• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권10호
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• pp.1253-1261
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• 2022

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection causes dramatic harm to human health as well as to livestock development. As an important virulence factor, alpha-hemolysin (hla) is critical in the process of S. aureus infection. In this report, we found that bavachin, a natural flavonoid, not only efficiently inhibited the hemolytic activity of hla, but was also capable of inhibiting it on transcriptional and translational levels. Moreover, further data revealed that bavachin had no neutralizing activity on hla, which did not affect the formation of hla heptamers and exhibited no effects on the hla thermal stability. In vitro assays showed that bavachin was able to reduce the S. aureus-induced damage of A549 cells. Thus, bavachin repressed the lethality of pneumonia infection, lung bacterial load and lung tissue inflammation in mice, providing potent protection to mice models in vivo. Our results indicated that bavachin has the potential for development as a candidate hla inhibitor against S. aureus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권8호
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• pp.1170-1176
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• 2012

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of ${\alpha}$-cyperone on S. aureus. We used a hemolysin test to examine the hemolytic activity in supernatants of S. aureus cultured with increasing concentrations of ${\alpha}$-cyperone. In addition, we evaluated the production of ${\alpha}$-hemolysin (Hla) by Western blotting. Real-time RT-PCR was performed to test the expression of hla (the gene encoding Hla) and agr (accessory gene regulator). Furthermore, we investigated the protective effect of ${\alpha}$-cyperone on Hla-induced injury of A549 lung cells by live/dead and cytotoxicity assays. We showed that in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of ${\alpha}$-cyperone, Hla production was markedly inhibited. Moreover, ${\alpha}$-cyperone protected lung cells from Hla-induced injury. These findings indicate that ${\alpha}$-cyperone is a promising inhibitor of Hla production by S. aureus and protects lung cells from this bacterium. Thus, ${\alpha}$-cyperone may provide the basis for a new strategy to combat S. aureus pneumonia.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.335-343
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• 2005

세균의 용혈활성은 세균이 숙주 내에서 생존하기 위해 필요한 철을 획득하기 위한 특성이며 기능 면에서 볼 때 숙주에 대한 중요한 독력인자로 간주될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 괴사치수 및 치근단 치주염으로 진단된 환자의 근관에서 분리한 Prevotella nigrescens의 용혈활성을 다양한 조건 하에서 측정하여 그 특성을 규명하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 1. 임상에서 분리한 P. nigrescens와 표준균주인 P. nigrescens ATCC 33563에서 모두 용혈활성이 나타났다. 2. 사람, 면양 및 말 세 가지 종에 대해 용혈활성을 비교한 결과 사람의 적혈구에서 가장 강한 용혈활성을 나타내었다. 3. 용혈소 억제제인 $NaN_3$와 dithiothreitol(DTT)는 농도의존적으로 P. nigrescens의 용혈활성을 감소시켰다 (p<0.05) 4. P. nigrescens가 최대 용혈활성을 나타내는 최적의 pH는 4이었으며, $50^{\circ}C$이하의 온도에서는 용혈활성을 보였으나 $95^{\circ}C$에서 급격히 감소하였다. 5.배양조건에 따른 P. nigrescens의 용혈활성을 비교한 결과 $10\%\;CO_2$배양기에 배양한 경우 혐기성 조건에서 배양한 것보다 더 높은 용혈활성을 보였다.