• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.50-56
• /
• 2012

The Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway regulates diverse developmental processes and adult tissue homeostasis. Inappropriate regulation of this pathway has been associated with human diseases, such as cancers, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Using a cell-based chemical screening with natural compounds, we discovered silybin, a plant flavonoid isolated from the Silybum marianum, which activated the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway in a synergy with Wnt3a-conditioned medium (Wnt3a-CM). In the presence of Wnt3a-CM, silybin up-regulated ${\beta}$-catenin response transcription (CRT) in HEK293-FL reporter cells and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through stabilization of intracellular ${\beta}$-catenin protein. Silybin and Wnt3a-CM synergistically reduced expression of important adipocyte marker genes including peroxisome-proliferator-activated $receptor{\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and CAATT enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ (C/$EBP{\alpha}$) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, accompanied by the activation of Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings indicate that silybin is a small-molecule synergist of the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway and can be used as a controllable reagent for investigating biological processes that involve the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.161-176
• /
• 2018

Fungal ${\beta}$-glucan, known to have immunostimulatory and antitumor activities, can be recognized by host immune cells as one of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Although there are several reports on the diverse immunostimulatory activities of ${\beta}$-glucan, little is known about the intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan. Stimulation of RAW264.7 macrophage cells with ${\beta}$-glucan from Ganoderma lucidum induced the expressions of dectin-1, toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and TLR6 at the transcription stage. Treatment with ${\beta}$-glucan also induced inflammatory mediators such as macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP)-$1{\alpha}$, MIP-$1{\beta}$, MIP-$1{\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. Treatment of the cells with polymyxin B, an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), blocked the induction of inflammatory mediators in LPS- or ${\beta}$-glucan-stimulated systems. Pretreatment of the cells in our cell culture system with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, or U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) kinase (MEK)1/MEK2 inhibitor, led to a reduction in the induction of inflammatory mediators in a concentration-dependent manner. These results show that stimulation of the macrophage cells by ${\beta}$-glucan induced the expressions of both dectin-1 and TLRs. We also found that the PI3K/Akt and MEK pathways were involved in the induction of inflammatory mediators in macrophage cells during intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan.

• Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.175-180
• /
• 2016

Objective Combination of ${\beta}_1-adrenergic$ receptor (AR) blockade and ${\beta}_2-AR$ activation might be a potential novel therapy for treating heart failure. However, use of ${\beta}-AR$ agonists and/or antagonists in the clinical setting is controversial because of the lack of information on cardiac inotropic or chronotropic regulation by AR signaling. Methods In this study, we performed hemodynamic evaluation by examining force frequency response (FFR), Frank-Starling relationship, and response to a non-selective ${\beta}-AR$ agonist (isoproterenol) in hearts isolated from 6-month-old transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$ (${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice, respectively). Results Cardiac physiologic consequences of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ overexpression resulted in similar maximal response to isoproterenol and faster temporary decline of positive inotropic response in ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. ${\beta}_1-AR$ TG mice showed a pronounced negative limb of FFR, whereas ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice showed high stimulation frequencies with low contractile depression during FFR. In contrast, Frank-Starling relationship was equally enhanced in both ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. Conclusion Hemodynamic evaluation performed in the present showed a difference in ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ signaling, which may be due to the difference in the desensitization of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.173-180
• /
• 2019

Amyloid ${\beta}$-protein ($A{\beta}$) is the principal component of senile plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and elicits a toxic effect on neurons in vitro and in vivo. Many environmental factors, including antioxidants and proteoglycans, modify $A{\beta}$ toxicity. It is worthwhile to isolate novel natural compounds that could prove therapeutic for patients with AD without causing detrimental side effects. In this study, we investigated the in vitro neuroprotective effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of methanol extract of Ophiophogon japonicas (OJEA fraction). We used an MTT reduction assay to detect protective effects of the OJEA fraction on $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced cytotoxicity to PC12 cells. We also used a cell-based ${\beta}$-secretase assay system to investigate the inhibitory effect of the OJEA fraction on ${\beta}$-secretase activity. In addition, we performed an in vitro lipid peroxidation assay to evaluate the protective effect of the OJEA fraction against oxidative stress induced by $A{\beta}_{25-35}$ in PC12 cells. The OJEA fraction had strong protective effects against $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced cytotoxicity to PC12 cells and was strongly inhibitory to ${\beta}$-secretase activity, which resulted in the attenuation of $A{\beta}$ generation. In addition, the OJEA fraction significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content, which is induced by the exposure of PC12 cells to $A{\beta}_{25-35}$. Our results suggested that the OJEA fraction contained active compounds exhibiting a neuroprotective effect on $A{\beta}$ toxicity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.861-869
• /
• 1998

