• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.38-44
• /
• 2014

K/BxN serum can transfer arthritis to normal mice owing to the abundant autoantibodies it contains, which trigger innate inflammatory cascades in joints. Little is known about whether gut-residing microbes affect host susceptibility to autoantibody-mediated arthritis. To address this, we fed C57BL/6 mice with water containing a mixture of antibiotics (ampicillin, vancomycin, neomycin, and metronidazol) for 2 weeks and then injected them with K/BxN serum. Antibiotic treatment significantly reduced the amount of bacterial genomic DNA isolated from fecal samples, in particular a gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA derived from segmented filamentous bacteria. Arthritic signs, as indicated by the arthritic index and ankle thickness, were significantly attenuated in antibiotic-treated mice compared with untreated controls. Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes from antibiotic-treated mice contained fewer IL-17-expressing cells than those from untreated mice. Antibiotic treatment reduced serum C3 deposition in vitro via the alternative complement pathway. IL-$17^{-/-}$ congenic C57BL/6 mice were less susceptible to K/BxN serum-transferred arthritis than their wild-type littermates, but were still responsive to treatment with antibiotics. These results suggest that gut-residing microbes, including segmented filamentous bacteria, induce IL-17 production in GALT and complement activation via the alternative complement pathway, which cause the host to be more susceptible to autoantibody-mediated arthritis.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.177-186
• /
• 2011

This study describes for the first time in Pinus genus a plant regeneration system via a combined pathway of somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis from immature seeds of radiata pine. Somatic embryos were obtained from embryogenic line 2162 of Pinus radiata D. Don on EDM basal medium containing $60{\mu}M$ ABA and 6% sucrose. The explants used for organogenesis experiments were either freshly collected somatic embryos or somatic embryos germinated for 1 week. Germination medium was half-strength LP medium, supplemented with 0.2% activated charcoal. Different induction periods and BA concentrations were assayed for shoot induction. After induction treatments, explants were elongated on the same medium used for germination stage. Rooting medium was quarter-strength LP medium supplemented with three different auxin treatments: $1.5mg\;L^{-1}$ 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), $1.5mg\;L^{-1}$ indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and $1mg\;L^{-1}$ IBA with $0.5mg\;L^{-1}$ NAA (MIX). The effect of the photon flux ($120mmol\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$ and darkness) in the first week of the explants in the rooting media was also tested. This methodology could offer an alternative to overcome some problems associated with somatic embryogenesis such as the seasonality of embryogenic tissue (ET) initiation or a low embryo production from the ET, a particularly important issue in the case of genetically transformed ETs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.432-439
• /
• 2007

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) act as potent activators of the adipose differentiation program in established preadipose cell lines. TZD's have also been investigated in diabetic patients and reported to act as PPAR-${\gamma}$ ligands. In this report, the effects of TZDs on the differentiation pathway of myoblasts have been investigated. C2C12 mouse myoblasts were grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagles medium for 4-5 days until they reached almost 100% confluency. Post-confluent cells (day 0) were further exposed to adipogenic induction medium along with TZDs for 48 hours. Thereafter, cells were exposed only to TZDs every 48 h until day 10. The control was provided with differentiation medium without any treatment. Alterations in the cells during the differentiation programme were analyzed on the basis of fusion index, oil-red-o staining, adipocyte index, adipocyte stain uptake measurement, immuno-histochemistry and western blotting. Exposure of C2C12 mouse myoblasts to TZDs prevented the expression of myosin heavy chain with parallel increase in the expression of C/EBP-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ and acquisition of adipocyte morphology, thus abolishing the formation of multinucleated myotubes. TZDs exert their adipogenic effects only in non-terminally differentiated myoblasts; myotubes were insensitive to the compound. Continuous exposure (at least 4-5 doses) to inducers after the growth arrest was essential to provide a sustained environment to the cells converting to fully matured adipoctyes. The results indicate that TZDs specifically converted the differentiation pathway of myoblasts into that of adipoblasts.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.37 no.8
• /
• pp.695-701
• /
• 1993

Rate constants of solvolysis of 2-thiophenesulfonyl chloride were determined in aqueous binary mixtures with methanol, ethanol, acetone in water and in methanol. These data are interpreted using the equation of Grunwald-Winstein and Kivinen relationship. Also, kinetic solvent isotope effects in water and in methanol and product selectivities in alcohol-water mixtures were determined. Kinetic solvent isotope effect for hydrolysis of 2-thiopenesulfonyl chloride was 2.24 and 1.47 for methanol and water, respectively. Selectivity values for formation of ester relative to acid in ethanol-water mixtures show maximum S value. From kinetic solvent isotope effect in methanol and water, selectivity data in aqueous alcoholic solvents and solvent effects, it is proposed that the reaction channel favoured in low polarity solvents is general-base catalysis and/or is possibly addition elimination (S$_A$N) reaction pathway and in high polarity solvents iS S$_N$2 reaction mechanism.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.28-33
• /
• 1999

The SNF2 family includes proteins from a variety of species with roles I cellular processes such as transcriptional regulation, recombination and various types of DNA repair. Several proteins with unknown function are also included in this family. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of hrp 2+ gene (helicase related gene from S. pombe) which was isolated by PCR amplication using the conserved domain of SNF2 motifs within the ERCC6 gene which encodes a protein involved in DNA excision repair. The hrp2+ gene was isolated by screening with yeast S. pombe genomic library. The isolated cloned contained 6.5 kb insert DNA. Southern blot analysis confirmed that S. pombe chromosome contains the same DNA as hrp2+ gene and this gene exists as a single copy in S. pombe genome. The 4.7 kb transcript of mRNA was identified by Northern blot. To examined the transcriptional regulation of hrp2+ gene, DNA damaging agents were treated. These results indicated that the hrp2+ gene may not be directly involved in DNA replication, but may be involved in damage response pathway.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.44 no.10
• /
• pp.653-658
• /
• 2011

