• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.166-171
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• 2009

Hsp70s assist in the process of protein folding through nucleotide-controlled cycles of substrate binding and release by alternating from an ATP-bound state in which the affinity for substrate is low to an ADP-bound state in which the affinity for substrate is high. It has been long recognized that the two-domain structure of Hsp70 is critical for these regulated interactions. Therefore, it is important to obtain information about conformational changes in the relative positions of Hsp70 domains caused by nucleotide binding. In this study, analytical ultracentrifugation and dynamic light scattering were used to evaluate the effect of ADP and ATP binding on the conformation of the human stress-induced Hsp70.1 protein. The results of these experiments showed that ATP had a larger effect on the conformation of Hsp70 than ADP. In agreement with previous biochemical experiments, our results suggest that conformational changes caused by nucleotide binding are a consequence of the movement in position of both nucleotide- and substrate-binding domains.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.212-218
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• 2000

The recruitment of leukocytes to a site of inflammation is dependent on a complex interplay of a number of cytokines. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a potent chemoattractant for monocytes, whereas interleukin-8 (IL-8) has chemotactic activity for neutrophils, lymphocytes, and basophils. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of several microbes found in infected root canal systems on the production of inflammatoy cytokines, interleukin 8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Monocytes isolated from peripheral blood were stimulated by group A streptococci (GAS, ATCC 19615), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 10449), Streptococcus sanguis (clinical isolate), and Candida albicans (ATCC 90029) respectively. Each of these bacteria induced dose-dependent induction in IL-8 and MCP-1 determined by ELISA. IL-8 production by each bacteria was decreased in the range of the microbe-to-PBMC ratios of 0.1-1.0. Group A streptococci was the week inducer of MCP-1 production. These results suggest that different oral pathogens induce specific dose-dependent patterns of cytokine release. Such patterns may provide a means of control of the type of immune celles particularly with regard to inflammatory leukocyte recruitment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.282-290
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rg3 (G-Rg3) is the major bioactive ingredient of Panax ginseng and has many pharmacological effects, including antiadipogenic, antiviral, and anticancer effects. However, the effect of G-Rg3 on mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation has not been investigated. Method: The antiallergic effects of G-Rg3 on allergic inflammation were evaluated using the human and rat mast cell lines HMC-1 and RBL-2H3. Antiallergic effects of G-Rg3 were detected by measuring cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), detecting calcium influx, and using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and in vivo experiments. Results: G-Rg3 decreased histamine release from activated mast cells by enhancing cAMP levels and calcium influx. Proinflammatory cytokine production was suppressed by G-Rg3 treatment via regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases/nuclear factor-kappa B and receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIP2)/caspase-1 signaling pathway in mast cells. Moreover, G-Rg3 protected mice against the IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction and compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic shock. Conclusion: G-Rg3 may serve as an alternative therapeutic agent for improving allergic inflammatory disorders.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 2024

Protein glycosylation, a highly significant and ubiquitous post-translational modification (PTM) in eukaryotic cells, has attracted considerable research interest due to its pivotal role in a wide array of essential biological processes. Conducting a comprehensive analysis of glycoproteins is imperative for understanding glycoprotein bio-functions and identifying glycosylated biomarkers. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of glycan structures, coupled with the low abundance and poor ionization efficiencies of glycopeptides have all contributed to making the analysis and subsequent identification of glycans and glycopeptides much more challenging than any other biopolymers. Nevertheless, the significant advancements in enrichment techniques, chromatographic separation, and mass spectrometric methodologies represent promising avenues for mitigating these challenges. Numerous substrates and multifunctional materials are being designed for glycopeptide enrichment, proving valuable in glycomics and glycoproteomics. Mass spectrometry (MS) is pivotal for probing protein glycosylation, offering sensitivity and structural insight into glycopeptides and glycans. Additionally, enhanced MS-based glycopeptide characterization employs various separation techniques like liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and ion mobility. In this review, we highlight recent advances in enrichment methods and MS-based separation techniques for analyzing different types of protein glycosylation. This review also discusses various approaches employed for glycan release that facilitate the investigation of the glycosylation sites of the identified glycoproteins. Furthermore, numerous bioinformatics tools aiding in accurately characterizing glycan and glycopeptides are covered.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2009

