• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.726-732
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• 2021

In this study, we evaluated the immune-enhancing activity of kimchi-derived Lactobacillus plantarum 200655 on immune suppression by cyclophosphamide (CP) in ICR mice. Animals were fed distilled water or 1×10⁹ colony-forming unit/kg B.W. 200655 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG as a positive control for 14 days. An in vivo model of immunosuppression was induced using CP 150 and 100 mg/kg B.W. at 7 and 10 days, respectively. Body weight, spleen index, spleen weight, and gene expression were measured to estimate the immune-enhancing effects. The dead 200655 (D-200655) group showed an increased spleen weight compared to the sham control (SC) group. Similarly, the spleen index was significantly higher than that in the CP-treated group. The live 200655 (L-200655) group showed an increased mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 in splenocytes. Also, the iNOS and COX-2 mRNA expression was upregulated in the L-200655 group compared to the CP-only (SC) group. The phosphorylation of ERK and MAPK was also upmodulated in the L-200655 group. These results indicate that L. plantarum 200655 ameliorated CP-induced immune suppression, suggesting that L. plantarum 200655 may have the potential to enhance the immune system.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2015

Cotesia plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) is a polydnavirus symbiotic to C. plutellae parasitizing young larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Several CpBV genes play important roles in suppressing immune responses of the parasitized larvae. This study tested a hypothesis that the CpBV genes inducing host immunosuppression could be applied to develop a potent recombinant baculovirus. Based on a previous study, a recombinant baculovirus expressing CpBV-ELP1 (AcMNPV-ELP1) was selected and multiplied using larvae of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. The recombinant viruses were produced in a yield of $5{\times}10^{10}$ polyhedral inclusion body (PIB)/larva. The cultured AcMNPV-ELP1 exhibited a much higher pathogenicity against S. exigua larvae. However, its insecticidal activity was varied among larval instars of S. exigua, in which first and late instars were high susceptible. Spray of the recombinant baculovirus ($5{\times}10^6PIB/mL$) exhibited higher control efficacy (${\approx}$ 88%) against S. exigua larvae infesting cabbage than a chemical insecticide, tebufenozide, at 7 days after treatment. These results indicate that AcMNPV-ELP1 mass-cultured using host insect system is highly pathogenic and can be applied to develop a novel microbial control agent.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.465-484
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• 2004

Background : Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by inducing apoptosis. Methods : In this study, we investigated whether hypermethylation of IGFBP-3 promoter play an important role in the loss of IGFBP-3 expression in NSCLC. We also studied the mechanisms that mediate the silencing of IGFBP-3 expression in the cell lines which have hypermethylated IGFBP-3 promoter. Results : The IGFBP-3 promoter has hypermethylation in 7 of 15 (46.7%) NSCLC cell lines and 16 (69.7%) of 23, 7 (77.8%) of 9, 4 (80%) of 5, 4 (66.7 %) of 6, and 6 (100%) of 6 tumor specimens from patients with stage I, II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV NSCLC, respectively. The methylation status correlated with the level of protein and mRNA in NSCLC cell lines. Expression of IGFBP-3 was restored by the demethylating agent 5'-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5'-aza-dC) in a subset of NSCLC cell lines. The Sp-1/ Sp-3 binding element in the IGFBP-3 promoter, important for promoter activity, was methylated in the NSCLC cell lines which have reduced IGFBP-3 expression and the methylation of this element suppressed the binding of the Sp-1 transcription factor. A ChIP assay showed that the methylation status of the IGFBP-3 promoter influenced the binding of Sp-1, methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP2), and histone deacetylase (HDAC) to Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element, which were reversed by by 5'-aza-dC. In vitro methylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter containing the Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element significantly reduced promoter activity, which was further suppressed by the overexpression of MeCP2. This reduction in activity was rescued by 5'-aza-dC. Conclusion : These findings indicate that hypermethylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter is one mechanism by which IGFBP-3 expression is silenced and MeCP2, with recruitment of HDAC, may play a role in silencing of IGFBP-3 expression. The frequency of this abnormality is also associated with advanced stages among the patients with NSCLC, suggesting that IGFBP-3 plays an important role in lung carcinogenesis/progression and that the promoter methylation status of IGFBP-3 may be a marker for early molecular detection and/or for monitoring chemoprevention efforts.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.893-899
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• 2004

