• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2000

Genetic polymorphisms of metabolizing enzymes to chemical carcinogens have been recognized as a major important host factors in human cancers. To datermine the frequencies of genotypes of CYP1A1 and GSTM1 metabolizing enzymes in healthy controls and head and neck cancer patients in Korean and to identify the relative high risk genotypes of these metabolizing enzymes to head and neck cancer, we have analyzed 133 head and neck cancer patients and corresponding healthy controls matched in age and sex using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP). In analysis of CYP1A1, the Val/Val genotype of exon 7 polymorphism and m2/m2 genotype of Msp 1 polymorphism were associated with higher relative risks to head and neck cancers (Odds ratio : 2.34, 95% CI : 0.79-6.96 and 1.27, 95% CI : 0.59-2.73, respectively). In combined genotyping of CYP1A1 and GSTMI enzymes polymorphisms, the patients with Val/Val ad GSTM1(-), and m1/m21 and GSTM1(-) combined genotypes had higher relative risks than the patients with each base genotype of combined genotypes (Odds ratio : 4.57, 95% CI : 0.5-41.25 and 1.65, 95% CI L 0.73-3.77, respectively). These results sugget the combined genotyping of metabolizing enzymes could be useful for predicting individual genetic susceptibility and screening the high risk subpopulation to head and neck cancer in Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.418-424
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• 2012

This study focused on the enzymatic biotransformation of the major ginsenoside Rb1 into Rd for the mass production of minor ginsenosides using a novel recombinant ${\beta}$-glucosidase from Flavobacterium johnsoniae. The gene (bglF3) consisting of 2,235 bp (744 amino acid residues) was cloned and the recombinant enzyme overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) was characterized. This enzyme could transform ginsenoside Rb1 and gypenoside XVII to the ginsenosides Rd and F2, respectively. The glutathione S-transferase (GST) fused BglF3 was purified with GST-bind agarose resin and characterized. The kinetic parameters for ${\beta}$-glucosidase had apparent $K_m$ values of $0.91{\pm}0.02$ and $2.84{\pm}0.05$ mM and $V_{max}$ values of $5.75{\pm}0.12$ and $0.71{\pm}0.01{\mu}mol{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}mg$ of $protein^{-1}$ against p-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside and Rb1, respectively. At optimal conditions of pH 6.0 and $37^{\circ}C$, BglF3 could only hydrolyze the outer glucose moiety of ginsenoside Rb1 and gypenoside XVII at the C-20 position of aglycon into ginsenosides Rd and F2, respectively. These results indicate that the recombinant BglF3 could be useful for the mass production of ginsenosides Rd and F2 in the pharmaceutical or cosmetic industry.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.385-389
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• 2015

In this study, it is reported that a large polyprotein can be stoichiometrically cleaved by the use of caspase-3-dependent proteolysis. Previously, it has been shown that the proteolytic IETD motif was partially processed when treated with caspase-3, while the DEVD motif was completely cleaved. The cleavage efficiency of the DEVD-based substrate was approximately 2.0 times higher than that of the IETD substrate, in response to caspase-3. Based on this, 3 protein genes of interest were genetically linked to each other by adding two proteolytic cleavage sequences, DEVD and IETD, for caspase-3. Particularly, glutathione-S transferase (GST), maltose binding protein (MBP), and red fluorescent protein (RFP) were chosen as model proteins due to the variation in their size. The expressed polyprotein was purified by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) via a hexa-histidine tag at the C-terminal end, showing 93 kDa of a chimeric GST:MBP:RFP fusion protein. In response to caspase-3, cleavage products, such as MBP:RFP (68 kDa), MBP (42 kDa), RFP (26 kDa), and GST (25 kDa), were separated from a large precursor GST:MBP:RFP (93 kDa) via SDS-PAGE. The results obtained from this study indicate that a multi-protein can be stoichiometrically produced from a large poly-protein by using proteolytic recognition motifs, such as DEVD and IETD tetra-peptides, for caspase-3.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2001

To avoid the intrinsic problem of aggregation associated with the traditional solution-phase refolding process, we propose a solid-phase refolding method integrated with expanded bed adsorption chromatography. The model protein used was a fusion protein of recombinant human growth hormone and a glutathione S transferase fragment. It was demonstrated that the EBA-mediated refolding technique could simultaneously remove cellular debris and directly renature the fusion protein inclusion bodies in the cell homogenate with much higher yields and less agregation. To demonstrate the applicability of the method, we successfully tested the three representative types of starting materials, i. e., rhGH monomer, washed inclusion bodies, and the E. coli homogenate. This direct and simplified refolding process could also reduce the number of renaturation steps required and allow refolding at a higher concentration, at approximately 2 mg fusion protein per ml of resin. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first approach that has combined the solid-phase refolding method with expanded bed chromatography.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.822-829
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• 2007

