• 정보처리학회논문지:소프트웨어 및 데이터공학
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• 제3권10호
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• pp.421-428
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• 2014

파킨슨병은 뇌의 흑질 영역에서 도파민계 신경이 파괴되는 질병으로 알츠하이머병과 함께 대표적인 퇴행성 뇌 질환이다. 현재까지 병을 완치시킬 수 있는 치료법은 없지만 병의 진행을 완화시킬 수 있는 치료법이 존재하기 때문에 병의 진단이 굉장히 중요하다. 파킨슨병을 진단하기 위한 과거의 연구는 대부분 단일 바이오마커를 이용한 것으로 이러한 방법은 파킨슨병 환자를 높은 정확도로 진단할 수 있지만 정상인에 대한 진단은 상대적으로 낮은 성능의 한계성이 존재한다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 생화학적 바이오마커인 뇌척수액 내의 ${\alpha}$-synuclein 단백질 수치와 영상학적 바이오마커인 확산 텐서 영상의 여러 모수들을 결합하여 특징으로 사용하는 파킨슨병 진단 모델을 개발하고 성능을 평가하였다. 진단을 위해 개발된 모든 모델은 10-fold cross validation 성능평가에서 정확도가 최고 91.3%의 높은 성능을 보였으며, test 성능평가에서는 확산 텐서 영상의 모수들 중 FA와 ${\alpha}$-synuclein 단백질 수치가 결합된 모델, MO와 ${\alpha}$-synuclein 단백질 수치가 결합된 두 모델에서 최고 72%의 정확도 성능을 보여 파킨슨병의 진단에 유용하게 사용될 수 있는 가능성을 제시하였다. 파킨슨병의 진단을 위해 개발된 모델의 영상학적 특징 벡터를 통하여 파킨슨병 환자와 정상인의 신경섬유 경로의 특징을 분석하였다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.323-335
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• 2022

Together with neuronal loss, the existence of insoluble inclusions of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in the brain is widely accepted as a hallmark of synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy, and dementia with Lewy body. Because the α-syn aggregates are deeply involved in the pathogenesis, there have been many attempts to demonstrate the mechanism of the aggregation and its potential causative factors including post-translational modifications (PTMs). Although no concrete conclusions have been made based on the previous study results, growing evidence suggests that modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination can alter α-syn characteristics to have certain effects on the aggregation process in PD; either facilitating or inhibiting fibrillization. In the present work, we reviewed studies showing the significant impacts of PTMs on α-syn aggregation. Furthermore, the PTMs modulating α-syn aggregation-induced cell death have been discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.625-632
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• 2017

Familial Parkinson's disease (PD) has been linked to point mutations and duplication of the ${\alpha}$-synuclein (${\alpha}$-syn) gene. Mutant ${\alpha}$-syn expression increases the vulnerability of neurons to exogenous insults. In this study, we developed a new PD model in the transgenic mice expressing mutant hemizygous (hemi) or homozygous (homo) A53T ${\alpha}$-synuclein (${\alpha}$-syn Tg) and their wildtype (WT) littermates by treatment with sub-toxic (10 mg/kg, i.p., daily for 5 days) or toxic (30 mg/kg, i.p., daily for 5 days) dose of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Tyrosine hydroxylase and Bcl-2 levels were reduced in the ${\alpha}$-syn Tg but not WT mice by sub-toxic MPTP injection. In the adhesive removal test, time to remove paper was significantly increased only in the homo ${\alpha}$-syn Tg mice. In the challenging beam test, the hemi and homo ${\alpha}$-syn Tg mice spent significantly longer time to traverse as compared to that of WT group. In order to find out responsible proteins related with vulnerability of mutant ${\alpha}$-syn expressed neurons, DJ-1 and ubiquitin enzyme expressions were examined. In the SN, DJ-1 and ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, UBE2N, levels were significantly decreased in the ${\alpha}$-syn Tg mice. Moreover, A53T ${\alpha}$-syn overexpression decreased DJ-1 expression in SH-SY5Y cells. These findings suggest that the vulnerability to oxidative injury such as MPTP of A53T ${\alpha}$-syn mice can be explained by downregulation of DJ-1.

• BMB Reports
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• 제46권9호
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• pp.454-459
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• 2013

LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) has been identified as a gene corresponding to PARK8, an autosomal-dominant gene for familial Parkinson's disease (PD). LRRK2 pathogenic-specific mutants induce neurotoxicity and shorten neurites. To elucidate the mechanism underlying LRRK2 expression, we constructed the LRRK2-promoter-luciferase reporter and used it for promoter analysis. We found that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) transactivated LRRK2 in a ligand-dependent manner. Using quantitative RT-PCR and Western analysis, we further showed that treatment with dexamethasone, a synthetic GR ligand, induced LRRK2 expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels, in dopaminergic MN9D cells. Dexamethasone treatment also increased expression of ${\alpha}$-synuclein, another PD causative gene, and enhanced transactivation of the ${\alpha}$-synuclein promoter-luciferase reporter. In addition, dexamethasone treatment to MN9D cells weakly induced cytotoxicity based on an LDH assay. Because glucocorticoid hormones are secreted in response to stress, our data suggest that stress might be a related factor in the pathogenesis of PD.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.21-23
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• 2022

