Effect of Microalgal Extracts of Tetraselmis suecica against UVB-Induced Photoaging in Human Skin Fibroblasts

Exposure of cells to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation can induce production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage cellular components. In addition, these agents can stimulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and decrease collagen synthesis in human skin cells. In this study, we examined the anti-photoaging effects of extracts of Tetraselmis suecica (W-TS). W-TS showed the strongest scavenging activity against 2,2-difenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and peroxyl radicals, followed by superoxide anions from the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. We observed that the levels of both intracellular ROS and lipid peroxidation significantly increased in UVB-irradiated human skin fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (e.g., superoxide dismutase) and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (e.g., glutathione) significantly decreased in cells. However, W-TS pretreatment, at the maximum tested concentration, significantly decreased intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels in the cells. At this same concentration, W-TS did not show cytotoxicity. Type 1 procollagen and MMP-1 released were quantified using RT-PCR techniques. The results showed that W-TS protected type 1 procollagen against UVB-induced depletion in fibroblast cells in a dose-dependent manner via inhibition of UVB-induced MMP-1. Taken together, the results of the study suggest that W-TS effectively inhibits UVB-induced photoaging in skin fibroblasts by its strong anti-oxidant ability.

Effects of White Radish (Raphanus sativus) Enzyme Extract on Hepatotoxicity

Raphanus sativus (Cruciferaceae), commonly known as radish is widely available throughout the world. From antiquity it has been used in folk medicine as a natural drug against many toxicants. The present study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of radish (Raphanus sativus) enzyme extract (REE) in vitro and in vivo test. The IC50 values of REE in human liver derived HepG2 cells was over 5,000 microg/ml in tested maximum concentration. The effect of REE to protect tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. REE showed their hepatoprotective activities on tacrine-induced cytotoxicity and the EC50 value was 1,250 microg/ml. Silymarin, an antihepatotoxic agent used as a positive control exhibited 59.7% hepatoprotective activitiy at 100 microg/ml. Moreover, we tested the effect of REE on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver toxicity in rats. REE at dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg and silymarin at dose of 50 mg/kg were orally administered to CCl4-treated rats. The results showed that REE and silymarin significantly reduced the elevated levels of serum enzyme markers induced by CCl4. The biochemical data were supported by evaluation with liver histopathology. These findings suggest that REE, can significantly diminish hepatic damage by toxic agent such as tacrine or CCl4.

The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Water Extract from Cordyceps militaris in Murine Macrophage

The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro anti-inflammatory effect of hot water extract from Cordyceps militaris fruiting bodies (CMWE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) release in RAW 264.7 cells. The treatment of macrophages with various concentrations of hot CMWE significantly reduced LPS-induced production as well as NO, TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that CMWE have potent inhibitory effects on the production of these inflammatory mediators.

Development of Species-specific Primers for Rapid Detection of Phellinus linteus and P. baumii

Genus Phellinus taxonomically belongs to Aphyllophorales and some species of this genus have been used as a medicinal ingredients and Indian folk medicines. Especially, P. linteus and morphological-related species are well-known medicinal fungi that have various biological activities such as humoral and cell-mediated, anti-mutagenic, and anti-cancer activities. However, little is known about the rapid detection for complex Phellinus species. Therefore, this study was carried out to develop specific primers for the rapid detection of P. linteus and other related species. Designing the species-specific primers was done based on internal transcribed spacer sequence data. Each primer set detected specifically P. linteus (PL2/PL5R) and P. baumii (PB1/PB4R). These primer sets could be useful for the rapid detection of specific-species among unidentified Phellinus species. Moreover, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the ITS region with HaeIII was also useful for clarifying the relationship between each 5 Phellinus species.

Phylogenetic Analysis and Rapid Detection of Genus Phellinus using the Nucleotide Sequences of 18S Ribosomal RNA

Analysis of phylogenetic relationship was performed among Phellinus species based on 18S ribosomal subunit sequence data. Twenty-five strains of 19 Phellinus species including P. linteus were examined in this study. Regions of 18S ribosomal subunit were very conserved, but some variable regions between Phellinus species were observed. The species-specific detection primers, modified by 2 or 3 nucleotides in sense primer were designed based on 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data. The 210 bp PCR bands were detected with annealing temperature 48degrees C. The 18S 2F-18S 4R detection primer set distinguished P. linteus from various Phellinus species but some species like P. baumii, P. weirianius, P. rhabarberinus and P. pomaceus also had weak reactivity on this primer set. The 18S 3F-18S 4R primer set distinguished only P. linteus from various Phellinus species, although sensitivity with this primer set was lower than that of 18S 2F-18 4R primer set. These primer sets would be useful for the detection of only P. linteus among unknown Phellinus species rapidly.

