• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 1984

In vitro fertilization have been performed to know whether the frozen semen has fertilizing ability and can be used clinically. The results of cultured and developed embryos obtained are as follows: 1. The semen was frozen in three media for the good viability. The viability was more than 50% and the motility was also moderate (grade III), 2. As the 33 oocytes were collected from 45 follicles, the oocyte recovery rate was 73.3%. Among them, mature and immature ova were 5% each, and premature ova were 69.7%, When the first polar body was appeared, above ova were inseminated after adequate incubation with activated sperms. 3. The main components of three freezing medium containing egg yolk, glycerol and pyruvate respectively were the best for sperm viability, and Ham's F-10 medium was used for the fertilization and culture of eggs. 4. The results of in vitro fertilization of 33 ova, showed the second polar body developed in 12%, polyspermia in 24%, 1-cell embryo in 21% and 2-cell embryo in 9%. One mature ova developed to blastocyst via 16-cell to 32-cell embryo. The fertilization rate was 66%. 5. Above mentioned results represent that the frozen semen has fertilizing ability and can be used practically in the clinic.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.596-601
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• 2018

Colon cancer is one of the most lethal and common malignancies worldwide. STK899704, a novel synthetic agent, has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects towards numerous cancer cells. However, the effect of STK899704 on the biological properties of colon cancer, including cancer cell migration and cancer stem cells (CSCs), remains unknown. Here, we examined the inhibitory effect of STK899704 on cell migration and CSC stemness. In the wound healing assay, STK899704 significantly inhibited the motility of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, STK899704 downregulated the mRNA expression levels of the cell migration mediator focal adhesion kinase (FAK). STK899704 also suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, which are downstream signaling molecules of FAK. Additionally, STK899704 inhibited stemness gene expression and sphere formation in colon cancer stem cells. These results suggest that STK899704 can be used to treat human colon cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.831-836
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• 2015

Tumor fluid accumulation occurs in both human cancer and experimental tumor models. Solid tumors show a tendency to tumor fluid accumulation because of their anatomical and physiological features and this may be influenced by molecular factors. Fluid accumulation in the peri-tumor area also occurs in the Dunning model of rat prostate cancer as the tumor grows. In this study, the effects of tumor fluids that were obtained from Dunning prostate tumor-bearing Copenhagen rats on the strongly metastatic MAT-LyLu cell line were investigatedby examining the cell's migration and tumor fluid's toxicity and the kinetic parameters such as cell proliferation, mitotic index, and labelling index. In this research, tumor fluids were obtained from rats injected with $2{\times}10^5$ MAT-LyLu cells and treated with saline solution, and 200 nM tetrodotoxin (TTX), highly specific sodium channel blocker was used. Sterilized tumor fluids were added to medium of MAT-LyLu cells with the proportion of 20% in vitro. Consequently, it was demonstrated that Dunning rat prostate tumor fluid significantly inhibited proliferation (up to 50%), mitotic index, and labeling index of MAT-LyLu cells (up to 75%) (p<0.05) but stimulated the motility of the cells in vitro.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2008

Src-family kinases are critically involved in the control of cytoskeleton organization and in the generation of integrin-dependent signaling responses, inducing tyrosine phosphorylation of many signaling and cytoskeletal proteins. Activity of the Src family of tyrosine kinases is tightly controlled by inhibitory phosphorylation of a carboxy-terminal tyrosine residue, inducing an inactive conformation through binding with its SH2 domain. Dephosphorylation of C-ter tyrosine, as well as its deletion of substitution with phenylalanine in oncogenic Src kinases, leads to autophosphorylation at a tyrosine in the activation loop, thereby leading to enhanced Src activity. Beside this phophorylation/dephosphorylation circuitry, cysteine oxidation has been recently reported as a further mechanism of enzyme activation. Mounting evidence describes Src activation via its redox regulation as a key outcome in several circumstances, including growth factor and cytokines signaling, integrin-mediated cell adhesion and motility, membrane receptor cross-talk as well in cell transformation and tumor progression. Among the plethora of data involving Src kinase in physiological and pathophysiological processes, this review will give emphasis to the redox component of the regulation of this master kinase.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2015

