• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2003

Cytokines represent an essential part of the innate immune response in mammals. Recently, several studies have reported the presence of cytokine-like activities and molecules in the invertebrates such as echinoderms, tunicates, mollusks and insects. In our serial study, we investigated presence of cytokines in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, infected with several immune inducers. Western blotting analysis using rabbit anti-human cytokines showed the presence of IL-6-like molecule in the hemolymph collected at 8 and 24 hrs after infection with peptidoglycan and oligodeoxynucleotide, and the molecular weight of the proteins was ∼45 kDa. We attempted to isolate the molecule by gel permeation HPLC, anion exchange chromatography, ultra centrifugation, and immuno-dot-blot assay, but until now the effort was not much successful yet. It, however, does not appear that the IL-6-like molecule in the silkworm larvae is a mere experimental artifact happened by Western blotting analysis. Instead, further experiment on this subject probably will provide us more fruitful result as detected in other invertebrates including insects.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2018

The world is becoming overwhelmed with widespread diseases as antibiotic resistance increases at an alarming rate. Hence, there is a demanding need for the discovery and development of new antimicrobial drugs. The ocean is gifted with many organisms like phytoplankton, algae, sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, mollusk, tunicates and echinoderms, which are known to produce a wide variety of bioactive secondary metabolites with pharmacological properties. Many new therapeutic drugs have emerged from marine invertebrates, although the large algal community is yet to be explored. The bioactivity possessing secondary metabolites of marine algae include polyphenols, phlorotannins, alkaloids, halogenated compounds, sulfated polysaccharides, agar, carrageenan, proteoglycans, alginate, laminaran, rhamnan sulfate, galactosylglycerol, and fucoidan. These metabolites have been found to have great antimicrobial activities against many human aliments. Studies show that the algal community represents about 9% of biomedical compounds obtained from the sea. This review looks at the evolution of drugs from the ocean, with a special emphasis on the antimicrobial activities of marine algae.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1927-1936
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• 2020

Tunicates are known to contain biologically active materials and one species in particular, the sea peach (Halocynthia aurantium), has not been thoroughly studied. In this study we aimed to analyze the fatty acids profile of the H. aurantium body wall and its immunomodulatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells. The fatty acids were classified into three categories: saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Omega-3 fatty acid content, including EPA and DHA, was higher than omega-6 fatty acids. H. aurantium body wall fatty acids exhibited enhanced immune response and anti-inflammatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells. Under normal conditions, fatty acids significantly increase nitric oxide (NO) and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner, thereby improving the immune response. On the other hand, in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells, fatty acids significantly decreased nitric oxide (NO) and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner, thereby enhancing anti-inflammatory effects. Fatty acids transcriptionally control the expression of the immune-associated genes, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and TNF-α, via the MAPK and NF-κB signaling cascades in RAW264.7 cells. However, in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, H. aurantium body wall fatty acids significantly inhibited expression of inflammatory cytokine; similarly, production of COX-2 and PGE2 was inhibited. The results of our present study provide insight into the immune-improving and anti-inflammatory effects of H. aurantium body wall fatty acids on macrophages. In addition, our study demonstrates that H. aurantium body wall is a potential source of immune regulatory components.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 1980

Seed tunicates of Halocynthia roretzi (v. DRASCHE) which were artificially settled in Chungmu area were transplanted to Seonyudo and Eochungdo to know the feasibility of the tunicate culturing in the western coast of Korea. From April 1978 to March 1979, the growth of the transplanted tunicate in the two area was compared and analyzed in reference to the ecological factors. At the time when the seeds were transplanted, the mean body height of Halocynthia roretzi(V. DRASCHE) was 1.84 mm, body breadth 1.42 mm, and the body weight 15.0 mg. After 333 days the mean body height was 10.77 mm, body breadth 6.75 mm, and body weight 201 mg in Seonyudo area. In Eochungdo area the mean body height was 13.5 mm, body breadth 11.51 mu and body weight 880 mg. According to above results, it is possible to culture the seeds in Eochungdo area. Salinity $(29.2-32.0\%_{\circ})$ was favorable, water temperature $(6.8-26.8^{\circ}C)$ was not a critical factor, but the growth of the tunicate was affected by the high temperature$(over\;25.0^{\circ}C)$ in July. Transparency lower than 1.0 m seriously affects the growth of the tunicate, and it was one of the important factors inhibiting the growth of the tunicate. Seonyudo area was found out to be inadequate for the culture of the sea spuirt Halocynthie roretzi because of the retarded growth in body breadth and weight while showing extended growth in body length then leading to higher mortality owing to large amount of silting and fouling of the colonial tunicate, Didemnum (didemnum) moseleyi.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.922-934
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• 2000

