• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.721-731
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• 2002

Recently, soluble TNF receptor homolog osteoprotegerin(OPG) and its membrane-bound ligand osteoclast differentiation factor(ODF) were found to regulate osteoclast formation and function, and bone metabolism. It is now well established that ODF acts via RANK expressed on hematopoietic osteoclast precursor cells to facilitate their differentiation to osteoclasts, and OPG prevents the formation of osteoclasts by interfering the binding of ODF and RANK. Expression of OPG and ODF was believed to be closely related to the pathogenesis of bone resorption and destruction from osteoporosis, periodontal diseases, malignant bone tumor, and arthritis. The periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF), located between the tooth and tooth socket, has been thought to play an important role in maintaining bone homeostasis of periodontal tissues. However, the exact mechanism by which bone formation and resorption are regulated by PDLF is not well understood. In this study we have prepared primary cultures of human PDLF from periodontium of malaligned tooth extracted due to orthodontic reason, and determined steady state or inflammatory signal-induced OPG and ODF expression using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. OPG and ODF mRNA and protein were expressed constitutively in the PDLF and these expression were slightly increased by osteotropic cytokine IL-1 ${\beta}$. Lipopolysaccharide-treated PDLF showed decrease in OPG mRNA and protein expression, and increase in ODF mRNA and protein expression. These results indicated that PDLF influence the osteoclastogenesis by OPG and ODF expression in the inflammatory situation as well as physiological condition, and thereby pathogenesis of periodontal alveolar bone destruction.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.227-233
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• 2011

The Nramp1/Slc11a1 locus encodes a proton-coupled divalent cation transporter, expressed in late endosomes/lysosomes of macrophages, that constitutes a component of the innate immune response to combat intracellular pathogens and it was shown to play an important role in regulating inherent immunity. The previously identified Z-DNA forming polymorphic repeat(GT)n in the promoter region of the human Nramp1 gene does act as a functional polymorphism influencing gene expression. Research has shown that INF-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and bacteria LPS increase the level of Nramp1 expression. However, the molecular mechanism for Nramp1 gene regulation is unclear. In this research, bovine Nramp1 5'-flanking region (-1748~+769) was cloned and analyzed by bioinformatics. Then to find the core promoter and the cis-acting elements, deletion analysis of promoter was performed using a set of luciferase reporter gene constructs containing successive deletions of the bovine Nramp1 5'-flanking regions. Promoter activity analysis by the dual luciferase reporter assay system showed that the core promoter of Nramp1 was located at +58~-89 bp. Some positive regulatory elements are located at -89~-205 bp and -278~-1495 bp. And the repressor elements were in region -205~-278 bp, intron1 and -1495~-1748 bp. LPS-responsive regions were located at -1495~-1748 bp and -278~-205 bp. The present study provides an initial effort to explore the molecular mechanism of transcriptional activation of the bovine Nramp1 gene and should facilitate further studies to decode the complex regulatory process and for molecular breeding for disease resistance in bovines.

• 한국광학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.201-206
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 무기섬광체와 광섬유를 이용하여 삼중수소 검출용 광섬유 방사선 센서를 제작하였다. 무기섬광체 선택을 위해 $Gd_2O_2S$ : Tb, $Y_3Al_5O_{12}$ : Ce, CsI : Tl을 이용하여 센서팁을 제작한 후, 금속 수소화물 형태의 삼중수소를 이용하여 섬광효율이 가장 좋은 섬광체를 선별하였다. 또한 선정된 섬광체를 사용하여 제작한 센서를 이용하여 삼중수소 선원으로부터 거리에 따른 섬광량을 계측하였고 선원의 방사능 세기에 따른 섬광량을 측정하여 표면 방사능 모니터의 결과와 비교 분석하였다.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.531-538
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• 2004

Ginsan, a polysaccharide isolated from Panax ginseng, has been shown to be a potent immunomodulator, producing a variety of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1$\beta$, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$ and GM-CSF, and stimulating lymphoid cells to proliferate. In the present study, we analyzed some immune functions 1$^{st}$-5$^{th}$ days after ginsan i.p. injection, including the level of non-protein thiols (NPSH) as antioxidants, heme oxygenase (HO) activity as a marker of oxidative stress, zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time and level of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) as indices of drug metabolism system, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and albumin level as indicators of hepatotoxicity. Ginsan in the dose of 100 mg/kg caused marked elevation (1.7-2 fold) of HO activity, decrease of total CYP450 level (by 20-34%), and prolongation of zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time (by 65-70%), and showed some differences between male and female mice. Ginsan treatment did not seem to cause hepatic injury, since serum AST, ALT, and ALP activities and levels of total bilirubin and albumin were not changed.d.

