• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.172-180
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• 2020

This study investigated retrospectively the correlation between the results of the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and a routine blood test using a hospital information system. The NT-proBNP is involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. The results show that the relationship between age and NT-proBNP was significant (P<0.01) with a positive correlation (r=0.163). The peptide concentration showed a negative correlation between the total protein (r=-0.250) and albumin (r=-0.270), and a negative correlation between the erythrocyte count and hemoglobin and hematocrit (P<0.01). NT-proBNP had a positive correlation with neutrophils (r=0.227) and a negative correlation with lymphocytes (r=-0.236), showing significant results (P<0.01). NT-proBNP and creatinine showed a positive correlation (r=0.594, P<0.01), and it was the most influential factor according to multiple regression analysis (B=0.53, t=7.65). P<0.01). The concentrations of NT-proBNP and uric acid showed a positive correlation (r=0.180, P<0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase was observed as a factor affecting the NT-proBNP (B=0.20, t=3.28, P<0.01). This explanatory power had an influence of 43%. Therefore, the accurate test and related factors of the NT-proBNP have significant clinical value.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.271-276
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• 2008

Ribosome stalling by nascent sticky peptide has been reported in several organisms across the kingdom. To test whether small subunit (SSU) rRNA is involved in this phenomenon, we developed a genetic system that utilized the specialized ribosome system to isolate SSU rRNA mutants that enable ribosomes to bypass the SecM-derived sticky peptide in protein synthesis. In this system, CAT-SecM mRNA, which encodes CAT protein containing the sticky peptide derived from SecM, is only translated by specialized ribosomes. These ribosomes were shown to transiently stall on CAT-SecM mRNA followed by the synthesis of the sticky peptide. Expression of specialized ribosomes resulted in the decreased steady-state level of CAT-SecM mRNA, which is consistent with a notion that ribosome stalling induces mRNA degradation. Isolation and characterization of SSU rRNA mutations using this genetic system that are sufficient to circumvent ribosome stalling induced by the SecM-derived sticky peptide will provide evidence of SSU rRNA function in mRNA cleavage.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권12호
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• pp.3665-3670
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• 2013

The R3V6 peptide includes a hydrophilic arginine stretch and a hydrophobic valine stretch. In previous studies, the R3V6 peptide was evaluated as a gene carrier and was found to have low cytotoxicity. However, the transfection efficiency of R3V6 was lower than that of poly-L-lysine (PLL) in N2A neuroblastoma cells. In this study, the transfection efficiency of R3V6 was improved in combination with high mobility group box 1A domain (HMGA). HMGA is originated from the nuclear protein and has many positively-charged amino acids. Therefore, HMGA binds to DNA via charge interaction. In addition, HMGA has a nuclear localization signal peptide and may increase the delivery efficiency of DNA into the nucleus. The ternary complex with HMGA, R3V6, and DNA was prepared and evaluated as a gene carrier. First, the HMGA/DNA complex was prepared with a negative surface charge. Then, R3V6 was added to the complex to coat the negative charges of the HMGA/DNA complex, forming the ternary complex of HMGA, R3V6, and DNA. A physical characterization study showed that the ternary complex was more stable than the PLL/DNA complex. The HMGA/R3V6/DNA complex had a higher transfection efficiency than the PLL/DNA, HMGA/DNA, or R3V6/DNA complexes in N2A cells. Furthermore, the HMGA/R3V6/DNA complex was not toxic to cells. Therefore, the HMGA/R3V6/DNA complex may be a useful gene delivery carrier.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.1765-1771
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• 2007

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was developed to detect the DNA of Ralstonia solanacearum, the causal agent of bacterial wilt in various crop plants. One pair of primers (RALSF and RALSR), designed using cytochrome c1 signal peptide sequences specific to R. solanacearum, produced a PCR product of 932 bp from 13 isolates of R. solanacearum from several countries. The primer specificity was then tested using DNA from 21 isolates of Ralstonia, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Xanthomonas, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi. The specificity of the cytochrome c1 signal peptide sequences in R. solanacearum was further confirmed by a DNA-dot blot analysis. Moreover, the primer pair was able to detect the pathogen in artificially inoculated soil and tomato plants. Therefore, the present results indicate that the primer pair can be effectively used for the detection of R. solanacearum in soil and host plants.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.34-40
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• 2008

To express an increased level of recombinant Mefp1 (marine mussel adhesive protein) in soluble form, we constructed expression vectors encoding truncated OmpA signal peptide-Mefp1 fusion proteins. OmpA signal peptide (OmpASP) is the 21 residue peptide fragment of the 23 residue OmpA signal sequence cleavable by signal peptidase I. We successfully produced increased levels of soluble recombinant Mefp1 (rMefp1) with various deletions of OmpASP, and found that the increased expression was caused by the increased pI of the N-terminus of the fusion proteins (${\geq}10.55$). All the OmpA signal peptide segments of 3-21 amino acids in length had the same pI value (10.55). Our results suggest that the pI value of the truncated OmpASP ($OmpASP_{tr}$) play an important role in directional signaling for the fusion protein, but we found no evidence for the presence of a secretion enhancer in OmpASP. For practical applications, we increased the expression of soluble rMefp1 with $OmpASP_{tr}$ peptides as directional signals, and obtained rMefp1 with the native amino terminus (nN-rMefp1) using an $OmpASP_{tr}$ Xa leader sequence that contains the recognition site for Xa protease.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 2010