Backgrounds: The injury of a tissue results in the infalmmation, and the imflammed tissue is replaced by the normal parenchymal cells during the process of repair. But, constitutional or repetitive damage of a tissue causes the deposition of collagen resulting in the loss of its function. These lesions are found in the lung of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, complicated fibrosis after diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) and inorganic dust-induced lung fibrosis. The tissue from lungs of patients undergoing episodes of active and/or end-stage pulmonary fibrosis shows the accumulation of inflammatory cells, such as mononuclear cells, neutrophils, mast cells and eosinophils, and fibroblast hyperplasia. In this regard, it appears that the inflammation triggers fibroblast activation and proliferation with enhanced matrix synthesis, stimulated by inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and/or tumor necrosis factor (TNF). It has been well known that TGF-$\beta$ enhance the proliferation of fibroblasts and the production of collagen and fibronectin, and inhibit the degradation of collagen. In this regard, It is likely that TGF-$\beta$ undergoes important roles in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Nevertheless, this single cytokine is not the sole regulator of the pulmonary fibrotic response. It is likely that the balance of many cytokines including TGF-$\beta$, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ regulates the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we investigate the interaction of TGF-$\beta$, IL-1$\beta$, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ and their effect on the proliferation of fibroblasts. Methods: We used a human fibroblast cell line, MRC-5 (ATCC). The culture of MRC-5 was confirmed by immunofluorecent staining. First, we determined the concentration of serum in cuture medium, in which the proliferation of MRC-5 is supressed but the survival of MRC-5 is retained. Second, we measured optical density after staining the cytokine-stimulated cells with 0.5% naphthol blue black in order to detect the effect of cytokines on the proliferation of MRC-5. Result: In the medium containing 0.5% fetal calf serum, the proliferation of MRC-5 increased by 50%, and it was maintained for 6 days. IL-1$\beta$, TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 induced the proliferation of MRC-5 by 45%, 160% and 120%, respectively. IL-1$\beta$ and TNF-$\alpha$ enhanced TGF-$\beta$-induced proliferation of MRC-5 by 64% and 159%, but IL-6 did not affect the TGF-$\beta$-induced proliferation. And lNF-$\alpha$-induced proliferation of MRC-5 was reduced by IL-1$\beta$ in 50%. TGF-$\beta$, TNF-$\alpha$ and both induced the proliferation of MRC-5 to 89%, 135% and 222%, respectively. Conclusions: TNF-$\alpha$, TGF-$\beta$ and IL-1$\beta$, in the order of the effectiveness, showed the induction of MRC-5 proliferation of MRC-5. TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-1$\beta$ enhance the TGF-$\beta$-induced proliferation of MRC-5, but IL-6 did not have any effect TNF-$\alpha$-induced proliferation of MRC-5 is diminished by IL-1, and TNF-$\alpha$ and TGF-$\beta$ showed a additive effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.614-620
• /
• 2004

