• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.186-192
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• 2002

Special attention has been paid to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for athlete doping control because it stimulates the endogenous production of testosterone and epitestosterone without increasing the T/E ratio which is a doping indicator for the exogenous administration of testosterone. Even though the IOC banned the use of hCG, a detection method has not been decided upon since there are a variety of immunoassay kits available on the market. We evaluated three kits in terms of their performance characteristics. The assay value of the control sample varied depending on the kit, resulting in 198 mIU/ml for the MAIA kit, 172mIU/ml for the IRMA kit, and 143 mIU/ml for the MEIA kit. Considering the IOC inter-lab distribution of results(55-312 mIU/ml) using 27 different kits and the mean value (178$\pm$56 mIU/ml), all three kits are within the range of －15.8% - ＋5.6% of the mean value, which proves them useful for the hCG assay. The MEIA kit resulted in lower hCG values because it detects only intact hCG molecules, in contrast to the other two kits which detect intact hCG and -hCG together. However, it is suitable for screening purposes because of its advantage of being an automated system. When 123 urine samples of athletes were analyzed in 22 batches using this system, the variation of control values fell within $\pm$ 10% of the mean values, and an specimens tested negative with hCG values less than the detection limit of 2 mIU/ml.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 1979

Distribution and binding properties of sodium salicylate the human red blood cells were studied under various experimental conditions. The effect of tonicity and hemolysis on the steady state level of the drug within the human red blood cells were accounted for in this study. When the washed cells were suspended in normal saline solution, the drug was so rapidly permeated into red cells. Since the pH of the system forces nearly complete ionization of the drug, ionic diffusion through aqueous pores is thought to be the mode of salicylate transport. Human red cell binding capacity and association constant for salicylate were estimated. This work supports the view that the red cells act asan important reservior of salicylate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.98-98
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• 2003

Recently, human embryonic stem (hES) cells have become very important resources for ES cell basic research, cell replacement therapy, and other medical applications; thus, efficient cryopreservation methods for these cells are needed. This study examined whether a newly developed minimum volume cooling (MVC) vitrification method, which was tested through cryopreservation of sensitive bovine oocytes, can be used for freezing hES cells. Feeder-free cultured hES cell (MB03) colonies were mechanically dissected into several small clumps following enzymatic treatment. We compared the freezing efficiency of a slow-cooling method using a cryo-module (0.4-0.6C/min, 20-30 clumps/vial) and MVC vitrification using a modified 0.5-ml French mini-straw designated as a MVC straw (>$20,000{\circ}C$/min, 10 clumps/straw) After thawing, in vitro survival of hES cell clumps was higher for MVC-vitrified cells (80.8%, 97/120) than for slow-cooled cells (38.2%, 39/102). Further, the proliferation rate of surviving MVC-vitrified cells was similar to that of control hES cells from 2 weeks after thawing. In addition, vitrified-thawed hES cells demonstrated a normal karyotype, were positively immunostained for surface marker antibodies (AP, SSEA-4 and TRA-1-60) and the Oct-4 antibody, and could differentiate into all three embryonic germ layer cells in vitro. This result demonstrates that hES cell clumps can be successfully cryopreserved by a newly developed MVC vitrification method without loss of human cell characteristics.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.164-169
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• 2008

Methylmercury (MeHg) is known to have devastating effects on the mammalian nervous system. In order to characterize the mechanism of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, we investigated the analysis of transcriptional profiles on human 8k cDNA microarray by treatment of $1.4{\mu}M$ MeHg at 3, 12, 24 and 48h in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. Some of the identified genes by MeHg treatment were significant at early time points (3h), while that of others was at late time points (48h). The early response genes that may represent those involved directly in the MeHg response included pantothenate kinase 3, a kinase (PRKA) anchor protein (yotiao) 9, neurotrophic tyrosine kinase, receptor, type 2 gene, associated with NMDA receptor activity regulation or perturbations of central nervous system homeostasis. Also, when SH-SY5Y cells were subjected to a longer exposure (48h), a relative increase was noted in a gene, glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1, reported that overexpression of this gene may lead to the increased resistance to MeHg. To confirm the alteration of these genes in cultured neurons, we then applied real time-RT PCR with SYBR green. Thus, this result suggests that a neurotoxic effect of the MeHg might be ascribed that MeHg alters neuronal receptor regulation or homeostasis of neuronal cells in the early phase. However, in the late phase, it protects cells from neurotoxic effects of MeHg.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.553-557
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• 2014

Verapamil is used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, and atrial fibrillation. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that verapamil increased the optic nerve head blood flow and improved the retrobulbar circulation. All these show that verapamil is potentially useful for ophthalmic treatment. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate whether verapamil could protect human lens epithelial cell (HLEC) from oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$ and the cellular mechanism underlying this protective function. The viability of HLEC was determined by the MTT assay and apoptotic cell death was analyzed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Moreover, Caspase-3 expression was detected by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis. We also detected Caspase-3 mRNA expression by reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the GSH content in cell culture. The results showed that oxidative stress produced significant cell apoptotic death and it was reduced by previous treatment with the verapamil. Verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC death mainly through reducing the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins, caspase-3, and increasing glutathione content. Therefore, it was suggested that verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2002

