• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.89-93
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• 2004

Expression of a fusion protein between B. thuringiensis crystal protein, Cry1Ac1 and a scorpion insect toxin (AaIT, Androctonus australis Hector insect toxin) in acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis strain (Cry-B strain) was examined. The cry 1Ac1 gene was cloned in B. thuringiensis-E coli shuttle vector, pHT3101, under the control of the native cry 1Ac1 gene promoter (pProAc) and a gene encoding AaIT was inserted in XhoI site in the middle of the cry 1Ac1 gene (pProAc-ScoR). B. thuringiensis Cry-B strain carrying pProAc-ScoR (PyoAc-ScoR/CB) produced an inclusion body of irregular shape and the expressed fusion protein is approximately 65 kDa in size. Sporulated cells and spore-crystal mixtures of ProAc-ScoR/CB had insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella larvae, showing $LT_50$ of ProAc-ScoR/CB (22.59 hrs) lower than that of ProAc/CB (30.06 hrs) at $1{\times}{10^7} {CEU/cm^2}$. These results suggest that the fusion protein including a B. thuringiensis crystal protein and an AaIT may be functionally expressed in B. thupingiensis. Moreover, we verified the additive toxicity of AaIT, which is a new feasible candidate for insect control.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제58권4호
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• pp.359-366
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• 2005

인슐린양 성장 인자 결합 단백-3(Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3))는 혈액 내에서 IGF와 결합하여 복합체 혹은 저장소로 작용함으로써, IGF가 수용체에 결합하는 것을 방해하여 IGF의 항세포사멸(antiapoptosis) 및 세포분열 촉진의 기능을 억제한다. 하지만, 특정 상황에서는 도리어 IGFBP-3가 IGF의 파괴를 억제하여 IGF에 의한 암세포의 분화 및 성장을 촉진할 수도 있다는 것이 알려져 있다. 대부분의 환자에서 혈액내 IGFBP-3 수치는 IGFBP-3 유전자의 -202 좌위(locus)의 다형성(polymorphism)에 의해 크게 영향을 받는다. 따라서, 저자 등은 제한 효소(restriction enzyme)를 이용하여 비소세포폐암 환자의 IGFBP-3 유전자 -202 좌위의 다형성을 분석함으로써, 이 좌위의 다형성이 비소세포폐암의 위험도와 연관되어 있는지 조사하였다. 본 연구는 104명의 비소세포폐암 환자군과, 연령, 성별, 흡연력이 비슷한 104명의 대조군을 비교 분석하였다. 대조군에서 -202 좌위 유전자 다형성의 빈도는 AA형 48명 (46.2%), AC형 45명 (43.3%), CC형 11명 (10.5%)이었고, 비소세포폐암 환자군에서 -202 좌위 유전자 다형성의 빈도는 AA형 67명(64.4%), AC형 35명 (33.7%), CC형 2명 (1.9%)이었다. -202 좌위의 유전자 다형성에 있어서 대조군과 비소세포폐암 환자군 사이에 유의한 빈도 차이가 있었으며 (p < 0.05, Pearson's ${\chi}^2-test$), 비소세포폐암의 위험도는 -202 좌위의 AA형에서 가장 높고 CC형에서 가장 낮았다. CC형을 기준으로 하면 AC형의 비교 위험도는 2.60 (95% 신뢰구간: 0.89 - 8.60)이었으며 AA형의 비교 위험도는 5.89 (95% 신뢰구간: 1.92 - 21.16)이었다. 본 연구 결과는, IGFBP-3 유전자의 -202 좌위(locus)의 다형성(polymorphism)이 비소세포폐암의 위험인자 중의 하나일 가능성을 제시하며, 따라서 비소세포폐암에 대한 항암치료 개발에 있어서 새로운 표적이 될 가능성을 시사한다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.4113-4117
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• 2012

