miRNA-6515-5p regulates particulate matter-induced inflammatory responses by targeting CSF3 in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Particulate matter (PM) is associated with the incidence, exacerbation, and mortality of variable respiratory diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of PM10-mediated inflammation are unclear. We identified microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) related to the inflammatory response in PM10-exposed bronchial epithelial cells using next-generation sequencing. Of the miRNAs, miR-6515-5p was significantly downregulated in PM10-exposed human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. miR-6515-5p regulated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and the expression of inflammatory genes (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, CXCL-1, and MCP-1) via MAPK/ERK signaling; overexpression of miR-6515-5p using a mimic inhibited PM10-induced inflammatory responses via inactivation of the ERK pathway, whereas downregulation of miR-6515-5p via an inhibitor significantly increased inflammation in PM10-exposed cells via activation of ERK. Furthermore, we identified colony stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) as a target gene of miR-6515-5p using TargetScanHuman, and confirmed the association between miR-6515-5p and CSF3 using a luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, we found that mRNA and protein levels of CSF3 were negatively regulated by miR-6515-5p. Inhibition of CSF3 by small interfering RNA significantly reduced the expression and production of inflammatory markers in PM10-exposed cells by inactivating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Therefore, we suggest that miR-6515-5p regulates PM10-induced inflammatory responses by targeting CSF3 via MAPK/ERK signaling in bronchial epithelial cells.

Histone deacetylase 3 promotes alveolar epithelial-mesenchymal transition and fibroblast migration under hypoxic conditions.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process by which epithelial cells undergo a phenotypic conversion that leads to myofibroblast formation, plays a crucial role in the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Recently, it was revealed that hypoxia promotes alveolar EMT and that histone deacetylases (HDACs) are abnormally overexpressed in the lung tissues of IPF patients. In this study, we showed that HDAC3 regulated alveolar EMT markers via the AKT pathway during hypoxia and that inhibition of HDAC3 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased the migration ability and invasiveness of diseased human lung fibroblasts. Furthermore, we found that HDAC3 enhanced the migratory and invasive properties of fibroblasts by positively affecting the EMT process, which in turn was affected by the increased and decreased levels of microRNA (miR)-224 and Forkhead Box A1 (FOXA1), respectively. Lastly, we found this mechanism to be valid in an in vivo system; HDAC3 siRNA administration inhibited bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that HDAC3 may accelerate pulmonary fibrosis progression under hypoxic conditions by enhancing EMT in alveolar cells through the regulation of miR-224 and FOXA1. This entire process, we believe, offers a novel therapeutic approach for pulmonary fibrosis.

Comparison of Pharmacokinetics and Anti-Pulmonary Fibrosis-Related Effects of Sulforaphane and Sulforaphane N-acetylcysteine.

Sulforaphane (SFN), belonging to the isothiocyanate family, has received attention owing to its beneficial activities, including chemopreventive and antifibrotic effects. As sulforaphane N-acetylcysteine (SFN-NAC), a major sulforaphane metabolite, has presented similar pharmacological activities to those of SFN, it is crucial to simultaneously analyze the pharmacokinetics and activities of SFN and SFN-NAC, to comprehensively elucidate the efficacy of SFN-containing products. Accordingly, the anti-pulmonary fibrotic effects of SFN and SFN-NAC were assessed, with simultaneous evaluation of permeability, metabolic stability, and in vivo pharmacokinetics. Both SFN and SFN-NAC decreased the levels of transforming growth factor-ß1-induced fibronectin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and collagen, which are major mediators of fibrosis, in MRC-5 fibroblast cells. Regarding pharmacokinetics, SFN and SFN-NAC were metabolically unstable, especially in the plasma. SFN-NAC degraded considerably faster than SFN in plasma, with SFN being formed from SFN-NAC. In rats, SFN and SFN-NAC showed a similar clearance when administered intravenously; however, SFN showed markedly superior absorption when administered orally. Although the plasma SFN-NAC concentration was low owing to poor absorption following oral administration, SFN-NAC was converted to SFN in vivo, as in plasma. Collectively, these data suggest that SFN-NAC could benefit a prodrug formulation strategy, possibly avoiding the gastrointestinal side effects of SFN, and with improved SFN-NAC absorption.

