• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.699-704
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• 2008

Embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived cardiomyocytes (ESCMs) must be specifically purified in order to prevent teratoma formation, and this confusing issue has hampered their clinical application. We therefore investigated a technique to generate pure labeled ESCMs for possible use in cardiac repair. We generated transgenic ES cell lines expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the transcriptional control of the $\alpha$-cardiac myosin heavy chain ($\alpha$-MHC) promoter. Differentiated EGFP-positive ES cells displayed characteristics of CMs. Furthermore, neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) upregulated the expression of the cardiac-restricted transcription factors Nkx2.5 and GATA-4, as well as differentiated CM factors ($\alpha$-MHC, $\beta$-MHC). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that NRG-1 increased expression of cardiac-specific troponin T in the beating foci of the embryoid bodies. This work revealed a potential method for specifically labeling and enriching ESCMs by combining genetically-engineered ES cell clones and exogenous growth factor treatment.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.235-244
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• 1995

The present study was designed to demonstrate that ES cell lines efficiently could be isolated from explanted blastocysts of hybrid BCF1 mouse when grown on STO feeder layer derived from mouse fibroblasts in culture medium supplemented with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The expanded blastocysts were attached to mitomycin C-inactivated STO feeder layer and were cultured for 4 days. Four days later the ICM was disaggregated by a short term trypsin treatment (0.25% trypsin / 0.04% EDT A for 2-3 min). The resulting cell suspension was seeded on a new STO feeder layer and covered with DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS, 0.1 mM nonessential amino acid, 0.1 mM sodium pyruvate, 0.1 mM mercaptoethanol and 1,000 U/ml LIF. Colonies of ES-like cells were observed after the second passage. These colonies were repeatedly passaged at approximately 5 day intervals. In this study, five ES-like celllines were isolated by directly explanting blastocysts, but three lines were lost after the 5th passage, possibly due to toxic effects of a new FCS batch. The characterization of developmental potential of isolated cell lines was performed with respect to in vitro differentiation and specific activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP). When cells were cultured in suspension, the aggregates of cell lines were capable of forming simple embryoid bodies (EB), and showed the capacity for forming cystic multilayer EBs. In addition, the cell lines were positive for AP staining, a biochemical marker characteristic of mouse ES cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2016

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been routinely cultured on mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder layers with a medium containing animal materials. For clinical application of hESCs, animal-derived products from the animal feeder cells, animal substrates such as gelatin or Matrigel and animal serum are strictly to be eliminated in the culture system. In this study, we performed that SNUhES32 and H1 were cultured on human amniotic fluid cells (hAFCs) with KO-SR XenoFree and a humanized substrate. All of hESCs were relatively well propagated on hAFCs feeders with xeno-free conditions and they expressed pluripotent stem cell markers, alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-4, TRA1-60, TRA1-81, Oct-4, and Nanog like hESCs cultured on STO or human foreskin fibroblast feeders. In addition, we observed the expression of nonhuman N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5GC) molecules by flow cytometry, which was xenotransplantation components of contamination in hESCs cultured on animal feeder conditions, was not detected in this xeno-free condition. In conclusion, SNUhES32 and H1 could be maintained on hAFCs for humanized culture conditions, therefore, we suggested that new xeno-free conditions for clinical grade hESCs culture will be useful data in future clinical studies.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.218-223
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• 2018

The liver is an essential organ for the detoxification of exogenous xenobiotics, drugs and toxic substances. The incidence rate of non-alcoholic liver injury increases due to dietary habit change and drug use increase. Our previous study demonstrated that Ecklonia stolonifera (ES) formulation has hepatoprotective effect against alcohol-induced liver injury in rat and tacrine-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. This present study was designated to elucidate hepatoprotective effects of ES formulation against carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced liver injury in Sprague Dawley rat. Sixty rats were randomly divided into six groups. The rats were treated orally with ES formulation and silymarin (served as positive control, only 100 mg/kg/day) at a dose of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day for 21 days. Seven days after treatment, liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of $CCl_4$ (1.5 ml/kg, twice a week for 14 days). The administration of $CCl_4$ exhibited significant elevation of hepatic enzymes (like AST and ALT), and decrease of antioxidant related enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) and glutathione. Then, it leaded to DNA damages (8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine) and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde). Administration of ES formulation inhibited imbalance of above factors compared to $CCl_4$ induced rat in a dose dependent manner. Real time PCR analysis indicates that CYP2E1 was upregulated in $CCl_4$ induced rat. However, increased gene expression was compromised by ES formulation treatment. These findings suggests that ES formulation could protect hepatotoxicity caused by $CCl_4$ via two pathways: elevation of antioxidant enzymes and normalization of CYP2E1 enzyme.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.745-753
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• 2008

