• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.558-565
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• 2008

Although the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa is greatly reduced after freezing, complete understanding of alterations induced by cryopreservation has not been elucidated. The present study evaluates the effects of cryopreservation on the $Ca^{2+}$ handling of boar spermatozoa using several sperm activators. Intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ signals from single spermatozoa were measured using confocal $Ca^{2+}$ imaging of unfrozen samples and of other spermatozoa after having been frozen. Elevation of the external $K^{2+}$ concentration elicited a three times larger $Ca^{2+}$ increase in fresh spermatozoa than in cryopreserved spermatozoa. Caffeine elicited $Ca^{2+}$ transients with some oscillations in the fresh spermatozoa, but not in the thawed spermatozoa. Depletion of the $Ca^{2+}$ store with thapsigargin induced a rapid rise in $Ca^{2+}$ in the control but generated a smaller increase of $Ca^{2+}$ after thawing. Exposure to progesterone induced a biphasic rise of the $Ca^{2+}$ level in the fresh spermatozoa only. Sperm viability was reduced by cryopreservation. Resting $Ca^{2+}$ levels in fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa were similar. Longer incubation (2.5 h) of thawed spermatozoa partly recovered the $Ca^{2+}$ response to the interventions. These results suggest that cryopreservation reduces the responsiveness of spermatozoa to depolarization, modulators of the internal $Ca^{2+}$ store and progesterone in terms of the $Ca^{2+}$ signal, thus providing a possible mechanism for reduced fertility observed in cryopreserved boar spermatozoa.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.216-223
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• 2008

It has been reported that bone marrow (BM)-side population (SP) cells, with hematopoietic stem cell activity, can transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes and contribute to myocardial repair. However, this has been questioned by recent studies showing that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) adopt a hematopoietic cell lineage in the ischemic myocardium. The present study was designed to investigate whether BM-SP cells can in fact transdifferentiate into functional cardiomyocytes. Phenotypically, BM-SP cells were $19.59%{\pm}9.00\;CD14^+$, $8.22%{\pm}2.72\;CD34^+$, $92.93%{\pm}2.68\;CD44^+$, $91.86%{\pm}4.07\;CD45^+$, $28.48%{\pm}2.24\;c-kit^+$, $71.09%{\pm}3.67\;Sca-1^+$. Expression of endothelial cell markers (CD31, Flk-1, Tie-2 and VEGF-A) was higher in BM-SP cells than whole BM cells. After five days of co-culture with neonatal cardiomyocytes, $7.2%{\pm}1.2$ of the BM-SP cells expressed sarcomeric ${\alpha}$-actinin as measured by flow cytometry. Moreover, BM-SP cells co-cultured on neonatal cardiomyocytes fixed to inhibit cell fusion also expressed sarcomeric ${\alpha}$-actinin. The co-cultured BM-SP cells showed neonatal cardiomyocyte-like action potentials of relatively long duration and shallow resting membrane potential. They also generated calcium transients with amplitude and duration similar to those of neonatal cardiomyocytes. These results show that BM-SP cells are capable of functional cardiomyogenic differentiation when co-cultured with neonatal cardiomyocytes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.273-278
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• 2015

The induction of angiogenesis is a crucial step in tumor progression, and therefore, efficient inhibition of angiogenesis is considered a powerful strategy for the treatment of cancer. In the present study, we report that the lipophilic antimicrobial peptides from EML-CAP3, a new endophytic bacterial strain isolated from red pepper leaf (Capsicum annuum L.), exhibit potent antiangiogenic activity both in vitro and in vivo. The newly obtained antimicrobial peptides effectively inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells at subtoxic doses. Furthermore, the peptides suppressed the in vitro characteristics of angiogenesis such as endothelial cell invasion and tube formation stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor, as well as neovascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane of growing chick embryos in vivo without showing cytotoxicity. Notably, the angiostatic peptides blocked tumor cell-induced angiogenesis by suppressing the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ and its target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To our knowledge, our findings demonstrate for the first time that the antimicrobial peptides from EML-CAP3 possess antiangiogenic potential and may thus be used for the treatment of hypervascularized tumors.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권7호
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• pp.616-623
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• 2015

