• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6685-6689
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• 2014

Background: Alterations in gene expression levels or mutations of tyrosine kinases are detected in some human cancers. In this study, we examined whether serine threonine tyrosine kinase 1 (STYK1)/novel oncogene with kinase domain (NOK) is overexpressed in patients with colorectal cancer. We also examined the clinical relevance of STYK1/NOK expression in cancer tissues. Materials and Methods: In tumor samples of patients with colorectal cancer and their matched non-cancerous samples, STYK1/NOK messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Associations between the expression levels of STYK1/NOK and clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer were also assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: Upregulation of STYK1/NOK was found in cancer tissues even at early stage of colorectal cancer compared to normal adjacent tissues. The optimal cutoff point of 0.198 the STYK1/NOK expression showed 0.78 sensitivity and 0.75 specificity for diagnosis. Overexpressed STYK1/NOK was correlated with tumor size but had no association with other clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer. Conclusions: These results indicate that STYK1/NOK mRNA is widely expressed in the patients with colorectal cancer and suggest that inhibition of this molecule could potentially serve as a novel therapeutic target.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.275-285
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• 2017

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is an important signaling molecule. Here, the effect and mechanism of LPA on the preimplantation development of porcine embryos during in vitro culture (IVC) was examined. Porcine embryos were cultured in porcine zygote medium (PZM-3) supplemented with $30{\mu}M$ LPA during different days. There was a significantly higher cleavage rate in Day 1-7 and significantly higher total cell number of blastocysts in Day 1-3 and Day 4-7. It was also found that messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of PCNA, BCL2 and BAX in blastocysts obtained from D1-7 group were significantly higher and BCL2/BAX mRNA ratio in D1-3 group was significantly lower than control group but Day 4-7 and Day 1-7 groups were comparable with control group. Treatment with $20{\mu}M$ PLC inhibitor significantly decreased the embryo cleavage rate and blastocyst formation rate. Moreover, LPA as an activator of PLCs, enhanced the $30{\mu}M$ LPA + $20{\mu}M$ U73122 group embryo cleavage rate which similar with control group. In conclusion, the results suggest that treatment with LPA during IVC improves the porcine early embryo cleavage by activation of PLC signaling pathway and regulate the mRNA expression that contribute to total cell number of blastocysts during blastocyst formation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.1-16
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• 2020

Objectives The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the bone healing effect of Pahyeolsandong-tang (PHT)(Poxiesanteng-tang) extract in tibia fracture-induced mice. Methods PHT was extracted using a solution of 35% ethanol in 60℃ for 8 hours. Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (normal, control, PHT 50 and PHT 100). Mice of experimental groups were medicated with PHT 50 or 100 mg/kg for 7 to 21 days. To clarify the effect of bone fracture healing, relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of osteocalcin (OCN), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix (OSX), Sox9, collagen type II alpha 1 chain (Col2a1), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG) were examined. Results In in vitro experiment, relative mRNA expression of OCN, Runx2, Col2a1 was significantly increased in PHT treated group to compare with control differentiation group. In in vivo experiment, relative mRNA expression of OCN, Runx2, OSX, Sox9, Col2a1, RANKL, OPG was significantly increased in PHT treated group. Conclusions This study showed that PHT accelerates bone fracture healing through the activation of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. It was showed that PHT significantly promotes osteoblasts differentiation by osteoblast differentiation markers such as OCN, Runx2, Col1a2. Also it was investigated that PHT had stimulatory effect on osteoblasts function through enhancing OCN, Runx2, OSX, Sox9, Col2a1 and, osteoclasts function through enhancing RANKL and OPG markers. PHT effectively promotes bone fracture healing process through activation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.285-297
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to suppress appetite by increasing satiety hormone release. However, previous studies have rendered inconsistent results and there is lack of information on whether dietary Korean PNO affects the expression of satiety hormone receptors and hypothalamic neuropeptides. Therefore, our study sought to evaluate the chronic effects of Korean PNO on the long-term regulation of energy balance. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed with control diets containing 10% kcal fat from Korean PNO or soybean oil (SBO) (PC or SC) or high-fat diets (HFDs) containing 35% kcal fat from lard and 10% kcal fat from Korean PNO or SBO (PHFD or SHFD) for 12 weeks. The expression of gastrointestinal satiety hormone receptors, hypothalamic neuropeptides, and genes related to intestinal lipid absorption and adipose lipid metabolism was then measured. RESULTS: There was no difference in the daily food intake between PNO- and SBO-fed mice; however, the PC and PHFD groups accumulated 30% and 18% less fat compared to SC and SHFD, respectively. Korean PNO-fed mice exhibited higher messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Ghsr (ghrelin receptor) and Agrp (agouti-related peptide) (P < 0.05), which are expressed when energy consumption is low to induce appetite as well as the appetitesuppressing neuropeptides Pomc and Cartpt (P = 0.079 and 0.056, respectively). Korean PNO downregulated jejunal Cd36 and epididymal Lpl mRNA expressions, which could suppress intestinal fatty acid absorption and fat storage in white adipose tissue. Consistent with these findings, Korean PNO-fed mice had higher levels of fecal non-esterified fatty acid excretion. Korean PNO also tended to downregulate jejunal Apoa4 and upregulate epididymal Adrb3 mRNA levels, suggesting that PNO may decrease chylomicron synthesis and induce lipolysis. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, Korean PNO attenuated body fat accumulation, and appeared to prevent HFD-induced dysregulation of the hypothalamic appetite-suppressing pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.311-318
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• 2016

