• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.337-346
• /
• 2023

Background: Ginsenoside Rb2, a major active component of Panax ginseng, has various physiological activities, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the rejuvenation effect of Rb2 in human skin cells have not been elucidated. Methods: We performed a senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining assay to confirm cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The regulatory effects of Rb2 on autophagy were evaluated by analyzing the expression of autophagy marker proteins, such as microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain (LC) 3 and p62, using immunoblotting. Autophagosome and autolysosome formation was monitored using transmission electron microscopy. Autophagic flux was analyzed using tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, and lysosomal function was assessed with Lysotracker. We performed RNA sequencing to identify potential target genes related to HDF rejuvenation mediated by Rb2. To verify the functions of the target genes, we silenced them using shRNAs. Results: Rb2 decreased β-galactosidase activity and altered the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins in senescent HDFs. Rb2 markedly induced the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and LC3 puncta. Moreover, Rb2 increased lysosomal function and red puncta in tandem-labeled GFP-RFP-LC3, which indicate that Rb2 promoted autophagic flux. RNA sequencing data showed that the expression of DNA damage-regulated autophagy modulator 2 (DRAM2) was induced by Rb2. In autophagy signaling, Rb2 activated the AMPK-ULK1 pathway and inactivated mTOR. DRAM2 knockdown inhibited autophagy and Rb2-restored cellular senescence. Conclusion: Rb2 reverses cellular senescence by activating autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR pathway and induction of DRAM2, suggesting that Rb2 might have potential value as an antiaging agent.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.62 no.3
• /
• pp.139-147
• /
• 2023

Leaf-spray in vitro bioassays appraise new aphicidal formulations for managing deleterious plant-feeding aphids. The formulation may utilize alternative and integrated strategies. However, leaf spraying even under controlled conditions may affect aphid reproduction and mortality. This study examines leaf spray applications for optimum and reproducible aphicidal results using tobacco leaves overlaid on cotton fabric or water agar surfaces. Infestation of the undersides of tobacco leaves with nymphs of green peach aphids was used in the assays. Spray distance and volume were optimized using water-sensitive paper to ascertain the best surface coverage. Overlays of the leaves on water agar caused less mortality and greater reproduction than the use of cotton fabric. The relative humidity of the insect-rearing chambers changed with the watering regime for the insect - rearing chambers with cotton fabric; 60% relative humidity was optimal. Relative humidity was not affected by the concentration of agar in the water agar chambers. Applications of the chemical aphicidal standard, Sulfoxaflor, under the optimized conditions exhibited similar times for lethality although the rate was faster with leaves on the cotton fabric than on water agar. These studies establish reproducible and sensitive techniques for assessing the lethality and effects on reproduction of potential aphicidal products.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.215-230
• /
• 2023

Objectives : Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill contains many nutrients and exhibits high physiological functions. It has been shown that Schisandra seed and pamace contains more nutrients than fruits and thus have higher antioxidant efficacy. In this study, seed and pamace of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill (SPSC) were treated with hot-melt extrudate (HME) extrusion to produce water-soluble nanoparticles. Methods : SPSC was treated with HME to prepare nanoparticles. In this process, excipients (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, pullulan, 2-hydroxylpropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, lecithin) were added to prepare a hydrophilic polymer matrix. To compare and analyze the antioxidant effect and schizandrin content, total flavonoid content, total phenol content and ABTS assay were measured. To confirm the effect of increasing the water solubility of the particles, particle size and water solubility index measurements were performed. The molecular of the material was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results : The particle size of HME extrudates decreased, while total phenols, flavonoids, schizandrin, antioxidant effect, and solubility increased. Through FT-IR, it was confirmed that the SPSC and the extrudate exhibit the same chemical properties. In addition, it was confirmed that when extracted with water, it exhibited a higher antioxidant effect than the ethanol extract. Conclusions : HME technology increased the solubility of SPSC, which are processing by-products, and improved their antioxidant effect to a higher degree. It was confirmed that SPSC could be used as an eco-friendly, high value-added material.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.33.1-33.19
• /
• 2021

