• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.196-201
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• 2010

The phenethyl ester of caffeic acid (CAPE), an active component of honeybee propolis extract, is shown to inhibit cancer growth previously. However, studies on human ovarian cancer are largely obscure. This study evaluated the effects of CAPE as a potential anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic agent in the human ovarian cancer line, OVCAR-3. CAPE treated OVCAR-3 cells showed inhibition of cell viability and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner by WST-1 assay, LDH assay and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay. Furthermore, CAPE-mediated OVCAR-3 cell growth inhibition was associated with apoptotic changes as evident by cell cycle arrest and accumulation of cells in the apoptotic phase and DNA fragmentation. Taken together, CAPE inhibits cell proliferation via DNA synthesis reduction and induces apoptotic cell death via DNA damage, thus elucidating a novel, plausible mechanism of CAPE anti-tumorigenic property in OVCAR-3 cells.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2003

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are alterations in DNA base that occur most frequently throughout the human genome. The SNPs of DNA repair genes, hMLH1, hMSH2 and ATM, among 100 Korean people were analyzed using Dynamic Allele specific Hybridization (DASH) techniques. Mutation at the position of exon 38 (GA) and exon 10 (CG) of ATM gene, mutation at the position of exon 8 (AG), and exon 1 (AG) of hMLH1 gene and exon 14 (AG) of hMSH2 gene were investigated. No mutation at the selected position of ATM gene and hMSH1 gene was found. However, while there was no mutation at the position of exon of hMSH2 gene, mutation was found at the promotion region (CT) with the frequency of 24% CC, 36% CT and 62% TT genotyes. This results might be used as baseline data for research on SNP of Korean population.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 1995

The adaptive response and cross-adaptive response to sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K$_1$ cells treated with ultraviolet radiation (UV), ethyl methanesuffonate (EMS), or bleomycin (BLM) were investigated. Two assays were used in this study; SCEs and alkaline elution. The pretreatment with low conditioning dose of 2 mM EMS or 1 J/m$^2$ UV decreased the yield of SCEs induced by subsequent treatment with 8 mM EMS, 5 J/m$^2$ UV or 5 $\mu$g/ml BLM. And the pretreatment with low conditioning dose of 1 $\mu$g/ml BLM decreased the yield of SCEs induced by subsequent treatment with 5 $\mu$g/ml BLM or 5 J/m$^2$ UV. The rejoining of DNA SSBs in cells subsequently treated with 2 J/m$^2$ UV, 50 mM EMS or 400 $\mu$g/ml BLM is higher than that only treated with 2 J/m$^2$ UV, 50 mM EMS or 400 $\mu$g/ml BLM. These results suggest that there are the adaptive response and cross-adaptive response to SCEs, and is the adaptive response to the rejoining of DNA SSBs in CHO cells.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.8 no.3_4
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• pp.93-97
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• 2001

Heterosigma akashiwo has been reported as red-tide causing phytoplankton in the Korean coastal area during summer when they are exposed to high light. It also shows photosynthetic adaptability to strong light during culture in the laboratory. On the basis of these observations, we tried to find out some genes specifically expressed in Heterosimga akashiwo during exposure to high light, assuming that they might have some resistant mechanisms associated with light adaptation. For this purpose, we carried out DD-PCR to detect differentially expressed mRNAs from cells that had been illuminated under high light for 3 days. We found eight cDNA clones that had been expressed specificically for high light. When they were further screened by reverse Northern hybridization, three of them were identified to be positive cDNA clones. When these cDNA fragments were subjected to DNA sequencing and then their base sequences were compared to GenBank database, one of them showed sequence homology 86% identical to the partial sequence of 16S rRNA gene of eubacterium CRO-18.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.560-565
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• 2006

Extract of DNA for analysis of fragile X syndrome is usually performed by blood, the researches using hair root as specimen have been gradually spread. In this study, analyze fra X gene of the patients in mentally retarded children facilities was conducted using hair root DNA with molecular biologic test (PCR). The number of total subjects was 24, boys were 12, the average age was $17({\pm}3)$, and girls were 12, the average age was $18({\pm}2)$. In girls, normal size of band of 222 bp appeared in all lanes. Also, in all lanes except control in 517 bp, micro band appeared. Moreover, with appearance of band of 1198bp in lanes 2, 3, 4, 5, it is estimated that it is the band of full mutation whose CGG repeated sequences are more than 200. But it showed the peculiarity that it appeared with normal band in all the same lanes, thus it is not reasonable to judge it is the band of full mutation and further studies are needed. These results appeared in 50%, 6 of 12 mentally retarded girls. As the result of mentally retarded boys, normal band appeared in about 222 bp in control, however in experiment group, normal band did not appear. In 43%, 7 out of 12 boys, band did not either appeared in 1198bp, which showed different patterns from that of girls.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.205-211
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• 2004

