• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4769-4775
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• 2015

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most prevalent cancer and thirdly leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The estimated risk of hepatocellular carcinoma is 15 to 20 times as high among persons infected with HCV as it is among those who are not infected, with most of the excess risk limited to those with advanced hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. Glypican3 (GPC3) plays a key role in relation to signaling with growth factors, regulating the proliferative activity of cancer cells. Glutamine synthetase (GS) catalyzes the synthesis of glutamine from glutamate and ammonia in the mammalian liver. GS was suggested as a specific marker for tracing cell lineage relationships during hepatocarcinogenesis. In normal liver, GS expression is seen in pericentral hepatocytes, but not by midzonal or periportal hepatocytes. In HCC, strong and diffuse GS expression in seen in tumor cells. Results: Glypican3 immunopositvity was highly specific and sensitive indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma as well as glutamine synthetase which was found to be a sensitive and specific indicator for development of hepatocellular carcinoma when compared to cirrhosis, liver cell dyspalsia and metastatic carcinomas. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between GPC3 and GS with tumor size (P=0.003, p=0.006, respectively). Diffuse staining significantly associated with large tumor size while, focal and mixed staining was detected more with small tumor size. Studying the relation with tumor grade also revealed significant association between diffuse GPC3 and GS staining with high tumor grade. Diffuse staining was detected in 91.7% and 100% respectively of poorly differentiated specimens and only in 33.3% and 22.2% of well differentiated specimens. Conclusions: While using GPC3 and GS to screen for premalignant hepatic lesions remains controversial, our data suggest that GPC3 and GS may be a reliable diagnostic immunomarkers to distinguish HCC from benign hepatocellular lesions. However, negative immunostaining should not exclude the diagnosis of HCC.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 1993

Ornithine decarboxylase is the first and rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines in mammalian cells. During cell growth the enzyme is regulated by rapid changes in the level of its mRNA and protein. To explore the molecular basis of these changes, ODC-specific complementary DNA (cDNA) clones were isolated from a bovine cDNA library. This region of the cDNA contained a portion of the open reading frame, a 3'noncoding region, and a poly-A tail of 456, 348, and 14 nucleotides, respectively. A comparison of the deduced sequence of the carboxyl terminal 151 amino acids of ODC with amino acid sequences in the same region of the enzyme from human, mouse, rat, and hamster showed greater than 88% identity in these proteins. The highly conserved nature of the amino acid sequences may be related to the important role of ODC in cell growth and differentiation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2005

In the previous studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Abp140p (actin binding protein 140) fused to GFP has been only a protein that can label actin cables of yeast cells so far. However, the role of Abp140p in actin dynamics was remained elusive. In this study, the function of Abp140p was investigated with a deletion mutant and overexpression of GFP fused Abp140p. The deletion mutant was slightly more susceptible to Latrunculin-A (Lat-A), an actin-monomer sequestering agent, than wild type, although no significant deformation of actin structures was caused by ABP 140 deletion. Overexpression of Abp140p-GFP retarded cell growth, and produced thick and robust actin cables. Lat-A was not able to destabilize the thick actin cables, which suggests that actin dynamics was compromised in the cells with surplus of Abp140p. Therefore, Abp140p seems to stabilize actin cables together with other bundling proteins. Recently, actin cable dynamics of budding yeast was found to have a resemblance to that of filopodial tip of cultured mammalian cells. Retrograde movement of actin cables from buds to mother cells indicated local generation of the cable at bud sites. By using Abp140p-GFP, we traced the steps in the generation of a new actin cable after elimination of old cables by sodium azide. Before the appearance of a new actin cable, Abp140p-GFP concentrated in buds and disappeared, as mother cells became abundant in actin cables. Our observations provide a direct evidence of actin cable formation at buds of budding cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of additional alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) supplementation during in vitro maturation (IVM) and culture (IVC) on nucleic maturation and embryo development of pigs. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were incubated in IVM medium containing different concentration of ALA (25, 50 and $100{\mu}M$) for 44 h. After in vitro maturation, nuclear maturation of oocytes were evaluated by aceto-orcein stain. Mature oocytes with $50{\mu}M$ ALA were fertilized and cultured in IVC medium with ALA (25, 50 and $100{\mu}M$) during early-embryogenesis (48 hours after fertilization). Then, embryos were cultured with $25{\mu}M$ ALA during early embryogenesis and/or late embryogenesis (120 hours after early-embryogenesis). In results, oocyte maturation were significantly increased by $50{\mu}M$ ALA treatment groups compared with control groups (p<0.05). Treatment of $25{\mu}M$ ALA during early-embryogenesis enhanced cleavage rate of embryo compared with other groups (p<0.05), whereas formation and total cell number of blastocyst had no significant difference. Similarly, cleavage rate of embryos were increased by $25{\mu}M$ ALA supplement during early- or late-embryogenesis than ALA treatment both stage of embryogenesis (p<0.05), but did not influence to blastocyst formation. Interestingly, total cell number of blastocyst were enhanced in ALA treatment group during early-embryogenesis. These findings indicated that ALA supplement enhance the nuclear maturation of oocyte and embryo development, however, excessive ALA could negatively influence. Therefore, we suggest that ALA is used for improvement of in vitro production of mammalian embryo and further study regarding with functional mechanism of ALA is needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4199-4202
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• 2015

