• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2019

Screening microorganisms that can produce glucan hydrolases for industrial, environmental, and biomedical applications is important. Herein, we describe a novel approach to perform glucan hydrolase screening-based on analysis of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) spectra-which involves degradation of the oligo- and polysaccharides. As a proof-of-concept study, glucan hydrolases that could break down glucans made of several glucose units were used to demonstrate the MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay. First, the enzyme activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and cellulase on a mixture of glucan oligosaccharides were successfully discriminated, where changes of the MALDI-MS profiles directly reflected the glucan hydrolase activities. Next, we validated that this MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay could be applied to glucan polysaccharides (i.e., pullulan, lichenan, and schizophyllan). Finally, the bacterial glucan hydrolase activities were screened on 96-well plate-based platforms, using cell lysates or samples of secreted enzyme. Our results demonstrated that the MALDI-MS-based enzyme assay system would be useful for investigating bacterial glucoside hydrolases in a high-throughput manner.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1384-1391
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• 2006

The signal transduction system is one of the most important devices involved in maintaining life, and many protein kinases are included in the cellular signal transduction system. Finding a protein kinase inhibitor is very valuable, as it can be used to study cell biology and applied to pharmaceuticals. For the efficient and rapid screening of protein kinase inhibitors, two assay systems were combined; the nonradioactive protein kinase assay system that uses an FITC-labeled IRS-2 peptide and the cell-based paper disc assay system that uses Streptomyces griseus as the indicator strain. Among 330 kinds of herb extracts tested, the extract of Dalbergia odorifera exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity in the two assay systems and was selected for further isolation. Based on solvent extraction and many steps of chromatography, seven compounds were finally separated to homogeneity and their structures determined by $^{1}H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR spectroscopies. Four were to be flavonoids and identified as butin ($C_{15}H_{12}O_5$, Mw=272.07), 3'-hydroxymelanetin ($C_{16}H_{12}O_6$, Mw=300.06), liquiritigenin ($C_{15}H_{12}O_4$, Mw=256.07), and 2'-hydroxyformononetin ($C_{16}H_{12}O_{5}$, Mw=284.07). 3'-Hydroxymelanetin inhibited the phosphorylation of the GSK3 protein by Akt to 37% at a concentration of $10{\mu}g/ml$ and showed the strongest cytotoxicity ($ED_{50}<50{\mu}g/ml$) against the human cancer cell line HCT116. Under the same conditions, liquiritigenin also inhibited the phosphorylation of GSK3 by Akt to 26%, and its cytotoxicity against the HCT116 cell line was lower than $100{\mu}g/ml$.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2004

Three synthetic chemicals, benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were selected for genotoxicity testing, based on production quantity and available genotoxic data. In our previous report, benzoyl chloride induced chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast in vitro with and without metabolic activation, while 2-propyn-l-ol and 2-phenoxy ethanol induced only with metabolic activation. To compare the genotoxicity of chromosome aberration assay, the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay subjected using CHL cells. As a result, statistically significant differences of tail moment values of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-1-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol were observed compared with control values on almost all concentrations with S9 or without S9 metabolic activation system. This results suggest that genotoxic results of the comet assay and the chromosome aberration assay show correlationship of genotoxicity in the CHL fibroblast. In summary, the positive result of chromosome aberration of benzoyl chloride, 2-propyn-l-ol, and 2-phenoxy ethanol was also induced DNA damages in comet assay with same cell line. Consequently, comet assay will be useful and more accurate tool to detect and to confirm the genotoxicity especially DNA damages in CHL fibroblast.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.178-184
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• 2002

High-throughput screening has become a popular method used to identify new “leads”for potentially therapeutic compounds. Further screening of these lead compounds is typically done with secondary assays which may utilize living, functioning cells as screening tools. A problem (or benefit) with these cell-based assays is that living cells are very sensitive to their environment. We have been interested in the process of stem cell migration and how it relates to the cellular therapy of bone marrow transplantation. In this study we describe a secondary, cell-based assay for screening the effects of various in-vitro conditions on Immature Hematopoietic Cell (IHC) migration. Our results have revealed many subtle factors, such as the cell's adhesive characteristics, or the effect of a culture's growth phase, that need to be accounted for in a screening protocol. Finally, we show that exponentially glowing KG1a cells (a human IHC cell line) were 10 times more motile than those in the lag or stationary phases. These data strongly suggest that KG1a cells secrete a chemokinetic factor during the exponential growth phase of a culture.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.101-101
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• 1997

As part of a drug discovery program to develope more effective platinum-based anticancer drugs, a series of platinum complexes trans -diaminocyclohexane platinum bi sdiphenylphosphino -ethane (KHPC-002) cis-diaminocyclohexane platinum bisdiphenylphosphino-ethane (KHPC-006) has been evaluated in vitro against 4 human carcinoma cell lines with those of cisplatin using a tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay). The cell lines were two human bladder carcinoma cell lines, HT-1197 and HT-1376, human colon carcinoma cell line, HCT-116, and prostate cancer cell line DU-145.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.111-111
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• 1997

