• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2023

Purpose: In the past, detection of metabolic abnormalities in plasma amino acid (PAA) and urine organic acid (UOA) has been widely used to diagnose clinical mitochondrial diseases, such as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). In this study, the diagnostic values of PAA and UOA were reviewed, and their effectiveness in the diagnosis of MELAS was examined retrospectively. Methods: Blood and urine samples at the time of diagnosis were collected from all clinically diagnosed MELAS patients (n=31), and PAA and UOA tests were performed. All samples were collected in a fasting state to minimize artifacts in the results. The difference in the ratio of abnormal metabolites of PAA and UOA at initial diagnosis was statistically compared between the MELAS with genetic confirmation (n=19, m.3243A>G mutation) and MELAS without genetic confirmation (n=12) groups. The MELAS without genetic confirmation group was used as control. Results: Comparison of PAA and UOA between the two groups revealed that no abnormal metabolites showed characteristic differences between gene-confirmed MELAS patients with and those without genetic confirmation. Conclusions: Abnormal values of metabolites in PAA or UOA might be useful as a screening test but are not sufficient to diagnose MELAS patients.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2020

Objectives : Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, is caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. There is no clear treatment or remedy for Parkinson's disease; therefore, the development of novel therapies related to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects is required. This study was performed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of water extracts from Cervi Cornu (CC) in dopaminergic cells. Methods : We studied effects of CC on apoptosis, cell death and inflammation in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells treated by methylpyridinium ion (MPP+). SH-SY5Y cell line was treated with CC for 24 hours and then 500 μM MPP+ for 18 hours. Results : Cervi Cornu treatment inhibited the decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression and decreased the activation of inflammatory factors mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase (COX2) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) against MPP+ neurotoxicity. Apoptosis factors BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator (BAX) levels were decreased and B-Cell CLL/Lymphoma 2 (BCL2) levels were increased. Conclusions : These results suggest that CC treatment had neuroprotective effects in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against toxicity induced by MPP+. The results suggest new possibilities of CC for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2009

EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) are used as a resource for human genetic, immunological, and pharmacogenomic studies. We investigated the biological activity of 20 LCL strains during continuous long-term subculture up to a passage number of 160. Out of 20 LCL strains, 17 proliferated up to a passage number of 160, at which point LCLs are generally considered as "immortalized". The other three LCL strains lost the ability to proliferate at an average passage number of 41, during which these LCLs may have undergone cellular crisis. These non-immortal LCL strains exhibited no telomerase activity, decreased EBV gene expression, and a lower copy number of the EBV genome and mitochondrial DNA when compared with immortal LCLs. Thus, this study suggests that sustained EBV viral activity as well as telomerase activity may be required for complete LCL immortalization.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.115-130
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• 2003

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) represents a common neurodegenerative disorder. While epidemiological studies have suggested a number of risk factors including age, gender, race, and inherited disorder, the cumulative evidence supports the view that environmental or occupational exposure to certain chemicals may contribute to the initiation and progress of Parkinsonism. More recently, clinical and laboratory investigations have led to the theory that dysregulation of iron, an essential metal to body function, may underlie IPD by initiating free radical reaction, diminishing the mitochondrial energy production, and provoking the oxidative cytotoxicity. The participation of iron in neuronal cell death is especially intriguing in that iron acquisition and regulation in brain are highly conservative and thus vulnerable to interference from other metals that bear the similar chemical reactivity. Manganese neurotoxicity, induced possibly by altering iron homeostasis, is such an example. In fact, the current interest in manganese neurotoxicology stems from two primary concerns: its clinical symptoms that resemble Parkinson's disease and its increased use as an antiknock agent to replace lead in gasoline. This article will commence with addressing the current understanding of iron-associated neurodegenerative damage. The major focus will then be devoted to the mechanism whereby manganese alters iron homeostasis in brain.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2023

Patients with inborn metabolic disorder (IMD) show multisystemic manifestations. Heterogenous renal manifestations can develop in IMD patients as well. In this review, the major renal manifestations of IMD and their representative IMDs are described. The major renal manifestations include Fanconi syndrome, renal tubular acidosis, nephrolithiasis, renal cysts and glomerulopathy, and diverse types of IMDs such as carbohydrate metabolism disorders, lysosomal disorders, organic acidemias, mitochondrial disorders, purine and pyrimidine disorders present renal manifestations. Therefore, general and regular renal function evaluation is recommended in addition to specific investigation according to IMD phenotypes.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2023

