• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• 제21권1호
• /
• pp.22-30
• /
• 2024

Purpose: Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is one of the most common autosomal dominant diseases caused by heterozygous mutation in the NF1 gene. Mutation detection is complex owing to the large size of the NF1 gene, the presence of a high number of partial pseudogenes, and the great variety of mutations. We aimed to study the mutation spectrum of NF1 gene in Korean patients with NF1. Materials and Methods: We have analyzed total 69 unrelated patients who were clinically diagnosed with NF1. PCR and sequencing of the NF1 gene was performed in all unrelated index patients. Additionally, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) test of the NF1 and SPRED1 gene analysis (sequencing and MLPA test) were performed in patients with negative results from NF1 gene sequencing analysis. Results: Fifty-five different variants were identified in 60 individuals, including six novel variants. The mutations included 36 single base substitutions (15 missense and 21 nonsense), eight splicing mutations, 13 small insertion or deletions, and three gross deletions. Most pathogenic variants were unique. The mutations were evenly distributed across exon one through 58 of NF1, and no mutational hot spots were found. When fulfilling the National Institutes of Health criterion for the clinical diagnosis of NF1, the detection rate was 84.1%. Cafe-au-lait macules were observed in all patients with NF1 mutations. There is no clear relationship between specific mutations and clinical features. Conclusion: This study revealed a wide spectrum and genetic basis of patients with NF1 in Korea. Our results aim to contribute genetic management and counseling.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제19권1호
• /
• pp.13-19
• /
• 2003

GX-12 is a naked DNA vaccine developed by the DongA Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Genexine for the treatment of HIV infection. This study was peformed to evaluate the biodistribution and expression of GX-12 mRNA in gonadal tissues, and to investigate the histopathological changes after the repeated intramuscular injection. GX-12 (400 $\mu\textrm{g}$/head) was injected into the left anterior tibialis once a week for four weeks. On day 1, 5, 15, 30 and 45 after the final administration, gonadal tissues (testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles, penis, prostate glands, ovaries, vagina, uterus) and the injection site (muscle) were harvested and examined for the expression of mRNA by RT-PCR. In addition, histopathological examination was peformed at each time point. At the injection site, mRNA expression of GX-12 was detected only at early time points (1 ~ 15 days after injection) but not thereafter. However, in gonadal tissues, mRNA expression was not identified at all time points both in male and female rats. There were no histopathological changes in all reproductive organs and muscle. Based on these results, it is unlikely that the plasmid DNAs of GX-12 was distributed to- and expressed in gonadal tissues, suggesting that the chance of germline integration and transmission is negligible.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제42권11호
• /
• pp.755-762
• /
• 2019

Despite decades of research into colorectal cancer (CRC), there is an ongoing need for treatments that are more effective and safer than those currently available. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) show beneficial effects in the context of several diseases, including CRC, and are generally regarded as safe. Here, we isolated a Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR)-derived therapeutic protein, p8, which suppressed CRC proliferation. We found that p8 translocated specifically to the cytosol of DLD-1 cells. Moreover, p8 down-regulated expression of Cyclin B1 and Cdk1, both of which are required for cell cycle progression. We confirmed that p8 exerted strong anti-proliferative activity in a mouse CRC xenograft model. Intraperitoneal injection of recombinant p8 (r-p8) led to a significant reduction (up to 59%) in tumor mass when compared with controls. In recent years, bacterial drug delivery systems (DDSs) have proven to be effective therapeutic agents for acute colitis. Therefore, we aimed to use such systems, particularly LAB, to generate the valuable therapeutic proteins to treat CRC. To this end, we developed a gene expression cassette capable of inducing secretion of large amounts of p8 protein from Pediococcus pentosaceus SL4 (PP). We then confirmed that this protein (PP-p8) exerted anti-proliferative activity in a mouse CRC xenograft model. Oral administration of PP-p8 DDS led to a marked reduction in tumor mass (up to 64%) compared with controls. The PP-p8 DDS using LAB described herein has advantages over other therapeutics; these advantages include improved safety (the protein is a probiotic), cost-free purification, and specific targeting of CRC cells.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.99-107
• /
• 2015

