• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.173-181
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• 2019

The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a G protein-coupled receptor that regulates chemotaxis and effector functions of immune cells. It also serves as the major co-receptor for the entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Recently, CCR5 inhibitors have been developed and used for the treatment or prevention of HIV infections. Additionally, it has been identified that CCR5 controls bone homeostasis by regulating osteoclastogenesis and the communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. However, the effects of CCR5 inhibition on bone tissue in elderly patients are unknown. This study aimed to examine the bone phenotype of aged CCR5 knockout (KO) mice. Femoral and tibial bones were isolated from 12-month and 18-month old wild-type (WT) and CCR5 KO mice, and microcomputed tomography and histology analyses were performed. Twelve-month-old CCR5 KO mice exhibited a decreased trabecular bone mass and cortical bone thickness in both femoral and tibial bones compared with age-matched WT mice. Eighteen-month-old mice also showed a decreased trabecular bone mass in femurs compared with control WT mice, but not in tibial bones. Unlike in 12-month-old mice, the cortical margin of femurs and tibias in 18-month-old mice were rough, likely because they were aggravated by the deficiency of CCR5. Overall, our data suggest that the deficiency of CCR5 with aging can cause severe bone loss. When CCR5 inhibitors or CCR5 inactivating technologies are used in elderly patients, a preventive strategy for bone loss should be considered.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제30권10호
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• pp.1416-1424
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• 2017

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of alfalfa flavonoids on the production performance, immunity, and ruminal fermentation of dairy cows. Methods: The experiments employed four primiparous Holstein cows fitted with ruminal cannulas, and used a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Cattle were fed total mixed ration supplemented with 0 (control group, Con), 20, 60, or 100 mg of alfalfa flavonoids extract (AFE) per kg of dairy cow body weight (BW). Results: The feed intake of the group receiving 60 mg/kg BW of AFE were significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of the group receiving 100 mg/kg BW. Milk yields and the fat, protein and lactose of milk were unaffected by AFE, while the total solids content of milk reduced (p = 0.05) linearly as AFE supplementation was increased. The somatic cell count of milk in group receiving 60 mg/kg BW of AFE was significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of the control group. Apparent total-tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and crude protein showed a tendency to increase (0.05<$p{\leq}0.10$) with ingestion of AFE. Methane dicarboxylic aldehyde concentration decreased (p = 0.03) linearly, whereas superoxide dismutase activity showed a tendency to increase (p = 0.10) quadratically, with increasing levels of AFE supplementation. The lymphocyte count and the proportion of lymphocytes decreased (p = 0.03) linearly, whereas the proportion of neutrophil granulocytes increased (p = 0.01) linearly with increasing levels of dietary AFE supplementation. The valeric acid/total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) ratio was increased (p = 0.01) linearly with increasing of the level of AFE supplementation, the other ruminal fermentation parameters were not affected by AFE supplementation. Relative levels of the rumen microbe Ruminococcus flavefaciens tended to decrease (p = 0.09) quadratically, whereas those of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens showed a tendency to increase (p = 0.07) quadratically in response to AFE supplementation. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that AFE supplementation can alter composition of milk, and may also have an increase tendency of nutrient digestion by regulating populations of microbes in the rumen, improve antioxidant properties by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities, and affect immunity by altering the proportions of lymphocyte and neutrophil granulocytes in dairy cows. The addition of 60 mg/kg BW of AFE to the diet of dairy cows was shown to be beneficial in this study.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권6호
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• pp.219-229
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• 2010

