuronal cell death induced by UV irradiation.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.209-212
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to develop species-specific PCR primers for use in the identification and detection of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. These primers target variable regions of the 168 ribosomal RNA coding gene (rDNA). We assessed the specificity of the primers against 9 A. actinomycetemcomitans strains and 11 strains (3 species) of the Haemophilus genus. Primer sensitivity was determined by testing serial dilutions of the purified genomic DNAs of A. actinomycetemcomitans ATCC$ 33384^$T Our obtained data revealed that we had obtained species-specific amplicons for all of the tested A. actinomycetemcomitans strains, and that none of these amplicons occurred in any of the other species. Our PCR protocol proved able to detect as little as 4 fg of A. actinomycetemcomitans chromosomal DNA. Our findings suggest that these PCR primers are incredibly sensitive, and should prove suitable for application in epidemiological studies, as well as the diagnosis and monitoring of periodontal pathogens after treatment for periodontitis.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.197-201
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• 2010

Osteopetrosis is a rare bone disease characterized by systemic osteosclerosis due to an osteoclast dysfunction that decreases bone resorption. This report demonstrates two cases of adult osteopetrosis with secondary osteomyelitis of the maxilla, in siblings who are 43-year old female and 55-year old, male respectively. The common radiographic features of these cases were increased radiopacity in skull, rib and vertebra. The radiographic features that differed between these two cases were the osteosclerotic pattern of the jaw bones, that is, diffuse patterns in the female case, while the male case showed nodular patterns that were confined to the root apices. The diagnosis of osteopetrosis may be complicated due to the varying degree of osteosclerosis on panoramic radiograph. Additional radiographs such as the chest and skull radiograph may be helpful for the diagnosis of osteopetrosis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.21-28
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• 2008

Background: A co-inhibitory molecule, B7-H4, is believed to negatively regulate T cell immunity by suppressing T cell proliferation and inhibiting cytokine production. However, the mechanism behind B7-H4-mediated tolerance remains unclear. Methods: Balb/c $(H-2^d)$ mice were fed with dendritic cell line, DC2.4 $(H-2^d)$ every day for 10 days. Meantime, mice were hydrodynamically injected with recombinant plasmid expressing B7-H4 fusion protein (B7-H4.hFc) or hFc via tail vein. One day after last feeding, mice were immunized with allogeneic B6 spleen cells. 14 days following immunization, mice were challenged with B6 spleen cells to ear back and the ear swelling was determined the next day. Subsequently, a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was also performed and cytokines profiles from the reaction were examined by sandwich ELISA. Frequency of immunosuppressive cell population was assayed with flow cytometry and mRNA for FoxP3 was determined by RT-PCR. Results: Tolerant mice given plasmid expressing B7-H4.hFc showed a significant reduction in ear swelling compared to control mice. In addition, T cells from mice given B7-H4.hFc plasmid revealed a significant hyporesponsiveness of T cells against allogeneic spleen cells and showed a significant decrease in Th1 and Th2 cytokines such as IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-5, and TNF-${\alpha}$. Interestingly, flow cytometric analysis showed that the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs in spleen was increased in tolerant mice given recombinant B7-H4.hFc plasmid compared to control group. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that B7-H4 synergistically potentiates oral tolerance induced by allogeneic cells by increasing the frequency of FoxP3+ CD4+CD25+ Treg and reducing Th1 and Th2 cytokine production.