• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2005

In this study, we attempted to determine the effects of iron-availability and the activity of the bacterial iron-uptake system (IUS) on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in human peritoneal dialysate (HPD) solution. A streptonigrin-resistant S. aureus (SRSA) strain, isolated from S. aureus ATCC 6538, exhibited defective siderophore production, thereby resulting in ineffective uptake of iron from low iron-saturated transferrin. The growth of both strains was stimulated in HPD solution supplemented with FeCl_3 and holotransferrin, but growth was inhibited in HPD solution which had been supplemented with apotransferrin and dipyridyl. The SRSA strain grew less robustly than did its parental strain in both iron-supplemented HPD solution and regular HPD solution. These results indicate that iron-availability and siderophore-mediated IUS activity in particular, the ability to produce siderophores and thus capture iron from low iron-saturated transferrin play critical roles in the growth of S. aureus in HPD solution. Our results also indicated that the possibility of using iron chelators as therapeutic or preventive agents warrants further evaluation.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.352-357
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• 2004

Human ferritin H- and L-chain genes (hfH and hfL) were cloned into the yeast shuttle vector YEp352 containing the GAL1 (galactokinase) and GAL10 (epimerase) divergent promoters and the vectors constructed were used to transform Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2805. SDS-PAGE displayed expression of the introduced hfH and hfL in both recombinant strains of Y1H10L and Y1L10H. The ferritin subunits, that represented ca. $22\%$ and $15\%$ of the soluble proteins in Y1H10L and Y1L10H, were spontaneously assembled into active ferritin heteropolymers. The H subunit content of the purified recombinant human ferritin heteropolymers was proven to reflect the relative expression yield of the subunits. When the cells of 2d culture were incubated with 14.3 mM Fe(2), the cellular iron concentration of Y1H10L and Y1L10H was 1.7 and 2.0 times, respectively, that of the control strain. It is assumed that increase in the iron uptake of the recombinant yeasts is closely related to ferritin expression and H subunit content.

• Mycobiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2014

The iron uptake and utilization pathways play a critical role in allowing human pathogens, including Cryptococcus neoformans, the causative agent of fatal meningoencephalitis, to survive within the mammalian body by competing with the host for iron. Here we show that the iron regulon is also required for diverse environmental stress responses and that in C. neoformans, it is regulated by the high-osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathway. Between CFO1 and CFO2, two ferroxidase genes in the iron regulon, CFO1 but not CFO2 was induced during oxidative and osmotic stress. Interestingly, we found that the HOG pathway repressed basal expression of both CFO1 and CFO2. Furthermore, when the HOG pathway was blocked, CFO2 also responded to oxidative and osmotic stress and the response of CFO1 was increased. We also established that CFO1 plays a major role in responding and adapting to diverse environmental stresses, including oxidative and genotoxic damage, osmotic fluctuations, heavy metal stress, and stress induced by cell membrane destabilizers. Therefore, our findings indicate that in C. neoformans, the iron uptake and utilization pathways are not only required for iron acquisition and survival, but also play a significant role in the environmental stress response through crosstalk with the HOG pathway.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.245-245
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• 2002

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2005

Staphylococcus aureus is known to be capable of utilizing transferrin-bound iron, via both siderophore­and transferrin-binding protein (named IsdA)-mediated iron-acquisition systems. This study was designed in order to determine which iron-acquisition system plays the essential or dominant role with respect to the acquisition of iron from human transfenin, in the growth of S. aureus. Holotransferrin (HT) and partially iron-saturated transferrin (PT), but not apotransferrin (AT), were found to stimulate the growth of S. aureus. S. aureus consumed most of the transferrin-bound iron during the exponential growth phase. Extracellular proteases were not, however, involved in the liberation of iron from transferrin. Transferrin-binding to the washed whole cells via IsdA was not observed during the culture. The expression of IsdA was observed only in the deferrated media with AT, but not in the media supplemented with PT or HT. In contrast, siderophores were definitely produced in the deferrated media with PT and HT, as well as in the media supplemented with AT. The siderophores proved to have the ability to remove iron directly from transferrin, but the washed whole cells expressing IsdA did not. In the bioassay, the growth of S. aureus on transferrin-bound iron was stimulated by the siderophores alone. These results demonstrate that the siderophore-mediated iron-acquisition system plays a dominant and essential role in the uptake of iron from transferrin, whereas the IsdA-mediated iron-acquisition system may play only an ancillary role in the uptake of iron from transferrin.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2012

