• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2017

Bacterial blight in rice caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) greatly reduces the growth and productivity of this important food crop. Therefore, we sought to increase the resistance of rice to bacterial blight by using a NAC (NAM, ATAF, and CUC) transcription factor, one of the plant-specific transcription factors that is known to be involved in biotic/abiotic stress resistance. By isolating the OsNAC58 gene from rice and analyzing its biological functions related to Xoo resistance, phylogenetic analysis showed that OsNAC58 belongs to group III. To investigate the biological relationship between bacterial leaf blight (BLB) and OsNAC58 in rice, we constructed a vector for overexpression in rice and generated transgenic rice. The expression analysis resulting from use of RT-PCR showed that OsNAC58-overexpressed transgenic rice exhibited higher levels of OsNAC58 expression than wild types. Further, subcellular localization analysis using rice protoplasts showed that the 35S/OsNAC58-SmGFP fusion protein was localized in the nuclei. Thirteen OsNAC58-overexpressed transgenic rice lines, with high expression levels of OsNAC58, showed more resistant to Xoo than did the wild types. Together, these results suggest that the OsNAC58 gene of rice regulates the rice disease resistance mechanism in the nucleus upon invasion of the rice bacterial blight pathogen Xoo.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2018

Rebaudioside A is a natural sweetener isolated from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, one of the glycosides based on steviol. Recent studies have shown that rebaudioside A inhibits the inflammatory response by inhibiting cytokines secretion such as interleukin-$1{\alpha}/1{\beta}$ in activated RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells by LPS. However, the inhibitory mechanism of inflammation by rebaudioside A in the presence of LPS has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we tried to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of rebaudioside A at the protein level when RAW264.7 cells were stimulated by LPS. The inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression level was reduced in the group treated with $250{\mu}M$ rebaudioside A compared to the LPS-treated group. In addition, the mRNA expression level of $NF-{\kappa}B$, which is a representative nuclear transcription factor by inflammatory signal, was also decreased as compared with that of LPS-treated group. In addition, $NF-{\kappa}B$ and inhibitor-${\kappa}B$ ($I-{\kappa}B$) complexes that are known to be dissociated by $I-{\kappa}B$ phosphorylation and ubiquitination were less phosphorylated than LPS treated group in the presence rebaudioside A. Finally, we could find that rebaudioside A was involved in the $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway through reducing extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that rebaudioside A might suppress inflammatory reaction through MAPK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ regulation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.180-186
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• 2009

Whole plants of Vitex rotundifolia were extracted for 2 days with methylene chloride ($CH_2Cl_2$) followed by extraction of the residue for an additional 2 days. The same procedure was also applied using methanol (MeOH). The two crude extracts were combined and partitioned between $CH_2Cl_2$ and $H_2O$. The organic layer was further partitioned between n-hexane and 85% aq. MeOH, and the aqueous layer was also further fractionated with n-BuOH and $H_2O$, successively. From the 85% aq. MeOH fraction, one compound was isolated through the repeated HPLC. According to the results of physicochemical data including NMR and MS, the chemical structure of the compound was determined as artemetin (1). The antiproliferative effects of the crude extracts, fractions, and compound against HT1080, AGS, MCF-7 and HT-29 human cancer cells were compared with the control by using MTT assay. In the comparative analysis, the 85% aq. MeOH fraction exhibited the strongest antiproliferative effects on human cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). In addition, exposure of compound 1 isolated from 85% aq. MeOH fraction led to strong antiproliferative effect in HT1080 cancer cell lines. These results suggest that the extracts and compound isolated from V. rotundifolia may be used as potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 1999

Background: Thirty children ranging from 3 to 15 years of age underwent cardiac valve replacement at Dongsan Medical Center from 1982 to 1997. Material and Method: There were 16 boys and 14 girls. The mean age was 12.1. The underlying pathological cause for valve replacement was congenital heart disease in 17 children and acquired heart disease in 13. The valve replaced was mitral in 15 children, aortic in 11, tricuspid in 3, and combined aortic and mitral in 1. Twenty-one mechanical and 10 tissue valves were placed: primary mechanical valve have been utilized since 1985. Eight of ten patients with tissue valves have had successful second valve replacements 4 to 11 years after the initial operation. Result: The operative mortality was 6.7%, but mortality was higher among patients less than 5 years of age and patients who had previous cardiac operations. Of the 28 operative survivors, 4 patients were lost to follow-up: the remaining patients were observed for a total of 2091 patient/months(mean 74.7 months, maximum 187 months). There was one late death from dilated cardiomyopathy after mitral valve replacement in 7 year-old patient with atrioventricular septal defect. After the operation, all patients with mechanical valves were placed on a strict anticoagulant regimen with Coumadin. The actuarial survival rate was 96% at the end of the follow-up. No instance of thromboembolism or major bleeding were observed in the survivors. Conclusion: These results indicate that valve replacement can be performed with low mortality in children, and with satisfactory long-term survival.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.358-363
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• 1999

