• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.250-254
• /
• 2009

Contamination of microcystins, a family of heptapeptide hepatotoxins, in eutrophic water bodies is a worldwide problem. Due to their poisoning effects on animals and humans, there is a requirement to characterize and quantify all microcystins present in a sample. As microcystins are, for most part, intracellular toxins produced by some genera of cyanobacteria, lysing cyanobacterial cells to release all microcystins is considered an important step. To date, although many cell lysis methods have been used, little work has been conducted comparing the results of those different methods. In this study, various methods for cell lysis and toxin extraction from the cell lysates were investigated, including sonication, bead beating, freeze/thaw, lyophilization and lysing with TritonX-100 surfactant. It was found that lyophilization, followed by extraction with 75% methanol, was the most effective for extracting toxins from Microcystis aeruginosa cells. Another important step prior to the analysis is removing impurities and concentrating the target analyte. For these purposes, a C18 Sep-Pak solid phase extraction cartridge was used, with the percentage of the eluent methanol also evaluated. As a result, methanol percentages higher than 75% appeared to be the best eluting solvent in terms of microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) recovery efficiency for the further chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 2014

Fusarium head blight (FHB; scab) caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum is a devastating disease of wheat and barley around the world. FHB causes yield reductions and contamination of grain with trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) which are a major health concern for humans and animals. The objective of this research was to develop an easy seed or seedling inoculation assay, and to compare these assays with whole plant resistance of twenty-nine Korean winter wheat cultivars to FHB. The clip-dipping assay consists of cutting off the coleoptiles apex, dipping the coleoptiles apex in conidial suspension, covering in plastic bag for 3 days, and measuring the lengths of lesions 7 days after inoculation. There were significant cultivar differences after inoculation with F. graminearum in seedling relative to the controls. Correlation coefficients between the lesion lengths of clip-dipping inoculation and FHB Type II resistance from adult plants were significant (r=0.45; P<0.05). Results from two other seedling inoculation methods, spraying and pin-point inoculation, were not correlated with adult FHB resistance. Single linear correlation was not significant between seed germination assays (soaking and soak-dry) and FHB resistance (Type I and Type II), respectively. These results showed that clip-dipping inoculation method using F. graminearum may offer a real possibility of simple, rapid, and reliable for the early screening of FHB resistance in wheat.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.79-96
• /
• 2017

A variety of xenobiotic chemicals, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aryl- and heterocyclic amines and tobacco related nitrosamines, are ubiquitous environmental carcinogens and are required to be activated to chemically reactive metabolites by xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, including cytochrome P450 (P450 or CYP), in order to initiate cell transformation. Of various human P450 enzymes determined to date, CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1, 2A13, 2A6, 2E1, and 3A4 are reported to play critical roles in the bioactivation of these carcinogenic chemicals. In vivo studies have shown that disruption of Cyp1b1 and Cyp2a5 genes in mice resulted in suppression of tumor formation caused by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, respectively. In addition, specific inhibitors for CYP1 and 2A enzymes are able to suppress tumor formation caused by several carcinogens in experimental animals in vivo, when these inhibitors are applied before or just after the administration of carcinogens. In this review, we describe recent progress, including our own studies done during past decade, on the nature of inhibitors of human CYP1 and CYP2A enzymes that have been shown to activate carcinogenic PAHs and tobacco-related nitrosamines, respectively, in humans. The inhibitors considered here include a variety of carcinogenic and/or non-carcinogenic PAHs and acethylenic PAHs, many flavonoid derivatives, derivatives of naphthalene, phenanthrene, biphenyl, and pyrene and chemopreventive organoselenium compounds, such as benzyl selenocyanate and benzyl selenocyanate; o-XSC, 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.328-332
• /
• 2018

