Kinesin Superfamily KIF1A Protein Binds to Synaptotagmin XI / 대한해부학회지

The kinesin proteins (KIFs) make up a large superfamily of molecular motors that transport cargo such as vesicles, protein complexes, and organelles. KIF1A is a monomeric motor that conveys synaptic vesicle precursors and plays an important role in neuronal function. Here, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify the neuronal protein (s) that interacts with the tail region of KIF1A and found a specific interaction with synaptotagmin XI. The amino acid residues between 830 and 1300 of KIF1A are required for the interaction with synaptotagmin XI. KIF1A also bound to the tail region of synaptotagmin IV but not to other synaptotagmin in the yeast two-hybrid assay. KIF1A interacted with GST-synaptotagim XI fusion proteins, but not with GST alone. An antibody to synaptotagmin XI specifically co-mmunoprecipitated KIF1A associated with synaptotagimin from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that KIF1A motor protein transports of synaptotagmin XI-containing synaptic vesicle precursors along microtubule.

Distribution Patterns of Involucrin in the Stratum Corneum of the Normal and Psoriatic Artificial Skins / 대한해부학회지

Cornified envelope is highly insoluble structure formed beneath the plasma membrane during terminal differentiation of keratinocytes and is stabilized by cross linking of various proteins, including involucrin, loricrin, and cornifin. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease characterizing inflammatory reaction and hyperproliferation of keratinocyte. There are some differences in involucrin immunolabelling in stratum corneum between normal and psoriasis epidermis. Labelling was convergent to cornified envelope in psoriasis skin but throughout cytoplasm in normal skin. To compare terminal differentiation patterns of normal and psoriasis keratinocytes, we reconstructed normal and psoriatic artificial skin by using primary cultured keratinocytes from normal and psoriasis skin and then performed immunogold labelling for involucrin in stratum corneum. Psoriatic artificial skin had thin and poorly organized corneal layer. Immunogold labelling for involucrin revealed same pattern of that in vivo by showing throughout cytoplasm in lower layer but convergent cornified envelope in upper layer. Compared with psoriatic artificial skin, normal artificial skin had well organized and thick stratum corneum. Involucrin labelling was throughout cytoplasm in most of corneal layer but convergent to cornified envelope in some uppermost cells. Even though some cells show convergent pattern in normal artificial skin, absolute number of this pattern was no lesser than in artificial psoriatic skin because of normal artificial skin had thick stratum corneum. This result showed there was no difference in involucrin distribution in terminal differentiation of normal and psoriasis keratinocytes in organotypic culture model. It is concluded that although well organized multiple corneal layers are formed in normal artificial skin, they can not reach to full maturation of cornified envelope, and difference of involucrin localization in cornified envelope of psoriasis epidermis is related with not peculiarities of the cells but rapid growing in vivo.

Clinical Characteristics of the Subtypes of Guillain-Barre Syndrome according to the Electrodiagnositic Criteria

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is defined as a recognizable clinical entity that is characterized by rapidly evolving symmetric limb weakness, loss of tendon reflexes, absent or mild sensory signs, and variable autonomic dysfunctions. Recently, GBS has been classified as a classical demyelinating (acute imflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, AIDP) and two axonal (acute motor axonal neuropathy, AMAN, and acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy, AMSAN) forms. The clinical pattern and prognosis according to type is not clear. METHODS: Forty-one patients clinically diagnosed as GBS were enrolled and classified as AIDP, AMAN, and AMSAN according to electrodiagnostic criteria. We analyzed the clinical data of each subgroup; age, sex, seasonal distribution, history of previous illness, cranial nerve involvement, respiratory involvement, and motor weakness. RESULTS: Forty-one patients with GBS were comprised of 19 patients (46.3%) with AIDP, 12 patients (29.2%) with AMAN, and 10 patients (24.3%) with AMSAN. AIDP was found more frequently in males and in winter (42.1%) while axonal forms of GBS showed neither gender nor seasonal predominance. Frequency of cranial nerve involvement was not different between the sub-groups of GBS, whereas respiratory involvement was more frequent in AMSAN (50%). Upper limbs were weaker in axonal than in demyelinating types of GBS. CONCLUSIONS: Axonal forms of GBS showed some clinical characteristics distinctive from the demyelinating forms, which might be useful in the differential diagnosis of subgroups of GBS. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(5):503~508, 2001)

Development of Psoriasis Model in Vitro / 대한해부학회지

Psoriasis is a disease caused by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. Pathogenesis of psoriasis is still unclear, but many reports suggest that psoriatic keratinocytes themselves may have some factors of pathogenesis. The author developed artificial psoriatic skin by culturing keratinocytes of psoriasis skin over collagen lattice which was constructed with collagen and normal fibroblasts. After the keratinocytes had grown to full layers of stratification, expression patterns of differentiation marks and ultrastructural changes were investigated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscope. The results were very similar to those of psoriasis skin in vivo as follows. Cytokeratin (CK)10, marker of initiation of differentiation of keratinocytes, was expressed in the spinous layer. CK14, marker of basal cells of stratified squamous epithelium, was expressed in the basal and spinous layer. CK16 and CK17, markers of fast turnover of squamous epithelium, were expressed in the spinous layer. Involucrin, marker of terminal differentiation of squamous epithelium, was expressed weakely over the lower spinous layer. In immuno electron microscopical study, involucrin was expressed but confined to cornified cell envelops in the horney layer. Mitochondria, rER and ribosomes were abundant in the basal layer. They continued to appear in the upper spinous layer but intermediate filaments were scarce. Keratohyalin granules were visible in some parts of the granular layer zone, but the granules were smaller and fewer. In the horney layer, cells were thicker than normal and there were many lipid droplets within the cells. Intercellular spaces were enlarged at the basal layer but disappeared in the upper spinous layer. In these results, non systematic expression of differentiation markers and ultrastructural changes suggest that psoriasis is a disease caused by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes concurrent with unstable maturation and degeneration. Artificial psoriatic skin, in exclusion of systemic or dermal effects, showed very similar results with psoriasis skin in vitro. So it was concluded that psoriasis keratinocytes had some factors of pathogenesis and this kind of model on artificial psoriatic skin can be used for further studying of psoriasis.

The isolation and preservation of nuclei using polyethylene glycol, concanavalin A, and phytohemagglutinin / 대한해부학회지

No abstract available.

Transition of Marker Enzymes of Rat Hepatocyte Organelles in Culture / 영남의대학술지

To investigate recovery, growth, and activity of hepatocyte in primary culture after cell separation, the authors followed up the marker enzyme activities of golgi complex, mitochondria and biologic membrane. Thiamine pyrophosphatase, the marker enzyme of golgi complex, activity approached the level of long term culture at 4th day. Succinate dehydrogenase, the marker enzyme of mitochondria, activity decreased with time, then it maintained constant level after 4th day. Alkaline phosphatase, the marker enzyme of biological membrane, activity increased from 3rd day, and after 5th day it showed strong reaction. These data suggested that hepatocytes were stabilized and recovered normal activity 4 day after cell separation. But the main secretory function was speculated to be reduced in culture.