• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.256-261
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Yacon (Samallanthus sonchifolius), a common edible plant grown throughout the world, is well known for its antidiabetic properties. It is also known to have several other pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-cancer effects. To date, the effect of yacon on gliomas has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of yacon on the migration and proliferation of C6 glioma cells stimulated by fetal bovine serum (FBS). MATERIALS/METHODS: Cell growth and proliferation were determined by evaluating cell viability using an EZ-Cytox Cell Viability Assay Kit. FBS-induced migration of C6 glioma cells was evaluated by performing the scratch wound healing assay and the Boyden chamber assay. We also used western blot analysis to determine the expression levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), a major regulator of migration and proliferation of glioma cells. Matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 9 and TIMP-1 levels were measured by performing reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Yacon ($300{\mu}g/mL$) reduced both the FBS-induced proliferation of C6 glioma cells and the dose-dependent migration of the FBS-stimulated C6 cells. FBS-stimulated C6 glioma cells treated with yacon (200 and $300{\mu}g/mL$) showed reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and inhibition of MMP 9 expression compared to those shown by the untreated FBS-stimulated C6 cells. In contrast, yacon (200 and $300{\mu}g/mL$) induced TIMP-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, we suggest that yacon may exert an anti-cancer effect on FBS-stimulated C6 glioma cells by inhibiting their proliferation and migration. The most likely mechanism for this is down-regulation of ERK1/2 and MMP9 and up-regulation of TIMP-1 expression levels.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.148-153
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• 2009

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is a stable anti-oxidant or pro-oxidant, depending on the situation, and it is widely used to inhibit the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$. We recently reported that PDTC activates the MIP-2 gene in a NF-${\kappa}B$-independent and c-Jun-dependent manner in macrophage cells. In this work, we found that PDTC activates signal transduction pathways in mouse ES cells. Among the three different mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, including the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAP kinase, and stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways, only the ERK pathway was significantly activated in mouse ES cells after stimulation with PDTC. Additionally, we observed a synergistic activation of ERK and induction of c-Fos after stimulation with PDTC in the presence of mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) conditioned medium. In contrast, another NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor, BMS-345541, did not activate the MAP kinase pathways or induce expression of c-Fos. These results suggest that changes in the presence of the NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor PDTC should be carefully considered when it used with mouse ES cells.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.183-190
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• 2005

Staphylococcus aureus is known to be capable of utilizing transferrin-bound iron, via both siderophore­and transferrin-binding protein (named IsdA)-mediated iron-acquisition systems. This study was designed in order to determine which iron-acquisition system plays the essential or dominant role with respect to the acquisition of iron from human transfenin, in the growth of S. aureus. Holotransferrin (HT) and partially iron-saturated transferrin (PT), but not apotransferrin (AT), were found to stimulate the growth of S. aureus. S. aureus consumed most of the transferrin-bound iron during the exponential growth phase. Extracellular proteases were not, however, involved in the liberation of iron from transferrin. Transferrin-binding to the washed whole cells via IsdA was not observed during the culture. The expression of IsdA was observed only in the deferrated media with AT, but not in the media supplemented with PT or HT. In contrast, siderophores were definitely produced in the deferrated media with PT and HT, as well as in the media supplemented with AT. The siderophores proved to have the ability to remove iron directly from transferrin, but the washed whole cells expressing IsdA did not. In the bioassay, the growth of S. aureus on transferrin-bound iron was stimulated by the siderophores alone. These results demonstrate that the siderophore-mediated iron-acquisition system plays a dominant and essential role in the uptake of iron from transferrin, whereas the IsdA-mediated iron-acquisition system may play only an ancillary role in the uptake of iron from transferrin.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.13-17
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• 2009

