• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권12호
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• pp.5019-5022
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• 2014

Recently, mutations in the genes involved in cell cycle control, including CHEK2, are being considered as etiological factors in different kinds of cancers. The CHEK2 protein plays an important role in protecting damaged DNA from entering mitosis. In this study the potential effects of two common mutations $IVS2+1G{\rightarrow}A$ and Ile157Thr of CHEK2 gene in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) were evaluated. A total of 100 patients admitted to the Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine were diagnosed with DTC based on pathology reports of surgery samples. An additional 100 people were selected as a control group with no cancer history. PCR-HRM (high resolution melting) analysis was performed to deal with each of mutations in all case and control samples separately. During the analysis of $IVS2+1G{\rightarrow}A$ and Ile157Thr mutations of CHEK2 gene in the case and control groups, all the samples were identified as wild homozygote type. The finding suggests that $IVS2+1G{\rightarrow}A$ and Ile157Thr mutations of CHEK2 gene do not constitute a risk factor for DTC in the Iranian population. However, further studies with larger population are required to confirm the outcome.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.403-408
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• 2002

A hypothetical 21.0 kDa protein (ORF O197) from Escherichia coli K-12 was cloned, purified, and characterized. The protein sequence of ORF O197(termed EcO197) shares a 33.5% identity with that of a novel NTPase from Methanococcus jannaschii. The EcO197 protein was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography, protease digestion, and gel filtration column. It hydrolyzed nucleoside triphosphates with an O6 atom-containing purine base to nucleoside monophosphate and pyrophosphate. The EcO197 protein had a strong preference for deoxyinosine triphosphate (dITP) and xanthosine triphosphate (XTP), while it had little activity in the standard nucleoside triphosphates (dATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP). These aberrant nucleotides can be produced by oxidative deamination from purine nucleotides in cells; they are potentially mutagenic. The mutation protection mechanisms are caused by the incorporation into DNA of unwelcome nucleotides that are formed spontaneously. The EcO197 protein may function to eliminate specifically damaged purine nucleotide that contains the 6-keto group. This protein appears to be the first eubacterial dITP-and XTP-hydrolyzing enzyme that has been identified.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권9호
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• pp.607-612
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• 2017

When mammalian cells and animals face a variety of internal or external stresses, they need to make homeostatic changes so as to cope with various stresses. To this end, mammalian cells are equipped with two critical stress responses, autophagy and cellular senescence. Autophagy and cellular senescence share a number of stimuli including telomere shortening, DNA damage, oncogenic stress and oxidative stress, suggesting their intimate relationship. Autophagy is originally thought to suppress cellular senescence by removing damaged macromolecules or organelles, yet recent studies also indicated that autophagy promotes cellular senescence by facilitating the synthesis of senescence-associated secretory proteins. These seemingly opposite roles of autophagy may reflect a complex picture of autophagic regulation on cellular senescence, including different types of autophagy or a unique spatiotemporal activation of autophagy. Thus, a better understanding of autophagy process will lead us to not only elucidate the conundrum how autophagy plays dual roles in the regulation of cellular senescence but also helps the development of new therapeutic strategies for many human diseases associated with cellular senescence. We address the pro-senescence and anti-senescence roles of autophagy while focusing on the potential mechanistic aspects of this complex relationship between autophagy and cellular senescence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1325-1332
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• 2016

Radioprotective effects of ginger essential oil (GEO) on mortality, body weight alteration, hematological parameters, antioxidant status and chromosomal damage were studied in irradiated mice. Regression analysis of survival data in mice exposed to radiation yielded LD50/30 as 7.12 and 10.14 Gy for control (irradiation alone) and experimental (GEO-treated irradiated) mice, respectively, with a dose reduction factor (DRF) of 1.42. In mice exposed to whole-body gamma-irradiation (6 Gy), GEO pre-treatment at 100 and 500 mg/kg b.wt (orally) significantly ameliorated decreased hematological and immunological parameters. Radiation induced reduction in intestinal tissue antioxidant enzyme levels such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione was also reversed following administration of GEO. Tissue architecture of small intestine which was damaged following irradiation was improved upon administration of GEO. Anticlastogenic effects of GEO were studied by micronuclei assay, chromosomal aberration and alkaline gel electrophoresis assay. GEO significantly decreased the formation of micronuclei, increased the P/N ratio, inhibited the formation of chromosomal aberrations and protected agaisnt cellular DNA damage in bone marrow cells as revealed by comet assay. These results are supportive of use of GEO as a potential radioprotective compound.