Even though Ti-6Al-4V has gained popularity as an implant material, the possible dissolution of Al and V ions in body fluids remains a matter of concern. Though commercially pure Ti (Cp-Ti) overcomes this problem, the mechanical strength of pure titanium remains very low. Thus, in this experiment Cp-Ti was processed by Equal channel angular processing (ECAP), in order to increase the mechanical strength. The biocompatibility of ECAP-Ti, Cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V was examined by the apatite formation on each sample surface, after treating the surface with 5M NaOH and soaking in Simulated body fluids (SBF). Initially, the samples were mechanically polished on silicone carbide paper (#2000). The polished samples were treated with 5M NaOH solution at $60^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. The NaOH treated samples were washed gently with distill water and dried at $40^{\circ}C$ for 1 day. The dried samples were heat treated in air at $600^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The surface morphology of these samples were studied using SEM and XRD. The SEM studies showed network of pores in all samples. The XRD showed oxide layer formation on Cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V. samples. However the oxide layer in ECAP-Ti was not substantial. These samples were immersed in SBF, kept at $36.5^{\circ}C$ for seven days period. At the end of 7 days, the apatite formation was confirmed only on Cp-Ti and was not observed in Ti-6Al-4V and ECAP-Ti. These observations of apatite formation relate to the fact that Cp-Ti showed greater oxide layer than other samples. The apatite examined was confirmed as tricalcium phosphate (TCP) using EDS and XRD.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 2021

After ethanol (BM-E and RW-E) and hot-water (BM-HW and RW-HW) extracts were fractionated from two herbal mixtures (BM and RW), their physiological activities were investigated. All extracts consisted of more than 50% of neutral sugar, with their total polyphenol levels higher than flavonoid levels. Radical scavenging activities of EtOH extracts remained significantly higher compared to that of hot-water extracts, and in particular, RW-E showed consistently higher antioxidant activity than BM-E. When anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts were evaluated by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells at 10~500 μg/mL non-cytotoxicity doses, BM-E showed significantly higher levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and nitric oxide inhibitory activity than those of hot-water extracts and RW-E. Murine peritoneal macrophage cells were shown to be enhanced in crude polysaccharides (BM-CP and RW-CP fractionated from BM-HW and RW-HW) compared to hot-water extracts and polysaccharide K (PSK, positive control). Especially, RW-CP exhibited higher activity than BM-CP, and component sugar analysis showed that BM-CP mainly contained galacturonic acid, glucose, arabinose, galactose, and xylose (34.5%, 33.9%, 16.1%, 7.1%, and 6.3%, respectively), whereas RW-CP showed different measurements (29.5%, 59.2%, 5.0%, 4.5%, and 0.2%). In conclusion, two herbal mixtures could contain varying sets of physiological activities dependent on different extraction and fractionation methods.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.26
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• pp.4.1-4.6
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was carried out to determine whether or not pine needles can be used as passive samplers of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the correlation between accumulated PAH concentrations in air (Ca, ng/$m^3$) and those deposited on pine needles (Cp, ng/g dry). Methods: PAHs in ambient air was collected using low volume PUF sampler and pine needles was gathered at same place for 7 months. Results: A good correlation ($R^2$=0.8582, p<0.05) was found between Ca and Cp for PAHs with a higher gaseous state in air (AcPy, Acp, Flu, Phen, Ant, Flt, Pyr, BaA and Chry), but there was a poorer correlation ($R^2$=0.1491, p=0.5123) for the PAHs with a lower gaseous state (BbF, BkF, BaP, DahA, BghiP and Ind123). A positive correlation ($R^2$=0.8542) was revealed between the logarithm of the octanol-air partitioning coefficient ($logK_{oa}$) and Cp/Ca for the PAHs with a higher gaseous state in air, but there was a negative correlation ($R^2$=0.8131) for the PAHs with a lower gaseous state. The Ca-Cp model could not be used to estimate PAHs concentrations in air using deposited PAHs concentrations on pine needles, but the logKoa-Cp/Ca model could be used. Conclusions: It was found that pine needles can be used as passive samplers of atmospheric PAHs.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.435-439
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• 1986

