Publications by authors named "In K Hwang"

Chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) is an essential protein that controls proteostasis following spinal cord damage. In particular, CCT2 plays an important role in neuronal death in various neurological disorders; however, few studies have investigated the effects of CCT2 on ischemic damage in the spinal cord. In the present study, we synthesized a cell-permeable Tat-CCT2 fusion protein and observed its effects on HO-induced oxidative damage in NSC34 motoneuron-like cells and in the spinal cord after ischemic injury.

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  • Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, leading to major motor issues.
  • The research introduces a new protein, TAT-PPA1, that can easily enter cells and brain tissue, showing no toxicity while protecting against damage caused by a toxin linked to PD.
  • TAT-PPA1 helps improve cell survival by inhibiting specific signaling pathways and reduces cell death, demonstrating potential as a treatment to enhance motor functions in PD models.
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The enzyme 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFKFB) plays an essential role in glycolysis and in the antioxidant pathway associated with glutathione. Therefore, we investigated the effects of PFKFB3 on oxidative and ischemic damage. We synthesized a fusion protein of transactivator of transcription (Tat)-PFKFB3 to facilitate its passage into the intracellular space and examine its effects against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (HO) treatment and ischemic damage caused by occlusion of the common carotid arteries for 5 min in gerbils.

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This study investigates the changes in hippocampal proteomic profiles during demyelination and remyelination using the cuprizone model. Employing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for protein profiling, we observed significant alterations in the expression of ketimine reductase mu-crystallin (CRYM) and protein disulfide isomerase A3 precursor (PDIA3) following exposure to and subsequent withdrawal from cuprizone. Immunohistochemical staining validated these protein expression patterns in the hippocampus, revealing that both PDIA3 and CRYM were downregulated in the hippocampal CA1 region during demyelination and upregulated during remyelination.

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  • Bain ischemia causes damage to the nervous system by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS), and HPCA may offer protective effects during this process, but it hasn't been studied in depth.
  • The study aimed to explore the protective role of a modified HPCA protein, Tat-HPCA, in ischemic injury using various cell tests and cognitive function assessments.
  • Results showed that Tat-HPCA penetrated cells, reduced apoptosis and oxidative stress, lowered calcium levels in neurons, and improved cognitive functions in an animal model, suggesting its potential as a treatment for oxidative stress-related conditions caused by ischemic injury.
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  • The study examined the impact of heat shock protein 10 (HSP10) on memory and neurogenesis in both adult and aged mice using a fusion protein called Tat-HSP10 for delivery.
  • Aged mice showed signs of cognitive decline and aging-related markers, but treatment with Tat-HSP10 improved their memory performance and increased the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus.
  • Tat-HSP10 also positively influenced key proteins and genes associated with hippocampal function, suggesting it may help alleviate aging effects on memory.
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  • The study aimed to examine the neuroprotective effects of Dendropanax morbifera extract (DME) against ischemic damage in gerbils by administering different doses (100 or 300 mg/kg) over three weeks before inducing ischemia.
  • Results showed that only the higher dose (300 mg/kg) significantly improved memory impairments related to ischemia and preserved a substantial percentage of neurons in the CA1 region of the hippocampus.
  • Additionally, the 300 mg/kg DME treatment reduced morphological changes in glial cells and decreased oxidative stress indicators, thereby supporting its potential neuroprotective properties.
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CCT2 is a eukaryotic chaperonin TCP-1 ring complex subunit that mediates protein folding, autophagosome incorporation, and protein aggregation. In this study, we investigated the effects of CCT on oxidative and ischemic damage using in vitro and in vivo experimental models. The Tat-CCT2 fusion protein was efficiently delivered into HT22 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and the delivered protein was gradually degraded in HT22 cells.

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Purpurin, an anthraquinone, has potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in various types of brain damage. In a previous study, we showed that purpurin exerts neuroprotective effects against oxidative and ischemic damage by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the present study, we investigated the effects of purpurin against D-galactose-induced aging phenotypes in mice.

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Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) plays an important role in the conversion of malate to oxaloacetate during the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In this study, we examined the role of cytoplasmic MDH (MDH1) in hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced oxidative stress in HT22 cells and ischemia-induced neuronal damage in the gerbil hippocampus. The Tat-MDH1 fusion protein was constructed to enable the delivery of MDH1 into the intracellular space and penetration of the blood-brain barrier.

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  • Somatostatin (SST) levels change during brain development, but its specific role, especially in the hippocampus, remains unclear.
  • This study examined SST expression in young mice and its effects on neurogenesis, finding that SST peaks at P14 and declines by P21 across various hippocampal regions.
  • The results suggest that SST is crucial for the temporary increase in neuroblast differentiation in the dentate gyrus during early postnatal development.
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  • Cuprizone causes damage to myelin and oligodendrocytes in mice, leading to reduced myelin basic protein (MBP) and activated microglia in brain regions like the hippocampus.
  • The study tested the neuroprotective effects of a fusion protein, PEP-1-SOD1, on cuprizone-induced damage and found that it partially mitigated microglial activation and MBP reduction.
  • However, PEP-1-SOD1 treatment did not significantly improve the overall demyelination or the proliferation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus, indicating limited effectiveness in protecting against cuprizone's harmful effects.
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Carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) is highly conserved and is linked to the connection between molecular chaperones and proteasomes to degrade chaperone-bound proteins. In this study, we synthesized the transactivator of transcription (Tat)-CHIP fusion protein for effective delivery into the brain and examined the effects of CHIP against oxidative stress in HT22 cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (HO) treatment and ischemic damage in gerbils by 5 min of occlusion of both common carotid arteries, to elucidate the possibility of using Tat-CHIP as a therapeutic agent against ischemic damage. Tat-CHIP was effectively delivered to HT22 hippocampal cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and protein degradation was confirmed in HT22 cells.

