• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1395-1403
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• 2020

There is an increasing interest in using inactivated probiotics to modulate the host immune system and protect against pathogens. As the immunomodulatory function of heat-killed Lactobacillus brevis KCTC 12777BP (LBB) and its mechanism is unclear, we investigated the effect of LBB on immune response based on the hypothesis that LBB might exert stimulatory effects on immunity. In the current study, we demonstrate that administration of LBB can exert immune-stimulatory effects and promote clearance of foreign matters through enhancing phagocytosis. Treatment with LBB induced the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and nitric oxide in macrophages. Importantly, LBB directly increased the phagocytic activity of macrophages against bacterial particles. LBB was able to promote the production of TNF-α in bone marrow-derived macrophages and splenocytes and also increase the proliferation rate of splenocytes, suggesting that the immune-stimulating activity of LBB can be observed in primary immune cells. Investigation into the molecular mechanism responsible revealed that LBB upregulates TAK1 activity and its downstream ERK, p38, and JNK signaling pathways. To further confirm the immunomodulatory capability of LBB in vivo, we orally administered LBB to mice and assessed the effect on primary splenocytes. Splenocytes isolated from LBB-treated mice exhibited higher TNF-α expression and proliferative capacity. These results show that heat-killed L. brevis, a wildly consumed probiotic, may provide protection against pathogens through enhancing host immunity.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.145-149
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• 1986

The development of delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH) reaction to Staphylococcus aureus in mice was studied, Mice received 3 injections of $10^8$ viable S. aureus subcutaneously showed a marked footpad swelling when mice were challenged with $10\;{\mu}g$ staphylococcal protein antigen into footpad(The percent increase of footpad thickness at 24 h after challenge wsa 35% approximately). Histological observation of footpad of immunized mice showed a marked thickness of subcutaneous tissue due to edematous reaction and massive infiltration of lymphocytes and neutrophils which are characteristic cells in DTH reaction. Intensity of DTH reaction of mice immunized with viable bacteria was much higher than that of mice immunized with staphylococcal protein or heat-killed bacteria. The DTH reaction to S. aureus could be transferred to normal recipient mice by both spleen cells and lymph node cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-originated lipid antigen is presented on the antigen-presenting cell surface with CD1b. When monocyte-derived dendritic cells phagocytosed MTB H37Rv (Multiplicity of infection 10, infectivity: 46.89%), the CD1b expression level decreased slowly. Since this was just a live MTB-mediated phenomenon, it was not detected from heat-killed MTB or mycolic acid, which is a unique antigen of MTB. We confirmed that the phosphorylation of CD1b molecules using 2D electrophoresis with staining could phosphorylate and induce the presentation of the lipid antigen using the phagocytosis assay.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.405-409
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• 2005

Cellular components of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis (heat-killed whole cells, cytoplasm, and cell walls) were tested for their in vivo immunopotentiating activities. Peritoneal macrophages from mice injected intraperitoneally with cell-wall fractions exhibited significantly greater phagocytic activity than groups injected with whole cells or cytoplasm fraction. Cytotoxicity of natural-killer cells was highest in cytoplasm fractions. Production of cytokines (IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-12) in spleen cells was significantly higher when cellular components were injected intraperitoneally, and tended to be higher in whole-cell and cytoplasm groups than in cell-wall group. These results demonstrate lactic acid bacteria whole cells and their cytoplasm and cell-wall tractions have immunopotentiating activities.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.261-273
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• 2021

Leuconostoc mesenteroides H40 (H40) was isolated from kimchi, and its probiotic properties and neuroprotective effect was evaluated in oxidatively stressed SH-SY5Y cells. H40 was stable in artificial gastric conditions and can be attached in HT-29 cells. In addition, H40 did not produce β-glucuronidase and showed resistant to several antibiotics. The conditioned medium (CM) was made using HT-29 cells refined with heat-killed probiotics (Probiotics-CM) and heated yogurts (Y-CM) to investigate the neuroprotective effect. Treatment with H40-CM not only increased cell viability but also significantly improved brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) expression and reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in oxidatively stress-induced SH-SY5Y cells. Besides, probiotic Y-CM significantly increased BDNF mRNA expression and decreased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The physicochemical properties of probiotic yogurt with H40 was not significantly different from the control yogurt. The viable cell counts of lactic acid bacteria in control and probiotic yogurt with H40 was 8.66 Log CFU/mL and 8.96 Log CFU/mL, respectively. Therefore, these results indicate that H40 can be used as prophylactic functional dairy food having neuroprotective effects.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1827-1834
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• 2020

Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen in humans. In our previous study, we reported that an ethanol extract from Aucklandia lappa weakens C. albicans cell wall by inhibiting synthesis or assembly of both (1,3)-β-D-glucan polymers and chitin. In the current study, we found that the extract is involved in permeabilization of C. albicans cell membranes. While uptake of ethidium bromide (EtBr) was 3.0% in control cells, it increased to 7.4% for 30 min in the presence of the A. lappa ethanol extract at its minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), 0.78 mg/ml, compared to uptake by heat-killed cells. Besides, leakage of DNA and proteins was observed in A. lappa-treated C. albicans cells. The increased uptake of EtBr and leakage of cellular materials suggest that A. lappa ethanol extract induced functional changes in C. albicans cell membranes. Incorporation of diphenylhexatriene (DPH) into membranes in the A. lappa-treated C. albicans cells at its MIC decreased to 84.8%, after 60 min of incubation, compared with that of the controls, indicate that there was a change in membrane dynamics. Moreover, the anticandidal effect of the A. lappa ethanol extract was enhanced at a growth temperature of 40℃ compared to that at 35℃. The above data suggest that the antifungal activity of the A. lappa ethanol extract against C. albicans is associated with synergistic action of membrane permeabilization due to changes in membrane dynamics and cell wall damage caused by reduced formation of (1,3)-β-D-glucan and chitin.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.407-415
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• 1986

This study investigated whether a correlation exists between environmental physical and biochemical factors and adherence of Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells by using normal and UV-irradiated strains. The results were as follows: 1. The percentage of germ tube forming activities of normal Candida albicans was 91.5% and UV-irradiated Candida albicans was 15.0%. The $LD_{50}$ of normal strains in mice were $1.0{\times}10\;cells/ml$, but could not be observed in the UV-irradiated strains even with $1.0{\times}10\;cells/ml$. It demonstrated that the virulence is decreased in the UV-irradiated strain. 2. The adherence of normal Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells($166{\pm}29{\sim}207{\pm}17\;cells$/100 epithelial cells) was significantly greater than UV-irradiated Candida albicans($99{\pm}21{\sim}131{\pm}25\;cells$/100 epithelial cells). 3. Candida albicans cultured at $37^{\circ}C$ adhered to buccal epithelial cells($166{\pm}16{\sim}207{\pm}17\;cells$/100 epithelial cells) in greater numbers than cultured at $25^{\circ}C$($80{\pm}15{\sim}143{\pm}22\;cells$/100 epithelial cells). 4. On comparison of the adherence of viable and nonviable(heat-killed) Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells, the nonviable Candida albicans demonstrated poorer adherence than viable Candida albicans. 5. Adherence in vitro of Candida albicans to human epithelial cells appeared to be effected by the pH. The adherence ability was maximum increased at pH 7.0($187{\pm}22\;cells$/100 epithelial cells) other than experimental pH. 6. The adherence was proportional to the incubation time and the Candida cell concentration in the suspension. 7. A strong correlation was shown between germ tube forming activity and increased adherence of Candida albicans to human epithelial cells, indicating that germ tube forming activity were responsible for candidal virulence.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2001

In this study, we have isolated bacterial cell wall lytic enzyme in the culture supernatant of Aspergillus sp. HCLF-4. This hydrolase showed cell wall lytic activity against Anabaena cylindrica. The extracellular enzyme was produced by Aspergillus sp. HCLF-4 when it was grown in a PDB media containing 0.05% heat killed Micrococcus luteus cells. The molecular weight of lytic enzyme was about 14.3 kDa. The optimal pH and temperature for the activity of this enzyme were 3.0~4.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. This hydrolase activity was reduced by $Na^{+}$, $Li^{+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Fe^{3+}$, EDTA, and PMSF, whereas it was increased by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$>. The enzyme has N-acetylmuramyl-L-amidase or endopeptidase activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1379-1386
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• 2020

Acne is a chronic skin disease that typically occurs in the teens and twenties, and its symptoms vary according to age, sex, diet, and lifestyle. The condition is characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes in the epidermis, sebum overproduction, excessive growth of Propionibacterium acnes, and P. acnes-induced skin inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-6 are predominant in the inflammatory lesions of acne vulgaris. These cytokines induce an inflammatory reaction in the skin in the presence of pathogens or stresses. Moreover, IL-1α accelerates the production of keratin 16, which is typically expressed in wounded or aberrant skin, leading to abnormalities in architecture and hyperkeratinization. Orobol (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyisoflavone) is a metabolite of genistein that inhibited the P. acnes-induced increases in IL-6 and IL-1α levels in human keratinocytes (HaCaTs) more effectively compared with salicylic acid. In addition, orobol decreased the IL-1α and IL-6 mRNA levels and inhibited the phosphorylation of inhibitor of kappa-B kinase, nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha, and mitogen-activated protein kinase induced by P. acnes. Finally, the expression of Ki67 was decreased by orobol. Thus, orobol ameliorated the inflammation and hyperkeratinization induced by heat-killed P. acnes and thus has potential for use in functional foods and cosmetics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.242-246
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• 1997

The protein profile of Synechococcus sp. cyanophage was investigated employing SDS-PAGE. The phage appears to be composed of two major proteins of 97 and 52 kDa and at least seven minor proteins of 70, 65, 60, 40, 35, 28, and 6 kDa. It seems that each subunit is combined to form a multimer although any disulfide bond does not exist in the phage structure. Lytic activity of the phage particle against cell wall was detected around the 52 kDa on renaturing SDS-PAGE using heat-killed Micrococcus luteus cells as substrate. The activity has the optimal pH between 9 and 10, and slightly inhibited by EDTA.