• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.357-362
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiaging effect in the fibroblasts by using the extracts and fractions of Nymphoides peltata for the development of new functional cosmetic materials. The anti-aging effects of the extracts and fractions of N. peltata were measured using CCD-986sk cells. Ethyl aceate (EA) fraction inhibited UVB-induced reactive oxygen species expression by more than 50%, and n-butyl alcohol (BuOH) fraction increased expression of pro-collagen mRNA by more than 50% at $25{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, EA and BuOH fractions inhibited MMP-1 protein and mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner, BuOH fraction inhibited MMP-1 mRNA expression by more than 40% at $10{\mu}g/mL$. Especially, the high efficacy of EA and BuOH of the N. peltata was confirmed. Therefore, the EA and BuOH of N. peltata are expected to be useful as anti-aging materials in cosmetics field.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) eliminates or decreases gene expression by disrupting the target mRNA or by interfering with translation. Recently, RNAi technique was applied to generate new crop traits which provide protection against pests. To establish the environmental risk assessment protocol of RNAi LMO in lab scale, we developed dsRNA expression system using E. coli and tested acute oral toxicity assay to honey. METHOD AND RESULTS: The dsRNA expression vector, L4440, was chosen and cloned 240 bp of Snf7 and GFP gene fragment. To develop the maximum dsRNA induction condition in E. coli, we tested induction time, temperature and IPTG concentration in media. To estimate the risk assessment of dsRNA to honey bee, it has been selected and cultured with dsRNA supplement for 48 hours according to OECD guideline. As a result, the optimum condition of dsRNA induction was $37^{\circ}C$, 4 hours and 0.4 mM IPTG concentration and the difference between Snf7 and GFP dsRNA molecules from E. coli was not significant in survival and behavior to honey bee. Furthermore, blast search results indicated that effective match of predicted dsRNA fragments were not existed in honey bee genome. CONCLUSION: In this study, we developed and tested the acute oral toxicity of dsRNA using E. coli expression system to honey bee.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2022

In this study, we investigated whether Korean mistletoe (Viscum album L. var. coloratum) has anti-inflammatory effects that play key roles in the regulation of pathological mechanism of atopic dermatitis (AD). Four kinds of fractions, hexane (HX), ethyl acetate (EA), butanol (BU), and methylene chloride (MC), were used and RAW264.7 mouse macrophages and RBL-2H3 rat basophils were used to measure various inflammatory markers. EA significantly decreased mRNA expression and protein secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-4 but HX did not affect these markers. In addition, BU decreased mRNA expressions of IL-4 and IL-6 whereas MC decreased IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expressions. As a result, Korean mistletoe can show anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the secretion of cytokines related to AD, so it is thought that it will be possible to develop functional cosmetics related to this.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.983-988
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• 2007

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a principal antioxidant derived from green tea, is one of the most extensively investigated chemopreventive phytochemicals. However, the effect of EGCG on proliferation in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell is not well known. We investigated the effect of EGCG on protein and mRNA expression related to cell proliferation in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. We cultured MDA-MB-231 cells in the presence of 0, 5, 10 and 20 ${\mu}m$ of EGCG. EGCG significantly inhibited the cancer cell proliferation (p<0.05). In MDA-MB-231 huamn breast cancer cell, EGCG lowered $ErbB_2$ and $ErbB_3$ protein as well as mRNA expression. In addition, protein and mRNA expression of phosphorylated Akt and total Akt were significantly decreased (p<0.05). We suggest that EGCG inhibits cell proliferation through $ErbB_2$, $ErbB_3$ and Akt cell signaling.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2002

