• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국응용약물학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회
• /
• pp.103-112
• /
• 2001

Bone homeostasis is maintained by a balance between activities of osteoblasts(bone forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone resorbing cells). The activities of these cells are closely regulated by multiple factors including hormones and cytokines. The cessation of estrogen at menopause disrupts the balanced regulation and is the main cause of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Recent molecular biological studies led to a discovery of tumor necrosis factor(TNF) and TNF receptor families genes that play critical roles in the regulation of osteoclast formation and function. RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand; also called ODF, TRANCE, and OPGL) expressed on cells supporting osteoclast is essential for osteoclast differentiation, activation, and survival. RANK, the counter-receptor for RANKL, is expressed on progenitor and mature osteoclasts. The interaction between RANKL and RANK is requlated by a soluble decoy receptor OPG (osteoprotegerin). Gene knock out studies of these molecules showed profound effects on bone. These results prompted development of new strategies for treatment of bone diseases. Inhibition of osteoclast activity by blocking the RANKL-RANK interaction using OPG is being attempted. Research on the signaling pathways of RANK is also actively carried out. Screening natural products that inhibit the RANKL-RANK interaction or the activity of obteoclasts would be another effective means to a new drug target for bone resorbing diseases.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제33권5호
• /
• pp.1707-1714
• /
• 2012

Grb2 is an adapter protein involved in the signal transduction and cell communication. The Grb2 is responsible for initiation of kinase signaling by Ras activation which leads to the modification in transcription. Ligand based pharmacophore approach was applied to built the suitable pharmacophore model for Grb2. The best pharmacophore model was selected based on the statistical values and then validated by Fischer's randomization method and test set. Hypo1 was selected as a best pharmacophore model based on its statistical values like high cost difference (182.22), lowest RMSD (1.273), and total cost (80.68). It contains four chemical features, one hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA), two hydrophobic (HY), and one ring aromatic (RA). Fischer's randomization results also shows that Hypo1 have a 95% significant level. The correlation coefficient of test set was 0.97 which was close to the training set value (0.94). Thus Hypo1 was used for virtual screening to find the potent inhibitors from various chemical databases. The screened compounds were filtered by Lipinski's rule of five, ADMET and subjected to molecular docking studies. Totally, 11 compounds were selected as a best potent leads from docking studies based on the consensus scoring function and critical interactions with the amino acids in Grb2 active site.

• 대한화학회지
• /
• 제55권4호
• /
• pp.594-602
• /
• 2011

4[N-(furfural)amino]antipyrine semicarbazone(FFAAPS)와 질산 란탄(III)이 형성하는 배위화합물의 입체화학에 미치는 ${\alpha}$-, ${\beta}$- 및 ${\gamma}$-picolines의 영향을 연구하였다. 이들 배위화합물의 일반적 조성은 [Ln(FFAAPS)$(NO_3)_3$Pic] (Ln=La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy 또는 Ho 및 Pic=${\alpha}$-, ${\beta}$- or ${\gamma}$-picolines)이다. 모든 배위화합물은 원소분석, 분자량, 몰전기전도도, 자기수자율, 적외선 및 자외선 스펙트럼으로 특성을 조사하였다. 적외선 연구결과 FFAAPS는 N, N, O 주개를 갖는 중성 삼배위 리간드로 행동하는 반면, ${\alpha}$-, ${\beta}$- 또는 ${\gamma}$-picoline는 헤테로 N-원자를 통하여 란탄(III) 이온에 배위된다. 질산 음이온은 이들 화합물에서 이배위로 결합한다. 자외선 스펙트럼 결과로부터 전자구름 퍼짐 효과(${\beta}$), covalence factor($b^{1/2}$), Sinha parameter (${\delta}%$) 및 covalence angular overlap parameter(${\eta}$)를 계산하였다. 이들 착물의 열적성질을 열무게 분석법에 의해 연구하였다. 본 화합물에 있어서 란탄(III)의 배위수는 10으로 조사되었다. 기본 리간드인 FFAAPS와 착물의 항박테리아 선별조사 결과, 이들 착물은 중간 정도의 항박테리아 활성을 보였다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제27권12호
• /
• pp.1410-1414
• /
• 2017

