• BMB Reports
• /
• 제40권4호
• /
• pp.501-510
• /
• 2007

Sex-related genes expressed in vitellogenic ovaries of the giant tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, were identified by an EST approach. A total of 1051 clones were unidirectionally sequenced from the 5 terminus. Nucleotide sequences of 743 EST (70.7%) significantly matched known genes previously deposited in the GenBank (E-value <$10^{-4}$) whereas 308 ESTs (29.3%) were regarded as newly unidentified transcripts (E-value >$10^{-4}$). A total of 559 transcripts (87 contigs and 472 singletons) were obtained. Thrombospondin (TSP) and peritrophin (79 and 87 clones accounting for 7.5 and 8.3% of clones sequenced, respectively) predominated among characterized transcripts. everal full length transcripts (e.g. cyclophilin, profillin and thioredoxin peroxidase) were also isolated. A gene homologue encoding chromobox protein (PMCBX, ORF of 567 nucleotides encoding a protein of 188 amino acids) which is recognized as a new member of the HP1 family was identified. Expression patterns of 14 of 25 sex-related gene homologues in ovaries and testes of P. monodon broodstock were examined by RT-PCR. Female sterile and ovarian lipoprotein receptor homologues were only expressed in ovaries whereas the remaining transcripts except disulfide isomerase related P5 precursor and adenine nucleotide translocator 2 were higher expressed in ovaries than testes of P. monodon broodstock. A homologue of ubiquitin specific proteinase 9, X chromosome (Usp9X) revealed a preferential expression level in ovaries than testes of broodstock-sized P. monodon (N = 13 and 11, P<0.05) but was only expressed in ovaries of 4-month-old shrimp (N = 5 for each sex).

• 한국식품과학회지
• /
• 제51권6호
• /
• pp.558-564
• /
• 2019

Hypertriglyceridemia is one of the metabolic syndrome that is often observed as a result of lipid abnormalities. It is associated with other lipids, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and liver disease. Korean red ginseng is known to affect obesity, dyslipidemia, liver disease and liver function, but the mechanism of its effect is not clear. This study examined the beneficial effects of hypertriglyceridemia and the mechanism of action of Jinan red ginseng extract (JRG) in hepatoma cells. To measure the levels of triglyceride accumulation, we studied the expression of proteins and mRNAs related to lipidogenesis in hepatoma cells (Huh7 and HepG2). JRG decreases the lipidogenic markers, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins α (C/EBPα) and C/EBPβ which are major regulators of triglyceride synthesis in hepatoma cells. We also found that JRG reduced sterol regulatory element binding proteins 1c (SREBP-1c), C/EBPα and C/EBPβ by regulating liver X receptor (LXR) and stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD) expressions. In addition, the first-limited step of synthesis triglyceride (TG), glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) is decreased by JRG. These results suggest that the anti-hypertriglyceride effect of JRG in hepatoma cells could be accompanied with the inhibition of lipidogenic transcription factors by regulating LXR and SCD expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제32권7호
• /
• pp.939-948
• /
• 2019

Objective: Extension and Agouti loci play a key role for proportions of eumelanin and pheomelanin in determining coat color in several species, including goat. Mongolian goats exhibit diverse types of coat color phenotypes. In this study, investigation of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) coding region in different coat colors in Mongolian goats was performed to ascertain the presence of the extension allele. Methods: A total of 105 goat samples representing three goat breeds were collected for this study from middle Mongolia. A 938 base pair (bp) long coding region of the MC1R gene was sequenced for three different breeds with different coat colors (Gobi Gurwan Saikhan: complete black, Zalaa Jinstiin Tsagaan: complete white, Mongolian native goat: admixture of different of coat colors). The genotypes of these goats were obtained from analyzing and comparing the sequencing results. Results: A total of seven haplotypes defined by five substitution were identified. The five single nucleotide polymorphisms included two synonymous mutations (c.183C>T and c.489G>A) and three missense (non-synonymous) mutations (c.676A>G, c.748T>G, and c.770T>A). Comparison of genotypes frequencies of two common missense mutions using chi-sqaure ($x^2$) test revealed significant differences between coat color groups (p<0.001). A logistic regression analysis additionally suggested highly significant association between genotypes and variation of black versus white uniform combination. Alternatively, most investigated goats (60.4%) belonged to H2 (TGAGT) haplotype. Conclusion: According to the findings obtained in this study on the investigated coat colors, mutations in MC1R gene may have the crucial role for determining eumelanin and pheomelanin phenotypes. Due to the complication of coat color phenotype, more detailed investigation needed.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
• /
• 제39권1호
• /
• pp.48-54
• /
• 2018

