• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.300-307
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• 1992

Bromelains (EC 3.4.4.24) isolated from pineapple fruit and stem have been purified about 18 and 46-folds to homogenity in the same yield of 23%. Molecular weights of fruit and stem-bromelain were estimated to be 32.5 KDa and 37 KDa by Sephadex G-200, respectively. The enzymes were composed of one subunit. The fruit and stem-bromelain had their maximum activity at pH 8.0, $70^{\circ}C$ and at pH 7.0, $60^{\circ}C$. Especially the enzymes catalyzed hydrolysis of plant proteins such as ISP (Isolated soybean protein) and wheat gluten with high molecular activity compared to animal proteins. The enzymes were competitively inhibited by sulfhydryl reagent; $K_i$ values of fruit and stem-bromelain for pCMB(p-chloromercuribenzoate) were 0.18 mM and 0.10 mM. Activities of the enzymes inhibited by pCMB were reversibly restored with increasing concentration of cysteine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.345-352
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• 1990

To determine the role of sulfhydryl group in transport of organic ions across the basolateral membrane of renal proximal tubules, effect of p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) on the transport of tetraethylammonium (TEA) and p-aminohippurate (PAH) was studied in rabbit renal cortical slices. PCMB caused irreversible inhibition of TEA and PAH uptake in a dose-dependent manner, with $I_{50}$ value (concentration for 50% inhibition) of $30\;{\mu}M$ for TEA and $75\;{\mu}M$ for PAH. Kinetic analysis of TEA and PAH uptakes showed that PCMB decreased Vmax $(62.35\;vs.\;28.32\;n\;mole/g{\cdot}min\;fur\;TEA:\;385.24\;vs.\;170.36\;n\;mole/g{\cdot}min\;for\;PAH)$ without changing Km. The inhibitory action of PCMB on TEA and PAH uptakes was independent of pH of the pretreatment medium. The inhibitory effect of PCMB on the uptake of TEA or PAH was prevented by dithiothreitol, but not by the substrate. PCMB inhibited Na-K-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner with $I_{50}$ value of $50\;{\mu}M$, which is similar to those for TEA and PAH uptake. These results suggest that PCMB inhibits the transport of organic cations and anions in the renal basolateral membrane by directly affecting the SH-group in the transporter molecules or secondly by altering the Na-K-ATPase activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.9-16
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• 1973

In view of the recent knowledge on the radioprotective action of reduced glutathione (GSH), the present study was designed the elucidate the effect of some concentrations of GSH on the levels of intrinsic non-protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) and non-protein disulfide (NP-SS) of the mouse liver incubated at 4, 25 and 37C in vitro, respectively. The liver slice of the mouse was incubated at 4, 25 and 37C in the medium composed of 100 ml of Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer (KRP) with the addition of 10, 20 and 30 mg of GSH, respectively. Measurement of NP-SH and NP-SS was made at 5, 30 and 60 min during the course of the incubation, and the results were compared with the controls which were incubated only in KRP medium, and the normal. The results thus obtained are summarized as follows: 1. When the mouse liver slice was incubated at 4C, the values of both NP-SH and NP-SS of the control and the group where 10 mg of GSH was added to the incubation medium were similar to those of the normal group, and the increase of NP-SH and NP-SS with the increased concentrations of GSH was not prominent. 2. When the liver slice was incubated in the concentrations of GSH 20 mg/100 ml KRP and GSH 30 mg/100 ml KRP at 25 C, the rate of increase of both NP-SH and NP-SS was proportional to the increase of GSH concentration. In the group where 10 mg of GSH was added to the incubation medium, the value of NP-SH and NP-SS reached the highest value at 30 min, but a tendency of decrease was observed at 60 min. 3. The rate of increase of NP-SH and NP-SS of the liver was most marked of all the group. studied when the incubation temperatuse was elevated to 37C, and the increase was proportional to the concentration of GSH and the incubation time.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 1993

