Enumerating typical abelian prime-fold coverings of a circulant graph

Feng, R.,Kwak, J.H.,Kwon, Y.S. North-Holland Pub. Co ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2009 Discrete mathematics Vol.309 No.8

Enumerating the isomorphism classes of several types of graph coverings is one of the central research topics in enumerative topological graph theory (see [R. Feng, J.H. Kwak, J. Kim, J. Lee, Isomorphism classes of concrete graph coverings, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 11 (1998) 265-272; R. Feng, J.H. Kwak, Typical circulant double coverings of a circulant graph, Discrete Math. 277 (2004) 73-85; R. Feng, J.H. Kwak, Y.S. Kwon, Enumerating typical circulant covering projections onto a circulant graph, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 19 (2005) 196-207; SIAM J. Discrete Math. 21 (2007) 548-550 (erratum); M. Hofmeister, Graph covering projections arising from finite vector spaces over finite fields, Discrete Math. 143 (1995) 87-97; M. Hofmeister, Enumeration of concrete regular covering projections, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 8 (1995) 51-61; M. Hofmeister, A note on counting connected graph covering projections, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 11 (1998) 286-292; J.H. Kwak, J. Chun, J. Lee, Enumeration of regular graph coverings having finite abelian covering transformation groups, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 11 (1998) 273-285; J.H. Kwak, J. Lee, Isomorphism classes of graph bundles, Canad. J. Math. XLII (1990) 747-761]). A covering is called abelian (or circulant, respectively) if its covering graph is a Cayley graph on an abelian (or a cyclic, respectively) group. A covering p from a Cayley graph Cay(A,X) onto another Cay (Q,Y) is called typical if the map p:A->Q on the vertex sets is a group epimorphism. Recently, the isomorphism classes of connected typical circulant r-fold coverings of a circulant graph are enumerated in [R. Feng, J.H. Kwak, Typical circulant double coverings of a circulant graph, Discrete Math. 277 (2004) 73-85] for r=2 and in [R. Feng, J.H. Kwak, Y.S. Kwon, Enumerating typical circulant covering projections onto a circulant graph, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 19 (2005) 196-207; SIAM J. Discrete Math. 21 (2007) 548-550 (erratum)] for any r. As a continuation of these works, we enumerate in this paper the isomorphism classes of typical abelian prime-fold coverings of a circulant graph.

Simultaneous subtyping and pathotyping of the novel reassortant influenza A (H5N8) virus from clinical samples using a diagnostic microarray

Kwon, J. H.,Kim, J. H.,Lee, D. h.,Cho, H.,Hwang, S. Y.,Yuk, S. S.,Erdene-Ochir, T. O.,Noh, J. Y.,Hong, W. T.,Jeong, J. H. Springer Science + Business Media 2016 BioChip Journal Vol.10 No.3

<P>Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses cause economic losses in the poultry industry and pose a severe threat to human health. Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are important because they can help prevent further spread of the virus and reduce the time required for eradication of the virus. We developed a low-density microarray for the rapid detection and identification of avian influenza virus subtypes H5, H7, and H9 and their pathotypes in a previous study. In the present study, we report the development of updated probe sets and evaluation of the diagnostic microarray using H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 HPAI viruses including clinical samples, without the need for egg propagation. Cy3-labeled DNA targets were obtained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using Cy3-labeled universal primers, and labeled amplicons were hybridized to the microarray. All positive samples from RT-PCR showed H5-specific and highly pathogenic pattern in the microarray, without purification of PCR products. Furthermore, it allowed for specific detection of the subtype and pathotype from low DNA concentration samples that did not allow direct sequence analysis. Therefore, this diagnostic microarray has enormous potential for the rapid subtyping and pathotyping from clinical samples without the need for culture.</P>

Genetic and phylogenetic characterizations of a novel genotype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 viruses in 2016/2017 in South Korea

Kim, Y.I.,Park, S.J.,Kwon, H.I.,Kim, E.H.,Si, Y.J.,Jeong, J.H.,Lee, I.W.,Nguyen, H.D.,Kwon, J.J.,Choi, W.S.,Song, M.S.,Kim, C.J.,Choi, Y.K. Elsevier Science 2017 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.53 No.-

<P>During the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N6 viruses in 2016 in South Korea, novel H5N8 viruses were also isolated from migratory birds. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the HA gene of these H5N8 viruses belonged to clade 2.3.4.4, similarly to recent H5Nx viruses, and originated from A/Brk/Korea/Gochang1/14(H5N8), a minor lineage of H5N8 that appeared in 2014 and then disappeared. At least four reassortment events occurred with different subtypes (H5N8, H7N7, H3N8 and H10N7) and a chicken challenge study revealed that they were classified as HPAI viruses according to OIE criteria. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Surveillance of avian influenza virus in wild bird fecal samples from South Korea, 2003-2008.

