• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.38.1-38.14
• /
• 2023

Neutrophils are professional phagocytes that provide defense against invading pathogens through phagocytosis, degranulation, generation of ROS, and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Although long been considered as short-lived effector cells with limited biosynthetic activity, recent studies have revealed that neutrophils actively communicate with other immune cells. Neutrophils employ various types of soluble mediators, including granules, cytokines, and chemokines, for crosstalk with immune cells. Additionally, ROS and NETs, major arsenals of neutrophils, are utilized for intercellular communication. Furthermore, extracellular vesicles play a crucial role as mediators of neutrophil crosstalk. In this review, we highlight the extracellular mechanisms of neutrophils and their roles in crosstalk with other cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.31.1-31.16
• /
• 2024

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent one of the most prevalent bacterial infections globally, manifesting in diverse clinical phenotypes with varying degrees of severity and complications. The mechanisms underlying UTIs are gradually being elucidated, leading to an enhanced understanding of the immune responses involved. Innate immune cells play a crucial defensive role against uropathogenic bacteria through various mechanisms. Despite their significant contributions to host defense, these cells often fail to achieve complete clearance of uropathogens, necessitating the frequent prescription of antibiotics for UTI patients. However, the persistence of infections and related pathological symptoms in the absence of innate immune cells in animal models underscore the importance of innate immunity in UTIs. Therefore, the host protective functions of innate immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, NK cells, innate lymphoid cells, and γδ T cells, are delicately coordinated and timely regulated by a variety of cytokines to ensure successful pathogen clearance.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.18 no.3E
• /
• pp.9-20
• /
• 1999

To investigate the characteristics of internal waves (IWs) and their effects on acoustic wave propagation, a series of sea experiment were performed in the east coast of Donghae city, Korea in 1997 and 1998 where the water depth varies between 130 and 140 m. Thermistor strings were deployed to measure water temperatures simultaneously at 9 depths. CW source signals with the frequencies of 250,670 and 1000 Hz were received by an array of 15 hydrophones. Through the Wavelet transform analysis, the IWs are characterized as having typical periods of 2-17 min and duration of 1-2 hours. The IWs exist in a group of periods rather than in one period. Underwater acoustic signals also show obvious energy peaks in the periods of less than 12 min. Consistency in the periods of the two physical processes implies that acoustic waves react to the IWs through some mechanisms like mode interference and travel time fluctuation. Based on the thermistor string data, mode arriving structures are analyzed. As thermocline depth varies with time, it may cause travel time difference as much as 4-10 ms between mode 1 and 2 over 10 km range. This travel time difference causes interference among modes and thus fluctuation from range-independent stratified ocean structure. In real situations, however, there exist additional spatial variation of IWs. Model simulations with all modes and simple IWs show clear responses of acoustic signals to the IWs, i.e., fluctuations of amplitude and phase.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.525-530
• /
• 2013

Multidrug resistance 3 (MDR3) is expressed on the canalicular membrane of the hepatocytes and plays an important role in protecting the liver from bile acids. Altered ABCB4 gene expression can lead to a rare hepatic disease, low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis (LPAC). In this study, we characterized 3 ABCB4 mutations in LPAC patients using various in vitro assay systems. We first measured the ability of each mutant to transport paclitaxel and then the mechanisms by which these mutations might change MDR3 transport activity were determined using immunoblotting, cell surface protein biotinylation, and immunofluorescence. Through a membrane vesicular transport assay, we observed that the uptake of paclitaxel was significantly reduced in membrane vesicles expressing 2 ABCB4 mutations, F165I and S320F. Both mutants showed significantly decreased total and cell surface MDR3 expression. These data suggest two missense mutations of ABCB4 may alter function of MDR3 and ultimately can be determined as LPAC-causing mutations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.81.1-81
• /
• 2003

Although plants have evolved to possess various defense mechanisms from local biotic and abiotic stressors, most of yield loss is caused by theses stressors. Recent studies have revealed that several different stress responsive reactions are inter-networking. Therefore, the identification and dissection of stress responsive genes is an essential and first step towards understanding of the global defense mechanism in response to various stressors. For this purpose, we applied cDNA microarray analysis, because it has powerful ability to monitor the global gene expression in a specific situation. To date, more than 10,000 non-redundant genes were identified from seven different cDNA libraries and deposited in our EST database (http://plant.pdrs.re.kr/ks200201/pepper.html). For this study, we have built 5K cDNA microarray containing 4,685 unigene clones from three different cDNA libraries. Monitoring of gene expression profiles of hot pepper interactions with biotic stress, abiotic stresses and chemical treatments will be presented. Although this work shows expression profiling at the sub-genomic level, this could be a good starting point to understand the complexity of global defense mechanism in hot pepper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.82-83
• /
• 2003