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is a medical problem occurring as damage to the myocardium following blood flow restoration after a critical period of coronary occlusion. Oxygen free radicals (OFR) are implicated in reperfusion injury after myocardial ischemia. The antioxidant enzyme, Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD, also called SOD1) is one of the major means by which cells counteract the deleterious effects of OFR after ischemia. Recently, we reported that a PEP-1-SOD1 fusion protein was efficiently delivered into cultured cells and isolated rat hearts with ischemia-reperfusion injury. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of the PEP-1-SOD1 fusion protein after ischemic insult. Immunofluorescecnce analysis revealed that the expressed and purified PEP-1-SOD1 fusion protein injected into rat tail veins was efficiently transduced into the myocardium with its native protein structure intact. When injected into Sprague-Dawley rat tail veins, the PEP-1-SOD1 fusion protein significantly attenuated myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damage; characterized by improving cardiac function of the left ventricle, decreasing infarct size, reducing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), decreasing the release of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and relieving cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These results suggest that the biologically active intact forms of PEP-1-SOD1 fusion protein will provide an efficient strategy for therapeutic delivery in various diseases related to SOD1 or to OFR.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2014

As a result of the cost of grains, the replacement of grains by co-products (i.e. DDGS) in feedlot diets is a common practice. This change produces diets that contain a lower amount of starch and greater amount of fibre. Hypothetically, combining feed grade urea (U) with slow release urea (Optigen) in this type of diet should elicit a better synchrony between starch (high-rate of digestion) and fibre (low-rate of digestion) promoting a better microbial protein synthesis and ruminal digestion with increasing the digestible energy of the diet. Four cannulated Holstein steers ($213{\pm}4$ kg) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to examine the combination of Optigen and U in a finishing diet containing different starch:acid detergent fibre ratios (S:F) on the characteristics of digestive function. Three S:F ratios (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) were tested using a combination of U (0.80%) and Optigen (1.0%). Additionally, a treatment of 4.5 S:F ratio with urea (0.80% in ration) as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used to compare the effect of urea combination at same S:F ratio. The S:F ratio of the diet was manipulated by replacing the corn grain by dried distillers grain with solubles and roughage. Urea combination did not affect ruminal pH. The S:F ratio did not affect ruminal pH at 0 and 2 h post-feeding but, at 4 and 6 h, the ruminal pH decreased as the S:F ratio increased (linear, p<0.05). Ruminal digestion of OM, starch and feed N were not affected by urea combination or S:F ratio. The urea combination did not affect ADF ruminal digestion. ADF ruminal digestion decreased linearly (p = 0.02) as the S:F ratio increased. Compared to the urea treatment (p<0.05) and within the urea combination treatment (quadratic, p<0.01), the flow of microbial nitrogen (MN) to the small intestine and ruminal microbial efficiency were greater for the urea combination at a S:F ratio of 4.5. Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved (2.8%, p = 0.02) postruminal N digestion. As S:F ratio increased, OM digestion increased, but ADF total tract digestion decreased. The combination of urea at 4.5 S:F improved (2%, p = 0.04) the digestible energy (DE) more than expected. Combining urea and Optigen resulted in positive effects on the MN flow and DE of the diet, but apparently these advantages are observed only when there is a certain proportion of starch:ADF in the diet.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.167-186
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• 1997

The inhibitory activity of Aquillariae Lignum (Thymelaeaceae) on type Ⅰ immediate hypersensitivity of the anaphylactic type in the wistar rat model of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, an IgE-mediated, mast cell-dependent reaction. Administered orally at 250, 500 mg/kg body weight 1 h before the challenge, Aquillariae Lignum potently inhibited PCA in rats which disodium cromoglycate showed poor inhibitory activity. Aquillariae Lignum inhibited compound 48/80-induced anaphylaxis 100% with a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight at 1 h before or 5 and 10 min after injection of compound 48/80. Aquillariae Lignum (0.05-1.6 mg/ml) also exhibited the dose-related inhibitory effect on compound 48/80-induced histamine release from rat_peritoneal mast cells. Moreover, it was clearly demonstrated that Aquillariae Lignum and disodium cromoglycate disodium cromoglycate potently inhibited such type Ⅰ allergic reactions as anaphylactic shocks, suggesting that these drugs, at least in part, share the same mechanism of action It is suggested that Aquillariae Lignum may exert a stronger inhibition on the mast cell degranulation process. Since Aquillariae Lignum (1.0 mg/ml) inhibited about 90% of histidine decarboxylase activity, the inhibitory activity of Aquillariae Lignum for histamine release was considered to be derived from the inhibition of histidine decarboxylase activity. It results from increased expression of the mRNA coding for histidine decarboxylase, as assessed by Northern blot analysis after a 12 h incubation to P-815 cells with dexamethasone plus 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The addition of Aquillariae Lignum to P-815 cells with dexamethasone plus 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, significantly inhibited the histidine decarboxylase gene expression. Tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ was not constitutively expressed in P-815 cells. Substance P selectively activates the tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ gene expression in P-815 cells. Aquillariae Lignurm inhibited substance P-induced tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ gene expression. Furthennore, The effect of Aquillariae Lignum on the mRNA expression of novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$ a major isoform of mast cells, was examined by Northern blot analysis. The expression of novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$ mRNA in the presence of Aquillariae Lignum was significantly lower than in the absence of Aquillariae Lignum. These results suggest the possibility that the inhibition of allergic reaction by Aquillanae Lignum should be regulated by tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ and novel protein kinase C ${\delta}$.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2022

