• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.426-430
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• 2019

Currently, molecular diagnostic assays based on nucleic acid amplification tests have been shown to effectively detect mycobacterial infections in various types of specimen, however, variable sensitivity was shown in FFPE samples according to the kind of commercial kit used. The present study therefore used automated PCR-reverse blot hybridization assay (REBA) system, REBA Myco-ID HybREAD 480^®, for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium species in various types of human tissue and compared the conventional one-tube nested-PCR assay for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In conventional nested-PCR tests, 25 samples (48%) were MTB positive and 27 samples (52%) were negative. In contrast, when conducted PCR-REBA assay, 11 samples (21%) were MTB positive, 20 samples (39%) were NTM positive, 8 samples (15%) were MTB-NTM double positive, and 13 samples (25%) were negative. To determine the accuracy and reliability of the two molecular diagnostic tests, the one-tube nested-PCR and PCR-REBA assays, were compared with histopathological diagnosis in discordant samples. When conducted nested-PCR assay, 10 samples (59%) were MTB positive and seven samples (41%) were negative. In contrast, when conducted PCR-REBA test, three samples (17%) were MTB positive, 10 samples (59%) were NTM positive and four samples (24%) were negative. In conclusion, the automated PCR-REBA system proved useful to identify Mycobacterium species more rapidly and with higher sensitivity and specificity than the conventional molecular assay, one-tube nested-PCR; it might therefore be the most suitable tool for identifying Mycobacterium species in various types of human tissue for precise and accurate diagnosis of mycobacterial infection.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.410-413
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• 1997

In the course of screening synthetic compounds to inhibit tumor cell growth, pyrrolo[1,2-.alpha.] benzimidazole (PBI), an intermediate of azamitosene, was found to inhibit a proliferation of gastric cancer cell lines. Despite a potential cytotoxic activity against solid tumor cells as opposed to that against rapidly-doubled leukemic cells, there has been no report on the inhibition of gastric cancer cell line by PBI and its' derivatives. The present experiment was designed to determine if PBI derivatives can effectively inhibit the cellular proliferation of gastric cancer cells by using in vitro as well as in vivo chemosensitivity system (MTT assay, clonogenic assay and human tumor xenografted assay). Of the tested PBI derivatives, PBI (18) and PBI (20), displayed the effective growth inhibition of cultured gastric cancer cells or even in the xenografted nude mouse model.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.137-142
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• 2004

Dioxin-like compounds are ubiquitous environmental polltants that could be accumulated in biological system and toxic to human and wildlife. Given this issue, it is important to develop a reliable dioxin detection methods for a rational risk assesment of dioxin-like compounds. In this study, we tried to set up and validate a sensitive, reliable risk assessment of dioxin-like compounds. In this study, we tried to set up and validate a sensitive, reliable and rapid bioassay model, CALUX bioassay as a screening tool for routine measurement of dioxin-like conpounds in environmental matrices. For the valisation of CALUX bioassay, firstly, we performed dose-response assay for 2,3,7,8-TCDD, most potent dioxin-like compound, using two different methods CALUX and EROD assay. Induction of luciferase activity and CYPIA catalyzed EROD activity were dose-dependently induced by 2,3,7,8-TCDD, with initial induction at 0.1 pM and maximal induction at 1 nM. In order t determine whether the CALUX bioassay could predict the effects of dioxin-like compounds, 2,3,7,8-TCDD dose-response from CALUX was compared with that from EROD assay. The correlation coefficient ($r^2$) was found to be 0.89, indicating a good correlation between two different methods and the possibility of CALUX bioassay as a useful dioxin detecting method.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2001

Toxicological safety on 20 kGy-gamma irradiated Kanjang (soy sauce), Doenjang (soybean paste), Kochujang (hot pepper paste) and Chunghukjang (soy paste) was determined by SOS Chromotest. As the strain of the SOS Chromotest, Escherichia coli PQ37 was used in the condition of presence or absence of an exogenous metabolizing system (S-9 mix). Water extract or organic solvent extract was prepared from samples, concentrated and tested by SOS Chromotest with S-9 mix or not. All irradiated samples were not different from non-irradiated one in the bacterial assay maintaining the below 1.5 of IF(induction factor) values in the adapted dose of 10,000$\mu\textrm{g}$/assay. The results indicated that any mutagenicity was not observed in 20 kGy-irradiated traditional soybean fermented foods.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2000

