• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.1337-1347
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• 2009

Purpose:Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a simple sulfur-containing amino acid. It is abundantly present in tissues such as brain, retina, heart, and skeletal muscles. Current studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of taurine, but limited data are available for such effects during neonatal period. The aim of this study was to determine whether taurine could reduce hypoxic-ischemic (HI) cerebral injury via anti-apoptosis mechanism. Methods:Embryonic cortical neurons isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 18 days gestation were cultured in vitro. The cells were divided into hypoxia group, taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, and taurine-treated group after HI insult. In the in vivo model, left carotid artery ligation was performed in 7-day-old SD rat pups. The pups were exposed to hypoxia, administered an injection of 30 mg/kg of taurine, and killed at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the hypoxic insult. We compared the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 among the 3 groups by using real- time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting. Results:The cells in the taurine-treated group before hypoxic insult, although similar in appearance to those in the normoxia group, were lesser in number. In the taurine-treated group, Bcl-2 expression increased, whereas Bax and caspase-3 expressions reduced. Conclusion:Taurine exerts neuroprotective effects onperinatal HI brain injury due to its anti-apoptotic effect. The neuroprotective effect was maximal at 1-2 weeks after the hypoxic injury.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.667-673
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• 2009

Purpose : Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is critical in the immune response to mycobacterial infections. The purpose of this study was to analyze TLR2 surface expressions and TLR2-mediated tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in patients with BCG vaccine-associated suppurative lymphadenitis. Methods : Peripheral monocytes were separated from 16 patients with BCG vaccine-associated suppurative lymphadenitis and 10 healthy controls using a magnet cell isolation kit. Monocytes ($1{\times}10^6$ cells/well) were incubated with a constant amount of $Pam_3CSK_4$ ($100{\mu}g/mL$) for 24 hours. TLR2 surface expression on monocytes was analyzed by FACS analysis and TLR-2 mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR. TLR2-mediated $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 production were measured by ELISA. Results : In patients with BCG vaccine-associated suppurative lymphadenitis, low TLR2 expression on monocytes ($3.39{\pm}$1.2% versus $4.64{\pm}2.6%$) together with significantly lower TLR2 mRNA expression than in the healthy controls was seen after $Pam_3CSK_4$ stimulation. TLR2-mediated $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 production in patients with BCG vaccine-associated suppurative lymphadenitis ($TNF-{\alpha}$, $775.5{\pm}60.8pg/mL$; IL-6, $4,645.8{\pm}583.9pg/mL$) were also lesser than that in healthy controls ($TNF-{\alpha}$, $1,098.5{\pm}94.3pg/mL$; IL-6, $6,696.3{\pm}544.3pg/mL$). Conclusion : These findings suggest that low TLR2 expression on monocytes might be associated with increased susceptibility to BCG vaccine-associated suppurative lymphadenitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.1102-1111
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• 2008

Purpose : Resveratrol, extracted from red wine and grapes, has an anti-cancer effect, an antiinflammatory effect, and an antioxidative effect mainly in heart disease and also has neuroprotective effects in the adult animal model. No studies for neuroprotective effects during the neonatal periods have been reported. Therefore, we studied the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol on hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats via anti-apoptosis. Methods : Embryonic cortical neuronal cell culture of rat brain was performed using pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 18 days of gestation (E18) for the in vitro approach. We injured the cells with hypoxia and administered resveratrol (1, 10, and $30{\mu}g/mL$) to the cells at 30 minutes before hypoxic insults. In addition, unilateral carotid artery ligation with hypoxia was induced in 7-day-old neonatal rats for the in vivo approach. We injected resveratrol (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally into animal models. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to identify the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol through anti-apoptosis. Results : In the in vitro approach of hypoxia, the expression of Bax, caspase-3, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, indicators of the level of apoptosis, were significantly increased in the hypoxia group compared to the normoxia group. In the case of the resveratrol-treated group, expression was significantly decreased compared to the hypoxia group. And the results in the in vivo approach were the same as in the in vitro approach. Conclusion : The present study demonstrates that resveratrol plays neuroprotective role in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage during neonatal periods through the mechanism of anti-apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2009

Adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL) deficiency is a disease of purine metabolism which affects patients both biochemicall and behaviorally. An obstacle of this purine nucleotide cycle(PNC) can be caused brain functional disorder and growth disorder. So ADSL deficiency, which is associated with sever mental retardation, autistic features and energy metabolism. This study was performed to identify SNP on ADSL gene in chicken. The nucleotides were observed as T to C ($7724^{th}$ nucleotide), C to T ($7732^{nd}$ nucleotide), G to T ($10108^{th}$ nucleotide), A to T ($10356^{th}$ nucleotide), G to A($10375^{th}$ nucleotide), A to C ($10402^{nd}$ nucleotide), A to T ($12716^{th}$ nucleotide), T to A ($12717^{th}$ nucleotide), C to T ($15491^{st}$ nucleotide), C to T ($15542^{nd}$ nucleotide) and C to T ($15550^{th}$ nucleotide). The nucleotide substitutions at $15542^{nd}$ and $15550^{th}$ (GeneBank accession no. AY665559) were found as missense mutation (alanine$\rightarrow$valine, proline$\rightarrow$serine, respectively). This study will be useful for farther researches for identifying association between these SNPs and energy metabolism in chicken. The C15550T SNP showed three genotypes, CC, CT, TT by digestion with the genotype TT had significantly faster the first lay day (150.0) than CT (162.0, P<0.05) and genotype TT (150.0, P<0.05) had significantly higher the egg production rate than CT (172.4, P<0.05). According to result of this study, a C15550T was found to have a significantly effect first lay day and mean egg production. It will be possible to use SNP marker on selecting chicken to improve important economic traits, which is the first lay day and mean egg production.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2013

There are several loci controlling the feather color of birds, of which one of the most studied is Extended black (E) encoding the melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R). Mutations in this gene affect the relative distribution of eumelanin, phaeomelanin. The association of feather color and sequence polymorphism in the melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R) gene was investigated using Korean native chicken H breed (H_PL) and 'Woorimatdag' commercial chickens (Woorimatdag_CC). In order to correlate gene mutation to Korean native chicken feather color, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) from MC1R gene sequence were investigated. A total of 307 birds from H_PL and Woorimatdag_CC were used. H_PL have black, black-brown feather color and Woorimatdag_CC have black with brown spots or brown with black spots. There are 6 SNPs in MC1R gene, locus T69C, C212T, A274G, G376A, G636A, T637C. 3 SNPs are nonsynonymous that change amino acid. But it is difficult to find correlation of feather color and polymorphisms. It will be needed to increase the population of Korean native chicken H breed and correlation analysis of genetic variation with feather colors.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2009

Purpose: Present evidences suggest that Ureaplasma urealyticum is a cause of pneumonia, septicemia, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in newborn infants, particularly those born prematurely. The purpose of this work was to examine the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum in the tracheal aspirates and adverse outcomes, such as BPD and early onset neonatal sepsis in premature infants. Methods: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on tracheal aspirates collected within 24 hour after birth in 176 premature infants less than 35 weeks of gestation and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Bundang CHA Hospital. Results: U. urealyticum was detected in 37 of 176 preterm infants (21.0%). Gestational age ($29^{+5}{\pm}2^{+5}$ wk vs. $30^{+6}{\pm}2^+{-5}$ wk, P=0.0l3) and birth weight (1.39${\pm}$0.44 kg vs. 1.59${\pm}$0.55 kg, P=0.037) were lower in the U urealyticum-positive group compared to the control group. The incidence of early onset neonatal sepsis (16.2% vs. 6.5%, P=0.045) and BPD (45.9% vs. 29.5%, P=0.047) was higher in the U urealyticum-positive group compared to the control group, but the severity of BPD was not different between two groups. However, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of U. urealyticum was not independently related to the development of early onset neonatal sepsis and BPD. Conclusion: The results suggest that colonization of the lower respiratory tract by U. urealyticum might not be related to the development of neonatal sepsis and BPD directly in preterm infants.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.247-254
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• 1996

Differentiation of invasive strains of Entamoebn histolytica according to their pathogenicity has been a topic of long debate, but now the pathogenic species only is regarded as E. histolytica while the non-pathogenic species is E. dispar. The present study applied immunoblot to differentiale infections of the two species among microscopically- detected cyst-passers in Korea. The crude extract of 5. histolyticn separated in 5-20% gradient gels, revealed many fractions of 94. 81. 71, 50. 44, 38.5. 37.5, 29, 19. and 18 kDa when the cysteine proteinase inhibitor. E64, was supplemented. The serum IgG antibody of 3 proven E. histolytirc cases reacted loth the antigenic fractions of 117. 110. 99.68,66,60.54.52, 46. and 45 kDa. Sera of PCR confirmed 3 cases of E. disper reacted only to the 117 kDa fraction or the E. histolytica crude extract which was regarded as non specific. To the antitigen of monoxenic E. dispar. sera or E. dispar and E. histolytica cases showed the same immunoblot reactions. The serum IgG antibody reacted with several antigenic fractions of both E. histolytica and E. dispar. but IgM and IgE antibodies showed no reaction to either antigen. Sera of 24 symptomless amebic cyst-passers were screened with the E. histolytica alltigen; two were found to be infected by E. histolytica and 22 were by E. dispar. The present findings suggest that in Korea most of asymptomatic cyst passers of E. histolytica are carriers of E. dispar. Immunoblot using E. histolytica antigen is a good technique for the differentiation of E. histolytica and E. dispar infections.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.1 s.60
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• pp.15-26
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• 1998

