• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2006.07c
• /
• pp.1629-1630
• /
• 2006

This paper describes a micro total analysis system ($\mu$ TAS) for detecting and digesting the target protein which includes a bead based temperature controllable microchip and computer based controllers for temperature and valve actuation. We firstly combined the temperature control function with a bead based microchip and realized the on-chip sequential reactions using two kinds of beads. The PEG-grafted bead, on which RNA aptamer was immobilized, was used for capturing and releasing the target protein. The target protein can be chosen by the type of RNA aptamer. In this paper, we used the RNA aptamer of HCV replicase. The trypsin coated bead was used for digesting the released protein prior to the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometer (MALDI TOF MS). Heat is applied for release of the captured protein binding on the bead, thermal denaturation and trypsin digestion. PDMS microchannel and PDMS micro pneumatic valves were also combined for the small volume liquid handling. The entire procedures for the detection and the digestion of the target protein were successfully carried out on a microchip without any other chemical treatment or off-chip handling using $20\;{\mu}l$ protein mixture within 20 min. We could acquire six matched peaks (7% sequence coverage) of HCV replicase.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.45 no.9
• /
• pp.622-630
• /
• 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high mortality rate among cancers worldwide. To reduce this mortality rate, chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan) or targeted therapy (bevacizumab, cetuximab, and panitumumab) has been used to treat CRC. However, due to various side effects and poor responses to CRC treatment, novel therapeutic targets for drug development are needed. In this study, we identified the overexpression of EHMT1 in CRC using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data derived from TCGA, and we observed that knocking down EHMT1 expression suppressed cell growth by inducing cell apoptosis in CRC cell lines. In Gene Ontology (GO) term analysis using RNA-seq data, apoptosis-related terms were enriched after EHMT1 knockdown. Moreover, we identified the CHOP gene as a direct target of EHMT1 using a ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assay with an anti-histone 3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) antibody. Finally, after cotransfection with siEHMT1 and siCHOP, we again confirmed that CHOP-mediated cell apoptosis was induced by EHMT1 knockdown. Our findings reveal that EHMT1 plays a key role in regulating CRC cell apoptosis, suggesting that EHMT1 may be a therapeutic target for the development of cancer inhibitors.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.131-138
• /
• 2011

Some computational approaches are needed for clarifying RNAi sequences, because it takes much time and endeavor that almost of RNAi sequences are verified by experimental data. Incorrectness of RNAi mechanism and other unaware factors in organism system are frequently faced with questions regarding potential use of RNAi as therapeutic applications. Our massive parallelized pair alignment scoring between dsRNA in Genebank and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in Caenorhabditis elegans Genome Sequencing Projects revealed that this provides a useful tool for the prediction of RNAi induced cosuppression details for practical use. This pair alignment scoring method using high performance computing exhibited some possibility that numerous unwanted gene silencing and cosuppression exist even at high matching scores each other. The classifying the relative higher matching score of them based on GO (Gene Ontology) system could present mapping dsRNA of C. elegans and functional roles in an applied system. Our prediction also exhibited that more than 78% of the predicted co-suppressible genes are located in the ribosomal spot of C. elegans.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.175-182
• /
• 2019

microRNAs regulate a diverse spectrum of cancer biology, including tumorigenesis, metastasis, stemness, and drug resistance. To investigate miRNA-mediated regulation of drug resistance, we characterized the resistant cell lines to 5-fluorouracil by inducing stable expression of miRNAs using lenti-miRNA library. Here, we demonstrate miR-551a as a novel factor regulating cell survival after 5-FU treatment. miR-551a-expressing cells (Hep3B-lenti-miR-551a) were resistant to 5-FU-induced cell death, and after 5-FU treatment, and showed significant increases in cell viability, cell survival, and sphere formation. It was further shown that myocyte-specific factor 2C is the direct target of miR-551a. Our results suggest that miR-551a plays a novel function in regulating 5-FU-induced cell death, and targeting miR-551a might be helpful to sensitize cells to anti-cancer drugs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.309-315
• /
• 2013

MicroRNAs are a class of endogenous small RNAs that play important roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation by directing degradation of mRNAs or facilitating repression of target gene translation. In this study, three small RNA cDNA libraries from the mammary gland tissues of Laoshan dairy goats (Capra hircus) were constructed and sequenced, individually. Through Solexa high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, we obtained 50 presumptive novel miRNAs candidates, and 55,448 putative target genes were predicted. GO annotations and KEGG pathway analyses showed the majority of target genes were involved in various biological processes and metabolic pathways. Our results discovered more information about the regulation network between miRNAs and mRNAs and paved a foundation for the molecular genetics of mammary gland development in goats.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.226-237
• /
• 2024