Background: N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a member of the NDRG gene family. Our previous report indicated a possible role for NDRG2 in regulating the cytokine, interleukin-10 (IL-10), which is an important immunosuppressive cytokine. Several pathways, including p38-MAPK, NF-${\kappa}B$, and JAK/STAT, are used for IL-10 production, and the JAK/STAT pathway can be inhibited in a negative feedback loop by the inducible protein, SOCS3. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 gene expression on IL-10 signaling pathway that is modulated via SOCS3 and STAT3. Methods: We generated NDRG2-overexpressing U937 cell line (U937-NDRG2) and treated the cells with PMA to investigate the role of NDRG2 in IL-10 production. U937 cells were also transfected with SOCS3- or NDRG2-specific siRNAs to examine whether the knockdown of SOCS3 or NDRG2 influenced IL-10 expression. Lastly, STAT3 and SOCS3 induction was measured to identify the signaling pathway that was associated with IL-10 production. Results: RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that IL-10 was increased in U937-mock cells upon stimulation with PMA, but IL-10 was inhibited by overexpression NDRG2. After PMA treatment, STAT3 phosphorylation was decreased in a time-dependent manner in U937-mock cells, whereas it was maintained in U937-NDRG2 cells. SOCS3 was markedly reduced in U937-NDRG2 cells compared with U937-mock cells. IL-10 production after PMA stimulation was reduced in U937 cells when SOCS3 was inhibited, but this effect was less severe when NDRG2 was inhibited. Conclusion: NDRG2 expression modulates SOCS3 and STAT3 activity, eventually leading to the inhibition of IL-10 production.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 한국균학회 2014년도 추계학술대회 및 정기총회
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• pp.11-11
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• 2014

Fungal pathogens have huge impact on health and economic wellbeing of human by causing life-threatening mycoses in immune-compromised patients or by destroying crop plants. A key determinant of fungal pathogenesis is their ability to undergo developmental change in response to host or environmental factors. Genetic pathways that regulate such morphological transitions and adaptation are therefore extensively studied during the last few decades. Given that epigenetic as well as genetic components play pivotal roles in development of plants and mammals, contribution of microbial epigenetic counterparts to this morphogenetic process is intriguing yet nearly unappreciated question to date. To bridge this gap in our knowledge, we set out to investigate histone modifications among epigenetic mechanisms that possibly regulate fungal adaptation and processes involved in pathogenesis of a model plant pathogenic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. M. oryzae is a causal agent of rice blast disease, which destroys 10 to 30% of the rice crop annually. Since the rice is the staple food for more than half of human population, the disease is a major threat to global food security. In addition to the socioeconomic impact of the disease it causes, the fungus is genetically tractable and can undergo well-defined morphological transitions including asexual spore production and appressorium (a specialized infection structure) formation in vitro, making it a model to study fungal development and pathogenicity. For functional and comparative analysis of histone modifications, a web-based database (dbHiMo) was constructed to archive and analyze histone modifying enzymes from eukaryotic species whose genome sequences are available. Histone modifying enzymes were identified applying a search pipeline built upon profile hidden Markov model (HMM) to proteomes. The database incorporates 22,169 histone-modifying enzymes identified from 342 species including 214 fungal, 33 plants, and 77 metazoan species. The dbHiMo provides users with web-based personalized data browsing and analysis tools, supporting comparative and evolutionary genomics. Based on the database entries, functional analysis of genes encoding histone acetyltransferases and histone demethylases is under way. Here I provide examples of such analyses that show how histone acetylation and methylation is implicated in regulating important aspects of fungal pathogenesis. Current analysis of histone modifying enzymes will be followed by ChIP-Seq and RNA-seq experiments to pinpoint the genes that are controlled by particular histone modifications. We anticipate that our work will provide not only the significant advances in our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms operating in microbial eukaryotes but also basis to expand our perspective on regulation of development in fungal pathogens.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권10호
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• pp.1216-1222
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• 2013

자연살상세포(NK cells)은 림프구계의 세포로서 외부 침임 병원균을 막고 체내 형질변환세포를 제거하는데 참여하고 있다. 이러한 자연살상세포의 활성은 특정한 항원이 필요 없고 활성화 신호와 억제성 신호의 균형에 의해 조절되고 있다. 자연살상세포의 중요한 활성화 신호 중의 하나는 NKG2D 수용체를 통한 것인데, 이 NKG2D 수용체를 통해 자연살상세포는 암세포에 있는 NKG2D 리간드를 인식할 수 있다. 지금까지 인간에서는 여덟개의 NKG2D 리간드가 밝혀져 있고 이러한 리간드의 발현은 다양한 기전을 엄격하게 조절되고 있다. 암세포는 암유전자(oncogenes)에 의해 세포내 다양한 유전자의 발현이 정상세포와 확연히 달라지는데, 이러한 암유전자에 의해서 NKG2D 리간드의 발현이 영향을 받을 것으로 생각되어 진다. 이 연구는 인간의 암세포에서 가장 자주 발현되는 세가지 암유전자 k-ras와 c-myc, wnt의 억제를 통해 NKG2D 리간드의 발현이 어떻게 변화되는 지를 알아보았다. k-ras와 c-myc의 억제는 NKG2D 리간드의 발현을 효과적을 증가시켰고 암세포가 자연살상세포에 더욱 잘 죽게 변화되었다. 그러나 wnt 억제는 MICA와 ULBP1의 전사를 감소시켰다. wnt 억제에 의한 NKG2D 리간드의 전사억제에도 불구하고 세포막의 단백질 발현은 변하지 않아서 암세포의 자연살상세포에 대한 감수성은 별다른 변화를 보이지 않았다. 따라서 k-ras와 c-myc, wnt 억제는 각각 다른 반응을 보였으며 최종적인 자연살상세포에 대한 감수성은 NKG2D 리간드의 세포표면단백질 발현정도에 의해 결정됨을 알 수 있었다.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.147-169
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• 2007

