• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.1384-1389
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• 2003

In order to clarify one of the biological functions of pork, we investigated whether a peptic hydrolysate of denatured porcine crude myosin showed inhibitory activity against angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), which contributed to hypertension. Our results indicated that this hydrolysate showed relatively strong activity, and we therefore attempted to separate the involved peptides, which were considered to be active substances. To isolate these active peptides, the hydrolysate was separated using a solidphase separation, gel filtration high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and two kinds of reverse phase HPLC. In each stage of separation, many fractions were detected, almost all of which showed ACE inhibitory activity. Thus, we suggested that the activity of the hydrolysate as a whole was a result of the activities of the many individual peptides. Six peaks were distinguished, with yields from 34 to 596 ppm of original crude myosin. In addition to the six peaks, many other active fractions were found throughout the separation steps, strongly suggesting that whole porcine crude myosin itself had ACE inhibitory activity. Moreover, pork as food was considered to function as an ACE inhibitory material in vivo, because pork proteins consist primarily of crude myosin, which included almost all the myofibrillar structural proteins.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권12호
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• pp.1684-1690
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• 2014

Estrogen and its receptors are essential hormones for normal reproductive function in males and females during developmental stage. To better understand the effect of estrogen receptor (ER) gene in yak (Bos grunniens), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to clone $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$ genes. Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the evolutionary relationship between yaks and other species, and real-time PCR was performed to identify the mRNA expression of $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$. Sequence analysis showed that the ER open reading frames (ORFs) encoded 596 and 527 amino acid proteins. The yak $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$ shared 45.3% to 99.5% and 53.9% to 99.1% protein sequence identities with other species homologs, respectively. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$ were expressed in a variety of tissues, but the expression level of $ER{\alpha}$ was higher than that of $ER{\beta}$ in all tissues, except testis. The mRNA expression of $ER{\alpha}$ was highest in the mammary gland, followed by uterus, oviduct, and ovary, and lowest in the liver, kidney, lung, testis, spleen, and heart. The $ER{\beta}$ mRNA level was highest in the ovary; intermediary in the uterus and oviduct; and lowest in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, mammary gland, and testis. The identification and tissue distribution of ER genes in yaks provides a foundation for the further study on their biological functions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.5421-5425
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• 2013

Background: To assess the antioxidant effects of gamma-oryzanol on human prostate cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic activity of gamma-oryzanol on human DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells was determined by proliferation assay using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol, 2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reagent. mRNA levels of genes involved in the intracellular antioxidant system, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GSR) were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cancer cell lysates were used to measure lipid peroxidation using thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). Glutathione contents of the cell lysates were estimated by the reaction between sulfhydryl group of 5, 5'-dithio (bis) nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) to produce a yellow-color of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid using colorimetric assay. Catalase activity was also analysed by examining peroxidative function. Protein concentration was estimated by Bradford's assay. Results: All concentrations of gamma-oryzanol, 0.1-2.0mg/ml, significantly inhibited cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent fashion in both prostate cancer cell lines, DU145 and PC3. Gene expression of catalase in DU145 and PC3 exposed to gamma-orizanol at 0.5mg/ml for 14 days was down regulated, while mRNA of GPX was also down regulated in PC3. The MDA and glutathione levels including catalase activity in the cell lysates of DU145 and PC3 treated with gamma-oryzanol 0.1 and 0.5mg/ml were generally decreased. Conclusions: This study highlighted effects of gamma-oryzanol via the down-regulation of antioxidant genes, catalase and GPX, not cytotoxic roles. This might be interesting for adjuvant chemotherapy to make prostate cancer cells more sensitive to free radicals. It might be useful for the reduction of cytotoxic agents and cancer chemoprevention.

