• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2012

In this study, we characterized the physical form of allergenic Cry j 1 in the urban atmosphere. Through an immunofluorescence antibody method, we showed that allergenic Cry j 1 exists as fine particles (${\leq}1.1{\mu}m$). To determine Cry j 1 concentrations and its particle size distribution, we used the ELISA method to confirm that most Cry j 1 exists as fine particles in the urban atmosphere and is found at high concentrations on fine day next to rainy day. Furthermore, we evaluated Cry j 1 denaturation by using the Biacore J system based on the surface plasmon resonence (SPR) principle and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). We showed that the dissociation constant ($K_D$) of Cry j 1 that has been exposed to urban polluted air is lower ($1.76{\times}10^{-14}$ M) than that of Cry j 1 ($1.32{\times}10^{-9}-3.37{\times}10^{-9}$ M) of original pollen grains that has not been exposed to air pollutants. Cry j 1 turns into low molecular weight proteins by reacting with various acidic solutions. In sum, we showed that allergenic Cry j 1 exists as fine particles that can deposit in the lower respiratory tract. This finding clarifies the relationship between Japanese cedar pollinosis and air pollutants.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.57-57
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• 2001

Erythropoietin(EPO)는 혈액의 구성성분 중에서 적혈구 세포 증식에 중요한 기능을 한다고 알려져 있으며, 최근에는 암, 에이즈의 치료 등에도 효과가 있는 것으로 확인되고 있다. 따라서 본 연구팀은 지금까지 hEPO 유전자를 이용하여, 형질전환 돼지 "새롬이"의 생산에 성공한바 있다. 새롬이의 정액을 활용하여 인공수정을 실시 새롬이의 Fl를 24두 생산하였다. 이에 대하여 "형질전환 돼지의 계대번식시 유전자 전이효율에 관한 연구"라는 제목으로 발표 할 예정이며, 형질전환에 사용된 promoter가 WAP이므로, Fl이 임신, 분만을 하여야만 유즙을 통하여 hEPO물질을 생산할 수 있다. 따라서, Fl(♂)$\times$Fl(♀)의 교배에 의하여 5두가 임신, 분만을 하였으며, 이들 중 1두는 분만 후 21일에 폐사하였으며, 나머지는 현재 정상적으로 사육되고 있다. 이들 5두에 대하여 분만 후 유즙을 채취하여 유즙속에 EPO의 발현여부를 검토하였다. EPO-ELISA kit(medac)를 사용하여 분석결과, 유즙을 8,000배로 희석을 하여야만 Standard curve(1.25~160 mIU/$m\ell$)안에서 EPO의 단백질 발현을 검출할 수 있었다. 5두의 각각 농도는 28, 58, 17, 37, 27 IU/${\mu}\ell$ 였다. 또한 cDNA EPO와 genome EPO를 CHO 동물세포에서 생산하여 10배로 농축한 결과 5.5와 11 IU/${\mu}\ell$의 농도로 유즙과 비교하면 약 20~30배의 낮은 발현양을 나타내었으며, 또한 이러한 결과는 소변에서의 결과(1.1 IU/$m\ell$)보다는 약 30,000배 이상 높은 발현량을 화인 할 수 있었다. 현재, 이들 유즙 물질을 활용 빈혈 질환실험동물을 이용하여 생리활성을 검정, 체내에서 metabolic clearance rate(MCR)를 검토 중에 있다. 또한 F2의 자돈생산은 모돈 5두에서 총 25두가 생산되었는데, 이중 20두 약 80%가 EPO 유전자의 전환율을 나타내었다. 이상을 종합하면, 1) 돼지이용 생리활성물질(EPO)을 유즙에서 대량으로 생산할 수 있는 system의 활용가능성을 국내에서 처음으로 확인하였으며, 2) EPO에 있어서는 국제적으로도 형질전환 가축생산은 최초로 성공하였으며, 현재로서는 생산되어진 물질의 정제수준에 따라 활용가치가 결정되어 질 것으로 사료된다. 생리활성 물질을 생산할 수 있는 형질전환 돼지 생산의 성공은, 앞으로 형질전환 가축생산 뿐 만 아니라, 장기이식 및 복제돼지 생산의 활용 면에서의 응용가능성이 기대된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 2009

