• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1070-1083
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• 2015

A gene (GT-SM3B) encoding a thermostable secreted oligoendopeptidase (GT-SM3B) was cloned from the thermophile Geobacillus thermoleovorans DSM 15325. GT-SM3B is 1,857 bp in length and encodes a single-domain protein of 618 amino acids with a 23-residue signal peptide having a calculated mass of 67.7 kDa after signal cleavage. The deduced amino acid sequence of GT-SM3B contains a conservative zinc metallopeptidase motif (His⁴⁰⁰-Glu⁴⁰¹-X-XHis⁴⁰⁴). The described oligopeptidase belongs to the M3B subfamily of metallopeptidases and displays the highest amino acid sequence identity (40.3%) to the oligopeptidase PepF_Ba from mesophilic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 23-7A among the characterized oligopeptidases. Secretory production of GT-SM3B was used, exploiting successful oligopeptidase signal peptide recognition by Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant enzyme was purified from the culture fluid. Homodimerization of GT-SM3B was determined by SDS-PAGE. Both the homodimer and monomer were catalytically active within a pH range of 5.0–8.0, at pH 7.3 and 40℃, showing the K_m, V_max, and k_cat values for carbobenzoxy-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly-Pro-Ala-OH peptidolysis to be 2.17 ± 0.04 × 10^-6 M, 2.65 ± 0.03 × 10^-3 µM/min, and 5.99 ± 0.07 s^-1, respectively. Peptidase remained stable at a broad pH range of 5.0–8.0. GT-SM3B was thermoactive, demonstrating 84% and 64% of maximum activity at 50℃ and 60℃, respectively. The recombinant oligopeptidase is one of the most thermostable M3B peptidase, retaining 71% residual activity after incubation at 60℃ for 1 h. GT-SM3B was shown to hydrolyze a collagenous peptide mixture derived from various types of collagen, but less preferentially than synthetic hexapeptide. This study is the first report on an extracellular thermostable metallo-oligopeptidase.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.226-232
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of atrovasatatin on the pharmacokinetics of nicardipine after oral and intravenous administration of nicardipine to rats. Nicardipine was administered orally (12 mg/kg) or intravenously (i.v., 4 mg/kg) without or with oral administration of atrovasatatin (0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg) to rats. The effect of atorvastatin on the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) as well as CYP3A4 activity was also evaluated. Atorvastatin inhibited CYP3A4 enzyme activity in a concentration-dependent manner with 50% inhibition concentration ($IC_{50}$) of 48 ${\mu}M$. Compared to the controls (nicardipine alone), the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of nicardipine was significantly (1.0 mg/kg, p<0.05) greater by 16.8-45.4%, and the peak plasma concentration ($C_{max}$) was significantly (1.0 mg/kg, p<0.05) higher by 28.0% after oral administration of nicardipine with atorvastatin, respectively. Consequently, the relative bioavailability (R.B.) of nicardipine was increased by 1.17- to 1.45-fold and the absolute bioavailability (A.B.) of nicardipine with atrovasatatin was significantly greater by 16.7-20.9% compared to that of the controls (14.3%). Compared to the i.v. control, atrovasatatin did not significantly change pharmacokinetic parameters of i.v. administration nicardipine. The enhanced oral bioavailability of nicardipine by atorvastatin suggests that CYP3A subfamily-mediated metabolism were inhibited in the intestine and/or in the liver rather than P-gp-mediated efflux of nicardipine. Based on these results, modification of nicardipine of dosage regimen is required in the patients. Human studies are required to prove the above hypothesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1880-1893
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• 2015

