• Mycobiology
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.171-179
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• 2016

In the screening of marine mangrove derived fungi for lovastatin productivity, endophytic Aspergillus luchuensis MERV10 exhibited the highest lovastatin productivity (9.5 mg/gds) in solid state fermentation (SSF) using rice bran. Aspergillus luchuensis MERV10 was used as the parental strain in which to induce genetic variabilities after application of different mixtures as well as doses of mutagens followed by three successive rounds of genome shuffling. Four potent mutants, UN6, UN28, NE11, and NE23, with lovastatin productivity equal to 2.0-, 2.11-, 1.95-, and 2.11-fold higher than the parental strain, respectively, were applied for three rounds of genome shuffling as the initial mutants. Four hereditarily stable recombinants (F3/3, F3/7, F3/9, and F3/13) were obtained with lovastatin productivity equal to 50.8, 57.0, 49.7, and 51.0 mg/gds, respectively. Recombinant strain F3/7 yielded 57.0 mg/gds of lovastatin, which is 6-fold and 2.85-fold higher, respectively, than the initial parental strain and the highest mutants UN28 and NE23. It was therefore selected for the optimization of lovastatin production through improvement of SSF parameters. Lovastatin productivity was increased 32-fold through strain improvement methods, including mutations and three successive rounds of genome shuffling followed by optimizing SSF factors.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제6권5호
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• pp.235-239
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• 2002

It has been reported that lovastatin induced cell death and suppressed proliferation in various cell lines. In this study, we examined whether the cytotoxic effects of lovastatin could be prevented by Bcl-2 or $Bcl-_{XL}$ in C6 glial cells. Overexpression of human Bcl-2 or $Bcl-_{XL}$ prevented lovastatin $(25{\mu}M)-induced$ changes such as DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, disruption of cell membrane, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Lovastatin-induced inhibition of cell proliferation was unaffected by Bcl-2 or $Bcl-_{XL}$ overexpression. These results suggest that Bcl-2 and $Bcl-_{XL}$ can prevent lovastatin-induced apoptosis in C6 glial cells, though the inhibition of proliferation remains unaffected by these proteins.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제37권5호
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• pp.666-670
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• 2008

본 연구는 Asp. terreus ATCC 20542 변이주로부터 lovastatin 생산용 seed culture의 대량제조를 위한 방법을 개발한 것이다. 배양체의 선발, 분석 및 최적 배양용기를 검토한 결과 대두를 이용하여 petri dish(${\phi}150{\times}20mm$)에 배양하였을 때 lovastatin의 생산성이 우수하였다. 포자의 발아 촉진을 위하여 대두에 Asp. terreus를 접종한 다음 열처리를 달리하여, 각 전배양체를 미강에 본배양하였다. 본배양액을 추출한 후 HPLC를 이용하여 lovastatin 생산량을 검토한 결과 $30^{\circ}C$에서 1시간 동안 열처리한 전배양체가 본배양 12일째에 가장 높은 lovastatin 생산성을 보이며, in vitro assay 결과, 대두를 $30^{\circ}C$에서 1시간 열처리하여 본배양하였을 경우에 HMG-CoA reductase가 82% 저해되는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 기존의 포자현탁액 접종법보다 대두를 이용한 방법이 더욱 높은 HMG-CoA reductase 저해활성 및 배양시간의 단축성을 보여 산업화에 유리한 것으로 사료되었다.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2003년도 생물공학의 동향(XIII)
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• pp.263-267
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• 2003

Solid-state fermentation of lovastatin by Aspergillus terreus was investigated using commercially available 1.2 L polypropylene bottle designed for mushroom cultivation. Moist solid raw materials such as com, rice, and soy bean were tested and com was found to be most suitable for an economical production of lovastatin. 50% or higher water addition prior to the sterilization of com was effective for the maximal lovastatin production. About 0.5% (w/w) lovastatin content in dried cells and corn mass was obtained after 20 days of solid-state fermentation at 30$^{\circ}C$. For safety concerns, aflatoxin Bl and citrinin levels after fermentation were assayed but they were not detected. Lovastatin containing cells and corn residue after fermentation were autoclaved, dried, crushed, and fed to chicken for a period of 3 weeks. Approximately 20% reduction of blood cholesterol level of chicken was observed.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2002년도 생물공학의 동향 (X)
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• pp.184-187
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• 2002

