• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2003

Purpose: Evidence exists that dysregulation of apoptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of cancer development. The Bcl-$x_{L}$/Bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD), a member of the Bcl-2 family, is a critical regulatory component of the intrinsic cell-death pathway that exerts its pro-apoptotic effect upon heterodimerization with anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-$X_{L}$. Expression of the BAD protein has been reported in several cancer types, but not in stomach cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the expression status of the BAD protein in gastric carcinomas. Materials and Methods: In the current study, we analyzed the expression of the BAD protein in 60 advanced gastric adenocarcinomas by using immunohistochemistry and a tissue microarray approach. Results: Immunopositivity (defined as $\geq\30\%$) was observed for the BAD protein in 57 ($95\%$) of the 60 cancers. Normal gastric mucosal cells showed weaker expressions of the BAD protein than gastric carcinomas. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that stomach cancer cells in vivo may need BAD protein expression for apoptosis. Also, the higher expression of the BAD protein in stomach cancer cells than in normal gastric mucosal cells suggests that apoptosis might be easily triggered in susceptible stomach cancer cells, thereby producing selective pressure to make more apoptosis-resistant cells during tumor development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2851-2857
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• 2013

Objective: REPS2 plays important roles in inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and in inducing apoptosis of cancer cells, now being identified as a useful biomarker for favorable prognosis in prostate and breast cancers. The purpose of this study was to assess REPS2 expression and to explore its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Protein expression of REPS2 in ESCCs and adjacent non-cancerous tissues from 120 patients was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome. Additionally, thirty paired ESCC tissues and four ESCC cell lines and one normal human esophageal epithelial cell line were evaluated for REPS2 mRNA and protein expression levels by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results: REPS2 mRNA and protein expression levels were down-regulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Low protein levels were significantly associated with primary tumour, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and recurrence (all, P < 0.05). Survival analysis demonstrated that decreased REPS2 expression was significantly associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival (both, P < 0.001), especially in early stage ESCC patients. When REPS2 expression and lymph node metastasis status were combined, patients with low REPS2 expression/lymph node (+) had both poorer overall and disease-free survival than others (both, P < 0.001). Cox multivariate regression analysis further revealed REPS2 to be an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that downregulation of REPS2 may contribute to malignant progression of ESCC and represent a novel prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for ESCC patients.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.122-122
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• 2003

Expressed sequence tags (EST) are help to quickly identify functions of expressed genes and to understand the complexity of gene expression. In order to analyze gene expression of the leaf development in Panax ginseng, which is one of the most important medicinal plant, expressed sequence tags (EST) analysis was carried out. We constructed a cDNA library using the immature leaf of Chunpoong. Partial sequences were obtained from 3,170 clones. The ESTs could be clustered into 1,624 (56.1%) non-redundant groups. Similarity search of the non-redundant ESTs against public non-redundant databases of both protein and DNA indicated that 1,137 groups show similarity to genes of known function. These ESTs clones were divided into sixteen categories depending upon gene function. Most abundant transcripts in immature ginseng leaf were photosynthesis related protein, such as chlorophyll a/b binding protein LHCII type I (128), chlorophyll a/b binding protein (53), ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (41), and photosystem I psaH (26). The EST data from immature leaf generated in this study is useful in dissecting gene expression in leaf organ of ginseng.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2015

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) play a pivotal role in regulating cellular hypoxic response. In this study, we cloned and characterized the genes encoding IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 to improve the current knowledge on their roles in highland Bos grunniens (Yak). We also compared their expression levels in the liver and kidney tissues between yaks and lowland cattle. We obtained full-length 465 bp IGF-1 and 792 bp IGFBP-1, encoding 154 amino acids (AA) IGF-1, and 263 AA IGFBP-1 protein, respectively using reverse transcriptase-polyerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technology. Analysis of their corresponding amino acid sequences showed a high identity between B. grunniens and lowland mammals. Moreover, the two genes were proved to be widely distributed in the examined tissues through expression pattern analysis. Real-time PCR results revealed that IGF-1 expression was higher in the liver and kidney tissues in B. grunniens than in Bos taurus (p<0.05). The IGFBP-1 gene was expressed at a higher level in the liver (p<0.05) of B. taurus than B. grunniens, but it has a similar expression level in the kidneys of the two species. These results indicated that upregulated IGF-1 and downregulated IGFBP-1 are associated with hypoxia adaptive response in B. grunniens.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.194-203
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• 2009

