• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.161-166
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• 2015

Early growth response (Egr)-1 is a $Cys_2-His_2-type$ zincfinger transcription factor. It has been shown to induce survival and proliferation of immature and mature B cells, respectively, but its role in the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells remains unclear. To examine the effects of Egr-1 deficiency on the activation of B cells, naive B cells from $Egr1^{-/-}$mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates were activated to proliferate and differentiate, and then assayed by FACS. Proportions of cells undergoing proliferation and apoptosis did not differ between $Egr1^{-/-}$ and WT mice. However, $Egr1^{-/-}$ B cells gave rise to fewer plasma cells than WT B cells. Consistently, $Egr1^{-/-}$ mice produced significantly lower titer of antigen-specific IgG than their WT littermates upon immunization. Our results demonstrate that Egr-1 participates in the differentiation program of B cells into plasma cells, while it is dispensable for the proliferation and survival of mature B cells.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 1998

One cervical cancer cell line, C9, carrying human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) genes that is one of the major etiologic concoviruses for cervical cancer was characterized. This cell line was further characterized for its capacity related to the epithelial cell proliferation, stratification and differentiation in reconstituted artificial epithelial tissue. The in vitro construction of three dimensional artificial cervical opithelial tissue has been engineered using C9 epithelial cancer cells, human foreskin fibroblasts and a matrix made of type I collagen by organotypic culture of epithelial cells. The morphology of paraffin embedded artificial tissue was examined by histochemical staining. The artificial epithelial tissues were well developed having multilayer. However, the tissue morphology was similar to the cervical tissus having displasia induced by HPV infection. The characteristics of the artificial tissues were examined by determinining the expression of specific marker proteins. In the C9 derived artificial tissues, the expression of EGF receptor, as epithelial proliferation marker proteins for stratum basale was observed up to the stratum spinosum. Another epithelial proliferation marker for stratum spinosum, cytokerations 5/6/18, were observed well over the stratum spinosum. For the differentiation markers, the expression of involucrin and filaggrin were observed while the terminal differentiation marker, cytokeratins 10/13 was not detected at all. Therefore the reconstituted artificial epithelial tissues expressed the same types of differentiation marker proteins that are expressed in normal human cervical epithelial tissues but lacked the final differentiation capacity representing characteristics of C9 cell line as a cancer tissue devived cell line. Expression of HPV18 E6 oncoprotein was also observed in this artifical cervical opithelial tissue though the intensity of the staining was weak. Thus this artificial epithelial tissue could be used as a useful model system to examine the relationship between HPV-induced cervical oncogenesis and epithelial cell differentiation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.611-626
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• 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease caused by distinctive mutations in individual patients; therefore, each patient may display different cell-type compositions. Although most patients with AML achieve complete remission (CR) through intensive chemotherapy, the likelihood of relapse remains high. Several studies have attempted to characterize the genetic and cellular heterogeneity of AML; however, our understanding of the cellular heterogeneity of AML remains limited. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells obtained from same patients at different AML stages (diagnosis, CR, and relapse). We found that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) at diagnosis were abnormal compared to normal HSCs. By improving the detection of the DNMT3A R882 mutation with targeted scRNAseq, we identified that DNMT3A-mutant cells that mainly remained were granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) or lymphoid-primed multipotential progenitors (LMPPs) from CR to relapse and that DNMT3A-mutant cells have gene signatures related to AML and leukemic cells. Copy number variation analysis at the single-cell level indicated that the cell type that possesses DNMT3A mutations is an important factor in AML relapse and that GMP and LMPP cells can affect relapse in patients with AML. This study advances our understanding of the role of DNMT3A in AML relapse and our approach can be applied to predict treatment outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2021