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major world health problems. Epigallocatechin-3 gallate is the major component of the polyphenolic fraction of green tea and it has an anti-viral, anti-mutagenic, anti-tumorigenic, anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and/or pro-apoptotic effects on mammalian cells. In this study, our aim was to investigate the inhibition of HBV replication by epigallocatechin-3 gallate in the Hep3B2.1-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Materials and Methods: HBV-replicating Hep3B2.1-7 cells were used to investigate the preventive effects of epigallocatechin-3 gallate on HBV DNA replication. The expression levels of HBsAg and HBeAg were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time-PCR was applied for the determination of the expression level of HBV DNA. Results: Cytotoxicity of epigallocathechin-3-gallate was not observed in the hepatic carcinoma cell line when the dose was lower than $100{\mu}M$. The ELISA method demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3 gallate have strong effects on HBsAg and HBeAg levels. Also it was detected by real-time PCR that epigallocatechin-3 gallate could prevent HBV DNA replication. Conclusions: The obtained data pointed out that although the exact mechanism of HBV DNA replication and related diseases remains unclear, epigallocatechin-3 gallate has a potential as an effective anti-HBV agent with low toxicity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.238-245
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• 2015

A non-protein amino acid, L-ornithine (Orn), has been shown to stimulate the urea cycle and tissue protein synthesis in the liver. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether Orn affects the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, which is involved in protein synthesis. Primary cultured cells isolated from Wistar rat liver were incubated in an amino acid-free medium, followed by addition of Orn for 3 h. The cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting to evaluate the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1, including p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. To assess the involvement of mTORC1 for the effect of Orn, the cells were pretreated with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin before the addition of Orn and the cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting. We next examined whether the effects of Orn were exerted in vivo. Orn was orally administered to 18 h food-deprived rats, the blood and the livers were collected at 1 and 3 h after administration for immunoblotting. Orn treatment for primary cultured cells for 3 h enhanced the phosphorylation of p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. In addition, rapamycin blocked the effects of Orn completely (p70S6K and S6) or partially (4EBP1). The oral administration of Orn to the rat also augmented the phosphorylation of mTORC1 downstream targets notably in S6 at 1 h. Our findings demonstrate that Orn has the potential to induce the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1 in the rat liver. This may be mediated by the augmentation of mTORC1 activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.156-158
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• 2012

A synthetic coprisin analog peptide, 9-mer dimer CopA3 (CopA3) was designed based on a defensin-like peptide, Coprisin, isolated from the bacteria-immunized dung beetle Copris tripartitus. Here, CopA3 was investigated for its antimicrobial activity and cancer cell growth inhibition. CopA3 showed antimicrobial activities against various pathogenic bacteria and yeast fungus with MIC values in 2~32 ${\mu}M$ ranges, and inhibited the cell viabilities of pancreatic and hepatocellular cancer cells, except MIA-Paca2, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells, in a dose-dependent manner. The average $IC_{50}$ values of CopA3 against pancreatic and hepatocellular cancer cells were 61.7 ${\mu}M$ and 67.8 ${\mu}M$, respectively. The results indicate that CopA3 has potential in the treatments of pancreatic and hepatocellular cancers as well as microorganism infection disease.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 1996.12a
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• pp.61-61
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• 1996

