Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Yong-Sung Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Yong-Sung Lee.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluation of normalization methods for microarray data.

BACKGROUND: Microarray technology allows the monitoring of expression levels for thousands of genes simultaneously. This novel technique helps us to understand gene regulation as well as gene by gene interactions more systematically. In the microarray experiment, however, many undesirable systematic variations are observed. Even in replicated experiment, some variations are commonly observed. Normalization is the process of removing some sources of variation which affect the measured gene expression levels. Although a number of normalization methods have been proposed, it has been difficult to decide which methods perform best. Normalization plays an important role in the earlier stage of microarray data analysis. The subsequent analysis results are highly dependent on normalization. RESULTS: In this paper, we use the variability among the replicated slides to compare performance of normalization methods. We also compare normalization methods with regard to bias and mean square error using simulated data. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that intensity-dependent normalization often performs better than global normalization methods, and that linear and nonlinear normalization methods perform similarly. These conclusions are based on analysis of 36 cDNA microarrays of 3,840 genes obtained in an experiment to search for changes in gene expression profiles during neuronal differentiation of cortical stem cells. Simulation studies confirm our findings.

Analysis of Variance↗

Erythropoietin and bone morphogenetic protein 7 mediate ascorbate-induced dopaminergic differentiation from embryonic mesencephalic precursors.

Mesencephalic precursors derived from early (embryonic day 12; E12) rat embryos were grown in vitro using mitogen basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and these cells efficiently differentiated into dopaminergic (DA) neurons. However, this in vitro DA differentiation was poor in mesencephalic precursors isolated from later embryos (E13-15). Ascorbate (AA) treatment enhanced yields of DA neurons from E12 precursors, and increased the number of DA neurons generated from E13 precursors to levels attained when using E12 precursors. AA markedly up-regulated expression of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) and erythropoietin (Epo) in precursors, but did not affect expression of a number of genes known to regulate midbrain DA development. The addition of these recombinant proteins or blockers revealed that both BMP7 and Epo mediate AA-induced DA neuron differentiation.

Animals↗

Ascorbate-induced differentiation of embryonic cortical precursors into neurons and astrocytes.

A specific role for ascorbate (AA) in brain development has been postulated based on a rise of AA levels in fetal brain (Kratzing et al., 1985). To evaluate the role of AA during CNS development, we analyzed the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of AA-treated CNS precursor cells isolated from rat embryonic cortex. Immunocytochemical analyses revealed that AA promoted the in vitro differentiation of CNS precursor cells into neurons and astrocytes in a cell density-dependent manner. Additionally, AA increased the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) of postmitotic neurons in primary neuronal cultures. Differential expression analysis of genes specific to neuronal or glial differentiation revealed an AA-dependent increase in the expression of genes that could potentially compound the effects of AA on cell differentiation. These data suggest that AA may act in the developing brain to stimulate the generation of CNS neurons and glia, thereby assisting in the formation of neural circuits by promoting the acquisition of neuronal synaptic functions.

Animals↗

Chronic lithium enhances hippocampal long-term potentiation, but not neurogenesis, in the aged rat dentate gyrus.

We investigated the hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), neurogenesis, and the activation of signaling molecules in the 20-month-old aged rats following chronic lithium treatment. Chronic lithium treatment produced a significant 79% increase in the numbers of BrdU(+) cells after treatment completion in the dentate gyrus (DG). Both LTP obtained from slices perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF-LTP), and LTP recorded in the presence of bicuculline (bicuculline-LTP) were significantly greater in the lithium group than in the saline controls. Our results show that as with young rats, chronic lithium can substantially increase LTP and the number of BrdU(+) cells in the aged rats. However, neurogenesis, assessed by colocalization of NeuN and BrdU, was not detected in the aged rat DG subjected to chronic lithium treatment. Therefore, it is concluded that the increase in LTP and the number of BrdU(+) cells might not be associated with increases in neurogenesis in the granule cell layer of the DG. Lithium might has a beneficial effects through other signaling pathways in the aged brain.

Aging↗

Statistical tests for identifying differentially expressed genes in time-course microarray experiments.

MOTIVATION: Microarray technology allows the monitoring of expression levels for thousands of genes simultaneously. In time-course experiments in which gene expression is monitored over time, we are interested in testing gene expression profiles for different experimental groups. However, no sophisticated analytic methods have yet been proposed to handle time-course experiment data. RESULTS: We propose a statistical test procedure based on the ANOVA model to identify genes that have different gene expression profiles among experimental groups in time-course experiments. Especially, we propose a permutation test which does not require the normality assumption. For this test, we use residuals from the ANOVA model only with time-effects. Using this test, we detect genes that have different gene expression profiles among experimental groups. The proposed model is illustrated using cDNA microarrays of 3840 genes obtained in an experiment to search for changes in gene expression profiles during neuronal differentiation of cortical stem cells.

Algorithms↗

Neurons and astrocytes secrete factors that cause stem cells to differentiate into neurons and astrocytes, respectively.

