• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.1073-1085
• /
• 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has continued for over 2 years, following the outbreak of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) in 2019. It has resulted in enormous casualties and severe economic crises. The rapid development of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 has helped slow the spread. In the meantime, various mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 have emerged to evade current vaccines and therapeutics. A better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis is a prerequisite for developing efficient, advanced vaccines and therapeutics. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, a tremendous amount of research has been conducted to unveil SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, from clinical observations to biochemical analysis at the molecular level upon viral infection. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 propagation and pathogenesis, with an update on recent advances.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.662-669
• /
• 2007

Although the function of cellular prion protein (PrP$^C$) and the pathogenesis of prion diseases have been widely described, the mechanisms are not fully clarified. In this study, increases of the portion of non-glycosylated prion protein deposited in the hamster brains infected with scrapie strain 263K were described. To elucidate the pathological role of glycosylation profile of PrP, wild type human PrP (HuPrP) and two genetic engineering generated non-glycosylated PrP mutants (N181Q/N197Q and T183A/T199A) were transiently expressed in human astrocytoma cell line SF126. The results revealed that expressions of non-glycosylated PrP induced significantly more apoptosis cells than that of wild type PrP. It illustrated that Bcl-2 proteins might be involved in the apoptosis pathway of non-glycosylated PrPs. Our data highlights that removal of glycosylation of prion protein provokes cells apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.271-281
• /
• 2003

Virulent and avirulent H5N1 viruses were inoculated intranasally to BALB/c and immunodeficient mice, and compared the pathogenesis by histology and immunohistochemistry. All of mice infected with virulent virus died by systemic infection at 6 to 7 days postinfection (PI). BALB/c mice infected with avirulent virus survived from the infection, whereas immunodeficient mice showed nervous symptoms in addition to respiratory disease and died at 13 days PI. Viral positive antigens was detected from multiple organs including central nervous system in immunodeficient mice infected with avirulent virus. These results suggest that avirulent H5N1 influenza virus can aquire the multiple tissue tropism under immunosuppresed condition and host immune system is a important factor to protect the development of disease.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 2004

The present experiment was carried out to study the pathogenesis of Newcastle disease(ND), ND virus (NDV) antigens and genes in various organs from NDV inoculated chickens were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Immunohistochemically, NDV antigens were detected in the spleen, thymus, cecal tonsil, proventriculus, trachea and lungs at 12 hour post-inoculation (hpi). Viral antigens were localized mainly in the cytoplasm of lymphocytes and macrophages. After 48 hpi, clinical findings of the affected chickens were open-mouth breathing, conjunctivitis, watery diarrhea and edema around the eye and neck. After 72 hpi, chickens showed muscular tremor, paralysis of the legs and wings, and coma. Histopathological results consist of multi-focal necrosis with hemorrhages in lymphoid aggregates of the intestinal tracts, necrosis of the lymphoid tissues, neuronal degeneration and necrosis, and perivascular cuffing. Using RT-PCR, virus genes were detected in the spleen and proventriculus at 48 hpi, and in the brain at 60 hpi.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2017

Viruses continue to evolve a new strategy to take advantage of every aspect of host cells in order to maximize their survival. Due to their central roles in transducing a variety of transmembrane signals, GPCRs seem to be a prime target for viruses to pirate for their own use. Incorporation of GPCR functionality into the genome of herpesviruses has been demonstrated to be essential for pathogenesis of many herpesviruses-induced diseases. Here, we introduce US28 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) as the best-studied example of virally-encoded GPCRs to manipulate host GPCR signaling. In this review, we wish to summarize a number of US28-related topics including its regulation of host signaling pathways, its constitutive internalization, its structural and functional analysis, its roles in HCMV biology and pathogenesis, its proliferative activities and role in oncogenesis, and pharmacological modulation of its biological activities. This review will aid in our understanding of how pathogenic viruses usurp the host GPCR signaling for successful viral infection. This kind of knowledge will enable us to build a better strategy to control viral infection by normalizing the virally-dysregulated host GPCR signaling.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.449-465
• /
• 2023

Plants are challenged by various pathogens throughout their lives, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and insects; consequently, they have evolved several defense mechanisms. In addition, plants have developed localized and systematic immune responses due to biotic and abiotic stress exposure. Animals are known to activate DNA damage responses (DDRs) and DNA damage sensor immune signals in response to stress, and the process is well studied in animal systems. However, the links between stress perception and immune response through DDRs remain largely unknown in plants. To determine whether DDRs induce plant resistance to pathogens, Arabidopsis plants were treated with bleomycin, a DNA damage-inducing agent, and the replication levels of viral pathogens and growth of bacterial pathogens were determined. We observed that DDR-mediated resistance was specifically activated against viral pathogens, including turnip crinkle virus (TCV). DDR increased the expression level of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and the total salicylic acid (SA) content and promoted mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades, including the WRKY signaling pathway in Arabidopsis. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that defense-and SA-related genes were upregulated by DDR. The atm-2atr-2 double mutants were susceptible to TCV, indicating that the main DDR signaling pathway sensors play an important role in plant immune responses. In conclusion, DDRs activated basal immune responses to viral pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2021

