• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.155-163
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• 2022

The application of fungicides is indispensable to global food security, and their use has increased in recent times. Fungicides, directly or indirectly, have impacted insects, leading to genetic and molecular-level changes. Various detoxification mechanisms allow insects to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity induced by agrochemicals including fungicides. In the present study, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of detoxifying enzymes in Tenebrio molitor larvae following exposure to non-lethal doses (0.2, 2, and 20 ㎍/µL) of a fungicide captan. Transcripts of peroxidases (POXs), catalases (CATs), superoxide dismutases (SODs), and glutathione-s-transferases (GSTs) were screened from the T. molitor transcriptome database. RT-qPCR analysis showed that TmPOX5 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-captan exposure. A similar increase was noticed for TmSOD4 mRNA 3 h post-captan exposure. Moreover, the expression of TmCAT2 mRNA increased significantly 24 h post-treatment with 2 ㎍/µL captan. TmGST1 and TmGST3 mRNA expression also increased noticeably after captan exposure. Taken together, these results suggest that TmPOX5 and TmSOD4 mRNA can be used as biomarkers or xenobiotics sensors for captan exposure in T. molitor, while other detoxifying enzymes showed differential expression.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2011

Plantago asiatica L. (P. asiatica) has been used as one of the popular folk medicines in Asia for human health care practices. Various activities of P. asiatica have been reported, such as anti-oxidant, anti-glycation, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activity. Therefore, the potential of P. asiatica to reduce oxidative stress has been studied in several ways for over 20 years, especially at liver and kidney. However no investigation has been reported revealing its protective effect on prostate. Method: Treatment of P. asiatica leaf ethanolic extract (PLE) (1 g/kg body weight (b.w.), 2 g/kg b.w., or 4 g/kg b.w.) were given separately to animals for pretreatment once per day for 7 days, and on the seventh day ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA; 0.24 mmol Fe/kg b.w.), which is known as an oxidative stress-inducer at prostate, was administrated by i.p to negative control group. At the end of the study period, dissection was carried out for detecting the prostate protective effect of PLE. Result: Fe-NTA-treated animals produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in depletion of antioxidant biomaker, such as glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione s-transferase (GST) and increase of lipid peroxidation in prostate. However, PLE pretreatment resulted in an increase in the GSH, GST and GR levels concentration dependent manner and in an significant decrease in the levels of lipid peroxidation. Conclusion: Our data suggest that PLE may be effective in protecting oxidative stress-induced damage of prostate, and PLE may be an chemopreventive agent against Fe-NTA-mediated prostate oxidative damage.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.22-25
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• 2000

Formation of glutathione (GSH) conjugates with 2- or 6-(1-hydroxymethyl)- and 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-DMNQ derivatives (DMNQ, 5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquone was carried out in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), in the presence of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), in rat liver S-9 fraction and by perfusion, and the rates of conjugates formation were compared and correlated to cytotoxicity. The GSH conjugates of 6-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-DMNQ derivatives were formed faster than 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-DMNQ derivatives under all of the media, implying that steric hindrance was the cause of lowering the rate of conjugate formation of 2-substituted derivatives. For both isomers, addition of GST did not improve the reaction rate, compared with that in buffer, while the reaction in the S-9 fraction and the perfusate was accelerated to a great extent. The catalytic effect of the S-9 fraction and the perfusate contain an effective system relaxing the steric hindrance of 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-DMNQ derivatives. Furthermore, a good correlation between the formation of the GSH conjugates and the cytotoxic activity of both naphthazarin isomers suggests that the steric hindrance is a cause of lowering the cytotoxicity of 2-isomers.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.85-88
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• 2001

