• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1285-1290
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• 2014

The aim was to determine whether ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) promotes dual targeting of HSP72 and HSC70 for therapy of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), to improve the specific and efficient delivery of siRNA, to induce tumor cell specific apoptosis, and to find new therapeutic targets specific of CRPC.VCaP cells were transfected with siRNA oligonucleotides. HSP70, HSP90 and cleaved caspase-3 expression were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Apoptosis and transfection efficiency were assessed by flow cytometry. Cell viability assays were used to evaluate safety. We found HSP72, HSC70 and HSP90 expression to be absent or weak in normal prostate epithelial cells (RWPE-1), but uniformly strong in prostate cancerous cells (VCaP). UTMD combined with dual targeting of HSP72 and HSC70 siRNA improve the efficiency of transfection, cell uptake of siRNA, downregulation of HSP70 and HSP90 expression in VCaP cells at the mRNA and protein level, and induction of extensive tumor-specific apoptosis. Cell counting kit-8 assays showed decreased cellular viability in the HSP72/HSC70-siRNA silenced group. These results suggest that the combination of UTMD with dual targeting HSP70 therapy for PCa may be most efficacious, providng a novel, reliable, non-invasive, safe targeted approach to improve the specific and efficient delivery of siRNA, and achieve maximal effects.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.37-50
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• 1984

The effects of $Ca^{++}$ and its antagonists (verapamil and $La^{+++}$) upon the spontaneous contraction and the contracture induced by 60 mM K-Tyrode solution were studied in the isolated uterine muscle. Longitudinal muscle strips were prepared from the rat uteri at estrous stage. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept at 35^{\circ}$. The results obtained were as follows: 1) In the uterine strips contracting spontaneously, both the amplitude of peak tension and the area of contraction curve increased dose-dependently in the range of $0.5${\sim}8$ mM $Ca^{++}$. The frequency of contraction increased as the concentration of $Ca^{++}$ increased up to 2 mM, but above this concentration the frequency decreased. In $Ca^{++}-free$ media, however, contraction did not develop. In the contracture induced by 60 mM K-Tyrode solution, the developed tension increased dose-dependently as the concentration of external $Ca^{++}$ increased to 8 mM. In the absence of external $Ca^{++}$ K-contracture appeared, but it was not sustained. 2) The spontaneous contraction of rat uterus was suppressed by verapamil in proportion to an increase of its concentration and totally abolished at the concentration of $3{\times}10^{-4}\;g/l$, but the spontaneous contraction re-appeared by addition of $Ca^{++}$. The amplitude of peak tension recovered completely but the recovery of frequency was incomplete. K-contracture decreased in a dose-dependent manner after the treatment with verapamil and totally disappeared at its concentration of $3{\times}10^{-4}\;g/l$. Even in this case contracture developed again by extra $Ca^{++}$. 3) The spontaneous contractile activity was inhibited by $La^{+++}$. At the concentration of $10^{-4}$M $La^{+++}$, fibrillation appeared. In the strip inhibited by $10^{-5}M\;La^{+++}$, contractility recovered completely by extra $Ca^{++}$ while in the $10^{-4}M\;La^{+++}$ treated preparation, the rhythmic spontaneous contraction did not develop even at the concentration of 16 mM $Ca^{++}$. After the initial transient depression of contracture tension by $10^{-3}M$ of $La^{+++}$, the strip stowed considerably large size of contracture, hardly influenced by external $Ca^{++}$ or verapamil. The results obtained in this experiment suggest that in the rat uterine muscle there would be some competitive actions between $Ca^{++}$ and its antagonists. It is speculated that $Ca^{++}$ plays an important role in the conduction of excitation, and $La^{+++}$ influences upon cellular $Ca^{++}$ mobilization and re-uptake process as well as transmembrane $Ca^{++}$ transport in a K-depolarized state.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.192-198
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• 2006

