• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.431-440
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• 2007

A silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) extract known to contain naturally occurring iminosugars, including 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) derived from the mulberry tree (Morus alba L.), was evaluated in surrogate HCV and HBV in vitro assays. Antiviral activity of the silkworm extract and one of its purified constituents, 1-DNJ, was demonstrated against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and GB virus-B (GBV-B), both members of the Flaviviridae family, and against woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), both members of the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses. The silkworm extract exhibited a 1,300 fold greater antiviral effect against BVDV in comparison to purified 1-DNJ. Glycoprotein processing of BVDV envelope proteins was disrupted upon treatment with the naturally derived components. The glycosylation of the WHV envelope proteins was affected largely by treatment with the silkworm extract than with purified 1-DNJ as well. The mechanism of action for this therapy may lie in the generation of defective particles that are unable to initiate the next cycle of infection as demonstrated by inhibition of GBV-B in vitro. We postulate that the five constituent iminosugars present in the silkworm extract contribute, in a synergistic manner, toward the antiviral effects observed for the inhibition of intact maturation of hepatitis viral particles and may complement conventional therapies. These results indicate that pre-clinical testing of the natural silkworm extract with regards to the efficacy of treatment against viral hepatitis infections can be evaluated in the respective animal models, in preparation for clinical trials in humans.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.279-284
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• 1998

한국인 환자의 혈청에서 분리한 HGV 5'-UTR영역의 염기서열을 결정하였다. 이들 염기서열을 이미 보고된 서열들과 비교한 결과, 한국 분리주들은 일본 분리주들과 더 높은 상동성을 나타내어 지리적 격리에 의해 HGV의 염기서열의 변이가 축적되었음을 알 수 있다. 흥미롭게도 동일 지역에서 분리된 HGV 분리주들 간에는 고도로 보존되어 있어 HGV의 분류에 이용가능한 세 개의 영역이 5'-UTR에서 발견되었다. 이들 그룹-특이적 영역에 기초하여, 24 HGV 분리주들을 5개의 그룹으로 분류할 수 있었다.