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Biomedical subjects

Hoon Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Hoon Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Putative glioblastoma origin-like cells in the subventricular zone: isolation and characterization.

Glioblastoma (GBM) remains lethal despite maximal therapy. The adult subventricular zone (SVZ), a neural stem-cell niche, has been implicated as a potential site of origin, yet the identity and functional properties of putative GBM origin-like cells (GBM-OCs) within the SVZ remain unclear. An SVZ-restricted somatic mutation mouse model (Cre-induced EGFRvIII expression with Trp53 and Pten disruption) was established and mouse SVZ-derived cells were prospectively isolated for functional and molecular profiling. Self-renewal, multipotency, invasive potential and tumour-initiating capacity were assessed relative to control SVZ cells and matched tumour-derived tumourspheres. Whole-genome and RNA sequencing defined genomic and transcriptional alterations during early progression. Mouse GBM-OCs exhibited self-renewal and multilineage differentiation and initiated tumours only after re-implantation into the SVZ (11/29, 38%), whereas direct striatal implantation failed (0/25, 0%), indicating context-dependent tumorigenic potential associated with the SVZ microenvironment. In contrast, tumour-derived tumourspheres retained tumorigenic capacity upon implantation into both the SVZ and the striatum. During progression from mouse GBM-OCs to tumours, whole-chromosome and arm-level aneuploidies accumulated. In patients with GBM, multi-region single-nucleus RNA sequencing of tumour-free SVZ, matched tumours and tumour-free cortex identified rare neural stem cell-like, astrocyte-like and oligodendrocyte precursor-like SVZ populations transcriptionally aligned with GBM programmes. These cells showed single-nucleus RNA-inferred chromosome 7 gain and/or chromosome 10 loss signals, with concordant low-frequency copy-number alterations in the SVZ detected by exome sequencing and enriched in matched tumours. Together, these findings support the presence of SVZ-resident stem or progenitor-like populations with early GBM-associated features, consistent with putative GBM-OCs, and highlight the SVZ niche as a potential target for early detection and niche-informed therapeutic strategies.

Animals↗

Genetic distribution of group A human rotavirus types isolated in Gyunggi province of Korea, 1999-2002.

BACKGROUND: Human rotavirus genotypes G1-G4 and G9 are the major etiological agents of infantile gastroenteritis. G1 was the most prevalent in Korea during the 10-year period prior to 1997. However, between 1998 and 1999, G4 was the predominant type in Korea, as it was in other Asian countries. OBJECTIVES: The circulating pattern and genetic variability of group A human rotavirus in Gyunggi, Korea, 1999-2002, were examined in 189 stool specimens. STUDY DESIGN: Stool samples were collected from children with diarrhea, and group A human rotavirus type was determined using multiplex RT-PCR in those specimens found to be positive for rotavirus by ELISA. Each genotype was sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was performed on the sequences. RESULT: We found significant variability from year to year in the prevalence of different G and P types of rotavirus. We also found relatively high prevalence rates for types normally considered to be uncommon. Furthermore, we found that the most prevalent combination of G and P types changed from year to year. Although the combination of G and P types changed every year, the sequence of G genotypes showed a high level of similarity (>97%) compared to those of strains from other Asian countries. CONCLUSION: We report the types of rotavirus circulating in Gyunggi province, Korea from 1999 to 2002. This information on rotavirus diversity has important implications for rotavirus vaccine efficacy and future vaccine development.

Antigens, Viral↗

Assembling a novel bifunctional cellulase-xylanase from Thermotoga maritima by end-to-end fusion.

An artificial, bifunctional, thermostable cellulase-xylanase enzyme from Thermotoga maritima by gene fusion. The fusion protein exhibited both cellulase and xylanase activity when xynA was fused downstream of cel5C but no activities were shown when xynA was fused upstream of cel5C. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 80 degrees C over 30 min. E. coli expressed the fusion enzyme, with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 152 kDa by carboxymethyl cellulose- and xylan-SDS-PAGE.

