• ALGAE
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.191-203
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• 2018

Fragilariopsis cylindrus is one of the most successful psychrophiles in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the molecular mechanism of biomineralization in this species, we attempted to synchronize F. cylindrus growth, since new cell wall formation is tightly coupled to the cell division process. Nutrient limitation analysis showed that F. cylindrus cultures rapidly stopped growing when deprived of silicate or light, while growth continued to a certain extent in the absence of nitrate. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that deprivation of either silicate or light could effectively arrest the cell cycle of this diatom species at the G1 phase, suggesting that synchrony can be established using either factor. Fluorescence labeling of new cell walls was faintly detectable as early as approximately 6 h after silicon repletion or light irradiation, and labeling was markedly intensified by 18 h. It is revealed that the synthesis of girdle bands begins before valve synthesis in this species, with active valve synthesis occurring during the G2 / M phase. Expression profiling revealed that selective member(s) of the F. cylindrus SIT genes (FcSIT) respond to silicate and light, with a different set of genes being responsive to each factor. The Si / light double depletion experiments demonstrated that expression of one FcSIT gene is possibly correlated to transition to G2 / M phase of the cell cycle, when the valve is actively formed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1757-1762
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• 2014

Development of drugs from natural products has been undergoing a gradual evoluation. Many plant derived compounds have excellent therapeutic potential against various human ailments. They are important sources especially for anticancer agents. A number of promising new agents are in clinical development based on their selective molecular targets in the field of oncology. D-pinitol is a naturally occurring compound derived from soy which has significant pharmacological activitites. Therefore we selected D-pinitol in order to evaluate apoptotic potential in the MCF-7 cell line. Human breast cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of D-pinitol and cytotoxicity was measured by MTT and LDH assays. The mechanism of apoptosis was studied with reference to expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bax and NF-kB proteins. The results revealed that D-pinitol significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, while upregulating the expression of p53, Bax and down regulating Bcl-2 and NF-kB. Thus the results obtained in this study clearly vindicated that D-pinitol induces apotosis in MCF-7 cells through regulation of proteins of pro- and anti-apoptotic cascades.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제35권8호
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• pp.2410-2414
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• 2014

A kinetic study is reported on nucleophilic substitution reactions of Y-substituted-phenyl picolinates (7a-7h) with a series of cyclic secondary amines in 80 mol % $H_2O$/20 mol % DMSO at $25.0{\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$. Comparison of the kinetic results with those reported previously for the corresponding reactions of Y-substituted-phenyl benzoates (1a-1f) reveals that 7a-7h are significantly more reactive than 1a-1f. The Br${\o}$nsted-type plot for the aminolysis of 4-nitrophenyl picolinate (7a) is linear with ${\beta}_{nuc}=0.78$, which is typical for reactions proceeding through a stepwise mechanism with expulsion of the leaving group being the rate-determining step. The Br${\o}$nsted-type plots for the piperidinolysis of 7a-7h and 1a-1f are also linear with ${\beta}_{lg}=-1.04$ and -1.39, respectively, indicating that the more reactive 7a-7h are less selective than the less reactive 1a-1f to the leaving-group basicity. One might suggest that the enhanced reactivity of 7a-7h is due to the inductive effect exerted by the electronegative N atom in the picolinyl moiety, while the decreased selectivity of the more reactive substrates is in accord with the reactivity-selectivity principle. However, the nature of intermediate (e.g., a stabilized cyclic intermediate through the intramolecular H-bonding interaction for the reactions of 7a-7h, which is structurally not possible for the reactions of 1a-1f) is also responsible for the enhanced reactivity with a decreased selectivity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.305-313
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• 2004

The effect of diazoxide, a $K^{+}$channel opener, on apoptotic cell death was investigated in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells. Diazoxide induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner and this was evaluated by flow cytometric assays of annexin-V binding and hypodiploid nuclei stained with propidium iodide. Diazoxide did not alter intracellular $K^{+}$concentration, and various inhibitors of $K^{+}$channels had no influence on the diazoxide-induced apoptosis; this implies that $K^{+}$channels activated by diazoxide may be absent in the HepG2 cells. However, diazoxide induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, and this was completely inhibited by the extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelation with EGTA, but not by blockers of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release (dantrolene and TMB-8). This result indicated that the diazoxide-induced increase of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ might be due to the activation of a Ca2+ influx pathway. Diazoxide-induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx was not significantly inhibited by either voltage-operative $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers (nifedipinen or verapamil), or by inhibitors of $Na^{+}$, $Ca^{2+}$-exchanger (bepridil and benzamil), but it was inhibited by flufenamic acid (FA), a $Ca^{2+}$-permeable nonselective cation channel blocker. A quantitative analysis of apoptosis by flow cytometry revealed that a treatment with either FA or BAPTA, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, significantly inhibited the diazoxide-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results suggest that the observed diazoxide-induced apoptosis in the HepG2 cells may result from a $Ca^{2+}$ influx through the activation of $Ca^{2+}$-permeable non-selective cation channels. These results are very significant, and they lead us to further suggest that diazoxide may be valuable for the therapeutic intervention of human hepatomas.

