• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.225-230
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• 2008

Netrins are secreted molecules and involved in axon guidance, cell migration and tumor development. Recent studies revealed that netrins perform novel functions in such processes as epithelial development and angiogenesis without operating through the classical netrin receptors, DCC (Deleted in Colorectal Cancer) and Unc5h. In the present study, we investigated the roles of netrin-1 and its receptors in cell spreading of human glioblastoma cells, and found that netrin-1 haptotactically enhanced fibronectin-induced cell spreading and focal adhesion formation in U373 glioblastoma cells. Netrin-1 binding to the U373 cell membrane was blocked by an antibody against ${\alpha}v$ integrin subunit, but not by an anti-DCC or anti-Unc5h antibody. In addition, enhancement of the fibronectin response by netrin-1 was abrogated by a function blocking antibody against integrin ${\alpha}v{\beta}3$. Since the ${\alpha}v$ subunit of the integrin family plays an important role in the pathophysiological aspects of cell migration, including tumor angiogenesis and metastasis, our data provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of netrin function.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.244-249
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• 2008

Vascular inflammation is an important step in the development of cardiovascular disorder. Since it has not been known whether Korean red ginseng has a role to play on the vascular inflammation, we investigated the effects of Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) on monocyte adhesion and its underlying signaling mechanism. Monocyte adhesion assay and Western blot were conducted on the human umbilical vein endothelial cells to study monocyte adhesion and the expression of adhesion molecules. Intracellular calcium was measured with Fura-2 fluorescent staining, and superoxide production was measured with lucigenin chemiluminescence in the endothelial cells. KRGE inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced monocyte adhesion on the endothelial cells at the range of $0.03{\sim}1$ mg/ml. TNF-alpha-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression were inhibited by the pretreatment of KRGE in the endothelial cells. KRGE also inhibits TNF-alpha-induced intracellular calcium and the superoxide production in the endothelial cells. This study first demonstrated that KRGE inhibits TNF-alpha-induced monocyte adhesion by inhibiting the adhesion molecule expression, intracellular calcium and superoxide production in the endothelial cells. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory function of KRGE may be contributed to protecting the endothelial dysfunction in the vascular inflammatory disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2009

To elucidate the mechanism of cyclic nucleotides, such as adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), in the regulation of human gastric motility, we examined the effects of forskolin (FSK), isoproterenol (ISO) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the spontaneous, high $K^+$ and acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contractions of corporal circular smooth muscle in human stomach. Gastric circular smooth muscle showed regular spontaneous contraction, and FSK, ISO and SNP inhibited its phasic contraction and basal tone in a concentration-dependent manner. High $K^+$ (50 mM) produced sustained tonic contraction, and ACh $(10\;{\mu}M)$ produced initial transient contraction followed by later sustained tonic contraction with superimposed phasic contractions. FSK, ISO and SNP inhibited high $K^+$-induced tonic contraction and also ACh-induced phasic and tonic contraction in a reversible manner. Nifedipine $(1\;{\mu}M)$, inhibitor of voltage-dependent L-type calcium current $(VDCC_L)$, almost abolished ACh-induced phasic contractions. These findings suggest that FSK, ISO and SNP, which are known cyclic nucleotide stimulators, inhibit smooth muscle contraction in human stomach partly via inhibition of $VDCC_L$.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2008

We report here the generation of transgenic chickens that produce human Thrombopoietin (hTPO) using replication-defective Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV)-based vectors packaged with vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G). For the retrovirus vectors, we used hCMV (human Cytomegalovirus) internal promoter to drive the hTPO gene. After confirming the expression of the hTPO gene in various target cells, the concentrated solution of recombinant retrovirus was injected beneath the blastoderm of non-incubated chicken embryos (stage X). The biological activity of the recombinant hTPO in target cell was significantly higher than its commercially available counterpart. Out of 132 injected eggs, 11 chicks hatched after 21 days of incubation and 4 hatched chicks were found to express vector-encoded hTPO gene. However, 3 out of the 4 transgenics died within one month of hatching. The major significance of this study is that it is one of the very few successful reports on the production of transgenic chickens as bioreactors aiming mass production of commercially valuable and biological active human cytokine proteins.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.317-324
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• 2010

