• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.404-408
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• 2008

The genome of replication-competent BERV ${\gamma}4$ provirus, which is the most abundant ERV family in the bovine genome, was characterized in detail. The BERV ${\gamma}4$ genome showed that BERV ${\gamma}4$ harbors 8576 nucleotides and has the typical 5'-long terminal repeat (LTR)-gag-pro-pol-env-LTR-3' retroviral organization with a long leader region positioned before the gag open reading frame. Multiple sequences analysis showed that the nucleotide difference between 5' and 3' LTRs was 4.2% (mean value 0.042) in average, suggesting that the provirus formed at most 13.3 million years ago. Gag separated by a stop codon from pro-pol in the same reading frame, while env resides in another reading frame lacking of a functional surface domain. According to the current bovine genome sequence assembly, the full-length BERV ${\gamma}4$ provirus sequences were only found in the chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 15, 23, 26, 28, X, and unassigned, although the partial sequences almost evenly distributed in the entire bovine genome. This is the first detailed study describing the genome structure of BERV ${\gamma}4$, the most abundant ERV family present in bovine genome. Combined with our recent reports on characterization of ERVs in bovine, this study will contribute to illuminate ERVs in the cattle of which no information was previously available.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.615-620
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• 2022

The murine leukemia virus-based semi-retroviral replicating vectors (MuLV-based sRRV) had been developed to improve safety and transgene capacity for cancer gene therapy. However, despite the apparent advantages of the sRRV, improvements in the in vivo transduction efficiency are still required to deliver therapeutic genes efficiently for clinical use. In this study, we established a gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV) envelope-pseudotyped semi-replication-competent retrovirus vector system (spRRV) which is composed of two transcomplementing replication-defective retroviral vectors termed MuLV-Gag-Pol and GaLV-Env. We found that the spRRV shows considerable improvement in efficiencies of gene transfer and spreading in both human glioblastoma cells and pre-established human glioblastoma mouse model compared with an sRRV system. When treated with ganciclovir after intratumoral injection of each vector system into pre-established U-87 MG glioblastomas, the group of mice injected with spRRV expressing the herpes simplex virus type 1-thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene showed a survival rate of 100% for more than 150 days, but all control groups of mice (HSV1-tk/PBS-treated and GFP/GCV-treated groups) died within 45 days after tumor injection. In conclusion, these findings sug-gest that intratumoral delivery of the HSV1-tk gene by the spRRV system is worthy of development in clinical trials for the treatment of malignant solid tumors.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.199-208
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• 2023

Background: Canine induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are an attractive source for veterinary regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug development. Here we used vitamin C (Vc) to improve the reprogramming efficiency of canine iPSCs, and its functions in the reprogramming process were elucidated. Methods: Retroviral transduction of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc (OSKM), and GFP was employed to induce reprogramming in canine fetal fibroblasts. Following transduction, the culture medium was subsequently replaced with ESC medium containing Vc to determine the effect on reprogramming activity. Results: The number of AP-positive iPSC colonies dramatically increased in culture conditions supplemented with Vc. Vc enhanced the efficacy of retrovirus transduction, which appears to be correlated with enhanced cell proliferation capacity. To confirm the characteristics of the Vc-treated iPSCs, the cells were cultured to passage 5, and pluripotency markers including Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, and Tra-1-60 were observed by immunocytochemistry. The expression of endogenous pluripotent genes (Oct4, Nanog, Rex1, and telomerase) were also verified by PCR. The complete silencing of exogenously transduced human OSKM factors was observed exclusively in canine iPSCs treated with Vc. Canine iPSCs treated with Vc are capable of forming embryoid bodies in vitro and have spontaneously differentiated into three germ layers. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize a straightforward method for enhancing the efficiency of canine iPSC generation and provide insight into the Vc effect on the reprogramming process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.280-288
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• 2024

