• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immunosuppressive and antioxidant effects of a novel radioprotective agent using the vitamin E derivative 2-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)methyl-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-6-ol (TMG) and its effect on tumors, and to study its usefulness. Materials and Methods: In this study, C57BL/6NCrSlc mice were divided into four groups (control, TMG, radiation therapy [RT], and RT+TMG), using 10 mice in each group. In the TMG and 2 Gy+TMG groups, 500 mg/kg TMG was administered. Two groups (2 Gy and 2 Gy+TMG) among RT and RT+TMG groups were irradiated with 2 Gy in a single fraction, while the other two groups (6 Gy and 6 Gy+TMG) were irradiated locally with 6 Gy in three fractions. Results and Discussion: TMG positively affected CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Tumor volumes and growth inhibition rates were compared. In order to evaluate how TMG administration affected tumor growth, Ehrlich cancer cells were injected into the thigh of mice, and the tumor volume and growth suppression rate were compared. Not only RT but also TMG alone inhibited tumor growth. If RT conducted to the mice with TMG, TMG could increase the number of leukocytes, primarily that of lymphocytes. TMG also inhibited tumor growth in addition to RT. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in the 6 Gy+TMG group. Conclusion: In conclusion, TMG exerted an immunopotentiating effect mainly by increasing the white blood cell numbers including that of lymphocytes. In addition to RT, TMG also inhibited tumor growth. Therefore, TMG is considered to be a useful radioprotective agent in radiotherapy without tumor growth induction.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2015

Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD Ib) is one of the rare inherited metabolic disease caused by mutation of SLC37A4 gene. Clinical characteristics include hepatomegaly, hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis, hyperlipidemia and high serum uric acid concentration. The authors analyzed clinical and molecular characteristics of three Korean patients (one male and two females) with GSD Ib by retrospective review of medical records. Two patients were diagnosed in toddler period by hypoglycemia and hepatomegaly. One patient was diagnosed by growth retardation and short stature in puberty. c.412T>C (p.Trp138Arg) (3/6 alleles, 50.0%) was most frequently observed, following by p.Leu348Valfs*53 (1 allele), p.Pro191Leu (1 allele), p.Ala148Val (1 allele) in molecular analysis. Uncooked corn starch and allopurinol was administered. Because all three patients had neutropenia and recurrent infections, G-CSF was administered. Two patients had severe osteoporosis needing calcium supplement. The patient who diagnosed at puberty had relatively poor prognosis demonstrated by having severe infection and complications in liver and kidney.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2022

Nephrocalcinosis often occurs in infants and is caused by excessive calcium or vitamin D supplementation, neonatal primary hyperparathyroidism, and genetic disorders. Idiopathic infantile hypercalcemia (IIH), a rare cause of nephrocalcinosis, results from genetic defects in CYP24A1 or SLC34A1. Mutations in CYP24A1, which encodes 25-hydroxyvitamin D 24-hydroxylase, disrupt active vitamin D degradation. IIH clinically manifests as failure to thrive and hypercalcemia within the first year of life and usually remits spontaneously. Herein, we present a case of IIH wih CYP24A1 mutations. An 11-month-old girl visited our hospital with incidental hypercalcemia. She showed failure to thrive, and her oral intake had decreased over time since the age of 6 months. Her initial serum parathyroid hormone level was low, 25-OH vitamin D and 1,25(OH)₂ vitamin D levels were normal, and renal ultrasonography showed bilateral nephrocalcinosis. Whole-exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous variants in CYP24A1 (NM_000782.4:c.376C>T [p.Pro126Ser] and c.1310C>A [p.Pro437His]). Although her hypercalcemia and poor oral intake spontaneously resolved in approximately 8 months, we suggested that her nephrocalcinosis and renal function be regularly checked in consideration of potential asymptomatic renal damage. Hypercalcemia caused by IIH should be suspected in infants with severe nephrocalcinosis, especially when presenting with failure to thrive.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.26-31
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• 2019

[Purpose] Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that it is possible to prescribe exercise for neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, despite the availability of diverse scientific knowledge, the effects of exercise in this regard are still unclear. Therefore, this study attempted to investigate a substance, such as black chokeberry (Aronia melanocapa L.) that could improve the ability of the treatment and enhance the benefits of exercising in neurodegenerative diseases. [Methods] The cell viability was tested with 2,3-bis[2-methyloxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolim-5-carboxanilide and the cells were stained with ethidium homodimer-1 solution. The mRNA expression levels were evaluated by microarray. The active compounds of black chokeberry ethanolic extract (BCE) were analyzed by gas chromatography. The chemical shift analysis in the brain was performed using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. [Results] BCE treatment decreased hydrogen peroxide-induced L6 cell death and beta amyloid induced primary neuronal cell death. Furthermore, BCE treatment significantly reduced the mRNA levels of the inflammatory factors, such as IL-1α, Cxcl13, IL36rn, Itgb2, Epha2, Slamf8, Itgb6, Kdm6b, Acvr1, Cd6, Adora3, Cd27, Gata3, Tnfrsf25, Cd40lg, Clec10a, and Slc11a1, in the primary neuronal cells. Next, we identified 16 active compounds from BCE, including D-mannitol. In vivo, BCE (administered orally at a dosage of 50 mg/kg) significantly regulated chemical shift in the brain. [Conclusion] Our findings suggest that BCE can serve as a candidate for neurodegenerative disease therapy owing to its cyto-protective and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, BCE treatment is expected to prevent damage to the muscles and neurons of the athletes who continue high intensity exercise. In future studies, it would be necessary to elucidate the effects of combined BCE intake and exercise.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.96-107
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• 2006

