• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권6호
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• pp.467-477
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• 2001

We examined astrocyte regional heterogeneity in their morphological changes in response to various stimuli. Astrocytes were cultured from six different neonatal rat brain regions including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, mid brain, brain stem and hypothalamus. Astrocyte stellation was induced by serum deprivation and the maximum stellation in different regional astrocytes was achieved after 2 h. After 24 h, in all astrocyte cultures, the level of stellation returned to their original level. Cerebellar or hypothalamic astrocytes were the most or the least sensitive, respectively, to serum deprivation. The order of maximum sensitivity to serum deprivation among different regional astrocytes was: cerebellum＞mid $brain{\ge}hippocampus,\;brain\;stem{\ge}cerebral$ cortex＞hypothalamus. Isoproterenol-induced astrocyte stellation was also examined in different regional astrocytes, and similar order of maximum sensitivity as in serum deprivation was observed. Next a possible developmental effect on astrocyte morphological changes was examined in cerebral cortex and cerebellum astrocytes cultured from postnatal day 1 (P1), P4 and P7 rat brains. A much higher sensitivity of cerebellum astrocytes to serum deprivation as well as isoproterenol treatment was consistently observed in P1, P4 and P7-derived astrocytes compared to cerebral cortex astrocytes. The present study demonstrates different regional astrocytes maintain different levels of morphological plasticity in vitro.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.79-84
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• 2007

Because synaptic refinement of medial nucleus of trapezoid body (MNTB) - lateral superior olive (LSO) synapses is most active during the first postnatal week and the long term depression (LTD) has been suggested as one of its mechanisms, LTD of MNTB-LSO synapses was investigated in neonatal rat brain stem slices with the whole cell voltage clamp technique. In $Mg^{2+}$ free condition, tetanus (10 stimuli at 10 Hz for 2 min) in the current clamp mode induced a robust LTD of isolated D, L-APV-sensitive postsynaptic currents (PSCs) for more than 30 min ($n=6,\;2.4{\pm}0.4%$ of the control), while isolated CNQX-sensitive PSCs were not suppressed ($n=6,\;95.3{\pm}1.6%$). Tetanus also elicited similar LTD in the isolated GABAergic/glycinergic PSCs ($n=6,\;3.6{\pm}0.5%$) and mixed PSCs (GABAergic/glycinergic/glutamatergic) ($n=4,\;2.2{\pm}0.7%$). However, such a strong LTD was not observed in the mixed PSCs when 10 mM EGTA was added in the internal solution (n=10), indicating that postsynaptic $Ca^{2+}$ rise is needed for the strong LTD. This robust LTD might contribute to the active synaptic refinement occurring during the first postnatal week.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.115-121
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• 2001

Some of endocrine disruptors with sexual hormone-like effects have been increasingly reported to be immunotoxic in many species in recent several years. Phthalate esters have possible effects on the endocrine system. Prenatal exposure to di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) has been reported to impair the androgen-dependent development of the male reproductive tract in rat. Therefore, the immunomodulatory effect of DBP was investigated in the developing immune system of fetal and neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. Timed-bred pregnant SD rats were given to the doses of 0, 250, 500, and 750 mg DBP/kg$\cdot$ body weight /day by gavage once a day from gestational day (GD) 5 to 18. On GD19 or GD22/postnatal day one (PD1), the dams were euthanized, and the changes in organ weights and thymus phenotypes were examined for their offsprings. At 750 mg DBP/kg$\cdot$b.w./day in maternal exposure group, GD19 fetuses showed decreases in body weight. The spleen/body weight ratios were reduced in GD 19 fetuses from the dams exposed to 500 and 750 mg DBP/kg$\cdot$b.w./day. There were no significant changes in thymus and spleen cellularities though these cellularities showed a tendency to decrease in a dose dependent way. In the DBP-exsposed GD22/PD1 offsprings, the body weights, the relative organ weights and the cellularities did not exhibit alteration. Additionally, the percentages of CD3$^{+}$(CD4$^{+}$CD8$^{+}$, CD4$^{+}$CD8$^{-}$, CD4$^{-}$CD8$^{+}$, and CD4$^{-}$CD8$^{-}$) and CD3$^{-}$(CD4$^{+}$CD8$^{+}$, CD4$^{+}$CD8$^{-}$, CD4$^{-}$CD8$^{+}$, and CD4$^{-}$CD8$^{-}$) thymocyte subsets were not changed in any DBP-treated group. The proliferative responses of splenic T cells to Con A and B cells to LPS were decreased in all DBP-exposed GD22/PD1 offsprings.