We examined the role of soluble factors secreted by neurons and astrocytes in the differentiation of CNS stem cells. We showed that the soluble factors from neurons strongly induced multipotent cortical stem cells to acquire neuronal identity, while the factors from astrocytes promoted astrocytic differentiation. Neurons secreted the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 to induce neuron differentiation, while astrocytes secreted ciliary neurotrophic factor for astrocyte differentiation. Both neurons and astrocytes secrete bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Using BMP antagonists it was shown that BMPs were responsible for the neuron-induced neuronal differentiation, as well as the astrocyte-induced astrocytic differentiation. These findings demonstrate the importance of soluble signals in lineage-specific differentiation and provide evidence for the roles of neurons and astrocytes in stem cell differentiation.

Animals↗

Lithium enhances long-term potentiation independently of hippocampal neurogenesis in the rat dentate gyrus.

We measured the temporal and spatial profiles of neural precursor cells, hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), and signaling molecules in neurogenesis-induced adult rats. Chronic lithium treatment produced a significant 54% and 40% increase in the numbers of bromodeoxyuridine [BrdU(+)] cells after 12 h and 28 days, respectively, after treatment completion in the dentate gyrus (DG). Both LTP obtained from slices perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF-LTP) and LTP recorded in the presence of bicuculline (bicuculline-LTP) were significantly greater in the lithium group than in the saline controls. Although the number of BrdU(+) cells, approximately 90% of which were double-labeled with a neural marker neuronal nuclear protein, were markedly increased in the granule cell layer (GCL) 28 days after the completion of the 28-day lithium treatment, the magnitude of LTP observed at this time was similar to that observed 12 h after completing the 28-day lithium treatment. However, protein levels of calcium and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, p-Elk and TrkB were highly elevated until 28 days after the 28-day lithium treatment. Acute lithium treatment for 2 days also enhanced LTP, which was accompanied by the elevated expression of p-CREB, but not by neurogenesis. Our results suggest that the enhancement of LTP is independent of the increased number of neurons per se and it is more closely associated with key molecules, which are probably involved in neurogenesis.

Animals↗

Dopaminergic neuronal differentiation from rat embryonic neural precursors by Nurr1 overexpression.

In vitro expanded CNS precursors could provide a renewable source of dopamine (DA) neurons for cell therapy in Parkinson's disease. Functional DA neurons have been derived previously from early midbrain precursors. Here we demonstrate the ability of Nurr1, a nuclear orphan receptor essential for midbrain DA neuron development in vivo, to induce dopaminergic differentiation in naïve CNS precursors in vitro. Independent of gestational age or brain region of origin, Nurr1-induced precursors expressed dopaminergic markers and exhibited depolarization-evoked DA release in vitro. However, these cells were less mature and secreted lower levels of DA than those derived from mesencephalic precursors. Transplantation of Nurr1-induced DA neuron precursors resulted in limited survival and in vivo differentiation. No behavioral improvement in apomorphine-induced rotation scores was observed. These results demonstrate that Nurr1 induces dopaminergic features in naïve CNS precursors in vitro. However, additional factors will be required to achieve in vivo function and to unravel the full potential of neural precursors for cell therapy in Parkinson's disease.

Animals↗

Dextromethorphan alters gene expression in rat brain hippocampus and cortex.

Dextromethorphan is a widely used anti-tussive drug with non-competitive antagonistic effects on excitatory amino acid receptors of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type. This study examined the effect of daily dextromethorphan administration on gene expression in rat brain hippocampus and cortex regions using Rat 5K cDNA microarrays. Triplicate microarray assays were performed at each time point (1, 3 and 10 days), and results were confirmed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR on a subset of differentially expressed cDNA. The microarray analysis proved able to detect changes in gene expression following dextromethorphan injection. Moreover, these changes were mostly mediated by an NMDA receptor. The hippocampus region showed more alterations in gene expression than cerebral cortex following dextromethorphan treatment. The expression of many glutamate-induced apoptosis-related genes, and NO-dependent apoptosis-associated genes, was down-regulated. Expression of anti-apoptotic genes, such as nucleophosmin/B23, Rab2, MAP kinase kinase and CREB binding protein, was up-regulated by dextromethorphan. Angiogenesis is likely to be inhibited in our system due to observed down-regulation of VEGF-associated genes. Expression of some SNARE genes was up-regulated in rat brain hippocampus and cortex regions after dextromethorphan injection.

Animals↗

Chaperonin GroESL mediates the protein folding of human liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli.

