• Toxicological Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2006

The present study was designed to characterize the effects of estrogen receptor agonist (4,4',4'-(4-Propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol, PPT) on liver and kidney in male mouse using a light microscopic analysis. PPT was subcutaneously given to adult male mice at a weekly dosage of 178.6mg/kg in a volume 0.08 ml of vehicle for 3, 5 and 8 weeks. There were differences in body and organ weights between control and the treated groups. Body and kidney weights were decreased in treated group whereas, liver weight was increased. In microscopic observations, sinusoidal diameter in liver of treated group was increased 156%, 216% and 255% on week 3, 5 and 8 respectively. Compared to the control, diameter of proximal convoluted tubules in kidney was increased 37% and 43% or week 5 and 8 in treated group. Whereas, height of epithelial cells in the proximal tubules was reduced at all time points. These results suggest that microstructure of liver and kidney was changed by treatment of estrogen receptor agonist PPT in the male mice.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 1999

LB50016 was characterized as a selective and potent$ 5-HT_{1A}$ receptor agonist and evaluate it anxiolytic and antidepressant activities. It shows high affinity for $ 5-HT_{1A}$receptor, moderate affinity for $\alpha$2 adrenergic and $ 5-HT_{2A}$receptors and no significant affinity for other receptors tested. Hypothermia and increased serum corticosterone level were observed in LB50016-treated rats, which are mediated mostly by post synaptic $ 5-HT_{1A}$ receptor activation. In the mouse forced swim model for depression, LB50016-elicited dose-dependent reductions in immobility time, showing $ED_{50}$ of approximately 3 mg/kg i.p., which was blocked by pretreatment of NAN-190, $ 5-HT_{1A}$antagonist. In face-to-face test for anxiolytic activity in mice, estimated $ED_{50}$ was 2 mg/kg, i.p.. In isolation-induced aggression test with mice, fifty-fold increases in latency to attack were observed at 30 min and last up to 4 h after LB50016 treatment (3 mg/kg, i.p.). Taken together, LB50016-induced pharmacological activities are mediated by activation of $ 5-HT_{1A}$receptors, offering an effective therapeutic candidate in the management of anxiety and depression in humans.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.108-118
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• 2021

Background: Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) contains a variety of ginsenosides that can be metabolized to a biologically active substance, compound K. Previous research showed that compound K could be enriched in the red ginseng extract (RGE) after hydrolysis by pectinase. The current study investigated whether the enzymatically hydrolyzed red ginseng extract (HRGE) containing a notable level of compound K has cognitive improving and neuroprotective effects. Methods: A scopolamine-induced hypomnesic mouse model was subjected to behavioral tasks, such as the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and the Morris water maze tests. After sacrificing the mice, the brains were collected, histologically examined (hematoxylin and eosin staining), and the expressions of antioxidant proteins analyzed by western blot. Results: Behavioral assessment indicated that the oral administration of HRGE at a dosage of 300 mg/kg body weight reversed scopolamine-induced learning and memory deficits. Histological examination demonstrated that the hippocampal damage observed in scopolamine-treated mouse brains was reduced by HRGE administration. In addition, HRGE administration increased the expression of nuclear-factor-E2-related factor 2 and its downstream antioxidant enzymes NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase and heme oxygenase-1 in hippocampal tissue homogenates. An in vitro assay using HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells demonstrated that HRGE treatment attenuated glutamate-induced cytotoxicity by decreasing the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species. Conclusion: These findings suggest that HRGE administration can effectively alleviate hippocampus-mediated cognitive impairment, possibly through cytoprotective mechanisms, preventing oxidative-stress-induced neuronal cell death via the upregulation of phase 2 antioxidant molecules.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.167-174
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• 2022