Endothelial cells (EC) are the anatomical boundaries between the intravascular and extravascular space. Damage to ECs is catastrophic and induces endothelial cell dysfunction. The pathogenesis is multifactorial and involves dysregulation in the signaling pathways, membrane lipids ratio disturbance, cell-cell adhesion disturbance, unfolded protein response, lysosomal and mitochondrial stress, autophagy dysregulation, and oxidative stress. Autophagy is a lysosomal-dependent turnover of intracellular components. Autophagy was recognized early in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction. Autophagy is a remarkable patho (physiological) process in the cell homeostasis regulation including EC. Regulation of autophagy rate is disease-dependent and impaired with aging. Up-regulation of autophagy induces endothelial cell regeneration/differentiation and improves the function of impaired ones. The paper scrutinizes the molecular mechanisms and triggers of EC dysregulation and current perspectives for future therapeutic strategies by autophagy targeting.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2005

HtrA2/Omi is a mammalian mitochondrial serine protease homologous to the E. coli HtrA/DegP gene products. Recently, HtrA2/Omi was found to have a dual role in mammalian cells, acting as an apoptosis-inducing protein and being involved in maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. By screening a human brain cDNA library with $A{\beta}$ peptide as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified HtrA2/Omi as a binding partner of $A{\beta}$ peptide. The interaction between $A{\beta}$ peptide and HtrA2/Omi was confirmed by an immunoblot binding assay. The possible involvement of HtrA2/Omi in $A{\beta}$ peptide metabolism was investigated. In vitro peptide cleavage assays showed that HtrA2/Omi did not directly promote the production of $A{\beta}$ peptide at the ${\beta}/{\gamma}$-secretase level, or the degradation of $A{\beta}$ peptide. However, overexpression of HtrA2/Omi in K269 cells decreased the production of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ by up to 30%. These results rule out the involvement of HtrA2/Omi in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. However, the fact that overexpression of HtrA2/Omi reduces the generation of $A{\beta}40$ and $A{\beta}42$ suggests that it may play some positive role in mammalian cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.53-60
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• 2005

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting $1\%$ of the population above the age of 65 and is characterized by a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Although the underlying cause of dopaminergic cell death or the mechanism by which these cells degenerate is still not clearly understood, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and protein misfolding are thought to play important roles in the dopaminergic degeneration in PD. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is synthesized exclusively in the monoaminergic, including dopaminergic, cells and serves as an endogenous and obligatory cofactor for syntheses of the potential oxidative stressors dopamine and nitric oxide. In addition to its contribution toward the syntheses of these two potentially toxic molecules, BH4 itself can directly generate oxidative stress. BH4 undergoes oxidation during the hydroxylation reaction as well as nonenzymatic autooxidation to produce hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical. We have previously suggested BH4 as an endogenous molecule responsible for the dopaminergic neurodegeneration. BH4 exerts selective toxicity to dopamine-producing cells via generation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. BH4 also induces morphological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics associated with PD in vivo. BH4 as well as enzyme activity and gene expression of GTP cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 synthesis pathway, are readily upregulated by cellular changes such as calcium influx and by various stimuli including stress situations. This points to the possibility that cellular availability of BH4 might be increased in aberrant conditions, leading to increased extracellular BH4 subsequent degeneration. The fact that BH4 is specifically and endogenously synthesized in dopaminergic cells, Is readily upregulated, and generates oxidative stress-related cell death provides physical relevance of this molecule as an attractive candidate with which to explain the mechanism of pathogenesis of PD.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.98-100
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• 2015

Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) deficiency is a rare mitochondrial fatty-acid oxidation disorder that is inherited as an autosomal recessive pattern. SCAD deficiency is caused by mutations in the ACADS gene (Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase, Short-chain, OMIM #606885), which encodes SCAD, the mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the first reaction in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids four to six carbons in length. Here, we describe one Korean pediatric case of SCAD deficiency, which was diagnosed during newborn screening through tandem mass spectrometry. An increased concentration of butyrylcarnitine was detected on the newborn screening test, and the urine organic acid analysis showed increased urinary excretion of ethylmalonic acid. The patient has been asymptomatic and has shown normal growth and development by 8 months of age without any intervention during follow-up period.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2018

Parkinson's disease (PD), one of common neurodegenerative diseases, is caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in PD is associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Hyperoside (quercetin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-galactopyranoside) was reported to have protective properties against oxidative stress by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. In this study, we examined the neuroprotective effect of hyperoside against 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium ($MPP^+$)-induced cell model of PD and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Hyperoside significantly decreased $MPP^+$-induced cell death, accompanied by a reduction in poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Furthermore, it attenuated $MPP^+$-induced intracellular ROS and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), with the reduction of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Moreover, hyperoside significantly increased the phosphorylation of Akt, but it has no effects on $GSK3{\beta}$ and MAPKs. Pharmacological inhibitor of PI3K/Akt abolished the cytoprotective effects of hyperoside against $MPP^+$. Taken together, these results demonstrate that hyperoside significantly attenuates $MPP^+$-induced neurotoxicity through PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in SH-SY5Y cells. Our findings suggest that hyperoside might be one of the potential candidates for the treatment of PD.