Background: Recently, many cardiac centers have been using aprotinin to reduce operative bleeding in cardiac operations using cardiopulmonary bypass. A variety of reports have confirmed the effectiveness of the drug in cardiac operations. In addition to the operations which could be considered to cause severe operative bleeding such as redo operation, long cardiopulmonary bypass operation and etc, the use of aprotinin is increasing in the field of primary cardiac operations. Varying doses of regimen have been introduced since the first report by Royston et al, and also various opinions on the effectiveness and safeness of the each regimen have been reported. We reviewed our own experience of the full dose aprotinin regimen(Hammersmith regimen) retrospectively. Material and Method: From October 1994 to February 1998, 40 cases of cardiac operative patients were randomized into two groups: aprotinin group(20 patients) which received a full dose aprotinin regimen and control group(20 patients) which did not receive aprotinin. To evaluate the degree of bleeding decrease, we analysed and compared the amount of postoperative 6 hours and 24 hours bleeding in the each group. To confirm the renal dysfunction, we measured the postoperative creatinine level. Result: In the amount of postoperative 6 hours bleeding, a statistically significant bleeding decrease was demonstrated in the aprotinin group compared to the control group(aprotinin group: 186${\pm}$40cc, control group:409${\pm}$69cc, P=0.010). Similar result was observed in the postoperative 24 hours(aprotinin group:317${\pm}$53cc, control group: 671${\pm}$133cc, P=0.024). Conclusion: We concluded that full dose regimen of aprotinin can remarkably reduce postoperative bleeding in cardiac operations without significant renal dysfunctions.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.328-333
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• 2006

Many plant extracts are known to have antioxidative effects. However, their activities can be reduced or disappeared during mass production process. The purpose of this study is to compare antioxidative effects of edible plant extracts distributed in Korea. forty three kinds of edible plant extracts commercially available in Korea were selected and investigated for their total phenolics contents and antioxidative potentials(DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities). In contents of total phenolics, the commercial plant extracts from Artemisia annua(whole plant), Ilex paraguariensis(leaf, Silybum marianum(fruit and leaf, Ulmus pumila(bark), Coliolus versicolor(fruit), and Curcuma longa(root and stem) contained over 70 mg/g of powder, DPPH radical scavenging activities($SC_{50}$, 50% scavenging concentration) of A. annua, I. paraguariensis, Pinus densiflora(leaf),S. marianum, U. pumila, and C. longa were $53.96{\pm}0.81\;ppm,\;24.61{\pm}2.12\;ppm,\;35.96{\pm}1.11\;ppm,\;57.46{\pm}2.13\;ppm,\;55.25{\pm}1.65\;ppm\;and\;12.99{\pm}1.67ppm$, respectively, while that of positive control(vitamin C) was $3.86{\pm}0.81\;ppm$. $SC_{50}$ values against superoxide anion radical of A. annua, Cinnamomum zeylanicum(bark), I. paraguariensis, Rubus coreanus(fruit and leaf), Morus alba(leaf), P. densiflora, S. marianum, U. pumila, C. versicolor, C. longa, Perilla frutescens var. acuta(leaf), and H. sabdariffa(leaf and newer) were $53.21{\pm}1.83ppm,\;50.12{\pm}2.12ppm,\;5.59{\pm}0.84ppm,\;41.60{\pm}8.93ppm,\;20.19{\pm}0.97ppm,\;15.19{\pm}1.66ppm,\;21.20{\pm}1.88ppm,\;15.71{\pm}0.91ppm,\;55.48{\pm}2.42ppm,\;52.12{\pm}2.44ppm,\;23.80{\pm}1.98ppm\;and\;11.14{\pm}0.51ppm$, respectively($SC_{50}$ value of vitamin C: $9.61{\pm}0.93ppm$). In particular, both 1 paraguariensis and P. densiflora had high content of phenolics as well as high scavenging activities of DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical. Consequently, above two commercial extracts may be useful as a source of antioxidative nutraceutics.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.390-395
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• 2004

