• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2012

The molecular mechanisms by which a variety of naturally-occurring dietary compounds exert chemopreventive effects have been a subject of intense scientific investigations. Induction of phase II detoxification and anti-oxidant enzymes through activation of Nrf2/ARE-dependent gene is recognized as one of the major cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative or xenobiotic stresses and currently represents a critical chemopreventive mechanism of action. In the present review, the functional significance of Keap1/Nrf2 protein module in regulating ARE-dependent phase II detoxification and anti-oxidant gene expression is discussed. The biochemical mechanisms underlying the phosphorylation and expression of Keap1/Nrf2 proteins that are controlled by the intracellular signaling kinases and ubiquitin-mediated E3 ligase system as well as control of nucleocytoplasmic translocation of Nrf2 by its innate nuclear export signal (NES) are described.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.113-124
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• 2009

Aging is a multifaceted biological process that affects all organs and organ systems of the body. This review provides an up-to-date analysis of this highly exciting, rapidly changing field of science. The aging process is largely under genetic control but is highly responsive to diverse environmental influences. The genes that control aging are those that are involved with cell maintenance, cell damage and repair. The environmental factors that accelerate aging are those that influence either damage of cellular macromolecules, or interfere with their repair. Prominent among these are chronic inflammation, chronic infection, some metallic chemicals, ultraviolet light, and others that heighten oxidative stress. Other environment factors slow the aging process. Included among these agents are resveratrol and vitamin D. In addition, dietary restriction and exercise have been found to extend human lifespan. The various mechanisms whereby all these agents exert their influence on aging include epigenetic modification, chromatin maintenance, protection of telomeres, and anti-oxidant defense, among others. The complex process of aging remains under continued, intense investigation.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.280-286
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• 2019

In this study, PVF11 was selected among 20 candidate pathogenesis-related genes in Burkholderia glumae based on its effect on virulence to rice. PVF11 was found to interact with several plant defense-related WRKY proteins as evidenced through yeast-two hybrid analysis (Y2H). Moreover, PVF11 showed interactions with abiotic and biotic stress response-related rice proteins, as shown by genome-wide Y2H screening employing PVF11 and a cDNA library from B. glumae-infected rice. To confirm the effect of PVF11 on B. glumae virulence, in planta assays were conducted at different stages of rice growth. As a result, a PVF11-defective mutant showed reduced virulence in rice seedlings and stems but not in rice panicles, indicating that PVF11 involvement in B. glumae virulence in rice is stage-dependent.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.403-411
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• 2023

The shift in the medical paradigm from treatment to prevention and diagnosis has underscored the growing significance of biosensors. Notably, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the widespread adoption of biosensors for the detection of viral genes and antigens. Consequently, there has been a substantial increase in both the demand for biosensors and the industries associated with their production. Furthermore, biosensors find applications not only in healthcare but also in diverse fields such as environmental monitoring, food quality control, military defense, and industrial processes. In this brief review, we delve into the essential attributes of biosensors, namely sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. We provide an overview of the latest research trends aimed at improving these attributes. Additionally, we introduce recent research cases in which these attributes are being applied both in vivo and in vitro.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.7-11
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• 2024

Glutathione (GSH) is a vital compound composed of glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine, crucial for cellular functions including oxidative stress defense and detoxification. It has widespread applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries due to its antioxidant properties and immune system support. Two primary methods for GSH synthesis are enzymatic and microbial fermentation. Enzymatic synthesis is efficient but costly, while microbial fermentation, particularly using yeast strains like Candida albicans, offers a cost-effective alternative. This study focuses on genetically modifying C. albicans mutants, specifically targeting glutathione reductase (GLR1) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS1) genes, integral to GSH synthesis. By optimizing these mutants, the research aims to develop a model for efficient GSH production, potentially expanding its applications in the food industry.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2007

Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was performed to construct an cDNA library of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Total 470 clones were randomly selected and sequenced, 214 out of 470 sequences showed identities with known genes and 252 sequences were unknown genes. Among the 218 known genes, 34 sequences were found to be homologous to IL-1RII gene, and 14 sequences were identified as IL-$1{\beta}$. RT-PCR analysis showed that IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA was induced 1h after LPS-stimulation, and IL-1RII was increased from 3h after stimulation, indicating that most of SSH clones are associated with inflammatory responses in fish, and this SSH cDNA library would be useful to identify bio-defense and immuno-related genes in fish.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1280-1287
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• 2013

