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This study was undertaken to determine whether Juglandis Semen (JAS) extract exerts protective effect against oxidant-induced inhibition of Na+-pump activity in cerebral cortex. Na+-pump activity was estimated by measuring ouabain-sensitive oxygen consumption. The oxygen consumption significantly inhibited by 1 mM t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP), which was prevented by addition of 2% JAS extract. The oxygen consumption was increased by an increase in Na+ concentration from 5 to 100 mM, K+ concentration from 0.5 to 10 mM, and Mg2+ concentration from 0.2 to 5 mM. These changes in ion concentrations did not affect the inhibitory effect of tBHP and protective action of JAS on oxygen consumption, tBHP (1 mM) produced a significant increase in lipid peroxidation in cerebral cortex, which was prevented by 2% JAS extraction. These results suggest that JAS exerts protective effect against tBHP-induced inhibition of Na+-pump activity in the cerebral cortex, probably through action as antioxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of 5-azacytidine (5-azaC), a DNA methylation inhibitor on global methylation changes in porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFF) to improve the reprogrammability. PFF in 5 passage culture were treated with 5-azaC at various concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 µM) for 96 h. Higher concentrations of 5-azaC (2.0 and 3.0 µM) considerably inhibited the cell growth. Morphological changes became more pronounced as the concentration of 5-azaC increased. Untreated PFF and cells treated with 0.5 µM of 5-azaC appeared to be karyotypically normal (>85%) and morphologically stable during the course of study. However, changes in cellular ploidy (∼22%) were found in the cells treated at higher concentrations. Fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis showed untreated PFF with lowest number of cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle than those of 5-azaC treated cells at all concentrations. Exposure to 5-azaC induced the up-regulation of genes involved in imprinting (1GF2) or pro-apoptosis (BAX), whereas there was a down-regulation of the main enzyme responsible for replicating the DNA methylation pattern (DNMT1) and anti-apoptosis (BCL2L1). These results indicate that 5-azaC induced global demethylation in PFF and cells treated with 0.5 µM 5-azaC may have enhanced potential for porcine NT. The financial support of Resaerch Project on the Production of Bio-organs (No. 200508010801), Korea is gratefully acknowleded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cDNA clones, which were highly expressed in liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, were identified using dot hybridization and reconfirmed by Northern blot analysis. One of the clones, ninjurin (nerve Injury induced protein), showed a much higher expression level in the liver tissue of HCC patients than in normal liver tissue. Interestingly, the presence of ninjurin mRNA transcripts was detected with high intensity in HCC tissues when combined with viral infection and cirrhosis, but not with a normal liver or HCC tissue unrelated with viral infection and cirrhosis. We produced a N-terminal part of recombinant ninjurin protein, as well as a monoclonal antibody speciflc to this polypeptide. The intensity of immunohistochemical staining of the liver tumor tissue, and regenerating tissue for the ninjurin protein, was stronger than that of normal liver tissue. These results suggest that ninjurin may play an important role in the development of HCC combined with cirrhosis and viral infection. The cDNA clones, which were highly expressed in liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, were identified using dot hybridization and reconfirmed by Northern blot analysis. One of the clones, ninjurin (nerve Injury induced protein), showed a much higher expression level in the liver tissue of HCC patients than in normal liver tissue. Interestingly, the presence of ninjurin mRNA transcripts was detected with high intensity in HCC tissues when combined with viral infection and cirrhosis, but not with a normal liver or HCC tissue unrelated with viral infection and cirrhosis. We produced a N-terminal part of recombinant ninjurin protein, as well as a monoclonal antibody specific to this polypeptide. The intensity of immunohistochemical staining of the liver tumor tissue, and regenerating tissue for the ninjurin protein, was stronger than that of normal liver tissue. These results suggest that ninjurin may play an important role in the development of HCC combined with cirrhosis and viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]