Plants have evolved differently from animals having mobile activities. Thus, plants should have developed unique defense mechanisms against biotic/abiotic stresses to which plants are differently exposed, according to seasons. Most organisms have an conserved signaling network using mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade(s). The phenomenon implied that they are functionally very important in all organisms. In fact, they constitute one of the major components of signaling pathways involved in regulating a wide range of cellular activities from growth and development to cell death. Recently, complete MAPK cascade was first characterized in Arabidopsis from the receptor kinase (FLS2) through fellowing MEKKI -MKK4/MKK5-MPK3/MPK6-WRKY22/MRKY29 pathway. Whereas, MAPK cascade signaling pathway in monocot plant including rice (0ryza sativa L.), the most important of all food crops and an established monocot plant research model, MAPKinase kinase kinases (MAPKKK) of rice are the first upstream component of the MAPK cascade, but MAPKKK has been first identified and characterized in our lab and designated as, OsEDRl based on its homology with the Arabidopsis EDRI. The Arabidopsis EDRl was regarded as a negative regulator of defense response and the role of rice OsEDRl was analyzed. Transcriptional regulation of OsEDRl was detected under various stresses and immunoblotting analysis is going on to detect the level of OsEDRl protein in the mutants showing unique phenotype. We also introduced the constitutively active and the dominant negative forms of the OsEDRl for characterizing biological function.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.42 no.12
• /
• pp.776-787
• /
• 2009

T helper (Th) 17 cells have recently been described as a third subset of T helper cells, and have provided new insights into the mechanisms that are important in the development of autoimmune diseases and the immune responses that are essential for effective antimicrobial host defense. Both protective and harmful effects of Th17 responses during infection have been described. In general, Th17 responses are critical for mucosal and epithelial host defense against extracellular bacteria and fungi. However, recent studies have reported that Th17 responses can also contribute to viral persistence and chronic inflammation associated with parasitic infection. It has become evident that the type of microorganisms and the setting in which they trigger the Th17 response determines the outcome of the delicate balancethat exists between Th17 induced protection and immunopathogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.380-385
• /
• 2020

Over the past decade, small robots have been of particular interest in the engineering field. Among the various types of small robots, biomimetic robots, which mimic animals and insects, have been developed for special activities in areas where humans cannot physically access. The optimal motion of a walking robot can be determined by the characteristics of the traversed surface (e.g., roughness, curvature, slope, materials, etc.). This study proposes three types of piezoelectric structures using different driving mechanisms, depending on the application range of the small walking robots. Dynamic modeling using computer-aided engineering optimized the shape of the robot to maximize its moving characteristics, and the results were also verified through its fabrication and experimentation. Three types of robots, named by their actuator shapes as I, π, & T-shape, were proposed regarding application for small scale ambulatory robots to different terrain conditions. Among these, the T-shaped robots were shown to have a wide range of speeds (from 2 mm/s up to 255 mm/s) and good carrying capacity (up to 10 g at 50 mm/s) through driving experiments. Based on this study, we proposed possible application areas for the three types of walking robot actuators.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.33-46
• /
• 2014

Objectives : Sosihotang is a typical prescription in Sang Han Lun. And the alternate chills and fever is a Sosihotang's typical symptom. Therefore I will study of how the syndrome of Sosihotang's alternate chills and fever caused. Methods : Examine the claims of the syndrome of Sosihotang's alternate chills and fever in Sang Han Lun. The scholar's claims are not all same. Thus, I analysis the claims of many scholars. Results : The syndrome of Sosihotang has two mechanisms. The move of defensive Gi(衛氣) can explain the occurrence of alternate chills and fever. If the defense Gi enter inside the body, it struggle with pathogenic Gi, the fever is occurred. On the contrary to this, if the defense Gi exits the body the chills occurs because of the lack of defense Gi. Conclusions : The syndrome of Sosihotang could be taken ill by tranmission or direct attack of exogenous pathogenic factors(直中). Symptoms chills and fever occurs due to the entrance and exit of defensive Gi.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.8
• /
• pp.867-872
• /
• 2004

Oxidative stress due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause oxidative damage to cells. Cells have a number of defense mechanisms to protect themselves from the toxicity of ROS. Mitochondria are especially important in the oxidative stress as ROS have been found to be constantly generated as an endogen threat. Mitochondrial defense depends mainly on super-oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), whereas microsomal defense depends on catalase (CAT), which is an enzyme abundant in microsomes. SOD removes superoxide anions by converting them to $H_2O$$_2$, which can be rapidly converted to water by CAT and GPx. Also, GPx converts hydroperoxide (ROOH) into oxidized-glutathione (GSSG). Ovariectomized (OVX) rats are used as an oxidative stress model. An ovariectomy increased the levels of MDA, one of the end-products in the lipid peroxidative process, and decreased levels of the antioxidative enzymes； SOD, CAT and GPx. However, Chondroitin sulfate (CS) decreased the levels of MDA, but increased the levels of SOD, CAT and GPx in a dose-depen-dent manner. Moreover, inflammation and cirrhosis of liver tissue in CS- treated rats were sig-nificantly decreased. These results suggest that CS might be a potential candidate as an anti oxidative reagent.