• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.470-478
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study is to monitor the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) produced by human osteosarcoma cell line (MG63) stimulated with Prevotella nigrescens lipopolysaccharides (LPS). and to compare the level of secretion before and after the treatment of calcium hydroxide on P. nigrescens LPS. LPS was extracted and purified from anaerobically cultured P. nigrescens. MG63 cells were stimulated by the LPS (0, 1, $10{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$) or LPS($10{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$) pretreated with 12.5 mg/ml of $Ca(OH)_2$ for 3 days. Total RNA was isolated from the cell. and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for quantification of MMP-1 and TIMP-1. The results were as follows. 1. MMP-1 mRNA expression at 48 hr was highly increased by stimulation with P. nigrescens LPS. The increase was dose-dependent. 2. When stimulated with ($1{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$ of LPS. TIMP-1 mRNA expression was highly increased at 24 hr and 48 hr. However. TIMP-1 expression was suppressed at higher concentration ($10{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$). 3. When P. nigrescens LPS was pretreated with $Ca(OH)_2$. MMP-1 and TIMP-1 gene expression was downregulated. The results of this study suggest that transcriptional regulation of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 by P. nigrescens LPS could be one of the important mechanisms in bone resorption of periapical inflammation. The result of calcium hydroxide on MMP-1 and TIMP-1 gene expression suppression shows that calcium hydroxide detoxified bacterial LPS and thus should be used the medication of choice for intracanal dressings in root canal infected with black-pigmented bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.241-260
• /
• 1995

Transposons, present in the genomes of all living organisms, are genetic element that can change positions, or transpose, within the genome. Most genomes contain several kinds of transposable elements and the molecular details of the mechanisms by which these transposons move have recently been uncovered in many families of transposable elements. Transposition is brought about by an enzyme known as transposaese encoded by the autonomous transposon itself, but, in the unautonomous transposon lacking the gene encoding the transposase, movement occurs only at the presence of the enzyme encoded by the autonomous one. There are two types of transposition events, conservative and replicative transposition. In the former the transposon moves without replication, both strands of the DNA moving together from one place to the other while in the latter the transposition frequently involves DNA replication, so one copy of transposon remains at its original site as another copy insole to a new site. The insertion of transposon into a gene can prevent it expression whereas excision from the gene may restore the ability of the gene to be expressed. There are marked similarities between transposons and certain viruses having single stranded Plus (+) RNA genomes. Retrotransposons, which differ from the ordinary transposons in that they transpose via an RNA-intermediate, behave much like retroviruses and have a structure of integrated retrovial DNA when they are inserted to a new target site. An insertional mutagenesis called transposon-tagging is now being used in a number of plant species to isolate genes involved in developmental and metabolic processes which have been proven difficult to approach by the traditional methods. Attempts to device a transposon-tagging system based on the maize Ac for use in heterologous species have been made by many research workers.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.543-551
• /
• 2002

Nitric oxide (NO) is a small molecule (mol. wt. 30 Da) and oxidative free radical. It is uncharged and can therefore diffuse freely within and between cells across membrane. Such characteristics make it a biologically important messenger in physiologic processes such as neurotransmission and the control of vascular tone. NO is also highly toxic and is known to acts as a mediator of cytotoxicity during host defense. NO is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) through L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway which is a dioxygenation process. NO synthesis involves several participants, three co-substrates, five electrons, five co-factors and two prosthetic groups. Under normal condition, low levels of NO are synthesized by type I and III NOS for a short period of time and mediates many physiologic processes. Under condition of oxidant stress, high levels of NO are synthesized by type II NOS and inhibits a variety of metabolic processes and can also cause direct damage to DNA. Such interaction result in cytostasis, energy depletion and ultimately cell death. NO has the potential to interact with a variety of intercellular targets producing diverse array of metabolic effects. It is known that NO is involved in hemodynamic regulation, neurogenic inflammation, re-innervation, management of dentin hypersensitivity on teeth. Under basal condition of pulpal blood flow, NO provides constant vasodilator tone acting against sympathetic vasoconstriction. Substance P, a well known vasodilator, was reported to be mediated partly by NO, while calcitonin-gene related peptide has provided no evidence of its relation with NO. This review describes the roles of NO in dental pulp in addition to the known general roles of it.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.527-537
• /
• 1995

The effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP) and electrical stimulation of the tooth on the intradental nerve activtiy (INA) was investigated in anesthetized cats. The INA was recorded from single pulp nerve units dissected from the inferior alveolar nerve under stereomicroscope. The INA elicited by 3 minute application of 4M NaCl in deep dentinal cavity was compared before and after stimulation at 10 minute intervals. The magnitude of INA was calculated as the total number of nerve impulses produced in given period, and the changes of INA are expressed as % of control INA. The results obtained were as follows. 1. 16 single pulp nerve units were classified as 14 $A{\delta}$-fibers (3.4~19.4m/sec) and 2-fibers (1.5~1.7m/sec) according to the conduction velocity. 2. 4M NaCl evoked an irregular bursts of spikes which continued until washing out. Isotonic saline did not affect INA to subsequent applications of the hypertonic NaCl solution (P>0.05). 3. Local application of CGRP ($200{\mu}g$/ml) in deep dentinal cavity reduced the INA induced by 4M NaCl in $A{\delta}$-fiber units (P<0.01) and some units of those responded to CGRP during application. 4. Local application of SP ($100{\mu}g$/ml) in deep dentinal cavity reduced the INA induced by 4M NaCl in AS-fiber units (p<0.05), but increased the INA in C-fiber unit coincided with large reduction of the INA of $A{\delta}$-fiber units. 5. Monopolar electrical stimulation applied to the crown at intensities high enough to excite C-fibers (12V, 5ms, 10Hz, 10~30min) decreased the INA in $A{\delta}$-fiber units (P<0.01) and systemic pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine (3mg/kg, i.v.) enhanced this inhibitory effect (P<0.01). On the contrary, electrical stimulation increased the INA in C-fiber unit.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.694-701
• /
• 2017

Mycoplasma genitalium represents the smallest genome among mono-cultivable prokaryotes. To discover and compare the orthologs (conservative genes) among M. genitalium and 14 prokaryotes that are uncultivable and have less orthologs than M. genitalium, COG (clusters of orthologous groups of protein) analyses were applied. The analyzed prokaryotes were M. genitalium, one hyperthermophilic exosymbiotic archaeon Nanoarchaeum equitans, four intracellular plant pathogenic eubacteria of Candidatus Phytoplasma genus, and nine endosymbiotic eubacteria of phloem- and xylem-feeding insects. Among 367 orthologs of M. genitalium, 284 orthologs were conservative between M. genitalium and at least one other prokaryote. All 15 prokaryotes commonly have 29 orthologs, representing the significance of proteins in life. They belong to 25 translation-related, including 22 ribosomal proteins, 3 subunits of RNA polymerase, and 1 protein-folding-related. Among the 15 prokaryotes, 40 orthologs were only found in all four Candidatus Phytoplasma. The other nine Candidatus, all endosymbionts with insects, showed only a single common COG0539 (ribosomal protein S1), representing the diversity of orthologs among them. These results might provide clues to understand conservative genes in uncultivable prokaryotes, and may be helpful in industrial areas, such as handling prokaryotes producing amino acids and antibiotics, and as precursors of organic synthesis.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.372-384
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to monitor the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) by human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts stimulated with Prevotella nigrescens lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to examine the effect of calcium hydroxide treatment on P. nigrescens LPS. LPS was extracted and purified from anaerobically cultured P. nigrescens. PDL fibroblasts were stimulated by the LPS (0, 0.1, 1, 10 ${\mu}g/ml$) or LPS (10 ${\mu}g/ml$) pretreated with 12.5 mg/ml of $Ca(OH)_2$ for 3 days, for various periods of time (12, 24, 48 h). Immunoprecipitation were performed for protein level analysis of MMP-1 MMP-2 and TIMP-1. Total RNA was isolated and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for quantification of MMP-1 mRNA. According to this study, the results were as follows: 1. The p개duction of MMP-1 by stimulation with P. nigrescens LPS increased in time-dependent manner, and showed maximum value at 48 h in both protein and mRNA level. But there was no dose-dependent increas. 2. MMP-2 production time-dependently increased when stimulated with 1 and 10 ${\mu}g/ml$LPS, but there was no dose-dependent increase. 3. TIMP-1 p개duction increased to 24 h, but decreased at 48 h. It increased when stimulated with 0.1 and 1${\mu}g/ml$, but suppressed at 10 ${\mu}g/ml$ .4. P. nigrescens LPS pretreated with $Ca(OH)_2$ markedly downregulated MMP-1 gene expression.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Salivary fluid formation is primarily driven by Ca2+-activated, apical efflux of chloride into the lumen of the salivary acinus. The anoctamin1 protein is an anion channel with properties resembling the endogenous calcium-activated chloride channels. In order to better understand the role of anoctamin proteins in salivary exocrine secretion, the expression of the ten members of the anoctamin gene family in the mouse submandibular gland was studied. Methods: Total RNA extracted from mouse submandibular salivary glands was reverse transcribed using primer pairs to amplify the full-length coding regions of each anoctamin gene and was subcloned into plasmid vectors for DNA sequencing. Alternative splice variants were also screened by polymerase chain reaction using primer pairs that amplified six overlapping regions of the complementary DNA of each anoctamin gene, spanning multiple exons. Results: Multiple anoctamin transcripts were found in the mouse submandibular salivary gland, including full-length transcripts of anoctamin1, anoctamin3, anoctamin4, anoctamin5, anoctamin6, anoctamin9, and anoctamin10. Exon-skipping splicing in the N-terminal exons of the anoctamins1, anoctamin5, and anoctamin6 genes resulted in multiple alternative splice variants. No expression of anoctamin2, anoctamin7, or anoctamin8 was found. Conclusions: The predominant anoctamin transcript expressed in the mouse submandibular gland is anoctamin1ac. The chloride channel protein produced by anoctamin1ac is likely responsible for the $Ca^{2+}$-activated chloride efflux, which is the rate-limiting step in salivary exocrine secretion.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.749-758
• /
• 2006