Ticks, blood-sucking ectoparasites, spread diseases to humans and animals. Haemaphysalis longicornis is a significant vector for tick-borne diseases in medical and veterinary contexts. Identifying protective antigens in H. longicornis for an anti-tick vaccine is a key tick control strategy. Enolase, a multifunctional protein, significantly converts D-2-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in cell cytoplasm. This study cloned a complete open reading frame (ORF) of enolase from the H. longicornis tick and characterized its transcriptional and silencing effect. We amplified the full-length cDNA of the enolase gene using rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The complete cDNA, with an ORF of 1,297 nucleotides, encoded a 432-amino acid polypeptide. Enolase of the Jeju strain H. longicornis exhibited the highest sequence similarity with H. flava (98%), followed by Dermacentor silvarum (82%). The enolase motifs identified included N-terminal and C-terminal regions, magnesium binding sites, and several phosphorylation sites. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis indicated that enolase mRNA transcripts were expressed across all developmental stages of ticks and organs such as salivary gland and midgut. RT-PCR showed higher transcript levels in syn-ganglia, suggesting that synganglion nerves influence enolase's role in tick salivary glands. We injected enolase double-stranded RNA into adult unfed female ticks, after which they were subsequently fed with normal unfed males until they spontaneously dropped off. RNA interference significantly (P<0.05) reduced feeding and reproduction, along with abnormalities in eggs (no embryos) and hatching. These findings suggest enolase is a promising target for future tick control strategies.

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

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.14
• /
• pp.5667-5672
• /
• 2014

Folate receptor alpha ($FR{\alpha}$) mediates folate uptake by endocytosis, and while folate is essential to DNA methylation and synthesis and may have an important role in proliferating cells. $FR{\alpha}$ is known to be expressed in rapidly proliferating cells, including many cancer cell lines, but there has been no systematic assessment of expression in cervical cancer cell lines. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of $FR{\alpha}$ on proliferation and apoptosis of cervical cells and correlation mechanism. In this study, we investigated the biological function of $FR{\alpha}$ in Hela cells using RNA interference. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay, while cell cycling and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry, mRNA levels by real time-PCR and protein levels of $FR{\alpha}$, c-Fos and c-Jun by Western blotting. The results revealed that $FR{\alpha}$ was highly expressed in Hela cells and its silencing with a small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle in G0/G1 stages while decreasing the proportion in S and G2/M stages, and suppressed the expression levels of c-Fos and c-Jun. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that $FR{\alpha}$ down-regulation might be capable of suppressing cervical cancer cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. It suggested that $FR{\alpha}$ might be a novel therapeutic target for cervical cancer.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.241-248
• /
• 2017

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) eliminates or decreases gene expression by disrupting the target mRNA or by interfering with translation. Recently, RNAi technique was applied to generate new crop traits which provide protection against pests. To establish the environmental risk assessment protocol of RNAi LMO in lab scale, we developed dsRNA expression system using E. coli and tested acute oral toxicity assay to honey. METHOD AND RESULTS: The dsRNA expression vector, L4440, was chosen and cloned 240 bp of Snf7 and GFP gene fragment. To develop the maximum dsRNA induction condition in E. coli, we tested induction time, temperature and IPTG concentration in media. To estimate the risk assessment of dsRNA to honey bee, it has been selected and cultured with dsRNA supplement for 48 hours according to OECD guideline. As a result, the optimum condition of dsRNA induction was $37^{\circ}C$, 4 hours and 0.4 mM IPTG concentration and the difference between Snf7 and GFP dsRNA molecules from E. coli was not significant in survival and behavior to honey bee. Furthermore, blast search results indicated that effective match of predicted dsRNA fragments were not existed in honey bee genome. CONCLUSION: In this study, we developed and tested the acute oral toxicity of dsRNA using E. coli expression system to honey bee.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.444-453
• /
• 2022

Background: Compound K (CK) is among the protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenoside group, which produces multiple pharmacological effects. Herein, we examined the effects of CK on muscle atrophy under hyperlipidemic conditions along with its pro-myogenic effects. Further, the molecular pathways underlying the effects of CK on skeletal muscle have been justified. Methods: C2C12 myotubes were treated with palmitate and CK. C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated using CK for 4-5 days. For the in vivo experiments, CK was administered to mice fed on a high-fat diet for 8 weeks. The protein expression levels were analyzed using western blotting analysis. Target protein suppression was performed using small interfering (si) RNA transfection. Histological examination was performed using Jenner-Giemsa and H&E staining techniques. Results: CK treatment attenuated ER stress markers, such as eIF2a phosphorylation and CHOP expression and impaired myotube formation in palmitate-treated C2C12 myotubes and skeletal muscle of mice fed on HFD. CK treatment augmented AMPK along with autophagy markers in skeletal muscle cells in vitro and in vivo experiments. AMPK siRNA or 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor, abrogated the impacts of CK in C2C12 myotubes. CK treatment augmented p38 and Akt phosphorylation, leading to an enhancement of C2C12 myogenesis. However, AMPK siRNA abolished the effects of CK in C2C12 myoblasts. Conclusion: These findings denote that CK prevents lipid-induced skeletal muscle apoptosis via AMPK/autophagy-mediated attenuation of ER stress and induction of myoblast differentiation. Therefore, we may suggest the use of CK as a potential therapeutic approach for treating muscle-wasting conditions associated with obesity.