Anti­inflammatory activity of 3,5,6,7,3',4'­hexamethoxyflavone via repression of the NF­κB and MAPK signaling pathways in LPS­stimulated RAW264.7 cells.

Citrus peel has been used as a Traditional medicine in Asia to treat coughs, asthma and bronchial disorders. Therefore, the anti­inflammatory effects of 3,5,6,7,3',4'­hexamethoxyflavone (quercetogetin, QUE) isolated from Citrus unshiu peel were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)­induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The results showed that QUE repressed the production of prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide by suppressing LPS­induced expression of cyclooxygenase­2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. It also suppressed the production of interleukin (IL)­6, IL­1ß, and tumor necrosis factor­α cytokines, and decreased the nuclear translocation of NF­κB by interrupting the phosphorylation of NF­κB inhibitor α in macrophage cells. Based on the finding that QUE inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK protein expression in LPS­induced RAW264.7 cells, it was confirmed that inhibition of inflammatory responses by QUE was mediated via the ERK pathway. Therefore, this study suggests that QUE has strong anti­inflammatory effects, making it a promising compound for use as a therapeutic agent in treating inflammatory lung diseases, such as emphysema.

Effects of antioxidants on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to particulate matter and cigarette smoke extract.

Particulate matter (PM) is a type of air pollutant that induces adverse health effects, including acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the effects of co-exposure to PM and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on bronchial epithelial cells remain unknown. This study investigated the cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects of combined exposure to PM and CSE on bronchial epithelial cells, and assessed the potential of antioxidants to inhibit CSE/PM-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Exposure of epithelial cells to PM or CSE induced cytotoxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, all of which were dramatically increased when cells were exposed to the combination of CSE and PM. Importantly, the adverse effects of CSE/PM exposure were suppressed when cells were treated with sulforaphane (SFN) or sulforaphane N-acetylcysteine (SFNAC). Furthermore, SFN and SFNAC suppressed the CSE/PM-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production and expression of inflammatory genes. Combined PM and CSE exposure further activated the MAPK and Nrf2 signaling pathways. SFN and SFNAC attenuated CSE/PM-induced epithelial toxicity through the ERK/JNK signaling pathway-dependent inhibition of inflammation. Moreover, SFN and SFNAC suppressed ROS generation by activating antioxidant enzymes and Nrf2 signaling. Therefore, SFN and SFNAC could be a promising approach to prevent or mitigate the exacerbation of pulmonary diseases caused by PM and other air pollutants.

Unintended Retention of Temporary Articulating Spacers in the Treatment of Periprosthetic Hip Joint Infection.

A considerable number of patients who underwent a 2-stage exchange protocol for periprosthetic hip joint infection could not complete the second-stage reimplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of unintended retention of temporary articulating spacers for the treatment of periprosthetic hip joint infection. Ninety-four patients with infection after total hip arthroplasty were treated by using a 2-stage exchange protocol with temporary articulating spacers. Of the 94 patients, 35 did not complete the 2-stage exchange protocol and retained spacers for more than 12 months. The authors retrospectively investigated the clinical and radiographic results after a mean follow-up of 36.1 months. Thirty-one patients had well-healed wounds without recurrent infection and did not receive further surgery for any reason (success group). Spacers were revised in 2 patients, and the other 2 patients underwent incision and debridement because of recurrent infection (failure group). There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in terms of demographics or presence of resistant organisms. After 3 years of follow-up, temporary articulating spacers functioned well in 89% of the patients who retained them. These results support that retention of temporary articulating spacers could be considered an alternative treatment option for select patients. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(4):e251-e257.].

Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Stapf sprout extract induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females. Coix lacryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf ex Hook. f. is the most widely recognized medicinal herb for its remedial effects against inflammation, endocrine system dysfunctions, warts, chapped skin, rheumatism, and neuralgia and is also a nourishing food. METHODS: To investigate the activity of Coix lacryma-jobi sprout extract (CLSE) on cell proliferation in human cervical cancer HeLa cells, we conducted a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow-cytometric analysis and western blot analysis were performed to verify the effect of CLSE on the regulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis in HeLa cells. RESULTS: We observed that CLSE significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Furthermore, CLSE dose-dependently promoted cell cycle arrest at the sub-G1/ S phase in HeLa cells, as detected by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining. The cell-cycle-arrest effects of CLSE in HeLa cells were associated with downregulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 2, 4, and 6. Moreover, CLSE induced apoptosis, as determined by flow-cytometric analysis and nuclear DNA fragmentation with Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) and 4'6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. Induction of apoptosis by CLSE was involved in inhibition of the antiapoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and upregulation of the apoptotic proteins p53, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-8. Finally, we observed that CLSE inactivated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) pathways. CONCLUSIONS: CLSE causes cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death through inactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in HeLa cells, suggesting it is a viable therapeutic agent for cervical cancer owing to its anticancer effects.

Sulforaphane attenuates pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal disease with no effective treatment. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical stage during the development of fibrosis. To assess the effect of sulforaphane (SFN) on the EMT and fibrosis using an in vitro transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1-induced model and an in vivo bleomycin (BLM)-induced model. METHODS: In vitro studies, cell viability, and cytotoxicity were measured using a Cell Counting Kit-8. The functional TGF-ß1-induced EMT and fibrosis were assessed using western blotting and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The lungs were analyzed histopathologically in vivo using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The BLM-induced fibrosis was characterized by western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses for fibronectin, TGF-ß1, E-cadherin (E-cad), and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) in lung tissues. RESULTS: SFN reversed mesenchymal-like changes induced by TGF-ß1 and restored cells to their epithelial-like morphology. The results confirmed that the expression of the epithelial marker, E-cadherin, increased after SFN treatment, while expression of the mesenchymal markers, N-cadherin, vimentin, and α-SMA decreased in A549 cells after SFN treatment. In addition, SFN inhibited TGF-ß1-induced mRNA expression of the EMT-related transcription factors, Slug, Snail, and Twist. The SFN treatment attenuated TGF-ß1-induced expression of fibrosis-related proteins, such as fibronection, collagen I, collagen IV, and α-SMA in MRC-5 cells. Furthermore, SFN reduced the TGF-ß1-induced phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 protein in A549 cells and MRC-5 cells. BLM induced fibrosis in mouse lungs that was also attenuated by SFN treatment, and SFN treatment decreased BLM-induced fibronectin expression, TGF-ß1 expression, and the levels of collagen I in the lungs of mice. CONCLUSIONS: SFN showed a significant anti-fibrotic effect in TGF-ß-treated cell lines and BLM-induced fibrosis in mice. These findings showed that SFN has anti-fibrotic activity that may be considered in the treatment of IPF.

Intralymphatic Immunotherapy With Autologous Semen in a Korean Man With Post-Orgasmic Illness Syndrome.

Post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a very rare disease characterized by local allergic symptoms and transient flu-like illness that nearly always occur after masturbation, coitus, or spontaneous ejaculation and last for 2 to 7 days. In a previous case report, 2 patients with POIS received hyposensitization therapy composed of multiple subcutaneous injections of autologous semen that resulted in a gradual decrease of symptoms. However, this procedure requires patients to endure pain and discomfort during frequent subcutaneous injections and preceding masturbations to obtain the autologous semen used for therapy. Recent studies have suggested that intralymphatic immunotherapy is a promising new method of allergen-specific immunotherapy against allergic diseases, showing a faster onset and longer duration of therapeutic effects after only several intralymphatic injections. We report on a case of a Korean man with POIS who received intralymphatic immunotherapy that alleviated POIS-related symptoms and in whom the existence of semen-specific immunoglobulin E was confirmed using immunoglobulin E immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Kim TB, Shim YS, Lee, SM, et al. Intralymphatic Immunotherapy With Autologous Semen in a Korean Man With Post-Orgasmic Illness Syndrome. Sex Med 2018;6:174-179.

The Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitor Roflumilast Protects against Cigarette Smoke Extract-Induced Mitophagy-Dependent Cell Death in Epithelial Cells.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies show that mitophagy, the autophagy-dependent turnover of mitochondria, mediates pulmonary epithelial cell death in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure and contributes to the development of emphysema in vivo during chronic cigarette smoke (CS) exposure, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the role of mitophagy in the regulation of CSE-exposed lung bronchial epithelial cell (Beas-2B) death. We also investigated the role of a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, roflumilast, in CSE-induced mitophagy-dependent cell death. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that CSE induces mitophagy in Beas-2B cells through mitochondrial dysfunction and increased the expression levels of the mitophagy regulator protein, PTEN-induced putative kinase-1 (PINK1), and the mitochondrial fission protein, dynamin-1-like protein (DRP1). CSE-induced epithelial cell death was significantly increased in Beas-2B cells exposed to CSE but was decreased by small interfering RNA-dependent knockdown of DRP1. Treatment with roflumilast in Beas-2B cells inhibited CSE-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy by inhibiting the expression of phospho-DRP1 and -PINK1. Roflumilast protected against cell death and increased cell viability, as determined by the lactate dehydrogenase release test and the MTT assay, respectively, in Beas-2B cells exposed to CSE. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that roflumilast plays a protective role in CS-induced mitophagy-dependent cell death.

Quercetogetin protects against cigarette smoke extract-induced apoptosis in epithelial cells by inhibiting mitophagy.

Recent studies demonstrate that the autophagy-dependent turnover of mitochondria (mitophagy) mediates pulmonary epithelial cell death in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure, and contributes to emphysema development in vivo during chronic cigarette smoke (CS)-exposure, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of mitophagy in regulating apoptosis in CSE-exposed human lung bronchial epithelial cells. Furthermore, we investigated the potential of the polymethoxylated flavone antioxidant quercetogetin (QUE) to inhibit CSE-induced mitophagy-dependent apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that CSE induces mitophagy in epithelial cells via mitochondrial dysfunction, and causes increased expression levels of the mitophagy-regulator protein PTEN-induced putative kinase-1 (PINK1) and the mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-1-like protein (DRP-1). CSE induced epithelial cell death and increased the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase-3, -8 and -9. Caspase-3 activity was significantly increased in Beas-2B cells exposed to CSE, and decreased by siRNA-dependent knockdown of DRP-1. Treatment of epithelial cells with QUE inhibited CSE-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy by inhibiting phospho (p)-DRP-1 and PINK1 expression. QUE suppressed mitophagy-dependent apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of cleaved caspase-3, -8 and -9 and downregulating caspase activity in human bronchial epithelial cells. These findings suggest that QUE may serve as a potential therapeutic in CS-induced pulmonary diseases.

Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Stapf sprout extract has anti-metastatic activity in colon cancer cells in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf has been used in China as an herbal medicine. Many studies of this plant have reported anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities on human cancer cell lines. Therefore, this study of the anti-metastatic effect of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen Stapf sprout extract (CLSE) in colorectal cancer cells may provide a scientific basis for exploring anti-cancer effects of edible crops. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of CLSE on cell proliferation and signaling, we performed a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay in HCT116 cells and used western blot analysis. Furthermore, scratch-wound healing, transwell migration, matrigel invasion, and adhesion assays were conducted to elucidate the anti-metastatic effects of CLSE under hypoxic conditions in colon cancer cells. RESULTS: First, CLSE decreased deferoxamine (DFO)-induced migration of colon cancer cells by 87%, and blocked colon cancer cell migration by 80% compared with hypoxia control cells. Second, CLSE treatment resulted in a 54% reduction in hypoxia-induced invasiveness of colon cancer cells, and 50% inhibition of adhesive potency through inactivation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and protein kinase b (AKT) pathways. Third, conditioned medium collected from CLSE-treated HCT116 cells suppressed tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by 91%. CONCLUSIONS: CLSE inhibited migration, invasion, and adhesion of colon cancer cells and tube formation by HUVECs via repression of the ERK1/2 and AKT pathways under hypoxic conditions. Therefore, CLSE may be used to treat patients with colon cancer.