Background: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (20(S)-PPD), one of the main active metabolites of ginseng, performs a broad spectrum of anti-tumor effects. Our aims are to search out new strategies to enhance anti-tumor effects of natural products, including 20(S)-PPD. In recent years, fasting has been shown to be multi-functional on tumor progression. Here, the effects of fasting combined with 20(S)-PPD on hepatocellular carcinoma growth, apoptosis, migration, invasion and cell cycle were explored. Methods: CCK-8 assay, trypan blue dye exclusion test, imagings photographed by HoloMonitorTM M4, transwell assay and flow cytometry assay were performed for functional analyses on cell proliferation, morphology, migration, invasion, apoptosis, necrosis and cell cycle. The expressions of genes on protein levels were tested by western blot. Tumor-bearing mice were used to evaluate the effects of intermittent fasting combined with 20(S)-PPD. Results: We firstly confirmed that fasting-mimicking increased the anti-proliferation effect of 20(S)-PPD in human HepG2 cells in vitro. In fasting-mimicking culturing medium, the apoptosis and necrosis induced by 20(S)-PPD increased and more cells were arrested at G0-G1 phase. Meanwhile, invasion and migration of cells were decreased by down-regulating the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in fasting-mimicking medium. Furthermore, the in vivo study confirmed that intermittent fasting enhanced the tumor growth inhibition of 20(S)-PPD in H22 tumor-bearing mice without obvious side effects. Conclusion: Fasting significantly sensitized HCC cells to 20(S)-PPD in vivo and in vitro. These data indicated that dietary restriction can be one of the potential strategies of chinese medicine or its active metabolites against hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.65-69
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• 2002

To elucidate the effect of microsphere coinjection on the administration of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), we have investigated biodistribution of ［S-35］-labeled antisense ODN targeted to cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) RI-$\alpha$ subunit in nude mice xenografted with WiDr (human colon cancer, ATCC CCL218). The strategy of using microsphere has been proposed for cancer treatment as a carrier of therapeutic ODN so that it could offer an advantage with respect to maintaining constant ODN levels in blood and obtaining higher therapeutic ODN concentration at tumor sites. Comparative biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice (female, 20 g of body weight, n = 4-6) xenografted with WiDr cancer cells, when 0.1 $\mu$Ci (specific activity, 2.94 mCi/$\mu$mole) of ［S-35］-labeled RI-$\alpha$ antisense ODN was injected alone or with microsphere (PLG-18, polylactic copolymer with cationic surfactant DDAB18). Peak tumor uptake of ［S-35］-labeled ODN was significantly increased from 17.7% (at 6 h) of injected dose per gram of tissue (ID/g) to 42.5% (at 24 h) ID/g when microsphere was coinjected with ODN. The different biodistribution in the kidney accumulation (e.g., 100.2% ID/g for ODN alone and 54.9%/ID/g for microshpere coinjection) may contribute to higher blood concentration (e.g., 21.5%ID/$m\ell$ for ODN alone and 37.5%ID/$m\ell$ for microsphere coinjection) of radiolabeled ODN. Of importance is the fact that the whole body retention of radioactivity increased with microsphere coinjection from 50.8%ID/g to 68.0%ID/g after 24-h of injection. This decreased kidney accumulation and increased whole body retention of ［S-35］-labeled ODN resulted in a significant improvement of ODN targeting to the tumor site. In conclusion, the coinjection of microsphere appears to be an important carrier system in vehiculation of antisense oligonucleotide to the tumor tissue in vivo.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4031-4036
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• 2012

Background: The negative signaling provided by interactions of the co-inhibitory molecule, programmed death-1 (PD-1), and its ligands, B7-H1 (PD-L1) and B7-DC (PD-L2), is a critical mechanism contributing to tumor evasion; blockade of this pathway has been proven to enhance cytotoxic activity and mediate antitumor therapy. Here we evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy of AAV-mediated delivery of the extracellular domain of murine PD-1 (sPD-1) to a tumor site. Material and Methods: An rAAV vector was constructed in which the expression of sPD-1, a known negative regulator of TCR signals, is driven by human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter (CMV-P), using a triple plasmid transfection system. Tumor-bearing mice were then treated with the AAV/sPD1 construct and expression of sPD-1 in tumor tissues was determined by semi quantitative RT-PCR, and tumor weights and cytotoxic activity of splenocytes were measured. Results: Analysis of tumor homogenates revealed sPD-1 mRNA to be significantly overexpressed in rAAV/sPD-1 treated mice as compared with control levels. Its use for local gene therapy at the inoculation site of H22 hepatoma cells could inhibit tumor growth, also enhancing lysis of tumor cells by lymphocytes stimulated specifically with an antigen. In addition, PD-1 was also found expressed on the surfaces of activated CD8+ T cells. Conclusion: This study confirmed that expression of the soluble extracellular domain of PD-1 molecule could reduce tumor microenvironment inhibitory effects on T cells and enhance cytotoxicity. This suggests that it might be a potential target for development of therapies to augment T-cell responses in patients with malignancies.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.133-139
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• 1992

