• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2002

Background: Inflammation, where vascular endothelial cells are activated by cytokines, recruits circulating leukocytes such as neutrophils into the tissues. Mononuclear phagocytes as well as tissue cells activated by these stimuli produce these chemokines. In this study, thr effects of IL-1 and LPS on the expression of CXC chemokines such as GRO-${\alpha}$, IL-8 and ENA-78 in vascular endothelial cells and the neutrophil adhesion effects of ENA-78 and GRO-${\alpha}$ was investigated. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured and stimulated with various concentrations of IL-1 and LPS. The concentrations of the GRO-${\alpha}$, IL-8 and ENA-78 secreted were measured using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. The effects of ENA-78 and GRO-${\alpha}$ on neutrophil adhesion to the endothelial cells were also investigated. Results: The addition of IL-1 and LPS to the vascular endothelial cells induced GRO-${\alpha}$ IL-8 and ENA-78 secretion in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The neutrophil adhesion was also increased by induction of ENA-78 and GRO-${\alpha}$ to the vascular endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: CXC chemokines such as GRO-${\alpha}$, IL-8 and ENA-78 secreted by the vascular endothelial cells play an important role in the acute inflammatory responses by stimulating neutrophil adhesion to the vascular endothelial cells, raising the possibility that the CXC chemokines are one of the targets in the clinical application of acute inflammation.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2019

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) has a intrinsic function of inducing growth and proliferation of cells through interacting with cell membrane receptors in human epidermis and dermis layer. These functions of EGF are used as a main ingredient for wound healing medicines and anti-aging cosmetics. As a cosmetic ingredient, the EGF has a problem in exhibiting its natural efficacy due to the lack of the ability to penetrate through the stratum corneum, which is known as the skin barrier. In this study, a recombinant human epidermal growth factor ($MTD_{151}-EGF$) fused with the macromolecule transduction domain $(MTD)_{151}$ with the skin penetration ability was developed to improve the skin penetration efficiency of the EGF. Expression of $MTD_{151}-EGF$ was performed in E. coli transformed with a vector encoding the $MTD_{151}-EGF$ gene and then purified. The purified $MTD_{151}-EGF$ was evaluated using cell proliferation assay, cytotoxicity test and skin penetration test by franz diffusion cell assay and artificial skin. Cell proliferation activity of $MTD_{151}-EGF$ purified to high purity of 99% or above was equivalent to the EGF or better, and cytotoxicity was not observed. In addition, the $MTD_{151}-EGF$ showed an excellent penetration efficiency compared to the EGF in the skin penetration test with EGF and $MTD_{151}-EGF$ labeled by FITC in an artificial skin penetration model. Based on the quantitative analysis of the penetrating substance using franz diffusion cell assay, the amount of penetration was about 16 times more than that of EGF. These results can be regarded as an effective alternative to improve the existing physical transdermal penetration method related to the use of various active ingredients for cosmetics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.356-365
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• 2021

Recently, we sequenced the entire genome of a freshwater agar-degrading bacterium Cellvibrio sp. KY-GH-1 (KCTC13629BP) to explore genetic information encoding agarases that hydrolyze agarose into monomers 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose (L-AHG) and D-galactose. The KY-GH-1 strain appeared to possess nine β-agarase genes and two α-neoagarobiose hydrolase (α-NABH) genes in a 77-kb agarase gene cluster. Based on these genetic information, the KY-GH-1 strain-caused agarose degradation into L-AHG and D-galactose was predicted to be initiated by both endolytic GH16 and GH86 β-agarases to generate NAOS (NA4/NA6/NA8), and further processed by exolytic GH50 β-agarases to generate NA2, and then terminated by GH117 α-NABHs which degrade NA2 into L-AHG and D-galactose. More recently, by employing E. coli expression system with pET-30a vector we obtained three recombinant His-tagged GH50 family β-agarases (GH50A, GH50B, and GH50C) derived from Cellvibrio sp. KY-GH-1 to compare their enzymatic properties. GH50A β-agarase turned out to have the highest exolytic β-agarase activity among the three GH50 isozymes, catalyzing efficient NA2 production from the substrate (agarose, NAOS or AOS). Additionally, we determined that GH117A α-NABH, but not GH117B α-NABH, could potently degrade NA2 into L-AHG and D-galactose. Sequentially, we examined the enzymatic characteristics of GH50A β-agarase and GH117A α-NABH, and assessed their efficiency for NA2 production from agarose and for production of L-AHG and D-galactose from NA2, respectively. In this review, we describe the benefits of recombinant GH50A β-agarase and GH117A α-NABH originated from Cellvibrio sp. KY-GH-1, which may be useful for the enzymatic hydrolysis of agarose for mass production of L-AHG and D-galactose.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.205-210
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• 2013

