• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.315-323
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• 1994

Mammalian oviductal epithelial cells have been known to improve in vitro fertilization and embryonic development. Recently, co-cultured human embryos with the epithelial cells in human genital tract has been reported to improve the pregnancy rate. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the epithelial cells of human genital tract on the development of mouse early embryos and human fertilized oocytes. The epithelial cells of human genital tract were collected from the fallopian tubes which were obtained during hysterectomy in fertile women and from the endometrium during endometrium biopsy. Collected human ampullary cells(HACs) and endometrial cells(HECs) were cultured for 10 days to establish primary monolayer. Second passaged HACs and HECs were obtained by trypsinization were cryopreserved in PBS with 1.5 M DMSO for later use. To investigate the effect when co-cultured with HACs and HECs, we tried to apply strict quality control on mouse embryo, from two cell to blastocyst prior to human trial. The results of quality control were as follows; In Group I (Ham's F10 with 10% FCS), Group IT (co-cultured with HACs) and Group ill (co-cultured with HECs), developmental rates to blastocyst were 63.3%(253/400), 76.0%(304/ 400),74.0%(296/400), respectively. Hatching rates were 36.8%(147/400), 41.80/0(167/400), 38.0%(152/400), respectively(p<0.05). To perform the human IVF, cryopreserved HACs were thawed at 37$^{\circ}C$ waterbath, seeded on the well dish and cultured for 48 hI'S. The pronuclear stage embryos were transferred to the seeded well dish. After 24 hRS, co-cultured embryos were examined and transferred to patient's uterus. The results of human IVF when co-cultured with HACs were that fertilization and developmental rates were 61.8% (256/414), 95.3% (244/256) as compared with 57.2% (279/488) and 94.6%(264/279) in Ham's F10 supplemented with 10% FCS(control). However, 62.9% (161/256) of co-cultured human embryos showed good embryos(no or slight fragmentation) as compared with 53.8 % (150/279) in control(p < 0.05). Pregnancy rate was 40.0% (12/30) when co-cultured with HACs whereas 30.6%(11/36) in control. In conclusions, co-culture system using HACs and HECs improved the developmental and hatching rates of mouse embryo. Also, in human IVF system when co-cultured with HACs, it improved both the quality of human embryos and the pregnancy rate.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.212-219
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• 2006

국내의 대표적인 생약재중에 하나인 고려인삼의 최근 5년간 연구 동향 및 기술개발현황을 살펴보기 위하여 한국과학 기술정보연구원(KISTI), 한국정보과학원(KISS), 농림부, 농림기술관리센터(ARPC)등에 공개된 연구보고서 및 학술, 학위 논문자료 등 총 332건의 연구결과를 조사, 분석하였다. 그 결과 연구개발 주체별로 보면 최근 인삼관련 연구는 주로 기타 민간비영리단체 및 개인에 의한 보고 자료가 절반 이상을 차지하였고 그 다음은 대학, 공공기관 순으로 나타나 공공기관의 역할 증대가 필요한 것으로 판단되었다. 연구주제별로는 토양 및 재배방법 같은 재배 및 농학적 연구가 주를 이루었으며 약리효능별 인삼 연구 분야에서는 세포 생리학적 연구 및 생식기능 연구가 많은 비중을 차지하였다. 임상연구는 비교적 미미한 수준이었으며 기능성 식품 및 제품개발 연구분야에서는 고려인삼을 이용한 다양한 식품개발에 관한 연구가 2005년까지는 주를 이루고 있었다. 최근 5년간 국내 인삼관련 특허기술 총 312건을 국제표준 기술 분류별로 분석한 결과에서는 식품관련 기술, 의약용 제제개발 기술, 효소, 미생물 관련 발효기술, 농수산관련 기술 순으로 나타났다.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.246-253
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• 2015

