• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.131-136
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• 2005

The ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion, first identified in the chromosomal translocation in congenital fibrosarcoma, encodes a chimeric protein tyrosine kinase with potent transforming activity. ETV6-NTRK3-dependent transformation involves the joint action of NTRK3 signaling pathways, and aberrant cell cycle progression resulting from activation of Mek1 and Akt. The level of glutathione (GSH) was found to be markedly increased in ETV6-NTRK3-transformed NIH3T3 cells. The activities of the two GSH biosynthetic enzymes as well as of glutathione peroxidase, together with their mRNAs, were also higher in the transformed cells. The transformed cells were able to grow in the presence of GSH-depleting agents, whereas the control cells were not. L-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) inhibited activation of Mek1 and Akt in the transformed NIH3T3 cells. These observations imply that up-regulation of GSH biosynthesis plays a central role in ETV6-NTRK3-induced transformation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.575-582
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• 1991

To increase the production of glutathione by the expression of recombinant gsh plasmids, two genes responsible for the biosynthesis of glutathione were isolated and cloned. To clone a gshI gene, the GS903 mutant strain, which is deficient in $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity, has been raised. A gshI gene was cloned using pBR322 plasmid as a 3.6 Kb PstI DNA fragment isolated from E. coli K-12 chromosomal DNA. Also a gshIl gene was cloned using pUC13 plasmid as a 2.2 Kb PstI-BamHI DNA fragment. To study the effects of plasmid copy number and passenger DNA size on the expression levels of the gsh genes, various recombinant plasmids containing different sets of genes were constructed. The expression levels of the gsh genes were increased approximately twice higher in pUC series plasmids than that in pBR322 plasmid. But the sizes of the passenger DNA containing the gsh genes in the vector plasmid did not affect on the expression levels of the gsh genes.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.314-320
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• 2009

We examined metabolic conversion of cysteine into glutathione (GSH) and taurine in rat liver under oxidative stress. Administration of tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) into the portal vein of male rats resulted in a rapid elevation of serum sorbitol dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities, which decreased gradually in 24 hr. Hepatic cysteine concentration was reduced in 3 hr, and recovered progressively, reaching a level greater than 200% of the normal value in 24 hr. GSH was increased both in liver and blood at 9 hr after t-BHP challenge, whereas hypotaurine or taurine was not altered. $\gamma$-Glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) activity was increased from 9 hr after t-BHP treatment, but protein expression of the GCS-heavy subunit was not changed in liver. Activity or expression of cysteine dioxygenase was not affected by t-BHP treatment. Taken together, these data show that an acute oxidant challenge to the rats may induce upregulation of cysteine availability and GCS activity, resulting in an enhancement of hepatic GSH synthesis, but the increased cysteine level does not stimulate taurine synthesis via cysteine sulfinate pathway. It is indicated that the regulation of GSH and taurine biosynthesis from cysteine is not solely dependent on the cysteine concentration in rat liver under oxidative stress.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 1991.04a
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• pp.237-242
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• 1991

In order to increase the production of glutathione by maximizing the expression of recombinant gsh plasmids, two genes responsible for the biosynthesis of glutathione were cloned. A gshI gene was cloned onto pBR322 plasmid as 3.6Kb PstI DNA fragment from E. coli K-12 chromosomal DNA. Also gshII gene was cloned onto pUC13 plasmid as 2.2Kb PstI-BamHI DNA fragment. In order to improve the glutathione producing activity more efficiently, various recombinant plasmids containing tandem repeated gshI genes or both genes in various copy number onto the same vector were constructed. E. coli cells harboring pGH501 plasmid (pUC8-gshI$\cdot$I$\cdot$II) showed the highest glutathione synthesizing activity. The conditions for glutathione production with an ATP-generating system such as acetate kinase reaction of E. coli cells or glycolytic pathway of yeast cells were examined using the E. coli cells harboring the pGH501 plasmid. When the acetate kinase reaction of E. coli cells was used as an ATP generating system, 20mM of L-csteine was converted into glutathione with a yield of $100\%$.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.654-660
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• 1995

The present study was attempted to investigate the mechanism of oxidative cellular injuries which occur in diabetic rats by determining changes of antioxidant enzymes activity in the lung of alloxan-induced diabetic rats, the contents of glutathione in the lung, liver, blood samples, and ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activities in the liver. Superoxide dismutase activities (SOD), including Cu, Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD, decreased in the lung of diabetic rats compared with those of normal control rats. However, activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase(GPX) activities were not affected in the lung of diabetic rats. In diabetic rats, glutathione contents in the lung, liver, and blood samples, as well as the activities of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase in the livers which is known to be the key enzyme of glutatione biosynthesis, decreased significantly. From these experimental results, it is thought that the decrease in SOD activities in the lung, glutathione contents and ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activities in some tissues in alloxan-induced diabetic rats may be the crucial cause of vullnerability to oxidative cellular injuries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1071-1076
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• 2001

