• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2019

The role of tumor-proximal factors in tumor plasticity during chemoresistance and metastasis following chemotherapy is well studied. However, the role of endothelial cell (EC) derived paracrine factors in tumor plasticity, their effect on chemotherapeutic outcome, and the mechanism by which these paracrine factors modulate the tumor microenvironment are not well understood. In this study, we report a novel mechanism by which endothelial miR-125a and let-7e-mediated regulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling can manipulate vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We found that endothelial IL-6 levels were significantly higher in response to cisplatin treatment, whereas levels of IL-6 upon cisplatin exposure remained unchanged in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We additionally found an inverse correlation between IL-6 and miR-125a/let-7e expression levels in cisplatin treated ECs. Interestingly, IL-6, IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) genes in the IL-6 pathway are closely regulated by miR-125a and let-7e, which directly target its 3' untranslated region. Functional analyses revealed that endothelial miR-125a and let-7e inhibit IL-6-induced adhesion of monocytes to ECs. Furthermore, conditioned medium from cisplatin treated ECs induced a significantly higher formation of VM in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells as compared to that from intact ECs; this effect of cisplatin treatment was abrogated by concurrent overexpression of miR-125a and let-7e. Overall, this study reveals a novel EC-tumor cell crosstalk mediated by the endothelial miR-125a/let-7e-IL-6 signaling axis, which might improve chemosensitivity and provide potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2023

Purpose: Typhoid remains a major health problem, especially in the developing world. Furthermore, the emergence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains of Salmonella typhi added a sense of urgency to develop more effective typhoid vaccines, one of which is bacterial ghosts (BGs), prepared by both genetic and chemical means. The chemical method includes incubation with numerous agents for a short time at their minimum inhibitory or minimum growth concentrations. This study included the preparation of BGs by a sponge-like reduced protocol (SLRP). Materials and Methods: Critical concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate, NaOH, and H₂O₂ were used. Moreover, high-quality BGs were visualized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Subculturing was used to confirm the absence of vital cells. Besides, the concentrations of the released DNA and protein were estimated spectrophotometrically. In addition, the integrity of cells was proved by visualizing Gram-stained cells using a light microscope. Furthermore, a comparison between the immunogenicity and safety of the prepared vaccine and the available whole-cell killed vaccine was established. Results: Improved preparation of high-quality BGs of S. typhi, visualized by SEM, revealed punctured cells with intact outer shells. Moreover, the absence of vital cells was confirmed by subculturing. At the same time, the release of respective amounts of proteins and DNA is another evidence of BGs' production. Additionally, the challenge test provided evidence that the prepared BGs are immunogenic and have the same efficacy as the whole cell vaccine. Conclusion: The SLRP provided a simple, economical, and feasible method for BGs preparation.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.12
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• pp.69-74
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• 1969

This glucose isomerizing enzyme, which Actinomyces sp. (strain, K-17) produced, was inhibited by citrate, oxalate, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and cysteine on the enzyme reaction. This enzyme isomerized xylose to ketose as well as glucose. The Michaelis constant of this enzyme was $7.2X\;10^{-1}M.$. on D-glucose. The enzyme activity of intact cells which were harvested in the none xylose containing medium was very weak. If these intact cells of low activity were treated in the buffered xylose solution, its activity was considerably increased. After fifteen hours at $32^{\circ}C$. on xylose treatment, the enzyme activity was increased to equilibrium and the treating condition was proper at neutral pH and in aerobic state. The adequate concentration of xylose on the treatment was about 0.5 percent.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.443-448
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• 2003

