• BMB Reports
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.439-443
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• 2007

Tumor growth and metastasis are dependent on angiogenesis, and endothelial cell invasion and migration are apparent means of regulating tumor progression. We report here that saxatilin, a snake venom-derived disintegrin, suppresses the angiogenesis-inducing properties of NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells. Culture supernatants of NCI-H460 cells are able to induce human umbilical vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC) invasion and tube formation. However, treatment of the cancer cells with saxatilin resulted in reduced angiogenic activity of the culture supernatant. This suppressed angiogenic property was found to be associated with the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the culture supernatant. Further experimental evidence indicated that saxatilin inhibits VEGF production in NCI-H460 cells by affecting hypoxia induced factor-1$\alpha$ (HIF-1$\alpha$) expression via the Akt pathway.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.721-727
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• 2007

Scorpion (SCP) has been clinically used for the treatment of endogenous wind to relieve convulsion, clearing away toxins, resolving hard masses and removing obstruction in the collaterals to relieve pain. Recent studies showed that scorpion toxins that affect the activating mechanism of sodium channels and indian black scorpion venom induced anti-proliferative and apoptogenic activity against human leukemic cell lines U937 and K562. There is lack of studies regarding the effects of SCP on the immunological activities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of SCP on the regulatory effects of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) for the immunological activities in Raw 264.7 cells. After the treatment of SCP MeOH extract dissolved in media for 1 h prior to the addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 1 ${\mu}$g/ml), cell viability was measured by MTT assay, NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined by immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. As results, SCP inhibited the production of nitrite and nitrate (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml), iNOS and p-$I_KB_{\alpha}$ protein, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml), interleukin-1${\beta}$ (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml) and interleukin-6 (1.0mg/ml) in Raw 264.7 cells activated with LPS. These findings suggest that SCP can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.133-139
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• 2005

Cobrotoxin, a venom of Vipera lebetina turanica, is a group of basic peptidescomposed of 233 amino acids with six disulfide bonds formed by twelve cysteins. NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB and translocation of p50. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of p50 subunit of NF-kB, cobrotoxin could modify NF-kB activity by protein-protein interaction. We therefore examined effect of cobrotoxin on NF-kB activities in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-stimulated Raw 264.7 mouse macrophages. Cobrotoxin suppressed the LPS and SNP-induced release of IkB and p50 translocation resulted in inhibition of DNA binding activity of NF-kB. Inhibition of NF-kB resulted in reduction of the LPS and SNP-induced production of inflammatory mediators NO and PGE2 generation. The inhibitory effect of cobrotoxin on the NF-kB activity were blocked by addition of reducing agents dithiothreitol and glutathione. These results demonstrate that cobrotoxin inhibits activation of NF-kB, and suggest that pico to nanomolar range of cobrotoxin could inhibit the expression of genes in the NF-kB signal pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2016

Crotamine is a peptide toxin found in the venom of the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus and has antiproliferative, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. Herein, we show that crotamine dose-dependently induced macrophage phagocytic and cytostatic activity by the induction of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Moreover, the crotamineinduced expression of iNOS and TNF-α is mediated through the phosphorylation of p38 and the NF-κB signaling cascade in macrophages. Notably, pretreatment with SB203580 (a p38-specific inhibitor) or BAY 11-7082 (an NF-κB inhibitor) inhibited crotamine-induced NO production and macrophage phagocytic and cytotoxic activity. Our results show for the first time that crotamine stimulates macrophage phagocytic and cytostatic activity by induction of NO and TNF-α via the p38 and NF-κB signaling pathways and suggest that crotamine may be a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory disease.

• 한국잠사곤충학회지
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.55-60
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• 2015

본 연구의 목적은 누에형질전환 기술을 이용하여 누에체액에서 melittin 항균펩타이드를 생산하는 것으로서, 본 실험에서는 누에유래의 액틴3 프로모터를 이용하여 melittin 항균펩타이드를 발현시켰다. 누에형질전환체 선발을 위해서는 3xP3 promoter와 EGFP 유전자를 이용하여 선발하였고, 300개의 누에알에 microinjection 하여 F1 세대에서 11 bloods의 누에형질전환체를 선발하였다. 선발된 누에형질전환체는 초기배 단계의 눈과 신경조직, 유충과 번데기 그리고 성충의 눈에서 EGFP 형광단백질이 발현되는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 G2 세대 누에형질전환체를 5령 5일 유충까지 사육 후, 체액을 채취한 후 전처리 하였다. 이 시료를 항균활성검정을 하였고, 총 10마리의 누에를 선발할 수 있었다. 이렇게 선발 된 누에는 서로 교배를 통해서 계대사육을 하였다. 이러한 과정으로 선발된 G3세대 누에형질전환체를 이용하여 앞의 과정과 동일한 방법으로 항균할성을 검정하였다. 그 결과 대조군으로 사용된 시그마사의 melittin(0.016 mg/ml)과 거의 동일한 항균활성을 나타내었다. 이상의 결과에서 melittin 항균펩타이드를 생산하는 누에형질전환체가 성공적으로 제작되었음을 확인할 수 있었다.