• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.56-66
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• 2019

Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein (HINT) is a member of the histidine triad (HIT) superfamily, which has hydrolase activity owing to a histidine triad motif. The HIT superfamily can be divided to five classes with functions in galactose metabolism, DNA repair, and tumor suppression. HINTs are highly conserved from archaea to humans and function as tumor suppressors, translation regulators, and neuropathy inhibitors. Although the structures of HINT proteins from various species have been reported, limited structural information is available for fungal species. Here, to elucidate the structural features and functional diversity of HINTs, we determined the crystal structure of HINT from the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans (CaHINT) in complex with zinc ions at a resolution of $2.5{\AA}$. Based on structural comparisons, the monomer of CaHINT overlaid best with HINT protein from the protozoal species Leishmania major. Additionally, structural comparisons with human HINT revealed an additional helix at the C-terminus of CaHINT. Interestingly, the extended C-terminal helix interacted with the N-terminal loop (${\alpha}1-{\beta}1$) and with the ${\alpha}3$ helix, which appeared to stabilize the dimerization of CaHINT. In the C-terminal region, structural and sequence comparisons showed strong relationships among 19 diverse species from archea to humans, suggesting early separation in the course of evolution. Further studies are required to address the functional significance of variations in the C-terminal region. This structural analysis of CaHINT provided important insights into the molecular aspects of evolution within the HIT superfamily.

• Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.93.1-93.11
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• 2018

The introduction of checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized immuno-oncology. The efficacy of traditional immunotherapeutics, like vaccines and immunostimulants was very limited due to persistent immune-escape strategies of cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors target these escape mechanisms and re-direct the immune system to anti-tumor toxicity. Phenomenal results have been reported in entities like melanoma, where no other therapy was able to demonstrate survival benefit, before the introduction of immunotherapeutics. The first experience in ovarian cancer (OC) was reported for nivolumab, a fully human anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) antibody, in 2015. While the data are extraordinary for a mono-immunotherapeutic agent and very promising, they do not match up to the revolutionary results in entities like melanoma. The key to exceptional treatment response in OC, could be the identification of the most immunogenic patients. We hypothyse that BRCA mutation could be a predictor of improved response in OC. The underlying DNA-repair-deficiancy should result in increased immunogenicity because of higher mutational load and more neoantigen presentation. This hypothesis was not tested to date and should be subject to future trials. The present article gives an overview of the immunologic background of checkpoint inhibition (CI). It presents current data on nivolumab and other checkpoint-inhibitors in solid tumors and OC specifically and depicts important topics in the management of this novel substance group, such as side effect control, diagnostic PD-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression assessment and management of pseudoprogression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.510-519
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• 2021

The pathological impact of haze upon the phyllosphere microbiota awaits investigation. A moderate degree of haze environment and a clean control were selected in Chengdu, China. Artemisia argyi, a ubiquitously distributed and extensively applied Chinese herb, was also chosen for experiment. Total genome DNA was extracted from leaf samples, and for metagenome sequencing, an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform was applied. The results showed that the gene numbers of phyllosphere microbiota derived from haze leaves were lower than those of the clean control. The phyllosphere microbiota derived from both haze and clean groups shared the same top ten phyla; the abundances of Proteobacteria, Actinomycetes and Anorthococcuso of the haze group were substantially increased, while Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes decreased. At the genus level, the abundances of Nocardia, Paracoccus, Marmoricola and Knoelia from haze leaves were markedly increased, while the yeasts were statistically decreased. KEGG retrieval demonstrated that the functional genes were most annotated to metabolism. An interesting find of this work is that the phyllosphere microbiota responsible for the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites in A. argyi were significantly increased under a haze environment. Relatively enriched genes annotated by eggNOG belong to replication, recombination and repair, and genes classified into the glycoside hydrolase and glycosyltransferase enzymes were significantly increased. In summary, we found that both structure and function of phyllosphere microbiota are globally impacted by haze, while primary and secondary metabolites responsible for haze tolerance were considerably increased. These results suggest an adaptive strategy of plants for tolerating and confronting haze damage.

• 한국식생활문화학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.404-413
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• 2007

This study was carried out to compare UCP2 polymorphism, dietary habits, and obesity index in normal and obese university students. The survey was carried out using self-questionnaires collected from the 126 normal and 60 obese university students. The results are summarized as follows. Breakfast was skipped in 43.7% of normal and 49.3% of obesity students and it appeared obese students eat faster than normal students. The percentage of weight control experience were 49.2 and 71.0 in the normal and obese students, respectively. Blood levels of lipid profiles(triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol), hemoglobin, AST and ALT were anaylzed. In UCP2 genes, the frequency of deletion homozygote(DD) was 71.5%, heterozygote(DI) was 26.9% and insertion homozygote(II) was 1.6%. Plasma levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol of normal students were 79.06, 172.25, 100.86 and 57.03 mg/dl, and those of obese students were 93.06, 173.22, 101.22 and 54.39 mg/dl, respectively. Blood parameters were in normal range in both group. Plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels of obese students were higher than those of normal students. On the other hand, plasma HDL cholesterol levels of obese students were lower than those of normal students. Plasma levels of AST and ALT were in normal range in both group. However, AST and ALT levels of obese students were higher than that of normal students. Thus, it was recommended for them to have a nutritional education program to improve their dietary and living habits for obese students’health. Nutritional education program should also be organized practically and systematically.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.366-373
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• 2006

연구배경 : Paraquat는 P-450 reductase에 의해 반응성 산소유리기(ROS)를 발생시켜 세포막, 단백질, 핵산 등과 반응함으로써 세포손상을 유도하며 급성 폐 손상을 일으킨다. 최근 급성 폐 손상 및 급성 호흡곤란 증후군에 있어서 폐상피세포의 아포프토시스가 중요한 역할을 한다고 알려지기 시작하였다. 이에 반응성 산소유리기에 의한 폐 손상의 대표적 물질인 paraquat로 인한 폐상피세포의 세포죽음이 아포프토시스인지 확인하고 dexamethasone, N-acetylcysteine, 그리고 bcl-2가 paraquat로 인한 폐상피 세포죽음에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 등을 연구하였다. 방법 : 폐상피세포주인 A549와 BEAS-2B 세포주, 그리고 bcl-2 construct를 유전자 주입한 A549 pcDNA3-bcl-2 세포주를 이용하였다. 아포프토시스는 Annexin V assay를 이용하여서 판정하였으며 세포독성 검사는 MTT assay를 이용하였다. Paraquat는 0, $1{\mu}M$, $10{\mu}M$, $100{\mu}$M, 1 mM, 10 mM의 농도로 사용하였다. Dexamethasone은 $1{\mu}M$의 농도로 paraquat 투여 12시간 전에 전처치하였고, N-acetylcysteine은 1 mM의 농도로 paraquat 투여 1시간 전에 전처치하였다. 결과 : 양 세포주 모두에서 paraquat는 농도와 시간 경과에 따라서 세포죽음을 증가시켰고, 이러한 세포죽음은 아포프토시스였다. N-acetylcysteine과 dexamethasone은 시간과 농도에 따라 약간의 차이가 있으나 전반적으로 10~30%의 방어효과가 있었다. Bcl-2를 과발현시킨 A549-bcl-2 세포주에서 A549-neo 세포주에 비해 paraquat에 의한 세포독성이 약 20~30% 정도 차단되었다. 결론 : Paraquat는 폐상피세포에서 아포프토시스를 유도하며, paraquat에 의한 아포프토시스는 마이토콘드리아 경로에 의해 일어날 것으로 추정된다.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.1464-1469
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• 1998

