• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.446-451
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• 2009

In this study, cathepsin S (CTSS) inhibitory fraction was isolated from Paecilomyces tenuipes and anti-obesitic effects of the fraction were evaluated in mice, fed a high-fat diet. Hot water extract of P. tenuipes (DHW) was divided into 2 fractions, water eluate fraction (DHP1) and methanol eluate fraction (DHP2) using Diaion HP-20. $IC_{50}$ values for DHW, DHP1 and DHP2 against CTSS were 108.7, 890.3 and 2.3 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively. To evaluate anti-obesitic effects of the fractions, each fraction was administrated orally to C57BL/6 mice for 4 weeks with a high-fat diet. DHP2 had the highest inhibitory effect on CTSS activity, causing serious reduction in weight gain, a reduction in the amount of adipose tissue and in serum lipids levels. These results suggest that the inhibition of CTSS by compounds derived from P. tenuipes may be effective in preventing and in ameliorating obesity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2002

We have cloned a cDNA encoding a cysteine proteinase of the Acanthamoeba healui OC-3A strain isolated from the brain of a granulomatous amoebic encephalitis patient. A DNA probe for an A. healui cDNA library screening was amplified by PCR using degenerate oligonucleotide primers designed on the basis of conserved amino acids franking the active sites of cysteine and asparagine residues that are conserved in the eukaryotic cysteine proteinases. Cysteine proteinase gene of A. healui (AhCPI) was composed of 330 amino acids with signal sequence, a proposed pro-domain and a predicted active site made up of the catalytic residues, $Cys^{25},{\;}His^{159},{\;}and{\;}Asn^{175}$. Deduced amino acid sequence analysis indicates that AhCPI belong to ERFNIN subfamily of C 1 peptidases. By Northern blot analysis. no direct correlation was observed between AhCPI mRNA expression and virulence of Acanthamoeba, but the gene was expressed at higher level in amoebae isolated from soil than amoeba from clinical samples. These findings raise the possibility that AhCPI protein may play a role in protein metabolism and digestion of phagocytosed bacteria or host tissue debris rather than in invasion of amoebae into host tissue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.6
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• pp.312-319
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• 2012

Background: Muscle wasting in sepsis is associated with increased proteolysis. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been characterized as an anabolic factor for skeletal muscles. Our study aims to investigate the role of IL-15 in sepsis-induced muscle atrophy and proteolysis. Methods: Mice were rendered septic either by cecal ligation and puncture or by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg i.p.). Expression of IL-15 mRNA and protein was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis in the control and septic limb muscles. C2C12 skeletal muscle cells were stimulated in vitro with either LPS or dexamethasone in the presence and absence of IL-15 and sampled at different time intervals (24, 48, or 72 hours). IL-15 ($10{\mu}g/kg$) was intraperitoneally administered 6 hours before sepsis induction and limb muscles were sampled after 24 hours of sepsis. Cathepsin L activity was determined to measure muscle proteolysis. Atrogin-1 and muscle-specific ring finger protein 1 (MuRF1) expressions in limb muscle protein lysates was analyzed. Results: IL-15 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the limb muscles of septic mice compared to that of controls. Cathepsin L activity in C2C12 cells was significantly lower in presence of IL-15, when compared to that observed with individual treatments of LPS or dexamethasone or tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$. Further, the limb muscles of mice pre-treated with IL-15 prior to sepsis induction showed a lower expression of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 than those not pre-treated. Conclusion: IL-15 may play a role in protection against sepsis-induced muscle wasting; thereby, serving as a potential therapeutic target for sepsis-induced skeletal muscle wasting and proteolysis.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 2004

A cathepsin L-like cysteine protease, v-cath, encoded by the baculovirus has been shown to playa role in host liquefaction. We have identified a v-cath gene in the silkworm virus, Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) K1 strain. The 969 bp v-cath has an open reading frame of 323 amino acids. A putative cleavage site and catalytic sites were conserved in BmNPV-K1 v-cath. The predicted three-dimensional structure of BmNPV-K1 v-cath revealed that the overall fold of BmNPV-K1 v-cath is similar to that of other proteases of the papain family. The deduced amino acid sequence of BmNPV-K1 v-cath showed 98% and 97% protein sequence identity to BmNPV T3 strain and to Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus, respectively. The BmNPV-K1 v-cath differed at 4 amino acid positions from BmNPV T3. The v-cath gene in BmNPV-K1 genome is located on the EcoRV 6 kb and XhoI 9 kb fragments. Northern hybridization analysis of BmNPV K1 v-cath gene revealed that it is expressed late in infection.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.4.1-4.18
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• 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an inflammatory and infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus with a complex pathophysiology. While COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available, treatment of the disease is primarily supportive and symptomatic. Several research have suggested the potential of herbal medicines as an adjunctive treatment for the disease. A popular herbal medicine approved in the Philippines for the treatment of acute respiratory disease is Vitex negundo L. In fact, the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines has funded a clinical trial to establish its potential as an adjunctive treatment for COVID-19. Here, we utilized network pharmacology and molecular docking in determining pivotal targets of Vitex negundo compounds against COVID-19. The results showed that significant targets of Vitex negundo compounds in COVID-19 are CSB, SERPINE1, and PLG which code for cathepsin B, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and plasminogen, respectively. Molecular docking revealed that α-terpinyl acetate and geranyl acetate have good binding affinity in cathepsin B; 6,7,4-trimethoxyflavanone, 5,6,7,8,3',4',5'-heptamethoxyflavone, artemetin, demethylnobiletin, gardenin A, geranyl acetate in plasminogen; and 7,8,4-trimethoxyflavanone in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. While the results are promising, these are bound to the limitations of computational methods and further experimentation are needed to completely establish the molecular mechanisms of Vitex negundo against COVID-19.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.296-308
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• 1996

