• Title/Summary/Keyword: Defense Mechanisms

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Role of Citrate Synthase in Acetate Utilization and Protection from Stress-Induced Apoptosis

  • Lee, Yong-Joo;Kang, Hong-Yong;Maeng, Pil Jae
    • Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2008.05a
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    • pp.39-41
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    • 2008
  • The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to contain three isoforms of citrate synthase (CS). The mitochondrial CS, Cit1, catalyzes the first reaction of the TCA cycle, i.e., condensation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate to form citrate [1]. The peroxisomal CS, Cit2, participates in the glyoxylate cycle [2]. The third CS is a minor mitochondrial isofunctional enzyme, Cit3, and related to glycerol metabolism. However, the level of its intracellular activity is low and insufficient for metabolic needs of cells [3]. It has been reported that ${\Delta}cit1$ strain is not able to grow with acetate as a sole carbon source on either rich or minimal medium and that it shows a lag in attaining parental growth rates on nonfermentable carbon sources [2, 4, 5]. Cells of ${\Delta}cit2$, on the other hand, have similar growth phenotype as wild-type on various carbon sources. Thus, the biochemical basis of carbon metabolism in the yeast cells with deletion of CIT1 or CIT2 gene has not been clearly addressed yet. In the present study, we focused our efforts on understanding the function of Cit2 in utilizing $C_2$ carbon sources and then found that ${\Delta}cit1$ cells can grow on minimal medium containing $C_2$ carbon sources, such as acetate. We also analyzed that the characteristics of mutant strains defective in each of the genes encoding the enzymes involved in TCA and glyoxylate cycles and membrane carriers for metabolite transport. Our results suggest that citrate produced by peroxisomal CS can be utilized via glyoxylate cycle, and moreover that the glyoxylate cycle by itself functions as a fully competent metabolic pathway for acetate utilization in S. cerevisiae. We also studied the relationship between Cit1 and apoptosis in S. cerevisiae [6]. In multicellular organisms, apoptosis is a highly regulated process of cell death that allows a cell to self-degrade in order for the body to eliminate potentially threatening or undesired cells, and thus is a crucial event for common defense mechanisms and in development [7]. The process of cellular suicide is also present in unicellular organisms such as yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae [8]. When unicellular organisms are exposed to harsh conditions, apoptosis may serve as a defense mechanism for the preservation of cell populations through the sacrifice of some members of a population to promote the survival of others [9]. Apoptosis in S. cerevisiae shows some typical features of mammalian apoptosis such as flipping of phosphatidylserine, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and margination, and DNA cleavage [10]. Yeast cells with ${\Delta}cit1$ deletion showed a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype, and displayed a rapid loss in viability associated with typical apoptotic hallmarks, i.e., ROS accumulation, nuclear fragmentation, DNA breakage, and phosphatidylserine translocation, when exposed to heat stress. Upon long-term cultivation, ${\Delta}cit1$ cells showed increased potentials for both aging-induced apoptosis and adaptive regrowth. Activation of the metacaspase Yca1 was detected during heat- or aging-induced apoptosis in ${\Delta}cit1$ cells, and accordingly, deletion of YCA1 suppressed the apoptotic phenotype caused by ${\Delta}cit1$ mutation. Cells with ${\Delta}cit1$ deletion showed higher tendency toward glutathione (GSH) depletion and subsequent ROS accumulation than the wild-type, which was rescued by exogenous GSH, glutamate, or glutathione disulfide (GSSG). Beside Cit1, other enzymes of TCA cycle and glutamate dehydrogenases (GDHs) were found to be involved in stress-induced apoptosis. Deletion of the genes encoding the TCA cycle enzymes and one of the three GDHs, Gdh3, caused increased sensitivity to heat stress. These results lead us to conclude that GSH deficiency in ${\Delta}cit1$ cells is caused by an insufficient supply of glutamate necessary for biosynthesis of GSH rather than the depletion of reducing power required for reduction of GSSG to GSH.

