• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2589-2593
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• 2013

Gene therapy using nonviral gene delivery carriers has focused on the development and modification of synthetic carriers such as liposomes and polymers. Most polymers that are commercially used are taking advantage of their polycationic character which allows not only strong ligand-DNA affinity but also competent cell penetration. Despite the relatively high transfection efficiencies, high cytotoxicity is continuously pointed out as one of the major shortcomings of polycationic polymers such as PEI. Studies on the utilization of peptides have therefore been carried out recently to overcome these problems. For these reasons, the human transcription factor Hph-1, which is currently known as a protein transduction domain (PTD), was investigated in this study to evaluate its potential as a gene delivery carrier. Although its transfection efficiency was about 10-fold lower than PEI, it displayed almost no cytotoxicity even at concentrations as high as $100{\mu}M$. Hph-1 was oxidatively polymerized to yield poly-Hph-1. The cell viability of poly-Hph-1 transfected U87MG and NIH-3T3 cells was almost as high as the control (untreated) groups, and the transfection efficiency was about 10-fold higher than PEI. This study serves as a preliminary evaluation of Hph-1 and encourages further investigation.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.454-459
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• 2007

Gene therapy using low molecular weight water soluble chitosan (LMWSC) as polycationic polymer shows good biocompatibility, but low transfection efficiency. The mechanism of folic acid (FA) uptake in the cells to promote targeting and internalization could improve transfection rates. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize the WSCFA-DNA complex and evaluate their cytotoxicity, in vitro. In $^1H-NMR$ spectra, specific peaks appeared both of FA and LMWSC in $D_2O$. WSCFA nanoparticles have spherical shapes with particle size show below 110 nm. In the cell cytotoxicity test, the WSCFA-DNA complex showed high cell viability, in vitro. Gel electrophoresis showed condensed DNA within the carriers. hi vitro transfection efficiency was assayed by fluorescence spectroscopy WSCFA nanoparticles have less cytotoxicity, good DNA condensation and particle size around 110 nm, which makes them a promising candidate as a non-viral gene vector.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2007

Biodegradable cationic poly(ester-amide) polymers were synthesized by double-monomer method, that showed excellent solubility in many organic solvents and water. Different degradation patterns were obtained by the regulation of monomer ratios and overall long period of time of DNA protection up to 12 days was shown by PicoGreen reagent assay. Good transfection profiles in the presence of serum and very low toxicity on mammalian cells may allow these polymers to become suitable for long-term gene delivery systems and therapeutic applications.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.139-150
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• 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a disease caused by the phloem-limited Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) that affects the citrus industry worldwide. To date, only indirect strategies have been implemented to eradicate HLB. Included among these is the population control of the psyllid vector (Diaphorina citri), which usually provides inconsistent results. Even though strategies for direct CLas suppression seem a priori more promising, only a handful of reports have been focused on a confrontation of the pathogen. Recent developments in polymer chemistry have allowed the design of polycationic self-assembled block copolymers with outstanding antibacterial capabilities. Here, we report the use of polymeric nano-sized bactericide particles (PNB) to control CLas directly in the phloem vasculature. The field experiments were performed in Rioverde, San Luis Potosí, and is one of the most important citrusproducing regions in Mexico. An average 52% reduction in the bacterial population was produced when PNB was injected directly into the trunk of 20 infected trees, although, in some cases, reduction levels reached 97%. These results position PNB as a novel and promising nanotechnological tool for citrus crop protection against CLas and other related pathogens.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2000

Electrodes of the polycationic film with electropolymerized $[Ru(v-bpy)_3]^{2+}$ having about 1:1 ratio of $PF6^-/ClO_4^-$as the doped counter ions, were modified with xylenol orange and diethylditbiocarbamate by ion exchange which had stability constant as 38.6 and 17.5 respectively. These electrodes were employed in the quantitative multiple determination of U(W) in solution. The working electrode of electrochemical cell for the analytical signal was Pt/p-$[Ru(v-bpy)_3]^{2+}$, ligand, U(VI) with Ag/AgCl reference elecrode. In the stripping voltammetry. electrode process was electron transfer controlled one and calibration curves at the ranges of $1.0{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}1.0{\times}10^{-7}$ M had excellent relationship as 0.99 and relative standard deviation as 5${\sim}$8%.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.418-423
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• 1998

Cellular transfections with cationic liposomes are widely empolyed for gene and oligonucleotide transfer in vitro because of their safety and ease of use. However, they still suffer from the low transfection efficiency comparing with viral vectors. Substantial effort shave been focused on increasing transfection efficiency by supplementing the liposome/DNA complexes(lipoplex) with various components. In this work, we tired three kinds of supplements, Poly-L-lysine(PLL), transferrin and a mixture of anionic lipids(PS/PE/PC), to study their effects on gene transfer yield and gene expression efficiency. PLL, a polycationic polymer, enhanced gene transfer yield by 3 times but the gene expression efficiency was increased only by 1.5 times. this result implies that PLL can enhance the transfection efficiency mainly by increasing the rate of outermembrane transport of lipoplex into the cells. On the other hand, transferrin which can facilitate the gene transfer via ligand-receptor interaction gave not only increased gene transfer yield but also enhanced gen expression efficiency by 2.8 times. Transferrin seems to contribute to the escape of plasmid from endosomes through ligand-receptor recycle mechanism. When the cells were treated with a mixture of anionic lipids for 3 hours before the transfection, gene transfer yield was slightly decreased but the gene expression efficiency was enhanced by 1.9 times. This is presumably due to the accelerated liposome-plasmid dissociation by the anionic lipids, and the increased delivery of plasmid to the nucleus. According to these results, it is clear that the supplementation to ameliorate transfection efficiency with cationic liposomes should be contrived in the direction of increasing delivery of plasmid.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.542-548
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• 1996

