• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.366-369
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• 2005

NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) transfers electrons from NADPH to cytochrome P450 and also catalyzes the one-electron reduction of many drugs and foreign compounds. Various spectrophotometric assays have been performed to examine electron-accepting properties of CPR and its ability to reduce cytochrome $b_5$, cytochrome c, and ferricyanide. In this report, reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) by CPR has been assessed as a method for monitoring CPR activity. The principle advantage of this substance is that the reduction of MTT can be assayed directly in the reaction medium by a continuous spectrophotometric method. The electrons released from NADPH by CPR were transferred to MTT. MTT reduction activity was then assessed spectrophotometrically by measuring the increase of $A_{610}$. MTT reduction followed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics ($K_m\;=\;20\;{\mu}M$, $k_{cat}\;=\;1,910\;min^{-1}$). This method offers the advantages of a commercially available substrate and short analysis time by a simple measurement of enzymatic activity of CPR.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.541-546
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• 1999

When we compared the chitinase activity of various plant sources using colorimetric or active gel-staining assay methods, the specific activity of pumpkin leaves was the highest among the samples we analyzed. The highly active chitinase from pumpkin leaves (designated PL-ChtIII) was purified to homogeneity using affinity chitin gel and HPLC Mono-Q anion-exchange cloumn chromatographies. In contrast to other members of the class III chitinase family, PL-ChtIII showed a strong binding affinity to the regenerated chitin gel column. The apparent molecular weight of PL-ChtIII was estimated to be 29 kDa on SDS-PAGE gel, while its optimum pH and temperature were shown to be pH 6.0 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. Analyzing the reaction products of PL-ChtIII with swollen chitin as substrate, the dimer and tetramer of N-acetylglucosamine were produced as major products in the first hour of the enzymatic reaction along with a small amount of monomers and trimers. As the reaction time increased, dimeric N-acetylglucosamine became the predominant form of reaction product.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.441-444
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• 2004

This study was performed to establish a simple and rapid method for measuring thrombin activity based on weight of fibrin clot formed. The new method was based on the weight measurement of fibrin clot after enzymatic reaction of thrombin with fibrinogen. The fibrin formation depended upon the activities of thrombin used, temperature, incubation time, and centrifugation time. The fibrin formation was increased proportionally up to 1.0 unit/ml of thrombin activity, 4.0mg/ml of fibrinogen concentration, and 5 min of incubation time at 37$^{\circ}C$. The fibrin clot formed was stable by centrifugation at 3,000$\times$g for 5min. This simple assay based on weight of fibrin after centrifugation would be useful for identifying natural food anticoagulants by inhibiting thrombin.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2018

Objectives: Auraptene, a natural citrus coumarin, found in plants of Rutaceae and Apiaceae families. In this study, we investigated the effects of auraptene on tumor migration, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 enzymes activity. Methods: The effects of auraptene on the viability of A2780 and Hela cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay. Wound healing migration assay and Boyden chamber assay were determined the effect of auraptene on migration and cell invasion, respectively. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were analyzed by gelatin zymography assay. Results: Auraptene reduced A2780 cell viability. The results showed that auraptene inhibited in vitro migration and invasion of both cells. Furthermore, cell invasion ability suppressed at $100{\mu}M$ auraptene in Hela cells and at 25, $50{\mu}M$ in A2780 cell line. Gelatin zymography showed that for Hela cell line, auraptene suppressed MMP-2 enzymatic activity in all concentrations and for MMP-9 at a concentration between 12.5 to $100{\mu}M$ in A2780 cell line. Conclusion: Auraptene inhibited migration and invasion of human cervical and ovarian cancer cells in vitro by possibly inhibitory effects on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.103-107
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• 2000

Previously , the methanolic extract of peach sees was found to have a strong tyrosinase inhibitory activity in an in vitro assay. Several phenolic compunds were isolated from the seeds by solvent fractionation , Sephadex LH-20 chromatography, and preparative HPLC , and one of them showing strong tyrosinase inhibition was identified as benzoic acid by UV, IR, $^1$H/$^1$$^3$C-NMR, and EI-MS spectrsopy. Benzoic acid (IC50= 250$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and L-ascorbic acid (IC50=28$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml), well-known tyrosinase inhibitors. In particular , benzoic acid inhibited markedly the enzymatic browing (melanosis) of apple juices at low concentration of 0.01% and 0.05, comparable to that of L-ascorbic acid (P<0.05). these results suggest that benzoic acid, one of an effective food preservatives, may be potentially useful as a functional alternative to sulfites for the control of melanosis in fruit juices.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2011

Hepatocytes, the major epithelial cells of the liver, maintain their morphology in culture dishes coated with extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagen and fibronectin or biodegradable polymers (e.g. chitosan, gelatin). In these coated dishes, survival of cells and maintaining of liver-specific functions may increase. The aim of this study was to determine a suitable, cost-effective and simple system for hepatocyte isolation and culture which may be useful for various applications such as in vitro toxicology studies, hepatocyte transplantation and bioartificial liver (BAL) systems. In order to obtain primary cultures, hepatocytes were isolated from liver by an enzymatic method and cultured on plates coated with collagen, chitosan or gelatin. Collagen, gelatin-sandwich and gelatin-cell mixture methods were also evaluated. Morphology and attachment of the cells were observed by inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). An MTT assay was used to determine cell viability and mitochondrial activity.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 1995

The superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity of copper complex of 3,5-disopropylsalicylic acid (Cu(II)-DIPS) was tested and compared to those of human recombinant SOD (hrSOD) and its conjugate form with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) using fer- ricytochrome c reduction assay. Stability constant of Cu(II)-DIPS was measured po- tentiometrically using SCOGS2 program. In the presence of 10 g/L albumin, Cu(II)-DIPS lost most of its SOD mimetic activity. HrSOD was modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) of M.W. 5000. These conjugates have markedly prolonged plasma half-lives of enzymatic activity (15.5 hr) compared to native hrSOD (5 min). In summary, efficient SOD mimetics should be stable enough not to dissociate in blood by serum protein. HrSOD could have longer half-life by conjugation with inert PEG for sustained SOD effect.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.90-98
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• 2007

The antioxidant activities of water ($H_2O$) and ethanol (EtOH) extracts from hamcho (Salicornia herbacea L.) juice and cake prepared by enzymatic treatments were evaluated by in vitro assays against DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals. Among the $H_2O$ and EtOH extracts from five different carbohydrases treated, the EtOH extract from viscozyme-treated hamcho cake had higher yield and phenolic content, and exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity against DPPH ($IC_{50}=186.91\;{\mu}g/mL$), superoxide ($IC_{50}=87.54\;{\mu}g/mL$), and hydroxyl radicals ($IC_{50}=367.07\;{\mu}g/mL$). Antioxidant assay-guided fractionation and purification of the EtOH extract led to isolation and identification of five phenolic compounds, procatechuic, ferulic and caffeic acids, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Most of these phenolic compounds exhibited considerable DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, and in particular, caffeic and ferulic acids had stronger superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities than the well-known antioxidant radical scavenger, (+)-catechin (p<0.05). Quercetin and isorhamnetin were the primary compounds responsible for the strong antioxidant activity in the EtOH extract of the viscozyme-treated hamcho cake. Meanwhile, these five phenolic compounds were detected in the EtOH extract of the viscozyme-treated hamcho cake at the following levels (dry base of hamcho); procatechuic acid (1.54 mg%), caffeic acid (6.87 mg%), ferulic acid (8.45 mg%), quercetin (12.63 mg%), and isorhamnetin (6.65 mg%). However, three of these phenolic compounds (procatechuic, caffeic acid, and ferulic acids) were detectable in the $H_2O$ extract of viscozyme-treated hamcho juice. These results suggest that the EtOH extract of viscozyme-treated hamcho cake may be a potential source of natural antioxidants.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2006

Background: Caveolin-1 is a principal component of caveolae membranes in vivo. Although expression of caveolae structure and expression of caveolin family, caveolin-1, -2 and -3, was known in chondrocytes, the functional role of caveolae and caveolins in chondrocytes remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of caveolin-1 in articular chondrocytes. Methods: Rabbit articular chondrocytes were prepared from cartilage slices of 2-week-old New Zealand white rabbits by enzymatic digestion. Caveolin-1 cDNA was transfected to articular chondrocytes using LipofectaminePLUS. The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression levels were determined by immunoblot analysis, immunostaining, immunohistochemistry, and prostaglandin $E_2\;(PGE_2)$ assay was used to measure the COX-2 activity. Results: Ectopic expression of caveolin-1 induced COX-2 expression and activity, as indicated by immunoblot analysis and $PGE_2$ assay. And also, overexpression of caveolin-1 stimulated activation of p38 kinase and ERK-1/-2. Inhibition of p38 kinase and ERK-1/-2 with SB203580 and PD98059, respectively, led to a dose-dependent decrease COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production in caveolin-1-transfected cells. Conclusion: Taken together, our data suggest that ectopic expression of caveolin-1 contributes to the expression and activity of COX-2 in articular chondrocytes through MAP kinase pathway.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 1999

Various side-chains are introduced to the 7-amino position of 7-aminocepha-losporanic acid (7-ACA) to make semi-synthetic cephalosporin antibiotics. In order to convert cephalosporin C (CPC) to 7-ACA, two enzymatic reactions are generally imployed. Glutary1-7-aminocephalosporanic acid (Gl-7-ACA) acylase is involved in the second step where the reaction intermediate, Gl-7-ACa is converted into 7-ACA. It was recently reported that CPC amidase can convert CPC directly into 7-ACA in a single enzymatic reaction. A study was undertaken to screen microorganisms conferring enzyme activity to convert Gl-7-ACA or CPC into 7-ACA by one or two enzymatic reactions. In order to screen the microorganisms rapidly, a non-$\beta$-lactam model compund, glutaryl-$\rho$-nitroanilide, was utilized in an early stage, thereafter the selected microorganisms were examined with real substrates. One microorganism exhibiting both Gl-7-ACA acylase and CPC amidase activities was obtained by the colorimetry method and HPLC assay, and was identified as a strain of Serratia species, designated as Serratia sp. N14.4. The optimal fermentation conditions for Serratia sp. N14.4 was pH9.0 and 3$0^{\circ}C$.