• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.186-196
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated inhibitory effect of red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) on triglyceride biosynthesis in Rhodosporidium toruloides. There was no significant difference in the total lipid content of all the experimental groups including 0.02, 0.1 and 0.5% (w/v) of red sweet pepper 70% ethanol extract treatment (RSPE). However, the triglyceride content was significantly decreased in RSPE group campared to the control group. When the formation of lipid droplet in the oleaginous yeast was examined, a small amount of fluorescence was observed compared to the control as the concentration of RSPE increased. The number of cells and free fatty acid increased in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that RSPE has an anti-obesity effect.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.23-29
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• 2011

The oxidation slag has been widely used in civil engineering project, whereas the reduced slag from electric furnace has yet to be applied. Consequently in order to find out the recycling method in civil engineering field, the mineral compositions of the reduced slag were analyzed and some tests on water quality were performed to estimate the potential release of toxic compounds. Slag-soil mixtures of 0, 10, 20 and 30%(dry weight) soil were prepared in lysimeter columns and the effluents were collected with the period of one, two and four week options in closed system, respectively. The result from qualitative and quantitative analysis using X-ray Diffraction(XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence(XRF) indicates that the main mineral of the reduced slag is $Ca_2(SiO_4)$, a kind of calcium silicate. Also, the leaching medium analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy(ICP-OES) showed that main heavy metals such as Al, Fe and Mn are included in the reduced slag due to the effect of steel production process. It can be seen that the leachate does not violate the regulation guide line of waste material of heavy metal. Also the pH levels were increased from pH 6.9 for 0% soil to pH 10 for 30% soil. However the influence on leachate circulation period of one through four weeks was negligible.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.118-125
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• 2021

In this study Orostachys japonica A. Berger used is a medicinal herb that has long been used as a folk remedy for cancer treatment. In this study, the antioxidant efficacy of the ethyl acetate fraction of Orostachys japonica A. Berger was confirmed. The results of the Orostachys japonica A. Berge ethyl acetate fraction of antioxidant activity assays showed Antioxidant effect of Orostachys japonica A. Berger EtOAc fraction extract at 0.10 mg/mL was showed a DPPH radical scavenging rate of 78.54% and ABTS+ radical scavenging rate of 73.48%. Also, the toxicity result of Orostachys japonica A. Berger EtOAc fraction extracts using alternative experimental animal model zebrafish, confirmed a 100% the survival of the zebrafish embryo was shown that there was no coagulation and no hatching delay at all concentrations. also ROS generation induced by UV-B irradiation was confirmed that the fluorescence intensity decreased as a whole in all larvae treated with Orostachys japonica A. Berger EtOAc fraction extracts. In particular, it was confirmed that ROS generation was effectively suppressed by showing a 35.7% reduction rate compared to the positive control at a concentration of 3 ㎍/mL. These results were confirmed that Orostachys japonica A. Berger EtOAc fraction extracts has the possibility of application in the cosmetics field as a natural antioxidant.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.200-208
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• 2023

Objective: Muscle acetylcholine receptors have five alpha subunits (α, β, δ, ε, or γ), and cholinergic receptor nicotinic gamma subunit (CHRNG) is the γ subunit. It may also play an essential role in biological processes, including cell differentiation, growth, and survival, while the role of CHRNG has not been studied in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of CHRNG on the proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes. Methods: We constructed a CHRNG overexpression adenovirus vector and successfully overexpressed it on bovine preadipocytes. The effects of CHRNG on bovine preadipocyte proliferation were detected by Edu assay, cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot and other techniques. We also performed oil red O, RT-qPCR, Western blot to explore its effect on the differentiation of preadipocytes. Results: The results of Edu proliferation experiments showed that the number of EDU-positive cells in the overexpression group was significantly less. CCK-8 experiments found that the optical density values of the cells in the overexpression group were lower than those of the control group, the mRNA levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin A2 (CCNA2), cyclin B1 (CCNB1), cyclin D2 (CCND2) decreased significantly after CHRNG gene overexpression, the mRNA levels of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A) increased significantly, and the protein levels of PCNA, CCNB1, CCND2 decreased significantly. Overexpression of CHRNG inhibited the differentiation of bovine preadipocytes. The results of oil red O and triglyceride determination showed that the size and speed of lipid droplets accumulation in the overexpression group were significantly lower. The mRNA and protein levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR class="checkNonKBPoint">γ), CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBPα), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FASN) decreased significantly. Conclusion: Overexpression of CHRNG in bovine preadipocytes inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of light intensity on the initial growth response of three woody plants for indoor landscaping; Ardisia pusilla, Clusia rosea and Fatsia japonica. The plants were planted in 10cm pots, the light intensities used were of four levels-15, 30, 60, $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ PPFD-and light irradiation time was set to 12/12 (day/night). Growth responses including plant height, leaf length, leaf width, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), SPAD and Hunter values were measured at 4-week intervals, and shoot weight and root weight of fresh and dry plants were measured after completion of the experiment. Fatsia japonica tended to show greater leaf length and leaf width as light intensity became greater, while other plants did not show any significant differences at different light intensities. The Fv/Fm value of the Ardisia pusilla was found to be stressed at 60 and $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, while the Fv/Fm values were within normal range with other plants or at other light intensity levels to show no stress. Only Clusia rosea showed significantly different SPAD values at $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, and there was no significant SPAD value difference found with other plants or at other light intensity levels. While Hunter values of the Ardisia pusilla did not show any significant differences at any light intensity levels, Clusia rosea and Fatsia japonica showed specificity in L, a and b values at 60 and $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, respectively. Ardisia pusilla showed a big stem growth at $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, and Clusia rosea showed a steady growth at 60 and $120{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1324-1331
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• 2010