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.208-213
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• 2017

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an essential cytokine that has functions in the formation of new blood vessels and regression of cardiac hypertrophy. VEGF/VEGF-receptor-1 (VEGFR1) signaling plays a key role in the regression of cardiac hypertrophy, whereas VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling leads to cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we identified the prohypertrophic role of miR-374 using neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Our results showed that overexpression of miR-374 activated G protein-coupled receptor-mediated prohypertrophic pathways by the inhibition of VEGFR1-dependent regression pathways. Luciferase assays revealed that miR-374 could directly target the 3'-untranslated regions of VEGFR1 and cGMP-dependent protein kinase-1. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that miR-374 was a novel pro-hypertrophic microRNA functioning to suppress the VEGFR1-mediated regression pathway.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.486-492
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• 2003

To certify the protective effect of herbal medicine on myocardial damage against oxygen free radical-induced myocardiotoxicity, cytotoxicity was measured using by MTT assay, LDH activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) assay in the presence of Guaruhaebaekbaekju-tang(GHBT) extracts or single constituents of this prescription, Myocardial toxicity was evaluated in neonatal rat myocardiocytes in cultures. In the present study, xanthine oxidase/hypoxanthine (XO/HX) resulted in a decrease in cell viability, an increase in LDH activity in culture medium and lipid peroxidation in cultured myocardial cells, In the effect of GHBT extract, it showed the prevention from the XO/HX-induced cardiotoxicity such as the decrease of LDH activity and lipid peroxidation. In the protective effect of Fructus Trichosanthis (FT) and Bulbus Allii Macrostemi (BAM), all the extracts were significantly effective in the protection of XO/HX-induced cardiotoxocity in cultured myocardial cells. From these results, they show that XO/HX is cardiotoxic in cultured myocardial cells derived from neonatal rats, and it suggests that GHBT, FT and BAM extracts are positively effective in the blocking XO/HX-induced cardiotoxicity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.19-24
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• 2016

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The exploration of new biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for early diagnosis of AMI therefore becomes one of the primary task. In the current study, we aim to detect whether there is any heart specific long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) releasing into the circulation during AMI, and explore its function in the neonatal rat cardiac myocytes injury induced by $H_2O_2$. Our results revealed that the cardiac-specific lncRNA MHRT (Myosin Heavy Chain Associated RNA Transcripts) was significantly elevated in the blood from AMI patients compared with the healthy control ($^*p<0.05$). Using an in vitro neonatal rat cardiac myocytes injury model, we demonstrated that lncRNA MHRT was upregulated in the cardiac myocytes after treatment with hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) via real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, we knockdowned the MHRT gene by siRNA to confirm its roles in the $H_2O_2$-induced cardiac cell apoptosis, and found that knockdown of MHRT led to significant more apoptotic cells than the non-target control ($^{**}p<0.01$), indicating that the lncRNA MHRT is a protective factor for cardiomyocyte and the plasma concentration of MHRT may serve as a biomarker for myocardial infarction diagnosis in humans AMI.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권7호
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• pp.500-516
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• 2021

Cardiac hypertrophic signaling cascades resulting in heart failure diseases are mediated by protein phosphorylation. Recent developments in mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics have led to the identification of thousands of differentially phosphorylated proteins and their phosphorylation sites. However, functional studies of these differentially phosphorylated proteins have not been conducted in a large-scale or high-throughput manner due to a lack of methods capable of revealing the functional relevance of each phosphorylation site. In this study, an integrated approach combining quantitative phosphoproteomics and cell-based functional screening using phosphorylation competition peptides was developed. A pathological cardiac hypertrophy model, junctate-1 transgenic mice and control mice, were analyzed using label-free quantitative phosphoproteomics to identify differentially phosphorylated proteins and sites. A cell-based functional assay system measuring hypertrophic cell growth of neonatal rat ventricle cardiomyocytes (NRVMs) following phenylephrine treatment was applied, and changes in phosphorylation of individual differentially phosphorylated sites were induced by incorporation of phosphorylation competition peptides conjugated with cell-penetrating peptides. Cell-based functional screening against 18 selected phosphorylation sites identified three phosphorylation sites (Ser-98, Ser-179 of Ldb3, and Ser-1146 of palladin) displaying near-complete inhibition of cardiac hypertrophic growth of NRVMs. Changes in phosphorylation levels of Ser-98 and Ser-179 in Ldb3 were further confirmed in NRVMs and other pathological/physiological hypertrophy models, including transverse aortic constriction and swimming models, using site-specific phospho-antibodies. Our integrated approach can be used to identify functionally important phosphorylation sites among differentially phosphorylated sites, and unlike conventional approaches, it is easily applicable for large-scale and/or high-throughput analyses.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.840-849
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• 2006

