• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2021

α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors are differentially regulated in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of the brain after cocaine exposure. However, these results are supported only by biochemical and electrophysiological methods, but have not been validated with immunohistochemistry. To overcome the restriction of antigen loss on the postsynaptic target molecules that occurs during perfusion-fixation, we adopted an immersion-fixation method that enabled us to immunohistochemically quantify the expression levels of the AMPA receptor GluA1 subunit in the NAcc. Interestingly, compared to saline exposure, cocaine significantly increased the immunofluorescence intensity of GluA1 in two sub-regions, the core and the shell, of the NAcc on withdrawal day 21 following cocaine exposure, which led to locomotor sensitization. Increases in GluA1 intensity were observed in both the extra-post synaptic density (PSD) and PSD areas in the two sub-regions of the NAcc. These results clearly indicate that AMPA receptor plasticity, as exemplified by GluA1, in the NAcc can be visually detected by immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging. These results expand our understanding of the molecular changes occurring in neuronal synapses by adding a new form of analysis to conventional biochemical and electrophysiological methods.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.389-397
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• 2001

CART는 leptin에 의해 조절되는 포식인자이며 섭식과 운동 습성에 관계된 것으로 알려져 있다. 사람의 CART Leu34Phe 돌연변이는 비만의 표현형을 나타내었지만, 생쥐의 CART 돌연변이는 일반사료의 섭취 후 급격한 체중증가를 나타내지는 않았다 생체 내 신경세포에서 CART의 역할을 확인하기 위한 새로운 형질전환 모델을 확립하고자 분화하는 신경세포의 유전자 발현을 조절하는 NF-L promoter와 CART의 재조합 발현 벡터를 구축하였다. 형질전환 생쥐는 유전자 미세 주입법에 의하여 생산되었으며, PCR과 Southern blot의 방법으로 확인하였다. 이러한 형질전환 생쥐에서 CART의 과 발현을 수정 후 13.5일째 초기 배아와 생후 6주째 형질전환 생쥐의 뇌와 척수에서 확인하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 섭식 관련 유전자들이 상호 연관된 섭식행동에서 CART의 역할을 연구하는데 모델 동물로써 이용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.58-64
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• 1993

DNA addicts induced by putative chemical related to carcinogenesis were detected and determined by $^{32}$P-Postlabelling assay after exposure of 4 compounds comprising two auto dyes (amaranth, new coccine) and two flavonoid compounds (rutin, quercetin) to ICR mouse. DNA was isolated from mouse liver and digested enzymatically to deoxyribonucleoside 3'-monophosphate. The postincubation of DNA digests with nuclease Pl before $^{32}$P-labelling enhanced the technique's sensitivity. Nuclease Pl cleaves deoxyribonucleoside 3'-mono-phosphates of normal nucleotides to deoxyrihonucleosides which do not serve as substrates for polynucleotide kinase, while most of addicts were found to be totally or partially resistant to the 3'-dephosphorylating action of nuclease Pl. The adducted deoxyribonucleoside 3'-monophosphate was converted to 5'-$^{32}$P-labelled deoxynucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphate by T4 polynucleotide kinase. The nucleotides were separated by anion-exchange thin layer chromatography(TLC) on polyethyleneimine cellulose by 4-dimensional or 2-dimensional TLC then detected by autoradiography. The results show that DNA addicts were detected in liver DNA of ICR mouse after administration of amaranth and quercetin by 2-dimensional and/or 4-dimensional TLC.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Drug dependence deals a heavy socioeconomic burden to the society. For adolescents, the damage from drug dependence is greater than adults considering their higher susceptibility to drug effect and increasing chance for violence leading to criminal punishment process. Habitual drug use depends on genetic and environmental factors and the complex interactions between the two. Mammalian model systems have been useful in understanding the neurochemical and cellular impacts of abused drugs on specific regions of the brain, and in identifying the molecular targets of drugs. More elucidation is required whether biological effects of drugs actually cause the habitual dependence at the cellular level. Although there is much insight available on the nature of drug abuse problems, none of the systems designed to help drug dependent individuals is efficient in screening functional ingredients of the drug, and thus resulting in the failure of helping drug dependent individuals recover from drug dependence. Alternative model systems draw the attention of researchers, such as the invertebrate model systems of nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). These models should provide new insight into the mechanisms leading to the behavior of drug users (even functional studies analyzing molecular mechanism), and screening useful components to help remove drug dependence among drug users. The relatively simple anatomy and gene expression of the invertebrate model systems should enable researchers to coordinate current knowledge on drug abuse. Furthermore, the invertebrate model systems should facilitate advance in experiments on the susceptibility of specific genetic backgrounds and the interaction between genetic factors to drug dependence.

