• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2013

TCR subunits are members of membrane-bound receptors which allow the fast and efficient elimination of the specific fish pathogens have regulated function in adaptive immunity. Sequence structure of TCR subunits have been reported for various teleosts, but the information of each TCR subunit functional characterization through expression analysis in fish was unknown. In this study, we examined the gene expression of TCR subunits in the early developmental stages and observed transcript levels in various tissues from healthy adult olive flounder by RT-PCR. The mRNA expression of alpha subunit was already detected in the previous hatching step. But the transcripts of another TCR subunit were not observed during embryo development and increased after hatching and maintained until metamorphosis at the same level. It was found that all TCR subunits mRNAs are commonly expressed in the immune-related organ such as spleen, kidney and gill, also weak expressed in fin and eye. TCR alpha and beta subunit were expressed in brain, whereas gamma and delta were not expressed same tissue. The sequence alignment analysis shows that there are more than 80% sequence homology between TCR subunits. Because it has a high similarity of amino acid sequence to expect similar in function, but expression analysis show that will have may functional diversity due to different time and place of expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.775-784
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• 2017

A neutral xylanase (CcXyn) was identified from Coprinus cinereus. It has a single GH10 catalytic domain with a basic amino acid-rich extension (PVRRK) at the C-terminus. In this study, the wild-type (CcXyn) and C-terminus-truncated xylanase ($CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$) were heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris and their characteristics were comparatively analyzed with aims to examine the effect of this extension on the enzyme function. The circular dichorism analysis indicated that both enzymes in general had a similar structure, but $CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$ contained less ${\alpha}-helices$ (42.9%) and more random coil contents (35.5%) than CcXyn (47.0% and 32.8%, respectively). Both enzymes had the same pH (7.0) and temperature ($45^{\circ}C$) optima, and similar substrate specificity on different xylans. They all hydrolyzed beechwood xylan primarily to xylobiose and xylotriose. The amounts of xylobiose and xylotriose accounted for 91.5% and 92.2% (w/w) of total xylooligosaccharides (XOS) generated from beechwood by CcXyn and $CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$, respectively. However, truncation of the C-terminal 5-amino-acids extension significantly improved the thermostability, SDS resistance, and pH stability at pH 6.0-9.0. Furthermore, $CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$ exhibited a much lower $K_m$ value than CcXyn (0.27 mg/ml vs 0.83 mg/ml), and therefore, the catalytic efficiency of $CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$ was 2.4-times higher than that of CcXyn. These properties make $CcXyn-{\Delta}5C$ a good model for the structure-function study of $({\alpha}/{\beta})_8$-barrel-folded enzymes and a promising candidate for various applications, especially in the detergent industry and XOS production.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.148-156
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• 2013

The $PrP^C$ is expressed in many types of immune cells including monocytes and macrophages, however, its function in immune regulation remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined a role for $PrP^C$ in regulation of monocyte function. Specifically, the effect of a soluble form of $PrP^C$ was studied in human monocytes. A recombinant fusion protein of soluble human $PrP^C$ fused with the Fc portion of human IgG1 (designated as soluble $PrP^C$-Fc) bound to the cell surface of monocytes, induced differentiation to macrophage-like cells, and enhanced adherence and phagocytic activity. In addition, soluble $PrP^C$-Fc stimulated monocytes to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6. Both ERK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways were activated in soluble $PrP^C$-treated monocytes, and inhibitors of either pathway abrogated monocyte adherence and cytokine production. Taken together, we conclude that soluble $PrP^C$-Fc enhanced adherence, phagocytosis, and cytokine production of monocytes via activation of the ERK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.525-531
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• 2007

