• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.335-339
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• 2001

Grapevine leafroll-associated 3 closterovirus (GLRaV-3) is phloem limited virus, and one of the most severe viral diseases found in Korea. However, nonhomogenous distribution and low concentration and seasonal variations of GLRaV-3 in grapevines remain as main problems which prevent the introduction and molecular biology or serology experiments. Virus-infected plantlet in vitro was obtained from node tissue cuttings, which was GLRaV-3 infected 'kyoho' vines. The amount of purified virus was highest in vitro plantlet. Moreover, viruses seem to be relatively homogeneously distributed in all organs including leaf, stem and callus derived from in vitro plantlets. RT-PCR detection using in vitro plantlet tissue as template was most effective. When comparing ELISA to RT-PCR, RT-PCR detection was 1,000 times as effective as ELISA. These results can be explained by improved quality such as tenderness or less tannins in plantlet in vitro. In conclusion, until infected herbaceous host will be available, tissue culture can be usefully adopted as a technique for a good source of GLRaV-3 closterovirus for further studies.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2017

Purpose: The goal of this study was the early diagnosis of ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders, especially those focused on benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. Methods: Fifty patients presenting neonatal cholestasis were evaluated to identify underlying etiologies. Genetic analysis was performed on patients suspected to have syndromic diseases or ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders. Two families with proven ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders were subjected to genetic analyses to confirm the diagnosis and were provided genetic counseling. Whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed on the patients and the family members. Results: Idiopathic or viral hepatitis was diagnosed in 34%, metabolic disease in 20%, total parenteral nutrition induced cholestasis in 16%, extrahepatic biliary atresia in 14%, genetic disease in 10%, neonatal lupus in 2%, congenital syphilis in 2%, and choledochal cyst in 2% of the patients. The patient with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis had novel heterozygous mutations of ABCB11 c.11C>G (p.Ser4*) and c.1543A>G (p.Asn515Asp). The patient with benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis had homozygous mutations of ABCB11 c.1331T>C (p.Val444Ala) and heterozygous, c.3084A>G (p.Ala1028Ala). Genetic confirmation of ABCB11 spectrum liver disorder led to early liver transplantation in the progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis patient. In addition, the atypically severe benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis patient was able to avoid unnecessary liver transplantation after genetic analysis. Conclusion: ABCB11 spectrum liver disorders can be clinically indistinguishable as they share similar characteristics related to acute episodes. A comprehensive genetic analysis will facilitate optimal diagnosis and treatment.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.76-85
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• 1996

Adenoviruses(Ad) are considered to be second only to rotaviruses as the most significant cause of gastroenteritis in young children in Korea and thus it is essential to know the full spectrum of Ad serotypes routinely present in stool specimens from symptomatic patients. Sixty-six Ad isolates and three questionable ones collected over a 2-year peiord were typed by standard microneutralization, restriction endonuclease digestion and PCR of viral DNA to be able to evaluate these assays comprehensively for their ability to identify Ad associated with gastroenteritis. A total of sixty-one isolates(88.4%) were typed: the predominant types were Ad type 41(Ad41)(26.2%), Ad2(19.7%), Ad40(14.8%), Ad5(9.8%), and Ad7(9.8%) which together accounted for almost 80% of the isolates. The remaining virus isolates were typed as Ad1, 31, 34, 3, 25 and a mixture of 40/41. The incidence of Ad31(4.9%) or Ad3(1.6%) was relatively insignificant. DNA restriction analysis(77.5%) proved to be better than serum neutralization but not so when compared to a PCR-based assay for identification of the enteric Ad serotypes(90%) in stool specimens. In this work, the PCR-based assay was evaluated as a tool for the rapid, yet highly sensitive identification of adenoviral DNA sequences in fresh clinical stool specimens.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.258-261
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• 2005

