• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2011

Benzylideneacetone (BZA) is a compound derived from culture broth of an entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila (Xn). Its immunosuppressive activity is caused by its inhibitory activity against eicosanoid biosynthesis. This BZA is being developed as an additive to enhance control efficacy of other commercial microbial insecticides. This study was focused on the enhancement of the immunosuppressive activity of BZA by generating its chemical derivatives toward decrease of its hydrophobicity. Two hydroxylated BZA and one sugar-conjugated BZA were chemically synthesized. All derivatives had the inhibitory activities of BZA against phospholipase $A_2$ ($PLA_2$) and phenoloxidase (PO) of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, but BZA was the most potent. Mixtures of any BZA derivative with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) significantly increased pathogenicity of Bt. BZA also inhibited colony growth of four plant pathogenic fungi. However, BZA derivatives (especially the sugar-conjugated BZA) lost the antifungal activity. These results indicated that BZA and its derivatives inhibited catalytic activities of two immune-associated enzymes ($PLA_2$ and PO) of P. xylostella and enhanced Bt pathogenicity. We suggest its use to control plant pathogenic fungi.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.49
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• pp.157-183
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• 2016

Countries across the globe, including those in Europe, are waging a "war against terrorism" as international terrorist groups such as ISIS and lone-wolf terrorists have unleashed various large-scale attacks on rail infrastructure. Anti-South Korean sentiment exists in Muslim-majority countries because the nation has cooperated with the US for its military interventions in the Middle East, and ISIS has threatened to target South Korea four times since September 9, 2015. In addition, North Korea has been left isolated in the international community with its missile and nuclear tests, while further escalating inter-Korean tension and threatening to strike major facilities and attack important figures in the South. These situations imply that South Korea is no longer immune to terrorist attacks. If the nation fails to prevent or deter such terrorist attacks against rail networks, massive casualties, property damage and social confusion would be unavoidable, deteriorating national and international trust in its counter-terrorism policies. This may lead to a national crisis involving decreases in the number of tourists, dampened interest of foreign investors, and capital flight. This study aims to propose policy measures to enhance railroad security checks, based on the work of railroad police officers, for the sake of protecting citizens and public safety. The suggestions include an incremental expansion of railroad security checks; growth of the railroad police force and adjustment of their policing distribution with other police officers; enhancement of security systems across important rail networks; improvement of the Railroad Safety Act; Southeast Asia, including the corresponding strengthening of the national crackdown illegal immigrants, and plans for pre-emptive and regular cooperation among organizations related to the promotion of security checks and the prevention of terrorist attacks.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.192-198
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• 2015

This study was performed in order to analyze the fibrinolytic, thrombin inhibitory, anti-oxidative, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory, and immuno-enhancing activities of the water extract and solvent fractions isolated from Grifola frondosa. Fibrinolytic activity was analyzed using the fibrin plate method, and thrombin inhibitory activity was assayed using the substrate H-D-Phe-piparg- pna. Anti-oxidative activity was estimated using the DPPH assay, and AChE inhibitory activity was measured using the spectrophotometric method. Immuno-enhancing activity was examined using the nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Cell viability was determined using the MTS assay. Fibrinolytic activities were the highest in water extract (1.55 plasmin units/mL) followed by water fraction (0.85 plasmin units/mL). The thrombin inhibitory activities of the water and ethyl acetate fractions were determined to be 76.43% and 72.59%, respectively. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of chloroform and hexane fractions exhibited values of 95.14% and 94.74%, respectively. The butanol fraction showed the highest anti-oxidative activity at 94.47%. Anti-proliferating activity against Raw 264.7 cells showed no cytotoxicity. The production of NO in Raw 264.7 cells increased up to 2-fold by adding the water fraction compared to the untreated control. These results suggest that Grifola frondosa may serve as a useful functional food for the enhancement of immune function and the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.325-329
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• 2010

