• BMB Reports
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.21-26
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• 2014

Znf45l, containing classical $C_2H_2$ domains, is a novel member of Zinc finger proteins in zebrafish. In vertebrates, TGF-${\beta}$ signaling plays a critical role in hematopoiesis. Here, we showed that Znf45l is expressed both maternally and zygotically throughout early development. Znf45l-depleted Zebrafish embryos display shorter tails and necrosis with reduced expression of hematopoietic maker genes. Furthermore, we revealed that znf45l locates downstream of TGF-${\beta}$ ligands and maintains normal level of TGF-${\beta}$ receptor type II phosphorylation. In brief, our results indicate that znf45l affects initial hematopoietic development through regulation of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling.

• BMB Reports
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• 제47권11호
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• pp.649-654
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• 2014

Neutrophils play an important role in the initiation of innate immunity against infection and injury. Although many different types of G-protein coupled receptors are functionally expressed in neutrophils, no reports have demonstrated functional expression of umami taste receptor in these cells. We observed that mouse neutrophils express the umami taste receptor T1R1/T1R3 through RNA sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Stimulation of mouse neutrophils with L-alanine or L-serine, which are ligands for the umami taste receptor, elicited not only ERK or p38 MAPK phosphorylation but also chemotactic migration. Moreover, addition of L-alanine or L-serine markedly reduced the production of several cytokines including $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced by lipopoly-saccharide (LPS) through inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity or STAT3 phosphorylation in neutrophils. Our findings demonstrate that neutrophils express the umami taste receptor, through which tastants stimulate neutrophils, resulting in chemotactic migration, and attenuation of LPS-induced inflammatory response.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.9-18
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• 2016

Bone matrix is properly maintained by osteoclasts and osteoblasts. In the tumor microenvironment, osteoclasts are increasingly differentiated by the various ligands and cytokines secreted from the metastasized cancer cells at the bone metastasis niche. The activated osteoclasts generate osteolytic lesions. For this reason, studies focusing on the differentiation of osteoclasts are important to reduce bone destruction by tumor metastasis. The N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) has been known to contribute to the suppression of tumor growth and metastasis, but the precise role of NDRG2 in osteoclast differentiation induced by cancer cells has not been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that NDRG2 expression in breast cancer cells has an inhibitory effect on osteoclast differentiation. RAW 264.7 cells, which are monocytic preosteoclast cells, treated with the conditioned media (CM) of murine breast cancer cells (4T1) expressing NDRG2 are less differentiated into the multinucleated osteoclast-like cells than those treated with the CM of 4T1-WT or 4T1-mock cells. Interestingly, 4T1 cells stably expressing NDRG2 showed a decreased mRNA and protein level of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), which is known to enhance osteoclast maturation. Osteoclast differentiation was also reduced by ICAM1 knockdown in 4T1 cells. In addition, blocking the interaction between soluble ICAM1 and ICAM1 receptors significantly decreased osteoclastogenesis of RAW 264.7 cells in the tumor environment. Collectively, these results suggest that the reduction of ICAM1 expression by NDRG2 in breast cancer cells decreases osteoclast differentiation, and demonstrate that excessive bone resorption could be inhibited via ICAM1 down-regulation by NDRG2 expression.

• 상하수도학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.139-147
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• 2007

For environmental remediation of a contaminated groundwater plume, the use of zero-valent metal represents one of the latest innovative technologies. In this study, the effects of denitrification by zero-valent iron adsorbed in mesoporous silicas have been studied for groundwater contaminant degradation. The mesoporous silica was functionalized with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) ligands and the zero-valent iron precipitated in the mesopore of granular silica was made by $FeCl_2$ and $NaBH_4$. Hydrogen was exchanged with $Fe^{2+}$ ions in the granular silicas. And then the ions were reduced by sodium borohydride in the mesoporous silicas. The surface area of the silica determined via the BET method ranged from 858 to $1275m^2/g$. The reductive reaction of nitrate-nitrogen indicated that the degradation of nitrate-nitrogen appeared to be pseudo first-order with the observed reaction rate constant kobs ($0.1619h^{-1}$) and to be directly proportional to the specific surface area. Therefore, the mesoporous silica with nano zero-valent iron proposed as a novel treatment strategy for contaminated groundwater was successfully implemented herein for the removal of nitrate-nitrogen.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.122-129
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• 2020