As part of a drug discovery program to develope more effective platinum-based anticancer drugs, a series of platinum complexes trans-diaminocyclohexane platinum bi sdiphenylphosphino - ethane ( KHPC- 002) cis-diaminocyclohexane platinum bi sdiphenylphosphino - ethane ( KHPC- 006) has been evaluated in vitro against 4 human carcinoma cell lines with those of cisplatin using a tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay). The cell lines were two human bladder carcinoma cell lines, HT-1197 and HT-1376, human colon carcinoma cell line, HCT-116, and prostate cancer cell line DU-145. in vitro cytotoxic potential of each platinum complex was expressed as the cytotoxicity index (Cl, %).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.268-275
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• 2004

To investigate the potential application of the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay to carp as an aquatic pollution monitoring technique, gill, liver, and blood cells were isolated from carp exposed to a direct-acting mutagen, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), or indirect mutagen, $benzo[\alpha]pyrene$ $(B[\alpha]P)$, then the DNA strand breakage was analyzed using the assay. Based on testing 5 different cell isolation methods and 6 electrophoretic conditions, the optimized assay conditions were found to be cell isolation by filter pressing and electrophoresis at a lower voltage and longer running time (at 0.4 V/cm for 40 min). In preliminary experiments, gill and liver cells isolated from carp exposed to MNNG in vitro exhibited DNA damage signals even with 0.5 ppb exposure, which is a much higher dose than previously reported. In the gill cells isolated from carp exposed to 0.01-0.5 ppm MNNG in vivo, significant dose-and time-dependent increases were observed in the tail for 4 days. As such, the linear correlation between the relative damage index (RDI) values and time for each dose based on the initial 48-h exposure appeared to provide effective criteria for the genotoxicity monitoring of direct-acting mutagenic pollution. In contrast, the in vivo exposure of carp to 0.25-1.0 ppm of $B[\alpha]P$ for 7 days resulted in dose-and time-dependent responses in the liver cells, in which 24-h delayed responses for metabolizing activation and gradual repair after 48 h were also observed. Thus, the negative-sloped linear correlation between the RDI and time at each dose based on the initial 48 h appeared to provide more effective criteria for the genotoxicity monitoring of indirect mutagenic pollution.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2007

I. Objective The primary requirement of an endodontic root canal sealer is the biologic compatibility, because they remain in close contact with living periapical tissues over a long period of time. The aim of this study was the evaluation of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of resin-based root canal sealers, AH 26 and ADSEAL. II. Material & Methods In this study, human periodontal ligament cells, human oral cancer cells (KB) and mouse osteoblasts (MC-3T3-E1) were used. Specimens of AH26, ADSEAL were eluted with culture medium for 1, 3, 5 and 7 days. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by using tetrazolium bromide reduction assay (MTT assay) for mitochondrial enzyme activity and cell viability. Genotoxicity was evaluated by using alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet assay). Also cell apoptosis induced by AH 26 was detected by Hoechst33258 staining. III. Results AH 26 and ADSEAL exhibited cytotoxic effects in all investigated cell groups. Genotoxicity was also noted for both sealers in mouse osteoblasts (MC-3T3-E1). But, ADSEAL presented significantly low cytotoxicity and genotoxicity compared with AH 26. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by AH 26 resulted in apopotosis. IV. Conclusion Our results clearly indicate that the recently invented ADSEAL has better biocompatibility than another resin based root canal sealer, AH 26. However ideal root canal sealer should have not only biocompatibility but also satisfactory physico-chemical properties such as sealing ability and stability. Thus continuous studies and developments should follow.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2006

Lethal toxin is a critical virulence factor of anthrax. It is composed two protein: protective antigen (PA) and lethal factor (LF). PA binds to specific cell surface receptors and, forms a membrane channel that mediates entry of LF into the cell. LF is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease, which cleaves MKKs [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases] at peptide bonds very close to their N-termini. In this study, we suggest application of cell-based assays in the early phase of drug discovery, with a particular focus on the use of yeast cells. We constructed MEK1 expression system in yeast to determine LF activity and approached cell-based assay system to screen inhibitors, in which the results covering the construction of LF-substrate in yeast expression vector, expression, and LF-mediated proteolysis of substrate were described. These results could provided the basic steps in design of cell-based assay system with the high efficiency, rapidly and easy way to screening of inhibitors.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.187-199
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• 2009

Objectives : The electroacupuncture was generally has been used in oriental medicine doctors. In recent years, there have been a few studies about safety and stability of acupuncture needle in itself, but then again research of acupuncture needle safety and stability on applying electroacupuncture have been insignificant. Therefore we investigated the safety and change in mechanical characteristic of acupuncture needle in electroacupuncture therapy. Methods : We observed mechanical characteristic change by SEM(Scanning Electron Microscope) and EDX(Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), evaluated the hardness by vickers hardness tester. We used MTT assay and cell stain to study about biocompatibility of electroacupuncture. Results : In this study, any corrosion of material, alternation of elements, and change of hardness were not observed in surface analysis using SEM and EDX. In cytotoxity evaluation using MTT assay and cell stain, cell survival rate was low when practicing the electroacupuncture for more than 3 hours. Conclusions : Change of mechanical property was not observed based on the test results using surface analysis and hardness estimation by the electroacupuncture. And considering the biocompatibility, electroacupuncture was thought to be safe in an hour based on cytotoxity evaluation using MTT assay and cell stain.