• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.86-90
• /
• 2000

We have earlier reported on the cloning and identification of bft-k from an enterotoxigenic strain of Bacteroides fragilis 419, which was isolated from the blood of a Korean patient who suffered from systemic infections [4,5]. The bft-k gene encodes a 397-amino-acids metalloprotease enterotoxin, and the protein has been identified as a new isoform of B. fragilis enterotoxins (BFTs), which are cytopathic to intestinal epithelial cells to induce fluid secretion and tissue damage in ligated intestinal loops [4, 6, 18, 20]. This report describes the cloning and sequencing of the enterotoxin pahogenicity islet of B. fragilis 419 which contains the bft-k gene. the cloned enterotoxin pathogenicity islet was found to have 6,045 bp in length and to contain 120bp direct repeats near its end. In the pathogenicity islet, in addition to the BFR-K, two putative open reading frames (ORFs) were identified; (1) the t-3 gene encoding a 396-amino-acids protein of a putative metalloprotease; (2) the third gene encoding an ORF of a 59-amino-acids protein, whose function has not yet beenn characterized. The expression of the t-3 gene in B. fragilis 419 was verified by western blot analysis.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.358-366
• /
• 2016

The digestive system is gaining interest as a major regulator of various functions including immune defense, nutrient accumulation, and regulation of feeding behavior, aside from its conventional function as a digestive organ. The Drosophila midgut epithelium is completely renewed every 1-2 weeks due to differentiation of pluripotent intestinal stem cells in the midgut. Intestinal stem cells constantly divide and differentiate into enterocytes that secrete digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients, or enteroendocrine cells that secrete regulatory peptides. Regulatory peptides have important roles in development and metabolism, but study has mainly focused on expression and functions in the nervous system, and not much is known about the roles in endocrine functions of enteroendocrine cells. We systemically examined the expression of 45 regulatory peptide genes in the Drosophila midgut, and verified that at least 10 genes are expressed in the midgut enteroendocrine cells through RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, antisera, and 25 regulatory peptide-GAL transgenes. The Drosophila midgut is highly compartmentalized, and individual peptides in enteroendocrine cells were observed to express in specific regions of the midgut. We also confirmed that some peptides expressed in the same region of the midgut are expressed in mutually exclusive enteroendocrine cells. These results indicate that the midgut enteroendocrine cells are functionally differentiated into different subgroups. Through this study, we have established a basis to study regulatory peptide functions in enteroendocrine cells as well as the complex organization of enteroendocrine cells in the Drosophila midgut.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.253-257
• /
• 2022

A 5-year-old castrated male Golden Retriever dog weighing 15 kg presented with evidence of intestinal intussusception. The patient had cachexia and severe dehydration before being referred to our department. Ultrasound imaging revealed a target sign indicative of intestinal intussusception. Emergency surgery was performed shortly after diagnosis. After a successful surgery, the patient was hospitalised for postoperative care. Initial treatment was aimed at the reversion of dehydration and the provision of adequate nutrition. Fluid therapy and central parenteral nutrition were administered via the peripheral and central venous catheters, respectively. Ten days postoperatively, swelling and edema were observed in the head and neck. Ultrasound and computed tomography confirmed complete blockage of the cranial vena cava due to thrombosis, which consequently obstructed both the left and right jugular veins. For treatment, dalteparin and tissue plasminogen activator were administered. However, the patient lost all of its vital function on the daybreak of postoperative day 11. Venous thrombus formation secondary to central parenteral nutrition application via the central line is a rare but possible complication. Veterinarians who are concerned about taking care of patients receiving CPN through the central line should keep the possibility of venous thrombus formation in mind.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.1328-1339
• /
• 2024

