• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1507-1514
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• 2012

Oxidative stress leads to damage in all components of the cell, including proteins, lipids, and DNA due to imbalance between reactive oxygen species production and cellular detoxification. Phytochemicals are well-known to contain antioxidants, and their physiological role has been intensively studied. The fruit of Cornus officianalis has been used in oriental medicine and has been reported to have many functions. In this study, four different extraction techniques were applied to extract functional components from the fruit of Cornus officianalis, and the content of loganin, which is an antioxidant having DPPH radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and reducing power, was analyzed in each extract. Extraction techniques employed in this study were heat extraction by water, 70% ethanol extraction, enzyme treatment, and combination of enzyme treatment and heat extraction by water. All extracts contained 11.8-18.0 mg/g loganin and showed antioxidation function assayed by measuring DPPH radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and reducing power. Among them, heat extraction was the most effective technique, showing a maximum amount of loganin (18.0 mg/g) and antioxidative activity at 100 mg/ml concentration. Each extract showed very low cytotoxicity up to at 500 mg/ml but 10-20% cytotoxicity at 1,000 mg/ml by in vitro MTT assay.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1159-1163
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• 2009

It has been postulated that endoplasmic (ER) stress is involved in the development of several diseases. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms have not been fully understood. Therefore, we characterized a genetic network of genes induced by ER stress using cDNA microarray and gene set expression coherence analysis (GSECA), and identified gene function as well as several transcription regulators associated with ER stress. We analyzed time-dependent gene expression profiles in thapsigargin-treated Sk-Hep1 using an oligonucleotide expression chip, and then selected functional gene sets with significantly high expression coherence which was processed into functional clusters according to the expression similarities. The functions related to sugar binding, lysosome, ribosomal protein, ER lumen, and ER to golgi transport increased, whereas the functions with mRNA processing, DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle, electron transport chain and helicase activity decreased. Furthermore, functional clusters were investigated for the enrichment of regulatory motifs using GSECA, and several transcriptional regulators associated with regulation of ER-induced gene expression were found.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.414-417
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• 2008

A 4-year-old female beagle with progressive exophthalmos and which had a neoplastic mass with diameter of 1.4 cm in the left lower ocular adnexa. Histologically, the mass was composed of hyper-plastic lobules and tubular structures separated by fibrous septum. The well differentiated sebaceous gland forming various sized lobules, and infiltration of mast cells and mononuclear inflammatory cells were observed. Apical decapitation secretion of these tubular structures with basophilic materials in their lumen showed mild sebaceous gland metaplasia. Immunohistochemical studying, cell groups were positive in ${\alpha}-SMA$ and vimentin. The primary tumor was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma originated from moll gland and meibomian gland of the eyelid, and the infiltrating intraocular neoplasm was diagnosed as a malignant mixed tumor.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2014

The immune system protects the body from bacterial infection and disease, as well as cancer that develops following the mutation of cells. Aging exerts adverse effects on the immune system, such as chronic inflammation, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of Scutellaria baicalensis, which contains baicalin. HPLC analysis showed that S. baicalensis hot water extracts (SBWE) contained 42.2 mg/g of baicalin. To evaluate the cytotoxicity of SBWE, an MTT assay was carried out in Raw264.7 cells. No cytotoxicity was observed below 160 ${\mu}g/ml$ of SBWE. SBWE at 40 ${\mu}g/ml$ reduced the amount of nitric oxide produced by macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide by 40%. In addition, SBWE inhibited phagocytosis stimulated with zymosan. Furthermore, the content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) produced by the macrophages was decreased in the presence of SBWE in a dose-dependent manner. SBWE also inhibited the production of interleukin-1 beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) in a time course experiment. Moreover, treatment with 20 ${\mu}g/ml$ of SBWE remarkably decreased the expression level of cyclooxynase-2. The results provide evidence that SBWE may exert an anti-inflammatory effect through modulation of the immune system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.560-568
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• 2013

Chungkookjang was fermented by B. subtilis MC31, a ${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid (GABA) producing microorganism. The characteristics of Chungkookjang were investigated while fermenting. Twenty four amino acids were detected in Chungkookjang, leucine was the highest of them all. Total cell populations of B. subtilis MC31 phase were between log $9.52{\pm}0.5$ ~ log $9.049{\pm}0.5$ CFU/g at stationary phase. Contents of moisture, crude ash, crude protein, crude lipid and crude fiber are $61.07{\pm}0.01%$, $1.52{\pm}0.01%$, $17.66{\pm}0.04%$, $8.96{\pm}0.03%$ and 2.61%, respectively. Contents of ammonia type nitrogen, amino type nitrogen and reducing sugar were increased during fermentation at $40^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr, however those of titratable acidity and total sugar were decreased. pH was slowly alkalized during fermentation. Viscous substance and protease contents in Chungkookjang were $4.7{\pm}0.05%$ and $0.519{\pm}7.36$ g/l, apiece. When the fibrin plate and Robbin method for fibrinolytic activity were applied, B. subtilis MC31 showed high activity. These results suggested that B. subtilis MC31 is suitable to be used as a starter to enhance the quality of Chungkookjang.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.423-429
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• 2017

