• Animal Bioscience
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.29-42
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• 2023

Objective: Pigs, an ideal biomedical model for human diseases, suffer from about 50% early embryonic and fetal death, a major cause of fertility loss worldwide. However, identifying the causal variant remains a huge challenge. This study aimed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and candidate genes for the number of mummified (NM) piglets using the imputed whole-genome sequence (WGS) and validate the potential candidate genes. Methods: The imputed WGS was introduced from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) using a multi-breed reference population. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for NM piglets at birth from a Landrace pig populatiGWAS peak located on SSC11: 0.10 to 7.11 Mbp (Top SNP, SSC11:1,889,658 bp; p = 9.98E-13) was identified in cyclin dependent kinase on. A total of 300 Landrace pigs were genotyped by GBS. The whole-genome variants were imputed, and 4,252,858 SNPs were obtained. Various molecular experiments were conducted to determine how the genes affected NM in pigs. Results: A strong GWAS peak located on SSC11: 0.10 to 7.11 Mbp (Top SNP, SSC11:1,889,658 bp; p = 9.98E-13) was identified in cyclin dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) gene, which plays a crucial role in embryonic retardation and lethality. Based on the molecular experiments, we found that Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) was a crucial transcription factor for CDK8, which mediated the effect of CDK8 in the proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells via transforming growth factor beta/small mother against decapentaplegic signaling pathway, and, as a consequence, affected embryo quality, indicating that this pathway may be contributing to mummified fetal in pigs. Conclusion: A powerful imputation-based association study was performed to identify genes associated with NM in pigs. CDK8 was suggested as a functional gene for the proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells, but further studies are required to determine causative mutations and the effect of loci on NM in pigs.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.227-231
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• 1998

The teleosts represent ancient real-bony vertebrates in phylogeny and resemble major genetic patterns to higher vertebrates. In the present study, we have defined the single family of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), compared to the prototype of IGFs observed in the Agnathan hagfish. In flounder, IGFs are clearly diverged into two major types including type I and II, and they are structurally similar by displaying a multidomain structure consisting of five functional regions as previously found in other vertebrates. However, flIGF-I appears to be more basic (pI 8.03) than the flIGF-II (pI 5.34) in the fully processed form for the B to D domain region. The flIGF-I seems to contain an evolutionary conserved Asn-linked glycosylation in E domain, which is not found in flIGF­II. The most interesting feature is that flIGF-II appeared to be structurally close to hagfish IGF in secondary structures, particularly in Band D domains. This could tell us an idea on the molecular divergence of IGFs from the Agnatha to teleosts during the vertebrate phylogeny. It also support, in part, a notion regarding on how IGF-II is appeared as more embryonic during development. Nonetheless, the biologically active B to D domain region of flIGF-II shows significant sequence homology of $65.6\%$ to flIGF-Is and contains the evolutionary conserved insulin-family signature, as well as a reserved recognition site (Lys) in D domain, necessary to generate proteolytic cleavage for E-peptide. A significant structural difference was found in E domain in which flIGF-I possesses two potential alternative splicing donor site at $Val^{17,\;24}$ of E domain. Therefore, it seems so far that IGF-I sorely produces spliced variants due to the spliced E-peptide moiety while IGF-II appears to be maintained in a single type during evolution. IGF-II, however, may be also possible to transcribe unidentified variants, depending on the physiological conditions of tissues in vertebrates in vivo.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.199-205
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• 2015