A gene coding for phosphoketolase, a key enzyme of carbohydrate catabolism in heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria(LAB), was cloned from a Lactobacillus paraplantarum C7 and expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene is 2,502 bp long and codes for a 788-amino-acids polypeptide with a molecular mass of 88.7 kDa. A Shine-Dalgarno sequence(aaggag) and an inverted-repeat terminator sequence are located upstream and downstream of the phosphoketolase gene, respectively. The gene exhibits an identity of >52% with phosphoketolases of other LAB. The phosphoketolase of Lb. paraplantarum C7(LBPK) contains several highly conserved phosphoketolase signature regions and typical thiamine pyrophosphate(TPP) binding sites, as reported for other TPP-dependent enzymes. The phosphoketolase gene was fused to a glutathione S-transferase(GST::LBPK) gene for purification. The GST::LBPK fusion protein was detected in the soluble fraction of a recombinant Escherichia coli BL21. The GST::LBPK fusion protein was purified with a yield of 4.32mg/400ml by GSTrap HP affinity column chromatography and analyzed by N-terminal sequencing. LBPK was obtained by factor Xa treatment of fusion protein and the final yield was 3.78mg/400ml. LBPK was examined for its N-terminal sequence and phosphoketolase activity. The $K_M\;and\;V_{max}$ values for fructose-6-phosphate were $5.08{\pm}0.057mM(mean{\pm}SD)$ and $499.21{\pm}4.33{\mu}mol/min/mg$, respectively, and the optimum temperature and pH for the production of acetyl phosphate were $45^{\circ}C$ and 7.0, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1235-1244
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• 2008

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is produced commonly by plants and many bacteria, however, little is known about the genetic basis involving the key enzymes of IAA biosynthetic pathways from Bacillus spp. IAA intermediates from the Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus polymyxa E681 were investigated, which showed the existence of only an indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPA) pathway for IAA biosynthesis from the bacterium. Four open reading frames (ORFs) encoding indole-3-pyruvate decarboxylase-like proteins and putative indole-3-pyruvate decarboxylase (IPDC), a key enzyme in the IPA synthetic pathway, were found on the genome sequence database of P. polymyxa and cloned in Escherichia coli DH5$\alpha$. One of the ORFs, PP2_01257, was assigned as probable indole-3-pyruvate decarboxylase. The ORF consisted of 1,743 nucleotides encoding 581 amino acids with a deduced molecular mass of 63,380 Da. Alignment studies of the deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF with known IPDC sequences revealed conservation of several amino acids in PP2_01257, essential for substrate and cofactor binding. Recombinant protein, gene product of the ORF PP2_01257 from P. polymyxa E681, was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) as a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fusion protein and purified to homogeneity using affinity chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme showed about 63 kDa, corresponding closely to the expected molecular mass of IPDC. The indole-3-pyruvate decarboxylase activity of the recombinant protein, detected by HPLC, using IPA substrate in the enzyme reaction confirmed the identity and functionality of the enzyme IPDC from the E681 strain.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.309-320
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• 2001

Objectives : This study was done to investigate the protective effects of Samgiinjin-tang on liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine. Methods: All animals were divided into .5 groups, those were normal group(untreated), control group(treated with 0.9% Saline solution), sample I group(2,250mg/kg administrated), sample II group(4,500mg/kg administrated), Silymarin 200mg/kg administrated group. Liver injury of rats were induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine, and then the serum transaminases(ALT&AST) alkaline phosphatase(ALP), lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) for enzyme activities, liver weight, lipid peroxidation and catalase, glutathione S-transferase(GST) for enzyme activities were measured. Results : The inhibitory effects on the serum ALT, AST activities in liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 were noted in both sample I and sample II group. The inhibitory effects on the serum ALP, LDH activities and the Lipid peroxidation of Mitochondria & Cytosol were noted in only sample II group. The decreased effects on the GST activities of Homogenate & Cytosol were inhibited in both sample I and sample II groups. The decreased effects on the GST activities of Mitochondria & Microsome were inhibited in sample II group. The inhibitory effects of the serum ALT, AST, LDH activities in liver injury of rats induced by d-galactosamine were noted in both sample I and sample II groups. In serum AST activities, sample II group. Conclusions : Samgiinjin-tang has protective effects against liver injury of rats induced by CCI4 and d-galactosamine. So it is required to study about the actions of mutual relation of medicines and patho-mechanism by experiment.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.475-481
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• 1998

