• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2000

The vancomycin, one of the family of glycopeptide antibiotics, inhibits the synthesis of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and has been widely used against gram-positive bacterial infections, especially for a treatment of methicillin resistant S. aureus infection. However, clinical isolate which was intermediately resistant to vancomycin (Mu50: MIC 8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) was isolated in recent years. In this study we performed vancomycin susceptibility test with the increment method and population analysis with clinical isolates S. aureus. Also we did several kinds of tests with three selected isolates (s129: MIC 7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, s134: MIC 7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, s135: MIC 8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) to find out possible mechanism of vancomycin resistance. As a result, the prevalence of vancomycin resistant S. aureus isolates among S. aureus strains resistant to methicillin was 23.3% (25/107). The vancomycin resistances of isolated strains of S. aureus were between those of Mu5O and Mu3 strains. By PCR analysis, none of the isolates with decreased vancomycin susceptibility contained known vancomycin resistant genes such as vanA, vanB, vanC1, vanC2, and vanH. Major bands of 81 kDa, 58 kDa, 33 kDa, 28 kDa were demonstrable in whole cell lysates by SDS-PAGE from all three isolates as well as reference strains. And especially,45 kDa protein was overproduced in Mu50 strains. Among them increased production of NAD$^{+}$-linked-$_{D}$-lactate dehydrogenase (dnLDH) were detected from one clinical strain (s135) and Mu5O strain. From these data, we suggest that the mechanism of vancomycin resistance in these isolates are distinct from that in enterococci.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.648-654
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• 2023

Oxidative stress-induced melanocyte apoptosis is linked to the immune system and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Aquaporin-3 (AQP3), which is downregulated in vitiligo keratinocytes, regulates intracellular H₂O₂ accumulation. However, the role of AQP3 in oxidative stress is uncertain in vitiligo. This study investigated the effect of downregulated AQP3 on oxidative stress in vitiligo using lesional and non-lesional skin specimen sets from vitiligo patients and primary cultured adult normal human epidermal keratinocytes, with or without downregulation and overexpression of AQP3 in the presence or absence of H₂O₂ treatment. The levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and/or its main target, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO-1), were lower in the lesional keratinocytes and cultured keratinocytes with AQP3 knockdown, but were increased in keratinocytes upon AQP3 overexpression. Ratios of NRF2 nuclear translocation and NQO-1 expression levels were further reduced in AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes following H₂O₂ treatment. The conditioned media from AQP3-knockdown keratinocytes treated with H₂O₂ contained higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the number of viable melanocytes was reduced when the conditioned media were added to the culture media. Overall, AQP3 downregulation in the keratinocytes of patients with vitiligo can induce oxidative stress in neighboring melanocytes, leading to melanocyte death.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1270-1275
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• 2024

Human gut bacterium Dorea sp. MRG-IFC3 is unique in that it is capable of metabolizing puerarin, an isoflavone C-glycoside, whereas it shows broad substrate glycosidase activity for the various flavonoid O-glycosides. To address the question on the substrate specificity, as well as biochemical characteristics, cell-free biotransformation of flavonoid glycosides was performed under various conditions. The results showed that there are two different enzyme systems responsible for the metabolism of flavonoid C-glycosides and O-glycosides in the MRG-IFC3 strain. The system responsible for the conversion of puerarin was inducible and comprised of two enzymes. One enzyme oxidizes puerarin to 3"-oxo-puerarin and the other enzyme converts 3"-oxo-puearin to daidzein. The second enzyme was only active toward 3"-oxo-puerarin. The activity of puerarin conversion to daidzein was enhanced in the presence of Mn²⁺ and NAD⁺. It was concluded that the puerarin C-deglycosylation by Dorea sp. MRG-IFC3 possibly adopts the same biochemical mechanism as the strain PUE, a species of Dorea longicatena.

• 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.

