• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2011

Purpose: For periodontal tissue engineering, it is a primary requisite and a challenge to select the optimum types of cells, properties of scaffold, and growth factor combination to reconstruct a specific tissue in its natural form and with the appropriate function. Owing to fundamental disadvantages associated with using a two-dimensional substrate, several methods of seeding cells into three-dimensional scaffolds have been reported and the authors have asserted its usefulness and effectiveness. In this study, we explore the cell attachment of periodontal ligament fibroblasts on nanohydroxyapatite (n-HA) scaffold using avidin biotin binding system (ABBS). Methods: Human periodontal ligament fibroblasts were isolated from the health tooth extracted for the purpose of orthodontic procedure. HA nanoparticles were prepared and $Ca(NO_3)_2-_4H_2O$ and $(OC_2H_5)_3P$ were selected as precursors of HA sol. The final scaffold was 8 mm in diameter and 3 mm in height disk with porosity value of 81.55%. $1{\times}10^5$ periodontal ligament fibroblasts were applied to each scaffold. The cells were seeded into scaffolds by static, agitating and ABBS seeding method. Results: The number of periodontal ligament fibroblasts attached was greater for ABBS seeding method than for static or agitating method (P<0.05). No meaningful difference has been observed among seeding methods with scanning electron microscopy images. However, increased strength of cell attachment of ABBS could be deduced from the high affinity between avidin and biotin ($Kd=10^{-15}\;M$). Conclusions: The high-affinity ABBS enhances the ability of periodontal ligament fibroblasts to attach to three-dimensionally constructed n-HA scaffold.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2010

A gene encoding an alanine racemase in B. pseudomycoides was cloned and one (Cys316) or both of two cysteines (Cys316 and Cys365) was (were) substituted with alanine. The cysteine (-) alanine racemases were expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using a pET-21 vector. The expressed enzymes were purified through affinity chromatography using 6xHis ligand. The purified enzymes all showed major one bands by SDS-PAGE analysis, corresponding to 46 kDa. The cysteine (-) alanine racemases as well as the wild type enzyme showed alanine racemase activities, indicating that the enzyme is an alanine racemase and the cysteines in the enzyme may not be involved in the catalysis and/or substrate binding. Thermal stabilities of Cys (-) alanine racemases decreased considerably and half-lives were 26 (wild type), 21 (C316A) and 18 min (C316-365A), respectively at $60^{\circ}C$ pH 8.0, suggesting that cysteine is considerably contributive to the thermal stability of the alanine racemase.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.2497-2502
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• 2010

Arg13 is a conserved active-site residue in all known Pi class glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and in most Alpha class GSTs. To evaluate its contribution to substrate binding and catalysis of this residue, three mutants (R13A, R13K, and R13L) were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by GSH affinity chromatography. The substitutions of Arg13 significantly affected GSH-conjugation activity, while scarcely affecting glutathione peroxidase or steroid isomerase activities. Mutation of Arg13 into Ala largely reduced the GSH-conjugation activity by approximately 85 - 95%, whereas substitutions by Lys and Leu barely affected activity. These results suggest that, in the GSH-conjugation activity of hGST P1-1, the contribution of Arg13 toward catalytic activity is highly dependent on substrate specificities and the size of the side chain at position 13. From the kinetic parameters, introduction of larger side chains at position 13 results in stronger affinity (Leu > Lys, Arg > Ala) towards GSH. The substitutions of Arg13 with alanine and leucine significantly affected $k_{cat}$, whereas substitution with Lys was similar to that of the wild type, indicating the significance of a positively charged residue at position 13. From the plots of log ($k_{cat}/{K_m}^{CDNB}$) against pH, the $pK_a$ values of the thiol group of GSH bound in R13A, R13K, and R13L were estimated to be 1.8, 1.4, and 1.8 pK units higher than the $pK_a$ value of the wild-type enzyme, demonstrating the contribution of the Arg13 guanidinium group to the electrostatic field in the active site. From these results, we suggest that contribution of Arg13 in substrate binding is highly dependent on the nature of the electrophilic substrates, while in the catalytic mechanism, it stabilizes the GSH thiolate through hydrogen bonding.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1997

This study was conducted to efficiently separate the Ig from Korean native cattle colostrum and to utilize them as an immunogen for the production of antibodies aginst rabbit. The results obtained were as follows : 1. About 84% of Ig G could be separated from Korean native cattle colostrum by·gel filtration using Superose 12 column on HPLC. The separation profile of Korean native cattle colostral immunoglobulin was similar that of Holstein colostral Ig. 2. Separation of Korean native cattle colostral Ig by anion exchange chromatography using Mono Q column on HPLC was poor resolution chromatographic pattern. 3. Hi-Trap Protein G column showed better results than the Protein A Sepharose CL-4B column in the Ig G binding capacity from Korean native cattle colostral Ig. 4. Protein G Sepharose Fast Flow system resulted in higher Ig g binding capacity as the industrial size scale-up approach. 5. Sufficient titer reaction of antibody to Korean native cattle colostral Ig G was confirmed by ELISA.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2011