Innate immune responses are primary, relatively limited, and specific responses to numerous pathogens and toxic molecules. Protein expression involved in these innate responses must be tightly regulated at both transcriptional level and post-transcriptional level to avoid the development of excessive inflammation that can be potentially harmful to the host. MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs (∼22 nucleotides [nts]) that participate in the regulation of numerous physiological responses by targeting specific messenger RNAs to suppress their translation. Recent work has shown that several negative regulators of transcription including microRNAs play important roles in inhibiting the exacerbation of inflammatory responses and in the maintenance of immunological homeostasis. This emerging research area will provide new insights on how microRNAs regulate innate immune signaling. It might show that dysregulation of microRNA synthesis is associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory and infectious diseases. In this review, we focused on miR-146 and miR-125 and described the roles these miRNAs in modulating innate immune signaling. These microRNAs can control inflammatory responses and the outcomes of pathogenic infections.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2008

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), one of the most important food crops, is susceptible to a number of devastating fungal pathogens in addition to bacterial and other pathogens. Producing disease-resistant cultivars has been an effective and useful strategy to combat the attack of pathogens. Potato was transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 harboring chitinase, (ChiC) isolated from Streptomyces griseus strain HUT 6037 and bialaphos resistance (bar) genes in a binary plasmid vector, pEKH1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed that the ChiC and bar genes are integrated into the genome of transgenic plants. Different insertion sites of the transgenes (one to six sites for ChiC and three to seven for bar) were indicated by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA from the transgenic plants. Expression of the ChiC gene at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level was confirmed by Northern blot analysis and that of the bar gene by herbicide resistance assay. The results obviously confirmed that the ChiC and bar genes are successfully integrated and expressed into the genome, resulting in the production of bialaphos-resistant transgenic plants. Disease-resistance assay of the in vitro and greenhouse-grown transgenic plants demonstrated enhanced resistance against the fungal pathogen Alternaria solani (causal agent of early blight).

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

Animal models are essential in medical research for testing drugs and vaccines. These models differ from humans in various respects, so their results are not directly translatable in humans. To address this issue, humanized mice engrafted with functional human cells or tissue can be helpful. We propose using humanized mice that support the engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) without irradiation to evaluate vaccines that influence patient immunity. For infectious diseases, several types of antigens and adjuvants have been developed and evaluated for vaccination. Peptide vaccines are generally used for their capability to fight cancer and infectious diseases. Evaluation of adjuvants is necessary as they induce inflammation, which is effective for an enhanced immune response but causes adverse effects in some individuals. A trial can be done on humanized mice to check the immunogenicity of a particular adjuvant and peptide combination. Messenger RNA has also emerged as a potential vaccine against viruses. These vaccines need to be tested with human immune cells because they work by producing a particular peptide of the pathogen. Humanized mice with human HSCs that can produce both myeloid and lymphoid cells show a similar immune response that these vaccines will produce in a patient.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2003