Biotechnology↗

A cel44C-man26A gene of endophytic Paenibacillus polymyxa GS01 has multi-glycosyl hydrolases in two catalytic domains.

A bacterial strain Paenibacillus polymyxa GS01 was isolated from the interior of the roots of Korean cultivars of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer). The cel44C-man26A gene was cloned from this endophytic strain. This 4,056-bp gene encodes for a 1,352-aa protein which, based on BLAST search homologies, contains a glycosyl hydrolase family 44 (GH44) catalytic domain, a fibronectin domain type 3, a glycosyl hydrolase family 26 (GH26) catalytic domain, and a cellulose-binding module type 3. The multifunctional enzyme domain GH44 possesses cellulase, xylanase, and lichenase activities, while the enzyme domain GH26 possesses mannanase activity. The Cel44C enzyme expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli has an optimum pH of 7.0 for cellulase and lichenase activities, but is at an optimum pH of 5.0 for xylanase and mannanase activities. The optimum temperature for enzymatic activity was 50 degrees C for all substrates. No detectable enzymatic activity was detected for the Cel44C-Man26A mutants E91A and E222A. These results suggest that the amino acid residues Glu(91) and Glu(222) may play an important role in the glycosyl hydrolases activity of Cel44C-Man26A.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Seungma-galgeun-tang attenuates proinflammatory activities through the inhibition of NF-kappaB signal pathway in the BV-2 microglial cells.

Seungma-galgeun-tang (SGT) has been used for treatment of chronic diseases in the folk medicine recipe. Since nitric oxide (NO) is one of the major inflammatory parameters, we first studied the effects of SGT on NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia. SGT inhibited the secretion of NO in BV-2 microglia, without affecting cell viability. The protein level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was decreased by SGT and SGT also inhibited production of PGE(2) and expression of Cox-2. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-12, were inhibited by SGT in a dose-dependent manner and SGT blocked the activation of NF-kappaB, which was considered to be a potential transcription factor for the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines. SGT also blocked the degradation of IkappaB and activation (decrease of cytosolic p65) of NF-kappaB, p65. These results suggest that SGT could exert its anti-inflammatory actions by suppressing the synthesis of NO through inhibition of NF-B activity.

Animals↗

Effects of coumarate 3-hydroxylase down-regulation on lignin structure.

Down-regulation of the gene encoding 4-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) in alfalfa massively but predictably increased the proportion of p-hydroxyphenyl (P) units relative to the normally dominant guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units. Stem levels of up to approximately 65% P (from wild-type levels of approximately 1%) resulting from down-regulation of C3H were measured by traditional degradative analyses as well as two-dimensional 13C-1H correlative NMR methods. Such levels put these transgenics well beyond the P:G:S compositional bounds of normal plants; p-hydroxyphenyl levels are reported to reach a maximum of 30% in gymnosperm severe compression wood zones but are limited to a few percent in dicots. NMR also revealed structural differences in the interunit linkage distribution that characterizes a lignin polymer. Lower levels of key beta-aryl ether units were relatively augmented by higher levels of phenylcoumarans and resinols. The C3H-deficient alfalfa lignins were devoid of beta-1 coupling products, highlighting the significant differences in the reaction course for p-coumaryl alcohol versus the two normally dominant monolignols, coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. A larger range of dibenzodioxocin structures was evident in conjunction with an approximate doubling of their proportion. The nature of each of the structural units was revealed by long range 13C-1H correlation experiments. For example, although beta-ethers resulted from the coupling of all three monolignols with the growing polymer, phenylcoumarans were formed almost solely from coupling reactions involving p-coumaryl alcohol; they resulted from both coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol in the wild-type plants. Such structural differences form a basis for explaining differences in digestibility and pulping performance of C3H-deficient plants.

Cell Wall↗

Cloning and comparison of third beta-glucoside utilization (bglEFIA) operon with two operons of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum LY34.

