Selenoprotein S (SelS) is widely expressed in diverse tissues where it localizes in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. We studied the potential function of SelS in erythrocyte differentiation using K562 cells stably over-expressing SelS wild-type (WT) or one of two SelS point mutants, U188S or U188C. We found that in the K562 cells treated with 1μM Ara-C, SelS gradually declined over five days of treatment. On day 4, intracellular ROS levels were higher in cells expressing SelS-WT than in those expressing a SelS mutant. Moreover, the cell cycle patterns in cells expressing SelS-WT or U188C were similar to the controls. The expression and activation of SIRT1 were also reduced during K562 differentiation. Cells expressing SelS-WT showed elevated SIRT1 expression and activation (phosphorylation), as well as higher levels of FoxO3a expression. SIRT1 activation was diminished slightly in cells expressing SelS-WT after treatment with the ROS scavenger NAC (12 mM), but not in those expressing a SelS mutant. After four days of Ara-C treatment, SelS-WT-expressing cells showed elevated transcription of β-globin, y-globin, ε-globin, GATA-1 and zfpm-1, whereas cells expressing a SelS mutant did not. These results suggest that the suppression of SelS acts as a trigger for proerythrocyte differentiation via the ROS-mediated downregulation of SIRT1.

Background : Platycodon grandiflorum root (PGR) was one of the primary herbs used in a phlegm-relieving herb from the past. Platycoside compounds on PGR may exhibit neuroprotective, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-allergy, improved insulin resistance, and cholesterol-lowering properties. In order to developing a concentrate product that improved the functionality and preference of PGR, it was fermented using lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum N76-10 and 56-12). Methods and Results : The concentrate products were created by PGR-concentrate (PGRC, 60 ºBrix) mixed with fermented PGR-extract (FPGRE, 2 ºBrix) at the level of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200%. Sweetness and preference were supplemented by other added materials including honey, oligosaccharide, concentrate of jujube (60 ºBrix) and pear (60 ºBrix), and cactus Chounnyouncho extract (2 ºBrix). The products were put into investigation for their preference of taste, antimicrobial activity in accordance with amount of FPGRE. When it comes to preference of taste, the most favor is adding 100% of FPGRE on PGRC. The product added 150% FPGRE exhibited a strong microbial anti-proliferation in all four kinds (Corynrbacterium diphtheriae, Klebsiella pnneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes) of bacteria inducing bronchus diseases and was higher antimicrobial activity than concentrate without FPGRE. In terms of the sensory evaluation (taste, texture and visco-elasticity), concentrate mixed with FPGRE (10), jujube concentrate (2), pear concentrate (10), cactus Chounnyouncho extract (10), oligosaccharide (2), honey (1) and xanthan gum (0.02) showed the highest scores. Conclusion : Thus, A PGR concentrate was made by adding FPGRE (100%) and it was increased organoleptic quality, antimicrobial activity. These studies may provide new product development for effective utilization on Platycodon grandiflorum root.

Background : Platycodon grandiflorum root(PGR) was one of the primary herbs used in a phlegm-relieving herb from the past. Purified platycoside compounds from the roots of PGR may exhibit neuroprotective, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-allergy, improved insulin resistance, and cholesterol-lowering properties. To evaluate preference and functionality of PGR extracts, PGR was fermented by several lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria used were Leuc. mesenteroides N12-4 and N58-5, L. plantarum N76-10 and 56-12, L. brevis N70-9 and E3-8. Methods and Results : This study was performed in order to investigate the changes of platycosides, as well as the antimicrobial activities on bronchus diseases inducing bacteria(C. diphtheriae, K. pnneumoniae, S. aureus, S. pyogenes) of Platycodon grandiflorum root(PGR) fermented by using lactic acid bacteria(Leuc. mesenteroides N12-4, Leuc. mesenteroides N58-5, L. plantarum N76-10, L. plantarum N56-12, L. brevis N70-9, L. brevis E3-8). Growth of L. plantarum on PGR was the most active during lactic acid fermentation by some different strains. Total platycoside, platycoside E, platycodin A, polygalacin D2, polygalacin D and diapioplatycoside E contents of PGR fermented for 96 hours at 37℃ by Leuc. mesenteroides and L. plantarum were increased, while platycodin D and platycodin D3 were decreased. The antimicribial activity on PGR fermented by L. plantarum N56-12 exhibited a strong microbial proliferation in all four kinds of bronchus diseases inducing bacteria and was higher than non-fermented PGR extract. Conclusion : Thus, this results showed antimicrobial activities on bronchus diseases inducing bacteria and platycosides content of PGR by L. plantarum N56-12 were higher than non-fermented PGR extract.

Background : Water uptake and flow across cellular membranes is a fundamental requirement for plant growth and development, and plant water status is important not only for plant growth under favorable conditions but also for ability of a plant to tolerate adverse environmental conditions. Thus identification of plasma membrane water channel genes (aquaporins) in ginseng provides extensive information for functional studies and the development of markers for salinity stress tolerance. Methods and Results : For salinity treatment, the plants were grown for 4 weeks in culture medium gelled with 0.8% Phytoagar, and the old media were replaced with the fresh medium containing NaCl at 0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mM, respectively. The samples for stress treated and non-stressed plants were collected from 6h to 72h, and frozen immediately into liquid nitrogen. According to the sequence information from the assembled transcripts, four primer pairs were designed from the aquaporin gene regions. In order to determine the pattern of aquaporins expression in ginseng seedlings to salinity stress, we conducted semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Conclusion : A tonoplast intrinsic protein 1 (TIP1)-type aquaporin is not only believed to be essential for plant life, but also to be beneficial for growth under salinity stress. Therefore, a deeper understanding of aquaporin genes in ginseng will be essential for crop improvement, which could help us to understand the molecular genetic basis for the ginseng genetic improvement and also provide the functional genetic resources for selective breeding and transgenic research.