• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.371-383
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• 2014

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) offers a unique opportunity for biological and basic medical researches due to its genetic tractability and well-defined developmental lineage. It also provides an exceptional model for genetic, molecular, and cellular analysis of human disease-related genes. Recently, C. elegans has been used as an ideal model for the identification and functional analysis of drugs (or small-molecules) in vivo. In this review, we describe conserved oncogenic signaling pathways (Wnt, Notch, and Ras) and their potential roles in the development of cancer stem cells. During C. elegans germline development, these signaling pathways regulate multiple cellular processes such as germline stem cell niche specification, germline stem cell maintenance, and germ cell fate specification. Therefore, the aberrant regulations of these signaling pathways can cause either loss of germline stem cells or overproliferation of a specific cell type, resulting in sterility. This sterility phenotype allows us to identify drugs that can modulate the oncogenic signaling pathways directly or indirectly through a high-throughput screening. Current in vivo or in vitro screening methods are largely focused on the specific core signaling components. However, this phenotype-based screening will identify drugs that possibly target upstream or downstream of core signaling pathways as well as exclude toxic effects. Although phenotype-based drug screening is ideal, the identification of drug targets is a major challenge. We here introduce a new technique, called Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS). This innovative method is able to identify the target of the identified drug. Importantly, signaling pathways and their regulators in C. elegans are highly conserved in most vertebrates, including humans. Therefore, C. elegans will provide a great opportunity to identify therapeutic drugs and their targets, as well as to understand mechanisms underlying the formation of cancer.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.50-57
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• 2018

Salmonella는 전세계적으로 식중독을 유발하는 주요 원인 균으로서, 식중독을 유발하는 Salmonella를 신속하게 검출하는 방법은 식품 안전을 위한 중요한 도구이다. Real-time PCR은 식중독균을 검출하기 위한 신속검사법으로 널리 사용되어 왔다. 최근에는 NBS LabChip real-time PCR이라는 새로운 시스템이 칩타입으로 조작이 간편하며 초고속의 real-time PCR 시스템이라는 보고가 있었다. 본 연구에서는 살모넬라의 신속한 검출을 위하여 NBS LabChip real-time PCR에 기반하여 real-time PCR 반응 시간이 20분 이내인 검출법을 확인하고자 하였다. 프라이머와 프로브 설계를 위해 두 개의 타겟 유전자(invA, stn)가 선택되었으며, 특이도와 민감도(검출한계)를 평가함으로 개발된 검출법을 검증하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서는 특이도 검증을 위해 Salmonella 균주 42주와 Non-Salmonella 균주 21주를 포함하였으며, 본 방법으로 Salmonella 42주에 대해서만 정확하게 검출이 가능하였다. 검출한계는 살모넬라 genome DNA 기준으로 $10^1copies/{\mu}L$으며, 소시지에서는 4시간 증균 이후 접종균수로서 $10^1CFU/g$에서 $10^2CFU/g$까지 검출이 가능하였다. 본 연구에서 개발된 검출법은 신속한 식중독 원인조사에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.534-539
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• 2017

Background: Ginsenosides are the main ingredients of ginseng, which, in traditional Eastern medicine, has been claimed to have therapeutic values for many diseases. In order to verify the effects of ginseng that have been empirically observed, we utilized the reverse docking method to screen for target proteins that are linked to specific diseases. Methods: We constructed a target protein database including 1,078 proteins associated with various kinds of diseases, based on the Potential Drug Target Database, with an added list of kinase proteins. We screened 26 kinds of ginsenosides of this target protein database using docking. Results: We found four potential target proteins for ginsenosides, based on docking scores. Implications of these "hit" targets are discussed. From this screening, we also found four targets linked to possible side effects and toxicities, based on docking scores. Conclusion: Our method and results can be helpful for finding new targets and developing new drugs from natural products.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.839-845
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• 1993

One of the major problems of cancer chemotheraphy is the development of drug resistance in tumors, resulting in reduced responsiveness to subsequent treatments. The folate antagonists are being used to treat such diverse illnesses as cancer, leukemia, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Previous studies have established that resistance to antifolates may occur in mammalian tumor cells by one or more of five mechanisms ; (a) an increase in the levels of the target enzyme, generally as a consequence of gene amplification ; (b) an alteration in the target enzyme, leading to an enzyme with a decreased binding affinity for the drug ; (c) a decrease in the uptake of the drug into the cells ; (d) increased extrusion of drugs out of cells ; (e) impaired ability to polyglutamylate the parent drug which is capable of being intracellularly metabolized to longer chain length.

