-Derived Drimane Sesquiterpenoids That Inhibit Osteoclast Differentiation.

The presence of excessive osteoclasts is a major factor in skeletal diseases. The present study aimed to discover osteoclast differentiation inhibitors from the basidiomycete . Seven new drimane sesquiterpenoids (-) and 7-ketoisodrimenin-5-ene () were obtained and characterized by various spectroscopic methods.

Disease control efficacy of 32,33-didehydroroflamycoin produced by Streptomyces rectiviolaceus strain DY46 against gray mold of tomato fruit.

Despite the efficacy of synthetic fungicides in controlling postharvest diseases, public concerns regarding chemical residues in food and an increase in drug-resistant strains of pathogens have led to a need for new agents to control postharvest diseases. The current study was performed to find control agents of microbial origin that are effective on gray mold of tomato fruits. We recently isolated Streptomyces rectiviolaceus DY46, which has antagonistic activity against various plant pathogenic fungi.

Machine learning-based chemical binding similarity using evolutionary relationships of target genes.

Chemical similarity searching is a basic research tool that can be used to find small molecules which are similar in shape to known active molecules. Despite its popularity, the retrieval of local molecular features that are critical to functional activity related to target binding often fails. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel machine learning-based chemical binding similarity score by using various evolutionary relationships of binding targets.

Identification and characterisation of the novel endogenous promoter HASP1 and its signal peptide from Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Although diatoms have been extensively studied as bioreactors, only a limited number of efficient gene promoters are available. Therefore, the development of new endogenous promoters is important for the heterologous production of a variety of recombinant proteins. Herein, we identified the most abundant secreted protein in Phaeodactylum tricornutum, designated 'highly abundant secreted protein 1' (HASP1), and characterised the activities of its promoter and signal peptide using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Standardized Extract of Microalga Containing Fucoxanthin.

Fucoxanthin (FX), a marine carotenoid found in macroalgae and microalgae, exhibits several beneficial effects to health. The anti-obesity activity of FX is well documented, but FX has not been mass-produced or applied extensively or commercially because of limited availability of raw materials and complex extraction techniques. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of standardized FX powder ( extract (PE)) developed from microalga as a commercial functional food.

Physalin A regulates the Nrf2 pathway through ERK and p38 for induction of detoxifying enzymes.

Background: Physalin A isolated from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii has been known to have many pharmacological properties. However, its effect through the Nrf2 pathway has not yet been elucidated.

Effects of temperature, light, and pH on the stability of fucoxanthin in an oil-in-water emulsion.

The effects of temperature, light, and pH on the stability of fucoxanthin in an oil-in-water emulsion were investigated with analyzing the kinetics and thermodynamics of fucoxanthin degradation. In the absence of light and air at pH 4.6, increasing the temperature from 25 to 60 °C significantly promoted fucoxanthin degradation.

Ets1 suppresses atopic dermatitis by suppressing pathogenic T cell responses.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex inflammatory skin disease mediated by immune cells of both adaptive and innate types. Among them, CD4+ Th cells are one of major players of AD pathogenesis. Although the pathogenic role of Th2 cells has been well characterized, Th17/Th22 cells are also implicated in the pathogenesis of AD.

Identification of interactions between multiple components in Socheongryong-tang using a plant profiling approach.

Traditional herbal medicine consists of multiple components. There are interactions among the components, which affect both potency and toxicity. The preparation of herbal medicines can be a cause of interactions between multicomponents in herbs.

Enhanced irreversible fixation of cesium by wetting and drying cycles in soil.

The retention of radioactive cesium (Cs) in soil is significantly related to the types of clay minerals, while the weathering process affects the irreversible adsorption sites in clay minerals. In this study, the effect of weathering (exposure duration of Cs and repeated wetting and drying cycles) on fractionation of Cs in soils was investigated using fractionation analysis by the sequential extraction. The residual fraction of Cs increased slowly with exposure time but increased rapidly by repeated wetting and drying cycles.

Cytotoxic Drimane Sesquiterpenoids Isolated from Perenniporia maackiae.

A chemical investigation of a basidiomycetes fungus, Perenniporia maackiae, led to the discovery of 12 drimane sesquiterpenoids, including seven new constituents (1-7). The elucidation of the structures was performed via interpreting extensive spectroscopic methods, including ECD calculations. Among all isolated compounds, 1, 2, and 6 exhibited cytotoxicity toward six carcinoma cells, including ACHN, HCT-15, MDA-MB-231, NCI-H23, NUGC-3, and PC-3 cells, with half-maximal inhibition of cell proliferation values of 1.

Effects of fermented milk treatment on microbial population and metabolomic outcomes in a three-stage semi-continuous culture system.

We investigated the impact of a fermented milk product on gut microbiota and their metabolism in 3 different conditions of the colon with a systemic viewpoint. An in vitro semi-continuous anaerobic cultivation was used to assess the colon compartment-specific influence of fermented milk, followed by a multiomics approach combining 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The microbiome profiling and metabolomic features were significantly different across three colon compartments and after fermented milk treatment.

Fucoxanthin bioavailability from fucoxanthin-fortified milk: In vivo and in vitro study.

Our previous study reported the improved stability of fucoxanthin (FX) fortified in whole milk (WM) and skimmed milk (SM). In this study, in vivo and in vitro FX bioavailability were investigated using FX-fortified milk (FX-SM and FX-WM) and microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum biomass (Pt-powder). Organ tissue accumulation of FX and its metabolites (FXOH: fucoxanthinol, AXA: amarouciaxanthin A) after repeated oral administration was in the following order: FX-SM > FX-WM > Pt-powder.