Objectives: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a progressive pathological condition characterized by excessive proliferation of the prostate. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Corni Fructus water extract (CF) on the promotion of prostate cell proliferation by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Methods: The effect of CF on the proliferation of LNCaP prostate cells was evaluated, and DHT was treated to induce an in vitro BPH model. To study the mechanism of inhibition of cell proliferation and BPH by CF, changes in the expression of key factors related to cell cycle and BPH were investigated. We further investigated the effect on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory efficacy of CF. Results: Inhibition of LNCaP cell proliferation by CF was associated with decreased expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin A and increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. CF also suppressed expression of BPH inducing factors such as 5α-reductase type 2 and androgen receptor (AR) as well as prostate specific antigen (PSA). Furthermore, CF significantly blocked DHT-induced LNCaP cell proliferation and effectively attenuated DHT-induced expression of BPH mediators and cyclins. In addition, CF inhibited DHT-induced oxidative and inflammatory reactions by inhibiting production of ROS and NO. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that CF probably acted as 5α-reductase type 2 inhibitor, preventing the 5α-reductase type 2-AR signaling pathway, thereby reducing the conversion of testosterone to DHT and the expression of PSA, which is at least correlated with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of CF.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.134-149
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• 2016

Objectives : Gal-Geun-Tang (GT) has been described from SANGHAN in Korean traditional medicine and known to act against cold, fever, hypertension, and nasal catarrh. However, little has yet been learned about the effect of GT on immune function. In the current study, in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory activity of GT (water extract) was investigated.Methods : Water extract of GT induced in vitro proliferation of spleen cells and significantly increased their proliferative responses during anti-CD3 activation. Using purified splenic T and B cells, it was revealed that GT has a mitogenic activity to B cells and promotes their proliferation induced by lipopolysaccharide, whereas T cell proliferation was not triggered and GT was rather inhibitory to T cell activation caused by anti-CD3 antibody. In the presence of antigen presenting cells (APC), GT addition resulted in a significant increase of IFNγ and IL-4, but not IL-2, production. However, addition of high concentration (1,000㎍/㎖) of GT led to a marked reduction in T cell cytokine production and under such condition, GT facilitated apoptosis of T cells when examined by flow cytometry with propidium iodide staining.Results : In vivo immunomdulation of GT was also investigated using a mouse model. Following keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) immunization, GT (1 ㎎/day) was orally administered for 9 days. Cell numbers in thymus, spleen and peripheral blood were not altered by GT administration, indicating that such dose is not immunotoxic. Cell numbers in draining lymph nodes (LN) and ex vivo Ag-specific proliferation of LN cells were significantly elevated by GT administration. However, any preferential stimulation of T or B and CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T cell subpopulations was not observed in a flow cytometric analysis of LN cells. This result shows that GT does not promote in vivo B cell proliferation while GT enhances Ag-specific proliferation of LN cells, unlike what was observed in vitro.Conclusions : For a further understanding of in vivo immunomodulatory activity of GT, ex vivo cytokine production of LN cells obtained from KLH-immunized mice was evaluated. Ag-specific IFNγ production was significantly higher in GT-treated mice when compared to PBS-treated control mice. In contrast, IL-4 production in GT-treated group was comparable to control group unlike to in vitro data. In addition, GT administration did not result in any significant differences in serum levels of Ig (IgM, IgG1 and IgG2a) between GT-treated and control groups. Taken together, these data strongly support that GT promotes immune response, more profoundly type 1 helper T cell (Th1) activity and GT may be applicable for treatment of intracellular parasite infection such as viral diseases.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.38.1-38.6
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• 2019

DNA methylation is a relatively stable epigenetic modification that can regulate and stabilize gene expression patterns and hence establish cell identity. Because metabolic intermediates are key factors of DNA methylation and demethylation, perturbations in metabolic homeostasis can trigger alterations in cell-specific patterns of DNA methylation and contribute to disease development, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). During the past decade, genome-wide DNA methylation studies of T2D have expanded our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying T2D. This review summarizes case-control studies of the DNA methylome of T2D and discusses DNA methylation as both a cause and consequence of T2D. Therefore, DNA methylation has potential as a promising T2D biomarker that can be applied to the development of therapeutic strategies for T2D.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.212-212
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• 2004

