• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.154-159
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• 1995

SH-14, a novel killer strain of Ustilago maydis was isolated in Korea. It has been reported in other papers that the toxin specificity and double-stranded RNA pattern of SH-14 strain were different from other laboratory strains. In this paper, we analyzed the biochemical characteristics of U. maydis SH-14 virus. Three distinctive peaks were isolated from CsCl density gradient, designated as top (T), intermediate (I) and bottom (B) components. We found that the densities of each components, 1.285, 1.408 g/cm$\^$3/, respectively, are very similar to those of other strains. As previously reported by the analysis of dsRNA in each component, the dsRNA segments are separately encapsidated. Capsid protein of SH-14 virus consists of two proteins about 70 Kd shown by SDS-PAGE analysis. Electron microscopic examination of the virus particles revealed that UmV particles are very similar in size and morphology to all isolates as well as all lab-strains. In order to test immunological cross reactivity of UmV, werstern bolt analysis was carriedout with antiserum against A8 virus. All capsid protein had positive reaction against A8 antibody which indicated that UmV are immunologically cross-reactive with all isolates from Korea. The results presented in this paper may show that UmV isolated from SH-14 strain has very similar biochemical characteristics to those of other UmV. However, the difference in the toxin specificity and the molecular weight of toxin protein from the SH-14 strain has us to conclude that U. maydis SH-14 strain is a new killer type.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.55-63
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• 2010

Background: Cordyceps militaris has been used in traditional medicine to treat numerous diseases and has been reported to possess both antitumor and immunomodulatory activities in vitro and in vivo. However, the pharmacological and biochemical mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris extract (CME) on macrophages have not been clearly elucidated. In the present study, we examined how CME induces the production of proinflammatory cytokines, transcription factor, and the expression of co-stimulatory molecules. Methods: We confirmed the mRNA and protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines through RT-PCR and western blot analysis, followed by a FACS analysis for surface molecules. Results: CME dose dependently increased the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, and $PGE_2$, and it induced the protein levels of iNOS, COX-2, and proinflammatory cytokines in a concentrationdependent manner, as determined by western blot and RT-PCR analysis, respectively. The expression of co-stimulatory molecules such as ICAM-1, B7-1, and B7-2 was also enhanced by CME. Furthermore, the activation of the nuclear transcription factor, NF-${\kappa}B$ in macrophages was stimulated by CME. Conclusion: Based on these observations, CME increased proinflammatory cytokines through the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, further suggesting that CME may prove useful as an immune-enhancing agent in the treatment of immunological disease.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권6호
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• pp.993-1000
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• 2024

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the differential expression of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene region in Eimeria-infected broiler. Methods: We profiled gene expression of Eimeria-infected and uninfected ceca of broilers sampled at 4, 7, and 21 days post-infection (dpi) using RNA sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two sample groups were identified at each time point. DEGs located on chicken chromosome 16 were used for further analysis. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was conducted for the functional annotation of DEGs. Results: Fourteen significant (false discovery rate <0.1) DEGs were identified at 4 and 7 dpi and categorized into three groups: MHC-Y class I genes, MHC-B region genes, and non-MHC genes. In Eimeria-infected broilers, MHC-Y class I genes were upregulated at 4 dpi but downregulated at 7 dpi. This result implies that MHC-Y class I genes initially activated an immune response, which was then suppressed by Eimeria. Of the MHC-B region genes, the DMB1 gene was upregulated, and TAP-related genes significantly implemented antigen processing for MHC class I at 4 dpi, which was supported by KEGG pathway analysis. Conclusion: This study is the first to investigate MHC gene responses to coccidia infection in chickens using RNA sequencing. MHC-B and MHC-Y genes showed their immune responses in reaction to Eimeria infection. These findings are valuable for understanding chicken MHC gene function.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.1164-1177
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• 2024

