• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2006

In murine gastrointestinal myocytes muscarinic stimulation activates nonselective cation channels via a G-protein and $Ca^{2+}$-dependent pathway. We recorded inward cationic currents following application of carbachol ($I_{CCh}$) to murine gastric myocytes held at -60 mV, using the whole-cell patch-clamp method. The properties of the inward cationic currents were similar to those of the nonselective cation channels activated by muscarinic stimulation in other gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. CCh-induced $I_{CCh}$ and spontaneous decay of $I_{CCh}$ (desensitization of $I_{CCh}$) occurred. Unlike the situation in guinea pig gastric myocytes, desensitization was not affected by varying $[EGTA]_i$. Pretreatment with the PLC inhibitor (U73122) blocked the activation of $I_{CCh}$, and desensitization of $I_{CCh}$ was attenuated in PLC ${\beta}_1$ knock-out mice. These results suggest that the desensitization of $I_{CCh}$ in murine gastric myocytes is not due to a pathway dependent on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ but to the PLC ${\beta}_1$ pathway.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2024

Purpose: Recently, the prevalence of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID) has shown an increasing trend worldwide. As the diagnosis of EGID requires invasive endoscopy with biopsy, noninvasive markers for detecting EGID in suspected patients, particularly children, are urgently needed. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) beyond peripheral eosinophil counts in pediatric patients with EGID. Methods: Overall, 156 children diagnosed with EGID were enrolled and 150 children with functional abdominal pain disorder (FAPD) were recruited as controls. All participants underwent endoscopic biopsy in each segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and serum ECP measurement, as well as peripheral eosinophil percent and absolute eosinophil count. Results: Comparing EGID (n=156) with FAPD (n=150) patients, serum ECP levels were significantly higher in pediatric patients with EGID than in those with FAPD (25.8±28.6 ㎍/L vs. 19.5±21.0 ㎍/L, p=0.007), while there was no significant difference in peripheral eosinophil percent and absolute eosinophil counts between the two groups. Serum ECP levels were correlated with peripheral eosinophil percent (r=0.593, p<0.001) and the absolute eosinophil count (r=0.660, p<0.001). The optimal cutoff value of serum ECP for pediatric EGID was 10.5 ㎍/mL, with a sensitivity of 69.9% and a specificity of 43.4% with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.562. Conclusion: The combination of serum ECP levels and peripheral eosinophil counts, when employed with appropriated thresholds, could serve as a valuable noninvasive biomarker to distinguish between EGID and FAPD in pediatric patients manifesting GI symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.601-607
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• 2003

We studied on preparation of nanoparticles modified surface using biodegradable polymer, poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). Two kinds of PLGA nanoparticles were prepared by a spontaneous emulsification solvent diffusion (SESD) method using cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) as a cationic surfactant and polyethylene glycol-block-polypropylene glycol copolymer (Lutrol F68) as a nonionic surfactant. Model protein was coated on the surface of nanoparticles by the ionic complexation. The model protein was that influenza vaccine ($H_3N_2,\;H_1N_1$, B strain) labeled with NHS-fluorescein. The sizes of cationic nanoparticles were 140-160 nm and the surface charges were 50-60 mV. The sizes of nonionic nanoprticles were 80-90 nm and the surface charge was -10 mV. After coating vaccine on the surface of nanoparticles, the sizes of cationic nanoparticles were increased to 380-400 nm and the size of nonionic nanoparticles was not increased. The amount of coated vaccine on the cationic nanoparticles was 22.73 ${\mu}g$/mg.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.148-152
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• 2000

Mussel adhesive protein (MAP) was extracted from Korean Mytilus edulis and then partially purified using Sephacryl S-300 gel permeation chromatography and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. As an indicator of adhesiveness, is 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) content was determined. Its DOPA/protein ratio of 0.19 was higher than those of other reports, indicating a good adhesive. The partially purified MAP was confirmed by acid-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using cetylpiridinium bromide as a cationic detergent. Sea mussel hydrolysates were prepared using three commercial proteases to provide value-added functional materials and their angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities were determined. Among hydrolysates of sea mussel, Protamex was the best and further purification would improved ACE inhibitory activity.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2007