• 한국식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국식물학회 1999년도 Proceedings of the 17th Symposium on Plant Biology Environmental Stress and Photosynthesis
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• pp.83-90
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• 1999

Electron crystallography of two-dimensional crystalsand electron cryo-microscopy is becoming an established method for determining the structure and function of a variety of membrane proteins that are providing difficult to crystallize in three dimension. In this study this technique has been used to investigate the structure of a ~160 kDa reaction centre sub-core complex of photosystem II. Photosystem II is a photosynthetic membrane protein consisting of more than 25 subunits. It uses solar energy to split water releasing molecular oxygen into the atmosphere and creates electrochemical potential across the thylakoid membrane, which is eventually utilized to generate ATP and NADPH. Images were taken using Philips CM200 field emission gun electron microscope with an acceleration voltage of 200kW at liquid nitrogen temperature. In total, 79 images recorded dat tilt angles ranging from 0 to 67 degree yielded amplitudes and phases for a three-dimensional map with an in-plant resolution of 6$\AA$ and 11.4$\AA$ in the third dimension shows at least 23 transmembrane helices resolved in a monomeric complex, of which 18 were able to be assigned to the D1, D2, CP47 , and cytochrome b559 alfa beta-subunits with their associated pigments that ae active in electron transport (Rhee, 1998, Ph.D.thesis). The D1/D2 heterodimer is located in the central position within the complex and its helical scalffold is remarkably similar to that of the reaction centres not only in purple bacteria but also in plant photosystem I (PSI) , indicating a common evoluationary origin of all types of reaction centre in photosynthetic organism known today 9RHee et al. 1998). The structural homology is now extended to the inner antenna subunit, ascribed to CP47 in our map, where the 6 transmembrane helices show a striking structural similarity to the corresponding helices of the PSI reaction centre proteins. The overall arrangement of the chlorophylls in the D1 /D2 heterodimer, and in particular the distance between the central pair, is ocnsistent with the weak exciton coupling of P680 that distinguishes this reaction centre from bacterial counterpart. The map in most progress towards high resolution structure will be presented and discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.373-378
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• 2007

Based on observations that lactic acid bacteria have the ability to activate macrophages, we assessed the potential effects of eight different Lactobacillus strains treated with gastrointestinal enzymes on the production of nitric oxide and various cytokines in macrophages. RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells were cultured with either precipitates or supernatants of Lactobacillus strains digested with pepsin followed by pancreatin. The increased production of nitric oxide and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ were observed when cultured with precipitates, and this effect was largely strain-dependent. In contrast, the exposure of RAW 264.7 cells to supernatants produced weaker or nearly undetectable effects in comparison to the effects of exposure to precipitates. The induction of nitric oxide appeared to be unaffected. These results demonstrate that nitric oxide and cytokines were effectively induced when the bacterial precipitate was treated with macrophages. The results of the present study also indicate that Lactobacillus strains treated with digestive enzymes are capable of stimulating the production of nitric oxide and cytokines in macrophages, which may modulate the gastrointestinal immune function of the host when it is given as a feed additive.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.81-88
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• 2016

In many fish species, including Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), gonadal development occurs at the expense of stored energy and nutrients. Therefore, reproductive systems are inhibited by limited food supply. It has been well established that reproductive function is highly sensitive to both metabolic status and energy balance. Nothing is known about the possible mediated connection between energy balance and reproduction. Kisspeptin, a neuropeptide product of the Kiss gene has emerged as an essential gatekeeper of reproduction and may be possibly be linked to energy balance and reproduction in non-mammalians. Thus, in this study, the effect of fasting (10 days) on the expression of kisspeptin and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) gene were assessed in Nile tilapia (male and female) using qRT-PCR. In addition, plasma levels of estradiol-$17{\beta}$ ($E_2$) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) in adult tilapia were measured by ELISA. In male tilapia, fasting reduced Kiss2 and GnRH I mRNA expression in the brain and 11-KT level in comparison with the fed tilapia (p < 0.05). In females, however, there were no significant differences in GnRH I mRNA expression and $E_2$ between fish subjected to fasting and those fed (p > 0.05). These data indicate the impact of nutritional states on kisspeptin as a potential regulatory mechanism for the control of reproduction in male Nile tilapia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.205-212
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• 2010