Acute toxicity tests for 5 organic solvents were conducted using Euglena agilis carter (E. agilis), a Korean domestic organism. Organic solvents decreased the growth rate of E. agilis in a dose dependent manner. The toxicity to E. agilis was increased in the order of chloroform>acetone${\geq}$ethanol${\geq}$methanol>DMSO based on $EC_{50}$ values from growth test. Organic solvents also induced cell motility and morphological changes of E. agilis. Especially significant effects on the cell swimming velocity, motility, and compactness were observed for chloroform at the concentration of $EC_{50}$ calculated from 96 hr growth test. Overall, toxic responses of E. agilis to test substances are comparable to or more sensitive than D. magna, M. macrocopa and V. fischeri. Our study demonstrates that E. agilis can be a putative ecotoxicity test model organism to assess domestic water quality. Results obtained from this study can be applied to establish the standard test guidelines for ecotoxicity test using E. agilis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1099-1104
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• 2014

Aims and Background: Ginsenoside Rh2, which exerts the potent anticancer action both in vitro and in vivo, is one of the most well characterized ginsenosides extracted from ginseng. Although its effects on cancer are significant, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we sought to elucidate possible links between ginsenoside Rh2 and phosphoglucose isomerase/autocrine motility factor (PGI/AMF). Methods: $KG1{\alpha}$, a leukemia cell line highly expressing PGI/AMF was assessed by western blot analysis and reverse transcription- PCR (RT-PCR) assay after transfection of a small interfering (si)-RNA to silence PGI/AMF. The effect of PGI/AMF on proliferation was measured by typan blue assay and antibody array. A cell counting kit (CCK)-8 and flow cytometry (FCM) were adopted to investigate the effects of Rh2 on PGI/AMF. The relationships between PGI/AMF and Rh2 associated with Akt, mTOR, Raptor, Rag were detected by western blot analysis. Results: KG1${\alpha}$ cells expressed PGI/AMF and its down-regulation significantly inhibited proliferation. The antibody array indicated that the probable mechanism was reduced expression of PARP, State1, SAPK/JNK and Erk1/2, while those of PRAS40 and p38 were up-regulated. Silencing of PGI/AMF enhanced the sensibility of $KG1{\alpha}$ to Rh2 by suppressing the expression of mTOR, Raptor and Akt. Conclusion: These results suggested that ginsenoside Rh2 suppressed the proliferation of $KG1{\alpha}$, the same as down-regulation of PGI/AMF. Down-regulation of PGI/AMF enhanced the pharmacological effects of ginsenoside Rh2 on KG1${\alpha}$ by reducing Akt/mTOR signaling.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.357-366
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• 2015

Quorum sensing (QS) is involved in the process of cell-to-cell communication and as a gene regulatory mechanism, which has been implicated in bacterial pathogenicity. Bacteria use this QS system to control a variety of physiological processes. In this study, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract (PPE) was first screened for its ability to inhibit QS in bio-reporter strains (Chromobacterium violaceum and C. violaceum CV026). Next, the ability of PPE to inhibit swimming motility and biofilm formation was examined in Y. enterocolitica. Additionally, changes in the expression of specific genes involved in the synthesis of the N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs; yenI and yenR) and in the flagellar regulon (fliA, fleB and flhDC) were evaluated by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The results show that PPE specifically inhibited and reduced QS-controlled violacein production by 78.5% in C. violaceum CV026, and decreased QS-associated biofilm formation and swimming motility in Y. enterocolitica without significantly affecting bacterial growth. These inhibitory effects were also associated with the down-regulation of gene expression involved in the synthesis of AHLs and in motility. Our results suggest that PPE could be a potential therapeutic agent to prevent enteropathogens in humans, as well as highlight the need to further investigate the in vivo properties of PPE for clinical applications.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.106-115
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• 2021

