• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2016

Potato is one of the most important crops worldwide. Its commercial cultivars are highly susceptible to many fungal and bacterial diseases. Among these, bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum causes significant yield loss. In the present study, integrated proteomics and genomics approaches were used in order to identify bacterial wilt resistant genes from Rs resistance potato cultivar CT-206-10. 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS analysis identified eight differentially abundant proteins including glycine-rich RNA binding protein (GRP), tomato stress induced-1 (TSI-1) protein, pathogenesis-related (STH-2) protein and pentatricopeptide repeat containing (PPR) protein in response to Rs infection. Further, semi-quantitative RT-PCR identified up-regulation in transcript levels of all these genes upon Rs infection. Taken together, our results showed the involvement of the identified proteins in the Rs stress tolerance in potato. In the future, it would be interesting to raise the transgenic plants to further validate their involvement in resistance against Rs in potato.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.5031-5035
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• 2016

Docetaxel, recognized as a stabilizing microtubule agent, is frequently administrated as a first line treatment for prostate cancers. Due to high side effects of monotherapy, however, combinations with novel adjuvants have emerged as an alternative strategy in cancer therapy protocols. Here, we investigated the combined effects of stattic and docetaxel on the DU145 prostate cancer cell line. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. To understand molecular mechanisms of stattic action, apoptotic related genes including Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Survivin and Bax were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR. Alteration in the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 genes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were investigated via the $2^{{\Delta}{\Delta}CT}$ method. The $IC_{50}$ values for docetaxel and stattic were $3.7{\pm}0.9nM$ and $4.6{\pm}0.8{\mu}M$, respectively. Evaluation of key gene expression levels revealed a noticeable decrease in antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 along with an increase in pro-apoptotic Bax mRNA levels (p<0.05). Our results suggest that combination of a STAT3 inhibitor with doctaxel can be considered as a potent strategy for induction of apoptosis via increasing Bax mRNA expression.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.73-80
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• 2012

Objectives : Under normal condition melanin protects the skin from extracellular stimuli including ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative skin damages, but excess production and accumulation of melanin can induce hyperpigmentation causing esthetic problems. Therefore, in this study we tried to search for natural skin whitening materials from marine natural resources. Methods : Water and ethanol extracts of marine natural resources were prepared from Porphyra thalli (PT), Laminariae thallus (LT), Ostreae concha (OC), Sargassum thallus (ST), Undaria thallus (UT), Codium thalli (CT), Enteromorpha thalli (ET), Syngnathoides biaculeatus (SB), and Hippocampus coronatus (Hc). Their effects against UVB and ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH)-induced melanogenesis were investigated based on melanin formation in B16 mouse melanoma cells. The mRNA and protein expression of enzymes involved in the melanogenic process were further examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results : Water extract of Ostreae concha (OCW/E) effectively inhibited UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced melanin production in B16 melanocytes, which seemed to be mediated by inhibition of mRNA expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1). In another experiment, ethanol extracts from Porphyra thalli (PTE/E), Laminariae thallus (LTE/E), Sargassum thallus (STE/E), Undaria thallus (UTE/E), Codium thalli (CTE/E), Syngnathoides biaculeatus (SBE/E), and Hippocampus coronatus (HcE/E) significantly suppressed UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced melanin formation. Furthermore, ethylacetate fraction isolated form LTE/E (LTE/EEt) decreased UVB and ${\alpha}$-MSH-elevated extracellular melanin levels via inhibition of tyrosinase protein expression. Conclutions : These results suggest that marine natural resources such as Porphyra thalli, Laminariae thallus, Ostreae concha, Sargassum thallus, Undaria thallus, Codium thalli, Syngnathoides biaculeatus and Hippocampus coronatus have anti-melanogenic effects, thereby exhibiting high potentials to be utilized as one of the ingredients for the development of new whitening functional cosmetics.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6601-6604
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• 2013