외부 병원체의 침입에 의한 병원독소로 발병된 뇌염증에서 미성숙뇌는 성숙뇌에서 보다 많은 백혈구의 침윤을 일으킨다. 케모카인은 뇌염증부위로 염증세포의 침윤을 매개하는 물질이다. 본 연구는 미성숙뇌의 뇌염증에서 백혈구침윤의 기전을 연구하기 위하여 내독소로 유발된 뇌염증에서 케모카인의 일종인 MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, MIP-2의 발현을 연구하였다. 신생쥐와 성숙쥐의 미상핵 국소에 LPS $(0.5\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l)$를 정위주사 한 후 시간대별로 RT-PCR과 면역조직화학검사을 통하여 각각 mRNA상과 단백질상에서의 발현을 비교분석하였다. 광학현미경상 LPS 주입 후 6 시간 후부터 주사부위의 염증세포의 침윤이 시작되었으며 24 시간 후에 가장 뚜렷한 현상을 보였다. RT-PCR 결과, MCP-1, $MIP-1{\alpha}$, MIP-2 mRNA 발현은 24 시간 때에 최고치를 나타냈었다. 미성숙뇌의 각 케모카인의 mRNA발현은 성숙뇌에 비해 MCP-1은 약 2.6배, $MIP-1{\alpha}$는 약 1.4배, MIP-2는 약 1.2배 발현양이 더 많다. 면역조직화학검사는 광학현미경결과와 RT-PCR결과와 상응하여 각 케모카인들이 24 시간 때에 가장 양성반응이 뚜렷이 나타났다. 이러한 현상은 뇌염증에서 백혈구의 침윤은 케모카인을 생성하는 소교세포, 성상세포, 내피세포 등의 영향을 받는 기전에 의하여 조절되었다는 것을 나타내며 이들 케모카인 형성환경의 역할을 명확히 밝히고 질병의 진행에서 케모카인의 활성을 조정하는 방법을 연구하면 향후 뇌염증을 포함한 여러 가지질환에서 신경세포의 손상을 막는 치료법의 개발이 가능하게 될 것이다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제46권8호
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• pp.789-794
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• 2003

목 적: 신생 흰쥐의 뇌에 저산소-허혈을 유발하여 선조체 monoamine과 그 대사물들의 변화를 관찰하여, 저산소-허혈 손상 시 dopamine과 monoamine의 역할을 관찰하고자 하였다. 방 법 : 생후 5-6일 된 신생 흰쥐의 우측 총경동맥을 결찰 후 우측 선조체에 microdialysis probe를 삽입하였다. 2시간 동안의 안정기를 거친 후, probe를 통해 기저치를 수집하고, 바로 8% 산소에 2시간 동안 노출시키고, 2시간 동안 회복시키며 20분 간격으로 수집한 샘플을 HPLC를 통해 분석하였다. 결 과 : 1) Dopamine은 저산소-허혈기에 급격히 증가하는 경향을 보였으나 통계적 유의성은 없었다(P>0.05). 2) DOPAC은 저산소-허혈 동안 기저치의 $23.0{\pm}4.2%$까지 감소하였다가, 재산소화 동안에 기저치의 $120.8{\pm}54.9%$까지 증가하였다(P<0.05). 3) HVA는 DOPAC과 같은 변화를 보였으나 덜 현저하였고, 저산소-허혈 동안 기저치의 $35.3{\pm}7.6%$까지 감소하였다가 재산소화 동안에 $105.8{\pm}32.3%$까지 회복되었다(P<0.05). 4) NE은 저산소-허혈 노출과 재산소화 동안 유의한 변화를 보이지 않았다(P>0.05). 5) 5-HIAA는 저산소-허혈 동안 서서히 감소하였다가 재산소화 동안 증가하였고, 그 변화는 통계적으로 유의하였다(P<0.05). 6) 실험 중 serotonin은 검출되지 않았다. 결 론: 저산소-허혈은 미성숙 신생 횐쥐의 뇌 선조체의 monoamine 대사에 영향을 끼쳤으며, 이 결과는 monoamine, 특히 dopamine과 그 대사물들이 신생 흰쥐 뇌의 저산소-허혈손상의 기전에 중요한 역할을 할 수 있다는 가능성을 제시한다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.95-100
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• 2000

환경에 방출되어 있는 많은 내분비교란물질들은 사람과 동물의 내분비계에 교란을 일으킬 수 있는 잠재력을 가진다. 뇌의 성분화는 생식소 호르몬 영향하에 비가역적으로 진행되며 흰쥐의 경우 이 시기는 임신말기에서 생후 7∼10일 가량이다. 최근에 본 연구진은 횐쥐의 뇌 성 분화의 결정적인 시기에 발현되는 KAP3유전자를 클로닝하였다 (Choi ＆ Lee, 1999). KAP3의 기능은 신경세포를 포함한 세포에서 aronal tansport를 조절하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 흰쥐 뇌 발생의 결정적인 시기에 내분비 교란물질인 Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT)가 KAP3유전자 발현과 성분화에 미치는 영향을 검토하였다. DDT에 노출된 임신 17일된 흰쥐 태아 암컷과 수컷의 뇌에서 KAP3 mRNA의 발현이 증가하였다. 그러나 출생후 DDT에 노출된 흰쥐 암컷과 수컷의 뇌에서는 KAP3 mRNA의 발현은 감소하였다. 또한 태어난 직후 DDT에 노출된 경우 체중이 현저히 감소하였으며 수정율도 DDT에 노출되지 않은 흰쥐에 비하여 크게 낮았다. 이러한 결과는 내분비 교란물질인 DDT가 뇌의 성 분화와 관련된 유전자인 KAP3의 전사에 영향을 미치며, 내분비 교란물질에 노출된 태아의 뇌 분화에서 독성을 보이는 것을 의미한다. 그리고 KAP3유전자는 동물의 신경세포의 발생에 미치는 내분비 교란 물질의 독성을 분자생물학적으로 연구하기 위한 유전자 지표로도 사용 가능하다고 생각된다.