The fusogenic membrane glycoprotein (FMG) derived from the human endogenous retrovirus-W (HERV-W) exhibits fusogenic properties, making it a promising candidate for cancer gene therapy. When cells are transfected with HERV-W FMG, they can fuse with neighboring cells expressing the receptor, resulting in the formation of syncytia. These syncytia eventually undergo cell death within a few days. In addition, it has been observed that an HERV-W env mutant, which is truncated after amino acid 483, displays increased fusogenicity compared to the wild-type HERV-W env. In this study, we observed syncytium formation upon transfection of HeLa and TE671 human cancer cells with plasmids containing the HERV-W 483 gene. To explore the potential of a semi-replication-competent retroviral (s-RCR) vector encoding HERV-W 483 for FMG-mediated cancer gene therapy, we developed two replication-defective retroviral vectors: a gag-pol vector encoding HERV-W 483 (MoMLV-HERV-W 483) and an env vector encoding VSV-G (pCLXSN-VSV-G-EGFP). When MoMLV-HERV-W 483 and pCLXSN-VSV-G-EGFP were co-transfected into HEK293T cells to produce the s-RCR vector, gradual syncytium formation was observed. However, the titers of the s-RCR virus remained consistently low. To enhance gene transfer efficiency, we constructed an RCR vector encoding HERV-W 483 (MoMLV-10A1-HERV-W 483), which demonstrated replication ability in HEK293T cells. Infection of A549 and HT1080 human cancer cell lines with this RCR vector induced syncytium formation and subsequent cell death. Consequently, both the s-RCR vector and RCR encoding HERV-W 483 hold promise as valuable tools for cancer gene therapy.

• BMB Reports
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• 제57권8호
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• pp.363-368
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• 2024

Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra, is caused by various genetic and environmental factors. Current treatment methods are medication and surgery; however, a primary therapy has not yet been proposed. In this study, we aimed to develop a new treatment for PD that induces direct reprogramming of dopaminergic neurons (iDAN). Achaete-scute family bHLH transcription factor 1 (ASCL1) is a primary factor that initiates and regulates central nervous system development and induces neurogenesis. In addition, it interacts with BRN2 and MYT1L, which are crucial transcription factors for the direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons. Overexpression of ASCL1 along with the transcription factors NURR1 and LMX1A can directly reprogram iDANs. Using a retrovirus, GFP-tagged ASCL1 was overexpressed in astrocytes. One week of culture in iDAN convertsion medium reprogrammed the astrocytes into iDANs. After 7 days of differentiation, TH+/TUJ1+ cells emerged. After 2 weeks, the number of mature TH+/TUJ1+ dopaminergic neurons increased. Only ventral midbrain (VM) astrocytes exhibited these results, not cortical astrocytes. Thus, VM astrocytes can undergo direct iDAN reprogramming with ASCL1 alone, in the absence of transcription factors that stimulate dopaminergic neurons development.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.593-599
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• 1999

본 연구는 제대혈과 골수로부터 얻은 조혈모세포를 재조합 retrovirus로 감염시킬 때의 최적조건을 human growth hormone (hGH)과 $\beta$-galactosidase를 발현하는 두 가지의 다른 retroviral vector를 이용하여 찾았다. Retrovirus는 자라는 세포에만 감염하는 것으로 알려져 있어 이에 대한 최적조건을 구하기 위해 세포 배양을 통해 조혈모세포의 성장곡선을 얻었으며, 또한 감염된 세포를 환자에게 다시 넣는 유전자요법에서는 이 세포가 체내에서 가능하면 조혈모세포의 기능을 가지는 것이 요구되어 이 때 얻어진 세포의 분열능을 나타내는 집락형성 세포분율을 구하였다. 우선, 세포성장에 대해 조사한 결과 초기에 넣은 세포농도가 5$\times$$10^4$세포/mL일 때 세포성장속도가 가장 빠른 것으로 나타났다. 그러나, 배양시간이 지남에 따라 집락을 형성할 수 있는 능력은 급격하게 감소하여 유전자요법을 위한 최적조건을 구하기 위해서는 이를 고려한 최적화가 필요하였다. 이를 위한 예비실험으로 감염이 잘 된다고 알려진 NIH3T3 세포에 retrovirus 상층액으로 감염시킨 결과 성공적으로 유전자가 전달된 것을 배지에 분비되는 hGH을 측정하여 확인하였다. 이러한 결과로부터 hGH을 발현하는 재조합 retrovirus는 정상적으로 작동하는 것을 확인하였다. 그러나, 조혈모세포와 retrovirus를 분비하는 packaging cell을 동시 배양하는 방법을 채택하였다. 제대혈로부터 얻은 조혈모세포와 대장균 lacZ 유전자로부터 $\beta$-galactosidase를 분비하는 packaging cell을 이용한 경우 동시배양의 경우 조혈모세포를 3일 동안 세포배양을 한 후 이 증식된 세포를 48시간 동안 동시배양하면서 감염시켰을 때 최대의 감염율을 나타내었다. 한편, 골수로부터 얻은 조혈모세포와 hGH을 분비하는 packaging cell과 동시배양시켰을 때 세포농도가 다름에도 불구하고 제대혈에서와 마찬가지로 조혈모세포를 3일 동안 세포배양한 후 48시간 동안 동시배양하는 경우에 hGH이 최대로 분비되었다. 이러한 결과로부터 세포의 source나 세포농도와 관계없이 유전자전달을 통한 단백질의 발현에 있어서 최적조건이 존재하였다. 그러나, 이러한 경우에 유전자전달이 완료되는 시점이 배양을 시작한지 5일이 되므로 집락을 형성할 수 있는 세포의 분율이 약 1/3로 감소하였다. 따라서, 이러한 결과를 유전자요법에 적용하는 경우에는 그 목적에 따라 적절한 실험조건을 선정하는 것이 필요하리라 사료된다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제27권11호
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• pp.1644-1651
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• 2014

