• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.63-78
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• 2015

Objectives: Pinelliae Rhizoma has traditionally been used as an anti-depressant in oriental medicine. This study is to investigate the effect of Pinelliae Rhizoma extract (PRe) on psychological stress in genome wild expression of mice. Methods: After giving physical stress to mice, PRe was orally administered with 100 mg/kg/day for five days. After extracting whole brain tissue from the mice, their genome changes were observed by micorarray analysis method. The genome changes were analyzed by IMAGENE 4.0, TREEVIEW, FatiGo algorithems, BOND database, cytoscape program, etc. Results: 1. PRe administered group were remained at normal level; 60% of increase was shown in expressed genes by physical stress, and 65% of decrease was shown in expressed genes by psychological stress. 2. Genes with increased expression in control group that remained at a normal state in PRe administered group were involved with the gene of a cellular metabolic process on biological process, protein binding on molecular function, and cell part on cell composition. The pathway was found to be cytokin-cytokin receptor interaction. 3. Genes with decreased expression in control group that remained at a normal state in PRe administered group were involved with the gene of a cellular metabolic process on biologiacl detail and coupled ATPaes activity on molecular function. This gene related path was Ubiquintin mediated proteolysis etc. 4. Core node genes analyzed by protein interaction network were Vinculin, Cell sdivision cycle 42 homolog (S. cerevisiae) etc. They played an important role in maintaining cytoskeleton and controlling cell cycle. Conclusions: Several genes were up-regulated and down-regulated in response to psychological stress. The expression of most of the genes that were altered in response to psychological stress was restored to normal levels in PRe treated mice. When the interaction network information was analyzed, the recovery of the core node genes in PRe treated mice indicates that this final set of genes may be the effective target of PRe.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.2
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• pp.132-138
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• 2011

Background: Maspin (mammary serine protease inhibitor) is a member of the serpin superfamily. A few studies have examined the role of maspin in tumor suppression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its role in the development and progression of NSCLC still remains controversial. We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of maspin in order to elucidate its clinical significance in NSCLC. Methods: We analyzed 145 patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC, including 66 cases of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 79 cases of adenocarcinomas (ADCs). We performed a immuno-histochemical stain with maspin and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) using tissue microarray blocks. Results: There were 108 men and 37 women in the study population. The mean age of patients in the study was 63.7 years (range, 40.0~82.0; median, 65.0). The proportion of maspin expression was significantly higher in SCCs (52/66, 78.8%; p<0.01) than in ADCs (17/79, 21.5%; p<0.01). Maspin expression was not associated with PCNA (p=0.828), lymph node involvement (p=0.483), or tumor stage (p=0.216), but showed correlation with well-to-moderate tumor differentiation (p=0.012). There was no observed correlation between maspin expression and survival with NSCLC (p=0.218). Conclusion: The present study suggests that maspin expression was significantly higher in SCCs than in ADCs and was associated with low histological grade. However, maspin expression was not an independent factor to predict a prognosis in NSCLC.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.572-577
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• 2018

Recent studies showed that the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade is a dramatic therapy for melanoma by enhancing antitumor immune activity. Currently, major strategies for the PD-1/PD-L1 blockade have mainly focused on the use of antibodies and compounds. Seeking an alternative approach, others employ endogenous proteins as blocking agents. The extracellular domain of PD-1 (ePD1) includes the binding site with PD-L1. Accordingly, we constructed a PD-1-based recombinantly tailored fusion protein (dFv-ePD1) that consists of bivalent variable fragments (dFv) of an MMP-2/9-targeted antibody and ePD1. The melanoma-binding intensity and antitumor activity were also investigated. We found the intense and selective binding capability of the protein dFv-ePD1 to human melanoma specimens was confirmed by a tissue microarray. In addition, dFv-ePD1 significantly suppressed the migration and invasion of mouse melanoma B16-F1 cells, and displayed cytotoxicity to cancer cells in vitro. Notably, dFv-ePD1 significantly inhibited the growth of mouse melanoma B16-F1 tumor cells in mice and in vivo fluorescence imaging showed that dFv-ePD was gradually accumulated into the B16-F1 tumor. Also the B16-F1 tumor fluorescence intensity at the tumor site was stronger than that of dFv. This study indicates that the recombinant protein dFv-ePD1 has an intensive melanoma-binding capability and exerts potent therapeutic efficacy against melanoma. The novel format of the PD-L1-blocked agent may play an active role in antitumor immunotherapy.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2007