T-bet is a critical transcription factor that regulates differentiation of Th1 cells from $CD4^+$ precursor cells. Since T-bet directly binds to the promoter of the IFN-${\gamma}$ gene and activates its transcription, T-bet deficiency impairs IFN-${\gamma}$ production in Th1 cells. Interestingly, T-bet-deficient Th cells also display substantially augmented the production of IL-2, a T cell growth factor. Exogenous expression of T-bet in T-bet deficient Th cells rescued the IFN-${\gamma}$ production and suppressed IL-2 expression. IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-2 reciprocally regulate Th cell proliferation following TCR stimulation. Therefore, we examined the effect of T-bet on Th cell proliferation and found that T-bet deficiency significantly enhanced Th cell proliferation under non-skewing, Th1-skewing, and Th2-skewing conditions. By using IFN-${\gamma}$-null mice to eliminate the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-${\gamma}$, T-bet deficiency still enhanced Th cell proliferation under both Th1- and Th2-skewing conditions. Since the anti-proliferative activity of T-bet may be influenced by IL-2 suppression in Th cells, we examined whether T-bet modulates IL-2-independent cell proliferation in a non-T cell population. We demonstrated that T-bet expression induced by ecdysone treatment in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells increased IFN-${\gamma}$ promoter activity in a dose dependent manner, and sustained T-bet expression considerably decreased cell proliferation in HEK cells. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-proliferative activity of T-bet remain to be elucidated, T-bet may directly suppress cell proliferation in an IFN-${\gamma}$- or an IL-2-independent manner.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.747-754
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• 2005

Nutritional regulation of gene expression associated with growth and feeding behavior in avian species can become an important technique to improve poultry production according to the supply of nutrients in the diet. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) found in chickens has been characterized to be a 70 amino acid polypeptide and plays an important role in growth and metabolism. Although it is been well known that IGF-I is highly associated with embryonic development and post-hatching growth, changes in the distribution of IGF-I gene expression throughout early- to late-embryogenesis have not been studied so far. We revealed that the developmental pattern of IGF-I gene expression during embryogenesis differed among various tissues. No bands of IGF-I mRNA were detected in embryonic liver at 7 days of incubation, and thereafter the amount of hepatic IGF-I mRNA was increased from 14 to 20 days of incubation. In eyes, a peak in IGF-I mRNA levels occurred at mid-embryogenesis, but by contrast, IGF-I mRNA was barely detectable in the heart throughout all incubation periods. In the muscle, no significant difference in IGF-I gene expression was observed during different stages of embryogenesis. After hatching, hepatic IGF-I gene expression as well as plasma IGF-I concentration increases rapidly with age, reaches a peak before sexual maturity, and then declines. The IGF-I gene expression is very sensitive to changes in nutritional conditions. Food-restriction and fasting decreased hepatic IGF-I gene expression and refeeding restored IGF-I gene expression to the level of fed chickens. Dietary protein is also a very strong factor in changing hepatic IGF-I gene expression. Refeeding with dietary protein alone successfully restored hepatic IGF-I gene expression of fasted chickens to the level of fed controls. In most circumstances, IGF-I makes a complex with specific high-affinity IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). So far, four different IGFBPs have been identified in avian species and the major IGFBP in chicken plasma has been reported to be IGFBP-2. We studied the relationship between nutritional status and IGFBP-2 gene expression in various tissues of young chickens. In the liver of fed chickens, almost no IGFBP-2 mRNA was detected. However, fasting markedly increased hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression, and the level was reduced after refeeding. In the gizzard of well-fed young chickens, IGFBP-2 gene expression was detected and fasting significantly elevated gizzard IGFBP-2 mRNA levels to about double that of fed controls. After refeeding, gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression decreased similar to hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression. In the brain, IGFBP-2 mRNA was observed in fed chickens and had significantly decreased by fasting. In the kidney, IGFBP-2 gene expression was observed but not influenced by fasting and refeeding. Recently, we have demonstrated in vivo that gizzard and hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression in fasted chickens was rapidly reduced by intravenous administration of insulin, as indicated that in young chickens the reduction in gizzard and hepatic IGFBP-2 gene expression in vivo stimulated by malnutrition may be, in part, regulated by means of the increase in plasma insulin concentration via an insulin-response element. The influence of dietary protein source (isolated soybean protein vs. casein) and the supplementation of essential amino acids on gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression was examined. In both soybean protein and casein diet groups, the deficiency of essential amino acids stimulated chickens to increase gizzard IGFBP-2 gene expression. Although amino acid supplementation of a soybean protein diet significantly decreased gizzard IGFBP-2 mRNA levels, a similar reduction was not observed in chickens fed a casein diet supplemented with amino acids. This overview of nutritional regulation of IGF-I and IGFBP-2 gene expression in young chickens would serve for the establishment of the supply of nutrients to diets to improve poultry production.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.375-384
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• 2004