This study was to determine the effect of dietary $\beta$-cyclodextrin ($\beta$CD) on egg quality and cholesterol content of egg yolk. One-hundred 28-week-old laying hens were randomly distributed into five groups of twenty hens each and maintained in individual laying cages for 10 weeks of the experiment. They were assigned to the five treatments of experimental layer diets containing 0, 3, 5, 7 or 10% pure $\beta$CD of diets. Food intake, egg production and egg weight varied slightly and insignificantly in the hens fed with 0, 3, 5 or 7% $\beta$CD-added diets. But food intake, egg production, and egg weight were uniformly lower (p＜0.05) in the hens fed with 10% $\beta$CD-added diets. Food conversion rate, when expressed per number egg, was impaired (p＜0.05) without having an obvious relation to the dietary $\beta$CD level. No difference in haugh unit, egg yolk color, and egg shell thickness was found among treatment. The cholesterol content of egg yolks was significantly decreased (p＜0.05) to 3.76, 5.12, 5.49 and 6.48 mg/g yolk in $\beta$CD 3, 5, 7 and 10% treatments respectively when compared to that of the $\beta$CD 0% group. The cholesterol content of eggs, when expressed in mg/60 g egg, was greatly (p＜0.05) decreased to 54, 71, 77 and 86 mg in $\beta$CD 3, 5, 7 and 10% treatments when compared to that of the $\beta$CD 0% group. The most striking effects (p＜0.05) were observed in $\beta$CD 5% and 7% treatments, whose cholesterol content decreased from 28.19% to 30.23%. In conclusion, $\beta$CD added-diets fed to laying hens can reduced the cholesterol content of egg yolk, and this new type of egg yolk with lower cholesterol can be considered a functional livestock food.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding diets supplemented with ${\beta}-glucan$ products on the performance, small intestinal microflora and immune response in laying hens. The ${\beta}-glucan$ products used in the experiment were $BetaPolo^{(R)}$ ; soluble ${\beta}-glucan$ of microbial cell wall origin, $HiGlu^{(R)}$ ; microbial cell wall origin, $OGlu^{(R)}$ ; oat origin, $BGlu^{(R)}$ ; barley origin. A total of 720 Hy-Line Brown laying hens of 40wks old were divided into 5 dietary treatments : T1 ; Control( C), T2 ; $BetaPolo^{(R)}$, T3 ; $HiGlu^{(R)}$, T4 ; $OGlu^{(R)}$, T5 ; $BGlu^{(R)}$. Each treatment was replicated 4 times with 36 birds/replicate housed in 2 bird cages, and arranged according to completely randomized block design. Feeding trial lasted 40ds under 16 h lighting regimens. There were significant differences among treatments in hen-house egg production feed intake and feed conversion. HiGlu treatment was significantly higher than OGlu treatments in hen-house egg production. ${\beta}-glucan$ supplemented treatments were lower than the control in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. All ${\beta}-glucan$ supplemented treatments were significantly higher than the control in eggshell strength. Eggshell color and Haugh unit tended to be lower in the supplemented group than the control. IgY concentration was not significantly affected by treatments. At $5^{th}$ week of experiment, however, IgY concentration tended to increase in the supplemented groups. Among the leucocytes parameters, WBC, heterophil, lymphocytes, monocyte and eosinophil concentration were lower in the supplemented groups than those of the control. Among erythrocytes, HCT(hematocrit) and MCV(mean corpuscular volume) were significantly affected by treatment. MCV of supplemented groups were higher than that of the control. Immunoglobulin concentrations in the birds were not significantly different among treatments. However, IgA concentration tended to be low in the supplemented groups than the control. The cfu of small intestinal microflora were not significantly different among treatments, but that of Cl. perfringens tended to be lower than the control. The result of this experiment indicateted that feeding ${\beta}-glucan$ to laying hens improve feed conversion ratio and eggshell strength. Also intestinal microflora and immune responses are modified.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.25-33
• /
• 2008

Background: A critical shortage of donor organs has necessitated an investigation of new strategies to increase the availability of additional organs available for human transplantation. We investigated the amount of apoptosis and expression of GADD45 ${\beta}$ in two groups, a GADD45 ${\beta}$-transfected group and untransfected group. Material and Method: The experimental groups consist of a control group (normal H9C2 cell line) and GADD45 ${\beta}$-transfected group. After injury of the each group, we evaluated the expression of GADD45 ${\beta}$ and the level of apoptosis in each group. Result: There was a significant increase in the expression of GADD45 ${\beta}$ in the GADD45 ${\beta}$-transfected group at 1 hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours after stimuli as compared with the control group. The amount of cardiac myoblast cell line apoptosis was significantly lower in the GADD45 ${\beta}$-transfected group as compared with the control group. The concentration of annex in in the GADD45 ${\beta}$-transfected group was significantly lower than that of the control. group after cell. injury. Conclusion: Transfection of a rat myoblast cell line with the GADD45 ${\beta}$ gene results in. decreased susceptibility to cell injury of human serum.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.24 no.4 s.65
• /
• pp.209-218
• /
• 1986

