• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2012

Neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally down-regulated 8 (NEDD8), a ubiquitin-like protein, mainly functions through covalent ligation to cullin proteins. Conjugation of NEDD8 with cullins can promote ubiquitination, which plays a critical role in the degradation of many proteins. UBA3 is the subunit of NEDD8-activating enzyme which is one of the keys for NEDD8 linkage to cullin proteins. Previous research showed NEDD8 conjugation to be up-regulated in highly proliferative cell lines. In the present study, up-regulated NEDD8 conjugation was observed in melanoma cell lines by Western blot analysis. After down-regulation with a RNAi to UBA3, proliferation of M14 was suppressed in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, up-regulated NEDD8 conjugation may be involved in the development of melanoma. Interference in this pathway might offera promising method for melanoma therapy.

• 한국정보컨버전스학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정보컨버전스학회 2008년도 International conference on information convergence
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• pp.39-42
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• 2008

G protein-coupled receptor(GPCR) family is a cell membrane protein, and plays an important role in a signaling mechanism which transmits external signals through cell membranes into cells. Now, it is estimated that there may be about 800-1000 GPCRs in a human genome. But, GPCRs each are known to have various complex control mechanisms and very unique signaling mechanisms. GPCRs are involved in maintaining homeostasis of various human systems including an endocrine system or a neural system and thus, disorders in activity control of GPCRs are thought to be the major source of cardiovascular disorders, metabolic disorders, degenerative disorders, carcinogenesis and the like. As more than 60% of currently marketed therapeutic agents target GPCRs, the GPCR field has been actively explored in the pharmaceutical industry. Structural features, and class and subfamily of GPCRs are well known by function, and accordingly, the most fundamental work in studies identifying the previous GPCRs is to classify the GPCRs with given protein sequences. Studies for classifying previously identified GPCRs more easily with mathematical models have been mainly going on. Considering that secondary sequences of proteins, namely, secondary binding structures of amino acids constituting proteins are closely related to functions, the present paper does not place the focus on primary sequences of proteins as previously practiced, but instead, proposes a method to transform primary sequences into secondary structures and compare the secondary structures, and then detect an unknown GPCR assumed to have a same function in databases of previously identified GPCRs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.581-589
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• 2020

Neurons have multiple dendrites and single axon. This neuronal polarity is gradually established during early processes of neuronal differentiation: generation of multiple neurites (stages 1-2); differentiation (stage 3) and maturation (stages 4-5) of an axon and dendrites. In this study, we demonstrated that the neuron-specific n-glycosylated protein NELL2 is important for neuronal polarization and axon growth using cultured rat embryonic hippocampal neurons. Endogenous NELL2 expression was gradually increased in parallel with the progression of developmental stages of hippocampal neurons, and overexpression of NELL2 stimulated neuronal polarization and axon growth. In line with these results, knockdown of NELL2 expression resulted in deterioration of neuronal development, including inhibition of neuronal development progression, decreased axon growth and increased axon branching. Inhibitor against extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dramatically inhibited NELL2-induced progression of neuronal development and axon growth. These results suggest that NELL2 is an important regulator for the morphological development for neuronal polarization and axon growth.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.93-103
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• 2024

Satellite glial cells (SGCs), a major type of glial cell in the autonomic ganglia, closely envelop the cell body and even the synaptic regions of a single neuron with a very narrow gap. This structurally unique organization suggests that autonomic neurons and SGCs may communicate reciprocally. Glial Ca²⁺ signaling is critical for controlling neural activity. Here, for the first time we identified the machinery of store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) which is critical for cellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis in rat sympathetic ganglia under normal and pathological states. Quantitative realtime PCR and immunostaining analyses showed that Orai1 and stromal interaction molecules 1 (STIM1) proteins are the primary components of SOCE machinery in the sympathetic ganglia. When the internal Ca²⁺ stores were depleted in the absence of extracellular Ca²⁺, the number of plasmalemmal Orai1 puncta was increased in neurons and SGCs, suggesting activation of the Ca²⁺ entry channels. Intracellular Ca²⁺ imaging revealed that SOCE was present in SGCs and neurons; however, the magnitude of SOCE was much larger in the SGCs than in the neurons. The SOCE was significantly suppressed by GSK7975A, a selective Orai1 blocker, and Pyr6, a SOCE blocker. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) upregulated the glial fibrillary acidic protein and Toll-like receptor 4 in the sympathetic ganglia. Importantly, LPS attenuated SOCE via downregulating Orai1 and STIM1 expression. In conclusion, sympathetic SGCs functionally express the SOCE machinery, which is indispensable for intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling. The SOCE is highly susceptible to inflammation, which may affect sympathetic neuronal activity and thereby autonomic output.

