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A common problem with the in vivo therapeutic applications of cells is that cells can rapidly disappear into the circulatory system after an injection. Magnetic nanoparticles can be used to solve this problem. Bacterial magnetic nanoparticles were used in this study for targeting stem cells at a specific location within a microfluidic channel. Magnetic nanoparticles were isolated from Magnetospirillum sp. AMB-1 and delivered to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Cellular uptake of magnetic nanoparticles and their functional feasibility was characterized in vitro. The environment of a human blood vessel was simulated using a microfluidic channel. Magnetic nanoparticle-incorporated EPCs were injected into a microchannel and the flow rate of cells was uniformly controlled by use of a syringe pump. EPCs were effectively targeted to a specific location within the microchannel by an external magnetic field (about 400 mT). About 40% of EPCs were efficiently targeted with a flow rate of 5 μl min−1 when 10 μg of magnetic nanoparticles were used per 104 cells. This microfluidic system provides a useful tool towards a better understanding of the behavior of magnetic nanoparticle-incorporated cells within the human circulatory system for clinical use. ; This work was supported by a grant from the Innovative Research Institute for Cell Therapy (No. A06-2260- B81505-06N1-15010A). J. A. Kim acknowledges the Seoul Science Fellowship supported by Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The importance of creating a three-dimensional (3-D) multicellular spheroid has recently been gaining attention due to the limitations of monolayer cell culture to precisely mimic in vivo structure and cellular interactions. Due to this emerging interest, researchers have utilized new tools, such as microfluidic devices, that allow high-throughput and precise size control to produce multicellular spheroids. We have developed a droplet-based microfluidic system that can encapsulate both cells and magnetic nanoparticles within alginate beads to mimic the function of a multicellular tumor spheroid. Cells were entrapped within the alginate beads along with magnetic nanoparticles, and the beads of a relatively uniform size (diameters of 85% of the beads were 170-190 mu m) were formed in the oil phase. These beads were passed through parallel streamlines of oil and culture medium, where the beads were magnetically transferred into the medium phase from the oil phase using an external magnetic force. This microfluidic chip eliminates additional steps for collecting the spheroids from the oil phase and transferring them to culture medium. Ultimately, the overall spheroid formation process can be achieved on a single microchip. ; This work was supported by the Pioneer Research Program and the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program, through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)funded by the Korean government (MEST) (No. 20120001020 and 2012050100). ; OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2013-01/102/0000002410/8 ; SEQ:8 ; PERF_CD:SNU2013-01 ; EVAL_ITEM_CD:102 ; USER_ID:0000002410 ; ADJUST_YN:Y ; EMP_ID:A002014 ; DEPT_CD:458 ; CITE_RATE:5.67 ; FILENAME:droplet-based microfluidic system to form and separate.pdf ; DEPT_NM:화학생물공학부 ; EMAIL:thpark@snu.ac.kr ; SCOPUS_YN:Y ; CONFIRM:Y

Various attempts have been made to develop three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture methods because 3-D cells mimic the structures and functional properties of real tissue compared with those of monolayer cultures. Here, we report on a highly simple and efficient 3-D spheroid generation method based on a magnetic pin-array system to concentrate magnetic nanoparticle-incorporated cells in a focal direction. This system was comprised only of external magnets and magnetically induced iron pins to generate a concentrated magnetic field for attracting cells in a focused direction. 3-D spheroid generation was achieved simply by adding magnetic nanoparticle-incorporated cells into a well and covering the plate with a magnetic lid. Cell clustering occurred rapidly within 5 min and created more compact cells with time through the focused magnetic force. This system ensured not only reproducible and size-controlled generation of spheroids but also versatile types of spheroids such as random mixed, core-shell, and fused spheroids, providing a very useful tool for various biological applications. ; This work was supported by the Pioneer Research Program and the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program, through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Korean Government (MEST) (No. 20120001020 and 2012050100). ; OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2013-01/102/0000002410/15 ; SEQ:15 ; PERF_CD:SNU2013-01 ; EVAL_ITEM_CD:102 ; USER_ID:0000002410 ; ADJUST_YN:Y ; EMP_ID:A002014 ; DEPT_CD:458 ; CITE_RATE:7.604 ; FILENAME:15. (2013.11) high-throughput generation of spheroids using magnetic.pdf ; DEPT_NM:화학생물공학부 ; EMAIL:thpark@snu.ac.kr ; SCOPUS_YN:Y ; CONFIRM:Y