Sperm cryopreservation is an important method of assisted reproductive techniques and storing genetic resources. It plays a vital role in genetic improvement, livestock industrial preservation of endangered species, and clinical practice. Consequently, the cryopreservation technique is well organized through various studies, especially on Korean native cattle (Hanwoo). However, the cryopreservation technique of Korean native brindled cattle, which is one of the native cattle species in Korea, is not well organized. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a Supplementary Table technique for the cryopreservation of Korean native brindled cattle. For this purpose, it is important to first evaluate the quality of the currently produced cryopreserved sperm of Korean native brindled cattle. In this study, we randomly selected 72 individual Korean native brindled cattle semen samples collected from 8 different region research centers and used them to evaluate sperm functions. We focused on the quality evaluation of cryopreserved Korean native brindled cattle semen following the measurement of motion kinematics, capacitation status, intracellular ATP level, sperm motility, and cell viability. Then, the values of each of the eight groups were derived from various sperm parameters of nine individual samples, including sperm motility, kinematics, cellular motility, and intracellular ATP levels, which were used to compare and evaluate sperm function. Overall, differences in various sperm parameters were observed between most of the research centers. Particularly, the deviations of motility and motion kinematics were high according to the sample. Therefore, we suggest that it is necessary to develop a standard method for the cryopreservation of Korean native brindled cattle semen. We also suggest the need for sperm quality evaluation of the cryopreserved semen of Korean native brindled cattle before using artificial insemination to attain a high fertility rate.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 1999

This study were performed the effect of methylxanthine derivatives on hamster epididymal sperm motility. To assess the effect of methylxanthine derivatives on motility kinematics of epididymal sperm, pentoxifylline, 2-deoxy-adenosine and hypoxanthine were added to TALP medium. 1 mM of pentoxifylline, significantly increased VCL, VAP, VSL of spermatozoa obtained from corpus and cauda epididymis. With 1 mM of 2-deoxyadenosine, VCL, VAP, VSL of spermatozoa obtained from corpus and cauda epididymis were significantly increased, but 2 mM ADE for cauda spermatozoa was effective than 1 mM. In the case of hypoxanthine, various concentrations were not significantly effective, but 2 mM HX showed higher effect than other concentrations. pentoxifylline 1 mM and 2-deoxyadenosine 1 mM significantly increased VCL, VAP of corpus and cauda epididymal spermatozoa and VSL of cauda epididymal spermatozoa. From these results it could be concluded that the addition of methylxanthine increase motility kinematics of hamster spermatozoa collected from epididymis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1034-1043
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• 2014

This study determined the effect of light intensity and photoperiod on the dry cell weight and total amount of carotenoids in four isolates of purple non-sulfur bacteria obtained from shaded and exposed microhabitats of a mangrove ecosystem in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The initial isolation of the bacteria was carried out using synthetic 112 medium under anaerobic conditions (2.5 klx) at $30{\pm}2^{\circ}C$. On the basis of colony appearance, cell morphology, gram staining, motility test, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses, all four bacteria were identified as Afifella marina. One of the bacterial isolates, designated as Af. marina strain ME, which was extracted from an exposed mud habitat within the mangrove ecosystem, showed the highest yield in dry cell weight ($4.32{\pm}0.03g/l$) as well as total carotenoids ($0.783{\pm}0.002mg/g$ dry cell weight). These values were significantly higher than those for dry cell weight ($3.77{\pm}0.02g/l$) and total carotenoid content ($0.706{\pm}0.008mg/g$) produced by the isolates from shaded habitats. Further analysis of the effect of 10 levels of light intensity on the growth characteristics of Af. marina strain ME showed that the optimum production of dry cell weight and total carotenoids was achieved at different light intensities and incubation periods. The bacterium produced the highest dry cell weight of 4.98 g/l at 3 klx in 72 h incubation, but the carotenoid production of 0.783 mg/g was achieved at 2.5 klx in 48 h incubation. Subsequent analysis of the effect of photoperiod on the production of dry cell weight and total carotenoids at optimum light intensities (3 and 2.5 klx, respectively) revealed that 18 and 24 h were the optimum photoperiods for the production of dry cell weight and total carotenoids, respectively. The unique growth characteristics of the Af. marina strain ME can be exploited for biotechnology applications.