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A Study of the Defense Mechanism against Herbivores of 8 Species of the Genus Acer (단풍나무류 8종의 초식에 대한 방어전략 탐색)

  • Kim, Gab-Tae;Lyu, Dong-Pyo;Kim, Hoi-Jin
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.23 no.5
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    • pp.411-417
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    • 2009
  • This research is intended to discover physiological and biochemical defense mechanisms against herbivores of 8 species of the genus Acerby examining the morphological characteristics of the leaf, the structure and number of leaf domatia, herbivores insects and mites feeding on leaves, which were collected from the trees growing in Mt. Chiak, Mt. Cheongtae, Mt. Jungwang, Mt. Bangtae, Mt. Taebaek and Wonju City. This research was conducted from May through July, 2009, and the results are as follows. The domatia of A. pseudosieboldianum, A. pictum subsp. mono and A. mandshuricum belongs to tuft type; that of A. palmatum, A. triflorum and A. tschonoskii pocket+tuft type; and that of A. tegmentosum pocket type. The number of domatia per leaf turned out to be the highest in the case of A. tegmentosum(20.2), and the lowest in the case of A. ginnala (4.2). Leaf surface trichomes of A. palmatum, A. pseudosiebotdianum, A. ginnala and A. mandshuricum are covered with villi; those of A. pictum subsp. mono and A. triflorum with soft, pilose type of hair, and those of A. tschonoskii with stiff, strigose hair. The trichome density of lower leaf surface is found to be higher than that of the upper leaf surface. Only in the case of A. palmatum, A. pseudosieboldianum, A. tegmentosum and A. tschonoskii, a small amount of nectar is found to be secreted from the distal vein parts of the leaf margin. The number of mites on each leaf are found to be significantly different among tree species, and average mites number per leaf was the highest in the case of A. tschonoskii (9.2/leaf), and A. mandshuricum, A. pseudosieboldianum, and A. triflorum follow it in decreasing order. Minute insects attacking the leaf of Acer spp. include Periphyllus californiensis, P. viridis, Psylla spp, and gall mites, and the number of these insects are found in Periphyllus californiensis, Psylla spp, P. viridis, and Cicadellidae sp. in decreasing order. The natural enemies of these herbivores insects are predatory mites, such as Chilocorus rubidus, Coccinella septempunctata and the nymph, Aphidius ervi, Poecilocoris lewisi and its larva, and Poecilocoris lewisi. Lasius japonicus and Formica japonica are symbiotic with aphids, and supports herbivores. Finally, our research confirmed that predatory mites attack Periphyllus californiensis and suck the body fluid of their victim. This proves that mites form a symbiotic relationship with plants through the mediation of leaf domatia. This also indicates that a protective mutualism may be more conspicuous in temperate broad-leaved trees.

Superoxide Dismutase Gene Expression in the Endotoxin-Treated Rat Lung (내독소에 의한 백서 폐장의 Superoxide Dismutase 유전자 발현에 관한 연구)

  • Yoo, Chul-Gyu;Suh, Gee-Young;Kim, Young-Whan;Han, Sung-Koo;Shim, Young-Soo;Kim, Keun-Youl;Han, Yong-Chol
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.215-221
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    • 1994
  • Background: It is well known that oxygen free radicals(OFR) play a vital role in the various type of acute lung injury. Among various antioxidant defense mechanisms, the superoxide dismutases(SOD) are thought to be the first line of antioxidant defense by catalyzing the dismutation of two superoxide radicals to yield hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. Eukaryotic cells contain two types of intracellular SOD : cytosolic, dimeric copper/zinc- containing enzyme(CuZnSOD) and mitochondrial, tetrameric manganese-containing enzyme(MnSOD). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the time-dependent gene expression of MnSOD and CuZnSOD in the endotoxin-treated rats, and to compare with the manifestations of LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats. Methods: Total RNA from rat lung was isolated using single step phenol extraction 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24 hours after E. coli endotoxin injection(n=3, respectively). RNA was separated by formaldehyde-containing 1.2% agarose gels elctrophoresis, transblotted, baked, prehybridized, and hybridized with $^{32}P$-labeled cDNA probes for rat MnSOD and CuZnSOD, which were kindly donated by Dr. Ho(Duke University, Durham, NC, USA). The probes were labeled by nick translation. Blots were washed and autoradiography were quantitated using laser densitometry. Equivalent amounts of total RNA/gel were assessed by monitoring 28S and 18S rRNA. Results: Endotoxin caused a rise in steady-state MnSOD mRNA levels by 4h with peak mRNA accumulation by 6h. Continued MnSOD mRNA expression was observed at 12h. CuZnSOD mRNA expression was observed from 1h to 24h with peak levels by 18h. Conclusion: These results suggest that SOD palys an important defensive role in the endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats.

