Gun-Do Kim

Objective: To determine whether cristazine inhibits HPV-positive cervical cancer cells and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Methods: HeLa cells were treated with varying concentrations of cristazine, and cell viability, intracellular ROS, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related gene and protein expression were assessed using WST-1, DCF-DA flow cytometry, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, quantitative RT-PCR, and Western blotting. Additionally, CaSki and SiHa cells were evaluated in viability assays, with selected ROS and apoptosis measurements performed in CaSki cells. Results: After 24 h of treatment, cristazine reduced HeLa cell viability with an IC ₅₀ of 0.223 μM and increased intracellular ROS and apoptotic populations. Caspase inhibition substantially restored viability and reduced apoptosis. Cristazine also increased TP53, CDKN1A, BAX, BCL2 , and CASP3 expression, and reduced HPV18 E6/E7 expression. Additionally, Western blotting showed upregulated p53, p21 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and increased cleavage of caspases-3, -8, -9, and -12 and PARP after cristazine treatment. DAPI staining showed chromatin condensation, while wound healing assays demonstrated reduced wound closure following cristazine treatment. Conclusions: Cristazine suppresses cervical cancer cell growth via coordinated ROS-associated, p53-driven, and caspase-dependent apoptotic signaling, highlighting its potential as a marine-derived anticancer candidate that warrants further investigation.

A previously reported allele-specific qPCR (AS-qPCR) dataset for red seabream (Pagrus major) reference-group assignment was reanalyzed to develop a two-marker statistical classifier. Mean Ct values for two previously selected markers, SNP001 and SNP008, from Korean and Japanese reference samples were integrated using logistic regression, and model performance was evaluated by ROC curve analysis, Youden index-based cutoff optimization, confusion matrix analysis, and repeated stratified 10-fold cross-validation. Single-marker analyses yielded AUCs of 0.869 for SNP001 and 0.891 for SNP008, whereas the two-SNP logistic model showed an AUC of 0.943. At the optimal P(Korea) cutoff of 0.387, the model achieved 87.08% accuracy, 92.22% sensitivity for the Korean reference group, and 81.82% specificity for the Japanese reference group in the model-development dataset. Internal validation by repeated stratified 10-fold cross-validation yielded a mean AUC of 0.9396 ± 0.0580. In a small separately collected market-sourced confirmation set, 18 of 20 samples were evaluable, with an accuracy of 72.22%, sensitivity of 77.78%, and specificity of 66.67%, all calculated relative to the country-of-purchase labels. Addition of Ct standard deviation or coefficient of variation did not improve cross-validated discrimination. These results support a parsimonious two-marker mean Ct-based framework for reference-group assignment while indicating that further validation using provenance-verified independent samples is required before routine application.

Pyocyanin is a potent redox-cycling secondary metabolite secreted by the respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. During chronic P. aeruginosa infections, pyocyanin induces persistent oxidative stress in airway epithelial cells, ultimately leading to goblet cell hyperplasia and metaplasia alongside mucus hypersecretion. Because PCN triggers a redox imbalance by rapid depletion of host antioxidants, restoring cellular antioxidative capacity is essential to mitigate its pathophysiology. Herein, we demonstrate that Coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9) from the edible mushroom Oudemansiella raphanipes attenuates pyocyanin-induced mucus hypersecretion in primary human bronchial epithelial cells by restoring mitochondrial integrity to alleviate oxidative stress. CoQ9 pretreatment attenuates MUC5AC and MUC5B mucin expression by inactivating mucin-promoting signaling cascades, including the EGFR-AKT/ERK1/2 and STAT6-SPDEF axes. In addition to its reactive oxygen species scavenging properties, CoQ9 significantly downregulated pyocyanin-induced mitochondrial superoxide generation by restoring the SIRT3-SOD2 axis. Specifically, CoQ9 pretreatment improved mitochondrial integrity by preserving PINK1-mediated mitophagy and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis through activation of the AMPK-PGC1α axis, thereby restoring ATP levels under PCN exposure.

Haliotis discus hannai, a primary aquaculture species in East Asia, is highly susceptible to viral infections, such as abalone herpesvirus. To facilitate t

Pufferfish are an economically important food in Asia despite the potential risk of tetrodotoxin (TTX) poisoning. To promote food safety by ensuring the correct identification of pufferfish species, we developed common and species-specific primer sets for four Lagocephalus species (Lagocephalus spadiceus, Lagocephalus cheesemanii, Lagocephalus wheeleri, and Lagocephalus inermis) based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) in various pufferfish species commonly distributed and/or legally sold in Korea. The common primers were developed based on complete sequence data acquired from GenBank. The total length of fragments amplified by the common primer set was 1280 bp. Then, species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was conducted for the four target species, obtaining 980 bp for L. spadiceus, 859 bp for L. cheesemanii, 672 bp for L. wheeleri, and 563 bp for L. inermis. Multiplex PCR is an important tool for the simple, rapid, accurate, and simultaneous identification of target species. The newly developed primer sets will contribute to reducing the occurrence of TTX poisoning and protect consumer rights by eradicating the mislabeling or fraudulent use of pufferfish products.

Objectives: This study investigates the nerve cord transcriptome of Asterias amurensis to explore its regenerative abilities. By comparing gene expression between a normal group and a group 72 h post-amputation, key genes involved in regeneration were identified. Functional annotation using GO, KEGG, NR, and UniProt databases provided insights into the biological roles of these genes. This research enhances the understanding of A. amurensis regeneration and highlights the need for further transcriptome analysis across different tissues. Data description: A. amurensis, a starfish species found in the northwestern Pacific, is known for its strong predatory behavior and impact on marine biodiversity. In this study, individuals were divided into a normal group and a 72-hour post-amputation group. De novo transcriptome assembly of the nerve cord identified 257,769 unigenes, which were functionally annotated using GO, KEGG, NR, and UniProt databases. Since only nerve cord tissue was analyzed, additional transcriptome studies on various tissues are required for a more comprehensive understanding of A. amurensis biology.

Red algae are recognized for their health-promoting bioactive substances and dietary fibers, making them important as functional food. In order to identify species and determine phylogenetic relationships, mitochondrial genes serve as important markers. Thus, this study sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis, compared with Phyllophoraceae species, and performs phylogenetic analysis to reveal its evolutionary position. The genome is 25,992 bp long, has 71.3% of biased AT content, and comprises 24 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA, and three rRNA genes. The overall base composition of its mitochondrial genome was 37.4% for A, 33.9% for T, 14.7% for G, 14.0% for C and 28.7% for GC. The gene content, annotation, and genetic makeup are identical to those of Phyllophoraceae species. Phylogenetic study based on the complete mitochondrial genome and shared mitochondrial genes revealed that the six Phyllophoraceae species form a well-supported clade. Within this clade, A. flabelliformis groups with Gymnogongrus griffithsiae, and together they form a distinct subclade including four species of the Mastocarpus. The results indicate that A. flabelliformis shares a closer evolutionary relationship with G. griffithsiae than with Mastocarpus species. Future research on Ahnfeltiopsis is necessary to comprehend the evolutionary history and phylogenetic relationships among species in this genus.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent primary liver cancer, is the most significant cause of cancer-related death globally, with limited treatment options, including surgical resection, liver transplantation, ablation, chemoembolization, immunotherapy, and radiation. Angelica keiskei, a plant that is rich in chalcones and flavonoids, has demonstrated interesting anticancer properties. This study assesses the pharmacological effects of Angelica keiskei extract on HepG2 cells in order to investigate its efficacy as a therapeutic intervention for HCC. Using in vitro cell culture models, HepG2 cells were treated with different doses of the extract, and its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects were studied. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, including DDMP, which are likely involved in the observed effects. The MTT assay revealed a considerable, dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, with higher dosages causing notable morphological alterations. An antibody apoptotic array indicated significant changes in apoptotic proteins, specifically IGFBP1, BAD, and Bid. Cluster heatmaps, volcano plots, STRING analysis, Voom-mean variance trends, Glimma plots, and PCA were used to obtain an understanding of the molecular interactions involved. These results suggest that Angelica keiskei extract can cause apoptosis in HepG2 cells, with DDMP appearing as a potentially significant contributor. However, more experimental validation is required to determine the precise molecular mechanisms driving these favorable effects and their clinical implications in HCC.

Illegal distribution and mislabeling of imported fishery products pose challenges to country-of-origin labeling regulations in Korea. To address this issue, a quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based method was developed to distinguish Pagrus major from Korea and Japan. Using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were identified, and allele-specific primers were designed. Gaussian mixture modeling established Ct thresholds, achieving accuracy of 81.67% and 77.78% for SNP001 and SNP008, respectively. The amplification efficiency and limit of detection (LOD) were assessed using tenfold serial dilutions (10-0.001 ng/μL). Standard curves for AA and TT homotypes showed high linearity (R² > 0.994) with amplification efficiencies of 103.65% and 97.63%, respectively. This qPCR-based method provides a reliable approach for origin verification of P. major, aiding regulatory enforcement and ensuring seafood authenticity. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-025-01877-0.