• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.517-524
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• 2015

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in cell-based therapy to promote revascularization after peripheral or myocardial ischemia. High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the senescence and apoptosis of MSCs, causing defective neovascularization. Here, we examined the effect of the natural antioxidant lycopene on oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in MSCs. Although $H_2O_2$ ($200{\mu}M$) increased intracellular ROS levels in human MSCs, lycopene ($10{\mu}M$) pretreatment suppressed $H_2O_2$-induced ROS generation and increased survival. $H_2O_2$-induced ROS increased the levels of phosphorylated p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), and p53, which were inhibited by lycopene pretreatment. Furthermore, lycopene pretreatment decreased the expression of cleaved poly (ADP ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and caspase-3 and increased the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), which were induced by $H_2O_2$ treatment. Moreover, lycopene significantly increased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) expression and decreased cellular ROS levels via the PI3K-Akt pathway. Our findings show that lycopene pretreatment prevents ischemic injury by suppressing apoptosis-associated signal pathway and enhancing anti-oxidant protein, suggesting that lycopene could be developed as a beneficial broad-spectrum agent for the successful MSC transplantation in ischemic diseases.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.238-244
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• 1984

To produce inulase from Kluyveromyces fragilis No.351 using Jerusalem artichoke tuber extract, optimization of the condition was conducted. As results, the optimal concentration of artichoke tuber extract was 3.5 % and bactocasitone showed better production than yeast extract. The optimal temperature and pH were $30^{\circ}C$ and 5.5, respectively. The addition of $NH_4H_2PO_4$ increased the enzyme production. Inulase synthesis was growth-associated and the enzyme production increased as concentration of dissolved oxygen increased. A higher quantity of industrial grade inulase was prepared by the combination of ultrafiltration and ethanol precipitation with 72% recovery.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.367-372
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• 2002

Cytosine deaminase (cytosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.1) stoichiometrically catalyzes the hydrolytic deamination of cytosine and 5-fluorocytosine to uracil and 5-fluorouracil, respectively. Optimal medium compositions for production of cytosine deaminase from Chromobacterium violaceum YK 391 were 0.75% soluble starch, 1.5% peptone, 0.1% meat extract, 0.1% yeast extract, 0.01% NaCl, 0.01% $MgCl_2{\cdot}7H_2O$ and 0.05% $K_2HPO_4$. The optimal pH of medium and incubation temperature were 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. C. violaceum reached stationary phase after 30 hr, and produced a maximum cytosine deaminase (120 units/ml) after 72 h in batch culture.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 1986

It has been reported that the luteal function may be regulated by the intracellular calcium in luteal cells (Higuchi et al, 1976; Dorflinger et at, 1984; Gore and Behrman, 1984) which is adjusted partially by $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activities in luteal cell membranes (Verma and Pennistion, 1981). However, the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ in luteal membranes were not fully characterized. This study was, therefore, undertaken to partially characterize the physicochemical and kinetic properties of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system in luteal membranes and microsomal fractions, known as an one of the major $Ca^{++}$ storge sites (Moore and Pastan, 1978), from the highly luteinized ovary Highly luteinized ovaries were obtained from PMSG-hCG injected immautre female rats. Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions were prepared by the differential and discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation method desribed by Bramley and Ryan (1980). Light membrane and heavy membrane fractions and microsomal fractions from highly luteinized ovaries are composed of the two different kinds of $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system. One is the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ which is activated in low $Ca^{++}$ concentration (Km, 10-30 nM), the other is low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activated in higher $Ca^{++}$ concentration $(K_{1/2},\;40\;{\mu}M)$. At certain $Ca^{++}$ concentrations, activities of high and low affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ are the highest in light membrane fractions and are the lowest in microsomal fractions. It appeares that high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system have 2 binding sites for ATP (Hill's coefficient; around 2 in all membrane fractions measured) and the positive cooperativity of ATP bindings obviously existed in each membrane fractions. The optimum pH for high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activation is around S in all membrane fractions measured. The lipid phase transition temperature measured by Arrhenius plots of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity is around $25^{\circ}C$. The activation energies of high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ below the transition temperature are similar in each membrane fractions, but at the above transition temperature, it is the hightest in heavy membrane fractions and the lowest in microsomal fractions. According to the above results, it is suggested that intracellular $Ca^{++}$ level, which may regulate the luteal function, may be adjusted primarily by the high affinity $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ system activated in intracellular $Ca^{++}$ concentration range $(below\;0.1\;{\mu}M)$.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.193-197
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• 2016