Gene-manipulated mice were discovered for the first time about a quarter century ago. Since then, numerous sophisticated technologies have been developed and applied to answer key questions about the fundamental roles of the genes of interest. Functional genomics can be characterized into gain-of-function and loss-of-function, which are called transgenic and knock-out studies, respectively. To make transgenic mice, the most widely used technique is the microinjection of transgene-containing vectors into the embryonic pronucleus. However, there are critical drawbacks: namely position effects, integration of unknown copies of a foreign gene, and instability of the foreign DNA within the host genome. To overcome these problems, the ROSA26 locus was used for the knock-in site of a transgene. Usage of this locus is discussed for the gain of function study as well as for several brilliant approaches such as conditional/inducible transgenic system, reproducible/inducible knockdown system, specific cell ablation by Cre-mediated expression of DTA, Cre-ERTM mice as a useful tool for temporal gene regulation, MORE mice as a germ line delete and site specific recombinase system. Techniques to make null mutant mice include complicated steps: vector design and construction, colony selection of embryonic stem (ES) cells, production of chimera mice, confirmation of germ line transmission, and so forth. It is tedious and labor intensive work and difficult to approach. Thus, it is not readily accessible by most researchers. In order to overcome such limitations, technical breakthroughs such as reporter knock-in and gene knock-out system, production of homozygous mutant ES cells from a single targeting vector, and production of mutant mice from tetraploid embryos are developed. With these upcoming progresses, it is important to consider how we could develop these systems further and expand to other animal models such as pigs and monkeys that have more physiological similarities to humans.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.688-693
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• 2002

Molecular chaperones prevent the misfolding of newly synthesized polypeptides in the cell. The coexpression of molecular chaperones could be expected to improve the production of soluble and active recombinant proteins. In this study, the effect of coexpression of E. coli GroEL/ES chaperone on the active production of Bacillus macerans cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) in E. coli was investigated. Two plasmids, pTCGT1 and pGro7 in which the cgt and the groEL/ES genes are under the control of 77 promoter and araB promoter, respectively, were co-transformed into E. coli. With a series of cultures of recombinant E. coli cells, the optimal concentrations of IPTG and L-arabinose were found be 1 mM and 0.3 mg/$m\ell$, respectively. When IPTG and L-arabinose were added at 0.8~1.0 $OD_{600}$ and 0.4~0.5 $OD_{600}$, active CGTase production was increased significantly. This coexpression condition resulted in 1.5-fold increased level of soluble CGTase (0.7~0.73 unit/$m\ell$), compared to the level of CGTase in the single expression (0.36~0.56 unit/$m\ell$). An SDS-PACE analysis revealed that about 33.6% of CGTase in the total CGTase protein was found in the soluble fraction by coexpression of GroEL/ES chaperone.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.242-251
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-proliferative effect of methanolic extracts from Citrus junos (yuja) seeds and yuja seed oils against HT-29 human colon cancer cells and to identify the key compounds responsible for this effect. Extracts from yuja seeds, yuja seed oil prepared using hexane, and cold-pressed yuja seed oil were prepared using 60% methanol (ES, EHO, and ECO, respectively). The key compounds in the extracts were determined using HPLC-MS. Among the extracts, EHO and ECO inhibited proliferation of HT-29 cells. EHO and ECO were fractionated using preparative LC and the bioactive compounds were determined. Five of the fractions showed a significant anti-proliferative effect and the main compounds in the fractions were isopimpinellin, bergapten, and ichangensin. These compounds showed anti-proliferative effects on HT-29 cells when treated individually, and ichangensin showed the highest anti-proliferative activity. These results suggest that these compounds may be responsible for the anti-cancer effect of EHO and ECO.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2002

