• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.501-509
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• 2016

Shikonin, which derives from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has been traditionally used against a variety of diseases, including cancer, in Eastern Asia. Here we determined that shikonin inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Shikonin's biological activity was validated by observing cell viability, caspase 3 activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic marker expressions in AGS stomach cancer cells. The concentration range of shikonin was 35-250 nM with the incubation time of 6 h. Protein levels of Nrf2 and p53 were evaluated by western blotting and confirmed by real-time PCR. Our results revealed that shikonin induced the generation of ROS as well as caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK) activity was significantly elevated in shikonin-treated cells, thereby linking JNK to apoptosis. Furthermore, our results revealed that shikonin induced p53 expression but repressed Nrf2 expression. Moreover, our results suggested that there may be a co-regulation between p53 and Nrf2, in which transfection with siNrf2 induced the p53 expression. We demonstrated for the first time that shikonin activated cell apoptosis in AGS cells via caspase 3- and JNK-dependent pathways, as well as through the p53-Nrf2 mediated signal pathway. Our study validates in partly the contribution of shikonin as a new therapeutic approaches/agent for cancer chemotherapy.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.301-307
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• 2006

고추좀잠자리의 장으로부터 리그닌 분해활성을 보이는 미생물을 분리하였으며 16s rDNA 서열분석 및 생리 생화학적 동정에 의해 Serratia marcescens에 속하는 새로운 균주로 밝혀졌다. 분리된 균주는 리그닌 화합물을 포함하는 배지에서 배양하였을 때 cell growth의 증가에 따라 리그닌 화합물에 대한 분해능이 증가하였으며 48시간의 배양에 의해 20-45%의 분해능을 나타내었고, 특히 monomer 화합물인 vanillin 및 guaiacol과 dimer 화합물인 dealkaline 리그닌에 대한 분해능이 높았다. 분리된 균주 S. marcescens HY-5는 PCR에 의한 16S rDNA의 증폭과 denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis에 의한 장내 세균의 분포를 조사하였을 때 높은 밀도의 분포를 나타내었으며 서로 다른 지역에서 채집된 고추좀잠자리에서 공통적으로 발견되는 특징을 보여주었다.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2015

Yogurt is a product of the acidic fermentation of milk, which affects the survival of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The aim of this present study was to examine the survival and acid stress response of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to low pH environment. The survival of LAB in commercial yogurt was measured during long-term storage. The enumeration of viable cells of LAB was determined at 15-day intervals over 52-weeks at $5^{\circ}C$. L. acidophilus, L. casei, and Bifidobacterium spp. showed low viability. However, L. rhamnosus GG exhibited excellent survival throughout the refrigerated storage period. At the end of 52-weeks, L. rhamnosus GG survived 7.0 log10 CFU/mL. $F_0F_1$ ATPase activity in L. rhamnosus GG at pH 4.5 was also evaluated. The ATPase activities of the membranes were higher when exposed at pH 4.5 for 24 h. The survival of L. rhamnosus GG was attributable to the induction in $F_0F_1$ ATPase activity. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of acid stress-inducible genes at low pH were investigated by qRT-PCR. clpC and clpE genes were up-regulated after 1 h, and atpA and dnaK genes were up-regulated after 24 h of incubation at pH 4.5. These genes could enhance the survival of L. rhamnosus GG in the acidic condition. Thus, the modulation of the enzymes or genes to assist the viability of LAB in the low pH environment is thought to be important.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.106-110
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• 2016

Ginseng, a traditional herbal drug, has been used in Eastern Asia for more than 2000 years. Various ginsenosides, which are the major bioactive components of ginseng products, have been shown to exert numerous beneficial effects on the human body when co-administered with drugs. However, this may give rise to ginsenoside-drug interactions, which is an important research consideration. In this study, acassette assay was performed the inhibitory effects of 12 ginsenosides on seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms in human liver microsomes (HLMs) using LC-MS/MS to predict the herb-drug interaction. After incubation of the 12 ginsenosides with seven cocktail CYP probes, the generated specific metabolites were quantified by LC-MS/MS to determine their activities. Ginsenoside Rb1 and F2 showed strong selective inhibitory effect on CYP2C9-catalyzed diclofenac 4'-hydroxylation and CYP2B6-catalyzed bupropion hydroxylation, respectively. Ginsenosides Rd showed weak inhibitory effect on the activities of CYP2B6, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4, and compound K, while ginsenoside Rg3 showed weak inhibitory effects on CYP2B6. Other ginsenosides, Rc, Rf, Rg1, Rh1, Rf, and Re did not show significant inhibitory effects on the activities of the seven CYPs in HLM. Owing to the poor absorption of ginsenosides after oral administration in vivo, ginsenosides may not have significant side effects caused by interaction with other drugs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.604-610
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• 2007