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Effect of Halophilic Bacterium, Haloarcula vallismortis, Extract on UV-induced Skin Change (호염 미생물(Haloarcula vallismortis) 용해물의 자외선유발 피부변화에 대한 효과)

  • Kim, Ji Hyung;Shin, Jae Young;Hwang, Seung Jin;Kim, Yun Sun;Kim, Yoo Mi;Gil, So Yeon;Jin, Mu Hyun;Lee, Sang Hwa
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.41 no.4
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    • pp.341-350
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    • 2015
  • Skin carrys out protective role against harmful outer environment assaults including ultraviolet radiation, heavy metals and oxides. Especially, ultraviolet-B (UVB) light causes inflammatory reactions in skin such as sun burn and erythma and stimulates melanin pigmentation. Furthermore, the influx of UVB into skin cells causes DNA damage in keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, inhibition of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis which leads to a decrease in elasticity of skin and wrinkle formation. It also damages dermal connective tissue and disrupts the skin barrier function. Prolonged exposure of human skin to UVB light is well known to trigger severe skin lesions such as cell death and carcinogenesis. Haloarcula vallismortis is a halophilic microorganism isolated from the Dead Sea, Its growth characteristics have not been studied in detail yet. It generally grows at salinity more than 10%, but the actual growth salinity usually ranges between 20 to 25%. Because H. vallismortis is found mainly in saltern or salt lakes, there could exist defense mechanisms against strong sunlight. One of them is generation of additional ATP using halorhodopsin which absorbs photons and produces energy by potential difference formed by opening the chloride ion channel. It often shows a color of pink or red because of their high content of carotenoid pigments and it is considered to act as a defense mechanism against intense UV irradiation. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of the halophilic microorganism, H. vallismortis, extract was investigated. It was found that H. vallismortis extract had protective effect on DNA damage induced by UV irradiation. These results suggest that the extract of halophilic bacterium, H. vallismortis could be used as a bio-sunscreen or natural sunscreen which ameliorate the harmful effects of UV light with its anti-inflammatory and DNA protective properties.

Application of Plant Flavonoids as Natural Antioxidants in Poultry Production (가금 생산에서 천연 항산화제로서 식물성 Flavonoids의적용)

  • Kang-Min, Seomoon;In-Surk, Jang
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.49 no.4
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    • pp.211-220
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    • 2022
  • Poultry are exposed to extremely high levels of oxidative stress as a consequence of the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by endogenous and exogenous stressors, such as high-stocking densities, thermal stress, environmental and feed contamination, along with factors associated with intensive breeding systems. Oxidative stress promotes lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and inflammation, which can have detrimental effects on the health of birds. During the course of evolution, birds have developed antioxidant defense mechanisms that contribute to maintaining homeostasis when exposed to endogenous and exogenous stressors. The primary antioxidant defense systems are enzymatic and non-enzymatic in nature and play roles in protecting cells from ROS attack. Recently, plant flavonoids, which have been established to reduce oxidative stress, have been attracting considerable attention as potential feed additives. Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds that can be stabilized by binding structural compounds with ROS, and can promote the elimination of ROS by inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes. However, although flavonoids can contribute to reducing lipid peroxidation and thereby enhance the antioxidant capacity of birds, they have low solubility in the gastrointestinal tract, and consequently, it is necessary to develop a delivery technology that can facilitate the effect intestinal absorption of these compounds. Furthermore, it is important to determine the dietary levels of flavonoids by assessing the exact antioxidant effects in the gastrointestinal tract wherein the concentrations of dietary flavonoids are highest. It is also necessary to examine the expression of transcriptional factors and vitagenes associated with the efficient antioxidant effects induced by flavonoids. It is anticipated that the application of flavonoids as natural antioxidants will become a particularly important field in the poultry industry.