FGFs는 Xenopus의 초기 배발생에서 중배엽 형성, 전후축패턴형성, scatter factor로서 낭배기의 기관형성에 관여하는 등 다양한 기능을 가지고 있는 것으로 알려져 있다 그 중 bFGF는 배양 분리편으로부터 다양한 기관을 유도해낼 수 있으며 그 효과는 처리시간 및 농도 의존적이라고 알려져 왔다. 본 연구는 Xenopus의 예정표피역을 분리하여 bFGF와 HGF을 단독 및 복합처리 하였을 때 기관분화 및 유도효과를 검토하기 위하여 실시하였다. 단독처리 및 복합 처리된 배양액에 동물극 분리편을 정상배가 st. 43에 이를 때까지 2$0^{\circ}C$에서 3일간 배양하여 조직학적 및 면역조직화학적 방법으로 조직의 분화양상을 확인하였다. 성장인자는 bFGF를 0, 0.5, 1. 10. 50 ng/ml의 농도와 HGF를 0, 1, 10, 50, 100ng/ml의 농도로 조합하여 처리한 결과 bFGF 단독처리 때보다 HGF와의 혼합처리에서 기관분화율의 상승효과가 관찰되었다. 분화된 기관은 1 ng/ml의 bFGF 와 10ng/ml의 HGF, 10ng/ml의 bFGF와 1ng/ml의 HGF의 농도에서 매우 다양한 것으로 나타났다. 눈은 1과 10ng/ml의 bFGF ,그리고 1과 10 ng/ml의 HGF 농도조합에서 높은 비율로 분화하였다. 또한 분리편 배양에 의해 유도된 눈과 정상 배의 눈에서 RPE65를 인식하는 단일클론 항체 40All, 25F5를 사용하여 AP 반응이 강하게 나타나 눈의 유도를 확인할 수 있었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.125-134
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• 2010

목 적: 난관수종액내의 사이토카인 농도를 측정하고, 사이토카인 농도가 다른 난관수종액을 이용하여 생쥐 배아 발생에 미치는 영향을 비교하고자 하였다. 연구방법: 난관수종액은 자궁난관 조영술에서 난관수종이 진단되어 복강경을 통한 난관 절제술을 시행하는 경우 난관 절제술 전에 난관으로부터 채취한 다음 3,000 rpm에서 10분간 원심분리시킨 후 상층액만을 $-20^{\circ}C$에서 보관하였다. 난관수종액의 사이토카인의 조성 및 농도를 확인하기 위하여 interleukin (IL)-$1{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 등을 ELISA 방법으로 측정하였다. 기본 배양액에 난관수종액을 5%, 10%, 30%의 비율로 첨가하여 각 군별로 배반포로의 발달을 관찰하였다. 결 과: 난관수종액내에서 IL-$1{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-$\alpha$, IFN-$\gamma$, VEGF, EGF, MCP-1가 검출되었으며, 그 농도에 있어서는 큰 차이를 보였다. 정상 혈청 농도에 비하여 난관수종액-1은 IL-6, IL-10이 증가되어 있었고, 난관 수종액-2는 IFN-$\gamma$, MCP-1 및 VEGF가 증가되어 있었다. 각 난관수종액의 Th1/Th2 비는 HSF-1의 경우 IFN-$\gamma$:IL-10이 3.69로 정상인 데 비하여 HSF-2의 경우 IFN-$\gamma$:IL-10이 61.14로 크게 증가되어 있었다. 난관수종액을 포함하지 않는 배양액에서는 배반포기 발달률은 76.7%이었고, 난관수종액-1군은 74%로 대조군과 차이를 보이지 않았지만, 난관수종액-2군의 경우 27.7%로서 대조군 및 난관수종액-1군과도 유의한 차이를 보였다. 난관수종액-1의 경우 난관수종액 농도에 따른 차이는 없었으며, 난관수종액-2군의 경우 농도에 증가함에 따라 배반포로의 발달이 감소하기는 하였지만 통계적으로 유의하지는 않았다. 결 론: 난관수종액마다 사이토카인의 조성이 다르며 이에 따라 생쥐 배아발달에 미치는 영향이 다를 수 있다. 염증성 사이토카인이 증가된 난관수종액이 배아발달에 악영향을 미칠 것으로 추정된다. 특정 사이토카인에 의한 작용을 규명하기는 위해서는 향후 지속적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2002