We conducted a survey on pepper virus diseases in 31 regions in Korea from November 2001 to December 2004. Using electron microscopy, test plant reaction, rapid immuno-filter paper assay (RIPA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and/or analysis of viral nucleotide sequences, we found a number of viruses from 1,056 samples that we collected. These included Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2), Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Of the samples analyzed, $343(32.5\%)$ were infected with CMV, $209(19.8\%)$ with PepMoV, $141(13.4\%)$ with PMMoV, $12(1.1\%)$ with BBWV2, $40(3.8\%)$ with TMGMV, $5(0.5\%)$ with TSWV, $153(14.5\%)$ with CMV and PepMoV, $54 (5.1\%)$ with CMV and PMMoV, $31(2.9\%)$ with PepMoV and PMMoV, $3(0.3\%)$ with CMV and BBWV2, $1(0.1\%)$ with CMV, PepMoV and BBWV2, $8(0.8\%)$ with CMV, PepMoV and PMMoV, and $30 (2.8\%)$ samples were infected with viruses which were not identified. CMV was the most predominant virus in all inspected fields and the number of the samples infected with PMMoV was relatively low as compared PepMoV infection level in pepper. TMGMV was only found in the southern part of Korea, while TSWV was isolated in Anyang and Yesan. However, we did not encounter in this survey the Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Potato virus Y (PVY), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and Pepper vein chlorosis virus (PVCV).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.307-317
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• 2017

Satsuma dwarf virus (SDV) or Citrus mosaic sadwavirus (CiMV) were not consistently detected in RTPCR assay with the primer sets based on gene of Japan isolates. SDV and CiMV isolates were distinctively divided into two groups based on phylogenetic analysis of PP2 gene cloned from 22 Korean isolates, and the Korean CiMV and SDV isolates shared 95.5-96.2% and 97.1-97.7% sequence identity with Japanese isolate, respectively. We developed PP2-1 primer set based on the PP2 gene sequence of Korean isolates to simultaneously and effectively detect SDV and CiMV. And CTLV-2013 and CTV-po primer sets were newly designed for detection of Citrus tatter leaf virus (CTLV) and Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), respectively. Using these primer sets, a new multiplex PCR assay was developed as a means to simultaneously detect 4 citrus viruses, CTV, CTLV, SDV, and CiMV. The degree of detection by the multiplex PCR were consistent with those of uniplex RT-PCR for detection of each of the viruses. Therefore, the new multiplex PCR provides an efficient method for detecting 4 citrus viruses, which will help diagnose many citrus plants at the same time. We verified that 35.2% and 72.1% of 775 trees in 155 orchards were infected with SDV or CiMV (SDV/CiMV) and CTV by the multiplex-PCR assay, respectively, and CTLV was not detected in any of the trees tested.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 1996

To understand whether the bats inhabiting in Korea play role as hosts harboring Hantavirus that cause acute febrile diseases, a total number of 802 bats of 9 species were collected from seven provinces in Korea from 1989 to 1995 and tested for the presence of antibodies to Hantavirus by means of immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) technique. The results are summarized as follow. 1. Total 802 captured bats were classified into 9 different species with the following distribution. They were Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Eptesicus serotinus, Miniopterus sehreibersii, Vespertilio superans, Myotis mystatinus, Murina leucogaster, Myotis formosus, Myotis macrodactylus and Plecotus auritus with numbers and rates of 423 (52.74%), 291 (36.28%), 47 (5.86%), 28 (3.49%), 8 (1.00%), 1 (0.12%) and 1 (0.12%), respectively. The predominant species of the bats was Rhinolophus ferrumequinum with 52.74% of the captured. 2. Among 9 species of bats, species of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and Eptesicus serotinus were positive with Hantavirus antibody of strain numbers 76-118. The rate of antibody positive was 3.78%. 3. The seasonal differences of Hantavirus antibody in 802 bats tested were 5.83%, 4.17%, 3.67% and 0.64% in winter, spring, summer and autumn, respectively. Again the highest viral antibody prevalence was detected in winter. It could be concluded through the study that certain species of bats inhabiting in Korea play a definite role as the host animals of certain species of Hantavirus.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2008