To evaluate the therapeutic effects of BGG on atopic dermatitis, we investigated the composition of immune cells of lymph node, PBMC and skin of Dermatophagoides farinae-induced NC/Nga mice. The levels of immunoglobulins in serum were analyzed at the protein level and the amount of pathologic cytokines were investigated using CD3/CD28 stimulated splenocytes. The results are summarized below; 1. BGG showed no cytotoxic effect up to $200\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ on mLFC in vitro. 2. BGG showed no hepatotoxicity in vivo based on the levels of ALT and AST. 3. Atopic dermatitis was improved through naked eye examination. BGG reduced the skin clinical index from 2.9 to 1.3 (p<0.01). 4. H&E and toluidine blue staining of tissue biopsies revealed that BGG inhibited the infiltration of lymphocytes and mast cells to skin. 5. BGG reduced the number of CD19 positive B cells in PBMCs by 16% (p<0.01), whereas cells were increased by 26% (p<0.05) in lymph nodes. 6. BGG reduced the numbers of B220+/CD23+ cells by 15% (p<0.01) and 33% in PBMCs and lymph node, respectively. 7. BGG reduced the numbers of B220+/IgE+ cells in PBMCs and lymph node by 21% and 33% (p<0.01), respectively. 8. BGG suppressed the levels of IgE (13%, p<0.001) as well as IgM (34%, p<0.001), IgG2a (40%, p<0.001) and IgG2b (26%, p<0.05). 9. BGG reduced the levels of IL-4 and IFN-$\gamma$ by 7% (p<0.05) and 13% (p<0.001) in anti-CD3 and anti-CD28-activated splenocytes, respectively. 10. BGG considerably inhibited the production of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 by 42% (p<0.01) and 15% in the serum, respectively. Based on the results above, we concluded that BGG has therapeutic effects on atopic dermatitis by regulating the differentiation of B cells and isotype switching of IgE. Further investigations on the molecular mechanisms of BGG on atopic dermatitis are anticipated.

• 한국약용작물학회지
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.269-281
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• 2017

Background: Small particles increase airway inflammation upon reaching the alveoli. Here, we investigated the protective or therapeutic effects of Salvia plebeia R. Br. (SP_R) extracts on airway inflammation. Methods and Results: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of SP_R extracts, we measured their inhibitory effect on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression of inflammatory mediators, and immune cell infiltration in MH-S alveolar macrophage cells and in the ambient particulate matter (APM)-exposed airway inflammation mice model. The SP_R extracts inhibited the production of ROS and expression of IL-4, IL-10, IL-15, and IL-17A mRNA in APM-stimulated MH-S cells. Oral administration of SP_R extracts suppressed APM-induced inflammatory symptoms, such as high alveolar wall thickness, excess collagen fibers, decreased mRNA expression of chemokines (Ccr9, Ccl5, Ccr3), inflammatory cytokines (IL-15, TNF-${\alpha}$), and IL-4 Th2 cytokine in the lung. The SP_R extracts also inhibited ROS production, granulocyte ($CD11b^+Gr-1^+$) infiltration, IL-17A, TNF-${\alpha}$, macrophage inflammatory protein (Mip-2), and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (Cxcl-1) production in the airway. The specific compounds in the SR-R extracts that mediate the anti-inflammatory effects were identified. Conclusions: In this study, SP_R extracts effectively inhibited airway inflammatory responses, such as ROS production and granulocyte infiltration into the airway, by regulating the expression of chemokines and inflammatory cytokines.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제41권6호
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• pp.551-558
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• 2013