Lovastatin is a cholesterol-lowering agent, which plays a role of an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3- methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA). When thiamine was supplemented in 3L batch fermentation, the production of lovastatin was improved. At the same time, the levels of pyruvic acid and NAD(P)H were estimated in the course of the fermentation of A. terreus. For the high level production of lovastatin, semi fed-batch fermentation was performed. And the thiamine level was maintained to a concentration of 20 mg/L and glucose was supplied. The final dry cell weight was lowered by 30 % and final lovastatin concentration was increased by 33 %. Final lovastatin concentration of 3.3 g/L was achieved in 8 days.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.78-84
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to optimize the solid state cultivation of Monascus ruber on sterile rice. A single-level-multiple-factor and a single-factor-multiple-level experimental design were employed to determine the optimal medium constituents and to optimize carbon and nitrogen source concentrations for lovastatin production. Simultaneous quantitative analyses of the ${\beta}$-hydroxyacid form and ${\beta}$-hydroxylactone for of lovastatin were performed by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with a UV photodiode-array (PDA) detector. The total lovastatin yield ($4{\sim}6\;mg/g$, average of five repeats) was achieved by adding soybean powder, glycerol, sodium nitrate, and acetic acid at optimized levels after 14 days of fermentation. The maximal yield of lovastatin under the optimal composition of the medium increased by almost 2 times the yield observed prior to optimization. The experimental results also indicated that the ${\beta}$-hydroxylactone form of lovastatin (LFL) and the ${\beta}$-hydroxyacid form of lovastatin (AFL) simultaneously existed in solid state cultures of Monascus ruber. while the latter was the dominant form in the middle-late stage of continued fermentation. These results indicate that optimized culture conditions can be used for industrial production of lovastatin to obtain high yields.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.283-288
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• 1998

Lovastatin, one of the potent cholesterol-lowering agents, is an inactive lactone prodrug which is metabolized to its active open acid, lovastatin acid (LVA). Bioequivalence study of two lovastatin preparations, the test drug ($Mevacor^{\circledR}$: Chungwae Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) and the reference drug ($Lovaload^{\circledR}$: Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), was conducted according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Fourteen healthy male volunteers, $23.9{\pm}3.9$ years old and $67.6{\pm}8.0$ kg of body weight in average, were divided randomly into two groups and administered the drug orally at the dose of 160 mg as lovastatin in a $2{\times}2$ crossover study. Plasma concentrations of lovastatin acid were analysed by HPLC method for 12 hr after administration. The extent of bioavailability was obtained from the plasma concentration-time profiles of total lovastatin acid after alkaline hydrolysis of the plasma samples. By alkaline hydrolysis, trace amounts of unmetabolized lovastatin were converted to lovastatin acid. The $AUC_{0-12hr}$ was calculated by the linear trapezoidal rule method. The $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ were compiled directly from the plasma drug concentration-time data. Student's t-test indicated no significant differences between the formulations in these parameters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there were no differences in AUC, $C_{max}$, and $T_{max}$ between the formulations. The apparent differences between the formulations were far less than 20% (e.g., 7.07, 5.77 and 1.18% for AUC, $C_{max}$, and $T_{max}$, respectively). Minimum detectable differences(%) between the formulations at ${\alpha}=0.05$ and $1-{\beta}=0.8$ were less than 20% (e.g., 17.2, 15.1, and 15.9% for AUC, Cmax, and Tmax, respectively). The 90% confidence intervals for these parameters were also within ${\pm}20%$ (e.g.. $-5.20{\sim}19.3$, $-5.00{\sim}16.5$, and $-10.2{\sim}12.5%$ for AUC, $C_{max}$, and $T_{max}$, respectively). These results satisfied the bioequivalence criteria of KFDA guidelines, indicating that the two formulations of lovastatin were bioequivalent.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.39-50
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• 2002

