• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1531-1537
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• 2014

Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a tumor suppressor gene whose reduced expression may play an important role in the development and progression of esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of RUNX3 in ESCC patients and effects of overexpression on biological behaviour of Eca109 cells in vitro and in vivo. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the clinical relevance of RUNX3 and lymph node metastasis in 80 ESCC tissues and 40 non-cancerous tissues using the SP method. RT-PCR and Western blotting were applied to assess the RUNX3 level and verify the Eca109 cell line with stable overexpression. Localization of RUNX3 proteins was performed by cell immunofluorescence. CCK-8 and Scrape motility assays were used to determine proliferation and migration and the TUNEL assay to analyze cell apoptosis. Invasive potential was assessed in cell transwell invasion experiments. In nude mice, tumorigenesis in vivo was determined. Results showed decreased expression of RUNX3 in esophageal tissue to be significantly related to lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P<0.01). In addition, construction of a recombinant lentiviral vector and transfection into the human ESCC cell line Eca109 demonstrated that overexpression could inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induce apoptosis. The in vivo experiments in mice showed tumorigenicity and invasiveness to be significantly reduced. Taken together, our studies indicate that underexpression of RUNX3 in human ESCC tissue is significantly correlated with progression. Restoration of RUNX3 expression significantly inhibits ESCC cells proliferation, migration, invasion and tumorigenesis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2012

Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and for general health maintenance in people of all ages. Ginseng is also used to ameliorate menopausal systems. We investigated the estrogenic activity of Korean red ginseng (KRG) in a transient transfection system, using estrogen receptor (ER) and estrogen-responsive luciferase plasmids in MCF-7 cells. The extract activated both ER${\alpha}$ and ER${\beta}$. KRG modulated the mRNA levels of estrogen-responsive genes such as pS2 and ESR1 and decreased the protein level of ER${\alpha}$. In order to examine in vivo estrogenic activity of KRG, sixteen female Sprague-Dawley rats separated into four groups were studied for nine weeks: non-ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with olive oil, OVX rats treated with olive oil, OVX rats treated with 17-${\beta}$-estradiol (E2) in olive oil, and OVX rats treated with KRG extract in olive oil. The experiments were repeated for three times and the data of twelve rats were combined. Body weight of OVX rats was greater than that of sham-operated control rats and was decreased by E2 treatment. Uterine weight increased after E2 treatment compared to OVX rats. However, no difference in body or uterine weight was observed with KRG intake. KRG induced reductions in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not to the same degree as did E2 intake. These results show that KRG does contain estrogenic activity as manifested by in vitro study but the activity is not strong enough to elicit physiological responses.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2361-2366
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• 2013

Diverse studies have shown that miR-155 is overexpressed in different tumor types. However, the precise molecular mechanism of the ectopic expression of miR-155 in breast cancer is still poorly understood. To further explore the role of miR-155 in breast tumorigenesis, we here assessed the influence of miR-155 antisense oligonucleotide (miR-155 ASO) on MDA-MB-157 cell viability and apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, the effects of inhibitory effects of miR-155 on the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo were determined with performance of immunohistochemistry to detect expression of caspase-3, a pivotal apoptosis regulatory factor, in xenografts. Transfection efficiency detected by laser confocal microscope was higher than 80%. The level of miR-155 expression was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the cells transfected with miR-155 ASO, compared with that in cells transfected with a negative control. After being transfected with miR-155 ASO, the viability of MDA-MB-157 cells was reduced greatly (P<0.05) and the number of apoptotic cells was increased significantly. Additionally, miR-155 ASO inhibited the growth of transplanted tumor in vivo and significantly increased the expression of caspase-3. Taken together, our study revealed that miR-155 ASO can induce cell apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, miR-155 ASO could significantly repress tumor growth in vivo, presumably by inducing apoptosis via caspase-3 up-regulation. These findings provide experimental evidence for using miR-155 as a therapeutic target of breast carcinoma.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