Regulatory Mechanism of Radiation-induced Cancer Cell Death by the Change of Cell Cycle / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: In our previous study, we have shown the main cell death pattern induced by irradiation or protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors in K562 human myelogenous leukemic cell line. Death of the cells treated with irradiation alone was characterized by mitotic catastrophe and typical radiation-induced apoptosis was accelerated by herbimycin A (HMA). Both types of cell death were inhibited by genistein. In this study, we investigated the effects of HMA and genistein on cell cycle regulation and its correlation with the alterations of radiation-induced cell death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: K562 cells in exponential growth phase were used for this study. The cells were irradiated with 10 Gy using 6 MeV Linac (200-300 cGy/min). Immediately after irradiation, cells were treated with 250 nM of HMA or 25 microM of genistein. The distributions of cell cycle, the expressions of cell cycle-related protein, the activities of cyclin-dependent kinase, and the yield of senescence and differentiation were analyzed. RESULTS: X-irradiated cells were arrested in the G2 phase of the cell cycle but unlike the p53-positive cells, they were not able to sustain the cell cycle arrest. An accumulation of cells in G2 phase of first cell-cycle post-treatment and an increase of cyclin B1 were correlated with spontaneous, premature, chromosome condensation and mitotic catastrophe. HMA induced rapid G2 checkpoint abrogation and concomitant p53-independent G1 accumulation. HMA-induced cell cycle modifications correlated with the increase of cdc2 kinase activity, the decrease of the expressions of cyclins E and A and of CDK2 kinase activity, and the enhancement of radiation-induced apoptosis. Genistein maintained cells that were arrested in the G2-phase, decreased the expressions of cyclin B1 and cdc25C and cdc2 kinase activity, increased the expression of p16, and sustained senescence and megakaryocytic differentiation. CONCLUSION: The effects of HMA and genistein on the radiation-induced cell death of K562 cells were closely related to the cell cycle regulatory activities. In this study, we present a unique and reproducible model in which for investigating the mechanisms of various, radiation-induced, cancer cell death patterns. Further evaluation by using this model will provide a potent target for a new strategy of radiotherapy.

Molecular Detection of Phellinus linteus and P. baumii by PCR Specific Primer

Specific primer sets based on ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed specer (ITS) sequences were designed for rapid detection of Phellinus linteus and P. baumii. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with these primers produced unique bands for each Phellinus species. The annealing temperature range is from 40degrees C to 55degrees C. The length of PCR products (P. linteus and P. baumii) using designed combinative primer sets of PL1F, PL2R, PB1F, PB2R, ITS5F and ITS4R, were from 520 bp to 730 bp. Fifteen strains of Phellinus species including P. linteus, P. baumii, P. weirianus, P. johnsonianus, P. rhabarberinus, P. pini, P. gilvus, P. igniarius, P. nigricans and P. laevigatus were examined in this study. Five strains, including two isolated strains of P. linteus (MPNU 7001 and MPNU 7002), and two isolated strains of P. baumii (MPNU 7004 and MPNU 7005) were shown to have about 520 bp (PL1F-PL2R), 700 bp (ITS5F-PL2R) and 600 bp (PB1F-ITS4R)-sized PCR single bands respectively. This molecular genetic technique provided a useful method for rapid detection and identification of P. linteus and P. baumii.

The Determination of the Partial 28S Ribosomal DNA Sequences and Rapid Detection of Phellinus linteus and Related species

Species of Phellinus were known to harmful fungi causing white pocket rot and severe plant disease such as canker or heart-rot in living trees in the West, but some species have been used to traditional medicines in the Orient for a long time. In this study the partial D1-D2 nucleotide sequences of 28S ribosomal DNA from 13 Phellinus strains were determined and compared with the sequences of 21 strains obtained from GenBank database. According to the neighbor-joining (NJ) method comparing the sequence data the phylogenetic tree was constructed. The phylogenetic tree displayed the presence of four groups. Group I includes P. ferreus, P. gilvus and P. johnsonianus, Group II contains P. laevigatus, P. conchatus and P. tremulae, Group III possesses P. linteus, P. weirianus, P. baumii, P. rhabarbarinus and P. igniarius, and Group IV comprises P. pini, P. chrysoloma. P. linteus and P. baumii, which were used mainly in traditional medicine, belong to the same group, but exactly speaking both were split into two different subgroups. To detect P. linteus only, we developed the PCR primer, D12HR. The primer showed the specific amplification of P. linteus, which is permitted to medicinal mushroom in the East. The results make a potential to be incorporated in a PCR identification system that could be used for the rapid identification of this species from its related species, P. linteus especially.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Caterpillar Fungi by Comparing ITS 1-5.8S-ITS 2 Ribosomal DNA Sequences

This study was carried out to identify the phylogenetic relationships among several caterpillar fungi by comparing the sequences of internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) and 5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeat unit. The sequences of ITS1, ITS2, and the 5.8S rDNA from 10 strains of Cordyceps species, 12 strains of Paecilomyces, 3 strains of Beauveria, 2 strains of Metarhizium and 1 strains of Hirsutella were amplified, determined and compared with the previously known Cordyceps species. The sequences of 5.8S rDNA were more conserved in length and variation than those of ITS regions. Although the variable ITS sequences were often ambiguously aligned, the conserved sites could be found. In the phylogenetic tree, the species generally divided into three clusters, supported by their morphology and/or host ranges. The 5.8S rDNA and ITS1 sequences among 10 species of Cordyceps militaris were identical and only one base pair in ITS2 sequence was different. Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps ophioglossoides were also clearly different, although they belonged to the same cluster. The GenBank database search of species revealed sister taxa of an entomogenous fungus. Metarhizium was used as an outgroup in all taxa.

Availability of Sikhae Factory Wastewater as a Submerged Culture Medium for Lentinula edodes

Sikhae is a Korean traditional beverage of saccharified rice. Its factory waste (SFW) is usually thrown away instead of being used. We developed a cheap substrate of SFW for use in liquid spawn that is known for its higher fruit body yields than grain spawn in sawdust cultivation. Mycelia of Lentinula edodes ASI 3046, which is regarded as the most suitable strain for sawdust cultivation, were cultured on six kinds of previous known media and SFW. As the seven kinds of media were applied, a Sikhae Factory Waste (SFW) was most excellent in growth. The dried mycelial weight in SFW was almost four times as much as that in the other media. In the flask culture, optimum culture conditions for the mycelial growth were obtained after 13 days of cultivation at media volume of 100 ml, 100 rpm, initial pH 4.5, and 25degrees C. The best mycelial growth was observed when MgSO4 . 7H2O and D-sucrose were added as a supplement in SFW. SWM must be a remarkable medium for L. edodes because of its simple preparation and low cost.