• BMB Reports
• /
• 제41권5호
• /
• pp.408-413
• /
• 2008

Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate phosphatase (PLPP) catalyzes the dephosphorylation of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP). A human brain PLPP gene was fused with a PEP-1 peptide and produced a genetic in-frame PEP-1-PLPP fusion protein. The purified PEP-1-PLPP fusion protein was efficiently transduced into PC12 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner when added exogenously to culture media. Once inside the cells, the transduced PEP-1-PLPP fusion protein was stable for 36 h. The concentration of PLP was markedly decreased by the addition of exogenous PEP-1-PLPP to media pretreated with the vitamin $B_6$ precursors; pyridoxine, pyridoxal kinase and pyridoxine-5'-phosphate oxidase into cells. The results suggest that the transduction of the PEP-1-PLPP fusion protein can be one mode of PLP level regulation, and to replenish this enzyme in the various neurological disorders related to vitamin $B_6$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제31권8호
• /
• pp.1366-1372
• /
• 2018

Objective: A disintegrin and metallopeptidase with thrombospondin motifs type 8 (ADAMTS8) is crucial for diverse physiological processes, such as inflammation, tissue morphogenesis, and tumorigenesis. The chicken ADAMTS8 (chADAMTS8) gene was differentially expressed in the kidney following exposure to different calcium concentrations, suggesting a pathological role of this protein in metabolic diseases. We aimed to examine the molecular characteristics of chADAMTS8 and analyze the gene-expression differences in response to toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) stimulation. Methods: The ADAMTS8 mRNA and amino acid sequences of various species (chicken, duck, cow, mouse, rat, human, chimpanzee, pig, and horse) were retrieved from the Ensembl database and subjected to bioinformatics analyses. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) experiments were performed with various chicken tissues and the chicken fibroblast DF-1 cell line, which was stimulated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]; a TLR3 ligand). Results: The chADAMTS8 gene was predicted to contain three thrombospondin type 1 (TSP1) domains, whose amino acid sequences shared homology among the different species, whereas sequences outside the TSP1 domains (especially the amino-terminal region) were very dif­ferent. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that chADAMTS8 is evolutionarily clustered in the same clade with that of the duck. chADAMTS8 mRNA was broadly expressed in chicken tissues, and the expression was significantly up-regulated in the DF-1 cells in response to poly(I:C) stimulation (p<0.05). These results showed that chADAMTS8 may be a target gene for TLR3 signaling. Conclusion: In this report, the genetic information of chADAMTS8 gene, its expression in chicken tissues, and chicken DF-1 cells under the stimulation of TLR3 were shown. The result suggests that chADAMTS8 expression may be induced by viral infection and correlated with TLR3-mediated signaling pathway. Further study of the function of chADAMTS8 during TLR3-dependent inflammation (which represents RNA viral infection) is needed and it will also be important to examine the molecular mechanisms during different regulation, depending on innate immune receptor activation.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제43권2호
• /
• pp.82-89
• /
• 2016

Objective: The long interspersed elements (LINE-1, L1s) are a group of genetic elements found in large numbers in the human genome that can translate into phenotype by controlling genes. Growing evidence supports the role of epigenetic in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the DNA methylation levels in LINE-1 in a tissue-specific manner using cumulus cells from patients with PCOS compared with normal controls. Methods: The study included 19 patients with PCOS and 22 control patients who were undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. After oocyte retrieval, cumulus cells were extracted. LINE-1 DNA methylation levels were analysed by bisulfite treatment, polymerase chain reaction, and restriction enzyme digestion. The Connection Up- and Down-Regulation Expression Analysis of Microarrays software package was used to compare the gene regulatory functions of intragenic LINE-1. Results: The results showed higher LINE-1 DNA methylation levels in the cumulus cells of mature oocytes in PCOS patients, 79.14 (${\pm}2.66$) vs. 75.40 (${\pm}4.92$); p=0.004, but no difference in the methylation of cumulus cells in immature oocytes between PCOS and control patients, 70.33 (${\pm}4.79$) vs. 67.79 (${\pm}5.17$); p=0.155. However, LINE-1 DNA methylation levels were found to be higher in the cumulus cells of mature oocytes than in those of immature oocytes in both PCOS and control patients. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the epigenetic modification of LINE-1 DNA may play a role in regulating multiple gene expression that affects the pathophysiology and development of mature oocytes in PCOS.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국균학회 2014년도 추계학술대회 및 정기총회
• /
• pp.15-15
• /
• 2014

Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) is an important plant pathogen that causes head blight of major cereal crops such as wheat, barley, and rice, as well as causing ear and stalk rot on maize worldwide. Plant diseases caused by this fungus lead to severe yield losses and accumulation of harmful mycotoxins in infected cereals [1]. Fungi utilize spore production as a mean to rapidly avoid unfavorable environmental conditions and to amplify their population. Spores are produced sexually and asexually and their production is precisely controlled. Upstream developmental activators consist of fluffy genes have been known to orchestrate early induction of condiogenesis in a model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying conidiogenesis in F. graminearum, we characterized functions of the F. graminearum fluffy gene homologs [2]. We found that FlbD is conserved regulatory function for conidiogenesis in both A. nidulans and F. graminearum among five fluffy gene homologs. flbD deletion abolished conidia and perithecia production, suggesting that FlbD have global roles in hyphal differentiation processes in F. graminearum. We further identified and functionally characterized the ortholog of AbaA, which is involved in differentiation from vegetative hyphae to conidia and known to be absent in F. graminearum [3]. Deletion of abaA did not affect vegetative growth, sexual development, or virulence, but conidium production was completely abolished and thin hyphae grew from abnormally shaped phialides in abaA deletion mutants. Overexpression of abaA resulted in pleiotropic defects such as impaired sexual and asexual development, retarded conidium germination, and reduced trichothecene production. AbaA localized to the nuclei of phialides and terminal cells of mature conidia. Successful interspecies complementation using A. nidulans AbaA and the conserved AbaA-WetA pathway demonstrated that the molecular mechanisms responsible for AbaA activity are conserved in F. graminearum as they are in A. nidulans. F. graminearum ortholog of Aspergillus nidulans wetA has been shown to be involved in conidiogenesis and conidium maturation [4]. Deletion of F. graminearum wetA did not alter mycelial growth, sexual development, or virulence, but the wetA deletion mutants produced longer conidia with fewer septa, and the conidia were sensitive to acute stresses, such as oxidative stress and heat stress. Furthermore, the survival rate of aged conidia from the F. graminearum wetA deletion mutants was reduced. The wetA deletion resulted in vigorous generation of single-celled conidia through autophagy-dependent microcycle conidiation, indicating that WetA functions to maintain conidia dormancy by suppressing microcycle conidiation in F. graminearum. In A. nidulans, FlbB physically interacts with FlbD and FlbE, and the resulting FlbB/FlbE and FlbB/FlbD complexes induce the expression of flbD and brlA, respectively. BrlA is an activator of the AbaA-WetA pathway. AbaA and WetA are required for phialide formation and conidia maturation, respectively [5]. In F. graminearum, the AbaA-WetA pathway is similar to that of A. nidulans, except a brlA ortholog does not exist. Amongst the fluffy genes, only fgflbD has a conserved role for regulation of the AbaA-WetA pathway.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2007

쌍자엽 식물에 있어서 잎의 발달에 관한 과정은 매우 복잡하게 얽혀있지만, 이를 조절하는 메커니즘에 대해서는 아직 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 모델식물인 애기장대의 잎의 발달의 기초과정을 해명하기 위하여 잎의 형태이상 돌연변이체를 이용한 접근방법을 시도하였다. 본 연구에서 잎이 작고 가는 lanceolata1 돌연변이체를 선별하였고, 이원인유전자의 기능을 밝히기 위하여 유전학적 및 해부학적인 연구를 실시하였다. lan1-7 돌연변이체는 잎 뿐만아니라 줄기도 가늘어지는 표현형을 나타내었고, 이는 세포수준에서 세포크기와 세포수의 감소에 의한 조절되고 있음이 밝혀졌다. 이 결과는 LAN1 유전자가 잎의 발달과정에서 세포분열과 세포신장을 제어하고 있다는 사실을 시사하고 있다. lan1-7 돌연변이체와 35S-AG 형질전환체와의 F1 세대의 표현형 분석을 통하여, AG 유전자가 잎이 가늘고 위로 말리는 모양을 제어하고 있다는 사실이 판명되었다. 이 결과로 MADS-box유전자가 LAN1 유전자에 의해서 제어되고 잎의 발달과정에 관여하고 있다는 사실이 판명되었다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제19권8호
• /
• pp.1159-1163
• /
• 2009

