• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2003

Fragmentation of purine imidazole ring and production of formamidopyrimidines in deoxynucleosides (Fapy lesions) occurs upon DNA oxidation as well as upon spontaneous or alkali-triggered rearrangement of certain alkylated bases. Many chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide or thiotepa produce such lesions in DNA. Unsubstituted FapyA and FapyG, formed upon DNA oxidation cause moderate inhibition of DNA synthesis, which is DNA polymerase and sequence dependent. Fapy-7MeG, a methylated counterpart of FapyG-, a efficiently inhibits DNA replication in vitro and in E.coli, however its mutagenic potency is low. This is probably due to preferential incorporation of cytosine opposite Fapy-7MeG and preferential extension of Fapy-7MeG:C pair. In contrast, FapyA and Fapy-7MeA possess miscoding potential. Both lesions in SOS induced E.coli preferentially mispair with cytosine giving rise to A$\rightarrow$G transitions. Fapy lesions substituted with longer chain alkyl groups also show simult aneous lethal and mutagenic properties. Fapy lesions are actively eliminated from DNA by repair glycosylases specific for oxidized purines and pyrimidines both in bacteria and eukaryotic cells. Bacterial enzymes include E.coli formamidopyrimidine-DNA-glycosylase (Fpg protein), endonuclease III (Nth protein) and endonuclease VIII (Nei protein).

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 1999

Gaegurin 4 (GGN4), a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is a 37-amino acid peptide isolated from the Korean frog, Rana rugosa. In this study, we have chemically synthesized and purified GGN4 analogues where the C-terminal portion is truncated and/or substituted with tryptophan. These peptides show significantly different biological activities depending on the location of tryptophan and the number of amino acids truncated from the C-terminal end. While deletion of 9 amino acids from the C-terminal seems to be marginally tolerable in maintaining the antimicrobial activity, further deletion of up to 14 amino acid residues decreases the potency by more than 60-fold towards Gram-positive, and 10-fold towards Gram-negative, bacteria. Surprisingly, the reduced activity of the shorter peptide can be completely restored by a single substitution of aspartic acid 16 to tryptophan 16 (D16W). Also, the truncation seems to decrease the specificity of antibiotic activity more towards Gram-positive than towards Gram-negative bacteria studied. These data suggest a partial role of the C-terminal region in determining the binding specificity and the activity of peptides upon binding to their target cell membranes.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.166-166
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• 2002

The response of environmental pollutants can be detected bioanalytically focusing on the source and matrices of concern. Cell culture bioassays are rapid and inexpensive, and thus have great potential for determination of environmental pollution. We have examined the estrogenic and dioxin-like activites of industrial wastewater using E-screen assay and EROD microbioassay. Influent and effluent wastewater were collected from four different industrial wastewater treatment plants, such as cosmetics, paints, textile producing and metal coating plant, and extracted using solid-phase extraction with Oasis＠HLB plus cartridge. Pollutants adsorbed to the cartridge were eluted with MTBE. MCF-7 cells were treated with extracts showed various estrogenic potential. The textile wastewater showed strong estrogenic activity and the others showed weak estrogenic activity, No effect was observed in the wastewater from paints producing plant. All extracts showed CYPIA inducing effects, indicating these samples contain dioxin-like chemicals. Bioanalytical results of effluents compared with influents could give us information about the incomplete wastewater treatment and biological potency caused by pollutants. [Supported by a Grant from the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation]

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.270-275
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• 2001

Bioisostere approach has been shown to be useful to augment potency or to modify certain physiological properties of a lead compound. Based upon well documented bioisosterism, an isosteric replacement of benzene ring of 4-hydroxy-2-quinolone compound (L-695902) with a thiophene moiety was carried out to prepare the title compounds, 4-hydroxy-6-oxo-6,7-dihydro-thieno[2,3-b] pyrimidines 15. The resulting bioisosteric compounds 15 were evaluated for their antagonistic activity (birding assay) for NMDA receptor glycine site.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 1983

By tracing albumin stabilizing activity an anti-inflammatory component, continentalic acid was isolated from ether-soluble acidic fraction of Aralia continentalis. Continenetalic acid in a concentration of 0.115mg/3ml gave 50% inhibition for heat denaturation of albumin. The protein stabilizing potency of it was approximately three and eleven times that of phenylbutazone and that of salicylic acid, respectively. The anti-inflammatory actions of it and its methylester were investigated employing carrageenin-induced edema in rat paw. Continentalic acid administered s. c. showed an activity of about three times of hydrocortisone. When administered p. o., it was still active, but its methylester was more active than phenylbutazone, suggesting the poor absorption of it in gastorointestinal tract. Its chemical structure was identified by chemical and spectral studies as (-) pimara 8(14), 15-diene-19-oic acid, which was already isolated from A. dordata, but not reported for its biological activity.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.362-371
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• 2018