It was found that the purified extract from A. gigas Nakai (polysaccharide, M.W., 25 kD) controled differentiating human ES cells. Its optimal supplementation concentration was decided as 0.8 $({\mu}g/ml)$ to efficiently control the differentiation. It also enhanced the cell growth, compared to the control. However, most widely used and commercially available differentiating agent, Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) negatively affected on the cell growth even though it controls the differentiation of ES cells, down to 40-50 % based on morphological observation and telomerase activity. It was presumed that the extract first affected on cell membrane and resulted in controlling signal system, then amplify gene expression of telomere, which enhanced the telomerase activity up to three times compared to the control. LIF only increased the enzyme activity up to two times. It was confirmed that the extract from A. gigas Nakai could be used for substituting currently used differentiation controlling agent, LIF from animal resources as a cheap plant resource and not affecting the cell growth. It can broaden the application of the plants not only to functional foods and their substitutes but also to fine chemicals and most cutting-edge biopharmaceutical medicine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.103-103
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to evaluate an efficacy of in vitro differentiated human embryonic stem (hES, MB03) cells expressing Nurr1 in relief of symptomatic motor behavior of Parkinson's disease (PD) animal models MB03 was genetically modified to express Nurr1 protein and was induced to differentiate according to 2-/4+ protocol using retinoic acid and ascorbic acid. The differentiation-induced cells were selected for 10 to 20 days thereafter in N2 medium. Upon selection, cells expressing GFAP, TH, or NF200 were 38.8%, 11%, and 20.5%, respectively. in order to examine therapeutic effects of the differentiated cells in PD animal model, rats were unilaterally lesioned by administration of 6-kydroxydopamine HCI (6-OHDA) into medial forebrain region (MFB, AP -4.4 mm, ML 1.2 mm, DV 78 mm with incision bar set at -2.4 mm), as a reference to bregma and the surface of the skull. Confirmation of successful lesion by apomorphine-induced rotational behavior, differentiated cells were transplanted into the striatum (AP 1.0, ML 3.5, DV -5.0; AP 0.6, ML 2.5, DV -4.5). Improvements of asymmetric motor behavior by the transplantation were examined every two weeks after the surgery. In two weeks, numbers of rotation by the experimental rats were $-14.8 \pm 33.9%$ (P<0.05) of the number before transplantation, however, the ratio increased slightly to $13.6 \pm 56.3%$ in six weeks. In contrast, the ratio of sham-grafted animals ranged from 112.3+8.5% to 139.2+28.9% during the examination. Immunohistochemical studies further confirmed the presence, survival, migration, and expression of TH of the transplanted human cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2008

RraA is a recently discovered protein inhibitor that regulates the enzymatic activity of RNase E, which plays a major role in the decay and processing of RNAs in Escherichia coli. It has also been shown to regulate the activity of RNase ES, a functional Streptomyces coelicolor ortholog of RNase E, which has 36% identity to the amino-terminal region of RNase E. There are two open reading frames in S. coelicolor genome that can potentially encode proteins having more than 35.4% similarity to the amino acid sequence of RraA. DNA fragment encoding one of these RraA orthologs, designated as RraAS2 here, was amplified and cloned in to E. coli vector to test whether it has ability to regulate RNase E activity in E. coli cells. Co-expression of RraAS2 partially rescued E. coli cells over-producing RNase E from growth arrest, although not as efficiently as RraA, induced by the increased ribonucleolytic activity in the cells. The copy number of ColEl-type plasmid in these cells was also decreased by 14% compared to that in cells over-producing RNase E only, indicating the ability of RraAS2 to inhibit RNase E action on RNA I. We observed that the expression level of RraAS2 was lower than that of RraA by 4.2 folds under the same culture condition, suggesting that because of inefficient expression of RraAS2 in E. coli cells, co-expression of RraAS2 was not efficiently able to inhibit RNase E activity to the level for proper processing and decay of all RNA species that is required to restore normal cellular growth to the cells over-producing RNase E.