Ginsan, a Panax ginseng polysaccharide that contains glucopyranoside and fructofuranoside, has immunomodulatory effects. Although several biologic studies of ginsan have been performed, its effects on dendritic cells (DCs), which are antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, have not been studied. We investigated the immunomodulatory effects of ginsan on DCs. Ginsan had little effect on DC viability, even when used at high concentrations. Ginsan markedly increased the levels of production by DCs of IL-12 and TNF-${\alpha}$, as measured by ELISA. To examine the maturation-inducing activity of ginsan, we measured the surface expression levels of the maturation markers MHC class II and CD86 (B7.2) on DCs. It is interesting that ginsan profoundly enhanced the expression of CD86 on DC surfaces, whereas it increased that of MHC class II only marginally. In $^3H$-thymidine incorporation assays, ginsan-treated DCs stimulated significantly higher proliferation of allogeneic $CD4^+$ T lymphocytes than did medium-treated DCs. Taken together, our data demonstrate that ginsan stimulates DCs by inducing maturation. Because DCs are critical antigen-presenting cells in immune responses, this study provides valuable information on the activities of ginsan.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 1986

Cytochrome P-450(CP-450) is one of the three components of the liver microsomal enzyme system which hydroxylates fatty acids, hydrocarbons and a variety of drugs and other foreign compounds. Female Balb/c mice were immunized with purified polychlorinated bipheny(PCB)-induced CP-450 LMII. The spleen cells derived from immunized mice were fused with $SP^2$ myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol(PEG 3500). The hybrid cells were selected by hypoxanthine-aminopterine and thymidine(HAT) medium and the culture fluid were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to CP450 LMII. The hybrid cess(${\times}10^7$) were innoculated into intraperitoneal cavity of Balb/c mice for the purpose of production of ascitic fluids. Monoclonal antibody(Mab) was purified from ascitic fluid by DEAE cellulose ion exchange chromatography and $I^{125}$-labeled Mab was also confirmed by autoradiography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (MW : 55,000 and 110,000).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.280-287
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• 2015

Current influenza vaccines are produced in embryonated chicken eggs. However, egg-based vaccines have various problems. To address these problems, recombinant protein vaccines have been developed as new vaccine candidates. Unfortunately, recombinant proteins frequently encounter aggregation and low stability during their biogenesis. It has been previously demonstrated that recombinantly expressed proteins can be greatly stabilized with high solubility by fusing stabilizing peptide (SP) derived from the C-terminal acidic tail of human synuclein (ATS). To investigate whether SP fusion proteins can induce protective immunity in mice, we produced influenza HA and SP fusion protein using a baculovirus expression system. In in vitro tests, SP-fused recombinant HA1 (SP-rHA1) was shown to be more stable than recombinant HA1 (rHA1). Mice were immunized intramuscularly with baculovirus-expressed rHA1 protein or SP-rHA1 protein ($2{\mu}g/mouse$) formulated with aluminum hydroxide. Antibody responses were determined by ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition assay. We observed that SP-rHA1 immunization elicited HA-specific antibody responses that were comparable to rHA1 immunization. These results indicate that fusion of SP to rHA1 does not negatively affect the immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate. Therefore, it is possible to apply SP fusion technology to develop stable recombinant protein vaccines with high solubility.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.9-16
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• 2012

Objective : Canavalia gladiata DC semen (CGS) have been used to improve hematopoietic activity. In the current study, we investigated whether CGS regulate hemato-potentiating function using hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as a testing system. Methods : HSCs isolated from femur in mice with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia induced induced by CTX. Then, Real-time PCR was performed to measure the mRNA expression and hematopoietic related gene (EPO, IL-3, SCF, c-kit, GM-CSF), the phoaphorylation of GATA-1 and STAT-5a/b were observed by ELISA method, and the number of granulocyte erythrocyte monocyte macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM) and erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E), semisolid clonogenic assay was performed. Result : When HSCs were treated with CGS, the expression of hematopoietic related genes (EPO, IL-3, SCF, c-kit, and GM-CSF) were significantly increased at the levels of mRNA as well as production in HSCs. Additionally, CGS enhanced phosphorylation of STAT-1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription-5a/b (STAT-5a/b) in HSCs. Furthermore, CGS significantly enhanced the growth rate of granulocyte erythrocyte monocyte macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM) and erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E) in vitro. Conclusion : These result suggest that CGS has hematopoietic enhancement via hematopoietic cytokine-mediated GATA-1/STAT-5a/b pathway.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.296-300
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• 2012

