• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.3996-4001
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• 2023

The High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO) produces radioisotopes (RIs) (¹³¹I, ¹⁹²Ir, etc.) through neutron irradiation on various RI production targets. Among them, ¹⁷⁷Lu and ¹⁶⁶Ho are particularly promising owing to their theranostic characteristics that facilitate simultaneous diagnosis and treatment. Prior to neutron irradiation, evaluating the nuclear heating of the RI production target is essential for ensuring the thermal-hydraulic safety of HANARO. In this study, the feasibility of producing ¹⁷⁷Lu and ¹⁶⁶Ho using irradiation holes of HANARO was investigated in terms of thermal-hydraulic safety. The nuclear heating rates of the RI production target by prompt and delayed radiation were calculated using MCNP6. The calculated nuclear heating rates were used as an input parameter in COMSOL Multiphysics to obtain the temperature distribution in an irradiation hole. The degree of temperature increase of the ¹⁷⁷Lu and ¹⁶⁶Ho production targets satisfied the safety criteria of HANARO. The nuclear heating rates and temperature distribution obtained through the in silico study are expected to provide valuable insight into the production of ¹⁷⁷Lu and ¹⁶⁶Ho using HANARO.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.65-74
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• 2021

Serine proteases are the most versatile proteolytic enzymes with tremendous applications in various industrial processes. This study was designed to investigate the biochemical properties, critical residues, and the catalytic potential of alkaline serine protease using in-silico approaches. The primary sequence was analyzed using ProtParam, SignalP, and Phyre2 tools to investigate biochemical properties, signal peptide, and secondary structure, respectively. The three-dimensional structure of the enzyme was modeled using the MODELLER program present in Discovery Studio followed by Molecular Dynamics simulation using GROMACS 5.0.7 package with CHARMM36m force field. The proteolytic potential was measured by performing docking with casein- and keratin-enriched residues, while the effect of the inhibitor was studied using phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, (PMSF) applying GOLDv5.2.2. Molecular weight, instability index, aliphatic index, and isoelectric point for serine protease were 39.53 kDa, 27.79, 82.20 and 8.91, respectively. The best model was selected based on the lowest MOLPDF score (1382.82) and DOPE score (-29984.07). The analysis using ProSA-web revealed a Z-score of -9.7, whereas 88.86% of the residues occupied the most favored region in the Ramachandran plot. Ser327, Asp138, Asn261, and Thr326 were found as critical residues involved in ligand binding and execution of biocatalysis. Our findings suggest that bioengineering of these critical residues may enhance the catalytic potential of this enzyme.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권12호
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• pp.7473-7482
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• 2013

The G-protein coupled receptor 87 (GPR87) is a recently discovered orphan GPCR which means that the search of their endogenous ligands has been a novel challenge. GPR87 has been shown to be overexpressed in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) or adenocarcinomas in lungs and bladder. The 3D structure of GPR87 was here modeled using two templates (2VT4 and 2ZIY) by a threading method. Functional assignment of GPR87 by SVM revealed that along with transporter activity, various novel functions were predicted. The 3D structure was further validated by comparison with structural features of the templates through Verify-3D, ProSA and ERRAT for determining correct stereochemical parameters. The resulting model was evaluated by Ramachandran plot and good 3D structure compatibility was evidenced by DOPE score. Molecular dynamics simulation and solvation of protein were studied through explicit spherical boundaries with a harmonic restraint membrane water system. A DRY-motif (Asp-Arg-Tyr sequence) was found at the end of transmembrane helix3, where GPCR binds and thus activation of signals is transduced. In a search for better inhibitors of GPR87, in silico modification of some substrate ligands was carried out to form polar interactions with Arg115 and Lys296. Thus, this study provides early insights into the structure of a major drug target for SCCs.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.169-175
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• 2023

자외선으로 야기되는 피부조직의 손상에 대한 방어기전으로 멜라닌세포는 멜라닌 색소를 생산한다. 이러한 멜라닌 생성에는 tyrosinase 효소가 중추적인 역할을 수행한다. 그러나 과다한 멜라닌 생성은 피부조직에 주근깨와 검버섯 등의 과다 색소침착 병변을 일으킨다. 따라서 tyrosinase 발현이나 활성을 조절함으로써, 과도한 멜라닌 생성을 억제하는 물질을 발굴하는 것은 임상적인 의미가 있다. Catechin은 tyrosinase 발현을 저해함으로써 멜라닌 생성을 억제하는 화합물로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 B16F10 마우스 흑색종 세포주와 버섯에서 추출된 tyrosinase를 사용하여, 참느릅나무의 줄기 껍질에서 추출 및 동정된 catechin 유도체 화합물(C5A, C7A, C7G, 및 C7X)의 멜라닌 생성 억제 효능을 검증하였다. 먼저, B16F10 세포주에서, 세포독성을 나타내지 않는 농도의 catechin 유도체 화합물 처리는, 모두α-MSH로 촉진된 멜라닌 생합성을 억제하는 효능을 보였다. Catechin 유도체 화합물의 이러한 효능은 멜라닌 생합성 저해제로 잘 알려진 kojic acid와 비슷한 수준이였다. 또한, C5A와 C7A는 버섯에서 추출된 tyrosinase의 효소 활성을 통계적으로 유의하게 억제하였다. 또한, 컴퓨터 분석을 통해 C5A와 C7A는 kojic acid와 유사한 수준으로 tyrosinase의 active site에 결합할 것으로 예측되었다. 이에 더하여, 4종류의 catechin 유도체 화합물 모두가 α-MSH 처리된 B16F10 세포주에서 tyrosinase 단백질 발현을 감소시켰다. 본 연구결과를 종합하면, 참느릅나무에서 추출/동정된 catechin 유도체 화합물은 멜라닌세포의 멜라닌 생성을 효과적으로 억제하였다. 따라서, 본 연구결과는 이러한 catechin 유도체 화합물이 피부의 과다 색소침착 질환 제어를 위한 새로운 조절 물질로 응용될 수 있음을 제시한다.