Specific endometrial preparation should occur during periimplantation period. That is a progress of serial differentiation and is absolute in implantation of embryo and successful pregnancy. Remodeling of tissues shown during embryogenesis is regulated by various factors including extracellular matrix (ECM). Marked changes during pregnancy are including embryo migration, decidual response, and differentiation of placenta in placental animals including human. These changes to successful implantation in embryo and uterus have to prepare the competence for attachment of embryo and uterus, and invasion defense of uterus. During these changes, ECM dramatically changes for maintaining the uterine and embryonic functions. The major component of most connective tissue is collagens. It is very complex and hard to explore the mechanisms for ECM modulation. Recently using high throughput methodology, PCR-select cDNA subtraction method, microarray, many candidate genes have been identified. Steroid hormones have fundamental role in implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. Dermatopontin, a regulator of collagen accumulation, is regulated spatio-temporally in the uterus by primarily progesterone through progesterone receptors at the time of implantation. Modulation of extracellular matrix is critically regulated by cascade of gene net-works which are regulated by cascade of sex steroid hormones. Pathological regulation of uterine extracellular matrix reported in diabetic patients. To know the extracellular modulation is essential to understanding implantation, feto-placental development and overcome the paths involved in female reproduction. Though ECM composed with very various components and it is complex, the present review focused on the fate of collagens during periimplantation period.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1043-1050
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• 2015

Glutamate is one of the principle transmitters in the CNS. Ionotropic receptors of glutamate, selectively activated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), play an important role in the processes of cell development, learning, memory, and etc. On the other hand, many studies discovered that over-activation of glutamate receptors leads to neurodegeneration and are known to be implicated in major areas of brain pathology. Any sustained effect of a transient NMDA receptor activation is likely to involve signaling to the nucleus and to trigger coordinated changes in gene expression. Classically, a set of immediate-early genes are induced first; some of genes are by themselves transcription factors that control expression of other target genes. This study provides understanding of changes of inducible transcription factors mRNA levels with RT-PCR by inducing over-activation of NMDA receptor with intraperitoneal NMDA injection. The experimental conditions were varied by 1, 5, 25, and 125 g/ of body weight NMDA and measured transcription factors mRNA levels are Egr-1, c-Jun, JunB, and FosB. Based on result obtained, inducible transcription factors mRNA in NMDA injection to mice with 5 g/body weight showed the greatest change. And ITF mRNA showed greatest change 24 hr after injection. The expression level of JunB mRNA was markedly changed. Up to the present days, no study clearly understood how ITF mRNA affected the apoptosis of purkinje cells in the cerebellum. The current study improves the understanding of the mechanism of apoptosis of purkinje cells in the cerebellum.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2008

The modification of DNA and histone plays an important role for gene expression in plant development. The objective of this research is to observe the effects of methylation on the gene expression during dedifferentiation from rice mature seeds to callus and differentiation from callus to shoots. The embryogenic callus with ability to shoot regeneration was not induced on the N6A medium supplemented with 5-azacytidine and abnormal callus with brown color was formed. When the normal rice callus was placed on the regeneration MSRA medium supplemented with 5-azacytidine, the shoot regeneration was inhibited. The results showed that 5-azacytidine, DNA demethylating agent, had negative effects on normal embryogenic callus formation and shoot regeneration. This suggested that DNA methylation of some genes was required for normal cell dedifferentiation and differentiation in tissue culture. The microarray and $GeneFishig^{TM}$ DEG screening were used to observe the gene transcript profile in callus induction and regeneration on N6A (N6 medium + 5-azaC) and MSRA (MS regeneration medium + 5-azaC). Subsets of genes were up-regulated or down-regulated in response to 5-azaC treatments. The genes related with epigenetic regulation, electron transport, nucleic acid metabolism and response to stress were up and down regulated. The different expression of some genes (germin like protein etc.) during callus induction and shoot regeneration was confirmed using RT-PCR and northern blot analysis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5271-5276
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• 2014

Mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase kinase 3 (MEKK3) is an important protein kinase and a member of the MAPK family, which regulates cellular responses to environmental stress and serves as key integration points along the signal transduction cascade that not only link diverse extracellular stimuli to subsequent signaling molecules but also amplify the initiating signals to ultimately activate effector molecules and induce cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. To explore the relationship between MEKK3 and cell apoptosis, clinicopathology and prognosis, we characterize the expression of MEKK3 and survivin in cervical cancer. MEKK3 and survivin expression was measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting of fresh surgical resections from 30 cases of cervical cancer and 25 cases of chronic cervicitis. Protein expression was detected by tissue microarray and immunochemistry (En Vision) in 107 cases of cervical cancer, 86 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and 35 cases of chronic cervicitis. Expression patterns were analyzed for their association with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in cervical cancer. Expression of MEKK3 and survivin mRNA was significantly higher in cervical cancer than in the controls (p<0.05). MEKK3 and survivin expression differed significantly between cervical carcinoma, CIN, and cervicitis (p<0.05) and correlated with clinical stage, infiltration depth, and lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). MEKK3 expression was positively correlated with survivin (p<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that MEKK3 and survivin expression, lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion, and FIGO stage reduce cumulative survival. Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that MEKK3, survivin, and clinical staging are independent prognostic factors in cervical cancer (p<0.05). Expression of MEKK3 and survivin are significantly increased in cervical cancer, their overexpression participating in the occurrence and development of cervical cancer, with protein expression and clinical staging acting as independent prognostic factors for patients with cervical cancer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1824-1836
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• 2020

