• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Objectives : Mori Folium is one of the traditional medicinal herb. It was commonly used for sericulture in the world and has been traditionally administered as natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of filariasis, diabetes and dropsy in East Asia. This study investigated an anti-inflammatory potential of Mori Folium ethanol extract (MFE). Methods : We examined the effects of MFE on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. Results : MFE inhibited production of NO and $PGE_2$ in a dose dependent manner and also decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. As a plausible molecular mechanism, increased degradation of I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and phosphorylation of I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAP kinases by LPS were partly blocked by MFE treatment. Conclusions : These results suggest that MFE has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential, which may result from inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and MAPK phosphorylation, thereby decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 1998

We have expressed GFP in Sf9 and Bm5 cells or Bombyx mori larvae by using Ac-Bm hybrid virus capable of replicating in both Bm5 and Sf9 cells. Genomic DNA of Ac-Bm hybrid virus expressing ${\beta}$-galactosidase was cotransfected with baculovirus transfer vector containing GFP gene, pBacPAK-GFP in Sf9 cells. The Ac-Bm hybrid virus harboring GFP was named as Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP. The Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP-infected insect cells were easily selected by detecting the emission of GFP from each well of cell culture dish on the UV illuminator. GFP produced by Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP in Sf9 and Bm5 cells or B. mori larvae was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using GFP antibody. In addition, B. mori larvae infected with Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP was apparently appeared fluorescence from the whole body at S days postinoculation. The fluorescence of GFP from the hemolymph and fat body of B. mori larvae infected with Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP was also observed by fluorescence microscope. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that in baculovirus expression vector system, use of Ac-Bm hybrid virus have an additional advantage of expanded host range for producing recombinant proteins.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.217-219
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• 2004

Stimulation of fecundity following female antennal amputation has been reported for the first time in silkworm. Antennal amputation caused significant increase in fecundity in two newly evolved multivoltine silkworm breeds viz., BL 67 and 96A. This study indicated better chances for increasing egg yield and the increase in fecundity may be attributed to the action of some neurohormones. Significance of antennal amputation in silkworm has been discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.26-27
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• 2004

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.6-13
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• 2000

Melanin is specifically produced in melanocytes. The pathway for melanin biosynthesis is mainly controlled by tyrosinase. To estimate the inhibitory effect of melanin biosynthesis from 31 medicinal plants extracts, we tested the inhibitory effects of the tyrosinase promoter on B16 mouse melanoma cells. The result of this study demonstrated that Mori Radicis Cortex and Castena Fractus extracts only in tested medicinal plant extracts have high inhibitory effects on tyrosinase promoters with very low cytotoxicity on B16 mouse melanoma cells. Therefore, extracts of Mori Radicis Cortex and Castena Fractus were evaluated as very effective negative regulators of tyrosinase gene expression.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.180-185
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• 1997

To develope the novel baculovirus transfer vector, the p10 gene was cloned from the Bombyx mori nuclear polygedrosis virus (BmNPV) vB2 strain isolated from the B. mori larvae of sericultural farms. The novel transfer vector was constructed by using the p10 gene of BmNPV vB2 strain was 210 bp. The TAAG sequence at the -71 bp of upstream from translation initiator ATG and two polyadenylation signal site at the downstream from terminator TAA were also detected in the p10 gene. The 5' and 3' flanking region of the p10 gene amplified by PCR was cloned into pBluescriptII SK(+) and then transfer vector pBm10 was construceted. The 7.9 kb pBm10 was analysed by restriction enzymes and the map was confirmed. In order to determine the expression of foreign gene of pBm10, $\beta$-galactosidase gene was inserted in the SmaI site of foreign gene cloning site of pBm10. The pBm10 containing $\beta$-galactosidase gene was cotranfected wth genomic DNA of BmNPV vB2 into BmN-4 cells. The recombinant baculovirus expressing $\beta$-galactosidase was also produced polygedra in the infected cells. The results indicated that pBm10 is functional, suggesting that in the baculovirus expression vector system, the recombinant virus produced by pBm10 was effective by oral infection for the producing recombinant proteins in in vivo expression.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 2010

