• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1132-1136
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• 2012

Many kind of cell stresses induce gene expression of unfolded protein response (UPR)-associated factors. This study demonstrated that up- and down-regulation of gene expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress chaperones and ER stress sensors was induced by immobilization stress in the rat organs (adrenal gland, liver, lung, muscle). However, no statistically significant regulation was detected in the others (heart, spleen, thymus, kidney, testis). The results are the first to show that immobilization stress induces UPR associated gene expression, will help to explain immobilization stress-associated ER stress.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.517-521
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• 2013

Background Diabetes is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, which can increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The formation of ROS induces oxidative stress and activates oxidative damage-inducing genes in cells. No research has been published on oxidative damage-related extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) protein levels in human diabetic skin. We investigated the expression of EC-SOD in diabetic skin compared with normal skin tissue in vivo. Methods The expression of EC-SOD protein was evaluated by western blotting in 6 diabetic skin tissue samples and 6 normal skin samples. Immunohistochemical staining was also carried out to confirm the EC-SOD expression level in the 6 diabetic skin tissue samples. Results The western blotting showed significantly lower EC-SOD protein expression in the diabetic skin tissue than in the normal tissue. Immunohistochemical examination of EC-SOD protein expression supported the western blotting analysis. Conclusions Diabetic skin tissues express a relatively small amount of EC-SOD protein and may not be protected against oxidative stress. We believe that EC-SOD is related to the altered metabolic state in diabetic skin, which elevates ROS production.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.252-260
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• 2019

Background: Increases in the average global temperature cause heat stress-induced disorders by disrupting homeostasis. Excessive heat stress triggers an imbalance in the immune system; thus protection against heat stress is important to maintain immune homeostasis. Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) has been used as a herbal medicine and displays beneficial biological properties. Methods: We investigated the protective effects of Korean ginseng extracts (KGEs) against heat stress in a rat model. Following acclimatization for 1 week, rats were housed at room temperature for 2 weeks and then exposed to heat stress ($40^{\circ}C$/2 h/day) for 4 weeks. Rats were treated with three KGEs from the beginning of the second week to the end of the experiment. Results: Heat stress dramatically increased secretion of inflammatory factors, and this was significantly reduced in the KGE-treated groups. Levels of inflammatory factors such as heat shock protein 70, interleukin 6, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were increased in the spleen and muscle upon heat stress. KGEs inhibited these increases by down-regulating heat shock protein 70 and the associated nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Consequently, KGEs suppressed activation of T-cells and B-cells. Conclusion: KGEs suppress the immune response upon heat stress and decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines in muscle and spleen. We suggest that KGEs protect against heat stress by inhibiting inflammation and maintaining immune homeostasis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.382-395
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• 2007

The herb, Cajanus indicus L, is well known for its hepatoprotective action. A 43 kD protein has been isolated, purified and partially sequenced from the leaves of this herb. A number of in vivo and in vitro studies carried out in our laboratory suggest that this protein might be a major component responsible for the hepatoprotective action of the herb. Our successive studies have been designed to evaluate the potential efficacy of this protein in protecting the hepatic as well as renal tissues from the sodium fluoride (NaF) induced oxidative stress. The experimental groups of mice were exposed to NaF at a dose of 600 ppm through drinking water for one week. This exposure significantly altered the activities of the antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and the cellular metabolites such as reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), total thiols, lipid peroxidation end products in liver and kidney compared to the normal mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the protein at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight for seven days followed by NaF treatment (600 ppm for next seven days) normalized the activities of the hepato-renal antioxidant enzymes, the level of cellular metabolites and lipid peroxidation end products. Post treatment with the protein for four days showed that it could help recovering the damages after NaF administration. Time-course study suggests that the protein could stimulate the recovery of both the organs faster than natural process. Effects of a known antioxidant, vitamin E, and a non-relevant protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been included in the study to validate the experimental data. Combining all, result suggests that NaF could induce severe oxidative stress both in the liver and kidney tissues in mice and the protein possessed the ability to attenuate that hepato-renal toxic effect of NaF probably via its antioxidant activity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.617-622
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• 2016

Oxidative stress is closely associated with various diseases and is considered to be a major factor in ischemia. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) protein is a known antioxidant protein that plays a protective role in various cells against oxidative stress. We therefore investigated the effects of cell permeable Tat-NQO1 protein on hippocampal HT-22 cells, and in an animal ischemia model. The Tat-NQO1 protein transduced into HT-22 cells, and significantly inhibited against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced cell death and cellular toxicities. Tat-NQO1 protein inhibited the Akt and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) activation as well as caspase-3 expression levels, in $H_2O_2$ exposed HT-22 cells. Moreover, Tat-NQO1 protein transduced into the CA1 region of the hippocampus of the animal brain and drastically protected against ischemic injury. Our results indicate that Tat-NQO1 protein exerts protection against neuronal cell death induced by oxidative stress, suggesting that Tat-NQO1 protein may potentially provide a therapeutic agent for neuronal diseases.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.256-261
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• 2015