The current study investigated the effects of [6]-gingerol, a ginger phytochemical, on the expression of autophagy-related genes and the activation of antioxidative enzymes in the pancreas of mice with cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. The following were studied: pancreatic edema, ${\alpha}$-amylase activity in serum, expression of autophagy genes, activities of antioxidative defense enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the production of lipid peroxidation (LPO). The results revealed that cerulein-induced edema in the pancreas and ${\alpha}$-amylase activity in the cerulein group significantly increased compared with that of the control. However, that of the [6]-gingerol pretreated group was significantly decreased compared with that of the cerulein-alone injected group (positive control). There was no significant difference compared with that of control. The expression of autophagy-related proteins, including Beclin-1 and cleaved microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3, were significantly increased in the positive control but significantly decreased in the [6]-gingerol-pretreated group. Furthermore, the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in the positive control were decreased compared with those of the control. However, those of the [6]-gingerol pretreated group were significantly increased compared with those of the cerulein-alone group. The mRNA levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were similar. The production of LPO in the cerulein with and without [6]-gingerol groups was increased by 133.1% and 26.3%, respectively, compared with that of the control, whereas that of the [6]-gingerol-pretreated group was significantly decreased by 48.5% compared with that of the positive control. Therefore, [6]-gingerol may be a strong candidate in reducing autophagy and LPO production and in enhancing antioxidative enzyme activities to help prevent acute and chronic pancreatitis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.724-732
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• 2020

Phytophthora capsici is the organism that causes Phytophthora blight which infects red pepper plants prolifically, ultimately leading to crop loss. A previous study revealed that Enterobacter asburiae ObRS-5 suppresses Phytophthora blight in both red pepper and Ligularia fischeri plants. In order to determine whether the induced systemic resistance (ISR) was triggered by pre-infection with the ObRS-5 strain, we conducted quantitative PCR using primers for PR1, PR4, and PR10, which correlate with systemic resistance in red-pepper plants. In our results, red pepper plants treated with the ObRS-5 strain demonstrated increased expression of all three systemic resistance genes when compared to controls in the glasshouse seedling assay. In addition, treatment of red peppers with the ObRS-5 strain led to reduced Phytophthora blight symptoms caused by P. capsici, whereas all control seedlings were severely affected. Perhaps most importantly, E. asburiae ObRS-5 was shown to induce the ISR response in red peppers without inhibiting growth. These results support that the defense mechanisms are triggered by ObRS-5 strain prior to infection by P. capsici and ObRS-5 strain-mediated ISR action are linked events for protection to Phytophthora blight.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.258-263
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• 2013

In the current study, we explored the effect of LDR on the activation of Nrfs transcription factor involved in cellular redox events. Experiments were carried out utilizing 0.05 and 0.5 Gy X-ray irradiated normal human skin fibroblast HS27 cells. The results showed LDR induced Nrf1 and Nrf2 activation and expression of antioxidant genes HO-1, Mn-SOD, and NQO1. In particular, 0.05 Gy-irradiation increased only Nrf1 activation, but 0.5 Gy induced both Nrf1 and Nrf2 activation. LDR-mediated Nrf1/2 activation was accompanied by reactive species (RS) generation and $Ca^{2+}$ flux. This effect was abolished in the presence of N-acetyl-cysteine and BAPTA- AM. Furthermore, Nrf1/2 activation by LDR was suppressed by PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK1/2. In conclusion, LDR induces Nrf1 and Nrf2 activation and expression of Nrf-regulated antioxidant defense genes through RS and $Ca^{2+}$/ERK1/2 pathways, suggesting new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the beneficial role of LDR in HS27 cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1080-1087
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• 2008

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and CD14 protein play important roles in the defense against infection of Gram-negative bacteria. In the present study, tissue distribution and polymorphism of porcine LBP and CD14 genes were analyzed. Real-time PCR results showed that the porcine LBP gene was especially highly expressed in liver, while CD14 gene was highly expressed in liver and spleen tissues. A 1,732 bp cDNA fragment of porcine LBP gene and a 1,682 bp genomic DNA fragment of CD14 gene were isolated. Polymorphisms were identified in these two fragments and showed that there were 14 potential SNPs in the porcine LBP gene and 3 potential SNPs in the porcine CD14 gene. Three SNPs, 292G/A (Gly/Ser), 1168G/A (Ala/Thr) of the LBP gene and -61G/A of the CD14 gene, were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Association analyses indicated that polymorphism of the 292G/A locus was significantly associated with porcine immune traits hematocrit (HCT), IgG and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) (p<0.01), and the 1168G/A locus was significantly associated with HCT and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) traits (p<0.05). No significant association was found between the -61G/A locus and immune traits of the pig. Our data indicated that the LBP gene was significantly associated with immune traits of pig. Also, we identified some SNPs which may be useful markers for disease-resistant breeding of pigs.