• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.506-513
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• 2004

Spirulina produces $\gamma$-linolenic acid (GLA), an important pharmaceutical substance, in a relatively low level compared with fungi and plants, prompting more research to improve its GLA yield. In this study, metabolic flux analysis was applied to determine the cellular metabolic flux distributions in the GLA synthetic pathways of two Spiru/ina strains, wild type BP and a high­GLA producing mutant Z19/2. Simplified pathways involving the GLA synthesis of S. platensis formulated comprise of photosynthesis, gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the anaplerotic pathway, the tricarboxylic cycle, the GLA synthesis pathway, and the biomass syn­thesis pathway. A stoichiometric model reflecting these pathways contains 17 intermediates and 22 reactions. Three fluxes - the bicarbonate (C-source) uptake rate, the specific growth rate, and the GLA synthesis rate - were measured and the remaining fluxes were calculated using lin­ear optimization. The calculation showed that the flux through the reaction converting acetyl­CoA into malonyl-CoA in the mutant strain was nearly three times higher than that in the wild­type strain. This finding implies that this reaction is rate controlling. This suggestion was sup­ported by experiments, in which the stimulating factors for this reaction $(NADPH\;and\;MgCl_{2})$ were added into the culture medium, resulting in an increased GLA-synthesis rate in the wild type strain.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.138-142
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• 2000

흰쥐 대뇌겉질로부터 별아교세포를 배양하여 흥분성아미노산인 L-glutamate에 의하여 유발되는 세포종창(astrocytic swelling)에 대한 ginsenosides의 억제효과를 검토하였다. Glutamate(0.5 mM)를 세포에 가하고 1시간동안 배양하면 swelling을 일으켜, 세포내의 물의 용적([$^3$H]OMG의 uptake량으로 측정)은 대조세포에 비하여 약 2배의 증가를 나타냈다. Glutamate와 함께 ginsenosides Rb$_2$와 Rc를 가하고 배양하면 glutamate에 의한 astrocytic swelling이 용량의존적으로 감소하였다. 세포는 Rb$_2$와 Rc(0.5 mg/ml)에 24시간까지 노출시켜도 MTT reduction이 감소하지 않는 것으로 보아 이 ginsenosides에 의한 swelling의 억제효과는 세포막의 손상에 의한 것이 아님을 알 수 있었다. Rb$_2$와 Rc는 glutamate에 의한 세포내 $Ca^{2+}$농도의 상승을 억제하였다. 따라서 Rb$_2$와 Rc는Ca$^{2+}$의 유입을 억제하므로서 glutamate에 의한 astrocytic swelling을 억제하는 것으로 생각된다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권11호
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• pp.3893-3898
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• 2011

Cellular uptake of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) triggers strong innate immune responses via activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ transcription factor. However, the detailed mechanism of dsDNA-mediated innate immune response remains yet to be elucidated. Here, we show that the expression of tazarotene-induced gene 3 (TIG3) is dramatically induced by dsDNA stimulation, and the siRNA-mediated down-regulation of TIG3 mRNA results in significant suppression of dsDNA-triggered cytokine expression. Because TIG3 has been previously shown to physically interact with transglutaminase (TG) 1 to activate TG activity, and TG2 has been shown to induce NF-${\kappa}B$ activity by inducing $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ polymerization, we tested whether TG also plays a role in dsDNA-mediated innate immune response. Pre-treatment of TG inhibitors dramatically reduces dsDNA-triggered cytokine induction. We also show that, in HeLa cells, TG2 is the major TG, and TIG3 physically interacts with TG2. Combined together, our results suggest a novel mechanism of dsDNA-triggered innate immune response which is critically dependent on TIG3 and TG2.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.573-579
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• 2015

Apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV are protein constituents of high-density lipoproteins although their functional difference in lipoprotein metabolism is still unclear. To compare anti-atherogenic properties between apoA-I and apoA-4, we characterized both proteins in lipid-free and lipidbound state. In lipid-free state, apoA4 showed two distinct bands, around 78 and $67{\AA}$ on native gel electrophoresis, while apoA-I showed scattered band pattern less than $71{\AA}$. In reconstituted HDL (rHDL) state, apoA-4 showed three major bands around $101{\AA}$ and $113{\AA}$, while apoA-I-rHDL showed almost single band around $98{\AA}$ size. Lipid-free apoA-I showed 2.9-fold higher phospholipid binding ability than apoA-4. In lipid-free state, $BS_3$-crosslinking revealed that apoA-4 showed less multimerization tendency upto dimer, while apoA-I showed pentamerization. In rHDL state (95:1), apoA-4 was existed as dimer as like as apoA-I. With higher phospholipid content (255:1), five apoA-I and three apoA-4 were required to the bigger rHDL formation. Regardless of particle size, apoA-I-rHDL showed superior LCAT activation ability than apoA-4-rHDL. Uptake of acetylated LDL was inhibited by apoA-I in both lipid-free and lipid-bound state, while apoA-4 inhibited it only lipid-free state. ApoA-4 showed less anti-atherogenic activity with more sensitivity to glycation. In conclusion, apoA-4 showed inferior physiological functions in lipid-bound state, compared with those of apoA-I, to induce more pro-atherosclerotic properties.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.85-91
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• 2016

Exosomes are homogenous vesicles of 40-100 nm diameter produced endogenously. Exosomes are generated by inward budding into multi-vesicular bodies (MVB) and then released to extracellular space. Exosomes contain various nucleic acid and protein cargoes from their cells of origin and this endosomal cellular molecules are used for intracellular communication and for both promotion and suppression of immune responses. Recently, they are also considered as delivery vehicle for therapeutic proteins due to their characteristics of stability in body fluids and ability for target uptake. Also, they show less immune reactivity because the isolated exosome harboring therapeutic proteins can be from the same host. White-spotted flower chafer, Protaetia brevitarsis is one of the major insect commercially reared in Korea. There are bacterial and fungal pathogens causing diseases in the beetle, and these diseases incur economic loss to the larva-rearing farms. Due to their endosomal cargoes, exosomes are good candidates in use of disease diagnosis. In this study, we isolated insect exosome from the hemolymph of P. brevitarsis, and verified it by analysis of the exosome-specific surface proteins and RNA.

• 한국생물정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물정보시스템생물학회 2003년도 제2차 연례학술대회 발표논문집
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• pp.251-257
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• 2003

Metabolic engineering has become a new paradigm for the more efficient production of desired bioproducts. Metabolic engineering can be defined as directed modification of cellular metabolism and properties through the introduction, deletion, and modification of metabolic pathways by using recombinant DNA and other molecular biological tools. During the last decade, metabolic flux analysis(MFA) has become an essential tool fur metabolic engineering. By MFA, the intracellular metabolic fluxes can be quantified by the measurement of extracellular metabolite concentrations in combination with the stoichiometry of intracellular reactions and mass balances. The usefulness and functionality of MFA are demonstrated by applying to metabolic pathways in E. coli. First, a large-scale in silico E. coli model is constructed, and then the effects of carbon sources on intracellular flux distributions and succinic acid production were investigated on the basis of the uptake and secretion rates of the relevant metabolites. The results indicated that succinic acid yields increased in order of gluconate, glucose and sorbitol. Acetic acid and lactic acid were produced as major products rather than when gluconate and glucose were used carbon sources. The results indicated that among three carbon sources available, the most reduced substrate is sorbitol which yields efficient succinic acid production.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.65-76
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• 1988

