• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.316-321
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• 2001

Dehydroascorbate (DHA) reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) catalyzes the reduction of DHA to reduced ascorbate (AsA) using glutathione (GSH) as the electron donor in order to maintain an appropriate level of ascorbate in plant cells. To analyze the physiological role of DHAR in environmental stress adaptation, we developed transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) plants that express a human DHAR gene isolated from the human fetal liver cDNA library in the chloroplasts. We also investigated the DHAR activity, levels of ascorbate, and GSH. Two transgenic plants were successfully developed by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and were confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analysis. DHAR activity and AsA content in mature leaves of transgenic plants were approximately 1.41 and 1.95 times higher than in the non-transgenic (NT) plants, respectively In addition, the content of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in transgenic plants was approximately 2.95 times higher than in the NT plants. The ratios of AsA to DHA and GSSG to GSH were changed by overexpression of DHAR, as expected, even though the total content of ascorbate and glutathione was not significantly changed. When tobacco leaf discs were subjected to methyl viologen at $5\;{\mu}M$, $T_0$ transgenic plants showed about a 50% reduction in membrane damage compared to the NT plants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1641-1646
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to generate transgenic mice expressing human resistin gene by using the tetraploidembryonic stem (ES) cell complementation method. Human resistin gene was amplified from human fetal liver cDNA library by PCR, cloned into $pCR^{(R)}$ 2.1 $TOPO^{(R)}$ vector and constructed in pCMV-Tag4C vector. Mammalian expression plasmid containing human resistin was transfected into D3-GL ES cells by Lipofectamine 2,000, and then after 10-12 days of transfection, the human resistin-expressing cells were selected with G418. In order to produce tetraploid embryos, blastomeres of diploid embryos at the two-cell stage were fused with two times of electric pulse using 60 V 30 $\mu$sec (fusion rate: 2,114/2,256, 93.5%) and cultured up to the blastocyst stage (development rate: 1,862/2,114, 94.6%). The selected 15-20 ES cells were injected into tetraploid blastocysts, and then transferred into the uteri of E 2.5 d pseudopregnant recipient mice. To investigate the gestation progress, two E 19.5 mused fetuses were recovered by Cesarean section of which one fetus was confirmed to contain human resistin gene by genomic DNA-PCR. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that tetraploid-ES mouse technology can be considered as a useful tool to produce transgenic mice for the rapid analysis of gene function in vivo.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.12
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• pp.789-794
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• 2010

A novel gene, designated mgt-6, containing four splicing variants, was isolated from a gene trap clone library of C3H/10T1/2 cells transfected with retroviral promoterless gene-trap vector, ROSAFARY. The transcript variants were differentially expressed in murine tissues and cell lines and differentially responded to diverse stimuli including TGF-${\beta}1$ and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors. The mgt-6 gene encoded a protein of 37 or 11 amino acid residuals with cytoplasmic distribution. However, when C3H/10T1/2 cells were treated with 5-azacytidine, the protein translocated into cell nucleus as indicated by fused LacZ or C-terminally tagged EGFP. Our preliminary results suggest that further study on the role of mgt-6 gene in cell transformation and differentiation may be of significance.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.511-515
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• 2009

Downstream of Bid (DOBI) known as Pus10, has been identified as a modulator of TRAIL-induced cell death using RNAi library screening. The crystal structure of DOBI has revealed that it is a crescent-shaped protein containing the pseudouridine synthase catalytic domain and a THUMP-containing domain. Here, we demonstrated that DOBI is expressed in various tissues such as heart and lung, and is also expressed in various tumor cells such as HeLa and A549. Although ectopic expression of DOBI does not promote TRAIL death signaling in HeLa cells, knock-down of DOBI expression using shRNA inhibited TRAIL death signaling. DOBI is cleaved into a 54 kD cleaved DOBI during cell death, and the recombinant DOBI protein can be directly cleaved by caspases-3, or -8 in vitro. Together, these data suggest that the cleaved DOBI may acquire a new function, possibly by cooperating with tBid in the mitochondrial event of cell death caused by TRAIL.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.335-340
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• 2020

Since cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, there is an urgent need to understand the mechanisms underlying cancer progression and the development of cancer inhibitors. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a major transcription factor that regulates the proliferation and survival of various cancer cells. Here, dual-specificity phosphatase 3 (DUSP3) was identified as a regulator of STAT3 based on an interaction screening performed using the protein tyrosine phosphatase library. DUSP3 interacted with the C-terminal domain of STAT3 and dephosphorylated p-Y705 of STAT3. In vitro dephosphorylation assay revealed that DUSP3 directly dephosphorylated p-STAT3. The suppressive effects of DUSP3 on STAT3 were evaluated by a decreased STAT3-specific promoter activity, which in turn reduced the expression of the downstream target genes of STAT3. In summary, DUSP3 downregulated the transcriptional activity of STAT3 via dephosphorylation at Y705 and also suppressed the migratory activity of cancer cells. This study demonstrated that DUSP3 inhibits interleukin 6 (IL-6)/STAT3 signaling and is expected to regulate cancer development. Novel functions of DUSP3 discovered in IL-6/STAT3 signaling regulation would help expand the understanding of cancer development mechanisms.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2006