As a $\beta_2$-adrenergic agonist, clenbuterol decreases body fat, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process is unclear. In the present study, we treated 293T and L-02 cells with clenbuterol and found that clenbuterol downregulates SREBP-1c expression and upregulates CREB1 expression. Considering SREBP-1c has the function of regulating the transcription of several lipogenic enzymes, we considered that the downregulation of SREBP-1c is responsible for body fat reduction by clenbuterol. Many previous studies have found that clenbuterol markedly increases intracellular cAMP levels, therefore, we also investigated whether CREB1 is involved in this process. The data from our experiments indicate that CREB1 overexpression inhibits SREBP-1c transcription, and that this action is antagonized by CREB2, a competitive inhibitor of CREB1. Furthermore, since PPARs are able to repress SREBP-1c transcription, we investigated whether clenbuterol and CREB1 function via a pathway involving PPAR activation. However, our results showed that clenbuterol or CREB1 overexpression suppressed PPARs transcription in 293T and L-02 cells, which suggested that they impair SREBP-1c expression in other ways.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.181-200
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• 2007

Objevtives & Methods : Effects of cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at BL18 and LI11 on lipid composition, cytokine level, liver function, anti-oxidative capacity and histological characters were investigated in diet-induced obese rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 400g were divided into 4 groups of control, BL18, LI11 and BL18 plus LI11 pharmacopuncture groups and raised for 4 weeks. Results : 1. Plasma ${\beta}$-lipoprotein, free fatty acids level and TNF-${\alpha}$ levels significantly decreased in the pharmacopuncture groups compared to those of no treatment group. Plasma and liver total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels were also significantly lower than those of no treatment group. There was, however, no difference in TBARS level among pharmacopuncture groups. Liver total cholesterol level of BL18 pharmacopuncture group was lower than those of the other two pharmacopuncture groups. In LDL-cholesterol level, BL18 pharmacopuncture and BL18 plus LI11 pharmacopuncture groups only had significantly lower levels than that of no treatment group. 2. There was no significant difference between cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture groups and no treatment group in IL-6, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartic acid transaminase (AST) levels. 3. Compared with \ those of no treatment group, pharmacopuncture groups had significantly higher levels of HDL-cholesterol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase activities. There was, however, no significant difference among pharmacopuncture groups. 4. Histological characters of heart, kidney and liver of BL18 pharmacopuncture group were similar to those of normal rats. Conclusions : These results indicate that cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture at BL18 and LI11 may suppress adipose tissue mass and lipid peroxidation and activate antioxidant system.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2005

Antigen presenting cells (APCs), dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, playa critical role not only in the initiation of immune responses, but also in the induction of immune tolerance. In an effort to regulate immune responses through the modulation of APC function, we searched for and characterized APC function modulators from natural products. Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum SPM1204 (SPM1204) isolated from feces of healthy Korean in the age of 20s was used in this experiment. DCs and macrophages were cultured in the presence of supernatants of SPM 1204 and then examined for their activities for the presentation exogenous antigen in association with major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) and macrophage activation. SPM1204 increased class I MHC-restricted presentation of exogenous antigen (cross-presentation) in a DC cell line, DC2.4 cells. The RAW 264.7 cell line was used to test the nonspecific effect of immune reinforcement of SPM1204 as a source of biological regulating modulator for the macrophage activation, include nitric oxide (NO) production and cytokine production. Results showed that the production of NO, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, interleukin 1 (IL-1)-$\beta$ and morphological changes in macrophages were largely affected by SPM1204 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated that SPM1204 promote cross-presentation of dendritic cells as well as the induction of NO, TNF-$\alpha$ production, and activation of macrophage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2014

Reliability analysis of jacket type offshore wind turbine (OWT) support structure under extreme ocean environmental loads was performed. Limit state function (LSF) of OWF support structure is defined by using structural dynamic response at mud-line. Then, the dynamic response is expressed as the static response multiplied by dynamic response factor (DRF). Probabilistic distribution of DRF is found from response time history under design significant wave load. Band limited beta distribution is used for internal friction angle of ground soil. Wind load is obtained in the form of thrust force from commercial code called GH_Bladed and then, applied to tower hub as random load. In a numerical example, the response surface method (RSM) is used to express LSF of jacket type support structure for 5MW OWF. Reliability index is found using first order reliability method (FORM).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 2006

