Publications by authors named "Se-Min Kim"
Vasopressin (AVP), a nonapeptide synthesized predominantly by magnocellular hypothalamic neurons, is conveyed to the posterior pituitary the pituitary stalk, where AVP is secreted into the circulation. Known to regulate blood pressure and water homeostasis, it also modulates diverse social behaviors, such as pair-bonding, social recognition and cognition in mammals including humans. Importantly, AVP modulates social behaviors in a gender-specific manner, perhaps, due to gender differences in the distribution in the brain of AVP and its main receptor AVPR1a.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using a green method from an extract of the edible insect (O_extract). The formation of AgNPs (O_AgNPs) was confirmed via UV-vis spectroscopy, and their stability was assessed using Turbiscan analysis. The size and morphology of the synthesized particles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a highly nutritious marine microalga that has various applications in aquaculture and biotechnology. However, the effects of extract (TLE) on osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis remain unexplored. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of TLE on OA development.
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- The last ten years have greatly improved our knowledge of bone health and the processes behind bone loss in osteoporosis, both primary and secondary.
- Key discoveries have come from studying bone diseases in people and creating similar conditions in genetically altered rodents, revealing that pituitary hormones play important roles in bone health beyond just affecting other hormone-producing glands.
- Specific hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) have been linked to rapid bone loss during menopause and thyroid issues, respectively, while hormones like oxytocin and prolactin may influence bone health across generations.
Article Synopsis
- The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays a significant role in regulating bone metabolism, with abundant SNS innervation found in the periosteum and bone marrow, consisting of specific nerve fibers.
- Using a viral tracing method, researchers have identified 87 specific brain nuclei that send SNS signals to bone, revealing the complexity of this neural connection.
- Certain brain areas, like the raphe magnus and periaqueductal gray, show higher levels of SNS activity, emphasizing the importance of these sites in understanding bone metabolism and pain regulation.
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- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive and has limited treatment options, prompting the need for new strategies like immunotherapy.
- This research focuses on identifying new biomarkers linked to TNBC that could improve immunotherapy, particularly those affecting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.
- The study identified 13 Ig genes with altered expression in a metastatic TNBC environment, proposing these as potential biomarkers for future targeted treatments.
Article Synopsis
- The pituitary gland secretes tropic hormones that regulate various endocrine organs and are involved in functions like skeletal modeling, metabolism, and cognitive processes.
- Hormones like FSH, traditionally known for their role in reproductive health, also play significant roles in fat and bone metabolism as well as cognition.
- Research shows that understanding the broader functions of FSH may lead to new therapeutic options for health issues related to menopause, including osteoporosis, obesity, and dementia.
Musculoskeletal and neurocognitive clinical significance of adult hypophosphatasia.
Osteoporos Sarcopenia
December 2023
Hypophosphatasia (HPP), also called Rathbun disease, is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by the loss-of-function mutation in the gene encoding tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase. Doctor Rathbun first described the case of a 3-week-old infant who presented with severe osteopenia, rickets, and multiple radiographic fractures, and died shortly after of epileptic seizure and respiratory distress. The term "hypophosphatasia" was coined as the patients' alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly low.
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- The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays a significant role in bone metabolism, with nerves found in the periosteum and bone marrow showing evidence of noradrenergic fibers.
- Recent research using pseudorabies (PRV) tracing has identified 87 brain nuclei that send efferent SNS signals to bone, highlighting the complexity of this communication.
- Specific regions, like the raphe magnus and periaqueductal gray, exhibit varying levels of SNS activity, leading to new insights into how these neural pathways could be linked to bone health and pain management.
Viruses are major pathogens that cause food poisoning when ingested via contaminated food and water. Therefore, the development of foodborne virus detection technologies that can be applied throughout the food distribution chain is essential for food safety. A common nucleic acid-based detection method is polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which has become the gold standard for monitoring food contamination by viruses due to its high sensitivity, and availability of commercial kits.
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- Viral foodborne diseases pose significant risks to both public health and the economy, requiring effective detection methods to prevent outbreaks.
- Recent advancements in biosensing techniques, such as electrochemical, SERS-based, and colorimetric sensors, offer promising solutions for detecting viruses in food, though they face challenges like complex sample preparation and sensitivity issues.
- This review highlights the principles, designs, and pros/cons of various biosensing methods, emphasizing their potential to set new standards for food safety and quality monitoring in the industry.
Biofilm is one of the major problems in food industries and is difficult to be removed or prevented by conventional sanitizers. In this review, we discussed the extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes as a strategy to control biofilms of foodborne pathogenic and food-contaminating bacteria. The biofilms can be degraded by using the enzymes targeting proteins, polysaccharides, extracellular DNA, or lipids which mainly constitute the extracellular polymeric substances of biofilms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTraditional textbook physiology has ascribed unitary functions to hormones from the anterior and posterior pituitary gland, mainly in the regulation of effector hormone secretion from endocrine organs. However, the evolutionary biology of pituitary hormones and their receptors provides evidence for a broad range of functions in vertebrate physiology. Over the past decade, we and others have discovered that thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, prolactin, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin act directly on somatic organs, including bone, adipose tissue and liver.