Purpose: Significant interest has emerged in the design of cell scaffolds that incorporate peptide sequences that correspond to known signaling domains in extracellular matrix and bone morphogenetic protein. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bone regenerative effects of the synthetic peptide in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model. Methods: Eight millimeter diameter standardized, circular, transosseus defects created on the cranium of forty rats were implanted with synthetic peptide, collagen, or both synthetic peptide and collagen. No material was was implanted the control group. The healing of each group was evaluated histologically and histomorphometrically after 2- and 8-week healing intervals. Results: Surgical implantation of the synthetic peptide and collagen resulted in enhanced local bone formation at both 2 and 8 weeks compared to the control group. When the experimental groups were compared to each other, they showed a similar pattern of bone formation. The defect closure and new bone area were significantly different in synthetic peptide and collagen group at 8 weeks. Conclusions: Concerning the advantages of biomaterials, synthetic peptide can be an effective biomaterial for damaged periodontal regeneration.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.385-390
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• 2003

An antimicrobial peptide was purified from the roots of Phytolacca americana L. and was designated as PAMP-r. Purification was carried out by DEAE-cellulose anion exchange, sephadex G-75 gel filtration, Mono S cation exchange, and Resource RPC reverse phage chromatography. The molecular weight of PAMP-r was estimated to be about 4,900 Da by 15% SDS-PAGE under reducing condition. PAMP-r exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. PAMP-r was stable against heat and pH treatment; its activity was not diminished by the heat treatment up to $80^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, and it showed a pH stability in the range between pH 3.0 to pH 8.0.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.246-250
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• 2009

Retroviruses enter host cells by membrane fusion between the viral Env proteins on the virus membrane and a virus receptor on the cellular membrane. The envelope protein of the ecotropic Moloney murine leukemia virus is synthesized as a gp85 precursor and is proteolytically cleaved into an extracellular surface unit (SU) and the transmembrane protein (TM). The cytoplasmic tail (16 amino acid; R peptide) of the TM protein is further cleaved by the viral protease during virion maturation. Unlike the wild type Env protrin bearing the R peptide, R peptide-truncated Envelope induces syncytia in susceptible cells. To understand the mechanism of R peptidetruncated Env in syncytium formation, R peptide-truncated Env expressing full-length molecular clone containing EGFP in PRR (proline rich region) of Env was constructed. This molecular clone induced syncytia in transfected NIH3T3 cells, fluorescence was detected in the cytoplasm and at the plasma membrane, while the nuclei did not stain and appeared black by fluorescence microscopy. Interestingly, virions with truncated envelope produced from transfected NIH3T3 cells induced syncytia in NIH3T3 cells, but fluorescence was not detected in the same infected cells. It is believed that cell-free viruses direct the fusion of neighboring cells without infection. Our data suggests that use of EGFP-tagged envelope for monitoring syncytium is a sensitive and convenient method. We also found that virion incorporated the R peptide-truncated Env is able to induce the formation of syncytia by fusion from without.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.309-313
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• 2012

Antiobesity, hypotriglyceridemic and antihypertensive activities of isoflavone-free peptide mixture (black soybean peptide, BSP) were reported in our previous experiments. In the present study, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory (ACEi) activity was decreased in the aorta tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) treated with BSP (1% in drink water) for 4 weeks, but not in serum. BSP administration significantly decreased ACE activity by 17.5% (from $33.2{\pm}4.5$ to $27.4{\pm}1.96$ mUnit/mg, p=0.0013) in aorta tissue hydrolysate. BSP treatment also decreased significantly mean blood pressure (BP) (from $213.0{\pm}16.96$ to $184.0{\pm}6.53$ mmHg, p<0.0001) as expected. These results indicate that BSP has antihypertensive activity as well as ACEi activity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• 제58권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 2014

We have developed 8 peptide derivatives as potential MC1R antagonists and their inhibitory effects on ${\alpha}$-MSH induced cell growth in cultured normal human melanocytes (NHM) were investigated. From these experiments, the two most potent peptide derivatives, 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_6NH_2$ (P 6) and 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_9NH_2$ (P 7) were selected for further studies. In ${\alpha}$-MSH depleted NHM cells, we have found that the treatment with 1 ${\mu}M$ of these two peptide derivatives, P 6 and P 7, inhibited the cell proliferation induced by the addition of 1 nM ${\alpha}$- MSH by 70% and 72%, respectively. In NHM cells without previous ${\alpha}$-MSH depletion, 1 ${\mu}M$ treatment in the presence of 10 nM ${\alpha}$-MSH resulted in 70% (P 6) and 80% (P 7) decrease in cell growth and 64% (P 6) and 71% (P 7) reduction in melanin synthesis, respectively. The peptide derivatives P 6 and P 7 were proved to have no apparent cytotoxicity and inhibited the elevation of intracellular cAMP concentration triggered by ${\alpha}$-MSH. In conclusion, our data suggest that the peptide derivatives reported in this study, 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His-Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_6NH_2$ (P 6) and 5-phenylvaleric acid-(D)His- Arg-Trp-$(Lys)_9NH_2$ (P 7) strongly antagonize ${\alpha}$-MSH, inhibit cell proliferation and melanin synthesis, and lower the intracellular cAMP concentration, hence have a promising potential as a novel skin lightening agent.