• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2013

Biologically active peptides, including growth factors and cytokines, participate in various biological processes in human skin. They could provide a great advantage of maintaining healthy skin. Many peptide growth factors like epidermal growth factor (EGF) and human growth hormone (hGH) have been used in cosmetic formulations. The delivery of peptide growth factors across the Stratum corneum, however, seems not sufficient because of their physical properties such as high molecular weight and hydrophilicity. So increasing the penetration of growth factors of interest into skin would be a major concern for ensuring their maximum biological efficacy. In this study, we have identified several skin penetration-enhancing peptides which facilitate delivery of growth factors, when fused at N-terminus of the target protein, into skin. For efficient and rapid screening, we constructed a skin-penetrating assay system using Franz cell and porcine skin. Next, we carried out phage display screening using M-13 bacteriophage with random 12 -amino acid library on its coat protein P3 on that system. After several selection rounds, peptide sequences facilitate the penetration of phages through the porcine skin were identified from a large population of phages. We found that phages with the most potent peptide (S3-2, NGSLNTHLAPIL) could penetrate the porcine skin eight times more than those with control peptide (12 mino acids scrambled peptide). Furthermore, growth factors conjugated with S3-2 peptide penetrate porcine skin three to five times efficiently than non-conjugated growth factors. In conclusion, our data shows that the skin penetration-enhancing peptide we have characterized could increase the delivery of growth factors and is useful for cosmeceutical application.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2005

HtrA2/Omi is a mammalian mitochondrial serine protease homologous to the E. coli HtrA/DegP gene products. Recently, HtrA2/Omi was found to have a dual role in mammalian cells, acting as an apoptosis-inducing protein and being involved in maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. By screening a human brain cDNA library with $A{\beta}$ peptide as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified HtrA2/Omi as a binding partner of $A{\beta}$ peptide. The interaction between $A{\beta}$ peptide and HtrA2/Omi was confirmed by an immunoblot binding assay. The possible involvement of HtrA2/Omi in $A{\beta}$ peptide metabolism was investigated. In vitro peptide cleavage assays showed that HtrA2/Omi did not directly promote the production of $A{\beta}$ peptide at the ${\beta}/{\gamma}$-secretase level, or the degradation of $A{\beta}$ peptide. However, overexpression of HtrA2/Omi in K269 cells decreased the production of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ by up to 30%. These results rule out the involvement of HtrA2/Omi in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. However, the fact that overexpression of HtrA2/Omi reduces the generation of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ suggests that it may play some positive role in mammalian cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.821-827
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• 2010

Gene delivery that provides targeted delivery of therapeutic genes to the cells of a lesion enhances therapeutic efficacy and reduces toxic side effects. This process is especially important in cancer therapy when it is advantageous to avoid unwanted damage to healthy normal cells. Incorporating cancer-specific ligands that recognize receptors overexpressed on cancer cells can increase selective binding and uptake and, as a result, increase targeted transgene expression. In this study, we investigated whether a peptide capable of homing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could facilitate targeted gene delivery by cationic liposomes. This homing peptide (HBP) exhibited selective binding to a human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, at a concentration ranging from 5 to 5,000 nM. When conjugated to a cationic liposome, HBP substantially increased cellular internalization of plasmid DNA to increase the transgene expression in HepG2 cells. In addition, there was no significant enhancement in gene transfer detected for other human cell lines tested, including THLE-3, AD293, and MCF-7 cells. Therefore, we demonstrate that HBP provides targeted gene delivery to HCC by cationic liposomes.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.211-214
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• 2013

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a highly hazardous component to human since it is regarded as one of endocrine disruptors. For the analysis and/or removal of BPA, the searching for the specific ligand with a selective affinity to target BPA is required. In order to find the peptide moiety that specifically binds to BPA, the ultrasound-assisted biopanning was carried out with a phage-displayed peptide library expressing constrained heptamer. After six rounds of positive screening against BPA particles followed by the negative screening against the surface of eppendorf tube, the peptide sequence (CysLysSerLeuGluAsnSerTyrCys) with affinity to BPA was screened based on the order of frequency from the screened phage clones. To further verify the specificity of screened peptide sequence, the cross-binding affinity of the phage peptide toward BPA analogues such as Bisphenol S (BPS) and Bisphenol F (BPF) was also assessed, where the selected phage peptide showed a higher affinity to BPA over BPS and BPF.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.4016-4020
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• 2011