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed is an important dietary source of protein, oil, carbohydrate, isoflavone and other various nutrients for humans and animals. However, there are anti-nutritional factors in the raw mature soybeans. Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) protein and stachyose are the main anti-nutritional factors in soybean seed. The ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-subunit of ${\beta}$-conglycinin protein exhibit poor nutritional and food processing properties. The genetic removal of the KTI and ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-subunit proteins will improve the nutritional value of the soybean seed. The objective of this research was to develop a new soybean strain with KTI and ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-subunit protein free ($titicgy_1cgy_1$ genotype) and proper agronomic traits. A breeding population was developed from the cross of the Bl-1 and 15G1 parents. A total of 168 $F_2$ seeds from the cross of the BL-1 and 15G1 parents were obtained. The segregation ratios of 9: 3: 3: 1 ($104Ti\_Cgy_{1\_}:\;30Ti\_cgy_1cgy_1:\;21cgy_1cgy_1Ti\_:\;13titicgy_1cgy_1$) between the Ti and $Cgy_1$ genes in the $F_2$ seeds were observed (${\chi}^2=5.12$, P=0.5-0.10). Two $F_4$ plant strains with proper agronomical traits and $titicgy_1cgy_1$ genotype (free of both KTI and ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-subunit protein) were selected and harvested. 2 strains (S1 and S2) had yellow seed coats and hilum. The plant height of the S1 strain was 65 centimeters. The 100-seed weight was 29.2 g. The plant height of the S2 strain was 66 centimeters and 100-seed weight was 26.2 g. The two strains selected in this research will be used to improve the new cultivar that will be free of the KTI and ${\alpha}^{\prime}$-subunit proteins.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.63 no.2
• /
• pp.453-460
• /
• 2021

Oxytocin (OXT) and serotonin (5-HT) are essential neurotransmitters associated with the behavior of animals. Recently, we found that the plasma concentration of OXT is positively correlated with horse docility and friendliness toward humans. However, the relationships between the neurotransmitters and other temperaments such as fearfulness, dominance, and trainability are unknown. This study aimed to identify whether the plasma concentration of OXT or 5-HT is correlated with fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses. Blood samples of 34 horses were collected at the Horse Industry Complex Center of Jeonju Kijeon College. The concentration of OXT and 5-HT was measured in the plasma samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses were scored by three professors who were very familiar with the horses. One-way analysis of variance with the least significant difference post-hoc analysis was used to compare the scores for fearfulness and dominance among groups. The trainability of horses was compared using the student t-test. The 5-HT was negatively correlated with dominance, but it had no relation with fearfulness. The OXT appeared to be negatively correlated with fearfulness and dominance in horses. Furthermore, OXT was positively correlated with the trainability of horses. Additionally, 5-HT appeared to enhance trainability. In conclusion, the concentration of OXT or 5-HT in horse blood plasma can be used as a biomarker to monitor the fearfulness, dominance, or trainability of horses.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.2
• /
• pp.138-146
• /
• 2023

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite which can infect most warm-blooded animals and humans. Among the different mouse models, C57BL/6 mice are more susceptible to T. gondii infection compared to BALB/c mice, and this increased susceptibility has been attributed to various factors, including T-cell responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most prominent type of antigen-presenting cells and regulate the host immune response, including the response of T-cells. However, differences in the DC responses of these mouse strains to T. gondii infection have yet to be characterized. In this study, we cultured bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. These cells were infected with T. gondii. The activation of the BMDCs was assessed based on the expression of cell surface markers and cytokines. In the BMDCs of both mouse strains, we detected significant increases in the expression of cell surface T-cell co-stimulatory molecules (major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, CD40, CD80, and CD86) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-12p40, IL-1β, and IL-10) from 3 h post-T. gondii infection. The expression of MHC II, CD40, CD80, CD86, IFN-γ, IL-12p40, and IL-1β was significantly higher in the T. gondii-infected BMDCs obtained from the C57BL/6 mice than in those from the BALB/c mice. These findings indicate that differences in the activation status of the BMDCs in the BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice may account for their differential susceptibility to T. gondii.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.10
• /
• pp.1357-1363
• /
• 2012

Pigs may need to be exploited as xenotransplantation donors due to the shortage of human organs, tissues and cells. Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are a significant obstacle to xenotransplantation because they can infect human cells in vitro and have the potential for transmission of unexpected pathogens to humans. In this research, 101 pigs, including four commercial breeds (23 Berkshire, 13 Duroc, 22 Landrace and 14 Yorkshire pigs), one native breed (19 Korean native pigs) and one miniature breed (10 NIH miniature pigs) were used to investigate insertional variations for 11 PERV loci (three PERV-A, six PERV-B and two PERV-C). Over 60% of the pigs harbored one PERV-A (907F8) integration and five PERV-B (B3-3G, B3-7G, 742H1, 1155D9 and 465D1) integrations. However, two PERV-A loci (A1-6C and 1347C1) and one PERV-B locus (B3-7F) were absent in Duroc pigs. Moreover, two PERV-C loci (C2-6C and C4-2G) only existed in Korean native pigs and NIH miniature pigs. The results suggest that PERV insertional variations differ among pig breeds as well as among individuals within a breed. Also, the results presented here can be used for the selection of animals that do not have specific PERV integration for xenotransplantation research.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2017