A psychrotrophic strain 7195 showing extracellular lipolytic activity towards tributyrin was isolated from deep-sea sediment of Prydz Bay and identified as a Psychrobacter species. By screening a genomic DNA library of Psychrobacter sp. 7195, an open reading frame of 954 bp coding for a lipase gene, lipA1, was identified, cloned, and sequenced. The deduced LipA1 consisted of 317 amino acids with a molecular mass of 35,210 kDa. It had one consensus motif, G-N-S-M-G (GXSXG), containing the putative active-site serine, which was conserved in other cold-adapted lipolytic enzymes. The recombinant LipA1 was purified by column chromatography with DEAE Sepharose CL-4B, and Sephadex G-75, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, in sequence. The purified enzyme showed highest activity at $30^{\circ}C$, and was unstable at temperatures higher than $30^{\circ}C$, indicating that it was a typical cold-adapted enzyme. The optimal pH for activity was 9.0, and the enzyme was stable between pH 7.0-10.0 after 24h incubation at $4^{\circ}C$. The addition of $Ca^{2+}\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ enhanced the enzyme activity of LipA1, whereas the $Cd^{2+},\;Zn^{2+},\;CO^{2+},\;Fe^{3+},\;Hg^{2+},\;Fe^{2+},\;Rb^{2+}$, and EDTA strongly inhibited the activity. The LipA1 was activated by various detergents, such as Triton X-100, Tween 80, Tween 40, Span 60, Span 40, CHAPS, and SDS, and showed better resistance towards them. Substrate specificity analysis showed that there was a preference for trimyristin and p-nitrophenyl myristate $(C_{14}\;acyl\; groups)$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.811-817
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• 2013

The present study dealt with the isolation, identification and enzyme characterization of potential luminous bacteria from water, sediment, squid, and cuttle fish samples of the Karaikal coast, Bay of Bengal, India during the study period September 2007 - August 2008. Bioluminescent strains were screened in SWC agar and identified using biochemical tests. As Shewanella henadai was found to be the most common and abundant species with maximum light emission [69,702,240 photons per second (pps)], the optimum ranges of various physicochemical parameters that enhance the luciferase activity in Shewanella hanedai were worked out. The maximum luciferase activity was observed at the temperature of $25^{\circ}C$ (69,674,387 pps), pH of 8.0 (70,523,671 pps), salinity of 20 ppt (71,674,387 pps), incubation period of 16 h (69,895,714 pps), 4% peptone (70,895,152 pps) as nitrogen source, 0.9% glycerol (71,625,196 pps), and the ionic supplements of 0.3% $CaCO_3$ (73,991,591 pps), 0.3% $K_2HPO_4$ (73,919,915 pps), and 0.2% $MgSO_4$ (72,161,155 pps). Shewanella hanedai was cultured at optimum ranges for luciferase enzyme characterization. From the centrifuged supernatant, the proteins were precipitated with 60% ammonium sulfate, dialyzed, and purified using anion-exchange chromatography, and then luciferase was eluted with 500 mM phosphate of pH 7.0. The purified luciferase enzyme was subjected to SDS-PAGE and the molecular mass was determined as 78 kDa.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권5호
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• pp.381-388
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• 2001

This work describes the pharmacological inhibition by KR 31378 and its acetyl metabolite, KR 31612, of the apoptotic cell death induced by $H_2O_2$ in the A7r5 cells. Exposure of A7r5 cells to $H_2O_2$ (0.5 mM) induced a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in association with oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death was potently suppressed by KR 31378, KR 31612, ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ or trolox. Additionally, the apoptotic death of A7r5 cells (DNA ladders on electrophoresis) was also strongly suppressed by KR 31378 and KR 31612, but to a less degree by ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ and trolox. As a mechanistic study, incubation with $H_2O_2$ markedly showed a decreased Bcl-2 level and, in contrast, increased Bax protein and cytochrome C release, which were significantly and concentration-dependently reversed by KR 31378 and KR 31612 as well as by ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ and trolox. KR 31378 and ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ significantly reduced lipid peroxidation in accordance with reduced intracellular ROS and peroxyl radical. These results suggest that KR 31378 has a therapeutic potential against the apoptotic injury via mediation of anti- oxidative stress.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.359-365
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• 1997