Leptin, a product of the obese gene, is associated not only with obesity but also with female reproductive function, but it has not yet been ascertained whether leptin acts directly on the ovary or indirectly via the hypothalamus-pituitary pathway. Therefore, the object of this study was to investigate the expession of leptin and its receptor in the rat ovary by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR during the estrous cycle. Immunohistochemistry results showed that leptin was stained in the theca cells and in part of granulosa cells in atretic follicles, whereas leptin receptor was localized in the interstitial cells and ova in preantral follicies. In particular, leptin and its receptor in atretic follicles displayed more intensive staining compared to those in normal follicles. During the estrous cycle, the mRNA expression of leptin and its receptor in the ovary was detected by RT-PCR and estradiol, progesterone, and leptin levels in the serum was measured by ELISA. The leptin level in the serum on metestrous phase was significantly higher than that on estrous phase. Similar to leptin level, progesterone level increased on metestrous phase. Leptin mRNA was not detected throughout the estrous cycle, whereas leptin receptor mRNA was expressed on all phases of estrous cycle excepting the diestrous phase. These results suggest that leptin might be directly involved in the regulation of ovarian function in rat.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1651-1657
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• 2012

Plectin and microtubule actin cross-linking factor 1 (MACF1) are architectural proteins that contribute to the function of skeletal muscle as generators of mechanical force. However, the influence of insulin- like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a master regulator of skeletal muscle cells, on plectin and MACF1 in skeletal muscle cells has not been demonstrated. The effect of IGF-I on plectin and MACF1 gene expression was investigated by treating differentiated C2C12 murine skeletal muscle cells with 20 ng/ml of IGF-I at different time points. The IGF-I treatment increased plectin protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA level of plectin was measured by real-time quantitative PCR to determine if plectin induction was regulated pretranslationally. IGF-I treatment resulted in a very rapid induction of plectin mRNA transcript in C2C12 myotubes. Plectin mRNA increased by 140 and 180% after 24 and 48 hours of IGF-I treatment, respectively, and returned to the control level after 72 hours of IGF-I treatment. MACF1 mRNA increased 86 and 90% after 24 and 48 hours of IGF-I treat-ment, respectively, and returned to the control level after 72 hours of IGF-I treatment. These results suggested that the plectin gene is regulated pretranslationally by IGF-I in skeletal muscle cells. In conclusion, IGF-I induces a rapid transcriptional modification of the plectin and MACF1 genes in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells and has modulating effects on a cytolinker protein as well as on contractile proteins.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2019

Triglycerides (TG) are one of the triggers of chronic inflammatory lesions in the blood vessels. In the key factors in the development of inflammatory diseases, Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha $(TNF-){\alpha}$ and interleukin-1 beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) contribute to the development of inflammatory lesions by recruiting other immune cells in the inflamed area or causing cell necrotic death. In this study, I investigated the effect of Jurkat T lymphocytes and U937 monocytes involved in vascular inflammation development on the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ on exposure to TGs. In Jurkat cells, mRNA expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ is increased by exposure to TGs. However, the expression levels of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ were increased by TGs in U937 cells. To investigate whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is involved in the increase of expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ by TGs, treatment of W1400 (an iNOS inhibitor) resulted in recovery of expression level both $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$. Based on the present study, it was confirmed that the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ in monocytes and T lymphocytes. This increased cytokines contribute to development of vascular inflammatory lesions. In addition, iNOS is involved in the increase of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ expression by TGs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.53-58
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• 2006

MicroRNA (miRNA)는 약 22 nt의 작은 RNA 조각으로 이루어져 있으며 stem-loop 구조의 precursor 형태에서 최종적으로 만들어 진다. miRNA는 mRNA의 3‘UTR에 상보적으로 결합하여 유전자의 발현을 억제하거나 mRNA의 분해를 촉진한다. miRNA를 동정하기 위한 실험적인 방법은 조직 특이적인 발현, 적은 발현양 때문에 방법상 한계를 가지고 있다. 이러한 한계는 컴퓨터를 이용한 방법으로 어느 정도 해결될 수 있다. 하지만 miRNA의 서열상의 낮은 보존성은 homology를 기반으로 한 예측을 어렵게 한다. 또한 기계학습 방법인 support vector machine (SVM) 이나 naive bayes가 적용되었지만, 생물학적인 의미를 해석할 수 있는 generative model을 제시해 주지 못했다. 본 연구에서는 우수한 miRNA 예측을 보일 뿐만 아니라 학습된 모델로부터 생물학적인 지식을 얻을 수 있는 Bayesian network을 적용한다. 이를 위해서는 생물학적으로 의미 있는 특질들의 선택이 중요하다. 여기서는 position weighted matrix (PWM)과 Markov chain probability (MCP), Loop 크기, Bulge 수, spectrum, free energy profile 등을 특질로서 선택한 후 Information gain의 특질 선택법을 통해 예측에 기여도가 높은 특질 25개 와 27개를 최종적으로 선택하였다. 이로부터 Bayesian network을 학습한 후 miRNA의 예측 성능을 10 fold cross-validation으로 확인하였다. 그 결과 pre-/mature miRNA 각 각에 대한 예측 accuracy가 99.99% 100.00%를 보여, SVM이나 naive bayes 방법보다 높은 결과를 보였으며, 학습된 Bayesian network으로부터 이전 연구 결과와 일치하는 pre-miRNA 상의 의존관계를 분석할 수 있었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2009

