• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.1126-1131
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• 2010

The antiobesity effect of soymilks fermented with Bacillus subtilis KC-3 (KCCM 42923) from cheonggukjang was compared with other sources of B. subtilis KCCM 11316 and B. subtilis MYCO. The antiobesity effect was investigated by measuring the release of leptin, Oil red O staining, glycerol secretions and adipogenic transcription factor by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Fermented soymilk with B. subtilis KC-3 (F-KC) led to decrease levels of leptin secretion and increase levels of glycerol secretion in the cells. In addition, F-KC reduced contents of Oil red O dye in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Also, mRNA expression levels of both SREBP-1c (sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1-c) and PPAR-$\gamma$ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-$\gamma$), which are adipogenic transcription factor, in cells treated with F-KC were markedly down regulated. These results demonstrate that the Bacillus subtillis fermented soymilk (F-KC) decreased lipid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by inhibiting lipogenesis. All B. subtilis fermented soymilks had shown antiobesity activities, however, F-KC exhibited the strongest antiobesity effect in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our study suggests that especially F-KC increased the potential of antiobesity effects.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.595-599
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• 1998

To investigate conformational information of a low oxygen affinity recombinant hemoglobin (rHb) containing $96Val{\rightarrow}Trp$ mutation at the ${\alpha}96$ position, we ave produced rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$) and rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr$), using the Escherichia coli expression system and site-directed mutagenesis. The oxygen affinity of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$) is similar to that of human normal adult hemoglobin (Hb A). However, the oxygen affinity of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr$) showed much lower oxygen affinity than Hb A which is similar to that of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr$), providing an opportunity as a potential candidate for a hemoglobin-based blood substitute. Both rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$) and rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr)$ showed high cooperativity in oxygen binding. IH-NMR spectroscopy shows that both rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$) and rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr$) have very similar tertiary structure around the heme pockets and uaternary structure in the ${\alpha}_1/{\beta}_2$ subunit interface ompared to Hb A. The low oxygen affinity of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Tyr$) has been suggested to be due to a hydrogen bond caused by an extra hydroxyl group not present in rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$). However, investigation of the carbonmonoxy form of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Phe$) and (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Try$) in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate at low temperature suggests that low oxygen affinity of (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Try$) may arise from a mechanism different to that of rHb (${\alpha}96Val{\rightarrow}Trp$).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.941-945
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• 2015

Semaphoring is a transmembrane receptor which participates in many cytokine-mediated signal pathways that are closely related to the angiogenesis, occurrence and development of carcinoma. The present study was designed to access the effect of mono-antibody (mAb) guided radioimmunotherapy (RIT) on skin carcinoma and investigate the potential mechanisms. Semaphoring mAb was acquired from mice (Balb/c), purified with rProtein A column; purity, concentration and activity were tested with SDS-PAGE and indirect ELISA; specificity and expression on the cutanuem carcinoma line and tissue were tested by Western blotting; morphology change was assessed by microscopy. MTT assay and colony inhibition tests were carried out to test the influence on the proliferation of tumor cells; Western blotting was also carried out for expression of apoptosis-associated (caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2) and proliferation-related (PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, p-ERK1/2, ERK1/2) proteins and analyse the change in signal pathways (PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK). The purity of purified semaphorin mAb was 96.5% and the titer is about $1{\times}10^6$. Western blotting showed semaphoring mAb to have specifically binding stripes with semaphoring b1b2 protein, B16F10, and A431 cells at 39KDa, 100KDa and 130KDa, respectively. Positive expression was detected both in cutanuem carcinoma line and tissue and it mostly located in cell membranes. MMT assay revealed dose-relate and time-relate inhibitory effect of semaphorin mAb on A431 and B16F10. Colony inhibition tests also showed dose-relate inhibitory effects. Western blotting demonstrated the expression of apoptosis and proliferation-related protein and changes in signal pathway. In conclusion, we demonstrated that semaphorin is highly expressed on the tumor cell-surfaces and RIT with semaphorin mAb has effect in i nhibiting proliferation and accelerating apoptosis of tumor cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.335-335
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• 2014

