Low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma technology has been used in agriculture and plant science by direct and indirect treatment of bio-samples. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms affected by plasma-activated water (PAW) are largely unexplored. In this study, PAW generated from a surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) device was used for plant development. Physicochemical analysis was performed to confirm the PAW properties that correlated with the plasma treatment time. Arabidopsis thaliana L. was utilized to study the effect of the PAW treatment in the early developmental stage. The plasma-activated water samples are denoted as PAW5 time in minutes (min), PAW7 min, PAW12 min, PAW19 min and PAW40 min with the plasma treatment time. Seedlings grown in the PAW5, PAW7 and PAW12 had increased root lengths while the root lengths were decreased in the PAW19 and PAW40. In the cellular level observation, the PAW treatment specifically increased the root hair numbers per unit of the root but suppressed the root hair length in the PAW, indicating that PAW mainly modulates the root hair cell density in the root. Furthermore, we found that the root hair density and length at PAW5 in maximal observed conditions were positively regulated by root developmental-related genes including COBRA-LIKE9 (COBL9), XYLOGLUCAN ENDOTRANSGLUCOSYLASE/HYDROLASE9 (XTH9), XTH17, AUXIN1 (AUX1) and LIKE-AUXIN (LAX3).

This study was performed to investigate the mechanism of action of ursolic acid in terms of anti-Toxoplasma gondii effects, including immunomodulatory effects. We evaluated the anti-T. gondii effects of ursolic acid, and analyzed the production of nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cytokines through co-cultured immune cells, as well as the expression of intracellular organelles of T. gondii. The subcellular organelles and granules of T. gondii, particularly rhoptry protein 18, microneme protein 8, and inner membrane complex sub-compartment protein 3, were markedly decreased when T. gondii was treated with ursolic acid, and their expressions were effectively inhibited. Furthermore, ursolic acid effectively increased the production of NO, ROS, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and interferon-β, while reducing the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in T. gondii-infected immune cells. These results demonstrate that ursolic acid not only causes anti-T. gondii activity/action by effectively inhibiting the survival of T. gondii and the subcellular organelles of T. gondii, but also induces specific immunomodulatory effects in T. gondii-infected immune cells. Therefore, this study indicates that ursolic acid can be effectively utilized as a potential candidate agent for developing novel anti-toxoplasmosis drugs, and has immunomodulatory activity.

This study was carried out to evaluate the anti-parasitic effect of ursolic acid against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) that induces toxoplasmosis, particularly in humans. The anti-parasitic effects of ursolic acid against T. gondii-infected cells and T. gondii were evaluated through different specific assays, including immunofluorescence staining and animal testing. Ursolic acid effectively inhibited the proliferation of T. gondii when compared with sulfadiazine, and consistently induced anti-T. gondii activity/effect. In particular, the formation of parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) in host cells was markedly decreased after treating ursolic acid, which was effectively suppressed. Moreover, the survival rate of T. gondii was strongly inhibited in T. gondii group treated with ursolic acid, and then 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) against T. gondii was measured as 94.62 μg/mL. The T. gondii-infected mice treated with ursolic acid indicated the same survival rates and activity as the normal group. These results demonstrate that ursolic acid causes anti-T. gondii action and effect by strongly blocking the proliferation of T. gondii through the direct and the selective T. gondii-inhibitory ability as well as increases the survival of T. gondii-infected mice. This study shows that ursolic acid has the potential to be used as a promising anti-T. gondii candidate substance for developing effective anti-parasitic drugs.

American oyster defensin (AOD) was previously purified from acidified gill extract of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica. AOD is composed of 38 amino acids with three disulfide bonds and exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria as well as significant activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Here, to develop promising peptides into antibiotic candidates, we designed five arginine-rich analogs (A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4), predicted their loop and extended strand/random structures—including nine amino acids and a disulfide bond derived from the C-terminus of AOD—and described their antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects, as well as their modes of action. In our experimental results, the A3 and A4 analogs exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against all test organisms—including four Gram-positive bacteria, six Gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans—without cell toxicity. A sequence of experiments, including a membrane permeabilization assay, DNA binding study, and DNA polymerization inhibition test, indicated that the two analogs (A3 and A4) possibly did not act directly on the bacterial membrane but instead interacted with intracellular components such as DNA or DNA amplification reactions. AOD analogs also showed strong bacterial inhibition activity in the plasma environment. In addition, analog-treated microbial cells clearly exhibited membrane disruption, damage, and leakage of cytoplasmic contents. Collectively, our results suggest that two analogs, A3 and A4, have potent antimicrobial activity via DNA interaction and have the potential for development into novel antimicrobial agents.

This study was conducted to examine the physiological activity ofUlva ohnoi, some of which may be used for food or natural products but could disturbing coastal ecosystems due to large scale green-tide, to check values ofU. ohnoioil through experimental results.U. ohnoioil was extracted from bulk ofUlvabiomass to confirm its antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and the efficacy ofU. ohnoioil in the state of inflammation was confirmed through animal experiments. To confirm the anti-inflammatory effect, a mouse model induced with DSS was used. As a result of measuring NO using plasma after induction of inflammation, the amount of NO produced in theU. ohnoioil group was decreased compared to the control group. Expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β was decreased compared to the control group. As a result of observing H&E staining, lower crypt loss and inflammatory cell infiltration were found in theU. ohnoioil group compared to the control group. Consequently,U. ohnoioil appears to have great anti-inflammatory properties.