Mechanisms of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Lipopolysaccharide Tolerance in the Expression of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-8 in Peripheral Blood Monocytes (말초 혈액 단핵구의 TNF-$\alpha$와 IL-8 발현에서 내독소에 대한 내성 기전에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Gye-Young;Kim, Jae-Yeol;Yoo, Chul-Gyu;Kim, Young-Whan;Han, Sung-Koo;Shim, Young-Soo
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.3
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    • pp.601-610
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    • 1997
  • Background : Monocytes/macrophages play a central role in determining the host response during Gram-negative infection through secretion of a variety of mediators after stimulation of LPS. Even though cytokine production has been shown to play an important role in host defense during sepsis, cytokine release may also lead to tissue injury. Thus, regulation of macrophage response to LPS is critical for host survival during Gram-negative sepsis. In animals exposed to nonlethal doses of endotoxin, a characteristic hyporesponsiveness to subsequent administration of endotoxin has been observed. This phenomenon was known as 'LPS tolerance'. However, little information is available regarding the underlying mechanism of LPS tolerance. Method : Peripheral blood monocyte(PBMC) was isolated from peripheral blood of normal volunteers by adhesion purification method. To evaluate the conditions to obtain LPS tolerance, preculture was carried out with LPS at 10ng/ml for 24 hours. For stimulation, culture plates were washed two times and were stimulated with LPS at $1{\mu}g/ml$ for 4, 6 and 26 hours. To assess the underlying mechanisms of LPS tolerance, autologous serum, PMA, anti-CD14 Ab, Indomethacin or $PGF_2$ were added to preculture solution respectively. Cytokine concentrations in culture supernatants were measured using ELISA for TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-8 and mRNA of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-8 were determined by Northern blot analysis. Results : The exposure of PBMC to low dose of LPS suppressed the cytokine production and mRNA expression of TNF-$\alpha$, but not IL-8. Anti-CD14 Ab partially recovered production of TNF-$\alpha$ which was suppressed by preculture with low dose LPS. The preculture with PMA induces LPS tolerance, as preculture with low dose LPS. Conclusion : LPS tolerance to TNF-$\alpha$ is regulated pretranslationally and is influenced by protein kinase C pathway and CD14.

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A Research Survey on the Characteristics of Burglaries: Focused on How to Utilize Private Security (침입절도 특성에 관한 조사연구: 민간경비 활용방안을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Dae-Kwon
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.22
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    • pp.15-35
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    • 2010
  • A larceny means stealing others' properties, as one of crime types most closely connected with common people. Along with fraud, it is the mostly common property crime; in particular, the largest number of people are exposed to a burglary. This study aims to find the schemes to utilize private guards according to the characteristics of burglary. To do so, a questionnaire survey was conducted into an actual condition of official statistics of burglary and into the criminals of burglary, with a view to understanding the behavioral characteristics of burglary and suggesting defense mechanisms to prevent the crime. Burglary is not just a major crime to be dealt with by public guards like the police but also one to be handled increasingly more by private guards. It is why this study intends to identify how to utilize private guards in preventing the crime. Investigations were made into 208 burglars, who were inmates of 10 correctional institutions (prisons or detention houses) across the country. It is found that only about 24% of burglars committed the crime through rational choice, about 60.7% were feared of their arrest at the time of their crime, and a very high percentage (69.9%) of them were assured of their successful crime. Burglaries usually happened at night, mostly in a summer day when everybody goes away from home for vacation. Primarily, the crimes took place in a private house of urban residential quarters. What burglars considered mostly for target selection includes 'profitability,' followed by 'surveillance' and 'risk.' Most (42%) of them committed the crime for the first time ever. Generally, they were not inclined to commit the crime while under the influence of alcohol or drug, which might prevent them from making reasonable decisions. 73.9% of the criminals said that they committed the crime singly without any accomplices.

