• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2002

In the present study, we tried to investigate whether polymerized basic amino acid e.g. poly-L-lysine (PLL) which has the degree of polymerization under 50mer significantly affects the physiological and stimulated mucin release from cultured hamster tracheal surface epithelial cells. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled with $^3{H}$-glucosamine for 24 hr and chased for 30 min in the presence of either PLLs or adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and PLL to assess the effects on basic or ATP-stimulated $^3{H}$-mucin release. Possible cytotoxicities of PLLs were assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from HTSE cel1s during treatment. The results were as follows: PLLs significantly inhibited basic mucin release from cultured HTSE cells in a dose-dependent manner from the range of 46mer to 14mer; PLL 46mer significantly inhibited the stimulated mucin release by ATP from cultured HTSE cells; there was no significant release of LDH from cultured HTSE cells during treatment. We conclude that PLLs inhibit both physiological and stimulated mucin release from airway epithelial cells without significant cytotoxicity and PLL lost its activity under the range of 14mer. This finding suggests that polymer of basic amino acid like PLL might function as a regulator for hypersecretion of mucus manifested in various respiratory diseases.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1942-1949
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• 2019

Objective: Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is associated with several physiological processes including inflammation, tumorigenesis, and natural killer T cell generation. Chicken LECT2 (chLECT2) gene was originally identified as one of the differentially expressed genes in chicken kidney tissue, where the chickens were fed with different calcium doses. In this study, the molecular characteristics and gene expression of chLECT2 were analyzed under the stimulation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) ligand to understand the involvement of chLECT2 expression in chicken metabolic disorders. Methods: Amino acid sequence of LECT2 proteins from various species including fowl, fish, and mammal were retrieved from the Ensembl database and subjected to Insilco analyses. In addition, the time- and dose-dependent expression of chLECT2 was examined in DF-1 cells which were stimulated with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly [I:C]), a TLR3 ligand. Further, to explore the transcription factors required for the transcription of chLECT2, DF-1 cells were treated with poly (I:C) in the presence or absence of the nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ($NF{\kappa}B$) and activated protein 1 (AP-1) inhibitors. Results: The amino acid sequence prediction of chLECT2 protein revealed that along with duck LECT2 (duLECT2), it has unique signal peptide different from other vertebrate orthologs, and only chLECT2 and duLECT2 have an additional 157 and 161 amino acids on their carboxyl terminus, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that chLECT2 is evolved from a common ancestor along with the actinopterygii hence, more closely related than to the mammals. Our quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that, the expression of chLECT2 was up-regulated significantly in DF-1 cells under the stimulation of poly (I:C) (p<0.05). However, in the presence of $NF{\kappa}B$ or AP-1 inhibitors, the expression of chLECT2 is suppressed suggesting that both $NF{\kappa}B$ and AP-1 transcription factors are required for the induction of chLECT2 expression. Conclusion: The present results suggest that chLECT2 gene might be a target gene of TLR3 signaling. For the future, the expression pattern or molecular mechanism of chLECT2 under stimulation of other innate immune receptors shall be studied. The protein function of chLECT2 will be more clearly understood if further investigation about the mechanism of LECT2 in TLR pathways is conducted.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.201-210
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• 2023

A ZnO/poly (amide-imide) hybrid nanocomposite film with different weight percentages of Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is synthesized and characterized in this paper. A two-step reaction successfully synthesized a new kind of heteroaromatic diamine with bulky pendant groups. In order to produce 3, 5-dinitro-3, 3-bis (4-(4-Nitrophenoxy) phenyl) -2- benzofuran-1-one, 3, 3'-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) benzofuran-1-one and 3'-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) benzofuran-1-one were combined with 3'-bis (3-hydroxyphenyl) benzofuran-1-one. The obtained dinitro was then reduced by zinc dust and hydrochloric acid. The reaction of 4, 4^* carbonyl diphthalic anhydride with amino acid L-alanine in acetic acid leads to the production of very high yields of chiral diacid monomer. As a result of the direct polymerization of these monomers, new optically active polymers were formed (amide-imide). In order to synthesize poly (amide-imide)/ZnO nanocomposites with different weight percentages (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%), PAI and ZnO nanoparticles were combined using ultrasonication SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal gravimetry were used to characterize the PAI films.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2005

Water-soluble polyethyleneimine (PE) derivatives containing nucleic acid bases and hydrophilic amino acids such as homoserine (Hse) and serine were prepared by the activated ester method as nucleic acid models. From spectroscopic measurements, the polymers were found to interact with DNA accompanied by an induction of conformational change. Hypochromicity in UV spectra indicated that a stable polymer complex was formed between poly (A) with PEI­Hse-Ura by complementary hydrogen bonding with equimolar nucleic base units (adenine:uracil=1:1). The induced conformation of DNA by the interaction with the polymer containing uracil and homoserine (PEI-Hse-Ura) was concluded to be a super triple helical structure. The formation of the polymer complex, DNA: PEI-Hse-Ura, was found to be affected by the presence of metal ions such as $Ca^{2+}\;and\;Cu^{2+}$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-297
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• 2018