Aim: Associations between polymorphisms in miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T and miR-499A>G and risk of HCC, and interaction with HBV infection in a Chinese population, were the target of the present research. Methods: The duplex polymerase-chain-reaction with confronting-two-pair primers (PCR-RFLP) was performed to determine the genotypes of the miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T and miR-499A>G genotypes. Associations of polymorphisms with the risk of HCC were estimated by conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: Drinking, family history of cancer, HBsAg and HCV were risk factors for HCC. Multivariate regression analyses showed that subjects carrying the miR-196a2 CC genotype had significantly increased risk of HCC, with an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 2.18 (1.23-3.80). In addition, cases carrying the miR-196a2 C allele had a 1.64-fold increase in the risk for HCC (95%CI=1.03-2.49). The miR-196a2 CT and TT genotypes greatly significantly increased the risk of HCC in subjects with HBV infection, with adjusted ORs (95% CI) of 2.02 (1.12-3.68) and 2.69 (1.28-5.71), respectively. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that miR-196a2 CC genotype and C allele have an important role in HCC risk in Chinese, especially in patients with HBV infection.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.145-151
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of a herbal formula, PerioH-035, containing Angelica sinensis, steamed Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica dahurica, Cimicifuga heracleifolia, and Zanthoxylum piperitum on the periodontal breakdown in a well-established ligature-induced periodontitis model in rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: NL (non-ligatured), L (ligatured), P1 (ligatured and treated with 1 mg/mL PerioH-035), P100 (ligatured and treated with 100 mg/mL PerioH-035). Periodontitis was induced by placing a ligature around the mandibular first molars. PerioH-035 was topically applied to both sides of the first molar for 2 weeks. The right side of the mandibles was retrieved for micro-computed tomography (CT) and methylene blue staining to analyze alveolar bone loss. The left side of the mandibles was histologically analyzed by TRAP and H&E staining. The MMP-9 mRNA level in gingival tissue was investigated by RT-PCR. Results: Alveolar bone resorption was significantly reduced in the PerioH-035-treated groups. The number of dense multi-nucleated cells found to be TRAP-positive by staining in the ligatured rats was markedly decreased by PerioH-035 application. In addition, periodontal tissue destruction, especially cementum demineralization, was ameliorated in the P1 and P100 groups. Moreover, gingival tissue from the PerioH-035-treated group showed a decrease in the MMP-9 mRNA level, resulting in recovery of collagen degradation. Conclusions: These results suggest that PerioH-035 has therapeutic effects on periodontitis, and thus, PerioH-035 shows promise as a treatment for periodontitis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1056-1062
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• 2016

Lung cancer is currently the most common malignant disease and the leading cause of mortality in the world and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 75-80% of lung cancer cases. miR-155 gene was found to be over expressed in several solid tumors, such as thyroid carcinoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and lung cancer. The aims of this study were to define the expression of miR-155 in lung cancer and its associated clinic-pathologic characteristics. Total RNA was purified from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NSCLC tissues and benign lung tissues. Expression of miR-155 in human lung cancer tissues were evaluated as mean fold changes of miR-155 in cancer tissues compared to benign lung tissues by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time qRT-PCR) and associations of miR-155 expression with clinic-pathologic findings of cancer. Compared with the benign control group, miR-155 expression was significantly overexpressed in NSCLCs (p=<0.001). miR-155 was more overexpressed in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma. Poorly differentiated tumors showed significantly overexpression of miR-155 than well-differentiated tumors (p=<0.001). Overexpression of miR-155 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p=<0.05). In survival analysis for all NSCLC patients, high miR-155 expression was significantly correlated with worse overall survival (p=<0.05). These results suggested that miR-155 might play an important role in lung cancer progression and metastasis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1082-1089
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• 2007

Serological anlysis of recombinant cDNA expression libraries (SEREX) has led to identification of several categories of new antigens recognized by the immune system of cancer patients, which are referred to as the cancer immunome. We analyzed normal testis cDNA expression libraries with serumobtained from non-small lung cancer patient and isolated 40 distinct antigen designated KP-LuT-1 through KP-LuT-40. Among these antigens 20 antigens were previously identified by SEREX analysis of other tumor types, and 20 out of 40 antigens (50%) did not match entries in Cancer Immunome Database and were considered newly identified antigens. Sequencing analysis showed that the anti-gens comprised 26 functional known proteins and 14 noble/uncharacterized gene products. Of these, the hypothetical protein KP-LuT-6 was shown tissue-restricted. RT-PCR showed it to be expressed strongly only in normal testis. In addition to normal tissues-restricted expression, KP-LuT-6 mRNA was detected in lung tumor samples(3/l0), stomach tumor samples(3/l0), and breast tumor samples(l/5), whereas not detected in colon tumor samples(O/I2). These data suggest that KP-LuT-6 is a cancer/testis (CT)-like antigen as a potential target for cancer immunotherapies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2101-2107
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• 2014

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affecting microRNA (miR) sequences may influence carcinogenesis. Our current study primarily aimed to confirm previously conducted association studies between rs2910164 found on miR-146a, and rs11614913 located on miR-196a2 polymorphisms and cancer phenotypes in the Japanese elderly population. rs2910164 (G/C) and rs11614913 (T/C) polymorphisms were determined by genotyping on the samples collected from 1,351 consecutive autopsy cases registered in the Japanese SNPs for geriatric research (JG-SNP) data base. Cancer samples were systematically reviewed, pathologically verified and assessed with respect to miR-146a and miR-196a2 genotypic variation. The current study covered 726 males and 625 females with a mean age of $80.3{\pm}8.9$ years. The study included 524 subjects without cancer and 827 subjects with at least one type of cancer, such as gastric (n=160), lung (n=148), colorectal (n=116) or others. Males with cancers (n=467) were more numerous than females (n=360). Both rs11614913 (CT: TT adjusted odds ratio (OR) 95% confidence interval (95%CI)=0.98 (0.75-1.28), p=0.873, CC: TT adjusted OR (95%CI)=1.06 (0.76-1.47), p=0.737, CT+CC: TT, adjusted OR (95%CI)=0.99 (0.77-1.29), p=0.990), and rs2910164 (CG: CC adjusted OR (95%CI)=1.12 (0.87-1.44), p=0.383, GG: CC adjusted OR (95%CI)=1.03 (0.71-1.48), p=0.887, CG+GG: CC adjusted OR (95%CI)=1.10 (0.87-1.39), p=0.446) polymorphisms did not show significant association with overall cancer in all subjects. However, "CC" genotype in rs11614913 polymorphism was significantly associated with increased gastric cancer (n=160) in all subjects (CC: CT+TT, adjusted OR (95%CI)=1.50 (1.02-2.22), p=0.040). We found that rs11614913 and rs2910164 do not pose general cancer risk, but rs11614913 may influence gastric cancer in Japanese elderly population. Confirmation of our study results requires further investigations with larger subject populations.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2009

