• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.195-198
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• 2004

Molec-ular analysis was performed on the microflora found In the necrotic pulpal tissue collected from 5 infected root canals that were diagnosed as a periapical abscess. 16S rRNA coding gene (rDNA) library construction and sequencing were performed in order to identify the microflora, The 16S rDNA sequences from 278 clones were identified by a comparison with the database sequence in GenBank. Three phylum and 31 species, which were related to the oral microflora, were identified from the 3 samples (No. 87, 105, and 115). Dialister invisus (5.6％), Peptostreptococcus micron (18.3％), and Veillonella sp. (3.3％) were the organism present in all tee samples. Lac-tobacillusfementum (2.8％),Eubacterumsp./E. infirmum (6.7％), Shuttleworthiasatelles (3.9％), Psudorarnihacfer alactoiyticus (13.3％), Bulleidia moorei (2.8％), and Prevotella denticola (1.1％) were found in two samples. Two phylum and low species of environmental microflora were identified from 2 samples (No.95 and 101). The reason for this might be contamination of the samples with dental water. These results showed that molecular analysis could reveal more diverse microflora that are associated with endodontic infections than that revealed by conventional cultural methods. In addition, these results may of for the basic data to epidemiological studies related with endodontic infection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1614-1625
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• 2018

Periodontitis, which is a severe inflammatory disease caused by endotoxins secreted from oral pathogens, destructs gingival tissue and alveolar bone. Curcuma xanthorrhiza, commonly called Java turmeric, has been shown to possess anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of C. xanthorrhiza supercritical extract (CXS) standardized with xanthorrhizol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced periodontitis in an animal model. LPS was topically injected into the periodontium of Sprague-Dawley rats to induce periodontitis and CXS (30 and $100mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}day^{-1}$) was orally administered after day 12. Histologically, CXS inhibited the collapse of gingival tissue by preventing cell infiltration. CXS significantly downregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and inflammation-related biomarkers, such as nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and interleukin-1 beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) in gingival tissue. CXS also improved bone remodeling by downregulating osteoclastic transcription factors, such as nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and cathepsin K. In addition, CXS upregulated osteoblast differentiation-related markers, alkaline phosphate (ALP) and collagen type I alpha (COLA1). Thus, CXS can ameliorate periodontitis by inhibiting inflammation and improving bone remodeling.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.286-290
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• 2006

A genomic library of Streptococcus vestibularis ATCC49124 was constructed in an E. coli plasmid vector, and the urease-positive transformants harboring the urease gene cluster were isolated on Christensen-urea agar plates. The minimal DNA region required for urease activity was located in a 5.6 kb DNA fragment, and a DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of a partial ureI gene and seven complete open reading frames, corresponding to ureA, B, C, E, F, G, and D, respectively. The nucleotide sequence over the entire ure gene cluster and 3'-end flanking region of S. vestibularis was up to 95% identical to that of S. salivarius, another closely related oral bacterium, and S. thermophilus, isolated from dairy products. The predicted amino acid sequences for the structural peptides were 98-100% identical to the corresponding peptides in S. salivarius and S. thermophilus, respectively, whereas those for the accessory proteins were 96-100% identical. The recombinant E. coli strain containing the S. vestibularis ure gene cluster expressed a high level of the functional urease holoenzyme when grown in a medium supplemented with 1 mM nickel chloride. The enzyme was purified over 49-fold by using DEAE-Sepharose FF, Superdex HR 200, and Mono-Q HR 5/5 column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 2,019 U/mg, and the Michaelis constant ($K_{m}$) of the enzyme was estimated to be 1.4 mM urea. A Superose 6HR gel filtration chromatography study demonstrated that the native molecular weight was about 196 kDa.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.841-846
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• 2005

Using high-fat-fed C57BL/6 mice, therapeutic effects of oral administration of aqueous extracts of Platycodon grandiflorum and Acanthopanax senticosus on obesity were evaluated by comparing body and liver weights, feed intake, adipose tissue mass, blood lipid profile, and triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in liver and feces. Obesity was successfully induced in high-fat diet group. P. grandiflorum and A. senticosus were effective in reducing food intake, serum lipid levels, adipose tissue accumulation, and weight. P. grandiflorum extract reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels in liver by excluding them in feces. A. senticosus extract increased triglyceride level in liver but decreased in feces, and decreased total cholesterol in liver and feces, indicating active ingredient of A. senticosus exert antiobesity effect through mechanism different from that of P. grandiflorum extract. These results suggest aqueous extracts of P. grandiflorum and A. senticosus have synergistic effect for prevention of hyperglyceridemia and obesity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 1994

The highest antitumor activity was observed in water soluble AS fraction of the Ganoderma lucidum IY 009. AS fraction did not show any cytotoxicity on sarcoma 180 cell but stimulated antibody production, opsonization of macrophage in ICR mouse and superoxide ion production from isolated macrophage. AS fraction activated complement C3 in human serum, and their antitumor activity was inhibited by EDTA, a chelator of cation related complementary activation. AS fraction exerted om prolong of life span and ingibition of tumor growth in the leukemia P388 or L1210 transplanted inbreed mouse,k BDF1 but krestin did not. AS fraction did not show any serious and lethal effects through oral administration on ICR mouse, and LD$_{50}$ of those was above 2,230 mg/kg.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.325-328
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• 1986

