• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.152-158
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• 2017

Objective: To identify the associations between polymorphisms of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, which codes for an important regulatory enzyme primarily involved in folate metabolism, and idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in Korean women. Methods: The study population comprised 369 RPL patients and 228 controls. MTHFR 2572C > A, 4869C > G, 5488C > T, and 6685T > C 3'-UTR polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis or by TaqMan allelic discrimination assays. Natural killer cell proportions were determined by flow cytometry. Results: The MTHFR 2572-5488-6685 (A-C-T) haplotype had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.420 (95% confidence interval, 0.178-0.994; p= 0.048) for RPL. Analysis of variance revealed that MTHFR 4869C > G was associated with altered $CD56^+$ natural killer cell percentages (CC, $17.91%{\pm}8.04%$; CG, $12.67%{\pm}4.64%$; p= 0.024) and folate levels (CC, $12.01{\pm}7.18mg/mL$; CG, $22.15{\pm}26.25mg/mL$; p= 0.006). Conclusion: Variants in the 3'-UTR of MTHFR are potential biomarkers for RPL. However, these results should be validated in additional studies of ethnically diverse groups of patients.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.209-220
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• 2019

Objectives: As a general emotion, everyone can temporarily experience depression, but depressive disorder is a disease that excessively affects daily life. Among the various causes of depression, the deficiency of monoamine-based neurotransmitters such as serotonin and epinephrine are considered significant. Thus, antidepressants that target monoamines are used frequently. However, side effects such as nausea, vomiting, insomnia, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction are observed. Thus, it is necessary to develop a new therapeutic agent with fewer side effects. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant effect of JG02, used to treat depression by normalizing the flow of qi (氣) in Korean medicine. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were selected and randomly divided into six groups: normal, control, amitriptyline, and JG02 (50, 125, 250 mg/kg), respectively. Except for normal, depression was induced by applying restraint stress at the same time for six hours daily for 14 consecutive days. Saline, amitriptyline or JG02 samples were orally administered two hours before applying the stress. After that, a forced swimming test and an open field test were performed. Additionally, serum corticosterone, serotonin mRNA, BDNF mRNA, and protein in the hippocampal region were measured and compared. Results: JG02 decreased immobility time rate in the FST and increased the zone transition number and travel distance in the OFT. Also, JG02 inhibited the release of serum corticosterone, and increased serotonin, BDNF gene expression, and BDNF protein in the hippocampus. Conclusions: In this study, JG02 showed significant antidepressant effects on the chronic restraint stress mice model. When further research is performed based on JG02, the development of a new antidepressant is considered highly possible.

• 실내환경 및 냄새 학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.355-361
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• 2018

Mold grows more easily when humidity is higher in indoor spaces, and as such is found more often on wetted areas in housing such as walls, toilets, kitchens, and poorly managed spaces. However, there have been few studies that have specifically assessed the level of mold in the indoor spaces of water-damaged housing in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the levels of airborne mold according to the characteristics of water damage types and explored the correlation between the distribution of mold genera and the characteristics of households. Samplings were performed from January 2016 to June 2018 in 97 housing units with water leakage or condensation, or a history of flooding, and in 61 general housing units in the metropolitan and Busan area, respectively. Airborne mold was collected on MEA (Malt extract agar) at flow rate of 100 L/min for 1 min. After collection, the samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 hours. The cultured samples were counted and corrected using a positive hole conversion table. The samples were then analyzed by single colony culture, DNA extraction, gene amplification, and sequencing. By type of housing, concentrations of airborne mold were highest in flooded housing, followed by water-leaked or highly condensed housings, and then general housing. In more than 50% of water-damaged housing, the level of airborne mold exceeded the guideline of Korea's Ministry of Environment ($500CFU/m^3$). Of particular concern was the fact that the I/O ratio of water-damaged housing was greater than 1, which could indicate that mold damage may occur indoors. The distribution patterns of the fungal species were as follows: Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. (14%), Aspergillus spp. (13%) and Alternaria spp. (3%), but significant differences of their levels in indoor spaces were not found. Our findings indicate that high levels of mold damage were found in housing with water damage, and Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium brevicompactum were more dominant in housing with high water activity. Comprehensive management of flooded or water-damaged housing is necessary to reduce fungal exposure.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권7호
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• pp.1123-1133
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• 2021