A 16S rDNA clone library was generated to investigate the bacterial diversity in tidal flat sediment in Ganghwa Island, Republic of Korea. A total of 103 clones were sequenced and analyzed by comprehensive phylogenetic analyses. No clones were identical to any of known 16S rRNA sequences in public databases. Sequenced clones fell into thirteen lineages of the domain Bacteria: the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, CFB group, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, and known uncultured candidate divisions (OP11, BRC1, KSB1, and WS1). Two clones were not associated with any known bacterial divisions. The majority of clones belonged to the gamma and delta Proteobacteria (46.7%). Clones of Actinobacteria were distantly related to known taxa. It is evident from 16S rDNA-based community analysis that the bacterial community in tidal flat sediment is remarkably diverse and unique among other marine environments examined so far.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.109-117
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• 2004

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of diesel exhaust particles on human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). DNA synthesis, cell viability and morphology of VSMCs after treatment of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and fine particulate matter (PM$_{2.5}$) were assayed. PM$_{2.5}$ inhibited the DNA synthesis of VSMCs in a concentration -dependent manner, whereat DEP did not affect VSMCs up to 50$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. These results were confirmed by morphological examination of VSMCs. PM$_{2.5}$ showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity of VSMCs by MTT assay. Fraction 4 (organic acids) and fraction 8 (moderately polar compounds) showed the most potent inhibition of DNA synthesis of VSMCs, and fraction 7 (slightly polar compounds), fraction 9 (higher polar compounds), and fraction 6 (aromatic compounds) were next order. These results were confirmed by morphological examination of VSMCs. These results suggest that PM$_{2.5}$ inhibits the DNA synthesis of VSMCs through the cytotoxicity.oxicity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.109-114
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• 2002

To evaluate the phylogenetic and taxonomic status of the phytoplasmas associated with water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica DC) disease in Korea and Japan, their 16S rDNA was analyzed. DNAs extracted from water dropworts collected in Korea (Kyongnam province) and Japan (Chiba prefecture) affected by witches' broom and yellows were subjected to PCR using phytoplasma-specific primers, which amplified a 1.4-kbp fragment that included the 16S rDNA. Phytoplasmas were characterized by RFLP analysis using AluI, HaeIII, HhaI, KpnI, MseI, and RsaI restriction enzymes and by sequence analysis of the PCR products. The mater dropwort witches'broom (WDWB) and water dropwort yellows (WDY) 16S rDNA sequences were identical and closely related to onion yellows (OY, 99.9% identity), which belong to the aster yellows (AY) 16S-subgroup. However, the KpnI RFLP analyses clearly distinguished the WDY and WDWB phytoplasmas from the OY phytoplasma. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA showed that WDWE and WDY phytoplasmas are members of a relatively homogeneous group that evolved from a common ancestor.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.350-354
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Botanical insecticides, especially Azadirachta Indica extract (AIE) and Sophorae radix extract (SRE) are widely used in Agriculture field. In our previous studies on genotoxicity test of AIE and SRE samples, a suspicious clastogenic properties was shown. Herein, we investigated the DNA damage effect of these botanical insecticide samples through the in vitro comet assay. METHODS AND RESULTS: Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast cell line was used, and methyl methanesulphonate was as positive control. Respective two samples of AIE and SRE were evaluated using Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (Comet) assay and measured as the Olive tail moment (OTM). Results from this study indicated that all tested AIE and SRE samples did not show DNA damage in comet assay using CHL cells, compared with control. CONCLUSION: AIE and SRE samples used in this study were not cause genetic toxicity and are suitable for use as organic materials.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.59-66
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• 1993

The cellular toxicity and antitumor effects of bleomycin are thought to be occurred by formation of O$_2$-Fe$^{2+}$-bleomycin complexes that degrade DNA and release O$_2^-$ and $^{\cdot}$OH radicals. Hydroxyl radicals derived from hydrogen peroxide seem most likely to be involved in the various stages of carcinogenesis, and transition metals such as iron play a central role in activation of bleomycin and in formation of hydroxyl radicals. This study was performed to investigate whether treatment with ferrous sulfate increase chromosome aberration induced by bleomycin and hydrogen peroxide, and whether there is different repair mechanism for DNA damage induced by those chemicals. Treatment with 3AB, Ara C, during G$_1$ and post-treatment with caffeine, and Hu during G$_2$ increased the frequency of chromosome aberration induced by bleomycin but post-treatment with caffeine only did function that way when hydrogen peroxide was treated. When 6.6X 10$^{-7}$ M of bleomycin or 5.0X10$^{-5}$M of hydrogen peroxide were treated simultaneously with iron, the frequency of chromosome aberration was reduced, if compared with the results by bleomycin or hydrogen per oxide alone.