Antimicrobial peptides of the genus Capsicum: a mini review

Oliveira Arielle Pinheiro Bessiatti Fava,Resende Larissa Maximiano,Rodrigues Rosana,de Oliveira Mello Érica,Taveira Gabriel Bonan,de Oliveira Carvalho André,Gomes Valdirene Moreira 한국원예학회 2022 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.63 No.4

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been characterized in various organs and plant species. However, few studies have investigated AMPs in the genus Capsicum , especially their biological activities and mechanism of action. AMPs are small proteins isolated primarily from plants and animals. AMPs are of great interest to researchers because of their potent antimicrobial activity due to their ability to interact with cell membranes. While some AMPs participate in innate immune response by providing a rapid line of defense against infection, others may bolster plant defense against certain pests and pathogens. The genus Capsicum contains a myriad of AMPs involved in plant defense with the potential for new antimicrobial molecules. In recent years, our group and others have isolated and characterized AMPs from seeds, fruits, leaves and roots of Capsicum plants. Herein, we describe the diff erent AMP families, like defensins, lipid transfer proteins (LTPs), thionins, proteinase inhibitors, and others, present in the genus Capsicum . We also discuss the current knowledge of their antimicrobial activity, mechanism of action, and possible uses as antimicrobial molecules and in plant biotechnology.

Gender Differences in Somatic Symptoms and Current Suicidal Risk in Outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder

전홍진,우종민,김효진,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,조성진,장성만,박두흠,김종우,유익기,허정윤,홍진표 대한신경정신의학회 2016 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.13 No.6

ObjectiveaaAlthough somatic symptoms are common complaints of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), their associations with suicide are still unclear. MethodsaaA total of 811 MDD outpatients of aged between 18 to 64 years were enrolled nationwide in Korea with the suicidality module of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Depression and Somatic Symptom Scale (DSSS). ResultsaaOn stepwise regression analysis, current suicidality scores were most strongly associated with chest pain in men, and neck or shoulder pain in women. Severe chest pain was associated with higher current suicidality scores in men than in women, whereas severe neck or shoulder pain showed no significant differences between the genders. In conclusion, MDD patients of both sexes with suicidal ideation showed significantly more frequent and severe somatic symptoms than those without. Current suicidal risk was associated with chest pain in men, and neck or shoulder pain in women. ConclusionaaWe suggest that clinicians pay attention to patients’ somatic symptoms in real world practice.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng in individuals exposed to high stress levels: a 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

백지현,허정윤,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,최관우,나은진,조하나,전홍진 고려인삼학회 2019 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.43 No.3

Background: To investigate the neurobiological evidence supporting the adaptogenic effects of KoreanRed Ginseng in reducing the harmful consequences of stress using a double-blind, placebo-controlledtrial. Method: Sixty-three subjects with high stress levels were randomized to receive an orally administered,double-blind, 6-week treatment with Korean Red Ginseng (n ¼ 32) or placebo (n ¼ 31). All participantsunderwent a comprehensive psychological evaluation using Beck Depression Inventory and StressResponse Inventory, cognitive evaluation using the continuous performance test, biological evaluation bymeasuring blood levels of lipids, catecholamines, inflammation markers, and heart rate variability atbaseline and after 6 weeks. Results: At baseline, both groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, years of education, BeckDepression Inventory, and Stress Response Inventory. After 6 weeks, triglyceride levels were significantlyincreased within the normal limit in the Korean Red Ginseng group (F ¼ 4.11, p ¼ 0.048), and theepinephrine level was decreased in this group (F ¼ 4,35, p ¼ 0.043). The triglyceride increase wassignificantly associated with epinephrine decrease (B ¼ 0.087, p ¼ 0.041), suggesting that Korean RedGinseng may stabilize the sympathetic nervous system. In addition, we detected a significant group bytime effect in the visually controlled continuous performance test, suggesting positive effects of KoreanRed Ginseng on cognition. Conclusion: Korean Red Ginseng might help to stabilize the sympathetic nervous system and improvecognition in individuals with high stress.

Psychomotor symptoms and treatment outcomes of ziprasidone monotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, sequential parallel comparison trial.

