• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2005

The polyclonal antibody was generated against the peptide fragment of 62 amino acid residues (D 181-T242) near the COOH-terminal region of the extracellular domain of epithelial-cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) and shown to be able to recognize Ep-CAM in competitive ELISA. Then, sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride (so called Texas red), a fluorescence dye, was conjugated to the affinity-purified anti-Ep-CAM antibody utilizing the reaction between the aliphatic amines of antibody and the sulfonyl chloride of Texas red. The molar ratio of Texas red to antibody was estimated to be approximately 1.86 by measuring optical densities at 280 nm and 596 nm, implying that the two molecules of Texas red at most were conjugated to antibody. The anti-Ep-CAM antibody-Texas red conjugate was then used for immunohistochemistry of CT-26 murine colon carcinoma cells. Based upon the fluorescence microscope images, anti-Ep-CAM antibody is able to deliver Texas red specifically to the surface of CT-26 cells on which Ep-CAM was actively expressed. This result indicates that anti-Ep-CAM antibody could be useful for the tissue-specific delivery of photosensitizers via antigen-antibody interaction.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2006

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), otherwise known as interferon-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF), is one of several well characterized and important cytokines that contribute to host defenses. The complementary DNA (cDNA) of mature human interleukin-18 gene (hIL-18) was fused with the signal peptide of the rice amylase 1A gene (Ramy1A) and introduced into the plant expression vector under the control of a duplicated CaMV 35S promoter. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Havana) using the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method. The integration of the hlL-18 gene into the genome of transgenic tobacco plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and its expression was observed in the suspension cells that were derived from the transgenic plant callus by using Northern blot analysis. The hlL-18 protein was detected in the extracts of the transgenic callus and in the medium of the transgenic tobacco suspension culture by using immunoblot analysis. Based upon enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) results, the expression level of the hlL-18 protein approximated $166{\mu}g/L$ in the suspension culture medium. Bioassay results from the induction of $interferon-{\gamma}$ from a KG-1 cell line indicated that the hlL-18 secreted into the suspension culture medium was bioactive.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.886-895
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• 2020

The development of novel peptide antibiotics with potent antimicrobial activity and anti-inflammatory activity is urgently needed. In a previous work, we performed an in-silico analysis of the Papilio xuthus transcriptome to identify putative antimicrobial peptides and identified several candidates. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of papiliocin 3, which was selected bioinformatically based on its physicochemical properties against bacteria and mouse macrophage Raw264.7 cells. Papiliocin 3 showed antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus without inducing hemolysis and decreased the nitric oxide production of the lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells. Moreover, ELISA and Western blot analysis revealed that papiliocin 3 reduced the expression levels of pro-inflammatory enzymes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). In addition, we examined whether papiliocin 3 could inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β) in LPS-induced Raw264.7 cells. We found that papiliocin 3 markedly reduced the expression level of cytokines through the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. We also confirmed that papiliocin 3 binds to bacterial cell membranes via a specific interaction with lipopolysaccharides. Collectively, these findings suggest that papiliocin 3 could be a promising molecule for development as a novel peptide antibiotic.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.502-510
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• 2009

Although the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) has already been expressed in several different systems, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, studies regarding the synthesis of LTB into oligomeric structures of pentameric size in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been limited. Therefore, this study used a functional signal peptide of the amylase 1A protein from rice to direct the yeast-expressed LTB towards the endoplasmci reticulum to oligomerize with the expected pentameric size. The expression and assembly of the recombinant LTB were confirmed in both the cell-free extract and culture media of the recombinant strain using a Western blot analysis. The binding of the LTB pentamers to intestinal epithelial cell membrane glycolipid receptors was further verified using a GM1-ganglioside enzyme-linked inmmunosorbent assay (GM1-ELISA). On the basis of the GM1-ELISA results, pentameric LTB proteins comprised approximately 0.5-2.0% of the total soluble proteins, and the maximum quantity of secreted LTB was estimated to be 3 mg/l after a 3-day cultivation period. Consequently, the synthesis of LTB monomers and their assembly into biologically active aligomers in a recombinant S. cerevisiae strain demonstrated the feasibility of using a GRAS microorganism-based adjuvant, as well as the development of carriers against mucosal disease.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.924-939
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• 2016

The great economic losses caused by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection of peppers has led to the development of genetically modified (GM) CMV-resistant peppers. We developed virus-resistant pepper plants using Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated transformation. The expressed recombinant protein was purified using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid resin and immunoaffinity chromatography, and purity was assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Immunoblot analysis revealed the purified CMV coat protein (CMV-CP) had a molecular mass of 25 kDa. After in-gel digestion and desalting, the internal peptide fragments of CMV-CP were sequenced by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight. Most GM pepper and Escherichia coli BL21 internal peptides had identical peptide sequences and contained 137 of 183 whole peptides in CMV-CP. A quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect CMV-resistant GM peppers. We also provide basic information about the expressed protein in GM peppers for further safety assessment. The contents of soluble protein and CMV-CP were measured in GM and control peppers cultivated in three different areas of Korea. Statistical significance in terms of cultivation areas, harvest times, generations, and plant tissue origin were determined based on a P value of 0.05. The highest amount of CMV-CP was detected at the seedling stage from plant grown in each region. T3 and T5 showed significantly different levels of CMV-CP from T4 in leaves in the whorl stage. No statistical differences were observed among GM peppers at different stages of maturity in any cultivation area. The results from this study contribute to the safety evaluation of newly designed CMV-resistant GM peppers and provide a standard against which to compare other virus-resistant GM peppers.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.311-316
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• 2020

Biomarkers used in dogs with heartworm disease include N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), which are associated with damage to the myocardium. Pulmonary hypertension is one of the clinical signs of canine heartworm disease. The purpose of this study is to investigate the change in the concentration of each biomarker, severity of pulmonary hypertension and the correlation between biomarkers according to the severity of clinical signs. Five healthy dogs and 10 heartworm-infected dogs were recruited for the study. The heartworm-infected group was classified based on the history, clinical signs, and blood assay, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography after confirming the infection according to the results of the commercial ELISA kit (SNAP test, IDEXX Laboratories, Maine, USA). NT-proBNP was higher in the severely infected group than the control group (p < 0.05); cTnI was also higher in the severely infected group than the control group (p < 0.05). The pressure gradient of pulmonary hypertension was higher in the severe group than the mild group (p < 0.05). The severity of pulmonary hypertension was correlated with NT-proBNP (r = 0.818, p < 0.01), cTnI (r = 0.894, p < 0.01). When the correlation of the two serum values for each group was examined, a correlation was not found in the mild group (r = 0.707, p = 0.182), but a correlation was found in the severe group (r = 0.9, p < 0.05). NT-proBNP and cTnI were significantly increased and correlated with severe clinical signs. Pulmonary hypertension was significant higher in the severe group than in the mild group (p < 0.05). Evaluation of blood biomarker concentration and severity of pulmonary hypertension and referring to each correlation between these indicators may be helpful to assess the severity of the heartworm disease.