Background: Some patients with special needs exhibit intellectual disability, including deficits in cognitive skills and decreased quality of life. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare changes in body composition and hemodynamics during general anesthesia in patients with and without special needs. Methods: The backgrounds of patients who underwent oral maxillofacial surgery under general anesthesia were recorded from medical records. Intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), stroke volume variation (SVV), and heart rate (HR) were recorded for 3 h after the start of anesthesia. Categorical data were compared using an unpaired t-test, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was regarded as significant. Numerical data were compared using the Bonferroni correction, and a P-value of less than 0.0125 was regarded as significant. Results: A total of 21 patients were included in the study: 10 patients without special needs (non-S-group) and 11 patients with special needs (S-group). There were no significant differences in patients' backgrounds, except with regard to height (P = 0.03). In both groups, ICW and ECW were maintained, although they were lower in the S-group compared to the non-S-group. SVV was maintained in both groups, although it was higher in the S-group than the non-S-group. HR was significantly lower in the S-group 1 h after induction of anesthesia (P < 0.003). Conclusions: Changes in hemodynamics due to body fluid imbalance should be monitored during general anesthesia, especially for patients with special needs.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2015

Nafamostat mesilate (NM) is a serine protease inhibitor with anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory effects. NM has been used in Asia for anticoagulation during extracorporeal circulation in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation. Oxidative stress is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease and is associated with vascular endothelial function. We investigated whether NM could inhibit endothelial dysfunction induced by tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$ ). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with TNF-${\alpha}$ for 24 h. The effects of NM on monocyte adhesion, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) protein expression, p38 mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, and intracellular superoxide production were then examined. NM ($0.01{\sim}100{\mu}g/mL$) did not affect HUVEC viability; however, it inhibited the increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and p66shc expression elicited by TNF-${\alpha}$ (3 ng/mL), and it dose dependently prevented the TNF-${\alpha}$ -induced upregulation of endothelial VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. In addition, it mitigated TNF-${\alpha}$ -induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation and the adhesion of U937 monocytes. These data suggest that NM mitigates TNF-${\alpha}$ -induced monocyte adhesion and the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules, and that the anti-adhesive effect of NM is mediated through the inhibition of p66shc, ROS production, and p38 MAPK activation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.219-219
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• 1996

Mucin release from hamster tracheal surface epithelial(HTSE) cells can be stimulated by extracellular ATP via activation of P$_2$ purinoceptors located on the cell surface which appears to be coupled to phospholipase C via G proteins. However, our preliminary data indicate that the ATP-induced mucin release involves, in part, activation of PKC, but not an increase in the intracellular Ca++ level, suggesting the presence of another pathway which is separate from the PLC-PKC pathway, In this study, we intended to confirm the previous observation and subsequently identify an additional mechanism. Confluent HTSE cells were metabolically labeled with either $^3$H-glucosamine or $^3$H-arachidonic acid(AA), and release of either $^3$H-mucin or $^3$H-AA was quantified following various treatments. $^3$H-mucin was assayed using the sepharose CL-4B gel-filtration method, whereas $^3$H-AA liberation was measured by counting $^3$H-radioactivity in the chase medium. We found that: (1)Desensitization of PKC by pretreatment with PMA completely abolished the mucin releasing effect of PMA but partially inhibited the ATP-induced mucin release; (2) ATP increases release of $^3$H-AA in a dose-dependent fashion; (3) mepacrine, an inhibitor of PLA$_2$, attenuates ATP-induced mucin release in a dose-dependent fashion. These results confirm our previous notion that the PLC-PKC pathway is responsible, in part, for ATP-induced mucin release. Furthermore, activation of PLA$_2$ appears to be an additional pathway which is involved in ATP-induced mucin release.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.330-336
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• 2005