Oxidants in environment or cigarette smoke are known to be implicated in the oxidative damages of pulmonary system. Such cellular damages are prevented by the presence of adequate levels of antioxidants in the tissue. In the present study, we investigated the influences of smoking duration and concentration of smoke on lung antioxidant defense in rats. Subchronic exposure of rats to smoke generated from 6 cigarettes per day for 90 days caused the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) to increase. However, glutathione peroxidase (GP-Xase) was not significantly changed. Total sulfhydryl compounds (Total-SH) in the lung homogenates from the rats inhaled with cigarette smoke for 15 days was decreased by 44% , thereafter it was returned to the level of normal rats. On the contrary, when rats were daily exposed to a different concentration of smoke generated from 1 to 20 cigarettes per day for 15 days, the activity of catalase was increased gradually with dose, but total SOD activity was increased only in the rats of low dose groups less than 5 cigarettes. Three types of SOD (one Cu, Zn-SOD with pI 4.9, and two Zn-SOD with pI 4.7 and 7.9)were detected in the lung homogenates and Zn-SOD with pI 4.7 was the major and cigarette-smoke inducible form. These results indicate that the protection of lung against oxidants from cigarette smoke seems to be accomplished by the induction of catalase and SOD, especially a cyanide resistant Zn-SOD with pI 4.f, following the consumption of antioxidants such as GSH in the beginning of inhalation period.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.205-210
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• 1983

Extracellular $\beta$-galactosidase was prepared from a culture of Lactobacillus sporogenes, a spore-forming lactic acid bacterium. The enzyme functioned optimally at pH 6.8 and at 6$0^{\circ}C$ o-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) in 0.05M sodium phosphate buffer. The activation energy of the enzymatic hydrolysis of ONPG was about 16,000 cal/mole below $50^{\circ}C$ and 11,300 cal/mole above the temperature. It was fairly stable over a pH range from 4.0 to 8.0 losing only less than 30% of its activity after hearting at 6$0^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.8 for 3 hours. Metal ions showed no significant effect on the enzyme activity, whereas L-cysteine exerted a slight stimulatory effect at the concentration of 10mM. The km values were 1.48mM for ONPG and 64.5mM for lactose. Hydrolysis of ONPG by the enzyme was product-inhibited by galactose (Ki=13.3mM, competitive inhibition) and by glucose(Ki= 11.4mM, uncompetitive type). The enzyme activity was also noncompetitively inhibited in the presence of lactose (Ki= 17.8mM).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.355-359
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• 1985

The purified $\beta$-galactosidase from L. sporogenes was most active at pH 7.0 and 6$0^{\circ}C$ with O-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) in 0.05 M phosphate buffer. It was stable over a pH range from 5.0 to 9.0 and lost less than 10％ of its activity after heating for 30 minutes at 6$0^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0. All the mineral ions examined in this work showed no significant activating effect, whereas L-cysteine exerted a great stimnlatory effect on the enzyme activity at the concentration of 10 mM. The Km values were 1.2 mM for ONPG and 33.3 mM for lactose. Approximately 85％ of lactose in cow's milk, in 10％ skim milk and in 5％ lactose solution was hydrolyzed after 4 hours incubation at 6$0^{\circ}C$ with 2 units of the purified $\beta$-galactosidase per $m\ell$ of the substrate solutions. The $\beta$-galactosidase from L. sporogenes, therefore, is considered to be suitable for hydrolysis of lactose in milk and other dairy products.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1999

Objectives: To evaluate the protective effects of glutathione (GSH) on the cytotoxicity of mercurial compounds$(CM_3HgCl,\;HgCl_2)$ or cadmium chloride$(CdCl_2)$ in EMT-6 cells. Methods: The compounds investigated were $CH_3HgCl,\;HgCl_2,\;CdCl_2$, GSH, buthionine Sulfoximine(BSO), L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid(OTC). Cytotoxicity analysis consist of nitric oxide(NO) production, ATP production and cell viability. Results: Mercurial compounds and cadmium chloride significantly decreased cell viability and the synthesis of NO and cellular ATP in EMT-6 cells. GSH was not toxic at concentrations of 0-1.6 mM. In the presence of GSH, mercurial compounds and cadmium did not decrease the production of ATP and nitrite in EMT-6 cells. The protective effects of GSH against the cytotoxicity of mercurial compounds and cadmium depended on the concentration of added GSH to the culture medium for EMT-6 cells. We evaluated the effects of intracellular GSH level on mercury- or cadmium-induced cytotoxicity by the pretreatment experiments. Pretreatment of GSH was not changed ${NO_2}^-$ and ATP production, and pretreatment of BSO was decreased in dose and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment of OTC was increased ${NO_2}^-$ and ATP production in dose- and tine-dependent manner. Because intracellular GSH level was increased by OTC pretreatment, the protective effect on mercury- and cadmium-induced cytotoxicity was increased. Conclusions: These results indicated that sulfhydryl compounds had the protective effects against mercury-induced cytotoxicity by the intracellular GSH levels.