Transgenic animals have become important tools for the production of therapeutic proteins in the domestic animal. Production efficiencies of transgenic animals by conventional methods as microinjection and retrovirus vector methods are low, and the foreign gene expression levels are also low because of their random integration in the host genome. In this study, we investigated the homologous recombination on the porcine ${\beta}$-casein gene locus using a knock-in vector for the ${\beta}$-casein gene locus. We developed the knock-in vector on the porcine ${\beta}$-casein gene locus and isolated knock-in fibroblast for nuclear transfer. The knock-in vector consisted of the neomycin resistance gene (neo) as a positive selectable marker gene, diphtheria toxin-A gene as negative selection marker, and 5' arm and 3' arm from the porcine ${\beta}$-casein gene. The secretion of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was more easily detected in the cell culture media than it was by western blot analysis of cell extract of the HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells transfected with EGFP knock-in vector. These results indicated that a knock-in system using ${\beta}$-casein gene induced high expression of transgene by the gene regulatory sequence of endogenous ${\beta}$-casein gene. These fibroblasts may be used to produce transgenic pigs for the production of therapeutic proteins via the mammary glands.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.307-314
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• 2004

돼지를 이용한 이종간 장기 이식은 차세대 장기 공급 부족 문제를 해결해 줄 수 있는 가능성을 제공해준다. 그러나 돼지 장기를 이용한 이종간 장기 이식은 면역학적인 문제 외에도 가축 유래 전염성 병원균에 대한 안전성 문제가 심각하게 고려되어지고 있다. 대부분의 외인성 병원균은 무균 사육환경을 통해 제어되는 반면 내인성 레트로 바이러스(Endogenous Retrovirus, PERVs)는 germ line을 통해 전파됨으로 사육 조건으로 해결할 수는 없다. 본 연구는 이종간 장기 이식용 무균 돼지 생산시 가장 문제가 되는 PERVs에 대한 분포를 알아보고자 국내 돼지(Landrace, Berkshire, Yorkshire, Duroc)의 genome 내 PERVs 분포와 유전자 염기 서열을 비교하였다. 모든 공시 돼지(20두)의 genomic DNA로부터 PCR을 이용하여 PERV A/B/C와 PERV-E의 존재를 확인하였다. pol 유전자 일부 염기 서열 분석 결과 같은 품종내 개체간 또는 품종간 상동성이 99.1과 98.8%로 매우 높게 나왔다. 본 연구의 결과 모든 국내 돼지 유전자내에 PERV A/B/C와 PERV E가 provirus 형태로 많이 존재하며 바이러스간의 높은 상동성은 바이러스 제어에 많은 잇점으로 작용하리라 사료되며 아직 밝혀지지 않은 내인성바이러스에 대한 연구가 요구되어진다. 그러므로 본 연구의 자료는 이종간 장기 이식용 무균돼지 생산 시 PERVs 를 제어하기 위한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.354-361
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• 2002

