• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 1999

The enzyme steroid $5{\alpha}-reductase$ is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into the most potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In man, this steroid acts on a variety of androgen-responsive target tissues to mediate such diverse endocrine processes as male sexual differentiation in the fetus and prostatic growth in men. Androgen levels in the prostate may influence carcinogenesis in this organ. The use of a $5{\alpha}-reductase$ inhibitor, finasteride, in the chemoprevention of prostate cancer is being evaluated in a clinical trial and have been used successfully for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therefore, for the discovery of $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 inhibitors, we have evaluated the inhibitory effects of solvent fractionated extracts of natural products on $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 activity. We have tested approximately 80 kinds of natural products after partition into n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous layers from 100% methanol extracts of plants. The ethyl acetate fractions of Perilla sikokiana $(seed,\;IC_{50}\;:\;6.2\;ug/ml)$, Sophora flavescens $(root,\;IC_{50}\;:\;8.9\;ug/ml)$, and Angelica tenuissima $(root,\;IC_{50}\;:\;11.7\;ug/ml)$ revealed inhibitory effects on $5{\alpha}-reductase$ 2 activity in LNCaP cells. The effective ethyl acetate fractions of Perilla sikokiana, Sophora flavescens, Hydnocarpus anthelmintica, and Angelica tenuissima were subfractionated by column chromatography and tested. The subfractions $F4\;(IC_{50}\;:\;1.1\;ug/ml),\;F5\;(IC_{50}\;:\;2.0\;ug/ml),\;and\;F6\;(IC_{50}\;:\;5.8\;ug/ml)$ of the ethyl acetate fraction of Perilla sikokiana and the subfraction $F8\;(IC_{50}\;:\;5.3\;ug/ml)$ of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sophora flavescens displayed greater inhibition of $5{\alpha}-reductase$ type 2 than did finasteride in LNCaP cells. These active fractions are under the process of further sequential fractionation to find the effective pure compounds against $5{\alpha}-reductase$ 2 activity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 1988

The role of calcium in the production of oxygen radical which causes reperfusion damage of ischemic heart has been examined. The reperfusion damage was indrced in isolated Langendorff perfused rat hearts by aortic clamping for 60 min followed by reperfusion with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit solution with or without 1.25 mM $CaCl_2.$ On reperfusion of the ischemic hearts with the calcium containing solution, the release of cytosolic enzymes (LDH and CPK) increased abruptly. These increased release of enzymes were significantly inhibited by additions of oxygen radical scavengers (SOD, 5,000 U; catalase, 12,500 U) into the reperfusion solution. In the hearts isolated from rats pretreated with allopurinol(20 mg/kg orally, 24 hr and 2 hr prior to the experiments), the levels of enzymes being released during reperfusion were significantly lower than that of the control. However, in the hearts perfused with the calcium-free but oxygenated solution, the increase in the release of cytosolic enzymes during reperfusion was neither inhibited by oxygen radical scavengers nor by allopurinol pretreatment. For providing the evidence of oxygen radical generation during the reperfusion of ischemic hearts in situ, the SOD-inhibitable reduction of exogenously administered ferricytochrome C was measured. In the hearts perfused with the calcium containing solution, the SOD-inhibitable ferricytochrome C reduction increased within the first minute of reperfusion, and was almost completely inhibited by allopurinol pretreatment. When the heart was perfused with the calcium free solution, however, the reduction of ferricytochrome C was not only less than that in the calcium containing condition, but also was not so completely inhibited by allopurinol pretreatment. By ischemia, xanthine oxidase (XOD) in the ventricular tissue was changed qualitatively, but not quantitatively. In the heart made ischemic with the calcium containing condition, the oxygen radical producing O-form of XOD increased, while the D- and D/O-form decreased. However, in the ischemic heart reperfused with the calcium free condition, the D/O-form of XOD was elevated without significant increase in O-form of the enzyme. It is suggested from these results that the calclum may play a contributing role in the genesis of reperfusion damage by promoting the conversion of xanthine oxidase from the D/O-form to the oxygen radical producing O-form in the ischemic myocardium.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.18-25
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• 1987