대장균 트립토판 생성효소는 ${\alpha}_2{\beta}_2$ 복합체로 구성되며, 트립토판 생합성에서 최종 2 단계의 반응에 관여한다. 두 개의 소단위체는 분자 터널로 연결되어 있어, 기질 채널링이 일어난다. 활성 부위간 상호 조절하는 정교한 조절 기작에는 ${\alpha}$-루프 L6(${\alpha}L6$), ${\alpha}L2$, ${\alpha}L3$이 관여한다. 본 연구에서는 이 자리의 잔기치환체를 써서 소단위체에 특이적으로 결합하는 리간드의 영향을 조사하여 소단위체간 상호 조절기작에 따른 구조 변화를 살펴보았다. ${\alpha}TS$의 활성부위에 결합하는 D,L-${\alpha}$-glycerophosphate(GP)는 모든 잔기치환체를 야생형 수준으로 회복시켰다. ${\beta}TS$의 기질인 L-Ser는 다양한 효과를 나타낸다. 야생형과 NS104에서는 속도가 감소한 반면, GD51과 PH53에서는 거의 영향이 없었고, PT53와 DG56은 증가하였다. 이는 반응 중간 화학종의 분포의 변화와 연관될 가능성을 제시한다. GP와 L-Ser를 동시에 처리했을 때는 특이하게도 PH53는 가장 안정한 잔기치환체였다. 이는 Pro53가 소단위체간의 조절기작에서 중요한 역할을 하는 것을 시사한다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제33권4호
• /
• pp.552-558
• /
• 2023

Levulinic acid (LA) is a valuable chemical used in fuel additives, fragrances, and polymers. In this study, we proposed possible biosynthetic pathways for LA production from lignin and poly(ethylene terephthalate). We also created a genetically encoded biosensor responsive to LA, which can be used for screening and evolving the LA biosynthesis pathway genes, by employing an LvaR transcriptional regulator of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to express a fluorescent reporter gene. The LvaR regulator senses LA as a cognate ligand. The LA biosensor was first examined in an Escherichia coli strain and was found to be non-functional. When the host of the LA biosensor was switched from E. coli to P. putida KT2440, the LA biosensor showed a linear correlation between fluorescence intensity and LA concentration in the range of 0.156-10 mM LA. In addition, we determined that 0.156 mM LA was the limit of LA detection in P. putida KT2440 harboring an LA-responsive biosensor. The maximal fluorescence increase was 12.3-fold in the presence of 10 mM LA compared to that in the absence of LA. The individual cell responses to LA concentrations reflected the population-averaged responses, which enabled high-throughput screening of enzymes and metabolic pathways involved in LA biosynthesis and sustainable production of LA in engineered microbes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제21권9호
• /
• pp.937-946
• /
• 2011

Several isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) were screened for the vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) effective against sap-sucking insect pests. Screening results were based on $LC_{50}$ values against cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii), one of the dangerous pests of various crop plants including cotton. Among the isolates, the Bt#BREF24 showed promising results, and upon purification the aphidicidal protein was recognized as a binary toxin. One of the components of this binary toxin was identified by peptide sequencing to be a homolog of Vip2A that has been reported previously in other Bacillus spp. Vip2 belongs to the binary toxin group Vip1-Vip2, and is responsible for the enzymatic activity; and Vip1 is the translocation and receptor binding protein. The two genes encoding the corresponding proteins of the binary toxin, designated as vip2Ae and vip1Ae, were cloned from the Bt#BREF24, sequenced, and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Aphid feeding assay with the recombinant proteins confirmed that these proteins are indeed the two components of the binary toxins, and the presence of both partners is essential for the activity. Aphid specificity of the binary toxin was further verified by ligand blotting experiment, which identified an ~50 kDa receptor in the brush border membrane vesicles of the cotton aphids only, but not in the lepidopteran insects. Our finding holds a promise of its use in future as a candidate gene for developing transgenic crop plants tolerant against sap-sucking insect pests.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.99-114
• /
• 2021

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications are important noncommunicable diseases with high mortality rates. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and aldose reductase inhibitors are recently approached and advanced for T2DM and its complications therapy. Matricaria chamomilla L. is acknowledged as a worldwide medicinal herb that has many beneficial health effects as well as antidiabetic effects. Our research was designed to determine the most potential antidiabetic phytochemicals from M. chamomilla employing in silico study. 142 phytochemicals were obtained from the databases. The first screening employed iGEMdock and Swiss ADME, involving 93 phytochemicals. Finally, 30 best phytochemicals were docked. Molecular docking and visualization analysis were performed using Avogadro, AutoDock 4.2., and Biovia Discovery Studio 2016. Molecular docking results demonstrate that ligand-protein interaction's binding affinities were -5.16 to -7.54 kcal/mol and -5.30 to -12.10 kcal/mol for PTP1B and aldose reductase protein targets respectively. In silico results demonstrate that M. chamomilla has potential antidiabetic phytochemical compounds for T2DM and its complications. We recommended anthecotulide, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, and catechin as antidiabetic agents due to their binding affinities against both PTP1B and aldose reductase protein. Those phytochemicals' significant efficacy and potential as antidiabetic must be investigated in further advanced research.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2022