Among different types of spoilage, microbial contamination can cause feed decomposition, which results in decreases in feed intake and productivity, infection, and breeding disorder. During the storage time, various microbes have a chance to inoculate with depreciation of feed and to infect the animals. We investigated bacteria that inhabit diverse feed ingredients and complete feed which have been stored for a few months. We isolated and identified 30 genera and 62 species of bacteria. Among these 62 species, 21 species were of non-pathogenic bacteria, 18 species were of pathogenic bacteria, 9 species were of opportunistic pathogens, and 14 species were of unknown bacteria. Pantoea allii and 24 species showed proteolytic enzyme activity. We also confirmed that 6 species including Pseudomonas psychrotolerans showed ${\alpha}$-amylase activity, and 29 species including Burkholderia vietnamiensis showed cellulase activity. Microbacterium testaceum and 3 species showed resistance to Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin, Gentamicin, Carbenicillin, and Erythromycin ($50{\mu}g/mL$). Using mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor L.) as a model for pathogenicity, we confirmed that 8 species including Staphylococcus xylosus had pathogenicity for mealworm larvae. Especially, Enterobacter hormaechei, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Staphylococcus hominis were reported as being pathogenic for humans. This research suggests that hygienic management of animal feed is essential because beneficial and harmful bacteria can inhabit animal feed differently during storage and distribution.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.399-410
• /
• 2020

The United Nations project the world population to reach 10 billion by the year 2057. To increase the food of the ever-increasing world population, agrochemicals are indispensable tools to the boon in agriculture production. These agrochemicals are a serious threat to the health of humans, plants, and animals. Agrochemicals are ultimately reached to the main reservoir/sink such as soil and contaminating the groundwater, disturb the soil health and in turn a serious threat to biogeochemical cycling and the entire biosphere. Among agrochemicals, quinalphosis one of the most repeatedly and widely used insecticides in the control of a wide range of pests that attack various crops. Quinalphos is shown to be primarily toxic in organisms by acetylcholinesterase enzyme action. Hydrolysis of quinalphos produces amajor metabolite 2-hydroxyquinoxaline (2-HQ), which has shown secondary toxicity in organisms. 2-HQ is reported to be mutagenic, carcinogenic, growth inhibition and induce oxidative stress in organisms. Quinoline is a heterocyclic compound and structural resemblance of 2-HQ with minor changes, but its degradation studies are enormous compared to the 2-HQ compound. Biotic factors in fate and behavior of 2-HQ in the environment are least studied. 2-HQ interactions with soil enzymes are vary from soil to soil. Based on the toxicity of 2-HQ in our stockpile we need to isolate a handful of microorganisms to treat this persistent metabolite and also other metabolites/compounds.This brief review will be significant from the point of biological and environmental safety.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.47-53
• /
• 2016

Echinostomes are intestinal trematodes that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans, in their adult stage and also parasitize numerous invertebrate and cold-blooded vertebrate hosts in their larval stages. The purpose of this study was to compare Echinostoma malayanum parasite growth, including worm recovery, body size of adult worms, eggs per worm, eggs per gram of feces, and pathological changes in the small intestine of experimental animals. In this study, 6-8-week-old male hamsters, rats, mice, and gerbils were infected with echinostome metacercariae and then sacrificed at day 60 post-infection. The small intestine and feces of each infected animal were collected and then processed for analysis. The results showed that worm recovery, eggs per worm, and eggs per gram of feces from all infected hamsters were higher compared with infected rats and mice. However, in infected gerbils, no parasites were observed in the small intestine, and there were no parasite eggs in the feces. The volume of eggs per gram of feces and eggs per worm were related to parasite size. The results of histopathological changes in the small intestine of infected groups showed abnormal villi and goblet cells, as evidenced by short villi and an increase in the number and size of goblet cells compared with the normal control group.