• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.376-380
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• 2004

In August 2003, the water quality of offshore waters along the Incheon coast of Korea was evaluated by biological evaluation using gametes, embryos and early development systems of a starfish species (Asterina pectinifera). As the result of performing biological evaluations on seawater samples from a total thirteen sites, the formation rate of normal larva was 16-68%. At seawater sample from site 5 and 13, formation rate of normal larva averaged 16%, the most abnormal rate hindering the early embryo development of the experimental animal, while that of site 3 averaged 68%, the highest formation rate of normal larva. At seawater sample from site 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, formation rate of normal larva averaged 33-54%, those which damage the development of early embryos slightly. At seawater sample from site 1, 5, 6, 8, 13, formation rate of normal larva averaged 16-28%, those which damage the development of early embryos strongly.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.209-212
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• 2006

We investigated the effect of protein extract of Asterina pectinifera on the activity of 4 enzymes that may playa role in adenocarcinoma of the colon: quinone reductase (QR), glutathione Stransferase (GST), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. QR and GST activity increased in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells increased that had been exposed to 4 concentrations of the protein extract (80, 160, 200, and $240{\mu}g/mL$). Additionally, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ODC activity decreased significantly in cells exposed to the extract in concentrations of $160{\mu}g/mL$ (p<0.05), $200{\mu}g/mL$ (p<0.005), and $240{\mu}g/mL$ (p<0.005). TPA-induced COX-2 activity also decreased in cells exposed to extract concentrations of 10, 20, 40, and $60{\mu}g/mL$. COX-2 expression was also inhibited in cells exposed to this extract. These results suggest that this protein extract of A pectinifera has chemopreventive activity in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells, and therefore, may have the potential to function as a chemopreventive agent in human colorectal cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.16 no.1_2
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• pp.17-20
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• 2000

Effect of predation of starfish Asterias amurensis and Asterina pectinifera under different water temperature in the recirculating seawater vessel was conducted at the invertebrate culture laboratory of Yosu National University from February 1 to February 25, 2000. The highest activity of Asterias amurensis and Asterina pectinifera according to water temperature was obtained at 14$\^{C}$ and 22$\^{C}$. The average individual numbers of Anadara broughtonii predated by Asterias amurensis and Asterina pectinifera were 2.20 and 1.60 at 6$\^{C}$ , 3.60 and 2.00 at 10$\^{C}$, 7.20 and 2.50 at 14$\^{C}$, 3.40 and 6.80 at 22$\^{C}$, 0.80 and 3.90 at 26$\^{C}$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2007

In this experiment, the effects of Asterina pectinifera extracts on the activation of immune cells were studied. An immune cell activating factor was partially purified from starfish, Asterina pectinifera, by means of physiological saline extraction, acetone precipitation and heating inactivation. Starfish extracts increased the proliferation of spleen cells and induced the production of IL-6 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ by spleen cells. Also, it increased the proliferation of purified B cells and production of IgM and IgG in the presence of Asterina pectinifera extracts. Starfish extract self-induced NO synthesis in mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7). When cell lines was treated with extracts, the mRNA expression of inducible NO synthetase (iNOS), $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and GM-CSF were markedly increased in RT-PCR analysis. Therefore starfish extract can self-activate spleen cells, B cells and macrophages. These results might be useful in further studies into a possible immune activating agent from the starfish, Asterina pectinifera, for the development of functional foods and drugs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1405-1409
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• 2006

Polysaccharides from the starfish Asterina pectinifera were assessed in vitro for their chemopreventive potential in human breast cancer. The polysaccharides from A. pectinifera inhibited cell proliferation in the estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast carcinoma cell lines. In addition, the polysaccharides were found to be an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 1A1-mediated ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity, and caused a dose-dependent inhibition of aromatase activity in microsomes isolated from a human placenta. There was a significant reduction in the ornithine decarboxylase activity to 30.7% of the control in the polysaccharide-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Therefore, the polysaccharides from A. pectinifera merit further investigation with respect to breast cancer chemoprevention.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.193-197
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• 2006