3-Chloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD), 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP), 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol (2,3-DCP)과 같은 chloropropanol들이 일부 식품에서 검출됨으로서 위해성 논란이 제기되었기에 본 연구에서는 Ames test와 SOS Chromotest를 이용하여 미생물 시험계에서의 chloropropanol류의 유전독성 및 변이원성을 검토하였다. E. coli PQ37에서는 1,3-DCP를 제외한 3-MCPD와 2,3-DCP는 뚜렷한 용량반응 관계를 보이며 SOS반응 유도활성을 나타내어 유전독성이 있는 것으로 판단되었고 3-MCPD보다는 2,3-DCP가 강한 유도활성을 나타내었다. 또한 E. coli PQ35 (PQ37 $uvrA^+)$에서는 SOS반응 유도활성이 E. coli PQ37에서 보다 매우 낮은 반면에, E. coli PQ243 (PQ37 tagA alkA)에서는 매우 높게 나타남으로서 이들 물질에 의하여 유도되는 DNA 손상은 절제수복에 의해 수복될 수 있는 손상과 절제수복에 의해 수복되지 않으며 adaptive response를 유도할 수 있는 3-methyladenine 또는 이와 유사한 손상 등이 작용하는 것으로 나타났다. S. typhimurium TA100을 이용한 Ames test에서도 3-MCPD와 2,3-DCP는 뚜렷한 용량반응 관계를 보이며 강한 돌연변이원성을 나타내었으나 SOS Chromotest에서와는 달리 1,3-DCP 또한 돌연변이원성을 나타냈으며, 변이활성정도는 2,3-DCP>3-MCPD>1,3-DCP의 순으로 나타났다. 그러나 S. typhimurium TA98과 TA97a에서는 돌연변이활성이 미미하게 나타남으로서 chloropropanol류에 의한 돌연변이는 주로 염기치환에 의한 작용임을 알 수 있었다. 한편, S. typhimurium TA1535 (-R factor plasmid)에서 3-MCPD와 2,3-DCP의 돌연변이활성이 S. typhimurium TA100에 있어서 보다 상당히 낮은 결과로부터 이들 물질에 의한 돌연변이 유발은 주로 SOS수복 의존성인 것으로 나타났다. Amestest와 SOS Chromotest의 결과를 종합하여 볼 때 3-MCPD와 2,3-DCP는 3-methyladenine 또는 이와 유사한 DNA 손상에 의한 SOS수복 비의존성 돌연변이 및 SOS반응 유도성 손상, 특히 절제회복에 의해 쉽게 제거될 수 있는 손상에 의한 SOS수복 의존성 돌연변이를 동시에 일으키는 것으로 사료된다.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.54-65
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• 2003

목적 : 동시에 대량으로 유전자발현 양상을 검사할 수 있는 cDNA microarray 기법을 이용하여 자궁경부암에서 특징적으로 나타나는 유전자발현 양상을 알아보고, 방사선치료 및 방사선 항암화학요법 병용치료시의 유전자발현 변화양상을 파악하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 :자궁경부 편평상피암으로 확진된 후 근치목적 방사선치료를 단독으로 시행한 8명과 항암화학요법을 병행한 8명에서 채취한 종양조직을 대상으로 하고, 정상 자궁경부 3례를 대조군으로 하였다 조직 생검은 치료 전과 외부 방사선치료 16.2$\~$27 Gy에 두 번하였다. 항암화학요법을 병용한 경우, 5-FU 1,000 mg/m$^{2}$을 제 1일부터 5일까지 정주하고, clsplatin 60 mg/m$^{2}$을 제 1일에 정주하였다. cDNA microarray는 종양조직에서 추출한 total RNA를 역전사(reverse transcription)방법을 이용하여 (P-33)을 표지한 cDNAS를 제작, nylon membrane에 hybridization하였다. 이후 membrane을 phosphor-imager screens에 옮겨 1$\~$5일 동안 노출시킨 후 이미지를 스캔하였다. 유전자의 발현정도는 각 스팟(spot)들의 방사능 강도로 나타나는데, 각 스팟의 픽셀(pixel)을 Arrayguage를 사용하여 산출한 후 엑셀파일로 저장하였다. 유전자의 발현정도 비교는 원 자료(original data)를 Z-변환을 통해 보정(normalized)한 후 Z-ratio값을 산출하여 시행하였다. 결과 : 대조군에 비해 자궁경부암에서 Z-ratio 2.0 이상으로 유의한 발현증가를 보인 유전자들은 integrin-linked kinase, CDC28 protein kinase 2, Spry 2, ERK 3 등 15개로 주로 세포성장과 증식, 세포주기, 신호전달 등에 관련된 유전자들이었으며, Z-ratio -2.0 이하의 유의한 발현감소는 G protein-coupled receptor kinase 6외 6개였다. 방사선 단독치료를 시행한 후 Z-ratio 2.0 이상 발현이 증가한 것은 cyclic nucleotlde gated channel외 3개의 Expressed sequence tags (EST)들이었고, Z-ratio -2.0 이하의 발현감소를 보인 것들에는 치료전 종양세포에서 발현이 증가되었던 세포성장과 증식, 세포주기, 신호전달 등에 관련된 유전자들이 포함되었다 방사선치료와 항암화학요법을 병용했을 때는 방사선 단독치료에 비하여 세포성장과 증식 및 신호전달 관련 유전자들이 상대적으로 높게 발현되었으며, 이외에도 혈관형성(angiopoietin-2), 면역반응(formyl peptide receptor-like 1), DNA 손상회복에 관련된 유전자(CAMP phosphodiesterase)의 발현은 증가되고 세포고사(death associated protein kinase)에 관련된 유전자는 발현 감소를 보였다. 결론 : 자궁경부암에서분열과 증식 및 신호전달에 관여하는 여러 종류의 유전자들 발현이 동시다발적으로 증가되어 있다는 것과 방사선치료를 시행하면 이들 유전자의 발현이 감소하여 종양세포의 분열과 증식이 저해된다는 것을 확인하였다. 방사선 단독치료와 항암화학요법 병용치료를 비교하면 그 유전자 발현양상이 다르므로 향후 이번연구에서 나타난 유전자들에 대한 추가 연구가 필요하며, 이는 개별화된 맞춤형 치료법을 개발하는데 기초자료로 사용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.80-80
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• 2003

