• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.8.1-8.17
• /
• 2021

The global crisis caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the most significant economic loss and human deaths after World War II. The pathogen causing this disease is a novel virus called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). As of December 2020, there have been 80.2 million confirmed patients, and the mortality rate is known as 2.16% globally. A strategy to protect a host from SARS-CoV-2 is by suppressing intracellular viral replication or preventing viral entry. We focused on the spike glycoprotein that is responsible for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cell. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration/EU Medicines Agency authorized a vaccine and antibody to treat COVID-19 patients by emergency use approval in the absence of long-term clinical trials. Both commercial and academic efforts to develop preventive and therapeutic agents continue all over the world. In this review, we present a perspective on current reports about the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 as a therapeutic target.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.337-350
• /
• 1989

In this study, we compared patterns of hemolvmph with ovarian proteins during the yolk formation of Gewis paludum by using SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and he dimen-tlonal electrophoresis. In addition, we examined patterns of glycoprotein which were composed of yolk substances. The results were as follows: The protein patterns in ovary of the 5th instar without eggs were similar to those of adult after ovulation. Protein amounts of the ovaw without developing eggs were less than those of the ovaw containing oocvtes or matured eggs at the molecular weights range from 66, 000 to 110.000 daltons. No glvcoproteins were observed in ovaw without eggs. But the glvcoproteins were gradually increased according to development of eggs in the 5th instar. After the ovulated ovaw of adult, no glvcoprotein bands urere occurred as the bands of the ovary without eggs in the 5th instar. Also, amounts of hemolvmph protein between 66, 000 and 110, 000 in molecular weight were increased during yolk formation of the 5th instal. The results suggest that ovarian protein substances may originate from hemolpnph. In the 5th instar, the amounts of glycoprotein of developing eggs was gradually increased in the hemolymph. The band of M.W. 29, 500 was occurred in the hemolpnph of the 5th instar and adult without eggs. This protein mal be precursor of glvcoprotein in the high molecular weight area in the ovary of more developed eggs. The number of spots and the amounts of protein in ovary without eggs were less than those of ovary containing eggs by two dimensional elec-trophoresis. The protein bands between 45, 000 and 110, 000 almost appeared in acidic field of he dimensional gel. Especially, the band, M.W. 109, 000, uras separated 3 spots, a1, a2, and as. The band, M.W. 102, 000, has spots which designated b1, b2, b3, and b4. Besides, proteins below M.W. 24, 000 were occurred less spots in the basic field than those of acidic field. The mechanism of intracellular organs (= cell organells) uras related to the yolk protein synthesis of oocyte in the process of yolk protein formation of derris pcfudum.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.355-362
• /
• 2000

The Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein B (gB) gene in the pHLA-21 plasmid was inserted into a baculovirus (Hyphantria cunea nuclear polyhedrosis virus) expression vector (lacZ-HcNPV) to construct a recombinant virus gB-HcNPV expressing gB. Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with this recombinant virus synthesized and processed gB of approximately 120 kDa, which cross-reacted with the monoclonal antibody to gB. The recombinant gB was identified on the membrane of the insect cells using an immunofluorescence assay. Antibodies to this recombinant raised in mice recognize the viral gB and neutralized the infectivity of the HSV-1 in vitro. These results show that the gB gene has the potential to be expressed in insect cells. They also demonstrate that it is possible to produce a mature protein by gene transfer in eukaryotic cells, and indicate the utility of the lacZ-HcNPV-insect cell system for producing and characterizing eukaryotic proteins. Furthermore, the neutralizing antibodies would appear to protect mice against HSV. Accordingly, this particular recombinant protein may be useful in the development of a subunit vaccine.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.85-88
• /
• 2004