• 약학회지
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.241-246
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• 1997

The effect of potassium channel openers, SKP-450, SKP-818 and lemakalim have been compared in rat heart and aorta. In rat isolated heart, SKP-450 had a greater negative inotrop ic effect than lemakalim and KR-30818 against left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and double product of heart rate and LVDP (DP). In addition, SKP-450 had a greater effect than lemakalim and KR-30818 in increasing coronary flow, indicating a more potent vasodilating effect in coronary artery. Negative inotropic effect and coronary vasodilating effect of SKP-450 and SEP-818 were significantly reduced by 10 min-perfusion with $10^{-6}M$ glyburide, a selective blocker of ATP-sensitive potassium channel. In rat aorta, SKP-30450 and SKP-30818 as well as lemakalim induced powerful concentration-dependent relaxations against norepinephrinc-induced tone ($EC_{50},\;{\mu}M$ : SKP-30450, $0.107{\pm}0.009$; SKP-30818, $0.476{\pm}0.022$ ; lemakalim, $0.565{\pm}0.039$ ). These relaxant effects were significantly reduced by pretreatment with glyburide. In sununary, SKP-30450 and SKP-30818 showed greater negative inotropic and vasorelaxant effect than lemakalim in rat aorta with order of potency of SKP-30450 > SKP-30818 > lemakalim. These actions are suggested to be mediated at least in part by a mechanism which involves the opening of ATP-sensitive potassium channel.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.455-465
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• 2001

The highly potent cytotoxic DNA-DNA cross-linker consists of two cyclopropa[c]pyrrolo[3,4-3]indol-4(5H)-ones insoles [(+)-CPI-I] joined by a bisamido pyrrole (abbreviated to "Pyrrole"). The Pyrrole is a synthetic analog of Bizelesin, which is currently in phase II clinical trials due to its excellent in vivo antitumor activity. The Pyrrole has 10 times more potent cytotoxicity than Bizelesin and mostly form DNA-DNA interstrand cross-links through the N3 of adenines spaced 7 bp apart. The Pyrrole requires a centrally positioned GC base pair for high cross-linking reactivity (i.e., $5^1$-T$AT_2$A*-$3^1$), while Bizelesin prefers purely AT-rich sequences (i.e., $5^1$-T$AT_4$A*-$3^1$, where /(equation omitted) represents the cross-strand adenine alkylation and A* represents an adenine alkylation) (Park et al., 1996). In this study, the high-field $^1$H-NMR and rMD studies are conducted on the 1 1-mer DNA duplex adduct of the Pyrrole where the 5′(equation omitted)TAGTTA*-3′sequence is cross-linked by the drug. A severe structural perturbation is observed in the intervening sequences of cross-linking site, while a normal B-DNA structure is maintained in the region next to the drug-modified adenines. Based upon these observations, we propose that the interplay between the bisamido pyrrole unit of the drug and central C/C base pair (hydrogen-bonding interactions) is involved in the process of cross-linking reaction, and sequence specificity is the outcome of those interactions. This study suggests a mechanism for the sequence specific cross-linking reaction of the Pyrrole, and provides a further insight to develop new DNA sequence selective and distortive cross-linking agents.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제40권8호
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• pp.737-742
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• 2016

다공성 탄성체는 기름유출과 같은 상황에서 적용 가능한 선택적 흡수재로 각광을 받고 있다. 다공성 탄성체의 선택적 흡수효율은 표면 거칠기, 물리화학적 처리기법, 수압안정성 등의 영향을 받는다. 본 연구에서는 PDMS(polydimethylsiloxane), 미소 소금입자 및 계면활성제(silwet L-77)를 이용하여 다공성 PDMS를 제작하는 방법에 대해 설명한 후, 제작과정 중 물리화학적 처리를 통해 상기 다공성 PDMS의 소수성을 강화하거나 혹은 그 특성을 친수성으로 만드는 방법에 대해 기술한다. 물리적 처리방법으로는 소금입자의 크기조절을 통해 공극 크기(혹은 표면 거칠기)를 조절하고 화학적 처리방법으로는 계면활성제의 혼합비를 조절하여 표면 에너지를 변화시킨다. 제작된 다공성 PDMS를 이용하여 접촉각 및 흡수율을 측정함으로써 소금입자의 직경과 계면활성제의 혼합비가 다공성 PDMS의 접촉각과 흡수율에 미치는 영향을 정량적으로 측정한다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제13권1_2호
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• pp.41-50
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• 1979