P2 receptors are membrane-bound receptors for extracellular nucleotides such as ATP and UTP. P2 receptors have been classified as ligand-gated ion channels or P2X receptors and G protein-coupled P2Y receptors. Recently, purinergic signaling has begun to attract attention as a potential therapeutic target for a variety of diseases especially associated with gastroenterology. This study determined the ATP and UTP-induced receptor signaling mechanism in feline esophageal contraction. Contraction of dispersed feline esophageal smooth muscle cells was measured by scanning micrometry. Phosphorylation of $MLC_{20}$ was determined by western blot analysis. ATP and UTP elicited maximum esophageal contraction at 30 s and $10{\mu}M$ concentration. Contraction of dispersed cells treated with $10{\mu}M$ ATP was inhibited by nifedipine. However, contraction induced by $0.1{\mu}M$ ATP, $0.1{\mu}M$ UTP and $10{\mu}M$ UTP was decreased by U73122, chelerythrine, ML-9, PTX and $GDP{\beta}S$. Contraction induced by $0.1{\mu}M$ ATP and UTP was inhibited by $G{\alpha}i_3$ or $G{\alpha}q$ antibodies and by $PLC{\beta}_1$ or $PLC{\beta}_3$ antibodies. Phosphorylated $MLC_{20}$ was increased by ATP and UTP treatment. In conclusion, esophageal contraction induced by ATP and UTP was preferentially mediated by P2Y receptors coupled to $G{\alpha}i_3$ and $G{\alpha}q$ proteins, which activate $PLC{\beta}_1$ and $PLC{\beta}_3$. Subsequently, increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and activated PKC triggered stimulation of MLC kinase and inhibition of MLC phosphatase. Finally, increased $pMLC_{20}$ generated esophageal contraction.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.13-18
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• 2013

발세포병증은 발세포의 손상을 특징으로 하는 사구체질환이다. 발세포의 손상은 여러 사구체질환에서 관찰될 수 있으나, 미소변화질환과 FSGS에서 주요 병인으로 작용한다. 이 글에서는 FSGS에서 발세포 손상의 형태 변화와 분절경화의 유형을 설명하고자 한다. 발세포가 손상되면 형태 변화로 발돌기의 소실, 발세포 세포질 내 공포, 발세포하 낭 등이 관찰되며, 심하면 발세포의 탈락 및 자멸사가 관찰된다. 그러나 분절경화가 초래되기까지에는 일정 수준 이상의 발세포의 소실이 있어야 하며, 손상된 발세포는 동일한 사구체 소엽 내 주변 발세포로 손상을 전파하여 병변이 커지게 된다. FSGS는 광학현미경 소견을 기초로 NOS형, perihilar형, cellular형, tip형, collapsing형의 다섯 가지 유형으로 나뉜다. 각 아형에 따라 임상 경과나 스테로이드 치료에 대한 반응이 다르고 흔히 동반되는 임상 조건들도 다르다고 보고되었으나 이에 대하여는 아직도 논란이 있는 실정이다. 앞으로 FSGS 발생에 관여하는 유전 정보와 혈액 내 투과인자의 성분 등 관련된 인자들에 대한 체계적인 연구가 이루어지면 FSGS에서 관찰되는 조직 변화나 병태생리를 더 잘 설명할 수 있을 것으로 기대해 본다.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.143-153
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• 1992

한국산 왕벚나무(Prunus yedoensis Matsumura) 화외밀선의 미세구조 및 당액 분비기작을 규명하기 위하여 광학현미경, 주사형 및 투과형 전자현미경을 이용하여 관찰하였다. 밀선은 secretory layer와 subsecretory layer로 구성되어 있었으며 엽병의 유관속은 subsecretory layer에 있는 유관속과 연결되어 있었다. Secretory cell에서는 cristae가 잘 발달되지 않은 다수의 mitochonidria가 관찰되었으나 소포체는 소수 나타났고 골지체가 전혀 관찰되지 않았다. 색소체는 thylakoid가 거의 발달되지 않았으며, 소수가 관찰되었고 $0.2-0.3\;\mu\textrm{m}$ 크기의 소포를 특징적으로 갖고 있었다. subsecretory cell에서는 원형질 연락사가 잘 발달해 있었고 다수의 Calcium oxalate 결정이 관찰되었는데 이는 당투과에 간접적으로 관여하는 것 같다. 당액 전구물질은 사부에서 subsecretory layer를 거쳐 secretory layer까지 이동하는 것을 원형질 연락사를 통한 symplastic transport에 의하여 일어나는 것으로 생각되며 secretory layer에서 당액으로 재합성되어 외부로 배출되는 것 같다. Secertory cell의 맨 바깥쪽 세포벽은 cuticle 에 의하여 덮여 있었으며 secretory cell에서 당액은 원형질막, 세포벽, cuticle을 차례로 통과하는 누출상 분비(eccrine secretion)에 의하여 분비되는 것으로 사료된다.

