• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 2015

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional, iron-binding glycoprotein found in physiological secretions of mammals. LF shows antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities. In the present study, a gene encoding the N-terminal lobe of human lactoferrin (hLF) was isolated, cloned and expressed in methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris. The recombinant hLF-N (rhLF-N) protein was secreted into the culture medium at the level of $458{\mu}g/ml$ in 3 L fermentor. The size of purified hLF-N was estimated as 35 kDa when analyzed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. The rhLF-N was further confirmed by immunodiffusion using the anti-hLF polyclonal antibody. The expression profile analysis by qRT-PCR showed that the relative mRNA expression of rhLF-N was maximal after 2-3 days of methanol induction and reduced gradually at 4 days. The purified rhLF-N showed broad antibacterial activities against the pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, and Salmonella typhimurium. However, rhLF-N showed relatively lower activity when compared to peptides derived from LF. In spite of this weak activity, the rhLF-N expressed in P. pastoris might be more advantageous for the industrial application, because rhLF-N is secreted into the culture medium and the production can also be increased by optimization of culture conditions.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 1997

We investigated the immunological function of cheese whey protein concentrate (CWPC), which is a by-product of cheese production, using mitogenic activity in murine splenocytes as an index. A fraction isolated by gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography of CWPC showed high mitogenic activity, comparable to the activity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The fraction was detected as a single band on SDS-PAGE. It contained calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and carbo-hydrate, indicating the active component to be a glycophosphopeptide (GPP) Since pronase digestion of GPP did not reduce its mitogenic activity, carbohydrate rather than peptide may be important in the activity, When applied on an anti-${\beta}$-caseinophosphopeptide (${\beta}$-CPP ) antibody affinity column, the GPP was separated into two components, one with affinity to ${\beta}$-CPP and the other without such affinity. Both the components contained N-linked oligosaccharide chains and had the mitogenic activity. These results demonstrate that cheese whey contains a GPP having strong mitogenic activity

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.716-722
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• 2006

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is physiologically important in regulating cellular homeostasis and apoptotic cell death, and its mutations are the cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Mitochondrial serine protease HtrA2 has a pro-apoptotic function and has known to be associated with neurodegenerative disorders. To investigate the relationship between genes associated with apoptotic cell death, such as HtrA2 and SOD1, we utilized the pGEX expression system to develop a simple and rapid method for purifying wild-type and ALS-associated mutant SOD1 proteins in a suitable form for biochemical studies. We purified SOD1 and SOD1 (G93A) proteins to approximately 90% purity with relatively high yields (3 mg per liter of culture). Consistent with the result in mammalian cells, SOD1 (G93A) was more insoluble than wild-type SOD1 in E. coli, indicating that research on the aggregate formation of SOD1 may be possible using this pGEX expression system in E. coli. We investigated the HtrA2 serine protease activity on SOD1 to assess the relationship between two proteins. Not only wild-type SOD1 but also ALS-associated mutant SOD1 (G93A) were cleaved by HtrA2, resulting in the production of the 19 kDa and 21 kDa fragments that were specific for anti-SOD1 antibody. Using protein gel electrophoresis and immunoblot assay, we compared the relative molecular masses of thrombin-cleaved GST-SOD1 and HtrA2-cleaved SOD1 fragments and can predict that the HtrA2-cleavage sites within SOD1 are the peptide bonds between leucine 9-lysine 10 (L9-K10) and glutamine 23-lysine 24 (Q23-K24). Our study indicates that SOD1 is one of the substrate for HtrA2, suggesting that both HtrA2 and SOD1 may be important for modulating the HtrA2-SOD1-mediated apopotic cell death that is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorder.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2006