ER stress에 관련된 유전자의 기능변화와 전사조절인자 분석하기 위해 ER stress를 유도한 간세포에서 expression microarray로 유전자 발현을 확보한 후 GSECA로 분석하였다. ER stress가 유도되면, ER에 주어지는 과도한 부하를 감소시키는 기능들이 증가하는 반면, ER stress가 더 증가함에 따라 ATP 생성이나 DNA repair, 더 나아가 세포분열의 기능이 감소하는 등 세포가 damage을 받음을 알 수 있었다. ER stress에 관련된 전사조절인자로는 FOX04, AP-1, FOX03, HNF4, IRF-1, GATA 등의 전사조절인자들이 ER stress에 의해 발현이 증가하는 유전자들의 promoter에 공통적으로 존재하였으며, E2F, Nrf-1, Elk-1, YY1, CREB, MTF-1, STAT-1, ATF 등의 전사인자들이 발현이 감소하는 유전자들의 promoter에서 공통적으로 존재하여, 이들의 전사인자들이 ER stress에 의한 유전자의 발현조절에 중요한 역할을 하는 전사조절인자임을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• 제31권3호
• /
• pp.219-227
• /
• 2005

Purpose: Abnormalities in the p53 gene are regarded as the most consistent genetic abnormalities detected in head and neck squamous cell carcinogenesis. Two new members of the p53 gene family, p73 and p63 have recently been identified. They share considerable sequence homology with p53 in the transactivation, DNA binding, and oligomerization domains, indicating possible involvement in carcinogenesis. Disruption of the homeostatic balance between proliferation and apoptosis is widely believed to contribute to human oral carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze expression of p63 in squamous cell carcinogenesis and to compare with immunochemical markers representing cell proliferation and apoptosis. Materials and Methods: Using the Syrian hamster oral cancer model, the fraction of apoptotic (apoptotic index-AI), proliferating (mitotic index-MI) and p63 expressing keratinocytes were examined at normal, dysplastic and malignant oral epithelium using the TUNEL assay, PCNA and p63 immunostaining. Results: p63 significantly increased between normal and dysplastic epithelium and between dysplastic and malignant epithelium. PCNA significantly increased between normal and dysplastic epithelium and between normal and malignant epithelium. However, increase between dysplastic and malignant epithelium, though still increasing, was not statistically significant. The percentage of TUNEL positive cells increased from normal to dysplastic epithelium and returned to normal keratinocyte level in the malignant epithelium. However, differences between tissue types were not significant. The ratio of MI:AI increased significantly only in the dysplastic-malignant epithelial transition. The increase of p63 expression closely reflected the change in the MI:AI ratio during oral carcinogenesis. Conclusion: The p63 may be associated with the regulation of epithelial proliferation and apoptosis in DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch squamous cell carcinogenesis. Further study is required to investigate which p63 isoforms are involved in hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.139-148
• /
• 1999

Oral cancer is a common neoplasm in humans and etiologic mechanism is not well known, so treatment and evaluation of oral cancer is difficult problem. Traditional TNM classification between prognosis of tumors and classification of histopathologic differentiation has problem like lack of objectivity through operators. In molecular biology, cancer is developed by alteration of activation of oncogene and/or inactivation of tumor suppressor gene. The p53 gene, one of the tumor suppresor genes, is believed to play an important role through mutation and overexpression in the progression of human cancers. The p53 mutation is most frequent genetic disorder in humans. The Cyclin D1 has tumor suppresion activity by regulation of cell cycle. The Cyclin D1 regulate activity of Rb tumor suppresor gene by stimulation of CDK4 The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and to get expectation of the malignancy and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Using the 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and the microscopic H&E and immunohistochemical stain. We divided it into 3 groups according to the stain extent, clinical stage and histologic differentiation. The results were as follows1.In the features of immunohistochemical stain of 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, positive reaction of p53 was identified in 8 cases (53.3%) and positive reaction of cyclin D1 was identified in 3 cases (20%). Both positive reaction of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was show in only one case. 2.8 of p53 positive cases were linked in 87.5% of the end stage tumor, 62.5% of neck node involvement, 87.5% of poorly and moderately histopathplogic differentiation. 3. All 3 of Cyclin D1 positive cases were linked in the end stage tumor, neck node involvement, poorly and moderately histopathologic differentiation. From above results, expression of p53 protein was identified in 53.3% of 15 cases and these results mean oral squamous cell carcinoma was drived by mutation of p53 protein. Especially, highly positive reaction of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was identified in cases that involvement of neck lymph node and the end stage tumors and it means that the evaluation of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was useful for evaluation of malignant tumor as specific tumor marker.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제34권2호
• /
• pp.75-85
• /
• 2007