Jeon, Hong Jin,Fava, Maurizio,Mischoulon, David,Baer, Lee,Clain, Alisabet,Doorley, James,DiPierro, Moneika,Cardoos, Amber,Papakostas, George I Clinical Neuroscience Publishers 2014 International clinical psychopharmacology Vol.29 No.6

<P>The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy of ziprasidone monotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) with and without psychomotor symptoms. In accordance with the sequential parallel comparison design, 106 MDD patients (age 44.010.7 years; female, 43.4%) were recruited and a post-hoc analysis was carried out on 12-week double-blind treatment with either ziprasidone (40-160 mg/day) or placebo, divided into two phases of 6 weeks each to the assigned treatment sequences, drug/drug, placebo/placebo, and placebo/drug. Psychomotor symptoms were evaluated on the basis of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview at baseline. Efficacy assessments, on the basis of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Scale, Self-Rated (QIDS-SR), were performed every week throughout the trial. In phase I, ziprasidone monotherapy produced significant improvement in patients with psychomotor symptoms compared with placebo on the basis of HDRS-17 (F=5.95, P=0.017) and QIDS-SR (F=5.26, P=0.025) scores, whereas no significant changes were found in HDRS-17 (F=2.32, P=0.15) and QIDS-SR (F=3.70, P=0.074) scores in patients without psychomotor symptoms. In phase II, ziprasidone monotherapy produced no significant differences compared with placebo. In the pooled analysis, ziprasidone monotherapy showed significance according to QIDS-SR (Z=2.00, P=0.046) and a trend toward statistical significance according to the HDRS-17 (Z=1.66, P=0.10) in patients with psychomotor symptoms. Ziprasidone monotherapy may produce significant improvement compared with placebo in MDD patients with psychomotor symptoms.</P>

Risks of Completed Suicide of Community Individuals with ICD-10 Disorders Across Age Groups: A Nationwide Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study in South Korea

Eun Jin Na,이혜원,Woojae Myung,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,백종우,Jin Pyo Hong,Kwan Woo Choi,Ho Kim,Hong Jin Jeon 대한신경정신의학회 2019 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.16 No.4

Objective Suicide is the leading cause of death in 10–39-year-olds in South Korea, and the second highest rate among the OECD countries. However, few studies have investigated the particularity of completed suicide in South Korea. Methods Study subjects consisted of 2,838 suicide cases and 56,758 age and sex matched living controls from a national representative sample of 1,025,340 South Koreans. They were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) with follow-up up to 12 years. We obtained information on primary diagnosis of any ICD-10 disorder along with suicide cases during their lifetime. Results Among ICD-10 disorders, depression was the most common disorder (19.10%, n=542), found in victims of completed suicides except for common medical disorders such as hypertensive crisis, respiratory tract infection or arthropathies. After adjusting for sex, age, economic status, disability, and disorders, schizophrenia showed the strongest association with suicide (AOR: 28.56, 95% CI: 19.58–41.66) among all ICD-10 disorders, followed by psoriasis, multiple body injury, epilepsy, sleep disorder, depression, and bipolar disorder. For age groups, ≤19 years was associated with anxiety disorder (AOR=80.65, 95% CI: 13.33–487.93), 20–34 years with epilepsy (AOR=134.92, 95% CI: 33.69–540.37), both 35–49 years (AOR=108.57, 95% CI: 37.17–317.09) and 50–65 years (AOR=189.41 95% CI: 26.59–1349.31), with schizophrenia, and >65 years (AOR=44.7, 95% CI: 8.93–223.63) with psoriasis. Conclusion Psychiatric and physical disorders carried greatly increased risks and numbers of suicides in South Korea. Schizophrenia was the strongest risk factor, especially 35–65 years, and depression was the most common in suicide victims among ICD-10 disorders in South Korea.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng in individuals exposed to high stress levels: a 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Baek, Ji Hyun,Heo, Jung-Yoon,Fava, Maurizio,Mischoulon, David,Choi, Kwan Woo,Na, Eun Jin,Cho, Hana,Jeon, Hong Jin The Korean Society of Ginseng 2019 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.43 No.3

Background: To investigate the neurobiological evidence supporting the adaptogenic effects of Korean Red Ginseng in reducing the harmful consequences of stress using a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Method: Sixty-three subjects with high stress levels were randomized to receive an orally administered, double-blind, 6-week treatment with Korean Red Ginseng (n = 32) or placebo (n = 31). All participants underwent a comprehensive psychological evaluation using Beck Depression Inventory and Stress Response Inventory, cognitive evaluation using the continuous performance test, biological evaluation by measuring blood levels of lipids, catecholamines, inflammation markers, and heart rate variability at baseline and after 6 weeks. Results: At baseline, both groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, years of education, Beck Depression Inventory, and Stress Response Inventory. After 6 weeks, triglyceride levels were significantly increased within the normal limit in the Korean Red Ginseng group (F = 4.11, p = 0.048), and the epinephrine level was decreased in this group (F = 4,35, p = 0.043). The triglyceride increase was significantly associated with epinephrine decrease (B = 0.087, p = 0.041), suggesting that Korean Red Ginseng may stabilize the sympathetic nervous system. In addition, we detected a significant group by time effect in the visually controlled continuous performance test, suggesting positive effects of Korean Red Ginseng on cognition. Conclusion: Korean Red Ginseng might help to stabilize the sympathetic nervous system and improve cognition in individuals with high stress.