Objective: Shandong indigenous pig breeds are important Chinese pig resources. Their progressive population decline in recent decades has attracted attention towards their conservation. Conservation genetics of these indigenous breeds are essential for developing a conservation and utilization scheme. Methods: A high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (HD-SNP) chip-based comparative analysis of genetic characteristics was performed for seven Shandong indigenous pig breeds in the context of five Western commercial breeds. Results: The results showed that Shandong indigenous pig breeds varied greatly in genetic diversity, effective population size, inbreeding level, and genetic distance with the Western commercial breeds. Specifically, Laiwu and Dapulian displayed low genetic diversity, and had a genetically distant relationship with the Western commercial breeds (average F statistics [F_ST] value of 0.3226 and 0.2666, respectively). Contrastingly, the other five breeds (Yantai, Licha, Yimeng, Wulain, and Heigai) displayed high genetic diversity within breed and had some extent of mixture pattern with the Western commercial breeds, especially Duroc and Landrace (F_ST values from 0.1043 to 0.2536). Furthermore, intensive gene flow was discovered among the seven Shandong indigenous breeds, particularly Wulian, Licha, and Heigai, as indicated by the large cluster formed in the principal component analysis scatterplot and small population differentiation (average of 0.1253) among them. Conclusion: Our study advances the understanding of genetic characteristics of Shandong indigenous breeds and provides essential information for developing an appropriate conservation and utilization scheme for these breeds.

• 공업화학
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.83-89
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• 2022

현재 진행 중인 코로나19의 세계적 유행을 기점으로 유전자 전달을 통한 면역 형성에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 특히 바이러스를 통한 유전자 전달이 부작용이 다수 발견됨에 따라 비바이러스성 유전자 전달체에 대한 요구가 크게 증가하였다. 본 연구에서는 생체적합물질인 히알루론 아민으로 코팅한 폴리에틸렌이민-플라스미드 DNA 복합체를 통한 효율적인 유전자 전달 시스템을 제안했다. 다양한 조성에서 생성된 폴리에틸렌이민-플라스미드 DNA 복합체(polyplex)와 히알루론 아민으로 코팅한 폴리에틸렌이민-플라스미드 DNA 복합체(polyplex-HA)의 크기 및 플라스미드 DNA 발현 정도를 비교해 각 물질의 최적 비율을 찾아냈고 복합체의 크기 및 제타 전위, 에너지 필터링 투과 전자현미경(EF-TEM) 이미지를 통해 입자의 특성을 평가했다. 세포 내 전달 및 발현 효율을 형광현미경과 유세포분석기를 통해 상용화 되어있는 유전자 전달체인 lipofectamine과 비교 분석했다. 본 연구에서 제안된 polyplex-HA는 pDNA 뿐만 아니라 다양한 유전물질을 전달할 수 있으며, 전달체에 대한 면역반응이 적어 다회성 투여에 유리하여 미래의 백신 플랫폼의 기반이 될 수 있을 것으로 기대할 수 있다.

• 한국어류학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.199-209
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• 2020

본 연구는 예전부터 혼란스러웠던 한국산 대주둥치속, Macroramphosus 어류의 분류학적 위치를 명확히 하기 위해, 한국산 18개체를 일본/대만산 35개체 및 지중해산 M. scolopax와 형태 및 분자 변이를 비교 분석하였다. 한국, 일본 및 대만산 대주둥치속 어류는 제1등지느러미 극조 길이(A-type은 22.8~32.1%, B-type은 15.6~21.4%), 제1등지느러미와 제2등지느러미 사이 길이(A-type은 6.4~9.7%, B-type은 8.6~13.3%), 체고(A-type은 20.0~28.0%, B-type은 17.3~22.6%)에서 두 type으로 명확히 구분되었으나, 유전적으로는 구분되지 않았다(CR에서 0.0~3.3%, cyt b에서 0.0~1.3%, COI에서 0.0~0.5%). 한편, 한국산 대주둥치는 지중해산 M. scolopax와 유전적으로 명확히 구분되어(CR에서 9.9~11.5%, cyt b에서 3.8~4.6%, COI에서 1.2~3.6%), 최근 사용하고 있는 학명 M. scolopax를 M. japonicus (및/또는 M. sagifue)로 변경해야 할 것이다. 그러나, 본 연구에서 두 type 간 형태변이와 분자변이 간 일치성을 찾지 못했으며, 이는 아마도 그들간에 분화가 상당히 최근에 일어났음을 시사한다. 두 type 간 유전자 교류 정도를 파악하려면 향후 microsatellite와 같은 보다 민감한 마커를 이용한 후속 연구가 필요할 것이다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.97-105
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• 2023

