• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.11a
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• pp.147-172
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• 1994

Aziridinylbenzoquinones such as 3, 6-diaziridinyl-1, 4-benzoquinone (DZQ) and its 2, 5-methyl analog (MeDZQ) require bioreductive activation in order to elicit their anticancer activities. To determine the involvement of DTD in the activation of these drugs, we have used a ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction to map the intracellular alkylation sites in a sing1e copy gene at the nucleotide level. We have performed this analysis in two human colon carcinoma cells, one proficient (HT-29) and one deficient (BE) in DT-diaphorase (DTD) activity. In the DTD proficient HT-29 cell line, DZQ and MeDZQ were found to alkylate both 5'-(A/T)G(C)-3' and 5'-(A/T)A-3' sequences. This is consistent with the nucleotide preferences observed when DZQ and MeDZQ are activated by purified DTD to reactive metabolites capable of alkylating DNA in vitro [Lee, C. -S., Hartley, J. A., Berardini, M. D., Butler, J., Siegel., D., Ross, D., & Gibson, N. W. (1992) Biochemistry, 31: 3019-3025]. Surprisingly in the DTD-deficient BE cell line a pattern of alkylation induced by DZQ and MeDZQ similar to that observed in the DTD-proficient HT-29 cells was observed. This suggests that reductive enzymes other than DTD can be involved in activating DZQ and MeDZQ to DNA reactive species in vivo.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1699-1707
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• 2013

During the fermentative production of 1,3-propanediol under high substrate concentrations, accumulation of intracellular 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde will cause premature cessation of cell growth and glycerol consumption. Discovery of oxidoreductases that can convert 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde to 1,3-propanediol using NADPH as cofactor could serve as a solution to this problem. In this paper, the yqhD gene from Klebsiella pneumoniae DSM2026, which was found encoding an aldehyde reductase (KpAR), was cloned and characterized. KpAR showed broad substrate specificity under physiological direction, whereas no catalytic activity was detected in the oxidation direction, and both NADPH and NADH can be utilized as cofactors. The cofactor binding mechanism was then investigated employing homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. Hydrogen-bond analysis showed that the hydrogen-bond interactions between KpAR and NADPH are much stronger than that for NADH. Free-energy decomposition dedicated that residues Gly37 to Val41 contribute most to the cofactor preference through polar interactions. In conclusion, this work provides a novel aldehyde reductase that has potential applications in the development of novel genetically engineered strains in the 1,3-propanediol industry, and gives a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in cofactor binding.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2016

Oxidative stress activates several intracellular signaling cascades that may have deleterious effects on neuronal cell survival. Thus, controlling oxidative stress has been suggested as an important strategy for prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we found that ginsenoside Rh1 inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species generation and subsequent cell death in rat primary astrocytes. Rh1 increased the expression of phase II antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, superoxide dismutase-2, and catalase, that are under the control of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways. Further mechanistic studies showed that Rh1 increased the nuclear translocation and DNA binding of Nrf2 and c-Jun to the antioxidant response element (ARE), and increased the ARE-mediated transcription activities in rat primary astrocytes. Analysis of signaling pathways revealed that MAP kinases are important in HO-1 expression, and act by modulating ARE-mediated transcriptional activity. Therefore, the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes by Rh1 may provide preventive therapeutic potential for various neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with oxidative stress.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2009

In order to enhance the gene delivery efficiency and decrease the cytotoxicity of polyplexes, we synthesized Solutol-g-PEI by conjugating polyethyleneimine (PEI) to Solutol (polyoxyethylene (10) stearate), and evaluated its efficiency as a possible nonviral gene carrier candidate. Structural analysis of synthesized polymer was performed by using $^1H$-NMR. Gel retardation assay, particle sizes and zeta potential measurement confirmed that the new gene carrier formed a compact complex with plasmid DNA. The complexes were smaller than 150 nm, which implicated its potential for intracellular delivery. It showed lower cytotoxicity in three different cell lines (Hela, MCF-7, and HepG2) than PEI 25 kDa. pGL3-lus was used as a reporter gene, and the transfection efficiency was in vitro measured in Hela cells. Solutol-g-PEI showed much higher transfection efficiency than unmodified PEI 25 kDa.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers A
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.1046-1053
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• 1999

The musculotendon model is presented to show the declines in muscle force and shortening velocity during muscle fatigue due to the repeated functional electrical stimulation (FES). It consists of the nonlinear activation and contraction dynamics including physiological concepts of muscle fatigue. The activation dynamics represents $Ca^{2+}$ binding and unbinding mechanism with troponins of cross-bridges in sarcoplasm. It has the constant binding rate or activation time constant and two step nonlinear unbinding rate or inactivation time constant. The contraction dynamics is the modified Hill type model to represent muscle force - length and muscle force - velocity relations. A muscle fatigue profile as a function of the intracellular acidification, pH is applied into the contraction dynamics to represent the force decline. The computer simulation shows that muscle force and shortening velocity decline in stimulation time. And we validate the model. The model can predicts the proper muscle force without changing its parameters even when existing the estimation errors of the optimal fiber length. The change in the estimate of the optimal fiber length has an effect only on muscle time constant in transient period not on the tetanic force in the steady-state and relaxation periods.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2020