Cadmium (Cd) is a prevalent environmental contaminant that poses a potential hazard to the health of both humans and animals. In this study, biosynthesized selenium-enriched Lactobacillus plantarum and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were developed and evaluated for their protective effects against Cd-induced hepatic injury in mice through oral administration for 4 weeks. Cadmium exposure resulted in severe impairment of liver function, as evidenced by increased levels of serum markers of liver injury and, oxidative stress and significant damage to liver tissue, and a notable decrease in the diversity of the intestinal microbiota. Oral administration of Se-enriched L. plantarum (LS) reduced cadmium accumulation in the liver by 49.5% and, restored other cadmium-induced damage markers to normal levels. A comparison of the effects with those of L. plantarum (L) and SeNPs isolated from LS revealed that LS could more effectively alleviate hepatic oxidative stress and reduce the intrahepatic inflammatory responses of the liver, further protecting against cadmium-induced liver injury. These findings suggest that the development of LS may be effective at protecting the liver and intestinal tract from cadmium-induced damage.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.64 no.6
• /
• pp.1144-1172
• /
• 2022

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolate HJL777 is a virulent bacterial strain in pigs. The high rate of salmonella infection are at high risk of non-typhoidal salmonella gastroenteritis development. Salmonellosis is most common in young pigs. We investigated changes in gut microbiota and biological function in piglets infected with salmonella via analysis of rectal fecal metagenome and intestinal transcriptome using 16S rRNA and RNA sequencing. We identified a decrease in Bacteroides and increase in harmful bacteria such as Spirochaetes and Proteobacteria by microbial community analysis. We predicted that reduction of Bacteroides by salmonella infection causes proliferation of salmonella and harmful bacteria that can cause an intestinal inflammatory response. Functional profiling of microbial communities in piglets with salmonella infection showed increasing lipid metabolism associated with proliferation of harmful bacteria and inflammatory responses. Transcriptome analysis identified 31 differentially expressed genes. Using gene ontology and Innate Immune Database analysis, we identified that BGN, DCN, ZFPM2 and BPI genes were involved in extracellular and immune mechanisms, specifically salmonella adhesion to host cells and inflammatory responses during infection. We confirmed alterations in gut microbiota and biological function during salmonella infection in piglets. Our findings will help prevent disease and improve productivity in the swine industry.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.592-600
• /
• 2003

Male rats were fed a purified diet containing one of 3 experimental diets, gelatinized rice starch that was not modified physically (RC), gelatinized physically modified rice starch using ultrasonic homogenizer(RU), gelatinized physically modified rice starch using hydroshear homogenizer(RH) during 28 days. RC was used as the rice starch control. Feeding a physically modified rice starch (RU) caused an increase in liver weight and RH increased RNA and protein contents in kidney significantly although there were no differences in food intakes compared to feeding a RC diet. The wet weight of liver, kidney and heart were higher in RU. The wet weights of fecal output of the rats fed RH was greater than in rice control group. The gut transit time was longer in the rats fed RH than in the rice control group significantly. Serum GOT, GPT, total bilirubin concentration were tended to be lower and blood urea nitrogen was significantly lower in RH group. The maturation index of kidney was higher in RU than in RC. These results suggest that physically modified rice starch improved growth performance and physiological functions in organs of growing rats.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.11
• /
• pp.1253-1258
• /
• 2016

Although major advances have been achieved in our understanding and treatment of diseases in many areas of medicine, relatively few improvements have been made in the area of gastrointestinal (GI) motor function. The dried root of Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. (CP) has been used as a traditional folk medicine for improving poor GI function in East Asia, including China and Korea. In the present study, neither aqueous (CP-W) nor ethanolic (CP-E) extracts of CP showed significant toxicity, even at an oral dose of 5 g/kg to mice. The effects of CP-W and CP-E on GI motor function were investigated by measuring in vivo the gastric emptying rate (GER) and intestinal transit rate (ITR) in mice. In normal mice, the ITR was significantly increased by CP-W in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the GER was not significantly affected by any CP extracts. The ITR was significantly retarded in the mice with experimental GI motility dysfunction (i.e., peritoneal irritation by acetic acid) compared with that in normal mice. However, the retardation was significantly recovered by the pre-treatment of CP-W in a dose-dependent manner. The above results suggest that CP-W might be a potential prokinetic agent preventing or alleviating GI motility dysfunctions in human patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 1999