Hair color is determined by kind and amount of melanin. Melanocyte mainly synthesizes melanin from L-tyrosine by stimulation of ultra violet. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in greying hair. Polygonum multiflorum radix has been reported to inhibit the aging process that black color of hair is turned into grey color. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Polygoni multiflorium radix ethanol extract (PMEE) on melanin synthesis related to black hair growth. In anti-oxidant experiment, PMEE decreased DPPH radical and increased reducing power, indicating that PMEE could eliminate ROS involved in greying hair. PMEE decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the effect of PMEE on the production of melanin was determined by DOPA assay and tyrosinase activity. PMEE increased tyrosinase activity and promoted melanin synthesis. In addition, the expression levels of tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2) and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), as well as anti-oxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and catalase were examined using western blot analysis. The expression levels of SOD-3 and catalase were decreased due to the enhanced antioxidant activity of PMEE. In particular, PMEE increased the expression levels of tyrosinase and TRP-2. These results suggest that PMEE could promote melanin synthesis that involved in tuning gray hair into black hair.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1140-1146
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• 2018

Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) play a role in cell growth and differentiation by modulating mitogen-activated protein kinases. DUSPs are considered targets for drugs against cancers, diabetes, immune diseases, and neuronal diseases. Part of the DUSP family, DUSP19 modulates c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity and is involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. Here, we report screening of cavity-creating mutants and the crystal structure of a cavity-creating L75A mutant of DUSP19 which has significantly enhanced enzyme activity in comparison to the wild-type protein. The crystal structure reveals a well-formed cavity due to the absent Leu75 side chain and a rotation of the active site-bound sulfate ion. Despite the cavity creation, residues surrounding the cavity did not rearrange significantly. Instead, a tightened hydrophobic interaction by a remote tryptophan residue was observed, indicating that the protein folding of the L75A mutant is stabilized by global folding energy minimization, not by local rearrangements in the cavity region. Conformation of the rotated active site sulfate ion resembles that of the phosphor-tyrosine substrate, indicating that cavity creation induces an optimal active site conformation. The activity enhancement by an internal cavity and its structural information provide insight on allosteric modulation of DUSP19 activity and development of therapeutics.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2016

Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of foodborne, inflammatory illnesses, as well as congenital abnormalities. Currently available therapies are ineffective for persistent chronic disease and congenital toxoplasmosis or have severe side effects which may result in life-threatening complications. There is an urgent need for safe and effective therapies to eliminate or treat this cosmopolitan infectious disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro anti-Toxoplasma activities of Plantago asiatica L., one of the herbal extracts, using tachyzoit of T. gondii RH strain infected HeLa cells. As the results, the selectivity of Plantago asiatica L. extract was 4.5, which was higher than Sulfadiazine selectivity (0.4). Also, we perfomed the cell proliferation inhibition test and the morphological study to evaluate the anti-T. gondii activity of Plantago asiatica L. extract with HeLa cells. As the results, the inhibition rate of the Plantago asiatica L. extract was high inhibition rate. This indicates that the Plantago asiatica L. extract may be used for new anti-T. gondii agent.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2013

This study developed predictive models to evaluate the kinetic behaviors of Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus in milk during storage at various temperatures. B. cereus and S. aureus (3 Log CFU/mL) were inoculated into milk and stored at $10^{\circ}C$, $15^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$, and $30^{\circ}C$, as well as $5^{\circ}C$, $15^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively, while bacterial populations were enumerated. The growth data were fitted to the modified Gompertz model to estimate kinetic parameters, including the maximum specific growth rate (${\mu}_{max}$; Log CFU/[$mL{\cdot}h$]), lag phase duration (LPD; h), lower asymptote ($N_0$; Log CFU/mL), and upper asymptote ($N_{max}$; Log CFU/mL). To describe the kinetic behavior of B. cereus and S. aureus, the parameters were fitted to the square root model as a function of storage temperature. Finally, the developed models were validated with the observed data, and Bias (B) and Accuracy (A) factors were calculated. Cell counts of both bacteria increased with storage time. Primary modeling yielded the following parameters; ${\mu}_{max}$: 0.14-0.75 and 0.06-0.51 Log CFU/mL/h; LPD: 1.78-14.03 and 0.00-1.44 h, $N_0$: 3.10-3.37 and 2.09-3.07 Log CFU/mL, and $N_{max}$: 7.59-8.87 and 8.60-9.32 Log CFU/mL for B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively. Secondary modeling yielded a determination of coefficient ($R^2$) of 0.926.0.996. B factors were 1.20 and 0.94, and A factors were 1.16 and 1.08 for B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively. Thus, the mathematical models developed here should be useful in describing the kinetic behaviors of B. cereus and S. aureus in milk during storage.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.522-530
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• 2013

The ability of probiotics to adhere to the intestinal epithelium likely plays an important role in their colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we performed high-throughput screening (HTS) for suitable characteristics of potential probiotic bacteria using attachment and colonization ability through a C. elegans surrogate in vivo model. A total of 100 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from infant feces were subjected to the colonization assay using C. elegans intestine. Based on colonization ability, we showed that nine isolates have a high attachment ability during whole experimental periods (up to 168 h), compared to Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG as a control. Also, through the use of an in vitro cell attachment model, nine isolates revealed highly binding activity to the mucus layer. Next, the selected 9 isolates were assayed for their survival ability when exposed to acidic and bile conditions as well as cholesterol reduction and the utilization of prebiotic substrates. As a result, the isolated nine strains were determined to be highly resistant to acid and bile conditions. In addition, they have significant activity for the reduction of cholesterol and utilization of several prebiotic substrates as a carbon source. Finally, the selected nine strains were identified by either L. rhamnosus or L. plantarum (4 strains for L. rhamnosus and 5 strains for L. plantarum, respectively). Taken together, we propose that the direct colonization of probiotics using C. elegans may be applicable to the rapid screening of valuable probiotic strains in vivo.