To determine whether localization of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and cathepsin K was associated with rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in dogs. Tissue specimens were obtained from 30 dogs with CCL rupture during surgical treatment, 8 aged normal dogs, and 9 young normal dogs that were necropsied for reasons unrelated to this study and unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. The cranial cruciate ligament was examined histologically. $TRAP^+$ cells and cathepsin $K^+$ cells were identified by histochemical staining and immunohistochemical staining respectively. TRAP and cathepsin $K^+$ were co-localized within the same cells principally located within the epiligamentous region and to a lesser extent in the core region of ruptured CCL. Localization of $TRAP^+$ cells (P < 0.05) and cathepsin $K^+$ cells (P =0.05) within CCL tissue was significantly increased in dogs with CCL rupture, compared with aged-normal dogs, and young normal dogs (P < 0.05 - TRAP, P < 0.001 - cathepsin K). Localization of $TRAP^+$ cells and cathepsin $K^+$ cells within the CCL tissue of aged-normal dogs was also increased compared with young normal dogs (P < 0.05). Small numbers of $TRAP^+$ cells and cathepsin $K^+$ cells were seen in the intact ligaments of aged-normal dogs, which were associated with ligament fasicles in which there was chondroid transformation of ligament fibroblasts and disruption of the organized hierarchical structure of the extracellular matrix. $TRAP^+$ cells and cathepsin $K^+$ cells were not seen in CCL tissue from young-normal dogs. Localization of the proteinases $TRAP^+$ and cathepsin $K^+$ in CCL tissue was significantly associated with CCL rupture. Small numbers of proteinase positive cells were also localized in the CCL of agednormal dogs without CCL rupture, but were not detected in CCL from young-normal dogs. Taken together, these findings suggest that the cell signaling pathways that regulate expression of these proteinases in CCL tissue may form part of the mechanism that leads to upregulation of collagenolytic ligament remodeling and progressive structural failure of the CCL over time.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.502-507
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• 2006

In a previous study, an extract of Clavicorona pyxidata DGUM 29005 mycelia demonstrated an inhibitory effect against enzyme-associated perceptual disorders. We have attempted to determine whether this mycelial extract is also capable of inhibiting the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ${\beta}$-secretase (BACE) activity. Butanol, ethanol, and water extracts of C. pyxidata DGUM 29005 mycelia were shown to inhibit AChE activity by 99.3%, 93.7%, and 91.7%, respectively. The inhibitory value of the butanol extract was more profound than that of tacrine (95.4%). The ethanol extract also exerted an inhibitory effect against BACE activity; this fraction may harbor the potential for development into a pharmocotherapeutic modality for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells in culture were not determined to be susceptible to the cytotoxic activity evidenced by the mycelial extract. The ethanol extract inhibited endogenous AChE activity in PC12 cellular homogenates, with an $IC_{50}\;of\;67.5{\mu}g/ml$, after incubation with intact cells, and also inhibited BACE activity in a dose-dependent fashion. These results suggest that the C. pyxidata mycelial extract has the potential to enhance cholinergic function and, therefore, may perform a function in the amelioration of the cholinergic deficit observed in cases of AD, as well as other types of age-associated memory impairment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.731-737
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• 2013

Seventy-four Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates belonging to the serotype O91:H21 were isolated from 1,643 asymptomatic human carriers in a STEC outbreak at Gwangju in Korea. Although the isolates did not cause any symptoms, all of them produced Shiga toxins 1 (Stx1) and 2 (Stx2). In order to determine why these strains cause no symptoms, we explored the differences in virulence potential between the asymptomatic STEC O91:H21 isolates and symptomatic STEC O91:H21 strains (ATCC 51435 and ATCC 51434). The asymptomatic STEC O91:H21 isolates showed strongly reduced cytopathic effects compared with the symptomatic strains when intact bacterial cells were used as an inoculant. Moreover, we found a reduced adherence phenotype when testing asymptomatic strains on HeLa cells. Real-time quantitative PCR results suggest that transcriptional repression of the genes encoding type-1 fimbriae occurs in the asymptomatic isolates but not in the symptomatic strains.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.12 no.1_2
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• pp.1-5
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• 1978

