• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with underlying diseases, is associated with high infection and mortality rates, which may result in acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type II is a progressive metabolic disorder that stems from cellular accumulation of the glycosaminoglycans, heparan, and dermatan sulfate. Upper and lower airway obstruction and restrictive pulmonary diseases are common complaints of patients with MPS, and respiratory infections of bacterial or viral origin could result in fatal outcomes. We report a case of COVID-19 in a 16-year-old adolescent with MPS type II, who had been treated with idursulfase since 5 years of age. Prior to infection, the patient's clinical history included developmental delays, abdominal distension, snoring, and facial dysmorphism. His primary complaints at the time of admission included rhinorrhea, cough, and sputum without fever or increased oxygen demand. His heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation were within the normal biological reference intervals, and chest radiography revealed no signs of pneumonia. Consequently, supportive therapy and quarantine were recommended. The patient experienced an uneventful course of COVID-19 despite underlying MPS type II, which may be the result of an unfavorable host cell environment and changes in expression patterns of proteins involved in interactions with viral proteins. Moreover, elevated serum heparan sulfate in patients with MPS may compete with cell surface heparan sulfate, which is essential for successful interaction between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and the host cell surface, thereby protecting against intracellular penetration by SARS-CoV-2.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.637-645
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• 2011

Production of recombinant proteins by excretory expression has many advantages over intracellular expression in Escherichia coli. Hyperexpression of a secretory exoglucanase, Exg, of Cellulomonas fimi was previously shown to saturate the SecYEG pathway and result in dramatic cell death of E. coli. In this study, we demonstrated that overexpression of the PspA in the JM101(pM1VegGcexL-pspA) strain enhanced excretion of Exg to 1.65 U/ml using shake-flask cultivation, which was 80% higher than the highest yield previously obtained from the optimized JM101(pM1VegGcexL) strain. A much higher excreted Exg activity of 4.5 U/ml was further achieved with high cell density cultivation using rich media. Furthermore, we showed that the PspA overexpression strain enjoyed an elevated critical value (CV), which was defined as the largest quotient between the intracellular unprocessed precursor and its secreted mature counterpart that was still tolerable by the host cells prior to the onset of cell death, improving from the previously determined CV of 20/80 to the currently achieved CV of 45/55 for Exg. The results suggested that the PspA overexpression strain might tolerate a higher level of precursor Exg making use of the SecYEG pathway for secretion. The reduced lethal effect might be attributable to the overexpressed PspA, which was postulated to be able to reduce membrane depolarization and damage. Our findings introduce a novel strategy of the combined application of metabolic engineering and construct optimization to the attainment of the best possible E. coli producers for secretory/excretory production of recombinant proteins, using Exg as the model protein.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2004

It is known that Bacillus subtilis glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) mischarges E. coli $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ with glutamate in vitro. It has also been established that the expression of B. subtilis GluRS in Escherichia coli results in the death of the host cell. To ascertain whether E. coli growth inhibition caused by B. subtilis GluRS synthesis is a consequence of Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ formation, we constructed an in vivo test system, in which B. subtilis GluRS gene expression is controlled by IPTG. Such a system permits the investigation of factors affecting E. coli growth. Expression of E. coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) also amelio-rated growth inhibition, presumably by competitively preventing $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ misacylation. However, when amounts of up to 10 mM L-glutamine, the cognate amino acid for acylation of $tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$, were added to the growth medium, cell growth was unaffected. Overexpression of the B. subtilis gatCAB gene encoding Glu-$tRNA^{Gln}$ amidotransferase (Glu-AdT) rescued cells from toxic effects caused by the formation of the mis-charging GluRS. This result indicates that B. subtilis Glu-AdT recognizes the mischarged E. coli Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$, and converts it to the cognate Gln-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ species. B. subtilis GluRS-dependent Glu-$tRNA_{1}$$^{Gln}$ formation may cause growth inhibition in the transformed E. coli strain, possibly due to abnormal protein synthesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.237-247
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• 2021