${\beta}$-lapachone(${\beta}$-Lap), a natural o-naphthoquinone, presents in the bark of the Lapacho tree. ${\beta}$-Lap is cytotoxic against a variety of human cancer cells and it potentiates the anti-tumor effect of Taxol. In addition, ${\beta}$-Lap has been reported to radiosensitize cancer cells by inhibiting the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage.In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of ${\beta}$-Lap against RKO human colorectal cancer cells as well as the combined effect of ${\beta}$-LaP and ionizing radiation. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h killed almost 90％ of the clonogenic cells. An incubation of RKO cells with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap for 4 h or longer also caused massive apoptosis. Unlike other cytotoxic agents, ${\beta}$-Lap did not increase the expression of p53 and p21 and it suppressed the NFkB expression. The expression of Caspase 9 and 3 was minimally altered by ${\beta}$-Lap. Radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap acted synergistically in inducing clonogenic cell death and apoptosis in RKO cells when ${\beta}$-Lap treatment was applied after but not before the radiation exposure of the cells. Interestingly, a 4 h treatment with 5 ${\mu}$M of ${\beta}$-Lap starting 5 h after irradiation was as effective as that starting immediately after irradiation. The mechanisms of ${\beta}$-Lap-induced cell killing is controversial but a recent hypothesis is that ${\beta}$-Lap is activated by NAD(P)H: quinone-onidoreductase (NQO1) in the cells followed by an elevation of cytosolic Ca$\^$2+/ level and activation of proteases leading to apoptosis. It has been reported that NQO1 level in cells is markedly up-regulated for longer than 10 h after irradiation. Indeed, using immunological staining of NQO1, we observed a significant elevation of NQO1 expression in RKO cells 5h after 2-4 Gy irradiation. Such a prolonged elevation of NQO1 level after irradiation may be the reasons why the ${\beta}$-Lap treatment applied S h after irradiation was as effective as that applied immediately after irradiation in killing the cells. In view of the fact that the repair of radiation-induced damage is usually completed within 1-2 h after irradiation, it is highly likely that the ${\beta}$-Lap treahment applied 5 h after irradiation could not inhibit the repair of radiation-induced damage. For in vivo study, RKO cells were injected S.C. into the hind-leg of Nu/Nu mice, and allowed to grow to 130 mm3 tumor. The mice were i.p. injected with ${\beta}$-lapachone or saline 2 h after irradiation of tumors with 10 Gy of X-rays. The radiation induced growth delay was increased by 2.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g of ${\beta}$-lapachone. Taken together, we may conclude that the synergistic interaction of radiation and ${\beta}$-Lap in killing cancer cells is not due to radiosensitization by ${\beta}$-Lap but to an enhancement of ${\beta}$-Lap cytotoxicity by radiation through an upregulation of NQO1. The fact that NQO1 is elevated in tumors and that radiation causes prolonged increase of the NQO1 expression may be exploited to preferentially kill tumor cells using ${\beta}$-Lap in combination with radiotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.6721-6726
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• 2013