본 연구에는 항비만소재로 연구되어진 11종의 소재를 대상으로 lipoprotein lipase (LPL)의 억제효능을 확인하고자 배양배지내 LPL의 함량과 LPL 효소활성을 측정하였다. 그 결과 3T3-L1 adipocyte에서 LPL의 분비를 억제하는 소재로 능이추출물(NE)을 선택할 수 있었다. 선택된 NE의 폴리페놀과 플라보노이드 함량을 측정한 결과 $16.61{\pm}0.44mg/g$과 $6.58{\pm}0.01mg/g$이 각각 확인되었다. NE의 LPL 분비억제기작을 확인하기위해 먼저 세포내 LPL단백질의 함량과 mRNA 발현을 확인하였다. 그 결과 함량이 감소했던 배양배지와는 다르게 NE를 처리한 3T3-L1 adipocyte의 세포내 LPL은 유의하게 증가한 것을 확인할 수 있었으며 mRNA의 발현에는 영향이 없음을 관찰할 수 있었다. 이를 바탕으로 생성된 LPL 단백질의 exocytosis에 문제가 발생했을 것으로 유추하고 다양한 단백질 이동 관련 유전자의 발현을 확인하였다. 그 결과 LPL의 이동과 분해에 관여하여 세포내 LPL의 활성을 조절하는 것으로 알려진 SorLA의 발현이 증가하는 것을 확인하고 이를 조절하는 transcription factor의 발현과 nuclear로의 이동에 NE가 미치는 영향을 검토하였다. 그 결과 NE를 처리함으로써 SorLA promoter에 작용하는 $C/EBP{\beta}$의 단백질 발현이 nuclear에서 증가하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 NE가 SorLA 유전자의 transcription factor인 $C/EBP{\beta}$의 단백질 발현을 nuclear에서 증가시킴으로서 결과적으로 LPL의 분비억제가 가능함을 확인할 수 있었으며 이는 NE의 항비만 효과기전을 설명하는 기초자료를 제공하는 것이라 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.376-384
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• 2015

소의 질을 평가하기 위해서는 중요한 인자인 근육내 지방(또는 마블링)을 조절하는 분자를 연구해야 한다. cDNA microarray를 사용하여 등지방 조직과 최장근의 유전자발현 차이를 비교하였다. 이 연구를 통해, 우리는 한우의 지방조직에 1211개, 근육조직에서 1346개의 특이 유전자를 확인하였다. bovine chip은 지방조직의 920개 유전자와 근육조직의 760개 유전자로 이루어진 1680개의 특이 유전자로 구성되어있다. 이 실험에서 Microarray 분석은 등지방조직(Cy3)과 최장근(Cy5)의 유전자 발현에 있어서 큰 차이를 보여준다. 차이를 보이는 많은 특이유전자 중에서, 12-리폭시게나아제 유전자와 프로스타글란딘 D 합성효소는 근육내 지방의 축적을 조절하는 중요한 효소이다. 본 연구에서, 일반적으로 발현되지만 한우의 근육과 지방 조직에서 차이를 보이는 많은 유전자를 hybridization 분석을 통해 발견하였다. 선택된 유전자의 발현 수준은 반정량적 RT-PCR을 통해 확인하였고, 그 결과는 cDNA microarray와 유사하였다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권6호
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• pp.468-476
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• 2016

PLZF-expressing invariant natural killer T cells and CD4 T cells are unique subsets of innate T cells. Both are selected via thymocyte-thymocyte interaction, and they contribute to the generation of activated/memory-like CD4 and CD8 T cells in the thymus via the production of IL-4. Here, we investigated whether $PLZF^+$ innate T cells also affect the development and function of $Foxp3^+$ regulatory CD4 T cells. Flow cytometry analysis of the thymus and spleen from both CIITA transgenic C57BL/6 and wild-type BALB/c mice, which have abundant $PLZF^+$ CD4 T cells and invariant natural killer T cells, respectively, revealed that $Foxp3^+$ T cells in these mice exhibited a $CD103^+$ activated/memorylike phenotype. The frequency of $CD103^+$ regulatory T cells was considerably decreased in $PLZF^+$ cell-deficient $CIITA^{Tg}Plzf^{lu/lu}$ and $BALB/c.CD1d^{-/-}$ mice as well as in an IL-4-deficient background, such as in $CIITA^{Tg}IL-4^{-/-}$ and $BALB/c.IL-4^{-/-}$ mice, indicating that the acquisition of an activated/ memory-like phenotype was dependent on $PLZF^+$ innate T cells and IL-4. Using fetal thymic organ culture, we further demonstrated that IL-4 in concert with TGF-${\beta}$ enhanced the acquisition of the activated/memory-like phenotype of regulatory T cells. In functional aspects, the activated/ memory-like phenotype of Treg cells was directly related to their suppressive function; regulatory T cells of $CIITA^{Tg}PIV^{-/-}$ mice more efficiently suppressed ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation compared with their counterparts from wild-type mice. All of these findings suggest that $PLZF^+$ innate T cells also augmented the generation of activated/memory-like regulation via IL-4 production.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.175-181
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• 2009

