• KSBB Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.179-184
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• 2007

This study introduces the characteristics and some applications of repetitive polypeptides, especially to the biomaterial, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery system, and DNA separation systems. Since some fibrous proteins, which consist of repeating peptide monomers, have been reported that their physical properties are changed dramatically by means of temperature alteration or pH shifting. For that reason, fibrous protein-mimetic polypeptides, which are produced by the recombinant technology, can be applied to the diverse biological fields. Repetitive polypeptides can also be used in the bioseparation area such as DNA sequencing, because they make DNA separation possible in free-solution electrophoresis by conjugating DNA fragments to them. Moreover, artificial synthesis of repetitive polypeptides helps to demonstrate the correlations between mechanical properties and structures of natural protein polymer, which have been proven that repetitive domains are affected by the sequence of the repeating domains and the number of repeating subunits. Repetitive polypeptides can be biologically synthesized using some special cloning methods, which are represented here. Recursive directional ligation (RDL) and controlled cloning method (CCM) have been proposed as excellent cloning methods in that we can control the number of repetition in the multimerization of polypeptides and the components of repetitive polypeptides by either method.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.241-256
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• 2001

Alginate microspheres, containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) were prepared and used as a model drug to develop the oral vaccine delivery system. The alginate microspheres were coated with poly-L-lysine or chitosan. Two methods, w/o-emulsion and spray, were used to prepare alginate microspheres. To optimize preparation conditions, effects of several factors on the particle size and particle morphology of microsphere, and loading efficiency of model antigen were investigated. In both preparation methods, the particle size and the loading efficiency were enhanced when the concentration of sodium alginate increased. In the w/o-emulsion preparation method, as the concentration of Span 80 was increased from 0.5% to 2%, the particle size was decreased, but the loading efficiency was increased. The higher the emulsification speed was, the smaller the particle size and loading efficiency were. The concentration of calcium chloride did not show any effect on the particle size and loading efficiency. In the spray preparation method, the particle size was increased as the nozzle pressure $(from\;1\;kgf/m^2\;to\;3\;kgf/m^2)$ and spray rate was raised. Increasing calcium chloride concentration (<7%) decreased the particle size, in contrast to no effect of calcium chloride concentration on the w/o-emulsion preparation method. Alginate microspheres prepared by two methods were different in the particle size and loading efficiency, the particle size of microspheres prepared by the spray method was about $2-6\;{\mu}m$, larger than that prepared by the w/o emulsion method $(about\;2{\mu}m)$, and the loading efficiency was also higher with spray method. Furthermore, drying process for the microspheres prepared by the spray was simpler and easier, compared with the w/o emulsion preparation. Therefore, the spray method was chosen to prepare alginate microspheres for further experiments. Release pattern of FITC-BSA in alginate microspheres was evaluated in simulated intestinal fluid and PBS (phosphate buffered saline). Dissolution rate of FITC-BSA from alginate/chitosan microsphere was lower than that from alginate microsphere and alginate/poly-L-lysine microsphere. By confocal laser scanning microscope, it was revealed that alginate/FITC-poly-L-lysine microspheres were present in close apposition epithelium of the Peyer's patches of rabbits following inoculation into lumen of intestine, which proved that microspheres could be taken up by Peyer's patch. In conclusion, it is suggested that alginate microsphere prepared by spray method, showing a particle size of & $10\;{\mu}m$ and a high loading efficiency, can be used as a model drug for the development of oral vaccine delivery system.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 2015

The information about protein structure gives the clues for the function of protein. It is needed for the improvement for the efficacy and fast development of protein drugs. So, the studies visualizing the structure of protein effectively increase. Most studies of visualization focus on the structural prediction for protein or the improvement on the rendering speed. However, studies of information delivery depending on the form of protein visualization are very limited. The major objective of this study is to analyze the information representation goodness-of-fit for the patterns of the hybrid visualization with primary and secondary structures of protein. Those hybrid visualizations included the patterns which updated current representative visualization services, Chimera, PDB and Cn3D. Information factor to analyze information representation goodness-of-fit is assorted by protein primary structure, secondary protein structure, the location of amino acid and ratio information about protein secondary structure, based on the result of subject-analysis. Subject is the group of experts who are involved in protein drug development over 5 years. The result of this study shows the meaningful difference in the information representation goodness-of-fit by the patterns of hybrid visualization and proves the difference in the information by the pattern of visualization.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2018