$HpaG_{Xooc}$, from rice pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, is a member of the harpin group of proteins, eliciting hypersensitive cell death in non-host plants, inducing disease and insect resistance in plants, and enhancing plant growth. To express and secret the $HpaG_{Xooc}$ protein in Bacillus subtilis, we constructed a recombinant expression vector pM43HF with stronger promoter P43 and signal peptide element nprB. The SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis demonstrated the expression of the protein $HpaG_{Xooc}$ in B. subtilis. The ELISA analysis determined the optimum condition for $HpaG_{Xooc}$ expression in B. subtilis WBHF. The biological function analysis indicated that the protein $HpaG_{Xooc}$ from B. subtilis WBHF elicits hypersensitive response(HR) and enhances the growth of tobacco. The results of RT-PCR analysis revealed that $HpaG_{Xooc}$ induces expression of the pathogenesis-related genes PR-1a and PR-1b in plant defense response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

Objective: Dairy cattle nutrient requirement systems acknowledge amino acid (AAs) requirements in aggregate as metabolizable protein (MP) and assume fixed efficiencies of MP used for milk protein. Regulation of mammary protein synthesis may be associated with AA input and milk protein output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanoemulsified methionine and cysteine on the in-vitro expression of milk protein (casein) in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T cells). Methods: Methionine and cysteine were nonionized using Lipoid S 75 by high-speed homogenizer. The nanoemulsified AA particle size and polydispersity index were determined by dynamic light scattering correlation spectroscopy using a high-performance particle sizer instrument. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity effect of AAs with and without nanoionization at various concentrations (100 to $500{\mu}g/mL$) in mammary epithelial cells. MAC-T cells were subjected to 100% of free AA and nanoemulsified AA concentration in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/nutrient mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12) for the analysis of milk protein (casein) expression by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Results: The AA-treated cells showed that cell viability tended to decrease (80%) in proportion to the concentration before nanogenesis, but cell viability increased as much as 90% after nanogenesis. The analysis of the expression of genetic markers related to milk protein indicated that; ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein increased 2-fold, ${\kappa}$-casein increased 5-fold, and the amount of unchanged ${\beta}$-casein expression was nearly doubled in the nanoemulsified methionine-treated group when compared with the free-nanoemulsified methionine-supplemented group. On the contrary, the non-emulsified cysteine-administered group showed higher expression of genetic markers related to milk protein ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein, ${\kappa}$-casein, and ${\beta}$-casein, but all the genetic markers related to milk protein decreased significantly after nanoemulsification. Conclusion: Detailed knowledge of factors, such nanogenesis of methionine, associated with increasing cysteine and decreasing production of genetic markers related to milk protein (casein) will help guide future recommendations to producers for maximizing milk yield with a high level of milk protein casein.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.25 no.6 s.53
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• pp.723-731
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• 1995

Type I and type II collagens are considered the major collagens of bone and cartilage respectively. Monitoring the patterns of those gene and protein expressions during development will provide a basis for the understanding of the normal and abnormal growths. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression of collagen genes and proteins involved in the developing human mandible. Fifty embryos and fetuses were studied with Alcian blue-PAS, Masson's Trichrome, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and Southern blot analysis. Our results showed that $pro-{\alpha}1(II)$ collagen gene expression begins in the 5th week. Type II collagen is synthesized in mesenchymal cells in advance: of overt chondrogenesis. The gene expression for type II collagen was highest during the appearance of Meckel's cartilage. There was a switch in collagen protein expression from type I to type II during the appearance stage of Meckel's cartilage. The distribution of the mRNA for type II collagen corresponded well with the pattern of type II collagen protein. The endochondral ossification was observed where there was direct replacement of cartilage by bone.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 2011

