• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.3642-3644
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• 2014

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.438-444
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• 2012

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) including endocannabinoids, anadamide, are long chain fatty acid ethanolamines and express ubiquitously in animal and plant tissues. NAEs have several pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anorexic effects. The levels of NAEs in tissues are strictly regulated by synthesizing and hydrolyzing enzymes because NAEs are not stored in the cell but rather made on demand. NAEs are hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and ethanolamines by fatty acid amide hydrolase and N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA). Here, we suggest the fluorescence-based assay system for NAAA. We developed N-(4-methy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)palmitamide (PAAC) as a fluorogenic substrate for NAAA and we also generated NAAA stably expressing COSM6 cell line. When extracts of cells expressing NAAA were incubated with PAAC, NAAA specifically hydrolyzed PAAC to palmitic acids and fluorogenic dye, coumarin. Release of coumarin was monitored by using fluorometer. NAAA hydrolyzed PAAC with an apparent Km of $20.05{\mu}M$ and Vmax of 32.18 pmol/mg protein/min. This assay system can be used to develop inhibitors or activators of NAAA.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.458-461
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• 2011

Enteropeptidase is a serine protease secreted by the pancreas and converts inactive trypsinogen to active trypsin. Enteropeptidase cleaves the C-terminal end of the substrate recognition sequence Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys ($D_4K$). The assay for enteropeptidase has utilized $GD_4K$-conjugated 2-naphthylamine ($GD_4K$-NA) as a fluorogenic probe over the last 30 years. However, no other $D_4K$-conjugated fluorogenic substrates of enteropeptidase have been reported. Furthermore, naphthalene is known as carcinogenic to humans. In this study, we used shift in the emission spectrum of $GD_4K$-conjugated 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin ($GD_4K$-AMC) as a fluorogenic method to measure enteropeptidase activity. The kinetic analysis revealed that enteropeptidase has a $K_M$ of 0.025 mM and a $k_{cat}$ of 65 $sec^{-1}$ for $GD_4K$-AMC, whereas it has a $K_M$ of 0.5 to 0.6 mM and a $k_{cat}$ of 25 $sec^{-1}$ for $GD_4K$-NA. The optimum pH of $GD_4K$-AMC hydrolysis was pH 8.0. Our data indicate that $GD_4K$-AMC is more suitable as a substrate for enteropeptidase than $GD_4K$-NA.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.28.1-28.11
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• 2022

The 26S proteasome irreversibly hydrolyzes polyubiquitylated substrates to maintain protein homeostasis; it also regulates immune responses by generating antigenic peptides. An alternative form of the 26S proteasome is the immunoproteasome, which contains substituted catalytic subunits (β1i/PSMB9, β2i/PSMB10, and β5i/PSMB8) instead of constitutively expressed counterparts (β1/PSMB6, β2/PSMB7, and β5/PSMB5). The immunoproteasome expands the peptide repertoire presented on MHC class I molecules. However, how its activity changes in this context is largely elusive, possibly due to the lack of a standardized methodology to evaluate its specific activity. Here, we describe an assay protocol that measures the immunoproteasome activity of whole-cell lysates using commercially available fluorogenic peptide substrates. Our results showed that the most accurate assessment of immunoproteasome activity could be achieved by combining β5i-targeting substrate Ac-ANW-AMC and immunoproteasome inhibitor ONX-0914. This simple and reliable protocol may contribute to future studies of immunoproteasomes and their pathophysiological roles during viral infection, inflammation, and tumorigenesis.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.125.2-126
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• 2003

Human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by activated monocytes and macrophage as a part of the self-defence machinery. TNF-a converting enzyme (TACE) is the metalloproteinase that processes the membrane bound precursor of TNFa to the soluble component. (omitted)

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2010

Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) display various pharmacological effects including pain control, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotection. The synthesis and release of endocannabinoids are regulated under both physiological and pathological conditions. The main degrading enzyme of endocannabinoid is fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Therefore we have developed the fluorescence-based assay system for FAAH. We established stable CosM6 cell lines expressing human FAAH. We also synthesized 2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl decanoate (DAEC) as a fluorogenic substrate for FAAH. When crude membrane extracts stably expressing FAAH was incubated with DAEC at $25^{\circ}C$, FAAH reacted specifically to DAEC and catalyzes the hydrolysis of DAEC into decanoic acid and highly fluorescent coumarin. Furthermore, the serin hydrolase inhibitor, phenylmethanesulfonylfluoride, inhibited the coumarin release to the reaction buffer in concentration dependent manner. This assay system is suitable for high-throughput screening since this system has simple experimental procedure and measurement method.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.363-369
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• 2009

