• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.145-150
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• 2015

Continuous intra- and extracellular stresses induce disorder of $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis and accumulation of unfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which results in ER stress. Severe long-term ER stress triggers apoptosis signaling pathways, resulting in cell death. Neural epidermal growth factor-like like protein 2 (NELL2) has been reported to be important in protection of cells from cell death-inducing environments. In this study, we investigated the cytoprotective effect of NELL2 in the context of ER stress induced by thapsigargin, a strong ER stress inducer, in Cos7 cells. Overexpression of NELL2 prevented ER stress-mediated apoptosis by decreasing expression of ER stress-induced C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and increasing ER chaperones. In this context, expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL was increased by NELL2, whereas NELL2 decreased expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, such as cleaved caspases 3 and 7. This anti-apoptotic effect of NELL2 is likely mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling, because its inhibitor, U0126, inhibited effects of NELL2 on the expression of anti- and pro-apoptotic proteins and on the protection from ER stress-induced cell death.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권8호
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• pp.537-549
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• 2022

Preproenkephalin (PPE) is a precursor molecule for multiple endogenous opioid peptides Leu-enkephalin (ENK) and Met-ENK, which are involved in a wide variety of modulatory functions in the nervous system. Despite the functional importance of ENK in the brain, the effect of brain-derived factor(s) on PPE expression is unknown. We report the dual effect of neural epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like-like 2 (NELL2) on PPE gene expression. In cultured NIH3T3 cells, transfection of NELL2 expression vectors induced an inhibition of PPE transcription intracellularly, in parallel with downregulation of protein kinase C signaling pathways and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Interestingly, these phenomena were reversed when synthetic NELL2 was administered extracellularly. The in vivo disruption of NELL2 synthesis resulted in an increase in PPE mRNA level in the rat brain, suggesting that the inhibitory action of intracellular NELL2 predominates the activation effect of extracellular NELL2 on PPE gene expression in the brain. Biochemical and molecular studies with mutant NELL2 structures further demonstrated the critical role of EGF-like repeat domains in NELL2 for regulation of PPE transcription. These are the first results to reveal the spatio-specific role of NELL2 in the homeostatic regulation of PPE gene expression.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.318-328
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• 2017

Chitinase-producing Paenibacillus elgii strain HOA73 has been used to control plant diseases. However, the antimicrobial activity of its extracellular chitinase has not been fully elucidated. The major extracellular chitinase gene (PeChi68) from strain HOA73 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli in this study. This gene had an open reading frame of 2,028 bp, encoding a protein of 675 amino acid residues containing a secretion signal peptide, a chitin-binding domain, two fibronectin type III domains, and a catalytic hydrolase domain. The chitinase (PeChi68) purified from recombinant E. coli exhibited a molecular mass of approximately 68 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Biochemical analysis indicated that optimum temperature for the actitvity of purified chitinase was $50^{\circ}C$. However, it was inactivated with time when it was incubated at $40^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$. Its optimum activity was found at pH 7, although its activity was stable when incubated between pH 3 and pH 11. Heavy metals inhibited this chitinase. This purified chitinase completely inhibited spore germination of two Cladosporium isolates and partially inhibited germination of Botrytis cinerea spores. However, it had no effect on the spores of a Colletotricum isolate. These results indicate that the extracellular chitinase produced by P. elgii HOA73 might have function in limiting spore germination of certain fungal pathogens.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.13-19
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• 2012

In order to provide the basis for developing practical mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) culture method, how the endogenous level of self-renewal-stimulating factor genes was altered in the mESCs by different extracellular signaling was investigated in this study. For different extracellular signaling, mESCs were cultured in 2 dimension (D), 3D and integrin-stimulating 3D culture system in the presence or absence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and transcriptional level of $Lif$, $Bmp4$ and $Wnt3a$ was evaluated in the mESCs cultured in each system. The expression of three genes was significantly increased in 3D system relative to 2D system under LIF-containing condition, while only $Wnt3a$ expression was increased by 3D culture under LIF-free condition. Stimulation of integrin signaling in mESCs within 3D system with exogenous LIF significantly up-regulated transcriptional level of $Bmp4$, but did not induce transcriptional regulation of $Lif$ and $Wnt3a$. In the absence of LIF inside 3D system, the expression of $Lif$ and $Bmp4$ was significantly increased by integrin signaling, while it significantly decreased $Wnt3a$ expression. Finally, the signal from exogenous LIF significantly caused increased expression of $Lif$ in 2D system, decreased expression of $Bmp4$ in both 2D and 3D system, and decreased expression of $Wnt3a$ in integrin-stimulating 3D system. From these results, we identified that endogenous expression level of self-renewal-stimulating factor genes in mESCs could be effectively regulated through artificial and proper manipulation of extracellular signaling. Moreover, synthetic 3D niche stimulating endogenous secretion of self-renewal-stimulating factors will be able to help develop growth factor-free maintenance system of mESCs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2002