A third bgl operon containing bglE, bglF, bglI, and bglA was isolated from Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum LY34 (Pcc LY34). The sequences of BglE, BglF, and Bgll were similar to those of the phosphotransferase system (PTS) components IIB, IIC, and IIA respectively. BglF contains important residues for the phosphotransferase system. The amino acid sequence of BglA showed high similarity to various 6-phospho-beta-glucosidases and to a member of glycosyl hydrolase family 1. Sequence and structural analysis also revealed that these four genes were organized in a putative operon that differed from two operons previously isolated from Pcc LY34, bglTPB (accession no. AY542524) and ascGFB (accession no. AY622309). The transcription regulator for this operon was not found, and the EII complexes for PTS were encoded separately by three genes (bglE, bglF, and bglI). The BglA enzyme had a molecular weight estimated to be 57,350 Da by SDS-PAGE. The purified beta-glucosidase hydrolyzed salicin, arbutin, rhoNPG, rhoNPbetaG6P, and MUG, exhibited maximal activity at pH 7.0 and 40 degrees C, and displayed enhanced activity in the presence of Mg2+ and Ca2+. Two glutamate residues (Glu178 and Glu378) were found to be essential for enzyme activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Redispersible rutile TiO2 nanocrystals in organic media by surface chemical modification with an inorganic barium hydroxide.

The present paper describes the synthesis of the redispersible rutile TiO2 nanocrystals in organic media by surface chemical modification reaction in an aqueous barium hydroxide solution. In our facile surface modification reactions, the surfaces of the TiO2 nanocrystals are coated by bimetallic TiOBa spices and saturated with BaOH terminal groups. The inherent characteristics such as morphology, size, crystallinity, and color of the nanocrystals remained almost unchanged after surface-treatment, but their dispersibility in organic media such as methanol and DMF were remarkably enhanced. It is ascribed that BaOH groups in the surface of the TiO2 nanocrystals prevented the formation of covalently bound agglomerates through Ti-O-Ti condensation reaction among the nanocrystals during the purification and water-elimination procedures.

Journal Article↗

Simplified preparation of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols.

Coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols were prepared from commercially available coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde using borohydride exchange resin in methanol. This reduction is highly regioselective and exceptionally simple, making these valuable monolignols readily available to researchers lacking synthetic chemistry expertise.

Acrolein↗

Construction of minimum size cellulase (Cel5Z) from Pectobacterium chrysanthemi PY35 by removal of the C-terminal region.

Pectobacterium chrysanthemi PY35 secretes the endoglucanase Cel5Z, an enzyme of the glycoside hydrolase family 5. Cel5Z is a 426 amino acid, signal peptide (SP)-containing protein composed of two domains: a large N-terminal catalytic domain (CD; 291 amino acids) and a small C-terminal cellulose binding domain (CBD; 62 amino acids). These two domains are separated by a 30 amino acid linker region (LR). A truncated cel5Z gene was constructed with the addition of a nonsense mutation that removes the C-terminal region of the protein. A truncated Cel5Z protein, consisting of 280 amino acid residues, functioned as a mature enzyme despite the absence of the SP, 11 amino acid CD, LR, and CBD region. In fact, this truncated Cel5Z protein showed an enzymatic activity 80% higher than that of full-length Cel5Z. However, cellulase activity was undetectable in mature Cel5Z proteins truncated to less than 280 amino acids.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Protein O-mannosyltransferase A of Aspergillus awamori is involved in O-mannosylation of glucoamylase I.