Citrin deficiency resulting from mutations of SLC25A13is associated with two major clinical phenotypes; neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and adult-onset type 2 citrullinemia (CTLN2). In Korea, 7 cases of citrin deficiency have been diagnosed based on biochemical and molecular findings. Four NICCD cases were identified by newborn screening using MS/MS or presenting symptoms like cholestatic jaundice. They are all males, presenting with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, elevated liver enzymes, hypoalbuminemia, mild hyperammonemia, elevated citrullin, methionine and threonine. All of them have been spontaneously recovered from hepatic manifestation by the age of 6-8 months. Mutation analysis has been performed using their genomic & cDNAs obtained from skin fibroblasts. They turned out to be compound heterozygotes carrying each of 851del4, IVS11+1G>A, and IVS13+1G>A. Three CTLN2 patients were identified. Two adult male patients presented with a sudden loss of consciousness, seizure, vomiting, hyperammonemia and citrullinemia in their twenties. They carried an IVS13+1G>A, 851del4, and IVS11+1G>A mutant alleles. The other CTLN2 patient was 52 year old female patient, manifesting lethargy, altered consciousness, irritability and hyperammonemia. Similar clinical symptoms had recurred at the delivery of first and second babies in her past medical history. She was managed by hemodialysis and survived with neurological sequellae. Also, we screened the presence of 9 common mutations in 500 Korean newborns using dried blood spot of filter papers. Only a allele carried 854del4 mutation. In conclusion, the entire picture of citrin deficiency in Korea including incidence, genotype, clinical features and natural courses, is still vague at the present time.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.102-113
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• 2011

C-terminal SRC kinase (CSK) is a ubiquitously expressed, cytosolic enzyme that phosphorylates and inactivates several SRC family protein tyrosine kinases. Recent genomewide association studies have implicated CSK in the regulation of blood pressure. The current study aim is to determine the blood pressure association of the genes regulated by CSK down-regulation. The CSK mRNA expression was downregulated in vascular smooth muscle cells using small interfering RNA (siRNA). CSK mRNA levels fell by 90% in cells that were treated with CSK siRNA; the RNA from these cells was examined by microarray using the Illumina HumanRef-8 v3 platform, which comprises 24,526 reference mRNA probes. On treatment with CSK siRNA, 19 genes were downregulated by more than 2-fold and 13 genes were upregulated by more than 2-fold. Three (CANX, SLC30A7, and HMOX1) of them revealed more than 3 fold differential expression. Interestingly, the HMOX1 SNPs were associated with diastolic blood pressure in the 7551 Koreans using Korea Association REsource data, and the result was supported by the other reports that HMOX1 linked to blood vessel maintenance. Among the remaining 29 differentially expressed genes, seven (SSBP1, CDH2, YWHAE, ME2, PFTK1, G3BP2, and TUFT1) revealed association with both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The CDH2 gene was linked to blood pressures. Conclusively, we identified 32 differentially expressed genes which were regulated by CSK reduction, and two (HOMX1 and CDH2) of them might influence the blood pressure regulation through CSK pathway.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1089-1095
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• 2010

Four biological candidate genes, natural resistance associated macrophage protein 1 (SLC11A1 or NRAMP), prosaposin (PSAP), interferon Gamma (IFNG), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), were examined to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and associations of the SNP with antibody response kinetics in hens. An $F_2$ population was produced by mating $G_0$ highly inbred (<99%) males of two MHC-congenic Fayoumi lines with highly inbred Leghorn hens. The $F_2$ hens (n = 158) were injected twice with SRBC and whole, fixed Brucella abortus (BA). Blood samples were obtained before each immunization, at 7 d after primary immunization, and at several time points after secondary immunization. Minimum titers (Ymin) and the time needed to reach them (Tmin), and maximum (Ymax) titers and the time needed to reach them (Tmax), were estimated from the seven post-secondary immunization titers using a nonlinear regression model. The $F_2$ hens were genotyped for the four candidate genes by using PCR-RFLP for one SNP per gene, which identified the parental allele. General linear models were used to test associations of SNP genotypes with antibody response parameters and BW measured at 4 ages. The IFNG SNP was highly significantly (p<0.0125) associated with primary response to SRBC, Tmin to BA, Ymin to BA, and 12-week BW. The current study demonstrated that the novel IFNG promoter SNP was associated with antibody kinetics for BA and SRBC in laying hens, and also with BW, suggesting that this cytokine may play a pivotal role in the relationship between immune function and growth.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.117-127
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• 2004