The identification of Plasmodium falciparum enoyl acyl-carrier protein reductase (pfENR) is considered as a potential biological target against malaria. Trema orientalis is considered a rich source of phytochemicals useful in malaria treatment. This study evaluated the in-vitro inhibitory activity of the extract and isolated compounds of T. orientalis leaf; the isolated compounds and the analogues of the most active compound were subjected to in-silico molecular docking studies on pfENR. The methanolic extract of T. orientalis was subjected to repeated chromatographic separation which led to the isolation of some compounds. The isolated compounds from the plant were examined for their antimalarial activity using β-hematin inhibition assay. Virtual screening via molecular docking and ADMET studies were conducted to gain insight into the mechanism of binding of ligand and to identify effective pfENR inhibitors. The isolated compounds and the analogues of the most active isolates were gotten from PubChem library for use in docking study. Hexacosanol and β-sitosterol showed inhibition of the β-hematin formation. The docking results showed that hexacosanol, β-sitosterol and the analogues of β-sitosterol displayed binding energy ranging between -6.1 kcal/mol and -11.6 kcal/mol. Sitosterol glucoside has the highest docking score. Some of the ligands showed more binding affinity than known bioactive compounds used as reference. Analogues of β-sitosterol has been shown to be potential inhibitors of pfENR, therefore, the findings from this study suggest that sitosterol glucoside and ergosterol peroxide could act as antimalarial agents after further lead optimisation investigations.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2006

Nebulin is a giant ($600{\sim}900$ kDa), modular sarcomeric protein proposed to regulate the assembly, and to specify the precise lengths of actin filamints in vertebrate skeletal muscles. Recently, There is an evidence that the nebulin also expressed in non muscle tissue, brain and liver. We identified a new isoform of nebulin from adult brain library by PCR screening. It contains two simple-repeats exon 165, 166 and linker-repeats exon $154{\sim}161$ except exon 159. The nebulin modules M160 to M170 (exon 150 to exon 161) has been shown to bind desmin. In mature striated muscle, desmin intermediate filaments surround Z-discs and link individual myofibrils laterally at their Z-discs and to other intracellular structures, including the costameres and the intercalated discs of the sarcolemma, sarcoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, T-tubules, and nuclei. Therefore, it is an interesting possibility that the differential splice pathways within the linker region of nebulin modify the affinity of nebulin's interaction with desmin. The specific interactions of nebulin and desmin were confirmed in vivo by yeast two hybrid experiments. To verify in the cellular level the interaction between nebulin isoform and desmin, we transfected COS-7 cell with EGFP-tagged nebulin and DsRed-tagged desmin. Based on evidence showing that despite exon 159 was deleted, the new isoform of nebulin was interact with desmin. This suggest that nebulin in brain may interact with another intermediate filament. The conservation of these ligand-binding capacity in brain and skeletal nebulins suggest that nebulins may have conserved roles in brain and skeletal muscle.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제17권7호
• /
• pp.3437-3445
• /
• 2016

Background: There is an increasing concern in the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the pathogenesis of bone metastasis (BM) secondary to prostate cancer (CaP). In this exploratory study, we hypothesized that the expression of vinculin (VCL) and chemokine X3C ligand 1 (CX3CL1) might be down-regulated in clinical samples, most likely due to the post-transcriptional modification by microRNAs. Targeted genes would be up-regulated upon transfection of the bone metastatic prostate cancer cell line, PC3, with specific microRNA inhibitors. Materials and Methods: MicroRNA software predicted that miR-21 targets VCL while miR-29a targets CX3CL1. Twenty benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 16 high grade CaP formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) specimens were analysed. From the bone scan results, high grade CaP samples were further classified into CaP with no BM and CaP with BM. Transient transfection with respective microRNA inhibitors was done in both RWPE-1 (normal) and PC3 cell lines. QPCR was performed in all FFPE samples and transfected cell lines to measure VCL and CX3CL1 levels. Results: QPCR confirmed that VCL messenger RNA (mRNA) was significantly down-regulated while CX3CL1 was up-regulated in all FFPE specimens. Transient transfection with microRNA inhibitors in PC3 cells followed by qPCR of the targeted genes showed that VCL mRNA was significantly upregulated while CX3CL1 mRNA was significantly down-regulated compared to the RWPE-1 case. Conclusions: The down-regulation of VCL in FFPE specimens is most likely regulated by miR-21 based on the in vitro evidence but the exact mechanism of how miR-21 can regulate VCL is unclear. Up-regulated in CaP, CX3CL1 was found not regulated by miR-29a. More microRNA screening is required to understand the regulation of this chemokine in CaP with bone metastasis. Understanding miRNA-mRNA interactions may provide additional knowledge for individualized study of cancers.