The vocal fold has three major function-phonation, respiration and protection, and is richly innervated. The vocal 1314 its autonomic innervation-adrenergic and cholinergic from superior cervical ganglion and the vagus nerve, respectively. The action of both system account for vasoregulation and glandular activity. In e vocal fold several kin of neuropeptides, including SP, CGRP, VIP, TH, NPY, ENK have been reported at the animal including cat or dog. But information regarding the distribution of autonomic nerve fibers containing neuropeptides in the human vocal fold is lacking. Two neuropeptides are of special interest : 1) vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP)that is known to be contained in the parasympathetic(cholinergic) neuron. 2) tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)is located in the cytoplasm of noradrenergic neuron and is the rate-limiting enzyme in noradrenaline synthesis. To understand specific autonomic function of vocal fold we did immunohistochemical examination of VIP and TH in the human vocal fold.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.605-614
• /
• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of stale maize on growth performance, immunity, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant capacity in broilers. Methods: A total of 800 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers (45.4±0.5 g) were blocked based on body weight, and then allocated randomly to 2 treatments with 20 cages per treatment and 20 broilers per cage in this 6-week experiment. Dietary treatments included a basal diet and diets with 100% of control maize replaced by stale maize. Results: The content of fat acidity value was higher (p<0.05) while the starch, activities of catalase and peroxidase were lower (p<0.05) than the control maize. Feeding stale maize diets reduced (p<0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) throughout the experiment, feed conversion ratio (FCR) during d 0 to 21 and the whole experiment as well as relative weight of liver, spleen, bursa of Fabricius and thymus (p<0.05) on d 21. Feeding stale maize diets decreased jejunum villus height (VH) and VH/crypt depth (CD) (p<0.05) on d 21 and 42 as well as ileum VH/CD on d 42. The levels of immunoglobulin G, acid α-naphthylacetate esterase positive ratios and lymphocyte proliferation on d 21 and 42 as well as lysozyme activity and avian influenza antibody H₅N₁ titer on d 21 decreased (p<0.05) by the stale maize. Feeding stale maize diets reduced (p<0.05) serum interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-2 on d 21 and interleukin-6 on d 21 and 42. Broilers fed stale maize diets had lower levels of (p<0.05) total antioxidative capacity on d 42, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase on d 21 and 42, but higher (p<0.05) levels of malondialdehyde on d 21 and 42. Conclusion: Feeding 100% stale maize decreased ADFI and FCR, caused adverse effects on immunity and antioxidant function and altered intestinal morphology in broilers.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.233-241
• /
• 2022

Objectives: Asthma is a chronic disease, and the demand for herbal medicines in this field has increased in recent years. The new findings highlight the role of the gut-lung axis in the pathophysiology of asthma. Hence, this study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Glasthma syrup, an herbal formula based on Persian medicine, in improving asthma and regulating intestinal permeability. The formula consists of five herbal ingredients that have anti-inflammatory effects on the respiratory tract, also known as gut tonics. Methods: The study will be conducted as a placebo-controlled, triple-blind, randomized trial. It will consist of a 4-week intervention followed by a 4-week follow-up period. The target sample size is 20 patients with moderate asthma aged 18 to 60 years. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group in equal numbers. Patients in the experimental group will take Glasthma syrup (7.5 mL, twice a day), while patients in the control group will take a matching placebo. Both groups will receive a 4-week combination of a long-acting beta2 agonist and a leukotriene modulator as standard of care. Inhaled corticosteroids can be used as rescue medication as needed. Results: The primary outcomes are asthma symptom scale, lung function, and intestinal permeability. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, symptom recurrence rates, and blood tests. A safety assessment will also be conducted during the trial. Conclusion: In this trial, the effects of Glasthma syrup in patients with moderate asthma will be examined. The study will also assess the effects of the formulation on the gut-lung axis by simultaneously monitoring the gut permeability index, asthma symptoms, and lung function.