In order to characterize ion channels present in tomato roots, microsomes were incorporated into an artificial lipid bilayer arranged for electrophysiological analysis. Of the five different ion channels that could be found, a channel of 450 pS conductance was found most frequently. This channel displayed subconductance states of 450, 257 and 105 pS. All subconductance states showed linear current-voltage relationships. At positive holding potentials, high frequency of transient channel openings was observed; however, at negative potentials, the open times were long and open probability high. Po was 0.83 at -40 mV. When an additional 50 mM $K^+\;or\;Na^+$ was added to the cis side of bilayer, the reversal potentials shifted in the negative direction to near -10 mV. Thus, the 450 pS cation channel selects poorly between $K^+\;and\;Na^+$. In the presence of $100\;{\mu}M$ metal ions, the channel activity was severely inhibited by $La^{3+},\;Ba^{2+},\;and\;Zn^{2+}$, and Po was decreased to 0.2 or even less. However, $Al^{3+}\;and\;Cd^{2+}$ decreased the activity by only 20%. Interestingly, each metal ion showed different kinetics of channel inhibition. While $500\;{\mu}M\;La^{3+}$ inhibited the activities of all subconductance state, 1 mM $Zn^{2+}$ inhibited all except the 105 pS state. $Cd^{2+}$ changed the gating of the channel from a long-opening state to brief transient openings even at negative holding potentials. These data represent that the metal ions may have different binding sites on the channel protein and could be useful modulators and probes to investigate structural characteristics as well as the functional roles of the 450 pS channel on the root physiology.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 1996

The effects of scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus, Lqh) venom were evaluated on the activities of microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and $Ca^{2+}$ release channel prepared from the epithelial cells of pig airway. Whole venom of Lqh $(120\;{\mu}g/ml)$ increased the activity of microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ about 32% in the tight-sealed microsomes and about 28% in the Triton X-100-treated or $Ca^{2+}$ ionophore A23187-treated leaky microsomes. Thapsigargin, a specific antagonist of $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, inhibited 42% of total ATPase activity and also completely blocked the effects of Lqh venom, suggesting that Lqh venom directly activiates the microsomal $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$. In order to determine if Lqh venom increases the microsomal uptake of $^{45}Ca^{2+}$, Lqh venom was added in the uptake medium. The Lqh venom increased microsomal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake up to ${\sim}20%$ and the increase was only observed when heparin, an antagonist of $InsP_3$ receptor channel, was added in the uptake medium. Lqh venom in the absence of heparin unexpectedly decreased the rate and the amount of $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake. These results were explained by simultaneous increases in $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ release as well as $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake by Lqh venom. Lqh venom itself increased the release of $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ as much as $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ release by $4\;{\mu}m\;InsP_3$, implying that Lqh venom also activates $InsP_3$ receptor, microsomal $Ca^{2+}$ release channel. Based on these results, we suggest that the Lqh venom consists of at least two components; one activates the $InsP_3$ receptor and the other avates the $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$. Currently we a investigating the chemical and electrophysiological properties of the active components of Lqh venom.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.360-369
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• 2019

Cadherins are essential transmembrane proteins that promote cell-cell adhesion and maintain the corpus luteum structure in the ovary. This study examined the influence of prostaglandin F2 alpha ($PGF2{\alpha}$) on E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and adhesion in luteal theca cells (LTCs). The luteal cells were isolated from the mid-phase corpus luteum, and the LTCs were cultured separately from the luteal heterogeneous cells according to the morphology of the mesenchymal cells and to determine if steroidogenic and endothelial cells of LTCs, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($3{\beta}$-HSD), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) mRNA were used. The LTCs were then incubated in the culture medium supplemented with 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ for 24 h, and the E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins in the LTCs were detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results revealed $3{\beta}$-HSD mRNA expression in the LTC but no VEGF2R mRNA expression. The E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins of the LTCs were damaged in the 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ treatment groups, and the expression of the N-cadherin protein was reduced significantly in 0.01 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ compared to the 0 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ treatment groups (P<0.05). In addition, the number of attached LTCs were significantly lower in the 0.01 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ treatment group than in the 0 mM $PGF2{\alpha}$ treatment group (P<0.05). In conclusion, $PGF2{\alpha}$ affected the disruption of cadherin proteins and cell adhesion in LTCs. These results may help better understand the cadherin and adhesion mechanism during corpus luteum regression in the ovary.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.424-433
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• 2018

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is an economically important vegetable crop all over the world, which has functional compounds such as lycopene and citrulline. Gummy stem blight caused by Didymella bryoniae is one of the most devastative diseases in watermelon. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are genetic variations occurring between individuals with respect to a single base, were often used to construct genetic linkage maps and develop molecular markers linked to a variety of horticultural traits and resistance to several diseases. In this study, we developed high-resolution melting (HRM) markers based on SNPs generated from NGS resequencing of two parents in watermelon. Plant materials were C. lanatus '920533' (female and susceptible parent), C. amarus 'PI 189225' (male and resistant parent), and their $F_1$ and $F_2$ progenies. A total of 13.6 Gbp ('920533') and 13.1 Gbp ('PI 189225') of genomic sequences were obtained using NGS analysis. A total of 6.09 million SNPs between '920533' and 'PI 189225' were detected, and 354,860 SNPs were identified as potential HRM primer sets. From these, a total of 330 primer sets for HRM analysis were designed. As a result, a total of 61 HRM markers that have polymorphic melting curves were developed. These HRM markers can be used for the construction of SNP-based linkage maps and for the analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to gummy stem blight resistance.