In several species, a short period of ischemic preconditioning protects the heart by reducing the size of infarcts resulting from subsequent prolonged bouts of ischemia. The mechanism by which activation of ATP-sensitive $K^+$($K_ATP$) channels could provide the memory associated with ischemic preconditioning is still under debate. Several signal transduction pathways have been implicated in the mechanisms of protection induced by ischemic preconditioning. The exact receptor-coupled pathways involved in preconditioning remain to be identified. Likely extracellular agonists are those whose circulating levels increase under conditions that activate $K_ATP$ channels; these conditions include ischemia and ischemic preconditioning. Potential physiological agonists include the following: (1) nitric oxide; (2) catecholamine; (3) adenosine; (4) acetylcholine; (5) bradykinin and (6) prostacycline. The purpose of this review was to understand the mechanism by which biological signal transduction mechanism acts as a link in one or more known receptor-mediated pathways to increase $K_ATP$ channel activity during ischemic preconditioning.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.24-28
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• 2007

Presuming that firing neurons have motions inside the MRI magnet due to the interaction between the neuronal magnetic field and the main magnetic field, we applied motion encoding gradients to dissected snail ganglia to observe faster responding MRI signal than the BOLD signal. To activate the snail ganglia in synchronization with the MRI pulse sequence, we used electrical stimulation with the frequency of 30 Hz and the pulse width of 2s. To observe the fast responding signal, we used the volume selected MRI sequence. The magnetic resonance signal intensity, measured with 8 ms long motion encoding gradient with a 20mT/m gradient strength, decreased about $3.46{\pm}1.48%$ when the ganglia were activated by the electrical stimulation.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 1998년도 학술발표회
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• pp.30-30
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• 1998

The effects of capsaicin on phospholipase (PLC)-induced capacitative $Ca^{2＋}$ entry (CCE) were investigated in PC12 cells. Capsaicin inhibited one of PLC-linked signal, extracellular ATP-induced norepinephrine secretion with a concentration range, 10-100 $\mu$M. Capsaicin did not inhibit the peak portion of extracellular ATP-mediated [Ca$^{2＋}$]i rise, but it recovered more rapidly to the normal level of [Ca$^{2+}$]i from the sustained [Ca$^{2+}$]i level.(omitted)ted)

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제21권5호
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• pp.477-485
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• 2000

본 논문에서는 신경신호기록을 위한 반도체 미세전극용 전치증폭기의 잡음특성을 설계하기 위한 체계적인 방법을 제시한다. 세포외기록(extracellular recording)에 의하여 측정된 신경신호와 전형적인 CMOS소자의 저주파 잡음특성을 함계 고려하여 전체 신호대잡음비를 계산하였다. 2단 CMOS 차동증폭기에 대한 해석과 함께 신호대잡음비에 중요한 영향을 끼치는 요소들에 대하여 설명하였다. 출력잡음전력에 대한 해석적인식을 유도하였으며 이로부터 회로설계자가 조절할 수 있는 주파수응답과 소자 파라미터들을 결정하였다. 입력소자의 크기와 트랜스컨덕턴스의 비가 최적영역으로부터 약간 벗어날 경우에 신호대잡음비가 크게 저하됨을 보였다. 이와 함께 만족스런 잡음특성을 위한 증폭이의 설계 변수 값들도 제시하였다.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2000년도 추계학술발표대회 및 bio-venture fair
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• pp.202-205
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• 2000

A gene coding $endo-{\beta}$,-1, 4 glucanase from Actinomyces sp. KNG40 and phytase from Hansenula polymorpha were cloned into Esherichia coli JM101 by using E. coli/Lactobacillus shuttle vector pNZ3004 and pNZ123. The plasmid p3PS(1-4) and p123(1-4) have slpA promoter and slpA signal sequence. So, I constructed expression vectors, p3PS(1-4)Endo, phy and p123(1-4)Endo, phy. These constructed vector was transformed in target host Lactobacillus gasseri and reutri. These transformed host expressed endoglucanase and phytase as extracellular fraction. In the enzyme activity of the same vector, host L, gasseri was higher activity than L. reuteri. This indicates that L. gasseri recongnize promoter and signal sequence very well.

• 한국동물학회지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.130-136
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• 1994

Although alteration in protein phosphorylation by specific protein kinases is of importance in transducing cellular signals in a variety of neural/endocrine systems, little is known about protein phosphorylation in the hvpothalamus. The present study aims to explore whether activation of the second messenger-dependent protein kinases affects phosphorylation of specific proteins using a cell free phosphorylation system followed by SDS-polvacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cytoplasmic fractions derived from hvpothalami of immature rats were used as substrates and several activators and/or inhibitors of CAMP-, phosphatidylinositol- and Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases were assessed. Many endogenous proteins were extensively phosphorylated and depending on the signal transduction pathways, phosphorvlation profiles were markedly different. The present data indicate that extracellular signals may affect cellular events through protein phosphorylation by second messengers-protein kinases in the rat hypothalamus.