The lethality to Pieris raepi larvae and the safety tests to mice of the endotoxin crystals and the pesticide of B thuringiensis serovar kurstaki were carried out. The LD50 of the endotoxin (3.9$\times$10$^9$ spores/$m{\ell}$) appeared to be 1$\mu$g and that of the pesticide (2.6$\times$10$^9$ spores/$m{\ell}$) was about 9 $\mu$g. When the endotoxin solution and the pesticide were injected to the mice's intraperitoneal cavities, 10 to 20% of the mite were dead. Also in the case of intracerebral injection 20% of the mice were dead at the doses of 7.8$\times$10$^3$ spores and 100% of the mice were dead at the concentration of 7.8$\times$10$^8$ spores. but the mice in the oral, subcutaneous and inhalation treatment groups were safe and healthy. When the pesticide applied to the cabbage field for raepi larvae, 52 to 65% of the larvae in the field were killed in 4 days postapplication.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.81-97
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• 2007

Punica granatum, L. (Pomegranate) has 613 seeds which accidentally corresponds to the 613 commandments in the Bible. Accordingly, the fruit has been worshipped by the Jewish and other religious people from the ancient. Pomegranate's seed, peel and juice contain a variety of ethnomedical components so much as the sum of three kinds of other common fruits. The number of published papers related to the pomegranate in recent 7 years flourished 7 times more than before at the bases of Medline record. Since the containments of estrogen, as $17{\alpha}-estradiol,\;17{\beta}-estradiol$, estrone, and estradiol, etc., in pomegranate have been reported, public interests and commercial values of pomegranate arose considerably. The report was disproved later, however, merits of this fruit remained yet; clinical efficacy for preventing and remediating cancers including breast and prostate cancers by oral administration of the juice, seed oil, and peel extract is still believed to be true. In this review, target components of pomegranate such as antioxidants, anticancers, antiestrogens and ethnomedical components were analyzed and discussed along with examining its pharmaceutical efficacy and prescription to postmenopausal lesion, cardiosclerosis, cosmetic beautification, viral and allergic symptoms, and diabetes mellitus, etc.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.242-250
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• 2017

Anti-photoaging effects of standardized Siegesbeckia glabrescens extract (SGE) and its major active compound kirenol were investigated using Hs68 human dermal fibroblasts and hairless mice, respectively. UVB-irradiated hairless mice that received oral SGE (600 mg/kg/day) showed reduced wrinkle formation and skinfold thickness compared with the UVB-irradiated control. Furthermore, SGE treatment increased the mRNA levels of collagen synthesis genes (COL1A1, COL3A1, COL4A1, and COL7A1) and activated antioxidant enzyme (catalase), while suppressing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2, -3, -9, and -13) expression. In Hs68 fibroblasts, kirenol also significantly suppressed MMP expression while increasing the expression of COL1A1, COL3A1, and COL7A1. Collectively, our data demonstrate that both SGE and kirenol attenuated UVB-induced photoaging in hairless mice and fibroblasts through inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor kappa B pathways, suggesting that SGE has potential to serve as a natural anti-photoaging nutraceutical.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1270-1281
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• 2018

Periodontal disease is triggered by the host immune response to pathogens in the microbial biofilm. Worsening of periodontal disease destroys the tooth-supporting tissues and alveolar bone. As oral inflammation can induce systemic diseases in humans, it is important to prevent periodontal disease. In this study, we demonstrated that Curcuma xanthorrhiza supercritical extract (CXS) and its active compound, xanthorrhizol (XAN), exhibit anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated human gingival fibroblast-1 cells and anti-osteoclastic effects on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL)-treated RAW264.7 cells. LPS-upregulated inflammatory factors, such as nuclear factor kappa B p65 and $interleukin-1{\beta}$, were prominently reduced by CXS and XAN. In addition, RANKL-induced osteoclastic factors, such as nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and cathepsin K, were decreased in the presence of CXS and XAN. CXS and XAN inhibited the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/activator protein-1 (AP-1) signaling pathway. Collectively, these results provide evidence that CXS and XAN suppress LPS-induced inflammation and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by suppressing the MAPK/AP-1 pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2002

Squalene synthase catalyzes the reductive dimerization of two molecules of farnesyl diphosphate to form squalene at the final branch point of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Due to the unique position of this enzyme in the pathway, its inhibitors may have advantages as antihypercholesterolemic agents. Therefore, selective inhibitors of squalene synthase do not prevent the formation of the essential branch products of the isoprene pathway, such as dolichol, coenzyme-Q, and prenylated proteins, as might be expected for inhibitors of enzymes earlier in the pathway; for example, lovastatin and mevalotin. The current study reports that CJ90002, a pentagalloylglucose isolated from Paeonia moutan SIM (Paeoniaceae), which is an important Chinese crude drug used in many traditional prescriptions, was a potent inhibitor of rat microsomal squalene synthase, and also a potent inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis in vitro. In addition, the intraperitoneal and oral administration of CJ90002 had a significant lowering effect on plasma cholesterol levels in hamsters.