Hypercholesterolemia is one of main causes of coronary heart disease(CHD). Clinical trials demonstrated that lowering serum cholesterol levels would reduce incidence of new cardiovascular events and mortality by primary or secondary preventions. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare efficacy and side effects of lovartatin and simvastatin in treatement of hypercholesterolemia. In Boramae Hospital, patients were included when they have taken lovastatin 20 mg or simvastatin 10 mg for 52 weeks with laboratory monitoring for cholesterol at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 month period. As results, total 128 outpatients were included with their total cholesterol level <240 mg/dl and triglyceride level <400 mg/dl at baseline. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol of lovastatin group (n=60) and simvastatin group (n=68) were significantly reduced from baseline (p=0.001). Lovastatin maximally reduced total cholesterol by $23.9\%,\;triglyceride\;by\;12.3\%$, LDL cholesterol by $36.1\;\%$ and increased HDL cholerterol by $7.8\%$ and simvastatin reduced by $24.1\%,\;20.5\%,\;34.3\%\;respectively$ and HDL increased by $11.2\%$. There were no significant differences between lovastatin and simvastatin in mean percent change of lipid levels at 12, 24 and 52 weeks from baseline. Cumulative percentage of patients reaching the target LDL cholesterol concentration by 24 weeks was $61.7\%$ in lovastatin and $64.7\%$ in simvastatin. Average time to reach the target LDL goal was 100.1 days in lovastatin and 99.8 days in simvastatin. Both lovastatin and simvastatin also significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in all subgroups (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart disease). In this study, treatment efficacy in patients with coronary heart disease was lower than other patients. Considering clinical importance of secondary prevention, more intensive treatment is necessary to decrease LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dl or lower in patients with coronary heart disease or other clinical atherosclerotic disease. There were no serious side effects during the study period. Digestive side effects were most frequently reported (lovastatin $8.3\%\;vs\;simvastatin\;8.8\%$). In conclusion, both lovastatin and simvastatin were similar in lipid lowering effects and there was no difference in incidence of side effects.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.297-304
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• 2007

