• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.53-60
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• 2005

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting $1\%$ of the population above the age of 65 and is characterized by a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Although the underlying cause of dopaminergic cell death or the mechanism by which these cells degenerate is still not clearly understood, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and protein misfolding are thought to play important roles in the dopaminergic degeneration in PD. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is synthesized exclusively in the monoaminergic, including dopaminergic, cells and serves as an endogenous and obligatory cofactor for syntheses of the potential oxidative stressors dopamine and nitric oxide. In addition to its contribution toward the syntheses of these two potentially toxic molecules, BH4 itself can directly generate oxidative stress. BH4 undergoes oxidation during the hydroxylation reaction as well as nonenzymatic autooxidation to produce hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical. We have previously suggested BH4 as an endogenous molecule responsible for the dopaminergic neurodegeneration. BH4 exerts selective toxicity to dopamine-producing cells via generation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. BH4 also induces morphological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics associated with PD in vivo. BH4 as well as enzyme activity and gene expression of GTP cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 synthesis pathway, are readily upregulated by cellular changes such as calcium influx and by various stimuli including stress situations. This points to the possibility that cellular availability of BH4 might be increased in aberrant conditions, leading to increased extracellular BH4 subsequent degeneration. The fact that BH4 is specifically and endogenously synthesized in dopaminergic cells, Is readily upregulated, and generates oxidative stress-related cell death provides physical relevance of this molecule as an attractive candidate with which to explain the mechanism of pathogenesis of PD.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.468-473
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• 2004

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by epidermal hyperplasia, dermal angiogenesis, infiltration of activated T cells, and increased cytokine levels, and affects 1-3% of the world-wide population. Although many immunological and clinical reports indicate a role for the immune system in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, puzzling questions about psoriasis remain unsolved. During the several decade, immunosuppressor and PUVA treatment are ubiquitously used to psoriasis therapy. But recently, to promote terminal differentiation of keratinocytes, block either NK-Tcell or T-cell activation, and interrupting the angiogenic switch represent another therapeutic opportunity in psoriasis. To keep face with immunological therapy, the needs of newly designed prescription on the psoriasis treatments were demanded. With the object of understand the psoriasis from an orient medical point of view, patients were administrated the GY during several weeks. We investigated the changes of gene expression in involved and uninvolved skin samples during the oriental remedy. Microarray data showed several important results. First, Gene expression profiling is similar to each patient. Second, precursor proteins that organize cornified envelops are decreased at the end of remedy. But genes which related to apoptosis, G-protein signalling, and lipid metabolism are increased. Third, 68.5% of clustering genes localized on the psoriasis susceptibility locus. In our results indicated that GY influence on the keratinocytes hyperproliferation by regulating the gene, which located on the psoriasis susceptibility locus.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.9-19
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• 2020

Avian influenza (AI) viruses are highly contagious viruses that infect many bird species and are zoonotic. Ducks are resistant to the deadly and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and remain asymptomatic to the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV). In this study, we identified common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after a reanalysis of previous transcriptomic data for the HPAIV and LPAIV infected duck lung cells. Microarray datasets from a previous study were reanalyzed to identify common target genes from DEGs and their biological functions. A total of 731 and 439 DEGs were identified in HPAIV- and LPAIV-infected duck lung cells, respectively. Of these, 227 genes were common to cells infected with both viruses, in which 193 genes were upregulated and 34 genes were downregulated. Functional annotation of common DEGs revealed that translation related gene ontology (GO) terms were enriched, including ribosome, protein metabolism, and gene expression. REACTOME analyses also identified pathways for protein and RNA metabolism as well as for tissue repair, including collagen biosynthesis and modification, suggesting that AIVs may evade the host defense system by suppressing host translation machinery or may be suppressed before being exported to the cytosol for translation. AIV infection also increased collagen synthesis, showing that tissue lesions by virus infection may be mediated by this pathway. Further studies should focus on these genes to clarify their roles in AIV pathogenesis and their possible use in AIV therapeutics.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.369-379
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• 1998