Objective: The role of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), CREB (cAMP response element binding) and VGF neuropeptide has been proved in antidepressant activity of long term saffron administration in the rat hippocampus. In this study we evaluated the role of these proteins in antidepressant activity of saffron in long term administration in the rat cerebellum. Methods: Saffron aqueous extract (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) and imipramine (10 mg/kg/day) were administered intraperitoneally for 21 days to rats. At the end of experiment, animals were sacrificed and cerebellums were separated. The protein levels of BDNF, VGF, CREB and P- CREB in the rat cerebellum were evaluated using western blot analysis. Results: Saffron aqueous extract (80mg/kg/day) caused significant increase in protein level of P-CREB in long term treatment in the rat cerebellum. The increases in the protein levels of VGF, CREB and BDNF were not significant. Conclusion: In summary, our results showed that antidepressant effect of saffron in rat cerebellum might be due to the enhanced phosphorylation of CREB.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 1992

Although glycosylated liposomes have attracted much attention as targeting delivery systems (DDS) of drugs to specific organs which have glycoside receptors, physical instability of liposomes greatly limits their practical application. In this case, proliposomes might be a potential answer to solve this problem. Utilizing the proliposomes as tageting DDS has been a goal of our series of works; we have tried to develop DDS which form liposomes uppon adding water and can deliver drugs to specific target organs/cells such as hepatocytes. In this paper, preparation of glycosylated liposomes and binding of the liposomes with lectin (agglutinin RCA 120) was studied. Asialoletuin (AF) was selected as a model compound which has galactose terminal and is favorable for binding with galactose receptor on the surface of hepatocytes. AF was obtained by splitting the terminal N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) of fetuin. Small unilamellar AF-liposomes were prepared by mixing aqueous solution of AF-palmitate with thin film of phosphatidyl choline and cholesterol (30:10 w/w) formed on the innersurface of the round bottomed flask. They were successively extruded through polycarbonate membranes (0.45 mm). Palmitoyl-AF not incorporated into the liposomal bilayer was separated from liposomes by a Sepharose 4B column equilibrated with 10 mM Tris-HCI buffered saline. Lectin (agglutinin RCA 120) was added to the suspension of AF-liposomes and incubated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 2 hr. After centrifugation, the unbound lectin in the supernatant was assayed for protein. The binding of the lectin to AF-liposomes (AF content 2.8 nmole) at $37^{\circ}C$ was linear at least upto 35 mg of lectin indicating high affinity association of the lectin to AF molecules of the liposomes.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.299-304
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• 2005

There have been many efforts to use anionic hydrogels as oral protein delivery carriers due to their pH-responsive swelling behavior. The dynamic swelling behavior of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methacryloxyethyl glucoside) [P(MAA-co-MEG)] hydrogels was investigated to determine the mechanism of water transport through these anionic hydrogels. The exponential relation $M_t/M_{\infty}=kt^n$ was used to calculate the exponent, n, describing the Fickian or non-Fickian behavior of swelling polymer networks. The mechanism of water transport through these gels was significantly affected by the pH of the swelling medium. The mechanism of water transport became more relaxation-controlled in the swelling medium of pH 7.0 that was higher than the $pK_a$ of the gels. Experimental results of time-dependent swelling behavior of the gels were analyzed with several mathematical models. Using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, the effect of ionization of the carboxylic acid groups in the polymer networks on the water transport mechanism was investigated.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.570-573
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• 2005

The spray method was chiefly used to prepare alginate microspheres. Additionally due to formation at mild conditions, the alginate microspheres were coated with chitosan. The particle size of alginate microspheres increased when the sodium alginate increased. Release pattern of OVA in alginate microspheres was evaluated at PBS buffer(pH 7.4) and HCl buffer(pH 1.2). Release rate of OVA from chitosan/alginate microsphere was also lower than that with the concentration of alginate in the microspheres, the amount of OVA released from alginate microspheres increased from alginate micorsphere. Therefore, the alginate microspheres can be prepared by spray rozzle for a protein drug delivery. OVA release from the alginate microspheres was controlled by a coating with chitosan.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.581-593
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• 2014

Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii is widespread globally and causes severe diseases in individuals with impaired immune defences as well as congenitally infected infants. The high prevalence rate in some parts of the world such as South America and Africa, coupled with the current drug treatments that trigger hypersensitivity reactions, makes the development of immunotherapeutics intervention a highly important research priority. Immunotherapeutics strategies could either be a vaccine which would confer a pre-emptive immunity to infection, or passive immunization in cases of disease recrudescence or recurrent clinical diseases. As the severity of clinical manifestations is often greater in developing nations, the development of well-tolerated and safe immunotherapeutics becomes not only a scientific pursuit, but a humanitarian enterprise. In the last few years, much progress has been made in vaccine research with new antigens, novel adjuvants, and innovative vaccine delivery such as nanoparticles and antigen encapsulations. A literature search over the past 5 years showed that most experimental studies were focused on DNA vaccination at 52%, followed by protein vaccination which formed 36% of the studies, live attenuated vaccinations at 9%, and heterologous vaccination at 3%; while there were few on passive immunization. Recent progress in studies on vaccination, passive immunization, as well as insights gained from these immunotherapeutics is highlighted in this review.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2012

Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric illness that afflicts 1% of the population worldwide, resulting in substantial impact to patients, their families, and health care delivery systems. For many years, schizophrenia has been felt to be associated with dysregulated dopaminergic neurotransmission as a key feature of the pathophysiology of the illness. Although numerous studies point to dopaminergic abnormalities in schizophrenia, dopamine dysfunction cannot completely account for all of the symptoms seen in schizophrenia, and dopamine-based treatments are often inadequate and can be associated with serious side effects. More recently, converging lines of evidence have suggested that there are abnormalities of glutamate transmission in schizophrenia. Glutamatergic neurotransmission involves numerous molecules that facilitate glutamate release, receptor activation, glutamate reuptake, and other synaptic activities. Evidence for glutamatergic abnormalities in schizophrenia primarily has implicated the NMDA and AMPA subtypes of the glutamate receptor. The expression of these receptors and other molecules associated with glutamate neurotransmission has been systematically studied in the brain in schizophrenia. These studies have generally revealed region- and molecule-specifi c changes in glutamate receptor transcript and protein expression in this illness. Given that glutamatergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, recent drug development efforts have targeted the glutamate system. Much effort to date has focused on modulation of the NMDA receptor, although more recently other glutamate receptors and transporters have been the targets of drug development. These efforts have been promising thus far, and ongoing efforts to develop additional drugs that modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission are underway that may hold the potential for novel classes of more effective treatments for this serious psychiatric illness.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.263-263
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• 2006

Poly (ethylene glycol)(PEG) - Poly (${\varepsilon}-caprolactone(CL)$) - Poly (D,L lactide(LA) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization to form temperature sensitive hydrogel triblock copolymer. The triblock copolymer was acrylated by acryloyl chloride. ${\beta}-amino$ ester was used as a pH sensitive moiety, in this study ${\beta}$- amino ester obtained from 1,4-butandiol diacrylate, and 4, 4' trimethylene dipiperidine, it have pKb around 6.6. pH/temperature sensitive penta-block copolymer (PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE) was synthesized by addition polymerization from acrylated triblock copolymer, 1,4-butandiol diacrylate, and 4, 4' trimethylene dipiperidine. Their physicochemical properties of triblock and penta-block copolymers were characterized by $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopy and gel permeation spectroscopy. Sol-gel phase transition behavior of PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE block copolymers were investigated by remains stable method. Aqueous media of the penta-block copolymer (at 20 wt%) changed from a sol phase at pH 6.4 and $10^{\circ}C$ to a gel phase at pH 7.4 and $37^{\circ}C$. The sol-gel transition properties of these block copolymers are influenced by the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the copolymers, block length, hydrophobicity, stereo-regularity of the hydrophobic of the block copolymer, and the ionization of the pH function groups in the copolymer depended on the changing of environmental pH, respectively. The degradation and the stabilization at pH 7.4 and $37^{\circ}C$, and the stabilization at pH 6.4 and $10^{\circ}C,\;5^{\circ}C,\;0^{\circ}C$, of the gel were determined. The results of toxicity experiment show that the penta block copolymer can be used for injection drug delivery system. The sol?gel transition of this block copolymer also study by in vitro test ($200{\mu}l$ aqueous solution at 20wt% polymer was injected to mouse). Insulin loading and releasing by in vitro test was investigated, the results showed that insulin can loading easily into polymer matrix and release time is around 14-16days. The PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE can be used as biomaterial for drug, protein, gene loading and delivery.