The cellulolytic activities of Aspergillus fumigatus KC-1 was investigated, which showed the most active producer of cellulase among the 256 strains of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms screened in our laboratory. All the examined cellulolytic activities (filter paper-, Avicel-, cotton-, CMC-, salicin- and xylansaccharifying activity) in a culture of A. fumigatus KC-1 grown on 1% popular sawdust pretreated with peroxide alkaline reached a maximum within 4-5 days. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzymatic activity was found to be pH 4.5 and $60^{\circ}C$ respectively. The sawdust of poplar wood delignified with 1% NaOH and 20% peracetic acid succesively recorded the highest hydrolysis rate in the tests of enzymatic saccharification. The major end product of hydrolysis of poplar wood with the cellulolytic enzymes obtained from A. fumigatus KC-1 was glucose with small amount of cellobiose and xylose. It can be concluded from these results that A. fumigatus KC-1 is an advantagous source of a cellulase that is capable of hydrolyzing cellulose to glucose rapidly. The influence of degree of delignification, substrate size and its concentration on the rate of hydrolysis of poplar wood was also discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1661-1667
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• 2016

The ginsenoside-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase gene (bgy2) was cloned from Lactobacillus brevis. We expressed this gene in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), isolated the resulting protein, and then utilized the enzyme for the biotransformation of ginsenosides. The bgy2 gene contains 2,223 bp, and encodes a protein of 741 amino acids that is a member of glycosyl hydrolase family 3. β-Glucosidase (Bgy2) cleaved the outer glucose moieties of ginsenosides at the C-20 position, and the inner glucose at the C-3 position. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 30℃), we used 0.1 mg/ml Bgy2 in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (PBS) for enzymatic studies. In these conditions, 1.0 mg/ml ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside F2 were converted into 0.59 mg/ml ginsenoside Rd and 0.72mg/ml compound K, with molar conversion productivities of 69% and 91%, respectively. In pharmaceutical and commercial industries, this recombinant Bgy2 would be suitable for producting ginsenoside Rd and compound K.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 1998

It has been reported that the glycoprotein extracted from Aloe has strong anti-inflammatory response. However, there has been no research report yet about the effect of Aloe on allergic hypersensitivity reactivity. By using guinea pig lung mast cells, this study aimed to examine the effects of Aloe glycoprotein (NY945) on the mediator releases caused by mast cell activation, and also aimed to assess the effects of NY945 on the mechanism of mediator releases in the mast cell activation. We partially purified mast cell from guinea pig lung tissues by using the enzyme digestion, the rough and the discontinuous density percoll gradient method. Mast cells were sensitized with IgG1 (anti-OA) and challenged with ovalbumin. Histamine was assayed by fluorometric analyzer, leukotrienes by radioimmunoassay. The phospholipase D activity was assessed by the production of labeled phosphatidylalcohol. The amount of mass 1, 2-diacylglycerol (DAG) was measured by the $[^3H]DAG$ produced when prelabeled with $[^3H]myristic$ acid. The phospholipid methylation was assessed by measuring the incorporation of the $[^3H]methyl$ moiety into phospholipids of cellular membranes. Pretreatment of NY945 (10 ${\mu}g$) significantly decreased histamine and leukotrienes releases during mast cell activation. The decrease of histamine release was stronger than that of leukotriene during mast cell activation. The phospholipase D activity increased by the mast cell activation was decreased by the dose-dependent manner in the pretreatment of NY945. The amount of DAG produced by PLC activity was decreased by NY945 pretreatment. The amount of mass 1, 2-diacylglycerol produced by activation of mast cells was decreased in the pretreatment of NY945. NY945 pretreatment strongly inhibited the incorporation of the $[^3H]methyl$ moiety into phospholipids. The data suggest that NY945 purified from Aloe inhibits in part an increase of 1, 2-diacylglycerol which is produced by activating mast cells with antigen-antibody reactions, which is mediated via phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase D and phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C systems, and then followed by the inhibition of histamine release. Furthermore, NY945 reduces the production of phosphatidylcholine by inhibiting the methyltransferase I and II, which decreases the conversion of phosphatidylcholine into arachidonic acid and inhibits the production of leukotrienes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1664-1672
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• 2014

