Bile Acids: Major Regulator of the Gut Microbiome.

Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol and play an important role in regulating intestinal microflora. The different degrees of hydrophobicity and acidity of individual bile acids may affect their antimicrobial properties. We examined the antimicrobial effects of different bile acids on various microorganisms in vitro and confirmed whether these remain consistent in vivo.

CysA2: A candidate serodiagnostic marker for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Background And Objective: It is important to identify and test serologically active antigens in order to devise a mixture of antigens or peptides that is most useful for serodiagnosis. This study evaluated the serodiagnostic potential of CysA2, which has not previously been described as a serological antigen, together with those of PstS1, HspX, antigen 85 complex and CFP-10 proteins.

Methods: Serum IgG antibody titres against each antigen and a mixture of the antigens were measured by ELISA, in subjects with pulmonary tuberculosis and in healthy control subjects.

Preventive effects of mycobacteria and their culture supernatants against asthma development in BALB/c mice.

Purpose: Live Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has a suppressive effect on asthma, but its use in clinical practice may be limited due to adverse reactions. To develop a product that is effective for suppressing asthma with minimal adverse reactions, we investigated whether the heat-killed body or culture supernatants of mycobacteria could also prevent asthma development.

Methods: Female BALB/c mice were treated with live BCG, the heat-killed body, or culture supernatants of BCG or Mycobacterium tuberculosis intraperitoneally, while sensitizing and provoking with ovalbumin.

Improved sensitivity of diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients in Korea via a cocktail enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay containing the abundantly expressed antigens of the K strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in Korea. In this study, we compared the proteins present in culture filtrates from Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain K, which is the dominant clinical isolate in Korea, with those present in culture filtrates from M. tuberculosis H37Rv.