Background: Investigating strategy to enhance efficiency of gene transfer via adenovirus is critical to sustain gene expression in targeted cells or tissues to regulate immune responses. However, the use of adenovirus as a gene delivery method has been limited by the native tropism of the virus. In this study, the critical parameter is to improve the efficient binding of viral particles to the plasma membrane prior to cellular uptake. Methods: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) trans-acting activator of transcription (TAT), a protein transduction domain, was fused to the ectodomain of the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR). The CAR-TAT protein was produced from a Drosophila Schneider 2 cells (S2) transfected with CAR-TAT genes. The function of CARTAT was analyzed the efficiency of adenoviral gene transfer by flow cytometry, and then immunizing AdVGFP with CAR-TAT was transduced on dendritic cells (DCs). Results: S2 transfectants secreting CAR-TAT fusion protein has been stable over a period of 6 months and its expression was verified by western blot. Addition of CAR-TAT induced higher transduction efficiency for AdVGFP at every MOI tested. When mice were vaccinated with DC of which adenoviral transduction was mediated by CAR-TAT, the number of IFN-${\gamma}$ secreting T-cells was increased as compared with those DCs transduced without CAR-TAT. Conclusion: Our data provide evidence that CAR-TAT fusion protein enhances adenoviral transduction and immunogenecity of transgenes on DCs and may influence on the development of adenoviral-mediated anti-tumor immunotherapy.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.65-69
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• 2002

To elucidate the effect of microsphere coinjection on the administration of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), we have investigated biodistribution of ［S-35］-labeled antisense ODN targeted to cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) RI-$\alpha$ subunit in nude mice xenografted with WiDr (human colon cancer, ATCC CCL218). The strategy of using microsphere has been proposed for cancer treatment as a carrier of therapeutic ODN so that it could offer an advantage with respect to maintaining constant ODN levels in blood and obtaining higher therapeutic ODN concentration at tumor sites. Comparative biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice (female, 20 g of body weight, n = 4-6) xenografted with WiDr cancer cells, when 0.1 $\mu$Ci (specific activity, 2.94 mCi/$\mu$mole) of ［S-35］-labeled RI-$\alpha$ antisense ODN was injected alone or with microsphere (PLG-18, polylactic copolymer with cationic surfactant DDAB18). Peak tumor uptake of ［S-35］-labeled ODN was significantly increased from 17.7% (at 6 h) of injected dose per gram of tissue (ID/g) to 42.5% (at 24 h) ID/g when microsphere was coinjected with ODN. The different biodistribution in the kidney accumulation (e.g., 100.2% ID/g for ODN alone and 54.9%/ID/g for microshpere coinjection) may contribute to higher blood concentration (e.g., 21.5%ID/$m\ell$ for ODN alone and 37.5%ID/$m\ell$ for microsphere coinjection) of radiolabeled ODN. Of importance is the fact that the whole body retention of radioactivity increased with microsphere coinjection from 50.8%ID/g to 68.0%ID/g after 24-h of injection. This decreased kidney accumulation and increased whole body retention of ［S-35］-labeled ODN resulted in a significant improvement of ODN targeting to the tumor site. In conclusion, the coinjection of microsphere appears to be an important carrier system in vehiculation of antisense oligonucleotide to the tumor tissue in vivo.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.461-472
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• 2004

Objectives : For the screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs, the complex system of animal models suffer some disadvantages in controlling critical parameters such as blood pressure and body temperature. Additionally, application of drugs to the appropriate brain area sometimes is difficult, due to poor permeability though the blood brain barrier, and so potential protective effects might be masked. Methods : Organotypic hippocampal slice culture (OHSC) method has the advantages of being relatively easy to prepare and of maintaining the general structure, including tissue integrity and the connections between cells. Drugs can easily be applied and neuronal damage can easily be quantified by using tissues and culture media. This study demonstrates neuroprotective effects of Puerariae radix (葛根, PR), Salviae miltiorrhizae radix (丹蔘, SR), Rhei rhizoma (大黃, RR), and Bupleuri radix (柴胡, BR). These were screenedand compared to MK-801, antagonist of NMDA receptors, by using OHSC of 1 week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) were conducted in an anaerobic chamber $(85%\;N_2,\;10%\;CO_2\;and\;5%\;H_2)$ in a deoxygenated glucose-free medium for 60 minutes. Water extracts of each herbs were treated to culture media with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 48 hours. Results : Neuronal cell death in the cultures was monitored by densitometric measurements of the cellular uptake of propidium iodide (PI). PI fluorescence images were obtained at 48 hours after the OGD and medicinal herb treatment. Also TUNEL-positive cells in the CAI and DG regions and LDH concentrations in culture media were measured at 48 hours after the OGD. According to measured data, MK-801, PR, SR and BR demonstrated significant neuroprotective effect against excessive neuronal cell death and apoptosis induced by the OGD insult. Especially, PR revealed similar neuroprotective effect to MK-801 and RR demonstrated weak neuroprotective effect. Conclusions : These results suggest that OHSC can be a suitable method for screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs. (This work was supported by the research program of Dongguk University and Grant 01-PJ9-PG1-01CO03-0003 from Ministry of Health & Welfare.)