Objective: In order to acquire the technique for the establishment of human embryonic stem cells (ESe) derived from the human frozen-thawed embryos produced in IVF-ET program, this study was performed to establish mouse ESC derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. Materials and Methods: After Fl hybrid (C57BL female $\times$ CBA mael) female mice were superovulated with PMSG and hCG treatment, their oocytes were retrieved and inseminated, and the fertilized embryos were cultured for 96-120 hours until the expected stages of blastocysts were obtained. To isolate the inner cell mass (ICM), either the blastocysts were treated with immunosurgery, or the whole embryos were cultured for 4 days. Isolated ICMs were then cultured onto STO feeder cell layer, and the resultant ICM colonies were subcultured with trypsin-EDTA treatment. During the subculture process, ESC-like cell colonies were observed with phase contrast microscopy. To identify ESC in the subcultured ESC-like cell colonies, alkaline phosphatase activity and Oct-4 (octamer-binding transcription factor-4) expression were examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. To examine the spontaneous differentiation, ESC-like cell colonies were cultured without STO feeder cell layer and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Results: Seven ESC-like cell lines were established from ICMs isolated from the in vitro fertilized embryos. According to the developmental stage, the growth of ICMs isolated from the expanded blastocysts was significantly better than that of ICMs isolated from the hatched blastocysts (80.3% vs. 58.7%, p<0.05). ESC-like cell colonies were only obtained from ICMs of expanded blastocysts. However, the ICMs isolated from the embryos treated with immunosurgery were poorly grown and frequently differentiated during the culture process. The established ESC-like cell colonies were positively stained with alkaline phosphatase and expressed Oct-4, and their morphology resembled that observed in the previously reported mouse ESC. In addition, following the extended in vitro culture process, they maintained their expression of cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells such as alkaline phosphatase and Oct-4. When cultured without STO feeder cell layer and LIF, they were spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the establishment of mouse ESC can be successfully derived from the in vitro fertilized embryos. The established ESC-like cells expressed the cell surface markers characteristic of the pluripotent stem cells and spontaneously differentiated into the various types of cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.3937-3940
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• 2013

