• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1418-1425
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• 2004

The water extract of Chongmyung-tang has been traditionally used for treatment of memory-disorder in oriental medicine. This study was designed to investigate the protective mechanisms of Chongmyung-tang on β-amyloid or H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity in Neuro 2A cells. The water extract of Chongmyung-tang significantly reduced both β-amyloid or H₂O₂-induced cell death and apoptotic characteristics through reduction of intracellular peroxide generation. Also, it inhibited the mitochondrial dysfunction including the disruption of mitochondria membrane permeability transition(MPT) and the modulation in expression of Bcl-2 family proteins in H₂O₂-treated H9c2 cells. Furthermore, pretreatment of quercetin inhibited the activation of caspase-3, in turn, degradation of ICAD/DFF45 were completely abolished in H₂O₂-treated cells. Taken together, that data suggest that the protective effects of the water extract of Chongmyung-tang against β-amyloid induced oxidative injuries may be achieved through modulation of mitochondrial dysfunction.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2013

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) have been suspected to have immunosuppressive effects on pigs. To investigate the correlation between these virus infection and the lesions of lymph nodes including sub-mandibular and inguinal lymph node, 44 pigs (PCV2 single, n = 14; PRRSV single, n = 10; PCV2/PRRSV, n = 14; negative control, n = 6) were examined by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Histopathologically, granulomatous lymphadenitis characterized by lymphoid depletion with histiocytic cells infiltration was observed in PCV-2 single and PCV-2/PRRSV group. Immunohistochemically, there were significant reduction of B and T lymphocytes in lymph nodes of these groups, while the number of macrophages was increased. In only PRRSV infected group, germinal center hypertrophy and lymphoid necrosis were observed. Immunohistochemically, the number of CD3+ T lymphocytes was slightly increased. Severe lymphocytic depletion in PCV-2 infection-related lymph nodes might be associated with producing immunocompromised state in pig. Comparing with PCV-2 infected group, PRRSV produced minor effects on the changes in immune cell population in the lymph nodes of pigs. PRRSV may increase susceptibility of the disease in pigs by disruption of the first defense lines in target organs, such as the alveolar macrophages in lungs.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.203-207
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• 2009

Present study was conducted to investigate potential effects of epichlorohydrin on testicular and epididymal function in male rats. The test chemical was administered to adult male rats by gavage at dose levels of 0, 3.125, 12.5, and 50 mg/kg/day for 7 days. Testicular and epididymal function were assessed by measurement of reproductive organ weight, testicular spermatid count, epididymal sperm count, motility and morphology, and histopathology in rats. At 50 mg/kg, a decrease in the sperm motility and an increase in the incidence of sperm abnormalities were observed. Histopathological examinations revealed an increase in the incidence of histopathological changes including cell debris in the ducts, vacuolization of the epithelial cells, oligospermia, and epithelial disruption in the proximal caput epididymidis. At 12.5 mg/kg, an increase in the incidence of histopathological changes of the epididymidis was found. There were no treatment-related effects at 3.125 mg/kg. These results show that 7-day repeated oral administration of epichlorohydrin to male rats results in adverse effects on sperm motility, sperm morphology, and epididymal histology at $\geq$ 12.5 mg/kg/day.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1105-1113
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• 2004

Disinfection of a waterborne pathogenic protozoa, Giardia lamblia, by the conventional chlorine method has been known to be difficult. An alternative disinfection has been carried out by using a UV -light illuminating optical­fiber photoreactor. Light intensity diffused from one piece of a clad-removed optical-fiber was $1- 1.5{\mu}Em^{-2}s^{-1}$. Disinfection capability in a UV -light irradiated optical-fiber reactor suspended with 0.01 g $TiO_{2}\;dm^{-3}$ was 1.4 times that in the same reactor without $TiO_{2}$ photocatalysts. To resolve the absorption and scattering of UV light by the particles themselves as well as the difficulty of recycling particles in the slurry­type reactor, $TiO_{2}$ which was obtained by a hydrothermal method, was immobilized on clad-removed optical fibers. Such pretreatment of fiber surface resulted in an excellent transparency, which enhanced the UV light to diffuse laterally from a fiber surface. Coating time of the prepared solution by the hydrothermal method was not effective after more than two times. Disinfection capability in the $TiO_{2}$-immobilized optical-fiber reactor was $83\%$ in 1 h at $40^{\circ}C$, which was slightly higher than $76\%$ at $22^{\circ}C$ and $68\%$ at $10^{\circ}C$. Disinfection capability at $22^{\circ}C$ increased from $74\%$ at an initial pH of 3.4, through $76\%$ at pH 6.5, to $87\%$ at an initial pH of 10. Oxygen supply with air-flow rate of 5 $cm^3\;min^{-1}$ did not seem to increase the disinfection capability with UV /immobilized $TiO_2$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1337-1345
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• 2005

Vibrio vulnificus is the causative agent of foodborne diseases such as gastroenteritis and life-threatening septicemia. Microbial pathogenicity is a complex phenomenon in which expression of numerous virulence factors is frequently controlled by a common regulatory system. In the present study, a mutant exhibiting decreased cytotoxic activity toward intestinal epithelial cells was screened from a library of V. vulnificus mutants constructed by a random transposon mutagenesis. By a transposon-tagging method, an open reading frame, fexA, a homologue of Escherichia coli areA, was identified and cloned. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the fexA were analyzed, and the amino acid sequence of FexA from V. vulnificus was $84\%\;to\;97\%$ similar to those of AreA, an aerobic respiration control global regulator, from other Enterobacteriaceae. Functions of the FexA were assessed by the construction of an isogenic mutant, whose fexA gene was inactivated by allelic exchanges, and by evaluating its phenotype changes in vitro and in mice. The disruption of fexA resulted in a significant alteration in growth rate under aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions. When compared to the wild-type, the fexA mutant exhibited a substantial decrease in motility and cytotoxicity toward intestinal epithelial cell lines in vitro. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal $LD_{50}$ of the fexA mutant was approximately $10^{1}-10^{2}$ times higher than that of parental wild-type. Therefore, it appears that FexA is a novel global regulator controlling numerous genes and contributing to the pathogenesis as well as growth of V. vulnificus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2011