Purpose : To determine the optimal combination of commercially available superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles with transfection agents (TA). Materials and Methods: Protamine sulfate (Pro) and poly-L-lysin (PLL) were incubated with ferumoxide and ferucarbotran in human mesenchymal stem cells at various concentrations, and cellular viability were evaluated. Cellular iron uptake was qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. Cell visibility was assessed via MR imaging and the T2-relaxation time was calculated. Results: The cellular viabilities with ferucarbotran were more significantly decreased than those with ferumoxide (p < 0.05). Iron uptake with ferumoxide was significantly higher than that for those with with ferucarbotran. The T2-relaxation time was observed to be shorter with ferumoxide in comparison to those with ferucarbotran (p < 0.05). Ferumoxide at a concentration of 25 ${\mu}g$/ml in combination with either Pro or PLL at a concentration of 3.0 ${\mu}g$/ml did not adversely impact cell viability, maximized iron uptake, and exhibited a lower T2-relaxation time in comparison to other combinations. Conclusion: Stem cells with ferumoxide exhibited a higher cellular viability and iron uptake in comparison to ferucarbotran-treated stem cells. A 25 ${\mu}g$/ml of ferumoxide with a 3.0 ${\mu}g$/ml of TA is sufficient to label mesenchymal stem cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1142-1148
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• 2020

Mitochondria play a vital role in iron uptake and metabolism in pathogenic fungi, and also influence virulence and drug tolerance. However, the regulation of iron transport within the mitochondria of Cryptococcus neoformans, a causative agent of fungal meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals, remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized Mrs3/4, a homolog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial iron transporter, in C. neoformans var. grubii. A strain expressing an Mrs3/4-GFP fusion protein was generated, and the mitochondrial localization of the fusion protein was confirmed. Moreover, a mutant lacking the MRS3/4 gene was constructed; this mutant displayed significantly reduced mitochondrial iron and cellular heme accumulation. In addition, impaired mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster metabolism and altered expression of genes required for iron uptake at the plasma membrane were observed in the mrs3/4 mutant, suggesting that Mrs3/4 is involved in iron import and metabolism in the mitochondria of C. neoformans. Using a murine model of cryptococcosis, we demonstrated that an mrs3/4 mutant is defective in survival and virulence. Taken together, our study suggests that Mrs3/4 is responsible for iron import in mitochondria and reveals a link between mitochondrial iron metabolism and the virulence of C. neoformans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.507-513
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• 2012

This research was performed to evaluate the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles'(SPIONs) cell toxicity and to measure the radiation cell survival curve changes of SPIONs-uptake glioblastoma multiforme cells. The results could be practically used as the fundamental data to ameliorate proton beam cancer therapy, for example, providing necessary GBM treatment dose in the proton beam therapy when the therapy takes advantage of SPIONs. The assessment of the toxicological evaluation of synthesized SPIONs was accomplished by MTT assay as an in vitro experiment. The results showed no meaningful differences in the cell survival rate at the $1-100{\mu}g/ml$ SPIONs concentrations, but the cell toxicity was shown as the cell survival rate decreased up to 74.2% at the $200{\mu}g/ml$ SPIONs concentration. Then, we measured each radiation cell survival curve for U373MG cells and SPIONs-uptake U373MG cells with 0~5 Gy of proton beam irradiations. It is learned from the analysis of the experimental results that the SPION-uptake cells' radiation survival rate was more rapidly decreased as the irradiation dose increased. In conclusion we confirmed that SPIONs-uptake in U373MG cells induces cell death at the much less dose than the lethal dose of SPION-non-uptake cell. This research shows that the therapeutic efficacy of glioblastoma multiforme treatment in proton beam therapy can be improved by SPIONs targeting to the GBM cells.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.117.2-117.2
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• 2003

The mechanism by which lead enters glial cells was examined. The uptake of lead reached saturation when assays were performed in buffers at pH 5.5 and 7.4. The Vmax and Km was 2.7 pmoles/mg protein/min and 13.4 M in the buffer at pH 7.4, respectively, whereas the Vmax and Km was 329 fmoles/mg and 8.2 M in the buffer at pH 5.5, respectively. Uptake in a buffer at pH 5.5 but not at pH 7.4 was inhibited by iron. Cells treated with the iron chelator desferoxamine displayed higher levels of the divalent metal transporter mRNA and protein. (omitted)

• Journal of Sport and Applied Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 2022

New insights into the aetiology of anaemia in athletes have been discovered in recent years. From hemodilution and redistribution, which are thought to commit to so-called "sports anaemia," to iron deficiency triggered by higher requirements, dietary requirements, decreased uptake, enhanced losses, hemolysis, and sequester, to genetic factors of different types of anaemia (some related to sport), anaemia in athletes necessitates a careful and multisystem methodology. Dietary factors that hinder iron absorption and enhance iron bioavailability (e.g., phytate, polyphenols) should be considered. Celiac disease, which is more common in female athletes, may be the consequence of an iron deficiency anaemia that is unidentified. Sweating, hematuria, gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammation, and intravascular and extravascular hemolysis are all ways iron is lost during strength training. In training, evaluating the iron status, particularly in athletes at risk of iron deficiency, may work on improving iron balance and possibly effectiveness. Iron status is influenced by a healthy gut microbiome. To eliminate hemolysis, athletes at risk of iron deficiency should engage in non-weight-bearing, low-intensity sporting activities.