• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Yeast based estrogenicity assay is the simplest and useful for the assay and the discovery of novel estrogenic substances in natural specimens, The estrogen receptor(ER) modulation activity of 50% EtOH extracts of 101 traditional medicinal herbs was assessed using a recombinant yeast assay system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a receptor plasmid. Among them, 14 species proved to be active. Pureariae Flos (flower of Puerraria thunbergiana BENTH.) had the highest estrogenic relative potency$(7.75{\times}10^{-3})$ $(EC_{50}=9.39\;{\mu}g/ml)$. The $EC_{50}$ value of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ used as the positive control was $0.073\;{\mu}g/ml)$ (Relative Potency=1.00). There results demonstrated that some of the traditional medical herb may be useful in the therapy of estrogen replacement.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.338-344
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• 2012

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 62 herbal medicines from China and Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 5 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $5{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, herbal medicines Albizia odoratissima (twigs and leaves), Rhododendron spinuliferum (twigs and leaves), Dioscorea cirrhosa (stems and leaves), Illicium verum (stems and leaves) and Aglaia perviridis (stems and leaves), showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 16-26 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=76.47{\mu}g/ml$).

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1999

This study was conducted to screen antitumoral activity by in vitro bioassay method using 60 Korean medicinal and food plants extracted by 80% EtOH. Antitumor activity test was applied by the PKC(protein kinase C) and antibleb formation, PLC (Phospholipase C), and colorimetric tetrazolium assay (MTT assay) methods. Chenopodjum album and black Glycine max showed high antitumoral activity by 73.5% and 81.0%, respectively, against PKC by bleb-forming assay and PKC enzyme assay on human chronic leukemia K562 cell. Black Glycine max also showed 91.2% antitumoral activity in the PLC method and the lowest $IC_{50}$ $value(4.7{\mu}g/ml)$ by MTT method against P-338 cell line. In the effect of the concentration treatment on antitumoral test, the more concentration indicated the more activity value.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.45-45
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• 2003

We isolated a novel ankyrin-repeat containing protein, rSIAP (rSlo Interacting Ankyrin-repeat Protein), as an interacting protein to the cytosolic domain of the alpha-subunit of rat large-conductance Ca$\^$2+/-activated K$\^$+/ channel (rSlo) by yeast two-hybrid screening. Affinity pull-down assay showed the direct and specific interaction between rSIAP and rSlo domain. The channel-binding proteins can be classified into several categories according to their functional effects on the channel proteins, i.e. signaling adaptors, scaffolding net, molecular tuners, molecular chaperones, etc. To obtain initial clues on its functional roles, we investigated the cellular localization of rSIAP using immunofluorescent staining. The results showed the possible co-localization of rSlo and rSIAP protein near the plasma membrane, when co-expressed in CHO cells. We then investigated the functional effects of rSIAP on the rSlo channel using electrophysiological means. The co-expression of rSIAP accelerated the activation of rSlo channel. These effects were initiated at the micromolar [Ca$\^$2+/]$\_$i/ and gradually increased as [Ca$\^$2+/]$\_$i/ raised. Interestingly, rSIAP decreased the inactivation kinetics of rSlo channel at micromolar [Ca$\^$2+/]$\_$i/, while the rate was accelerated at sub-micromolar [Ca$\^$2+/]$\_$i/. These results suggest that rSIAP may modulate the activity of native BK$\_$Ca/ channel by altering its gating kinetics depending on [Ca$\^$2+/]$\_$i/. To localize critical regions involved in protein-protein interaction between rSlo and rSIAP, a series of sub-domain constructs were generated. We are currently investigating sub-domain interaction using both of yeast two-hybrid method and in vitro binding assay.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.125-130
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• 2013

Influenza viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans through epidemics or pandemics. Currently, two classes of anti-influenza virus drugs, M2 ion-channel inhibitors (amantadin and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir), have been used for the treatment of the influenza virus infection. Since the resistance to these drugs has been reported, the development of a new antiviral agent is necessary. In this study, we examined the antiviral efficacy of the plant extracts against the influenza A/PR/8/34 infection. In vitro, the antiviral activities of the plant extracts were investigated using the cell-based screening. Three plant extracts, Thuja orientalis, Aster spathulifolius, and Pinus thunbergii, were shown to induce a high cell viability rate after the infection with the influenza A/PR/8/34 virus. The antiviral activity of the plant extracts also increased as a function of the concentration of the extracts and these extracts significantly reduced the visible cytopathic effect caused by virus infections. Furthermore, the treatment with T. orientalis was shown to have a stronger inhibitory effect than that with A. spathulifolius or P. thunbergii. These results may suggest that T. orientalis has anti-influenza A/PR/8/34 activity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 1996

