• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 1991

To elucidate enzymatic properties of a-glactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) from Asp. niger, a-galactosidase from wheat bran culture was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. And then its enzymatic propeties were investigated. The highest level of $\alpha$-galactosidase activity was obtained when Asp. niger was grown on wheat bran medium at $30^{\circ}C$ for 96 hours. The $\alpha$-galactosidase was purified by 23.7 fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Celluose and Sephadex A-50, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-150 and its specific activity was 1,229 Unitslmg protein and the yield was 14% of the total activity of wheat bran culture. The purified $\alpha$-galactosidase was found to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC. The $\alpha$-galactosidase was a tetrameric glycoprotein which consisted of identical subunits with molelcular weight of 28,000 each by SDS-PAGE and isoelectric point was determined analytical isoelectric focusing to be pH 4.6. The optimal temperature and pH for the $\alpha$-galactosidase activity were $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.5, respectively, and 54% of its activity was lost by heating at $60^{\circ}C$ for 10 mins, It was appeared to have higher affinty to raffinose than to stachyose. The K, value and activation energy of $\alpha$-galactosidase were 5.0 mM and 8.515 Kcal per mole for p-nitrophenyl- $\alpha$--D-galactopyranoside, respectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4195-4198
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• 2013

Background and Objective: Though researched for years, the prognostic role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) in gastric cancer is still controversial. We thus undertook a systematic review to assess the relationship. Method: A systematically literature search of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, China Biological Medicine Disc and Cochrane Library was undertaken in February 2013, and the reference lists of articles were retrieved. Results: 12 trials (1,555 participants) were included to assess the association between HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression and survival. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression was significantly correlated with poor overall survival of gastric cancer patients (HR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.13-1.58; P=0.0009), but not with poor disease free survival of gastric cancer patients (HR=1.67, 95%CI: 0.99-2.82; P=0.06). Conclusion: HIF-$1{\alpha}$ was associated with poor OS, but not DFS, especially for Asian patients. But studies evaluating relationships of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ with OS and DFS in non-Asian gastric cancer patients appear needed.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2011

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the $CHCl_3$-soluble fraction of a MeOH extract of the fruiting bodies of Hygrophorus russula led to the isolation of five ergosterol derivatives (1 - 5). The structures of these compounds were identified as ergosterol peroxide (1), ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (2), ergosta-7,22-diene-3${\beta}$,5${\alpha}$,6${\alpha}$-triol (3), ergosta-7,22-diene-3${\beta}$,5${\alpha}$,6${\beta}$,9${\alpha}$-tetraol (4), and 5${\alpha}$,6${\alpha}$-epoxy-ergosta-8(14),22-diene-3${\beta}$,7${\alpha}$-diol (5) by comparing their physicochemical and spectral data with those in the literature. These compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against A549 and XF498 cancer cell lines. Most of the tested compounds, except for compound 3, exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against both A549 and XF498 cell lines with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 10.2 to 18.3 ${\mu}g/ml$ and from 11.4 to 24.6 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.190-195
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• 2008

The $\alpha$-amylase gene, amyL, from Bacillus licheniformis was expressed in Lactobacillus brevis 2.14 and Escherichia coli $DH5{\alpha}$ using two different shuttle vectors, pCW4 and pSJE. E. coli transformants (TFs) harboring either $pCW4T{\alpha}$ or $pSJET{\alpha}$ produced active $\alpha$-amylase but L. brevis TFs did not, as determined by enzyme assays and zymography. But amyL transcripts were synthesized in L. brevis TFs. In terms of plasmid stability, pSJE, a theta-type replicon, was more stable than pCW4, an RCR (rolling circle replication) plasmid, in L. brevis without antibiotic selection.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.252-254
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• 2004

The mutant tryptophan synthases at $\alpha$Asp$^{56}$ have low catalytic activities. The enzymes were treated with $\alpha$ and $\beta$ subunit-specific ligands in the presence of L-serine and indoline. It was shown that the cations resulted in changes of absorbance patterns among the proteins, while glycerophosphate showed similar pattern of absorbance. The glycerophosphate binds to the active site of $\alpha$ subunit so that $\alpha$Asp$^{56}$ may not be involved in the allosteric control with the active site of $\alpha$ subunit occupied by substrate. The results suggest that $\alpha$Asp$^{56}$ may playa role in the step of a series of reaction occurring without bound substrates in the active site of asubunit.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.207-218
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• 2014

Chronic virus infection leads to the functional impairment of dendritic cells (DCs) as well as T cells, limiting the clinical usefulness of DC-based therapeutic vaccine against chronic virus infection. Meanwhile, B cells have been known to maintain the ability to differentiate plasma cells producing antibodies even during chronic virus infection. Previously, ${\alpha}$-galactosylceramide (${\alpha}GC$) and cognate peptide-loaded B cells were comparable to DCs in priming peptide-specific $CD8^+$ T cells as antigen presenting cells (APCs). Here, we investigated whether B cells activated by ${\alpha}GC$ can improve virus-specific T cell immune responses instead of DCs during chronic virus infection. We found that comparable to B cells isolated from naïve mice, chronic B cells isolated from chronically infected mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) clone 13 (CL13) after ${\alpha}GC$-loading could activate CD1d-restricted invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells to produce effector cytokines and upregulate co-stimulatory molecules in both naïve and chronically infected mice. Similar to naïve B cells, chronic B cells efficiently primed LCMV glycoprotein (GP) 33-41-specific P14 $CD8^+$ T cells in vivo, thereby allowing the proliferation of functional $CD8^+$ T cells. Importantly, when ${\alpha}GC$ and cognate epitope-loaded chronic B cells were transferred into chronically infected mice, the mice showed a significant increase in the population of epitope-specific $CD8^+$ T cells and the accelerated control of viremia. Therefore, our studies demonstrate that reciprocal activation between ${\alpha}GC$-loaded chronic B cells and iNKT cells can strengthen virus-specific T cell immune responses, providing an effective regimen of autologous B cell-based therapeutic vaccine to treat chronic virus infection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3613-3618
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• 2013

