• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.253-261
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• 2004

Ten terpenes (1-10), two sterols (11 and 12), and two unusual phenylpropanoids (13 and 14) were isolated from the brittle star Ophioplocus japonicus (Family Ophiuridae). Their structures were identified by analyses of the spectral data and by comparison with the literature data. The terpenes (1-10) and phenylpropanoids (13 and 14) are first encountered in brittle stars. These compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against a small panel of human solid tumor cell lines. Compounds 6-10 and 14 displayed moderate to significant cytotoxicity. The compounds were evaluated for antibacterial activity against 20 clinically isolated strains. Compound 5 exhibited antibacterial activities against three Streptococcus and three Staphylococcus strains.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4751-4758
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• 2015

Echinodermata use saponins in chemical defense against pathogens and predators. The molecular mechanisms of antimetastatic effects of brittle star saponins are still unknown. The present study examined antioxidant capacity and invasive ability in HeLa carcinoma cells exposed to brittle star crude saponins. Discolorating methods with DPPH and ABTS and expression of SOD-2 with RT-PCR were used to estimate the antioxidant activity. The anti-invasive activity of extracted saponins was examined through adhesion of HeLa cells to extracellular matrix, wound healing and evaluation of the mRNA levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by real time-PCR. The results showed that extracted saponins had cytotoxicity against cervical cancer cells and ABTS and DPPH scavenging properties with $IC_{50}$ values of 604.5, $1012{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Further, we found that, in wound healing assay, brittle star saponins could prevent invasion of HeLa cells in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, cell adhesion assay demonstrated blockage of cell attachment to extracellular matrix with an $IC_{50}$ concentration of $16.1{\mu}g/ml$. The significant dose dependent down regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in treated cells demonstrated that isolated saponins can decline tumor metastasis in vitro. The brittle star saponins remarkably prevented cervical cancer invasion and migration associated with down regulation of matrix metalloproteinase expression. Therefore, saponins could be suggested as an anti-invasive candidate against cervical cancer and an antioxidant as well.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2020

We describe a newly recorded brittle star to South Korea, Amphiura (Amphiura) digitula (H.L. Clark, 1911), that was collected from Geoje Island, at a depth of 47 m. The species is characterized by a small disk, covered by numerous fine scales, small radial shields that are wider than long, a small stumpy hook at the distal end of the radial shield, two tooth papilla, two adoral shield spines, 2nd adoral shield spine longer than other, tapered dramatically toward dull tip, five arms with four proximal arm spines, and two tentacle scales. We also obtained a 657 bp sequence from COI gene and the amplified sequence matched the general DNA barcoding region. The NJ and ML phylogenetic analyses revealed A. (A.) digitula as monophyletic in the Amphiura clade. This species is clearly distinguished from other Amphiura species by morphological characteristics and the mitochondrial COI sequence, and thus represents the sixth Amphiura species reported to occur in Korea.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.84-90
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• 2019

The brittle star, Amphistigma minuta H.L. Clark, 1938, was collected from Munseom Island, Jeju-do, Korea, by SCUBA diving. This species has distinct morphological features, as follows: a small disk with large papillae on the disk margin; slender arms and four arm spines at proximal; and oral parts the same as those of the genus Amphipholis. Additionally, we obtained partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) (513 bp) and compared them with sequences from Australian A. minuta and 13 other species of Amphiuridae. As a result, intraspecific pairwise distance was 0.4% between two Korean individuals and intraspecific distance between the Australian and the Korean populations was 2.6-2.8%, which indicates they should be considered as the same species. Ultimately, 15 species of the family Amphiuridae have currently been recorded in Korea, including A. minuta.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.157-161
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• 2022

Parartotrogus minutus n. sp. is described as a parasite of the brittle star Ophiuroglypha kinbergi (Ljungman) from the intertidal zone on the Yellow Sea coast of Korea. The new species is characterized by a combination of morphological features that the body is small, less than 0.5 mm long, the caudal ramus is 1.73 times longer than wide, leg 3 bears three-segmented rami, and the exopod of leg 5 is armed with two setae. The new species is the third known species in the genus, following P. richardi Scott T. and Scott, A., 1893 known from European waters and P. arcticus Scott T., 1901 known from both North Atlantic and North Pacific.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2023

This study introduces a newly discovered brittle star, Amphiophiura megapoma, from the mesophotic zone in the East Sea, Korea. It is the second species belonging to the genus Amphiophiura (which includes 57 species) to be recorded in Korean waters after A. sculpta. The specimen was discovered during a September 2022 survey, by SCUBA diving in the upper mesophotic zone of the East Sea, Korea. This study presents the morphological characteristics of A. megapoma, highlighting its differences from the related species within a comprehensive taxonomic description. It provides high-resolution images of A. megapoma and a taxonomic key for Amphiophiura species in Korea.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.668-675
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• 1998

These surveys were conducted to check the occurrence of disease in various horticultural crops in alpine areas, especially Daekwallyong areas, Pyongchang-Gun, and Hyeongseong-Gun in Kangwon province. TuMV on Chinese cabbage was one of the most serious diseases, especially in 1994 and 1997. The incidence of soft rot and clubroot has been increased gradually. Brittle root rot on Chinese cabbage was significantly decreased. Soft rot, gray mold, downy mildew, powdery mildew, bottom rot and Alternaria leaf spot were the common diseases on most vegetable crops. Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) on celery, cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora sp.) on melon, powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) on lettuce, and clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) on parsley are newly found in Korea. The most common and predominant diseases were viruses, especially CMV, TMV, TuMV, BBMV, and gray mold, wilts, and cercospora leaf spot on many flowers in alpine areas. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. eustomae causing wilting on lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), Turnip mosaic virus causing mosaic and color breaking on stock, Cercospora spp. causing cercospora leaf spot on various wild lily, Cladosporum echinulatum causing leaf spot on carnation, and phytoplasma causing witches' broom on statice (Limonium sinuatum) and blazing star (Liatris spp.) were newly found during these surveys in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.634-639
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• 2020

Starfish are a potential source of marine materials, but their unique odor can limit application. Our previous work suggested that brittle star Ophioplocus japonicus extract could be more effective as a cosmetic material by reducing its odor through a roasting process. However, the biological properties of heat-treated Ophioplocus japonicus extract (HOJE) remain poorly understood. We here examined the anti-inflammatory potential of HOJE in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. HOJE significantly inhibits LPS-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production without affecting cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and suppresses LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 and -1β. Furthermore, treatment of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate to inhibit nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling accelerated the inhibitory effect of HOJE on NO production, and the translocation of NF-κB p65 from the cytosol to the nucleus was attenuated by HOJE. These results show that HOJE ameliorates inflammation partly through NF-κB signaling which consequently suggests that it has anti-inflammatory potential.