Objective: The survival of a semi-allogeneic fetus depends on several immunological mechanisms, and it has been suggested that recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) could develop as a result of one or more immunological abnormalities. Methods: Compatibility between partners for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes and the relationships between maternal killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and paternal HLA-Bw4/Bw6 and HLA-C1/C2 supra-groups were investigated in 25 couples with RPL in comparison to healthy couples with children. HLA and KIR genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers and/or sequence-specific oligonucleotides. Results: HLA class I incompatibility between partners, especially in HLA-B alleles, was more common in the RPL group (p= 0.01). HLA-C2 homozygosity was more frequent in the male partners of RPL couples than in other groups (p= 0.03). The KIR2DL5 gene frequency was significantly higher in both the female and male partners of RPL couples, whereas the KIR2DS3 gene frequency in male partners of RPL couples was significantly reduced (p= 0.03). The presence of KIR2DL3 in women with RPL was correlated with the presence of HLA-C2 alleles in their spouses (p= 0.03). Conclusion: Our data from a Turkish population suggest that male HLA-C2 homozygosity may play an important role in RPL. Additionally, an incidental match between male HLA-C2 and female HLA-C1 ligand KIR receptors might perturb the balance between activatory and inhibitory KIR-ligand interactions during pregnancy in couples affected by RPL. The roles of orphan KIR2DL5 and orphan KIR2DS3 in RPL remain obscure.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.138-154
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• 2005

Vanadium-incorporated aluminophosphate molecular sieve $VO^{2+}-SAPO-5$ was studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) and electron spin echo modulation (ESEM) spectroscopies to determine the vanadium structure and interaction with various adsorbate molecules. It was found that the main species at low concentration of vanadium is a monomeric vanadium units in square pyramidal or distorted octahedral coordination, both in oxidation state (IV) for the calcined hydrated material and in oxidation state (V) for the calcined material. After calcinations in $O_2$ and exposure to moisture, only species A is observed with reduced intensities. It is suggested as a $VO(H_2O)_3^{2+}$ complex coordinated to two framework oxygen bonded aluminum. When calcined, hydrated $VO^{2+}-}SAPO-5$ is dehydrated at elevated temperature, a species loses its water ligands and transforms to $VO^{2+}$ ions coordinated to two framework oxygens (species B). Species B reduces its intensity, significantly after treatment with $O_2\;at\;600^{\circ}C$ for 5 h, thus suggesting oxidation of $V^{4+}\;to\;V^{5+}$. When dehydrated $VO^{2+}-SAPO-5$ contacts with $D_2O$ at room temperature, the EPR signal of species A is observed. Thus species assumed as a $VO^{2+}(O_f)_2(D_2O)_3$, by considering two framework oxygens. Adsorption of deuterated ethanol, propanol on dehydrated $VO^{2+}_{-}SAPO-5$ result in another new vanadium species E and F, respectively, which are identified as a $VO^{2+}-(CH_3CH_2OD)_3,\;VO^{2+}-(CH_3CH_2CH_2OD)_2$ complex. When deuterated benzene is adsorbed on dehydrated $VO^{2+}-SAPO-5$, another new vanadium species G, identified as a $VO^{2+}-(C_6D_6)$ is observed. Possible coordination geometries of these various complexes are discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.171-177
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• 2019

Parasitic infections have remained a significant burden on human and animal health. In part, this is due to lack of clinically-approved, novel antimicrobials and a lack of interest by the pharmaceutical industry. An alternative approach is to modify existing clinically-approved drugs for efficient delivery formulations to ensure minimum inhibitory concentration is achieved at the target site. Nanotechnology offers the potential to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of drugs through modification of nanoparticles with ligands. Amphotericin B, nystatin, and fluconazole are clinically available drugs in the treatment of amoebal and fungal infections. These drugs were conjugated with gold nanoparticles. To characterize these gold-conjugated drug, atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed. These drugs and their gold nanoconjugates were examined for antimicrobial activity against the protist pathogen, Acanthamoeba castellanii of the T4 genotype. Moreover, host cell cytotoxicity assays were accomplished. Cytotoxicity of these drugs and drug-conjugated gold nanoparticles was also determined by lactate dehydrogenase assay. Gold nanoparticles conjugation resulted in enhanced bioactivity of all three drugs with amphotericin B producing the most significant effects against Acanthamoeba castellanii (p < 0.05). In contrast, bare gold nanoparticles did not exhibit antimicrobial potency. Furthermore, amoebae treated with drugs-conjugated gold nanoparticles showed reduced cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. In this report, we demonstrated the use of nanotechnology to modify existing clinically-approved drugs and enhance their efficacy against pathogenic amoebae. Given the lack of development of novel drugs, this is a viable approach in the treatment of neglected diseases.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.374-381
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• 2024