We developed the Eco medium for Escherichia coli and total coliforms, which was modified by Violet Red Bile (VRB) medium, and derived the standard curve of exponential phase at $OD_{410}$ by using type strains such as E. coli ATCC11303, Enterobacter cloacae KCTC2361, Klebsiella pneumoniae KCTC2241, and Citrobacter freundii KCTC2359. Also, we used total 93 samples of spring and stream water to compare the detection ability of total coliforms between the method using Eco medium and such as most probable number (MPN), and plate count methods. As a result, the qualitative analysis of E. coli and total coliforms using Eco medium contained ortho-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-galactoside (ONPG) and 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-glucuronide (MUG) was same as those of Korean standard methods (Colilert kit). And the colony forming unit (CFU) detected in Eco medium was similar to those of result from MPN and plate count methods. Moreover, the agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of the developed kit was more than 97.5% in comparison with Colilert kit for 350 samples. Thus, the Eco medium can be used both qualitative and quantitative analysis of E. coli and total coliforms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1627-1635
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• 2013

Mitochondria often play central roles in apoptotic pathways, and disruption of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (${\Delta}{\psi}m$) has been observed in various cells undergoing apoptosis. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection induces apoptosis in permissive cells; however, investigations of mitochondria-targeted apoptosis in HCMV-infected human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells have been limited. Here, we investigated the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in HCMV-infected HFF cells. Flow cytometry analysis using JC-1 revealed that HCMV infection induces disruption of ${\Delta}{\psi}m$ in HFF cells when administered 24 h post-infection (hpi), and this disruption was maximized at 48 hpi. Moreover, cytochrome c, normally a mitochondrial inner membrane protein, was detected in cytoplasmic extracts of HCMV-infected cells, but not mock-infected cells, by western blot analysis at 24 hpi. A caspase activity assay based on fluorescence spectrophotometry using a fluorogenic substrate revealed an increase in caspase-3 activity at 48 hpi in HCMV-infected cells. Caspase-8 activity was increased at 72 hpi in HCMV-infected cells. These results imply that HCMV infection induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in HFF cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.768-778
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• 2011

Calixpyrroles and related macrocycles are non-planer synthetic anion receptors that have attracted considerable attentions in recent years. Although the synthesis of calix[4]pyrrole (known as meso-octamethylporphyrinogen) was reported more than 100 years ago, the anion binding properties were first discovered in 1996. The simple calix[4]pyrroles can be synthesized in single step in high yield by condensation of pyrrole with acetone. The compounds showed preferential binding for halide anions including fluoride, phosphate, carboxylate, and chloride in organic media. Efforts to improve the anion affinity of calix[4]pyrrole and to enhance its selectivity have led to the synthesis of a variety of new calixpyrrole derivatives. Among the various modifications, introduction of straps on one side of the calix[4]pyrroles are the most effective. Incorporation of aromatic rings other than pyrroles also exhibited interesting binding behaviour. Introduction of signalling units as part of the strapping element enable to detect the anions on chromogenic or fluorogenic fashion. Finding of the anion transport properties across the membrane and cytotoxic effects of the calix[4]pyrroles open new window for calixpyrrole-related research. The polymer-incorporated systems have also been employed as anion complexants in solvent-solvent extraction. These old, yet easy-to-make macrocycles have well advanced more recently with the discovery of the ion-pair complexation properties. In this review, the synthetic developments and anion binding properties of calixpyrroles for the last decades will be discussed and will cover the advances in calixpyrrole chemistry.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.655-662
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• 2004

The aim of this work was the validation of a rapid real-time PCR assay based on TaqMan technology for the unequivocal identification of infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) virus, to be used directly on DNA purified from blood specimens. A real-time PCR system targeting at the E3 ORFA gene sequence of canine adenovirus type 1 was optimized and validated through comparative analysis of samples using conventional PCR system. The real-time PCR assay based on TaqMan technology could disclose 23 (37.7%) out of 61 samples as PCR positive. In contrast, 18 (29.5%) samples were found PCR positive when conventional PCR was applied on these samples. The use of the ABI Prism 7700 sequence detection system allowed the efficient determination of the amplified product accumulation through a fluorogenic probe. The entire real-time TaqMan PCR assay, including DNA extraction, amplification, and detection could be completed within 3 hours. The detection method of real-time TaqMan PCR assay was 1,000 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. Real-time TaqMan probe and primer set developed and optimized in this study is a sensitive, rapid and accurate method for detection of ICH virus and can be effective screening tool for the detection of ICH in a diagnostic laboratory routines.