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Characterization of PR-10 gene derived from highly resistant '93-3-98' pear inoculated with scab (Venturia nashicola) (배 검은별무늬병(Venturia nashicola) 고도 저항성 '93-3-98' 유래 PR-10 유전자의 특성)

  • Chun, Jae An;Kim, Se Hee;Cho, Kang Hee;Kim, Dae Hyun;Choi, In Myong;Shin, Il Sheob
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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    • v.42 no.1
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    • pp.25-33
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    • 2015
  • A PyrcpPR-10 gene with differentially expressed was isolated by using the suppression subtractive hybridization assay between '93-3-98' (highly resistant against scab caused by Venturia nashicola) and 'Sweat Skin'(highly susceptible) and analyzed the expression pattern according to organs and cultivars. The full length of PyrcpPR-10 was cloned as 743bp with 480bp's ORP, and was determined to encode a protein of 159 amino acid residues. On analyzing PyrcpPR-10 gene sequence compared with resistant and susceptible cultivars, 'Hwangsilri' (resistant), 'Gamcheonbae' (moderately resistant), 'Wonhwang' (moderately susceptible), 'Niitaka' (highly susceptible), and 'Sweat Skin' (highly susceptible) had identical gene sequence but 'Bartlett' (highly resistant) showed partly different sequences. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 64 ~ 98% homology and had the GXGGXG motif to known amino acid of other plants PR-10 by the BLAST X analysis. Among several organs or tissues, petal was showed highest expression level of PyrcpPR-10 gene followed by leaf, floral axis, bud, and bark. The expression level of PyrcpPR-10 gene was dramatically increased at 24 hr after inoculation in all cultivars and also up-regulated in accordance with resistant degree of cultivars. While resistant cultivars ('Bartlett', '93-3-98', and 'Hwangsilri') induced relatively high expression level of PyrcpPR-10 gene, susceptible cultivars ('Niitaka', and 'Sweat Skin') showed low expression level. PyrcpPR-10 gene is assumed that it is directly connected with defense mechanisms to pear scab.

The inhibitory Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Melanogenesis of cultured Human Melanocytes and in vivo Guinea Pig Model (Coenzyme Q10의 멜라닌 생성억제효과)

  • 황재성;박원만;안수미;강병영;이병곤;심영철
    • Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.149-162
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    • 2000
  • Coenzyme Q10 is found in all tissues including skin and it is the well-known coenzyme for mitochondrial enzymes. The electron and proton transfer functions of the quinone ring are of fundamental importance for the oxidative phosphorylation pathway to generate energy in the cells. Coenzyme Q10 has been studied as a potent antioxidant molecule in the skin. It is involved in the skin's response to UVR irradiation. The concentration of this antioxidant in UVR exposed skin is higher than in non-exposed skin. However, recent studies have also shown that coenzyme Q10 is one of the first antioxidants to be depleted when skin is UVR-irradiated. This indicates that coenzyme Q10 is primarily involved in defense mechanisms of the skin. Therefore, we questioned whether coenzyme Q10 shows reulatory effect of melanogenesis. Here we report that coenzyme Q10 inhibits melanin neosynthesis of normal human melanocytes grown in culture, and lightens UVB-induced hyperpigmentation of the guinea pig skin in vivo. We treated human melanocytes with 0.05mM to 0.5mM of coenzyme Q10 for a total of two days. This inhibited melanin neosynthesis of cultured human melanocytes dose-dependently. The inhibitory effect of coenzyme Q10 was as effective as kojic acid or vitamin C on cultured human melanocytes. CoQ10 didn't have direct inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity in in vitro tyrosine hydroxylase activity To further clarify the effect of coenzyme Q10 on the melanogenesis, we established UVB-induced hyperpigmentation on the shaved backs of brownish guinea pigs. The UVB intensity was 500mJ/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and the total energy dose was 1,500 mJ/$\textrm{cm}^2$. The animals were exposed to UVB radiation one times a week for three consecutive weeks. Coenzyme Q10, kojic acid, Arbutin, vitamin C(1% in vehicle) or vehicle alone as a control were then topically applied daily to the hyperpigmented areas twelve times per week far four successive weeks. The lightening effect was evaluated by visual scoring, chromameter and immunohistochemistry. Coenzyme Q10 had lightening effect on the UVB-induced hyperpigmentation without any other side effects, whereas another compounds showed weak lightening efficacies. Therefore, these results suggest that coenzyme Q10 may be useful for solving physiological hyperpigmenting problems for cosmetic purposes.

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