Breast cancer is a prevalent heterogeneous malignant disease. Gene expression profiling by DNA microarray can classify breast tumors into five different molecular subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER-2, basal and normal-like which have differing prognosis. Recently it has been shown that immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2), can divide tumors to main subtypes: luminal A (ER+; PR+/-; HER-2-), luminal B (ER+;PR+/-; HER-2+), basal-like (ER-;PR-;HER2-) and Her2+ (ER-; PR-; HER-2+). Some subtypes such as basal-like subtype have been characterized by poor prognosis and reduced overall survival. Due to the importance of the ER signaling pathway in mammary cell proliferation; it appears that epigenetic changes in the $ER{\alpha}$ gene as a central component of this pathway, may contribute to prognostic prediction. Thus this study aimed to clarify the correlation of different IHC-based subtypes of breast tumors with $ER{\alpha}$ methylation in Iranian breast cancer patients. For this purpose one hundred fresh breast tumors obtained by surgical resection underwent DNA extraction for assessment of their ER methylation status by methylation specific PCR (MSP). These tumors were classified into main subtypes according to IHC markers and data were collected on pathological features of the patients. $ER{\alpha}$ methylation was found in 25 of 28 (89.3%) basal tumors, 21 of 24 (87.5%) Her2+ tumors, 18 of 34 (52.9%) luminal A tumors and 7 of 14 (50%) luminal B tumors. A strong correlation was found between $ER{\alpha}$ methylation and poor prognosis tumor subtypes (basal and Her2+) in patients (P<0.001). Our findings show that $ER{\alpha}$ methylation is correlated with poor prognosis subtypes of breast tumors in Iranian patients and may play an important role in pathogenesis of the more aggressive breast tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4327-4330
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• 2012

The mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) gene plays a key role in the p53 pathway, and the SNP 309T/G single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of MDM2 has been shown to be associated with increased risk of cancer. However, no consistent results were found concerning the relationships between the polymorphism and prostate cancer risk. This meta-analysis, covering 4 independent case-control studies, was conducted to better understand the association between MDM2-SNP T309G and prostate cancer risk focusing on overall and subgroup aspects. The analysis revealed, no matter what kind of genetic model was used, no significant association between MDM2-SNP T309G and prostate cancer risk in overall analysis (GT/TT: OR = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.60-1.19; GG/TT: OR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.43-1.11; dominant model: OR = 0.81, 95%CI= 0.58-1.13; recessive model: OR = 1.23, 95%CI = 0.95-1.59). In subgroup analysis, the polymorphism seemed more likely to be a protective factor in Europeans (GG/TT: OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.31-0.87; recessive model: OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.36-0.95) than in Asian populations, and a protective effect of the polymorphism was also seen in hospital-based studies in all models (GT/TT: OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.57-0.97; GG/TT: OR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.38-0.79; dominant model: OR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.54-0.89; recessive model: OR = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.51-0.97). However, more primary studies with a larger number of samples are required to confirm our findings.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.85-89
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• 2015

This peptide has antibacterial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Bombyx mori cecropinB1(BmCecB1) is antimicrobial peptides from Bombyx mori and belongs to cecropin family. Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the innate immune systems in all living organism. To produce the BmCecB1 antimicrobial peptide, we constructed transgenic silkworm that expressed BmCecB1 gene under the control BmA3 promoter using piggyBac vector. The use of the 3xP3-driven EGFP cDNA as a marker allowed us to rapidly distinguish transgenic silkworm. Mixtures of the donor vector and helper vector were micro-injected into 600 eggs of bivoltin silkworms, Baegokjam. In total, 49 larvae (G0) were hatched and allowed to develop into moths. The resulting G1 generation consisted of 22 broods, and we selected 2 broods containing at least 1 EGFP-positive embryo. The rate of successful transgenesis for the G1 broods was 9%. We identified 9 EGFP-positive G1 moths and these were backcrossed with wild-type moths. With the aim of identifying a BmCecB1 as antimicrobial peptide, we investigated the Radical diffusion Assay (RDA) and then demonstrated that BmCecB1 possesses high antibacterial activities against Gram-negative bacteria.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.2185-2193
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• 2016

Background: The pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) is influenced by the patient genetic background and environmental factors. Based on prior understanding, these are classified in two major pathways of genetic instability. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and CPG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) are categorized as features of the hypermethylated prototype, and chromosomal instability (CIN) is known to be indicative of the non-hypermethylated category. Secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2), APC1A in WNT signaling pathway and the DNA repair gene, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), are frequently hypermethylated in colorectal cancer. Detection of methylated DNA as a biomarker by easy and inexpensive methods might improve the quality of life of patients with CRC via early detection of cancer or a precancerous condition. Aim: To evaluate the rate of SFRP2 and MGMT hypermethylation in both polyp tissue and serum of patients in south Iran as compared with matched control normal population corresponding samples. Materials and Methods: Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect hypermethylation in DNA extracted from 48 polypoid tissue samples and 25 healthy individuals. Results: Of total polyp samples, 89.5% had at least one promoter gene hypermethylation. The most frequent methylated locus was SFRP2 followed by MGMT-B (81.2 and 66.6 percent respectively). Serologic detection of hypermethylation was 95% sensitive as compared with polyp tissue. No hypermethylation was detected in normal tissue and serum and its detection in patients with polyps, especially of serrated type, was specific. Conclusions: Serologic investigation for detection of MGMT-B, SFRP2 hypermethylation could facilitate prioritization of high risk patients for colonoscopic polyp detection and excision.