• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.163-168
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• 2013

Objective: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an assisted reproductive technique for couples carrying genetic risks. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common hereditary neuropathy, with a prevalence rate of 1/2,500. In this study, we report on our experience with PGD cycles performed for CMT types 1A and 2F. Methods: Before clinical PGD, we assessed the amplification rate and allele drop-out (ADO) rate of multiplex fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by fragment analysis or sequencing using single lymphocytes. We performed six cycles of PGD for CMT1A and one cycle for CMT2F. Results: Two duplex and two triplex protocols were developed according to the available markers for each CMT1A couple. Depending on the PCR protocols, the amplification rates and ADO rates ranged from 90.0% to 98.3% and 0.0% to 11.1%, respectively. For CMT2F, the amplification rates and ADO rates were 93.3% and 4.8%, respectively. In case of CMT1A, 60 out of 63 embryos (95.2%) were diagnosed and 13 out of 21 unaffected embryos were transferred in five cycles. Two pregnancies were achieved and three babies were delivered without any complications. In the case of CMT2F, a total of eight embryos were analyzed and diagnosed. Seven embryos were diagnosed as unaffected and four embryos were transferred, resulting in a twin pregnancy. Two healthy babies were delivered. Conclusion: This is the first report of successful pregnancy and delivery after specific PGD for CMT disease in Korea. Our PGD procedure could provide healthy babies to couples with a high risk of transmitting genetic diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.155-162
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• 2013

Objective: Stress is known to be an inhibitor of the reproductive hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. However, the neural and molecular connections between stress and reproduction are not yet understood. It is well established that in both humans and rodents, kisspeptin (encoded by the kiss1 gene) is a strong stimulator of the HPG axis. In the present study we hypothesized that endocannabinoids, an important neuromodulatory system in the brain, can act on the HPG axis at the level of kiss1 expression to inhibit reproductive function under stress. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were unilaterally implanted with an intracerebroventricular cannula. Afterwards, the animals were exposed to immobilization stress, with or without the presence of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (1 ${\mu}g/rat$). Blood samples were collected through a retro-orbital plexus puncture before and after stress. Five hours after the stress, brain tissue was collected for reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements of kiss1 mRNA. Results: Immobilization stress (1 hour) resulted in a decrease in the serum luteinizing hormone concentration. Additionally, kiss1 gene expression was decreased in key hypothalamic nuclei that regulate gonadotrophin secretion, the medial preoptic area (mPOA), and to some extent the arcuate nucleus (ARC). A single central administration of AM251 was effective in blocking these inhibitory responses. Conclusion: These findings suggest that endocannabinoids mediate, at least in part, immobilization stress-induced inhibition of the reproductive system. Our data suggest that the connection between immobilization stress and the HPG axis is kiss1 expression in the mPOA rather than the ARC.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2011

Insect lysozymes are basic, cationic proteins synthesized in fat body and hemocytes in response to bacterial infections and depolymerize the bacterial cell wall. The c-type lysozyme of the insect Spodoptera litura (SLLyz) is a single polypeptide chain of 121 residues with four disulfide bridges and 17 rare codons and is approximately 15 kDa. The full-length SLLyz cDNA is 1039 bp long with a poly(A) tail, and contains an open reading frame of 426 bp long (including the termination codon), flanked by a 54 bp long 5' UTR and a 559 bp long 3' UTR. As a host for the production of high-level recombinant proteins, E. coli is used most commonly because of its low cost and short generation time. However, the soluble expression of heterologous proteins in E. coli is not trivial, especially for disulfide-bonded proteins. In order to prevent inclusion body formation, GST was selected as a fusion partner to enhance the solubility of recombinant protein, and fused to the amplified products encoding mature SLLyz. The expression vector pGEX-4T-1/rSLLyz was then transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3)pLysS for soluble expression of rSLLyz, and the soluble fusion protein was purified successfully. Inhibition zone assay demonstrated that rSLLyz showed antibacterial activity against B. megaterium. These results demonstrate that the GST fusion expression system in E. coli described in this study is efficient and inexpensive in producing a disulfide-bonded rSLLyz in soluble, active form, and suggest that the insect lysozyme is an interesting system for future structural and functional studies.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.525-533
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• 2006

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of risperidone in healthy male subjects representing different CYP2D6 genotypes with respect to risperidone, 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-risperidone), and active moiety. A total of 506 Korean subjects were genotyped for $CYP2D6^*10$ by means of allele-specific polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Based on the genotype analysis, 24 subjects, 7 homozygous for $CYP2D6^*1$ for $^*10$, and 7 heterozygous for $^*10$, were recruited and received a single oral dose of 2 mg risperidone tablet in this study. Serum concentrations of risperidone and 9-OH-risperidone up to 48 h were simultaneously determined. There were no significant differences of the active moiety, risperidone, and 9-OH-risperidone between the two preparations in AUC_{0-{\propto}}$ and $C_{max}$. The 90% confidence intervals (Cls) for the ratio of means of the log-trans-formed AUC_{0-{\propto}}$ and $C_{max}$ for the active moiety, risperidone, and 9-OH-risperidone were all within the bioequivalence acceptance criteria of 0.80-1.25. The $CYP2D6^*10$ allele particularly was associated with higher serum concentrations of risperidone and the risperidone/9-OH-risperidone ratio compared with the $CYP2D6^*1$ allele. The results demonstrate that the two preparations of risperidone are bioequivalent and it can be assumed that they are therapeutically equivalent and exchangeable in clinical practice. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic parameters of risperidone and the risperidone/9-OH-risperidone ratio are highly dependent on the CYP2D6 genotypes.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.82-85
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• 2004