Several recent studies have reported that reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), play important roles in various cellular signaling networks. NADPH oxidase (Nox) isozymes have been shown to mediate receptor-mediated ROS generation for physiological signaling processes involved in cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and fibrosis. Detectable intracellular levels of ROS can be induced by the electron leakage from mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as by activation of cytochrome p450, glucose oxidase and xanthine oxidase, leading to oxidative stress. The up-regulation and the hyper-activation of NADPH oxidases (Nox) also likely contribute to oxidative stress in pathophysiologic stages. Elevation of the renal ROS level through hyperglycemia-mediated Nox activation results in the oxidative stress which induces a damage to kidney tissues, causing to diabetic nephropathy (DN). Nox inhibitors are currently being developed as the therapeutics of DN. In this review, we summarize Nox-mediated ROS generation and development of Nox inhibitors for therapeutics of DN treatment.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.857-860
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• 2008

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is a bioactive material used in the treatment of depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease. To obtain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) producing high concentrations of SAM, LAB were isolated from commercial kimchi and from prepared kimchi products that contained shrimp jeotgal (fermented salty seafood) or sand lance jeotgal or that were fermented at 5 or $10^{\circ}C$, respectively, when pH was 4.2 to 4.8 and titratable acidity 0.6 to 0.9. Among the 179 LAB strains isolated from the fermented kimchi products, the genus Leuconostoc produced the highest intracellular level of SAM (1.58 mM) and Lactobacillus produced the second highest level (up to 1.47 mM) in the strain culture. This is the first study to quantify SAM in LAB isolated from fermented kimchi prepared by a general kimchi recipe. Ultimately, the selected strains (Leuconostoc mesentroides subsp. mesenteroides/dextranicum KSK417, L. mesentroides subsp. mesenteroides/dextranicum KJM401, and Lactobacillus bifermentans QMW327) could be useful as starters to manufacture fermented foods containing high levels of SAM.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1221-1229
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• 2019

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a causative pathogen of tuberculosis (TB), still threatens human health worldwide. To find a novel drug to eradicate this pathogen, we tested taurine-5-bromosalicylaldehyde Schiff base (TBSSB) as an innovative anti-mycobacterial drug using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a surrogate model for M. tuberculosis. We investigated the antimicrobial activity of TBSSB against M. smegmatis by plotting growth curves, examined the effect of TBSSB on biofilm formation, observed morphological changes by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and detected differentially expressed proteins using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry. TBSSB inhibited mycobacterial growth and biofilm formation, altered cell ultrastructure and intracellular content, and inhibited cell division. Furthermore, M. smegmatis adapted itself to TBSSB inhibition by regulating the metabolic pathways and enzymatic activities of the identified proteins. NDMA-dependent methanol dehydrogenase, NAD(P)H nitroreductase, and amidohydrolase AmiB1 appear to be pivotal factors to regulate the M. smegmatis survival under TBSSB. Our dataset reinforced the idea that Schiff base-taurine compounds have the potential to be developed as novel anti-mycobacterial drugs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.273-289
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• 2010

Objectives : To investigate the anti-cancer effect of Baekduong-tang(BDOT) against cancer cells, the signaling pathway of apoptosis was explored in human colon cancer cells. Materials and Methods : Human colon cancer cell lines, including HT-29 and HCT-116 cells, were used. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis was determined by DAPI nuclei staining and flow cytometry in HCT-116 cells treated with 0.25 mg/$m{\ell}$ Baekduong-tang for 48 hrs. Results : Baekduong-tang induced the apoptosis of p53 positive HCT-116 cells with G2/M phase arrest. Treatment with Baekduong-tang led to increased expression and phosphorylation of p53 and decreased expression of CDK2 and CDK6 in HCT-116 cells. It also activated caspase-3 through caspase-10 and caspase-9 activation. Finally, Baekduong-tang induced production $H_2O_2$, superoxide anion ($O_2^-$) and NO and modulated proteins expression including SOD, NOS, Bax and Bcl-2. Conclusions : These results indicate Baekduong-tang induces apoptotic death of HCT-116 cells through G2/M phase arrest and disturbance of intracellular redox status in a p53-dependent manner.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.61-69
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• 2019

Purpose : Human gingival fibroblast cell is one of the the main cell types in periodontal tissue, which they can show anti-inflammatory activity through the production of numerous lines of inflammatory mediators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and interleukins. Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the oral pathogens, has reported to play a critical role in the development of periodontal diseases. This study aimed to investigate anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities of Gracilaria textorii ethanol extract (GTEE) in P. gingivalis derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS-PG) stimulated human gingival fibroblast (HGF)-1 cell line. Methods : In order to analyze anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities of GTEE in HGF-1 cell line, NOS enzyme activity, expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase (NQO)1 and their transcription factors were estimated by Griess reaction and western hybridization. Results : LPS-PG induced overexpression of iNOS and COX-2, which was significantly attenuated by GTEE treatment in a dose-dependent manner without any cytotoxicity. In addition, intracellular NOS activity was in accordance with the result of iNOS expression. Due to important role in the regulation of inflammatory responses, phosphorylated status of p65 and c-jun, each subunit of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein (AP)-1, was also dose-dependently ameliorated by GTEE treatment. One of phase II enzymes, NQO1, and its transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), were analyzed since elevated phase II enzyme expression inhibited inflammatory response, which was significantly elevated by GTEE treatment in HGF-1 cell line. Conclusion : In conclusion, GTEE mitigated LPS-PG-stimulated inflammatory responses by attenuating NF-κB and AP-1 activation as well as accelerating NQO1 and Nrf2 expression in HGF-1 cell line. These results indicate that GTEE might be utilized a promising strategy for potential anti-inflammatory agent in periodontal diseases.