Purpose : To evaluate the chemokine expression in children with a non-productive cough. Materials and Methods : Six children with a non-productive cough who visited Yeungnam University Hospital were evaluated for the mRNA expression of interferon-${\gamma}$-inducible protein 10(IP-10), macrophage cationic protein 1 and 3 (MCP-1, 3), interleukin (IL)-8, regulated upon activation in normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES), eotaxin and growth-related oncogene-${\alpha}$ (Gro-${\alpha}$) using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results : The chemokines IP-10 and MCP-3 were expressed in all samples. The chemokine RANTES was expressed in five cases, and IL-8 was expressed in three among them. However, eotaxin, Gro-${\alpha}$ and MCP-1 were not expressed at all. The expression of chemokine MCP-3, RANTES and IL-8 were suppressed after the resolution of coughing in just one available case. Conclusion : The chemokines MCP-3, RANTES and IL-8 may contribute to airway inflammation in children with a non-productive cough, whereas IP-10 is of secondary importance in this condition.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate what protein(s) of porcine epididymal fluid (pEF) are able to enhance the nuclear maturation of porcine germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes in vitro. Proteins of pEF were fractionated by affinity, ion exchange, and gel filtration chromatography. Porcine cumulus-oocytes complexes (COC) from follicles were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM 199) containing various fractions obtained by chromatography. Porcine COCs were also cultured in TCM 199 containing various meiosis inhibitors and pEF. After 24 or 48 h culture, oocytes were examined for evidence of GV breakdown, metaphase I, anaphase-telophase I, and metaphase II. When porcine COCs were cultured in the medium with meiosis inhibitor such as, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and forskolin (Fo), more than 80% of oocytes were unable to resume meiosis. However, porcine COCs supplemented with pEF were able to overcome the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP and Fo. Maturation rate of oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) increased in the media supplemented with cationic protein(s) during in vitro maturation than in those with anionic protein(s) (44.1% vs 20.0%). When oocytes were cultured in the TCM 199 with fractions obtained by gel filtration, the maturation rate of oocytes was significantly (p<0.05) higher in fraction 11 containing 18 kDa than other fractions. The present study suggests that 1) dbcAMP and Fo prevent the spontaneous maturation of oocyte after isolation from follicles, and that pEF contain a substance(s) that improves meiosis resumption in vitro of porcine COCs, 2) cationic 18 kDa protein(s) are responsible for promotion of Mil stage.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.320-323
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• 2003

The effects of pH on the binding of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) expressed from transgenic plant cell suspensions to cationic and anionic exchange resins were investigated. In terms of stability, the optimum pH was found to be 5-7. In the case of using buffer exchange, when CM-sepharose was used as a cationic exchange resin, the best binding pH was 4.8 (77%) and when DEAE-sepharose was used as an anionic exchange resin, the best binding pH was 5.5 (74%). Without using buffer exchange, the optimum pH was 4.6 and the adsorption yield was 84%. From these results, a possibility of overcoming the degradation and instability of secreted protein product by in firm adsorption was found.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.96-107
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• 2009

Lactophoricin (LPcin-I) is a cationic amphipathic peptide with 23-mer peptide, and corresponds to the carboxy terminal 113-135 region of Component-3 of proteose-peptone. LPcin-I is a good candidate as a peptide antibiotic, because it has an antibacterial activity, but no hemolytic activity. On the other hand, its shorter analog (LPcin-II), which corresponds to the 119-135 region of PP3, has no antibacterial activity. In order to understand the structure-activity relationship under the membrane environments, we succeed to produce large amounts of LPcin-I and LPcin-II peptides. Peptides were over expressed in the form of fusion protein in Escherichia coli, and purified with several chromatography techniques. In this paper, we introduce the optimizing processes of purification and NMR measurement.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.382-384
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• 2002

When illuminated with strong visible light, the reaction center Dl protein of photo system II is photodamage and degraded. Reactive oxygen species and endogenous cationic radicals generated by photochemical reactions are the cause of the damage to the Dl protein. Recently we found that the photodamaged Dl protein cross-links with the surrounding polypeptides such as D2 and CP43 in photosystem II. As the cross-linking reaction is dependent on the presence of oxygen, reactive oxygen species are suggested to be involved. Among the reactive oxygen species examined, ？ OH was most effective in the formation of the cross-linked products. These results indicate that the cross-linking is mostly due to ？ OH generated at photosystem II. The cross-linking site of the Dl protein is not known. As several tyrosine residues exist at the D­E loop of the Dl protein, there is a possibility that di-Tyr is formed between the D­E loop of the Dl protein and surrounding polypeptides during the strong illumination. Therefore, we examined the formation of di-Tyr using the monoclonal antibody against di-Tyr under excess illumination of the photosystem II membranes. The results obtained here suggest that no di-Tyr is formed during the excess illumination of photosystem II.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.55-58
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• 2002

The reaction center Dl protein of photosystem II is the target of photodamage by excess illumination. The Dl protein is damaged by reactive oxygen species generated by photochemical reactions and then degraded by specific proteolytic enzymes. We found that the Dl protein also cross-links with the surrounding polypeptides, such as D2 and CP43 in isolated thylakoids or photosystem II-enriched membranes from spinach under the illumination with strong visible light. The cross-linking was observed in spinach leaf discs as well when they were illuminated at higher temperature (40°C). It was also shown that the cross-linked products are digested efficiently by a protease(s) in the stroma. Thus the cross-linking/digestion processes of the Dl protein seem to comprise a new pathway in the turnover of the photodamaged Dl protein. It should be noted, however, that the cross-linked products of the Dl protein and CP43 induced by endogenous cationic radicals in the donor-side photoinhibition are resistant to proteolytic digestion. Accumulation of these cross-linked products in the thylakoids may lead to the decay of the function of chloroplasts and finally to the death of plant cells. Thus, we suggest that the quality control of photosystem II, especially removal of the cross-linked products of the Dl protein, is crucial for the survival of chloroplasts under the light stress.