Free fatty acids (FFAs) are known to have bacteriocidal activity and are important components of the innate immune system. Many FFAs are naturally present in human and animal skin, breast milk, and in the bloodstream. Here, the therapeutic potential of FFAs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is demonstrated in cultures and in mice. Among a series of FFAs, only oleic acid (OA) (C18:1, cis-9) can effectively eliminate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) through cell wall disruption. Lauric acid (LA, C12:0) and palmitic acid (PA, C16:0) do not have this ability. OA can inhibit growth of a number of Gram-positive bacteria, including hospital and community-associated MRSA at a dose that did not show any toxicity to human sebocytes. The bacteriocidal activities of FFAs were also demonstrated in vivo through injection of OA into mouse skin lesions previously infected with a strain of MRSA. In conclusion, our results suggest a promising therapeutic approach against MRSA through boosting the bacteriocidal activities of native FFAs, which may have been co-evolved during the interactions between microbes and their hosts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2020

We previously identified a new heparinase inhibitor fungal metabolite, named CRM646-A, which showed inhibition of heparinase and telomerase activities in an in vitro enzyme assay and antimetastatic activity in a cell-based assay. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism by which CRM646-A rapidly induced nucleus condensation, plasma membrane disruption and morphological changes by increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. Furthermore, PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor, inhibited CRM646-A-induced nucleus condensation through ERK1/2 activation in rat 3Y1 fibroblast cells. We identified CRM646-A as a Ca²⁺ ionophore-like agent with a distinctly different chemical structure from that of previously reported Ca²⁺ ionophores. These results indicate that CRM646-A has the potential to be used as a new and effective antimetastatic drug.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 1988

To elucidate the effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on myocardial and endothelial cells in culture, the cells were exposed to 10% dimethyl sulfoxide in culture medium for 1 hour at 48 hours after cell isolation. The general morphology and the cytochemical reaction of marker enzymes for mitochondria and Golgi complexes were investigated. The results were summarized as follows. : 1. DMSO induced elongation and narrowing of the cells and increase of mitochondrial reaction in myocardial cells. 2. DMSO induced destruction and disruption of myofibrils in myocardial cells resulting in increase of contractile activities. 3. In the endothelial cells, DMSO suppressed proliferative activities but thiamine pyrophosphatase reactions were enhanced indicating increase of Goigi complex activity. 4. DMSO seemed to hamper with the adhesiveness and motility of the endothelial cells causing the decrease of the number of cells in vitro.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1365-1371
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• 2013

The Streptomyces coelicolor wblA gene is known to play a negative role in both antibiotic biosynthesis and the expression of genes responding to oxidative stress. Recently, WhcA, a WblA ortholog protein, was confirmed to interact with dioxygenase-encoding SpiA ($\underline{s}$tress $\underline{p}$rotein $\underline{i}$nteracting with Whc$\underline{A}$) in Corynebacterium glutamicum. We describe here the identification of a SpiA ortholog SCO2553 protein ($SpiA_{sc}$) that interacts with WblA in S. coelicolor. Using heterologous expression in E. coli and in vitro pull-down assays, we show that WblA specifically binds $SpiA_{sc}$, and is influenced by oxidants such as diamide. These data indicate that the interaction between WblA and $SpiA_{sc}$ is not only specific but also modulated by the redox status of the cell. Moreover, a $spiA_{sc}$-disruption mutant exhibited a less sensitive response to the oxidative stress induced by diamide present in solid plate culture. Real-time RT-PCR analysis also showed that transcription levels of oxidative stress response genes (sodF, sodF2, and trxB) were higher in the $spiA_{sc}$-deletion mutant than in wild-type S. coelicolor. These results show that $SpiA_{sc}$ negatively regulates WblA during oxidative stress responses in S. coelicolor.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.516-521
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• 2006

Modifications in dietary fatty acid intake might lead to a modification in membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationship between different type of oil consumption and leukocyte membrane phospholipid composition. This study was carried out in subjects utilizing butter (n = 15), margarine (n = 15), fluid oil (n = 15) and mixed types of oils (n = 15) in total 60 subjects. Leukocytes were separated from total blood by dextran sedimentation method. Membrane lipids and proteins were isolated following the cell disruption. Fatty acids of membrane phospholipids were isolated by hydrolysation with phospholipase B under ultrasonic dismembranator. Free fatty acids were identified with gas chromatography at chloroform phase. The results obtained were compared with data obtained by chromatograms of the standards. Results more prominent values of arachidic, dihomo-$\gamma$-linolenic and palmitoleic acids were found in butter-or mixed oil-user groups; eicosadienoic, eicosamonoenoic, dihomo-$\gamma$-linolenic and behenic acids in fluid oil; heptanoic, valeric, eicosadienoic and linolenic acids in margarine groups. The fatty acid composition of mixed oil was similar to butter, while other two oils were so different. From this study, it was concluded that the type of oil consumption might have an influence on phospholipid components of plasma membranes.