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Ochang Branch InstituteChemical BiologyResearch CenterACHIEVEMENTSIsolation of ER-stress inducers and inhibitorsAn endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress inducer was isolated from a plant extract. Thiscompound strongly induced the expression of ER-stress-associated proteins, includingGRP78 chaperone, and the splicing of XBP-1 mRNA, a hallmark of ER-stress-inducedIRE-1a activation. On the other hand, an inhibitor of ER-stress was also isolated to be usedas an inhibitor of type II diabetes mellitus. Both of them are expected to challenge cancertherapeutics and anti-diabetes.RESEARCHERSJong-Seog Ahn jsahn@kribb.re.krMicrobiology and Cell biologyMetabolomicsBo Yeon Kim bykim@kribb.re.krBiochemistry and Cell biologyJong-Pyung Kim kimjp@kribb.re.krNatural product chemistryOxidative stress and antioxidantsJae-Hyuk Jang jangjh@kribb.re.krMarine natural product chemistryMicrobial chemistryIn-Ja Ryu ijryu@kribb.re.krNatural product chemistryIck-Dong Yoo idyoo@kribb.re.krNatural product chemistryCosmetics material scienceRESEARCH AREASObesity / DiabetesDeveloping anti-obesity and anti-diabetic lead compoundswith regulatory roles in metabolism and geneexpressionAnti-osteoporosisDeveloping new bioactive compounds inhibiting osteoclastdifferentiation from oriental herbs and plant resourcesEpigenomic modulatorsDeveloping bioactive compounds regulating DNAmethyltransferase-mediated gene expression andcarcinogenesisBeautyDiscovering novel inhibitory compounds against melaninsynthesis and skin damageMicrobial metabolite biotechnologyDiscovering bioactive secondary metabolites andcompiling a library of microbial secondary metabolitesDirector Jong-Seog AhnT + 82-43-240-6160F +82-43-240-6169E jsahn@kribb.re.krIsolation of osteoclast differentiation inhibitorsBone marrow cells were isolated from mice and induced to differentiate intoosteoclasts. Metabolites were screened and purified from oriental herbs, including blackginseng, to be effective utilizing TRAP assay and staining methods. These compounds arepromising candidates for osteoporosis treatment.Isolation of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and new target tumor suppressors genesPurified compounds from a fungus were found to have an inhibitory activity against humanDNA methyltransferase-1 in vitro and cellular system. The compounds elevated tumorsuppressor gene expression in HCT116 cells. In addition, a few tumor suppressor geneswere revealed to be regulated by DNA methylation in K-ras overexpressing prostatecancer cells. Hence the compounds and the targets are valuable for chemotherapeuticsdevelopment.SELECTED PUBLICATIONSIck-Dong Yoo (Corresponding) Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 20(2):513-5.Evaluation of human neutrophil elastase inhibitory effect of iridoid glycosides fromHedyotis diffusaBo Yeon Kim & Jong-Seog Ahn (Co-corresponding) Carcinogenesis. 31(7):1194-201.Modulation of E-cadherin expression by K-Ras; involvement of DNA methyltransferase-3bIck-Dong Yoo (Corresponding) J Antibiot (Tokyo). 63(6):335-7.Lactariolines A and B: new guaiane sesquiterpenes with a modulatory effect on interferongammaproduction from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius hatsudakeIck-Dong Yoo (Corresponding) J Microbiol Biotechnol. 20(8):1189-91.Hydoroxyhibiscone A, a novel human neutrophil elastase inhibitor from Hibiscus syriacusJong-Seog Ahn (Corresponding) Phytother Res. 24(11):1716-9.Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity of 24-norursane triterpenes isolatedfrom Weigela subsessilisThe goal of the research center is discovering bio-functional drug candidates from the metabolites of microorganismsand plants and defining the function of their cellular targets for application to chemotherapeutics development.To accomplish this goal, we adopt chemical biology techniques based on biometabolites and cellulomics technology todevelop medicinal and bio-functional compounds.64 KRIBB Annual Report 2010KRIBB Annual Report 2010 65