• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.206-212
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• 1998

This study was undertaken to explore the applicability of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as a predictable indicator to monitor chemical pollution in shells and fishes utilized for food. There were some variations in the basal level of GST activity depending on species tested. Ark shells, Anadara satowi, showed the highest normal enzyme activity, followed by catfish and marine mussels, Mytilus coruscus. White clams, Meretrix lusoria, Israeli carp and catfish had lower activity. When A. satowi was exposed to 3-methyl-cholanthrene (3-MC), a prototypic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon for 1 week, GST activity decreased by about 30%. This reduction in GST activity induced by 3-MC did not recover until two weeks after the cessation of exposure. GST activity increased in response to 3-MC in most of the other species studied. The GST elevation in M. coruscus attained its maxinum of about 200% at the termination of 3-MC exposure maintaining this level up to 2 weeks, and declined gradually thereafter. 3-MC also induced GST activity in lsraeli carp in a similar fashion to M. coruscus. Phenobarbital induced GST activity both in M. coruscus and lsraeil carp. Other chemicals. such as clofibrate, butylated hydroxyanisole. hexachlorobenzene, and oxolinic acid did not change the enzyme activity significantly in most speciel. Phenol depressed GST activity only in lsraeli carp. These results suggest that the basal level of GST activity is somewhat variable and that the direction of change in response to chemicals seems to be related to its normal activity. The change in enzyme activity can be a preditable indicator of some environmental chemicals such as PAHs and phenol.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1996

Previous studies have shown that glucocorticoid suppresses microsomal epoxide hydrolase(EH) gene expression and that EH expression is altered during pregnancy. The effects of progesterone on the expression of rat EH and certain glutathione S-transferase(GST) genes were examined in this study. Northern RNA blot analysis revealed that progesterone was effective in increasing hepatic EH mRNA levels at 12 h to 48 h after treatment with a maximal 9-fold increase being noted at 12 h time point. Nonetheless, multiple daily treatment with progesterone rather caused minimal relative increases in EH mRNA levels. GST Ya and Yb1/2 mRNA levels were also transiently elevated at 12 h after progesterone treatment, followed by gradual decreases from the maximal Increases at day 1, 2 and 5 post-treatment. These changes in EH and GST mRNA levels were noted only at a relatively high dose of progesterone. Furthermore, immunoblot analyses showed that rats treated with progesterone for 5 days failed to show EH or GST induction, indicating that progesterone-induced alterations in EH and GST mRNA levels do not reflect bona fide induction of the detoxifying enzymes. Concomitant progesterone treatment of rats with the known EH inducers including ketoconazole and clotrimazole failed to additively nor antagonistically alter EH mRNA levels. In contrast, dexamethasone substantially reduced ketoconazole- or clotrimazole-inducible EH expression. These results showed that progesterone stimulates the EH, GST Ya and Yb1/2 gene expression at early times followed by marked reduction in the RNA levels from the maximum after multiple treatment and that the changes in mRNA do not necessarily reflect induction of the proteins.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 1997

Disulfiram (DSF) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), a reduced form of DSF, protect the liver against toxicant-induced injury through inhibition of cytochrome P450 2E1. The effect of DSF and DDC on the levels of major hepatic microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) expression was comparatively studied, given the view that these enzymes are involved in terminal detoxification events for high energy intermediates of xenobiotics. Treatment of rats with a single dose of DSF (20-200 mg/kg, po) resulted in 2- to 15-fold increases in the mEH mRNA level at 24 hr with the ED$_{50}$ value being noted as 60 mg/kg. The mEH mRNA level was elevated ~15-fold at 24 hr after treatment at the dose of 100 mg/kg, whereas the hepatic mRNA level was rather decreased from the maximum at the dose of 200 mg/kg, indicating that DSF might cause cytotoxicity at the dose. In contrast to the effect of DSF, DDC only minimally elevated the mEH mRNA level at the doses employed. DSF moderately increased the major GST mRNA levels in the liver as a function of dose, resulting in rGSTA2, rGSTA3/5 or rGSTM1 mRNA levels being elevated 3- to 4-fold at 24 hr post-treatment, whereas the rGSTM2 mRNA level was not altered. DDC, however, failed to stimulate the mRNA levels for major GST subunits, indicating that the reduced form of DSF was ineffective in stimulating the GST the expression. The effect of other organosulfides including aldrithiol, 2, 2'-dithiobis(benzothiazole) (DTB), tetramethylthiouram disulfide (TMTD) and allyl disulfide (ADS) on the hepatic mEH and GST mRNA expression was assessed in rats in order to further confirm the increase in the gene expression by other disulfides. Treatment of rats with aldrithiol (100 mg/kg, po) resulted in a 16-fold increase in the mEH mRNA level at 24 hr post-treatment. DTB, TMTD and ADS also caused 5-, 9- and 12-fold increases in the rnRNA level, respectively, as compared to control. Thus, all of the disulfides examined were active in stimulating the mEH gene in the liver. The organosulfides significantly increased the rGSTA2, rGSTA3, rGSTA5 and rGSTM1 mRNA levels at 24 hr after administration. In particular, aldrithiol was very efficient in stimulating the rGSTA and rGSTM genes among the disulfides examined. These results provide evidence that DSF and other sulfides effectively stimulate the mEH and major GST gene expression at early times in the liver and that DDC, a reduced form of DSF, was ineffective in stimulating the expression of the genes, supporting the conclusion that reduced form(s) of organosulfur compound(s) might be less effective in inducing the mEH and GST genes through the antioxidant responsive element(s).