In this study, We developed a Ancillary device for child radiography for X-ray of children under 5 years old and verified its effectiveness. Chest X-rays of children younger than 5 years of age were performed by Supine method at the position of Table detector, Short - Source to Image Receptor Distance(SID). Existing Supine and Short -SID imaging methods cause many problems, such as errors in image reading and excessive radiation exposure dose to patients, but the use of an Ancillary device for child radiography(ADCR) solves these problems. A total of 160 children were divided into the Upright group using ADCR and Supine group without ADCR. The chest X-ray image was visually evaluated by two radiologists with reference to the European Commission's List of Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images in Pediatrics. The total score of the qualitative evaluation was 5.15% higher in the chest upright method using ADCR than in the chest supine method without ADCR, and the chest upright method score was higher than that of the chest supine method in items 1 to 7. whether infants have deep inspiration or not, 4.87% higher for item 1, whether infants rotate or not and the degree of tilting, 0% higher for the item 2, the reproduction of image from just above apices of lungs to T12/L1, 0% for the item 3, reproduction of the vascular pattern in central 2/3 of the lungs, 6.92% higher for the item 4, reproduction of the trachea and the proximal bronchi, 12.9% higher for the item 5, visually sharp reproduction of the diaphragm and costo-phrenic angles, 10% higher for the item 6, reproduction of the spine and paraspinal structures and visualisation of the retrocardiac lung and the mediastinum, and 3.65% higher for the item 7. Items 2 and 3 showed no statistically significant differences(P > 0.05), and items 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed statistically significant differences(P < 0.05). In conclusion, Upright method using ADCR in pediatric chest X-ray is considered as a good alternative to existing Supine method.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제31권2호
• /
• pp.111-117
• /
• 2004

Objectives: To investigate the effect of LH receptor in folliculogenesis, we confirm the expression level of LH receptor (LH-R) mRNA in human granulosa cells (GCs) and its expression levels were analyzed by comparison to embryo developmental rate and pregnancy rate. Materials and Methods: GCs were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from the patients undergoing IVF-ET program. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n=20) is poor responder (retrieved oocyte(s)$\leq$3ea), Group II (n=80) is normal responder (retrieved oocytes>3ea). After the extraction of total RNA, semiquantitative RT-PCR was performed and the expression level of LH-R mRNA was normalized by $\beta$-actin. Statistical analysis was performed by using $X^2$ test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: In Group II, the relative values of LH-R mRNA (0.680 vs. 0.463, p<0.005) and pregnancy rate (54.7% vs. 23.1%, p<0.05) were significantly higher than in Group I. Number of retrieved oocyte(s) was gradually increased when the expression of LH-R mRNA was increased (p<0.05). But the quality of retrieved oocyte and transferred embryo were not related with the expression of LH-R mRNA. When the pregnancy rate was compared with FSH only group and FSH combined with hMG group in the ovarian stimulation protocol, FSH combined with hMG group was significantly higher than FSH only group in Group I (37.5% vs. 0%), and the expression of LH-R mRNA was significantly higher in hMG combined group than FSH only group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Expression level of LH-R mRNA has important role in ovarian function related with the response to gonadotrophin in human folliculogenesis. Furthermore these data might provide the evidence that additional use of hMG is helpful to poor responders.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제24권7호
• /
• pp.1019-1025
• /
• 2011

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the recognition of invading pathogens and the modulation of innate immune responses in mammals. The TLR4 and TLR7 are well known to recognize the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and single stranded (ssRNA) ligands, respectively and play important role in host defense against Gram-negative bacteria and ssRNA viruses. In the present study, coding exon fragments of these two TLRs were identified, cloned, sequenced and analyzed in terms of insertion-deletion polymorphism, within bovine TLRs 4 and 7, thereby facilitating future TLR signaling and association studies relevant to bovine innate immunity. Comparative sequence analysis of TLR 4 exons revealed that this gene is more variable, particularly the coding frame (E3P1), while other parts showed percent identity of 95.7% to 100% at nucleotide and amino acid level, respectivley with other Bos indicus and Bos taurus breeds from different parts of the world. In comparison to TLR4, sequence analysis of TLR7 showed more conservation among different B. indicus and B. taurus breeds, except single point mutation at 324 nucleotide position (AAA to AAM) altering a single amino acid at 108 position (K to X). Percent identity of TLR7 sequences (all 3 exons) was between 99.2% to 100% at nucleotide and amino acid level, when compared with available sequence database of B. indicus and B. taurus. Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool (SMART) analysis showed variations in the exon fragments located in the Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) region, which is responsible for binding with the microbial associated molecular patterns and further, downstream signaling to initiate anti-microbial response. Considering importance of TLR polymorphism in terms of innate immunity, further research is warranted.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• 제51권
• /
• pp.5.1-5.7
• /
• 2021