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaves contain a mixture of polysaccharides, amino acids, and polyphenols, which mediate various biological activities. For efficient utilization of its leaf, we reported the preparation procedure for phytochemical-rich extract (PRE) using the leaf residue, which was by-product of hot water extraction. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of PRE and its major constituent, p-coumaric acid,on the growth of several human cancer cell lines (MKN-74, MKN-45, SNU-1, SNU-16, and HL-60). The ethyl acetate fraction of PRE and p-coumaric acid significantly inhibited the proliferation of MKN-74 and HL-60 cells, respectively, and induced cell apoptosis, down-regulated Bcl-2 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase levels, and up-regulated those of Bax and caspase-3. These results show the potential utility of S. quelpaertensis Nakai leaves in cancer prevention.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.373-384
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• 2005

Novel pH-sensitive moieties containing an s-triazine ring were synthesized with sulfonamide and secondary amino groups. The synthesized pH-sensitive moieties were used for the synthesis of a pH-sensitive amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymer. The pH-sensitive triblock copolymer was composed of diblock copolymers, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) (MPEG-PCLA), and pH-sensitive moiety. These copolymers could be dissolved molecularly in both acidic and basic aqueous media at room temperature due to secondary amino and sulfonamide groups. The synthesized s-triazine rings containing pH-sensitive compounds were characterized by ${^1}H-NMR,\;{^13}C-NMR$, and LC/MSD spectral data. The synthesized diblock and triblock copolymers were also characterized by ${^1}H-NMR$ and GPC analyses. The critical micelle concentrations at various pH conditions were determined by fluorescence technique using pyrene as a probe. Furthermore, the micellization and demicellization study of the triblock copolymer was done with pH-sensitive groups. The sensitivity towards pH change was further established by acid-base titration.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

${\gamma}$-PGA(poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) is an unusual anionic polypeptide that is made of D- and L-glutamic acid units connected by amide linkages between ${\alpha}$-amino and ${\gamma}$-carboxylic acid groups. ${\gamma}$-PGA has been isolated from many kinds of organisms. Many Bacillus strains produce ${\gamma}$-PGA as a capsular material of an extracellular viscous material. It is safe for eating as a viscosity element of fermented soybean products such as Chungkookjang and Natto. It is biodegradable, edible and nontoxic toward humans and the environment and its molecular weight varies from ten thousand to several hundred thousand depending on the kinds of strains used. Therefore, potential applications of ${\gamma}$-PGA and its derivatives have been of interest in the past few years in a broad range of industrial fields such as food, cosmetics, medicine, water-treatment, etc. In this study, a bacterium, Bacillus subtilis GS-2 isolated from the Korean traditional seasoning food, Chungkookjang could produce a large amount of ${\gamma}$-PGA with high productivity and had a simple nutrient requirement. Based on carbon utilization pattern and partial 16S rRNA sequence analysis, the GS-2 strain was identified as B. subtilis. The determination of purified ${\gamma}$-PGA was confirmed with thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, and $^1H$-nuclear magnetic resonance ($^1H$-NMR) spectroscopy.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.378-389
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• 1993

The release of steroids such as progesterone, testosterone, estrone and estradiol were investigated in two types of block copolymer matrices, which were AB type block copolymer composed of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate)[PBLG] as the A segment and polyoxypropylene[POP] as the B segment and ABA type triblock copolymer composed of the A segment and poly(propylene glycol)[PPG] as the B segment. The release rates of progesterone, estradiol and testosterone through PBLG-POP1 and PBLG-POP2 matrices and those of progesterone, estrone and testosterone through GPG1 of ABA type triblock copolymer were higher in an acidic solution than in a basic one. However, the release rate of estrone through PBLG-POP1 and PBLG-POP2 matrices and that of estradiol through GPG1 of ABA type triblock copolymer were higher in a basic and neutral solutions than in an acidic one. The order of release rate in three different matrices was GPG1 > PBLG-POP1 > PBLG-POP2. The results also showed that the molecular weight of steroids is inversely proportional to the rate of release.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.259-259
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• 2006

PAU is the block copolymer consists of a small amount of a small amount of poly(${\gamma}-methyl-L-glutamate$) (PMLG) and the polyurethane. The urethane segments are hydrophobic and then strongly interact with the other hydrophobic materials such as PTFE, and the PMLG segments with the ${\alpha}-helix$ structure possess the cytocompatibility. Therefore, PAU can be easily coated onto the PTFE fiber and acts as an artificial extracellular matrix with the high cytocompatibility Results shows, the immobilization, cultured and functions of porcine hepatocytes is greatly improved.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2015

A series of fluorinated aromatic poly(hydroxyamide)s (PHAs) were synthesized by direct polycondensation of diacides containing 2,6-dimethylphenoxy group and quinoxaline ring in the main chain with 2,2-bis-(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane. The PHAs had relatively low inherent viscosities in the range of 0.35~0.43 dL/g at $35^{\circ}C$ in DMAc solution. All PHAs exhibited excellent solubility in aprotic solvents such as NMP, DMAc, DMF and DMSO as well as in common organic solvents such as pyridine, THF, and m-cresol at room temperature. However, the poly(benzoxazole)s (PBOs) were quite insoluble in all organic solvents except partially soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid. The PBOs showed glass transition temperatures between 233 and $284^{\circ}C$ by DSC and maximum weight loss temperatures in the range of $536-546^{\circ}C$ by TGA.