This study was performed to investigate the modifying effect of the general (GPA) and the fermented pilose antler (FPA) on experimental hepatocarcinogenesis and Natural Killer cell activity in rats. Specific pathogen free, 5-week male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. To induce hepatocarcinogenesis, diethylnitrosamine (DEN, 200 mg/kg, i.p.) was used as a tumor initiator and was given in a single dose at experimental onset. All rats were given a partial hepatectomy (PH) at 3 weeks after experimental onset. Sodium phenobarbital (PB, 0.05% in diet), GPA (0.075% in diet) and FPA (0. 075% in diet) were given from 2 to 8 weeks. Group I of the initiation control group was only given DEN. As initiation-promotion group, Group II was given DEN and then PB. Group III and IV were given DEN-PB-GPA and DEN-PB-FPA, respectively. In hematological analysis, as compared with Group I. the number of white blood cells were significantly increased in the GPA (p<0.01) and the FPA treated group (p<0.05), respectively. Natural killer (NK) cell activity by flow cytometer (FCM) analysis was higher in group of treated with the GPA (35%) than that of the FPA (27.5%), but not significant. Result of the immunohistochemical staining of the glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-p) indicated that the number of and area of the pre-neoplastic lesions was not significantly changed in Group III and IV compared Group II, respectively. In conclusion, the GPA and the FPA treatment significantly increased the number od WBC in peripheral blood, but the enhancing NK activity and the modifying effect on the experimental hepatocarcinogenesis were not observed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.234-239
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of green tea ingestion on hepatocarcinogenesis before and after its initiation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed an AIN76A diet with or without green tea. Initiation was induced by a single dose (200 mg/kg) of diethylnitrosamine at week 4 and 0.02% (w/w) 2-acetylaminofluorene was supplied in the diets. The control group had free access to water for 13 weeks (CTR13). Tea infusion was provided from the beginning of the experiment for 13 weeks (PRE13) or from the post-initiation stage until week 13 (POST13). Three other groups (CTR24, PRE24 and POST24) were added to examine the longer-term effects (24 weeks) with the same experimental design. The percentage area of liver sections that were positive for hepatic placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-P), which was used as a marker of preneoplastic lesions, was smaller in PRE13 ($20.2{\pm}5.0%$, $mean{\pm}SD$) and POST13 ($26.0{\pm}4.8%$) than in CTR13 ($33.2{\pm}5.8%$, p<0.05). Over the longer period, the GST-P lesions were significantly smaller for both PRE24 and POST24 ($21.6{\pm}8.5%$ and $22.2{\pm}4.0%$, respectively) than for CTR24 ($28.6{\pm}5.1%$, p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between PRE24 and POST24. The liver content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was significantly lower in the tea groups than in the controls (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed among groups of GST activity. The results show that tea consumption exhibits a stronger short-term initiation-inhibiting ability in liver carcinogenesis, but over a longer period, the preventive effects of green tea ingestion do not differ in post- and pre-initiation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.205-213
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Myocardial infarction (MI) is caused by extensive myocardial damage attributed to the occlusion of coronary arteries. Our previous study in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) demonstrated that administration of arabinoxylan (AX), comprising arabinose and xylose, protects against myocardial injury. In this study, we undertook to investigate whether psyllium seed husk (PSH), a safe dietary fiber containing a high level of AX (> 50%), also imparts protection against myocardial injury in the same rat model. MATERIALS/METHODS: Rats were fed diets supplemented with PSH (1, 10, or 100 mg/kg/d) for 3 d. The rats were then subjected to 30 min ischemia through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by 3 h reperfusion through release of the ligation. The hearts were harvested and cut into four slices. To assess infarct size (IS), an index representing heart damage, the slices were stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). To elucidate underlying mechanisms, Western blotting was performed for the slices. RESULTS: Supplementation with 10 or 100 mg/kg/d of PSH significantly reduces the IS. PSH supplementation (100 mg/kg/d) tends to reduce caspase-3 generation and increase BCL-2/BAX ratio. PSH supplementation also upregulates the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), and its target genes including antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase mu 2 (GSTM2) and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2). PSH supplementation upregulates some sirtuins ($NAD^+$-dependent deacetylases) including SIRT5 (a mitochondrial sirtuin) and SIRT6 and SIRT7 (nuclear sirtuins). Finally, PSH supplementation upregulates the expression of protein kinase A (PKA), and increases phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) (pCREB), a target protein of PKA. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study indicate that PSH consumption reduces myocardial I/R injury in rats by inhibiting the apoptotic cascades through modulation of gene expression of several genes located upstream of apoptosis. Therefore, we believe that PSH can be developed as a functional food that would be beneficial in the prevention of MI.