Ethylacetate fraction from Korean seaside starfish, Asterias amurensis, has an inhibitory effect on MMP-9 activity and expression and on migration behavior of TNF-α induced human aortic smooth muscle cells.

Atherosclerosis is accompanied by the proliferation of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) and their movement into the intima. Many reports have indicated the involvement of gelatinases (MMP-9 and MMP-2) in this pathogenesis. The ethylacetate fraction from starfish, Asterias amurensis (EFA), harvested from the Korean seaside has an inhibitory effect on MMP-9 and MMP-2 activities, as well as on the expression of MMP-9 in TNF-α induced HASMC in a dose-dependent manner.

Saucerneol G, a new lignan, from Saururus chinensis inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-9 induction via a nuclear factor κB and mitogen activated protein kinases in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

This study was conducted to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of saucerneol G (SG), a new lignan, isolated from the aerial part of Saururus chinensis (Saururaceae) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP)-9 inductions in RAW 264.7 cells. Aimed at evaluating the mechanism of action by which SG inhibits the LPS-mediated induction of MMP-9, the effects of SG on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA binding activity, NF-κB-dependent reporter gene activity, inhibitory factor-κB (IκB) phosphorylation, degradation and p65 nuclear translocation were assessed.

Molecular characterization of pig alpha2,3-Gal-beta1,3-GalNAc-alpha2,6-sialyltransferase (pST6GalNAc IV) gene specific for Neu5Acalpha2-3Galbeta1-3GalNAc trisaccharide structure.

Sialic acids of glycoconjugates play crucial roles in various biological processes, such as cell-cell communication and cell-substrate interaction. A sisalyltransferase, ST6GalNAc IV (Neu5Ac-alpha2,3-Gal-beta1,3-GalNAc-alpha2,6-sialyltransferase), catalyzes the formation of alpha2-6-linkages onto GalNAc residues of O-glycosidically linked Ser/Thr of proteins. In this study, we cloned the pig ST6GalNAc IV (pST6GalNAc IV) and investigated its functional characterization.