• Toxicological Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.129-141
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• 1987

Hepatocytes isolated from rats which have been pretreated with phenobarbital (80 mg/kg for 3 days), were able to take up N-acetylcysteine from surrounding medium and were able to synthesize the reduced glutathione ($GSH^{\ast}-3$) intracellularly. The N-acetylcysteine is quickly deacetylated after the uptake and increases the pool size of cysteine, which was very low initially (5 nmol/$10^6$ cells). From this increased intracellular cysteine pool, GSH was synthesized. Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes contained a high level of GSH (30 nmol/$10^6$ cells), but upon incubation with the diethylmaleate, it was markedly decreased (10 nmol/$10^6$ cells). The hepatocytes with depleted GSH have lost viability upon incubations with acetaminophen (5mM) and paraquat (2 mM). However, when the N-acetylcysteine (1 mM) was added to this incubation condition, these chemical induced hepatocellular necrosis were prevented for longer durations. This N-acetylcysteine dependent protective effect against the hepatotoxic chemicals was lost by adding methionine sulfoximine (10 mM), an inhibitor of GSH biosynthesis. Both the carbontetrachloride (5 mM) and chioroform (5 mM) added to the incubation medium caused rapid losses of GSH and cell viability, even without the prior depletion of cellular GSH. However, again, if the 1mM N-acetylcysteine was supplemented, the rates of losses of GSH and cell viability were retarded in both cases. Even though large amounts of the added N-acetylcysteine was present in the cell, N-acetylcysteine conjugate of acetaminophen was not formed. Instead, only large amounts of GSH conjugate of the drug was produced. Thus, it is concluded that the added N-acetylcysteine is taken up and utilized for resynthesis of GSH. In turn, this resynthesized GSH contributes to the protection against cytotoxicity inducible with hepatotoxic drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7363-7369
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• 2014

The present study aimed to prepare and evaluate polymeric micelles conjugated with folic acid through ${\alpha}$- or ${\gamma}$-carboxyl groups for antitumor efficacy. The isomeric block copolymers, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-folate-polyethyleneglycol-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-Fol-PEG-DSPE), were produced by solid phase peptide synthesis. Three types of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded polymeric micelles (MPEG-DSPE-DOX and ${\alpha}$- / ${\gamma}$-Fol-PEG-DSPEDOX micelles) were prepared via the film formation method. Compared with MPEG-DSPE-DOX micelles, the ${\alpha}$- / ${\gamma}$-Fol-PEG-DSPE-DOX micelles presented a higher cellular uptake behavior in the live cell study. Cell viability percentages were 81.8%, 57.3%, 56.6% at 2 hours for MPEG-DSPE-DOX, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-Fol-PEG-DSPE-DOX micelles, respectively (p<0.05). Using the KB xenograft tumor model, both ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-folate-conjugated micelles were found to have better antitumor effects with lower toxicity in comparison with MPEG-DSPE-DOX micelles. No difference in in vivo antitumor efficacy was found between ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-Fol-PEG-DSPE-DOX micelles. The folate-conjugated micelles might be a potentially useful strategy for tumor targeting of therapeutic agents, whether grafting with folic acid through ${\alpha}$- or ${\gamma}$-carboxyl groups.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.71-80
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• 2005