IL-1β plays critical roles in the priming and effector phases of immune responses such as the differentiation, commitment, and memory formation of T cells. In this context, several reports have suggested that the IL-1β signal is crucial for CTL-mediated immune responses to viral infections and tumors. However, little is known regarding whether IL-1β acts directly on CD8⁺ T cells and what the molecular mechanisms underlying expression of IL-1 receptors (IL-1Rs) on CD8⁺ T cells and features of IL-1R⁺ CD8⁺ T cells are. Here, we provide evidence that the expression of IL-1R type I (IL-1RI), the functional receptor of IL-1β, is preferentially induced by IL-21 on TCR-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells. Further, IL-1β enhances the effector function of CD8⁺ T cells expressing IL-21-induced IL-1RI by increasing cytokine production and release of cytotoxic granules containing granzyme B. The IL-21-IL-1RI-IL-1β axis is involved in an augmented effector function through regulation of transcription factors BATF, Blimp-1, and IRF4. Moreover, this axis confers a unique effector function to CD8⁺ T cells compared to conventional type 1 cytotoxic T cells differentiated with IL-12. Chemical inhibitor and immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated that IL-21 induces a unique pattern of STAT activation with the formation of both STAT1:STAT3 and STAT3:STAT5 heterodimers, which are critical for the induction of IL-1RI on TCR-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells. Taken together, we propose that induction of a novel subset of IL-1RI-expressing CD8⁺ T cells by IL-21 may be beneficial to the protective immune response against viral infections and is therefore important to consider for vaccine design.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2015.05a
• /
• pp.28-28
• /
• 2015

Clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae induces severe losses of cruciferous vegetables worldwide. To control clubroot of Chinese cabbage, many CR (clubroot resistance) F1 hybrid cultivars have been bred and released in Korea, China and Japan. In this study, we determined the race of P. brassicae 12 field isolates, which collected from 10 regions in Korea, using Williams' differential varieties including two cabbage ('Jersey Queen', 'Badger Shipper') and two rutabaga ('Laurentian', 'Whilhelmsburger'). By Williams' differential varieties, 12 clubroot pathogens were assigned into one (GN2), two (HS and YC), two (HN1 and HN2), three (DJ, KS and SS) and four (GS, GN1, JS and PC) isolates for races 1, 2, 4, 5 and 9, respectively. In addition, the degree of resistance of 45 CR cultivars that were from Korea, China and Japan was tested with the 12 isolates. The 45 CR cultivars of Chinese cabbage were differentiated into three genotypes according to their resistance responses. Even though the 12 P. brassicae isolates were same race by Williams' differential varieties, three CR genotypes showed different resistance response to the isolates. These results indicate that races of P. brassicae by Williams' differentials were not related with resistance of CR cultivars, and three CR genotypes represented qualitative resistance to the P. brassicae isolates. CR genotype I including 'CR-Cheongrok' showed resistance to GN1, GN2, JS, GS, HS, DJ and KS isolates and susceptibility to YC, PC, HN1, HN2 and SS isolates. And CR genotype II such as 'Hangkunjongbyungdaebaekchae' was resistant to GN1, GN2, JS, GS, HS, YC, PC and HN1 and susceptible to DJ, KS, SS and HN2. CR genotype III including 'Chunhajangkun' and 'Akimeki' represented resistance to 10 isolates except for SS and HN2 isolates. Based on these results, we selected 'CR-Cheongrok', 'Hangkunjongbyungdaebaekchae', and 'Chunhajangkun' as a representative cultivar of three CR genotypes and 'Norangkimjang' as a susceptible cultivar. Furthermore, we investigated the resistance of 15 lines of Chinese cabbage, which were provided by seed companies, to 11 isolates except for HN1 of P. brassicae. The results showed that three lines were susceptible to all the tested isolates, whereas five, four, and three lines represented the similar responses corresponding to the CR genotypes I, II, and III, respectively; there is no line of Chinese cabbage showing different resistance patterns compared to three CR genotypes. In particular, line 'SS001' showing resistance responses of CR genotype II was a parent of 'Saerona' that have been commercialized as a CR $F_1$ cultivar of Chinese cabbage. Together, we divided 12 isolates of P. brassicae into 4 races, designated by wild type, mutant type 1, mutant type 2, and mutant type 3. Wild type including GN1, GN2, JS, GS, and HS isolates of P. brassicae was not able to infect all the cultivars of three CR genotypes, whereas, mutant type 3 such as SS and HN2 isolates developed severe clubroot disease on all the CR genotype cultivars. To mutant type 1 including DJ and KS isolates, CR genotypes I, II and III were resistant, susceptible and resistant, respectively. In contrast, to mutant type 2 including YC, PS, and HN1 isolates, CR genotypes I, II and III showed susceptibility, resistance and resistance, respectively. Taken together, our results provide the extended knowledge of classification of P. brassicae races, which is useful information for the breeding of resistant crops, with a suggestion that 'Norangkimjang', 'CR-Cheongrok', 'Saerona' and 'Chunhajangkun' cultivars of Chinese cabbage could be used as new race differentials of P. brassicae for clubroot disease assay.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.17-23
• /
• 1984

