• BMB Reports
• /
• 제28권3호
• /
• pp.227-231
• /
• 1995

In order to figure out the relationships between structural features and biological activity of the host-specific HC-toxin in maize, structurally related cyclic tetrapeptides, chlamydocin and CYL-2 were isolated, and their biological activities in maize were examined. Biological activities of preparations were determined by root growth inhibition and electrolyte leakage bioassays. Chlamydocin and CYL-2 showed toxicities to maize. However, the toxicities of these compounds were non-specific. Thus, the precise peptide ring structure of HC-toxin apparently does not play an important role in toxicity, while resistance of maize to HC-toxin is based on a precise ring conformation.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
• /
• 제48권3호
• /
• pp.202-209
• /
• 2016

본 연구는 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)로부터, 독소 유전자형과 항생제 내성의 상관 관계를 결정하는 것을 목표로 하였다. 2014년 1월~12월까지 전남 순천의 한 병원 중환자실의 임상검체 2,664건에서 얻어진 MRSA 52균주를 분리하였다. 유전자들이 암호화하고 있는 mecA, 장독소(staphylococcal enterotoxins; sea, seb, sec, seg, seh, sei, sej), 독성 쇼크 증상독소-1 (toxic shock syndrome toxin-1; tst-1), 표피박탈성독소(exfoliative toxin; eta, etb), 백혈구 용해 독소(Panton-Valentine leukocidin; pvl)를 특이적 프라이머를 이용한 multiplex PCR로 증폭 검출 하였다. 독소 유전자 seg와 sei 유전자가 각각 40균주(76.9%)로 가장 많은 보유율을 나타냈으며 다음으로 tst 34균주(65.4%) 순으로 검출 되었으며 eta, etb, sea, sed, see, seh, sej와 pvl 유전자들은 검출 되지 않았다. 2개 이상의 독소 유전자를 동시에 보유한 조합의 MRSA는 40균주(76.9%) 였는데 5개 유전자(seb, sec, seg, sei, tst)를 동시 보유한 조합이 28균주(53.8%)로 가장 많은 분포를 보였으며 다음으로 seg, sei 유전자 동시 보유 조합으로 6균주(11.5%)에서 나타났다. 유전자들 간의 동시 보유율은 72.5~100%로서 특정한 독소 유전자 seb, sec, seg, sei와 tst 유전자간의 상관성이 높게 나타났다. 특정 다수의 독소유전자(seb, sec, seg, sei, tst)를 동시에 보유한 균주들이 개별적 독소 유전자를 보유한 균주(seb, sec, tst)와의 항생제 내성의 상관성은 ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin 항생제에 100% 내성을 보임으로서 공통적으로 포함된 seb, sec, tst 유전자와 이 항생제의 내성과는 밀접한 연관이 있음을 알았다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제28권4호
• /
• pp.302-310
• /
• 2020

Botulinum toxins are neurotoxic modular proteins composed of a heavy chain and a light chain connected by a disulfide bond and are produced by Clostridium botulinum. Although lethally toxic, botulinum toxin in low doses is clinically effective in numerous medical conditions, including muscle spasticity, strabismus, hyperactive urinary bladder, excessive sweating, and migraine. Globally, several companies are now producing products containing botulinum toxin for medical and cosmetic purposes, including the reduction of facial wrinkles. To test the efficacy and toxicity of botulinum toxin, animal tests have been solely and widely used, resulting in the inevitable sacrifice of hundreds of animals. Hence, alternative methods are urgently required to replace animals in botulinum toxin testing. Here, the various alternative methods developed to test the toxicity and efficacy of botulinum toxins have been briefly reviewed and future perspectives have been detailed.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제4권1호
• /
• pp.37-45
• /
• 1988

Primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes were used to study in vitro cytotoxic effects of T-2 toxin on liver cells. When T-2 toxin was added to the culture, a significant depression of the hormonal induction of ${\alpha}$-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) uptake and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity was observed. However, T-2 toxin did not affect the uptake of ouabain into hepatocytes. Protein synthesis was inhibited by T-2 toxin, but RNA synthesis was not severely affected. The inhibitory effects of T-2 toxin on protein synthesis was diminished rapidly with culture time and the hepatocytes culture maintained control level of protein synthesis within 24 hrs.