One hundred Indonesian plant extracts were screened to investigate their effects on the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity in human uterine sarcoma cells, MES-SA/DX5, for the first time. Among others, four samples, Alpinia galanga (BuOH ext.), Sindora sumatrana $(CHCl_3\;ext.)$, Strychnos ligustrina $(CHCl_3\;ext.)$, and Zingiber cassumunar Roxb (hexane ext.), exhibited the most potent inhibition on the P-gp activity. They increased cytotoxic activity of daunomycin up to $IC_{50}$ values of less than $1.41\;{\mu}M$, which is a value with a positive control, verapamil. Other 25 samples showed significant P-gp inhibitory activity with $IC_{50}$ values between 1.4 and $4.0\;{\mu}M$. These prospective samples will be subjected to further laboratory phytochemical investigation to find active principles.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.710-716
• /
• 2003

Gonadotropin (GTH) is a pituitary glycoprotein hormone that regulates gonadal development in vertebrates. In teleosts, two types of gonadotropins, GTH-I and GTH-II, are produced in the pituitary, and they comprised of common ${\alpha}$ and distinct ${\beta}$ subunits. In the present study, the cDNAs encoding GTH ${\alpha}\;and\;GTH-II{\beta}$ subunits were cloned and sequenced from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) pituitary cDNA library. The nucleotide sequence of the a subunit was 619 bp long, encoding 124 amino acids, and that of the $GTH-II{\beta}$ subunit was 538 bp long, encoding 145 amino acids. GTH subunits had well conserved cysteines, when aligned with other members of the glycoprotein family. The ${\beta}$ subunit of gonadotropin II ($GTH-II{\beta}$) had a different N-linked glycosylation site. RT-PCR analysis showed an increase of GTH II mRNA levels in association with gonadal development, and also showed that the mRNA expression of the ${\alpha}$ subunit was detected only in tissues from pituitary glands.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.226-230
• /
• 2004

The pharmacokinetics of orally administered paclitlxel (50 mg/kg) was studied in six rabbits after 1hr pretreatment (2.0 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) of tetramethoxyflavone or coadministration of (2.0 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) tetramethoxyflavone. The area under the plasma concentration-tine curve (AUC) and plasma concentration of paclitaxe1 coadministered with tetramethoxyflavone (10 mglkg) were increased significantly (p<0.05) compared with control. However, coadministration of tetramethoxyflavone (2 and 20 mg/kg) showed no significant effect on the pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel. Pretreatment with tetramethoxyflavone significantly (p<0.05) increased the plasma concentration of paclitaxel. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration (C$_{max}$) of paclitaxel pretreated with tetramethoxyflavone were increased significantly (p<0.01, p<0.05) compared with control. The terminal half. life of paclitaxel pretreated with tetramethoxyflavone (2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) was significantly (p<0.05) prolonged compared with control. Pretreatment with tetramethoxyflavone (2.0 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.01, p<0.05) increased the absolute bioavailability of paclitaxel compared with the control (154∼179%). On the basis of the results, it might be considered that tetramethoxyflavone may inhibit cytochrome P450 or P-glycoprotein efflux pump which are engaged in paclitaxel metabolism, result in increased AUC and t$_{1}$2/ of paclitaxel. However, further study should be conducted to clarify the roles of cytochrome P450 and P-glycoprotein on paclitaxel bioavailability with/or without tetramethoxyflavone. P-glycoprotein on paclitaxel bioavailability with/or without tetramethoxyflavone.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.35 no.8
• /
• pp.2317-2325
• /
• 2014

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a member of the ATP-Binding Cassette transporter superfamily and mediates transmembrane efflux of many drugs. Since it is involved in multi-drug resistance activity in various cancer cells, the development of P-gp inhibitor is one of the major concerns in anticancer therapy. Human P-gp protein has at least two "functional" drug binding sites that are called "H" site and "R" site, hence it has multi-binding-specificities. Though the amino acid residues that constitute in drug binding pockets have been proposed by previous experimental evidences, the shapes and the binding poses are not revealed clearly yet. In this study, human P-gp structure was built by homology modeling with available crystal structure of mouse P-gp as a template and docking simulations were performed with inhibitors such as verapamil, hoechst33342, and rhodamine123 to construct the interaction between human P-gp and its inhibitors. The docking simulations were performed 500 times for each inhibitor, and then the interaction frequency of the amino acids at the binding poses was analyzed. With the analysis results, we proposed highly contributing residues that constitute binding pockets of the human P-gp for the inhibitors. Using the highly contributing residues, we proposed the locations and the shapes of verapamil binding site and "R" site, and suggested the possible position of "H" site.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 1997