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Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) is a metabolic enzyme that converts 1,3-diphosphoglycerate to 3-phosphoglycerate. In the current study, we synthesized a PEP-1-PGK1 fusion protein that can cross the blood-brain barrier and cell membrane, and the effects of PEP-1-PGK1 against oxidative stress were investigated HT22 cells and ischemic gerbil brain. The PEP-1-PGK1 protein and its control protein (Con-PGK1) were treated and permeability was evaluated HT22 cells.

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  • Phosphoglycerate mutase 5 (PGAM5) is a glycolytic enzyme linked to cell death and mitochondrial regulation, with this study focusing on its impact on oxidative stress in HT22 cells and ischemic damage in gerbils.
  • Researchers used a PEP-1 expression vector to effectively deliver PGAM5 proteins into cells, observing increased cell protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell death, with sustained protein presence noted after 12 hours.
  • PEP-1-PGAM5 treatment also improved outcomes in gerbils post-ischemia, reducing hyperlocomotion and neuronal death, and mitigating oxidative stress indicators such as lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels.
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  • The study focuses on the vacuolar H-ATPase enzyme, particularly its subtype ATP6V1B2, and its expression changes in the hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils.
  • It investigates how the expression of ATP6V1B2 correlates with changes in pH and lactate levels to understand its role in neuronal health during ischemic conditions.
  • Findings indicate a transient increase in ATP6V1B2 expression in specific hippocampal regions post-ischemia, suggesting its potential compensatory role in responding to ischemic damage.
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  • * In a study involving HT22 cells and gerbil models of ischemia, purpurin treatment reduced cell death and DNA fragmentation, while also lowering levels of pro-apoptotic proteins and inflammatory markers post-injury.
  • * Administration of purpurin after transient forebrain ischemia led to improved cell survival in the hippocampal CA1 region and decreased neuroinflammation, suggesting its role in protecting against brain damage caused by ischemia.
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  • Cuprizone induces demyelination in mice, particularly affecting the corpus callosum, and this study examines its impact on young adult (5-week-old) and aged (23-month-old) mice.
  • Young adult mice showed a significant reduction in myelin structures and an increase in proliferating cells and neuroblasts in response to cuprizone, while aged mice did not exhibit these changes due to lower basal levels of these cells.
  • Both age groups experienced increased demyelination and changes in neural progenitor cells, but the effects were more severe in young adult mice, linked to decreased levels of BDNF and pCREB in the dentate gyrus.
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  • - The study investigates the role of the Prostaglandin E2 E-prostanoid 2 receptor (EP2) in inflammatory responses and its potential functions in the hippocampus, particularly focusing on its expression during different developmental stages in mice.
  • - Researchers used immunohistochemical staining and western blot techniques to measure EP2 levels in the brains of C57BL/6J mice at various postnatal days, revealing a decrease in EP2 immunoreactivity and protein levels with age.
  • - Findings indicate that EP2 is associated with neuroblasts in the dentate gyrus and suggests its importance in brain structure and adult neurogenesis, as evidenced by reduced levels in COX-2 knockout mice. *
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Purpose: Reactive oxygen species modulator 1 (Romo1) is a key regulator of intracellular reactive oxygen species production. Previous studies have shown that Romo1 overexpression in tumor tissue is associated with poor clinical outcomes in various clinical settings for lung cancer treatment. The aim of the present study was to assess the predictive value of serum Romo1 in patients received curative resection for lung cancer.

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We investigated the effects of leaf extract (CVE) on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and memory deficits. Male mice (5 weeks of age) were fed vehicle (distilled water), or 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg of CVE once a day for 8 weeks with an HFD. Treatment with CVE resulted in lower body weight and glucose levels in a concentration- and feeding time-dependent manner.

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  • p27 plays a role in regulating the cell cycle by blocking progression through the G1 phase, but its effects on cell death have been inconsistent in past studies.
  • This study focused on how p27 can protect neurons from oxidative stress and ischemic damage using a specially modified version called Tat-p27, which is better delivered to cells than the control protein.
  • Tat-p27 demonstrated protective effects by reducing reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, and inflammation following oxidative stress and spinal cord injury, suggesting it could help prevent neuronal damage in these conditions.
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Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are among the most common companion animals in the Republic of Korea. Recently, there have been many criminal cases of dog cruelty, injury, and theft, among others. This has increased the importance of dog-related biological evidence at crime scenes.

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In the present study, we examined the effects of leaf extracts (CVE) against hydrogen peroxide (HO)- and ischemia-induced neuronal damage in HT22 cells and gerbil hippocampus. Incubation with CVE produced concentration-dependent toxicity in HT22 cells. Significant cellular toxicity was observed with >75 μg/mL CVE.

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  • The study investigates the protective effects of endophilin A1 (SH3GL2) against oxidative and ischemic damage in brain cells and gerbils.
  • Tat-SH3GL2, a modified version of SH3GL2, effectively penetrates cell membranes and improves cell survival after oxidative stress and ischemia, while the control version does not show these benefits.
  • Treatment with Tat-SH3GL2 reduces inflammation and lipid damage, enhances neuron survival, and supports synaptic function following brain injury.
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