Electrodes modified with threonine, methionine and serine as ligands, which are incorporated by ion exchange into a polycationic film of electropolymerized $[Ru(v-bpy)_3]^{2+}$, have been employed in the determination of mercury in solution. The redox response of the surface-immobilized mercury/ligand complex was used as the analytical signal. When the polymeric film was electropolymerized, the supporting electrolytes were TBAP and $KPF_6$ to compare the morphology and anodic stripping of resulted polymer electrodes. At the case of the latter, the film had high porosity to give an easy incorporation of dopant anions into polymeric film matrix and a high sensitivity in determination of mercury ion. Especially, this polymer modified electrode exhibited possibility of multiple use in mercury determination over ten times. In all cases, calibration curves which were plotted by log of the surface coverage-normalized redox response vs. log[Hg] exhibited an excellent correlation (r=0.99) for mercury concentrations ranging from 1.0{\times}10^{-8}{\sim}1.0{\times}10^{-2}M$. At these curves relative standard deviation was 5∼8% and saturation response was not observed at high concentration region. Serine of the employed ligands had the best sensitivity in analytical application, which had greater stability constant in forming a complex with mercury than others as $pK_{Hg}=8.54$. The formation constants of threonine and methionine were respectively 7.04 and 7.80.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2014

In this paper, we made a new polycationic polymeric liposome composed of low molecular weight polyethylenimine (PEI) and 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA). PCDA liposome was prepared by ultraviolet irradiation. PEI was further conjugated on the surface of the polymerized PCDA liposome using coupling reagents to make PCDA-PEI. The blue-to-red transition of PCDA liposome was observed during the coupling reaction. The size distribution of liposome and complexes with plasmid DNA was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The complex formation was also identified by agarose gel electrophoresis and PicoGreen reagent assay. We confirmed the complex formation of the polymeric liposome with DNA and then performed transfection and cytotoxicity assay in HEK 293 and HeLa cells. As a result, PCDA-PEI showed significant gene transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. This study shows that PEI-conjugated PCDA liposome could be an efficient gene or drug delivery carrier.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.475-479
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• 2011

Chitosan is a natural polymer that has many physicochemical(polycationic, reactive OH and $NH_2$ groups) and biological(bioactive, biocompatible, and biodegradable) properties. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid(${\gamma}$-PGA) as gelling agent. Nanoparticles were formed by ionic interaction between carboxylic groups in ${\gamma}$-PGA and amino groups in chitosan. Chitosan(0.1~1 g) was dissolved in 100 ml of acetic acid (1% v/v) at room temperature and stirred overnight to ensure a complete solubility. An amount of 0.1 g of ${\gamma}$-PGA was dissolved in 90 ml of distilled water at room temperature. Chitosan solution was dropped through needle into beaker containing ${\gamma}$-PGA solution under gentle stirring at room temperature. The average particle sizes were in the range of 80~300 nm. The prepared chitosan/${\gamma}$-PGA nanoparticles were used to examine their removal of several heavy metal ions($Cd^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Ni^{2+}$) as adsorbents in aqueous solution. The heavy metal removal capacity of the nanoparticles was in the order of $Cu^{2+}$ > $Pb^{2+}$ > $Cd^{2+}$ > $Ni^{2+}$ > $Zn^{2+}$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.313-318
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• 1997

Effects of the concentration of NaCl, the concentration and the molecular weight of chitosan on the permeability of capsule type fertilizer and herbicide were investigated. The encapsulating process was based on the electrostatic interaction between chitosan (a polycationic polymer) and sodium alginate (an anionic polysaccharide). Sodium alginate solution $(1\%)$ was dropped into chitosan solution $(1\%)$ in which various amounts of NaCl was added. The capsule strength was increased with the addition of NaCl and the maximum value of capsule strength was observed at 0.3M NaCl. Capsule type fertilizer and herbicide were immersed in deionized water to determine its permeability, and it was affected by the concentration of NaCl and chitosan, and the molecular weight of chitosan. As the concentration of NaCl in chitosan solution increased, permeability of the capsule increased and marked the maximum value of $ 88\%$(fertilizer), $87\%$ (herbicide) at 0.75M NaCl. As concentration of chitosan solution increased, permeability tended to decreased; it showed the maximum value of $90\%$ (fertilizer) and $90.3\%$ (herbicide) at $0.25\%$ chitosan and the minimum value of $83\%$ (fertilizer) and $82\%$ (herbicide) at $1\%$ chitosan. Permeability of fertilizer and herbicide also decreased, as the molecular weight of chitosan (material of capsule) was decreased; it was showed $86\%$ (fertilizer) and $83\%$ (herbicide) at M.W 330,000 (sonication time 0min) and $52\%$ (fertilizer) and $51\%$ (herbicide) at M.W 119,000 (sonication time 180 min). The chitosan-alginic acid capsule was manufactured (defined as prepared capsule), dried for 6 hrs and immersed in deionized water (defined as restored capsule) to examine restoration of capsule. Restoration of capsule was good, and capsule strength was slightly decreased form $20g/cm^2$ (prepared capsule) to $17g/cm^2$ (restored capsule)