The myosin light chain kinase (MYLK) gene encodes both smooth muscle and nonmuscle cell isoforms. Recently, polymorphisms in MYLK have been reported to be associated with several diseases. To examine the genetic effects of polymorphisms on the risk of asthma and related phenotypes, we scrutinized MYLK by re-sequencing/genotyping and statistical analysis in Korean population (n = 1,015). Seventeen common polymorphisms located in or near exons, having pairwise $r^2$ values less than 0.25, were genotyped. Our statistical analysis did not replicate the associations with the risk of asthma and log-transformed total IgE levels observed among African descendant populations. However, two SNPs in intron 16 (+89872C> G and +92263T> C), which were in tight LD (|D'| = 0.99), revealed significant association with log-transformed blood eosinophil level even after correction multiple testing ($P=0.002/P^{corr}=0.01$ and $P=0.002/P^{corr}=0.01$, respectively). The log-transformed blood eosinophil levels were higher in individuals bearing the minor alleles for +89872C> G and +92263T> C than in those bearing other allele. In additional subgroup analysis, the genetic effects of both SNPs were much more apparent among asthmatic patients and atopic asthma patients. Among atopic asthma patients, the log-transformed blood eosinophil levels were proportionally increased by gene-dose dependent manner of in both +89872C> G and +92263T> C(P = 0.0002 and P = 0.00007, respectively). These findings suggest that MYLK polymorphisms might be among the genetic factors underlying differential increases of blood eosinophil levels among asthmatic patients. Further biological and/or functional studies are needed to confirm our results.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권8호
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• pp.567-576
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• 2017

The $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger is responsible for maintaining the acidic tumor microenvironment through its promotion of the reabsorption of extracellular $Na^+$ and the extrusion of intracellular $H^+$. The resultant increase in the extracellular acidity contributes to the chemoresistance of malignant tumors. In this study, the chemosensitizing effects of cariporide, a potent $Na^+/H^+-exchange$ inhibitor, were evaluated in human malignant mesothelioma H-2452 cells preadapted with lactic acid. A higher basal level of phosphorylated (p)-AKT protein was found in the acid-tolerable H-2452AcT cells compared with their parental acid-sensitive H-2452 cells. When introduced in H-2452AcT cells with a concentration that shows only a slight toxicity in H-2452 cells, cariporide exhibited growth-suppressive and apoptosis-promoting activities, as demonstrated by an increase in the cells with pyknotic and fragmented nuclei, annexin V-PE(+) staining, a $sub-G_0/G_1$ peak, and a $G_2/M$ phase-transition delay in the cell cycle. Preceding these changes, a cariporide-induced p-AKT down-regulation, a p53 up-regulation, an ROS accumulation, and the depolarization of the mitochondrial-membrane potential were observed. A pretreatment with the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 markedly augmented the DNA damage caused by the cariporide, as indicated by a much greater extent of comet tails and a tail moment with increased levels of the p-histone H2A.X, $p-ATM^{Ser1981}$, $p-ATR^{Ser428}$, $p-CHK1^{Ser345}$, and $p-CHK2^{Thr68}$, as well as a series of pro-apoptotic events. The data suggest that an inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling is necessary to enhance the cytotoxicity toward the acidtolerable H-2452AcT cells, and it underlines the significance of proton-pump targeting as a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome the acidic-microenvironment-associated chemotherapeutic resistance.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.413-422
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• 2018