Industrially important extracellular enzymes from filamentous fungi are often O-mannosylated. The structure and function of the pmtA (AapmtA) gene encoding the protein O-D-mannosyltransferase of Aspergillus awamori were characterized. The AapmtA disruptant, designated AaPMTA, was constructed by homologous recombination. The strain AaPMTA exhibited fragile cell morphology with respect to hyphal extension, as well as swollen hyphae formation and conidia formation in potato dextrose medium. Moreover, the AapmtA disruptant showed increased sensitivity to high temperature and Congo red. Thus, the AaPmtA protein is involved in the formation of the normal cell wall. The strain AaPMTA could grow well in liquid synthetic medium and secrete glucoamylase I (GAI-AaPMTA) to a similar extent to the wild-type strain (GAI-WT). Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the GAIs revealed that approximately 33 mannose moieties of GAI were absent in strain AaPMTA. This result indicates that the AaPmtA protein is responsible for the transfer of mannose to GAI. Structural analysis of the O-linked oligosaccharides of GAI also demonstrated that the AapmtA disruption resulted in a reduction of the amounts of O-linked oligosaccharides, such as D-mannose and alpha-1,2-mannotriose, in GAI-AaPMTA. However, the amount of alpha-1,2-mannobiose was comparable between GAI-WT and GAI-AaPMTA. The result suggests the presence of a compensatory mechanism in the synthetic pathway of O-mannosylation in A. awamori.

Aspergillus↗

Profiling of oligolignols reveals monolignol coupling conditions in lignifying poplar xylem.

Lignin is an aromatic heteropolymer, abundantly present in the walls of secondary thickened cells. Although much research has been devoted to the structure and composition of the polymer to obtain insight into lignin polymerization, the low-molecular weight oligolignol fraction has escaped a detailed characterization. This fraction, in contrast to the rather inaccessible polymer, is a simple and accessible model that reveals details about the coupling of monolignols, an issue that has raised considerable controversy over the past years. We have profiled the methanol-soluble oligolignol fraction of poplar (Populus spp.) xylem, a tissue with extensive lignification. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, chemical synthesis, and nuclear magnetic resonance, we have elucidated the structures of 38 compounds, most of which were dimers, trimers, and tetramers derived from coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol, their aldehyde analogs, or vanillin. All structures support the recently challenged random chemical coupling hypothesis for lignin polymerization. Importantly, the structures of two oligomers, each containing a gamma-p-hydroxybenzoylated syringyl unit, strongly suggest that sinapyl p-hydroxybenzoate is an authentic precursor for lignin polymerization in poplar.

Lignin↗

Effect of abciximab-coated stent on in-stent intimal hyperplasia in human coronary arteries.

The investigators tested whether abciximab-coated stents prevent neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) formation in coronary de novo lesions. Abciximab-coated stents were compared with control stents. All patients underwent follow-up coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). All stents were successfully deployed, and patients were discharged home without clinical events. At follow-up coronary angiography, the restenosis rate and late loss were 14% and 0.33 +/- 0.28 mm in the abciximab-coated stent group and 28.6% and 0.64 +/- 0.32 mm in the control stent group (p = 0.099 and p = 0.014, respectively). At follow-up IVUS, the intrastent luminal area and intrastent NIH area were 5.7 +/- 1.6 and 2.0 +/- 1.6 mm(2), respectively, in the abciximab-coated stent group and 4.2 +/- 0.8 and 3.4 +/- 1.7 mm(2), respectively, in the control stent group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Abciximab-coated stents are feasible and significantly inhibit NIH, with potential therapeutic benefit in preventing stent restenosis.

Abciximab↗

A fluorophenylboron-functionalized zirconium silsesquioxane complex.

Bis(eta5-cyclopentadienyl)[rel-(1R,5S,7R,14S)-(1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyl-7,14-dioxidotricyclo[7.3.3(1,9).1(5,11)]heptasiloxan-3-yloxy)bis(pentafluorophenyl)borane2-]zirconium, [Zr(C5H5)2(C47H63BF10O12Si7)], consists of [ZrCp2] (Cp is cyclopentadienyl) and [(C6F5)2B] moieties bound to a silsesquioxane core. The silsesquioxane binds to the Zr atom through two of its O atoms to form a distorted tetrahedron. The [(C6F5)2B] moiety is bound to the silsesquioxane through an O atom, forming an Si-O-B bond angle of 168.4 (4) degrees. The steric and electronic effects of the Zr atom and the borate moieties force the silsesquioxane core to distort. These distortions can be seen by examination of the Si-O-Si bond angles.