Kang, H M,Jeong, O M,Kim, M C,Kwon, J S,Paek, M R,Choi, J G,Lee, E K,Kim, Y J,Kwon, J H,Lee, Y J [Wildlife Disease Association] 2010 JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES Vol.46 No.3

<P>We analyzed the results from nationwide surveillance of avian influenza (AI) from birds in South Korea's major wild bird habitats and the demilitarized zone of South Korea, 2003-2008. Of 28,214 fecal samples analyzed, 225 yielded influenza viruses, for a prevalence of 0.8%. Hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes H1-H12 and all nine neuraminidase (NA) subtypes were detected. The dominant HA subtypes were H6, H1, and H4, and the most common NA subtypes were N2, N1, and N6. Among the 38 HA/NA subtype combinations, the most common were H4N6, H6N1, and H5N2. Thirty-seven low-pathogenic AI (LPAI) viruses of the H5 and H7 subtype were detected. Among them, we identified bird species for 16 H5- and H7-positive fecal samples using a DNA bar-coding system instituted in 2007; all birds were identified as Anseriformes. The HA gene of the H5 wild bird isolates belonged to the Eurasian avian lineage, and could be clearly distinguished from the sublineage H5N1 highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) of the Eurasian and American avian lineages. Whereas H7 LPAI viruses did not group as a separate sublineage with H7 HPAI viruses, H7 isolates were closely related with the Eurasian avian lineage.</P>

Evaluation of the zoonotic potential of a novel reassortant H1N2 swine influenza virus with gene constellation derived from multiple viral sources

Lee, J.H.,Pascua, P.N.Q.,Decano, A.G.,Kim, S.M.,Park, S.J.,Kwon, H.I.,Kim, E.H.,Kim, Y.I.,Kim, H.,Kim, S.Y.,Song, M.S.,Jang, H.K.,Park, B.K.,Choi, Y.K. Elsevier Science 2015 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.34 No.-

In 2011-2012, contemporary North American-like H3N2 swine influenza viruses (SIVs) possessing the 2009 pandemic H1N1 matrix gene (H3N2pM-like virus) were detected in domestic pigs of South Korea where H1N2 SIV strains are endemic. More recently, we isolated novel reassortant H1N2 SIVs bearing the Eurasian avian-like swine H1-like hemagglutinin and Korean swine H1N2-like neuraminidase in the internal gene backbone of the H3N2pM-like virus. In the present study, we clearly provide evidence on the genetic origins of the novel H1N2 SIVs virus through genetic and phylogenetic analyses. In vitro studies demonstrated that, in comparison with a pre-existing 2012 Korean H1N2 SIV [A/swine/Korea/CY03-1½012 (CY03-1½012)], the 2013 novel reassortant H1N2 isolate [A/swine/Korea/CY0423/2013 (CY0423-12/2013)] replicated more efficiently in differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells. The CY0423-12/2013 virus induced higher viral titers than the CY03-1½012 virus in the lungs and nasal turbinates of infected mice and nasal wash samples of ferrets. Moreover, the 2013 H1N2 reassortant, but not the intact 2012 H1N2 virus, was transmissible to naive contact ferrets via respiratory-droplets. Noting that the viral precursors have the ability to infect humans, our findings highlight the potential threat of a novel reassortant H1N2 SIV to public health and underscore the need to further strengthen influenza surveillance strategies worldwide, including swine populations.