In this study, Pseudomonas R0-14, which was isolated from Arctic soil samples, showed a clear halo when grown on M9 medium agarose plates containing olive oil-rhodamine B as substrate, suggesting that it expressed putative lipase(s). A putative lipase gene, lipR, was cloned from R0-14 by genome walking and Touchdown PCR. lipR encodes a 562-amino-acid polypeptide showing a typical α/β hydrolase structure with a catalytic triad consisting of Ser₁₅₃-Asp₂₀₂-His₂₆₀ and one α-helical lid (residues 103-113). A phylogenetic analysis revealed that LipR belongs to the lipase subfamily I.3. LipR was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and biochemically characterized. Recombinant LipR exhibited its maximum activity towards p-nitrophenyl butyrate at pH 8.5 and 60℃ with a K_m of 0.37 mM and a k_cat of 6.42 s^-1. It retained over 90% of its original activity after incubation at 50℃ for 12 h. In addition, LipR was activated by Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺, and Sr²⁺, while strongly inhibited by Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Moreover, it showed a certain tolerance to organic solvents, including acetonitrile, isopropanol, acetone, methanol, and tert-butanol. When algal oil was hydrolyzed by LipR for 24 h, there was an enrichment of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (1.22%, 1.65-fold), docosapentaenoic acid (21.24%, 2.04-fold), and docosahexaenoic acid (36.98%, 1.33-fold), and even a certain amount of diacylglycerols was also produced. As a result, LipR has great prospect in industrial applications, especially in food and/or cosmetics applications.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.291-296
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• 2010

This study was to investigate the effect of baicalein, an antioxidant, on the bioavailability of nicardipine after orally or intravenously administered nicardipine in rats. Nicardipine was administered orally (12 mg/kg) or intravenously (4 mg/kg) with or without orally administered baicalein (0.4, 2 or 10 mg/kg) to rats. In the inhibitory effect of baicalein on CYP3A4 activity, baicalein inhibited CYP3A4 activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 9.2 ${\mu}M$. The cell-based P-gp activity test using rhodamine-123 also showed that baicalein (30-10 ${\mu}M$, p<0.01) significantly inhibited P-gp activity. Compared with the control group (given nicardipine alone), the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) was significantly (2 mg/kg, P<0.05; 10 mg/kg, P<0.01) increased by 25.9-60.0%, and the peak concentration ($C_{max}$) was significantly (10 mg/kg, P<0.01) increased by 40.0% in the presence of baicalein after orally administration of nicardipine. Consequently, the relative bioavailability (R.B.) of nicardipine was increased by 1.26- to 1.60-fold and the absolute bioavailability (A.B.) was significantly (2 mg/kg, P<0.05; 10 mg/kg, P<0.01) increased by 26.0-59.9%. Compared to the i.v. control, baicalein did not significantly change pharmacokinetic parameters of nicardipine in i.v. administration. Accordingly, the enhanced oral bioavailability of nicardipine might be mainly due to increased intestinal absorption caused by P-gp inhibition rather than to reduced elimination of nicardipine by baicalein. The increase in the oral bioavailability might be mainly attributed to enhanced absorption in the small intestine via the inhibition of P-gp and reduced first-pass metabolism of nicardipine via the inhibition of the CYP3A subfamily in the small intestine and/or in the liver by baicalein. Based on these results, nicardipine dosage should be adjusted when given concomitantly with baicalein.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.279-282
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• 2003

To investigate the effect of fluoxetine, one of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), on the immune system, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were treated with fluoxetine $(10^{-7}\;M)$ for 24 h, and immune-related genes were analyzed by cDNA microarray. Expression of the immunerelated genes such as CD107b (LAMP-2), CD47 receptor (thrombospondin receptor), CD5 antigen-like (scavenger receptor cysteine rich family), copine III (CPNE3), interleukin (IL)-18 (interferon-gammainducing factor), integrin alpha 4 (CD49d), integrin alpha L subunit (CD11a), IL-3 receptor alpha subunit, L apoferritin, and small inducible cytokine subfamily A (Cys-Cys) member 13 (SCYA13) was induced by fluoxetine. This result suggests that fluoxetine may affect the immune system, and provides fundamental data for the involvement of SSRIs on immunoregulation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2015

