• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.162-167
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• 1994

Surface changes of tissues caused by B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki-$\delta$-endotoxin intoxication of Helicoverpa assulta were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Bt-endotoxin crystals induced the erosion and disruption on the surface of all tissues tested. The results revealed that the toxin binds to all exposed plasma membranes without apparent specificity for particular membrane domains.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2006

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) catalyzes the lysine-derived cross-links of fibrillar collagens and elastin in the extracellular matrix. Recent molecular cloning has revealed existence of a LOX family consisting of LOX and four lysyl oxidase-like proteins (LOXL, LOXL2, LOXL3 and LOXL4). Pathological conditions associated with impaired LOX activity in several heritable and acquired disorders lead to severe structural and functional abnormalities of cardiovascular tissues, such as occlusion of coronary arteries and aneurysms, suggesting an essential role for the LOX family proteins in the maintenance of the cardiovascular system. However, the specific roles of the lysyl oxidase-like proteins in normal and pathological conditions of the cardiovascular tissues have not been established yet. Here, I report that LOXL3, a novel member of the LOX family, is predominantly expressed in the aorta, with an amine oxidase activity toward collagen and elastin, suggesting an essential role of LOXL3 in the development and maintenance of the aorta.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 1993

The lipid composition of thylakoid membranes was compared between mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts of maize. According to mild-denaturing gel electrophoresis, mesophyll thylakoids contained both PS I complex and PS II light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complex(LHCP), while those of bundle sheath cells contained mainly PS I complex. The amount of lipids per mg chlorophyll was higher in bundle sheath thylakoids than in mesophyll. The major polar lipid classes were monogalactosyldiacylglycerol(MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycreol, sulfolipid and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in both tissues. Linolenic acid(18 : 3), linoleic acid(18 : 2) and palmitic acid(16 : 0) were the main fatty acyl components, with higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in bundle sheath thylakoids, suggesting these membranes are more fluid. The most striking difference in lipid composition between the two kinds of tissues was the practical absence of trans- 3-hexadecenoic acid(16 : 1t) in PG of bundle sheath thylakoids. This fatty acid is known to be involved in the association of LHCP as oligomeric form. More than 80% of MGDG molecular species was 18 : 3, 18 : 3, demonstrating that maize is a typical 18 : 3 plant. Therefore, the possibility of the functional relationships between the lamella structure, and thus the distribution of photosystems, and MGDG molecular species was excluded.

• Proceedings of the KACD Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.583-583
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• 2003

Recent study reported whether the cultured human pulp cells increase IL-8 secretion in response to SP stimulation22). In the present study, whether induction of IL-8 or MCP-1 in pulp tissue can be detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) with ex vivo pulpal explants exposed to neuropeptides in culture and the IL-8 expression using immunohistochemical analysis with the ex vivo pulpal explants exposed to neuropeptides was evaluated. To investigate further mechanisms that may contribute to leukocyte recruitment in lesions of endodontic origin, the differential expression of IL-8 and MCP-1 by human dental pulp tissues stimulated in vitro by the Substance P was examined.(omitted)

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.602-607
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• 1994

Based upon the previous experiments showing that kidney and lung tissues of rat had relatively abundant bradykinin binding sites, we tried to characterize and determine the densities of the bradykinin binding sites in the rabbit kidney tissue and proximal tubular cells under different growing conditions. Among the kidney tissue renal medulla segments showed the highest bradykinin binding sites. To determine which growth factors are to add in the serum free culture medium to express selectively the bradykinin binding sites in the rabbit kidney proximal tubular cells, we tried so called hormone-deletion approach and in here insulin, hydrocortisone, transferrin, triiodothyronine and prostaglandin $E_1$ are examined. By performing receptor binding assay and determination of protein concentrations, we may conclude that the most required hormones in the expression for bradykinin binding sites are insulin and transferrin, and fetal bovine serum is shown to be less effective in this regard.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.326.1-326.1
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• 2002

We applied serological analysis of cDNA expression library technique to identify cancer-associated genes. We screened cDNA expression libraries of human testis and gastric cancer cell lines with sera of patients with gastric cancers. We identified a gene whose expression is testis-specific among normal tissues. We cloned and characterized this novel gene. It contains D-E-A-D box domain and encodes a putative protein of 630 amino acids with possible helicase activity. It showed wide expression in various cancer tissues and cancer cell lines. (omitted)

