• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.234-240
• /
• 2014

Cisplatin is one of the most potent chemotherapy agents. However, its use is limited due to its toxicity in normal tissues, including the kidney and ear. In particular, nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin is closely associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the heme metabolism, has been implicated in a various cellular processes, such as inflammatory injury and anti-oxidant/oxidant homeostasis. Capsaicin is reported to have therapeutic potential in cisplatin-induced renal failures. However, the mechanisms underlying its protective effects on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity remain largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that administration of capsaicin ameliorates cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction by assessing the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) as well as tissue histology. In addition, capsaicin treatment attenuates the expression of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers for renal damage. We also found that capsaicin induces HO-1 expression in kidney tissues and HK-2 cells. Notably, the protective effects of capsaicin were completely abrogated by treatment with either the HO inhibitor ZnPP IX or HO-1 knockdown in HK-2 cells. These results suggest that capsaicin has protective effects against cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction through induction of HO-1 as well as inhibition oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.125-137
• /
• 2020

In recent years, toxic organophosphorus compounds (OPs) have been used for civilians, becoming a great threat to the world. Alternative to the current treatment policy unpredictable for any prevention, researches on bioscavenger as an improved treatment have been actively conducted. Bioscavengers refer to proteins and enzymes that prevent intoxication by inactivating or binding toxic OPs before they reaches the target. In particular, extensive efforts have been made to develop catalytic bioscavengers that quickly detoxify OPs even with a small dose of the protein by performing multiple binding and hydrolysis processes with OPs. This review introduces the latest studies and results for developing catalytic bioscavengers using molecular evolution and protein engineering techniques. We will briefly present some of the remaining challenges on developing enzymes into clinically approved drugs.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.26-36
• /
• 2007

This study was carried out to treat the aqueous solutions containing reactive dyes(RB19, RR120 and RY179) by the Ozone demand flask method and adsorption process using activated carbon fiber(ACF) which are one of the main pollutants in dye wastewater. Ozone oxidation of three kinds of the reactive dyes was examined to investigate the reactivity of dyes with ozone, competition reaction and ozone utilization on various conditions for single- and multi-solute dye solution. Concentration of dyes was decreased continuously with increasing ozone dosage in the single-solute dye solutions. Competition quotient values were calculated to investigate the preferential oxidation of individual dyes in multi-solute dye solutions. Competition quotients(CQi) and values of the overall utilization efficiency, ${\eta}O_3$, were increased at 40mg/l of ozone dosage in multi-solute dye solutions. ACF(A-15) has much larger specific surface area$(1,584m^2/g-ACF)$ in comparison with granular activated carbon adsorbent (F400, $1,125m^2/g-GAC$), which is commonly used, and most of pores were found to be micropores with pore radius of 2nm and below. It was found that RB19 was most easily adsorbed among the dyes in this study. In the case of PCP (p-chlorophenol) and sucrose, which are single component adsorbate, adsorption capacities of ACF(A-15) were in good agreement with the batch adsorption measurement, and saturation time predicted of ACF columns for these components was also well agreed with practically measured time. But in the case of reactive dyes, which have relatively high molecular weight and aggregated with multi-components, adsorption capacities or saturation time predicted were not agreed with practically measured values.

• Proceedings of the KACD Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.545-545
• /
• 2003

Chitosan is applied as a dressing for oral mucous wound and a tampon following radical treatment of maxillary sinus. Furthermore, it is being investigated as an absorbing membrane for endodontic and periodontic surgeries. A few studies have reported osteoconduction and osteogenesia at the site of chitosan implant in vivo. However, compared with soft tissue healing processes, the mechanisms concerning effects of chitosan for biological mineralization have not yet been resoil In the present study, we studied the gene expression pattern using cDNA microarray and RT-PCR analyses in hard tissue forming osteoblasts cultured with water-soluble and low molecular weight chitooligosaccharide. cDNA microarray analysis revealed that 16 genes were expressed at 〉1.5-fold higher signal ratio levels in the experimental group compared with the control group after 3 days. RT-PCR analysis showed that chitosan oligomer induced an increase in the expression of two genes, CD56 antigen and tissue-type plasminogen activator. Furthermore, the expression of mRNAs for BMP-2 was almost identical in the experimental and control groups after 3 days of culture, but slightly increased after 7 days of culture with chitosan oligomer. These results suggest that a super-low concentration of chitooligosaccharide could modulate the activity of osteoblastic cells through mRNA levels and that the genes concerning cell proliferation and differentiation can be controlled by water-soluble chitosan.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.243-248
• /
• 1999