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae pgs1 nulI mutant, which is deficient with phosphatidyl glycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL) biosynthesis, grows well on most fermentable carbon sources, but fails to grow on non-fermentable carbon sources such as glycerol, ethanol, and lactate. This mutant also cannot grow on galactose medium as the sole carbon source. We found that the incorporation of $[^{14}C]-galactose$, which is the first step of the galactose metabolic pathway (Leloir pathway), into the pgs 1 null mutant cell was extremely repressed. Exogenously expressed PGS1 (YCpPGS1) under indigenous promoter could completely restore the pgs1 growth defect on non-fermentable carbon sources, and dramatically recovered $[^{14}C]-galactose$ incorporation into the pgs1 mutant cell. However, PGS1 expression under the GALl promoter $(YEpP_{GAL1}-PGS1myc)$ could not complement pgs1 mutation, and the GAL2-lacZ fusion gene $(YEpP_{GAL2}-lacZ)$ also did not exhibit its $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in the pgs1 mutant. In wild-type yeast, antimycin $A(1\;{\mu}g/ml)$, which inhibits mitochondrial complex III, severely repressed not only the expression of the GAL2-lacZ fusion gene, but also uptake of $[^{14}C]-galactose$. However, exogenously expressed PGS1 partially relieved these inhibitory effects of antimycin A in both the pgs1 mutant and wild-type yeast, although it could not basically restore the growth defect on galactose by antimycin A. These results suggest that the PGSI gene product has an important role in utilization of galactose by Gal genes, and that intact mitochondrial function with PGS1 should be required for galactose incorporation into the Leloir pathway. The PGS1 gene might provide a clue to resolve the historic issue about the incapability of galactose with deteriorated mitochondrial function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9791-9795
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• 2014

To study the gene expression change and possible signal pathway during androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC) becoming androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC), an LNCaP cell model of AIPC was established using flutamide in combination with androgen-free environment inducement, and differential expression genes were screened by microarray. Then the biological process, molecular function and KEGG pathway of differential expression genes are analyzed by Molecule Annotation System (MAS). By comparison of 12,207 expression genes, 347 expression genes were acquired, of which 156 were up-ragulated and 191 down-regulated. After analyzing the biological process and molecule function of differential expression genes, these genes are found to play crucial roles in cell proliferation, differntiation, cell cycle control, protein metabolism and modification and other biological process, serve as signal molecules, enzymes, peptide hormones, cytokines, cytoskeletal proteins and adhesion molecules. The analysis of KEGG show that the relevant genes of AIPC transformation participate in glutathione metabolism, cell cycle, P53 signal pathway, cytochrome P450 metabolism, Hedgehog signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, adipocytokines signal pathway, PPAR signal pathway, TGF-${\beta}$ signal pathway and JAK-STAT signal pathway. In conclusion, during the process of ADPC becoming AIPC, it is not only one specific gene or pathway, but multiple genes and pathways that change. The findings above lay the foundation for study of AIPC mechanism and development of AIPC targeting drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1297-1303
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• 2012

Aims: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy often related to hepatitis viral infection. Smad4 is known to mediate the TGF-${\beta}$ pathway to suppress tumorigenesis. However, the function of Smad4 in HCC is still controversial. In this study we compared levels of Smad4 in HCC tissues with or without hepatitis virus infection and adjacent normal-appearing liver. Methods: Samples from HCC patients were analyzed for Smad4 protein and mRNA expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC), RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results: We found that tumor tissues expressed less Smad4 mRNA and protein than the adjacent tissues. Most HCC tumor tissues were negative for Smad4 in IHC staining, while the majority of adjacent tissues were positively stained. Interestingly, protein levels were higher in HCC tissues with viral hepatitis than those without virus infection. Suppression of expression appeared closely related to HCC, so that Smad4 appears to function as a tumor suppressor gene (TSG). Conclusion: Patients with hepatitis viral infection, at higher risk for HCC, exhibited increased Smad4 protein expression suggesting hepatitis virus may modulate Smad4 expression, which is functionally distinct from its putative role as a TSG. Smad4 expression may thus be an applicable marker for diagnosis and/or a target to develop therapeutic agents for HCC.