We scaled up a covalent immobilization system of urokinase to the activated Sepharose and used it repeatedly to cleave a fusion protein consisting of human growth hormone and GST fragment. After scale up from 6 ml to 250 ml, the column system still demonstrated basically the same performance in terms of urokinase immobilization and fusion protein cleavage. When the column was washed with 6M guanidine HCl after the cleavage reaction. the immobilized urokinase showed no activity probably because it was fully unfolded. However. as the denaturant was gradually removed from the column the immobilized urokinase fully regained its bioactivity. which indicated it was properly refolded into its native conformation as covalently attached to the solid matrix. After 20 cycles of this 'solid-phase unfolding/refolding', the immobilized urokinase maintained approx. 80% of the initial bioactivity. This method provides an efficient protocol to apply the solid-phase refolding technique to improve the longevity of immobilized enzyme columns.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.65-70
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• 2004

Modulation of biotransformation enzymes is one mechanism by which a diet high in fruits and vegetable may influence cancer risk. Inhibition of cytochrome P450s (CYP) and concomitant induction of conjugating enzymes are hypothesized to reduce the impact of carcinogens in humans. Thus, exposure to types and amounts of phytochemicals may influence disease risk. Like other xenobiotics, many classes of phytochemicals are rapodly conjugated with glutathione, glucuronide, and sulfate moieties and excreted in urine and bile. In humans, circulating phytochemical levels very widely among individuals even in response to controlled dietary interventions. Polymorphisms in biotransformation enzymes, such as the glutathione S-transferases (GST), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT), and sulfotransferases (SULT), may ocntribute to the variability in phytochemical clearance and efficacy; polymorphic enzymes with lower enzyme activity prolong the half-lives of phytochmicals in vivo. Isothiocyanates (ITC) in cruciferous vegetables are catalyzed by the four major human GSTs: however reaction velocities of the enzymes differ greatly. In some observational studies of cancer, polymorphisms in the GSTMI and GSTTI genes that result in complete lack of GSTM1-1 protein, respectively, confer greater protection from cruciferous vegetable in individuals with these genotypes. Similarly, we have shown in a controlled dietary trial that levels of GST-alpha-induced by ITC-are higher in GSTMI-null individuals exposed to cruciferous vegetablse. The selectivity of glucuronosyl conjugation of flavonoids is dependent both on flavonoid structure as well as on the UGI isozyme involved in its conjuagtion. The effects of UGI polymorphisms on flavonoid clearnace have not been examind; but polymorphisms affect glucuronidation of several drugs. Given the strong interest in the chemopreventive effects of flavonoids, systematic evaluation of these polymorphic UGTs and flavonoid pharmacokinetics are warranted. Overall, these studies suggest that for phytochemicals that are metabolized by, and affect activity of, biotransformation enzymes, interactions between genetic polymorphisms in the enzymes and intake of the compounds should be considered in studies of cancer risk. Genetic polymorphisms in biotransformation enzymes may account in prat for individual variation in metabolism of a wide range of phytochemicals and their ultimate impact on health.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.500-504
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• 2001

We scaled up a covalent immobilization system of urokinase to the activated Sepharose and used it repeatedly to cleava a fusion protein consisting of human growth hormone and GST fragment. After scale up from 6 ml to 250 ml. the column system still demonstrated basically the same performance in terms of urokinase immobilization and fusion protein cleavage. When the column was washed with 6 M guanidine HCI after the cleavage reaction, the immobilized urokinase showed no activity probably becasue it was fully unfoled. However, as the denaturant was gradually removed from the column the immobilized urokinase fully regained its bioactivity, which indicated it was properly refolded into is natie conformation as covalently attached to the solid matrix. After 20 cycles of this solid-phase unfolding/refolding. the immobilized urokinase maintained approx. 80% of the initial bioactivity. This method provides and efficient protocol to apply the solid-phase refolding technique to improve the longevity of immobilized enzyme columns.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2018