The viability of tubercle bacilli in the sputum specimens has been investigated after different periods of storage at diffeent temperatures and in the presence of different preservatives. No loss of culture positives was observed for one week storage at $4^{\circ}C$, but 9.8% 19.5%C, and 26.8% of sputums failed to yield positives on 2, 3, and 4 weeks of storage respectively. At $25^{\circ}C$ even one week storage made 19.5% of sputums fail to yield positive culture and 2, 3, and 4 weeks of storage made 36.6% 70.7%, and 90.2% of sputums fail to yield positive culture respectively. And contamination was unacceptably high beyond one week of storage at $25^{\circ}C$. Contamination of sputum specimens could be protected fairly well by 0.5% boric acid, by 5% trisodium phosphate or by 0.5% cetylpyridium chloride, but, except CP, the former two had no advantage at all to protect viability of tubercle bacilli over the specimens without preservative. The CP was much less harmful to the viability of tubercle bacilli than BA, yielding 61.0% and 31.7% of culture positives on 3 and 4 weeks of storage in the presence of CP, while BA yielded 34.1% and 4.9% of positives on the same respective periods of storage. Therefore CP may be useful to preserve sputums if it takes more than 2 weeks to transport them at the temperature of over $25^{\circ}C$.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.543-552
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• 2004

Background : Airway remodeling of the asthmatic airway, the result of persistent inflammation in the bronchial wall, is associated with irreversible airway obstruction and the severity of asthma. Previous reports had represented that adminitering CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) before sensitization or challenge by allergens inhibits the development of eosinophilic airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma, but the effects of CpG-ODNs on chronic inflammation and airway remodeling had not been characterized. To investigate the influence of CpG-ODNs on chronic inflammation and remodeling of the airway, we performed studies using a murine model of chronic allergen-induced asthma. Methods : Balb/C mice were sensitized to ovalbumin(OVA) and subsequently exposed to nebulized OVA by means of inhalation twice weekly for 7 weeks. CpG-ODNs($30{\mu}g$) was administered intraperitoneally at sensitization. After final inhalation, mice were evaluated for airway hyperresponsiveness, chronic airway inflammation and remodeling. Results : The mice exposed to chronic and recurrent airway challenge with OVA had persistent airway hyperresponsiveness, chronic inflammation and airway remodeling. Mice treated with CpG-ODNs exhibited decreased bronchial hyperresponsiveness, OVA-specific IgE, chronic inflammation and evidence of airway remodeling, including goblet cell hyperplasia and subepithelial fibrosis. Conclusion : CpG-ODNs was thought to prevent chronic inflammation and remodeling changes in a murine model of chronic asthma.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4 s.55
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• pp.365-373
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• 2006

Emission of methyl bromide (MeBr) from soil was implicated in stratospheric ozone depletion. To determine multi analysis of alternatives fumigants for MeBr, this paper describes the methods of analysis in water and soil. The MeBr, methyl iodide (Mel), propargyl bromide (PBr), cis 1,3-dichloropropene (cis 1,3-D), trans 1,3-dichloropropene (trans 1,3-D) and chloropicrin(CP) are separated on the base line on GC-ECD at three column of AT+DB+DB (90m) with temperature programing of $35^{\circ}C{\rightarrow}110^{\circ}C$ on GC-ECD. The relative retention time for MeBr, Mel, PBr, cis 1,3-D, trans 1,3-D and CP is 1.0, 1.4, 2.3, 3.2, 3.6 and 3.7, respertively. The detection limit for MeBr, Mel, PBr, cis 1,3-D, trans 1,3-D and CP is 469 pg, 5 pg, 21 pg, 79 pg, 101 PE and 5pg, respectively. Recovery of MeBr Mel, PBr, cis 1,3-D, trans 1,3-D and CP in water added 150 ppm fumigants were 81%, 96%, 95%, 97%, 98% and 99%, respectively. Recovery of MeBr, MeI, PBr, cis 1, 3-D, trans 1,3-D and CP in soil added 150ppm fumigants were 56%, 84%), 85%, 81%, 87% and 88%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.322-325
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• 2003

The feasibility of treating 2-chlorophenol (2CP) contaminated soils with ozone venting was investigated in this research. Adding ozone to the existing air-venting process provides an alternative to achieve a complete in-situ treatment by oxidizing the contaminant in the process. A column study with artificial soil was used to simulate the venting process. Ozone concentrations at 2.4, 7.6 and 19.4 mg/L, and flow rates at 100 and 150 mL/min were used. The reaction times were 10, 20, 50, and 60 minutes. Blank samples using air venting were also run for comparison. It is obvious that ozone-venting had a much faster removal rate than air-venting. As higher concentration of ozone is applied, the reaction rate increased significantly. As higher concentration was applied, the flux of ozone to the liquid film increased. This also increased the removal rate of 2CP and therefore the breakthrough curve came out earlier.