• 대한화학회지
• /
• 제59권1호
• /
• pp.22-30
• /
• 2015

본 연구에서는 디프테리아 독소가 세포막의 지질에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위해 HepG2 세포에서 포스포리파제 D와 유리된 지방산(Free fatty acid)의 변화를 살펴보았다. 지질변화는 pH 5.1에서 최고 값을 나타냈으며, 이 pH에서 포스포리파아제 D의 활성을 3.5배 가량, 유리된 지방산의 방출은 5배 정도 증가되었다. 이는 디프테리아 독소가 세포 안으로 들어가는 과정에서 세포막이 교란되어 재배열되었음을 시사한다. 한편 세포막을 무작위로 교란시키는 디지토닌의 영향이 디프테리아 독소의 그것보다 중성 pH에서 4배 이상 상당히 높게 나타난 것으로 미루어 보아 디프테리아 독소의 영향이 상대적으로 선택적인 교란 현상인 것으로 보여진다. 이런 세포막 교란의 연유를 밝히고자 세포막 구멍 형성 저해제인 cibacron blue와 세포막 융합 펩티드를 갖고 있는 hemagglutinin의 영향을 검토하였다. Cibacron blue는 디프테리아 독소에 의한 지질 변화를 50% 정도 저해시켰으며, hemagglutinin에 의한 지질변화는 디프테리아 독소의 그것과 유사함을 관찰 할 수 있었다. 이들 결과들은 디프테리아 독소에 의한 세포막 교란이 구멍형성과 독소의 소수성 펩티드가 세포막에 삽입되는 과정이 서로 연계되어 있음을 암시한다. 그 외 일련의 실험으로 디프테리아 독소가 세포막을 통과하는 과정에서 HepG2 세포의 투과성은 상승시켰으나, 세포의 생존능력은 상당히 높게 유지되었고 DNA 토막내기 같은 세포의 괴사는 일어나지 않았다. 이런 조건하에서 디프테리아 독소는 산성 pH에서 HepG2 세포의 지질의 변화를 가져 온다는 것을 밝힐 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• 제24권2호
• /
• pp.90-95
• /
• 2013

Botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin, is known to be an inhibitor of cholinergic neuromuscular transmission. Recently, it was reported that the administration of botulinum toxin is effective for the treatment of focal neurological motor disorders such as cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, spasmodic dysphonia, and writer's cramp. Several case studies reported that the botulinum toxin was administered for the treatment of motor tic or vocal tic. It was found that this toxin reduces the frequency and severity of the tic as well as the premonitory urge and symptoms. In our case study, a noticeable decrease of motor tic symptom was observed after an intramuscular injection of 300mg of botulinum toxin in an 18-year-old patient with Tourette's disorder who showed only a little improvement of motor tic and vocal tic symptoms after treatment with antipsychotic drugs for several years. This case is reported in our study and literature survey was undertaken for reviewing similar cases. In our study, an 18-year-old boy diagnosed with Tourette's disorder based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition presented with the following scores : the Clinical Global Impression scale, Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (motor/vocal/severity), Premonitory Urge Score, Korean Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating scale, and Kovac Depression scale which were performed prior to the treatment were 5, 21/5/50, 100, 17, and 18 points, respectively. Two weeks after the injection of botulinum toxin, the scores were 4, 17/5/40, 50, 16, and 19 points, respectively. Eight weeks after the injection of botulinum toxin, they had become 3, 15/5/30, 25, 16, and 20 points, respectively, which clearly indicates a noticeable decrease of motor tic symptom.