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- The synthesis process was monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy, and AgNP characteristics were analyzed through techniques like dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy.
- The study found that biosynthesized AgNPs showed improved antibacterial effects against several pathogenic bacteria compared to the original solvent extracts, indicating their potential use in the food industry as antibacterial agents.
Highly concentrated antibody formulations are oftentimes required for subcutaneous, self-administered biologics. Here, we report the development of a unique formulation for our first-in-class FSH-blocking humanized antibody, MS-Hu6, which we propose to move to the clinic for osteoporosis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. The studies were carried out using our Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) platform, compliant with the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 21, Part 58).
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- The study introduces a new highly concentrated formulation of the FSH-blocking antibody, MS-Hu6, aimed at treating osteoporosis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease, which is set to progress into clinical trials.
- Researchers analyzed the stability and properties of MS-Hu6 using multiple methods, confirming its effectiveness at 100 mg/mL concentration and improvements from antioxidant and chelating agents.
- The formulated MS-Hu6 demonstrated excellent stability over time and maintained its structural integrity, highlighting its potential as a stable and transportable solution for biologic treatments, providing valuable insights for future academic and clinical applications.
Article Synopsis
- The last ten years have greatly improved our understanding of how bones stay healthy and how diseases can cause bone loss, focusing on genetic mutations and animal models.* -
- Bone cells interact and influence each other's roles through various signaling systems and developmental pathways, highlighting their integrated function in maintaining bone health.* -
- The skeleton communicates with other organs, affecting overall metabolism, and recent studies have revealed complex connections involving hormones and immune responses that are vital for bone remodeling and disease treatment.*
Article Synopsis
- * The research identified optimal buffer conditions (pH 5.62 with phosphate and pH 6.85 with histidine) and determined that lower salt concentrations improved stability by reducing hydrophobic interactions.
- * Among stabilizers, Tween 20 and sugars like trehalose and sucrose enhanced thermal stability, leading to a final formulation that showed increased stability, but further research is needed to assess stability at higher concentrations.
Over the past years, pituitary hormones and their receptors have been shown to have non-traditional actions that allow them to bypass the hypothalamus-pituitary-effector glands axis. Bone cells-osteoblasts and osteoclasts-express receptors for growth hormone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), prolactin, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Independent skeletal actions of pituitary hormones on bone have been studied using genetically modified mice with haploinsufficiency and by activating or inactivating the receptors pharmacologically, without altering systemic effector hormone levels.
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- Recent research highlights follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) as a target for treating diseases like osteoporosis, obesity, and Alzheimer's, with findings showing that blocking FSH can prevent various health issues in mice.
- The development of a humanized FSH-blocking antibody called MS-Hu6 has shown promise in preventing osteoporosis in mice and has safe initial testing in monkeys, demonstrating effective localization to bone and bone marrow.
- MS-Hu6 has been optimized for stability and safety, showing no immunogenic responses in human cell cultures, making it ready for potential future human clinical trials.
Article Synopsis
- There’s growing evidence that anterior pituitary hormones affect various body tissues beyond their usual single-target roles, influencing bone, fat, liver, and even brain functions.
- The study created a detailed neuroanatomical atlas showcasing the expression of three receptors (TSHR, LHCGR, FSHR) across numerous brain regions using advanced RNA detection technologies.
- This research reveals high expression of these receptors in key brain areas, potentially linking hormone receptor activity to somatic functions and opening pathways for understanding human diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
PLGA Core-Shell Nano/Microparticle Delivery System for Biomedical Application.
Polymers (Basel)
October 2021
Article Synopsis
- * PLGA (poly lactic-co-glycolic acid) is an FDA-approved polymer recognized for its effectiveness as a vehicle material for these core-shell particles.
- * The review focuses on PLGA core-shell nano/microparticles, highlighting their use in drug delivery for cancer therapy and tissue regeneration, including bone, cartilage, and periodontal tissues.
Background: The data of head-to-head comparisons of the effect of bone-modifying agents (BMAs) in patients with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer without skeletal metastasis is limited. Thus, we conducted a network meta-analysis to compare each BMA for the efficacy of bone mineral densities (BMDs) and the risk of fracture.
Methods: We performed a network meta-analysis to compare the change of BMDs and the risk of vertebral fracture in the studies included using a random-effect model.
Thyrotropin (TSH), traditionally seen as a pituitary hormone that regulates thyroid glands, has additional roles in physiology including skeletal remodeling. Population-based observations in people with euthyroidism or subclinical hyperthyroidism indicated a negative association between bone mass and low-normal TSH. The findings of correlative studies were supported by small intervention trials using recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) injection, and genetic and case-based evidence.
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- - Erythroblast erythroferrone (ERFE) helps increase iron availability for red blood cell production by inhibiting hepcidin expression through interaction with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs).
- - Research using mouse models shows that ERFE is more actively expressed in bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) than in red blood cell precursors and plays a role in regulating bone density through modulation of signaling pathways, impacting the development of osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells).
- - The findings suggest that ERFE protects against excessive bone loss by inhibiting factors that promote osteoclast formation, particularly during conditions such as β-thalassemia where erythropoiesis is increased.