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Pharmacopuncture is a popular treatment that combines the advantages of both herbal medicine and acupuncture. However, pharmacopuncture care reporting guidelines have not yet been developed. This study aimed to propose a reporting guideline draft for pharmacopuncture case reports. Pharmacopuncture case reports were retrieved from 4 databases (KCI, RISS, ScienceON, OASIS) to analyze the items reported and their fidelity. We analyzed 5 existing reporting guidelines related to Korean medicine case reporting to identify the items to be included in the extension of pharmacopuncture reporting guidelines. From 3,684 studies, 29 case reports were included and 4 items were identified as not reported in enough detail: “direction and depth of pharmacopuncture” (89.5%); “method of manufacturing the syringe needle” (82.8%); “posture of the patient during the therapy” (75.9%); and “pharmacopuncture recipe” (69.5%). As a result of analyzing moxibustion and acupuncture clinical trial reporting guidelines, it was determined that detailed reporting guidelines on the type of pharmacopuncture, manufacturing method, and treatment method were required and we propose that a pharmacopuncture reporting guideline draft should include these details. Further investigations are warranted using the Delphi technique to reach agreement with clinical practitioners and clinical research experts.

Highly efficient blue-emitting halide-passivated QDs with the emission of 445−450 nm were developed. First, we prepared large ZnSe QDs and evaluated their wavelength, but 440 nm was the upper limit. Then, ZnSe1-xTex QDs were synthesized, and thus 410 nm emission was achieved. To improve the quantum yield (QY) and obtain a red-shifted wavelength, repeated ZnSe shell coating, ZnS coating, and halide passivation were conducted. The optimum were ZnSe1-xTex/ZnSe/ZnS QDs with 5% or 2% Te. The final QDs with 5% Te have a higher QY of 81% and the performance of the deep-blue QLEDs (turn-on voltage: 5.13 V, maximum luminance: 3200 cd/m2, maximum current efficiency: 2.73 cd/A, and maximum EQE: 4.06%, CIE: (0.151, 0.056)); however, a long emission tail due to the surface trap will hinder practical application. The QDs with 2% Te have a good emission profile and FWHM of 16 nm, but their QY is slightly lower.

For InP-based QDs, the current technology does not outperform CdSe-based QDs in many respects, one of which is stability. The optical stability of QDs is closely related to their surface properties, so QDs often use organic ligands for surface protection. These organic ligands are dynamically attached and detached on the QD surface; during detachment, their surfaces are easily damaged and oxidized, thereby deteriorating their optical characteristics. Therefore, we have synthesized a ligand 1,2-hexadecanedithiol with a bidentate form, inducing one ligand to bind to the QD surface strongly through the chelate effect, as a good way to improve the stability of the QDs; thus, the PL stability of the green-light-emitting InP-based QDs was greatly increased. To confirm the existence of the dithiol ligand, we used thermogravimetric analysis/simultaneous thermal analysis-mass spectroscopy (TGA/STA-MS). After that, we applied the ligand to blue-light-emitting ZnSe QDs and red-light-emitting InP QDs, and for those two types of QD we also confirmed that the stability was increased. Additionally, we tested dithiol exchanged QDs at a high temperature of 150 °C, and the increase of stability was effective even in a high temperature condition.

Previously, we demonstrated that the homeoprotein Msx1 interaction with p53 inhibited tumor growth by inducing apoptosis. However, Msx1 can exert its tumor suppressive effect through the inhibition of angiogenesis since growth of the tumor relies on sufficient blood supply from the existing vessels to provide oxygen and nutrients for tumor growth. We hypothesized that the inhibition of tumor growth by Msx1 might be due to the inhibition of angiogenesis. Here, we explored the role of Msx1 in angiogenesis. Overexpression of Msx1 in HUVECs inhibited angiogenesis, and silencing of Msx1 by siRNA abrogated its anti-angiogenic effects. Furthermore, forced expression of Msx1 in mouse muscle tissue inhibited vessel sprouting, and application of an Ad-Msx1-transfected conditioned medium onto the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) led to a significant inhibition of new vessel formation. To explore the underlying mechanism of Msx1-mediated angiogenesis, yeast two-hybrid screening was performed, and we identified PIASy (protein inhibitor of activated STAT Y) as a novel Msx1-interacting protein. We mapped the homeodomain of Msx1 and the C-terminal domain of PIASy as respective interacting domains. Consistent with its anti-angiogenic function, overexpression of Msx1 suppressed the reporter activity of VEGF. Interestingly, PIASy stabilized Msx1 protein, whereas deletion of the Msx1-interacting domain in PIASy abrogated the inhibition of tube formation and the stabilization of Msx1 protein. Our findings suggest the functional importance of PIASy-Msx1 interaction in Msx1-mediated angiogenesis inhibition.

