• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2020

Weeds play an important role in the survival of viruses and are potential inoculum sources of viral diseases for crop plants. In this study, specimens of Pseudostellaria heterophylla exhibiting symptoms of the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were collected in Bonghwa, Korea. The characteristics of the disease were described and leaf RNA was extracted and sequenced to identify the virus. Three CMV contigs were obtained and PCR was performed using specific primer pairs. RNA from positive samples exhibiting CMV leaf symptoms was amplified to determine the coat protein. A sequence comparison of the coat protein gene from the CMV BH isolate shared the highest nucleotide identity (99.2%) with the CMV ZM isolate. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CMV-BH belonged to subgroup IA and that the most closely-related isolate was CMV-ZM. All test plants used for the biological assay were successfully infected with CMV and exhibited CMV disease symptoms such as blistering, mosaic, and vein yellowing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV infection in P. heterophylla from Korea.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.261-266
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• 2009

Rhabdomyolysis, the clinical syndrome caused by the injury to skeletal muscle resulting in the release of muscle cell contents into the systemic circulation, has been described in association with various factors. The causes include crush injury, skeletal muscle overuse, heat, drug, abuse of alcohols and metabolic disorders as well as several types of viral and bacterial infections. We report two cases of rhabdomyolysis, which were complicated by uncommon causes, parainfluenza virus type I infection and hypernatremia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1110-1114
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• 2005

Six viruses of the genera Carlavirus (Garlic mosaic virus, GarMV, and Garlic latent virus, GarLV), Allexivirus (Garlic virus X, GarV-X, and Garlic mite-borne filamentous virus, GarMbFV) and Potyvirus (Leek yellow stripe virus, LYSV, and Onion yellow dwarf virus, OYDV) from Korean garlic plants with mosaic symptoms were simultaneously detected by multiplex RT-PCR and subsequently sequenced. An immunocapture RT-PCR for the detection of GarLV, LYSV, and OYDV was also performed. The coat protein phylogenetic analysis of the garlic viruses showed that the Korean isolates were most closely related to the isolates from China, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina. This study is the first report for the differentiation of six garlic viruses in Korea by simultaneous detection using multiplex RT-PCR.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.1367-1378
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• 2017

Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and chromatin remodeling can control gene expression by regulating gene transcription. DNA methylation is one of the frequent epigenetic events that play important roles in cancer development. Cancer cells can gain significant resistance to anticancer drugs and escape programmed cell death through major epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation. To date, several research groups have identified instances of both (i) hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes, and (ii) global hypomethylation of oncogenes. These changes in DNA methylation status could be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapies or other clinical therapies. Herein, we describe genes for which methylation is dependent upon anticancer drug resistance in patients with gastric cancer; we then suggest a significant epigenetic target to focus on for overcoming anticancer drug resistance.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1385-1389
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• 2005

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogen related to the development of liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the efficient methods to suppress HBV replication have not been developed yet. Therefore, we have used RNA interference (RNAi) as a potential tool for the suppression of HBV replication. Here, we designed a 21 nt small intefering dsRNA (siRNA) against hepatitis B virus X (HBx) RNA with 3' overhanging ends derived from T7 promoter. It has been reported that HBV X protein plays an important role in HBV gene expression and viral replication. The suppression of HBx gene expression by the 21 nt siRNA was investigated by Northern blot analysis and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assay. The level of HBx mRNA was decreased by siRNA in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the 21 nt siRNA inhibited the HBV replication in hepatocellular carcinoma cell.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2007

Curcumin, a dietary pigment responsible for the yellow color of curry, has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and exhibits a variety of pharmacological effects such as anti- inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral activity. In order to examine the potency of the curcumin in inflammation we used carrageenan induced rat hind paw odema model. As curcumin is practically water insoluble, it is hypothesized that pharmacological activity of curcumin could be improved by enhancing its water solubility. Water soluble complexes of curcumin with cyclodextrins were prepared and screened for greater solubility. Pure curcumin 100 mg/kg body weight along with curcumin complexes equivalent to 100 mg/kg body weight of pure curcumin were tested for the anti-inflammatory activity in Wister rats male rats using carrageenan induced hind paw edema model and compared with that of the reference compound diclofenac sodium at a dose level of 10 mg/kg body weight. Results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. All the treatment groups showed statistically significant anti-inflammatory activity compared with that of vehicle control and positive control.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.261-268
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• 2012