Effects of Ganodermanondiol, a New Melanogenesis Inhibitor from the Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma lucidum, a species of the Basidiomycetes class, has been attracting international attention owing to its wide variety of biological activities and great potential as an ingredient in skin care cosmetics including "skin-whitening" products. However, there is little information available on its inhibitory effect against tyrosinase activity. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical composition of G. lucidum and its inhibitory effects on melanogenesis. We isolated the active compound from G. lucidum using ethanol extraction and ethyl acetate fractionation. In addition, we assayed its inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity and melanin biosynthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. In this study, we identified a bioactive compound, ganodermanondiol, which inhibits the activity and expression of cellular tyrosinase and the expression of tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), TRP-2, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), thereby decreasing melanin production. Furthermore, ganodermanondiol also affected the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent signaling pathway, which are involved in the melanogenesis of B16F10 melanoma cells. The finding that ganodermanondiol from G. lucidum exerts an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase will contribute to the use of this mushroom in the preparation of skin care products in the future.

Triterpene glycosides from red ginseng marc and their anti-inflammatory activities.

Three new triterpene glycosides ursan-3ß,19α,22ß-triol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl (2'→1″)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), ursan-3α,11ß-diol-3-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(6'→1″)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(6″→1‴)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(6‴→1‴')-α-D-glucopyranoside (2) and lanost-5,24-dien-3ß-ol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(6'→1″)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(6″→1‴)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3), together with one known compound were isolated and identified from the marc of red ginseng. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis. Compounds (1-3) were investigated for anti-inflammatory effects using the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. In the cell proliferation assay, lipopolysaccharide stimulation decreased cell proliferation of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, but the suppression of cell proliferation was significantly protected by treatment with compounds 2 and 3. Compounds 2 and 3 had a suppressive effect on the production of nitric oxide (NO), and they inhibited mRNA expression of proinflammatory mediators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2, and proinflammatory cytokines such as two interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-α. These findings suggest that compounds 2 and 3 have potential anti-inflammatory activities.

Next-generation sequencing-based genome-wide mutation analysis of L-lysine-producing Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21300 strain.

In order to identify single nucleotide polymorphism and insertion/deletion mutations, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing of the enhanced L-lysine-producing Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21300 strain. In total, 142 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 477 insertion/deletion mutations were identified in the ATCC 21300 strain when compared to 3,434 predicted genes of the wild-type C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 strain. Among them, 110 transitions and 29 transversions of single nucleotide polymorphisms were found from genes of the ATCC 21300 strain. In addition, 11 genes, involved in the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway and central carbohydrate metabolism, contained mutations including single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertions/deletions. Interestingly, RT-PCR analysis of these 11 genes indicated that they were normally expressed in the ATCC 21300 strain. This information of genome-wide gene-associated variations will be useful for genome breeding of C. glutamicum in order to develop an industrial amino acid-producing strain with minimal mutation.

Taxonomy of Ganoderma lucidum from Korea Based on rDNA and Partial ß-Tubulin Gene Sequence Analysis.

In the present study, a phylogenetic analysis was undertaken based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and partial ß-tubulin gene sequence of the Ganoderma species. The size of the ITS rDNA regions from different Ganoderma species varied from 625 to 673 bp, and those of the partial ß-tubulin gene sequence were 419 bp. Based on the results, a phylogenetic tree was prepared which revealed that Korean Ganoderma lucidum strains belong in a single group along with a G. lucidum strain from Bangladesh.

Comparative studies of skeletal muscle proteome and transcriptome profilings between pig breeds.

