• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

o-Nitrotoluene is used to synthesize artificial dyes and raw materials of urethane resin. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity tests and microarray analysis to understand the underlying mechanisms and the mode of action of toxicity of onitrotoluene. TA1535 and TA98 cells were treated with o-nitrotoluene to test its toxicity by basic genetic toxicity test. Ames and two new in vitro micronucleus and COMET assays were applied using CHO cells and L5178Y cells, respectively. In addition, microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in L5178Y cells in response to o-nitrotoluene was analyzed using Affymatrix genechip. The result of Ames test was that o-nitrotoluene treatment did not increase the mutations both in base substitution strain TA1535 and in frame shift TA98. o-Nitrotoluene has not increased micronuclei in CHO cells. But onitrotoluene increased DNA damage in L5178Y cell. Two-hundred two genes were initially selected as differentially expressed genes in response to o-nitrotoluene by microarray analysis and forty four genes among them were over 2 times of log fold changed. These forty four genes could be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of o-nitrotoluene related to induction of mutation and/or induction of micronuclei and DNA damage. Further confirmation of these candidate markers related to the DNA damage will be useful to understand the detailed mechanism of action of o-nitrotoluene.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.90-97
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• 2007

8-Hydroxyquinoline is used as antibacterial agent and antioxidant based on its function inducing the chelation of ferrous ion present in host resulting in production of chelated complex. This complex being transported to cell membrane of bacteria and fungi exerts antibacterial and antifungal action. In this study, we have carried out in vitro genetic toxicity tests and microarray analysis to understand the underlying mechanisms and the mode of action of toxicity of 8-hydroxyquinoline. TA1535 and TA98 cells were treated with 8-hydroxyquinoline to test its toxicity by basic genetic toxicity test, Ames and two new in vitro micronucleus and COMET assays were applied using CHO cells and L5178Y cells, respectively. In addition, microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in L5178Y cells in response to 8-hydroxyquinoline were analyzed using Affymatrix genechip. The result of Ames test was that 8-hydroxyquinoline treatment increased the mutations in base substitution strain TA1535 and likewise, 8-hydroxyquinoline also increased mutations in frame shift TA98. 8-Hydroxyquinoline increased micronuclei in CHO cells and DNA damage in L5178Y. 8-Hdroxyquinoline resulted in positive response in all three tests showing its ability to induce not only mutation but also DNA damage. 783 Genes were initially selected as differentially expressed genes in response to 8-hydroxyquinoline by microarray analysis and 34 genes among them were over 4 times of log fold changed. These 34 genes could be candidate biomarkers of genetic toxic action of 8-hydroxyquinoline related to induction of mutation and/or induction of micronuclei and DNA damage. Further confirmation of these candidate markers related to their biological function will be useful to understand the detailed mode of action of 8-hydroxyquinoline.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2008

Expression of the seven open reading frames (ORFs) of single-stranded DNA Curtoviruses such as Beet curly top virus (BCTV) and Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) is driven by a bi-directional promoter. To investigate this bidirectional promoter activity with respect to viral late gene expression, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a GUS reporter gene under the control of either the BCTV or BSCTV bi-directional promoter were constructed. Transgenic plants harboring constructs showed higher expression levels when the promoter of the less virulent BCTV was used than when the promoter of the more virulent BSCTV was used. In transgenic seedlings, the reporter gene constructs were expressed primarily in actively dividing tissues such as root tips and apical meristems. As the transgenic plants matured, reporter gene expression diminished but viral infection of mature transgenic plants restored reporter gene expression, particularly in transgenic plants containing BCTV virion-sense gene promoter constructs. A 30 base pair conserved late element (CLE) motif was identified that was present three times in tandem in the BCTV promoter and once in that of BSCTV. Progressive deletion of these repeats from the BCTV promoter resulted in decreased reporter gene expression, but BSCTV promoters in which one or two extra copies of this motif were inserted did not exhibit increased late gene promoter activity. These results demonstrate that Curtovirus late gene expression by virion-sense promoters depends on the developmental stage of the host plant as well as on the number of CLE motifs present in the promoter.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.281-289
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• 2001

We analyzed 88 strains of Gibberella fujikuroi (Analmorph: Fusarium section Liseola) from maize in Korea for mating population, mating type, fumonisin production vegetative compatibility, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns. We found 50 strains that were MATA-2, 22 that were MATA-1, 1 that was MATD-1, and 15 that were not reproducibly fertile with any of the mating type testers. Of the 50 MATA-2, 15 were female fertile, while 10 of the 22 MATA-1 strains were female fertile. A total of 1,138 nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants were recovered from a total of 88 strains. These strains were grouped into 39 vegetative compatability groups (VCGs) by demonstrating heterokaryosis between nit mutants. A single maize ear could be infected by more than one VCG of F. moniliforme. RAPD analysis measured genetic diversity among 63 strains of F. moniliforme. Several VCGs were distinguished by RAPD fingerprinting patterns. Most strains produced significant levels of fumonisins. However, 6 MATA-2 strains from a single VCG produced higher levels of fumonisin $\textrm{B}_3$ than that of fumonisin $\textrm{B}_1$ or $\textrm{B}_2$. From these data, we concluded that most Korean strains of F. moniliforme associated with maize belonged to mating population A and produced significant levels of fumonisins. Futhermore, RAPD analysis could differentiate strains associated with different VCGs.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.373-382
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• 2007