Chemical insecticides released into the environment may have adverse biological effects. Therefore, there is a need for ecofriendly insecticides for mosquito control. Xerophytic plant extracts that may provide more ecofriendly active component were evaluated against Culex pipiens 4th instars. Plant extracts prepared using different solvents with a Soxhlet apparatus and different concentrations were tested against Culex pipiens larvae. The effects were observed at 24 h and 72 h intervals and $LD_{50}$ and $LD_{90}$ values determined. Chloroform ($CHCl_3$) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts of Althaea ludwigii were the most effective against Cx. pipiens $4^{th}$ instars, but were highly dependent on extract concentrations and exposure time. Results suggest that A. ludwigii extracts contain bioactive compounds, such as phenols and saponins, that may provide effective Cx. pipienslarval control. However, the extract was found to be toxic to zebrafish larvae, and may be toxic to other aquatic fauna. Further studies to determine the active components and toxicity to other fauna are needed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.364-368
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• 1994

Growth inhibition potency of the anthraquinones, anthraquinone-1,5-disulfonic acid and carminic acid, for Sarcoma 180 and L1210 leukemia cells in vivo and in vitro, was induced by the divalent transition metal ion, $Cu^{2+}$. On the other hand spectroscopic titration data show that the anthraquinone drugs form $Cu2^+$ chelate complexes (carminic acid : $Cu^{2+}$ = 1 : 6; anthraquinone-1,5-disulfonic acid : $Cu^{2+}$ = 1 : 3). Furthermore the $Cu^{2+}$-drug complexes associate with DNA to form the $Cu^{2+}$-anthraquinone-DNA ternary complexes. The formation of the complexes was further supported by the $H_2O_2-dependent$ DNA degradation, which can be inhibited by ethidium bromide, caused by the $Cu^{2+}$-drug complexes. It is likely that the $Cu^{2+}$-mediated cytotoxicity of the anthraquinone drugs is related with the $Cu^{2+}-mediated$ binding of the anthraquinone drugs to DNA and DNA degradation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 2022

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) secreted by most cells carry bioactive macromolecules including proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids for intercellular communication. Given that some immune cell-derived sEVs exhibit anti-cancer properties, these sEVs have received scientific attention for the development of novel anti-cancer immunotherapeutic agents. In this paper, we reviewed the latest advances concerning the biological roles of immune cell-derived sEVs for cancer therapy. sEVs derived from immune cells including dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, natural-killer (NK) cells, and macrophages are good candidates for sEV-based cancer therapy. Besides their role of cancer vaccines, DC-shed sEVs activated cytotoxic lymphocytes and killed tumor cells. sEVs isolated from NK cells and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cells. sEVs derived from CD8⁺ T and CD4⁺ T cells inhibited cancer-associated cells in tumor microenvironment (TME) and activated B cells, respectively. M1-macrophage-derived sEVs induced M2 to M1 repolarization and also created a pro-inflammatory environment. Hence, these sEVs, via mono or combination therapy, could be considered in the treatment of cancer patients in the future. In addition, sEVs derived from cytokine-stimulated immune cells or sEV engineering could improve their anti-tumor potency.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.230-240
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• 2022

Drug regeneration technology is an efficient strategy than the existing new drug development process, which requires large costs and time by using drugs that have already been proven safe. In this study, we recognize the importance of the new drug regeneration aspect of new drug development and research in predicting functional similarities through the basic molecular structure that forms drugs. We test four string-based algorithms by using SMILES data and searching for their similarities. And by using the ATC codes, pair them with functional similarities, which we compare and validate to select the optimal model. We confirmed that the higher the molecular structure similarity, the higher the ATC code matching rate. We suggest the possibility of additional potency of random drugs, which can be predicted through data that give information on drugs with high molecular similarities. This model has the advantage of being a great combination with additional data, so we look forward to using this model in future research.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 2009

Both fresh Codonopsis lanceolata and lactic acid bacteria fermented Codonopsis lanceolata were extracted with water at $100^{\circ}C$, and tested for anticancer activity using several human cancer cell lines. The fermented extracts inhibited the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells up to 90%, compared to 75% for fresh Codonopsis lanceolata. The extracts of cytotoxicity on human normal lung cells (HEK293) were as low as 15%. Especially, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell were more efficiently inhibited than other cells. This extract also inhibited $\alpha$-glucosidase activity up to 60% at 1.0mg/$m{\ell}$. This fermented extracts showed the inhibition potency on tyrosinase by 25% at 1.0mg/$m{\ell}$. From the results, the fermented Codonopsis lanceolata enhanced several biological activities up to $20{\sim}30%$, compared to those from fresh Codonopsis lanceolata. It implies that fermentation process could be one of useful methods of utilizing low quality Codonopsis lanceolata. Because this process could yield high amounts of biologically active compounds by the help of microbial growth.