• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.617-630
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• 2021

Chemotherapy-induced side effects affect the quality of life and efficacy of treatment of cancer patients. Current approaches for treating the side effects of chemotherapy are poorly effective and may cause numerous harmful side effects. Therefore, developing new and effective drugs derived from natural nontoxic compounds for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced side effects is necessary. Experiments in vivo and in vitro indicate that Panax ginseng (PG) and its ginsenosides are undoubtedly non-toxic and effective options for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced side effects, such as nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and hematopoietic inhibition. The mechanism focus on anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptosis, as well as the modulation of signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), P62/keap1/Nrf2, c-jun Nterminal kinase (JNK)/P53/caspase 3, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/JNK, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT. Since a systemic review of the effect and mechanism of PG and its ginsenosides on chemotherapy-induced side effects has not yet been published, we provide a comprehensive summarization with this aim and shed light on the future research of PG.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.250-258
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• 2019

Peniphora sp. JS17, isolated from forest old tree, produced extracellular enzymes that decolorized human hair melanin. The JS17 strain had laccase and manganese peroxidase activity while it did not has lignin peroxidase activity. Batch culture indicated that the melanin decolorization activity of JS17 strain originated from laccase. The culture conditions to maximize the production of melanin bleaching enzymes from Peniophora sp. JS17 mycelia were investigated. Among the tested media for the laccase production, minimal medium (2% glucose, 0.2% malt extract, 0.1% $KH_2PO_4$, 0.4% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$) showed the highest activity of laccase. Then, to optimize the culture condition for the laccase activity, the influence of various carbon and nitrogen sources was investigated in minimal medium. Among various carbon and nitrogen sources, 2% xylose and 0.4% tryptone showed the highest production of laccase, respectively. The enzyme was purified using $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ precipitation and Hitrap Q sepharose column, and the purified enzyme showed two isoenzymatic bands with molecular masses of about 70 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The melanin decolorization activity was 77% and 55% within 48 h in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) and syringaldehyde, respectively, whereas only about 9% melanin decolorized in case of no mediator.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2019

The objective of present study is to evaluate concentration-dependent in vitro anti-osteoarthritic (OA) effects of synergic mixed formula consisted of dried pomegranate juice concentrate powder, Eucommiae Cortex aqueous extract and Achyranthis Radix aqueous extract 5:4:1 (g/g) mixture on the primary cultured rat articular chondrocytes. First, any cytotoxic effect of mixture was observed using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium Bromide) assay. Next, cyto-protective effect of test substances was evaluated by using the recombinant human interleukin $(rhIL)-1{\alpha}$ induced chondrocytes. In addition, anti-inflammatory effects were also observed on the lipopolysaccaride (LPS) treated chondrocytes through prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ productions and 5-lipoxygenase (LPO) activities, and inhibitory effects on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activities were observed on $rhIL-1{\alpha}$ treated chondrocytes with their extracellular matrix (ECM) related mRNA expressions. No obvious cytotoxic effects of mixture were demonstrated. Inflammatory damages of chondrocytes and related ECM degradations induced by treatment of LPS or $rhIL-1{\alpha}$ were significantly and concentration-dependently inhibited by pretreatment of mixture from a concentration level of 0.001 mg/ml to 1 mg/ml. In addition, mixture showed $IC_{50}$ for $rhIL-1{\alpha}-induced$ MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities as 44.01 and $162.47{\mu}g/ml$, and also showed $EC_{50}$ for $rhIL-1{\alpha}-induced$ inhibition of collagen type II, SOX9 and aggrecan mRNA expression as 8.61, 10.79 and $4.47{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. It is observed that mixture showed concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective ECM preserved effects on the primary cultured rat articular chondrocytes without cytotoxicity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.382-393
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• 2019

Wound care is a health industry concern affecting millions worldwide. Recent increase in metabolic disorders such as diabetes comes with elevated risk of wound-based complications. Treatment and management of wounds are difficult practices due to complexity of the wound healing process. Conventional wound dressings and treatment applications only provide limited benefits which are mainly aimed to keep wound protected from external factors. To improve wound care, recent developments make biopolymers to be of high interest and importance to researchers and medical practitioners. Biopolymers are polymers or natural origin produced by living organisms. They are credited to be highly biocompatible and biodegradable. Currently, studies reported biopolymers to exhibit various health beneficial properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, cell proliferative and angiogenic activities which are crucial for effective wound management. Several biopolymers, namely chitosan, cellulose, collagen, hyaluronic acid and alginic acid have been already investigated and applied as wound dressing agents. Different derivatives of biopolymers have also been developed by cross-linking with other molecules, grafting with other polymers, and loading with bioactive agents or drugs which showed promising results towards wound healing without any undesired outcome such as scarring and physiological abnormalities. In this review, current applications of common biopolymers in wound treatment industry are highlighted to be a guide for further applications and studies.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2019

During screening of microbes for compounds having cosmetic benefits, we isolated Marinobacter salarius HL2708#2 from lava seawater on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The complete genome sequence was determined. Strain HL27080#2 features a circular chromosome of 4,304,603 bp with 57.21% G+C content and a 244,163 bp plasmid with 53.14% G+C. There were 4,180 protein coding sequences identified, along with 49 transfer RNA and 18 ribosomal RNA noncoding genes. The genome harbored genes for the utilization of alcohol, maltose/starch, and monosaccharide as sole carbon sources. Genes responsible for halophilic characteristics and heavy metal resistance could be annotated, as well as aromatic and alkane hydrocarbons. Contrary to the prior report that M. salarius is negative for nitrate and nitrite reduction, nitrate/nitrite reductase along with nitrate/nitrate transporters and nitronate monooxygenase were evident, suggesting that strain HL2708#2 may be able to denitrify extracellular nitroalkenes to ammonia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1016-1023
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• 2018

