• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.61-66
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• 2004

The plasmepsins are the aspartic proteases of malaria parasites. Treatment of aspartic protease inhibitor inhibits hemoglobin hydrolysis and blocks the parasite development in vitro suggesting that these proteases might be exploited their potentials as antimalarial drug targets. In this study, we determined the genetic variations of the aspartic proteases of Plasmodium vivax (PvPMs) of wild isolates. Two plasmepsins (PvPM4 and PvPM5) were cloned and sequenced from 20 P. vivax Korean isolates and two imported isolates. The sequences of the enzymes were highly conserved except a small number of amino acid substitutions did not modify key residues for the function or the structure of the enzymes. The high sequence conservations between the plasmepsins from the isolates support the notion that the enzymes could be reliable targets for new antimalarial chemotherapeutics.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.141-149
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• 2006

Tamoxifen (TAM), a non-steroidal anti estrogen anticancer drug and chemopreventive agent for breast cancer, have caused cholestasis in liver. The potent hepatocarcinogenicity of this drug has been reported. Methotrexate (MTX) is dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor which interfaces with the synthesis for urine nucleotide and dTMP. And it may cause atrophy, necrosis and steatosis in liver. These two anticancer drug have well-known hepatotoxicity. So, in this study we compare the gene expression pattern of antitumor agent TAM and MTX, using the cDNA microarray. We have used 4.8 K cDNA microarray to identify hepatotoxicity-related genes in 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Confirm the pattern of gene expression, we have used Real time PCR for targeted gene. In the case of MTX, Protease related gene (Ctse, Ctsk) and Protein kinase (Pctk 1) have shown specific expression pattern. And in the case of TAM, apoptosis related gene (Pdcd 8) and signal transduction related gene (kdr) have significantly up regulated during treatment time. Gene related with growth factor, lipid synthesis, chemokins were significantly changed. From the result of this study, the information about influence of TAM and MTX to hepatoxicity will provide.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.186-195
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• 2006

The present study was carried out to determine the involvement of opioid and non-opioid receptor and the effect of pH and enzymes on the recently reported antinociceptive activity of aqueous extract of Corchorus olitorius (AECO) leaves using the abdominal constriction test. The extract was prepared by soaking the dried powdered leaves of Corchorus (C.) olitorius in distilled water overnight, and the supernatant obtained was considered as a stock solution with 100% concentration/ strength. The extract, administered subcutaneously in the concentrations/ strength of 10, 50 and 100%, was found to show a significant concentration-independent antinociception. The 50% concentration AECO were further used to study on the above mentioned parameters. The extract exhibited: significant (P < 0.05) decreased in activity when pre-treated (s.c.) against 10 mg/kg naloxonazine, bicuculine (10 mg/kg), phenoxybenzamine (10 mg/kg), 10 mg/kg pindolol, and 5 mg/kg mecamylamme, but not 10 mg/kg naltrindole, 10 mg/kg atropine, respectively; significant (P < 0.05) decreased in activity after pre-treatment against 10% a-amylase, but not 1 % protease or 10% lipase and; significant (P < 0.05) decreased in activity after exposure to alkaline condition (pH between 9 and 13) while maintaining the activity at acidic condition, respectively. The C. olitorius leaves antinociception, which involved, at least in part, activation of $\mu-opioid,\;\alpha-and\;\beta-adrenergic$, and nicotinic receptors, was found to decrease under alkaline condition and in the presence of $\alpha-amylase$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권11호
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• pp.1575-1581
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• 2004