Mifepristone (MIF) and Tamoxifen (TAM) have been used in the treatment of prostate cancer and breast cancer for more than a decade. MIF can induce apoptosis in both AR-positive and negative prostate cancer cells. Because of its pleiotropic ligand-receptor properties, TAM exerts cytotoxic activity in estrogen (ER)-positive and various ER.negative cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms of these two substances are not yet clear. In the present work, we report that the cytotoxic effects of MIF and TAM are due to the modulation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level in DU-145, androgen-insensitive cells. When the cells were treated with micromolar concentrations of either MIF or TAM, the growth and viability were significantly decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The apoptosis induced by MIF or TAM was further proved and analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). In the cells cultivated in a normal 1.5 mM $Ca^{2+}$ medium, both MIF and TAM also induced an increase of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level in a dose-dependent fashion. Since a change in calcium level could not be found in cells of the $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, the increase of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level might be due to an increase in extracellular calcium uptake. Our results show that the apoptotic effect was more prominent in TAM treatment compared to MIF treatment in DU-145 cells. The above findings might be due to the difference in the uppermost pathways of apoptosis induced by either MIF or TAM. When we checked the level of procaspase-8 activation, TAM showed minor level of activation, as opposed to MIF, which exerted strong activation. In both treatments, the levels of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased, and pro-apoptotic protein Bax level increased more than 2-fold. The activation of caspase-3, a key protease enzyme in the downstream pathway of apoptosis, was much higher in the cells treated with TAM, compared to the MIF treatment. The overall apoptotic activity shown in the present work was closely related to intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration levels. Therefore, the cytotoxic activity induced by MIF and TAM might have been due to intracellular calcium modulation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.328-335
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• 2010

This study was conducted to determine effects of soil pH and form of nitrogen fertilizers on tomato growth and chemical properties of greenhouse soil using ferigation system. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Superdoterang) were grown for three months in 18 L pots filled with two soil (pH 6.8 and pH 8.7). 4 different nitrogen fertilizers (urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and potassium nitrate) were fertigated with different concentrations of 0, 10, 50, and 100 mg N/L during tomato cultivation. Soil pH 8.7 decreased yield and chlorophyll fluorescence compared with soil pH 6.8. Yield at soil pH 8.7 increased by ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate fertigation. Soil pH 6.8 induced increment of yield by nitrogen concentration than form of nitrogen fertilizers. Soil pH after cultivation of tomato decreased by application of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. Soil EC by 100 mg N/L application of ammonium sulfate was twice as much as other fertilizers. Form of nitrogen fertilizer had less effect on concentration of soil $NH_4^+$-N and $NO_3^-$-N in soil but the concentrations slightly reduced at pH 8.7. These results indicate that application of urea and ammonium nitrate for a nitrogen source of fertigation has little affects on soil chemical properties before and after tomato cultivation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1199-1206
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• 2017