Soybean transgenic plants with ectopically expressed AtABF3 were produced by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and investigated the effects of AtABF3 expression on drought and salt tolerance. Stable Agrobacterium-mediated soybean transformation was carried based on the half-seed method (Paz et al. 2006). The integration of the transgene was confirmed from the genomic DNA of transformed soybean plants using PCR and the copy number of transgene was determined by Southern blotting using leaf samples from $T_2$ seedlings. In addition to genomic integration, the expression of the transgenes was analyzed by RT-PCR and most of the transgenic lines expressed the transgenes introduced. The chosen two transgenic lines (line #2 and #9) for further experiment showed the substantial drought stress tolerance by surviving even at the end of the 20-day of drought treatment. And the positive relationship between the levels of AtABF3 gene expression and drought-tolerance was confirmed by qRT-PCR and drought tolerance test. The stronger drought tolerance of transgenic lines seemed to be resulted from physiological changes. Transgenic lines #2 and #9 showed ion leakage at a significantly lower level (P < 0.01) than ${\underline{n}}on-{\underline{t}}ransgenic$ (NT) control. In addition, the chlorophyll contents of the leaves of transgenic lines were significantly higher (P < 0.01). The results indicated that their enhanced drought tolerance was due to the prevention of cell membrane damage and maintenance of chlorophyll content. Water loss by transpiration also slowly proceeded in transgenic plants. In microscopic observation, higher stomata closure was confirmed in transgenic lines. Especially, line #9 had 56% of completely closed stomata whereas only 16% were completely open. In subsequent salt tolerance test, the apparently enhanced salt tolerance of transgenic lines was measured in ion leakage rate and chlorophyll contents. Finally, the agronomic characteristics of ectopically expressed AtABF3 transgenic plants ($T_2$) compared to NT plants under regular watering (every 4 days) or low rate of watering condition (every 10 days) was investigated. When watered regularly, the plant height of drought-tolerant line (#9) was shorter than NT plants. However, under the drought condition, total seed weight of line #9 was significantly higher than in NT plants (P < 0.01). Moreover, the pods of NT plants showed severe withering, and most of the pods failed to set normal seeds. All the evidences in the study clearly suggested that overexpression of the AtABF3 gene conferred drought and salt tolerance in major crop soybean, especially under the growth condition of low watering.

• 마이크로전자및패키징학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.57-61
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• 2016

$Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) 휨성 태양전지의 셀을 보호하기 위하여 스프레이 코팅방법에 의해 수분과 공기로부터의 보호막을 형성하고 그 전기적, 광학적 특성을 평가하였다. 일반적으로 CIGS 휨성 태양전지의 소자층을 보호하기 위해서 EVA(ethylene-vinyl acetate) 필름을 라미네이션 장비를 통하여 여러 겹 보호막을 형성함으로써 복잡한 공정으로 인해 원가상승의 요인으로서 작용한다. 본 연구는 휨성 CIGS 태양전지의 보호막을 라미네이션 박막공정 대신에 간단한 스프레이 코팅공정을 통한 패시베이션(passivation) 박막층을 형성함으로써 CIGS 태양전지 무게의 경량화와 공정시간 단축 연구를 진행하였다. 패시베이션 박막층으로는 PVA(polyvinyl alcohol), SA(sodium alginate) 물질에 $Al_2O_3$ 나노 입자를 첨가하여 유 무기 복합 용액을 사용하였다. 스프레이 코팅된 소자에 비해 에너지 변환 효율특성 62.891 gm/[$m^2-day$]의 비교적 양호한 습기 차단 특성을 나타내었다.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.101-111
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• 2000

기생충에서 세포 표면에 존재하는 당단백 말단 Glc-NAc(N-acetylglucosa-mine)와 NeuNAc (N-acetylneuraminic acid)가 숙주 면역계를 인식하고 영양물질 흡수와 막 투과성에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 알려졌다. 이들 당단백 말단 GlcNAc와 NeuNAc의 폐흡충 피낭유충과 유약성충, 성충의 충체 조직세포에 분포를 확인하기 위하여 WGA 황금입자 복합체를 반응시켰다. WGA 황금입자 복합체에 반응시킨 폐흡충 발육 단계별 조직을 전자현미경으로 관찰한 결과 폐흡충 피낭유충의 표피합포체에는 황금입자가 고밀도로 표지된 것이 관찰되어 폐흡충 피낭유충 표피세포질에 lectin수용체들이 고밀도로 분포하는 것으로 관찰되었다. 유약성충과 성충의 맹관 막구조물에 WGA 황금입자가 고밀도로 표지되어 맹관의 상피세포 막 구조물에 WGA 수용체들이 고밀도로 분포하는 것으로 확인되었다. 폐흡충 피낭유충과 유약성충 그리고 성충의 배설관 상피의 막구조물에 WGA 황금입자가 표지되어 배설관상피의 막구조물에 WGA 수용체가 분포하는 것으로 확인되었다. 따라서 피낭유충의 표피합포체와 표피세포의 세포질에 분포하는 WGA 수용체인 GlcNAc와 NeuNAc는 숙주의 면역계와 세포인식에 관여하며 유약성충과 성충은 표피세포의 GlcNAc와 NeuNAc는 소멸되고 맹관과 배설관 상피에 GlcNAc와 NeuNAc가 분포하여 영양물질 흡수와 막수송에 의한 재흡수작용이 활발한 것이 확인되었다.