In this study, a fibrous bed bioreactor (FBB) was used for $\small{D}$-lactic acid ($\small{D}$-LA) production by Sporolactobacillus inulinus Y2-8. Corn flour hydrolyzed with ${\alpha}$-amylase and saccharifying enzyme was used as a cost-efficient and nutrient-rich substrate for $\small{D}$-LA production. A maximal starch conversion rate of 93.78% was obtained. The optimum pH for $\small{D}$-LA production was determined to be 6.5. Ammonia water was determined to be an ideal neutralizing agent, which improved the $\small{D}$-LA production and purification processes. Batch fermentation and fed-batch fermentation, with both free cells and immobilized cells, were compared to highlight the advantages of FBB fermentation. In batch mode, the $\small{D}$-LA production rate of FBB fermentation was 1.62 g/l/h, which was 37.29% higher than that of free-cell fermentation, and the $\small{D}$-LA optical purities of the two fermentation methods were above 99.00%. In fe$\small{D}$-batch mode, the maximum $\small{D}$-LA concentration attained by FBB fermentation was 218.8 g/l, which was 37.67% higher than that of free-cell fermentation. Repeate$\small{D}$-batch fermentation was performed to determine the long-term performance of the FBB system, and the data indicated that the average $\small{D}$-LA production rate was 1.62 g/l/h and the average yield was 0.98 g/g. Thus, hydrolyzed corn flour fermented by S. inulinus Y2-8 in a FBB may be used for improving $\small{D}$-LA fermentation by using ammonia water as the neutralizing agent.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.117-123
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• 1987

Detection of IgG antibody in clonorchiasis has been accomplished through various serodiagnostic procedure including complement fixation test, gel diffusion test, indirect fluorescent antibody test, indirect hemagglutination test etc. In this report enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination test (IHA) were used to determine IgG serum antibody levels before and after therapy with praziquantel. Briefly, sera from 62 cases of confirmed human clonorchiasis were examined before and after treatment with praziquantel. Among 62 cases treated 25 cases were categorized as completely cured groups by formalin-ether and careful examination of 4 cellophane thick smered slides at 18 months after treatment. The sera of 25 cases of cured groups were examined again by ELISA and IHA, and com-pared to the previous data. The results obtained were as follows; 1) Sensitivity of IHA test was 83.6% when cut-off titer of 1:8 was applied. No sera obtained from 10 normal healthy control showed positive reaction. 2) Twenty cases (80.0%) out of 25 cured one showed negative results by IHA at 18 months after treatment. 3) Although 5 cases showed positive titer even 18 months after treatment 3 cases of them showed decreased antibody titer. However 2 cases did not show any response. 4) Even though almost all cases showed de- creased ELISA value, only 11 cases (44.0%) out of 25 patients showed negative results by ELISA at 18 months after treatment. In conclusion, it is suggested that, while IgG ELISA for detecting long persisting antibody was more sensitive than IHA, IHA results more conclusively indicated effective treatment in clonorchiasis by negative conversion than did the results of ELISA.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