Immune responses in the central nervous system (CNS) function as the host's defense system against pathogens and usually help with repair and regeneration. However, chronic and exaggerated neuroinflammation is detrimental and may create neuronal damage in many cases. The NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain―containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a kind of NOD-like receptor, is a cytosolic multiprotein complex that consists of sensors (NLRP3), adaptors (apoptosis-associated speck like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain, ASC) and effectors (caspase 1). It can detect a broad range of microbial pathogens along with foreign and host-derived danger signals, resulting in the assembly and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Upon activation, NLRP3 inflammasome leads to caspase 1-dependent secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, as well as to gasdermin D-mediated pyroptotic cell death. NLRP3 inflammasome is highly expressed in CNS-resident cell types, including microglia and astrocytes, and growing evidence suggests that NLRP3 inflammasome is a crucial player in the pathophysiology of several neuroinflammatory and psychiatric diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and major depressive disorder. Thus, this review describes the molecular mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and its crucial roles in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2012

Apoptosis is a physiological programmed cell death process. Tubercle bacilli inhibit apoptosis of alveolar macrophages and phagolysosome fusion. We investigated whether the Bcl-2 family anti-apoptotic member, Bfl-1/A1, plays an important role in the anti-apoptotic process during mycobacterial infection. PMA-treated human monocytoid THP-1 cells were infected with mycobacteria (H37Rv, BCG, and K-strain) at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10 for 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48, or 72 h. In addition, PMA-treated THP-1 cells were pretreated with specific inhibitors for 45 min before stimulation with mycobacteria at an MOI of 10 for 4 h. After the indicated time, the cells were subject to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and a Bfl-1/A1-specific Western blot was performed. In PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells, the expression level of Bfl-1/A1 mRNA was increased by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv infection. The mRNA level of Bfl-1/A1 peaked 3 h after MTB infection, then declined gradually until 9 h. However, Bfl-1/A1 mRNA induction gradually re-increased from 24 h to 72 h after MTB infection. No difference in Bfl-1/A1 expression was detected following infection with MTB H37Rv, K-strain, or M. bovis BCG. These results were not dependent on mycobacterial virulence. Moreover, mRNA levels of other anti-apoptotic molecules (Mcl-1, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL) were not increased after MTB H37Rv or K-strain infection. These results suggest that mycobacteria induce the innate immune host defense mechanisms that utilize Bfl-1/A1 molecules at early time points, regardless of virulence.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.432-437
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• 2016

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a cytokine that plays a key regulatory role in the immune system. Recombinant human IL-11 (rhIL-11) exerts a preventative effect against apoptotic cell death and inhibits preadipocyte differentiation. IL-11 also is used to stimulate the bone marrow to produce platelets in order to prevent low platelets that may be caused by chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the high production cost of IL-11 associated. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of transgenic plants for the cost-effective production of rhIL-11. Production of rhIL-11 proteins in whole-plant expression system will be more economical when compared to the current E. coli based expression system. The human rhIL-11 gene was codon optimized to maximize plant host system expression. IL-11 expression vector under the control of a constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV 35S) promoter was introduced into tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The 5'-leader sequence (called ${\Omega}$) of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as a translational enhancer was added to construct. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing various levels of rhIL-11 protein were generated. Western blotting of the stably transformed lines demonstrated accumulation of the appropriately sized rhIL-11 protein in leaves. This research demonstrated the efficacy of using tobacco as an expression system for the production of rhIL-11.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.194-203
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• 2009

$HpaG_{Xooc}$, from rice pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola, is a member of the harpin group of proteins, eliciting hypersensitive cell death in non-host plants, inducing disease and insect resistance in plants, and enhancing plant growth. To express and secret the $HpaG_{Xooc}$ protein in Bacillus subtilis, we constructed a recombinant expression vector pM43HF with stronger promoter P43 and signal peptide element nprB. The SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis demonstrated the expression of the protein $HpaG_{Xooc}$ in B. subtilis. The ELISA analysis determined the optimum condition for $HpaG_{Xooc}$ expression in B. subtilis WBHF. The biological function analysis indicated that the protein $HpaG_{Xooc}$ from B. subtilis WBHF elicits hypersensitive response(HR) and enhances the growth of tobacco. The results of RT-PCR analysis revealed that $HpaG_{Xooc}$ induces expression of the pathogenesis-related genes PR-1a and PR-1b in plant defense response.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.543-551
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• 2002