Two genetically different pig breeds, the Korean native pig (KNP) and the Western meat-producing Landrace, show breed-specific traits in stress responsiveness (stress hormone levels), growth performance (live weight), and meat quality (intramuscular fat content). We analyzed expression levels within the proteome and transcriptome of the longissimus muscles of both breeds using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and microarray analysis. We constructed a porcine proteome database focused mainly on mitochondrial proteins. In total, 101 proteins were identified, of which approximately 60% were metabolic enzymes and mitochondrial proteins. We screened several proteins and genes related to stress and metabolism in skeletal muscles using comparative analysis. In particular, three stress-related genes (heat shock protein beta-1, stress-70 protein, and heat shock 70 kDa protein) were more highly expressed in the Landrace than in the KNP breed. Six metabolism-related genes (peroxisome proliferative activated receptor alpha, short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c), all of which are involved in energy and lipid metabolism, were more highly expressed at the protein or mRNA level in the KNP breed. These data may reflect the breed dependence of traits such as stress responsiveness, growth performance, and meat quality.

Comparative analysis of expressed sequence tags from Flammulina velutipes at different developmental stages.

Flammulina velutipes is a popular edible basidiomycete mushroom found in East Asia and is commonly known as winter mushroom. Mushroom development showing dramatic morphological changes by different environmental factors is scientifically and commercially interesting. To create a genetic database and isolate genes regulated during mushroom development, cDNA libraries were constructed from three developmental stages of mycelium, primordium, and fruit body in F. velutipes. We generated a total of 5,431 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from randomly selected clones from the three cDNA libraries. Of these, 3,332 different unique genes (unigenes) were consistent with 2,442 (73%) singlets and 890 (27%) contigs. This corresponds to a redundancy of 39%. Using a homology search in the gene ontology database, the EST unigenes were classified into the three categories of molecular function (28%), biological process (29%), and cellular component (6%). Comparative analysis found great variations in the unigene expression pattern among the three different unigene sets generated from the cDNA libraries of mycelium, primordium, and fruit body. The 19-34% of total unigenes were unique to each unigene set and only 3% were shared among all three unigene sets. The unique and common representation in F. velutipes unigenes from the three different cDNA libraries suggests great differential gene expression profiles during the different developmental stages of F. velutipes mushroom.

Proteome analysis of the m. longissimus dorsi between fattening stages in Hanwoo steer.

The objective of this study was to identify proteins in the m. longissimus dorsi between early (12 months of age) and late (27 months of age) fattening stages of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) steers. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, 8 proteins of 11 differentially expressed spots between the 12 and 27 month age groups were identified in the loin muscle. Among those that were differentially expressed, zinc finger 323 and myosin light chain were highly expressed in late-fattening stage, and two catabolic enzymes, triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were expressed more in the early versus the late-fattening stage. In particular, the quantification of TPI and SDH by immunoblotting correlated well with fat content. Our data suggested that TPI and SDH are potential candidates as markers and their identification provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms and pathways associated with intramuscular fat contents of bovine skeletal muscle.

Effect of Casing Layer on Growth Promotion of the Edible Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus.

Various bacteria were isolated from the casing layer soil of the culture bed of P. ostreatus and their role in fruiting body induction of the edible mushroom, P. ostreatus, was investigated. Analysis of the bacterial community isolated from the casing layer soil revealed that the composition of genera and number of cultivable bacteria were different for each sterilizing treatment. Bordetella was predominant in the bulk soil whereas Flavobacterium was predominant after sterilization of the casing layer soil. Fluorescent Pseudomonas was predominant in the non-sterilized casing layer soil. Total number of the bacterial genera in the casing layer soil was higher than that in the bulk soil. In particular, an increase in the fluorescent Pseudomonas population was observed in the non-sterilized casing layer accompanied by induction of fruiting body and enhanced mushroom production yield. The results suggested that specific bacterial populations in the casing layer play an important role in the formation of primodia and the development of basidiome in P. ostreatus.