p53 is the most frequently mutated gene in female breast cancer tissues and the prognosis of breast cancer could be changed by mutation of the gene. This study was performed to examine risk factors for breast cancer subtypes classified by p53 mutation and to investigate the roles of p53 gene mutation in carcinogenesis of breast cancer. The study subjects were 81 breast cancer patients and 121 controls who were matched to cases 1:1 or 1:2 age, residence, education level and menopausal status. All the subjects were interviewed by a well-trained nurse with standardized questionnaire on reproductive factors, and wire asked to fill the self-administrative food frequency questionnaire. p53 gene mutation in the cancer tissue was screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) method. Mutation type was identified by direct sequencing of the exon of which mobility shift was observed in SSCP analysis. Mutations were detected in p53 gene of 25 breast cancer tissues. By direct sequencing, base substitutions were found in 20 cancer tissues (10 transition and 10 transversion), and frame shift mutations in 5 (4 insertions and 1 deletion). For the whole cases and controls, risk of breast cancer incidence decreased when the parity increased, and increased when intake amount of total calory, fat, or protein increased. Eat and protein were statistically significant risk factors for breast cancer with p53 mutation. For breast cancer without p53 mutation, protein intake was the only significant dietary factor. These results suggest that causes of p53 positive breast lancer would be different from those of p53 negative cancer, and that dietary factors or related hormonal factors induce mutation of p53, which may be the first step of breast cancer development or a promoter following some unidentified genetic mutations.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.648-655
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• 2010

This study is the first comprehensive report on the molecular cloning, structural characterization, sequence comparison between wild and mutant types, copy number in the genome, expression features and activities of a gene encoding 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) in Korean lawn grass ($Zoysia$ $japonica$). The full length cDNA of the EPSPS from Korean lawn grass ($zj$EPSPS) obtained from a 3' and 5' RACE method was 1540 bp, containing a 1176 bp ORF, a 144 bp leader sequence (5' UTR) and a 220 bp 3' UTR, which was eventually decoded 391 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 41.74 kDa. The Southern blot detection of the $zj$EPSPS showed that the gene exists as a single copy in the Korean lawn grass genome. Sequence comparison of the $zj$EPSPS gene demonstrated that the glyphosate-tolerant mutant (GT) having a Pro-53 to Ser substitution in the gene seems to have a preferred binding activity of the enzyme to phosphoenol pyruvate(PEP) over glyphosate, which allows the continuous synthesis of aromatic amino acids in the shikimate pathway. From the Northern blotting analysis, the $zj$EPSPS was found to be highly expressed, with continuous increase until 36 hours after 0.5% glyphosate treatment in both wild and mutant samples, but 1.5-fold higher EPSP synthase activity was observed in the tolerant mutant when exposed to the glyphosate treatment. The molecular information of the $zj$EPSPS gene obtained from this study needs to be further dissected to be more effectively applied to the development of gene-specific DNA markers and zoysiagrass cultivars; nevertheless, the glyphosate-tolerant mutant having the featured $zj$EPSPS gene can be provided to turfgrass managers for weed problems with timely adoptable management options.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2004

This study was carried out to examine the expression of the circadian clock genes in the mouse ovary and testis at different developmental stages. Expression of Period1(Per 1), Period2(Per2), Period3(Per3), Cryptochrome1(Cry1), Cyptochrome2(Cry2), Clock Small and Prokineticin1 and Prokineticin2 receptor(Prok1r, Prok2r) genes in mouse ovary was explored by semiquantitative reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) according to the developmental stage(post partum day; ppd 1, 7, 10, 21 and 35). Immunohistochemistry using PER1 antibody was also analyzed. The differential expression pattern of clock genes was presented according to stages of the mouse ovarian development (ppd 1, 7, 10, 21 and 35). In the cases of ovaries, at the starting point of follicle growth at ppd 7 and 10, the clock gene expression patterns were changed vastly. According to the developmental stages, the clock genes were highly expressed at ppd 7 and 10 in mouse testis also. Receptors for Prok2, the circadian output molecule of SCN, were also expressed in ovary at ppd 7 and in testis at ppd 1 and 7, respectively. Immnunohistochemical analysis of PER1 showed positive signals in the cytoplasm of oocytes and granulosa cells. The level or PER1 expression was increased in cells at the spermatogonia and the condensing spermatids. The expression pattern of Perl and localization of PER1 were showed similar patterns according to the developmental stages in ovary and testis. Taken together, it could be observed that the expression of clock genes was highly correlated with gonadal development and germ cell differentiation in mice. Therefore, in this study, circadian programming of the genes in the ovary and testis is strongly imposed across a wide range of core reproductive cycles and normal development of gametes. Although the existence of circadian genes is clearly investigated, further studies on the direct evidence is required for the understanding of the relationship between circadian genes and regulation of gonadal differentiation and germ cell development.