Object: To detect expression of hypoxia inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) and lysyl oxidase (LOX) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and explore their roles in prognosis. Methods: The mRNA levels of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and LOX were investigated by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in 40 cases of tumour and paired normal tissues. In addition, protein expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and LOX was examined by immunohistochemistry in 82 cases of tumour and 45 paired normal tissues. The relationship between HIF-$1{\alpha}$ or LOX and clinicopathologic characteristics, as well as the correlation between HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and LOX, were also examined. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank test were used to analyze progression-free survival. Results: HIF-$1{\alpha}$ or LOX mRNA levels in tumor tissues was significantly higher than those in paired normal tissues (p<0.01). Positive HIF-$1{\alpha}$ or LOX protein expression in tumor tissues was noted in 46/82 (56.1%) and 49/82 (59.8%) of the cases, respectively, being significantly higher than those in paired normal tissues (p<0.05). There was significant correlation between the expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ or LOX and tumor size, lymph node metastasis and pathological stage (p<0.05). The expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and LOX had a significant inverse impact on survival of patients with NSCLC. Conclusion: HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and LOX may play a pivotal role in the development of NSCLC, and may act in synergy to promote the progression of NSCLC.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2010

Epidermal keratinocytes overgrow in response to ultraviolet-B (UVB), which may be associated with skin photoaging and cancer development. Recently, we found that HIF-$1{\alpha}$ controls the keratinocyte cell cycle and thereby contributes to epidermal homeostasis. A further study demonstrated that HIF-$1{\alpha}$ is down-regulated by UVB and that this process is involved in UVB-induce skin hyperplasia. Therefore, we hypothesized that the forced expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ in keratinocytes would prevent UVB-induced keratinocyte overgrowth. Among several agents known to induce HIF-$1{\alpha}$, pyrithione-zinc (Py-Zn) overcame the UVB suppression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ in cultured keratinocytes. Mechanistically, Py-Zn blocked the degradation of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ protein in keratinocytes, while it did not affect the synthesis of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. Moreover, the p21 cell cycle inhibitor was down-regulated after UVB exposure, but was robustly induced by Py-Zn. In mice repeatedly irradiated with UVB, the epidermis became hyperplastic and HIF-$1{\alpha}$ disappeared from nuclei of epidermal keratinocytes. However, a cream containing Py-Zn effectively prevented the skin thickening and up-regulated HIF-$1{\alpha}$ to the normal level. These results suggest that Py-Zn is a potential agent to prevent UVB-induced photoaging and skin cancer development. This work also provides insight into a molecular target for treatment of UVB-induced skin diseases.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.321-326
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between TNF polymorphism and generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP) in Korean subjects. The study population consisted of 60 subjects with GAP and 81 reference group. Genomic DNA was extracted from the buccal swabs and the polymorphisms of $TNF-{\alpha}-308$, -238 promoter genes, $TNF-{\beta}+252$ and TNFR 2+587 were determined by PCR-RFLP using restriction enzymes. The genotype distribution in the GAP were 3.2%, 38.7%, and 82.35% for A/A, A/G and G/G genotypes of $TNF-{\alpha}-308$. At the position of $TNF-{\alpha}-238$, the genotype distribution in the GAP were 25.5% and 74.5% for A/G and G/G genotypes. Allele A frequency of $TNF-{\alpha}-238$ were 67.6% in GAP and 72.2% in reference group. According to these findings, the polymorphism at $TNF-{\alpha}-308$ and -238 may be associated with GAP in Korean.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.693-697
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• 2004

YH-1715R, (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-1,2,4-isothiazol-3-yl-thio)-1-( 1H-1,2,4-triazol-l-yl)-2-butanol, a new triazole derivative obtained by the structural modification of fluconazole, was found to exhibit potent anti-Candida activity against a wide variety of Candida albicans (C. albicans) (MIC: 0.4-12.5 mg/l). To investigate the mode of action of YH-1715R, its effect on ergosterol biosynthesis in cell-free extracts and whole cells of C. albicans was examined. The inhibitory activity of YH-1715R was approximately ten-fold higher than that of fluconazole. To determine the primary action mechanism of YH-1715R, its inhibitory activity against lanosterol $14\alpha$-demethylase (14$\alpha$-DM), a major target for azole, was measured using gas-liquid chromatography. YH-1715R and fluconazole were found to inhibit 14a-DM with an $IC_{50}$ of 0.015 $\mu$M and 0.01$8\mu$M, respectively, plus the mode of inhibition of YH-1715R and fluconozole was noncompetitive with a $K_i$ of 0.0533$\mu$M and 0.0975$\mu$M.