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum fungus has three endoxylanases induced by wheat bran. In the first part, a partial xylanase sequence gene (90 bp) was isolated by PCR corresponding to catalytic domains (${\beta}5$ and ${\beta}6$ strands of this protein). The high homology of this sequence with xylanase of Botryotinia fuckeliana has permitted in the second part to amplify the XYN1 gene. Sequence analysis of DNA and cDNA revealed an ORF of 746 bp interrupted by a 65 bp intron, thus encoding a predicted protein of 226 amino acids. The mature enzyme (20.06 kDa), is coded by 188 amino acid (pI 9.26). XYN1 belongs to G/11 glycosyl hydrolases family with a conserved catalytic domain containing $E_{86}$ and $E_{178}$ residues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that there was no Asn-X-Ser/Thr motif required for N-linked glycosylation in the deduced sequence however, five O-glycosylation sites could intervene in the different folding of xylanses isoforms and in their secretary pathway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 2020

The present research work primarily investigated whether spinosin has the potential of improving the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) driven by β-amyloid (Aβ) overproduction through impacting the procession of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Wild type mouse Neuro-2a cells (N2a/WT) and N2a stably expressing human APP695 (N2a/APP695) cells were treated with spinosin for 24 h. The levels of APP protein and secreted enzymes closely related to APP procession were examined by western blot analysis. Oxidative stress related proteins, such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were detected by immunofluorescence assay and western blot analysis, respectively. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was analyzed by flow cytometry, the levels of Aβ_1-42 were determined by ELISA kit, and Thioflavin T (ThT) assay was used to detect the effect of spinosin on Aβ_1-42 aggregation. The results showed that ROS induced the expression of ADAM10 and reduced the expression of BACE1, while spinosin inhibited ROS production by activating Nrf2 and up-regulating the expression of HO-1. Additionally, spinosin reduced Aβ_1-42 production by impacting the procession of APP. In addition, spinosin inhibited the aggregation of Aβ_1-42. In conclusion, spinosin reduced Aβ_1-42 production by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in N2a/WT and N2a/APP695 cells. Therefore, spinosin is expected to be a promising treatment of AD.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.59 no.5
• /
• pp.373-378
• /
• 2015

The solvolysis rate constants of di-n-butyl phosphorochloridate ((CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂O)₂POCI, 1) in 28 different solvents are well correlated with the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation, using the N_T solvent nucleophilicity scale and Y_Cl solvent ionizing scale, with the sensitivities values of 1.40 and 0.42 for l and m, respectively. These l and m values can be considered to support an S_N2 reaction pathway. This interpretation is further supported by the activation parameters, i.e., relatively small positive ΔH^≠ (8.0 to 15.9 kcal·mol⁻¹ ) values and large negative ΔS^≠ (−25.8 to −53.1 cal·mol⁻¹ ·K⁻¹ ) values, the Kivinen’s n values (0.9~1.7), and the solvent kinetic isotope effect (1.62).

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.244-247
• /
• 2006

Neuronal cell death significantly contributes to neuronal loss in neurological injury and disease. Typically, neuronal loss or destruction upon exposure to neurotoxins, oxidative stress, or DNA damage causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we attempted to determine whether ginsenoside Rg3 from red ginseng has a neuroprotective effect via an anti-apoptotic role induced by S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) at the molecular level. We also investigated the antioxidant effect of Rg3 using a metal-catalyzed reaction with $Cu^{2+}/H_2O_2$. Our results showed that Rg3 ($40-100\;{\mu}g/mL$) protected SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells under cytotoxic conditions and effectively protected DNA from fragmentation. In the signal pathway, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were kept at an inactivated status when pretreated with Rg3 in all ranges. In particular, the important upstream p-Akt signal pathway was increased in a dose-dependent manner, which indicates that Rg3 may contribute to cell survival. We also found that oxidative stress can be mitigated by Rg3. Therefore, we have concluded that Rg3 plays a certain role in neurodegenerative pathogenesis via an anti apoptotic, antioxidative effect.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.219-229
• /
• 2010

Background: N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a member of the NDRG gene family. Our previous report indicated a possible role for NDRG2 in regulating the cytokine, interleukin-10 (IL-10), which is an important immunosuppressive cytokine. Several pathways, including p38-MAPK, NF-${\kappa}B$, and JAK/STAT, are used for IL-10 production, and the JAK/STAT pathway can be inhibited in a negative feedback loop by the inducible protein, SOCS3. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 gene expression on IL-10 signaling pathway that is modulated via SOCS3 and STAT3. Methods: We generated NDRG2-overexpressing U937 cell line (U937-NDRG2) and treated the cells with PMA to investigate the role of NDRG2 in IL-10 production. U937 cells were also transfected with SOCS3- or NDRG2-specific siRNAs to examine whether the knockdown of SOCS3 or NDRG2 influenced IL-10 expression. Lastly, STAT3 and SOCS3 induction was measured to identify the signaling pathway that was associated with IL-10 production. Results: RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that IL-10 was increased in U937-mock cells upon stimulation with PMA, but IL-10 was inhibited by overexpression NDRG2. After PMA treatment, STAT3 phosphorylation was decreased in a time-dependent manner in U937-mock cells, whereas it was maintained in U937-NDRG2 cells. SOCS3 was markedly reduced in U937-NDRG2 cells compared with U937-mock cells. IL-10 production after PMA stimulation was reduced in U937 cells when SOCS3 was inhibited, but this effect was less severe when NDRG2 was inhibited. Conclusion: NDRG2 expression modulates SOCS3 and STAT3 activity, eventually leading to the inhibition of IL-10 production.