Chalcones (1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones), a subfamily of flavonoid, are widely known to possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-(thio3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl phen-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (TI-I-175), a synthetic chalcone derivative, on endotoxin-induced expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), one of the key chemokines that regulates migration and infiltration of immune cells, and its potential mechanisms. TI-I-175 potently inhibited MCP-1 mRNA expression stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages without significant effect on cell viability. Treatment of cells with TI-I-175 markedly prevented LPS-induced transcriptional activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) as measured by luciferase reporter assay, while nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) activity was not inhibited by TI-I-175, implying that TI-I-175 suppressed MCP-1 expression probably via regulation of AP-1. In addition, TI-I-175 treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced Akt phosphorylation and led to a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by LPS, which act as up-stream signaling events required for AP-1 activation in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Taken together, these results indicate that TI-I-175 suppresses MCP-1 gene expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages via suppression of ROS production and Akt activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.390-399
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• 2014

Chalcones (1,3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones), a flavonoid subfamily, are widely known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Propenone moiety in chalcones is known to play an important role in generating biological responses by chalcones. In the present study, we synthesized chalcone derivatives structurally modified in propenone moiety and examined inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production and its potential mechanisms. Among the chalcone derivatives used for this study, TI-I-174 (3-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-(thiophen-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one) most potently inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitrite production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. TI-I-174 treatment also markedly inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. However, TI-I-174 did not significantly affect production of IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), implying that TI-I-174 inhibits production of inflammatory mediators in a selective manner. Treatment of macrophages with TI-I-174 significantly inhibited transcriptional activity of activator protein-1 (AP-1) as determined by luciferase reporter gene assay, whereas nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) activity was not affected by TI-I-1744. In addition, TI-I-174 significantly inhibited activation of c-Jun-N-Terminal kinase (JNK) without affecting ERK1/2 and p38MAPK, indicating that down-regulation of iNOS gene expression by TI-I-174 is mainly attributed by blockade of JNK/AP-1 activation. We also demonstrated that TI-I-174 treatment led to an increase in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression both at mRNA and protein level. Transfection of siRNA targeting HO-1 reversed TI-I-174-mediated inhibition of nitrite production. Taken together, these results indicate that TI-I-174 suppresses NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages via induction of HO-1 and blockade of AP-1 activation.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.472-482
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• 1994

Cytokines expressed specifically in leukocytes subsets and in activated cells, which are involved in chemotaxis and activation of leukocytes, are recently defined as chemokines. Macrophage inflammatory $protein-1{\alpha}(MIP-1{\alpha})$ and $MIP-1{\beta}$ are members of C-C chemokine subfamily which produces wide immunomodulatory, proinflammatory, and hematopoietic modulatory actions. We have studied their gene expression by using Northern blot analysis in various blood cells such as cytolytic T lymphocyte(CTL), helper T lymphocyte(HTL), macrophage, and B lymphocyte. Resting CTL line CTLL-R8 expressed $MIP-1{\alpha}$ mRNA which was downregulated by ConA stimulation. Both of resting and ConA stimulated HTL line Hut78 and Jurkat did not express $MIP-1{\alpha}$ mRNA. There was detectable $MIP-1{\alpha}$ transcript in HTL hybridoma 2B4.11 which was a little upstimulated by ConA stimulation. B cell line 230, and macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and WR19M.1 showed distinct $MIP-1{\alpha}$ message which were induced after LPS stimulation. Expression pattern of $MIP-1{\beta}$ in all cell lines or cell were almost identical to that of $MIP-1{\alpha}$. Also strategies employed to identify and characterize the biological functions was preceded by receptor cloning to trace the shorcut to the final goal of cytokine research. For the cloning of $MIP-1{\alpha}$ receptor(R), we used synthetic oligonucleotides of transmembrane(T) conserved sequences of already cloned human(h) IL-8-R, and performed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) amplification using murine(m) macrophage cell line mRNA. Among 5RT-PCR products, we isolated a homologous cDNA with hIL-8-R which were shown to be putative mIL-8-R cDNA.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.779-788
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• 2005

