• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.344-349
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• 2009

Angiogenesis is crucial for solid tumor growth. By secreting angiogenic factors, tumor cells induce angiogenesis. However, targeting these angiogenic factors for cancer therapy is not always successful, suggesting that other factors may be involved in tumor angiogenesis. This work shows that 25 protein spots were differentially expressed by two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis when HepG2 cells induced endothelial cell differentiation to tube in vitro, and most of them were upregulated. Twenty-one proteins were identified with MALDITOF-MS, and the other four were identified by LTQ-MS/MS. Keratins were identified as one class of these upregulated proteins. Further study indicated that the expression of keratin 17 in cultured endothelial cells is likely microenvironment regulated, because its expression can be induced by HepG2 cells and bFGF as well as serum in culture media. Increased expression of keratins in endothelial cells, such as keratin 17, may contribute to the angiogenesis induced by HepG2 cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this study is to develop a new animal model with Kidney-hypofunction for Sasang Constitutional Medicine, especially for partial Soyangin(one of four constitution which has good digestive function and poor renal function) by Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction, and to estimate the factor related to obesity, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Methods: The C57BL/6J mice were divided into 3 groups : normal group, high fat diet(HFD) control group, and HFD group with Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction(UUO). Then, the HFD control group and the experimental group were fed with high fat diet for 6 weeks. Food intake and body weight were measured at regular time by week. After the final experiment, blood was gathered for bloodchemical examination and organs(liver, fatty tissue) were remoed, weighted, and mRNA was analyzed with real-time PCR. Results: The weight growth rate with High fat diet went down by 8.35% in experimental group and had similar FER with the normal group, while HFD control group had higher weight growth rate and FER than any other groups. Also The experimental group had lower triglyceride and LDL cholesterol rate and higher glucose rate in serum. and in mRNA expression, GLUT-9, the protein related to excretion of uric acid and metabolic syndrome, expressed lower rate than that of HFD control group. and IL-6, a kind of cytokine related to obesity and metabolic syndrome, expressed more than HFD control group. Conclusions: It was found that Kidney-hypofunction animal-experimental model is susceptible to metabolic syndrome.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.329-331
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• 2006

Alkaptonuria is a rare metabolic disease in which homogentisic acid cannot be metabolized due to a lack of the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase. The disease often manifests itself in childhood by darkening of the urine upon standing. The disease leads to such serious consequences as ochronosis of cartilage and connective tissues with arthritis. It is expected that treatment with ascorbic acid and a dietary restriction of protein may decrease the late and serious consequences by diminishing the serum concentration of the metabolite benzoquinone acetic acid. A thirteen month-old girl was recently diagnosed with alkaptonuria by urine organic acid analysis. She excreted pinkish urine on a diaper and as time went by the urine color changed to a light brown. In laboratory findings, urine examination and culture results were normal. But urine organic acid analysis detected abnormal findings a prominent and massive elevation of homogentisic acid. The other physical findings were normal. This is the first case diagnosed in Korea.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.469-478
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• 2006

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, a major regulator for angiogenesis, binds and activates two tyrosine kinase receptors, VEGFR1 (Flt-1) and VEGFR2 (KDR/Flk-1). These receptors regulate physiological as well as pathological angiogenesis. VEGFR2 has strong tyrosine kinase activity, and transduces the major signals for angiogenesis. However, unlike other representative tyrosine kinase receptors which use the Ras pathway, VEGFR2 mostly uses the Phospholipase-$C{\gamma}$-Protein kinase-C pathway to activate MAP-kinase and DNA synthesis. VEGFR2 is a direct signal transducer for pathological angiogenesis including cancer and diabetic retinopathy, thus, VEGFR2 itself and the signaling appear to be critical targets for the suppression of these diseases. VEGFR1 plays dual role, a negative role in angiogenesis in the embryo most likely by trapping VEGF-A, and a positive role in adulthood in a tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. VEGFR1 is expressed not only in endothelial cells but also in macrophage-lineage cells, and promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and inflammation. Furthermore, a soluble form of VEGFR1 was found to be present at abnormally high levels in the serum of preeclampsia patients, and induces proteinurea and renal dysfunction. Therefore, VEGFR1 is also an important target in the treatment of human diseases. Recently, the VEGFR2-specific ligand VEGF-E (Orf-VEGF) was extensively characterized. Interestingly, the activation of VEGFR2 via VEGF-E in vivo results in a strong angiogenic response in mice with minor side effects such as inflammation compared with VEGF-A, suggesting VEGF-E to be a novel material for pro-angiogenic therapy.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.247-252
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• 1995

To evaluate the effect of xanthine oxidase on liver injury by $CCl_4$, liver damage was induced both in allopurinol pretreated rats (500 mg/kg. ip) and control group by twice intraperitoneal injection of $CCl_4$ (0.1 ml/100 g body wt. 50% in olive oil) at interval of one day. Increases in the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and liver weight/body weight (%) by $CCl_4$ were significantly smaller inallopurinol pretreated rats than in control whereas the hepatic microsomal glucose-6-pholphatase activities were significantly higher in allopurinol pretreated rats than control group by $CCl_4$ treatment. These results indicates that allopurinol pretreatment may reduce the liver damage in $CCl_4$ intoxicated rats. In rats either with $CCl_4$or not, hepatic type O xanthine oxidase activities were significantly reduced by allopurinol pretreatment and the increasing rate of these enzymes to each control was remarkably lower in allopurinol pretreated rats than control. Liver cytosolic protein contents and aniline hydroxylase, aminopyrine demethylase activities were higher in allopurinol pretreated rats than coirol rats when animals were treated with $CCl_4$. On the other hand, neither allopurinol pretreated nor $CCl_4$ treatment caused any significant changes in hepatic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Hepatic glutathione contents were higher in $CCl_4$-treated rats than control, but no significant changes were found in both between the allopurinol treated rats and $CCl_4$-treated rats pretreated with allopurinol, and glutathione and glutathione S-transferase activities were significantly reduced in $CCl_4$-treated rats than control whereas these enzyme activities showed on significant change in both between allopurinel treated and $CCl_4$-treated rats pretreated with allopurinol. It is concluded that xanthine oxidase reaction system augment $CCl_4$ induced liver injury via even oxygen free radical system.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2014