A natural hybrid of a probable intergeneric mating between the striped shiner Pungtungia herzi and the stone morocco Pseudorasbora parva (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) was captured in the Geumho River, a tributary of the Nakdong River basin in Korea. Morphological characters and DNA sequences were analyzed to verify its hybrid state and identify the parentage of its parent species. The hybrid exhibited a phenotypic intermediacy between the two parent species in the number of vertebrae and the mouth shape. Out of 1,488 base pair (bp) positions of the nuclear recombination activating gene 1 gene (rag1), which has a biparental mode of inheritance, 41-bp substitutions were detected between the two parent species, whereas an electropherogram of the hybrid displayed polymorphic double peaks at all of the base positions, along with one additional one, strongly indicating its hybrid state. Meanwhile, sequence comparison of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (mt-cyb) (1,140 bp), which has a maternal mode of inheritance, showed only 5-22-bp differences (97.6-99.5% identities) between the hybrid and Pu. herzi, but as many as 158-168-bp differences (85.2-86.1% identities) between the hybrid and Ps. parva, clearly indicating Pu. herzi as the maternal species. Thus, combined analyses of independent data sets (i.e., morphology and nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences) offered convincing evidence for the hybrid state of a naturally occurring hybrid resulting from intergeneric mating between a female Pu. herzi and a male Ps. parva.

• 대한수의학회지
• /
• 제39권2호
• /
• pp.343-352
• /
• 1999

Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) have emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. Since 1989 the Center for Disease Control, United States, has reported a rapid increase in the incidence of enterococcal bacteremia and endocarditis infection by VRE. It was suggested that the use of avoparcin was associated with the appearance of VRE in animal husbandry. To date, several detection methods have been used based on conventional methods of culture and gene detection. However, these methods have some limitations such as time-consuming, laborious and additional differential needs. Therefore, In this study a multiplex PCR method was established to detect and differentiate resistance types of enterococci which specifically amplify the four van genes encoding vancomycin resistance elements. Using the method, we investigated the incidence rates and types of VRE from farms using or not using avoparcin. A total of 1091 animal fecal samples were collected from 70 pig and 32 poultry farms. A total of 425 of enterococci were isolated from samples. Of the 425 isolates, 11 of the them showed a pattern of high-level vancomycin resistance (MIC : $64{\sim}256{\mu}g/ml$) which was associated with the presence of the vanA or vanB gene. Fifty-seven isolates showed a pattern of low-level vancomycin resistance (MIC : $3{\sim}8{\mu}g/ml$) associated with the vanC-1 or vanC-2 gene. Interestingly, all isolates with high-level vancomycin resistance were from farms that have never used avoparcin. Moreover, the high-level VRE isolation rate in Korea (2.58%) was much lower than that of other countries (50% in England, 7% in Belgium) where avoparcin have been used. In conclusion, the multiplex PCR method established in this study could be applied for detection of VRE.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.225-228
• /
• 2015

Understanding the behavior of transgenes introduced into oocyte or embryos is essential for evaluating the methodologies for transgenic animal production. To date, many studies have reported the production of transgenic pig embryos with, however, low efficiency in environment of blastocyst production. The aim of present study was to determine the expression and duration of transgene transferred by intracytoplasmic sperm injection-mediated gene transfer (ICSI-MGT). Embryos obtained from the ICSI-MGT procedure were analysed for the expression of GFP and then for the transmission of the transgene. Briefly, fresh spermatozoa were bound to exogenous DNA after treatment by Triton X-100 and Lipofectin. When ICSI-MGT was performed using sperm heads with tails removed, the yield of blastocyst (25.3%), treated with Lipofectin (18.8%) and Triton X-100 (19.2%) were observed. Treatments of Lipofectin or Triton X-100 did not further improve the rates of blastocysts. Moreover, the apoptosis rates of embryos were obtained from the control and LIpofectin groups (8.7%, 9.7%, respectively), but were significantly higher in the Triton X-100 group (13.0%). Our results demonstrated that ICSI-MGT caused minimal damage to oocytes that could develop to full term. Moreover, the embryos derived by ICSI-MGT have shown prolonged exogenous DNA expression during preimplantation stage in vivo. However, more efforts will be required to improve the procedures of both sperm treatments cause of high frequency of mosaicisms.

• 원예과학기술지
• /
• 제29권1호
• /
• pp.53-60
• /
• 2011

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) induced by mutant mitochondria genome, has been used for commercial seed production of $F_1$ hybrid cultivars in diverse crops. In pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), two sterile cytoplasm specific gene organization, atp6-2 and coxII were identified. An open reading frame, orf456 nearby coxII gene has been speculated to induce male sterility (MS) by mutagenic analysis. Moreover, molecular markers for atp6-2 and coxII of mitochondrial genotype (mitotype) were developed. However, the Cytoplasmic MS specific markers, atp6SCAR and coxIISCAR markers appeared in both N and S cytoplasms when polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycles prolonged more than 40 cycles. Since the reported molecular markers were dominant markers, the presence of the faint sterile-specific band in normal cytoplasm may lead to the mis-classification of pepper breeding lines. To solve this problem, one common forward primer and two different reverse primers specific to normal coxII and sterile orf456 genes were designed after analyzing their gene organizations. By using these three primers, N and S coxII specific bands were co-amplified in male-sterile lines, but only normal coxII specific band was amplified in maintainer lines. Since the reverse primer for sterile coxII was specifically designed 275 bp downstream of orf456, relatively stable PCR amplification patterns were observed regardless of the number of PCR cycles. These primer sets easily identified different mitotypes among the divergent breeding lines, commercial cultivars and diverse germplasms.