Rodent-borne disease surveillance was conducted at Nightmare Range (NM-R), near the demilitarized zone in northeast Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea, to identify hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) risks for a mountainous high-elevation (500 m) military training site. Monthly surveys were conducted from January 2008-December 2009. A total of 1,720 small mammals were captured belonging to the Orders Rodentia [Families, Sciuridae (1 species) and Muridae (7 species)] and Soricomorpha [Family, Soricidae (1species)]. Apodemus agrarius, the primary reservoir for Hantaan virus (HTNV), accounted for 89.9% (1,546) of all small mammals captured, followed by Myodes regulus (4.0%), Crocidura lasiura (3.9%), Micromys minutus (1.4%), Mus musculus (0.3%), Microtus fortis (0.2%), Apodemus peninsulae (0.2%), Tamias sibiricus (0.1%), and Rattus norvegicus (<0.1%). Three species were antibody-positive (Ab+) for hantaviruses: A. agrarius (8.2%), M. minutus (4.2%), and C. lasiura (1.5%). HTNV specific RNA was detected in 93/127 Ab+ A. agrarius, while Imjin virus specific RNA was detected in 1/1 Ab+ C. lasiura. Overall, hantavirus Ab+ rates for A. agrarius increased with weight (age) and were significantly higher among males (10.9%) than females (5.1%) (P<0.0001). High A. agrarius gravid rates during the fall (August-September) were associated with peak numbers of HFRS cases in Korea that followed high gravid rates. From 79 RT-PCR positive A. agrarius, 12 HTNV RNA samples were sequenced and compared phylogenetically based on a 320 nt sequence from the GC glycoprotein-encoding M segment. These results demonstrate that the HTNV isolates from NM-R are distinctly separated from HTNV isolated from the People's Republic of China. These studies provide for improved disease risk assessments that identify military activities, rodent HTNV rates, and other factors associated with the transmission of hantaviruses during field training exercises.

The influence pre-exposure of mice to Vi capsular polysaccharide, purified from Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi, on the subsequent immune response induced by a Vi-diphtheria toxoid (Vi-DT) conjugate was evaluated. Vi induced low anti Vi IgG titers with the dominant subclass being IgG3. The Vi-DT conjugate induced high titers of anti Vi IgG with the dominant subclass being IgG1 but with considerable quantities of IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3. Priming of mice with Vi suppressed the response to a subsequent dose of conjugate and the suppression was overcome by a second dose of conjugate. Priming with conjugate prevented suppression of the anti Vi response and subsequent dosing with Vi raised titers back to previous levels but did not boost to new higher levels. The anti DT IgG response to one dose of conjugate was relatively strong and protracted and continued to rise for 12 weeks, compared to the response to one dose of DT which was poor and peaked at two weeks. The prolonged anti DT response was most likely due to the slow release of DT from the conjugate lattice as it degrades within the mouse resulting in a continuous stimulation of the immune response. The presence of increasing amounts of un-conjugated Vi, up to 50%, administered with the conjugate resulted in increasingly higher levels of both anti Vi and anti DT. Larger amounts of un-conjugated Vi inhibited the anti Vi response. These findings have implications for vaccine quality and a limit for un-conjugated polysaccharide should not exceed 50% and from a vaccine program perspective if the results presented here translate to humans then a Vi conjugate, once it becomes available, should replace Vi polysaccharide vaccines. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ; This work was supported by grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation and from the governments of the Republic of Korea and Sweden (SIDA). ; OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2012-01/102/0000002410/4 ; SEQ:4 ; PERF_CD:SNU2012-01 ; EVAL_ITEM_CD:102 ; USER_ID:0000002410 ; ADJUST_YN:Y ; EMP_ID:A002014 ; DEPT_CD:458 ; CITE_RATE:3.766 ; FILENAME:Immune suppression induced by Vi capsular polysaccharide is overcome by.pdf ; DEPT_NM:화학생물공학부 ; EMAIL:thpark@snu.ac.kr ; SCOPUS_YN:Y ; CONFIRM:Y

Small mammal surveillance was conducted (2008–2010, 2012) at Camp (Cp) Humphreys, a US Army installation and new expansion site, Republic of Korea (ROK), to identify hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome health threats to US military/civilian populations during its ongoing expansion phase. Small mammals were collected using Sherman live capture traps and transported to Korea University where they were euthanized, tissues removed, and assayed to determine hantavirus IgG antibody-positive and hantavirus-positive rates by RT-PCR. A total of 2,364 small mammals were captured over 11,300 trap nights (capture rate = 20.92%). Apodemus agrarius was the most commonly collected (76.65%), with capture rates of 9.62% and 21.70% for Cp Humphreys and the expansion site, respectively. Overall, Hantaan virus (HTNV) IgG antibody-positive (Ab+) rate for A. agrarius was 2.15% (39/1,812). A total of 5.43% (10/184) Crocidura lasiura, 0.79% (2/254) Microtus fortis and 2.44% (1/41) Micromys minutus were serologically IgG Ab+ for hantaviruses. HTNV-specific RT-PCR demonstrated that 28.2% (11/39) HTNV Ab+ A. agrarius harbored the 328-nt sequence of the GC glycoprotein-encoding M segment of HTNV. Among them, the whole genome sequences of 3 HTNV strains were obtained by conventional RT-PCR and Rapid Amplification cDNA Ends PCR. Phylogenetic analyses of the HTNV strains from Cp Humphreys and the expansion site, Pyeongtaek, show a greater diversity of rodent-borne hantaviruses compared to HTNV previously identified in Gyeonggi province of the ROK. Thus, this study provides significant insights for raising HFRS threat awareness, analysis, and risk reduction strategies in southern Gyeonggi province.