Microinterface of W/Omicroemulsion prepared by phosphatidylcholine was used as reaction media of hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine by phospholipaseA$_2$. Phosphatidylcholine was used as an amphiphile and was acted as a substrate. Organic phase of W/Omicroemulsion in this study was prepared by mixed organic solvents i.e. 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane) as a main solvent and 1-butanol as a co-solvent. The effect of added 1-butanol was remarkable not only on reaction beginning but also on high reaction rate. The hydrolysis reaction was dramatically initiated when 1-butanol was injected into the running isooctane/PC system. The enhancement by 1-butanol addition into single organic solvent was our original finding compare with previous conventional organic solvent. The reaction rate was elevated by the added amount of 1-butanol. The enhanced reaction rate was about 150-folds. This enhancement was speculated as 1-butanol adsorption on the microinterface. The adsorbed 1-butanol improved the properties of microinterface, especially its mobility was increased by difference of the chain length between phosphatidylcholine and 1-butanol. PhospholipaseA$_2$ molecules were located on the microinterface due to modified mobility of microinterface. Located phospholipaseA$_2$ on the microinterface reacted easily with phosphatidylcholine molecule. As a result high reaction rate was obtained. Microinterfacial properties were successfully improved by adsorbed 1-butanol molecule, and were favorable to appear higher reactivity of phospholipaseA$_2$.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2004

A single chain variable fragment (scFv) specific towards B. pseudomallei exotoxin had previously been generated from an existing hybridoma cell line (6E6AF83B) and cloned into the phage display vector pComb3H. In this study, the scFv was subcloned into the pComb3X vector to facilitate the detection and purification of expressed antibodies. Detection was facilitated by the presence of a hemagglutinin (HA) tag, and purification was facilitated by the presence of a histidine tag. The culture was grown at 30$^{\circ}C$ until log phase was achieved and then induced with 1 mM IPTG in the absence of any additional carbon source. Induction was continued at 30$^{\circ}C$ for five h. The scFv was discerned by dual processes-direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and Western blotting. When compared to E. coli strains ER2537 and HB2151, scFv expression was observed to be highest in the E. coli strain Topl0F'. The expressed scFv protein was purified via nickel-mediated affinity chromatography and results indicated that two proteins a 52 kDa protein, and a 30 kDa protein were co-purified. These antibodies, when blotted against immobilized exotoxin, exhibited significant specificity towards the exotoxin, com-pared to other B. pseudomallei antigens. Thus, these antibodies should serve as suitable reagents for future affinity purification of the exotoxin.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2007

Insertion sequence IS1112 is a repetitive element with a relatively high number of copies in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), the causal agent of bacterial blight of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Three new loci of IS1112 were identified in seven Chinese strains of Xoo using a single oligonucleotide primer J3; 5'-GCTCA GGTCAGGTGGCCTGG-3' by insertion-sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (IS-PCR). Among the three new loci of IS1112, two were located in the open-reading frame region of genes fhuA and cirA, which encode TonB-dependent receptors, and the third in ISXo2, another type of insertion sequence in Xoo genome. Three variants of IS1112 were identified in those three loci based on their sequence similarities: two were identical to IS1112a and IS1112b, reported in strain PXO86 from the Philippines, while the third was a new member of IS1112, defined as IS1112d. Inserting IS1112 in gene fhuA caused three bases, GGT, to be duplicated at the target site, but inserting it in gene cirA did not cause any duplication in the target site. The diversity of IS1112 sequence and insertion loci in Xoo genome and their potential effects are discussed.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2001

To avoid the intrinsic problem of aggregation associated with the traditional solution-phase refolding process, we propose a solid-phase refolding method integrated with expanded bed adsorption chromatography. The model protein used was a fusion protein of recombinant human growth hormone and a glutathione S transferase fragment. It was demonstrated that the EBA-mediated refolding technique could simultaneously remove cellular debris and directly renature the fusion protein inclusion bodies in the cell homogenate with much higher yields and less agregation. To demonstrate the applicability of the method, we successfully tested the three representative types of starting materials, i. e., rhGH monomer, washed inclusion bodies, and the E. coli homogenate. This direct and simplified refolding process could also reduce the number of renaturation steps required and allow refolding at a higher concentration, at approximately 2 mg fusion protein per ml of resin. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first approach that has combined the solid-phase refolding method with expanded bed chromatography.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.537-540
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• 2000

In developing a HPLC purification process, it was hoped that a single chromatographic system would be sufficient to abtain pure paclitaxel in high yield. However, no such system was found, due in part to the complex taxoid profile of crude paclitaxel and to the rigorous nature of the product specification. A two step HPLC purification was adopted using reverse-phase separation on C(sub)18 as a first step, and normal-phase separation on silica as the final polishing step. Impurity profiles were established and maintained for paclitaxel, which identified and quantified each impurity observed in purified paclitaxel from these two steps, all impurities at or above 0.1% were identified. Results provide information for improving the quality control of paclitaxel production.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.84-87
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• 2003

Purpose: Evidence exists that dysregulation of Bcl-2 family members is involved in the pathogenesis of cancer development. The aim of this study was to explore whether the somatic mutation of proapoptotic Bcl-2 member genes, one of the mechanisms that prolong the survival of cancer cells, is involved in gastric carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: In the current study, to detect somatic mutations of the DNA sequences encoding the Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3) domain of the human BAD, BIM, BIK, and Bcl-G genes in 60 advanced gastric adenocarcinomas, we used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and DNA sequencing. Results: The SSCP analysis revealed no mutations in the coding regions of the BH3 domain in the cancers. Conclusion: The data presented here indicate that proapoptotic Bcl-2 member genes, BAD, BIM, BIK, and Bcl-G, may not be mutated in human gastric carcinomas and suggest that these genes might be altered by mechanisms other mechanisms somatic mutation.