A total of 96 growing barrows (Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire) at an average BW of 20.2 kg were used to investigate the effects of montmorillonite (MMT) or copper-bearing montmorillonite (Cu-MMT) on growth performance, intestinal microflora, digestive enzyme activities of pancreas and small intestinal contents, and the apparent nutrient digestion. The pigs were allocated to three groups with 32 pigs per treatment for 42 days and the average BW at the end of the experiment was 49.7 kg. The three dietary treatments were basal diet only (control group), basal diet +1.5 g/kg MMT, and basal diet +1.5 g/kg Cu-MMT. The results showed that supplementation with Cu-MMT significantly improved growth performance as compared to control and pigs fed with Cu-MMT had higher average daily gain than those fed with MMT. As compared to control, supplementation with Cu-MMT significantly reduced the total viable counts of Escherichia coli and Clostridium in the small intestine and proximal colon. Supplementation with MMT had no significant influence on intestinal microflora, although there was a tendency for Escherichia coli and Clostridium to be lower than the control. Pigs fed with Cu-MMT had lower viable counts of Escherichia coli in colonic contents than those fed with MMT. Although supplementation with MMT improved the activities of the digestive enzymes in the small intestinal contents, the tendency was not significant. Supplementation with Cu-MMT significantly improved the activities of total protease, amylase and lipase in the small intestinal contents. Supplementation with MMT or Cu-MMT improved the apparent nutrient digestion.

• BMB Reports
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.293-298
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• 2001

Tryptic activation of the 130-kDa Bacillus thuringiensis Cry4B $\delta$-endotoxin produced protease-resistant products of ca. 47 kDa and ca. 21 kDa. The 21-kDa fragment was identified as the N-terminal five-helix bundle (${\alpha}1-{\alpha}5$,) which is a potential candidate for membrane insertion and pore formation. In this study, we constructed the recombinant clone over-expressing this putative pore-forming (PPF) fragment as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli. The partially purified inclusions were composed of a 23-kDa protein, which cross-reacted with Cry4B antibodies, and whose N-terminus was identical to that of the 130-kDa protein. Dissimilar to protoxin inclusions, the PPF inclusions were only soluble when the carbonate buffer, pH 9.0, was supplemented with 6 M urea. After renaturation via a stepwise dialysis, the refolded PPF protein appeared to exist as an oligomer and was structurally stable upon trypsin treatment. Unlike the 130kDa protoxin, the refolded protein was able to release entrapped glucose from liposomes, and showed comparable activity to the full-length activated toxin, although it lacks larvicidal activity These results, therefore, support the notion that the PPF fragment that consists of ${\alpha}1-{\alpha}5$ of the activated Cry4B toxin is involved in membrane pore-formation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.712-718
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• 2004

This study was carried out to separate the calcium-binding protein derived from enzymatic hydrolysates of cheese whey protein. CWPs (cheese whey protein) heated for 10 min at $100^{\circ}C$ were hydrolyzed by trypsin, papain W-40, protease S, neutrase 1.5 and pepsin, and then properties of hydrolysates, separation of calcium-binding protein and analysis of calcium-binding ability were investigated. The DH (degree of hydrolysis) and NPN (non protein nitrogen) of heated-CWP hydrolysates by commercial enzymes were higher in trypsin than those of other commercial enzymes. In the result of SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), $\beta$-LG and $\alpha$-LA in trypsin hydrolysates were almost eliminated and the molecular weight of peptides derived from trypsin hydrolysates were smaller than 7 kDa. In the RP-HPLC (reverse phase HPLC) analysis, $\alpha$-LA was mostly eliminated, but $\beta$-LG was not affected by heat treatment and the RP-HPLC patterns of trypsin hydrolysates were similar to those of SDS-PAGE. In ion exchange chromatography, trypsin hydrolysates were shown to peak from 0.25 M NaCl and 0.5 M NaCl, and calcium-binding ability is associated with the large peak, which was eluted at a 0.25 M NaCl gradient concentration. Based on the results of this experiment, heated-CWP hydrolysates by trypsin were shown to have calcium-binding ability.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.2859-2863
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• 2013

Polyphenolic compounds from pomegranate fruit extracts (PFEs) have been reported to possess antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-invasion effects in prostate and other cancers. However, the mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of cancer invasion remain to be clarified. In the present study, we investigated anti-invasive effects of ellagic acid (EA) in androgen-independent human (PC-3) and rat (PLS10) prostate cancer cell lines in vitro. The results indicated that non-toxic concentrations of EA significantly inhibited the motility and invasion of cells examined in migration and invasion assays. The EA treatment slightly decreased secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 but not MMP-9 from both cell lines. We further found that EA significantly reduced proteolytic activity of collagenase/gelatinase secreted from the PLS-10 cell line. Collagenase IV activity was also concentration-dependently inhibited by EA. These results demonstrated that EA has an ability to inhibit invasive potential of prostate cancer cells through action on protease activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제50권10호
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• pp.931-937
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• 2007