This study was performed to evaluate the differences in resistance of rice varieties to biotypes of the brown planthopper (BPH), capable of surving on the Milyang 30 and Milyang 63 varieties which have Bph 1 and bph 2 gene for resistance, respectively. The rice varieties tested were Milyang 30, Cheongcheong, Milyang 63 and Gaya which have been reported as having resistant genes for the BPH. The check varieties were Chucheong and Sangpoong which have no resistant gene. The degree of resistance to the BPH biotypes indicated that Milyang 30, Cheongcheong, Milyang 63 and Gaya varieties were highly resistant to the biotype 1. But their reactions against biotype 2 and 3 were variable, namely Milyang 30 and Cheongcheong were susceptible to biotype 2, and Milyang 63 was susceptible to biotype 3. In the esterase isozyme patterns of brown rice the bands of ${\beta}-1,\;{\beta}-3\;and\;{\beta}-5$ were detected in Chucheong and Sangpoong, while the bands of ${\alpha}-1,\;{\beta}-2\;and\;{\beta}-5$ were detected in the test varieties which have genes for resistance. However, the bands of ${\beta}-5$ in Milyang 63 and Gaya were stronger than those of Milyang 30 and Cheongcheong varieties. In the root of 10-days seedling, the esterase bands of ${\alpha}-2,\;{\beta}-2\;{\beta}-4\;and\;{\beta}-5$ were detected in Chucheong and Sangpoong, while the bands of ${\alpha}-1,\;{\beta}-1\;{\beta}-3\;and\;{\beta}-5$ were detected in the tested different varieties. But the bands of ${\alpha}-1\;and\;{\beta}-5$ in Milyang 63 and Gaya were stronger than those of Milyang 30 and Cheongcheong varieties.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.113-122
• /
• 2006

Purpose: A retrospective study was performed to assess the efficacy and tolerance of ${\beta}-blocker$ administration in patients with heart failure and diabetes. Method: Records of 164 patients who were treated for the heart failure condition more than a year were studied retrospectively. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on their diabetes(DM) status and the administration of ${\beta}-blockers$ ($DM+{\beta}-blocker$ group: 14, DM w/o ${\beta}-blocker$: 19, No DM + ${\beta}-blocker$: 62, No DM + no ${\beta}-blocker$: 69). All patients had been receiving conventional therapy such as digoxin, ACE-I, ARB, diuretics, nitrates, aspirin, anticoagulants or lipid-lowering agents. The primary endpoints (death and hospital admission) were recorded during 1 year period and hemodynamic factors (HR, LVEF, SBP, DBP) were obtained from all patient groups before and after 12 months of ${\beta}-blocker$ treatment. To evaluate toxicity of ${\beta}-blocker$, SCr, BUN, AST, ALT and Alkaline phosphatase were obtained. Result: There were less death and hospital admission in DM + ${\beta}-blocker$ group than in DM without ${\beta}-blocker$ group (p=0.014). Relative risk of hospital admission for $DM+{\beta}-blocker$ group over no DM group was 1.17. Long term ${\beta}-blocker$ administration was associated with an improvement of heart rate in patients with DM (P< 0.02) with no significant improvement of LVEF, SBP, DBP. in DM patient. In patient without DM, ${\beta}-blocker$ was associated with improvement in LVEF, HR and DBP (P<0.01, P<0.03), but not in SBP. The incidence of toxicity was similar between the four group with no significant difference. Conculsion: Treatment of heart failure patients with ${\beta}-blocker$ appears to be beneficial in terms of hospital admission event and several hemodynamic factors. The toxicities of ${\beta}-blocker$ treatment were not significant and the treatment is generally well-tolerated in most of the heart failure patients.