The olfactory organs of two African lungfishes, Protopterus amphibius and P. dolloi, were investigated using a stereo microscope and a compound light microscope and were described anatomically, histologically, and histochemically. Like other lungfishes, these species present the following general features: i) elongated olfactory chamber (OC), ii) anterior nostril at the ventral tip of the upper lip, iii) posterior nostril on the palate of the oral cavity, iv) lamellae with multiple cell types such as olfactory receptor neurons, supporting cells, basal cells, lymphatic cells, and mucous cells (MC), and vi) vomero-like epithelial crypt (VEC) made of glandular epithelium (GE) and crypt sensory epithelium. Some of these features exhibit differences between species: MCs are abundant in both the lamellar and inner walls of the OC in P. amphibius but occur only in lamellae in P. dolloi. On the other hand, some between feature differences are consistent across species: the GE of both P. amphibius and P. dolloi is strongly positive for Alcian blue (pH 2.5)-periodic acid Schiff (deep violet coloration), and positive with hematoxylin and eosin and with Masson's trichrome (reddish-brown staining), unlike the MCs of the two species which stain dark red with both Alcian blue (pH 2.5)-periodic acid Schiff and Masson's trichrome but respond faintly to hematoxylin and eosin. The differing abundance of MCs in the two lungfishes might reflect different degrees in aerial exposure of the olfactory organ, while the neutral and acid mucopolysaccharide-containing VEC, as indicated by staining properties of the MCs, is evolutionary evidence that P. amphibius and P. dolloi are the closest living relatives to tetrapods, at least in the order Dipnoi.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제49권12호
• /
• pp.687-692
• /
• 2016

We recently reported the anti-inflammatory effects of 3-(naphthalen-2-yl(propoxy)methyl)azetidine hydrochloride (KHG26792) on the ATP-induced activation of the NFAT and MAPK pathways through the P2X7 receptor in microglia. To further investigate the underlying mechanism of KHG26792, we studied its protective effects on hypoxia-induced toxicity in microglia. The administration of KHG26792 significantly reduced the hypoxia-induced expression and activity of caspase-3 in BV-2 microglial cells. KHG26792 also reduced hypoxia-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression, which correlated with reduced nitric oxide accumulation. In addition, KHG26792 attenuated hypoxia-induced protein nitration, reactive oxygen species production, and NADPH oxidase activity. These effects were accompanied by the suppression of hypoxia-induced protein expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and NADPH oxidase-2. Although the clinical relevance of our findings remains to be determined, these data results suggest that KHG26792 prevents hypoxia-induced toxicity by suppressing microglial activation.

• 한국임상약학회지
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.142-150
• /
• 2013

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease, affecting most of those who are receiving dialysis. Cinacalcet, a novel calcimimetic, targets the calcium-sensing receptor to lower PTH levels in dialysis patients. Objective: This study aimed to assess efficacy, safety and appropriateness of use of cinacalcet in dialysis patients. Method: This retrospective study was performed on total 24 cases with identified intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), serum calcium and phosphorus levels before and 4 weeks after cinacalcet initiation at a teaching hospital from July 1st, 2011 to October 31st, 2012. Results: Cinacalcet decreased iPTH by 19% from baseline after 4weeks treatment and it was statistically significant (p<0.001). Cinacalcet also significantly decreased iPTH levels regardless of dialysis modality (hemodialysis group versus peritoneal dialysis group) and severity of SHPT (iPTH 300-800 pg/ml group versus iPTH >800 pg/ml group). Serum calcium, phosphorus and Ca x P levels were decreased without statistical significance. Gastrointestinal events, headache and hypocalcemia were the most common side effects. Monitoring for iPTH and serum calcium was not performed appropriately. 43.7% patients initiated cinacalcet therapy at serum calcium level< 9.0 mg/dl. Conclusion: In conclusion, cinacalcet lowers parathyroid hormone levels with no serious side effects. However, it is required to avoid cinacalcet treatment in patients with low serum calcium levels and monitor iPTH and serum calcium levels during cinacalcet administration.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.628-642
• /
• 2018

Background/Aims A Subset of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may have mild inflammation due to immune activation. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytokines may cause intestinal inflammation. We studied their expression in relation to gut microbiota. Methods Expression of TLRs and cytokines was assessed in 47 IBS patients (Rome III) and 25 controls using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry was further performed to confirm the expression of TLR-4 and TLR-5. Results Of 47 patients with IBS, 20 had constipation (IBS-C), 20 diarrhea (IBS-D), and 7 unclassified (IBS-U). The mRNA levels of TLR-4 and TLR-5 were up-regulated in IBS patients than controls (P = 0.013 and P < 0.001, respectively). Expression of TLR-4 and TLR-5 at protein level was 4.2-folds and 6.6-folds higher in IBS-D than controls. The mRNA levels of IL-6 (P = 0.003), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL-11) (P < 0.001) and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR-3) (P < 0.001) were higher among IBS patients than controls. Expression of IL-6 (P = 0.002), CXCL-11 (P < 0.001), and CXCR-3 (P < 0.001) were up-regulated and IL-10 (P = 0.012) was down-regulated in IBS-D patients than controls. Positive correlation was seen between TLR-4 and IL-6 (P = 0.043), CXCR-3, and CXCL-11 (P = 0.047), and IL-6 and CXCR-3 (P = 0.003). Stool frequency per week showed positive correlation with mRNA levels of TLR-4 (P = 0.016) and CXCR-3 (P = 0.005), but inversely correlated with IL-10 (P = 0.002). Copy number of Lactobacillus (P = 0.045) and Bifidobacterium (P = 0.011) showed correlation with IL-10 in IBS-C, while Gram-positive (P = 0.031) and Gram-negative bacteria (P = 0.010) showed correlation with CXCL-11 in IBS-D patients. Conclusions Altered immune activation in response to dysbiotic microbiota may promote intestinal inflammation in a subset of patients with IBS.