• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제15권6호
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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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• 제21권4호
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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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• 제30권1호
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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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• 제5권2호
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• pp.111-119
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• 1988

효소와 기계적인 힘을 이용하여 얻어진 심장세포를 심근세포와 내피세포를 분리하여 48시간 배양한 후 양군으로 나눠서 관찰하였다. 실험군은 배양중에 10% DMSO에 1시간 처리하였고 DMSO를 처리하지 않고 계속 배양한 것을 대조군으로 하였다. DMSO효과를 관찰하기 위하여 도립현미경하에서 세포의 형태, 수축능력, 증식 능력등을 관찰하였고, 심근세포에서는 succinate dehydrogenase 반응으로 사립체의 증감을 대조군과 비교하였고, 심장내과세포에서는 thiamine pyrophosphatase의 반응으로 Golgi의 양을 대조군으로 비교하였다. 실험 결과를 요약하연 다음과 같다. 1. DMSO에 의하여 심근세포는 분화된 형태로 모양이 길어졌고 사립체의 증가에 의해 succinate dehydrogenase의 반응이 대조군보마 강하게 나타났다. 2. DMSO에 의해 심근세포는 근세섬유의 파괴와 혼란이 초래되었고 이로 인하여 수축능력이 감소되었다. 3. 심장내과 세포는 DMSO에 의해 세포증식이 감소되고 고유기능이 강조되어 Golgi의 표지효소안 thiamine pyrophosphatase의 반응이 대조군보다 강하였다. 4. 심장내과세포는 DMSO의 세포접착력 소실과 운동성 소실작용에 의해 배양중 많은 세포의 손실이 초래되었다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권10호
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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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• 제39권5호
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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.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.223-233
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• 2018

Topical anesthetics are commonly used in oral & maxillofacial surgery to control pain in the oral cavity mucosa before local anesthetic injection. These anesthetic agents come in many forms, developed for different usages, to minimize adverse reactions, and for optimal anesthetic efficiency. Earlier studies have revealed that these agents may also limit the growth of microorganisms in the area of anesthetic application. Many topical anesthetic agents show different levels of antimicrobial activity against various bacterial strains and Candida. The dosage of local anesthetic agent used in some clinical preparations is too low to show a significant effect on microbial activity. Efficiency of antimicrobial activity depends on the local anesthetic agent's properties of diffusion within the bloodstream and binding efficiency with cytoplasmic membrane, which is followed by disruption of the bacterial cell membrane. The antimicrobial properties of these agents may extend their usage in patients to both control pain and infection. To develop the topical local anesthetic optimal usage and antimicrobial effect, a collaborating antiseptic agent may be used to benefit the local anesthetic. However, more research is required regarding minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of topical local anesthetic agents with drug interaction between anesthetics and antiseptic agents.

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.335-340
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• 2017

Although doxorubicin (Dox)-induced oxidative stress is known to be associated with cytotoxicity, the precise mechanism remains unclear. Genotoxic stress not only generates free radicals, but also affects actin cytoskeleton stability. We showed that Dox-induced RhoA signaling stimulated actin cytoskeleton alterations, resulting in central stress fiber disruption at early time points and cell periphery cortical actin formation at a later stage, in HeLa cells. Interestingly, activation of a cofilin phosphatase, chronophin (CIN), was initially evoked by Dox-induced RhoA signaling, resulting in a rapid phosphorylated cofilin turnover leading to actin cytoskeleton remodeling. In addition, a novel interaction between CIN and $14-3-3{\zeta}$ was detected in the absence of Dox treatment. We demonstrated that CIN activity is quite contrary to $14-3-3{\zeta}$ binding, and the interaction leads to enhanced phosphorylated cofilin levels. Therefore, initial CIN activation regulation could be critical in Dox-induced actin cytoskeleton remodeling through RhoA/cofilin signaling.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제60권11호
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• pp.365-372
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• 2017

Purpose: The mechanism for the pathogenesis of adriamycin (ADR)-induced cardiomyopathy is not yet known. Different hypotheses include the production of free radicals, an interaction between ADR and nuclear components, and a disruption in cardiac-specific gene expression. Apoptosis has also been proposed as being involved in cardiac dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine if apoptosis might play a role in ADR-induced cardiomyopathy. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 2 groups: the control group (C group) and the experimental group (ADR 5 mg/wk for 3 weeks through intraperitoneal injections; A group). Echocardiographic images were obtained at week 3. Changes in caspase-3, B-cell leukemia/lymphoma (Bcl)-2, Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin I, collagen 1, and collagen 3 protein expression from the left ventricle tissues of C and A group rats were determined by Western blot. Results: Ascites and heart failure as well as left ventricular hypertrophy were noted in the A group. Ejection fraction and shortening fraction were significantly lower in the A group by echocardiography. The expression of caspase-3, Bax, IL-6, BNP, collagen 1, and collagen 3 were significantly higher in the A group as compared with the C group. Protein expression of Bcl-2 decreased significantly in the A group compared with the C group. Conclusion: ADR induced an upregulation of caspase-3, Bax, IL-6, and collagen, as well as a depression in Bcl-2. Thus, apoptosis and fibrosis may play an important role in ADR-induced cardiomyopathy.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.79-96
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• 2017

A variety of xenobiotic chemicals, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aryl- and heterocyclic amines and tobacco related nitrosamines, are ubiquitous environmental carcinogens and are required to be activated to chemically reactive metabolites by xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, including cytochrome P450 (P450 or CYP), in order to initiate cell transformation. Of various human P450 enzymes determined to date, CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2A13, 2A6, 2E1, and 3A4 are reported to play critical roles in the bioactivation of these carcinogenic chemicals. In vivo studies have shown that disruption of Cyp1b1 and Cyp2a5 genes in mice resulted in suppression of tumor formation caused by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, respectively. In addition, specific inhibitors for CYP1 and 2A enzymes are able to suppress tumor formation caused by several carcinogens in experimental animals in vivo, when these inhibitors are applied before or just after the administration of carcinogens. In this review, we describe recent progress, including our own studies done during past decade, on the nature of inhibitors of human CYP1 and CYP2A enzymes that have been shown to activate carcinogenic PAHs and tobacco-related nitrosamines, respectively, in humans. The inhibitors considered here include a variety of carcinogenic and/or non-carcinogenic PAHs and acethylenic PAHs, many flavonoid derivatives, derivatives of naphthalene, phenanthrene, biphenyl, and pyrene and chemopreventive organoselenium compounds, such as benzyl selenocyanate and benzyl selenocyanate; o-XSC, 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate.