Gafurjon T. Mavlonov

The inductive effect of ginsenoside F2 on hair growth by altering the WNT signal pathway in telogen mouse skin

This study was conducted to confirm the possibility of using minor ginseng saponin F2 by oral administration on hair anagen induction effects. The signaling pathway and anagen induction effect of ginsenoside F2 were investigated and compared with finasteride on the effect of hair growth induction. The cell-based MTT assay results indicated that the proliferation rates of HHDPC and HaCaT treated with F2 significantly increased by 30% compared with the finasteride-treated group. A western blot study showed that the expression of β-catenin Lef-1 and DKK-1 increased by 140, 200% and decreased by 40% in the F2-treated group, respectively compared to that of finasteride-treated group. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to the same treatments. The hair growth promotion rates were compared with groups treated with finasteride, which was 20% higher in the F2-treated group. Tissue histological analysis results showed the number of hair follicles, thickness of the epidermis, and follicles of the anagen phase which increased in the F2-treated group, compared with the finasteride-treated groups. Moreover, the effect of F2 on hair growth was confirmed through the immunofluorescence (IF) methods indicating the expression aspect of Wnt signal pathway-related factors in the tissue of C57BL/6 mouse. Our results considered the expression increase in β-catenin, Lef-1 which was suggested as a major factor related to the development and growth of hair follicle and the decrease in DKK-1 when entering catagen by F2. As the data showed, F2 might be a potential new therapeutic source for anagen induction and hair growth through the Wnt signal pathway.

Chitin-binding antifungal protein from Ficus carica latex

A low-molecular-weight protein with antifungal activity was isolated from freshly collected latex of the Inzhir tree (Ficus carica L.) by successive affinity chromatography over chitin, cation-exchange chromatography over SP-Sephadex C-50, and reversed-phase HPLC. The molecular weight of 6481 and the partial N-terminus sequence of the protein were determined (MALDI-TOFMS).

Chryseobacterium gwangjuense sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, THG-A18(T), was isolated from soil of Gwangju province in South Korea. Strain THG-A18(T) grew optimally at 25-30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the absence of NaCl. Strain THG-A18(T) displayed β-glucosidase activity, which enabled it to convert ginsenoside Rb1 to Rd. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain THG-A18(T) was shown to belong to the genus Chryseobacterium. The closest phylogenetic neighbours were Chryseobacterium ginsenosidimutans THG 15(T) (97.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similariity), C. defluvii B2(T) (97.7 %), C. daeguense K105(T) (97.6 %), C. taiwanense BCRC 17412(T) (97.5 %), C. indoltheticum LMG 4025(T) (97.4 %), C. gregarium P 461/12(T) (97.4 %) and C. lathyri RBA2-6(T) (97.3 %), but DNA-DNA relatedness values between these strains and strain THG-A18(T) were below 41.9 %. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 36.4 mol%. The major respiratory quinone (MK-6) and fatty acids [iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 9 (comprising iso-C17 : 1ω9c and/or 10-methyl C16 : 0)] supported the affiliation of strain THG-A18(T) with the genus Chryseobacterium. The polar lipids of strain THG-A18(T) were phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminolipids and seven unidentified lipids. A number of physiological and biochemical tests allowed phenotypic differentiation of strain THG-A18(T) from recognized species of the genus Chryseobacterium. The name Chryseobacterium gwangjuense sp. nov. is proposed, with THG-A18(T) ( = KACC 16227(T) = LMG 26579(T)) as the type strain.

Arthrobacter bambusae sp. nov., isolated from soil of a bamboo grove.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, motile by gliding, rod-shaped bacterial strain, THG-GM18(T), was isolated from soil of a bamboo grove. Strain THG-GM18(T) was able to grow in the presence of up to 6.0 % (w/v) NaCl, at 4-37 °C and at pH 7.0-10.0 in R2A medium. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain THG-GM18(T) was closely related to species of the genus Arthrobacter. The most closely related strains to strain THG-GM18(T) are Arthrobacter ramosus CCM 1646(T) (98.5 % similarity), Arthrobacter nitroguajacolicus G2-1(T) (98.4 %), Arthrobacter nicotinovorans DSM 420(T) (98.2 %), Arthrobacter aurescens DSM 20116(T) (98.1 %) and Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6(T) (98.0 %). Strain THG-GM18(T) possessed chemotaxonomic properties consistent with those of members of the genus Arthrobacter, such as peptidoglycan type A3α (l-Lys-l-Ala-l-Thr-l-Ala), MK-9 as major menaquinone and anteiso- and iso-branched compounds (anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0) as major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipid profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phosphoglycolipid, unidentified phospholipids, unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified glycolipid and unidentified lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.0 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain THG-GM18(T) and its closest phylogenetic neighbours were below 26.0 %. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed the differentiation of strain THG-GM18(T) from species of the genus Arthrobacter with validly published names. Arthrobacter bambusae sp. nov. is the proposed name, and the type strain is THG-GM18(T) ( = KACC 17531(T) = JCM 19335(T)).

Effect of extract from laquer tree ( Rhus verniciflua Stokes) on DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mouse

Laquer tree (Rhus verniciflua Stokes; Anacardiaceae, RVS) has been used in oriental medicines. This study examined whether the extract of RVS free of urushiol (detoxified RVS extract, DRE) exerting antiinflammation could alleviate the symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) induced with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) in NC/Nga mice. DRE contained flavonoids like fustin (153 mg/g), fisetin (14.6 mg/g), sulfuretin (13.3 mg/g), and quercetin (0.95 mg/g). DRE (10 μg/mL) decreased the production of nitric oxide activated by lipopolysaccharide. Oral administration of DRE (200 mg/kg weight/day) decreased scratching frequencies, the epidermal thickness on dorsal skin, and the number of degranulated mast cell. DRE significantly lowered the levels of IgE in sera (p<0.01), which were elevated by DNCB. DNCB reciprocally raised IL-4 and lowered IFN-γ in media of spleenocyte. DRE reversely raised IFN-γ and lowered IL-4. Contrastively, dexamethasone suppressed the overall immune reactions. In conclusion, DRE inhibited Th2-mediated IgE overproduction through modulation of Th1/2 balance, which was in part attributed to anti-inflammatory activity.