• The Microorganisms and Industry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.18-30
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• 2000

Three kinds of organic matter such as glucose, oxalic acid, and ethanol were added to the media(N-free or NO$\_$3/-riched) and their effects on the nitrogen fixation of Nostoc pruniforme were measured by manometric technique through the experiments in vivo. 1) The organic matters used in this experiments showed effective results as a role of substrate for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. 2) In the nitrogen-free medium treated with the both of flucose nad ethanol, the highest nitrogen uptakes were detected in the treated of low concentrations (glucose ; 0.1%, 0.5%, ethanol : 0.1%, 0.5%). On the contrary, the highest nitrogen uptakes in NO$\_$3/-riched medium were measured at the treated of high concentrations (glucose ; 2%, 1%, ethanol ; 1.5%, 1.0%). 3) The highest nitrogen uptakes in N-free medium treated with oxalic acid were measured at the concentration of 2% and 1%, respectively. In the medium of NO$\_$3/-riched, the nitrogen uptakes were in the opposite directions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.377-383
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Hyperglycemia-induced hepatic damage has been recognized as one of the major cause of complications in diabetes. Hepatic complications are associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetes. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that gamma-tocopherol (GT) supplementation ameliorates NLRP3 inflammasome associated hepatic inflammation in diabetes. MATERIALS/METHODS: Diabetes was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg. BW) in ICR mice. All mice were fed with a control diet (AIN-76A). After diabetes was induced (fasting glucose level ${\geq}250mg/dL$), the mice were treated with tocopherol-stripped corn oil or GT-supplemented (35 mg/kg) corn oil, respectively, by gavage for 2 weeks. RESULTS: GT supplementation reduced fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic mice relative to non-treated diabetic mice. Moreover, GT supplementation ameliorated hyperglycemia-induced hepatic damage by regulation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-inflammasome associated inflammation represented by NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain, caspase-1, nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ pathway as well as oxidative stress demonstrated by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1, catalase and glutathione-dependent peroxidase in diabetic mice. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested that GT supplementation ameliorated hepatic damage by attenuating inflammation and oxidative stress in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Taken together, GT could be a beneficial nutrient that can ameliorate inflammatory responses associated with NLRP3 inflammasome in hyperglycemia-induced hepatic damage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2002

Objective : This study was performed to investigate the activity of Whagan-Jeon (huaganjian) in protection against acetaminophen (AAP)-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible mechanisms in vivo. Methods : The following were performed : Serum ALT, depletion of hepatic glutathione (GSH) levels, the microsomal p. nitrophenol hydroxylation activity, microsomal aniline hydroxylation activity, genomic DNA fragmentation and its reversal, hepatic glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, and hepatic NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (QR) activity Results : Whagan-Jeon (huaganjian) protected against AAP-inducedhepatotoxicity by the increase of GSH levels, inhibition of P450 2E1-specific metabolic activities, attenuation of hepatic DNA damage, and induction of GST and QR activities in vivo. Conclusions : In conclusion, Whagan-Jeon (huaganjian) was effective in protection against AAP-induced hepatoxicity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 1973

The constituents of Korean cannabis were studied comparatively with foreign orgins. Especially, tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), the active constituents of cannabis were analyzed by the technique of thin layer chromatography and colorimetry. The results are as follows ; (1) THC content in Korean cannabis is comparatively higher than that in foreign samples. (2) THC is contained most abundantly in male flowers, abundantly in female tops and leaves and some in barks. (3) There is a tendency that the THC content increase gradually with growth of plants, being highest during unripe nad decrease with maturity of the tops. (4) Korean cannabis contains THC, cannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabidiolic acid and other cannandiolic compounds. Distribution of chemical components of Korean cannabis, compared with those of foreign ones, is remarkably different. (5) The THC content of Spanish cannabis cultivated tentatively in Korea is similar to that of Korean cannabis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 1976

In previous communications$^{1-6)}$, the results of the preliminary phytochemical examinatioins of 261 plant samples which have been used in medicine in Korea were reported. In continuation of this program we now present in Table I the results of chemical examination of another 92 species, belonging to 80 genera nad 48 families, which were screened for the presence of alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, and flavonoids. The list of folk medicines described by Lee$^{7)}$ was used as a guide in the selection of plants to be tested.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.642-645
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• 2001

Enterococcus faecalis was cultivated under oxidative conditions established by adding some oxidants. FAD and lipoic acid either stimulate the biosynthesis of benzoylformate reductase or stabilize the enzyme, while $MV^{2+}$ enhance the biosynthesis of the oxidoreductase but destabilize it. Since $MV^{2+}$ destabilize the benzoylformate reductase, substituting FAD for $MV^{2+}$ as a redox mediator would be desirable. Production of (R)-(-)-mandelic acid by a coupled reaction between the enzymatic reaction using benzoylformate reductase and the electrocatalytic reduction under the conditions of 1.5 U LiDH $ml^{-1}$, 0.2 mM FAD, and 0.3 mM $NAD^+$ is now performing.