Background: Hyperactivated airway mucosa cells overproduce mucin and cause severe breathing complications. Here, we aimed to identify the effects of saponins derived from Panax ginseng on inflammation and mucin overproduction. Methods: NCI-H292 cells were pre-incubated with 16 saponins derived from P. ginseng, and mucin overproduction was induced by treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Mucin protein MUC5AC was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA levels were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Moreover, we performed a transcriptome analysis of PMA-treated NCI-H292 cells in the absence or presence of Rg5, and differential gene expression was confirmed using qPCR. Phosphorylation levels of signaling molecules, and the abundance of lipid droplets, were measured by western blotting, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. Results: Ginsenoside Rg5 effectively reduced MUC5AC secretion and decreased MUC5AC mRNA levels. A systematic functional network analysis revealed that Rg5 upregulated cholesterol and glycerolipid metabolism, resulting in the production of lipid droplets to clear reactive oxygen species (ROS), and modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor (NF)-kB signaling pathways to regulate inflammatory responses. Rg5 induced the accumulation of lipid droplets and decreased cellular ROS levels, and N-acetyl-ⳑ-cysteine, a ROS inhibitor, reduced MUC5AC secretion via Rg5. Furthermore, Rg5 hampered the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 proteins, affecting the NF-kB signaling pathway and pro-inflammatory responses. Conclusion: Rg5 alleviated inflammatory responses by reducing mucin secretion and promoting lipid droplet-mediated ROS clearance. Therefore, Rg5 may have potential as a therapeutic agent to alleviate respiratory disorders caused by hyperactivation of mucosa cells.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.95-110
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• 2006

The treatment for oral and maxillofacial carcinoma with chemotherapeutic agents is evaluated by many effective methods to reduce the tumor mass and cancer cell proliferation. However these chemotherapy have many serious side effects, such as bone marrow suppression, renal toxicity, G-I troubles. Therefore a possible approach to develop a clinically applicable chemotherapeutic agent is to screen anticancer activity of Taxol which is known to have very little side effect and have been used to breast cancer and ovarian carcinoma. Taxol is a new anti-microtubular anti-cancer agent extracted from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. Paclitaxel(Taxol) acts by promoting tubulin polymerization and over stabilizing microtubules agianst depolymerization. Despite the constant improvements of methods of the cancer treatment especially chemotherapy, the rate of cancer metastasis and recurrent are not decreased. Thus the investigation of new drug which have very little side effect and a possible clinically application continues to be a high priority. Considering that the Taxol have shown very effective chemotherapeutic agent with relatively low toxicity in many solid tumors, it deserves to evaluate its efficacy in oral squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, to investigate the in-vivo and in-vitro anti-cancer efficacy of Taxol in oral squamous cell carcinoma and lastly, the potency of Paclitaxel in the clinical application for oral cancer was evaluated. In vivo study, after HN22 cell line were xenografted in nude mice, the growth of tumor mass was observed, 3 mg/Kg taxol was injected intraperitoneally into nude mice containing tumor mass. The methods of these study were measurement of total volume of tumor mass, histopathologic study, immunohistochemical study, drug resistance assay, growth curve, MTT assay, flow cytometry, cDNA microarray in vivo and in vitro. The results were obtained as following. 1. The visual inspection of the experimental group showed that the volume of the tumor mass was slightly decreased but no significant difference with control group. 2. Ki-67 index was decreased at weeks 4 in experimental group. 3. Microscopic view of the xenografted tumor mass showed well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and after Taxol injection, some necrotic tissue was seen weeks 4. 4. The growth curve of the tumor cells were decreased after 1day Taxol treatment. 5. According to the MTT assay, HN22 cell line showed relative drug resistancy above $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentrations of Taxol. 6. In drug resistance assay, the decrease of cell counts was seen relatively according to concentration. 7. In Flow cytometry, G2M phase cell arrests were seen in low concentration of the Taxol, while S phase cell arrests were seen in high concentration of the Taxol. 8. Using cDNA microarray technique, variable gene expression of ANGPTL4, TXNRD1, FAS, RRAGA, CTGF, CYCLINEA, P19, DUSP5, CEBPG, BTG1 were detacted in the oral squamous cell carcinoma cell after taxol treatment. In this study paclitaxel is effective against oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro, but week effect was observed in vivo. So we need continuous study about anticancer effect of taxol in vivo in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.487-494
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• 2009