• 통상정보연구
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.265-290
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• 2008

Domestic industries are facing the open era as a result of signing the Korea-U.S. FTA with no exception to the financial industry. The FFA between two countries is expected to produce pros and cons for domestic financial industry. Therefore, it is very important to minimize the shock caused by opening our financial market and to adopt the advanced financial tools actively. Signing the Korea-U.S. FTA and enforcing the Integration Law of Capital Market are leading a big crisis to the Savings Banks which have been shrinking under the dramatically changing domestic financial environment since the financial crisis. To cope with financial globalization, Korean Savings Banks are demanded to build up their concrete identity and reposition their status. This is related to shaping the long-term position of domestic financial industry. Therefore, the Savings Banks must take the growth strategy for their survival, and it is an inescapable choice. Several options are available: big scale operation and diversification of business functions, reinforcement of local-focused mediating function of funds, establishment of strategic alliance with other financial firms, reinforcement of risk management system and core competence, nourishment and employment of professional manpower, and active deregulation and policy support. When the Savings Banks are refurbished as an independent local bank performing the central role of local finance, the bright future can be their destiny under the enormously changing global financial environment. Also, two more conditions need to be satisfied: to establish horizontal networks among local banks directed by cooperative Korea Federation of Savings Banks to reverse the weak scale position, and to satisfy their own peculiar niche market with internal countermeasure to face global financial networks.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate anti-atopic dermatitis effect using ato-tang.Methods : Ato-tang was external treatment to NC/Nga mice for 4 weeks, where atopic dermatitis was induced by DNCB at 1% and 0.4% for 3 weeks. Atopic dermatitis index score was measured using eye observation and picture evaluation. The histopathological change of dorsal skin was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Cytokines including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 were measured by Luminex or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and immunoglobulin E (IgE) was measured by ELISA reader.Results : The dorsal skin of Ato-tang group showed decrease in erythema, pruritus, dry skin, edema, excoriation, erosion and lichenification level through naked eye observations. Immunoglobulin cell infiltration and the thickness of epidermis were significantly decreased in the dorsal skin compared to control. Production of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) and IgE level in serum were all significantly decreased, in comparison with control. In addition, mRNA expression level of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) in spleen was decreased, in comparison with control.Conclusion : The results indicated that external treatment of ato was improved skin barrier function in the symptoms of atopic dermatitis disease. Also, atopic dermatitis factors where cytokine as well as immunoglobulin E in serum and mRNA expression were decreased, respectively, in comparison with control. Therefore, we suggest that ato could be effectively used as a external therapeutic drug based on atopic dermatitis factors.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.2743-2748
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• 2013

비타민은 우리 몸에서 많은 양을 필요로 하지는 않지만 없어서는 안 될 필수 영양성분으로 음식물과 태양광등을 통하여 획득하고 그 농도를 유지하고 있다. 그러나 때로는 어떤 요인에 의하여 농도가 변하는 경우가 있는데 그중 간기능 인자들과 $25OH-VIT.D_3$ 농도값의 영향요인을 분석하고자 실시하였다. 연구 대상은 2012년 8월부터 2012년 12월까지 모대학병원 검진센타에 건강검진을 받은 검체를 대상으로 하여 실험군 검체와 대조군 정상검체 두 군으로 분류한 후 성별, 연령, 비만도, AST, ALT, rGTP와 $25OH-VIT.D_3$의 상관성을 조사하였다. 분석결과로 $25OH-VIT.D_3$농도에 영향을 미치는 요인으로 선정된 변수는 연령과 B형간염역가로 나타났으며 특히 B형간염역가는 역 상관관계를 나타내었다($R^2$=0.40). 이는 간염바이러스에 의한 간기능에 의해 그 농도값에 영향을 줄 수 있으므로 간염 보균자인 경우 간기능 검사와 더불어 $25OH-VIT.D_3$의 영향인자로 관리 되어져야 한다고 사려 된다.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.399-408
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• 2004