Background: Platelet-activating factor(PAF) might play an important role in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Since PAF induced lung injury is similar to changes of acute respiratory distress gyndrome, and abnormalities in surfactant function have been described in acute respiratory distress syndrome, the authors investigated the effects of PAF on the regulation of surfactant protein A, B and C mRNA accumulation Method: The effects of PAF on gene expression of surfactant protein A, B and C in 24 hours after intratracheal injection of PAF in rats. Surfactant protein A, B and C mRNAs were measured by filter hybridization. Results: The accumulation of SP-A mRNA in PAF treated group was significantly decreased by 37.1 % and 41.6%, respectively compared to the control group and the group treated with Lyso-PAF(p<0.025, p<0.01). The accumulation of SP-B mRNA in PAF treated group was decreased by 18.7% and 32.2 %, respectively compared to the control group and the group treated with Lyso-PAF but statistically not significant. The accumulation of SP-C mRNA in PAF treated group was significantly decreased by 30.7% and 38.5%, respectively compared to the control group and the group treated with Lyso-PAF(p<0.l, p<0.01). Conclusion: These findings represent a marked inhibitory effects of platelet-activating factor on surfactant proteins expression in vivo. This supports, in turn, 'platelet-activating factor might be related to pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1321-1326
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• 2014

Background/Aim: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and B7-H1, both normally expressed restricted to immune cells, are found to be aberrantly expressed in a majority of human tumors and may play important roles in regulation of tumor immunity. It has been shown that urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) patients can manifest tumoral immune escape which may be a potential critical factor in tumor pathogenesis and progression. However, so far, the mechanisms of UBC-related immune escape have not been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TLR4 and B7-H1 on immune escape of UBC. Methods: Bladder cancer T24 cells were pre-incubated with LPS and co-cultured with tumor specific CTLs. CTL cytotoxicity and apoptosis rates were measured by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The effects of an ERK inhibitor on B7-H1 expression and CTL cytotoxicity against T24 cells were also evaluated. In addition, TLR4, B7-H1 and PD-1 protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 60 UBC specimens and 10 normal urothelia. Results: TLR4 activation protected T24 cells from CTL killing via B7-H1 overexpression. However PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK, enhanced CTL killing of T24 cells by reducing B7-H1 expression. TLR4 expression was generally decreased in UBC specimens, while B7-H1 and PD-1 were greatly overexpressed. Moreover, expression of both B7-H1 and PD-1 was significantly associated with UICC stage and WHO grade classification. Conclusions: TLR4 and B7-H1 may contribute to immune escape of UBC. Targeting B7-H1 or the ERK pathway may offer new immunotherapy strategies for bladder cancer.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.386-393
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• 2010

In order to study disease resistance mechanisms in rice against the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea, we screened fungal elicitor-responsive genes from rice suspension-cultured cells treated with fungal elicitors employing differential hybridization (DH). By DH screening, 31 distinct rice clones were isolated and a majority of them were full-length cDNAs encoding pathogenesisrelated (PR) genes. Sixteen of the 31 genes were upregulated at 4, 8, and 12 h following fungal elicitor treatment. To elucidate the effect of signal molecules and biotic elicitors on the regulation of rice defense genes, we further characterized the transcriptional expression patterns of representative isolated PR genes; OsGlu1, OsGlu2, OsTLP, OsRLK, and OsPR-10, following treatment with fungal elicitor, phytohormones, cycloheximide, and inhibitors of protein phosphorylation. Jasmonic acid (JA) induced transcriptional expression of OsGlu1, OsTLP, and OsRLK, but not of OsGlu2 and OsPR-10 at any of the tested time points. Salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid weakly induced the expression of OsTLP and OsRLK. SA showed an antagonistic effect with fungal elicitor and JA. Cycloheximide suppressed all these genes upon elicitor treatment, except for OsGlu2. Staurosporine only induced the expression of OsRLK. Application of calyculin A strongly induced OsRLK expression, but suppressed the expression of OsGlu2. Our study yielded a number of PR genes that play a role in defense mechanisms against the rice blast fungus, as well as contribute towards the elucidation of crosstalk between phytohormones and other modifications during defense signaling.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.355-362
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• 2016

The phosphomannomutase/phosphoglucomutase gene (pmm/pgm) of Vibrio anguillarum (the causative agent of fish vibriosis) was cloned, and the open reading frame corresponded to a protein with 446 amino acids. The pmm/pgm gene showed a significant degree of sequence homology with the previously reported genes from V. mimicus, V. vulnificus, V. splendidus, and V. harveyi, with 92.3%, 91.4%, 89.9%, and 89.9% amino acid identity, respectively. By reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we found that the pmm/pgm gene was upregulated under cold stress condition. The PMM/PGM protein is known to catalyze the interconversion between mannose-1-phosphate and mannose-6-phosphate or glucose-1-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate, which are important intermediates for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. To confirm the role of PMM/PGM in the LPS biosynthetic pathway, we constructed a knock out mutant by homologous recombination. The respective LPSs were isolated from the V. anguillarum wild-type and mutant strains, and changes were compared by subjecting them to sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Based on the different patterns of the LPSs, we expect the pmm/pgm gene to have an important role in LPS biosynthesis. The pmm/pgm-deficient mutant of V. anguillarum will contribute to further studies about the role of LPS in V. anguillarum pathogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.318-326
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• 1992