Silica nanoparticles, which are applicable in many industrial fields, have been reported to induce cellular changes such as cytotoxicity in various cells and fibrosis in lungs. Because the immune system is the primary targeting organ reacting to internalized exogenous nanoparticles, we tried to figure out the immunostimulatory effect of silica nanoparticles in macrophages using differently sized silica nanoparticles. Using U937 cells we assessed cytotoxicity by CCK-8 assay, ROS generation by CM-$H_2DCFDA$, intracellular $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ levels by staining with Fluo4-AM and IL-8 production by ELISA. At non-toxic concentration, the intracellular $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ level has increased immediately after exposure to 15 nm particles, not to larger particles. ROS generation was detected significantly in response to 15 nm particles. However, all three different sizes of silica nanoparticles induced IL-8 production. 15 nm silica nanoparticles are more stimulatory than larger particles in cytotoxicity, intracellular $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ increase and ROS generation. But IL-8 production was induced to same levels with 50 or 100 nm particles. Therefore, IL-8 production induced by silica nanoparticles may be dependent on other mechanisms rather than intracellular $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ increase and ROS generation.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.255-259
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• 2014

Physical activity could be considered one of the factors that affect the immune system status and function. To find the relation between exercise and cytokines, we examined the possible effects of an 8-week endurance training program on the serum levels of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) in sedentary men. A total of 30 healthy young male volunteers were randomly divided into an endurance training group and a control group. The training group followed a specific exercise protocol (running on a treadmill for 15~30 min at 50~70% maximal heart rate) for 8 weeks and the control group did not participate in any exercise program. Venous blood samples were collected from both the groups 24 h before and 24 h and 48 h after the exercise. Repeated ANOVA was used for statistical purposes. The serum levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\gamma}$ were determined by ELISA. Significant (p<0.05) and non-significant (p>0.05) decreases were observed in the serum levels of IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$, respectively, after the 8-week endurance training program. Our findings indicated that an 8-week endurance exercise may affect the serum levels of some inflammatory cytokines, suggesting the beneficial role of this training protocol in elderly population and people with certain conditions (inflammation of the vertebrae or other inflammatory diseases).

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2014

Asian sand dust is known to promote various respiratory symptoms or disorders. For the prevention of harmful health effects by Asian sand dust, the best strategy is known to avoid or reduce exposure to the Asian sand dust. Several studies have shown that Korean red ginseng (RG) has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. The study aimed to clarify the effect of Korean red ginseng intake on lung inflammation responses to artificial sand dust (ASD) similar to Asian sand dust. BALB/c mice were divided into five groups (n=12) of control (saline), ovalbumin (OVA), OVA with ASD, OVA plus RG with ASD, and OVA plus dexamethasone (DEXA) with ASD. Histopathologic evaluation of lung was conducted. Interleukin (IL)-5, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, IL-13, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and eotaxin within bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were measured by ELISA. OVA+ASD group significantly increased concentrations of IL-5, IL-13, MCP-1, and eotaxin (P<0.01) compared to the control. OVA+ASD+RG group showed significant decreased levels of IL-2, IL-13, MCP-1 and eotaxin (P<0.01) compared with OVA+ASD. Between RG and DEXA treatment groups, there was no significant difference in all cytokines and chemokines. The inflammatory cells were significantly decreased in treatment groups with RG or DEXA compared to OVA+ASD group. This study suggests a beneficial effect of Korean RG administration in preventing inflammation of lung resulting from Asian sand dust.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6269-6272
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• 2012

We conducted a case-control study to determine the association between several potential SNPs of excision repair cross complementing group 5 (XPG) and gastric cancer susceptibility, and roles of XPG polymorphisms in combination with H.pylori infection in determining risk of gastric cancer. In our study, we collected 337 newly diagnosed gastric cancer cases and 347 health controls. Three SNPs of XPG, rs2296147T>C, rs2094258C>T and rs873601G>A, were genotyped using the Taqman real-time PCR method with a 7900 HT sequence detector system. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by ELISA. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the rs2296147 CC genotype was associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.27-0.97), and rs2094258 TT was associated with elevated risk (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.22-3.35). Positive H.pylori individuals with rs2094258 TT genotypes demonstrated increased risk of gastric cancer (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.22-3.35), while rs2296147 CC was associated with lower risk among patients with negative H.pylori (OR=0.45, 95%CI=0.22-0.89). Our findings suggested that XPG polymorphisms might contribute to risk of gastric cancer among Chinese populations, but the effect needs to be further validated by larger sample size studies.