• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.158-159
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• 2003

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.233-241
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• 2002

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) of rodent origin are produced with ease by hybridoma fusion technique, and have been successfully used as therapeutic reagents for humans after humanization by genetic engineering. However, utilization of these antibodies for therapeutic purpose has been limited by the fact that they act as immunogens in human body causing undesired side effects. So far, there have been several attempts to produce human mAbs for effective in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic reagents including the use of humanized xenomouse that is generated by mating knockout mice which lost Ig heavy and light chain genes by homologous recombination and transgenic mice having both human Ig heavy and light gene loci in their genome. Methods: Genomic DNA fragments of mouse Ig heavy and light chain were obtained from a mouse brain ${\lambda}$ genomic library by PCR screening and cloned into a targeting vector with ultimate goal of generating Ig knockout mouse. Results: Through PCR screening of the genomic library, three heavy chain and three light chain Ig gene fragments were identified, and restriction map of one of the heavy chain gene fragments was determined. Then heavy chain Ig gene fragments were subcloned into a targeting vector. The resulting construct was introduced into embryonic stem cells. Antibiotic selection of transfected cells is under the progress. Conclusion: Generation of xenomouse is particularly important in medical biotechnology. However, this goal is not easily achieved due to the technical difficulties as well as huge financial expenses. Although we are in the early stage of a long-term project, our results, at least, partially contribute the successful generation of humanized xenomouse in Korea.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.82-82
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• 2002

The Wnt signaling pathway plays pivotal roles in embryonic development and oncogenesis through various signaling molecules inculding Frizzled receptor, recently characterized LRP5/6 and Dickkopf protein. Although Wnt signaling has been characterized in both developmental and oncogenic processes, little is known about its function in the normal adult. The ability of LRP5 to bind apolipoprotein E(apoE) and the abundant expression of LRP5 transcripts in hepatocytes, raise the possibility that LRP5 plays a role in the hepatic clearance of ApoE-containing chylomicron remonants, a major plasma lipoprotein carrying diet-derived cholesterol. (omitted)

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2009

Dentin, a major component of teeth, is formed by odontoblasts which produce the dentin matrix beneath the dental epithelium and induce the mineralization of dentin. To date, the biochemical properties of dentin matrix proteins have been well characterized, but upstream regulators of these proteins are not yet well known. Recently in this regard, several transcription factors have been identified as potential regulators of matrix proteins. Most transcription factors are generally involved in diverse biological processes and it is essential to identify those that are odontoblast-specific transactivators to further understand the process of dentin formation. We thus analyzed the expression pattern of dentin matrix proteins and the activities of established transactivators containing a Cre-locus. Expression analyses using in situ hybridization showed that dentin matrix proteins are sequentially expressed in differentiating odontoblasts, including type-I collagen, Dmp-1 and Dspp. The activities of the transactivators were evaluated using ${\beta}$-galactosidase following the generation of double transgenic mice with each transactivator and the ROSA26R reporter line. The ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity of each transactivator paralled the expression of the matrix proteins. These results thus showed that these transactivators could be utilized for odontoblastspecific conditional gene targeting. In addition, time- and tissue-specific conditional gene targeting might also be achieved using a combination of these transactivators. Odontoblast-specific conditional gene targeting with these transactivators will likely also provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying dentin formation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.554-559
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• 2017

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22nt-long single-stranded RNA molecules that form a RNA-induced silencing complex with Argonaute (AGO) protein to post-transcriptionally downregulate their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). To understand the regulatory mechanisms of miRNA, discovering the underlying functional rules for how miRNAs recognize and repress their target mRNAs is of utmost importance. To determine functional miRNA targeting rules, previous studies extensively utilized various methods including high-throughput biochemical assays and bioinformatics analyses. However, targeting rules reported in one study often fail to be reproduced in other studies and therefore the general rules for functional miRNA targeting remain elusive. In this review, we evaluate previously-reported miRNA targeting rules and discuss the biological impact of the functional miRNAs on gene-regulatory networks as well as the future direction of miRNA targeting research.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2007

