Publications by authors named "Hyungjun Kwon"

Unlabelled: A novel coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has surfaced and caused global concern owing to its ferocity. SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019; however, it was only discovered at the end of the year and was considered a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Therefore, the development of novel potent inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and future outbreaks is urgently required.

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We present a label-free colorimetric CRISPR/Cas-based method enabling affordable molecular diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2. This technique utilizes 3,3'-diethylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (DISC(5)) which exhibits a distinct color transition from purple to blue when it forms dimers by inserting into the duplex of the thymidine adenine (TA) repeat sequence. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) or recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) was used to amplify target samples, which were subsequently subjected to the CRISPR/Cas12a system.

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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists created a special way to grow tiny human intestinal organs (called organoids) for research, making sure they grow well and are easy to use.
  • They used special human stem cells that can turn into different types of intestinal cells, helping researchers understand how intestines work and stay healthy.
  • This new method also helps scientists study diseases, like how a virus affects the intestines, and could be useful for future medicines and treatments.
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and are medicinal plants that exhibit anti-inflammatory effects against various diseases. However, their individual and combined effects on osteoarthritis (OA) are unknown. Herein, we aimed to demonstrate the effects of , and their mixture, WGA-M001, on OA pathogenesis.

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Infectious diseases such as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) present an increasingly persistent crisis in many parts of the world. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a crucial cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Subtype H10 avian influenza viruses, like A/SW1/18 (isolated in South Korea), are common in wild birds but can also infect humans and mammals.
  • The study found that A/SW1/18 has low pathogenicity in birds but can cause severe disease in mice and transmit between ferrets, raising concerns about its zoonotic potential.
  • The findings emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance of H10 AIVs in wild birds to monitor possible threats to public health.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious global threat with surging new variants of concern. Although global vaccinations have slowed the pandemic, their longevity is still unknown. Therefore, new orally administrable antiviral agents are highly demanded.

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Sepsis, characterized by an uncontrolled host inflammatory response to infections, remains a leading cause of death in critically ill patients worldwide. Sepsis-associated thrombocytopenia (SAT), a common disease in patients with sepsis, is an indicator of disease severity. Therefore, alleviating SAT is an important aspect of sepsis treatment; however, platelet transfusion is the only available treatment strategy for SAT.

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Although vaccines and antiviral drugs are available, influenza viruses continue to pose a significant threat to vulnerable populations globally. With the emergence of drug-resistant strains, there is a growing need for novel antiviral therapeutic approaches. We found that 18-hydroxyferruginol () and 18-oxoferruginol () isolated from exhibited strong anti-influenza activity, with 50% inhibitory concentration values of 13.

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The therapeutic benefits of curcuminoids in various diseases have been extensively reported. However, little is known regarding their preventive effects on extensive immunosuppression. We investigated the immunoregulatory effects of a curcuminoid complex (CS/M), solubilized with stevioside, using a microwave-assisted method in a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressive mouse model and identified its new pharmacological benefits.

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A global health concern has emerged as a response to the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The identification and inhibition of drug targets of SARS-CoV-2 is a decisive obligation of scientists. In addition to the cell entry mechanism, SARS-CoV-2 expresses a complicated replication mechanism that provides excellent drug targets.

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  • This study investigates how SARS-CoV-2 affects the eyes and nervous system in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice using different infection methods.* -
  • Mice infected through their noses showed ocular inflammation and cytokine production, while intratracheal infection allowed the virus to travel from the lungs to the brain and eyes.* -
  • The research confirms that the virus can affect the eyes and nervous system but eye drops do not lead to lung infection, offering insights that may enhance understanding of COVID-19's transmission and symptoms.*
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Biliary strictures can have several benign or malignant causes. We attempted to determine the usefulness of establishing a diagnosis using self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) in a prospective series of patients with suspected malignant biliary obstruction. Data of patients who underwent SEMS removal from August 2016 to December 2019 were collected.