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare disease of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, low platelet count and renal impairment. HUS usually occurs in young children after hemorrhagic colitis by shigatoxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (D+HUS). HUS is the most common cause of acute renal failure in infants and young children, and is a substantial cause of acute mortality and morbidity; however, renal function recovers in most of them. About 10% of children with HUS do not reveal preceding diarrheal illness, and is referred to as D- HUS or atypical HUS. Atypical HUS comprises a heterogeneous group of thrombomicroangiopathy (TMA) triggered by non-enteric infection, virus, drug, malignancies, transplantation, and other underlying medical condition. Emerging data indicate dysregulation of alternative complement pathway in atypical HUS, and genetic analyses have identified mutations of several regulatory genes; i.e. the fluid phase complement regulator Factor H (CFH), the integral membrane regulator membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) and the serine protease Factor I (IF). The uncontrolled activation of the complement alternative pathway results in the excessive consumption of C3. Plasma exchange or plasma infusion is recommended for treatment of, and has dropped the mortality rate. However, overall prognosis is poor, and many patients succumb to end-stage renal disease. Clinical presentations, response to plasma therapy, and outcome after renal transplantation are influenced by the genotype of the complement regulators. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), another type of TMA, occurs mainly in adults as an acquired disease accompanied by fever, neurologic deficits and renal abnormalities. However, less frequent cases of congenital or hereditary TTP associated with ADAMTS-13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease, with thrombospondin 1-like domains 13) gene mutations have been reported, also. Recent advances in molecular genetics better allow various HUS to be distinguished on the basis of their pathogenesis. The genetic analysis of HUS is important in defining the underlying etiology, predicting the genotype-related outcome and optimizing the management of the patients.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.282-291
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• 1999

Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Kimchi and screened for bacteriocin. A total of 99 strains showed antimicrobial activity when grown on solid media, yet only 10 showed antimicrobial activity in liquid media. Strain H-559, identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity and was active against pathogenic bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus as well as other lactic acid bacteria. The antimicrobial substance produced by L. lactis subsp. lactis H-559 was confirmed to be a bacteriocin by the treatment of $\alpha$-chymotrypsin, and protease type Ⅸ and ⅩIV. The bacteriocin activity remained stable between pH 2.0 and pH 11.0 and during heating for 10 min at $100^{\circ}C$. The bacteriocin production started in the exponential phase and stopped in the stationary phase. L. lactis subsp. lactis H-559 showed the highest bacteriocin activity at a culture temperature of $25^{\circ}C$, and an inverse relationship between the bacteriocin productivity and mean growth rate at different culture temperatures was observed. The mean growth rate and bacteriocin productivity of L. lactis subsp. lactis H-559 increased as the initial pH of the media increased.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권10호
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• pp.728-733
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• 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) effectively reduce airway inflammation and regenerate the alveolus in cigarette- and elastase-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal models. The effects of stem cells are thought to be paracrine and immune-modulatory because very few stem cells remain in the lung one day after their systemic injection, which has been demonstrated previously. In this report, we analyzed the gene expression profiles to compare mouse lungs with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke with non-exposed lungs. Gene expression profiling was also conducted in a mouse lung tissue with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke following the systemic injection of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hCB-MSCs). Globally, 834 genes were differentially expressed after systemic injection of hCB-MSCs. Seven and 21 genes, respectively, were up-and downregulated on days 1, 4, and 14 after HCB-MSC injection. The Hbb and Hba, genes with oxygen transport and antioxidant functions, were increased on days 1 and 14. A serine protease inhibitor was also increased at a similar time point after injection of hCB-MSCs. Gene Ontology analysis indicated that the levels of genes related to immune responses, metabolic processes, and blood vessel development were altered, indicating host responses after hCB-MSC injection. These gene expression changes suggest that MSCs induce a regeneration mechanism against COPD induced by cigarette smoke. These analyses provide basic data for understanding the regeneration mechanisms promoted by hCB-MSCs in cigarette smoke-induced COPD.