New treatment approaches are needed to improve the effectiveness of oral cancer treatment, since surgical resection of the tumor in oral region causes various oral dysfunctions. The molecular biology of oral cancer has been progressively delineated. Concurrently, gene therapy techniques have been developed that allow targeting or replacement of dysfunctional genes in cancer cells, offering the potential to treat a wide range of cancer. Oral carcinoma is attractive target for gene therapy because of its accessibility. In this article, we review the current status of gene therapy as applied to oral carcinoma.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.656-661
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• 2007

In this report, we describe an optimized method for generation of ephA8 BAC transgenic mice expressing the lacZ reporter gene under ephA8 regulatory sequences. First, we constructed a targeting vector that carries a 1.2 kb ephA8 DNA upstream of its first exon, a lacZ expression cassette, a kanamycin cassette, and a 0.7 kb ephA8 DNA downstream of its first exon. Second, the targeting vector was electroporated into cells containing the ephA8 BAC and pKOBEGA, in which recombinases induce a homologous recombination between the ephA8 BAC DNA and the targeting vector. Third, the FLP plasmid expressing the Flipase was electroporated into these bacteria to eliminate a kanamycin cassette from the recombinant BAC DNA. The appropriate structures of the modified ephA8 BAC DNA were confirmed by Southern analysis. Finally, BAC transgenic mouse embryos were generated by pronuclear injection of the recombinant BAC DNA. Whole mount X-gal staining revealed that the lacZ reporter expression is restricted to the anterior region of the developing midbrain in each transgenic embryo. These results indicate that the ephA8 BAC DNA contains most, if not all, regulatory sequences to direct temporal and spatial expression of the lacZ gene in vivo.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2003

We describe the generation of transgenic silkworm that carrying the chimeric fibroin light chain (L-chain) gene. Previously, we have cloned the complete fibroin L-chain gene from the silkworm Baekok-Jam, Bombyx mori, and the complete fibroin gene from the oak silkworm, Antheraea yamamai. The 444 bp repetitive sequence of A. yamamai fibroin gene was inserted into the exon 6 of B. mori fibroin L-chain gene to produce chimeric fibroin L-chain gene. The chimeric fibroin L-chain gene was cloned into the polyhedrin gene site of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) to yield a recombinant baculovirus as a fibroin gene targeting vector, One-day-old fifth instar female silkworm larvae were injected with the recombinant baculovirus and then mated with normal male moths. Genomic DNA from their progenies was extracted and screened for the desired targeting event by using PCR and Southern blot analysis. The analysis showed that the chimeric fibroin gene had intergrated into the L-chain gene on the genome by homologous recombination and was transmitted through generations. The transgenic silkworm carrying the chimeric fibroin gene were approximately 43.2% in $F_2$ generation, and the silkworms synthesized the fusion protein in cocoons layer.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.292.2-293
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• 2003

In the gene therapy. viral gene delivery systems are limited in use because of several drawbacks like host immune reactions. Hence, non-viral gene delivery systems such as cationic polymers or synthetic gene carriers are being widely investigated to overcome the problems in the use of viral vectors. We synthesized a new conjugate of polyethyleniminet carrying galactose moieties as a targeting ligand for asialoglycoprotein (ASGP) receptors of hepatocytes. (omitted)

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.99-105
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• 2014

In this study, to further understand the mechanism of animal growth and to develop a miniature transgenic animal model, we constructed and tested tetracycline-inducible RNAi system using shRNA targeting the mRNA of mouse insulin-like growth factor (mIGF-1) or mouse growth hormone receptor (mGHR) gene. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of mouse liver cell (Hepa1c1c7) cells transfected with these vectors showed 85% or 90% of expression inhibition effect of IGF-1 or GHR, respectively. In ELISA analysis, the protein level of IGF-1 in the cells expressing the shRNA targeting IGF-1 mRNA was reduced to 26% of non-transformed control cells. Unexpectedly, in case of using shRNA targeting GHR, the IGF-1 protein level was decreased to 75% of control cells. Further experiments are needed to explain the lower interference effect of GHR shRNA in IGF-1 protein. Accumulated knowledge of this approach could be applicable to a variety of related biological area including gene function study, gene therapy, development of miniature animals, etc.