Supplementation of oil-based inactivated H9N2 vaccine with M2e antigen enhances resistance against heterologous H9N2 avian influenza virus infection

Park, J.K.,Lee, D.H.,Cho, C.H.,Yuk, S.S.,To, E.O.,Kwon, J.H.,Noh, J.Y.,Kim, B.Y.,Choi, S.W.,Shim, B.S.,Song, M.K.,Lee, J.B.,Park, S.Y.,Choi, I.S.,Song, C.S. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2014 Veterinary microbiology Vol.169 No.3

Avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H9N2 has been evolving rapidly and vaccine escape variants have been reported to cause circulation of infections and economic losses. In the present study, we developed and evaluated ectodomain of the AIV matrix 2 (M2e) protein as a supplementing antigen for oil-based inactivated H9N2 vaccine to increase resistance against vaccine escape variants. AIV H9N2 M2e antigen was expressed in Escherichia coli and supplemented to inactivated H9N2 oil emulsion vaccine. Specific pathogen-free chickens received a single injection of inactivated H9N2 oil emulsion vaccines with or without M2e supplementation. At three weeks post vaccination, hemagglutination inhibition tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to determine serological immune responses. Challenge study using a vaccine escape H9N2 variant was performed to evaluate the efficacy of M2e supplementation. M2e antigen supplemented in oil emulsion vaccine was highly immunogenic, and a single M2e-supplemented vaccination reduced challenge virus replication and shedding more effectively than non-supplemented vaccination.

Genetic relationship of H3 subtype avian influenza viruses isolated from domestic ducks and wild birds in Korea and their pathogenic potential in chickens and ducks

Choi, J.G.,Kang, H.M.,Kim, M.C.,Paek, M.R.,Kim, H.R.,Kim, B.S.,Kwon, J.H.,Kim, J.H.,Lee, Y.J. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2012 Veterinary microbiology Vol.155 No.2

The H3 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) is one of the most frequently isolated subtypes in domestic ducks, live poultry markets, and wild birds in Korea. In 2002-2009, a total of 45 H3 subtype AIVs were isolated from the feces of clinically normal domestic ducks (n=28) and wild birds (n=17). The most prevalent subtypes in domestic ducks were H3N2 (35.7%), H3N6 (35.7%), H3N8 (25.0%), and H3N1 (3.6%, novel subtype in domestic duck in Korea). In contrast, H3N8 (70.6%) is the most prevalent subtype in wild birds in Korea. In the phylogenetic analysis, HA genes of the Korean H3 AIVs were divided into 3 groups (Korean duck, wild bird 1, and wild bird 2) and all viruses of duck origin except one were clustered in a single group. However, other genes showed extensive diversity and at least 17 genotypes were circulating in domestic ducks in Korea. When the analysis expanded to viruses of wild bird origin, the genetic diversity of Korean H3 AIVs became more complicated. Extensive reassortments may have occurred in H3 subtype influenza viruses in Korea. When we inoculated chickens and ducks with six selected viruses, some of the viruses replicated efficiently without pre-adaptation and shed a significant amount of viruses through oropharyngeal and cloacal routes. This raised concerns that H3 subtype AIV could be a new subtype in chickens in Korea. Continuous surveillance is needed to prepare the advent of a novel subtype AIV in Korea.

Cross-protective efficacies of highly-pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 vaccines against a recent H5N8 virus

Park, S.J.,Si, Y.J.,Kim, J.,Song, M.S.,Kim, S.m.,Kim, E.H.,Kwon, H.i.,Kim, Y.I.,Lee, O.J.,Shin, O.S.,Kim, C.J.,Shin, E.C.,Choi, Y.K. Academic Press 2016 Virology Vol.498 No.-

<P>To investigate cross-protective vaccine efficacy of highly-pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses against a recent HPAI H5N8 virus, we immunized C57BL/6 mice and ferrets with three alum-adjuvanted inactivated whole H5N1 vaccines developed through reverse-genetics (Rg): [Vietnam/1194/04xPR8 (clade 1), Korea/W149/06xPR8 (clade 2.2), and Korea/ES223N/03xPR8 (clade 2.5)]. Although relatively low cross-reactivities (10-40 HI titer) were observed against heterologous H5N8 virus, immunized animals were 100% protected from challenge with the 20 mLD(50) of H5N8 virus, with the exception of mice vaccinated with 3.5 mu g of Rg Vietnam/1194/04xPR8. Of note, the Rg Korea/ES223N/03xPR8 vaccine provided not only effective protection, but also markedly inhibited viral replication in the lungs and nasal swabs of vaccine recipients within five days of HPAI H5N8 virus challenge. Further, we demonstrated that antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) of an antibody-coated target cell by cytotoxic effector cells also plays a role in the heterologous protection of H5N1 vaccines against H5N8 challenge. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</P>