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.97-103
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• 1998

Effects of safener fluxofenim was investigated for crop injury of acetanilide's upland herbicides and for enzyme activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in grain sorghum. Bioassay with etiolated grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. cv. 'G522DR'] seedlings grown in agar containing metolachlor or alachlor showed that they are strong inhibitors on root growth of grain sorghum ($GI_{50}=4.5{\mu}M$ for metolachlor and $6.2{\mu}M$ for alachlor). The safener fluxofenim applied by seed soaking protected growth of grain sorghum from crop injury of metolachlor or alachlor at the concentrations of 1 to 10 ${\mu}M$. There was a significant increase in glutathione-herbicide conjugates in root tissues of fluxofenim-treated seedlings. Activities of $GST_{-metolachlor}$ and $GST_{-CDNB}$ were increased by 82% and 70%, respectively, in the cytosolic fraction of roots with fluxofenim treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2002

Objectives of this study were to determine if impurities in technical grade benfuracarb inhibit glutathione-S-transferase and amidase and to identify structures of impurities in technical grade benfuracarb. Technical grade benfuracarb, active ingredient, and impurity inhibited glutathione-S-transferase, and their $I_{50}$ were $9.7{\times}10^{-4}M,\;>1.0{\times}10^{-3}M,\;1.8{\times}10^{-4}M$, respectively. Such inhibition, however, was not higher than that by ethacrynic acid, a selective inhibitor to GST. Technical grade benfuracarb, active ingredient, and impurity also inhibited amidase, and their $I_{50}$ were $6.0{\times}10^{-5}M,\;4.3{\times}10^{-4}M,\;7.6{\times}10^{-5}M$, respectively. Our results show that the inhibition of both detoxifying enzymes by impurities in benfuracarb was 10-fold lower than that by active ingredient, suggesting that both active ingredient and impurities are involved in the inhibition of both detoxifying enzymes. Of four impurities (IM $1{\sim}4$) that were separated from technical grade benfuracarb, IM 2 and IM 3 inhibited GST and amidase. Based on data from IR, $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR and MS, it was determined that IM 2 is ethyl-N-isopropylamino propionate and IM 3 is ethyl-N-isopropyl-N(chlorosulfenyl)aminopropionate.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6403-6407
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• 2012

Detoxifying enzymes are present in most epithelial cells of the human gastrointestinal tract where they protect against xenobiotics which may cause cancer. Induction of examples such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and its thiol conjugate, glutathione (GSH) as well as NAD(P)H: quinoneoxidoreductase (NQO1) facilitate the excretion of carcinogens and thus preventing colon carcinogenesis. Pterostilbene, an analogue of resveratrol, has demonstrated numerous pharmacological activities linked with chemoprevention. This study was conducted to investigate the potential of pterostilbene as a chemopreventive agent using the HT-29 colon cancer cell line to study the modulation of GST and NQO1 activities as well as the GSH level. Initially, our group, established the optimum dose of 24 hours pterostilbene treatment using MTT assays. Then, effects of pterostilbene ($0-50{\mu}M$) on GST and NQO1 activity and GSH levels were determined using GST, NQO1 and Ellman assays, respectively. MTT assay of pterostilbene ($0-100{\mu}M$) showed no cytotoxicity toward the HT-29 cell line. Treatment increased GST activity in the cell line significantly (p<0.05) at 12.5 and $25.0{\mu}M$. In addition, treatment at $50{\mu}M$ increased the GSH level significantly (p<0.05). Pterostilbene also enhanced NQO1 activity significantly (p<0.05) at $12.5{\mu}M$ and $50{\mu}M$. Hence, pterostilbene is a potential chemopreventive agent capable of modulation of detoxifiying enzyme levels in HT-29 cells.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2004