The effect of protein extract from Asterina pectinifera on breast cancer chemopreventive (aromatase and cyclooxygenase-2) and metastatic (matrix metalloproteinase) enzymes was tested. Protein extract from A. pectinifera was capable of suppressing aromatase in a human placenta microsomal assay. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity was significantly inhibited by the protein extract from A. pectinifera at concentrations of 10, 20 and $40{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The extract markedly reduced 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity. These results suggest that A. pectinifera could be of therapeutic value in preventing human breast cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.860-864
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• 2014

PAP-1, a novel antimicrobial peptide isolated from pyloric caeca extract of the starfish Asterina pectinifera was purified and characterized. First, the acidified pyloric caeca extract was put through Sep-Pak C18 solid phase extraction cartridge using a stepwise gradient. Among the eluents, RM 60 (retained materials at 60% methanol) showed good antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli D31 and was purified in C18 reversed-phase and ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography columns. The purification steps yielded two novel peptides showing strong antimicrobial activities. These peptides were named pyloric caeca A. pectinifera peptide 1 and 2 (PAP-1 and PAP-2). For the characterization of the purified peptides, the molecular weights and amino acid sequences were determined by MALDI-TOF MS and Edman degradation. The molecular weights of PAP-1 and PAP-2 were about 2951.54 Da and 2980.15 Da respectively. The amino acid sequences of PAP-1 and PAP-2 were partially determined: AIQNAGES and AIQNAAES, respectively. PAP-2 is an isoform of PAP-1, differing merely by a single residue at position 6 (glycine or alanine). The comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequences and molecular weights of the peptides with those of other known antimicrobial peptides revealed that PAP-1 and PAP-2 have no homology with any known peptides. These findings suggest that PAP-1 and PAP-2 play a significant role in the innate defense system of starfish pyloric caeca.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.389-397
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• 2018

The starfish, Asterina pectinifera Muller and Troschel (Asterinidae) is an indigenous species commonly found in all coasts of Korea causes damages to shellfish farms. In order to exterminate A. pectinifera, they are dried and used as fertilizer. Although various studies have been conducted to create high added value from the retrieved A. pectinifera, their actual utilization is relatively low. Accordingly, this study aimed to find new practical uses of starfish by identifying useful ingredients for skin anti-aging. Two polyhydroxysteroids and one asterosaponin were isolated from the A. pectinifera. The structures of these compounds were identified as $5{\alpha}$-cholestane-$3{\beta},6{\alpha},7{\alpha},8,15{\alpha},16{\beta},26$-heptol, $5{\alpha}$-cholestane-$3{\beta},4{\beta},6{\alpha},7{\alpha},8,15{\beta},16{\beta},2$6-octol, and asterosaponin $P_1$ on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic analysis. Among these compounds, we have found that asterosaponin $P_1$ increased epidermal stem cell proliferation and the expression of hyaluronan synthase-2 and hyaluronan synthase-3 gene, which are enzymes that synthesize water-binding matrix hyaluronic acids in keratinocytes. In addition, asterosaponin $P_1$ increased synthesis of pro-collagen type I, a major dermal collagen in fibroblasts. As a result, asterosaponin $P_1$ isolated from A. pectinifera could be used as a useful cosmetic ingredient that improves skin symptoms accompanying skin aging.

• Proceedings of the Malacological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.46-46
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• 2000

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.148-152
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• 2005

A novel neuropeptide with a relaxing activity on the dorsal retractor muscle (DRM) was isolated from the whole body extract of the starfish, Asterina pectinifera. The peptide was purified by gel-filtration ion-exchange and $C_{18}$ reversed-phase HPLC. The complete amino acid sequence of this peptide, which was determined by automated Edman degradation and MALDI-TOF mass, was Phe-Gly-Lys-Gly-Gly-Ala-Tyr-Asp-Pro-Leu-Ser-Ala-Gly-Phe-Thr-Asp. A comparison of the amino acid sequence with those of other known neuropeptides revealed that the asteripectin was a novel neuropeptide with smooth muscle-relaxing activity on the starfish DRM. This peptide showed threshold response to relaxing activity on the DRM at $10^{-10}M$ and the maximal relaxing effect was $120{\pn}7.0\%$ at $10^{-5}M$. The relaxing activity of this peptide on the starfish DRM increased in a dose-dependent manner.