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. $Mg^{2+}$ is the most abundant intracellular divalent cation in the body and plays critical roles in many cell functions. We investigated the effect of bFGF on the intracellular $Mg^{2+}$ concentration ($[Mg^{2+}]_i$) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). bFGF increased ($[Mg^{2+}]_i$) in a dose-dependent manner, independent of extracellular $Mg^{2+}$. This bFGF-induced $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ increase was blocked by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostin A-23 and genistein), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) and a phospholipase $C{\gamma}$ ($PLC{\gamma}$) inhibitor (U73122). In contrast, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (SB202190 and PD98059) did not affect the bFGF-induced $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ increase. These results suggest that bFGF increases the $[Mg^{2+}]_i$ from the intracellular $Mg^{2+}$ stores through the tyrosine kinase/PI3K/$PLC{\gamma}$-dependent signaling pathways.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.137-144
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• 2007

The mechanism of cytotoxicity of doxifluridine, a prodrug fluorouracil (5-FU), has been ascribed to the misincorporation of fluoropyrimidine into RNA and DNA and to the inhibition of the nucleotide synthetic enzyme thymidylate synthase. Increased understanding of the mechanism of 5-FU has led to the development of strategies that increases its anticancer activity or predicts its sensitivity to patients. Using GeneChip?? Rhesus Macaque Genome arrays, we analyzed gene expression profiles of doxifluridine after two weeks repeated administration in cynomolgus monkey. Kegg pathway analysis suggested that cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell adhesion remodeling were commonly occurred in colon, jejunum, and liver. However, expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix was distinguished colon from others. In colon, COL6A2, COL18A1, ELN, and LAMA5 were over-expressed. In contrast, genes included in same category were down-regulated in jejunum and liver. Interestingly, MMP7 and TIMP1, the key enzymes responsible for ECM regulation, were overexpressed in colon. Several studies were reported that both gene reduced cell sensitivity to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Therefore, we suggest they have potential as target for modulation of 5-FU action. In addition, the expression of genes which have been previously known to involve in 5-FU pathway, were examined in three organs. Particularly, there were more remarkable changes in colon than in others. In colon, ECGF1, DYPD, TYMS, DHFR, FPGS, DUT, BCL2, BAX, and BAK1 except CAD were expressed in the direction that was good response to doxifluridine. These results may provide that colon is a prominent target of doxifluridine and transcriptional profiling is useful to find new targets affecting the response to the drug.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.110-115
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• 2008

Acridine은 fungal laccase의 기질이 아님에도 불구하고 acridine을 Pycnoporus cinnabarinus SCH-3 배양액에 첨가했을 때 acridone으로 산화되었다. P. cinnabarinus SCH-3균주는 배양 중에 다량의 laccase와 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA)와 cinnabarinic acid (CA)를 생성했다. 정제된 laccase와 acridine을 완충용액에서 직접 반응시켰을 때 acridine은 변화되지 않았다. 그러나 laccase의 기질인 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)나 3-HAA를 laccase와 acridine 혼합액에 첨가했을 경우에는 acridine이 acridone으로 산화되었다. 특히 ABTS 첨가구는 3-HAA 첨가구보다 acridine 산화율이 2배 이상 높았다. 한편 정제된 laccase와 3-HAA를 완충액에서 반응시켰을 때 3-HAA는 CA로 전환되었다. 이와 같은 실험결과들은 P. cinnabarinus SCH-3의 laccase가 배양중에 생산된 3-HAA를 매개체로 사용하여 acridine을 acridone으로 산화하고 CA는 laccase에 의하여 3-HAA로부터 합성됨을 나타낸다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2003

토양으로부터 $\beta$-mannanase활성이 우수한 균주를 분리하여 형태학적, 생화학적 동정과정을 거쳐 Bacillus subtilis JS-1으로 동정하였다. 분리균이 생산하는 $\beta$-mannanase 효소의 최적활성은 55$^{\circ}C$와 pH 5.0이었다. 탄소원이 다른 배지에서 배양한 분리 균주의 상등액을 전기영동하여 효소활성을 관찰한 결과 탄소원에 상관없이 분자량 130kDa에 해당하는 단일 단백질만이 효소 활성을 나타내었다 Bacillus subtilis JS-1은 탄소원으로 lactose와 locust bean gum이 존재할 때 $\beta$-mannanase 생산성이 크게 증가하는 것으로 나타났으며, lactose와 locust bean gum이 각각 0.5 % 존재할 때 배양 상등액의 $\beta$-mannanase 활성은 30U/ml과 45U/ml로 탄소원이 없는 대조구에 비해 최대 18배 정도 생산성이 증가하였다. 배지에 locust bean gum을 첨가하였을 때 효소 생산성 뿐만 아니라 균체의 성장도 함께 증가하는 것으로 보아 분리균주는 locust bean gum을 분해하여 에너지원으로 이용하는 것으로 판단된다