Many factors are known to be responsible for cerebral ischemic injury, such as excitatory neurotransmitters, increased intraneuronal calcium, or disturbance of cellular energy metabolism. Recently, oxygen free radicals, formed during ischemia/reperfusion, have been proposed as one of the main causes of ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, to investigate the role of oxygen free radical during ischemia/reperfusion, in the present study the effect of endogenous oxygen free radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase / catalase(SOD / catalase) on the release of [$^3$H]-5-hydroxytryptamine([$^3$H]-5-HT) during hypoxia/reoxygenation in rat hippocampal slices was measured. The hippocampus was obtained from the rat brain and sliced 400 gm thickness with manual chopper. After 30 min's preincubation in the normal buffer, the slices were incubated for 20 min in a buffer containing [$^3$H]-5-HT(0.1 $\mu$M, 74 $\mu$Ci) for uptake, and washed. To measure the release of [$^3$H]-5-HT into the buffer, the incubation medium was drained off and refilled every ten minutes through a sequence of 14 tubes. Induction of hypoxia for 20 min (gassing it with 95% N$_2$/5% CO$_2$) was done in the 6th and 7th tube, and oxygen free radical scavenger, SOD / catalase was added 10 minutes prior to induction of hypoxia. The radioactivity in each buffer and the tissue were counted using liquid scintillation counter and the results were expressed as a percentage of the total activity. When slices were exposed to hypoxia for 20 min, [$^3$H]-5-HT release was markedly decreased and a rebound release of [$^3$H]-5-HT was observed on the post-hypoxic reoxygenation period. SOD / catalase did not changed the release of [$^3$H]-5-HT in control group, but inhibited the decrease of [$^3$H]-5-HT release in hypoxic period and rebound increase of [$^3$H]-5-HT in reoxygenation period. This result suggest that superoxide anion may play a role in the hypoxic-, and reoxygenation-induced change of [$^3$H]-5-HT release in rat hippocampal slices.

• 생약학회지
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.323-327
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• 2012

Acne, also known as Acne vulgaris, is a common disorder of human skin involving the sebaceous gland and Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate whether anti-acne herbal complex (AAHC), a functional extract from herbal complex can be used for acne treatment as a natural product. We first demonstrated anti-acne activity of AAHC in mouse acne model. Acne was induced by injecting P. acnes on the backside $2{\times}10^7$ CFUs in ICR mice and then the mice were treated with AAHC by dermal application once daily. ACFREE$^{(R)}$ (clindamicin phosphate) was used as a positive control. Treatment with AAHC decreased the P. acnes-induced skin swelling and inflammation. AAHC treatment significantly decreased serum DHT concentration in acne-induced mice. Especially, treatment of 20% AACH in mice was more effected than 40%. We next evaluated the antimicrobial property of AAHC against P. acnes, Staphylcococcus aureus (S.aureus), and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Incubation of P. acnes, S. aureus, and E. coli with AAHC showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against the bacterial growth lower. Alamar blue method was also carried for the antibacterial activity. It was effectively MIC level at 6.25% of P. acnes. AAHC effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli at 0.097% on MIC level, respectively. Our results showed the potential of using AAHC as an alternative treatment for antibiotic therapy of acne and the application of AAHC as a herbal medicine for acne treatment.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.77-90
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• 1974

Hemolytic reaction of normal fresh chicken serum on sheep erythrocytes was studied and the following experimental results were obtained and summarized. 1. Chicken sera, 258 (78%) out of 344 samples showed hemolytic activity on sheep erythrocytes. 2. Distribution of a different hemolytic titer of chicken sera was not dependent to sex and age difference of test chicken. 3. Hemolytic activity of serum component obtained from normal fresh chicken was heat inactivated at $56^{\circ}C$. 30 minutes heating. 4. The most enhanced hemolytic activity of chicken serum on sheep erythrocytes was observed at the incubation temperature of $46^{\circ}C$. 5. The most effective pH for the hemolytic reaction of chicken serum on sheep erythrocytes was observed at 7.0, and pH 6.0 or 8.5 resulted less or no hemolysis. 6. Hemolytic reaction of chicken serum and sheep erythrocytes required Mg⧻ and Ca⧻ ions as, co-factor, and the former was required more compared to the latter. 7. Hemolytic activity of chicken serum was observed in ChC 2, 4 fraction but not in ChC 1, 3, ChC 3, 4, ChC 1, 2, 4 and ChC 1, 2, 3 fractions. 8. In electron micrography, morphological changes of sheep erythrocyte membrane by normal chicken serum was similar to that of immune hemolysis: that was, the hemolytic hole was circular and it was surrounded with a white ring. 9. Electron micrography of morphological changes on sheep erythrocyte membrane indicated that the size of hemolytic hole and white ring were functional to the chicken serum concentration used and reaction time.