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection causes acute enteritis with lethal watery diarrhea resulting in a high mortality rate in piglets. As with the other members of group 1 coronaviruses, PEDV also utilizes the host aminopeptidase N (APN) as the major cellular receptor for entry into target cells. The coronavirus spike (S) protein is known to interact with the cellular surface for viral attachment and the S1 domain of all characterized coronaviruses contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that mediates a specific high-affinity interaction with their respective cellular receptors. Although the RBDs of several coronaviruses have been mapped, the location of the PEDV RBD has to date not been defined. As a first step toward the identification of the region of the S protein of the PEDV that is critical for recognition with the cellular receptor, we generated a series of S1-truncated variants and examined their abilities to bind to the porcine APN (pAPN) receptor. Our data indicate that the N-terminus of the S1 domain is required for pAPN association. The results from the present study may assist in our understanding of the molecular interactions between the PEDV S protein and the pAPN receptor.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1247-1255
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• 2016

Heparin binding proteins (HBPs) are produced by accessory glands. These are secreted into the seminal fluid, bind to the spermatozoa at the time of ejaculation, favour capacitation, acrosome reaction, and alter the immune system response toward the sperm. The present study was conducted with an objective to assess the effect of purified seminal plasma-HBPs (SP-HBPs) on cross bred cattle bull sperm attributes during two phases of cryopreservation: Pre freezing and freezing-thawing. SP-HBPs were purified from pooled seminal plasma by heparin affinity chromatography. Three doses of SP-HBPs i.e. 10, 20, $40{\mu}g/mLs$ semen were standardized to find out the optimum dose and $20{\mu}g/mLs$ was found to be an optimum dose. Semen as such and treated with SP-HBPs was diluted with sodium citrate-egg yolk diluter and cryopreserved as per the standard protocol. Sperm parameters i.e. motility, viability, Hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), acrosome damage, in vitro capacitation and lipid peroxidation were evaluated in SP-HBP treated and untreated (control) semen at both phases of cryopreservation. A considerable variation in percent sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity (HOST), acrosome damage, acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation was observed at both phases among the bulls irrespective of the treatment. Incubation of neat semen with $20{\mu}g/mL$ SP-HBP before processing for cryopreservation enhanced the average motility, viability, membrane integrity by 7.2%, 1.5%, 7.9%, and 5.6%, 6.6%, 7.4% in pre-frozen and frozen-thawed semen in comparison to control. There was also an average increase of 4.1%/3.9% in in vitro capacitation and acrosome reaction in SP-HBPs-treated frozen-thawed semen as compared to control. However, binding of SP-HBPs to the sperm declined acrosome damage and lipid peroxidation by 1.3%/4.1% and 22.1/$32.7{\mu}M$/$10^9$ spermatozoa in SP-HBP treated pre-frozen/frozen-thawed semen as compared to control, respectively. Significant (p<0.05) effects were observed only in motility, HOST and in vitro acrosome reaction. It can be concluded that treatment of neat semen with SP-HBPs before cryopreservation minimized the cryoinjury by decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 1986