Delftia acidovorans is a gram-negative motile rod found ubiquitously in soil and in water. Confirmed isolation from clinical infections is rare, and has been documented mostly in immunocompromised patients or those with indwelling catheters. A 53-year-old man was referred for the evaluation of a huge mass-like lesion found incidentally by chest X-ray. The lesion occupied more than half of the right lung and was diagnosed as a large loculated pleural effusion by CT scan. Bloody pus was drained through a percutaneous catheter, and D. acidovorans, identified by the Vitek GN card and confirmed by amplification of 16S ribosomal RNA and sequencing analysis, was isolated repeatedly from the drained pus. The patient was treated with imipenem/cilastatin to which the organism was sensitive. This is a rare report of chronic empyema associated with D. acidovorans in the respiratory system of an immunocompetent patient.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.88-89
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• 2013

A variety of influenza A viruses from animal hosts are continuously prevalent throughout the world which cause human epidemics resulting millions of human infections and enormous industrial and economic damages. Thus, early diagnosis of such pathogen is of paramount importance for biomedical examination and public healthcare screening. To approach this issue, here we propose a fully integrated Rotary genetic analysis system, called Rotary Genetic Analyzer, for on-site detection of influenza A viruses with high speed. The Rotary Genetic Analyzer is made up of four parts including a disposable microchip, a servo motor for precise and high rate spinning of the chip, thermal blocks for temperature control, and a miniaturized optical fluorescence detector as shown Fig. 1. A thermal block made from duralumin is integrated with a film heater at the bottom and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) in the middle. For the efficient performance of RT-PCR, three thermal blocks are placed on the Rotary stage and the temperature of each block is corresponded to the thermal cycling, namely $95^{\circ}C$ (denature), $58^{\circ}C$ (annealing), and $72^{\circ}C$ (extension). Rotary RT-PCR was performed to amplify the target gene which was monitored by an optical fluorescent detector above the extension block. A disposable microdevice (10 cm diameter) consists of a solid-phase extraction based sample pretreatment unit, bead chamber, and 4 ${\mu}L$ of the PCR chamber as shown Fig. 2. The microchip is fabricated using a patterned polycarbonate (PC) sheet with 1 mm thickness and a PC film with 130 ${\mu}m$ thickness, which layers are thermally bonded at $138^{\circ}C$ using acetone vapour. Silicatreated microglass beads with 150~212 ${\mu}L$ diameter are introduced into the sample pretreatment chambers and held in place by weir structure for construction of solid-phase extraction system. Fig. 3 shows strobed images of sequential loading of three samples. Three samples were loaded into the reservoir simultaneously (Fig. 3A), then the influenza A H3N2 viral RNA sample was loaded at 5000 RPM for 10 sec (Fig. 3B). Washing buffer was followed at 5000 RPM for 5 min (Fig. 3C), and angular frequency was decreased to 100 RPM for siphon priming of PCR cocktail to the channel as shown in Figure 3D. Finally the PCR cocktail was loaded to the bead chamber at 2000 RPM for 10 sec, and then RPM was increased up to 5000 RPM for 1 min to obtain the as much as PCR cocktail containing the RNA template (Fig. 3E). In this system, the wastes from RNA samples and washing buffer were transported to the waste chamber, which is fully filled to the chamber with precise optimization. Then, the PCR cocktail was able to transport to the PCR chamber. Fig. 3F shows the final image of the sample pretreatment. PCR cocktail containing RNA template is successfully isolated from waste. To detect the influenza A H3N2 virus, the purified RNA with PCR cocktail in the PCR chamber was amplified by using performed the RNA capture on the proposed microdevice. The fluorescence images were described in Figure 4A at the 0, 40 cycles. The fluorescence signal (40 cycle) was drastically increased confirming the influenza A H3N2 virus. The real-time profiles were successfully obtained using the optical fluorescence detector as shown in Figure 4B. The Rotary PCR and off-chip PCR were compared with same amount of influenza A H3N2 virus. The Ct value of Rotary PCR was smaller than the off-chip PCR without contamination. The whole process of the sample pretreatment and RT-PCR could be accomplished in 30 min on the fully integrated Rotary Genetic Analyzer system. We have demonstrated a fully integrated and portable Rotary Genetic Analyzer for detection of the gene expression of influenza A virus, which has 'Sample-in-answer-out' capability including sample pretreatment, rotary amplification, and optical detection. Target gene amplification was real-time monitored using the integrated Rotary Genetic Analyzer system.