• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.265-271
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• 2009

The role that antioxidants play in the process of carcinogenesis has recently gained considerable attention. $\alpha$-Lipoic acid, a naturally occurring disulfide molecule, is a powerful antioxidant that reportedly exerts beneficial effects in patients with advanced cancer by reducing the level of reactive oxygen species and increasing glutathione peroxidase activity. In this study, we examined changes in the protein and mRNA expression associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cultured in the presence of various concentrations (0, 250, 500, and 1000 ${\mu}mol/L$) of $\alpha$-lipoic acid. The results revealed that $\alpha$-lipoic acid inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells in a dose-independent manner (P < 0.05). Additionally, $ErbB_2$ and $ErbB_3$ protein and mRNA expressions were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in response to $\alpha$-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the protein expression of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) levels and total Akt, and the mRNA expression of Akt were decreased dose-dependently in cells that were treated with $\alpha$-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). Bcl-2 protein and mRNA expressions were also decreased in cells that were treated with $\alpha$-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). However, Bax protein and mRNA expressions were increased in cells treated with $\alpha$-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). Finally, caspase-3 activity was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner in cells treated with $\alpha$-lipoic acid (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we demonstrated that $\alpha$-lipoic acid inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate effects of Ramaria botrytis methanol extract on liver damage in benzo$({\alpha})$pyrene(B$({\alpha})$P)-treated mice. The activities of serum amminotransferase, cytochrome P-450, aminopyrine N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase and hepatic content of lipid peroxide after B$({\alpha})$P-treatment were increased than control, but those levels were significantly decreased by the treatment of Ramaria botrytis methanol extract. Whereas, the hepatic glutathione content and activities of glutathionie S-transferase and r-glutamylcysteine syntherase were increased by the treatment of Ramaria botrytis methanol extract. In addition, cytochrome P-450 1A1 izozyme protein level, remarkably increased by B$({\alpha})$P-treatment was decreased by the treatment with methanol extract of Ramaria botrytis. These results suggest that the protective effect of methanol extract of Ramaria botrytis on liver injury in B$({\alpha})$P-treated mice may be due to reduction of oxygen free radical.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.34 no.3_4
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• pp.269-284
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• 2016

In this paper, we firstly use Krasnosel'skii fixed point theorem to investigate positive solutions for the following three-point boundary value problems for p-Laplacian with a parameter $({\phi}_P(D^{\alpha}_{0}+u(t)))^{\prime}+{\lambda}f(t, u(t))=0$, 0$D^{\alpha}_{0}+u(0)=u(0)=u{\prime}{\prime}(0)=0$, $u^{\prime}(1)={\gamma}u^{\prime}(\eta)$ where ϕ_p(s) = |s|^p−2s, p > 1, $D^{\alpha}_{0^+}$ is the Caputo's derivative, α ∈ (2, 3], η, γ ∈ (0, 1), λ > 0 is a parameter. Then we use Leggett-Williams fixed point theorem to study the existence of three positive solutions for the fractional boundary value problem $({\phi}_P(D^{\alpha}_{0}+u(t)))^{\prime}+f(t, u(t))=0$, 0$D^{\alpha}_{0}+u(0)=u(0)=u{\prime}{\prime}(0)=0$, $u^{\prime}(1)={\gamma}u^{\prime}(\eta)$ where ϕ_p(s) = |s|^p−2s, p > 1, $D^{\alpha}_{0^+}$ is the Caputo's derivative, α ∈ (2, 3], η, γ ∈ (0, 1).

• Communications of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.653-659
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• 2003

Let $1{\;}\leq{\;}p{\;}\infty{\;}and{\;}{\alpha}{\;}>{\;}-1$. If f is a holomorphic self-map of the open unit disc U of C with f(0) = 0, then the quantity $\int_U\;\{\frac{$\mid$f'(z)$\mid$}{1\;-\;$\mid$f(z)$\mid$^2}\}^p\;(1\;-\;$\mid$z$\mid$)^{\alpha+p}dxdy$ is equivalent to the operator norm of the composition operator $C_f{\;}:{\;}B{\;}\rightarrow{\;}A^{p,{\alpha}$ defined by $C_fh{\;}={\;}h{\;}\circ{\;}f{\;}-{\;}h(0)$, where B and $A^{p,{\alpha}$ are the Bloch space and the weighted Bergman space on U respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.783-800
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• 2002

Let B denote the unit ball in $C^n$, and ν the normalized Lebesgue measure on B. For $\alpha$ > -1, define $dv_\alpha$(z) ＝ $c_\alpha$$(1-\midz\mid^2)^{\alpha}$dν(z), z $\in$ B. Here $c_\alpha$ is a positive constant such that $v_\alpha$(B) ＝ 1. Let H(B) denote the space of all holomorphic functions in B. For $p\geq1$, define the Bergman-Privalov space $(AN)^{p}(v_\alpha)$ by $(AN)^{p}(v_\alpha)$ = ${f\inH(B)$ : $\int_B{log(1+\midf\mid)}^pdv_\alpha\;<\;\infty}$ In this paper we prove that a function $f\inH(B)$ is in $(AN)^{p}$$(v_\alpha)$ if and only if $(1+\midf\mid)^{-2}{log(1+\midf\mid)}^{p-2}\mid\nablaf\mid^2\;\epsilon\;L^1(v_\alpha)$ in the case 1＜p＜$\infty$, or $(1+\midf\mid)^{-2}\midf\mid^{-1}\mid{\nabla}f\mid^2\;\epsilon\;L^1(v_\alpha)$ in the case p ＝ 1, where $nabla$f is the gradient of f with respect to the Bergman metric on B. This is an analogous result to the characterization of the Hardy spaces by M. Stoll [18] and that of the Bergman spaces by C. Ouyang-W. Yang-R. Zhao [13].