This study was conducted to obtain acute information of the oral dose toxicity of PGB-1, a novel polyglucosamine polymer produced from a new strain Enterobacter sp. BL-2 in male and female mice. In order to calculated 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) and approximate lethal dose (LD), test material was once orally administered to male and female ICR mice at dose levels of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125 and 0 (vehicle control) ml/kg (body wt.). The mortality and changes on body weight, clinical signs, gross observation and organ weight and histopathology of principle organs were monitored 14 days after dosing with PGB-1. We could not find any mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings. In addition, significant changes in the organ weight and histopathology of principal organs were not observed except for some sporadic findings. The results obtained in this study suggest that PGB-1 may not be toxic in mice and may be therefore safe for clinical use. The $LD_{50}$ and approximate LD in mice after single oral dose of PGB-1 were considered over 2000 mg/kg in both female and male mice.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.582-585
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• 2004

To evaluate the potential association between the GSTP1 genotype and the development of breast cancer, a hospital based case-control study was conducted on Korean women. The study population consisted of 171 histologically confirmed incident breast cancer cases and 171 age-matched controls with no present or previous history of cancer. PCR-RFLP was used for the GSTP1 genotyping and statistical evaluations were performed using an unconditional logistic regression model. Postmenopausal women with the GSTP1 Val allele were found to have a reduced risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.10 - 0.74). A significant interaction was observed between the GSTP1 genotype and alcohol consumption (p for interaction = 0.01); compared with never-drinking women with Ile/Ile genotype, ever-drinking women with the GSTP1 Val allele had almost a three-fold risk of breast cancer (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.05-7.85), whereas never-drinking women with Val allele had half this risk (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.27-0.93). Our findings suggest that the GSTP1 polymorphism influences individual susceptibility to breast cancer in the Korean women and this effect may be modified by alcohol consumption.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.205-210
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of 37 bp insertion/deletion (I/O) poly-morphism of the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-associated protein 1 (LRPAP1) gene on anthropometrical or biochemical parameters in korean general population. To determine the frequency of the genotype, we analyzed 244 samples of Korean origin. The frequency of the I allele was 0.55 in men and 0.56 in women, which were significantly higher than the frequency (0.26) that was reported in Czech population of Caucasian origin. In addition, the I allele of this polymorphism was significantly associated with higher value of body mass index (BMI) in our subjects by ANOVA test (P<0.05), and this association was maintained after controlling for age and gender by ANCOVA test (P<0.05). Thus, our results suggest that the I/O polymorphism of the LRPAP1 gene may be useful as a genetic marker for obesity in Korean general population.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2521-2523
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• 2013

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer or papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid cancer. The fact that it occasionally occurs in women aged 30-40 years old suggests that genetic alterations are involved its genesis. Recently, activator mutations in BRAF gene have been relatively frequently discovered. Materials and Methods: In this study, we tested 63 DNA samples from PTC patients to identify the V600E mutation frequency in the Ahvaz population. DNA was isolated from formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) PTC tumor tissues. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and confirmed by direct DNA sequencing of a subset of PCR products. PCR-RFLP data were reported as genotype frequencies and percentages. Results: Forty nine out of 63 patients (77.8%) had a mutated heterozygote form while 14 (22.2%) showed normal genotype but none demonstrated a mutant homozygote genotype. The frequency of V600E mutation was significantly high in PTC patients. Conclusions: These findings support involvement of V600E mutations in PTC occurrence in Iran. Assessment of correlations between BRAF V600E mutations and papillary thyroid cancer progression needs to be performed.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2007

Environmental and anthropogenic changes affect the health and stability of marine ecosystem. In this study we aimed to identify molecular biomarkers for ecotoxicological pollutants risk assessment in the rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli). We designed primers based on conserved sequences by multiple alignments of target genes from related species, and cloned the partial cDNAs of cytochrome P450 (CYP1A1), glutathione S-transferase (GST), metallothionein (MT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ubiquitin (UB), vitellogenin (VTG) and $\beta$-actin by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from S. schlegeli. Northern blot results indicated that these six genes expressions were significantly induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, 1 ${\mu}M$) and that the level of each of their transcripts increased in BaP-exposed rockfish in a time-dependent manner. This study suggests that transcriptional changes in these six genes may be used for monitoring environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2008

This study was conducted to obtain information of the oral dose toxicity of low molecular fucoidan (LMF) in male and female mice. In order to calculate 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) and approximate lethal dose (LD), test material was once orally administered to male and female ICR mice at dose levels of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125 and 0 (vehicle control) mg/kg (body wt.). The mortality and the changes on body weight, clinical signs, gross observation and organ weight and histopathology of principle organs were monitored 14 days after LMF treatment. We could not find any mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings. In addition, significant changes in the organ weight and histopathology of principal organs were not observed except for some sporadic findings. The results obtained in this study suggest that LMF may not be toxic in mice and may be therefore safe for clinical use. The $LD_{50}$ and approximate LD in mice after single oral dose of LMF were considered over 2000 mg/kg in both female and male mice.