[ $17\;{\alpha}-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase(P450_{C17})$ ] is the key enzyme mediating the conversion of progesterone to $17\;{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$, ultimately to androstenedione during steroidogenesis. R. dybowskii's ovarian $P450_{C17}$ cDNA was cloned to understand the regulatory mechanism of ovarian steroidogenic pathway at the molecular level in amphibian. A 2.5kb cDNA clone encoding a single open-reading frame with a 519 deduced amino acid was isolated with the screening of ovarian cDNA library. This sequence contained the three highly conserved domains as seen in $P450_{C17}$ of other species. The comparison of amino acid sequence of Rana $P450_{C17}$ with other animal's $P450_{C17}$ showed relatively high identity with 76% in Xenopus, 63% in chicken, 60% in rainbow trout, and 45% in human. Phylogenic analysis also indicated that Rana $P450_{C17}$ gene was evolutionary well conserved among vertebrate. Northern analysis indicated that the two different sizes of $P450_{C17}$ transcripts with approximately 2.5 and 3.6kb were detected in ovary tissue, but not in other tissues. The expression vector of Rana $P450_{C17}$ clearly showed the $17\;{\alpha}-hydroxylase$ activity converting the exogenous progesterone into $17\;{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$ in the nonsteroidogenic COS-1 cells. Therefore, Rana $P450_{C17}$ cDNA is very useful to investigate the molecular mechanism of the ovarian steroidogenesis in amphibian.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.1507-1514
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• 2008

Cholesterol oxidase catalyses the conversion of cholesterol to 4-cholesten-3-one. This enzyme has been used for clinical assay of human serum cholesterol and for reduction of cholesterol level in foods and feeds. In order to search the microorganism which has a high extracellular and stable activity of cholesterol oxidase, soil microorganisms were screened. As a result, the one with the highest extracellular cholesterol oxidase activity was obtained and named as the BEN 115. The BEN 115 strain was identified as one of the Nocardia species based on our taxonomic studies. The cholesterol oxidase from this strain was shown to have two bands of extracellular proteins on SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Their molecular masses were estimated to be about 55 and 57 kDa, respectively. In addition, this cholesterol oxidase was considerably stable at the broad range of pH $3.5{\sim}9.5$ and at the temperature of $25{\sim}55^{\circ}C$. The optimum pH and temperature of this cholesterol oxidase were pH 5.5 and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activity of extracellular cholesterol oxidase could be enhanced 1.6 to 2.0 folds by the addition of nonionic detergent such as Triton X-114, Triton X-100, or Tween-80 into the culturing broth. The substrate specificities against campesterol, sitosterol and stigmasterol were measured to be 50%, 50%, and 27%, respectively, compared to the cholesterol. These results suggest that Nocardia sp. BEN 115 may be useful as a microbial source of cholesterol oxidase production.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 1993

Ion effects on $11{\alpha}-hydroxylation$ of progesterone and $5{\alpha}-reduction\;of\;11{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$ by Rhizopus nigricans were investigated. Metal ions such as $Cu^{2+},\;Cd^{2+},\;Co^{2+},\;Mn^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;Fe^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;Fe^{3+}\;and\;Na^+$ reduced the $11{\alpha}-hydroxylation$ activity, while $K^+$ stimulated the same reaction. Enzyme activity for the $5{\alpha}-reduction$ of $11{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$ was increased in the presence of $Fe^{2+},\;Mn^{2+},\;Mg^{2+},\;Co^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;Fe^{3+},\;K^+\;and\;Na^+$, whereas it was decreased in the presence of $Cd^{2+}\;and\;Cu^{2+}$. Potassium ion of $10^{-3}\;M\;$ of concentration was found to be effective for the promotion of $11{\alpha}-hydroxylation$. On the other hand, cadmium ion of $10^{-4}\;M$ was proved to suppress the $5{\alpha}-reduction$ reaction. Progesterone is reported to be transformed into $11{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$ which, in turn, is converted further into $11{\alpha}-hydroxy-allopregnane-3$, 20-dione by R. nigricans. From this point of view, the highest yield of $11{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone$ could be obtained when potassium ion of $10^{-3}\;M$ was given initially followed by addition of cadmium ion of $10^{-4}\;M$ to limit conversion of 11{\alpha}-hydroxyprogesterone into $11{\alpha}-hydroxy-allopregnane-\;3$, 20-dione.