• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2022

Bombyx mori is a representative industrial insect and is used in silk production. Additionally, it serves as an insect model in molecular studies. To date, various molecular studies on its physiological characteristics, including the innate immune response and cuticular melanization, have been conducted. The melanization, including cuticular melanization, in insects is controlled by the prophenoloxidase-activating system, which is also involved in their innate immune response. In this review, to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the prophenoloxidase-activating system in the silkworm, the roles of five biomolecules, namely tyrosine hydroxylase, prophenoloxidase-activating enzyme, phenoloxidase, serine protease homolog, and immulectin, are discussed.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.606-610
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• 2008

Phenoloxidase (PO), a melanin-forming enzyme around the foreign bodies, is an important component of the host defense system in invertebrates. Pro-PO is the enzymatically inactive zymogen form of PO. In the Drosophila genome, three Pro-PO isoforms have been identified to date. These include Pro-PO1 and 2, which are primarily expressed in crystal cells, and Pro-PO3, which is predominantly found in the lamellocytes. In this study, we demonstrated that Drosophila Pro-PO3, but not Pro-PO1 or 2, is enzymatically active in its zymogen form. These findings were evidenced by spectacular melanin forming capacities of various cells and tissues that overexpressed these pro-enzymes. Furthermore, the melanization phenotype observed in the lamellocyte-enriched $hop^{Tum-l}$ mutant was drastically reduced in the absence of PPO3, indicating that PPO3 plays a major role in the lamellocyte-mediated spontaneous melanization process. Taken together, these findings indicate that the biochemical properties, activation mode and in vivo role of Pro-PO3 are likely distinct from those of the other two Pro-PO enzymes involved in Drosophila physiology.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 2003

The study was conducted to determine the cultural conditions and the effect of inert fillers for melanization and sporulation abilities of sodium alginate pellets, and the weeding efficacy of the formula in the field. Melanin production of E. nematosporus was affected by striking frequency. Percentage of melanized beads was increased to 80.6% at higher rpm up to 180. The melanized pellets produced more conidia with abundant mucilage than unmelanized pellets. Shaker culture of Epicoccosorus nematosporus with sodium alginate yielded a total of 55 mg per 100 pellets. Percentage of melanized pellets was highest with 81.0% and 83.3% of melanization, when wheat bran and rice polish were amended and produced the conidia with 65.4 and 68.4 mg per 100 pellets, respectively. When 1 L of conidial suspension of 6.0$\times$$10^5$ conidia per ml was applied on 30-day-old plants in a plot, 74.5% of the plants were killed within 20 days, whereas, its melanized sodium alginate pellets killed 57.8% of the plants in the same period. The number of tuber formation of Eleocharis kuroguwai in the untreated control plots was 128.5 per plot, but those of the plots treated with conidial suspension and melanized pellets were 22.1 and 39.7, respectively, at the end of the season. Results of this study showed that melanization of mycelia-mixed sodium alginate are an important sporulation factor in E. namatosporus as a mycoherbicide.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.75-80
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• 2002

Quercetin is one of the bioflavonoid compounds and has multiple biological effects such as antioxidant and effective anti-inflammatory agent. Melanin has an important role in protecting human skin from the damaging effects of ultra-violet W) radiation. We studied the effect of quercetin on proliferation of B16/F10 melanoma cells. After 48h treatment of cells with quercetin, the cells exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation without apoptosis. Therefore, the decrease in cell numbers may be due to cell growth arrest, not due to cell death by cytotoxicity. We also investigated the effect of quercetin on melanogenesis of this cells. B16/F10 melanoma cells were grown for 48h in the presence of 0.01~50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml quercetin and the total melanin contents were measured. Quercetin stimulated melanization of the cells in low concentrations (0.01~20$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml), whereas it inhibited melanization in high concentrations (30~50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). It was observed that quercetin differently regulates melanogenesis of B16/F10 melanoma cells dependent on its concentrations.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.210-215
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• 2001