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) catalyzes the oxidation of disulfides and the isomerizatiob of incorrect disulfides in new polypeptides during folding in the oxidizing environment of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To increase recombinant protein hSCF (human stem cell factor) production, we have developed expression system using the Bombyx mori PDI (bPDI) as a fusion partner. bPDI gene fusion was found to improve the production of recombinant hSCFs. Thus, we conclude that bPDI gene fusion will be very useful for the large-scale production of biologically active recombinant proteins.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.415-422
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• 2001

Many secreted proteins have disulfide bonds that are important for their structure and function. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI, EC 5.3.1.4.), an enzyme that catalyzes the formation and rearrangement of thiol/disulfide exchange reactions, is a resident of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The subcellular localization and its function as catalyst of disulfide bond formation in the biosynthesis of secretory and cell membrane proteins suggest that PDI plays a key role in the secretory pathway. We have isolated a cDNA encoding protein disulfide isomerase from Bombyx mori(bPDI). It has been characterized under ER stress conditions (dominantly induced by calcium ionophore A23187, tunicamycin and DTT), which is known to cause an accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. Furthermore, It has also been examined for tissue distribution(pronounced at the fat body), hormonal regulation (juvenile hormone, insulin and juvenile +transferrin; however, it is not effected by transferrin alone), and the effect of exogenous bacteria (peak at 16 h after infection) on the bPDI mRNA expression. The results suggest that bPDI is a member of the ER stress protein group, and it may play an important role in exogenous bacterial infection in fat body, and that homones regulate its expression.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2011

Protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in many cellular signaling pathways, it participates in many physiological processes, such as cell cycle, growth, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. To investigate the effect of PKC on the silkworm midgut tissue infection of Bombyx mori parvo-like virus (BmPLV), a B. mori atypical protein kinase C (BmaPKC) gene was cloned from larval midgut tissue, expressed in E. coli and purified. Additionally, the BmPLV susceptible silkworm strain and resistant silkworm strain were used to test the effect of the B. mori infection on BmPLV. The result showed that BmaPKC encodes a predicted 586 amino acid protein, which contains a C-terminal kinase domain and an N-terminal regulatory domain. The maximum expression amount of the soluble (His)6-tagged fusion protein was detected after 0.8 mmol/L IPTG was added and cultured at $21^{\circ}C$. The (His) 6-tagged fusion protein revealed about 73 kDa molecular weight which confirmed by western blot and mass spectrography. Furthermore BmaPKC protein were detected at 0-72 h post-infection in BmPLVinfected larval midgut tissue, western blot showed that as time went on, the expression of BmaPKC increased gradually in susceptible strain, the expression quantity on 72 h is 5 times of 0 h. However, in resistant strain, the expression quantity is slightly lower than susceptible strain. But no significant change in resistant strain was observed as time went on. The available data suggest that BmaPKC may involve in the regulation of BmPLV proliferation.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is prone to infection of various pathogenic organisms. Pebrine, one of the deadliest disease of silkworm caused by highly virulent parasitic microsporidian, Nosema bombycis has been understood since long. Infections of the disease range from chronic to highly virulent and can result in complete loss to the sericulture industry. Several strains and species of microsporidians have since been isolated from the infected silkworms; the disease is becoming increasingly more and more complex. Epizootiology, development of immunodiagnostic kit, use of chemotherapy and thermotherapy techniques has been addressed for identification and control of the disease. A technique of delayed mother moth examination, which plays a decisive role in the detection of the disease and harvestation of stable cocoon crop, has been described. An attempt has been made to review briefly the literature available on various aspects of the pebrine disease in order to develop efficient model(s) for the prevention and control of the disease and to suggest future avenues of investigation in the field of pebrine disease management.