Endometritis is one of the primary reasons for reproductive failure. In order to investigate endometritis-associated marker proteins, proteomic analysis was performed on bovine endometrium with endometritis. In bovine endometritis, desmin, $\alpha$-actin-2, heat-shock protein (HSP) 27, peroxiredoxin-6, luteinizing hormone receptor isoform 1, collectin-43 precursor, deoxyribonuclease-I (DNase-I), and MHC class I heavy chain (MHC-Ih) were up-regulated. In contrast, transferrin, interleukin-2 precursor, hemoglobin $\beta$ subunit, and potassium channel tetramerisation domaincontaining 11 (KCTD11) were down-regulated in comparison to normal endometrium. The proteomic results were validated by semiquantitative-PCR and immunoblot analysis. The mRNA levels of desmin, transferrin, $\alpha$-actin-2, HSP27, KCTD11, and MHC-Ih were up-regulated by over 1.5-fold, and showed a pattern similar to their proteomic profiles. Desmin and $\alpha$-actin-2 protein showed positive correlations between proteomic analysis and immunoblot analysis. These results suggest that desmin and $\alpha$-actin-2 may play important roles in endometritis-related function, and could be useful markers for the diagnosis of bovine endometritis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.395-404
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• 2017

Fungal cell walls and cell membranes are the main targets of antifungals. In this study, we report on the antifungal activity of an ethanol extract from Paeonia lactiflora against Candida albicans, showing that the antifungal activity is associated with the synergistic actions of preventing cell wall synthesis, enabling membrane depolarization, and compromising permeability. First, it was shown that the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora was involved in damaging the integrity of cell walls in C. albicans. In isotonic media, cell bursts of C. albicans by the P. lactiflora ethanol extract could be restored, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the P. lactiflora ethanol extract against C. albicans cells increased 4-fold. In addition, synthesis of $(1,3)-{\beta}-{\small{D}}-glucan$ polymer was inhibited by 87% and 83% following treatment of C. albicans microsomes with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract at their $1{\times}MIC$ and $2{\times}MIC$, respectively. Second, the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora influenced the function of C. albicans cell membranes. C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract formed red aggregates by staining with a membrane-impermeable dye, propidium iodide. Membrane depolarization manifested as increased fluorescence intensity by staining P. lactiflora-treated C. albicans cells with a membrane-potential marker, $DiBAC_4(3)$ ((bis-1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol). Membrane permeability was assessed by crystal violet assay, and C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract exhibited significant uptake of crystal violet in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings suggest that P. lactiflora ethanol extract is a viable and effective candidate for the development of new antifungal agents to treat Candida-associated diseases.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.62-62
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• 2003

The native form of serpin (serine protease inhibitor) is kinetically trapped in metastable state. Metastability in these proteins is critical to their biological function. Serpins inhibit target proteases by forming a stable covalent complex in which the cleaved reactive site loop of the serpin is inserted into $\beta$-sheet A of the serpin with concomitant translocation of the protease to the opposite of the initial binding site. Despite recent determination of the crystal structures of a Michaelis protease-serpin complex as well as a stable covalent complex, details on the kinetic mechanism remain unsolved. In this study we constructed several $\alpha$$_1$-antitrypsin variants and examined their kinetic mechanism of loop translocation and formation of protease-serpin complex by stopped-flow experiments of fluorescence resonance energy transfer as well as quenched-flow experiment. We report here the relationship of serpin's conformational switch mechanism with Inhibitory activity. There is little direct correlation between loop insertion rate and inhibitory activity. Rather, disrupting a salt bridge between R196 and E354 accelerates loop translocation even though it impairs the inhibitory activity. Moreover, the serpin's reactive site loop is translocated, at least partially, prior to loop cleavage.