• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.415-420
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• 2004

Fibrinolytic substance was purified from the Wooltalikong (Phaseolus ssp.), using DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-150 gel-filtration, and FPLC gel-filtration. The substance has a molecular weight of 5262.70 Da as measured by MALD-TOF mass spectrometry. It has a pH optimum at pH 6.0. The fibrinolytic activity of purified substance was inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline and slightly decreased by PMSF and pepstatin A. It shows the maximum fibrinolytic activity at 40℃ and the substance was stable up to 50℃. The activity of the substance was increased by Zn/sup 2+/ and was totally inhibited by Hg/sup 2+/. This study revealed that Wooltalikong could be a good source of fibrinolytic products due to its small molecular size and heat-resistant ability.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.523-528
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• 2004

The core factor of the study is integrated environment based PC-Cluster system and high speed access rate up to 155 Mbps, continuous collection system for bioinformatics information at home and abroad. The results of the study are establishment and stabilization of information and communication infrastructure, establishment and stabilization of high performance computer network up to 155 Mbps, development of PC-Cluster system with 32 nodes, a parallelized BLAST on Cluster system, which can provides scalable speedup in terms of response time, and development of collection and search system for bioinformatics information.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.429-434
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• 2004

The effects of intravenous administration of high concentration of taurocholic acid (TCA) on cathepsin B and D, and acid phosphatase activities in rat liver lysosome were studied. These liver lysosomal enzymes were determined from the experimental rats with choledocho-caval shunt (CCS). The activities of liver lysosomal cathepsin B and D, and acid phosphatase were found to be significantly increased in the CCS plus TCA injection group than in control group, such as group of CCS alone group. However, these hepatic enzyme activities did not change in the CCS plus tauroursodeoxycholic acid injection group. The above results suggest that TCA stimulates the biosynthesis of the lysosomal cathepsin B and D, and acid phosphatase in the liver.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.421-427
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• 2004

The possible mechanisms of decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B activities in cholestatic rat liver were studied. Hepatic and serum MAG activities were determined from the experimental rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL). The Michaelis-Menten constants in these hepatic enzymes were also measured. The activities of mitochondrial MAO A and B, and mircosomal MAO B as well as their Vmax values were found to be decreased significantly in CBDL plus taurocholic acid (TCA) injected group than in the control group, such as CBDL alone groups. However, their Km values in the experimental groups did not vary. Serum MAO activity increased significantly in the CBDL plus TCA injected group than in the control group. The above results suggest that TCA represses biosynthesis of the MAO in the liver. The elevated activity of the serum MAO is believed to be caused by the increment of membrane permeability ofhepatocytes upon TCA mediated liver cell necrosis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.435-445
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• 2004

The characteristics of the testis and the annual cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the Miniopterus schreibersi fuliginosus were examined by optical microscopy. The testis weight and diameter of the seminiferous tubules were increased gradually from May to July, and the highest activity was observed in August. The size then decreased rapidly from October. Spermatogenesis began in May, peaked in August, and was suspended from October to April in the following year. Spermatocytogenesis were produced from May to July. Spermiogenesis occurred from August to September. In particular, immature spematogenic cells in the seminiferous tubules were engulfed by the phagocytosis of Sertoli cells in October. From November to April, the seminiferous tubuly contained only Sertoli cells and Ad spermatogonia. Therefore, the periodic changes in the seminiferous epithelium of M. S. fuliginosus suggest that a long hibernation is an adaptive strategy for the preservation of energy and the regulation of the breeding cycle.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 2006

Fibrinolytic enzyme was purified from the fruiting bodies of Lepista nuda, using DEAE-Cellulose chromatography, Phenyl Sepharose chromatography, and Mono-S column chromatography. The substance has a molecular weight of 30006.62 Da as measured by MALD-TOF mass spectrometry. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was Tyr-Pro-Ser-Pro-Ser-His-Gln-Thr-Ala-Val-Asn-Ala-Ile-Ile-X. The activity of the enzyme was inhibited by PMSF, indicating that the enzyme is a serine protease. No inhibition was found with E-64, pepstatin, and EDTA. It has broad substrate specificity for synthetic peptides. The enzyme was stable up to $30^{\circ}C$. The enzyme hydrolyzes both Aa and y chains of human fibrinogen but did not show any reactivity for $B{\beta}$ chain of human fibrinogen.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.261-265
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• 2006

Toxic effect of Hexavalent chromium $(CrO_3)$ on various cells and organs has been well recognized. However, the mechanism and degree of cytotoxicity of $CrO_3$ remain unclear. This study was performed to examine the cytotoxicity of $CrO_3$ on $C_6$ glioma cells by measuring cell viability. The XTT assay, one of the sensitive methods to determine the cell viability, was taken to examine the viability of glioma cells treated with $CrO_3$. In this study, not only decreased the number of glioma cells but morphologic changes of them were noted and cell viability decreased in a time and dose-dependent manner after treated with various concentrations of $CrO_3$ for 48hours. $IC_{90}\;and\;IC_{50}$ values in XTT assay were determined at $25{\mu}M\;and\;55{\mu}M$ $CrO_3$, respectively. These results suggest that Hexavalent chromium has a highly cytotoxic effect and has a time and dose-dependent cytotoxicity on $C_6$ glioma cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2006

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) catalyzes the lysine-derived cross-links of fibrillar collagens and elastin in the extracellular matrix. Recent molecular cloning has revealed existence of a LOX family consisting of LOX and four lysyl oxidase-like proteins (LOXL, LOXL2, LOXL3 and LOXL4). Pathological conditions associated with impaired LOX activity in several heritable and acquired disorders lead to severe structural and functional abnormalities of cardiovascular tissues, such as occlusion of coronary arteries and aneurysms, suggesting an essential role for the LOX family proteins in the maintenance of the cardiovascular system. However, the specific roles of the lysyl oxidase-like proteins in normal and pathological conditions of the cardiovascular tissues have not been established yet. Here, I report that LOXL3, a novel member of the LOX family, is predominantly expressed in the aorta, with an amine oxidase activity toward collagen and elastin, suggesting an essential role of LOXL3 in the development and maintenance of the aorta.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.168-172
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• 2014

It has recently been shown that hypothermia treatment improves brain ischemia injury and is being increasingly considered by many clinicians. However, the precise roles of hypothermia for brain ischemia are not yet clear. In the present study we demonstrated firstly that hypothermia induced beta-catenin-interacting protein 1 (CTNNBIP1) gene expression and its expression was dramatically decreased under ischemic conditions. It was also demonstrated that hypothermia activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensors especially both, the phosphorylation of $eIF2{\alpha}$, and ATF6 proteolytic cleavage. However, the factors of apoptosis and autophagy were not associated with hypothermia. These findings suggested that hypothermia controlled CTNNBIP1 gene expression under ischemia, which may provide a clue to the development of treatments and diagnostic methods for brain ischemia.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2014

Adenophorae Radix (AR) has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. However, the regulatory effects of AR in atopic dermatitis are not yet understood. This study attempted to determine the pharmacological effects of AR and its constituent on both compound 48/80 or histamine-induced scratching behaviors and 2, 4-dinitrochlrobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis in mice. The findings of this study demonstrated that AR reduced compound 48/80 or histamine-induced scratching behaviors in mice. Treatment of AR attenuated the AD symptoms such as eczematous, erythema and dryness and serum IgE and IL-6 levels in AD model. Additionally, AR inhibited the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced the Nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ activation in HaCaT cells. Collectively, the findings of this study provide us with novel insights into the pharmacological actions of AR as a potential molecule for therapeutic agent against atopic dermatitis.