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2012

Glycosynthase is an active site nucleophile mutant enzyme, prepared from glycosidase, which is capable of synthesizing oligosaccharide derivatives without the hydrolysis of the product. Thermoacidophilic ${\alpha}$-glucosidase of Thermoplasma acidophilum (AglA) exhibits a transglycosylating activity yielding various glycosides. AglA was converted to glycosynthase by the substitution of the catalytic nucleophile Asp-408 residue into non-nucleophile glycine in order to increase its ability to synthesize various glycosides by transglycosylation. The glycosynthase mutant was purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and its glycoside-synthesizing activity was measured by using an external nucleophile, sodium formate buffer, providing maltose as a donor and p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranoside ($pNP{\alpha}G$) as an acceptor, respectively. In addition, $pNP{\alpha}G$ was examined for its feasibility to act as both a donor and an acceptor, and products were compared with those of the wildtype enzyme. The mutant enzyme was found to catalyze the formation of a specific product from $pNP{\alpha}G$ with a yield of 42.5% without further hydrolysis, while the wild-type enzyme produced two $pNP{\alpha}G$ products at low yields. The results demonstrate the possibility of satisfactory yields for the reactions in the presence of small amounts of acceptor, and demonstrate that the high activity of the mutant, at pHs below neutrality, was applicable in the transfer of glucose from the natural donor.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.751-763
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• 2015

Let ${\alpha}$ be a positive integer, and let $p_1$, $p_2$ be two distinct prime numbers with $p_1$ < $p_2$. By using elementary methods, we give two equivalent conditions of all even near-perfect numbers in the form $2^{\alpha}p_1p_2$ and $2^{\alpha}p_1^2p_2$, and obtain a lot of new near-perfect numbers which involve some special kinds of prime number pairs. One kind is exactly the new Mersenne conjecture's prime number pair. Another kind has the form $p_1=2^{{\alpha}+1}-1$ and $p_2={\frac{p^2_1+p_1+1}{3}}$, where the former is a Mersenne prime and the latter's behavior is very much like a Fermat number.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 1990

We constructed hybrid plasmids to allow controlled and extracellular production of human alpha-interferon in Escherichia coli. The hybrid plassmids were constructed by transferring alpha-lFN gene from plasmid Hif-2h which has the alpha-lFN gene at PstI restriction site of pBR322, to plasmids pIN -IIIB3 and pIN-IIIC3 at restriction sites between HindIII and BamHI. Plasmids pIN-IIIB3 and pIN-IIIC3 carry E. coli lipoprotein promoter, lac promoter and operator in tandem. The plasmids also have lacl genes which encode for lac repressors, which allows controlled expression of genes cloned to the plasmids by using of inducer IPTG. Lipoprotein signal sequence is located just ahead of cloning sites of the plasmids, which helps cells to excrete or secrete cloned gene products. Plasmid pUC9 was used as a intermediate vector for transferring of alpha-lFN gene from Hif-2h to pIN vectors in order to solve the problem of different restriction sites between Hif-2h and pIN vectors.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2010

Purpose: In addition to regulating body weight, leptin is also recognized for its role in the regulation of immune function and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of leptin on Prevotella (P.) intermedia lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ production in differentiated THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line. Methods: LPS from P. intermedia ATCC 25611 was prepared by the standard hot phenol-water method. THP-1 cells were incubated in the medium supplemented with phorbol myristate acetate to induce differentiation into macrophage-like cells. The amount of TNF-$\alpha$ and interleukin-8 secreted into the culture medium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). TNF-$\alpha$ and Ob-R mRNA expression levels were determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results: Leptin enhanced P. intermedia LPS-induced TNF-$\alpha$ production in a dose-dependent manner. Leptin modulated P. intermedia LPS-induced TNF-$\alpha$ expression predominantly at the transcriptional level. Effect of leptin on P. intermedia LPS-induced TNF-$\alpha$ production was not mediated by the leptin receptor. Conclusions: The ability of leptin to enhance P. intermedia LPS-induced TNF-$\alpha$ production may be important in the establishment of chronic lesion accompanied by osseous tissue destruction observed in inflammatory periodontal disease.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.128-134
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• 2004

A bacterium producing the $\alpha$-galactosidase was isolated from Korean soybean paste. The isolate YB-42 has been identified as Bacillus licheniformis on the basis on its 16S rRNA sequence, morphology and biochemical properties. The $\alpha$-galactosidase activity was detected in both the culture supernatant and the cell extract of B. licheniformis YB-42. The partially purified extracellular $\alpha$-galactosidase was obtained from the culture supernatant by DEAE-Sepharose column and Q-Sepharose column chromatography. The enzyme showed the maximum activity for hydrolysis of para-nitrophenyl-$\alpha$-D-galactopyranoside (pNP-$\alpha$Gal) at pH 6.5 and $45^{\circ}C$. It was able to hydrolyze oligomeric substrates such as melibiose, raffmose and stachyose to liberate galactose residue, indicating that the a-galactosidase of B. licheniformis YB-42 hydrolyzed $\alpha$-1,6 linkage. The hydrolyzing activity of $\alpha$-galactosidase for both pNP-$\alpha$Gal and melibiose was dramatically decreased by galactose. Both glucose and mannose inhibited the activity for pNP-$\alpha$Gal less than galactose.