Collagen has been widely studied for medical applications. Previous studies have shown that the bovine β-casein promoter were able to drive cell-specific and hormone-dependent expression to a mouse mammary cell line but failed to induce accurate expression to the mammary gland. of transgenic mice. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.317-326
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to establish a method for in vitro culture of C parvum isolated in Korea by determination of suitable cell model to complete development of this parasite. The result obtained were summerized as follows: 1. To determine the most suitable cell line, six types of cell line were examined by microscopy. All cell lines were infected with C parvum and showed the highest infection score in HmLu cells. 2. The staining methods including DMSO-modified acid-fast(A-F) stain, hematoxylin-eosin(H & E) stain and immunofluorescence antibody(IFA) stain were applied to examine the infection of C parvum in cell culture. These staining methods were possible to examine the infection of C parvum in cell culture. The most sensitive one was IFA staining technique. 3. Developmental stages of C parvum in HmLu cell were observed. After the initial 8 hour incubation period, some trophozoites were observed. The meronts and gametes were appeared at 24-48 hour post inoculation(PI), and oocysts were observed firstly at 48-72 hour PI. 4. In H & E stain, the parasite appeared as basophilic within parasitophorous vacuole membrane(PVM) and lying in cytoplasm at near the nucleus of the host cells. It was able to distinguish the type I, type II meronts and gametes. 5. In DMSO-modified acid-fast stain, specific stained parasites were appeared firstly after 48 hour PI. The parasites were showed with different degrees of staining bright red color within PVM. 6. The endogenous stages of parasites in HmLu cell recovered at 48, 96, 120 and 144 hour after inoculation were reacted with rabbit immunized serum in immunofluorescence antibody and avidin-biotin complex peroxidase staining technique.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.1130-1132
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• 2009

We propose a novel way for enhancement of efficiency on a quasi solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). It contained gel type electrolyte mixing the liquid crystal (LC) of specific concentration and applied voltage for alignment of the LC. Aligned LC is supported charge transfer inside electrolyte and efficiency is increased in DSSC. We made a quasi solid-state DSSC which applied DC voltage or not and have measured the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and the fill factor. From measurement, we obtain high performances in case of cell applied voltage compare to reference cell.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2012

The synovial tissues are a valuable MSCs source for cartilage tissue engineering because these cells are easily obtainable by the intra-articular biopsy during diagnosis. In this study, we isolated and characterized the canine MSCs derived from synovial fluid of female and male donors. Synovial fluid was flushed with saline solution from pre and post-puberty male (cM1-sMSC and cM2-sMSC) and female (cF1-sMSC and cF2-sMSC) dogs, and cells were isolated and cultured in advanced-DMEM (A-DMEM) supplemented with 10% FBS in a humidified 5% $CO_2$ atmosphere at $38.5^{\circ}C$. The cells were evaluated for the expression of the early transcriptional factors, such as Oct3/4, Nanog and Sox2 by RT-PCR. The cells were induced under conditions conductive for adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages, then evaluated by specific staining (Oil red O, von Kossa, and Alcian Blue staining, respectively) and analyzed for lineage specific markers by RT-PCR. All cell types were positive for alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and early transcriptional factors (Oct3/4 and Sox2) were also positively detected. However, Nanog were not positively detected in all cells. Further, these MSCs were observed to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages, such as adipocytes (Oil red O staining), osteocytes (von Kossa staining), and chondrocytes (Alcian Blue staining) by cell specific staining. Lineage-specific genes (osteocyte; osteonectin and Runx2, adipocytes; PRAR-${\gamma}2$, FABP and LEP, and chondrocytes; collagen type-2 and Sox9) were also detected in all cells. In this study, we successfully established synovial fluid derived mesenchymal stem cells from female and male dogs, and determined their basic biological properties and differentiation ability. These results suggested that synovial fluid is a valuable stem cell source for cartilage regeneration therapy, and it is easily accessible from osteoarthritic knee.