In order to understand the mechanism of the regulation of drug metabolizing enzyme gene expression, we have studied the induction of CYP1A1 and GSTα, μ, π enzymes in Japanese monkey and rhesus monkey after the treatment with 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) and di-n- butyl phthalate (DBP) and bisphenol A (BPA). The levels of mRNA were measured_by RT-PCR in brain, intestine and liver. In the case of adult monkey, treatment with 3MC induced CYP1A1 mRNA in brain by 2-fold. The treatment with DBP induced CYP1A1 mRNA. Effects of 3MC and DBP on GST mRNA expression was not clear. But GSTμ was slightly inhibited by the treatment with 3MC and DBP. GSTα was not induced by the treatment with 3MC and DBP in brain. GSTπ was slightly induced by the treatment with 3MC and DBP in brain. In the case of fetus monkey, the basal levels of fetus CYP1A1 mRNA and GSTs mRNA were relatively low compared to adult monkey. As the age of monkey increased, the basal levels of CYP1A1 mRNA were also increased. 3MC induced the expression of CYP1A1 mRNA in liver, whereas it didn't significantly induce CYP1A1 mRNA in brain. The levels of GSTμ and GSTα were not changed by the treatment with 3MC and DBP. GSTπ was slightly induced by the treatment with 3MC and DBP.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2003

The spectroe-ellipsometric constant $\Delta$, Ψ and the ellipsometric growth curves at the wavelength of 632.8 nm are collected. These are critically examined to find out the optimum growth condition of phase change $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5(GST)$ thin films as an optical recording medium. GST films are prepared using DC magnetron sputtering technique, under the selected experimental conditions of Ar gas pressure (5 mTorr, 7 mTorr and 10 mTorr), DC power of sputtering gun (15 W, 30 W and 45 W), and substrate temperature (from room temperature to 18$0^{\circ}C$). Based on the three film model, the density distribution of deposited GST films are obtained versus Ar gas pressure and DC power by analyzing spectro-ellipsometric data. The calculated evolution curves at the wavelength of 632.8 nm, are fit into the in situ observed ones to get information about the evolution of density distribution during film growth. The density distribution showed different evolution curves depending on deposition conditions. The GST films fabricated at DC power of 30 W or 45 W, and at Ar gas pressure of 7 mTorr turned out to be the most homogeneous one out of those prepared at room temperature, even though the maximum density difference between the dense region and the dilute region of the GST film was still significant (~50%). Finally, in order to find the optimum growth condition of homogeneous GST thin films, the substrate temperature is varied while Ar gas pressure is fixed at 7 mTorr and DC power at 30 W and 45 W respectively. A monotonic decrease of void fraction except for a slight increase at 18$0^{\circ}C$ is observed as the substrate temperature increases. Decrease of void fraction indicates an increase of film density and hence an improvement of film homogeneity. The optimum condition of the most homogeneous GST film growth turned out to be 7 mTorr of Ar gas pressure, 15$0^{\circ}C$ of substrate temperature. and 45 W of DC power. The microscopic images obtained using scanning electron microscope, of the samples prepared at the optimum growth condition, confirmed this conclusion. It is believed that the fabrication of homogeneous GST films will be quite beneficial to provide a reliable optical recording medium compatible with repeated write/erase cycles.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 1998

To purify the geranylgeranyl protein transferase type I (GGPT-I) efficiently, a gene expression system using the pGEX-4T-1 vector was constructed. The cal1 gene, encoding the ${\beta}$ subunit of GGPT-I, was subcloned into the pGEX-4T-1 vector and co-transformed into E. coli cells harboring the ram2 gene, the ${\alpha}$ subunit gene of GGPT-I. GGPT-I was highly expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST) in E. coli, purified to homogeneity by glutathione-agarose affinity chromatography, and the GST moiety was excised by thrombin treatment. The purified yeast GGPT-I showed a dose-dependent increase in the transferase activity, and its apparent $K_m$ value for an undecapeptide fused with GST (GST-PEP) was $0.66\;{\mu}M$ and the apparent value for geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) was $0.071\;{\mu}M$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2221-2224
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• 2013

The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of enzymes involved in the detoxification of a wide range of chemicals, including important environmental carcinogens, as well as chemotherapeutic agents. In the present study 294 acute leukemia cases, comprising 152 of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and 142 of acute myeloid leukemia, and 251 control samples were analyzed for GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms through multiplex PCR methods. Significantly increased frequencies of GSTM1 null genotype (M0), GSTT1 null genotype (T0) and GST double null genotype (T0M0) were observed in the both ALL and AML cases as compared to controls. When data were analyzed with respect to clinical variables, increased mean levels of WBC, Blast %, LDH and significant reduction in DFS were observed in both ALL and AML cases with T0 genotype. In conclusion, absence of both GST M & GST T might confer increased risk of developing ALL or AML. The absence of GST enzyme might lead to oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage resulting in genomic instability, a hallmark of acute leukemia. The GST enzyme deficiency might also exert impact on clinical prognosis leading to poorer DFS. Hence GST genotyping can be made mandatory in management of acute leukemia so that more aggressive therapy such as allogenic stem cell transplantation may be planned in the case of patients with a null genotype.