• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.177-186
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• 2018

Background and Objectives: Glial scarring and inflammation after spinal cord injury (SCI) interfere with neural regeneration and functional recovery due to the inhibitory microenvironment of the injured spinal cord. Stem cell transplantation can improve functional recovery in experimental models of SCI, but many obstacles to clinical application remain due to concerns regarding the effectiveness and safety of stem cell transplantation for SCI patients. In this study, we investigated the effects of transplantation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) that were genetically modified to express Olig2 in a rat model of SCI. Methods: Bone marrow-derived hMSCs were genetically modified to express Olig2 and transplanted one week after the induction of contusive SCI in a rat model. Spinal cords were harvested 7 weeks after transplantation. Results: Transplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs significantly improved functional recovery in a rat model of contusive SCI model compared to the control hMSC-transplanted group. Transplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs also attenuated glial scar formation in spinal cord lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transplanted Olig2-expressing hMSCs were partially differentiated into Olig1-positive oligodendrocyte-like cells in spinal cords. Furthermore, NF-M-positive axons were more abundant in the Olig2-expressing hMSC-transplanted group than in the control hMSC-transplanted group. Conclusions: We suggest that Olig2-expressing hMSCs are a safe and optimal cell source for treating SCI.

• 한국토양비료학회지
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.442-450
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Psy-2A-CrtI (PAC), a genetically modified (GM) rice with enhanced ${\beta}$-carotene, on the soil microbial community. The soil used to cultivate GM rice and its wild-type, Nakdong, was analyzed for population density, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and pyrosequencing. It was found that the bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes population densities of the PAC soils were within the range of those of the non-GM rice cultivar, Nakdong. The DGGE banding patterns of the GM and non-GM soils were also similar, suggesting that the bacterial community structures were stable within a given month and were unaffected by the presence of a GM plant. The pyrosequencing result showed a temporal difference in microorganism taxon and distribution ratio, but no significant difference between GM and non-GM was found. The persistence of the transgene DNA in the plant and surrounding soil were investigated for different time periods. There were differences in the persistence within the plant depending on the gene, but they could not be detected after 5 weeks. Also the transgenes were not detected in the surrounding soil. These results indicate that soil microbial communities are unaffected by the cultivation of a PAC rice within the experimental time frame.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.201-206
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• 2021

우리나라는 유전자변형생물체(GMO)의 개발 및 수입 등에 관한 안전성 확보를 위하여 LMO법을 제정하였다. 이에 따라 국내에서 GMO가 식품 및 사료용으로 수입, 생산될 경우는 OECD가 제시한 '실질적 동등성' 개념에 따라 안전성 심사를 한다. 안전성 심사에는 GMO에 대한 알레르기 평가심사가 포함된다. 알레르기성 평가 방법은 OECD, FAO, WHO 등 다양한 국제기구를 통해 논의되어왔다. 주요 알레르기성 평가 방법으로는 GMO에서 새로 발현된 단백질의 물리 화학적 감수성 확인, 기존 알레르기 단백질과의 아미노산 서열 유사성 분석, 혈청 스크리닝 등이 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 유전자변형생물체의 알레르기성 평가를 위한 가이드라인과 관련 연구들을 소개하였다.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.591-600
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• 2018

The use of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased continuously over the world, and concerns about the potential risks of GM crops have also risen. Although, until now, GM crops have not been cultivated commercially in Korea, it is necessary to develop technology for the safe evaluation of GM crops. In this study, we investigated the influence of gene flow from GM to non-GM soybeans by the size of the pollen donor. In the experimental design, GM soybeans were placed in the center as a pollen donor and non-GM soybeans were placed in four directions as the pollen receivers. Three sizes of pollen donor were designed as $90cm{\times}90cm$, $180cm{\times}180cm$, and $360cm{\times}360cm$. A total 22,719 seeds were collected from non-GM soybeans, and 14 hybrids were finally obtained through herbicide resistance screening and PCR analysis. The highest hybridization rate was 0.78% at a distance of 15 cm from a $360cm{\times}360cm$ GM pollen donor, and the farthest distance of hybridization was 180 cm from a GM pollen donor which was $360cm{\times}360cm$ in size. Ten hybrids were found among the 14 hybrids at the $360cm{\times}360cm$ pollen donor size, 3 hybrids at $180cm{\times}180cm$, 1 hybrid at $90cm{\times}90cm$. From these results, it could be concluded that with the larger pollen donor size, more hybridization occurred in soybeans.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.815-827
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• 2020