• 대한장애인치과학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.5-8
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• 2015

다발성 우식증을 주소로 내원한 7세 1개월의 여자아이가 신경모세포종의 다각적 치료에 따른 치근 형성이상으로 인해 하악 영구절치의 중증도 동요도를 보여 mini-screw를 이용한 레진강선고정을 시행하였다. 이를 통해 동요도의 감소 및 교합안정을 이루었으며, 따라서 하악 영구절치의 치근 형성이상으로 인한 동요도 증가 시 선택적 치료법이 될 수 있을 것이라 생각한다.

• 대한골관절종양학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.94-99
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• 2005

부신경절종은, 신경외배엽 기원의 교감신경 신경내분비 세포로 이루어져 있는, 부신 이외의 부신경절에서 생긴 종양으로, 주로 갑상선, 목동맥체, 종격동, 폐, 십이지장, 대동맥 주변 부위와 후복막 부위에 잘 생긴다. 악성도는 조직학적인 진단에 의한 것이 아니라, 국소 림프절 재발과 원격 전이에 의하여 판별되며, 골 전이가 드물지만 전이가 일어나면 주로 두개골 기저, 척추에 생기며, 드물게 골반골, 대퇴골로 전이한다. 저자들은 대퇴부 피하층에 발생하여 혈관 기원성의 종양과 감별되었던 부신경절종과 조기 골 전이를 보인 후복막에 발생한 부신경 절종을 경험하여 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하고자 한다.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.311-318
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• 2005

Grp78, discovered as one of the putative target genes of Hoxc8, is a highly conserved stress protein and functions as a molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In order to see the stage-specific expression pattern of Grp78 during development, mouse embryos from day 7.5 to 17.5 p.c. were isolated, and RT-PCR as well as in situ hybridization was performed. When RT-PCR was performed using Grp78 specific primers, periodic expression pattern was detected. And also a region-specific expression pattern was detected with a strong expression in the trunk part of day 11.5 p.c. embryo, like that of Hoxc8. When in situ hybridization was performed, Grp78 was revealed to be expressed in the endoderm, somite, neuroepithelium cells of neural tube in early embryos. In the case of late embryos, Grp78 expression was detected in the liver, segmental bronchus within cranial lobe of lung, ossification center within the cartilage primordium of rib and vertebra, submandibular gland, as well as metanephros. These expression patterns are very much similar to those of Hoxc8. Since Hoxc8 has been reported to regulate apoptosis during organogenesis, it might be possible that the apoptotic function could have been conveyed through the expression of Grp78, implying that the Grp78 is one of the Hoxc8 downstream target genes.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.149-155
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• 2000

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (RF) lesioning is a painless procedure and causes no neurodestruction and neuritis-like reaction are common following conventional RF lesioning. There is little data about the effect of pulsed RF especially with regard to its suitability for the treatment of acute pain. The possibility of a placebo effect cannot be ruled out because a double-blind study was not performed in previous studies. There is also no neuropathologic study about pulsed RF. Methods: The rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.p.; supplemented as necessary). The common sciatic nerve was exposed by blunt dissection through biceps femoris. Pulsed RF was administered to the common sciatic nerve using a 30 ms/s pulse with for 120 seconds. The temperature reached was no more than $42^{\circ}C$. Analgesia was determined using hot-plate assay shortly and, 3 days and 1 week before, and 2 weeks after operation. Lesions were examined with LM (light microscope) and EM (electron microscope) 2 weeks later. Results: There were no differences in response latencies between the control and experimental group. There were many vacuoles with hyaline bodies in the Schwann cell cytoplasm rather than axon in LM and larger electron dense bodies. No changes were found in the axon or unmyelinated fibers. Only small changes were found in the sheaths of myelinated fibers and Schwann cells. Conclusions: We therefore do think that any analgesic effect of pulsed RF is not a result of block of neural conduction. But rather than it can be attributed to others factors. It was also ineffective as a treatment for acute pain such as that caused by the hot-plate test.