For nearly a century it has been known that chemical activity accompanies mental activity, but only recently has it been possible to begin to examine its exact nature. Positron-emitting radioactive tracers have made it possible to study the chemistry of the human mind in health and disease, using chiefly cyclotron-produced radionuclides, carbon-11, fluorine-18 and oxygen-15. It is now well established that measurable increases in regional cerebral blood flow, glucose and oxygen metabolism accompany the mental functions of perception, cognition, emotion and motion. On May 25, 1983 the first imaging of a neuroreceptor in the human brain was accomplished with carbon-11 methyl spiperone, a ligand that binds preferentially to dopamine-2 receptors, 80% of which are located in the caudate nucleus and putamen. Quantitative imaging of serotonin-2, opiate, benzodiazapine and muscarinic cholinergic receptors has subsequently been accomplished. In studies of normal men and women, it has been found that dopamine and serotonin receptor activity decreases dramatically with age, such a decrease being more pronounced in men than in women and greater in the case of dopamine receptors than serotonin-2 receptors. Preliminary studies in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders suggests that dopamine-2 receptor activity is diminished in the caudate nucleus of patients with Huntington's disease. Positron tomography permits quantitative assay of picomolar quantities of neuro-receptors within the living human brain. Studies of patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, acute and chronic pain states and drug addiction are now in progress. The growth of any scientific field is based on a paradigm or set of ideas that the community of scientists accepts. The unifying principle of nuclear medicine is the tracer principle applied to the study of human disease. Nineteen hundred and sixty-three was a landmark year in which technetium-99m and the Anger camera combined to move the field from its latent stage into a second stage characterized by exponential growth within the framework of the paradigm. The third stage, characterized by gradually declining growth, began in 1973. Faced with competing advances, such as computed tomography and ultrasonography, proponents and participants in the field of nuclear medicine began to search for greener pastures or to pursue narrow sub-specialties. Research became characterized by refinements of existing techniques. In 1983 nuclear medicine experienced what could be a profound change. A new paradigm was born when it was demonstrated that, despite their extremely low chemical concentrations, in the picomolar range, it was possible to image and quantify the distribution of receptors in the human body. Thus, nuclear medicine was able to move beyond physiology into biochemistry and pharmacology. Fundamental to the science of pharmacology is the concept that many drugs and endogenous substances, such as neurotransmitters, react with specific macromolecules that mediate their pharmacologic actions. Such receptors are usually identified in the study of excised tissues, cells or cell membranes, or in autoradiographic studies in animals. The first imaging and quantification of a neuroreceptor in a living human being was performed on May 25, 1983 and reported in the September 23, 1983 issue of SCIENCE. The study involved the development and use of carbon-11 N-methyl spiperone (NMSP), a drug with a high affinity for dopamine receptors. Since then, studies of dopamine and serotonin receptors have been carried out in over 100 normal persons or patients with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Exactly one year later, the first imaging of opitate receptors in a living human being was performed [1].

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.45 no.3 s.144
• /
• pp.309-316
• /
• 2006