Objectives: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) comprise a promising tool for cellular therapy. It is known that long-term in vitro culture of human bone marrow and adipose tissue derived-MSCs lead to a reduction of life span and a change of stem-like characters. The aim of our study was to examine whether stem cell properties of human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (HUC) could be affected by in vitro expansion. Methods: HUC were isolated from human umbilical cord and cultured for 10 passages in vitro. Morphology and population doubling time (PDT) were investigated, and changes of stem cell properties were examined using RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry during serial subcultures. Results: Morphology and PDT of HUC began to change slightly from the 7th passage (p7). Expression level of nestin and vimentin mRNAs increased along with the culture period from p4 until p10. In contrast, expression level of SCF mRNA decreased during the same culture period. Expression level of Oct-4 and HNF-4${\alpha}$ mRNAs was not significantly changed throughout the culture period until p10. Expression level of BMP-4, FGF-5, NCAM and HLA-ABC mRNAs appeared to increase as the culture continued, however, the difference was not significant. Immunocytochemical studies showed that HUC at p3, p6 and p9 positively were stained with antibodies against SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 proteins. Interestingly, staining intensity of HUC for ICAM-1 and HLA-ABC gradually increased throughout the culture period. Intensity against thy-1 and fibronectin antibodies increased at p9 while that against TRA-1-60 and VCAM-1 antibodies began to decrease at p6 until p9. Conclusions: These results suggest that HUC change some of their stem cell characteristics during in vitro culture. Development of culture system might be needed for the maintenance of characteristics.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.437-444
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• 2006

This study was aimed to elucidate the biological function of OD314 (Apin protein), which is related to ameloblast differentiation and amelogenesis. Apin protein, calcifying epithelial odontogenic (pindborg) tumors (CEOTs)-associated amyloid, were isolated from CEOTs, and has similar nucleotide sequences to OD314. We examined expression of the OD314 mRNA using in-situ hybridization during tooth development in mice. Expression of OD314 and several enamel matrix proteins were examined in the cultured ameloblast cell line up to 28 days by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification. After inactivation and over-expression of the OD314 gene in ameloblast cell lines using U6 vectordriven RNA interference and CMV-OD314 construct, RT-PCR were performed to evaluate the effect of the OD314 during amelogenesis. The results were as follows: 1. In in-situ hybridization, OD314 mRNAs were more strongly expressed in ameloblast than odontoblast. 2. When ameloblast cells were cultured in the diffcrentiation and mineralization medium for 28 days, the tuftelin mRNA expression was maintained from the beginning to day 14, and then gradually decreased to day 28. The expressions of amelogenin and enamelin were gradually decreased according to the ameloblast differentiation. 3. Inactivation of OD314 by U6-OD314 siRNA construct down-regulated the expression of OD314, MMP-20, and tuftelin, whereas over-expression of OD314 by CMV-OD314 construct up-regulated the expression of OD314 and MMP-20 without change in tuftelin. These results suggest that OD314 is considered as an ameloblast-enriched gene and may play the important roles in ameloblast differentiation and mineralization.