Since the establishment of embryonic stem cell, pluripotency of the cells was known to allow differentiation of the cells into various cell types consisting whole body. Several protocols have been developed to induce expression of specific genes.. However, no precise protocol that will generate a single type of the cells from stem cells has been reported. In order to produce cells suitable for transplantion into brain of PD animal model, which arouse due to a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain, human embryonic stem cell (hESC, MB03) was transfected with cDNAs cording for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Successful transfection was confirmed by western immunoblotting. Newly transfected cell line (TH#2/MB03) was induced to differentiate by the two neurogenic factors retinoic acid (RA) and b-FGF. Exp. I) Upon differentiation using RA/ascorbic acid (AA), embryoid bodies (EB, for 4days) derived from hES cells were exposed to RA (10$^{-6}$ M)/AA (50 mM) for 4 days, and were allowed to differentiate in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21, or 28 days. Exp. II) When bFGF was used, neuronal precursor cells were selected for 8 days in N2 medium after EB formation. After selection, cells were expanded at the presence of bFGF (20 ng/ml) for another 6 days followed by a final differentiation in N2 medium for 7, 14, 21 or 28 days. By indirect immunocytochemical studies, proportion of cells expressing NF200 increased rapidly from 20% at 7 days to 70 % at 28 days in RA/AA-treated group, while those cells expressing NF160 decreased from 80% at 7 days to 10% at 28 days upon differentiation in N2 medium. However, in differentiation by RA/AA treatment system, there was a significant increase in proportion of neuron maturity (73%) at day 14 after N2 medium. TH#2/MB03 cells expressing TH are >90% when matured at the absence of either bDNF or TGF-$\alpha$. These results suggested that TH#2/MB03 cells could be differentiated in vitro into mature neurons by RA/AA.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.290-301
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• 2019

Paeonol has neuroprotective function, which could be useful for improving central nervous system disorder. The purpose of this study was to characterize the functional mechanism involved in brain transport of paeonol through blood-brain barrier (BBB). Brain transport of paeonol was characterized by internal carotid artery perfusion (ICAP), carotid artery single injection technique (brain uptake index, BUI) and intravenous (IV) injection technique in vivo. The transport mechanism of paeonol was examined using conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cell line (TR-BBB) as an in vitro model of BBB. Brain volume of distribution (VD) of [$^3H$]paeonol in rat brain was about 6-fold higher than that of [$^{14}C$]sucrose, the vascular space marker of BBB. The uptake of [$^3H$]paeonol was concentration-dependent. Brain volume of distribution of paeonol and BUI as in vivo and inhibition of analog as in vitro studies presented significant reduction effect in the presence of unlabeled lipophilic compounds such as paeonol, imperatorin, diphenhydramine, pyrilamine, tramadol and ALC during the uptake of [$^3H$]paeonol. In addition, the uptake significantly decreased and increased at the acidic and alkaline pH in both extracellular and intracellular study, respectively. In the presence of metabolic inhibitor, the uptake reduced significantly but not affected by sodium free or membrane potential disruption. Similarly, paeonol uptake was not affected on OCTN2 or rPMAT siRNA transfection BBB cells. Interestingly. Paeonol is actively transported from the blood to brain across the BBB by a carrier mediated transporter system.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.427-432
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• 2014

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is of great importance in cell metabolism and energy conversion. IDH mutation in glioma cells is reported to be associated with an increased overall survival. However, effects biological behavior of therapy of gliomas are unclear. Here, we investigated the influence of wild-type and mutated IDH genes on glioma cell biological behavior and response to chemotherapy. Relevant mechanisms were further explored. We designed our study on the background of the IDHR132H mutation. Stable cell lines were constructed by transfection. The CCK-8 method was used to assess cell proliferation, flow cytometry for the cell cycle and cell apoptosis, and the transwell method for cell invasion. Nude mouse models were employed to determine tumorigenesis and sensitivity to chemotherapy. Western blotting was used to detect relevant protein expression levels. We found that overexpression of wild IDH1 gene did not cause changes in the cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion ability. However, it resulted in chemotherapy resistance to a high dose of temozolomide (TMZ) in vivo and in vitro. The IDH1 mutation caused cell cycle arrest in G1 stage and a reduction of proliferation and invasion ability, while raising sensitivity to chemotherapy. This may provide an explanation for the better prognosis of IDH1 mutated glioma patients and the relative worse prognosis of their wild-type IDH1 counterparts. We also expect IDH1 mutations may be optimized as new targets to improve the prognosis of glioma patients.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.83-86
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• 2003