Effects of low temperature ($8^{\circ}C$) on the hydraulic conductivity of young roots of a chilling-sensitive (cucumber; Cucumis sativus L.) and a chilling-resistant (figleaf gourd; Cucurbita ficifolia Bouche) crop have been measured at the levels of whole root systems (root hydraulic conductivity, $Lp_r$) and of individual cortical cells (cell hydraulic conductivity, Lp). In figleaf gourd, there was a reduction only in hydrostatic $Lp_r$ but not in osmotic $Lp_r$ suggesting that the activity of water channels was not much affected by low root temperature (LRT)treatment in this species. Changes in cell Lp in response to chilling and recovery were similar asroot level, although they were more intense at the root level. Roots of figleaf gourd recovered better from LRT treatment than those of cucumber. In figleaf gourd, recovery (both at the root and cell level) often resulted in Lp and $Lp_r$ values which were even bigger than the original, i.e. there was an overshoot in hydraulic conductivity. These effects were larger forosmotic (representing the cell-to-cell passage of water) than for hydrostatic $Lp_r$. After a short term (1 d) exposure to $8\;^{\circ}C$ followed by 1 d at $20\;^{\circ}C$, hydrostatic $Lp_r$ of cucumber nearly recovered and that of figleaf gourd still remained higher due to the overshoot. On the contrary, osmotic $Lp_r$ and cell Lp in both species remained high by a factor of 3 as compared to the control, possibly due to an increased activity of water channels. After pre-conditioning of roots at LRT, increased hydraulic conductivitywas completely inhibited by $HgCl_2$ at both the root and cell levels. Different from figleaf gourd, recovery from chilling was not complete in cucumber after longer exposure to LRT. It is concluded that at LRT, both changes in the activity of aquaporins and alterations of root anatomy determine the water uptake in both species. To better understand the aquaporin function in plants under various stress conditions, we examined the transgenic Arabidopsisand tobacco plants that constitutively overexpress ArabidopsisPIP1;4 or PIP2;5 under various abiotic stress conditions. No significant differences in growth rates were found between the transgenic and wild-type plants under favorable growth conditions. By contrast, overexpression of PIP1;4 or PIP2;5 had a negative effect on seed germination and seedling growth under drought stress, whereas it had a positive effect under cold stress and no effect under salt stress. Measurement of water transport by cell pressure probe revealed that these observed phenotypes under different stress conditions were closely correlated with the ability of water transport by each aquaporin in the transgenic plants. Together, our results demonstrate that PIP-type aquaporins play roles in seed germination, seedling growth, and stress response of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants under various stress conditions, and emphasize the importance of a single aquaporin-mediated water transport in these cellular processes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.6039-6046
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• 2015

Aims: To investigate effect of metallic nanoparticles, silver (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as antitumor treatment in vitro against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and their associated mechanisms. This could provide new class of engineered nanoparticles with desired physicochemical properties and may present newer approaches for therapeutic modalities to breast cancer in women. Materials and Methods: A human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) was used as a model of cells. Metallic nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cytotoxic effects of metallic nanoparticles on MCF-7 cells were followed by colorimetric SRB cell viability assays, microscopy, and cellular uptake. Nature of cell death was further investigated by DNA analysis and flow cytometry. Results: Treatment of MCF-7 with different concentrations of 5-10nm diameter of AgNPs inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of $6.28{\mu}M$, whereas treatment of MCF-7 with different concentrations of 13-15nm diameter of AuNPs inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of $14.48{\mu}M$. Treatment of cells with a IC50 concentration of AgNPs generated progressive accumulation of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and prevented entry into the M phase. The treatment of cells with IC50 concentrations of AuNPs similarly generated progressive accumulation of cells in sub-G1 and S phase, and inhibited the entrance of cells into the M phase of the cell cycle. DNA fragmentation, as demonstrated by electrophoresis, indicated induction of apoptosis. Conclusions: Our engineered silver nanoparticles effectively inhibit the proliferation of human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 in vitro at high concentration ($1000{\mu}M$) through apoptotic mechanisms, and may be a beneficial agent against human carcinoma but further detailed study is still needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1367-1374
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• 2005

Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying nutrition to normal and cancer cells for cell proliferation. Amino acid transport system L is a major nutrient transport system responsible for the $Na^+$-independent transport of neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids. The system L is divided into two major subgroups, the L-tyre amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and the L-type amino acid transporter 2 (LAT2). In the present study, we have examined the expression and functional characterization of system L amino acid transporters in FOB human osteoblast cells. RT-PCR and western blot analysis have revealed that the FOB cells expressed LAT1, LAT2 together with their associating protein 4F2hc. The uptakes of $[^{14}C]_L$-leucine by FOB cells are $Na^+$-independent and almost completely inhibited by system L amino acid transporter selective inhibitor, 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). These results suggest that the transport of neutral amino acids including several essential amino acids for cellular nutrition into the FOB human osteoblast cells is mediated by system L amino acid transporters.