• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.323-327
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• 2010

Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) activates basophils to release histamine and causes chronic inflammation. It was also reported that TCTP significantly reduced in brain of Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome as compared to normal person, suggesting that TCTP might be involved in cognitive function. We wondered whether TCTP could act as a general inducer in neurotransmitters release in brain. We, therefore, investigated the role of TCTP in PC12 cell line which expressed neuronal properties. We found that TCTP could activate JNK, and the activity was inhibited by pretreatment of dicoumarol, a JNK inhibitor. However, TCTP could not activate ERK that has known to be involved in neurotransmitter release. These suggest TCTP did not participate in neurotransmitter release from PC12 cells, and TCTP might not be a general inducer in neurotransmitter release.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2005

Many studies have been performed on the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) since bovine leukosis had been reported in 1968 in Korea. However, there was no report on the ultrastructural examination of BLV. An attempt to detect C-type viral particles in the cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle, was made to determine whether in vitro viral expression might be used as a reliable method to identify the cow which is likely to transmit BLV. In transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination, the virus particles were found predominantly outside of the lymphocytes even though a few particles were also observed within the membrane bound cytoplasmic vacuoles. All of them were C-type particles consisting of a central, electron-dense core separated by a clear area from a limiting envelope with a unit membrane structure. Virus particles were easily detected in the lymphocyte which was cultured with medium supplemented with either T-lymphocyte mitogen (conconavalin A) or B-lymphocyte mitogen (lipopolysaccharide). Identical viral particles, although fewer, were also consistently present in the lymphocytes cultured with medium which was containing foetal bovine serum (FBS) only and which was containing neither FBS or mitogen. By contrast, no virus particle was detected in extensive examination of lymphocytes before culture. In conclusion, the BLV cultivation and detection methods established in this study could be used as a tool to identify and eliminate the cattle which can transmit the BLV.

• The Microorganisms and Industry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-31
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• 1991

B 세포이 가장 중요한 기능은 항체를 생산하여 체액성 면역반응을 조절하는 일이다. B 세포가 항체를 생산해 내는 형질세포(plasma cell)로 분화하기 위해서는 다음의 몇 가지 단계를 거쳐야 한다. 즉 resting 상태에서 mitogen이나 항원의 자극에 의한 활성화(activation)가 첫번째 단계이고 두번째로는 증식(proliferation)이며 마지막 단계가 분화(differentiation)이다. B 세포가 일단 mitogen이나 항원에 의해 활성화가 되면 활성화 된 clone의 증식과 분화는 T 세포에서 생산되는 여러 종류의 림포카인(lymphokine)의 영향하에서 이루어진다. 따라서 B 세포 기능에 영향을 미치는 림포카인의 종류를 알아내고 최근 새롭게 발견되는 림포카인의 B 세포에 대한 영향을 연구함이 중요하리라 생각된다. 여기에서는 B 세포 기능에 영향을 미치는 여러 림포카인의 종류의 그 기능에 관해서 간략하게 기술하고자 한다.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.162-167
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• 2014

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major global health problems and it has been estimated that in 5~10% of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-infected individuals, the infection progresses to an active disease. Numerous cytokines and chemokines regulate immunological responses at cellular level including stimulation and recruitment of wide range of cells in immunity and inflammation. In the present study, the mRNA expression levels of eight host immune markers containing of IFN-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-2R, IL-4, IL-10, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in whole blood cells from active pulmonary TB patients were measured after T-cell mitogen (PHA) and MTB specific antigens (ESAT-6, CFP-10, and TB7.7). Among the TH1-type factors, IFN-${\gamma}$ mRNA expression was peaked at 4 h, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-2R mRNA expression was significantly high at the late time points (24 h) in active TB patients, TH2-type cytokine (IL4 and IL10) mRNA expression levels in both active TB and healthy controls samples did not changed significantly, and the mRNA expression of the three IFN-${\gamma}$-induced chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11) were peaked at the late time points (24 h) in active TB patients after MTB specific antigen stimulation. In conclusion, the mRNA expression patterns of the TB-related immune markers in response to the T-cell mitogen (PHA) differed from those in response to MTB specific antigens and these findings may helpful for understanding the relationship between MTB infection and host immune markers in a transcripts level.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2002

To elucidate the mechanism underlying the embryotropic effect of extracellular matrix(ECM) on the preimplantation development of mammalian embryos, the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) downstream the integrin signaling was examined in mouse blastocysts. Blastocysts were cultured in the presence of growth factor-reduced(GFR) Matrigel(0.5％, v/v). MAPK activity was measured by in vitro phosphorylation of myelin basic protein by the Erk1/2 antibody immunoprecipitates of embryonic extract following the Matrigei treatment. MAPK activity of the early blastocysts rapidly increased within 10 min fo1lowing the Matrigel treatment. When the embryos were cultured for 12 h in the presence of Matrigel, the MAPK activity was significantly higher than that ot the control embryos. PD098059, a MAPK kinase(MEK) inhibitor, attenuated the effect of Matrigel on the change in MAPK activity. Taken together, it suggested that the embryotropic effect of ECM proteins might be mediated by the activation of MAPK cascade.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.436-446
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• 2018