• 약학회지
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• 제52권2호
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• pp.137-146
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• 2008

Even though driving under the influence of drug (DUID) is a worldwide problem, we, Korea has no regulation system yet except for alcohol, and there are little cases reported related to DUID. In order to investigate the type of abused drugs for drivers in Korea, we tried to analyze controlled and non-controlled drugs in alcohol-positive blood samples. 275 whole bloods, which were positive for alcohol on the roadside test, were collected from the police for two months ($Nov.{\sim}Dec.$ 2006). The analytical strategy was constituted of three steps: First, alcohol in blood samples were confirmed and quantified by gas chromatography. Second, controlled drugs were screened by $Evidence_{investigator}\;^{TM}$ (Randox, U.K.) as preliminary test. It was based on immunoassay by biochip array analyzer. Nine groups of drug abuse were screened: amphetamines, methamphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, methadone, benzodiazepines I (oxazepam) & II (lorazepam). Finally, confirmation of these drugs was performed by GC-MS. Blood samples were extracted by solid-phase extraction by $RapidTrace^{TM}$ (Zymark, U.S.A.). After trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization, eluates were analyzed to GC-MS. Total 49 drugs were investigated in this study including controlled drugs, antidepressants, 1st generation antihistamines, dextromethorphan, nalbuphine, ketamine, etc. For rapid detection, we developed the automated identification system. It was made up a new software, "DrugMan", modified Chemstation data analysis menu and newly developed macro modules. A series of peak selection, identification and reporting of the results were performed automatically by this system. Concentrations of alcohol in 275 blood samples were ranged from 0.011 to 0.249% (average, 0.119%). Among 149 blood samples, just six samples (4.0%) were showed positive results to the immunoassay: one methamphetamine and five benzodiazepines group I. By GC-MS confirmation, only benzodiazepines were detected and methamphetamine was not detected from immunoassay positive blood sample. Besides these drugs, 5 chlorpheniramines, dextromethorphan, diazepam, doxylamine, ibuprofen, lidocaine and topiramate were also detected in whole bloods by GC-MS. Conclusively, the frequency of drug abuse for Korean drivers was relatively low. There was none case which illegal drug was detected. However these results were limited to alcohol positive blood samples, so it is necessary to analyze more samples including alcohol negative blood.

• 디지털콘텐츠학회 논문지
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• 제18권8호
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• pp.1551-1560
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• 2017

본 논문의 목적은 가상현실을 활용한 중독치료의 동향 파악을 위해 중독의 종류와 물질사용장애에 대한 가상현실치료 방법을 분류하고 분석하는 것이다. 가상현실은 다양한 정신장애 및 심리문제를 치료하기 위한 새로운 패러다임으로 활용되어 왔다. 최근에는 많은 연구가 수행되어 중독치료, 특히 물질사용장애에 대한 가상현실치료의 효과를 입증하였다. 이러한 연구들의 경향을 파악하기 위하여, 이 논문은 학술문헌 데이터베이스인 ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, ProQuest 그리고 Embase에 등재된 논문들을 체계적으로 검토하였다. 그 결과 45편의 연구논문들이 검색되었는데, 이 연구들 중에서 니코틴/흡연에 관하여 가장 많은 연구 (73 %, n = 33)가 되었고, 알코올 (18 %, n = 8), 대마초/마리화나 (2 %, n = 1), 그리고 헤로인, 코카인, 메스암페타민 등 기타 약물(7 %, n = 3)에 대한 연구가 이루어졌다. 이 논문은 이러한 연구들의 결과를 분석하고, 장점뿐만 아니라 몇 가지 한계점을 발견했으며, 가상 현실기술을 이용한 중독치료에 대한 추가연구 방향을 제시하였다.