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is essential for hepatitis B virus infection and exerts a pleiotropic effect on various cellular machineries. HBx has been also demonstrated as an indirect transcriptional transactivator of various different viral and cellular promoters. In addition, HBx is involved in the development of various liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. However the mechanism of HBx in hepatocellular carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, to identify possible new cellular proteins interacting with HBx, we carried out yeast two-hybrid assay. We obtained several possible cellular partners including VBP1, a binding factor for VHL tumor suppressor protein. The direct physical interaction between HBx and VBP1 in vitro and in vivo was confirmed by immunoprecipitation assay. In addition, we found that VBP1 facilitates HBx-induced $NF{\kappa}B$ activation and cell proliferation. These results implicate the important role of HBx in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma through its interaction with VBP1.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4199-4202
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• 2015

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major world health problems. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate is the major component of the polyphenolic fraction of green tea and it has an anti-viral, anti-mutagenic, anti-tumorigenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and/or pro-apoptotic effects on mammalian cells. In this study, our aim was to investigate the inhibition of HBV replication by epigallocatechin-3 gallate in the Hep3B2.1-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Materials and Methods: HBV-replicating Hep3B2.1-7 cells were used to investigate the preventive effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on HBV DNA replication. The expression levels of HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time-PCR was applied for the determination of the expression level of HBV DNA. Results: Cytotoxicity of epigallocathechin-3-gallate was not observed in the hepatic carcinoma cell line when the dose was lower than $100{\mu}M$. The ELISA method demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3 gallate have strong effects on HBsAg and HBeAg levels. Also it was detected by real-time PCR that epigallocatechin-3 gallate could prevent HBV DNA replication. Conclusions: The obtained data pointed out that although the exact mechanism of HBV DNA replication and related diseases remains unclear, epigallocatechin-3 gallate has a potential as an effective anti-HBV agent with low toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3305-3308
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• 2013

Background: The role of inflammation in prostate diseases is suggested by the presence of inflammatory cells within the prostate in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) patients. In addition, bacterial and viral infection may lead to chronic and recurrent inflammation of the prostate. The human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a family of sexually transmitted viruses which have been implicated in the aetiology of cervical cancer and several other malignancies. This study evaluated the frequency of HPV infection in individuals with prostatic disease in Iran. Materials and Methods: The study included formalin fixed paraffin- embedded tissue samples of 196 primary prostate cases, including 29 PCa and 167 BPH samples. HPV DNA was purified and amplified through MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+ primers with nested PCR. All patients were interviewed using a questionnaire to collect demographic information. Results: Nested PCR showed that HPV DNA was found in 17.2 percent of PCa samples and 4.8 percent of BPH samples (not significant). Conclusions: Our data do not support a significant role of HPV infection in prostatic disease in Iranian patients, but demographic data indicated a probable association between presence of HPV DNA and risk of inflammation in prostate tissue which might lead to prostate carcinoma. Further studies are required to elucidate any roles of HPV infection in prostatic disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3381-3384
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• 2016

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a key factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). About 350 million people are affected by chronic infection which is related to the rapid development of liver diseases as well as hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) in the liver demonstrates a major genetic polymorphism which is involved in resistance or susceptibility to chronic HBV infection. Materials and Methods: In this study, two populations were studied by the sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) method: HBV cases (n=409), who were HBS-Ag+, and healthy controls (n=483). Results: The results shown that the frequency of TNF-${\alpha}$ -308 G/G genotype in healthy controls (47.2%) was significantly higher than in HBV infected patients (28%) (CI = 1.29-2.61, OR = 1.83, P = 0.0004). Also TNF-${\alpha}$ -308 A/A and A/G genotype frequencies in the healthy controls were 4.6% and 48.2% and in patient group were 19.5% and 52.5% (CI = 2.23-7.12, p: 0.0001, OR: 3.94) respectively. Conclusions: We found that among Iranian people TNF-${\alpha}$ -308A allele not only has the highest genotype frequency but also it has the highest frequency in the world population. In addition, TNF-${\alpha}$-308 G/G polymorphism was associated with HBV resistance, whereas TNF-${\alpha}$-308A (A/A or A/G) polymorphism appeared to associated with chronic HBV infection. These data suggested that among the Iranian population, the -308 G/G polymorphism of TNF-${\alpha}$ gene promoter region has the potential to influence the susceptibility to HBV infection and it may be responsible for viral antigen clearance.