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus are the most significant pathogens causing respiratory tract diseases. Composite vaccines are useful in reducing the number of vaccination and confer protection against multiple infectious agents. In this study, we generated fusion of RSV G protein core fragment (amino acid residues 131 to 230) and influenza HA1 globular head domain (amino acid residues 62 to 284) as a dual vaccine candidate. This fusion protein, Gcf-HA1, was bacterially expressed, purified by metal resin affinity chromatography, and refolded in PBS. BALB/c mice were intranasally immunized with Gcf-HA1 in combination with a mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin (CT). Both serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses specific to Gcf and HA1 were significantly increased in Gcf-HA1/CT-vaccinated mice. To determine the protective efficacy of Gcf-HA1/CT vaccine, immunized mice were challenged with RSV (A2 strain) or influenza virus (A/PR/8/34). Neither detectable viral replication nor pathology was observed in the lungs of the immune mice. These results demonstrate that immunity induced by intranasal Gcf-HA1/CT immunization confers complete protection against both RSV and homologous influenza virus infection, suggesting our Gcf-HA1 vaccine candidate could be further developed as a dual subunit vaccine against RSV and influenza virus.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.518-525
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• 2014

Gammaherpesvirus (${\gamma}HV$) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) has been implicated in diverse neurological diseases, and murine ${\gamma}HV$-68 (MHV-68) is known to persist in the brain after cerebral infection. The underlying molecular mechanisms of persistency of virus in the brain are poorly understood. Here, we characterized a unique pattern of MHV-68 persistent infection in neuroblastoma cells. On infection with MHV-68, both murine and human neuroblastoma cells expressed viral lytic proteins and produced virions. However, the infected cells survived productive infection and could be cultured for multiple passages without affecting their cellular growth. Latent infection as well as productive replication was established in these prolonged cultures, and lytic replication was further increased by treatment with lytic inducers. Our results provide a novel system to study persistent infection of ${\gamma}HVs$ in vitro following de novo infection and suggest application of MHV-68 as a potential gene transfer vector to the brain.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2003

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3(GLRaV-3) is one of the most severe pathogens for viral diseases found in Korea. This study was conducted to establish the virus-free stock production system for the virus disease control. The effects of thermotherapy, merestem culture and chemotheratpy to eliminate the GLRaV-3 in gratevines were tested. Thermotherapy at 37$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$ for 6∼8 weeks combined with 0.5∼1.0mm size of meristem culture method was the most effective for virus elimination. Thermotherapy alone was not effective. In chemotheratpy, DHT and Amantadine (20, 40mg/L) treatment in medium was more effective than Ribavirin to eliminate the GLRaV-3 in grapevine. However, Ribavirin spraying to potted was not available for virus elimination. Therefore, virus-free stock production system using the thermotherapy combined with shoot apical meristem culture was the most effective in grapevine.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2008

Japanese encephalitis is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia, where it accounts for up to 50,000 cases. Approximately 20% of affected patients die, and 30-50% of survivors have significant neurological sequelae. Inactivated mouse-brain derived Japanese encephalitis vaccines has been effectively implemented to control the disease effectively in Korea and several other Asian countries. However, the vaccine is expensive and difficult to produce, requires multiple doses, and has been associated with hypersensitivity reactions and rare adverse neurologicale events. The live-attenuated SA14-14-2 vaccine derived from primary hamster kidney (PHK) cells was developed in China and has been used there since 1988. Outside China, it has been licensed and used in Korea and several other Asian countries. This vaccine is effective and inexpensive. However, the lack of precedence for using a PHK cell substrate in a live-attenuated vaccine is a special issue of concern. The WHO working group has recommended additional safety studies in selected high-risk groups, as well as ongoing post-marketing studies to ensure long-term safety. Recently, a new inactivated vaccine and live-attenuated chimeric vaccine have been developed from vero cells. With this background, this article summarized the current status of Japanese encephalitis vaccination worldwide and in Korea.