Regenerative orthopedics needs significant devices to transplant human stem cells into damaged tissue and encourage automatic growth into replacements suitable for the human skeleton. Soft biomaterials have similarities in mechanical, structural and architectural properties to natural extracellular matrix (ECM), but often lack essential ECM molecules and signals. Here we engineer mineralized polysaccharide beads to transform MSCs into osteogenic cells and osteoid tissue for transplantation. Bone morphogenic proteins (BMP-2) and indispensable ECM proteins both directed differentiation inside alginate beads. Laminin and collagen IV basement membrane matrix proteins fixed and organized MSCs onto the alginate matrix, and BMP-2 drove differentiation, osteoid tissue self-assembly, and small-scale mineralization. Augmentation of alginate is necessary, and we showed that a few rationally selected small proteins from the basement membrane (BM) compartment of the ECM were sufficient to up-regulate cell expression of Runx-2 and osteocalcin for osteoid formation, resulting in Alizarin red-positive mineral nodules. More significantly, nested BMP-2 and BM beads added to a non-union skull defect, self-generated osteoid expressing osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) in a chain along the defect, at only four weeks, establishing a framework for complete regeneration expected in 6 and 12 weeks. Alginate beads are beneficial surgical devices for transplanting therapeutic cells in programmed (by the ECM components and alginate-chitosan properties) reaction environments ideal for promoting bone tissue.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.217-228
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• 2019

There have been no published studies concerning the anti-inflammatory effects of corn silk on colon cancer cells. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin on inflammation and its mechanism of action in colon cancer cells. SW 480 human colon cancer cells were treated with $1{\mu}g/mL$ of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, and next they were treated with different concentrations of corn silk extract (0, 5, 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$). The concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) were determined. The mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-1beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were determined. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and mitogen-activated protein kinases, and the latter consists of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38). The concentration of NO and the mRNA expression of iNOS were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk-treated groups (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 were significantly increased in the LPS-treated group (P<0.05), but these expressions were significantly and dose-dependently decreased in the corn silk treated groups (P<0.05). The protein expressions of $NF-{\kappa}B$ (in a dose-dependent fashion), ERK (at 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$), JNK (at $15{\mu}g/mL$) and p38 (at 10 and $15{\mu}g/mL$) were significantly decreased with corn silk treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, corn silk extract containing high levels of maysin seems to inhibit the LPS-induced inflammatory responses in SW480 colon cancer cells via the $NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.211-226
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• 2019

Pig CD45, the leukocyte common antigen, is encoded by the PTPRC gene and CD45 is a T cell-type specific tyrosine phosphatase with alternative splicing of its exons. The CD45 is a coordinated regulator of T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signal transduction achieved by dephosphorylating the phosphotyrosine of its substances, including $CD3{\zeta}$ chain of TCR, Lck, Fyn, and Zap-70 kinase. A dysregulation of CD45 is associated with a multitude of immune disease and has been a target for immuno-drug discovery. To characterize its key structural features with the effects of regulating TCR signaling, this study predicted the unknown structure of pig CD45RO (the smallest isoform) and the complex structure bound to the ITAM (REEpYDV) of $CD3{\zeta}$ chain via homology modeling and docking the peptide, based on the known human CD45 structures. These features were integrated into the structural plasticity of extracellular domains and functional KNRY and PTP signature motifs (the role of a narrow entrance into ITAM binding site) of the tyrosine phosphatase domains in a cytoplasmic region from pig CD45RO. This contributes to the selective recognition of phosphotyrosine from its substrates by adjusting the structural stability and binding affinity of the complex. The characterized features of pigCD45RO can be applied in virtual screening of the T-cell specific immunomodulator.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.390-400
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• 2019

In this study, strains isolated from soil samples collected from Busan, Changwon, and Jeju Island were examined to verify their abilities of phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation, production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore, and 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylyic acid (ACC) deaminase in order to select strains that promote plant growth and play a role in biocontrol of pests or pathogens. According to the results of this study, most of the isolated strains were found to have ability of phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation, IAA production, siderophore production, and production of ACC deaminase. These isolated strains might help plant growth by directly improving absorption of nutrients essential for phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation. In addition, they can promote plant growth and control resistance to plant diseases through extracellular enzyme activity and antifungal activity. In addition, most of the selected strains were found to survive in various environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity, and pH. Therefore, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida ANG14, Pseudarthrobacter equi ANG28, Beijerinckia fluminensis ANG34, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ANG35 were finally selected through a comparative advantage analysis to suggest their potential as novel biological agents. Further studies are necessary in order to prove their efficacy as novel biological agents through formulation and optimization of effective microorganisms, their preservation period, and crop cultivation tests.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.434-440
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• 2019

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from kimchi were studied for their ${\beta}$-glucuronidase activity. Among the 156 strains tested, 52 strains utilized glucuronic acid as a carbon source and their intracellular ${\beta}$-glucuronidase activities were significantly higher than their extracellular activities. Leuconostoc mesenteroides KFRI 73007 isolated from turnip kimchi exhibited the highest intracellular ${\beta}$-glucuronidase activity of $0.77{\pm}0.01U/mg$ protein, which was further increased to $1.14{\pm}0.01U/mg$ protein under optimized reaction conditions (pH 7, $37^{\circ}C$). The activity of ${\beta}$-glucuronidase was notably decreased by the addition of divalent cations, and glucuronic acid was the best carbon source to produce ${\beta}$-glucuronidase in Leu. mesenteroides KFRI 73007.