• 식물조직배양학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.197-201
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• 1997

Plant seed oil-bodies or oleosomes ate the repository of the neutral lipid stored in seeds. These organelles in many oilseeds may comprise half of the total cellular volume. Oleosomes are surrounded by a half-unit membrane of phospholipid into which are embedded proteins called oleosins. Oleosins are present at high density on the oil-body surface and after storage proteins comprise the most abundant proteins in oilseeds. Oleosins are specifically targeted and anchored to oil-bodies after co-translation on the ER. It has been shown that the amino-acid sequences responsible for this unique targeting reside primarily in the central hydrophobic tore of the oleosin polypeptide. In addition, a signal-like sequence is found near the junction of the hydrophobic domain and ann N-terminal hydrophilic / amphipathic domain. This "signal" which is uncleaved is also essential for correct targeting. Oil-bodies and their associated oleosins may be recovered by floatation centrifugation of aqueous seed extracts. This simple partitioning step results in a dramatic enrichment for oleosins in the oil-body fraction. In the light of these properties, we reasoned that it would be feasible to create fusion proteins on oil-bodies comprising oleosins and an additional valuable protein of pharmaceutical or industrial interest. It was further postulated that if these proteins were displayed on the outer surface of oil-bodies, it would be possible to release them from the purified oil-bodies using chemical or proteolytic cleavage. This could result in a simple means of recovering high-value protein from seeds at a significant (i.e. commercial) scale. This procedure has been successfully reduced to practice for a wide variety of proteins of therapeutic, industrial and food no. The utillity of the method will be discussed using a blood anticoagulant, hirudin, and industrial enzymes as key examples.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.1993-1998
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• 2016

The effects of carbon-ion irradiation on cancer cell telomere function have not been comprehensively studied. In our previous report cancer cells with telomere dysfunction were more sensitive to carbon-ion irradiation, but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Here we found that telomerase activity was suppressed by carbon-ion irradiation via hTERT down-regulation. Inhibition of telomere activity by MST-312 further increased cancer cell radiosensitivity to carbon-ion radiation. hTERT suppression caused by either carbon-ion irradiation or MST-312 impaired mitochondrial function, as indicated by decreased membrane potential, mtDNA copy number, mitochondrial mass, total ATP levels and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS). PGC-$1{\alpha}$ expression was repressed after carbion-ion irradiation, and hTERT inhibition by MST-312 could further exacerbate this effect. Lowering the mitochondrial ROS level by MitoTEMPO could partially counteract the induction of cellular senescence induced by carbon-ion radiation and MST-312 incubation. Taken together, the current data suggest that telomere-mitochondrion links play a role in the induction of senescence in MCF-7 cells after carbon-ion irradiation.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.189-195
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• 2004

1bis study investigated the antioxidative effect in kidney of senescence-accelerated prone SAMP8 mice with calorie restriction. 4-weeks-old SAMP8 female mice were divided into 4 groups according to the experimental feeding period: for 4, 8, 12 month, and at natural death. Each group was subdivided into 2 groups, with thirteen mice each one, as ad libitum group and as dietary restriction group (60% of ad libitum feeding amount). After feeding for a given period, the mice were sacrificed to get the following results: among the experimental groups, there wereno significant differences in xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in their kidney tissues. The contents of cytochrome $P_{450}$ decreased in ad libitum group and dietary restriction group by age. The activity of NADPH-cytochrome $P_{450}$ reductase showed a trend similar to cytochrome $P_{450}$. Superoxide radical content increased with age. At the 4th, 8th and 12 months of the experimental period, the activity in the dietary restriction group was less than that of ad libitum group by as much as 17% 14% and 14% respectively. For hydrogen peroxide, the contents were increased in the ad libitum group with age, while no correlation between content and age was observed in the dietary restriction group. In the 8th and 12th months of the experimental period, the were in the dietary restriction group less than that of ad libitum group counterpart as much as 17% and 20o/c, respectively. For the cellular membrane stability of the kidney, no significant correlation with age was observed in either the dietary restriction group or the ad libitum group. However at the 12th month of the experiment, however, the stability in the dietary restriction group was 11 % higher than that in the ad libitum group. In conclusion, with these results obtained from the SAMP8 mouse model, we demonstrate that dietary restriction has the effects of anti-oxidation and anti-senescence in the kidney.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.167-172
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• 2001

Nebulin is an approximately 700 kDa filamentous protein in vertebrate skeletal muscle. It binds to the Z line and also binds side-by-side to the entire thin actin filament in a sarcomere. The correlation of nebulin size with thin filament length have led to the suggestion that nebulin acts as a molecular ruler for the length of thin filaments. The C-terminal part of human nebulin is anchored in the sarcomeric Z-disk and contains an SH3 domain. SH3 domains have been identified in an ever-increasing number of proteins important for a wide range of cellular processes, from signal transduction to cytoskeleton assembly and membrane localization. However, the exact physiological role of SH3 domains remains, in many cases, unclear. To explore the role of nebulin SH3 in the cytoskeletal rearrangement that accompanies myoblast differentiation, we transfected sense and antisense nebulin SH3 domain fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein in myoblast. Cells expressing nebulin SH3 fragment showed decrease of cell-cell adhesion, and cells transfected with antisense nebulin SH3 gene showed a rounded cell morphology and loss of cell-matrix adhesion. No alteration in cell shape and differentiation were observed in control cells expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein. Perturbation of nebulin altered the cell shape and disrupted cell adhesion in myoblast, demonstrating that nebulin can affect cytoskeleton rearrangement.