Reducing Effect of Saikosaponin A, an Active Ingredient of Bupleurum falcatum, on Intake of Highly Palatable Food in a Rat Model of Overeating

Recent lines of experimental evidence have indicated that saikosaponin A (SSA)—a bioactive ingredient of the medicinal plant, Bupleurum falcatum L.—potently and effectively reduced operant self-administration of chocolate and reinstatement of chocolate-seeking behavior in rats. The present study was designed to assess whether the protective properties of SSA on addictive-like, food-related behaviors generalize to a rat model of overeating of palatable food. To this end, rats were habituated to feed on a standard rat chow for 3 h/day; every 4 days, the 3-h chow-feeding session was followed by a 1-h availability of highly palatable, calorie-rich Danish butter cookies or Oreo chocolate cookies. Even though fed, rats consumed large amounts of cookies; intake of calories from cookies (consumed in 1 h) was even larger than that of calories from chow (consumed in 3 h). SSA (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 10 min before cookie presentation. Treatment with SSA resulted in a dose-related decrease in intake of both butter and chocolate cookies. Administration of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist, rimonabant (0, 0.3, 1, and 3 mg/kg, i.p.; tested as reference compound), produced a similar reduction in intake of butter cookies. These results (a) contribute to the set-up and validation of a rat model of overeating, characterized by the intake of large amounts of unnecessary calories and (b) provide an additional piece of evidence to the anorectic profile of SSA in rats

Multiple human papillomavirus infection is associated with high-risk infection in male genital warts in Ulsan, Korea

Further understanding of male human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is necessary to prevent infection in men, as well as transmission to women. In our current study, we investigated patterns of HPV infection and genotype distributions in male genital warts using the Anyplex II HPV28 Detection kit. We reviewed the medical records of 80 male patients who presented to 5 neighborhood clinics in Ulsan, Korea, for the treatment of genital warts between April 2014 and January 2015. All patients underwent HPV genotyping. The prevalence and characteristics of HPV infection were analyzed, and the patterns of HPV infection according to age were assessed. Among the study patients, 13 (16.3%) were negative for HPV infection, 46 (57.3%) were infected with low-risk HPV, and 21 (26.3%) were infected with high-risk HPV. Patients with multiple HPV infection were more likely to have high-risk HPV infection (P = 0.001). The prevalence of HPV infection was much higher in samples obtained by tissue excision due to a definite lesion (P = 0.001). There were no differences in high-risk HPV infection (P = 0.459), multiple HPV infection (P = 0.185), and recurrence at diagnosis (P = 0.178) according to age. HPV-6 and HPV-11 were the most common type overall (39.7% and 13.8%, respectively). HPV- 16 and HPV-18 were the most common high-risk infections (both 3.4%). HPV infection is not only commonly encountered in male genital warts, but is also accompanied by highrisk HPV and multiple infections. © 2016 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciencesopen

Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis with H31 Metabolites from Marine Bacillus SW31 in Head and Neck Cancer Cells

ObjectivesTo determine whether a novel marine micro-organism with anticancer properties, H31, the metabolic product of Bacillus SW31, has anti-tumor effects on head and neck cancer, and potential for apoptotic-enhancing anti-cancer treatment of affected patients.MethodsThe cell viability and apoptosis assays were performed. Changes in the signal pathway related to apoptosis were investigated. Then, the therapeutic effects of H31 were explored in mouse xenograft model and drug toxicity of H31 was examined in zebrafish model.ResultsWe identified the anticancer activity of H31, a novel metabolic product of Bacillus SW31. Bacillus SW31, a new marine micro-organism, has 70% homology with Bacillus firmus and contains potent cytotoxic bioactivity in head and neck cancer cells using MTT assay. Combined with c-JUN, p53, cytochrome C, and caspase-3, H31 induced apoptosis of KB cells, a head and neck cancer cell line. In a separate in vivo model, tumor growth in C3H/HeJ syngeneic mice was suppressed by H31. In addition, in a zebrafish model used for toxicity testing, a considerable dose of H31 did not result in embryo or neurotoxicity.ConclusionGrowth inhibition and apoptosis were achieved both in vitro and in vivo in head and neck cancer cells after exposure to H31, a metabolite from the marine Bacillus species, without any significant toxicity effects even at considerable H31 dose concentrations

New Naphthoquinone Terpenoids from Marine Actinobacterium, Streptomyces sp. CNQ-509

A member of the marine streptomycete clade MAR4, Streptomyces sp. CNQ-509, has genetic potential for the biosynthesis of hybrid isoprenoids and produces several meroterpenoids such as naphterpin, nitropyrrolin and marinophenazine. Our research on the strain CNQ-509 led to the isolation of two new naphterpin derivatives (1 and 2) comprised of naphthoquinone and geranyl moieties along with the known terpenoid, debromomarinone. The two-dimensional structure of these compounds was determined through spectral data analysis using data from NMR, MS and UV spectroscopy. Furthermore, the full structures of 1 and 2 including absolute configurations were unequivocally established by a combination of NMR experiments and chemical modifications