이 논문은 단파 길이 적외선(SWIR) 영역에서의 활용을 중점적으로 다루며, 실버 황화물(Ag₂S) 나노 구조의 합성과 광학적 특성에 대해 제시한다. SWIR 영역은 생체 조직에 미치는 손상이 감소하고 광학적 투명성이 향상되는 등의 장점을 제공하여 다양한 분야에서 활용되고 있다. 연구는 세 가지 다양한 합성 방법을 소개하며, 각각의 방법을 통해 다양한 광학적 특성을 갖는 나노 입자를 얻을 수 있음을 보여준다. 이러한 연구 결과는 Ag₂S 나노 입자의 크기와 리간드를 조절함으로써 감지, 이미징 및 기타 응용 분야에서의 맞춤형 솔루션을 제공하는 가능성을 열어 놓는다. 이 논문은 SWIR 영역에서 활용 가능한 Ag₂S에 대한 새로운 통찰력을 제공하며, 이를 통해 미래 기술의 발전을 촉진할 것으로 기대된다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.338-341
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• 1988

Two crystal structures of fully dehydrated silver and potassium exchanged zeolite A, stoichiometries of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ (${\alpha}$ = 12.282(2) ${\AA}$) and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}{\AA}$ (${\alpha}$ = 12.287(2) A) per unit cell, have been determined from 3-dimensional x-ray diffraction data gathered by counter methods. All structures were solved and refined in the cubic space group Pm3m at 21(1)$^{\circ}C$ . The crystals of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$ were prepared by flow method using exchange solutions in which mole ratios of $AgNO_3$ and $KNO_3$ were 1:10 and 1:5, respectively, with total concentration of 0.05M. The structures of the dehydrated $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$ were refined to yield the final error indices $R_1$ = 0.037 and $R_2$ = 0.040 with 321 reflections, and $R_1$ = 0.042 and $R_2$ = 0.043 with 371 reflections, repectively, for which I > 3${\sigma}$(I). In both structures, eight $Ag^+$ ions are found nearly at 6-ring centers and each $Ag^+$ ion is nearly in the (1 1 1) plane at its O(3) ligands. The 8-ring sites are preferentially occupied by $K^+$ ions in both structures. 1.3 and 1.7 reduced silver atoms per unit cell were found inside of sodalite units of $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and that of $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$, respectively. These reduced silver species were presumably formed from the reduction of $Ag^+$ ions by oxide ions of residual water molecule or of the zeolite framework. These two crystals may be presented as hexasilver cluster in 21.7% and 28.3% of sodalite unit cells for $Ag_{9.3}K_{{2.7}^-}A$ and $Ag_{10.7}K_{{1.3}^-}A$, repectively.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제78권3호
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• pp.218-226
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• 2015

Background: Eph receptors and ephrin ligands have several functions including angiogenesis, cell migration, axon guidance, fluid homeostasis, oncogenesis, inflammation and injury repair. The EphA2 receptor potentially mediates the regulation of vascular permeability and inflammation in response to lung injury. Methods: Mice were divided into 3 experimental groups to study the role of EphA2 signaling in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury model i.e., IgG+phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group (IgG instillation before PBS exposure), IgG+LPS group (IgG instillation before LPS exposure) and EphA2 monoclonal antibody (mAb)+LPS group (EphA2 mAb pretreatment before LPS exposure). Results: EphA2 and ephrinA1 were upregulated in LPS-induced lung injury. The lung injury score of the EphA2 mAb+LPS group was lower than that of the IgG+LPS group ($4.30{\pm}2.93$ vs. $11.45{\pm}1.20$, respectively; p=0.004). Cell counts (EphA2 mAb+LPS: $11.33{\times}10^4{\pm}8.84{\times}10^4$ vs. IgG+LPS: $208.0{\times}10^4{\pm}122.6{\times}10^4$; p=0.018) and total protein concentrations (EphA2 mAb+LPS: $0.52{\pm}0.41mg/mL$ vs. IgG+LPS: $1.38{\pm}1.08mg/mL$; p=0.192) were decreased in EphA2 mAb+LPS group, as compared to the IgG+LPS group. In addition, EphA2 antagonism reduced the expression of phospho-p85, phosphoinositide 3-kinase $110{\gamma}$, phospho-Akt, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$, and proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: This results of the study indicated a role for EphA2-ephrinA1 signaling in the pathogenesis of LPS-induced lung injury. Furthermore, EphA2 antagonism inhibits the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt pathway and attenuates inflammation.