Over the past several years, transparent conducting oxides have been extensively studied in order to replace indium tin oxide (ITO). Here we report on fluorine doped zinc tin oxide (FZTO) films deposited on glass substrates by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering using a 30 wt% ZnO with 70 wt% SnO2 ceramic targets. The F-doping was carried out by introducing a mixed gas of pure Ar, CF4, and O2 forming gas into the sputtering chamber while sputtering ZTO target. Annealing temperature affects the structural, electrical and optical properties of FZTO thin films. All the as-deposited FZTO films grown at room temperature are found to be amorphous because of the immiscibility of SnO2 and ZnO. Even after the as-deposited FZTO films were annealed from $300{\sim}500^{\circ}C$, there were no significant changes. However, when the sample is annealed temperature up to $600^{\circ}C$, two distinct diffraction peaks appear in XRD spectra at $2{\Theta}=34.0^{\circ}$ and $52.02^{\circ}$, respectively, which correspond to the (101) and (211) planes of rutile phase SnO2. FZTO thin film annealed at $600^{\circ}C$ resulted in decrease of resistivity $5.47{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$, carrier concentration ~1019 cm-3, mobility~20 cm2 V-1s-1 and increase of optical band gap from 3.41 to 3.60 eV with increasing the annealing temperatures and well explained by Burstein-Moss effect. Change of work function with the annealing temperature was obtained by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. The increase of annealing temperature leads to increase of work function from ${\phi}=3.80eV$ (as-deposited FZTO) to ${\phi}=4.10eV$ ($600^{\circ}C$ annealed FZTO) which are quite smaller than 4.62 eV for Al-ZnO and 4.74 eV for SnO2. Through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, incorporation of F atoms was found at around the binding energy of 684.28 eV in the as-deposited and annealed FZTO up to 400oC, but can't be observed in the annealed FZTO at 500oC. This result indicates that F atoms in FZTO films are loosely bound or probably located in the interstitial sites instead of substitutional sites and thus easily diffused into the vacuum from the films by thermal annealing. The optical transmittance of FZTO films was higher than 80% in all specimens and 2-3% higher than ZTO films. FZTO is a possible potential transparent conducting oxide (TCO) alternative for application in optoelectronics.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.633-643
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• 1989

The R$Rh_2(ap)_4$(2,2-trans) isomer (ap = 2-anilinopyridinate), which has two anilino nitrogens and two pyridyl nitrogens bound to each rhodium ion trans to their own kind, shows activation towards the one electron reduction of dioxygen at -0.40 V vs SCE. The ESR spectrum taken at 123 K proves the formation of a $[Rh_2(ap)_4(O_2)]$ ion with oxygen axially bound to one rhodium ion and the complex is at a RhⅡ2 oxidation state. The complex will form [$Rh_2(ap)_4(O_2)(CH_3CN)]^-$ in presence of $CH_3CN/CH_2Cl_2$ mixture without breaking the Rh-$O_2^-$ bond. When oxidized at -0.25 and 0.55 V, $[Rh_2(ap)_4(O_2)]$ will undergo two one electron oxidations to form $Rh_2(ap)_4(O_2)[Rh_2(ap)_4(O_2)]^+$. Both species have an axially bound superoxide ion but the former is at $Rh^{II}Rh^{III }$and the later at $Rh^{III}_2$ oxidation states. The ESR spetra and $CH_3CN$ addition study, on the other hand, show that the later complex is better described as $[Rh_{II}Rh^{III}(ap)_4(O_2)]^+$ with the odd electron localized on rhodium ion and the complex has an axially coordinated molecular oxygen. The electrochemical and ESR studies also show that the degree of dioxygen activation is a function of electrochemical redox potential.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 1999

Transient transfection assay has been done to evaluate whether the c-jun activation would be prerequisite to the induction of permissiveness against human cytomegalovirus using in vitro cell model in which U937 has been induced to express CD11b and CD14 to become potential monocyte/macrophage cells by TPA treatment. U937 cells were treated with $10\;{\mu}M$, $50\;{\mu}M$ or $100\;{\mu}M$ of TPA. The cell morphology change was observed and the expression of the CD11b and CD14 was confirmed by FACS. Differentiated cells were transfected with pJLuc reporter vector which contained the wild type murine c-jun promoter spanning the SP1, CTF, ATF/CREB and MEF-2 binding sites upstream of the firefly luciferase gene. After 48 hrs of transfection, the cells were infected with HCMV Towne strain and the luciferase activity was assessed at 1 hand 4 h pi. The transfection assay showed no activation of the c-jun promoter at 1 h pi, instead, it showed 2 times increase of the its activity at 4 h pi. There was no difference of the c-jun promoter activation between TPA treated and untreated U937 cells, implying that c-jun activation might not be prerequisite for allowing cells to be premissive to HCMV, although HCMV infection itself could activate c-jun promoter.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2001