Lumazine protein is a fluorescent protein isolated from the bioluminescent bacteria of Photobacterium species. To generate minimal size of lumazine protein with possessing fluorescent characteristic, the gene coding for the wild type N-terminal domain of lumazine protein (N-LumP 118) containing amino acids up to 118 from Photobacterium leiognathi was produced. In addition, the genes coding for the variant proteins of N-LumP 118, replaced with one tryptophan amino acid (N-LumP 118 V41W, S48W, T50W, D64W, and A66W), were also constructed by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Site Directed Mutagenesis. These proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli by transformation with recombinant plasmids and purified by 6X-His tagging system. Spectroscopic studies have show that the purified proteins are capable of binding to the fluorescent ligand 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine, resulted in showing of fluorescent characteristic with the minimal size of protein. From these studies, the mutant proteins containing single tryptophan amino acid residue, possessing its own intrinsic flouophore character at the different position, will be able to the use as a probe for further studies to deduce their three dimensional structure and the binding modes.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2001

Background: Many types of cancer become resistant to current chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic intervention. To overcome this situation application of gene therapy by the introduction of suicide genes followed by their prodrugs may be promising. A viral enzyme, Herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSV-tk), which converts ganciclovir from an inactive prodrug to a cytotoxic agent by phosphorylation, are being actively investigated for use in gene therapy for cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether combining prodrug-activating gene therapy and irradiation might result in enhanced antitumor effects. Methods: The HSV-tk gene was cloned into the retroviral vector, pLXSN and established the clones producing retroviruses carrying the HSV-tk gene. The carcinoma cell line, HCT116 and Huh-7 were transduced with high-titer recombinant retroviruses. These cell lines were treated with ganciclovir before or after irradiation for the defining combinational effect of suicide gene therapy and radiotherapy. Results: The titers of cloned PA3 17 amphotropic retroviruses ranged from 4 to 6 X $10^6CFU/ml4$. After selectional periods, the expression of HSV-tk was confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The growth of cells expressing HSV-tk was inhibited as increase of GCV dose after 48 hr and the growth inhibitory effect of GCV was much higher after 72 hr. When the cells transduced with HSV-tk gene were exposed to radiation, the growth inhibitory effect of GCV was significantly increased, as compared with non-transduced parental cells. Conclusions: The results suggest that the addition of HSV-tk gene therapy to standard radiation therapy may improve the effectiveness of treatment for solid tumors.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.102-108
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• 2002

Background: This study was aimed to differentiate two forms of CTLA-4 (CD152) in activated peripheral blood lymphocyte and clarify the mechanism how cytoplasmic form of this molecule is targeted to cell surface. Methods: For this purpose we generated 2 different anti-human CD152 peptide antibodies and 5 different N'-terminal deletion mutant CTLA4Ig fusion proteins and carried out a series of Western blot and ELISA analyses. Antipeptide antibodies made in this study were anti-CTLA4pB and anti-CTLA4pN. The former recognized a region on extracellular single V-like domain and the latter recognized N'-terminal sequence of leader domain of human CD152. Results: In Western blot, the former antibody recognized recombinant human CTLA4Ig fusion protein as an antigen. And this recognition was completely blocked by preincubating antipeptide antibody with the peptide used for the antibody generation at the peptide concentration of 200 ug/ml. These antibodies were recognized human CD152 as a cytoplasmic sequestered- and a membrane bound- forms in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL). These two forms of CD152 were further differentiated by using anti-CTLA4pN and anti-CTLA4pB antibodies such that former recognized cytosolic form only while latter recognized both cytoplasmic- and membraneforms of this molecule. Furthermore, in a transfection expression study of 5 different N'-terminal deletion mutant CTLA4Ig, mutated proteins were secreted out from transfected cell surface only when more than 6 amino acids from N'-terminal were deleted. Conclusion: Our results implies that cytosolic form of CTLA-4 has leader sequence while membrane form of this molecule does not. And also suggested is that at least N'-terminal 6 amino acid residues of human CTLA-4 are required for regulation of targeting this molecule from cytosolic- to membrane- area of activated human peripheral blood T lymphocyte.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.170-175
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• 2018