Purpose : Echinacea, a traditional plant medicine has been used as immune-stimulant. Recent studies have revealed that extract of Echinacea has immunostimulatory effects on human blood mononuclear cells. This study was designed for the purpose of screening the genes associated with immunologic effects of Echinacea on monocytes and dendritic cells using a cDNA microarray chip. Methods : $CD14^+$ monocyte cells were cultured for one day with Echinacea extract(final concentration : $50{\mu}g/mL$) in experiment 1, but were cultured without Echinacea in experiment 2. The gene expression of these cultured monocytes was analyzed using the cDNA microarray chip. Dendritic cells produced from $CD14^+$ monocyte were cultured for five days with GM-CSF and IL-4, and then cultured for one day with Echinacea in experiment 3, but were done without Echinacea in experiment 4. Results : In experiments 1 and 2, there were 17 significantly expressed genes with average expression ratios above 2.5, including interferon gamma-inducible protein 30(IFI 30), CDC(cell-division-cylcle)-like kinase 2(CLK 2), syndecan binding protein(syntenin), superoxide dismutase 2, etc. In experiments 3 and 4, there were 24 gene, with significantly expressed genes were 24 genes, which were insulin-like growth factor 2(somatomedin A), methyl-CpG binding domain protein 3, IFI 30, small inducible cytokine subfamily A, member 22, etc. The genes encoding CD44, IFI 30, mannose receptor C type 1(MRC 1), chemokine receptor 7(CCR 7), CLK 2, syntenin and cytochrome C oxidase subunit VIII were significantly expressed in both monocytes and dendritic cells cultured with Echinacea. Conclusion : This study employed a cDNA microarray chip to elicit the immune-associated gene profile; the expression was enhanced by Echinacea in CD14+ monocytes and dendritic cells. Thus we laid the basis for the quantitative and functional analysis of genes induced by Echinacea in monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.469-476
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• 2010

This study was to investigate the effect of apigenin on the bioavailability of paclitaxel after oral and intravenous administration in rats. The effect of apigenin on P-glycoprotein (P-gp), cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 activity was evaluated. The pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel were determined in rats after oral (40 mg/kg) or intravenous (5 mg/kg) administration of paclitaxel with apigenin (0.4, 2 and 8 mg/kg) to rats. Apigenin inhibited CYP3A4 activity with 50% inhibition concentration ($IC_{50}$) of 1.8 ${\mu}M$. In addition, apigenin significantly inhibited P-gp activity. Compared to the control group, apigenin significantly increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC, p<0.05 by 2 mg/kg, 59.0% higher; p<0.01 by 8 mg/kg, 87% higher) of oral paclitaxel. Apigenin also significantly (p<0.05 by 2 mg/kg, 37.2% higher; p<0.01 by 8 mg/kg, 59.3% higher) increased the peak plasma concentration ($C_{max}$) of oral paclitaxel. Apigenin significantly increased the terminal half-life ($t_{1/2}$, p<0.05 by 8 mg/kg, 34.5%) of oral paclitaxel. Consequently, the absolute bioavailability (A.B.) of paclitaxel was significantly (p<0.05 by 2 mg/kg, p<0.01 by 8 mg/kg) increased by apigenin compared to that in the control group, and the relative bioavailability (R.B.) of oral paclitaxel was increased by 1.14- to 1.87-fold. The pharmacokinetics of intravenous paclitaxel were not affected by the concurrent use of apigenin in contrast to the oral administration of paclitaxel. Accordingly, the enhanced oral bioavailability by apigenin may be mainly due to increased intestinal absorption caused via P-gp inhibition by apigenin rather than to reduced renal and hepatic elimination of paclitaxel. The increase in the oral bioavailability might be mainly attributed to enhanced absorption in the gastrointestinal tract via the inhibition of P-gp and reduced first-pass metabolism of paclitaxel via the inhibition of the CYP3A subfamily in the small intestine and/or in the liver by apigenin. It appears that the development of oral paclitaxel preparations as a combination therapy is possible, which will be more convenient than the i.v. dosage form.