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is among the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract, with the sixth highest fatality rate worldwide. The ESCC-related dataset, GSE20347, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify genes that are highly correlated with ESCC. A total of 91 transcriptome expression profiles and their corresponding clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. A mitochondria-associated risk (MAR) model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis and validated using GSE161533. The tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity were explored using the MAR model. Finally, in vitro experiments were performed to analyze the effects of hub genes on the proliferation and invasion abilities of ESCC cells. To confirm the predictive ability of the MAR model, we constructed a prognostic model and assessed its predictive accuracy. The MAR model revealed substantial differences in immune infiltration and tumor microenvironment characteristics between high- and low-risk populations and a substantial correlation between the risk scores and some common immunological checkpoints. AZD1332 and AZD7762 were more effective for patients in the low-risk group, whereas Entinostat, Nilotinib, Ruxolutinib, and Wnt.c59 were more effective for patients in the high-risk group. Knockdown of TYMS significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasive ability of ESCC cells in vitro. Overall, our MAR model provides stable and reliable results and may be used as a prognostic biomarker for personalized treatment of patients with ESCC.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.229-236
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• 1999

The recA gene plays a central role in genetic recombination and SOS DNA repair in Escherichia coli (E. coli). We have previously identified a 42 kDa RecA-like protein inducible by a variety of DNA damages from a fluorescent Pseudomonas strain sp. and characterized its inducible kinetics. In the present study, we cloned and characterized the gene encoding the RecA-like protein by immunological screening of Pseudomonas genomic expression library using polyclonal E. coli anti-RecA antibodies as a probe. From 10$^{5}$ plaques screened, five putative clones were finally isolated. Southern blot analysis indicated that four clones had the same DNA inserts and the recA-like gene was located within the 3.2 kb EcoRI fragment of Pseudomonas chromosomal DNA. In addition, the cloned recA-like gene was transcribed into an RNA transcript approximately 1.1 kb in size, as judged by Northern blot analysis. The cellular level of RNA transcript of the cloned recA-like gene was increased to an average of 5.15- fold upon treatment with DNA damaging agents such as ultraviolet (UV)- light, nalidixic acid (NA), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and mitomycin-C (MMC). These results suggest that the cloned gene is inducible by DNA damage similarly to the recA gene in E. coli. However, the cloned gene did not restore the DNA damage sensitivity of the E. coli recA-mutant.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.193-198
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• 2012

Objectives Despite the growing research interest in the role of immunological markers in schizophrenia, a few studies, with conflicting results, have focused on the association between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and clinical characteristics in schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of serum hs-CRP with psychopathology in schizophrenia. Methods Fifty-five inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were enrolled. Serum levels of hs-CRP were measured, and each patient was assessed with the Korean version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results In correlation analysis of hs-CRP with PANSS subscales, positive subscale score has significant positive correlation (r = 0.271, p = 0.046). In independent t-test analysis, subjects with hs-CRP > 0.3 mg/dL (elevated CRP group, n = 43) had significantly higher PANSS positive subscale score (t = -3.273, df = 24.107, p = 0.003) than those with hs-CRP ${\leq}$ 0.3 mg/dL (normal CRP group, n = 12). Conclusions Elevated serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in schizophrenia are associated with the severity of psychotic symptoms.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.459-465
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• 2015

Bovine milk provides essential nutrients, including immunologically important molecules, as the primary source of nutrition to newborns. Recent studies showed that RNAs from bovine milk contain immune-related microRNAs (miRNA) that regulate various immune systems. To evaluate the biological and immunological activity of miRNAs from milk products, isolation methods need to be established. Six methods for extracting total RNAs from bovine colostrums were adopted to evaluate the isolating efficiency and expression of miRNAs. Total RNA from milk was presented in formulation of small RNAs, rather than ribosomal RNAs. Column-combined phenol isolating methods showed high recovery of total RNAs, especially the commercial columns for biofluid samples, which demonstrated outstanding efficiency for recovering miRNAs. We also evaluated the quantity of five immune-related miRNAs (miR-93, miR-106a, miR-155, miR-181a, miR-451) in milk processed by temperature treatments including low temperature for long time (LTLT, 63℃ for 30 min)-, high temperature for short time (HTST, 75℃ for 15 s)-, and ultra heat treatment (UHT, 120-130℃ for 0.5-4 s). All targeted miRNAs had significantly reduced levels in processed milks compared to colostrum and raw mature milk. Interestingly, the amount of immune-related miRNAs from HTST milk was more resistant than those of LTLT and UHT milks. Our present study examined defined methods of RNA isolation and quantification of immune-specific miRNAs from small volumes of milk for use in further analysis.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.221-227
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• 2001

