Open Access

The development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification targeting alpha-tubulin DNA for the rapid detection of Plasmodium viva

Spawning Period and Size at Maturity of the Ocellate Spot Skate Okamejei kenojei in the West Sea of Korea

This study aimed to investigate the gonadal development process and size at maturity of the ocellate spot skate Okamejei kenojei (Müller and Henle, 1841). In total, 1234 specimens were collected from the center of the Korean West Sea between January 2019 and December 2020. The maturity stage of the gonads of each individual was determined visually based on size, color, and egg size. To estimate the spawning period, each specimen was measured for disc width, body weight, and gonad weight, and the monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) was derived. The GSI of the specimens peaked in April and May, and the main spawning period occurred during June and July. Egg capsules were first observed in specimens collected in March and were most commonly observed in specimens collected in July (56.8%). The maturity ogives for disc widths of female specimens at 50%, 75%, and 97.5% maturity were 26.6, 27.9, and 30.8 cm, respectively, whereas those of male specimens were 26.2, 27.5, and 30.7 cm. The findings of this study provide basic information on reproductive ecology related to the fertility of the ocellate spot skate

Suppression of the TRIF-dependent signaling pathway of Toll-like receptor by CDr10b in RAW264.7 macrophages

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize distinct pathogen-associated molecular patterns and play a critical role in innate immune responses. TLR signaling pathways can be largely classified as either myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- or toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-beta (TRIF)-dependent pathways. Compound of Designation red 10 binding (CDr10b) was synthesized to investigate its role in neuroinflammatory diseases. This study was conducted to determine whether CDr10b can affect TLR signaling pathways. CDr10b suppressed NF-kappa B activation as well as COX-2 and iNOS expression induced by TLR3 or TLR4 agonists. CDr10b also suppressed the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and the expression of interferon inducible protein-10 (IP-10) induced by TLR3 or TLR4 agonists. These results indicate that CDr10b can modulate the TRIF-dependent pathway of TLRs and has the potential to become a new therapeutic drug for chronic inflammatory diseases. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.112sciescopu

CDr10b inhibits the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase induced by lipopolysaccharide

The pathophysiological processes of inflammation can lead to a host of diseases, such as periodontitis, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer. The dysregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase ( iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 ( COX- 2) activation play important roles in the development of certain inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated the effects of CDr10b which is originally developed for a microglia staining probe on inflammation, by modulating NF-kappa B activation and iNOS and COX-2 expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine macrophages. The CDr10b suppressed NF-kappa B activation and iNOS and COX-2 expression induced by LPS. All the results suggest that CDr10b is a promising novel agent for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.112sciescopu

The development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification targeting alpha-tubulin DNA for the rapid detection of Plasmodium vivax

BACKGROUND: Malaria that is caused by Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed human malaria. Its recent resurgence in many parts of the world, including the Republic of Korea (ROK), emphasizes the importance of improved access to the early and accurate detection of P. vivax to reduce disease burden. In this study, a rapid and efficient loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based method was developed and validated using blood samples from malaria-suspected patients. METHOD: A LAMP assay targeting the α-tubulin gene for the detection of P. vivax was developed with six primers that recognize different regions of the target gene. The diagnostic performance of the α-tubulin LAMP assay was compared to three other tests: microscopic examinations, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and nested polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) using 177 whole blood specimens obtained from ROK military personnel from May to December 2011. RESULTS: The α-tubulin LAMP assay was highly sensitive with a detection limit of 100 copies of P. vivax α-tubulin gene per reaction within 50 min. It specifically amplified the target gene only from P. vivax. Validation of the α-tubulin LAMP assay showed that the assay had the highest sensitivity (P < 0.001 versus microscopy; P = 0.0023 versus RDT) when nested PCR was used as the gold standard and better agreement (concordance: 94.9%, kappa value: 0.865) with nested PCR than RDT and microscopy. A Receiver Operation Characteristics analysis showed that the diagnostic accuracy of the α-tubulin LAMP assay for vivax malaria was higher (Area Under Curve = 0.908) than RDT and microscopy. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the P. vivax α-tubulin LAMP assay, which can be used to diagnose early infections of vivax malaria, is an alternative molecular diagnostic tool and a point-of-care test that may help to prevent transmission in endemic areas