Peroxiredoxin II promotes hepatic tumorigenesis through cooperation with Ras/Forkhead box M1 signaling pathway

Park, Y-H,Kim, S-U,Kwon, T-H,Kim, J-M,Song, I-S,Shin, H-J,Lee, B-K,Bang, D-H,Lee, S-J,Lee, D-S,Chang, K-T,Kim, B-Y,Yu, D-Y Macmillan Publishers Limited 2016 Oncogene Vol.35 No.27

<P>The current study was carried out to define the involvement of Peroxiredoxin (Prx) II in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying molecular mechanism(s). Expression and function of Prx II in HCC was determined using H-ras(G12V)-transformed HCC cells (H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells) and the tumor livers from H-ras(G12V)-transgenic (Tg) mice and HCC patients. Prx II was upregulated in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells and H-ras(G12V)-Tg mouse tumor livers, the expression pattern of which highly similar to that of forkhead Box M1 (FoxM1). Moreover, either knockdown of FoxM1 or site-directed mutagenesis of FoxM1-binding site of Prx II promoter significantly reduced Prx II levels in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells, indicating FoxM1 as a direct transcription factor of Prx II in HCC. Interestingly, the null mutation of Prx II markedly decreased the number and size of tumors in H-ras(G12V)-Tg livers. Consistent with this, knockdown of Prx II in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells reduced the expression of cyclin D1, cell proliferation, anchorage-independent growth and tumor formation in athymic nude mice, whereas overexpression of Prx II increased or aggravated the tumor phenotypes. Importantly, the expression of Prx II was correlated with that of FoxM1 in HCC patients. The activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) pathway and the expression of FoxM1 and cyclin D1 were highly dependent on Prx II in H-ras(G12V)-HCC cells and H-ras(G12V)-Tg livers. Prx II is FoxM1-dependently- expressed antioxidant in HCC and function as an enhancer of Ras(G12V) oncogenic potential in hepatic tumorigenesis through activation of ERK/FoxM1/cyclin D1 cascade.</P>

Tat-PRAS40 prevent hippocampal HT-22 cell death and oxidative stress induced animal brain ischemic insults

Shin, M.J.,Kim, D.W.,Jo, H.S.,Cho, S.B.,Park, J.H.,Lee, C.H.,Yeo, E.J.,Choi, Y.J.,Kim, J.A.,Hwang, J.S.,Sohn, E.J.,Jeong, J.H.,Kim, D.S.,Kwon, H.Y.,Cho, Y.J.,Lee, K.,Han, K.H.,Park, J.,Eum, W.S.,Choi, Pergamon ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2016 FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Vol.97 No.-

Proline rich Akt substrate (PRAS40) is a component of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and is known to play an important role against reactive oxygen species-induced cell death. However, the precise function of PRAS40 in ischemia remains unclear. Thus, we investigated whether Tat-PRAS40, a cell-permeable fusion protein, has a protective function against oxidative stress-induced hippocampal neuronal (HT-22) cell death in an animal model of ischemia. We showed that Tat-PRAS40 transduced into HT-22 cells, and significantly protected against cell death by reducing the levels of H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> and derived reactive species, and DNA fragmentation as well as via the regulation of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase 3 expression levels in H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> treated cells. Also, we showed that transduced Tat-PARS40 protein markedly increased phosphorylated RRAS40 expression levels and 14-3-3σ complex via the Akt signaling pathway. In an animal ischemia model, Tat-PRAS40 effectively transduced into the hippocampus in animal brain and significantly protected against neuronal cell death in the CA1 region. We showed that Tat-PRAS40 protein effectively transduced into hippocampal neuronal cells and markedly protected against neuronal cell damage. Therefore, we suggest that Tat-PRAS40 protein may be used as a therapeutic protein for ischemia and oxidative stress-induced brain disorders.