• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.26 no.9
• /
• pp.1385-1389
• /
• 2005

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogen related to the development of liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the efficient methods to suppress HBV replication have not been developed yet. Therefore, we have used RNA interference (RNAi) as a potential tool for the suppression of HBV replication. Here, we designed a 21 nt small intefering dsRNA (siRNA) against hepatitis B virus X (HBx) RNA with 3' overhanging ends derived from T7 promoter. It has been reported that HBV X protein plays an important role in HBV gene expression and viral replication. The suppression of HBx gene expression by the 21 nt siRNA was investigated by Northern blot analysis and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assay. The level of HBx mRNA was decreased by siRNA in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the 21 nt siRNA inhibited the HBV replication in hepatocellular carcinoma cell.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.121-127
• /
• 2007

Curcumin, a dietary pigment responsible for the yellow color of curry, has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and exhibits a variety of pharmacological effects such as anti- inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral activity. In order to examine the potency of the curcumin in inflammation we used carrageenan induced rat hind paw odema model. As curcumin is practically water insoluble, it is hypothesized that pharmacological activity of curcumin could be improved by enhancing its water solubility. Water soluble complexes of curcumin with cyclodextrins were prepared and screened for greater solubility. Pure curcumin 100 mg/kg body weight along with curcumin complexes equivalent to 100 mg/kg body weight of pure curcumin were tested for the anti-inflammatory activity in Wister rats male rats using carrageenan induced hind paw edema model and compared with that of the reference compound diclofenac sodium at a dose level of 10 mg/kg body weight. Results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. All the treatment groups showed statistically significant anti-inflammatory activity compared with that of vehicle control and positive control.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.261-268
• /
• 2012

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus are the most significant pathogens causing respiratory tract diseases. Composite vaccines are useful in reducing the number of vaccination and confer protection against multiple infectious agents. In this study, we generated fusion of RSV G protein core fragment (amino acid residues 131 to 230) and influenza HA1 globular head domain (amino acid residues 62 to 284) as a dual vaccine candidate. This fusion protein, Gcf-HA1, was bacterially expressed, purified by metal resin affinity chromatography, and refolded in PBS. BALB/c mice were intranasally immunized with Gcf-HA1 in combination with a mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin (CT). Both serum IgG and mucosal IgA responses specific to Gcf and HA1 were significantly increased in Gcf-HA1/CT-vaccinated mice. To determine the protective efficacy of Gcf-HA1/CT vaccine, immunized mice were challenged with RSV (A2 strain) or influenza virus (A/PR/8/34). Neither detectable viral replication nor pathology was observed in the lungs of the immune mice. These results demonstrate that immunity induced by intranasal Gcf-HA1/CT immunization confers complete protection against both RSV and homologous influenza virus infection, suggesting our Gcf-HA1 vaccine candidate could be further developed as a dual subunit vaccine against RSV and influenza virus.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.518-525
• /
• 2014

Gammaherpesvirus (${\gamma}HV$) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) has been implicated in diverse neurological diseases, and murine ${\gamma}HV$-68 (MHV-68) is known to persist in the brain after cerebral infection. The underlying molecular mechanisms of persistency of virus in the brain are poorly understood. Here, we characterized a unique pattern of MHV-68 persistent infection in neuroblastoma cells. On infection with MHV-68, both murine and human neuroblastoma cells expressed viral lytic proteins and produced virions. However, the infected cells survived productive infection and could be cultured for multiple passages without affecting their cellular growth. Latent infection as well as productive replication was established in these prolonged cultures, and lytic replication was further increased by treatment with lytic inducers. Our results provide a novel system to study persistent infection of ${\gamma}HVs$ in vitro following de novo infection and suggest application of MHV-68 as a potential gene transfer vector to the brain.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.155-160
• /
• 2003

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3(GLRaV-3) is one of the most severe pathogens for viral diseases found in Korea. This study was conducted to establish the virus-free stock production system for the virus disease control. The effects of thermotherapy, merestem culture and chemotheratpy to eliminate the GLRaV-3 in gratevines were tested. Thermotherapy at 37$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$ for 6∼8 weeks combined with 0.5∼1.0mm size of meristem culture method was the most effective for virus elimination. Thermotherapy alone was not effective. In chemotheratpy, DHT and Amantadine (20, 40mg/L) treatment in medium was more effective than Ribavirin to eliminate the GLRaV-3 in grapevine. However, Ribavirin spraying to potted was not available for virus elimination. Therefore, virus-free stock production system using the thermotherapy combined with shoot apical meristem culture was the most effective in grapevine.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.108-114
• /
• 2008