Chemopreventive activities of polysaccharides from soybeans fermented with either Phellinus igniarius or Agrocybe cylindracea were investigated by measuring the induction of quinone reductase (QR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities, and glutathione (GSH) levels in the cell culture along with inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis. The polysaccharides from soybeans fermented with P. igniarius strongly (p<0.005) induced QR activity at all concentrations tested. The extract not only induced GST activity in a dose-dependent manner in the concentration range of 0.1-1.0 mg, but significantly induced GSH revels in cultured Hepa 1c1c7 cells with a maximal 1.4-fold increase at 0.1 mg. The polysaccharides from soybeans fermented with A. cylindracea were effective in inhibiting polyamine metabolism. These results suggest that polysaccharides from soybeans fermented with P. igniarius or A. cylindracea have cancer chemopreventive activities in in vitro models and, therefore, could be considered as potential agents for cancer chemoprevention.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.61-61
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• 2003

We have cloned the CGR1 gene encoding glutathione reductase (GR) which catalyzes the reduction of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to reduced glutathione (GSH) from Candida albicans. The cgr1/cgr1 mutants were not viable when CaMAL2 promoter repressed the CGR1 expression. The growth of the mutants could be partially overcome by thiol compounds such as GSH, dithiothreitol, cysteine, N-acetylcysteine and GSSG. Interestingly, C. albicans with CGR1 overexpressed showed defective hyphal growth on solid medium and attenuated virulence. We have also cloned the GCS1 gene encoding ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase which catalyzes the first step of glutathione biosynthesis. The gcs1/gcs1 mutants were nonviable in minimal defined medium. The growth of the mutants could be resumed by supplementing with GSH, GSSG and ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine in the medium. The mutants had increased intracellular D-erythroascorbic acid level up to 2.25-fold when transferred to GSH-free medium. When the mutants were depleted of GSH, they showed typical markers of apoptosis. In conclusion, these results suggest that glutathione is an essential metabolite, and involved in hyphal growth, virulence and apoptosis in C. albicans.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 1997

In order to enhance glutathione production, various recombinant plasmids containing gshI and/or gshII genes isolated from E. coli K-12 were constructed and introduced into E. coli. Some plasmids contained one to three copies of gshI genes in pBR325 and others contained both gshI and genes for glutathione biosynthesis. $\gamma$-Glutamylcysteine synthetase activities of E, coli strains amplified tandem repeated gshI genes were dependent on the number of inserted gshI genes. The glutathione productivity of E. coli strains harboring various plasmids was investigated using an E. coli acetate kinase reaction as an ATP regenerating system. The glutathione productivity of E. coli strains harboring tandem repeated gshI genes was increased in proportion to the number of inserted gshI genes. By the introduction of gshII gene, the glutathione productivity of the E. coli was increased by two-fold compared with E. coli strain amplified gshI gene only. The enzymatic production of glytathione in E. coli was mainly affected by the increase of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity. The highest glutathione productivity was obtained in E. coli strains harboring pGH-501 plasmid containing two copies of gshI and copy of gshII genes in pUC8 vector.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.126-130
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• 2008

Water extract from Prunella vulgaris L. (PVW) was tested for colon cancer chemopreventive activity by measuring the activities of cytochrome P450 1A1, phase Ⅱ detoxification enzyme [quinone reductase (QR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and glutathione (GSH) levels in cultured human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. PVW significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced cytochrome P450 1A1 activity at 10 and 50 ${\mu}g/ml$. PVW induced QR activity in a dose-dependent manner over a concentration range of $1{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/ml$. GST activity was also induced with the treatment of PVW in HT-29 cells. In addition GSH levels were increased with PVW. PVW inhibited ODC activity, a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, which is enhanced in tumor promotion. These results suggest that Prunella vulgaris L. has colon cancer chemopreventive activity by inhibiting cytochrome P450 1A1 and ODC activities and by increasing phase Ⅱ enzyme activity and GSH levels.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.316-321
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• 2008

The hepatoprotection by the methanol extract of Oenanthe javanica DC (water dropwort) (OJME) was investigated in Sprague Dawley rats with inducing liver damage by acetaminophen. After OJME administration for 1 week, the increase of hepatic lipid peroxide level by acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity was significantly reduced. In case of phase I microsomal enzyme systems including cytochrome P-450, aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase, any significant differences between in control and in OJME-pretreated group was observed after acetaminophen treatment. However, the pretreatment of OJME maintained the hepatic glutathione level and the activity of liver cytosolic glutathione S-transferase, which was significantly decreased by the acetaminophen intoxication. Among the glutathione-generating system, glutathione reductase was more responsible for its biosynthesis rather than ${\gamma}-glutamylcystein$ synthetase. OJME itself showed the strong inhibition activity on DPPH radical generation. In conclusion, OJME administration maintains the liver glutathione pool and hepatic glutathione S-transferase activity, in addition with its high anti-oxidative capability, to show hepatoprotective effect from acetaminophen intoxication.