Toxoplasma gondii KI-1, a recent new isolate from Korea, shows similar pathogenicity and infectivity to mice compared to the virulent RH strain. To understand characteristics of host immunity, including immune enhancement or suppression, we investigated proliferative responses and phenotypes of spleen cells. In addition, kinetics of IFN-${\gamma}$, a Th1 cytokine, was examined in BALB/c mice up to day 6 post-infection (PI). Intraperitoneal injection of mice with $10^3$ KI-1 tachyzoites induced significant decreases (P < 0.05) in proliferative responses of spleen cells. This occurred at days 2-6 PI even when concanavalin A (con A) was added and when stimulated with KI-1 antigen, suggesting suppression of the immunity. $CD4^+$ T-cells decreased markedly at day 2 PI (P < 0.05), whereas $CD8^+$ T-cells, NK cells, and macrophages did not show significant changes, except a slight, but significant, increase of $CD8^+$ T-cells at day 6 PI. The capacity of splenocytes to produce IFN-${\gamma}$ by con A stimulation dropped significantly at days 2-6 PI. These results demonstrate that intraperitoneal injection of KI-1 tachyzoites can induce immunosuppression during the early stage of infection, as revealed by the decrease of $CD4^+$ T-cells and IFN-${\gamma}$.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2001

The biological activities of ethanol, ethanol: water(1 : 1v/v) and water extracts from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, glycyrrhizin and enzymatically hydrolyzed glycyrrhizin were compared. About 50% of the growth of MCF7, A549, Hep3B and AGS cells were inhibited in adding 1.0 g/L of the crude extracts, glycyrrhizin and enzymatically hydrolyzed glycyrrhizin. For example, the ethanol extract inhibited 76%, 66% in MCF7 and Hep3B cells by adding 1.0 g/L. For cytotoxicity on human normal liver cell(WRL-68), the crude extracts were scored as above 26%. For the result of antimutagenecity using CHO V79 cell, the crude extracts proved more effective than other samples. The growth of human immune B and T cells were enhanced up to $1.2{\sim}1.3$ times by adding the crude extracts. In inhibitory effect of ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ activity was showed that the ethanol extract, water extract and ethanol: water (1 : 1v/v) extract were appeared 65%, 68%, 62% in adding 1.0 g/L. The higher enhancement of glutathione -S-transferase activity was observed in the ethanol extract as 257% compared to the control in adding 1.0 g/L. From the results, the biological activities of the crude extracts were equivalent or higher than glycyrrhizin and enzymatically hydrolyzed glycyrrhizin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1339-1346
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• 2015

The aim of this study is to increase production of carotenoids in recombinant Escherichia coli by Archaea chaperonin. The carotenoids are a widely distributed class of structurally and functionally diverse yellow, orange, and red natural pigments. These pigments are synthesized in bacteria, algae, fungi, and plants, and have been widely used as a feed supplement from poultry rearing to aquaculture. Carotenoids also exhibit diverse biological properties, such as strong antioxidant and antitumor activities, and enhancement of immune responses. In the microbial world, carotenoids are present in both anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria and algae and in many fungi. We have previously reported cloning and functional analysis of the carotenoid biosynthesis genes from Paracoccus haeundaensis. The carotenogenic gene cluster involved in astaxanthin production contained seven carotenogenic genes (crtE, crtB, crtI, crtY, crtZ, crtW and crtX genes) and recombinant Escherichia coli harboring seven carotenogenic genes from Paracoccus haeundaensis produced 400 μg/g dry cell weight (DCW) of astaxanthin. In order to increase production of astaxanthin, we have co-expressed chaperone genes (ApCpnA and ApCpnB) in recombinant Escherichia coli harboring the astaxanthin biosynthesis genes. This engineered Escherichia coli strain containing both chaperone gene and astaxanthin biosynthesis gene cluster produced 890 μg/g DCW of astaxanthin, resulting 2-fold increased production of astaxanthin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.86-92
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• 2014