An efficient bacterial expression system for the human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) was developed using co-overexpression of heat shock chaperone gene GroESL. On the basis of the ALDH2 amino acid sequence and cDNA sequences a full-length cDNA encoding wild-type ALDH2 was cloned from a human liver library. A mutant-type ALDH2 (ALDH2(2)) was developed using site-directed mutagenesis of the ALDH2 cDNA and also cloned. Both types of ALDH2 cDNA were subcloned for expression in Escherichia coli (E. coli), recombinant ALDH2 and ALDH2(2) were successfully expressed as soluble active enzymes following co-expression with a second plasmid construct producing GroES and GroEL, E. coli chaperonin proteins. Purified wild-type ALDH2 and mutant ALDH2(2) had a K(m) for acetaldehyde of 0.65 and 25.73 microM, respectively. Co-expression of ALDH2 with ALDH2(2) in the presence of E. coli chaperonins produced a soluble enzyme with a K(m) for acetaldehyde of 8.79 microM, suggesting that the product was a heteromer. Mitochondrial matrix hsp60 and hsp10 chaperonins are then thought to act on imported ALDH2 and are essential for accurate protein folding and multisubunit formation. Protein-protein interactions between ALDH2s and various chaperones were investigated using the yeast two-hybrid system. The wild-type and mutant-type enzymes strongly interacted with each other and GroEL and ALDH2s also interacted but only weakly. Chaperone hsp10 also interacted with hsp60 and ALDH2(1) and ALDH2(2), but again the interactions were weak ones.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase↗

Reciprocal actions of NCAM and tPA via a Ras-dependent MAPK activation in rat hippocampal neurons.

In an attempt to identify the functions of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in hippocampal synaptic plasticity, we investigated the relationship between the two molecules by focusing on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), an essential enzyme in this process. NCAM clustering in cultured hippocampal neurons transiently induced MAPK within 10min. Moreover, soluble NCAM also induced a Ras-dependent MAPK activation. Conversely, MAPK activation led to an increase in the expressions of all three isoforms of NCAM. Treatment of neurons with tPA and plasminogen induced a Ras-dependent MAPK activation and tPA-plasmin degradation of NCAM was mediated in a MAPK-dependent manner. Soluble NCAM transiently inhibited tPA mRNA expression levels in a MAPK-dependent manner, while stimulation of MAPK alone induced tPA reduction in cells. These results collectively indicate that NCAM and tPA reciprocally act as important regulators in the modulation of synaptic plasticity via a Ras-MAPK-involved signaling pathway. In turn, MAPK activation may cause tPA degradation or a decrease in expression to promote synaptic plasticity.

Animals↗

Differential gene expression in retinoic acid-induced differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, NB4 and HL-60 cells.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by a specific chromosome translocation t(15;17), which results in the fusion of the promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML) and retinoic acid receptor alpha gene (RARalpha). APL can be effectively treated with the cell differentiation inducer all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). NB4 cells, an acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line, have the t(15;17) translocation and differentiate in response to ATRA, whereas HL-60 cells lack this chromosomal translocation, even after differentiation by ATRA. To identify changes in the gene expression patterns of promyelocytic leukemia cells during differentiation, we compared the gene expression profiles in NB4 and HL-60 cells with and without ATRA treatment using a cDNA microarray containing 10,000 human genes. NB4 and HL-60 cells were treated with ATRA (10(-6)M) and total RNA was extracted at various time points (3, 8, 12, 24, and 48h). Cell differentiation was evaluated for cell morphology changes and CD11b expression. PML/RARalpha degradation was studied by indirect immunofluoresence with polyclonal PML antibodies. Typical morphologic and immunophenotypic changes after ATRA treatment were observed both in NB4 and HL-60 cells. The cDNA microarray identified 119 genes that were up-regulated and 17 genes that were down-regulated in NB4 cells, while 35 genes were up-regulated and 36 genes were down-regulated in HL60 cells. Interestingly, we did not find any common gene expression profiles regulated by ATRA in NB4 and HL-60 cells, even though the granulocytic differentiation induced by ATRA was observed in both cell lines. These findings suggest that the molecular mechanisms and genes involved in ATRA-induced differentiation of APL cells may be different and cell type specific. Further studies will be needed to define the important molecular pathways involved in granulocytic differentiation by ATRA in APL cells.

Cell Differentiation↗

The functional domains of dopamine transporter for cocaine analog, CFT binding.

Cocaine analogue, CFT (2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane) binding to dopamine transporter (DAT) in different species is quite heterogeneous. CFT is scarcely detected in bovine DAT whereas it is conspicuous in humans. To examine the structural basis for this functional discrepancy, we analyzed transporter chimeras of these two DATs. The CFT binding activities are avid in all of the chimeric DATs of which both of the 3rd and the 6-8th transmembrane domain (TM) are composed of human DAT sequences. On the contrary, CFT binding activities were scarcely detected if either or both of two regions are replaced with bovine sequences. These findings indicate that the CFT binding absolutely requires human DAT sequences, at least, in the regions encompassing the 3rd and 6-8th transmembrane domain (TM), and that these regions might contribute to form the 3-dimensional pocket for CFT binding.

Animals↗

Cloning and sequences of beta-actin genes from Rhodeus notatus and the silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (cyprinidae) and the phylogeny of Cyprinid fishes inferred from beta-actin genes.

Complete beta-actin genes from Rhodeus notatus and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (silver carp) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into pCRII vector for further characterization. The beta-actin genes of these two fishes were 1718 and 1755 bp in sequence length, respectively, and both of them contained 5 exons and 4 introns. The exon and intron boundaries were identified with the GT/AG rule. The phylogenetic implications of beta-actin gene in the family Cyprinidae were shortly discussed.

Actins↗