The cytosolic members of the HSP70 family of proteins play key roles in the molecular chaperone machinery of the cell. In the study we cloned and sequenced the full-length cDNA of Delia antiqua HSP70 gene, which is 2461 bp long and encodes 643 a.a. with a calculated molecular mass of 70,787 Da. We investigated gene copies of cytosolic HSP70 members of 4 insect species with complete genome available, and found that they are quite variable with species. In order to characterize this protein we carried out an alignment and a phylogenetic analysis with 41 complete protein sequences from insects. The analysis divided the cytosolic members of the family into two classes, HSP70 and HSC70, distinguishable on the basis of 15 residues. HSP70 class members were slightly shorter in length and smaller in molecular mass relative to the HSC70 class members, and the conservative and functional regions in these sequences were documented. Mainly, we investigated the expression of Delia antiqua HSP70 gene, in response to diapauses and thermal stresses. Both summer and winter diapauses elevated HSP70 transcript levels. Cold-stress led to increased HSP70 expression levels in summer- and winter-diapausing pupae, but heat-stress elevated the levels only in the winter-diapausing pupae. In all cases, the expression levels, after being elevated, gradually decreased with time. HSP70 expression was low in non-diapausing pupae but was up-regulated following cold- and heat-stresses. Heat-stress gradually increased the mRNA level with time whereas cold-stress gradually decreased levels after an initial increase.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.436-442
• /
• 2001

Neuropeptide such as calcitonin gene-related peptide and substance P may mediate neurogenic inflammation, but little is known about the regulation of neuropeptide release from rat spinal cord. Eugenol has been reported to reduce odontogenic pain and is known to have a structure similar to capsaicin, a potent stimulant of certain nociceptors. This study was done to examine the effect of capsaicin and eugenol on immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide (iCGRP) release from rat spinal cord and whether eugenol regulates capsaicin-sensitive release of iCCRP or it evokes capsaicin-sensitive release of iCGRP. The dor-sal half of rat lumbar spinal cord was chopped into 200$\mu$m slices. They were superfused (500$\mu$l/min) in vitro with an oxygenated Kreb's buffer. The EC$_{50}$ of capsaicin on iCGRP release was measured. Eugenol (600$\mu$M and 1.2mM) and vehicle (0.02% 2-hydroxyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin) were administered prior to stimulation of rat lumbar spinal cord with capsaicin. The amount of iCGRP release from rat lumbar spinal cord was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results were as follows : 1. iCGRP release from rat lumbar spinal cord was dependent on concentration of capsaicin. The EC$_{50}$ of capsaicin on iCGRP release was 3$\mu$M. 2. In the vehicle treated group, capsaicin (3$\mu$M) evoked a 14-fold increase over basal iCGRP level. 3. Administration of 600$\mu$M and 1.2mM eugenol evoked a 2.2-fold increase and a 2.3-fold increase over basal iCGRP level respectively. 4. Administration of 600$\mu$M and 1.2mM eugenol increased capsaicin evoked release of iCGRP by more than 50%. These results indicate that eugenol evoke CGRP release from central nervous system and potentiate the pain-inducing action of capsaicin on it.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.699-707
• /
• 1995

Eurasian yellow perch (Perca fluviatilis) and American yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are known to be endemic species in Eurasia and North America, respectively. The presence of endemic species on each continent suggests their independent evolutionary history. However, because of the morphological similarity, distribution pattern, and only recent fossil record, their divergence time and speciation of the two Perca species has long been controversial. Here, from the comparison of the entire nucleotide sequences of cytochrome b gene, large genetic divergence between the two Perca species is observed although they are morphologically similar each other. Among 1,140 base pairs, interspecific nucleotide differences are found at 130 sites $(11.4\%)$. The differences varies with codon position, showing 22 sites in the first, 5 sites in the second, and 103 sites in the third codon position. Considering the types of nucleotide changes, transitional differences are much more than transversional differences and its ratio turned out to be 5.19. The estimated divergence time of the two Perca species indicates that they were separated each other approximately in the late Miocene period, which implies the long history of speciation. With comparison of the inferred amino acid sequences, strong structural and functional constraints which seem to be maintained by the highly conservative amino acid residues or protein regions, as found in other taxonomic groups of organisms, are also recognized in the cytochrome b of the fishes examined.