The phenotype of Rhizoctonia solani KR-13 was randomly segregated to both melanin-producing (M+) and non-producing (M-) types through successive cultures on PDA. M+type with dark melanin showed strong pathogenicity to rice and self-anastomosis. Meanwhile, M- type with white or less-melanized mycelia showed very weak pathogenicity and non-self-anastomosis. Melanin production of R. solani was affected by incubation temperature in both M+ and M- types, but not by light treatment. The application of tricyclazole, an inhibitor of fungal melanin biosynthesis, showed no controlling effect on R. solani causing rice sheath blight. Results of this study showed that melanization of mycelia of R. solani is an important pathogenicity factor in rice.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.96-96
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the dermal cytotoxicity of lead acetate (LA) and other heavy metal compounds, and the protective effect of Lespedeza bicolor (LB) extract on LA-induced cytotoxicity in cultured B16-/F10 melanoma cells. The study evaluated the antioxidative effects of LB due to its electron-donating ability (EDA), inhibitory effects on melanization and improving cell viability. LA significantly decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and the XTT₅₀ value was determined at 52.7 µM in the studied cultures. Based on the Borenfreund and Puerner's toxicity criteria, LA was estimated to be highly cytotoxic. LA-induced cytotoxicity and cell damage was reversed by the antioxidant activity of kaempferol (KAE), thereby remarkably improving cell viability. A study of the protective effects of the LB extract on LA-induced cytotoxicity showed that the LB extract remarkably increased cell viability in the LA-treated group, and also inhibited the EDA and the total amount of melanin. The above results suggest oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of LA. In the study, LB extract effectively prevented LA-induced cytotoxicity via its antioxidative activity and inhibition of melanization. In conclusion, natural resources like LB extracts may be useful agents for the prevention of oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity and melanization by heavy metallic compounds such as LA.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.407-416
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• 2008

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of temperature, solute potential and carbon source on the mycelial growth, sclerotia development, and apothecium production of an isolate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Mycelial growth rate was greatest at $25^{\circ}C$ on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium amended with up to 2% NaCl (${\psi}s{\leq}1.91\;MPa$) and thereafter, growth rate declined. The least number of sclerotia were produced at $20^{\circ}C$on both PDA and malt extract agar (MEA) amended with 8% NaCl (${\psi}s=6.62\;MPa$). With increasing temperature and decreasing solute potential the number and size of sclerotia were significantly reduced. The combined effect of temperature, solute potential and carbon source on sclerotia production were highly significant and had an impact on the development of the rind layer cells of sclerotia. These cells lacked a transparent cell wall which was surrounded by a compact melanized layer, and some of these cells appeared to be devoid of cell contents or were totally vacuolated. The survival of the sclerotia with increase in salinity and temperature appeared to affect melanization and the nature of the rind cells. The observations of this study re-enforces the need for an integrated disease management to control S. sclerotiorum.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.533-540
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• 2000

Melanization of B16 melanoma cells was comparatively studied by the aqueous extract of Epimedium koreanum Nakai(EK) and $\alpha$-MSH. In addition, inhibitory effects of RA was investigated. B16 melanoma cells(about 1${\times}10_5$) have been shown an increase in tyrosinase activity and melanin contents in proportion to concentration of $\alpha$-MSH when treated with $\alpha$-MSH and incubated for 72 hrs. They indicated a 350% increase in tyrosinase activity and a 290% increase in melanin contents at 8 ng/mL. In case of EK, they have been shown a 200% increase in tyrosinase activity and a 180% increase in melanin contents at 100 ${\mu}g$/mL. In addition of RA to the above condition, they have been shown an inhibition from 350% to 210% in tyrosinase activity and from 290% to 250% in melanin contents in $\alpha$-MSH, and inhibition from 200% to 100% in tyrosinase activity and from 180% to 120% in melanin contents in EK. From the above results, it is suggested that EK promotes melanization of B16 melanoma cells through cAMP pathway, whereas RA inhibits it.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.611-616
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• 2003

Korean ginseng(Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer) known as a oriental miracle drug is an important medicinal plant. Ginseng has been used for geriatric, tonic, stomachic, and aphrodisiac treatments for thousands years. Also, it is an antibiotic and has therapeutic properties against stress and cancer. Ginseng is widely distributed all over the world. Among them, Korean mountain ginseng has the most valuable effect on pharmaceuticals. The roots of mountain ginseng contained several kinds of ginsenosides that have many active functions for the human body. However, the study of mountain ginseng has a limit because the mountain ginseng is very expensive and rare. So, we artificially cultured mountain ginseng adventitious roots using the bioreactor culture system. We induced callus from original mountain ginseng, directly dug up in mountain and aged about one hundred ten years. Separated adventitious roots were precultured in 500ml conical flasks and then, transferred in 20L bioreactors. The adventitious roots of mountain ginseng were harvested after culturing for 40days, dried and then, extracted with several solvents. In this study, we investigated the whitening effect, anti-wrinkle effect and the safety of tissue cultured adventitious roots extract of mountain ginseng in order to identify the merit as a cosmetic ingredient. Particularly, extract of mountain ginseng adventitious roots showed whitening and anti-wrinkle effects. The inhibitory effect of this extract on the melanogenesis was examined using B-16 melanoma cell. When B-16 melanoma cells were cultured with adventitious root extract, there was a dramatically decrease in melanin contents of 8-16 melanoma cell. And we identified this extract inhibited Dopa auto-oxidation significantly. Also, when transformed mouse fibroblast L929 cells were treated with this extract, there was a significant increase in collagen synthesis. The results show significant inhibited melanization and wrinkle without inhibiting cell viability.