To investigate the composition of carotenoids present in marine organisms and the biological activity of the carotenoids, carotenoids of the muscles and tunic of tunicates and shellfishes were isolated and identified. Anitmutagenic activities of the carotenoids for S. typhimurium TA 98 and cytotoxic activity for cancer cell lines were determined. Total carotenoid contents in the muscle of tunicata ranged from 18.65 mg% to 2.39 mg%. The highest amount of the total carotenoid was found in the muscle of Halocynthia aurantium, followed by Styela clava (HERDMAN), H. roretzi, H. hilgendorfi f. igaboya, H. hilgendorfi f. retteri, S. plicata (LESUEUR) in order. Interestingly, total carotenoid content in the muscle of S. clava (HERDAMAN) was higher than that of H. roretzi. Total carotenoid content of all tunicata, other than H. aurantium and H. roretzi, were higher in muscle than tunic. The major carotenoids in H. roretzi, H. aurantium, S. plicata (LESUEUR), and S. clava (HERDAMAN) were cynthiaxanthin (25.1∼42.2%), halocynthiaxanthin (9.7∼26.3%), diatoxanthin (8.0∼18.7%) and β-carotene (7.7%∼21.7%). Similarly, cantaxanthin (19.6%), cynthiaxanthin (15.4%), halocynthiaxanthin (14.8%), and (3R, 3'R), (3S, 3'S)-astaxanthin (22.6%) in H. hilgendorfi f. retteri and fucoxanthin (26.6%), cynthiaxanthin (21.8%), halocynthiaxanthin (15.2%), and β-carotene (9.3%) in H. hilgendorfi f. igaboya were major carotenoids in both tunicate. However, the composition of carotenoids in muscle and tunic of tunicata was similar each other. Among the shellfishes examined, total carotenoid content of the muscle of Peronidia venulosa (Schrenck) and Corbicula fluminea, and of the gonad of Atrina pinnata and Chlamys farreri, was ranged from 2.51 to 6.83 mg% which were relatively higher than that of other shellfishes. The composition of the carotenoids of shellfishes, which might depend upon their living environments, was varied. But cynthiaxanthin (15.9∼39.0%) and zeaxanthin (9.6∼21.9%) in gonad of C. farreri, and muscles of Buccinum Volutharpa perryi (JAY) and Crassostrea gigas, cynthiaxanthin (21.5∼48.6%) and mytiloxanthin (14.6%) in muscle of C.fluminea and gonad of A. pinnata, and canthaxanthin (60.6%) and isozeaxanthin (20.5%) in muscles of P. venulosa (Schrenck), and β-carotene (23.7%∼37.8%) and zeaxanthin (18.2∼20.4) in muscles of Semisulcospira libertina and Meretrix lusoria were major carotenoids. Interestingly, diester type-carotenoids were present along with free type-carotenoids in muscles of C. gigas. antimutagenic effect of the carotenoids isolated from tunicata and shellfishes against 2-amino-3-methylimidazol [4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) for S. typhimurium TA 98 was proportional to the amount (20, 50 and 100㎍/plate) treated. Mutagenicity of IQ was significantly reduced by astaxanthin, isozeaxanthin, mytiloxanthin and halocynthiaxanthin, whereas the mutagenicity of aflatoxin B₁(AFB₁) was significantly reduced by β-carotene, isozeaxanthin, and mytiloxnthin. Growth inhibition effect of carotenoids isolated from tunicata and shellfishes for cancer cell was proportional to the amount (5, 10, and 20㎍/plate) treated. The growth of HeLa cell by β-carotene, cynthiaxanthin, astaxanthin and halocynthiaxanthin, NCI-H87 cell by β-carotene, astaxanthin, cynthiaxanthin, and halocynthiaxanthin, HT-29 cell by β-carotene, cynthiaxanthin, mytiloxanthin and halocynthiaxanthin, and MG-63 cells by β-carotene, cynthiaxanthin, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin and halocynthiaxanthin were statistically reduced.