• 한국축산식품학회지
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.623-635
• /
• 2021

The effect of deer antler extract on muscle differentiation and muscle atrophy were evaluated to minimize muscle loss following aging. Various deer antler extracts (HWE, hot water extract of deer antler; FE, HWE of fermented deer antler; ET, enzyme-assisted extract of deer antler; UE, extract prepared by ultrasonication of deer antler) were evaluated for their effect on muscle differentiation and inhibition of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR)-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 cells. Morphological changes according to the effect of antler extracts on muscle differentiation were confirmed by Jenner-Giemsa staining. In addition, the expression levels of genes related to muscle differentiation and atrophy were confirmed through qRT-PCR. In the presence of antler extracts, the length and thickness of myotubes and myogenin differentiation 1 (MyoD1) and myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) gene expression were increased compared to those in the control group (CON). Gene expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), MyoD1, and myogenin, along with the muscle atrophy factors muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF-1) and forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a) upon addition of deer antler extracts to muscle-atrophied C2C12 cells was determined by qRT-PCR after treatment with AICAR. The expression of MuRF-1 and FoxO3a decreased in the groups treated with antler extracts compared to that in the group treated with AICAR alone. In addition, gene expression of MyoD1 and myogenin in the muscle atrophy cell model was significantly increased compared that into the CON. Therefore, our findings indicate that antler extract can increase the expression of MyoD1, Myf5 and myogenin, inhibit muscle atrophy, and promote muscle differentiation.

• 한국식물병리학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국식물병리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 추계학술발표회
• /
• pp.67.1-67
• /
• 2003

Phytophthora blight is a devastating disease of pepper and occurs almost anywhere peppers are grown. Phytophthora blight is caused by Phytophthora capsici and this pathogen can infect every part of the plant by moving inoculum in the soil, by infecting water on surface, by aerial dispersal to sporulating lesions. Management of Phytophthora blight currently relies on cultural practices, crop rotation, and use of selective fungicides. Since these treatments are a short-term management, a classical breeding for development of resistant pepper against the Phytophthora is an alternative. So far some of the resistant cultivars have been on the market, but those are limited regionally and commercially. Therefore, ultimately an elite line resistant against this disease should be developed, if possible, by biotechnology. We have set out a series of work recently in order to develop Phytophthora resistant pepper cultivar. For the first time, the cDNA microarray analysis was peformed using an EST chip that holds around 5000 pepper EST clones to identify genes responsive to Phytophthora infection. Total RNA samples were obtained from Capsicum annuum PI201234 after inoculating P. capsici to roots and soil and exposed to the chip. .Around 900 EST clones were up-regulated and down-regulated depending on the two RNA sample tissues, leaf and root. From those, we have found 55 transcription factors that may be involved in gene regulation of the disease defense mechanism. Further and in detail information will be provided in the poster.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• 제5권3호
• /
• pp.250-256
• /
• 2009

Toxicogenomics using microarray technology offers the ability to conduct large-scale detections and quantifications of mRNA transcripts, particularly those associated with alterations in mRNA stability or gene regulation. In this study, we developed the HazChem Human Array V2 using the Agilent Sure-Print technology-based custom array, which is expected to facilitate the identification of environmental toxicants. The array was manufactured using 600 VOCs and PAHs-specific genes identified in previous studies. In order to evaluate the viability of the manufactured HazChem human array V2, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of 9 environmental toxicants (6 VOCs chemicals and 3 PAHs chemicals). As a result, nine toxicants were separated into two chemical types-VOCs and PAHs. After the chip validations with VOCs and PAHs, we conducted an expression profiling comparison of additional chemical groups (POPs and EDCs) using data analysis methods such as hierarchical clustering, 1-way ANOVA, SAM, and PCA. We selected 58 genes that could be classified into four chemical types via statistical methods. Additionally, we selected 63 genes that evidenced significant alterations in expression with all 13 environmental toxicants. These results suggest that the HazChem Human Array V2 will expedite the development of a screening system for environmentally hazardous materials at the level of toxicogenomics in the future.