Primary culture of cerebellar neuronal cells derived from 8-day old Long-Evans rats was used. Pure granule cells, astrocytes or mixed cells culture systems were prepared. These cells were differentiated and developed synaptic connections. And the astrocytes were identified by immunostaining with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Methamphetamine (MAP), which acts on dopaminergic system and cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal, were applied and biochemical assays and electrophysiological studies were performed. $LC_50$ values estimated by MTT assay of MAP and Cd were 3 mM and 2$\mu M$ respectively. Cells were treated with 1 mM or 2 mM MAP and 1$\mu M$ $CdCl_2$ for 48 hour, and the incubation media were analyzed for the content of released LDH. MAP (2 mM) and Cd significantly increased the LDH release. Cell viability was decreased in both groups and some cytopathological changes like cell swelling or vacuolization were seen. The cerebellar granule cells were used for measuring membrane currents using whole-cell clamp technique. Sodium and potassium currents were not affected by MAP neither Cd, but calcium current was significantly reduced by Cd but not affected by MAP. Therefore, in vitro neurotoxicity test system using neuronaI cells and astrocytes cultures were established and can be used in screening of potential neurotoxic chemicals.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 2009

Enhanced formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated as a major pathogenesis process leading to diabetic complications, normal aging, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In our ongoing project to discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, we have investigated on the inhibitory activity of 67 ethanol extracts from 57 Korean herbal medicines against the formation of AGEs in vitro. Of these, 22 extracts were found to have a significant AGEs inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, 6 extracts from 3 herbal medicines, Castanea crenata (flower, leaf, bark-twig), Acer tatarium subsp. ginnala (fruit) and Sapium japonicum (leaf, twig) showed (approximately 8-17 fold) stronger inhibitory activity than that of aminoguanidine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.705-709
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• 1998

In the course of screening for the substances suppressing bleb formation of K562 cell induced by phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), an inhibitor, chaetoglobosin A (CgA) was isolated from a cultured broth of unidentified fungus. CgA showed a strong inhibitory activity with the $IC_{50}$ value of 60 pM against bleb formation on K562 cells induced by PDBu, but it did not inhibit the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro. The inhibitory activity of CgA might be due to the modulation of actin filaments on the cell membrane. CgA exhibited strong cytotoxicity against various human cancer cell lines.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.797-805
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• 1999

T sergenti cDNA library were constructed to get a more broad information about the structural, functional or antigenic properties of the proteins, and analyzes for their partial cDNA sequences and expression sequences tags(ESTg). The mRNA were purified from T sergenti isolates to identify the information of antigen gene, then first and second strand cDNA was synthesized. EcoR I adaptor ligation and Xho I enzyme restriction were used to the synthesized cDNA, and ligated into a Uni-ZAP XR vector. T sergenti cDNA library was constructed with packaging and amplification in vitro. Antibody screening was performed with constructed T sergenti cDNA library using antisera against T sergenti. Among those clones, eight phagemids were rescued from the recombinant in vivo excision with f1 helper phage. Using the analysis of endonuclease restriction and PCR, the recombinant cDNA were proved having a 0.5-3.0kb of inserts. The eight of partial cDNA clones' sequences were obtained and examined for their homology using BLASTN and BLASTX. The eight of sequenced clones were classified into three groups according to the basis of database searches. A total 3,045bp of partial cDNA sequence were determined from six clones. The putatively identified clones contain a cytochrome c gene, a heat shock protein gene, a cyclophilin gene, and a ribosomal protein gene. The unidentified clones have a homology to ATP-binding protein(mtrA) gene of S argillaceus, DNA-binding protein(DBP) gene of Pseudorabies virus 85kDa merozoite protein gene of B bovis, mRNA spm1 protein of T annulata and glycine-rich RNA-binding protein mRNA of O sativa etc.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.92-103
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• 2021

Lactobacillus casei, one of the most widely used probiotics, has been reported to alleviate multiple diseases. However, the effects of this species on intestinal diseases are strain-specific. Here, we aimed to screen L. casei strains with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-alleviating effects based on in vitro physiological characteristics. Therefore, the physiological characteristics of 29 L. casei strains were determined, including gastrointestinal transit tolerance, oligosaccharide fermentation, HT-29 cell adhesion, generation time, exopolysaccharide production, acetic acid production, and conjugated linoleic acid synthesis. The effects of five candidate strains on mice with induced colitis were also evaluated. The results showed that among all tested L. casei strains, only Lactobacillus casei M2S01 effectively relieved colitis. This strain recovered body weight, restored disease activity index score, and promoted anti-inflammatory cytokine expression. Gut microbiota sequencing showed that L. casei M2S01 restored a healthy gut microbiome composition. The western blotting showed that the alleviating effects of L. casei M2S01 on IBD were related to the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. A good gastrointestinal tolerance ability may be one of the prerequisites for the IBD-alleviating effects of L. casei. Our results verified the efficacy of L. casei in alleviating IBD and lay the foundation for the rapid screening of L. casei strain with IBD-alleviating effects.