Nitric oxide (NO) is a small molecule (mol. wt. 30 Da) and oxidative free radical. It is uncharged and can therefore diffuse freely within and between cells across membrane. Such characteristics make it a biologically important messenger in physiologic processes such as neurotransmission and the control of vascular tone. NO is also highly toxic and is known to acts as a mediator of cytotoxicity during host defense. NO is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) through L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway which is a dioxygenation process. NO synthesis involves several participants, three co-substrates, five electrons, five co-factors and two prosthetic groups. Under normal condition, low levels of NO are synthesized by type I and III NOS for a short period of time and mediates many physiologic processes. Under condition of oxidant stress, high levels of NO are synthesized by type II NOS and inhibits a variety of metabolic processes and can also cause direct damage to DNA. Such interaction result in cytostasis, energy depletion and ultimately cell death. NO has the potential to interact with a variety of intercellular targets producing diverse array of metabolic effects. It is known that NO is involved in hemodynamic regulation, neurogenic inflammation, re-innervation, management of dentin hypersensitivity on teeth. Under basal condition of pulpal blood flow, NO provides constant vasodilator tone acting against sympathetic vasoconstriction. Substance P, a well known vasodilator, was reported to be mediated partly by NO, while calcitonin-gene related peptide has provided no evidence of its relation with NO. This review describes the roles of NO in dental pulp in addition to the known general roles of it.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.102-111
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• 1996

LB10522 is a new parenteral broad spectrum cephalosporin with a catechol moiety at C-7 position of beta-lactam ring. This compound can utilize tonB-dependent iron transp ort system in addition to porin proteins to enter bacterial periplasmic space and access to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) which are the lethal targets of ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics. The chelating activity of LB10522 to metal iron was measured by spectrophotometrically scanning the absorbance from 200 to 900nm. When $FeCl_3$ was added, optical density was increased between 450 and 800nm. LB10522 was more active against gram-negative strains in iron-depleted media than in iron-replete media. This is due to the increased expression of iron transport channels in iron-depleted condition. LB10522 showed a similar activity against E. coli DC2 (permeability mutant) and E. coli DCO (wild type strain) in both iron-depleted and iron-replete media, indicating a minimal permeaility barrier for LB10522 uptake. LB10522 had high affinities to PBP 3 and PBP 1A, 1B of E. coli. By blocking these proteins, LB10522 caused inhibition of cell division and the eventual death of cells. This result was correlated well with the morphological changes in E. coli exposed to LB10522. Although the in vitro MIC of LB10522 against P. aeruginosa 1912E mutant (tonB) was 8-times higher than that of the P. aeruginosa 1912E parent strain, LB10522 showed a similar in vivo protection efficacy against both strains in the mouse systemic infection model. This result suggested that tonB mutant, which requires a high level of iron for normal growth, might have a difficulty in surviving in their host with an iron-limited environment.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2015

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most widely used mammalian host for the commercial production of recombinant proteins. However, they show relatively low yields of recombinant proteins in comparison with microbial cells. Various strategies have been tried to overcome this drawback. The acetyl moieties are attached to the N-terminus of histone by histone acetyltransferase (HAT) while histone deacetylase (HDAC) removes histone-bound acetyl groups. HDAC inhibitor (HDACi), such as sodium butyrate, sodium propionate and valproic acid, can enhance specific productivity of CHO cells. Human albumin-erythropoietin (Alb-EPO) is a novel 105 kDa protein comprising recombinant human EPO fused to human albumin. In this study, we examined the effects of HDACi on the production of Alb-EPO in CHO cells with various concentrations in the range of 0-1 mM. The results showed that sodium butyrate was found to be the best HDACi for enhancing productivity. It enhanced not only the production of Alb-EPO but also the apoptosis of recombinant CHO cells.