목 적: 뮬러관 기형과 같이 자궁이 없는 환자들에 있어 시행되어지는 체외수정을 통한 대리모 출산에 대한 사회적 인식을 조사하기 위하여 이 연구를 계획하였다. 연구방법: 본원 산부인과를 방문한 불임 환자 및 본원에 근무하는 간호사, 사무직 여직원을 대상으로 설문지 조사를 통하여 이루어졌다. 배포된 설문지 중 회수된 211명, 즉 불임 환자 60명을 포함하여 기혼 여성이 152명, 미혼 여성이 58명을 대상으로 하였다. 대리모에 찬성한 군과 반대한 군으로 나누어 윈도우용 SPSS 10.0을 이용하여 Pearson x$^2$ test, Fisher's exact test 등으로 비교하였으며 통계적인 유의성의 판정은 p-value<0.05를 기준으로 하였다. 결 과: 전체 응답자 중 17명 (8.1%)만이 자궁이 없는 불임여성의 대리모 시술에 찬성하였으며, 125명 (59.2%)에서는 입양을 선택하였다. 대리모에 찬성하는 군은 반대한 군에 비하여 나이, 결혼 여부, 교육 정도, 수입 정도뿐만 아니라 불임 여부에 따라서도 유의한 차이가 없었다. 그러나 종교에 따라서는 기독교인에게서 찬성률이 유의하게 높았다 (p=0.023). 대리모의 대상으로는 혈연관계가 아닌 제 3자를 선택한 경우가 66.5%로 가장 많았고 친구가 0.6%로 나타났으며, 혈연관계로는 자매 24.5%, 시누이 3.9%이었으며 어머니를 선택한 경우도 4.5% 있었다. 결 론: 체외수정을 통한 대리로 출산은 뮬러관 기형과 같은 자궁이 없는 불임 부부에게는 분명한 치료 방법이 될 수 있지만, 본 연구에서 보듯이 한국 사회에서는 부정적인 시각이 더 많다고 하겠다. 앞으로 광범위 의식 조사가 이루어진 뒤, 이 시술에 대한 의사의 역할 및 여러 문제에 관한 법적, 윤리적 지침이 마련되어야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제16권7호
• /
• pp.1188-1194
• /
• 2006

노년에 나타나는 정신병적 증상의 가장 흔한 원인 질환으로 만성적이고 서서히 악화되는 진행성이면, 기억력, 사고력, 학습능력 및 판단력 등의 손상을 포함한 인지기능의 장애이다. 고령화 사회가 도래하면서 노인성 치매환자가 매년 급격히 늘고 있으며 매년 수만 명이 노인성치매에 걸려 본인뿐 아니라 가족까지도 많은 고통에 시달리고 있다. 특히 노인성 치매의 경우는 환자 본인의 문제가 아니라 젊은 노동력을 환자의 보호자로 필요함으로 국가적 노동력의 손실로 이어지고 있다. 현재 연구에서 우리는 노인성 치매와 transposable elements와의 상호관계를 밝히기 위하여 공개된 유전자 데이터베이스에서 EST (expressed sequence tags)를 이용하여 생물정보학적 인 분석방법과 프로그램을 이용하여 치매의 원인으로 추정되는 후보유전자들을 찾아내었다. 이러한 분석을 통하여 치매환자에서 transposable elements의 발현으로 인해 유전자의 발현에 변화를 가지는 98개의 후보 유전자를 찾아내었다. 노인성질환인 치매와 transposable elements의 분석방법을 이용하면 치매의 원인을 규명하는데 많은 도움이 될 것이다.