High-pressure (HP) NMR is a powerful method to elucidate various structural features of amyloidogenic proteins. Following the previous mini-review recapitulating the HP-NMR application for amyloid-β peptides of the last issue [J. H. Kim, J. Kor. Mag. Reson. Soc. 26, 17 (2022)], the recent advancements in the HP NMR application for α-synuclein (α-Syn) are briefly summarized and discussed here. Although α-Syn is a well-known intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), several studies have shown that it can also exhibit heterogeneous yet partially folded conformations, which may correlate with its amyloid-forming propensity. HP NMR has been a valuable tool for investigating the dynamic and transient structural features of α-Syn and has provided unique insights to appreciate its aggregation-prone characters.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2005년도 생물공학의 동향(XVII)
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• pp.683-683
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• 2005

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 2007년도 Proceedings of The Convention of The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• pp.125-144
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• 2007

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.73-88
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• 2009

목 적 : 규칙적인 운동이 신경보호 효과와 도파민성 신경원의 재구축, 운동기능 향상에 영향을 미친다는 실험실적 연구결과에도 불구하고, 아직까지 파킨슨병 질환자의 트레드밀 운동이 뇌신경 변화에 영향을 미치는지에 대해서는 논란이 되고 있는 상황이다. 더군다나, 증상의 진전이 흑질선조체의 뇌신경 변화에 의한 것인지, 운동에 의한 전반적인 효과인지, 의욕에 영향을 받은 것이지 또한 확실치 않은 상황이다. 이에 본 연구자는 트레드밀 운동이 파킨슨 유발 실험쥐의 뇌신경 변화를 유발하는 것을 밝히고자 본 실험을 수행하였다. 방 법 : 본 실험에서는 파킨슨 모델을 만들기 위해 수컷 C57BL/6 쥐에 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP) 30 mg/kg과 프로베네시드 20 mg/kg을 매 12시간마다 10회 투여(총 5일)하여 파킨슨병을 유발하였다. 이후 운동군을 경사도 $0^{\circ}$, 18 m/min의 속도로, 하루 40분의 트레드밀 운동을 수행하였다. 운동수행의 마지막에는 모든(염류 비교군, 비운동 비교군) 동물의 뇌를 적출하여 신경원성, 신경화학적 변화가 어떤지 비교군, 비운동군과 비교분석하였다. 본 실험에서 Synphilin 단백질은 알파시누크린의 발현 징후로 사용되었다. 흑질과 선조체의 뇌세포를 western blotting에 의해 염색하여 분석하였다. 결 과 : 염류 비교군의 경우 synphilin 단백질의 발현이 발견되지 않았다. 파킨슨 유발을 위한 MPTP(1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) 투여는 알파시누크린의 응집을 의미하는 synphilin 단백질의 발현이 급증하였다. 하지만, 트레드밀 운동군에서는 synphilin 단백질의 발현이 비운동군에 비해 유의하게 낮았다. 이는 트레드밀 운동이 알파시누크린의 응집도를 낮추는데 영향을 미친다는 것으로 사료된다. 결 론 : 본 연구에는 트레드밀 운동이 파킨슨 모델의 뇌에서 알파시누크린 응집체의 제거를 촉진하고, 병의 진행, 세포사멸을 억제하는 것으로 밝혀졌다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.848-854
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• 2012

We have studied the oligomerization of a fibril-forming segment of ${\alpha}$-Synulcein using a replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulation. The simulation was performed with trimers and tetramers of a 12 amino acid residue stretch (residues 71-82) of ${\alpha}$-Synulcein. From extensive REMD simulations, we observed the spontaneous formation of both trimer and tetramer, demonstrating the self-aggregating and fibril-forming properties of the peptides. Secondary structure profile and clustering analysis illustrated that antiparallel ${\beta}$-sheet structures are major species corresponding to the global free energy minimum. As the size of the oligomer increases from a dimer to a tetramer, conformational stability is increased. We examined the evolution of simple order parameters and their free energy profiles to identify the process of aggregation. It was found that the degree of aggregation increased as time passed. Tetramer formation was slower than trimer formation and a transition in order parameters was observed, indicating the full development of tetramer conformation which is more stable than that of the trimer. The shape of free energy surface and change of order parameter distributions indicate that the oligomer formation follows a dock-and-lock process.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권11호
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• pp.806-819
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• 2022

Synaptic accumulation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) oligomers and their interactions with VAMP2 have been reported to be the basis of synaptic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn mutants associated with familial PD have also been known to be capable of interacting with VAMP2, but the exact mechanisms resulting from those interactions to eventual synaptic dysfunction are still unclear. Here, we investigate the effect of α-Syn mutant oligomers comprising A30P, E46K, and A53T on VAMP2-embedded vesicles. Specifically, A30P and A53T oligomers cluster vesicles in the presence of VAMP2, which is a shared mechanism with wild type α-Syn oligomers induced by dopamine. On the other hand, E46K oligomers reduce the membrane mobility of the planar bilayers, as revealed by single-particle tracking, and permeabilize the membranes in the presence of VAMP2. In the absence of VAMP2 interactions, E46K oligomers enlarge vesicles by fusing with one another. Our results clearly demonstrate that α-Syn mutant oligomers have aberrant effects on VAMP2-embedded vesicles and the disruption types are distinct depending on the mutant types. This work may provide one of the possible clues to explain the α-Syn mutant-type dependent pathological heterogeneity of familial PD.