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common movement disorder and the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Approximately 5~10% of PD patients are familial PD cases. Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) has been known to be a causal gene of PD when it is mutated. LRRK2 contains the functional kinase and GTPase domains as well as leucine-rich repeat (LRR) and WD40 domains that are known to play critical roles for protein-protein interaction, suggesting that LRRK2-interacting proteins are important regulators for PD pathogenesis. In an effort to identify proteins interacting with LRRK2, we carried out co-immunoprecipitation of LRRK2 antibody using extracts of NIH3T3 cells that express LRRK2 at a relatively high level. The mass spectrometry analysis of a precipitated band revealed that the co-precipitated band was methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MRS), an ancient enzyme that transfers methionin to its cognate tRNA. The interaction of MRS with LRRK2 was confirmed again by co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous proteins and GST pull-down assays. However, LRRK2 did not phosphorylate recombinant MRS protein in in vitro kinase assays, and over-expression of LRRK2 or MRS did not affect the stability of its partner protein. Our data indicate that LRRK2 interacts with but does not phosphorylate MRS, and the stability of each partner is not affected by the other.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2008

A hyperthermophilic bacteria (strain HJ6) was isolated from a hot springs located in the Arima-cho, Hyogo, Japan. The cells were long-rod type ($2-4{\mu}m$), about $0.4{\mu}m$ in diameter. The pH and temperature for optimal growth were 6.5 and $80^{\circ}C$, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rDNA sequence and biochemical studies indicated that HJ6 belonged to the genus Thermus thermophilus (Tt). The gene encoding the Trehalose synthase (TS) was cloned and sequenced. The open reading frame (ORF) of the TtTS gene was composed of 2,898 nucleotides and encoded a protein (975 amino acids) with a predicted molecular weight of 110.56 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of TtTS showed 99% and 83% identities to the Thermus caldophilus TS and Meiothermus ruber TS, respectively. TtTS gene was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, and the recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity. The optimal temperature and pH for Trehalose synthase activity were found to be $80^{\circ}C$ and 7.5, respectively. The half-life of heat inactivation was about 40 min at $90^{\circ}C$. The maximum trehalose conversion rate of maltose into trehalose by the enzyme increased as the substrate concentration increased, and reached 55.7% at the maltose concentration of 500 mM, implying that the enzyme conversion was dependent of the substrate concentration.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 1996

Abnormalities of p53 gene are common in lung cancers and are associated with immunologically detectable p53 protein. p53 immunoreactivity is uncommon in normal cells but is frequently seen in neoplasia. Therefore, assessment of p53 expression may assist in the cytological diagnosis of malignancy. The usefulness of p53 immunostaining as a marker of malignancy in the cytological analysis of bronchial brush specimens from the patients with lung cancers was investigated in this study. A total of 71 bronchial brush samples submitted for cytologic diagnosis were immunostained with D07, a monoclonal antibody to recombinant p53 protein. Resultant p53 data were correlated with cytologic diagnosis and clinical information. Of the 17 smears with a benign cytodiagnosis, all were p53 negative. Of the 40 cases with a malignant cytodiagnosis (histologically confirmed), 35 were p53 positive and 5 were negative. Of the 14 cases that were cytologically suspicious but nondiagnostic for malignancy, 11 were p53 positive, 9 of which were subsequently proved to be malignant by histologic examination, and the remaining 2 cases were tuberculosis clinically. Forty four of 51 histologically confirmed lung carcinomas were p53 positive, including 25 of 28 squamous cell carcinomas, 13 of 17 small cell carcinomas, 3 of 3 adenocarcinomas, and 3 of 3 large cell undifferentiated carcinomas. These results suggest that p53 immunostaining could be of value as a marker of malignancy in the cytologic examination of bronchial brush specimens. Furthermore, we have shown the possible clinical utility of p53 immunostaining in cytopathological diagnosis, that is, as a valuable adjunct to morphological assessment in the analysis of cytopathologically suspicious cases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.435-440
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• 2004

The gene encoding a extremely thermostable 4-$\alpha$-glucanotransferase from a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus litoralis, was cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. The amino acid sequence of the enzyme was distantly related to other functionally-related ones, such as D-enzymes. The enzyme is of industrial interest because of a novel activity of producing cycloamylose and is also important for fundamental studies of protein, sugar-metabolizing enzymes. In this paper, the overexpression of 4-$\alpha$-glucanotransferase in E. coli was carried out expression vector system with lac and T7 promoters. The enzyme was successfully overexpressed, and purified by the heat treatment of a cell-free extract, successive Butyl-Toyopearl and Mono Q chromatographies. The purified recombinant enzyme showed the same specific activity and the same mobility in SDS-PAGE as natural enzyme.