First Complete Genome Sequence of Barley Virus G Identified from Proso Millet () in South Korea.

The complete genome sequence of an Uiseong isolate of barley virus G (BVG) on proso millet plants in a field in South Korea was determined by RNA sequencing and Sanger sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first complete genome sequence report of BVG infecting proso millet in South Korea.

AMP-activated protein kinase is involved in the activation of the Fanconi anemia/BRCA pathway in response to DNA interstrand crosslinks.

Fanconi anemia complementation group (FANC) proteins constitute the Fanconi Anemia (FA)/BRCA pathway that is activated in response to DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). We previously performed yeast two-hybrid screening to identify novel FANC-interacting proteins and discovered that the alpha subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα1) was a candidate binding partner of the FANCG protein, which is a component of the FA nuclear core complex. We confirmed the interaction between AMPKα and both FANCG using co-immunoprecipitation experiments.

Preventive effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) on diabetic nephropathy.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effects of Camellia sinensis var. assamica (CSVA) on diabetic nephropathy in in vitro and in vivo models.

Materials And Methods: MDCK cells were incubated with 1 mM of oxalate with or without different concentrations of CSVA, then MTT and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays were performed to investigate the preventive effects of CSVA on oxalate-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress.

Reduction of oxidative stress in cultured renal tubular cells and preventive effects on renal stone formation by the bioflavonoid quercetin.

Purpose: We investigated the effects of quercetin on renal tubular cell injury induced by oxalate and the inhibitory effects of quercetin on urinary crystal deposit formation in an animal model.

Materials And Methods: MDCK cells (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Virginia) were incubated with different concentrations of oxalate with and without quercetin. MTT (Sigma) assays for cell viability, malondialdehyde and catalase activity were measured to investigate the antioxidant effect of quercetin.

Effects of green tea on urinary stone formation: an in vivo and in vitro study.

Purpose: We evaluated whether epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a main constituent of green tea polyphenols, could protect against cellular toxicity by oxalate and whether green tea supplementation attenuates the development of nephrolithiasis in an animal model.

Materials And Methods: Cells of the NRK-52E line were incubated with different concentrations of oxalate with and without EGCG, and toxicity and malondialdehyde assays were done to investigate the cytotoxic effect of oxalate and the anti-oxalate effect of EGCG..

An animal model of calcium oxalate urolithiasis based on a cyclooxygenase 2 selective inhibitor.

Our aim was to develop a stone-forming animal model involving renal tubular injury using a cyclooxygenase 2 selective inhibitor. Male Sprague-Dawley rats fed chow containing 3% sodium oxalate with or without 100 mg/kg celecoxib were compared to animals fed normal chow. Rats were killed after 2 or 4 weeks and the kidneys were harvested for morphological examination.

Apoptosis induced by oxalate in human renal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells.

Oxalate is not only considered to be one of the main constituents of urinary stones, but it also has toxic effects on renal tubular epithelial cells, affecting the pathogenesis of nephrolithiasis. We tried to elucidate the effects of oxalate on human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells). In addition, we investigated whether the toxic effect of oxalate occurs by apoptosis, and determined the expression of Bcl-2 family and caspase 9 proteins known as apoptosis-related protein.

Involvement of Rho-kinase in the contractile mechanism of human ureteral smooth muscle.

Aim: Even though many agents have been implicated as modulators of ureteral contractile activity, the exact mechanisms that control human ureteral smooth muscle contractility have yet to be clearly defined. Recently, Rho-kinase has been reported to be involved in the contractile mechanism of smooth muscles in various organs. In the present study, we sought to investigate whether or not Rho-kinase is expressed in the human ureteral smooth muscle, and to study its role regarding human ureteral smooth muscle contractility.