In an attempt to explore the effect of Ginseng on the permeability of the biological membrane to cations we have investigated the effect of Ginseng-alcohol extract on the transport of $Na^+$ human red blood cell preprations. The $Na^+$ influx was measured in intact red cells using $^{22}Na$ as a tracer and the efflux in reseated red cells using $^{24}Na$ as a tracer. 1. The influx of $Na^+$ was not apparently changed by the Ginseng-alcohol extract of 20mg% in the incubation medium. 2. Similarly, 20mg% Ginseng-alcohol extract in the cellular space did not alter the efflux of $Na^+$ from the cell. However, 50mg% of Ginseng-alcohol extract in the cell resulted in a significant increase in the $Na^+$ efflux and this effect was magnified when the cell was suspended in the medium containing the Ginseng-alcohol extract in a concentration of 20mg %. The results suggest that Ginseng-alcohol extract over 50mg% increase permeability of red blood cell membrane to $Na^+$ by altering the membrane integrity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1471-1477
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• 2012

Carotenoids produced by non-photosynthetic bacteria protect organisms against lethal photodynamic reactions and scavenge oxygenic radicals. However, the carotenoid produced by Gordonia alkanivorans SKF120101 is coupled to reducing power generation. SKF120101 selectively produces carotenoid under light conditions. The growth yield of SKF120101 cultivated under light conditions was higher than that under dark condition. In the cyclic voltammetry, both upper and lower voltammograms for neutral red (NR) immobilized in intact cells of SKF120101 were not shifted in the condition without external redox sources but were commonly shifted downward by glucose addition and light. Electric current generation in a biofuel cell system (BFCS) catalyzed by harvested cells of SKF120101 was higher under light than dark condition. The ratio of electricity generation to glucose consumption by SKF120101 cultivated in BFCS was higher under light than dark condition. The carotenoid produced by SKF120101 catalyzes production of reducing power from light energy, first evaluated by the electrochemical technique used in this research.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.971-980
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• 1996

The soluble transferrin receptor(TfR) in human serum has been shown recently to be a truncated form of intact membrane bound receptor containing most of the extracellular domain. We purfied the transferin-free TfR from human serum by immounoaffinity chromatography which produced the single protein identity in high resolution gel chormatography. The monoclonal antibodies(MAb) against purifed serum TfR were produced by fusion of spleen cells o fimmunized Balb/c mice and SP2 cells. Ten hybrids producing MAb specific for serum TfR were identifed and determine their iostypes. A immunoraddiometric assay (IRMA) for serum TfR was established using two monoclonal IgG1 antibodies as the coating and indicator antibodies on the bosis of their suitability in sandwich IRMA of serum TfR. The mean serum TfR levels in the 15 normal male, 15 normal female, and 19 iron-deficient subjects were 5.4$\pm$0.98, 4.6$\pm$0/76, and 18.0$\pm$12.8mg/1, respectively, and the difference in mean values between normal and iron deficient subjects was significant(p=0.0005). There existed the inverse logarithmic relationship(r=-0.9336, p<0.0001) between the serum TfR and ferritin levels.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.888-894
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• 2007

Src homology (SH) domains of phospholipase C-$\gamma1$ (PLC-$\gamma1$) impair NGF-mediated PC12 cells differentiation. However, whether the enzymatic activity is also implicated in this process remains elusive. Here, we report that the enzymatic activity of phospholipase C-$\gamma1$ (PLC-$\gamma1$) is at least partially involved to the blockage of neuronal differentiation via an abrogation of MAPK activation, as well as sustained Akt activation. By contrast, Overexpression of WT-PLC-$\gamma1$ exhibited sustained NGF-induced MAPK activation, and triggered transient Akt activation resulting in profound inhibition of neurite outgrowth. However, lipase-inactive mutant (LIM) PLC-$\gamma1$ cells fail to suppress neurite outgrowth, although it contains intact SH domains, specifically enhancing the expression of cyclin D1 and p21 proteins, which regulate the function of retinoblastoma Rb protein. These observations show that the lipase inactive mutant of PLC-$\gamma1$ does not alter NGF-induced neuronal differentiation via enzymatic inability and the modulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins independent on SH3 domain.