Cordycepin is the major functional component of Cordyceps species and is widely used in traditional oriental medicine. Cordycepin has been shown to possess many pharmacological properties, such as enhancement of immune function along with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-cancer effects. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effects of cordycepin on cell migration and invasion, which are two critical cellular processes that are often deregulated during metastasis, using HCT116 human colorectal carcinoma cells. According to our data, cordycepin at non-cytotoxic concentrations markedly inhibited the motility and invasiveness of HCT116 cells in a time-dependent manner. RT-PCR and Western blotting results indicated that cordycepin reduced the levels of claudin proteins, which are major components of tight junctions (TJs), and induced tightening of TJs. Cordycepin also attenuated the expression and activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9, whereas levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)-1 and -2 were simultaneously elevated. These findings suggest that cordycepin reduces the migration and invasion of HCT116 cells by modulating the activities of TJs and MMPs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.263-268
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• 2017

${\beta}$-Agarase cleaves the ${\beta}$-1,4 linkages of agar to produce neoagarooligosaccharides (NAO), which are associated with various physiological functions. However, the immunological functions of NAO are still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that ${\beta}$-agarase DagA-produced neoagarohexaose (DP6), an NAO product, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). DP6 directly and indirectly enhanced the activation of natural killer (NK) cells in a TLR4-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the antitumor activity of DP6 against B16F1 melanoma cells was inhibited in NK cell-depletion systems by using NK-cell depleting antibodies in vivo. Collectively, the results indicated that DP6 augments antitumor immunity against B16F1 melanoma cells via the activation of DC-mediated NK cells in a TLR4-dependent manner. Thus, DP6 is a potential candidate adjuvant that acts as an immune cell modulator for the treatment of melanoma.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2004

Hundreds of medicinal herbs have been using for the purpose of diseases treatment and immune enhancement for human being and other animals including fishes. Among them, 49 species of medicinal herbs were selected and tested for antibacterial activities against 19 strains of fish pathogenic bacteria in different 4 species. The 49 medicinal herbs were extracted by water and ethyl alcohol. The extracts were freeze dried and some paper discs from the extracts were prepared for the evaluation of antibacterial activity. The tested pathogenic bacteria were 5 strains of Edwardsiella tarda, 5 strains of Vibrio sp., 4 strains of Lactococcus garvieae, 1 strain of Lactococcus raffinose, 1 strain of Streptococcus parauberius, and 3 strains of Streptococcus iniae. The Galla rhois (Obaeja), Gaeonnamu and Hwangleyon showed antibacterial activities on both gram negative and gram positive fish pathogenic bacteria. The Youkgae, Sangbaekpi, Bogolji and Gamcho showed very effective antibacterial activities on gram positive pathogens while Jiyu, Aeyoeb and Yeonkyo showed very effective on gram negative pathogens.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2021

The rhizomes of Cnidium officinalis were extracted in aqueous MeOH, and the concentrate was fractionated via systematic solvent fractionation to EtOAc, n-BuOH, and aqueous fractions. The repeated column chromatography of EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions using silica gel, octadecyl silica gel, and Sephadex LH-20 as stationary phase to afford five lipids. They were identified to be methyl linoleate (1), linoleic aicd (2) 6-linoleoyl-𝛼-D-glucopyranosyl 𝛽-D-fructofuranoside (3), 1-linolenoyl-3-(𝛼-D-galactopyranosyl (1→6)-𝛽-D-galactopyranosyl) glycerol (4), and 1-linoleoyl-3-(𝛼-D-galactopyranosyl (1→6)-𝛽-D-galactopyranosyl) glycerol (5) on the basis of spectroscopic data such as IR, MS, and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Compounds 1 and 3-5 were isolated for the first time from this plant in this study. The NMR data of fatty acids 1 and 2 reported in literatures are different each other. Authors identified the NMR data without ambiguity. Compound 3, a conjugate of sucrose and fatty acid, and compounds 4 and 5, digalactosyl monoglyceride, are very rarely occurred in natural source. Through the immune enhancement and anticancer activity of the reported lipid compounds, the potential as various pharmacologically active materials of Cnidium officinalis rhizome can be expected.