Effects of Low- or Moderate-dose Whole Body-X-ray Radiation on the Immune System of C57BL/6 Mice / 임상소아혈액종양

PURPOSE: Increase in the use of diagnostic imaging or occupational exposure to radiation have brought upon concerns on the safety and biological effects of low- or moderate-dose radiation. However, limited information is available on the effects of low or moderate dose radiation on human health. METHODS: Using C57BL/6 mice, we aimed to evaluate the biological effects of low- and moderate-dose radiation on the immune system. X-rays was chosen as a radiation source and we analyzed complete blood counts, various lymphocyte subsets and various cytokine levels after single fraction x-ray exposure (0.1 Gy, 1 Gy). RESULTS: No significant changes in the immunologic parameter of C57BL/6 mice were observed after radiation, except LIX (a cytokine equivalent to human CXCL5), that showed higher level after 0.1 Gy radiation compared to the control. CONCLUSION: We observed that a single fraction of low or moderate dose of X-ray radiation does not cause significant changes in the immune system of C57BL/6 mice. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism underlying our results.

Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood CD34⁺ cells into the liver of newborn NOD/SCID/IL-2Rγ null (NSG) mice after busulfan conditioning

No abstract available.

Comparative Effects of Dietary Quercetin and Rutin in Rats Fed with the Lieber-DeCarli Ethanol Diet

Flavonoids including quercetin and rutin are a group of naturally occurring compounds widely distributed in plants, especially in buckwheat. Thus, cereal and the leaf of the plant have increasingly used as a source of nutritional and functional foods such as noodle, cake or soup in Korea, Japan and other countries. This study investigated comparative effects of dietary rutin rich in buckwheat and its aglycone, quercetin, on serum biomarkers and antioxidant parameters in rats treated with chronic ethanol. Rats were fed with the liquid diets prepared by the method of Lieber Decarli. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities increased significantly by alcohol feeding. Dietary flavonoids including rutin, quercetin and their mixtures (1/1, v/v) decreased significantly the activities of serum ALT whereas the feeding of quercetin decreased only the activity of serum AST. The concentration of serum malondialdehydes elevated by chronic alcohol feeding decreased markedly in all the experimental groups that were fed with the flavonoids; however, the combined administration of quercetin or rutin, but not that of rutin or quercetin alone decreased significantly the concentration of liver malondialdehydes to the normal range in rats fed without ethanol. Our results suggested that dietary combined mixture of rutin and quercetin might be effective in ameliorating adverse responses seen in rats exposed to ethanol chronically.

Effect of Pdx1 Expression after Sox9 Depletion in the Early Pancreatic Development in African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) / 대한해부학회지

The pancreas is a mixed exocrine and endocrine gland involved in the control of many homeostatic functions.During embryogenesis,the pancreas arises from dorsal and ventral evaginations of the foregut,which subse- quently fuse into a single organ.The characterization of early genes expressed in the developing pancreas is critical to understand its specification and differentiation.Pdx1 is one of the earliest markers of pancreatic development and a key molecule in its development.Sox proteins form a large class of transcriptional regulators implicated in the control of a variety of developmental processes.One member of this family,Sox9,is expressed in the developing pancreas, but little is known about the function of Sox9 in the developing pancreas.We further investigated Sox9 function during pancreatic development in Xenopus .Using a hormone-inducible inhibitory mutant of Sox9 ,we found that Pdx1 expres- sion was reduced in the ventral pancreatic buds in Sox9-depleted embryos.We suggest that Sox9 gene expression may be involved in pancreatic development in Xenopus.

Effect of Retinoic Acid on the Expression of PDGF Receptors During Palatogenesis / 대한해부학회지

Although cleft lip and palate are one of the most common craniofacial malformation, little is still known about the mechanism of the palate formation. Retinoic acid (RA) is known a teratogen, and cleft palate is induced by retinoic acid administration in the secondary palate formation stage. Many growth factors and their receptors are involved in the formation of the secondary palate. Here, we investigated the expression of PDGFR-alpha, and PDGFR-beta during palatogenesis after retinoid acid administration in mice by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. At E15.5, the opposing palatal shelves fused with one another in the control group, but the palatal shelves were not elevated and cleft palate was induced in the RA-treated group. In RT-PCR, PDGFR-beta was downregulated during palatogenesis after RA administration. In immunohistochemical experiment, PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-beta were reduced in RA-induced group. Taken together, we suggest that PDGF receptors may be molecules involved in palate formation.