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제34권10호
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• pp.2900-2904
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• 2013

We present the synthesis and characterization of DTPA-bis(histidylamide) (1a), DTPA-bis(aspartamide) (1b), and their gadolinium complexes of the type $[Gd(L)(H_2O)]$ (2a:L = 1a; 2b:L = 1b). Thermodynamic stabilities and $R_1$ relaxivities of 2a-b compare well with Omniscan$^{(R)}$, a well-known commercial, extracellular (ECF) MRI CA which adopts the DTPA-bis(amide) framework for the chelate: $R_1$ = 5.5 and 5.1 $mM^{-1}$ for 2a and 2b, respectively. Addition of the Cu(II) ion to a solution containing 2b triggers relaxivity enhancement to raise $R_1$ as high as 15.3 $mM^{-1}$, which corresponds to a 300% enhancement. Such an increase levels off at the concentration beyond two equiv. of Cu(II), suggesting the formation of a trimetallic ($Gd/Cu_2$) complex in situ. Such a relaxivity increase is almost negligible with Zn(II) and other endogenous ions such as Na(I), K(I), Mg(II), and Ca(II). In vivo MR images and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained with an aqueous mixture of 2b and Cu(II) ion in an 1:2 ratio demonstrate the potentiality of 2 as a copper responsive MRI CA.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling is a crucial component of eukaryotic cells; it plays an important role in responses to extracelluar stimuli and in the regulation of various cellular activities. The signaling cascade is evolutionarily conserved in the eukaryotic kingdom from yeast to human. In response to a variety of extracellular signals, MAPK activity is known to be regulated via phosphorylation of a conserved $T{\times}Y$ motif at the activation loop in which both threonine and tyrosine residues are phosphorylated by the upstream kinase. However, the mechanism by which both residues are phosphorylated continues to remain elusive. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Fus3 MAPK is involved in the mating signaling pathway. In order to elucidate the functional mechanism of MAPK activation, we quantitatively profiled phosphorylation of the $T{\times}Y$ motif in Fus3 using mass spectrometry (MS). We used synthetic heavy stable isotope-labeled phosphopeptides and nonphosphopeptides corresponding to the proteolytic $T{\times}Y$ motif of Fus3 and accompanying data-dependent tandem MS to quantitatively monitor dynamic changes in the phosphorylation events of MAPK. Phosphospecific immunoblotting and the MS data suggested that the tyrosine residue is dynamically phosphorylated upon stimulation and that this leads to dual phosphorylation. In contrast, the magnitude of threonine phosphorylation did not change significantly. However, the absence of a threonine residue leads to hyperphosphorylation of the tyrosine residue in the unstimulated condition, suggesting that the threonine residue contributes to the control of signaling noise.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.456-463
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• 2002

Distraction osteogenesis is a well-established clinical treatment for limb length discrepancy and skeletal deformities. Appropriate mechanical tension-stress is believed not to break the callus but rather to stimulate osteogenesis. In contrast to fracture healing, the mode of bone formation in distraction osteogenesis is primarily intramembranous ossification. Although the biomechanical, histological, and ultrastructural changes associated with distraction osteogenesis have been widely described, the basic biology of the process is still not well known. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms in distraction osteogenesis remain largely unclear. Recent studies have implicated the growth factor cascade is likely to play an important role in distraction. And current reserch suggested that mechanical tension-stress modulates cell shape and phenotype, and stimulates the expression of the mRNA for bone matrix proteins. This article presents the hypotheses and current research that have furthered knowledge of the molecular biology that govern distraction osteogenesis. The gene regulation of growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins during distraction osteogenesis are discussed in this article. It is believed that understanding the biomolecular mechanisms that mediate distraction osteogenesis may guide the development of targeted strategies designed to improve distraction osteogenesis and accelerate bone healing.