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) transgenic soybean was developed and biosynthesis of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) in soybean seeds was confirmed. Also, EGF transgenic soybean were found to contain a herbicide resistance selectable marker by introduction of phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) gene from the Streptomyces hygroscopicus. For biosafety assessment, the EGF transgenic soybean expressing the EGF biosynthesis gene EGF and herbicide resistant gene PAT was tested to determine effects on survival of Cyprinus carpio, commonly used as a model organism in ecotoxicological studies. C. carpio was fed 100% ground soybean suspension, EGF soybean or non-genetically modified (GM) counterpart soybean (Gwangan). Gene expression of EGF soybean was confirmed by PCR and ELISA to have EGF/PAT. Feeding test showed that no significant differences in cumulative immobility or abnormal response between C. carpio samples fed on EGF soybean and non-GM counterpart soybean. The 48 h-EC50 values of the EGF and non-GM soybean were 1,688 mg·L-1 (95% confidence limits: 1,585 - 1,798 mg·L-1) and 1,575 mg·L-1 (95% confidence limits: 1,433 - 1,731 mg·L-1), respectively. The soybean NOEC (no observed effect concentration) value for C. carpio was suggested to be 625 mg·L-1. We concluded that there was no significant difference in toxicity for non-target organisms (C. carpio) between the EGF soybean and non-GM counterparts.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.43-58
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• 2022

Background: Current therapies are quite unsuccessful in the management of neuropathic pain. Therefore, considering the inhibitory characteristics of GABA mediators, the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy of GABAergic neural precursor cells on neuropathic pain management. Methods: Search was conducted on Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. A search strategy was designed based on the keywords related to GABAergic cells combined with neuropathic pain. The outcomes were allodynia and hyperalgesia. The results were reported as a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: Data of 13 studies were analyzed in the present meta-analysis. The results showed that administration of GABAergic cells improved allodynia (SMD = 1.79; 95% CI: 0.87, 271; P < 0.001) and hyperalgesia (SMD = 1.29; 95% CI: 0.26, 2.32; P = 0.019). Moreover, the analyses demonstrated that the efficacy of GABAergic cells in the management of allodynia and hyperalgesia is only observed in rats. Also, only genetically modified cells are effective in improving both of allodynia, and hyperalgesia. Conclusions: A moderate level of pre-clinical evidence showed that transplantation of genetically-modified GABAergic cells is effective in the management of neuropathic pain. However, it seems that the transplantation efficacy of these cells is only statistically significant in improving pain symptoms in rats. Hence, caution should be exercised regarding the generalizability and the translation of the findings from rats and mice studies to large animal studies and clinical trials.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.316-323
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• 2020

본 연구는 제초제저항성 GM 들잔디에서 발현된 PAT 단백질의 잠재적인 알레르기성 및 독성을 평가하기 위해 수행되었다. PAT 단백질의 in silico 분석에서 PAT 단백질은 알려진 알레르겐 또는 독성 단백질과 유사성을 보이지 않았다. PAT 단백질은 80개의 아미노산으로 이루어진 절편에 걸쳐 기지의 알레르겐과 35% 미만의 아미노산 서열 상동성을 보였고, 기지의 알레르겐과 연속한 8개의 아미노산에서 일치하는 서열도 확인되지 않았다. 또한 제초제저항성 GM 들잔디에서 발현된 PAT 단백질은 펩신 존재 하의 인공위액에서 매우 빠르게 분해되었고, GM 들잔디에서 발현된 PAT 단백질은 번역 후 수식(glycosylation)도 일어나지 않았음이 확인되었다. 경구투여 독성 시험에서는 체중 1 kg 당 4,000 mg 을 투여한 실험구에서도 PAT 단백질 투여 후 마우스에서 사망이나 독성 영향은 관찰되지 않았다. 이들 결과는 제초제저항성 GM 들잔디에서 발현된 PAT 단백질이 잠재적 알레르겐이나 독소로 작용할 가능성이 없음을 시사한다.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.19-25
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• 2007