Lovastatin은 근사형성 균류인 Aspergillus terreus가 생합성하는 이차대사산물로 강력한 고지혈증 치료제로 널리 이용되는 물질이다. 본 연구에서는 lovastatin 고생산변이주를 이용하여 포자배지 최적화를 통한 miniature 배양 방법을 확립하고자 하였다. 우선 miniature 배양에 필수적인 효과적인 포자 형성 방법을 개발하고자 포자 형성 배지의 통계학적 배지 최적화를 수행하였다. Miniature 배양의 inoculum으로 이용되는 대량의 포자를 획득하기 위해 Plackett-Burman 실험법을 이용하여 포자 형성을 향상시키는 성분을 조사한 결과, glucose, sucrose, yeast extract 그리고 $KH_2PO_4$가 주목할 만한 효과를 보였다. 상기 성분의 최적 농도를 확인하기 위해 반응표면분석법 (RSM)을 이용한 결과, PDA 포자 형성 배지와 비교하여 볼 때, 최적 성분 농도에서 포자 형성이 약 190배 증가하였다. 최적화된 포자형성 배지를 이용하여 lovastatin 고생산성 변이주의 대량 선별을 위한 miniature 배양 방법을 확립하기 위해 기존의 실험 과정에 'PaB (adaptation)'라는 한 번의 계대배양을 더 추가한 결과 생산균주의 안정성과 재현성이 큰 폭으로 증가하는 주목할 만한 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 단기간에 가능한 한 다량의 균주를 스크리닝하기 위해 성장배양과 생산배양 모두 조업부피가 7 ml인 tube를 이용해 miniature 배양을 반복 수행하여, lovastatin 생산성과 배양형태가 훌륭한 변이주를 선별할 수 있었는데, 이 균주는 7 ml tube배양과 250 ml flask배양 (조업부피 50 ml) 모두에서 생산성이 높은 것으로 보아 산소 의존도가 비교적 낮고 생산 안정성이 높은 균주인 것으로 판단되었다. 한편 miniature 배양을 이용해서 lovastatin 고생산성을 보이는 균주를 신속 선별하기 위해서는 균주의 적절한 배양형태 유도가 매우 중요한 것으로 관찰되었다. 즉 생산배양으로의 고활성 균주의 접종을 위해서, 또한 생산배양에서 pellet의 배양형태 유도를 위해서 성장배양 시에는 반드시 고농도의 균사모양을, 생산배양 시에는 직경 1 mm 이하의 pellet모양의 배양 형태를 유지해야만, 생산균주가 lovastatin을 안정적으로 고생산할 수 있는 것으로 관찰되었다. 초기에 선별된 균주를 이용하여 miniature 배양에 의해 고속 균주선별 실험을 반복함으로써 고생산성 균주들을 다량 선별할 수 있었는데, 이들의 lovastatin 생산성을 조사한 결과, 기존의 flask 배양대비 오차범위가 $\pm$20% 이내의 생산성을 보이는 균주가 초기 선별시의 32%에 비해 81%로 크게 증가함을 확인할 수 있었다. 이와 같은 결과는 lovastatin 고생산성, 고안정성 균주의 고속 스크리닝을 위해서 본 연구에서 개발한 tube를 이용한 miniature 배양이 기존의 flask 배양을 대체할 수 있는 훌륭한 배양방법임을 제시해 준다.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.107-112
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• 1998

Lovastatin is a lipid lowering agent for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and belongs to a new class of pharmacologic compounds called the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors. By competitively inhibiting HMG CoA reductase, lovastatin disrupts the biosynthesis of cholesterol in hepatic and peripheral cells and increases the synthesis of high-density-lipoprotein HDL) receptors. Following oral administration, the lactone ring of lovastatin is hydrolysed to the active inhibitor of HMG CoA reductase, lovastatin acid. Lovastatin is known to have poor oral absorption and wide individual variation. In this study, bioequivalence test of two lovastatin formulations, the test drug ($Lovaload^{TM}$, Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Co.) and the reference drug ($Mevacor^{TM}$, Chung Wae Pharmaceutical Co.) were conducted according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). A total of 18 healthy male volunteers, $31.90\pm3.60$ years old and $72.17\;7.88$ kg of body weight in average, were evaluated in a randomized crossover manner with a 2-week washout period. Concentrations of lovastatin acid in plasma were measured upto 12 hours following a single oral administration of eight tablets (20 mg of lovastatin per tablet) by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection at 238 nm. The area under the concentration-vs-time curve from 0 to 12 hours $(AUC_{0-12h})$ was calculated by the trapezoidal summation method. The statistical analysis showed that there are no significant differences in $AUC_{0-12h),\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ between the two formulations ($6.72\%,\;1.52\%,\;and\;0.88\$, respectively). The least significant differences between the formulations at $\alpha$=0.05 were less than $20\%\;(11.65\%,\;19.73\%,\;and\;14.81\%\;for\;AUC_{0-12h},\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$, respectively). The $90\%$ confidence intervals for these parameters were also within $\pm20\%\;(-1.50{\leq}{\delta}{\leq}15.00$, $-12.50{\leq}{\delta}{\leq}15.50,\;and\;-9.64{\leq}{\delta]{\leq}11.40{\leq}\;for\;\;AUC_{0-12h}$ ,$C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$, respectively). In conclusion, the new generic product $Lovaload^{TM}$ was proven to be bioequivalent with the reference drug.