Objectives: Bok, Bcl-2-related ovarian killer, is a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family protein identified in the ovary based on its dimerization with the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. The present study examined the hormonal regulation and localization of Bok messenger RNA levels in the mouse ovary during the follicle development. Methods: The animals were implanted subcutaneously with Silastic brand capsules containing the synthetic estrogen, DES at $21{\sim}23$ days of age. Ovaries were collected $1{\sim}3$ days after implantation for RNA analysis and in situ hybridization. Some mice were removed capsule for $1{\sim}2$ days to induce ovarian follicle apoptosis. Ovaries were also collected from 26 day-old immature mice at various times after treatment with 10 IU PMSG. Some mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of 10 IU hCG to induce ovulation, and ovaries were obtained at different time intervals for Northern blot and in situ hybridization analysis, respectively. Results: Treatment of immature mice with diethylstilbestrol (DES) for $24{\sim}48$ h increased ovarian Bok mRNA levels. Bok mRNA was remained the same levels in mice removed DES for $24{\sim}48$ h to induce apoptosis. High signals of Bok mRNA after DES treatment were detected in granulosa cells of early antral follicles. Treatment of immature mice with PMSG for 12 h increased markedly ovarian Bok mRNA expression which was detected mainly in preantral and atretic follicles. Interestingly, low levels of Bok mRNA were also expressed in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicles. Treatment of PMSGprimed mice with hCG stimulated strongly ovarian Bok mRNA expression at $6{\sim}9$ h. At that time, Bok mRNA was expressed in granulosa cells of atretic and small growing follicles. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that Bok is one of proapoptotic Bcl-2 members expressed in early growing and atretic follicles during the ovarian follicular development. Gonadotropins induce a transient increase of Bok gene expression in granulosa cells of preantral and preovulatory follicles indicating some role in the ovulatory process.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2002

Objective : We aimed to identify the dose-dependent inhibitory effects of Sabaek-san(瀉白散) and Sabaeksan plus Sasam(Adenophorae Radix) 瀉白散加沙蔘) on the mRNA expressions of Interleukin(IL)-6, IL-8 and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF) involved in the asthma model. Materials and Methods : Through this study, BEAS-2B cell lines, human epithelial cells were used. These cells were stimulated by tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-${\alpha}$, IL-1${\beta}$ and histamine for artificial inflammatory expression. ${\beta}$-action messenger RNA(mRNA) was used for standards. After each 24hours of Sabaeksan and Sabaeksan plus Sasam treatment, total cellular RNAs were collected by treating RNA zol directly on living cells, Then the transcriptional activities of IL-6, 8 and GM-CSF were measured by RT-PCR with electrophoresis, Results : The mRNA expressions of IL-6 are significantly inhibited compared to those of controlled group at 40 and 100ug/ml of Sabaeksan extract and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of Sabaeksan plus Sasam extract (p<0.05). The mRNA expressions of IL-8 are significantly inhibited compared to that of controlled group at 2.40 and 100 ug/ml of Sabaeksan extract and $40.100{\mu}g/ml$ of Sabaeksan plus Sasam extract(p<0.05) THe mRNA expressions of GM-CSF are significantly inhibited compared to those of the controlled group at $100{\mu}g/ml$ of Sabaeksan extract adn $40.100{\mu}g/ml$ of Sabaeksan plus Sasam extract.(p<0.05) Conclusions : This study shows that Sabaeksan and Sabaeksan plus Sasam have dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF in human epithelial cells. Therefore, these types of herb medicine may inhibit the inflammatory process of asthma. Advanced studies are required to investigate the mechanisms of inhibition by herb medicine in the asthma model.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.296-303
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• 2013

Lysyl oxidase (LOX), extracellular matrix enzyme, is catalyzing lysine-derived crosslinks in collagen and elastin. Recently, several LOX-like proteins (LOXL, LOXL2, LOXL3 and LOXL4) have been identified in human but their specific functions are still largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function of the LOX family genes during odontoblastic differentiation of human dental pulp (HDP) cells induced with odontogenic supplement (OS). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of LOX family genes and differentiation markers was assessed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR). The formation of mineralization nodules was evaluated by alrizarin red S staining. Amine oxidase activity of HDP cells was measured by peroxidase-coupled fluormetric assay. The expressions of differentiation markers, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN), dentin matrix protein1 (DMP1), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) in HDP cells were increased after treatment with OS media. The LOX and LOXL mRNA expression were gradually increased in OS media, whereas LOX enzyme activities were markedly detected on day 7. The mRNA expression and LOX enzyme activity of collagen type I was very similar to the pattern of LOX gene. In this study, the expression of LOX and its isoforms, and activity of LOX were highly regulated during odontoblastic differentiation. Thus, these results suggest that LOX plays a key role in odontoblastic differentiation of HDP cells.