High affinity complexes for the tumor were obtained by changing pH and composition in the preparation of $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$. The purpose of this study was to investigate the tumor affinity, and in vitro and in vivo characteristics of these complexes. The results obtained were as follows; 1) Tumor imaging agent was formed successfully at pH $6.0\sim9.0$ and renal imaging agent at pH $2.0\sim5.0$. 2) The serum protein binding of $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ was $89.1\sim92.8%$ at pH $2.0\sim5.0$ and $11.8\sim30.5%$ at pH $6.0\sim9.0$ respectively, and it was not changed with time. 3) The T 1/2 of tumor affinity complex in blood between 3 and 6 hours after injection was $187{\pm}29$ minutes $(mean{\pm}SD)$. 4) In the blood, the radioactivity was mainly in the plasma, and less than 1% was in the cellular components. 5) In the Walker carcinosarcoma 256 bearing Wistar rats, the radioactivity in the kidney increased, and decreased in the skeleton with time. The radioactivity in the tumor showed the peak in 6 hours after injection and decreased thereafter. 6) In the tumor cell, the radioactivity localized mainly in the cytosol, the soluble fraction of the cytoplasm. This study provides the basic knowledge about tumor affinity and usefulness of $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ in the diagnosis of malignant disease.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.364-370
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin on the pharmacokinetics of loratadine in rats. The effect of curcumin on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity was evaluated. Pharmacokinetic parameters of loratadine were also determined after oral and intravenous administration in the presence or absence of curcumin. Curcumin inhibited CYP3A4 activity with an IC50 value of 2.71 ${\mu}M$ and the relative cellular uptake of rhodamine-123 was comparable. Compared to the oral control group, curcumin significantly increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve and the peak plasma concentration by 39.4-66.7% and 34.2-61.5%. Curcumin also significantly increased the absolute bioavailability of loratadine by 40.0-66.1% compared to the oral control group. Consequently, the relative bioavailability of loratadine was increased by 1.39- to 1.67-fold. In contrast, curcumin had no effect on any pharmacokinetic parameters of loratadine given intravenously, implying that the enhanced oral bioavailability may be mainly due to increased intestinal absorption caused via P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibition by curcumin rather than to reduced renal and hepatic elimination of loratadine. Curcumin enhanced the oral bioavailability of loratadine in this study. The enhanced bioavailability of loratadine might be mainly attributed to enhanced absorption in the gastrointestinal tract via the inhibition of P-gp and reduced fi rst-pass metabolism of loratadine via the inhibition of the CYP3A subfamily in the small intestine and/or in the liver by curcumin.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.87-92
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• 2013

미세조류는 바이오연료를 생산하기 위해 필요한 성분인 지방질의 생산성이 우수하기 때문에 바이오연료의 유망한 원료로서 최근 많은 주목을 받고 있다. 본 연구에서는, 이러한 미세조류의 성장 속도와 미세조류 내부의 지방의 함량이 최대가 되도록 하기 위한 목적으로, 미세조류의 성장과 지방의 생성을 설명하는 제일원리(first principle)에 근거한 상미분방정식(ODE) 모델에 대하여 조사하였다. 모델은 6개의 상태변수와 12개의 파라미터로 이루어져 있으며, 미세조류의 성장을 영양분의 흡수와 흡수된 영양분에 의한 성장으로 두 단계로 나누어 설명한 Droop 모델의 가정을 따른다. 본 연구에서는 민감도 분석(Sensitivity analysis)을 위한 최대의 정보를 줄 수 있는 입력 신호를 결정하기 위해 D-optimality criterion을 이용한 최적 입력 설계(Optimal input design)를 수행하였으며, 구하여진 입력 신호를 적용하여 민감도 분석을 수행하여 모델에 좀 더 중요한 파라미터를 결정하였다. 또한 미세조류의 성장속도와 지방의 함량이 최대가 되도록 하기 위하여 모델 예측 제어(MPC)를 수행하였다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.819-825
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• 2003

pharbitis nil and Taraxacum mongolicum are representative herbs that have been used for cancer treatment in Korean traditional medicine. To understand the molecular basis of the antitumor function, we analyzed the effect of these herbs on proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells using a gastric cancer cell line AGS. Cell counting assay showed that pharbitis nil strongly inhibit cell proliferation Of AGS whereas Taraxacum mongolicum exhibit no detectable effect on cellular growth. [³H]thymidine uptake analysis also demonstrated that DNA replication of AGS is suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with pharbitis nil. Additionally, tryphan blue exclusion assay showed that Pharbitis nil induce apoptotic cell death of AGS in a dose-dependent. To explore whether anti antiproliferative and/or proapototic property of Pharbitis nil is associated with their effect on gene expression, we performed RT-PCR analysis of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 were markedly reduced by Pharbitis nil. Taraxacum mongolicum also showed inhibitory action on expression of these growth-promoting protooncogene but there effects are less significant, as compared to Pharbitis nil. Furthermore, it was also found that Pharbitis nil activates expression of the p53 tumor suppressor and its downstream effector p21Waf1, which induce G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Pharbitis nil induce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells and these effects are accompanied with down-and up-regulation of growth-regulating protooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, respectively. This observation thus suggests that the anticancer effect of Pharbitis nil might be associated with its regulatory capability of tumor-related gene expression.