• Mycobiology
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.391-396
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• 2014

In the past two decades, European ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) have been severely damaged due to ash dieback disease, which is caused by the fungal species Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (Chalara fraxinea in the anamorphic stage). Recent molecular phylogenetic and population genetic studies have suggested that this fungus has been introduced from Asia to Europe. During a fungal survey in Korea, H. fraxineus-like apothecia were collected from fallen leaves, rachises, and petioles of Korean ash and Manchurian ash trees. The morphological and ecological traits of these materials are described with the internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequence comparison of H. fraxineus strains collected from Korea, China and Japan.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.243-248
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• 1992

동결건조법이 Nocardia mediterranei의 세포막 손상에 미치는 영향을 3H-thymidine 표지에 의한 DNA 유출 방법과 전자현미경으로 조사하였으며, 재수화 과정이 생존도에 미치는 영향을 연구하였다. 그 결과 N.mediterranei의 동결건조시 세포벽과 세포막의 손상이 세포 사멸의 원인으로 판명되었다.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2005

Recently, there has been extremely active in the research of stem cell biology. Stem cells have excellent potential for being the ultimate source of transplantable cells for many different tissues. Researchers hope to use stem cells to repair or replace diseased or damaged organs, leading to new treatments for human disorders that are currently incurable, including diabetes, spinal cord injury and brain diseases. There are primary sources of stem cells like embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Stem cells from embryos were known to give rise to every type of cell. However, embryonic stem cells still have a lot of disadvantages. First, transplanted cells sometimes grow into tumors. Second, the human embryonic stem cells that are available for research would be rejected by a patient's immune system. Tissue-matched transplants could be made by either creating a bank of stem cells from more human embryos, or by cloning a patient's DNA into existing stem cells to customize them. However, this is laborious and ethically contentious. These problems could be overcome by using adult stem cells, taken from a patient, that are treated to remove problems and then put back. Nevertheless, some researchers do not convince that adult stem cells could, like embryonic ones, make every tissue type. Human stem cell research holds enormous potential for contributing to our understanding of fundamental human biology. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in stem cell research and the future therapeutic applications.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2011

Since proteomics can be employed to compare changes in the expression levels of many proteins under particular genetic and environmental conditions, using mass spectrometry to establish radiation stimulon, we performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified E. coli proteins whose expressions are affected by high dose of ionizing radiation. After exposure to 3 kGy, it was found that 6 proteins involved in carbon and energy metabolism were reduced. Although 4 of 7 protein spots showing a significant increase in expression level were neither identified nor classified, uridine phosphorylase (Udp), superoxide dismutase (SodB), and thioredoxin-dependent thiol peroxidase (Bcp) were proven to be up-regulated after irradiation. This suggests that E. coli subjected to high doses of radiation (3 kGy) may operate a defense system that is able to detoxify reactive oxygen species and stimulate the salvage pathway of nucleotide synthesis to replenish damaged DNA.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.304-312
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• 2022

Boxwood is a representative ornamental shrub that is widely used in landscaping horticulture. After pruning, damaged leaves or stems of boxwoods are unavoidably vulnerable to infection by various plant pathogens. Several boxwood diseases caused by fungi, such as Volutella blight and Macrophoma leaf spot, have been reported worldwide including Republic of Korea. In this study, we isolated and identified fungal pathogens of boxwood diseases that occurred in Korea and characterized their morphological and taxonomic characteristics. Boxwood samples showing blight symptoms were collected in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and the putative fungal pathogens Pseudonectria buxi, P. foliicola, and Neofusicoccum buxi were successfully identified. Investigation of the morphological features of the field isolates, including mycelial growth and conidial morphology, and phylogenetic analysis of multiple DNA barcode loci revealed that there were some morphological and genetic variations among isolates, but all of the analyzed isolates were closely related to the corresponding reference strains. We also found that P. foliicola strains were more virulent than P. buxi, and the N. buxi strains isolated in this study were weak pathogens or saprophytes. The results of our study will contribute to the development of control strategies for boxwood diseases caused by fungi and accelerate research on the complex ecology of boxwood diseases.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권10호
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• pp.1183-1191
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• 2013

APEX-1 (인간 apyrimidinic/apurinic 효소)은 염기성 사이트 및 DNA단일 가닥 결손으로 손상된 DNA을 복구 할 수 있는 다기능 단백질이다. 또한 APEX-1은 많은 전사 인자들의 redox-modifying factor (산화 환원 수정 요소)로서의 역할을 한다고 알려져 있다. 이런 APEX-1의 전사 타겟을 동정하는 것은 APEX-1의 다양한 세포 내 작용 메커니즘을 이해하는데 필수적이다. 따라서 이 논문에서는 먼저 Expression array analysis를 통해 glial cell-derived neurotropic factor receptor ${\alpha}1$ ($GFR{\alpha}1$)을 동정하였다. $GFR{\alpha}1$은 glial cell-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) family 수용체이며 APEX-1에 의해 발현이 증가된다. APEX-1이 과발현된 세포에서 GDNF처리에 의해 GDNF/$GFR{\alpha}1$ 시그널 타겟인 c-Src가 Tyr418잔기에서 인산화 됨을 관찰하였다. 또한 APEX-1이 과발현된 세포에 GDNF처리하면, 세포증식이 증가함을 보았다. 반면, APEX-1 발현을 siRNA을 이용하여 감소시키면 $GFR{\alpha}1$ 발현과 GDNF에 의한 c-Src 인산화 및 세포증식이 감소함을 확인하였다. 이상의 결과는 APEX-1은 GDNF/$GFR{\alpha}1$ 시그널을 통해 세포 생존과 증식을 조절함을 증명하였다. 따라서 본 연구를 통해 APEX-1의 세포 증식을 조절하는 새로운 기전을 규명하였다.