We have previously reported the minimum criteria that can be applied to evaluate efficacy and safety of a DNA vaccine with use of Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA vaccine (SPDNA). The SPDNA was formulated by inserting the DNA sequences that are codons specific for the carbohydrate epitope in the capsule of S. penumoniae by phage display peptide library. Administration of the SPDNA into mice induced both humoral and cell-mediated immunities. The induction was protective even in the absence of CD4+ T lymphocyte in mice. Profiles of cytokine and isotyping of antibody displayed tendency of the Th1. In continuation of these studies, we examined if the efficacy of the SPNDA was provoked by the peptide recognized by codons specific for the capsule. Results showed that the peptide vaccine formulae (SPP) induced protective antibody in mice as did the SPDNA. Involvement of the cell-mediated immunity was also determined. Possible side effects of autoimmune diseases such as myositis and C3a production and tumor-formation were undetectable in mice given 7 times of SPDNA vaccination during entire of 92 days. Even after the frequent immunization, immunogenicity of the SPDNA was observed as determined for antibody production, suggesting that there was no immunotolerance provoked. All together, these examining factors would be applied to measurement of a DNA vaccine safety regarding the immunopathological aspect.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.151-160
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• 2001

Randomly selected 435 clones from Acanthamoeba healyi cDNA library were sequenced and a total of 387 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) had been generated. Based on the results of BLAST search, 130 clones (34.4%) were identified as the genes enconding surface Proteins , enzymes for DNA, energy Production or other metabolism, kinases and phosphatases, protease, proteins for signal transduction, structural and cytoskeletal proteins, cell cycle related proteins, transcription factors, transcription and translational machineries, and transporter proteins. Most of the genes (88.5%) are newly identified in the genus Acanthamoeba. Although 15 clones matched the genes of Acanthamoeba located in the public databases, twelve clones were actin gene which was the most frequently expressed gene in this study. These ESTs of Acanthamoeba would give valuable information to study the organism as a model system for biological investigations such as cytoskeleton or cell movement, signal transduction, transcriptional and translational regulations. These results would also provide clues to elucidate factors for pathogenesis in human granulomatous amoebic encephalitis or keratitis by Acanthamoeba.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.821-827
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• 2010

Gene delivery that provides targeted delivery of therapeutic genes to the cells of a lesion enhances therapeutic efficacy and reduces toxic side effects. This process is especially important in cancer therapy when it is advantageous to avoid unwanted damage to healthy normal cells. Incorporating cancer-specific ligands that recognize receptors overexpressed on cancer cells can increase selective binding and uptake and, as a result, increase targeted transgene expression. In this study, we investigated whether a peptide capable of homing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could facilitate targeted gene delivery by cationic liposomes. This homing peptide (HBP) exhibited selective binding to a human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, at a concentration ranging from 5 to 5,000 nM. When conjugated to a cationic liposome, HBP substantially increased cellular internalization of plasmid DNA to increase the transgene expression in HepG2 cells. In addition, there was no significant enhancement in gene transfer detected for other human cell lines tested, including THLE-3, AD293, and MCF-7 cells. Therefore, we demonstrate that HBP provides targeted gene delivery to HCC by cationic liposomes.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the membrane potential to apply Doksam-tang to a human heart failure model. Methods : The human heart model was built by Luo et al. CellML model, Priebe et al. CellML model, and a human heart mesh file. Doksam-tang gives channel the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC ₅₀ ), half maximal effective concentration(EC ₅₀ ) values and compounds concentrations. These data load into the laptop with Ubuntu OS, and build the library with the data. Results : While results of the study with the heart failure model shows abnormal membrane potential from the normal heart model, the study with applying Doksam-tang to heart failure model shows restoring membrane potential that is similar to normal heart model. Conclusions : These results of the testings suggest that a conception of novel technique to investigate the effects of Korean herbal medicine.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.21-27
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• 2012

Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations solver based on a pressure-based cell-centered finite volume method was developed using OpenFOAM libraries, which was an open source and providing computational continuum mechanics libraries. For the reasonable development of the turbulent boundary layer on the bow of the ship, specified library was developed. Grid sensitivities, such as skewness and aspect ratio of a cell, were tested for the solution convergence. Pressure, turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent dissipation rate contours on the ship surface computed by the developed CFD code were compared with those computed by the commercial CFD code, Fluent.