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The biosynthesis of host lipids and/or lipid droplets (LDs) has been studied extensively as a putative therapeutic target in diverse viral infections. However, directly targeting the LD lipolytic catabolism in virus-infected cells has not been widely investigated. Here, we show the linkage of the LD-associated lipase activation to the breakdown of LDs for the generation of free fatty acids (FFAs) at the late stage of diverse RNA viral infections, which represents a broad-spectrum antiviral target.

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Plant-derived extracellular vesicles, (EVs), have recently gained attention as potential therapeutic candidates. However, the varying properties of plants that are dependent on their growth conditions, and the unsustainable production of plant-derived EVs hinder drug development. Herein, we analyzed the secondary metabolites of callus-derived EVs (AYC-EVs) obtained via plant tissue cultures and performed an immune functional assay to assess the potential therapeutic effects of AYC-EVs against inflammatory diseases.

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Purpose: The incidence of patients requiring pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) following any type of gastrectomy is increasing as the population of elderly patients is increasing, especially in endemic areas of gastric cancer such as Korea. All types of gastrectomy can be categorized as subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth I (BI), Billroth II (BII), and total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis. In this paper, we reviewed our experiences of PD for patients who previously underwent gastrectomy.

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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected people for over two years. Moreover, the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has raised concerns regarding its accurate diagnosis. Here, we report a colorimetric DNAzyme reaction triggered by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), referred to as DAMPR assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and variants genes with attomolar sensitivity within an hour.

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Purpose: Despite the many efforts to overcome postoperative complications, pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is still accompanied with considerable concerns of lethal complications. The clinical factors are known to affect postoperative outcomes such as diameter of pancreatic duct, texture of pancreas, and comorbidity of the patients are mostly uncorrectable. Thus, investigation for correctable risk factors is required.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected humans worldwide for over a year now. Although various tests have been developed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, advanced sensing methods are required for the diagnosis, screening, and surveillance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay involving an antibody pair, SERS-active hollow Au nanoparticles (NPs), and magnetic beads for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

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Metastatic melanoma of the gallbladder is extremely rare. It has a poor prognosis. Its optimal treatment remains unclear.

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We developed a new surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based aptasensor platform capable of quantifying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lysates with a high sensitivity. In this study, a spike protein deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) aptamer was used as a receptor, and a self-grown Au nanopopcorn surface was used as a SERS detection substrate for the sensible detection of SARS-CoV-2. A quantitative analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 lysate was performed by monitoring the change in the SERS peak intensity caused by the new binding between the aptamer DNA released from the Au nanopopcorn surface and the spike protein in the SARS-CoV-2 virion.

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(Spach) Rupr. (AH), a member of the Betulaceae family, is widely used in Eastern Asia of as a source of medicinal compounds for the treatment of hemorrhage, diarrhea, and alcoholism. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of a methanolic extract of AH branches against airway inflammation and mucus production in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells and in an ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged allergic asthma mouse model.

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Human high-density lipoproteins (HDL) show a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in terms of anti-infection. Although many reports have pointed out a correlation between a lower serum HDL-C and a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and progression, the in vitro antiviral activity of HDL against SARS-CoV-2 has not been reported. HDL functionality, such as antioxidant and anti-infection, can be impaired by oxidation and glycation and a change to pro-inflammatory properties.

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Article Synopsis
  • Viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19, pose a significant and ongoing threat to human health, with concerns over potential re-emergence of drug-resistant strains like pH1N1.
  • A new colorimetric technique using the CRISPR/Cas9 system allows for direct detection of viral RNA with an observable color change, making it easy to identify viruses visually.
  • This method has successfully detected SARS-CoV-2 and pH1N1 in clinical samples, suggesting it could offer a simple and effective diagnostic tool for viral infections.
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Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is expressed by several immune cells in the central nervous system and plays an important role in neuroinflammation. TLR2 upregulation has been reported in multiple sclerosis patients and in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model for multiple sclerosis. Therefore, modulating TLR2 signaling can be an effective treatment strategy against MS.

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