The activation mechanism of K-induced contracture was studied in renal vascular muscle which does not generate an action potential readily and in taenia coli which generates a spike potential spontaneously. Helical strips of arterial muscle from rabbit renal arteries and longitudinal strips of taenia coli from guinea-pig's colons, respectively, were prepared. All experiments were performed in Tris-buffered Tyrode solution which was aerated with 100% $O_2$ and kept $35^{\circ}C$. Renal arterial muscles developed the contracture rapidly, which was composed of a small phasic and a large tonic components, when exposed to a 40 mM K-Tyrode solution. In the absence of external $Ca^{++}$, however, no K-contracture appeared. The contracture induced by K-depolarization was abolished by the treatment with verapamil, which is known to be a selective $Ca^{++}-blocker$ through potential-sensitive $Ca^{++}-channel$. K-contracture of taenia coli showed the contracture composed of a large phasic and a small tonic components. In the $Ca^{++}-free$ Tyrode solution, only the tonic component was abolished and almost no change in the phasic component was observed. The amplitude of tonic component was dependent on the external $Ca^{++}$; The tonic component increased dose-dependently by a stepwise increase of the external $Ca^{++}$, and this component decreased in parallel with the increase of verapamil in the external medium. The results of this experiment suggest that K-contracture of rabbit renal artery is the direct result of the influx of the external $Ca^{++}$, while that of taenia coli is the result of both $Ca^{++}$ influx and the release of sequestered $Ca^{++}$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

The association of verotoxic E. coli and Acinetobacter spp. with various antibiotic-resistant, diarrhogenic, and nosocomial infections has been a cause for concern worldwide. E. coli and A. haemolyticus isolated on a number of selective media were screened for virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and transformation of resistance genes. Out of 69 E. coli isolates obtained, 25 (35.23%), 14 (20.30%), and 28 (40.58%) were positive for Vtx1&2, Vtx1, and Vtx2, respectively, 49 (71.015%) for extendedspectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), 34 (49.28%) for serum resistance, 57 (82.61%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 48 (69.57%) for gelatinase production, and 37 (53.62%) for hemolysin production. For the 14 A. haemolyticus isolates, only 2 (14.29%) in each case from all the samples investigated were positive for Vtx1, Vtx2 and Vtx1&2 respectively, 8 (57.14%) for ESBLs, 7 (50.00%) for serum resistance, 11 (78.57%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 4 (28.57%) for gelatinase production, and 8 (57.14%) for hemolysin production. Although transformation occurred among the E. coli and Acinetobacter isolates (transformation frequency: $13.3{\times}10^{-7}-53.4^{-7}$), there was poor curing of the plasmid genes, a confirmation of the presence of stable antibiotic-resistant genes (DNA concentration between 42.7 and 123.8 ${\mu}g$) and intragenetic transfer of multidrug-resistant genes among the isolates. The isolates were potentially virulent and contained potentially transferable antibiotic resistance genes. Detection of virulence factors, antibiotic resistance genes, and transformation among these isolates is a very significant outcome that will influence approaches to proactive preventive and control measures and future investigations. However, continued surveillance for drug resistance among these bacteria and further investigation of the mechanism of action of their virulence factors are a necessity.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.65-74
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• 2003

Objective : The aim of present study is to evaluate the inhibitory potential of licorice extract and glycyrrhizin on cytochrome P450(CYP) in human liver microsomes. Methods : Using human liver microsomes, water extract of licorice and glycyrrhizin as an inhibitor were co-incubated with each probe drug representing selective CYP isoform activity. We measured relative metabolic activity in incubation condition compared to that with no extract of licorice using HPLC system. Results : Both water extracts of licorice and glycyrrhizin showed inhibitory effect on CYP-catalyzed reactions. CYP2C19 $(IC_{50}=126.7{\mu}g/ml)$ is most potently inhibited by water extract than other tested CYP isoforms$(IC_{50}>450{\mu}g/ml)$, but glycyrrhizin exhibited potent inhibition on CYP1A2$(IC_{50}=106.9{\mu}g/ml)$ followed by CYP2C9 and CYP2D6. Conclusion: These results indicate that water extract of licorice and glycyrrhizin have inhibitory potential on CYP-catalyzed reaction in human liver microsomes. But the mechanism of inhibition was slightly different between them Water extract of licorice mainly inhibited CYP2C19, and glycyrrhizin primarily inhibited CYP1A2. The inhibition by water extract of licorice and glycyrrhizin on CYP isoforms may cause drug interaction with co-administered drug leading to toxicity or treatment failure.