• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.105-112
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• 2007

Ascorbic acid has been reported to extend replicative life span of human embryonic fibroblast (HEF). Since the detailed molecular mechanism of this phenomenon has not been investigated, we attempted to elucidate. Continuous treatment of HEF cells with ascorbic acid at ($200{\mu}M$) from 40 population doubling (PD) increased maximum PD numbers by 18% and lowered $SA-{\beta}-gal$ positive staining, an aging marker, by 2.3 folds, indicating that ascorbic acid extends replicative life span of HEF cells. Ascorbic acid treatment lowered DCFH by about 7 folds and Rho123 by about 70%, suggesting that ascorbic acid dramatically decreased ROS formation. Ascorbic acid also increased aconitase activity, a marker of mitochondrial aging, by 41%, indicating that ascorbic acid treatment restores age-related decline of mitochondrial function. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry revealed that ascorbic acid treatment decreased G1 population up to 12%. Further western blot analysis showed that ascorbic acid treatment decreased levels of p53, phospho-p53 at ser 15, and p21, indicating that ascorbic acid relieved senescence-related G1 arrest. Analysis of AP (apurinic/apyrimidinic) sites showed that ascorbic acid treatment decreased AP site formation by 35%. We also tested the effect of hydrogen peroxide treatment, as an additional oxidative stress. Continuous treatment of $20{\mu}M$ of hydrogen peroxide from PD 40 of HEF cells resulted in premature senescence due to increased ROS level, and increased AP sites. Taken together, the results suggest that ascorbic acid extends replicative life span of HEF cells by reducing mitochondrial and DNA damages through lowering cellular ROS.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.646-650
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• 2016

본 연구는 염색체 가공기술(chromosome manipulation technique)을 이용하여 다양한 개수의 염색체를 가진 균주들의 세포 성장속도 및 life span을 비교하여 염색체 수의 증가가 세포 생리에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 16개의 염색체를 가지는 숙주세포 FY833 균주와 18개의 염색체를 가지는 YKY18 및 YKY18R 균주, 24개의 염색체를 가지는 YKY24 균주와 30개의 염색체를 가지는 YKY30 균주를 사용하여 specific growth rate를 비교해 본 결과, YKY18 균주와 YKY24 균주는 세포성장의 변화가 거의 없었으나, YKY18R 균주와 YKY30 균주에서는 숙주세포에 비해 각각 25%와 40% 이상 성장이 감소됨을 확인 할 수 있었다. 또한 염색체 수와 노화의 관계를 알아보기 위해 replicative life span을 조사해 본 결과, YKY24균주와 YKY30 균주에서 숙주세포에 비해 약 14%와 45% 정도로 life span이 감소했음을 알 수 있었다. 노화인자로 알려져 있는 telomere의 길이도 인공염색체의 수가 증가될수록 점점 다양해지고 길이가 짧아짐을 확인 할 수 있었다. 따라서 염색체 수의 증가도 새로운 노화원인이 될 수 있다는 가능성을 제시하였고, 본 연구 결과가 다양한 인공염색체를 가진 산업용 균주의 안정적인 개량을 위한 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이라 기대한다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권10호
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• pp.918-924
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• 2015

During T cell activation, mitochondrial content increases to meet the high energy demand of rapid cell proliferation. With this increase, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) also increases and causes the rapid apoptotic death of activated cells, thereby facilitating T cell homeostasis. Nicotinamide (NAM) has previously been shown to enhance mitochondria quality and extend the replicative life span of human fibroblasts. In this study, we examined the effect of NAM on $CD8^+$ T cell activation. NAM treatment attenuated the increase of mitochondrial content and ROS in T cells activated by CD3/CD28 antibodies. This was accompanied by an accelerated and higher-level clonal expansion resulting from attenuated apoptotic death but not increased division of the activated cells. Attenuation of ROS-triggered pro-apoptotic events and upregulation of Bcl-2 expression appeared to be involved. Although cells activated in the presence of NAM exhibited compromised cytokine gene expression, our results suggest a means to augment the size of T cell expansion during activation without consuming their limited replicative potential.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.32-35
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• 2007

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is an enzymatic ribonucleoprotein that prolongs the replicative life span of cells by maintaining protective structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomerase activity is highly up-regulated in 85-90% of human cancers, and is predominately regulated by hTERT expression. In contrast, most normal somatic tissues in humans express low or undetectable levels of telomerase activity. This expression profile identifies TERT as a potential anticancer target. By using an RNA mapping strategy based on a trans-splicing ribozyme library, we identified the regions of mouse TERT (mTERT) RNA that were accessible to ribozymes. We found that particularly accessible sites were present downstream of the AUG start codon. This mTERTspecific ribozyme will be useful for validation of the RNA replacement as cancer gene therapy approach in mouse model with syngeneic tumors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.1070-1076
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• 2009

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), which prolongs the replicative life span of cells, is highly upregulated in 85-90% of human cancers, whereas most normal somatic tissues in humans express limited levels of the telomerase activity. Therefore, TERT has been a potential target for anticancer therapy. Recently, we described a new approach to human cancer gene therapy, which is based on the group I intron of Tetrahymena thermophila. This ribozyme can specifically mediate RNA replacement of human TERT (hTERT) transcript with a new transcript harboring anticancer activity through a trans-splicing reaction, resulting in selective regression of hTERT-positive cancer cells. However, to validate the therapeutic potential of the ribozyme in animal models, ribozymes targeting inherent transcripts of the animal should be developed. In this study, we developed a Tetrahymena-based trans-splicing ribozyme that can specifically target and replace the mouse TERT (mTERT) RNA. This ribozyme can trigger transgene activity not only also in mTERT-expressing cells but hTERT-positive cancer cells. Importantly, the ribozyme could selectively induce activity of the suicide gene, a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene, in cancer cells expressing the TERT RNA and thereby specifically hamper the survival of these cells when treated with ganciclovir. The mTERT-targeting ribozyme will be useful for evaluation of the RNA replacement approach as a cancer gene therapeutic tool in the mouse model with syngeneic tumors.