목적: 작은 크기의 재조합 단일사슬 항체는 빠른 혈중 제거율과 종양의 항체 집적율이 증가되는 등의 장점을 가지고 있다. 반면에 항체의 작은 크기는 방사성 또는 형광물질의 표지를 위한 킬레이터 결합에 중요한 아미노산 그룹의 감소를 의미하기도 한다. 본 연구에서는 단일사슬 lym-1 염기서열 C-말단에 lysine 아미노산 태그를 삽입하여 형광 물질의 직접표지 및 그 표지수율 증가를 확인하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 대장균 pET-22b (+) 벡터에 재조합 된 lysine 삽입 단일사슬 lym-1유전자는 대장균 BL21 (DE3)에 형질전환하여 발현하였다. 생산된 lysine lym-1 항체는 Ni-NTA 컬럽과 분자량 컬럼을 사용해 정제하였고. 단백질 전기 영동과 western blot을 통해 확인하였다. lysine lym-1 항체에 방사성 동위원소인 I-124, I-125, I-131 과 Tc-99m를 표지하여 그 수율을 확인하였으며 유세포계측기를 사용해 형광물질인 FITC가 직접표지된 라이신 lym-1 항체의 면역반응성을 사람의 버킷 림프종 세포주인 Raji 세포주에서 면역반응성을 확인하였다. 결과 Lysine도입 단일사슬 lym-1 항체는 두 과정의 정제를 통하여 획득하였으며 그 크기는 약 48 KDa이었고, 방사성동위원소인 I-124, I-125, I-131과 Tc-99m의 표지수율은 각각 >99%, >99%, >95%, >99%로 확인되었다. 유세포계측을 통한 lysine 도입 단일사슬 lym-1항체의 면역반응성은 기존의 단일사슬 lym-1항체와 유사함을 확인하였다. 결론: 재조합 lym-1 항체에 형광 물질을 직접 표지하기 위한 lysine 아미노산의 도입은 항체의 면역반응성 감소를 최소화 시키면서 직접표지 수율을 증가시킬 수 있는 유용한 방법임을 확인하였다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권18호
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• pp.7849-7855
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• 2014

Purpose: To investigate the effect of deacetylase inhibitory trichostatin A (TSA) on anti HepG2 liver carcinoma cells and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: HepG2 cells exposed to different concentrations of TSA for 24, 48, or 72h were examined for cell growth inhibition using CCK8, changes in cell cycle distribution with flow cytometry, cell apoptosis with annexin V-FTIC/PI double staining, and cell morphology changes under an inverted microscope. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin, HDAC1, HDAC3, H3K9, CyclinD1 and Bax proteins was tested by Western blotting. Gene expression for ${\beta}$-catenin, HDAC1and HDAC3 was tested by q-PCR. ${\beta}$-catenin and H3K9 proteins were also tested by immunofluorescence. Activity of Renilla luciferase (pTCF/LEF-luc) was assessed using the Luciferase Reporter Assay system reagent. The activity of total HDACs was detected with a HDACs colorimetric kit. Results: Exposure to TSA caused significant dose-and time-dependent inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation (p<0.05) and resulted in increased cell percentages in G0/G1 and G2/M phases and decrease in the S phase. The apoptotic index in the control group was $6.22{\pm}0.25%$, which increased to $7.17{\pm}0.20%$ and $18.1{\pm}0.42%$ in the treatment group. Exposure to 250 and 500nmol/L TSA also caused cell morphology changes with numerous floating cells. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin, H3K9and Bax proteins was significantly increased, expression levels of CyclinD1, HDAC1, HDAC3 were decreased. Expression of ${\beta}$-catenin at the genetic level was significantly increased, with no significant difference in HDAC1and HDAC3 genes. In the cytoplasm, expression of ${\beta}$-catenin fluorescence protein was not obvious changed and in the nucleus, small amounts of green fluorescence were observed. H3K9 fluorescence protein were increased. Expression levels of the transcription factor TCF werealso increased in HepG2 cells following induction by TSA, whikle the activity of total HDACs was decreased. Conclusions: TSA inhibits HDAC activity, promotes histone acetylation, and activates Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling to inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cell, arrest cell cycling and induce apoptosis.