• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2005

The recent DNA microarray technology enables us to understand gene expression profiling in cell line and animal models. The technology has potential possibility to comprehend mechanism of multiple genes were related to compounds which have toxicity in biological system. So, microarray system has been used for the prediction of toxicity through gene expression induced by toxicants. It has been shown that compounds with similar toxic mechanisms produce similar changes in gene expression in vivo system. Here we focus on the use of toxicogenomics for the determination of gene expression analysis associated with hepatotoxicity in rat liver and cell line (WB-F344). Methotrexate (MTX) is a chemotherapy agent that has been used for many years in the treatment of cancer because it affects cells that are rapidly dividing. Also it has been known the toxicity of MTX, in a MTX abortion, it stops embryonic cells from dividing and multiplying and is a non-surgical method of ending pregnancy in its early stages. We have shown DNA microarray analyses to assess MTX-specific expression profiles in vivo and in vitro. Male Sprague-Dawely VAF+ albino rats of 5-6 weeks old and WB-F344 cell line have been treated with MTX. Total RNA was isolated from Rat liver and cell line that has treated with MTX. 4.8 K cDNA microarray in house has been used for gene expression profiling of MTX treatment. We have found quite distinct gene expression patterns induced by MTX in a cell line and in vivo system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.499-510
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• 2013

Among 25 isolates, Aspergillus fumigatus ASH (JX006238) was identified as a potent producer of homocysteine ${\gamma}$-lyase. The nutritional requirements to maximize the enzyme yield were optimized under submerged (SF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions, resulting in a 5.2- and 2.3-fold increase, respectively, after the last purification step. The enzyme exhibited a single homogenous band of 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE, along with an optimum pH of 7.8 and pH stability range of 6.5 to 7.8. It also showed a pI of 5.0, as detected by pH precipitation with no glycosyl residues. The highest enzyme activity was obtained at $37-40^{\circ}C$, with a $T_m$ value of $70.1^{\circ}C$. The enzyme showed clear catalytic and thermal stability below $40^{\circ}C$, with $T_{1/2}$ values of 18.1, 9.9, 5.9, 3.3, and 1.9 h at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. Additionally, the enzyme $K_r$ values were 0.002, 0.054, 0.097, 0.184, and 0.341 $S^{-1}$ at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme displayed a strong affinity to homocysteine, followed by methionine and cysteine when compared with non-S amino acids, confirming its potency against homocysteinuria-related diseases, and as an anti-cardiovascular agent and a specific biosensor for homocysteinuria. The enzyme showed its maximum affinity for homocysteine ($K_m$ 2.46 mM, $K_{cat}\;1.39{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), methionine ($K_m$ 4.1 mM, $K_{cat}\;0.97{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), and cysteine ($K_m$ 4.9 m M, $K_{cat}\;0.77{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$). The enzyme was also strongly inhibited by hydroxylamine and DDT, confirming its pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) identity, yet not inhibited by EDTA. In vivo, using Swiss Albino mice, the enzyme showed no detectable negative effects on platelet aggregation, the RBC number, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, or creatinine titer when compared with negative controls.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.423-428
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• 2000

In 1997 when cloned sheep Dolly and soon after Polly were born, it had become head-line news because in the former the nucleus that gave rise to the lamb came from cells of six-year-old adult sheep and in the latter case a foreign gene was inserted into the donor nucleus to make the cloned sheep produce human protein, factor IX, in e milk. In the last few years, once the realm of science fiction, cloned mammals especially in livestock have become almost commonplace. What the press accounts often fail to convey, however, is that behind every success lie hundreds of failures. Many of the nuclear-transferred egg cells fail to undergo normal cell divisions. Even when an embryo does successfully implant in the womb, pregnancy often ends in miscarriage. A significant fraction of the animals that are born die shortly after birth and some of those that survived have serious developmental abnormalities. Efficiency remains at less than one % out of some hundred attempts to clone an animal. These facts show that something is fundamentally wrong and enormous hurdles must be overcome before cloning becomes practical. Cloning researchers now tent to put aside their effort to create live animals in order to probe the fundamental questions on cell biology including stem cells, the questions of whether the hereditary material in the nucleus of each cell remains intact throughout development, and how transferred nucleus is reprogrammed exactly like the zygotic nucleus. Stem cells are defined as those cells which can divide to produce a daughter cell like themselves (self-renewal) as well as a daughter cell that will give rise to specific differentiated cells (cell-differentiation). Multicellular organisms are formed from a single totipotent stem cell commonly called fertilized egg or zygote. As this cell and its progeny undergo cell divisions the potency of the stem cells in each tissue and organ become gradually restricted in the order of totipotent, pluripotent, and multipotent. The differentiation potential of multipotent stem cells in each tissue has been thought to be limited to cell lineages present in the organ from which they were derived. Recent studies, however, revealed that multipotent stem cells derived from adult tissues have much wider differentiation potential than was previously thought. These cells can differentiate into developmentally unrelated cell types, such as nerve stem cell into blood cells or muscle stem cell into brain cells. Neural stem cells isolated from the adult forebrain were recently shown to be capable of repopulating the hematopoietic system and produce blood cells in irradiated condition. In plants although the term$\boxDr$ stem cell$\boxUl$is not used, some cells in the second layer of tunica at the apical meristem of shoot, some nucellar cells surrounding the embryo sac, and initial cells of adventive buds are considered to be equivalent to the totipotent stem cells of mammals. The telomere ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes cannot be replicated because the RNA primer at the end of a completed lagging strand cannot be replaced with DNA, causing 5' end gap. A chromosome would be shortened by the length of RNA primer with every cycle of DNA replication and cell division. Essential genes located near the ends of chromosomes would inevitably be deleted by end-shortening, thereby killing the descendants of the original cells. Telomeric DNA has an unusual sequence consisting of up to 1,000 or more tandem repeat of a simple sequence. For example, chromosome of mammal including human has the repeating telomeric sequence of TTAGGG and that of higher plant is TTTAGGG. This non-genic tandem repeat prevents the death of cell despite the continued shortening of chromosome length. In contrast with the somatic cells germ line cells have the mechanism to fill-up the 5' end gap of telomere, thus maintaining the original length of chromosome. Cem line cells exhibit active enzyme telomerase which functions to maintain the stable length of telomere. Some of the cloned animals are reported prematurely getting old. It has to be ascertained whether the multipotent stem cells in the tissues of adult mammals have the original telomeres or shortened telomeres.