Taxol is used as cancer therapeutic agent. It has been known as weak posotive of chromosome aberration assay in vitro in our previous results (Ryu et al., 1996) and potent clastogens in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus (Tinwell and Ashby, 1994). We performed microgel electrophoresis to determine the effect of taxol and it's precursor 10-deacetyl baccatin III(DAB) on DNA. Microgel electrophoresis is useful, rapid, simple, visual, and sensitive technique for measuring DNA breakage and repair mechanisms in mammalian 근ells. The range of concentration used for taxol were 854, 427, 213.5, 106.8, 53.4 Ug/ml, for DAB 910 ,455, 227.5 U9/ml, Cell viability always exceed 85%. We analyzed the results by using the special software of image analyzer for this comet assay (Komet 3.0). By using this image analyzer software , we can get the result as the tail moment ((mean of tail length - mean of head lengh) x tail%DNA/100). A slight increase in DNA migration was observed for taxol at the concentration of 854 Ug/m4 in the absence of S9 mixture. No increased DNA migration was observed after treatment with DAB.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.171-171
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• 2002

Recent industrial society has human widely exposed to PAHs that are comming from the incomplete combustion of organic material as widerspread environmetal contaminants. Biological activities of PAHs are not known although PAHs are considered as carcinogens. PAHs in the mammalian cells affect CYP1A1 gene expression as well as other phase II drug metabolizing enzymes as UDPGT, NMOR etc. The mechanism of action of PAHs has been studied extensively, however it is not clear how PAHs turn on CYP1A1 in human breast cancer. Our labolatory have been studied the effect of PAHs in the human breast cancer cell lind MCF7. In this study, we examined the ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells as a new system to evaluate bioactivity of PAHs. ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cell line has been estabilished from the breast cnacer patient, has estrogen receptors and progesteron receptors. We have been able to estbilish long term culture system of this cells then used for the study to observe the effect of PAHs. We demonstrate that PAHs induced the transcription of an aryl hydrocarbon-responsive reporter vector containing the CYP1A1 promoter and 7-ethoxyresolufin O-deethylase(EROD) activity of CYP1A1 enzyme in a concentration-dependant manner. RT-PCR analysises indicated that PAHs significantly up-regulate the constitutive level of CYP1A1 mRNA. Apparently, ZR-75-1 cells have Aryl hydrocarbon recetors, therefore it would be good experimental tool to study the cross-talk between PAHs and steroid actions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.3-10
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• 2004

Oxidative stress is a constant threat to all living organisms and an immense repertoire of cellular defense systems is being employed by most pro- and eukaryotic systems to eliminate or to attenuate oxidative stress. Ischemia and reperfusion is characterized by both a significant oxidative stress and characteristic changes in the antioxidant defense. Heme oxigenase-l (HO-l) is up-regulated by various stimuli including oxidative stress so that it is thought to participate in general cellular defense mechanisms against ischemic injury in mammalian cells. Higenamine, an active ingredient of Aconite tuber, has been shown to have antioxidant activity along with inhibitory action of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in various cells. In the present study, we investigated whether higenamine and related analogs protect cells from oxidative cellular injuries by modulating antioxidant enzymes, such as HO-l, MnSOD etc. R-form of YS-51 was the most potent inducer of HO-l in bovine endothelial cells, which inhibited apoptotic cell death by H$_2$O$_2$. HO-1 induction by YS 51 was mediated by PI3 kinase activation in which PKA- as well as PKG pathway is considered as important regulators. YS-51 also induced Mn-SOD mRNA expression by activating c-jun N-terminal kinase in endothelial cells and Hela cells. In ROS 17/2.1 cells, higenamine and enetiomers of related compounds inhibited iNOS expression by cytokine mixtures. Taken together, higenamine and related compounds can be developed as possible protective agents from oxidative cell injury or death.