The luminescence spectra of $Ru(bpy)_3^{2+}$ in poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) solutions varied sensitively with pH. At pH < 5.5, the emission intensity increased with pH up to 4 times, while it decreased with pH beyond the pH. The enhanced emission intensity was accompanied by blue-shift of the emission maxima as much as 15 nm. The enhancement of emission intensity was attributed to the restricted rotational mobility of ligand of the cation bound to densely coiled PMA molecules at pH < 5.5. The sharp decrease in emission intensity with increasing pH near pH 5.6 was accounted for conformational transition of the polymer to more extended structure, which was also revealed in viscosity measurement. The enhancement of emission intensity became higher as NaCl concentration of the solution increased. The binding constant of $Ru(bpy)_3^{2+}$ with two carboxylate groups of PMA was calculated as $2{\times}10^5\;M^{-1}$ in 0.1 M NaCl at pH 5.2. The pH dependence of luminescence quenching rate of $Ru(bpy)_3^{2+}$ by $Cu^{++}$ also showed maximum near pH 5, and the rate was more than $10^3$ times higher than that in water, whereas the maximum enhancement of quenching rate (about 20 times) in poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) solution occurred at pH 4.5. On the other hand, the pH dependence for neutral water soluble nitrobenzene (NB) exhibited opposite trend to that of $Cu^{++}$. The quenching constant vs pH curve for $MV^{++}$ was composite of those for $Cu^{++}$ and NB. The anomalous high quenching rate for $Cu^{++}$ in PMA solution at pH < 5.5 was attributed to the binding of $Ru(bpy)_3^{2+}$ and $Cu^{++}$ to the same region of PMA, when it conforms densely coiled structure in the pH range. The observation of mininium quenching rate for NB near pH 5.5 indicated that the $Ru(bpy)_3^{2+}$ bound to the densely coiled PMA is not accessible by NB, which is in bulk water phase. The composite nature of the pH dependence of quenching rate for $MV^{++}$ in PMA solution was attributed to the smaller binding affinity of the cation to PMA, compared to that of $Cu^{++}$. The sharp, cooperative conformational transition with pH observed in PMA was not revealed in PAA. But, the pH dependence of quenching rates in this polymer reflected increased charge density and, thus, binding of cations to the polymer, and expansion of the polymer chain with pH.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer polysaccharides exhibit various biological functions, like antagonizing galectin-3-mediated cell adhesion and migration. Galectin-8 (Gal-8), with its linker-joined N- and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), is also crucial to these biological processes, and thus plays a role in various pathological disorders. Yet the effect of ginseng-derived polysaccharides in modulating Gal-8 function has remained unclear. Methods: P. ginseng-derived pectin was chromatographically isolated and enzymatically digested to obtain a series of polysaccharides. Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) quantified their binding affinity to Gal-8, and their inhibitory effects on Gal-8 was assessed by hemagglutination, cell migration and T-cell apoptosis. Results: Our ginseng-derived pectin polysaccharides consist mostly of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG). BLI shows that Gal-8 binding rests primarily in RG-I and its β-1,4-galactan side chains, with sub-micromolar K_D values. Both N- and C-terminal Gal-8 CRDs bind RG-I, with binding correlated with Gal-8-mediated function. Conclusion: P. ginseng RG-I pectin β-1,4-galactan side chains are crucial to binding Gal-8 and antagonizing its function. This study enhances our understanding of galectin-sugar interactions, information that may be used in the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting Gal-8.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.192-200
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• 2014

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR) and antibody as that affects the performance of a silk-4HR combination graft for soft tissue augmentation in an animal model. Methods: The silk graft materials consisted of four types: silk+10% tricalcium phosphate (TCP) (ST0), silk+10% TCP+1% 4HR (ST1), silk+10% TCP+3% 4HR (ST3), and silk+10% TCP+6% 4-HR (ST6). The antibody binding assay tested the 4HR effect and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) exam was done for silk grafts. The animal experiment used a subcutaneous pocket mouse model. The graft - SH0 or SH1 or SH3 or SH6 - was placed in a subcutaneous pocket. The animals were killed at one, two, and four weeks, postoperatively. The specimens were subjected to histological analysis and lysozyme assay. Results: Groups with 4HR applied showed lower antibody binding affinity to antigen compared to groups without 4HR. In the SEM examination, there was no significant difference among groups. Histological examinations revealed many foreign body giant cells in ST0 and ST1 group at four weeks postoperatively. Both ST3 and ST6 groups developed significantly lower levels of giant cell values compared to ST0 and ST1 groups (P < 0.001) at four weeks postoperatively. In the lysozyme assay, the ST1 and ST3 groups showed denser signals than the other groups. Conclusion: 4HR combined silk implants resulted in high levels of vascular and connective tissue regeneration.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2017

p-Coumaric acid is an organic compound that is a hydroxyl derivative of cinnamic acid. Due to its multiple biological activities p-coumaric acid has been widely studied in biochemical and cellular systems and is also considered as a useful therapeutic candidate for various neuronal diseases. However, the efficacy of p-coumaric acid on zebrafish developmental regulation has not been fully explored. In this study, therefore, we first investigated the action mechanism of the p-coumaric acid on the zebrafish development in a whole-organism model. p-Coumaric acid treated group significantly inhibited the pigmentation of the developing zebrafish embryos compared with control embryos without any severe side effects. In addition, p-coumaric acid down-regulated more effectively in a lower concentration than the well-known zebrafish's melanogenic inhibitor, phenylthiourea. We also compared the molecular docking property of p-coumaric acid with phenylthiourea on the tyrosinase's kojic acid binding site, which is the key enzyme of zebrafish embryo pigmentation. Interestingly, p-coumaric acid interacted with higher numbers of the amino acid residues and exhibited a tight binding affinity to the enzyme than phenylthiourea. Taken all together, these results strongly suggest that p-coumaric acid inhibits the activity of tyrosinase, consequently down-regulating zebrafish embryo pigmentation, and might play an important role in the reduction of dermal pigmentation. Thus, p-coumaric acid can be an effective and non-toxic ingredient for anti-melanogenesis functional materials.