• 약학회지
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.106-115
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• 2011

Systematic toxicological analysis (STA) means the process for general unknown screening of drugs and toxic compounds in biological fluids. In order to establish STA, in previous study we investigated pattern of drugs & poisons in autopsy cases during 2007~2009 in Korea, and finally selected 62 drugs as target drugs for STA. In this study, rapid and simple drug identification and quantitative analytical program by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was developed. The in-house program, "DrugMan", consisted of modified chemstation data analysis menu and newly developed macro modules. Total 55 drugs among 62 target drugs were applied to this program, they were 14 antidepressants, 8 anti-histamines, 5 sedatives/hypnotics, 5 narcotic analgesics, 3 antipsychotic drugs, and etc. For calibration curves, fifty five drugs were divided into four groups of range considering their therapeutic or toxic concentrations in blood specimen, i.e. 0.05~1 mg/l, 0.1~1 mg/l, 0.1~5 mg/l or 0.5~10 mg/l. Standards spiked bloods were extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE) with trimipramine-D3 as internal standard. Parameters such as retention times, 3 mass fragment ions, and calibration curves for each drug were registered to DrugMan. A series of identification, semi quantitation of target drugs and reporting the results were performed automatically. Calibration curves for most drugs were linear with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.98. Sensitivity rate of DrugMan was 0.90 (90%) for 55 drugs at the level of 0.5 mg/l. For standard spiked bloods at the level of 0.5 mg/l for 29 drugs, semi quantitative concentrations were ranged 0.36~0.64 mg/l by DrugMan. If more drugs are registered to database in DrugMan in further study, it will be useful tools for STA in forensic toxicology.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.135-143
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• 2021

Drug addiction influences most communities directly or indirectly. Increasing studies have reported the relationship between circadian-related genes and drug addiction. Per2 disrupted mice exhibited more vulnerable behavioral responses against some drugs including methamphetamine (METH). However, its roles and mechanisms are still not clear. Transcriptional profiling analysis in Per2 knockout (KO) mice may provide a valuable tool to identify potential genetic involvement and pathways in enhanced behavioral responses against drugs. To explore the potential genetic involvement, we examined common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the striatum of drug naïve Per2 KO/wild-type (WT) mice, and before/after METH treatment in Per2 KO mice, but not in WT mice. We selected 9 common DEGs (Ncald, Cpa6, Pklr, Ttc29, Cbr2, Egr2, Prg4, Lcn2, and Camsap2) based on literature research. Among the common DEGs, Ncald, Cpa6, Pklr, and Ttc29 showed higher expression levels in drug naïve Per2 KO mice than in WT mice, while they were downregulated in Per2 KO mice after METH treatment. In contrast, Cbr2, Egr2, Prg4, Lcn2, and Camsap2 exhibited lower expression levels in drug naïve Per2 KO mice than in WT mice, while they were upregulated after METH treatment in Per2 KO mice. qRT-PCR analyses validated the expression patterns of 9 target genes before/after METH treatment in Per2 KO and WT mice. Although further research is required to deeply understand the relationship and roles of the 9 target genes in drug addiction, the findings from the present study indicate that the target genes might play important roles in drug addiction.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.493-498
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• 2013