Coacervation is a liquid–liquid phase separation process of macromolecular polyelectrolytes. The formation of simple and complex coacervates of a synthetic acidic protein, GG1234, as a model shell matrix protein, was investigated using turbidity measurements and microscopic morphological observations. Simple coacervation of GG1234 was optimally induced at pH 3.75 and below 50 mM for all of the tested salts, and complex coacervates were prepared at pH 4–9 in sodium acetate solution at various ratios of GG1234 to lysozyme without inducing simple coacervation. The complex coacervates also had the ability to microencapsulate hydrophobic oil droplets in a similar manner to that of other complex coacervation systems. Remarkably, a thin film was formed through in vitro CaCO3 crystallization in the presence of complex coacervates, which was expected to be planar and poorly crystalline CaCO3 guided at the interface of two immiscible liquid phases upon complex coacervation. Collectively, our results indicate that our synthetic acidic matrix protein can be used as the main protein for simple and complex coacervations, and the coacervates of this protein may be involved in thin film formation in CaCO3 crystallization.

The biological structure of shells consists of highly organized calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystals, which have remarkable mechanical and biological properties compared to the pure mineral form of CaCO3. It has been known that the organization of these biominerals is controlled by a relatively tiny amount of organic components such as shell matrix proteins. Here, we successfully produced a recombinant hypothetical acidic shell matrix protein in Escherichia coli, although the protein is composed of highly repetitive and biased amino acid sequences. About 15mg/L purified protein with greater than 95% purity was obtained in the 400 mL lab scale flask culture. The protein was able to efficiently form a complex with calcium ions, and spherulitic calcite crystals were synthesized in the presence of the recombinant protein. We expect that biomineralization using the recombinant protein could not only overcome the limited amount of protein available for biomineralization studies and biomineral preparation in practical aspects, but also provide opportunities to enable biomimetic synthesis of notable bio-composites based on organic-inorganic complexation.

Eggshell-based biocomposites have become attractive due to their exquisite nanostructure and biological properties, which are mainly composed of highly organized calcium carbonate crystals controlled by organic macromolecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. Here, we designed the recombinant fusion protein of a putative eggshell matrix protein named as GG1234 and a fluorescent reporter protein of DsRed. The protein was successfully over-expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. In vitro calcium carbonate crystallization was conducted in the presence of the fusion protein, and morphological change was investigated. The protein inhibited the calcite growth in vitro, and spherical calcium carbonate micro-particles with the diameter of about 20-30 μm were obtained. We expect that this study would be helpful for better understanding of eggshellbased biomineralization.

Ovarian cancer is the most fatal gynecological cancer with high mortality. It still has no reliable diagnostic marker and effective treatment due to its high drug resistance and high recurrence. To develop a novel biomarker for diagnosis and therapeutic target of intractable ovarian cancer, we selected for an upregulated gene in serous ovarian tumors compared with normal ovary counterparts by microarray analysis and confirmed its elevated mRNA expression in ovarian tumors by RT-PCR. Consistent with its high mRNA level, tumor-specific preferential high expression of candidate protein was detected in the cytoplasm of the ovarian tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. To our surprise, indirect immunofluorescence staining revealed an unexpected cytoplasmic subcellular localization of a candidate protein. Furthermore, forced expression of a candidate gene in cultured cells with no detectable level showed a marked inhibition of cell proliferation. To address these unexpected findings, we set out to identify a candidate interacting protein by yeast 2-hybrid screening to explore a novel function and its underlying mechanism. Among them, one of cell death associated protein was identified as a novel interacting partner of a candidate protein and their physical interaction in mammalian cells was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation assay and confocal microscopy. Further domain mapping analysis should reveal critical domains for their interaction and would provide fundamental and pivotal information for a novel function and an underlying molecular mechanism of a candidate gene. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2018R1D1A1B07047640). Citation Format: Kyoungsook Park, Chaeyeon Son, Sang Yong Song. IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL CANDIDATE BIOMARKER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPEUTIC OVARIAN CANCER TARGET [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 13-15, 2018; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2019;25(22 Suppl):Abstract nr GMM-044.

Celastrol (CEL) is known as a potent inducer of heat shock protein (HSP) in non-muscle cells and exhibits cytoprotective function and inhibitory effects on proteasome and glucocorticoid receptor activities. To investigate an anti-atrophic effect of CEL on skeletal muscle cells, C2C12 myotubes were treated with 150 μM dexamethasone (DEX) for 24h and 1.5 μM CEL was added for the last 6h during the 24h DEX treatment. Compared to the control, the myotube diameter was reduced by a factor of 0.30 by DEX, but CEL treatment almost abrogated the DEX-induced atrophy. CEL treatment also increased expression of HSP72 and phosphorylation of heat shock transcription factor 1 (p-HSF1) 11-fold and 3.4-fold, respectively, as well as accumulation of p-HSF1 in the nucleus. Furthermore, CEL treatment elevated activities of Akt1, p70/S6K and ERK1/2 2.0- to 4.4-fold whereas DEX had no effect on these signaling activities. Inhibition of Akt1 and ERK1/2 pathways by specific inhibitors confirmed CEL-induced anti-atrophic effect. Moreover, DEX-mediated downregulation of FoxO3 phosphorylation and upregulation of MuRF1 expression and proteasome activity were abrogated by CEL treatment. These results demonstrate a novel anti-atrophic function of CEL in muscle cells via both activation of protein anabolic signals and suppression of catabolic signaling activities.