Sea cucumber, Aposticopus japonicus, is a major invertebrate species in the coastal regions of Korea. To evaluate the short-term stress levels according to the releasing methods, this study investigated the gene expression profiles of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. When the juvenile sea cucumbers were packed in the vinyl bag with oxygen followed by transportation for 30 min or air-exposed for 1 h, the HSP90 gene expression levels in the experimental groups were significantly increased compared to those of the control groups (transported group, p=0.001; air-exposed group, p=0.032). The experimental group at 6 h post-release by seed-spreading method and at 2~6 h post-release by underwater hose-releasing method on board a fishing boat showed that the levels of HSP90 gene expression were not statistically significant but decreased slightly compared to the control group (seed-spreading group, p=0.069; hose-releasing group, p=0.093). On the other hand, the HSP90 gene expression showed an increasing pattern as the time passed (~6 h) after underwater release of juvenile sea cucumbers by divers (p=0.061). These results suggest that HSP90 gene expression can be used to investigate short-term stress response and effective releasing methods of juvenile sea cucumbers.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2006

Nano and micro capsulation (NM capsulation) involve the incorporation for nanofood materials, enzymes, cells or other materials in small capsules. Since Kim D. M. (2001) showed that a new type of food called firstly the name of nanofood, which means nanotechnology for food, and the encapsulated materials can be protected from moisture, heat or other extreme conditions, thus enhancing their stability and maintaining viability applications for this nanofood technique have increased in the food. NM capsules for nanofood is also utilized to mask odours or tastes. Various techniques are employed to form the capsules, including spray drying, spray chilling or spray cooling, extrusion coating, fluidized bed coating, liposome entrapment, coacervation, inclusion complexation, centrifugal extrusion and rotational suspension separation. Each of these techniques is discussed in this review. A wide variety of nanofood is NM capsulated - flavouring agents, acids, bases, artificial sweeteners, colourants, preservatives, leavening agents, antioxidants, agents with undesirable flavours, odours and nutrients, among others. The use of NM capsulation for sweeteners such as aspartame and flavors in chewing gum is well known. Fats, starches, dextrins, alginates, protein and lipid materials can be employed as encapsulating materials. Various methods exist to release the ingredients from the capsules. Release can be site-specific, stage-specific or signaled by changes in pH, temperature, irradiation or osmotic shock. NM capsulation for the nanofood, the most common method is by solvent-activated release. The addition of water to dry beverages or cake mixes is an example. Liposomes have been applied in cheese-making, and its use in the preparation of nanofood emulsions such as spreads, margarine and mayonnaise is a developing area. Most recent developments include the NM capsulation for nanofood in the areas of controlled release, carrier materials, preparation methods and sweetener immobilization. New markets are being developed and current research is underway to reduce the high production costs and lack of food-grade materials.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2002

In the present study, the postnatal developmental changes in the expressional levels of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) $Ca^{2+}$ regulatory proteins, i.e. $Ca^{2+}-ATPase,$ phospholamban, and $Ca^{2+}$ release channel, were investigated. Both SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and phospholamban mRNA levels were about 35% of adult levels at birth and gradually increased to adult levels. Protein levels of both SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and phospholamban, which were measured by quantitative immunoblotting, were closely correlated with the mRNA levels. The initial rates of $Ca^{2+}$ uptake at birth were about 40% of adult rates and also increased gradually during the myocardial development. Consequently, the relative phospholamban/$Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ ratio was 1 in developmental hearts. $Ca^{2+}$ release channel (ryanodine receptor) mRNA was about $50{\sim}60%$ at birth and increased gradually to adult level throughout the postnatal rat heart development. $^3[H]ryanodine$ binding increased gradually during postnatal myocardial development, which was closely correlated with ryanodine mRNA expression levels during the development except the ryanodine mRNA level at birth. These findings indicate that cardiac SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase,$ phospholamban, and $Ca^{2+}$ release channel are expressed coordinately, which may be necessary for intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ regulation during the rat heart development.