• 대한후두음성언어의학회지
• /
• 제30권2호
• /
• pp.82-86
• /
• 2019

In the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, botulinum toxins are widely used for the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia and vocal tremors. Recently, the applications of botulinum toxin have gradually expanded with time, to include vocal fold granuloma, mutational falsetto, bilateral vocal cord paralysis, and chemical reduction for arytenoid dislocation as an adjunctive modality. According to a nation-wide multicenter study conducted by the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics for treatment modality of contact granuloma, among the various treatment modalities, botulinum toxin injection showed the highest response rate and lowest recurrence rate in both primary and refractory cases. Therefore, botulinum toxin could be reserved as a second-line treatment for contact granuloma in which the first treatment was not effective, but also could be used as a first-line treatment depending on the patient's and institution's situation. For recalcitrant nodules, injection of botulinum toxin into the bilateral thyroarytenoid muscle will reduce glottal contact force and result in a forceful chemical voice rest. In special situations, botulinum toxin injection could be one of the alternative treatment options for recalcitrant vocal nodules.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제33권6호
• /
• pp.463-468
• /
• 2000

Anthrax lethal toxin, which consists of two separate protein, protective antigen (83 KDa) and lethal factor (85 KDa) is responsible for major symptoms and death from systemic infection of Bacillus anthracis. High concentrations of this toxin are cytolytic to macrophages, whereas sublytic concentrations of lethal toxin induce these cells to produce interleukin $1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$). It is proposed that melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may play an important role in modifying immune dysfunction. In this study, we investigated whether or not melatonin and DHEA could prevent $IL-1{\beta}$ production that is induced by anthrax lethal toxin in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Treatment of melatonin or DHEA alone, as well as together, prevented the production of $IL-1{\beta}$ caused by anthrax lethal toxin. We found that melatonin at a concentration of $10^{-6}-10^{-7}$ M inhibits $IL-1{\beta}$ production induced by anthrax lethal toxin. As expect, treatment of DHEA at a concentration $10^{-6}-10^{-7}$ M also suppressed production of $IL-1{\beta}$ by lethal toxin stimulated macrophages. The results of these studies suggest that melatonin and DHEA, immunomodulators, may have an important role in reducing the increase of cytokine production in anthrax lethal toxin-treated macrophages.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제14권12호
• /
• pp.1752-1757
• /
• 2001

The present study was conducted to assess the dietary effect of T-2 toxin on the antioxidant systems of the liver in growing quail and to comparatively evaluate the protective properties of two different mycotoxin-adsorbent additives, Mycosorb and zeolite, in preventing inhibition of the antioxidant system. Four groups of 4 day old quail were formed with 20 birds in each group. The birds were maintained on the floor for the course of the study. The three treatment diets consisted of the basal diet with T-2 toxin added in the form of Fusarium sporotrichioides culture (8.1 mg/kg feed), T-2 toxin (8.1 mg/kg) plus zeolite (30 g/kg feed), and T-2 toxin (8.1 mg/kg) plus Mycosorb (1 g/kg feed). After 30 days of feeding (34 days old) all birds were sacrificed and liver samples for biochemical analyses were collected from five quail in each of the four groups. Antioxidant concentrations were evaluated by HPLC-based methods. Inclusion of T-2 toxin in the quail diet was associated with a significant (p<0.05) decrease in concentrations of all forms of antioxidants studied, including ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherols, ascorbic acid, retinol and retinyl esters. At the same time, liver susceptibility to lipid peroxidation significantly (p<0.05) increased. Inclusion of zeolite in the quail diet at the level of 3% was ineffective in preventing antioxidant depletion in the liver by mycotoxicosis. In contrast, Mycosorb in the diet at a 0.1% level was able to significantly inhibit liver antioxidant depletion and as a result decreased lipid peroxidation in the liver. Concentrations of all forms of antioxidants studied were significantly higher in the livers of the quails fed the basal and T-2 toxin/Mycosorb combination in comparison to birds fed the basal with T-2 toxin alone.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제18권10호
• /
• pp.1630-1633
• /
• 2008

A novel putative toxin-antitoxin segregational stability system named KyAB system was identified in a novel native plasmid pBMB8240 from Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1520, based on sequences homology with other toxin-antitoxin systems, the lethal activity of the KyB putative toxin in Escherichia coli and the stabilizing effect of the kyAB system in Bacillus thuringiensis. Secondarily, the native plasmid pBMB9741 from the same strain was resequenced and the corrected plasmid was named as pBMB7635. Based on sequence homology with the tasAB system and the lethal activity of toxin protein in Escherichia coli, a tasAB-like putative toxin-antitoxin system was identified on pBMB7635.