Recently, there is a worldwide concern that a great number of man-made chemicals have a hormone-like action both in humans and in animals. EPA and OECD are developing screening programs using validated test systems to determine whether certain substances may have an effect on humans. In the present study, the establishment of in vivo short-term test system for pubertal female assay with thyroid to detect endocrine disrupting chemicals was tried using a model substance, methoxychlor (MC), a chlorinated hydrocarbon insencticide. Forty female rats were assigned to four groups. MC was administered at dose levels of 0, 8, 40 and 200mg/kg by gavage to female rats from day 21 post partum to the completion of vaginal opening. We evaluated body weight change, age at vaginal opening, onset of estrous cyclicity, age at first esturs, ovary weight, and serum concentrations of thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone in female rats. The age at vaginal opening of females receiving 40 200mg/kg was significantly younger than control. The onset of estrus cyclicity and age at first estrus of females receiving 200mg/kg was also younger than controls. There was no effect of treatment on body weight, ovary weight, and hormone concentration. Based on these results, it can be concluded that application of MC at dose level of 40mg/kg affects the vaginal opening and application of MC at dose level of 200mg/kg accelerates the vaginal opening and the onset of estrus cylicity.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 2017

This study was carried out to perform genotoxicological safety evaluation of crude antifungal compounds produced by Bacillus subtilis SN7 (B. subtilis SN7) isolated from meju. Bacterial reverse mutation assay with Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537 or Escherichia coli WP2uvrA in the presence and absence of the S9 metabolic activation system was carried out, and the crude antifungal compounds produced by B. subtilis SN7 showed no significant increase in the number of revertant colonies. In the chromosomal aberration tests using Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells, sample treatment groups showed no increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations compared to the negative control group. Furthermore, in the micronucleus formation test, the crude antifungal compounds showed no significance increase in the frequency of polychromatic erythrocytes with micronuclei. These results suggest that the crude antifungal compounds produced by B. subtilis SN7 isolated from meju showed no harmful genotoxic effects.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.300-304
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• 2008

The root of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (Leguminosae) has been used in the Korean oriental medicine for strengthening the vital energy. UV irradiation has been suggested as a major cause of photo aging in skin. In order to investigate protective effects against UV induced cellular damage, Astragali Radix was extracted with 70% ethanol and dissolved in DMSO. The protective effect was detected by MTT assay, LDH assay, and Comet assay in immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cell system after UV irradiation. Astragli Radix 70% EtOH extract reduced UV induced cellular damage in cell survival, membrane integrity and DNA damage.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 1998

An assay for cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity by determination of the products of organophosphate oxidation via inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was described. Extracts from strains of Oryzaephilus surinamensis selected for resistance to chlorpyrifos-methyl (QVOS 102), fenitrothion (VOS F) and malathion (VOS 3), and a standard susceptible strain VOS 48, were incubated with an organophosphate in the presence of a NADPH-generating system and acetylcholinesterase. The degree of inhibition of the acetylchoinesterase activity was converted to manooxygenase activity using standard curves for the inhibition of acetylcholiesterase by chlorpyrifos-methyl-oxon, fenitrooxon and malaoxan. Activity was detectable in VOS 48 and was present at different increased levels with the different organophosphates in the three resistant strains, suggesting that different forms of P450 might be involved in organophosphate oxidation in these insects. The assays were carried out using crude insect homogenates and much smaller samples of insect material than the standard aldrin to dieldrin assay. It should be possible to use the method for determination of monooxygenase activity in single insert.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1312-1315
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• 2008

High throughput-drug screening plays a pivotal role for early stage of drug discovery process. In the course of assay development for screening of cell death-inducing agents, a protocol that is simple, time-saving, and high throughput-compatible was designed which was confirmed that the protocol can be worked by a HTS-compatible machine. In 96-well format, PC-3 cancer cells (1${\times}10^{4}$ cells/ml) were cultured for 24 hr. After 24 h-incubation with various medicinal plants extracts, the cells were then stained with DAPI for 30 min. The fluorescence intensity of the stained cells was measured semi-automatically with a multilabel counter. To test whether the present assay system effectively works, we screened about 850 medicinal plant extracts, and selected 1 positive crude extracts that contained cell death-inducing activity. These results suggest that the protocol is highly amenable to HTS implementation for a cell death-inducing agent(s).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.283-287
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• 2005

Since the discovery of generation of $O_2^-$ in plant, many evidence for the oxidative burst (OXB) has been accumulated in various combinations of plant and pathogen or elicitor systems. $O_2^-$ generating system responsible for the OXB was coupled with oxidation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in microsomal fraction isolated from sliced aged potato tuber slices which were treated by hyphal wall components elicitor from Phytophthora infestans (HWC). We developed new assay method for quantitative measurement of oxygen radical $O_2^-$ by using electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis during elicitor­induced OXB on the surface of plant tissues. The ESR analysis using an $O_2^-$ trapper, Tiron (1,2-dihydroxy-3,5­benzenedisulfonic acid), provided a convenient assay for detecting only $O_2^-$ during elicitor-induced OXB producing various active oxygen species (AOS) on plant tissue surface. Tiron was oxidized to Tiron semiquinon radical by $O_2^-$. Quantity of the radical signal was measured by specific spectra on ESR spectroscopy. The level of $O_2^-$ was high in from surface of potato tuber tissue treated with hyphal cell wall elicitor (HWC) from Phytophthora infestans. There was no secondary OXB induction by $H_2O_2$ treatment in plant.