리포솜은 표적 약물을 봉입하여 병소에 안전하게 전달할 수 있는 약물전달체로서 연구되고 있다. 그러나 일반적인 리포솜은 표적부위에서 약물방출이 제한적인 문제점이 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 리포솜의 안정성을 향상시키고 표적부위에서 외부 초음파로부터 약물의 방출을 극대화시키기 위하여 하이드록시아파타이트(hydroxyapatite, HA)가 코팅된 리포솜을 개발하였다. 대조군 리포솜은 인지질과 콜레스테롤을 이용하여 제조하였고, 대조군 리포솜의 표면에 칼슘 아세테이트, 포스포릭에시드, 그리고 25% 암모니아용액을 이용하여 HA를 코팅하였다. 모델 약물로는 독소루비신을 사용하였다. HA코팅 리포솜의 크기는 120 nm 이었고, 약물봉입효율은 95% 이상이었다. 30% 혈장용액 내에서 HA코팅 리포솜의 입자크기는 일정한 상태를 유지하였으며, 대조군 리포솜은 크기가 1.4배 증가하였다. 외부 초음파 자극에 의한 리포솜으로부터 약물 방출을 유도한 후, 방출된 약물의 세포 이입율은 HA 코팅된 리포솜이 3배 이상 대조군 리포솜에 비하여 증가하였다. 본 연구에서는 외부 초음파 자극에 의하여 리포솜으로부터 약물의 방출을 극대화시키기 위한 초음파 민감형 리포솜을 개발하였고, 본 제형은 표적부위에서 약물의 방출을 효과적으로 제어하기 위한 분야에 활용이 가능할 것이다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.98-103
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• 2018

Recurrence is a serious problem in patients with bladder cancer. The hypothesis for recurrence was that the proliferation of drug-resistant cells was reported, and this study focused on drug resistance due to drug efflux. Previous studies have identified FOXM1 as the key gene for recurrence. We found that FOXM1 inhibition decreased drug efflux activity and increased sensitivity to Doxorubicin. Therefore, we examined whether the expression of ABC transporter gene related to drug efflux is regulated by FOXM1. As a result, ABCG2, one of the genes involved in drug efflux, has been identified as a new target for FOXM1. We also demonstrated direct transcriptional regulation of ABCG2 by FOXM1 using ChIP assay. Consequently, in the presence of the drug, FOXM1 is proposed to directly activate ABCG2 to increase the drug efflux activation and drug resistance, thereby involving chemoresistance of bladder cancer cells. Therefore, we suggest that FOXM1 and ABCG2 may be useful targets and important parameters in the treatment of bladder cancer.

• Carbon letters
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.122-126
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• 2010

The alginate-based hydrogel was prepared as a pH-sensitive drug delivery system. To enhance the drug loading capacity, activated carbon was introduced as a drug absorbent. The iron oxide was incorporated into the alginate matrix for the magnetic transferring to the target organ. The activated carbon and iron-oxide were dispersed uniformly in the alginate hydrogel. The drug release from the alginate/activated carbon composite hydrogel was carried out in various pH conditions with vitamin B12 and Lactobacillus lamnosers as model drugs. The fast and sustainable release of drug was observed in the basic condition due to the pH-sensitive solubility of alginate. The novel drug delivery system having pH-sensitive release property and magnetic movement to target place was developed by using the alginate/activated carbon composite magnetic hydrogels.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 2006년도 Spring Conference
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• pp.109-120
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• 2006

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder. The pathological hallmarks of AD are senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Major component of senile plaques is amyloid beta peptide(A$\beta$) which is derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). A$\beta$ is generated through the sequential cleavage of App by $\beta$ - and $\gamma$-secretases. $\beta$-secretase excises the ectodomain of APP ($\beta$-APPs) to leave a 99-amino acid long C-terminal fragment (APP-C99-CTF) in the membrane. $\gamma$-secretase then cleaves this membrane-tethered APP-CTF within the transmembrane domain, so releasing A$\beta$ peptides and APP-intracellular domain (AICD). Thus, $\beta$- and $\gamma$-secretase are regarded to perform the key steps in the pathogenesis of AD and have become important therapeutic targets in the prevention and treatment of AD. Enormous efforts have been focused to develop the amyloid beta related drug for cure of AD becuase A$\beta$ is believed to be one of the major causes of AD. since major pharmaceutical companies in world wide base compete to develop new drug for AD, we have to be careful to choose the drug target to success the tough race. In the present talk, possible drug targets based on basic research results will be discussed. These molecules should be a good target for development of new drug for AD and be less competitive to have a good shape for world wide competition.