Objective: To explore the expression and significance of estrogen receptor (ER), progestrone receptor (PR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CA15-3, CA125 and carcinoma embryonic antigen (CEA) expression in judging the prognosis of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five patients with breast cancer undergoing operations in the general surgery department were considered as the observation group, and 50 healthy outpatients of our hospital as the control group. Cubital venous blood was drawn in the morning from fasting patients in the two groups and chemiluminescence immunoassays were used to detect the levels of CA15-3, CA125 and CEA in serum. The follow-up duration was from 4 months to 2 years, and change in levels of the indicators was detected by dynamically drawing blood. After surgery, cancer tissue samples of patients in observation group remained on file (the non-recurrent patients were biopsied). Immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the expression of ER, PR and VEGF in tissue. Results: The effective rate of 12 patients with negative ER and PR expression was 33.3% in the observation group, being associated with prognosis to varying extents. Serum CA15-3, CA125 and CEA in the observation group were all significantly higher than in control group (p<0.01). With increase in pathological staging, levels of serum CA15-3, CA125 and CEA gradually increased (p<0.01). Levels in patients with lymph node metastasis were markedly higher than in those without (p<0.01). In addition, values with distal lymph node metastasis were notably higher than with adjacent lymph node metastasis (p<0.01). The postoperative follow-up results revealed that positive VEGF and levels of serum VEGF, CA15-3, CA125 and CEA in recurrence group were obviously higher than in non-recurrence group (p<0.01). Conclusions: Joint detection of ER and PR expression as well as levels of serum VEGF, CA15-3, CA125 and CEA is meaningful and can guide the diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.532-539
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• 2014

Peripheral neuropathy induced by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and antiretroviral therapy is not only difficult to distinguish in clinical practice, but also difficult to relieve the pain symptoms by analgesics because of the severity of the disease at the later stage. Hence, to explore the mechanisms of HIV-related neuropathy and find new therapeutic options are particularly important for relieving neuropathic pain symptoms of the patients. In the present study, primary cultured embryonic rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were used to determine the neurotoxic effects of HIV-gp120 protein and/or antiretroviral drug dideoxycytidine (ddC) and the therapeutic actions of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on gp120- or ddC-induced neurotoxicity. DRG neurons were exposed to gp120 (500 pmol/L), ddC ($50{\mu}mol/L$), gp120 (500 pmol/L) plus ddC ($50{\mu}mol/L$), gp120 (500 pmol/L) plus IGF-1 (20 nmol/L), ddC ($50{\mu}mol/L$) plus IGF-1 (20 nmol/L), gp120 (500 pmol/L) plus ddC ($50{\mu}mol/L$) plus IGF-1 (20 nmol/L), respectively, for 72 hours. The results showed that gp120 and/or ddC caused neurotoxicity of primary cultured DRG neurons. Interestingly, the severity of neurotoxicity induced by gp120 and ddC was different in different subpopulation of DRG neurons. gp120 mainly affected large diameter DRG neurons (> $25{\mu}m$), whereas ddC mainly affected small diameter DRG neurons (${\leq}25{\mu}m$). IGF-1 could reverse the neurotoxicity induced by gp120 and/or ddC on small, but not large, DRG neurons. These data provide new insights in elucidating the pathogenesis of HIV infection- or antiretroviral therapy-related peripheral neuropathy and facilitating the development of novel treatment strategies.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.541-550
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• 2003

본 실험에서는 C형 간염바이러스 (HCV)의 외피 단백질인 E2 당단백질에 결합하는 세포단백질들을 클로닝하기 위해 간세포 cDNA를 phage 표면에 발현시킨 phage library를 제작하였고, 12-mer peptide library와 함께 E2 단백질에 대해 panning을 실시하였다. 검색결과 세포내 신호전달과 cytoskeleton 구성에 관여하는 tensin, membrane protein band 4.1 등 세포질내 단백질과 CCR7, CKR-L2, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor 등 세포막 단백질 등이 확인되었다. 이들 단백질들을 발현하는 phage들은 수용성 E2단백질을 이용한 결합중화반응 결과 E2 단백질에 특이적으로 결합함이 확인되었다. 사람 T 세포에서 주로 발현되는 CCR7 유전자를 PHA로 활성화된 사람 T 세포의 total RNA를 이용하여 증폭하고 클로닝하였다. 293T 세포에 transfection시켜 단백질 발현양상을 flow cytometer로 분석하여 70% 이상의 세포들이 CCR7을 발현하고 있음을 관찰하였다. 수용성 E2 단백질을 CCR7이 transfection된 세포와 mock transfection된 대조군 세포에 각각 반응시킨 결과 dose-dependent 양상으로 CCR7에 결합하였다.