Dyeing properties of the colorants extracted from acorn on wool fabric were investigated. Effects of dyeing temperature, dyeing time, repeating, and pH on dye uptake and colorfastness were explored. Acorn colorants showed very good affinity to wool fiber and produced bright to dark brown color ranged 4.81-8.97YR, 4.46-7.47/1.79-3.35. ,Higher temperature increased dye adsorption, so did longer time and more repeating. Washfastness was fairly good. The Dyed wool fabric had deeper color after irradiation to light. pH had an effect on the development of color, also. Dye uptake and washfastness were higher in acidic and alkaline pH than in neutral pH solution.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

Human NK cells, identified 30 years ago based on their ability to spontaneously kill tumor cells, constitute a subset of lymphocytes, which play an important role in the first line of immune defense and the effective function of these cells are enhanced by cytokines. Lung carcinoma has been one of the most commonly diagonosed cancer as well as the leading cause of cancer death in male. Here we provide the evidence that human natural killer cells has inhibitory effects on tumor growth of human lung cancer cell NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer). Enriched NK cell population was obtained by 2 weeks cultivation in interleukin-2(IL-2)-containing medium. The resulting population comprised 26% CD3$^+$ cells, 9% CD3$^+$CD4$^+$ cells, 16% CD3$^+$CD8$^+$ cells, 76% CD56$^+$ cells, 6% CD3$^+$CD56$^+$ cells and 70% CD3$^-$CD56$^+$ cells. Activated NK cells at doese of 2.5, 5, and 10 million cells per mouse inhibited 2%, 12% and 45% of NCI-H460-induced tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft assays, repectively. This result suggests that NK cell-based immunotherapy may be used as an adoptive immunotherapy for lung cancer patients.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1018-1023
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• 2006

Chemoresistance remains the major obstacle to successful therapy of cancer. In order to understand the mechanism of multidrug resistance (MDR) that is frequently observed in lung cancer patients, here we studied the contribution of MDR-related proteins by establishing lung cancer cell lines with acquired resistance against etoposide. We found that human H460 lung cancer cells responded to etoposide more sensitively than A549 cells. Among MDR-related proteins, the expression of p-glycoprotein (Pgp) and lung resistance protein (LRP) were much higher in A549 cells compared with that in H460 cells. When we established H460-R1 and -R2 cell lines by progressive exposure of H460 cells to increasing doses of etoposide, the response against etopbside as well as doxorubicin was greatly reduced in R1 and R2 cells, suggesting MDR induction. Induction of MDR was not accompanied by a decrease in the intracellular accumulation of etoposide and the expression of MDR-related proteins that function as drug efflux pumps such as Pgp and MRP1 was not changed. We found that the acquired resistance paralleled an increased expression of LRP in H460 cells. Taken together, our data suggest the implicative role of LRP in mediating MDR in lung cancer.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.358-363
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• 2007

Swine endothelial cells are commonly used as an in vitro model for studying features of the blood-brain barrier and some hemorrhagic diseases. However, primary cultures of swine cells have finite lifespans. To establish immortalized swine umbilical vein endothelial cells (SUVECs) using human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the plasmid pCI-neo-hTERT was transfected into SUVECs by lipofection. Clones were selected for G418 resistance, and positive clones were amplified. One of the clones was cultured for up to 50 passages. Factor VIII-related antigen and CD34 were detected. The immortalized cells shared the properties of normal cells, such as contact inhibition, serum requirement and anchorage dependence. Karyotype analysis revealed that the immortalized cells were in the diploid range. In addition, both in vivo and in vitro assays of tumorigenicity showed no neoplastic transformation. Furthermore, NO, $PGI_2$, and ET-1 concentrations in the transfected cells were normal. These results suggest that the SUVECs immortalized by hTERT retain their original characteristics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2009

Recent in vitro and in vivo animal studies have reported that statin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, stimulate osteogenic differentiation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of simvastatin on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation in primarily cultured human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). The simvastatin treatment significantly increased the positive cell numbers in alkaline phosphatase and von Kossa staining, and enhanced the expression levels of bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2, core binding factor alpha 1 (cbfa1), collgen type I and osteonectin mRNAs. Lastly, hADSCs were cultured in the adipogenic media with or without simvastatin to examine the effect of simvastatin on adipogenic differentiation. In the RT-PCR analysis, there were notable decreases in mRNA expression of aP1, C/EBP-$\alpha$ and PPAR-$\gamma$ in hADSCs cultivated in simvastatin-added medium, compared to those in simvastatin-free medium. It suggests that the adipogenic differentiation was significantly inhibited by simvastatin treatment. These observations indicate that simvastatin induces osteogenic differentiation and suppresses adipogenic differentiation in hADSCs.