Odontoblasts are responsible for the formation and maintenance of dentin. They are known to synthesize unique gene products including dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP). Another unique genes of the cells remain unclear. OD314 was isolated from the odontoblasts/pulp cells of rats and partially characterized as an odontoblast-enriched gene (Dey et al., 2001). This study aimed to elucidate the biological function of OD314, relating to odontoblast differentiation and dentinogenesis. After determining the open reading frame (ORP) of OD314 by transient transfection analysis using green fluorescent protein (GPP) expression vector, mRNA in-situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western analysis were performed. The results were as follows: 1. In in-situ hybridization, OD314 mRNAs were expressed in odontoblasts of developing coronal and root pulp. 2. OD314 was a novel protein encoding 154 amino acids, and the protein was mainly expressed in cytoplasm by transient transfection analysis. 3. Mineralized nodules were associated with multilayer cell nodules in the culture of human dental pulp cells and first detected from day 21 using alizarin-red S staining. 4. In RT-PCR analysis, OD314, osteocalcin (OC) and DSPP strongly expressed throughout 28 days of culture. Whereas, osteonectin (ON) mRNA expression stayed low up to day 14, and then gradually decreased from day 21. 5. Western blots showed an approximately 17 kDa band. OD314 protein was expressed from the start of culture and then increased greatly from day 21. In conclusion, OD314 is considered as an odontoblast-enriched gene and may play important roles in odontoblast differentiation and dentin mineralization.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.227-234
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of bovine luteum expressed sequence tags (ESTs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and the presence of functional ESTs in the bovine corpus luteum (CL) during different stages of the estrus cycle. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed a difference in the expression of ESTs during the CL stage. Concentration of ESTs in the CL tissue increased significantly from the mid-luteal stage and decreased thereafter. RT-PCR analysis showed higher levels of the EST genes in the CL of the mid-luteal stage than in other stages, and the same level of expression of VEGF. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the tissue from CL formation to regression showed low cytosol and aggregation of the nucleus. And activity caspase 3 (apoptosis detector) was most strongly detected in the CL1 stage of bovine. During the estrous cycle, the cytosol was magnified and differentiation of the nucleus was clearly manifested. The ESTs affected the CL, and the relationship between VEGF and TNFR1 played a pivotal role for CL development and activation, dependent on the stage of CL. These results suggest local production of ESTs, the presence of functional ESTs in the bovine CL, and that ESTs play a role in regulating the function of cell death in bovine CL.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.77-87
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• 2009

To understand molecular and cellular mechanisms of many gene products in the female reproductive organs including the ovary and uterine endometrium as well as during embryo development, researchers have developed and utilized many effective methodologies to analyze gene expression in cells, tissues and animals over the last several decades. For example, blotting techniques have helped to understand molecular functions at DNA, RNA and protein levels, and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method has been widely used in gene expression analysis. However, some conventional methods are not sufficient to understand regulation and function of genes expressed in very complex patterns in many organs. Thus, it is required to adopt more high-throughput and reliable techniques. Here, we describe several techniques used widely recently to analyze gene expression, including annealing control based-PCR, differential display-PCR, expressed sequence tag, suppression subtractive hybridization and microarray techniques. Use of these techniques will help to analyze expression pattern of many genes from small scale to large scale and to compare expression patterns of genes in one sample to another. In this review, we described principles of these methodologies and summarized examples of comparative analysis of gene expression in female reproductive organs with help of those methodologies.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.351-357
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• 2005

Endosulfan is one of the organochlorine pesticides, which are well-known endocrine disruptors (EDs), and it acts as an estrogen agonist. Estrogen is a group of hormones that play an important role in mammary gland function and are implicated in mammary carcinogenesis. In the present study, we studied the effects of endosulfan on nodule like alveolar lesion (NLAL) formation in mouse mammary gland development using a mouse mammary gland organ culture (MMOC) system. Although endosulfan-treated mammary glands did not form NLALs, more alveolar buds were formed in this group than in the negative control (vehicle-treated) group. In addition, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mRNA expression levels were increased in endosulfan-treated mammary glands in a dose-dependent manner. Telomerase can be activated by estrogen, therefore, we examined the effects of endosulfan on telomerase activity, and found that the telomerase activity in estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 cells was up-regulated by endosulfan treatment. Moreover, this activation was accompanied by the up­regulation of the TERT mRNA expression. Also, transient expression assays using CAT reporter plasm ids containing various fragments of the TERT promoter showed that this imperfect palindromic estrogen-responsive element is almost certainly responsible for the transcriptional activation by endosulfan. These results may help elucidate the endocrine disrupting mechanism of endosulfan.