The lymphotoxin ${\beta}$ receptor ($LT{\beta}R$), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, plays an important role in lymphoid tissue's architecture and organogenesis. We found that $LT{\beta}R$ stimulation induced changes in stress fibers (SFs) in fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs). MLCK and ROCK play critical roles in the regulation of SF formation in cells. The present study was performed to investigate the antifibrotic effects on SF regulation of $LT{\beta}R$ signaling, with a focus on MLCK inhibition. The effect of $LT{\beta}R$ on the SF change was analyzed using immunoblot and fluorescence assays and agonistic $anti-LT{\beta}R$ antibody-treated FRCs. In addition, we checked the level of Rho-guanosine diphosphate (GDP)/guanosine triphosphate (GTP) exchange activity with FRC lysate. Phospho-ezrin proteins acting as membrane-cytoskeleton linkers completely de-phosphorylated in agonistic $anti-LT{\beta}R$ antibody-treated FRCs. The actin bundles rearranged into SFs, where phospho-myosin light chain (p-MLC) co-localized in FRCs. ML7-treated FRCs completely blocked SFs and showed retraction and shrinkage processes comparable to those observed in agonistic $anti-LT{\beta}R$ antibody-treated cells. Inhibition of ROCK activity induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton organization; however, some SFs remained in the cells, while they were completely disrupted by MLCK inhibition with ML7. We showed that the phosphorylation of MLC was completely abolished with $LT{\beta}R$ stimulation in FRCs. When $LT{\beta}R$ was stimulated with the agonistic $anti-LT{\beta}R$ antibody, the Rho-GDP/GTP exchange activity was reduced, however, the activity was not completely abolished. Collectively, the results illustrated that MLCK was potently responsible for the SF regulation triggered via $LT{\beta}R$ signaling in FRCs.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.82-90
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• 1989

Detection of antibody against pathogenic fungi in serum specimens of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis or other lung diseases has been carried out(male) using the indirect fluorescence antibody technique and immunodiffusion tests. Immunodiffusion tests revealed that 104(36.5%) out of 285 patients examined showed a positive precipitin reaction against one or more of fungal antigens. The majority of ID positive patients 64(61.5%) reacted with Aspergillus fumigatus antigen and 49(47.1%) patients reacted with Candida albicans antigen ID positive reaction to A. fumigatus was found little more frequently among male patients, while Candida albicans reactors were found more frequently among female patients. Age distribution of ID positive reactors was high(49.1-43.3%) in age group of 40-59 years, but least or none in age group of less than 30 years. Age of fungal mycelium used as antigen did not effect sensitivity of the indirect flubrescence (IF) technique in detecting antibody to A. fumigatus. Antibody class against A. fumigatus that showed highest titer was IgG and thus FITC labeled anti-IgG immunoglobulin shoul be preferable. As relatively large amount of cell wall components of Aspergilli shared antigenically, a considerable cross-reaction was observed among A. fumigatus, A. flavus and A. niger, but not much with C. albicans. While (IF) has much better sensitivity when compared with ID, relative specificity of the latter procedure cannot to be overried, so that they could be batter used together in order to obtain quantitative measurement of antibody with relative specificity.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2016

In searching for novel agents for skin anti-aging from natural resources, we found that the extract of the fruiting bodies of Ramaria formosa (R. formosa) had significant antioxidant and human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitory activities. R. formosa extract exhibited a considerable DPPH radical scavenging activity with an antioxidant content of 117.0mg/mL (ascorbic acid equivalents) at the concentration of $500{\mu}g/mL$. The capacity of R. formosa extract to scavenge peroxy radicals measured by ORAC assay also showed dose-dependent antioxidant effect with $ORAC_{Roo}$ (trolox equivalents, $1{\mu}M$) values of 0.8, 5.2, and 7.8 at the concentrations of 1, 10, and $20{\mu}g/mL$. The cellular antioxidant capacity of R. formosa extract was investigated by assaying the cellular fluorescence intensity using dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCF). The cellular oxidative stress induced by AAPH, $Cu^{2+}$ or $H_2O_2$ in HepG2 cells was significantly attenuated by more than 30% at $20{\mu}g/mL$ of R. formosa extract. HNE activity was reduced by treatment with R. formosa extract in a dose-dependent manner, and the $ED_{50}$ value for the ethanol extract of R. formosa was $42.9{\mu}g/mL$. R. formosa extract did not exhibited antimicrobial activity against four microorganisms including Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Candida albicans (C. albicans), Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae). Furthermore, the extract did not affect the inflammatory cytokine production of interleukin-10 and interferon-${\gamma}$ in NK92 cells. From the above results, we found that R. formosa extract has considerable antioxidant and elastase inhibitory effects, and does not stimulate immune cells. These findings suggest that R. formosa extract may be used as a bioactive component in cosmetic composition.