Trampling stress in turfgrass fields caused by traffics often occurs in zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) fields including golf course. In order to know the influences of trampling stress on the growth and development of turfgrass, leaf and root growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll content and 2-DE protein analysis were conducted in the turfgrass plants subjected to various levels of trampling stress from 0 to $9,420J\;day^{-1}$ day. Shoot growth was more highly inhibited by trampling stress than root growth. Although root growth was affected by trampling with weak intensity, the highest root length was observed in the turfgrass treated with weak trampling ($1,570J\;day^{-1}$). Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv $Fm^{-1}$) was drastically lowered by trampling stress with moderate intensity. Leaf number showed similar tendency with leaf greenness. The number was decreased as the trampling intensity was increased. Shoot dry weight was decreased showing a similar tendency with the result of shoot length. The specific protein expressions under weak trampling were related to the functions of stress amelioration. Heat shock 70 kDa protein 10 and oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1 were the proteins increased positively under trampling stress.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 1995

This study aimed to verify the nutritional and curative effects of protein hydroysate in rats model with gastric ulcer induced by restraint and water-immersion stress. Sprague-Dawley, famale rats weighing approximtely 200g were forced in 5$\times$5$\times$15cm plexiglas cage. The restraint and water immersion stress was carried at 20$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$ for 8-hours. After stress 4 kinds of diets(10% casein, 20% casein, 10% casein hydrolysate, 20% casein hydrolysate) were given for 5 days. In the gastric ulcer rats model, the growth, gastric emptying rate, trypsin activity in gastrointestinal content, plasma total protein, albumin, $\alpha$-amino-N, UUN, creatinine and hydroxyproline of the urine and nitrogen retention were analyzed for nutritional effects of dietary nitrogen levels(10%, 20%) and sources (casein, casein hydrolysate). The results were as follows ; In gastric ulcer rats model, severeness of ulcer, plasma protein, gastric emptying rate, nitrogen retention rate were not different between 20% casein-fed group and 20% casein hydrolysatefed group. But 10% casein hydrolysate-fed group had more curative group. The casein hydrolysate diet-fed group was lower trysin activity in small intestianl content than the casein-fed group, at both casein level(10%, 20%). Finally at 20% levels, there was no difference between casein and casein hydrolysate diet, but 10% level, casein hydrolysate diet was more curative of ulcer than casein diet in gastric ulcer rat model. The results of this study provide useful information concerning diet therapy for the patients with gastrointestinal diseases and the field of enteral diet materials.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.464-469
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• 2001

A gene, dnaK2, encoding a distinct member of the HSP70 family of molecular chaperones is isolated from the halotolerant cyanobactrium Aphanothece halophytica. The dnak2 gene encodes a molecular wight of 68 kDa polypeptide with predicted 616 amino acid residues. The DnaK2 protein has a structural characteristic of bacterial DnaK homologues and shows high similarity to other HSP70/Dank proteins. The danK2 transcripts are hardly detectable at 28$^{\circ}C$ and strongly induced upon heat stress. It is also found that dnaK2 transcript is increased by high-salinity stress even in the absence of heat stress. These results suggest that the DnaK2 protein plays an important role in protecting A. halophytica against damage caused by salt stress at well as heat stress.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.346-349
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• 2019

AMP-activated protein kinase sucrose non-fermenting 1 (Snf1) is a representative regulator of energy status that maintains cellular energy homeostasis. In addition, Snf1 is involved in the mediation of environmental stress such as salt stress. Snf1 regulates metabolic enzymes such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase, indicating a possible role for Snf1 in metabolic regulation. In this article, we performed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to profile the metabolic changes induced by Snf1 under environmental stress. According to our NMR data, we suggest that Snf1 plays a role in regulating cellular concentrations of a variety of metabolites during environmental stress responses.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1056-1069
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• 2015

Osmotic pressure is a critical factor for erythritol production with osmophilic yeast. Protein expression patterns of an erythritol-producing yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, were analyzed to identify differentially-expressed proteins in response to osmotic pressure. In order to analyze intracellular protein levels quantitatively, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed to separate and visualize the differential expression of the intracellular proteins extracted from Y. lipolytica cultured under low (3.17 osmol/kg) and high (4.21 osmol/kg) osmotic pressures. Proteomic analyses allowed identification of 54 differentially-expressed proteins among the proteins distributed in the range of pI 3-10 and 14.4-97.4 kDa molecular mass between the osmotic stress conditions. Remarkably, the main proteins were involved in the pathway of energy, metabolism, cell rescue, and stress response. The expression of such enzymes related to protein and nucleotide biosynthesis was inhibited drastically, reflecting the growth arrest of Y. lipolytica under hyperosmotic stress. The improvement of erythritol production under high osmotic stress was due to the significant induction of a range of crucial enzymes related to polyols biosynthesis, such as transketolase and triosephosphate isomerase, and the osmotic stress responsive proteins like pyridoxine-4-dehydrogenase and the AKRs family. The polyols biosynthesis was really related to an osmotic response and a protection mechanism against hyperosmotic stress in Y. lipolytica. Additionally, the high osmotic stress could also induce other cell stress responses as with heat shock and oxidation stress responses, and these responsive proteins, such as the HSPs family, catalase T, and superoxide dismutase, also had drastically increased expression levels under hyperosmotic pressure.