목 적: 본 연구에서는 in vitro 및 in vivo에서 HSV-TK 유전자 치료의 bystander 효과 및 기전을 관찰하고, 싸이토카인 유전자의 병합 치료가 bystander 효과를 증폭시킬 수 있는지 조사하여 그 결과를 향후 신경모세포종 치료에 적용하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법: A/J 마우스 신경모세포종 모델에서, neuro-2a/TK 세포와 unmodified neuro-2a세포를 여러 비율로 혼합하여 접종한 후 GCV를 투여하여 종양의 크기 변화 및 생존 유무를 관찰하였다. 마우스 신경모 세포종에서 bystander 효과의 기전을 알아보기 위해 neuro-2a/TK 세포를 주입한 마우스의 조직을 절개하여 connexin 43, CD4+ 및 CD8+ 세포 침윤을 관찰 하였다. 10% 및 25% HSV-TK 투여 군에서 neuro-2a/IL-2 세포의 투여가 bystander 효과를 증폭시키는 지 조사하였다. 결 과 : 1) in vitro 및 in vivo에서 bystander 효과는 뚜렷하게 관찰되었다. 2) 마우스 신경모세포종의 면역 조직 화학 염색 검사에서 connexin 43 발현은 관찰되지 않았으나 많은 수의 CD4+ 및 CD8+ T 세포의 침윤이 관찰되었다. 3) 10% 및 25% HSV-TK 투여군의 마우스에서 neuro-2a/IL-2 세포의 투여는 대조군과 비교하여 종양의 성장을 더 억제 시켰다. 결 론: In vitro 및 in vivo에서 HSV-TK/GCV 유전자 치료의 bystander 효과는 뚜렷하였으며, 그 기전으로 면역 세포가 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 추측된다. 그리고 bystander 효과는 IL-2 투여에 의해 증폭됨을 확인하였다. 이는 향후 신경모세포종의 수술 후 잔존암 치료에 HSV-TK/GCV 유전자 치료가 이용 가능할 것으로 생각된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.3961-3968
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• 2015

Background: Variants of human papillomavirus (HPV) show more oncogenicity than do prototypes. The HPV16 Asian variant (HPV16As) plays a major role in cervical cancer of Asian populations. Some amino acid changes in the E6 protein of HPV16 variants affect E6 functions such as p53 interaction and host immune surveillance. This study aimed to investigate activities of HPV16As E6 protein on modulation of expression of miRNA-21 as well as interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) 1, 3, 7 and c-fos. Materials and Methods: Vectors expressing E6 protein of HPV16As (E6D25E) or HPV16 prototype (E6Pro) were constructed and transfected into C33A cells. HCK1T cells expressing E6D25E or E6Pro were established by transducing retrovirus-containing E6D25E or 16E6Pro. The E6AP-binding activity of E6 and proliferation of the transfected C33A cells were determined. MiR-21 and mRNA of interesting genes were detected in the transfected C33A cells and/or the HCK1T cells, with or without treatment by culture medium from HeLa cells (HeLa-CM). Results: E6D25E showed binding activity with E6AP similar to that of E6Pro. Interestingly, E6D25E showed a higher activity of miR-21 induction than did E6Pro in C33A cells expressing E6 protein. This result was similar to the HCK1T cells expressing E6 protein, with HeLa-CM treatment. The miR-21 up-regulation significantly corresponded to its target expression. Different levels of expression of IRFs were also observed in the HCK1T cells expressing E6 protein. Interestingly, when treated with HeLa-CM, IRFs 1, 3 and 7 as well as c-fos were significantly suppressed in the HCK1T cells expressing E6D25E, whereas those in the HCK1T cells expressing E6Pro were induced. A similar situation was seen for IFN-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\beta}$. Conclusions: E6D25E of the HPV16As variant differed from the E6 prototype in its activities on epigenetic modulation and immune surveillance and this might be a key factor for the important role of this variant in cervical cancer progression.