• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.843-850
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• 2014

In the current study, we prepared eighty-five different kinds of solvent fractions of rice wine lees and nuruk extracts and investigated their effects on cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse RAW 264.7 cells. Among the treated solvent fractions, only three solvent fractions (KSD-E1-3, KSD-E2-3 and KSD-E4-3) significantly decreased NO production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells without affecting cell viability. And, they also reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as COX-2, TNF-alpha and iNOS. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the inhibition of inflammation in (KSD-E4-3)-treated RAW 264.7 cells, we carried out oligo DNA microarray analysis using Agilent Mouse microarray. To confirm microarray data, 6 genes (IL-1F6, iNOS, IL-10, Fabp4, IL-1RN and CSF2) were selected and performed RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR analysis with gene specific primers. The results of RT-PCR and real-time PCR agreed with microarray data. Overall, our results suggest that rice wine lees can be a novel resource for the development of foods and drugs which possess anti-inflammatory activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1216-1222
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• 2013

NK cells are lymphoid immune cells that participate in innate immunity to protect against foreign pathogens and transforming cells. It is known that the activity of NK cells is regulated by a balance between activating and inhibitory signals rather than specific antigens. One important activating signal is mediated by the NKG2D receptor, which recognizes NKG2D ligands on cancer cells. Therefore, tumor cells that express sufficient amounts of NKG2D ligands could be eliminated by NKD2D+ cells, including NK cells. Oncogenes drive tumor cells to apoptosis resistant and uncontrolled proliferation by altered expression of many critical genes. Therefore, the expression of NKG2D ligands may be affected by oncogenes. This study focused on increasing the susceptibility of cancer cells to NK cells by regulating the expression of NKG2D ligands influenced by three oncogenes: k-ras, wnt, and c-myc. We demonstrated that inhibition of k-ras and c-myc increased the expression of NKG2D ligands and enhanced the susceptibility of cancer cells to NK cells. On the contrary, inhibition of the wnt pathway decreased MICA and ULBP1 transcripts. Although the decreased transcription of NKG2D ligands by inhibition of the wnt pathway, surface proteins of NKG2D ligands were not changed, and the susceptibility of HCT-116 cells was unaffected. The results demonstrate that the transcription of NKG2D ligands are regulated deferentially by the k-ras, c-myc, and wnt pathways and that the cytotoxicity of NK cells solely depends on the amount of surface NKG2D ligands.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2013

Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) have therapeutic potential, including the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple lineages. Understanding of molecular mechanisms of stem cell differentiation is important for improving the therapeutic efficacies of stem cell transplantation. In this study, we determined the role of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT5) in the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs. The down-regulation of NFAT5 expression by the transfection of a specific siRNA significantly inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs and decreased the activity of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-${\kappa}B$) promoter without affecting their proliferation and adipogenic differentiation. The inhibition of NFAT5 expression inhibited the basal and Tumor Necrosis Factor ${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) induced activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, but it did not affect TNF-${\alpha}$-induced degradation of the $I{\kappa}B$ protein. These findings indicate that NFAT5 plays an important role in the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs through the modulation of the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2005

Pain is an unpleasant sensation experienced when tissues are damaged. Thus, pain sensation in some way protects body from imminent threat or injury. Peripheral sensory nerves innervated to peripheral tissues initially respond to multiple forms of noxious or strong stimuli, such as heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli. In response to these stimuli, electrical signals for conducting the nociceptive neural signals through axons are generated. These action potentials are then conveyed to specific areas in the spinal cord and in the brain. Sensory afferent fibers are heterogeneous in many aspects. For example, sensory nerves are classified as $A{\alpha}$, $-{\beta}$, $-{\delta}$ and C-fibers according to their diameter and degree of myelination. It is widely accepted that small sensory fibers tend to respond to vigorous or noxious stimuli and related to nociception. Thus these fibers are specifically called nociceptors. Most of nociceptors respond to noxious mechanical stimuli and heat. In addition, these sensory fibers also respond to chemical stimuli [Davis et al. (1993)] such as capsaicin. Thus, nociceptors are considered polymodal. Recent advance in research on ion channels in sensory neurons reveals molecular mechanisms underlying how various types of stimuli can be transduced to neural signals transmitted to the brain for pain perception. In particular, electrophysiological studies on ion channels characterize biophysical properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. Furthermore, molecular biology leads to identification of genetic structures as well as molecular properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. These ion channels are expressed in axon terminals as well as in cell soma. When these channels are activated, inward currents or outward currents are generated, which will lead to depolarization or hyperpolarization of the membrane causing increased or decreased excitability of sensory neurons. In order to depolarize the membrane of nerve terminals, either inward currents should be generated or outward currents should be inhibited. So far, many cationic channels that are responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons are introduced recently. Activation of these channels in sensory neurons is evidently critical to the generation of nociceptive signals. The main channels responsible for inward membrane currents in nociceptors are voltage-activated sodium and calcium channels, while outward current is carried mainly by potassium ions. In addition, activation of non-selective cation channels is also responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons. Thus, excitability of neurons can be controlled by regulating expression or by modulating activity of these channels.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.449-456
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• 2014