Ga-67 citrate scan has been requested for detection or follow-up of inflammatory or neoplastic disease. Visualization of Ga-67 citrate in the kidneys at 48 and 72 hr post injection is usually interpreted as evidence of renal pathology. But precise mechanisms of abnormal Ga-67 uptake in kidneys were unknown. We undertook a study to determine the clinical value of Ga-67 citrate imaging of the kidneys in 68 patients with primary or secondary nephropathy confirmed by renal biopsy and 66 control patients without renal disease. Renal uptake in 48 to 72 hr images was graded as follows: Grade 0=back-ground activity:1=faint uptake greater than background;2=definite uptake, but less than lumbar vertebrae; 3=same uptake as lumbar vertebrae, but less than liver; 4=same or higher uptake than liver. The results were as follows. 1) 42 of 65 (62%) patients with noninfectious nephritis showed grade 2 or higher Ga-67 renal uptake but only 10 percent of control patients showed similar uptake. 2) In 14 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 8 of 9 (89%) patients with lupus nephritis exhibited marked renal uptake 3) 36 of 41 patients (88%) with combined nephrotic syndrome showed Grade 2 or higher renal uptake. 4) Renal Ga-67 uptake was correlated with clinical severity of nephrotic syndrome determined by serum albumin level, 24 hr urine protein excretion and serum lipid levels. 5) After complete remission of nephrotic syndrome, renal uptake in all 8 patients who were initially Grade 3 or 4, decreased to Grade 1 or 0. In conclusion, we think that the mechanism of renal Ga-67 uptake in nephrotic syndrome might be related to the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome. In systemic lupus erythematosus, Ga-67 citrate scan is useful in predicting renal involvement.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 1999

Purpose : Several modulatory factors for renal peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) has been reported, but their physiological significance remains elusive. Tissue-specific, stress-induced down-regulation of renal PBR coupled with the pharmacological stimulation of these effects by angiotensin II suggested that physiological significance of renal PBR may be related to the pathophysiology of stress-induced hypertension. The boderline hypertensive rat (BHR) has been used extensively to study the interaction of environmental factors, such as stress and blood pressure. The BHR is the first-generation progeny of a cross between the spontaneously hypertensive rat and the control Wistar-Kyoto rat. The pathogenesis of stress induced hypertension in this model is not demonstrated well. Methods In this study, BHR (male, 150-200 g) and Sprague-Dawley (SD, male, 150-200 g) rats were treated by repeated immobilization to induce anxiety. We used plus-maze performance to observe the level of anxiety by measuring percent open crosses and percent time in open. Results : Percent open crosses and percent time in open in BHR were lower than in SD rats (P<0.05). Receptor densities of renal PBR in BHRs were significantly lower than those of SDs (P<0.05). We also observed that the renal PBR was upregulated in the repeatedly stressed (immobilization, 2 hours daily, for 2 weeks) rats, both in the BHR and SD. However, the density of renal PBR in the stressed BHR was still lower than that of stressed SD. Renal PBR has been suggested to be an important organs which Is responsible for the production of cholesterol-derived products during stress. Conrlusion : From these results, it can be summarized that the lowed density of renal PBR may be involved in the pathogeneis of stress-induced hypertension.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.24-40
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• 2007

Background : Accumulating evidence shows that interleukin(IL)-1 plays a critical role in inflammation and connective tissue destruction observed in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. IL-1 induces gene expression related to cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases by activation of many different transcription factors. Materials and Methods : The chondrosarcoma cell line, SW1353, is known to be a valuable in vitro system for investigating catabolic gene regulation by IL-$1{\beta}$ in chondrocytic cells. To explore and analyze the changes in gene expression by IL-1 responsible for arthritis, SW1353 was treated with IL-1 for 1, 6 and 24 h and then total RNAs were purified for each time. The changes in gene expression were analyzed with 17k human cDNA microarrays and validated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results : Greater than a two-fold change was observed in 1,200 genes including metallothioneins, matrix metalloproteinases, extracellular matrix proteins, antioxidant proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, cell cycle regulatory proteins, proteins for cell growth and apoptosis, signaling proteins and transcription factors. These changes appeared to be correlate with the pathophysiological changes observed in early osteoarthritis. Conclusion : cDNA microarray analysis revealed a marked variability in gene expression, and provided insight into the overall molecular changes. The result of this study provide initial information for further studies to identify therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.