[Purpose] Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 is often associated with altered gut microbiota composition and reflects disease severity. Furthermore, various reports suggest that the interaction between COVID-19 and host-microbiota homeostasis is mediated through the modulation of microRNAs (miRNAs). Thus, in this review, we aim to summarize the association between human microbiota and miRNAs in COVID-19 pathogenesis. [Methods] We searched for the existing literature using the keywords such "COVID-19 or microbiota," "microbiota or microRNA," and "COVID-19 or probiotics" in PubMed until March 31, 2021. Subsequently, we thoroughly reviewed the articles related to microbiota and miRNAs in COVID-19 to generate a comprehensive picture depicting the association between human microbiota and microRNAs in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. [Results] There exists strong experimental evidence suggesting that the composition and diversity of human microbiota are altered in COVID-19 patients, implicating a bidirectional association between the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 encoded miRNAs and host cellular microRNAs modulated by human microbiota can interfere with viral replication and regulate host gene expression involved in the initiation and progression of COVID-19. These findings suggest that the manipulation of human microbiota with probiotics may play a significant role against SARS-CoV-2 infection by enhancing the host immune system and lowering the inflammatory status. [Conclusion] The human microbiota-miRNA axis can be used as a therapeutic approach for COVID-19. Hence, further studies are needed to investigate the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of miRNA expression in human microbiota and how these miRNA profiles mediate viral infection through host-microbe interactions.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.177-182
• /
• 2018

Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) infection results in significant respiratory illness in dogs. Isolating and culturing CAV-2 allows for investigations into its pathogenesis and the development of vaccines and diagnostic assays. In this study, we successfully isolated a virus from a naturally infected dog in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. The virus was propagated in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and Vero cells and showed a specific cytopathic morphology that appeared similar to a bunch of grapes. The virus was first confirmed as CAV-2 based on these cytopathic effects, an immunofluorescence assay, hemagglutination assay, and electron microscopy. The viral titer of the isolate designated APQA1601 reached $10^{6.5}$ 50% tissue culture infections dose per mL in MDCK cells and exhibited no hemagglutination units with erythrocytes from guinea pig. The virus was also confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing. The APQA1601 strain had the highest similarity (~99.9%) with the Toronto A26/61 strain, which was isolated in Canada in 1976 when the nucleotide sequences of the full genome of the APQA1601 strain were compared with those of other CAV strains. Isolating CAV-2 will help elucidate the biological properties of CAV-2 circulating in Korean dogs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.59 no.11
• /
• pp.432-439
• /
• 2016

Asthma is recognized as a complex disease resulting from interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that respiratory viral infections in early life constitute a major environmental risk factor for the development of childhood asthma. Respiratory viral infections have also been recognized as the most common cause of asthma exacerbation. The advent of molecular diagnostics to detect respiratory viruses has provided new insights into the role of human rhinovirus (HRV) infections in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, it is still unclear whether HRV infections cause asthma or if wheezing with HRV infection is simply a predictor of childhood asthma. Recent clinical and experimental studies have identified plausible pathways by which HRV infection could cause asthma, particularly in a susceptible host, and exacerbate disease. Airway epithelial cells, the primary site of infection and replication of HRV, play a key role in these processes. Details regarding the role of genetic factors, including ORMDL3, are beginning to emerge. This review discusses recent clinical and experimental evidence for the role of HRV infection in the development and exacerbation of childhood asthma and the potential underlying mechanisms that have been proposed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
• /
• 2016.05a
• /
• pp.189-190
• /
• 2016

바이러스는 RNA나 DNA의 유전물질과 그것을 둘러싸고 있는 최소한의 단백질들만으로 구성되어 있기 때문에 바이러스가 증식하기 위해서는 숙주세포에 침투하여 전적으로 숙주의 복제 기구를 이용해야만 한다. 하지만 아직까지 뎅기 바이러스의 감염 및 복제 기전은 명확하게 밝혀지지 않았다. 이에 본 연구에서는 바이러스의 감염 및 복제기전에 대한 유용한 정보를 도출하기 위하여 사람 단백질과 뎅기 바이러스 단백질의 상호작용(Hu-DV PPI) 네트워크를 분석하였다. 우선 문헌조사를 통하여 실험적으로 검증된 뎅기 바이러스 단백질(9개)과 상호작용하는 사람 단백질(149개)을 추출하였으며, 이 정보를 이용하여 사람-뎅기 바이러스 단백질 상호작용 네트워크를 구축하였다. 이 네트워크를 기반으로 바이러스 감염 전/후의 네트워크 구조 및 특성을 분석하였으며, 이 정보를 바탕으로 감염경로를 탐색하였다.