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 1998

p62 is a novel cytoplsmic protein that binds to SH2 domain of p56$^{lck}$, lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase, and the expression of p62 was observed in most tissues. In addition p62 interacts with various proteins including ubiquitin and atypical PKC isoform, indicating its diverse biological role in different tissues. However, little is known about functional connection between p62 and its binding proteins. In the present study, a novel cellular protein, p62 has been shown to bind to 14-3-3 $\tau$ isoform that is specific for T cells. Moreover, overexpression of p62 in T cells caused to delay onset of UV-induced apoptosis characterized by DNA fragmentation and breakdown of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Lately, 14-3-3 proteins have been shown to mediate survival signal via interacting proapoptotic Bad protein in the Iymphocyte. These results suggested the presence of p62-mediated regulatory mechanism during apoptosis in T cells, in which activation-induced apoptotic signal could be interfered by p62 and 14-3-3 protein.n.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2020

Many benefits of silk protein fibroin (SPF) have been suggested in biomedical applications; and notably, significant SPF effects have been observed for metabolic syndromes that are directly linked to insulin resistance, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Based on our previous findings, we believe that SPF from spiders exhibits outstanding glucose-lowering effects in diabetic BKS.Cg-m+/+Lepr^db mice. In order to evaluate the dietary effects of SPF in diabetic animals, we generated several lines of transgenic rice (TR) that expresses SPF, and the feeding of TR-SPF to diabetic animals decreased blood glucose levels, but did not change insulin levels. Western blot analyses of hepatic proteins showed that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) expression and phosphorylation both decreased in TR-SPF-fed groups, compared with controls. This finding suggests that the glucose-lowering effects in this diabetic animal model might be AMPK-independent. In contrast, six-transmembrane protein of prostate 2 (STAMP2) was upregulated after TR-SPF exposure. Together with STAMP2, the Akt protein phosphorylation increased after TR-SPF exposure, which indicates that STAMP2 leads to Akt phosphorylation and thus increases insulin sensitivity in hepatocytes. Importantly, the hepatic steatosis that was seen in the liver of diabetic mice was remarkably alleviated in TR-SPF-fed mice. Hepatocytes that were immunopositive for STAMP2 were overwhelmingly observed in hepatic tissues from TR-SPF-fed mice compared to the control. Taken together, these results suggest that feeding diabetic mice with TR-SPF upregulates STAMP2 expression and increases Akt phosphorylation in hepatic tissues and thus potentially alleviates insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2009

A complete cDNA, which encodes for a myostatin-like protein (Es-MSTN), was isolated from the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. Es-MSTN was composed of 2,397 nucleotides and the open reading frame (ORF) specified a protein containing 468 amino acids. Es-MSTN exhibited 32% amino acid sequence identity and 52% similarity to human myostatin. Multiple sequence alignment analysis indicated that Es-MSTN possessed the conserved proteolytic cleavage site (RXXR) for maturation of the protein and nine cysteine residues for disulfide bridges. Besides the conserved structural features, Es-MSTN also exhibits its unique characters; a longer N-terminal domain which is involved in protein folding and latent form of myostatin and absence of the cleavage site for BMP-1/tolloid family of metalloproteinase to activate mature myostatin. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Es-MSTN showed the closely related to both vertebrate myostatin and GDF11. Es-MSTN is expressed highly in the claw muscle, leg muscle, thoracic muscle and heart, and moderately in the hindgut suggesting that Es-MSTN may play important roles in the muscle tissues. As homolog of mammalian myostatin and GDF11, Es-MSTN may be involved in development of muscular tissue and further study will help to produce high-quality seafood.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2002.05b
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• pp.1-19
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• 2002

It is well established that the initiating event in chemical carcinogenesis is the binding of reactive carcinogens to DNA. Thus, a number of analytic methods have been developed for determining levels of carcinogen-DNA adducts in humans as a marker of individual exposure and, potentially, of risk for cancer development. In addition, reactive carcinogens also bind to protein suggesting protein adducts can be used as a surrogate for DNA adducts in some situations. We have developed monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to carcinogen-DNA and protein adductis and highly sensitive ELISA and immunohistochemical assays for determining levels of adducts in human tissues. These studies have demonstrated higher levels of adducts in those with higher exposure as a result of workplace, dietary, chemotherapy, environmental of lifestyle (smoking) exposures. Elevated levels of adducts have been found in lung and liver cancer cases compared to controls. We have also used DNA adducts to determine efficacy of an antiosidant vitamin intervention. DNA adduct studies have demonstrated very different levels of damage in those with similar exposure levels. These interindividual differences are likely the result genetic differences in capacity to activate carcinogens, detoxify reactive intermediates and repair DNA adducts once formed. We are currently investigating the relationship between polymorphisms in a number of these genes to determine their relationship to adduct levels as well as their ability to confer increased risk for cancer development. The ability to identify high risk individuals will allow the targeting of screening and preventive strategies to those most likely to benfit.