Objective: On the hypothesis that grazing of cattle prompts organs to secrete or internalize circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) in parallel with changes in energy metabolism, we aimed to clarify biological events in adipose, skeletal muscle, and liver tissues in grazing Japanese Shorthorn (JSH) steers by a transcriptomic approach. Methods: The subcutaneous fat (SCF), biceps femoris muscle (BFM), and liver in JSH steers after three months of grazing or housing were analyzed using microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), followed by gene ontology (GO) and functional annotation analyses. Results: The results of transcriptomics indicated that SCF was highly responsive to grazing compared to BFM and liver tissues. The 'Exosome', 'Carbohydrate metabolism' and 'Lipid metabolism' were extracted as the relevant GO terms in SCF and BFM, and/or liver from the >1.5-fold-altered mRNAs in grazing steers. The qPCR analyses showed a trend of upregulated gene expression related to exosome secretion and internalization (charged multivesicular body protein 4A, vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4B, vesicle associated membrane protein 7, caveolin 1) in the BFM and SCF, as well as upregulation of lipolysis-associated mRNAs (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, hormone-sensitive lipase, perilipin 1, adipose triglyceride lipase, fatty acid binding protein 4) and most of the microRNAs (miRNAs) in SCF. Moreover, gene expression related to fatty acid uptake and inter-organ signaling (solute carrier family 27 member 4 and angiopoietin-like 4) was upregulated in BFM, suggesting activation of SCF-BFM organ crosstalk for energy metabolism. Meanwhile, expression of plasma exosomal miR-16a, miR-19b, miR-21-5p, and miR-142-5p was reduced. According to bioinformatic analyses, the c-miRNA target genes are associated with the terms 'Endosome', 'Caveola', 'Endocytosis', 'Carbohydrate metabolism', and with pathways related to environmental information processing and the endocrine system. Conclusion: Exosome and fatty acid metabolism-related gene expression was altered in SCF of grazing cattle, which could be regulated by miRNA such as miR-142-5p. These changes occurred coordinately in both the SCF and BFM, suggesting involvement of exosome in the SCF-BFM organ crosstalk to modulate energy metabolism.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.200-209
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• 2007

We generated gene expression data from the tissues of 50 gastric cancer patients, and applied meta-analysis and gene set analysis to this data and three other stomach cancer gene expression data sets to define the gene expression changes in gastric tumors. By meta-analysis we identified genes consistently changed in gastric carcinomas, while gene set analysis revealed consistently changed biological themes. Genes and gene sets involved in digestion, fatty acid metabolism, and ion transport were consistently down-regulated in gastric carcinomas, while those involved in cellular proliferation, cell cycle, and DNA replication were consistently up-regulated. We also found significant differences between the genes and gene sets expressed in diffuse and intestinal type gastric carcinoma. By gene set analysis of cytogenetic bands, we identified many chromosomal regions with possible gross chromosomal changes (amplifications or deletions). Similar analysis of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), revealed transcription factors that may have caused the observed gene expression changes in gastric carcinomas, and we confirmed the overexpression of one of these, E2F1, in many gastric carcinomas by tissue array and immunohistochemistry. We have incorporated the results of our meta- and gene set analyses into a web accessible database (http://human-genome.kribb.re.kr/stomach/).

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.228-236
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• 2017

Purpose: Enolase is a cytoplasmic enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate in the glycolytic pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the overexpression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) can serve as a prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Materials and Methods: To assess its prognostic value in GC, NSE expression was measured by immunohistochemistry in a clinically annotated tissue microarray comprising of 327 human GC specimens. Cytoplasmic NSE expression was scored from 0 to 4, reflecting the percentage of NSE-positive cells. Results: In terms of histology as per the World Health Organization criteria (P=0.34), there were no differences between the NSE overexpression (NSE-OE) and NSE underexpression (NSE-UE) groups. The NSE-OE group showed a significantly lower rate of advanced GC (P<0.01), lymph node metastasis (P=0.01), advanced stage group (P<0.01), cancer-related death (P<0.01), and cancer recurrence (P<0.01). Additionally, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the NSE-OE group had longer cumulative survival times than the NSE-UE group (log-rank test, P<0.01). However, there were no significant differences in the serum levels of NSE expression in patients with GC and healthy volunteers (P=0.28). Conclusions: Patients with NSE overexpressing GC tissues showed better prognostic results, implying that NSE could be a candidate biomarker of GC.