The larval form of Tenebrio molitor (T. molitor) has been eaten in many countries and provides benefits as a new food source of protein for humans. However, no information exists regarding its safety for humans. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the genotoxicity and repeated dose oral toxicity of the freeze-dried powder of T. molitor larvae. The genotoxic potential was evaluated by a standard battery testing: bacterial reverse mutation test, in vitro chromosome aberration test, and in vivo micronucleus test. To assess the repeated dose toxicity, the powder was administered once daily by oral gavage to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at dose levels of 0, 300, 1000 and 3000 mg/kg/day for 28 days. The parameters which were applied to the study were mortality, clinical signs, body and organ weights, food consumption, ophthalmology, urinalysis, hematology, serum chemistry, gross findings and histopathologic examination. The freezedried powder of T. molitor larvae was not mutagenic or clastogenic based on results of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity assays. Furthermore, no treatment-related changes or findings were observed in any parameters in rats after 28 days oral administration. In conclusion, the freeze-dried powder of T. molitor larvae was considered to be non-genotoxic and the NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) was determined to be 3000 mg/kg/day in both sexes of SD rats under our experimental conditions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 2012

Larval excretory-secretory products of Anisakis simplex are known to cause allergic reactions in humans. A cDNA library of A. simplex 3rd-stage larvae (L3) was immunoscreened with polyclonal rabbit serum raised against A. simplex L3 excretory-secretory products to identify an antigen that elicits the immune response. One cDNA clone, designated as ${\alpha}$-methylacyl CoA racemase (Amacr) contained a 1,412 bp cDNA transcript with a single open reading frame that encoded 418 amino acids. A. simplex Amacr showed a high degree of homology compared to Amacr orthologs from other species. Amacr mRNA was highly and constitutively expressed regardless of temperature (10-$40^{\circ}C$) and time (24-48 hr). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Amacr was expressed mainly in the ventriculus of A. simplex larvae. The Amacr protein produced in large quantities from the ventriculus is probably responsible for many functions in the development and growth of A. simplex larvae.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2013

To control coccidiosis without using prophylactic medications, a DNA vaccine targeting the gametophyte antigen Gam56 from Eimeria maxima in chickens was constructed, and the immunogenicity and protective effects were evaluated. The ORF of Gam56 gene was cloned into an eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(zeo)+. Expression of Gam56 protein in COS-7 cells transfected with recombinant plasmid pcDNA-Gam56 was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The DNA vaccine was injected intramuscularly to yellow feathered broilers of 1-week old at 3 dosages (25, 50, and $100{\mu}g/chick$). Injection was repeated once 1 week later. One week after the second injection, birds were challenged orally with $5{\times}10^4$ sporulated oocysts of E. maxima, then weighed and killed at day 8 post challenge. Blood samples were collected and examined for specific peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation activity and serum antibody levels. Compared with control groups, the administration of pcDNA-Gam56 vaccine markedly increased the lymphocyte proliferation activity (P<0.05) at day 7 and 14 after the first immunization. The level of lymphocyte proliferation started to decrease on day 21 after the first immunization. A similar trend was seen in specific antibody levels. Among the 3 pcDNA-Gam56 immunized groups, the median dosage group displayed the highest lymphocyte proliferation and antibody levels (P<0.05). The median dosage group had the greatest relative body weight gain (89.7%), and the greatest oocyst shedding reduction (53.7%). These results indicate that median dosage of DNA vaccine had good immunogenicity and immune protection effects, and may be used in field applications for coccidiosis control.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.309-318
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• 2010

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and its related characteristics among healthy adults in some Korean rural areas. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the data from 1352 adults who were over the age 40 and under the age 70 and who were free of diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular diseases and other diseases and who participated in a survey conducted as part of the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study. IFG was defined as a serum fasting glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dL. Results: The prevalence of IFG was 20.4% in men, 15.5% in women and 12.7% overall. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the independent risk factors for IFG were male gender, having a family history of DM, the quartiles of gamma glutamyltransferase and high sensitive C-reactive protein and the waist circumference. The homeostatis model assessment for insulin resistance was very strongly associated with IFG. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and MS components was higher in the subjects with IFG then in those with normal fasting glucose (NFG). Conclusions: The result of study could supply evidence to find the high risk population and to determine a strategy for treating IFG. Further research is needed to explain the causal relationship and mechanisms of IFG.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.279-282
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• 2012

Clinical-chemical traits are commonly used biomarkers to examine the health status of individuals. There is an appreciable range of normal variation in most clinical-chemical traits and the determining factors of this variation have been relatively uninvestigated in chickens. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters (i.e., heritability, genetic correlation) for 8 clinical-chemical traits (glucose, total protein, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and amylase) in an $F_1$ intercross established by purebred breeding among the 5 lines of Korean native chickens. Phenotypic data were collected from approximately 600 $F_1$ animals. The genetic parameters for the clinical-chemical traits estimated by a mixed animal model using the restricted maximum likelihood method were presented. Estimated heritabilities ranged from 8.9% (glucose) to 39.6% (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Interestingly, both the sign and the size of the genetic and phenotypic correlations were largely different between the same several pair of clinical-chemical traits. The findings in this study will provide useful information to address issues in both quantitative trait locus study and genetic management in Korean native chickens.