The use of synovial fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SFMSCs) obtained from patients with degenerative arthropathy may serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). For treatment of OA and RA patients, autologous transplantation of differentiated MSCs has several beneficial effects for cartilage regeneration including immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we induced chondrogenic differentiation of SFMSCs by inhibiting protein kinase A (PKA) with a small molecule and microRNA (miRNA). Chondrogenic differentiation was confirmed by PCR and immunocytochemistry using probes specific for aggrecan, the major cartilaginous proteoglycan gene. Absorbance of alcian blue stain to detect chondrogenic differentiation was increased in H-89 and/or miRNA-23b-transfected cells. Furthermore, expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-2 was decreased in treated1 cells. Therefore, differentiation of SFMSCs into chondrocytes through inhibition of PKA signaling may be a therapeutic option for OA or RA patients.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1999

A bacteriocin produced by Lab. acidophilus GP4A isolated from fecal contents of pig was characterized. Lab. acidophilus GP4A produced a heat-stable and pH-resistant bacteriocin, which was hydrolyzed by trypsin and pepsin and active against various microorganisms. Lab. acidophilus GP4A produced bacteriocin at maximum rate when grown in MRS broth(pH 6.5${\sim}$7.5) at$37^{\cric}C$ or $40^{\cric}C$. The bacteriocin produced by Lab. acidophilus GP4A inhibited the growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 4794 in early logarithmic phase. The bacteriocin was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Octyl sepharose CL-4B column chromatography. The purification resulted in a final yield of 21.7% and a 13.6-fold increase in the specific activity.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.571-578
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics of bread containing sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) leaf powder (0, 2, 3, 5, and 7% of the total flour). We found that the addition of sweetpotato leaf powder decreased the pH of the dough, whereas the total titratable acidity increased and the specific volume and baking loss of bread were decreased. However, the moisture content of the bread did not show any significant differences. The L and a values of the bread inner crumb were decreased by the addition of sweetpotato leaf powder, however, the b value was increased. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-radical scavenging activity, total polyphenol, lutein and ${\beta}-carotene$ contents were increased significantly by the addition of sweetpotato leaf powder. The taste, color, flavor, chewiness and overall acceptability of bread containing 2~3% sweetpotato leaf powder were better than those of the controls. We found that the sample group with 2~3% sweetpotato leaf powder is the optimum content for making bread.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 2005

Pronase, a protease produced for commercial purpose by Streptomyces griseus, was composed of serine protease, alkaline protease, aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase complex, and it has been widely used as anti-inflammatory drugs for human therapy. In this study, we developed a new integration vector, pHJ101 derived from pSET152, containing strong promoter, ermE, to overexpress a certain protease gene. Specific PCR primers for cloning of sprA (a gene for S. griseus protease A) and sprB (a gene for S. griseus protease B) genes were designed from the basis of nucleotide sequence in databases and amplified by PCR. Plasmid pHJ201 and pHJ202 were constructed by inserting of amplified each gene in a vector pHJ101. S. griseus HA and S. griseus HB were respectively obtained by conjugal process of a parent strain, S. griseus IFO 13350 with the recombinant Escherichia coli harboring plasmid pHJ201 or pHJ202. When protease activity was measured in flask cultivation, produced protease levels of S. griseus HA and S. griseus HB increased about 5.3 times and 5 times, respectively, more than that of parent strain. And, the constructed integrating plasmid pHJ101 was applicable for overexpression of a certain gene in Streptomyces sp.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 1993

Eight strains of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from soil in Korea and characterized. The isolates were named HL-24, HL-25, HL-33, HL-34, HL-35, HL-38, HL-39, HL-40. Strains HL-24 and HL-25 produced irregular parasporal crystals, HL-33 and HL-35 produced bipyramidal crystals, and others were round form in their cells. The biochemical characteristics of the eight isolates were only minor different in specific characteristics to the known serotypes of Bacillus thuringiensis. The HL-25, HL-33 and HL-34 strains showed resistances to cephalothin, colistin and penicillin G, and HL-39 and HL-40 strains were resistant to penicilin G. The strains of HL-24, HL-25, HL-33 and HL-34 were toxic to Bombyx mori lavae and HL-24, HL-25, HL-38, HL-39 and HL-40 strains killed Culex pipiens 3rd instar larvae. The HL-24 and H25 strains showed lethal activity against two kinds of the larvae, however lethality against mosquito larvae was low.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.478-483
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• 1995

To investigate the constituents of antimutagenic factor from brown rice, methanol extracts were fractionated into ether, ethylacetate, buthanol and aqueous fractions. The ether fractions showed distinct antimutagenic effect and active spot were selected by silica gel chromatography. The specific activity of active spot decreased with isolation of the active components from the methanol extract. Qualitative analyses of the active spot by using various spraying reagents revealed that ninhydrin and orcinol did not develop colored reactions. But, ferric chloride, 2,7-dichlorofluorescein, antimony pentachloride, phosphomolybdic acid, bromothymol blue and rhodamine 6G led to colored reactions. These results suggested that the consitituents of active material were neither polar nor nitrogen-containing compounds and that they may contain phenolic compounds and fatty acid derivatives. Main compounds of the active spot were analyzed to be o-hydroxy benzyl alcohol(saligenin), octanoic acid(caprylic acid), 9,12-cis-octadecadienoic acid(linoleic acid), 11-cis-octadecenoic acid(oleic acid), hexadecanoic acid(palmitic acid), 1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid(phthalate) in GC/Mass spectrum, and antimutagenicity of these active compounds using standard regeant was reconfirmed in S. typhimurium reversion assay.