The heterodimeric amino acid transporter family is a subfamily of SLC7 solute transporter family which includes 14-transmembrane cationic amino acid transporters and 12-transmembrane heterodimeric amino acid transporters. The members of heterodimeric amino acid transporter family are linked via a disulfide bond to single membrane spanning glycoproteins such as 4F2hc (4F2 heavy chain) and rBAT $(related\;to\;b^0,\;^+-amino\;acid\;transporter)$. Six members are associated with 4F2hc and one is linked to rBAT. Two additional members were identified as ones associated with unknown heavy chains. The members of heterodimeric amino acid transporter family exhibit diverse substrate selectivity and are expressed in variety of tissues. They play variety of physiological roles including epithelial transport of amino acids as well as the roles to provide cells in general with amino acids for cellular nutrition. The dysfunction or hyperfunction of the members of the heterodimeric amino acid transporter family are involved in some diseases and pathologic conditions. The genetic defects of the renal and intestinal transporters $b^{0,+}AT/BAT1\;(b^{0,+}-type\;amino\;acid\;transporter/b^{0,+}-type\;amino\;acid\;transporter\;1)$ and $y^+LAT1\;(y^+L-type\;amino\;acid\;transporter\;1)$ result in the amino aciduria with sever clinical symptoms such as cystinuria and lysin uric protein intolerance, respectively. LAT1 is proposed to be involved in the progression of malignant tumor. xCT (x-C-type transporter) functions to protect cells against oxidative stress, while its over-function may be damaging neurons leading to the exacerbation of brain damage after brain ischemia. Because of broad substrate selectivity, system L transporters such as LAT1 transport amino acid-related compounds including L-Dopa and function as a drug transporter. System L also interacts with some environmental toxins with amino acid-related structure such as cysteine-conjugated methylmercury. Therefore, these transporter would be candidates for drug targets based on new therapeutic strategies.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.115-124
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This is the first study to identify common genetic factors associated with the basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body mass index (BMI) in obese Korean women including overweight. This will be a basic study for future research of obese gene-BMR interaction. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The experimental design was 2 by 2 with variables of BMR and BMI. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was conducted in the overweight and obesity (BMI > $23kg/m^2$) compared to the normality, and in women with low BMR (< 1426.3 kcal/day) compared to high BMR. A total of 140 SNPs reached formal genome-wide statistical significance in this study (P < $1{\times}10^{-4}$). Surveys to estimate energy intake using 24-h recall method for three days and questionnaires for family history, a medical examination, and physical activities were conducted. RESULTS: We found that two NRG3 gene SNPs in the 10q23.1 chromosomal region were highly associated with BMR (rs10786764; $P=8.0{\times}10^{-7}$, rs1040675; $2.3{\times}10^{-6}$) and BMI (rs10786764; $P=2.5{\times}10^{-5}$, rs10786764; $6.57{\times}10^{-5}$). The other genes related to BMI (HSD52, TMA16, MARCH1, NRG1, NRXN3, and STK4) yielded P < $10{\times}10^{-4}$. Five new loci associated with BMR and BMI, including NRG3, OR8U8, BCL2L2-PABPN1, PABPN1, and SLC22A17 were identified in obese Korean women (P < $1{\times}10^{-4}$). In the questionnaire investigation, significant differences were found in the number of starvation periods per week, family history of stomach cancer, coffee intake, and trial of weight control in each group. CONCLUSION: We discovered several common BMR- and BMI-related genes using GWAS. Although most of these newly established loci were not previously associated with obesity, they may provide new insights into body weight regulation. Our findings of five common genes associated with BMR and BMI in Koreans will serve as a reference for replication and validation of future studies on the metabolic rate.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.19.1-19.13
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• 2023

Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), poses a significant global threat to human lives. To advance the development of innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches, it is essential to examine the hidden features of HCC, particularly its 3D genome architecture, which is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the 3D genome organization of four HCC cell lines-Hep3B, Huh1, Huh7, and SNU449-using in situ Hi-C and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing. Our findings revealed that HCC cell lines had more long-range interactions, both intra-and interchromosomal, compared to human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). Unexpectedly, HCC cell lines displayed cell line-specific compartmental modifications at the megabase (Mb) scale, which could potentially be leveraged in determining HCC subtypes. At the sub-Mb scale, we observed decreases in intra-TAD (topologically associated domain) interactions and chromatin loops in HCC cell lines compared to HMECs. Lastly, we discovered a correlation between gene expression and the 3D chromatin architecture of SLC8A1, which encodes a sodium-calcium antiporter whose modulation is known to induce apoptosis by comparison between HCC cell lines and HMECs. Our findings suggest that HCC cell lines have a distinct 3D genome organization that is different from those of normal and other cancer cells based on the analysis of compartments, TADs, and chromatin loops. Overall, we take this as evidence that genome organization plays a crucial role in cancer phenotype determination. Further exploration of epigenetics in HCC will help us to better understand specific gene regulation mechanisms and uncover novel targets for cancer treatment.