A number of mimetic peptides of apolipoprotein A-I, a major component for high density lipoproteins (HDL), were screened from the phase-displayed random peptide library by utilizing monoclonal antibodies (A12). A mimetic peptide for A12 epitope against apolipoprotein A-I was selected as FVLVRDTFPSSVCCP(pA2) exhibiting 45% homology with Apo A-I in the BLAST search. Solution structure determination of this mimotope was made by using 2D-NMR data and NMR-based distance geometry (DG)/molecular dynamic calculations. The resulting DG structures had low penalty value of 0.4-0.6 ${\AA}^2$ and the total RMSD of 0.7-1.7 ${\AA}$. The mimotope pA2 exhibited a characteristic ${\beta}$-turn conformation from Val[2] to Phe[8] near Pro[9] residue.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.323-327
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• 2008

A focused library of pyrazole-based compounds was constructed towards novel transcription factor inhibitors. Complementary hydrogen bonding interaction with b-sheet peptide structures was the basis for the design of 5-amino-3-pyrazole carboxamide scaffold. From the preliminary inhibition assay against several transcription factors, compounds 7e and 8g were identified as novel lead compounds against HIF-1a and NF-AT transcription factors, respectively.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.342.2-342.2
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• 2002

The ${\beta}$-turn has been implicated as an important conformation for biological recognition of peptides or proteins. Benzodiazepine classes have been known as one of the non peptide ${\beta}$-turn mimic scaffolds. We have developed an efficient approach for the synthesis and derivatization of a scaffold of hydroxytetrahydrodizepinone class in order to screen compound library in various protein targets for new lead generations as well as for structure activity relationships of the scaffold. (omitted)

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.299-301
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• 1997

The asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) was the first described mammalian lectin that mediates the specific binding and internalization of galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine-terminating glycoproteins by hepatic parenchymal cells. H1 and H2 are known as essential subunits of the functional ASGPR. There were close similarities in ASGPR H2 subunits between cultured cell line HepG2 and normal human liver cells including identical sequences at both termini. It was therefore expected that there may be some similarities between the subunits from normal liver cells and fetal liver cells. The two subunits of human fetal liver ASGPR. designated FL-H1 and FL-H2. were cloned from cDNA library by peR and the sequences were compared with the known HI and H2 sequences of HepG2, and the H1 sequence of nornal human liver cells. The results showed that FL-H1 was identical to H1 of HepG2. Whereas FL-H2 contains a 15-bp miniexon, but missing 57-bp at the near upstream from the membrane-spanning domain compared to H2 of HepG2 and normal human liver cells indicating that FL-H2 resulted from a differential splicing compared to HepG2 and normal liver cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1845-1849
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• 2004

Apolipoprotein B-100 (Apo-B100) is a major protein component for low density lipoproteins (LDL). A number of mimetic peptides of Apo-B100 were screened from the phase-displayed random peptide library by utilizing monoclonal antibody (B9). Mimetic peptide for B9 epitope against apo B-100 was CRNVPPIFNDVYWIAF (pB1). From the BLAST search, the mimetic peptide pB1 had 40% homology with apo B-100. As a result of the structural determination of this mimotope using homo/hetero nuclear 2D-NMR techniques and NMR-based distance geometry (DG)/molecular dynamic (MD) computations, DG structure had low penalty value of 0.3-0.6 ${\AA}^2$ and the total RMSD was 0.5-1.5 ${\AA}. Moreover, pB1 structure included a weak $3_{10}$-helix from $Ile^7$,/TEX> to $Trp^{13}$.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2006

We have previously reported the minimum criteria that can be applied to evaluate efficacy and safety of a DNA vaccine with use of Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA vaccine (SPDNA). The SPDNA was formulated by inserting the DNA sequences that are codons specific for the carbohydrate epitope in the capsule of S. penumoniae by phage display peptide library. Administration of the SPDNA into mice induced both humoral and cell-mediated immunities. The induction was protective even in the absence of CD4+ T lymphocyte in mice. Profiles of cytokine and isotyping of antibody displayed tendency of the Th1. In continuation of these studies, we examined if the efficacy of the SPNDA was provoked by the peptide recognized by codons specific for the capsule. Results showed that the peptide vaccine formulae (SPP) induced protective antibody in mice as did the SPDNA. Involvement of the cell-mediated immunity was also determined. Possible side effects of autoimmune diseases such as myositis and C3a production and tumor-formation were undetectable in mice given 7 times of SPDNA vaccination during entire of 92 days. Even after the frequent immunization, immunogenicity of the SPDNA was observed as determined for antibody production, suggesting that there was no immunotolerance provoked. All together, these examining factors would be applied to measurement of a DNA vaccine safety regarding the immunopathological aspect.