In 'solid-phase' PEGylation, the conjugation reaction occurs as the proteins are attached to a solid matrix, and thus it can have distinct advantages over the conventional, solution-phase process. We report a case study: rhIFN-${\alpha}$-2a was first adsorbed to cation exchange resin and then N-terminally PEGylated by aldehyde mPEG of 5, 10, and 20 kD through reductive alkylation. After the PEGylation, salt gradient elution efficiently recovered the mono-PEGylate in a purified form from the unwanted species such as unmodified IFN, unreacted PEG, and others. The mono-PEGylation and its purification were integrated in a single chromatographic step. Depending on the molecular weight of the mPEG aldehyde used, the mono-PEGylation yield ranged 50-64%. We could overcome the major problems of random, or uncontrollable, multi-PEGylation and the post-PEGylation purification difficulties associated with the solution-phase process. N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS confirmed that a PEG molecule was conjugated only to the N-terminus. Compared with the unmodified IFN, the mono-PEGylate showed the reduced anti-viral activity as measured by the cell proliferation assay. The bioactivity was reduced more as the higher molecular weight PEG was conjugated. Immunoreactivity, evaluated indirectly by antibody binding activity using a surface plasmon resonance biosensor, also decreased. Nevertheless, trypsin resistance as well as thermal stability was considerably improved.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.241-250
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• 1995

Protein B23 is one of the major nucleolar phosphoproteins associated with pre-ribosomal particles, and is localized in the granular region of the nucleolus. Recent studies suggest that protein B23 shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm and also interacts with HIV Rev. These findings indicate that protein B23 is important in nucleocytoplasmic relationship and viral replication. However, the exact function of protein B23 is not clear yet. In acute nucleolar hypertrophy of rat liver, treated with thioacetamide, there was observed an increase of not only protein B23 but also B23-like protein p45 when anti-B23 monoclonal antibody (MAb) was used for identification. On the basis of the large B23 specific epitope structure composed of 68 amino acids, a hypothesis was formulated to examine that p45 is the pre-B23 resulting from excessive production of B23. In an attempt to investigate the precursor of B23, we analyzed the subcellular fractions and microsomal subfractions. Subsequently, we analyzed the finger printings of B23-like proteins using the tryptic peptide mapping. The results are summarized: 1) Using B23 MAb, we observed the presence of B23-like proteins in nucleolar fraction, nucleoplasmic fraction and microsomal fraction. 2) In the further microsomal subfractionation, we could partially purify B23-like protein in 2M layer of sucrose gradient. 3) When ion exchange chromatography was employed, there were protein species 80kDa(p80), 65kDa(p65) and 60kDa(p60). 4) Based on the tryptic map analysis of $^{125}I$ labeled proteins, the similarity between B23 and p80 was found only in 9 out of 14(B23) and 21(p80) peptides, and difference was found in the remaining peptides. p80 and p60 had 18 common peptides, and all the peptides of p60 were similar to those of p80. From these results, it is proposed that p45 is an abnormal metabolite resulting from carcinogenesis by thioacetamide, and it is not the precursor of B23. In addition, we suggest that p80 may be a precursor of p45.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.52
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• pp.346.1-346.11
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• 2018

Background: To evaluate the therapeutic benefits of the treat-to-target (T2T) strategy for Asian patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Korea. Methods: In a 1-year, multicenter, open-label strategy trial, 346 patients with early RA were recruited from 20 institutions across Korea and stratified into 2 groups, depending on whether they were recruited by rheumatologists who have adopted the T2T strategy (T2T group) or by rheumatologists who provided usual care (non-T2T group). Data regarding demographics, rheumatoid factor titer, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody titer, disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28), and Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire (KHAQ) score were obtained at baseline and after 1 year of treatment. In the T2T group, the prescription for disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs was tailored to the predefined treatment target in each patient, namely remission (DAS28 < 2.6) or low disease activity (LDA) ($2.6{\leq}DAS28$ < 3.2). Results: Data were available for 163 T2T patients and 162 non-T2T patients. At the end of the study period, clinical outcomes were better in the T2T group than in the non-T2T group (LDA or remission, 59.5% vs. 35.8%; P < 0.001; remission, 43.6% vs. 19.8%; P < 0.001). Compared with non-T2T, T2T was also associated with higher rate of good European League Against Rheumatism response (63.0% vs. 39.8%; P < 0.001), improved KHAQ scores (-0.38 vs. -0.13; P = 0.008), and higher frequency of follow-up visits (5.0 vs. 2.0 visits/year; P < 0.001). Conclusion: In Asian patients with early RA, T2T improves disease activity and physical function. Setting a pre-defined treatment target in terms of DAS28 is recommended.