We elucidated the distribution of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in human stomach, using cryosection and $c-Kit$ immunohistochemistry to identify $c-Kit$ positive ICC. Before $c-Kit$ staining, we routinely used hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining to identify every structure of human stomach, from mucosa to longitudinal muscle. HE staining revealed that the fundus greater curvature (GC) had prominent oblique muscle layer, and $c-Kit$ immunostaining $c-Kit$ positive ICC cells were found to have typical morphology of dense fusiform cell body with multiple processes protruding from the central cell body. In particular, we could observe dense processes and ramifications of ICC in myenteric area and longitudinal muscle layer of corpus GC. Interestingly, $c-Kit$ positive ICC-like cells which had morphology very similar to ICC were found in gastric mucosa. We could not find any significant difference in the distribution of ICC between fundus and corpus, except for submucosa where the density of ICC was much higher in gastric fundus than corpus. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the density of ICC between each area of fundus and corpus, except for muscularis mucosa. Finally, we also found similar distribution of ICC in normal and cancerous tissue obtained from a patient who underwent pancreotomy and gastrectomy. In conclusion, ICC was found ubiquitously in human stomach and the density of ICC was significantly lower in the muscularis mucosa of both fundus/corpus and higher in the submucosa of gastric fundus than corpus.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.502-506
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• 2008

Smoke composed of harmful gases such as carbon monocide and carbon dioxide is reconized as the major killer in fire situation. Especailly it is said that smoke movement is related to the panic phenomenon which threatens the life seriously. The purpose of this study is to investgate and analyse the reaction mechanism of harmful gas caused by fire effects on the human psychology and panic phenomenon.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.355-358
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• 2004

Jang Nam's opinion is that Yin-Yang of pathogenic factors change following to the Yin and Yang of human body. As the pathogenic factors injure the human body, the conditions of diseases become different to the inborn constitution of human. Therefore the main principles of remedy set up the diagnosis on the YINㆍYANG & the strengthㆍweakness of constitution. This diagnotic points are body formal distinction, flesh hardness and softness, face color and form, skin color. Moreover he arranges the 4 type of the hole-body constitution based on the Seop-Gye's the guide of clinical differentiation of syndromes(臨證指南); Yang-Strength and Yin-weakness(陽盛陰虛), Yin ㆍYang-strength(陰陽具盛), Yin-Strength and Yang-weakness(陰盛陽虛), YinㆍYang-weakness(陰陽兩虛).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.209-217
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• 1986

The functional molecular weight of band 4.5 polypeptide was measured by applying the classical target theory to radiation inactivation data of the cytochalasin B binding. Band 4.5 polypeptides purified from human erythrocyte membranes were irradiated at -45 to $-50^{\circ}C$ with an increasing dose of 1.5 MeV electron beam, and after thawing, cytochalasin B binding activities were assayed. Each activity measured was reduced as a simple exponential function of radiation dose. $D_{37}$, dose appeared to be 6.7 mega rads, from which the target size (radiation sensitive mass) of band 4.5 polypeptide was calculated to be 95,500 daltons. This result with other informations available in literature suggests that band 4.5 polypeptide may exist as a dimer in human erythrocytes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.60-60
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• 2001

We have investigated the effect of environmental acidity on the induction of apoptosis caused by heat and carboplatin alone or combined. The degree of apoptosis after heating at 42.5$^{\circ}C$ for 1h in pH 6.6 medium was greater than that in pH 7.5 medium in WERI human retinobalstoma cells. When heated in the same pH medium, more apoptosis occurred in the WERI cells than in the Y79 human retinoblastoma cells.(omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.231-234
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• 2006

This study was designed to investigate the expression and production of interleukin-1beta $(IL-1{\beta})$ in human peripheral blood of trained runners and untrained controls after temporary moderate intensity exercise. Male long-distance trained runners (TR) and untrained sedentary control subjects (SED) ran for 1 h at 70% of heart rate reserve (HRR). $IL-1{\beta}$ gene and protein expressions were significantly higher in TR than those with SED at all 3 intervals examined independently. Significant increases in total sweat volume and oral temperature were observed after exercise in both groups, however, there were some differences between the groups. We conclude, therefore, that sweating due to exercise is associated with increase of $IL-1{\beta}$ and it is correlated with decrease of oral temperature.