본 연구는 만병초와 구상나무 추출물의 항알러지 효과에 대해 조사하였다. 비만세포 RBL-2H3에 concanavalin A (Con A)를 처리하여 면역반응을 유도한 후 만병초와 구상나무 추출물을 농도별로 처리하여 real-time PCR을 이용하여 IL-4, IL-13의 mRNA 발현량을 확인하였다. 또한 ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase 분비를 측정하여 탈과립 유도효과를 평가하였다. IL-4의 발현은 만병초 $10^{-7}$, $10^{-5}$, $10^{-3}%$ 농도와 구상나무의 모든 농도에서 유의성 있게 감소하였으며, IL-13의 발현은 만병초와 구상나무 모든 농도에서 유의성 있게 감소되었다. 만병초 추출물과 구상나무 추출물의 $10^{-5}$, $10^{-3}%$ 농도에서는 ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase 분비가 유의성 있게 감소하였다. 이러한 결과를 통해 만병초와 구상나무 추출물이 면역반응 표적유전자의 발현을 감소시키고 면역반응에 의해 유도되는 탈과립유도 효과도 감소시킴을 확인할 수 있었다. 이는 만병초와 구상나무 추출물이 항알러지 효과가 있음을 제시하는 결과이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권7호
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• pp.809-816
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• 2019

p-Coumaric acid (p-CA)는 항산화 및 항염 활성을 가진 식물계에서 가장 풍부한 식물화학물질이다. 그러나 위암세주포에서 p-CA의 항암 활성과 전사체 발현에 대한 연구는 아직까지 수행된 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 SNU-16 위암세포에서 p-CA에 의한 세포 증식 억제 및 전사체 프로파일에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. p-CA는 세포사멸 단백질 발현을 조절하여 SNU-16 세포에서의 세포사멸을 유도하였다. RNA-seq 분석을 사용하여 p-CA처리에 의해 SNU-16 세포에서 차별적으로 발현된 유전자(DEGs)를 동정하였다. DEGs들의 gene ontology (GO) 술어로 유전자 산물을 검색한 결과, 주로 염증반응, 세포사멸 과정, 세포주기 및 면역 반응에 관여하는 생물학적 과정에 관여하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, KEGG 경로분석 결과, p-CA는 주로 PI3K-Akt 와 암 신호전달 경로에 변화를 유발하였다. 본 연구결과는 p-CA가 세포증식과 암 신호 전달 경로에 관여하는 유전자 발현을 조절함으로써 위암 예방 효과를 나타낼 수 있음을 시사한다.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.211-226
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• 2019

백혈구 공통 항원인 돼지 CD45는 PTPRC 유전자에 암호화 되어 있으며, CD45엑손의 선택적 스플라이싱에 따라 다른 T-세포에서 발현되는 티로신 인산분해효소이다. CD45는 기질인 TCR의 $CD3{\zeta}$ 사슬, Lck, Fyn, Zap-70 kinase의 인산화된 티로신에서 인산을 분해하여 T-세포 항원 수용체(TCR) 매개 신호전달을 조절한다. CD45의 조절이상은 많은 면역 질환과 관련이 있어서, CD45는 면역약물 개발에 표적이 되어왔다. TCR 신호전달의 조절효과를 가진 주요 구조적 특징을 특성화하기 위해, 사람의 알려진 CD45 구조를 템플릿으로 적용하여 돼지 CD45RO(가장 작은 CD45 isoform)의 단백질 구조와 예측된 돼지 CD45RO 모델구조에 $CD3{\zeta}$ 사슬의 ITAM(REEpYDV)를 도킹하여 CD45RO/ITAM 펩타이드 결합구조를 예측하였다. 돼지 CD45RO의 구조적 특징은 세포외영역의 구조견고성과 세포질 내 티로신 인산분해효소 도메인의 KNRY와 PTP signature 기능모티프(두 기능 모티프는 ITAM 펩타이드 결합부위의 좁은 입구로 역할)에 있었다. 주요 구조특성은 돼지 CD45RO-ITAM 펩타이드 결합구조 안정성과 결합친화력을 조절하면서 기질 선택성에 영향을 준다. 돼지 CD45RO의 구조적 특성은 T-세포에 특이적인 면역 조절제를 탐색하는 데에 적용될 것이다.