Proteolytic enzymes responsible for post-mortem degradation of the fish tissues have been studied in regard with screening the proteases distributed in the fish body by reacting with the specific synthesized substrates. Activities of cathepsin L, B, H, G, and D like enzymes were detected in the muscle crude protease from the both kind of fish, dark fleshed fish (anchovy, Engraulis japonica, and gizzard-shad, Clupanodo punctatus) and white fleshed fish (seabass, Lateolabrax japonicus, and sole, Pleuronichthys cornutus), however, those of chymotrypsin, trypsin, pepsin, and peptidase like enzymes were observed 3n the viscera crude pretense from the fish. Proteolytic activities of the muscle crude protease at pH 6.0 were similar to those of the viscera crude protease at pH 8.0, but, those of the viscera crude protease at pH 8.0 were about 2 times higher than those at pH 6.0. The muscle and viscera crude protease from anchovy showed the strongest proteolytic activity among the four fish crude proteases and the proteolytic activity of the viscera crude protease was approximately 100 times higher than that of the muscle crude protease, which suggest that viscera proteases were more contributed on the development of post-mortem changes than muscle proteases. With the degradation patterns on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis against yellowtail myofibrillar proteins, the muscle and viscera crude protease of the four fishes were primary responsible for the degradation of myosin heavy chain, and myosin light chain and actin, respectively.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.157-169
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• 2023

Effects of culture supernatants of Lactobacillus reuteri MG5346 (CS-MG5346) on receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis were examined. CS-MG5346 treatment up to 400 ㎍/mL significantly reduced tartrate-resistant acid-phosphatase (TRAP) activity, the phenotype biomarker of osteoclast, without affecting cell viability. CS-MG5346 inhibited the expression of osteoclast specific transcriptional factors (c-fos and nuclear factor-activated T cells c1) and their target genes (TRAP, cathepsin, and matrix metallo-proteinase-9) in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). The administration of L. reuteri MG5346 (2×10⁸ CFU/day) for 8 wks significantly improved furcation involvement, but no difference was observed in alveolar bone loss in ligature-induced experimental periodontitis rats. The elevated RANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio, the biomarker of periodontitis, was significantly lowered in the gingival tissue by administration of L. reuteri MG5346 (p<0.05). L. reuteri MG5346 showed excellent stability in simulated stomach and intestinal fluids and did not have antibiotic resistance. Based on the results, L. reuteri MG5346 has the potential to be a promising probiotic strain for oral health.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.263-268
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• 1999

It was found that the level of alcohol concentration in both mouse and human sera can be significantly decreased up to 42% by oral administration of the mixtures of the extracts of Hovenia dulcis THUNB and Alnus japonica Steud. A single treatment of extract from Hovenia dulcis reduced the serum alcohol concentration to 32%, compared to 13% in treating the extract of Alnus japonica. Similar patterns were observed in enhancing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and glutathion-S-transferase (GST) activity in the liver. The inhibition of cathepsin activity was also greatly reduced by administrating the mixture of both extracts : however, the extract of Alnus japonica did not affect the acitivity of cathepsin. It was concluded that the mixture of both extracts had synergic effect on reducing serum alcohol concentration and improving the detoxification process due to alcohol administration in the liver.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2018

Large quantity of eggs fail to be fertilized and many of fertilized eggs are unable to hatch in the eel, Anguilla japonica. Larvae of eel absorb egg yolk up to 8 days after hatching but the majority of hatched larvae die before they reach the stage of first feeding in this species. Genes of key enzymes for yolk processing (cathepsin B, D, L and lipoprotein lipase - abbreviated as ctsb, ctsd, ctsl and lpl, respectively) could be associated with egg quality. In this study, we investigated differences in the expression of these genes between floating eggs and sinking eggs, and also the relationship between the gene expressions of the enzymes and fertilization rates in the fertilized eggs obtained from artificially matured female eels. Expressions of yolk processing enzyme genes did not show significant difference between floating and sinking egg groups. Expression of ctsb decreased when fertilization rate was high. Expression of ctsd, ctsl and lpl, however, did not show any significant differences. These results suggest that ctsb expression could be an indicator of egg quality, and that some proteins prone to be digested by ctsb could be very important in the process of fertilization and normal cleavage in this species. Further study should identify these critical proteins to improve our understanding on the quality of fish eggs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.532-539
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• 2015

Inhibition of osteoclast differentiation is the most important target for prevention of inflammatory bone resorption and bone diseases. Here, we investigated the effect of spinach ethanol extract on osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells. Spinach was extracted with ethanol at a concentration ranging from 0 to 100% (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% ethanol). Inhibitory effects of receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligan (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation were evaluated using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) stain assay. The most effective eanol concentration for osteoclast differentiation was 100%. Spinach extract (100% ethanol) suppressed RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and TRAP activity. Spinach extract (100% ethanol) also suppressed expression of osteoclast differentiation-related marker genes (NFATc1, c-FOS, cathepsin K, and TRAP) and down-regulated RANKL-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ and ERK phosphorylation during osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, our results suggest that spinach extract is effective against reducing osteoclast differentiation through the NF-${\kappa}B$-mediated pathway.