열충격 단백질(heat shock protein: HSP)은 변성된 단백질의 응집을 방지하여 가혹한환경에서 병원균의 생존을 증가시킨다. 세균에 알코을 stress를 가하면 다량의 DnaK와 GronEL이 유도되지만 폐렴구균에서는 DnaK와 GroEL이 전혀 유도되지 않는 대신 알코올탈수소효소(alcohol dehydrogenase : ADH)가 유도되었다. 이런 특성은 폐렴구균 ADH가 HSP처럼 chaperone 기능을 수행라고 있을 가능성을 제시하고 있으므로 본 연구에서는 일차적으로 ADH 유전자를 확인하고 ADH 의 면역특성 및 세포내 분포를 측정하였다. 폐렴구균 ADH는 이질아메바 ADH2 및 대장균 ADH 와 높은 유사성을 나타냈으며 883 개의 아미노산으로 구성된 등전점 6.09의 단백질로 추정된다. 그러나 폐렴구균 ADH와 유사성이 높은 대장균, 유산균 및 황색포도상구균의 용해액을 폐렴구균 ADH 항체와 immunoblot을 실시하였을 때 전혀 반응하지 않았다. 또한 세포질, membrane, periplasm에 있는 단백질 분획 및 폐렴구균 배양 상등액을 ADH 항체와 immune blot을 실시하였을 때 ADH 는 열충격에 관계없이 세포 밖으로 분비되는 단백질임을 확인하였다. 이런 결과는 폐렴구균 ADH가 진단용항원 및 백신으로 개발될 수 있는 가능성을 제시하고 있다.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.37-46
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• 1993

Brain, heart, liver, lung, kidney and thymus etc. 12 organs were removed and homogenized from Dawley-Sprague rats after suffocation. After fractionation of the tissue cytosols, enzymatic activities of the key enzymes in metabolic inositol phosphates cycle, PLC, IPSK and Ins(1,4,5) P35-phosphatase, were measured respectively. Hybridoma monoclones producing anti-lP3K murine monoclonal antibodies were obtained by the fusion of SP2/Ag 0-14 and spleen cells of mouse immunized with purified 53KDa IPSK, screening and cloning procedures. 18 cloned hybridoma cells were obtained, background due to nonspecific binding was very low with 10 clones. These Abs were purified from ascitic fluids by using affi-gel 15, and determined subtype of Abs. When immunoreactivities for rat tissues IP3K were exercised by adding the mixed Abs of 19Gl and 19G2b, they showed an overall similarity with noncompetitive inhibition. Brain tissue has high sensitivity for anti-lP3K Ab, whereas heart tissue has very low activity. In kinetic parameters Km value was 1.58 mM and Vmx value was 5.41umol/min/ml, respectively Only one form of 40 KDa IPSK was detected in heart tissues, however rat brain contains at least three immunologically distinct IP3K (53, 51 and 40 KDa) in western blot analysis. Of them 53 KDa protein was major enzyme in enzymatic activity. Northern blot analysis with 32P-labeled CDNA probe which encodes 1.8 Kb IPSK gene was performed. These results suggest that IPSK are regulated at transcriptional level during rat tissue development.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.491-498
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• 2003

본 연구는 우유로부터 OPN을 분리 정제하여 그 특성을 규명하기 위해서 수행되었다. 먼저 ion-exchange와 hydrophobic chromatography를 이용하여 우유로부터 OPN을 분리 정제하였다. OPN의 분자량은 SDS-전기영동 상에서 약 60,000dalton이었고, NH2-terminal amino acid sequence를 확인한 결과 Leu-Pro-Val-Lys-Pro- Thr-Ser 순이었다. OPN을 35주령된 SCWL를 이용하여 산란계를 면역 시키고, 형성된 anti- OPN IgY 항체를 분리․정제한 후 ELISA test로 항체가를 측정하였다. 또한 RID test을 이용하여 OPN 함량에 따른 정량곡선을 작성하고, 이 곡선에 의해 우유 중 OPN 함량을 정량하였다. 그 결과 원유, 탈지유, 시유에서 각각39.78, 31.74, 37.48${\mu}g$/$m\ell$을 함유하고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 OPN의 Ca 가용화 능력을 검정한 결과 OPN이 CPP와 poly-glutamic acid 보다 더 우수한 것으로 나타났다.