Journal Article↗

Phylogenetic analysis of archaea in three fractions of cow rumen based on the 16S rDNA sequence.

Phylogenetic analysis of archaea in the rumen ecosystem was analysed by PCR of 16S rDNA from the bovine rumen using archaea-specific primers. The libraries were constructed from rumen fluid (AF), rumen solid (AS), and rumen epithelium (AE) from a rumen-fistulated Korean cow (Hanwoo). The 45 AF clones could be divided into three groups and the largest group was affiliated with the Methanomicrobiaceae family (96% of clones). The AF clones contained a high proportion of unidentifiable clones (67%). The 39 AE clones could be divided into two groups and the largest group was also affiliated with the Methanomicrobiaceae family (95% of clones). The AE clones contained a low proportion of unidentifiable clones (5%). The 20 AS clones could be divided into two groups that were affiliated with either the Methanobacteriaceae family (55%) or the Methanomicrobiaceae family (45%). The AS clones contained a moderate proportion of unidentifiable clones (40%). The predominant family of whole rumen archaea was found to belong to the Methanomicrobiaceae (85%). Methanomicrobiaceae were predominant in the rumen epithelium and the rumen fluid while Methanobacteriaceae were predominant in the rumen solid. One clone from the rumen fluid and two clones from the rumen epithelium contained rDNA sequences of Non-Thermophilic-Crenarchaeota (NTC) and Thermophilic-Crenarchaeota (TC), respectively, which have not previously been described from the rumen.

Journal Article↗

Association between human alpha 2-Heremans Schmidt glycoprotein (AHSG) polymorphism and endometriosis in Korean women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the alpha 2-Heremans Schmidt glycoprotein (AHSG) gene polymorphism and endometriosis. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea. PATIENT(S): Seventy-nine women with endometriosis and 105 women without endometriosis. INTERVENTION(S): Determination of AHSG gene polymorphism. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Prevalence of AHSG genotypes or alleles. RESULT(S): The allele frequencies of AHSG 1 and AHSG 2 were found to be 0.69 and 0.31, respectively. The proportion of noncarriers of the AHSG 2 allele was significantly higher in women with endometriosis than in women without (55.7% vs. 39.0%). Women not carrying the AHSG 2 allele were found to have twice the risk of endometriosis than those carrying at least one copy of this allele. No significant difference was noted in the distribution of the AHSG alleles or AHSG genotypes between early stage endometriosis and late stage endometriosis. CONCLUSION(S): Endometriosis is associated with the AHSG gene polymorphism in Korean women.

Adult↗

Signatures of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase deficiency in poplar lignins.

A series of transgenic poplars down-regulated for cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) was analyzed by thioacidolysis. Among the lignin-derived monomers, the indene compounds that were recently shown to originate from sinapaldehyde incorporated into lignins through 8-O-4-cross-coupling, were found to increase as a function of CAD deficiency level. While these syringyl markers were recovered in substantial amounts in the most severely depressed lines, the markers for coniferaldehyde incorporation were recovered in only low amounts. In conjunction with these additional sinapaldehyde units and relative to the control samples, lignins in CAD-deficient poplar lines had less conventional syringyl-units and beta-O-4-bonds and more free phenolic groups. We found that almost half of the polymers in the most deficient lines could be solubilized in alkali and at room temperature. This unusual behavior suggests that lignins in CAD-deficient poplars occur as small, alkali-leachable lignin domains. That mainly sinapaldehyde incorporates into the lignins of CAD-deficient poplars suggests that the recently identified sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SAD), which is structurally distinct from the CAD enzyme targeted herein, does not play any substantial role in constitutive lignification in poplar.

Acrolein↗