Lactococcus lactis A164 is a nisin Z-producing strain isolated from kimchi. Its antimicrobial spectrum has been found to be active against most Gram-positive bacteria tested, yet inactive against Gram-negative bacteria [3]. Accordingly, to overcome this drawback, the current study attempted to express human $\beta$-defensin-l (hBD-l), which kills both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in L. lactis AI64. When the hBD-l cDNA was introduced using a nisin Z-controlled expression cassette, the L. lactis A164 transformants grew very poorly, due to the bactericidal effect of the expressed hBD-l against the transformants. Therefore, a gene fusion system was designed to reduce the toxicity of the expressed heterologous protein against the host cells. As such, the hBD-l gene was fused to the DsbC- Tag of pET -40b(+), then introduced to L. lactis A 164. The transformants expressed an intracellular 35.6-kDa DsbC-hBD-l fusion protein that exhibited slight activity against the host cells, yet not enough to strongly inhibit the cell growth. To obtain the recombinant hBD-l, the DsbC-hBD-l fusion protein was purified by nickel-affinity column chromatography, and the DsbC-Tag removed by cleaving with enterokinase. The cleaved mature hBD-l exhibited strong bactericidal activity against E. coli JM109, indicating that the recombinant L. lactis A 164 produced a biologically active hBD-I. In addition, the recombinant L. lactis A 164 was also found to produce the same level of nisin Z as the wild-type.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.309-312
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• 2000

A halophilic bacterium was isolated from domestic marine. The bacterium was gram negative and motile. Transmission electron micrograph after cultivating for 6-, 20-, 72-, and 144 hrs showed that it was bacilli and contained intracellular granules, which were pleomorphic, larger in density by the time and considered to be PHB since they were positive on the sudan black B staining. The presence of sodium chloride was critical, because the isolated marine bacterium could not multiply and even produce any immunostimulant in the deficiency of sodium chloride. The strain produced an immunostimulant, which was investigated for the biological characteristics. The optimal conditions for the production of the immunostimulant were 1 % dextrose and 1 % yeast extract in artificial sea water for carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The initial pH and growth temperature for the production were 8.0 and $30^{\circ}C$ under the presence of oxigen, respectively.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.859-865
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• 2006

With an approach to study the anti-tumor effects and mechanism of selenium compound, we investigated the anti-tumor activity and mechanism of $Na_5SeV_5O_{18}{\cdot}3H_2O$ (NaSeVO) in K562 cells. The results showed that $0.625{\sim}20\;mg/L$ NaSeVO could significantly inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells in vitro in a time- and concentration-dependent manner as determined by microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay, the IC50 values were 14.41 (4.45-46.60) and 3.45 (2.29-5.22) mg/L after 48 hand 72 h treatment with NaSeVO respectively. In vivo experiments demonstrated that i.p. administration of 5, 10 mg/kg NaSeVO exhibited an significant inhibitory effect on the growth of transplantation tumor sarcoma 180 (S180) and hepatoma 22 (H22) in mice, with inhibition rate 26.8% and 58.4% on S180 and 31.3% and 47.4% on H22, respectively. Cell cycle studies indicated that the proportion of G0/G1 phase was increased at 2.5 mg/L while decreased at 10 mg/L after treatment for 24, 48 h. Whereas S phase was decreased at 2.5-5 mg/L and markedly increased at 10 mg/L after treatment for 48 h. After treatment for 24 h, 10 mg/L NaSeVO also markedly increased S and G2/M phases. Take together, the result clearly showed that NaSeVO markedly increased S and G2/M phases at 10 mg/L. The study of immunocytochemistry showed that the expression bcl-2 is significantly inhibited by 10 mg/L NaSeVO, and bax increased. Morphology observation also revealed typical apoptotic features. NaSeVO also significantly caused the accumulation of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the reduction of pH value and mitochondrial membrane potential in K562 cells as compared with control by confocal laser scanning microscope. These results suggest that NaSeVO has anti-tumor effects and its mechanism is attributed partially to apoptosis induced by the elevation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and ROS concentration, and a reduction of pH value and mitochondria membrane potential (MMP).