Chemical carcinogenesis is a multistep process. Genotoxic carcinogens, which are DNA-reactive, induce DNA adduct formation and genetic alterations in target cells, thereby generating mutated cells (initiation). Subsequently, preneoplastic lesions appear through clonal proliferation of the mutated cells and transform into tumors (promotion and progression). Many factors may influence these processes in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, quantitative analysis plays an important role in studies on the carcinogenic threshold of genotoxic carcinogens. Herein, we present data on the relationship between key carcinogenic events and their deriving point of departure (PoD). Their PoDs were also compared to those of the carcinogenesis pathway. In an experiment, the liver of rats exposed to 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo-(4,5-f)quinoxaline (MeIQx) was examined to determine the formation of MeIQx-DNA adducts, generation of mutations at LacI transgene, and induction of preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci and tumors (benign and malignant). The PoDs of the above key events in the carcinogenicity of MeIQx were increased as the carcinogenesis advanced; however, these PoDs were lower than those of tumor induction. Thus, the order of key events during tumor induction in the liver was as follows: formation of DNA adducts ${\ll}$ Mutations ${\ll}$ GST-positive foci (preneoplasia) ${\ll}$ Tumor (adenoma and carcinoma). We also obtained similar data on the genotoxic and carcinogenic PoDs of other hepatocarcinogens, such as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)quinoline. These results contribute to elucidating the existence of a genotoxic and carcinogenic threshold.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1996

To investigate the effect of the third intracellular loop (i3 loop) peptide of human $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor on receptor agonist binding, we expressed third intracellular loop region of human $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor as glutathione S-transferase fusion protein in E. coli. DNA fragment of the receptor gene which encodes amino acid 221-274 of human $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and subcloned into the bacterial fusion protein expression vector pGEX-CS and expressed as a form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein in E. coli DH5$\alpha$. The receptor fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot using monoclonal anti-GST antibody. The fusion protein expressed in this study was purified to an apparent homogeneity by glutathione Sepharose CL-4B affinity chromatography. The purified i3 loop fusion proteins at a concentration of 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ι caused right shift of the isoproterenol competition curve of [$^3$H]Dihydroalprenolol binding to hamster lung $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor indicating lowered affinity of isoproterenol to $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor possibly due to the uncoupling of receptor and G protein in the presence of the fusion protein. The uncoupling of receptor and G protein suggests that i3 loop region plays a critical role on $\beta$$_2$-adrenergic receptor G protein coupling.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of injection frequency of bromobenzene on the liver damage, bromobenzene (400 mg/kg, i.p.) was given daily to rats for six days. All experimental animals were sacrificed at 24 hours after the last injection. Morphological changes of the liver were observed under a light microscopic examination. Functional changes of the liver were evaluated by the measurement of alanine aminotransferase activity. To clarify the cause of discrepancy in liver damage, hepatic glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and aniline hydroxylase (AH) activities were determined. In the experiments of daily bromobenzene treatments, the sacrificed animals at six day (6 time-injected animals) showed slighter liver damage than those sacrificed at 3 day (3 time-injected ones), based on the liver morphological or functional findings; the decreasing ratio of GSH content and increasing ratio of liver GST and AH activities in the 6 time-injected group were higher than those in the 3 time-injected one.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.217-221
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• 2007

In order to determine the effects of ginseng powder on the antioxidant enzyme activities of hepatotoxicity in $benzo({\alpha})pyrene[B({\alpha})P]-treated$ mice, the mice were divided into 5 groups. Ginseng powder was injected intraperitoneally once a day for 5 successive days, followed by the administration of $B({\alpha})P$ treatment on the fifth day. We also evaluated the relationship existing between lipid peroxidation and ginseng powder on oxidative stress. The increased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase observed following $B({\alpha})P-treatment$ were reduced as the result of ginseng powder treatment. Whereas, the glutathione content and glutathione S-transferase activity depleted by $B({\alpha})P$ were increased significantly, but the $B({\alpha})P-associated$ elevation of cytochrome P-450 activities and lipid peroxide content were reduced as the result of ginseng powder treatment. These results indicate that ginseng powder may exert a protective effect against $B({\alpha})P-induced$ hepatotoxicity in mice.