Ski protein is implicated in proliferation/differentiation in a variety of cells. We had previously reported that Ski protein is present in granulosa cells of atretic follicles, but not in preovulatory follicles, suggesting that Ski has a role in apoptosis of granulosa cells. The alternative fate of granulosa cells other than apoptosis is to differentiate to luteal cells, however, it is unknown whether Ski is expressed and has a role in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine whether the initiation of luteinization with luteinizing hormone (LH) directly regulates expression of Ski in the luteinized granulosa and luteal cells after ovulation by in vitro models. RT-PCR and real time PCR analysis respectively revealed that LH had no effect on c-Ski mRNA expression in the cultured granulosa cells regardless of LH treatment. Though Ski protein is absent in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicle, its mRNA (c-Ski) was expressed and the level was unchanged even after LH surge. Taken together, these results demonstrated that Ski protein expression is induced in granulosa cells upon luteinization, and suggested that its expression is regulated post-transcriptionally. Moreover, expression of mRNA of Arkadia, an E3 ubiquitin ligases, in luteinizing granulosa cells in vivo was assessed by realtime-PCR. The levels of Arkadia mRNA expression were unchanged during follicular growth and postovulatory luteinization. These findings suggest that Ski protein level may be regulated during luteinization at translational and/or post-translational level but not by Arkadia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3713-3716
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• 2012

Objective: Transmembrane protein 166 (TMEM166) expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and remote normal esophageal tissues was examined to assess any role in tumour biology. Methods: TMEM166 mRNA expression in 36 cases with ESCC (36 tumour samples, 36 remote normal esophageal tissue samples) was detected by RT-PCR. TMEM166 protein expression was analysed in paraffin-embedded tissue samples from the same cases by immunohistochemistry. Results: Semi-quantitative analysis showed TMEM166 mRNA expression in ESCCs to be significantly lower than in remote normal esophageal tissues ($0.759{\pm}0.713$ vs. $2.622{\pm}1.690$, P=0.014). TMEM166 protein expression was also significantly reduced (69.4% vs. 94.4%, P<0.01). Conclusion: TMEM166 mRNA and protein expression demonstrated significant reduction in ESCCs compared with remote esophageal tissues, albeit with no correlation with tumour size, differentiation, stage, and lymph node metastasis, suggesting a role in regulating autophagic and apoptotic processes in the ESCC.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 2021

Single-chain antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) are potentially promising agents for developing antibody-based cancer treatment strategies. We described in our previous study the successful expression of an anti-EGFRvIII scFv antibody in Escherichia coli. However, we could also observe the formation of insoluble aggregates in the periplasmic space, limiting the production yield of the active product. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms by which growth conditions could affect the expression of the soluble anti-EGFRvIII scFv antibody in small-scale E. coli NiCo21(DE3) cultures, attempting to maximize production. The secreted scFv molecules were purified using Ni-NTA magnetic beads and protein characterization was performed using SDS-PAGE and western blot analyses. We used the ImageJ software for protein quantification and determined the antigen-binding activity of the scFv antibody against the EGFRvIII protein. Our results showed that the highest percentage of soluble scFv expression could be achieved under culture conditions that combined low IPTG concentration (0.1 mM), low growth temperature (18℃), and large culture dish surface area. We found moderate-yield soluble scFv production in the culture medium after lactose-mediated induction, which was also beneficial for downstream protein processing. These findings were confirmed by conducting western blot analysis, indicating that the soluble, approximately 30-kDa scFv molecule was localized in the periplasm and the extracellular space. Moreover, the antigen-binding assay confirmed the scFv affinity against the EGFRvIII antigen. In conclusion, our study reveals that low-speed protein expression is preferable to obtain more soluble anti-EGFRvIII scFv protein in an E. coli expression system.