Resistance to combination chemotherapy remains challenge in the treatment of osteosarcoma. One of the mechanisms of multiple drug resistance is an increased expression of the multidrug resistance gene(mdr1). Expression of the P-glycoprotein(mdr-1 gene product) was studied immunohistochemically and the mdr-1 gene by in situ hybridization in 33 osteosarcomas relating to various prognostic factors. Thirty cases out of 33 osteosarcomas(90.9%) showed positive cytoplasmic reactions with P-glycoprotein and nineteen instances(57.6%) were strong positive(2+). The older(>20 years) and female patients revealed more intense immunohistochemical reactions rather than those of the younger and male patients. Osteoblastic and chondroblastic osteosarcomas revealed more strong immunohistochemical reactions compared to fibroblastic types. There were no significant staining differences between the type of bony involvement, Broder's grade and the presence of necrosis. On follow-up, the mean survival rate was decreased in the strong positive group, however, this was not statistically significant. In situ hybridization for mdr-1 gene revealed positive signals in 22 cases out of 29 osteosarcomas(75.9%). Chemotherapy was done in 15 cases out of 28 patients(53.6%). The results of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were not correlated with the protocols for chemotherapy. However, this result should be confirmed by a larger scale study about mdr1 mRNA expression.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.371-378
• /
• 2001

The Glycoprotein D (gD) gene of the HSV-1 strain F was cloned, sequenced, recombinated into the HcNPV (Hyphantria cunea nuclear polyhedrosis virus) expression vector and expressed in insect cells. The gD gene was located in the 6.43 kb BamHI fragment of the strainF. The open reading frame (ORF) of the gD gene was 1,185 by and codes 394 amino acid residues. Recombinant baculoviruses, GD-HcNPVs, expressing the gD protein were constructed. Spodoptera frugiperda cells, infected with the recombinant virus, synthesized a matured gX-gD fusion protein with an approximate molecular weight of 54 kDa and secreted the gD proteins into the culture media by an immunoprecipitation assay The fusion gD protein was localized on the membrane of the insect cells, seen by using an immunofluorescence assay The deduced amino acid sequence presents additional characteristics compatible with the structure of a viral glycoprotein: signal peptide, putative glycosylation sites and a long C-terminal transmembrane sequence. These results indicate the utility of the HcNPV-insect cell system for producing and characterizing eukaryotic proteins.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.216-224
• /
• 2011

Capsosiphon fulvescens is well-known green sea algae that, in recent years, has been proposed as a potential anticancer drug. In this study, we found that C. fulvescens glycoprotein (Cf-GP) had pro-apoptotic effects on human gastric carcinoma cells. By SDS-PAGE, we confirmed that C. fulvescens extract contained a glycoprotein. Using H33342 staining, we found that the Cf-GP caused cell death in a does-dependent manner, while an MTS assay showed decreased cellular viability due to induction of apoptosis. To determine the effect of Cf-GP on apoptosis-related cellular events, cells were treated with Cf-GP and the expression of several apoptosis-related protein was determined by Western blotting. Our results indicate that Cf-GP activated both a caspase cascade and PARP, which is a substrate of caspase-3, caspase-8 and the Bcl-2 family proteins. In addition, we assessed caspase-3, and -8 activation and annexin V staining. Our results revealed a cell cycle arrest, itself leading to an increased percentage of sub-G1 cells. Our findings indicate that Cf-GP may be a source of bio-functional material with therapeutic effects on human gastrointestinal cancer.