Major advances in positive-sense RNA virus research have been facilitated by the development of reverse genetics systems. These systems consist of an infectious cDNA clone that encompasses the genome of the virus in question. This clone is then used as a template for the subsequent synthesis of infectious RNA for the generation of synthetic viruses. However, the construction of infectious cDNA for the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been repeatedly thwarted by the instability of its cDNA. As JEV is an important human pathogen that causes permanent neuropsychiatric sequelae and even fatal disease, a reliable reverse genetics system for this virus is highly desirable. The availability of this tool would greatly and the development of effective vaccines as well as facilitate studies into the basic biology of the virus, including the molecular mechanisms of viral replication, neurovirulence, and pathogenesis. We have successfully constructed a genetically stable infectious JEV cDNA containing full-length viral RNA genome. Synthetic RNA transcripts generated in vitro from the cDNA were highly infectious upon transfection into susceptible cells, and the cDNA remained stable after it had been propagated in E. coli for 180 generations. Using this infectious JEV cDNA, we have successfully expressed a variety of reporter genes from the full-length genomic and various subgenomic RNAs in vitro transcribed from functional JEV cDNAS. In summary, we have developed a reverse genetics system for JEV that will greatly facilitate the research on this virus in a variety of different fields. It will also be useful as a heterologous gene expression vector and aid the development of a vaccine against JEV.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.290-300
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• 2018

Using an in vitro model of intestinal organoids derived from intestinal crypts, we examined effects of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical that has anticancer and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-activating abilities and thus is sold as a dietary supplement, on the development of intestinal organoids and investigated the underlying mechanisms. I3C inhibited the in vitro development of mouse intestinal organoids. Addition of ${\alpha}$-naphthoflavone, an AhR antagonist or AhR siRNA transfection, suppressed I3C function, suggesting that I3C-mediated interference with organoid development is AhR-dependent. I3C increased the expression of Muc2 and lysozyme, lineage-specific genes for goblet cells and Paneth cells, respectively, but inhibits the expression of IAP, a marker gene for enterocytes. In the intestines of mice treated with I3C, the number of goblet cells was reduced, but the number of Paneth cells and the depth and length of crypts and villi were not changed. I3C increased the level of active nonphosphorylated ${\beta}$-catenin, but suppressed the Notch signal. As a result, expression of Hes1, a Notch target gene and a transcriptional repressor that plays a key role in enterocyte differentiation, was reduced, whereas expression of Math1, involved in the differentiation of secretory lineages, was increased. These results provide direct evidence for the role of AhR in the regulation of the development of intestinal stem cells and indicate that such regulation is likely mediated by regulation of Wnt and Notch signals.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.301-306
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• 2011

Fibroblasts of large animals are easy to isolate and to maintain in vitro culture. Thus, these cells are extensively applied to donor cell for somatic cell nuclear transfer, and to substrate cells to generate induced pluripotent stem cells after transfection of requited genes to be essentially required for direct reprogramming. However, limited mitotic activity of fibroblasts to differentiate along a terminal lineage becomes restrictive for their versatile application. Recently, commercial culture medium and systems developed for primary cells are provided by manufactures. In this study, we examined whether one of the systems developed for primary fibroblasts of human are effective on porcine ear skin fibroblasts. To this end, we performed proliferation assay after five days culture in vitro of porcine fibroblasts in medium DMEM, which is generally used for fibroblasts culture, and medium M106 for human dermal fibroblasts, supplemented with various concentrations of FBS and LSGS contained mainly growth factors, respectively. Consequence was that presence of 15% FBS and 0.1 ${\times}$ concentrations of LSGS in DMEM showed most active proliferation of porcine fibroblasts.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.987-991
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• 2013

Aim: To study anti-tumor effects of exosomes from class II transactivator (CIITA) gene transfected CT26 cells. Methods: In this study, we established an MHC class II molecule-expressing murine colon cancer cell line (CT26-CIITA) by transduction of the CIITA gene. Immune effects in vitro and tumor protective results in vivo were tested and monitored. Results: Exosomes from CT26-CIITA cells were found to contain a high level of MHC class II protein. When loaded on dendritic cells (DCs), exosomes from CT26-CIITA cells significantly increased expression of MHC class II molecules, CD86 and CD80, as compared to exosomes from CT26 cells. In vitro assays using co-culture of immunized splenocytes and exosome-loaded DCs demonstrated that CIITA-Exo enhanced splenocyte proliferation and IFN-${\gamma}$ production of CD4+T cells, while inhibiting IL-10 secretion. In addition, compared to exosomes from CT26 cells, CT26-CIITA-derived exosomes induced higher TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-12 mRNA levels. A mouse tumour preventive model showed that CT26-CIITA derived exosomes significantly inhibited tumour growth in a dose-dependent manner and significantly prolonged the survival time of tumour-bearing mice. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that CT26-CIITA-released exosomes are more efficient to induce anti-tumour immune responses, suggesting a potential role of MHC class II-containing tumour exosomes as cancer vaccine candidates.