For finding both ways of recycling the wood and plastic wastes and solving the problem of free formaldehyde gas emission through manufacturing wood particle-polypropylene fiber composite board without addition of formaldehyde-based thermosetting resin adhesive, control particleboards and nonwoven web composite boards from wood particle and polypropylene fiber formulation of 50 : 50, 60 : 40, and 70 : 30 were manufactured at density levels of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8 g/$cm^3$, and were tested both in the physical and mechanical properties according to ASTM D 1037-93. In the physical properties, control particleboard had significantly higher moisture content than composite board. In composite board, moisture content decreased with the increase of target density only in the board with higher content of polypropylene fiber and also appeared to increase with the increase of wood particle content at a given target density. Control particleboard showed significantly greater water absorption than composite board and its water absorption decreased with the increase of target density. In composite board, water absorption decreased with the increase of target density at a given formulation but increased with the increase of wood particle content at a given target density. After 2 and 24 hours immersion, control particleboard was significantly higher in thickness swelling than composite board and its thickness swelling increased with the increase of target density. In composite board, thickness swelling did not vary significantly with the target density at a given formulation but its thickness swelling increased as wood particle content increased at a given target density. Static bending MOR and MOE under dry and wet conditions increased with the increase of target density at a given formulation of wood particle and polypropylene fiber. Especially, the MOR and MOE under wet condition were considerably larger in composite board than in control particleboard. In general, composite board showed superior bending strength properties to control particleboard, And the composite board made from wood particle and polypropylene fiber formulation of 50 : 50 at target density of 0.8 g/$cm^3$ exhibited the greatest bending strength properties. Though problems in uniform mixing and strong binding of wood particle with polypropylene fiber are unavoidable due to their extremely different shape and polarity, wood particle-polypropylene fiber composite boards with higher performance, as a potential substitute for the commercial particleboards, could be made just by controlling processing variables.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1995

In Escherichia coli, CRP forms a complex with cAMP and acts as a transcriptional regulator of many genes, including sugar metabolism operons. The E. coli MK2001, which is introduced the altered crp, is functional in the expression of lac, ara and man, in the absence of cAMP. However, the expression of mal gene is fully activated by the addition of cAMP or cGMP. The object of the study is cloning of the sfs (sugar fermentation stimulation) genes, which was involved in regulation of mal gene expression with the altered crp gene, and structural analysis and characterization of the genes at the molecular level. We have cloned 5 different E. coli genes which stimulate the maltose metabolism in a crp, cya::km (MK2001) background. Newly identified genes were designated as sfs. One of the sfs genes (pPC1), located at the 53.2 min map position on the E. coli chromosome, was further analyzed. Expression of the genes, which is involved in maltose metabolism, malQ (amylomaltase), was increased to 5.8-fold in the presence of a plasmid, pAP5, containing the subcloned sfs4 gene. The nucleotide seguence of a common 2,126 bp segment of the pPCM1 was determined and two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) were detected. The ORF1 encodes the sfs4 gene and ORF2 encodes a truncated protein. Potential CRP binding site is located in the upstream of the putative promoter in the regulatory region. Expression of the cloned sfs4 gene was positively regulated by the cAMP-CRP complex.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.3 s.70
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• pp.406-414
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• 2005

The genetic instability of cancer cells may be related to inappropriately activated DNA repair pathways. In present study, the modulated expression of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), a major DNA repair protein, in human cancer metastatic cells was tested. The expressions of Ku70/80, regulatory subunit of DNA-PK, and the Ku DNA-binding activity in various highly metastatic cell lines were higher than those in each parental cell line. Also, the expression of DNA-PKcs, catalytic subunit of DNA-PK, and the kinase activity of the whole DNA-PK complex in highly metastatic cells were significantly increased as compared to those of parental cells, suggesting that the enhanced DNA repair capacity of metastatic cells could be associated with aberrant use of DNA repair, which may mediate tumor progression and metastatic potential. Increased EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) signaling has been associated with tumor invasion and metastasis, and the linkage between EGFR-mediated signaling and DNA-PK has been suggested. This study showed that PKI166, the new EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, modulated the expressions of Ku70/80 and DNA-PKcs and also revealed the chemosensitization effect of PKI166 against metastatic cells may be in part due to inhibition of Ku70/80. These results suggest that interference in EGFR signaling by EGFR inhibitor resulted in the impairment of DNA repair activity, and thus DNA-PK could be possible molecular targets for therapy against metastatic cancer cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

Fatness is one of the most important economic traits in pigs. The leptin receptor (LEPR) gene may be a potential candidate for the fatness quantitative trait locus (QTL) on porcine chromosome 6, due to its position and physiological role. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the associations between structural variants in the LEPR gene and economic traits in pigs. We obtained an approximately 114-kb sequence containing the complete genomic DNA of the porcine LEPR gene, using shotgun sequencing of a bacterial artificial chromosome clone. We report the complete genomic structure of the porcine LEPR gene. Dozens of transcription factor-binding sites were found in the 1.2 kb upstream region from the transcription start point. An association study was performed with 550 Duroc pigs for 24 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including 6 SNPs within exons and 18 SNPs within the putative 5‘ regulatory region of the porcine LEPR gene. Among them, one SNP (−790C/G) was significantly associated with backfat thickness and lean meat percentage, whereas the others, including two SNPs with missense polymorphisms, had no effect on any phenotype. These results suggest that SNP −790C/G may be a useful marker for genetic improvements of fatness and leanness in Duroc pigs.