Sialic acids are key determinants for biological processes, such as cell-cell interaction and differentiation. Sialyltransferases contribute to the diversity in carbohydrate structure through their attachment of sialic acid in various terminal positions on glycolipid and glycoprotein (N-linked and O-linked) carbohydrate groups. Gal$\beta$ 1,3(4)GlcNAc $\alpha$2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3Gal III) is involved in the biosynthesis of $sLe^{X}$ and sLe^{a}$ known as selection ligands and tumor-associated carbohydrate structures. The appearance and differential distribution of ST3Gal III mRNA during mice embryogenesis [embryonic (E) days; E9, E11, E13, E15] were investigated by in situ hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes coupled with alkaline phosphatase detection. On E9, all tissues were positive for ST3Gal III mRNA expression whereas ST3Gal III mRNA on E11 was not detected throughout all tissues. On E13, ST3GAl III mRNA was expressed in different manner in various tissues. In this stage, ST3Gal III mRNA was positive only in the liver, pancreas and bladder. On E15, specific signal for ST3GAl III was detected in the liver, lung and forebrain. These results indicate that ST3Gal III is differently expressed at developmental stages of mice embryo, and this may be importantly related with regulation of organogenesis in mice.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.71-75
• /
• 1981

Vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of ethyl bromide was studied at 104.8-106.7 nm (11.4-11.6 eV) in the pressure range of 0.2-18.6 torr at $25^{\circ}$ using an argon resonance lamp with and without additives, i.e., NO and He. Since the ionization potential of $CH_3CH_2Br$ is lower than the photon energy, the competitive processes between the photoionization and the photodecomposition were also investigated. The observations indicated that 50% of absorbed light leads to the former process and the rest to the latter one. In the absence of NO the principal reaction products for the latter process were found to be $CH_4, C_2H_2, C_2H_4, C_2H_6, and C_3H_8$. The product quantum yields of these reaction products showed two strikingly different phenomena with an increase in reactant pressure. The major products, $C_2H_4$ and $C_2H_6$, showed positive effects with pressure whereas the effects on minor products were negative in both cases, i.e., He and reactant pressures. Addition of NO completely suppresses the formation of all products except $C_2H_4$ and reduces the $C_2H_4$ quantum yield. These observations are interpreted in view of existence of two different electronically excited states. The initial formation of short-lived Rydberg transition state undergoes HBr molecular elimination and this state can across over by collisional induction to a second excited state which decomposes exclusively by carbon-bromine bond fission. The estimated lifetime of the initial excited state was ${\sim}4{\times}10^{-10}$ sec. The extinction coefficient for $CH_3CH_2Br$ at 104.8-106.7 nm and $25{\circ}$ was determined to be ${varepsilon} = (1/PL)ln(I_0/I_t) = 2061{\pm}160atm^{-1}cm6{-1}$ with 95% confidence level.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.620-635
• /
• 2010

In this paper we describe current activities on the project Multi-Scale Modeling and Analysis of convective boiling (MSMA), conducted jointly by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Swiss Nuclear Utilities (Swissnuclear). The long-term aim of the MSMA project is to formulate improved closure laws for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations for prediction of convective boiling and eventually of the Critical Heat Flux (CHF). As boiling is controlled by the competition of numerous phenomena at various length and time scales, a multi-scale approach is employed to tackle the problem at different scales. In the MSMA project, the scales on which we focus range from the CFD scale (macro-scale), bubble size scale (meso-scale), liquid micro-layer and triple interline scale (micro-scale), and molecular scale (nano-scale). The current focus of the project is on micro- and meso-scales modeling. The numerical framework comprises a highly efficient, parallel DNS solver, the PSI-BOIL code. The code has incorporated an Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) to tackle complex geometries. For simulation of meso-scales (bubbles), we use the Constrained Interpolation Profile method: Conservative Semi-Lagrangian $2^{nd}$ order (CIP-CSL2). The phase change is described either by applying conventional jump conditions at the interface, or by using the Phase Field (PF) approach. In this work, we present selected results for flows in complex geometry using the IBM, selected bubbly flow simulations using the CIP-CSL2 method and results for phase change using the PF approach. In the subsequent stage of the project, the importance of effects of nano-scale processes on the global boiling heat transfer will be evaluated. To validate the models, more experimental information will be needed in the future, so it is expected that the MSMA project will become the seed for a long-term, combined theoretical and experimental program.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.59-64
• /
• 2011

Protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in many cellular signaling pathways, it participates in many physiological processes, such as cell cycle, growth, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. To investigate the effect of PKC on the silkworm midgut tissue infection of Bombyx mori parvo-like virus (BmPLV), a B. mori atypical protein kinase C (BmaPKC) gene was cloned from larval midgut tissue, expressed in E. coli and purified. Additionally, the BmPLV susceptible silkworm strain and resistant silkworm strain were used to test the effect of the B. mori infection on BmPLV. The result showed that BmaPKC encodes a predicted 586 amino acid protein, which contains a C-terminal kinase domain and an N-terminal regulatory domain. The maximum expression amount of the soluble (His)6-tagged fusion protein was detected after 0.8 mmol/L IPTG was added and cultured at $21^{\circ}C$. The (His) 6-tagged fusion protein revealed about 73 kDa molecular weight which confirmed by western blot and mass spectrography. Furthermore BmaPKC protein were detected at 0-72 h post-infection in BmPLVinfected larval midgut tissue, western blot showed that as time went on, the expression of BmaPKC increased gradually in susceptible strain, the expression quantity on 72 h is 5 times of 0 h. However, in resistant strain, the expression quantity is slightly lower than susceptible strain. But no significant change in resistant strain was observed as time went on. The available data suggest that BmaPKC may involve in the regulation of BmPLV proliferation.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.63 no.4
• /
• pp.854-863
• /
• 2021

Weaning induces physiological changes in intestinal development that affect pigs' growth performance and susceptibility to disease. As a posttranscriptional regulator, microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate cellular homeostasis during intestinal development. We performed small RNA expression profiling in the small intestine of piglets before weaning (BW), 1 week after weaning (1W), and 2 weeks after weaning (2W) to identify weaning-associated differentially expressed miRNAs. We identified 38 differentially expressed miRNAs with varying expression levels among BW, 1W, and 2W. Then, we classified expression patterns of the identified miRNAs into four types. ssc-miR-196a and ssc-miR-451 represent pattern 1, which had an increased expression at 1W and a decreased expression at 2W. ssc-miR-499-5p represents pattern 2, which had an increased expression at 1W and a stable expression at 2W. ssc-miR-7135-3p and ssc-miR-144 represent pattern 3, which had a stable expression at 1W and a decreased expression at 2W. Eleven miRNAs (ssc-miR-542-3p, ssc-miR-214, ssc-miR-758, ssc-miR-4331, ssc-miR-105-1, ssc-miR-1285, ssc-miR-10a-5p, ssc-miR-4332, ssc-miR-503, ssc-miR-6782-3p, and ssc-miR-424-5p) represent pattern 4, which had a decreased expression at 1W and a stable expression at 2W. Moreover, we identified 133 candidate targets for miR-196a using a target prediction database. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that the target genes were associated with 19 biological processes, 4 cellular components, 8 molecular functions, and 7 KEGG pathways, including anterior/posterior pattern specification as well as the cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, GnRH, and neurotrophin signaling pathways. These findings suggest that miRNAs regulate the development of the small intestine during the weaning process in piglets by anterior/posterior pattern specification as well as the cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, GnRH, and neurotrophin signaling pathways.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.44 no.9
• /
• pp.627-636
• /
• 2021

The three-dimensional organization of chromatin and its time-dependent changes greatly affect virtually every cellular function, especially DNA replication, genome maintenance, transcription regulation, and cell differentiation. Sequencing-based techniques such as ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and Hi-C provide abundant information on how genomic elements are coupled with regulatory proteins and functionally organized into hierarchical domains through their interactions. However, visualizing the time-dependent changes of such organization in individual cells remains challenging. Recent developments of CRISPR systems for site-specific fluorescent labeling of genomic loci have provided promising strategies for visualizing chromatin dynamics in live cells. However, there are several limiting factors, including background signals, off-target binding of CRISPR, and rapid photobleaching of the fluorophores, requiring a large number of target-bound CRISPR complexes to reliably distinguish the target-specific foci from the background. Various modifications have been engineered into the CRISPR system to enhance the signal-to-background ratio and signal longevity to detect target foci more reliably and efficiently, and to reduce the required target size. In this review, we comprehensively compare the performances of recently developed CRISPR designs for improved visualization of genomic loci in terms of the reliability of target detection, the ability to detect small repeat loci, and the allowed time of live tracking. Longer observation of genomic loci allows the detailed identification of the dynamic characteristics of chromatin. The diffusion properties of chromatin found in recent studies are reviewed, which provide suggestions for the underlying biological processes.