Three sex pheromone components (cis-8-dodecenyl acetate (Z12Ac), trans-8-dodecenyl acetate (E12Ac), cis-8-dodecenol (Z12OH)) of the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta, were chemically synthesized. Especially to increase the composition of cis-stereoisomer, a triple bond intermediate was hydrogenated at $-20^{\circ}C$ with catalytic $Pd/BaSO_{4}$. The resulting product consisted of the acetates with a stereoisomer ratio in 92:8 (Z:E). The biological activity of the synthesized pheromone compounds was analyzed both in male responses and orientation disruption. The indoor pheromone effect was determined by male flight behavior showing wing movement in response to lure. Different mixtures of the synthetic pheromone components were prepared by mixing acetate and alcohol components in 100:0, 99:1, and 90:10 (g/g) and tested with a comparison of a standard commercial pheromone lure. The highest pheromone effect was observed in only acetate mixture (100:0) and the effect was reduced with the addition of the alcohol component. This indoor pheromone effect could be observed in field monitoring trial, in which 100:0 mixture showed the highest trap catches. Orientation disruption assay was conducted indoor by using a cage, in which the center had a commercial lure on sticky plate and the four candidates were placed at 6 cm away from the central lure on each of four directions. Test males were released to the arena during overnight (12 h) and then the caught males on the sticky plate were counted. The synthesized pheromone as well as the commercial pheromone showed 100% orientation disruption. However, the orientation disruption effect was reduced with decrease in the number of the surrounding disrupting pheromone baits. These results clearly suggest that the synthesized sex pheromone of G. molesta is biologically active and can be used for field mating disruption.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.320-328
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to provide important basic information about effective management of the marine environment at major inflow streams in Lake Andong and Lake Imha. The investigation was conducted 8 times from May, 2015 (AD1, AD2, IH1, IH2) to September, 2016 (AD3, AD4, IH3, IH4), and 8 surveyed sites were selected at Lake Andong (4 sites) and Lake Imha (4 sites). The inquiry identified 114 species, $59,913.7inds.\;m^{-2}$ in Lake Andong and 112 species, $39,038.4inds.\;m^{-2}$ in Lake Imha. The results indicate that the number of species and individuals in Lake Andong is more than that in Lake Imha, because Lake Andong has a variety of riparian vegetation and a richness of organic materials. Community analysis at Lake Imha revealed a dominant index of 0.57 (${\pm}0.18$), a diversity index of 2.87 (${\pm}0.31$), an evenness index of 0.73 (${\pm}0.04$), and a richness index of 4.17 (${\pm}0.71$). The results of functional feeding group analysis showed that a high proportion of species and individuals are gathering collectors. The results of functional habitat group analysis showed that a high proportion of species and individuals are clingers. The result of a physico-chemical water assay and dissolved oxygen and electric conductivity tests revealed that these measures increased when the water temperature decreased. The result of Pearson's correlation analysis by biological factors and physico-chemical factors showed that species and electric conductivity are highly correlated with one another. Major inflow streams of Lake Andong and Lake Imha were exposed to various point pollution sources and non-point pollution sources. This implies a necessity for continuous monitoring of the aquatic ecosystems in order to effect systematic water quality management of Lake Andong and Lake Imha.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.284-292
• /
• 2012

To date, chemical control remains the most common way to reduce beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) populations. However, this insect has become more tolerant or resistant to many chemical insecticides and the insect larvae usually hide inside hollow, tube-like leaves of host plant so they were difficult to kill by spraying insecticides. The use of viral and bacterial insecticide to solve these problems has not been successful because of their novel feeding habit. To overcome these problems, in this study, the biological characteristics and virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus isolated from the cadaver of larvae beet armyworm were investigated. Isolated entomopathogenic fungus was identified as Nomeraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson by morphological examinations and genetic identification using sequences of the ITS, ${\beta}$-tubulin gene and EF1-${\alpha}$ regions. This fungus was named as N. rileyi SDSe. Virulence tests against 3rd larvae of beet armyworm were conducted with various conidial suspensions from $1{\times}10^4$ to $10^8$ conidia/ml of N. rileyi SDSe in laboratory conditions. Mortality rate of beet armyworm showed from 20 to 54% and the virulence increased with increasing conidial concentrations. Although N. rileyi SDSe showed low mortality rate against beet armyworm, it is expected that N. rileyi SDSe will be used effectively in the integrated pest management programs against the beet armyworm.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.664-672
• /
• 2015

In order to develop new immuno-stimulating ingredients from mature leaves of green tea, crude polysaccharides were isolated from pectinase digests of tea leaves (green tea enzyme digestion, GTE-0), after which their immuno-stimulating activities and chemical properties were examined. GTE-0 mainly contained neutral sugars (54.9%) such as glucose (14.2%), arabinose (12.2%), rhamnose (11.1%), and galacturonic acid (45.1%), which are characteristic of pectic polysaccharides. The anti-complementary activity of GTE-0 was similar to that of polysaccharide K (used as positive control). Number of morphologically activated macrophages was significantly increased in the GTE-0-treated group. GTE-0 significantly augmented $H_2O_2$ and reactive oxygen species production by murine peritoneal macrophage cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas production of nitric oxide showed the highest activity at a dose of $100{\mu}g/mL$ among all tested concentrations. Murine peritoneal macrophages stimulated with GTE-0 showed enhanced production of various cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factors-${\alpha}$ in a dose-dependent manner. Further, GTE-0 induced higher phagocytic activity in a dose-dependent manner. In ex vivo assay for cytolytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages, GTE-0-treated group showed significantly higher activity compared to the untreated group at an effector-to-target cell ratio of 20. The above results lead us to conclude that polysaccharides from leaves of green tea have a potent immuno-stimulating effect on murine peritoneal macrophage cells.