Background: The potential therapeutic values of Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) in autoimmune disorders of nervous system have not been fully investigated. Methods: We used an acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis animal model of multiple sclerosis and determined the effects and mechanism of KRGE on spinal myelination. Results: Pretreatment with KRGE (100 mg/kg, orally) for 10 days before immunization with myelin basic protein $(MBP)_{68-82}$ peptide exerted a protective effect against demyelination in the spinal cord, with inhibited recruitment and activation of immune cells including microglia, decreased mRNA expression of detrimental inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6, interferon-${\gamma}$, and cyclooxygenase-2), but increased mRNA expression of protective inflammatory mediators (insulin-like growth factor ${\beta}1$, transforming growth factor ${\beta}$, and vascular endothelial growth factor-1). These results were associated with significant downregulation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathways in microglia/macrophages, T cells, and astrocytes. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRGE alleviates spinal demyelination in acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through inhibiting the activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway. Therefore, KRGE might be used as a new therapeutic for autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, although further investigation is needed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.195-198
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• 1987

In order to test the function of Iymphocytes in Naegleria fowleri-nniected mice, the in nitro blastogenic response of splenocyte cultures to non-specific mitogens was studied. Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide stimulation were used as tests of T cell and B cell function. For the first 14 days following N. fowleri infection, Iymphoblastic transformation induced by T-cell mitogen was markedly reduced in comparison to the uninfected control mice. The blastogenic response to B-cell mitogen remained depressed in the infected mice up to 14 days after infection. The fluorescent antibody titers of sera of N. fowleri infected mice were between 1 : 4 and 1 : 32. The results suggest that there is a suppression of cell mediated immunity during the acute course of experimental Naegleria meningoencephalitis in mice.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in various cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We showed that MAPKs are developmentally regulated in the rat kidney. p38 MAPK (p38) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were strongly expressed in the fetal kidney, whereas c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was detected predominantly in the adult kidney. The inhibition of p38 or ERK in organ culture resulted in reduced nephron formation with or without reduced kidney size. On the other hand, persistent fetal expression pattern of MAPKs, i.e., upregulation of p38 and ERK and downregulation of JNK, was observed in the cyst epithelium of human renal dysplasia, ovine fetal obstructive uropathy, and pcy mice, a model of polycystic kidney disease. Furthermore, activated p38 and ERK induced by cyclic stretch mediated proliferation and $TGF-{\beta}1$ expression in ureteric bud cells, probably leading to cyst formation and dysplastic changes. Inhibition of ERK slowed the disease progression in pcy mice. Finally, ERK and p38 were inactivated in the early embryonic kidney subjected to maternal nutrient restriction, characterized by reduced ureteric branching and nephron number. Thus, MAPKs mediate the development of normal and diseased kidney. Their modulation may result in novel therapeutic strategies against developmental abnormalities of the kidney.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.257-263
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• 2011

In general, the blood cell culture is a common method for animal chromosome preparation. However, every animal and its cells have unique physiological characteristics and functions. Hence, it is very difficult to find the suitable method of chromosome preparation using animal lymphocyte culture. This study was carried out to fine the suitable method of chromosome preparation using lymphocytes cultures in mammalians and aves including cattle, rat, mouse and chicken. To seek the optimal method of lymphocyte culture in each animal, $2^3$ factorial experiment was designed. The design evaluated three main effects in culture duration, kinds of mitogen supplements and colcemid exposure time with two levels within each effect. The mitotic index and the score of chromosome morphology were analyzed. In results, the suitable methods of lymphocyte culture for chromosome preparation were 72 hours culture, pokeweed mitogen(PWM) supplement and 90 minutes of colcemid exposure in cattle, 72 hours culture, PWM supplement and 50 minutes of colcemid exposure in chicken, 96 hours culture, concanavalin A supplement and 90 minutes of colcemid exposure in rat, and 72 hours culture, PWM supplement and 50 minutes of colcemid exposure in mouse, respectively. In conclusion, kinds of mitogen, culture duration and colcemid exposure time significantly affected the mitotic index and chromosome morphology, in animal lymphocyte culture. The interaction effects between/among treatment factors were also statistically significant.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.417-422
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• 2009

Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) are known to get activated during various stress signals and transduce the message from the cell membrane to the nucleus for appropriate cellular reorganization. Though, a certain basal activity of MAPK is often observed in the control plants. Prolonged exposure of rice plants to lowered or elevated temperature exhibited a rhythm in the activation of MAPKs. We analyzed existence of a possible endogenous rhythm in the activity of MAPKs in rice plants. The plants growing at constant temperature entrained in 16/8 h day-night cycle showed diurnal rhythm in activity. When the activation of MAPK was tested under continuous conditions by shifting plants to continuous darkness for a period of 72 h, the periodic rhythm persisted and followed a circadian pattern. Analysis of the transcripts of group A, B and C members of MAPKs under above conditions by quantitative real time PCR revealed that the members of group C exhibit periodic rhythm. Our data indicates that the MAP kinase activity in rice follows rhythmic expression in a circadian manner.