OASL1 Traps Viral RNAs in Stress Granules to Promote Antiviral Responses.

Oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) protein family is the major interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes responsible for the activation of RNase L pathway upon viral infection. OAS-like (OASL) is also required for inhibition of viral growth in human cells, but the loss of one of its mouse homolog, OASL1, causes a severe defect in termination of type I interferon production. To further investigate the antiviral activity of OASL1, we examined its subcellular localization and regulatory roles in IFN production in the early and late stages of viral infection.

A standardized extract of Rhynchosia volubilis Lour. exerts a protective effect on benzalkonium chloride-induced mouse dry eye model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In contrast to other leguminous plants generally used as food, Rhynchosia volubilis Loureiro, a small soybean with a black seed coat, has been used as a traditional oriental remedy for various human diseases in Eastern Asia. In this study, we demonstrated the protective effect of R. volubilis against dry eye disease.

Assay for Phosphorylation and Microtubule Binding Along with Localization of Tau Protein in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

The microtubule-associated protein tau is a neuronal protein that localizes mostly in axons. Generally tau is essential for normal neuronal functioning because it is involved in microtubule assembly and stabilization. Besides neurons, tau is expressed in human breast, prostate, gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers where it shows nearly similar structure and exerts similar functions as the neuronal tau.

Effect of processing method on platycodin D content in Platycodon grandiflorum roots.

Platycodon grandiflorum root is a traditional medicine and food material rich in triterpenoid saponins. Its major constituent, platycodin D (PD), is known to have various pharmacological properties, but processing methods may influence the PD content. In this study, a fully validated HPLC-ELSD method was developed for the quantification of PD in various states of 73 P.

Identification of Antiangiogenic Potential and Cellular Mechanisms of Napyradiomycin A1 Isolated from the Marine-Derived Streptomyces sp. YP127.

Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel formation. Excessive angiogenesis is a critical factor in the progression of cancer, macular degeneration, and other chronic inflammatory diseases. When investigating the effects of crude extracts of cultured marine microorganisms, an extract of the cultured Streptomyces sp.

Aldose reductase inhibitors attenuate β-amyloid-induced TNF-α production in microlgia via ROS-PKC-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathways.

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a key risk factor to the development of Alzheimer' disease (AD). Aldose reductase (AR) has been found to be widely involved in inflammation-related diseases; however, whether aldose reductase inhibitors (ARIs) could be used to treat neuroinflammation is rarely reported. This study aims to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of two major ARIs of Sorbinil (Sor) and Zopolrestat (Zol) in β-amyloid protein (Aβ)-induced microglia (BV-2).

Preparation of Fucoxanthin-Loaded Nanoparticles Composed of Casein and Chitosan with Improved Fucoxanthin Bioavailability.

To facilitate the utilization of fucoxanthin (FX), a valuable marine carotenoid, in the food industry, FX-loaded casein nanoparticles (FX-CN) and chitosan-coated FX-CN (FX-CS-CN) were developed using the FX-enriched fraction from Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Two nanoscale particles (237 ± 13 nm for FX-CN and 277 ± 26 nm for FX-CN-CN) with spherical and smooth surfaces showed over 71% encapsulation efficiency and polydispersity index (PDI) value of 0.31-0.

Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects of Fucoxanthin via Inhibition of Akt/NF-κB and MAPKs/AP-1 Pathways and Activation of PKA/CREB Pathway in Lipopolysaccharide-Activated BV-2 Microglial Cells.

Microglia play a critical role in controlling the homeostasis of the brain, but over-activated microglia secrete pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, which induce neuronal cell death. Fucoxanthin (Fx), a marine carotenoid, has demonstrated a variety of beneficial health effects. Despite accumulating evidence supporting the immune-modulating effects of Fx in vitro, the underlying signaling pathways remain unknown.

A Mixture of Extracts of Kochia scoparia and Rosa multiflora with PPAR α/γ Dual Agonistic Effects Prevents Photoaging in Hairless Mice.

Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α/γ is known to inhibit the increases in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by ultraviolet light (UV). Extracts of natural herbs, such as and , have a PPAR α/γ dual agonistic effect. Therefore, we investigated whether and how they have an antiaging effect on photoaging skin.

A highly efficient sorbitol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 and improvement of its stability through immobilization.

A sorbitol dehydrogenase (GoSLDH) from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 (G. oxydans G624) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-CodonPlus RIL. The complete 1455-bp codon-optimized gene was amplified, expressed, and thoroughly characterized for the first time.

Effect of Amino Acids on the Generation of Ginsenoside Rg3 Epimers by Heat Processing and the Anticancer Activities of Epimers in A2780 Human Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Ginsenosides are the active components of Panax ginseng. Many research studies indicate that these deglycosylated, less-polar ginsenosides have better bioactivity than the major ginsenosides. In the present study, we sought to verify the enhanced anticancer effect of P.

5,7-Dihydroxy-6-geranylflavanone improves insulin sensitivity through PPARα/γ dual activation.

In the present study, we demonstrate that 5,7-dihydroxy-6-geranylflavanone (DGF) isolated from Amorpha fruticosa (A. fruticosa) is a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α/γ dual agonist which may be used to improve insulin sensitivity. The extract from A.