Comparisons of Subthreshold Versus Full Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Distinguished by Subjective Functional Impairment Among Train Drivers: A Population-Based Nationwide Study in South Korea

백지현,김지혜,김빛나,박승진,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,이동수,전홍진 대한신경정신의학회 2017 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.14 No.1

Objective: Subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (SPTSD), a condition that meets the full symptomatic criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without subjective functional impairment, has yet to be fully investigated. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of SPTSD. Methods: The web-based survey including psychiatric diagnosis and experience of human error was conducted in actively working train drivers in South Korea. Results: Of the 4,634 subjects, 103 (2.23%) were categorized as full PTSD and 322 (6.96%) were categorized as having SPTSD. Individuals with full PTSD showed higher impulsivity and anxiety compared to those with SPTSD and those without PTSD, while those with SPTSD had more frequent clinically meaningful depression, posttraumatic stress, and alcohol and nicotine dependence and significant human error. Conclusion: Despite not qualifying as a subjective functional disability, SPTSD still had significant psychiatric symptoms. More clinical attentions need to be given to the diagnosis and treatment of SPTSD.

Reduced Venous Blood Basophil Count and Anxious Depression in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

백지현,Hee-Jin Kim,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,George I Papakostas,Andrew Nierenberg,Jung-Yoon Heo,Hong Jin Jeon 대한신경정신의학회 2016 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.13 No.3

ObjectiveaaAnxious depression has a distinct neurobiology, clinical course and treatment response from non-anxious depression. Role of inflammation in anxious depression has not been examined. As an exploratory study to characterize the role of inflammation on a development of anxious depression, we aimed to determine the relationship between white blood cell (WBC) subset counts and anxiety in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). MethodsaaA total of 709 patients who were newly diagnosed with MDD were recruited. Anxiety levels of participants were evaluated using the Anxiety/ Somatization subitem of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The association between WBC subset fraction and anxiety was evaluated. ResultsaaBasophil and eosinophil sub-fractions showed significant negative correlations with HAM-D anxiety/somatization factor scores (basophils: r=-0.092, p=0.014 and eosinophils: r=-0.075, p=0.046). When an anxiety score (a sum of somatic and psychic anxiety) was entered as a dependent variable, only basophils showed significant negative association with the anxiety scores after adjusting for all other WBC subset counts and demographic factors (t=-2.57, p=0.010). ConclusionaaThis study showed that anxious depression had a decreased basophil subfraction, which might be associated with involvement of inflammation in development of anxious depression.

Childhood Parental Death and Lifetime Suicide Attempt of the Opposite-Gender Offspring in a Nationwide Community Sample of Korea

Jeon, H. J.,Hong, J. P.,Fava, M.,Mischoulon, D.,Nyer, M.,Inamori, A.,Sohn, J. H.,Seong, S.,Cho, M. J. GUILFORD PRESS 2013 Suicide & life-threatening behavior Vol.43 No.6

Celebrity Suicides and Their Differential Influence on Suicides in the General Population: A National Population-Based Study in Korea

Woojae Myung,HongHee Won,Maurizio Fava,David Mischoulon,Albert Yeung,Dongsoo Lee,DohKwan Kim,HongJin Jeon 대한신경정신의학회 2015 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.12 No.2

Objective-Although evidence suggests that there is an increase in suicide rates in the general population following celebrity suicide, the rates are heterogeneous across celebrities and countries. It is unclear which is the more vulnerable population according to the effect sizes of celebrity suicides to general population. Methods-All suicide victims in the general population verified by the Korea National Statistical Office and suicides of celebrity in South Korea were included for 7 years from 2005 to 2011. Effect sizes were estimated by comparing rates of suicide in the population one month before and after each celebrity suicide. The associations between suicide victims and celebrities were examined. Results-Among 94,845 suicide victims, 17,209 completed suicide within one month after 13 celebrity suicides. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that suicide victims who died after celebrity suicide were significantly likely to be of age 20–39, female, and to die by hanging. These qualities were more strongly associated among those who followed celebrity suicide with intermediate and high effect sizes than lower. Younger suicide victims were significantly associated with higher effect size, female gender, white collar employment, unmarried status, higher education, death by hanging, and night-time death. Characteristics of celebrities were significantly associated with those of general population in hanging method and gender. Conclusion-Individuals who commit suicide after a celebrity suicide are likely to be younger, female, and prefer hanging as method of suicide, which are more strongly associated in higher effect sizes of celebrity suicide.