Japanese encephalitis is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia, where it accounts for up to 50,000 cases. Approximately 20% of affected patients die, and 30-50% of survivors have significant neurological sequelae. Inactivated mouse-brain derived Japanese encephalitis vaccines has been effectively implemented to control the disease effectively in Korea and several other Asian countries. However, the vaccine is expensive and difficult to produce, requires multiple doses, and has been associated with hypersensitivity reactions and rare adverse neurologicale events. The live-attenuated SA14-14-2 vaccine derived from primary hamster kidney (PHK) cells was developed in China and has been used there since 1988. Outside China, it has been licensed and used in Korea and several other Asian countries. This vaccine is effective and inexpensive. However, the lack of precedence for using a PHK cell substrate in a live-attenuated vaccine is a special issue of concern. The WHO working group has recommended additional safety studies in selected high-risk groups, as well as ongoing post-marketing studies to ensure long-term safety. Recently, a new inactivated vaccine and live-attenuated chimeric vaccine have been developed from vero cells. With this background, this article summarized the current status of Japanese encephalitis vaccination worldwide and in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.43-47
• /
• 2000

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is the causal agent of one of the most important diseases of citrus. Recently, CTV has been detected in Cheju Island by ELISA. The coat protein (CP) gene of CTV isolated form Cheju Island was cloned by RT-PCR and the nucleotide was analyzed in this study. Citrus leaves were collected from trees showing decline symptoms from various region of Cheju Island in the summer of 1998 and 1999. The CP gene open reading frame is composed of 670 nucleotides and encodes a polypeptide of 223 amono acids. Sequence analysis the CP gene revealed that two CTV strains present in Cheju Island. Viruses collected form Sogwipo area and Cheju City area in 1999 ahowed 91-93% nucleotide sequence homology with CTV T36 strain. Viruses collected form Cheju City area in 1999 and Sogwipo City in 1998 showed 94-98% nucleotide sequence homology with CTV SY568 strain. A efficient viral RNA extraction methods was developed by modifying procedure for animal virus RNA purification methods and PCR product was detected form one tenth of RNA purified from as small as 45 mg fresh or frozen tissue.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.364-377
• /
• 2020

Sugarcane is an important sugar crop contributes more than 80% of world sugar production. Mosaic, leaf fleck, and yellow leaf (YL) are the major viral diseases affecting sugarcane, amongst YL occurrence is widely reported in all the sugarcane growing countries. It is caused by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and detailed works were done on complete genome characterization, transmission, and management. However, in countries like Egypt, South Africa, Cuba, Mauritius and Hawaii, the disease was reported to the cause of sugarcane yellow leaf phytoplasma (SCYP) and/or SCYLV as single/combined infections. Hence, we have investigated in detail to identify the exact Candidatus phytoplasma taxon associated in Indian cultivars affected with YL. The sequencing results and the restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of the PCR products using the universal phytoplasma primers confirmed presence of sugarcane grassy shoot (SCGS) phytoplasma (16SrXI group) in the YL-affected plants. Mixed infection of SCYLV and SCGS phytoplasma was estimated as 32.8% in YL affected plants. Evolutionary genetic relationship between SCYP and SCGS phytoplasma representatively taken from different countries showed that SCYP from South Africa and Cuba were diverged from others and had a highest similarity with SCGS phytoplasma. Although we wanted to identify SCYP from YL affected Indian sugarcane cultivars, the study clearly indicated a clear absence of SCYP in YL affected plants and we found SCYLV as the primary cause for the disease.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.237-242
• /
• 2002

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of acute renal failure in children and is comprised of the combination of hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. Atypical HUS, rare in childhood, has worse prognosis than that of typical HUS and is associated with chemotherapy drug, other bacterial (especially Streptococcus pneumoniae) or viral infections, and so on. We report a case of HUS caused by pneumococcal infection in 4-year-old boy. While he was admitted with pneumonia and pleural effusion, pneumococcal infection could be revealed. Although HUS progressed rapidly, he immediately received 3-time hemodialysis and recovered completely after two weeks.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 1983

By radioimmunoassay, serologic markers of Hepatitis B Virus were studied in 44 patients with acute viral hepatitis, 10 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, 10 patients with chronic active hepatitis, 44 patients with liver cirrhosis and 25 patients with primary hepato cellular carcinoma. The results were follows: 1) HBsAg was present in 77.2% of AVH, 40% of CPH, 80% of CAH, 55.1% of LC and 68 % of PHC. In this HBsAg positive groups, all but one in liver cirrhosis had Anti-HBc. 2) Anti-HBs was most commonly detected in CPR and accompanied by Anti-HBc except one case in AVH. 3) Anti-HBc was the only marker detected in 11.4% of AVH, 20% of CPH, 20% of CAH, 16.3% of LC and 8% of PHC. 4) HBeAg was most commonly found in HBsAg-positive CPH but Anti-HBe was most frequently detected in PHC. 5) The absence of HBV markers was noted in 2.3% of AVH, 10% of CPH, 8% of PHC except CAH and LC.