Background: Changes in DNA methylation patterns are believed to be early events in hepatocarcinogenesis. A better understanding of methylation states and how they correlate with disease progression will aid in finding potential strategies for early detection of HCC. The aim of our study was to analyze the methylation frequency of tumor suppressor genes, P14, P15, and P73, and a mismatch repair gene (O6MGMT) in HCV related chronic liver disease and HCC to identify candidate epigenetic biomarkers for HCC prediction. Materials and Methods: 516 Egyptian patients with HCV-related liver disease were recruited from Kasr Alaini multidisciplinary HCC clinic from April 2010 to January 2012. Subjects were divided into 4 different clinically defined groups - HCC group (n=208), liver cirrhosis group (n=108), chronic hepatitis C group (n=100), and control group (n=100) - to analyze the methylation status of the target genes in patient plasma using EpiTect Methyl qPCR Array technology. Methylation was considered to be hypermethylated if >10% and/or intermediately methylated if >60%. Results: In our series, a significant difference in the hypermethylation status of all studied genes was noted within the different stages of chronic liver disease and ultimately HCC. Hypermethylation of the P14 gene was detected in 100/208 (48.1%), 52/108 (48.1%), 16/100 (16%) and 8/100 (8%) among HCC, liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and control groups, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between the studied groups (p-value 0.008). We also detected P15 hypermethylation in 92/208 (44.2%), 36/108 (33.3%), 20/100 (20%) and 4/100 (4%), respectively (p-value 0.006). In addition, hypermethylation of P73 was detected in 136/208 (65.4%), 72/108 (66.7%), 32/100 (32%) and 4/100 (4%) (p-value <0.001). Also, we detected O6MGMT hypermethylation in 84/208 (40.4%), 60/108 (55.3%), 20/100 (20%) and 4/100 (4%), respectively (p value <0.001. Conclusions: The epigenetic changes observed in this study indicate that HCC tumors exhibit specific DNA methylation signatures with potential clinical applications in diagnosis and prognosis. In addition, methylation frequency could be used to monitor whether a patient with chronic hepatitis C is likely to progress to liver cirrhosis or even HCC. We can conclude that methylation processes are not just early events in hepatocarcinogenesis but accumulate with progression to cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제60권4호
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• pp.451-463
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• 2006

연구배경: 활성산소종은 기계환기로 인한 폐손상 (ventilator-induced lung injury, VILI)에서 주요한 역할을 한다. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1)은 DNA 손상 감시 기능을 하는 단백질로서, DNA 파열을 신호하고 복구에 관여한다. 그러나 활성산소종에 의한 것과 같은 심한 유전자 손상을 받게 되면, 과활성화되어 ${\beta}$-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ($NAD^+$)의 결핍을 통한 세포의 사멸을 초래하여, 염증 반응을 일으킨다. 본 연구에서는 VILI의 기전에 있어서 PARP1의 역할 및 그 억제제의 효과를 고찰하고자 하였다. 방법: 48마리의 수컷 C57BL/6 생쥐를 겉보기 수술군 (Sham군), 폐보호적 환기군(lung protective ventilation group, LPV군), 기계환기기로 인한 폐손상군 (ventilator-induced lung injury group, VILI군) 및 PARP1 억제제인 PJ34 전처치 후 기계환기로 인한 폐손상군 (PJ34+VILI군)으로 나누어 실험하였다. LPV군에 대한 기계환기는 $PIP\;15cmH_2O$ + $PEEP\;3cmH_2O$ + RR 90/min. 조건으로, VILI 및 PJ34+VILI군에 대해서는 $PIP\;40cmH_2O$ + $PEEP\;0cmH_2O$ + RR 90/min.의 조건으로 2시간 동안 시행하였다. PJ34+VILI군에서 PARP1 억제제로는, PJ34 20 mg/Kg을 기계환기 2시간 전에 복강 내로 주사하였다. VILI의 정도는 습건중량비 및 급성폐손상 지수로 측정하였고, PARP1의 활성은 biotinylated NAD를 이용한 면역조직화학적 방법을 이용하였다. 또한 기관지폐포세척액 (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, BALF) 내에서 myeloperoxidase (MPO) 활성 및 tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$), IL-6 등의 염증성 시토카인의 농도를 측정하였다. 결과: PJ34+VILI군에서 VILI군과 비교하여, PJ34 전처치로 인하여 폐손상의 정도가 현저히 감소하였다 (p<0.05). 5개의 고배율 시야에서 관찰한 PARP1의 활성을 보이는 세포의 수는 VILI군에서 유의하게 증가하였고, PJ34+VILI군에서 현저히 감소하였다 (p=0.001). BALF 내에서 측정한 MPO 활성 및 $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6의 농도 역시 PJ34+VILI군에서 의미 있게 감소하였다 (p<0.05). 결론: VILI의 기전에 있어서 PARP1의 과활성이 주요한 역할을 하고, PARP1 억제제가 MPO 활성 및 염증성 시토카인의 감소와 함께 VILI의 발생을 억제한다.