To develop an efficient screening method for detection of the transgene in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa spp. pekinensis) utilizing Basta spray, optimal conditions for Basta application were examined in this study. Two transgenic Chinese cabbage lines were obtained through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and used as transgenic positive controls in the Basta screening experiment. Differential concentrations of glufosinate-ammonium were sprayed into three different growth stages of 12 commercial Chinese cabbage cultivars. The results showed that no plants could survive higher than 0.05% glufosinate-ammonium, and plants at the 2-3 leaf stage were most vulnerable to glufosinate-ammonium. On the other hand, no damage was observed in the transgenic control plants. Reliability of the Basta spray method was proven by showing perfect co-segregation of the tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium and the presence of the bar gene in T₁ segregating populations of the transgenic lines, as revealed by both PCR and Southern blot analyses. Using the developed Basta screening method, we tried to investigate the transgene flow through pollen dispersal, but failed to detect any transgene-containing non-transgenic Chinese cabbages whose parents had been planted adjacent to transgenic Chinese cabbages in field conditions. However, the transgene was successfully detected using Basta spray from the non-transgenic plants bearing the transgene introduced by hand-pollination. Since the Basta spray method developed in this study is easy to apply and economical, it will be a valuable tool for understanding the mechanism of gene flow through pollen transfer and for establishing a biosafety test protocol for genetically modified (GM) Chinese cabbage cultivars.

• 농업과학연구
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.749-758
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• 2023

An understanding of safety problems pursuant to environmental release of GM (Genetically Modified) crops is considered important. Among the recognized safety problems, the possibilities of weediness and ecosystem invasion are constantly being validated. We herein compared the growth characteristics and germination rate of soybeans formed by hybridization with vitamin A-enhanced soybeans carrying an introduced gene that increases β-carotene content. We also examined overwintering, survival, and weed competitiveness to evaluate hybrid ecological impact on long-term unmanaged cultivatable land. These studies revealed that the hybrid soybeans exhibited intermediate growth characteristics and germination rate compared with the vitamin A-enhanced soybeans and wild soybeans, or exhibited traits similar to those of the maternal strain. Overwintering experiments were conducted by planting seeds at depths of 0, 5, 10, and 20 cm and recovering them after three or five months. After five months, all seeds at depths more than 5 cm lost viability. Among seeds recovered after three months, only wild soybeans retained viability at depths of more than 5 cm. Survival and weed competitiveness were assessed by sowing each type of seed and performing no irrigation, or pest or weed control. Quantitative assessment of numbers of individual soybean plants that appeared in the experimental plot revealed that all plants germinated after sowing, but only wild type plants survived overwintering. These studies suggest that both GM soybeans and hybrid soybeans cannot survive in uncultivated land even if they are released into the environment, which indicates less possibility of ecosystem invasion and weediness.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.101-106
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• 2005

The generation of secretory IgA antibodies (Abs) for specific immune protection of mucosal surfaces depends on stimulation of the mucosal immune system, but this is not effectively achieved by parenteral or even oral administration of most soluble antigens. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) adhesin was genetically coupled to the heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin A2B (ltxa2b) gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimH/ltxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. The chimeric protein was then purified by applying the affinity chromatography. The purified chimeric protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and westem blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the heat labile E. coli subunit B (LTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzedd. The orderly-assembled chimeric protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{M1}$-ganglioside ELISA using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicate that the purified chimeric protein was an Adhesin/LTXA2B protein containing UPEC adhesin and the $G_{M1}$-ganglioside binding activity of LTXB. thisstudy also demonstrate that peroral administration of this chimeric immunogen in mice elicited high level of secretory IgA (sIgA) and serum IgG Abs to the UPEC adhesin. The results suggest that the genetically linked LTXA2B acts as a useful mucosal adjuvant, and that adhesin/LTXA2A chimeric protein might be a potential antigen for oral immunization against UPEC.