To improve the quality of $^{99m}Tc-methylenediphonate$ $(^{99m}Tc-MDP)$ for skeletal imaging, different composed $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ complexes were prepared with addition of antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, getisic acid, and p-aminobenzoic acid. To characterize the different $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ preparations, some physical and biochemical properties of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ such as thermal stability, lipophilicity and bindability to serum protein were studied and organ distribution pattern of these complexes also compared. The thermal stabilities of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ contained antioxidants were dependant mainly on pH, temperature, and elapsed time after the preparation. $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ complex contained gentisic acid as antioxidant was extremely unstable at alkaline condition. The most stable $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ was found in the presence of p-aminobenzoic acid. $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ complexes with antioxidants were very lipophilic but lipophilicity differences in antioxidants were not observed. The bindability of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ to serum protein was not affect at pH $5.0\sim9.0$ by the different antioxidants. However, protein binding percentage of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ with ascorbic acid was relatively low (22.7%) at pH 9.0. In biodistribution studies in mice, bone to muscle ratios of $^{99m}Tc-MDP$ preparations containing ascorbic acid, gentisic acid, and p-aminobenzoic acid were 15.3, 24.5, and 30.1, respectively. Im to our results, p-aminobenzoic acid is fond to be the most promising antioxidant.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2002

CS21 lymphoma cells that preferentially metastasize to lymph nodes after s.c. inoculation into BALB/c mice were grown in vitro in the presence of CA12 stromal cells isolated from lymph nodes. To obtain fundamental data on identification and characterization of the soluble factor(s) produced by CA12 stromal cells, we investigated the biological profile of the conditioned medium produced by CAl2 stromal cells. CAl2 conditioned medium has no affinity with Con A. CAl2 conditioned medium is associated with the proliferation of splenic T- and thymic T-cells with-out adding mitogen, although the conditioned medium cannot induce the differentiation of thymocytes. Additionally, we showed that H-7, not HA-1004 inhibits CS21 cell proliferation. These results suggest that CAl2 conditioned medium has a specific soluble factor(s) produced by lymph node stromal cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.737-741
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• 2014

Background: In recent years a wide variety of flavonoids or polyphenolic substances have been reported to possess substantial anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic activities. Grape proanthocyanidins (GPC) are considered as good examples for which there is evidence of potential roles as anti-carcinogenic agents. Methods: A xenograft model was established using H22 cells subcutaneously injected into mice and used to assess different concentrations of grape proanthocyanidins (GPC) and Endostar. Treatments were maintained for 10 days, then levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD) were examined by immunohistochemistry, while VEGF mRNA was determined by real-time PCR in tumor tissue. Results: The expression of MVD and VEGF decreased gradually as the concentration of GPC increased.There was a significant positive correlation between MVD and VEGF. Conclusions: These results suggest that GPC restrains the growth of tumor, possibly by inhibiting tumour angiogenesis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 1974

It was planned to evaluate the influence of Panax Ginseng upon hepatic DNA synthesis in mice by observing incorporation of $[^3H]$ thymidine into the tissue cells. Thirty male mice$(body\;weight:\;18{\sim}20\;g)$ were divided equally into the ginseng and the saline groups. Each animal of the ginseng and the saline groups received every day (subcutaneously) 0.05 m1/10 g body weight of ginseng extract (4mg of ginseng alcohol extract in 1 ml of saline) and the same amount of saline, respectively, for 5 days. On the 5th experimental day, all animals received $1\;{\mu}Ci/g$ body weight of $[^3H]$ thymidine intraperitoneally 2 hours after the last medication. Five animals, at a lime, of each group were sacrificed 1, 10, and 24 hours after thymidine administration, and their hepatic radioactivity was measured autoradiographically in terms of the % number of radioactive cells in 1,000 cell counts (Radioactive Index, R.I.). Following results were obtained: 1. The hepatic radioactive indices obtained from the saline group 1, 10, and 24 hour after $[^3H]$ thymidine administration were $3.23{\pm}0.23,\;5.20{\pm}0.21,\;and\;6.00{\pm}0.30\;(mean{\pm}S.D.)$, respectively. 2. The corresponding values obtained from the ginseng group $(4.22{\pm}0.33,\;6.32{\pm}0.32,\;and\;7.42{\pm}0.35)$ were significant higher than the values of the saline group. The inference from the above results was that the ginseng facilitated hepatic DNA synthesis.