• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.858-868
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• 2009

The abundance, biomass, size distribution, and taxonomic composition of bacterial and protistan (heterotrophic and autotrophic nanoflagellates and ciliates) communities were investigated in six lakes of Masurian Lake District (north-eastern Poland) differing in trophic state. Samples were taken from the trophogenic water layer during summer stratification periods. Image analysis techniques with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) as well as [$^3H$]-methyl-thymidine incorporation methods were applied to analyze differences in the composition and activity of bacterial communities. The greatest differences in trophic parameters were found between the humic lake and remaining non-humic ones. The same bacterial and heterotrophic nanoflagellate (HNF) cell size classes dominated in all the studied lakes. However, distinct increases in the contributions of large bacterial (>$1.0{\mu}m$) and HNF (>$10{\mu}m$) cells were observed in eutrophic lakes. The bacterial community was dominated by the ${\beta}$-Proteohacteria group, which accounted for 27% of total DAPI counts. Ciliate communities were largely composed of Oligotrichida. Positive correlations between bacteria and protists, as well as between nanoflagellates (both heterotrophic and autotrophic) and ciliates, suggest that concentrations of food sources may be important in determining the abundance of protists in the studied lakes.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2001

Objective: This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of Saussurea Radix and Plantaginis Herba on cellular viability, proliferation, apoptosis and expression of the cell cycle-related genes in cultured gastric cancer cells. Method :MTT assay for analysis of cellular toxicity and the effect on suppression of cellular viability, $[^{3}H]$ thymidine incorporation assay for evaluation of the effect on suppression of DNA replication, tryphan blue exclusion assay for measurement of induction of apoptosis and Quantitative RT-PCR for analysis of the effects on expression of cell cycle or apoptosis-related genes were performed. Results: Antitumor activity of Saussurea Radix associated with inhibition of cell cycle progression and promotion of apoptosis caused by transcriptional regulation of p53, p21/Wafl and the other related genes was observed.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2001

By applying in vitro invasion assay model, we examined the anti-metatstastic effect of ChunghjagamTang(CLJGT). In 3H-thymidine incorporation assay, CLJGT treated groups showed the decreased DNA synthesis rate compared with control group. Gelatin zymogram assay showed that CLJGT decreases the gelatinolytic activity of MMP-9 from A-549, at the concentration of $800{\mu}g/ml$. We examined whether CLJGT inhibits the invasion of A-549 cells through the matrigel precoated transwell chamber. The results showed that CLJGT effectively inhibited the invasion of A-549 as compared with the control (+PMA) groups. From our research, part of mechanism underlying anti-metastastic effect of CLJGT was proven in vitro.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.48-59
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of WS on HepG2 cell cycle and expression of related genes. Methods : The MTT assay, Cell counting analysis, $[^3H]-Thymidine$ Incorporation Assay, Flow cytometric analysis, Quantitative RT-PCR were studied. Results : WS inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation in low concentration$(1-10\;{\mu]g/ml)$ which did not cause direct cytotoxicity, with dose-dependant manner. WS in-hibited DNA synthesis as well. Flow cytometric analysis on the HepG2 cell showed G2/M phase arrest. Conclusion : These results suggest that WS inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation not by the gene regulation but by G2/M phase arrest in the cell cycle. Thus further studies on the effect of WS in G2/M phase regulation are thought to be needed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.60-73
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Loranthus parasiticus Merr. on cell cycle and expression of related genes in HepG2 cells. Methods : The MTT assay, cell counting assay, $[^3H]-Thymidine$ incorporation assay, flow cytometric analysis, quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assay were studied. Results : In the water extract of Loranthus parasiticus Merr., inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA synthesis in HepG2 cells was seen. These inhibitory effects were due to inhibition of G l-S transition in cell cycle. After treatment with the extract, expression of cyclin D1(G1 check point related gene) was inhibited particularly in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. Conclusion : These results suggest that the inhibition of cell cycle progression by Loranthus parasiticus Merr. in HepG2 cell is due to suppression of cyclin D1(G1 check point related gene) mRNA expression and protein synthesis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.92-96
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• 2005

In order to investigate the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on cell mediated immune reaction in vitro we examined the allogenic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR), splenocytes proliferation (SP) to T cell mitogens and IFN-${\gamma}\;production$. Splenocytes of Balb/c mice ($1.5{\times}10^5$ cells/well) were co-cultured with different numbers of mitomycin C-treated mature dentritic cells (DCs) in presence of BPA (25, 50, 100 ${\mu}M$) and $[^{3}H]$thymidine incorporation (cpm) was measured by scintilation counting. Splenocytes ($2{\times}10^6$ cells/well) were cultured with mitogens, Con A ($2\;{\mu}g/ml$), PHA ($5\;{\mu}g/ml$) and IL-2 ($0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$), or PMA ($5\;{\mu}g/ml$) and INO ($1\;{\mu}g/ml$) in presence of BPA (1, 10, 25, 50, 100 ${\mu}M$) and SP was assessed by MTT assay. $IFN-{\gamma}$ levels in culture supernant were determined by ELISA. At low concentration, BPA slightly increased MLR, SP and $IFN-{\gamma}$ levels, but at higher concentration it showed significant inhibitory effects on these immunological parameters. These results indicate that BPA is able to alternate cell-mediated immune reaction.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.141-155
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• 2001

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Injin fractions on hepatic fibrosis induced by $TGF-{\beta}1$. Method : $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNA, protein, $TGF-{\beta}1$ receptor, Smad family and PAI-I mRNA were studied in HepG2 cell, and the proliferation, connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin and collagen type I mRNA in T3891 fibroblast by quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA and thymidine incorporation assay. Results : On $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNA and protein synthesis in HepG2, $H_2O$, butanol and hexane fractions of Injin showed inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent way. In the study on $TGF-{\beta}1$ receptor, Smad family and PAI-1 mRNA in HepG2, $H_2O$, butanol and hexane fraction of Injin showed inhibitory effect on the expression of PAI-1 in a dose-dependent way. On the proliferation of T3891 fibroblast induced by $TGF-{\beta}1$, $H_2O$, ethylacetate and butanol fractions of Injin showed inhibitory effect. In the study on the factors affected by $TGF-{\beta}1$, $H_2O$, ethylacetate and butanol fractions of Injin showed inhibitory effect on CTGF, and $H_2O$, butanol, chloroform and hexane fractions showed inhibitory effect on the expression of collagen type I, whereas no fraction showed inhibitory effect on the expression of fibronectin Conclusion : These results show that each fraction of Injin acts as a fibrosis inhibitory factor by itself or in combination, ultimately inhibiting liver cirrhosis.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2006

In the present study, we compared the functional analysis of pear extracts cultured in conventional and environment-friendly conditions in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. ATP synthesis significantly increased by the treatment with environment friendly cultured pear powder but not by conventional group. In addition, cell proliferation using $[^3H]$-thymidine incorporation was also stimulated by environment-friendly cultured pear extract compared to conventional group. Moreover, the expressions of CDK-2 and CDK-4 were increased but p21WAF1/Cip1 and p27 Kip1 decreased by environment-friendly cultured pear extract but not by conventional group. In conclusion, environment-friendly cultured pear powder has stimulatory effect on cell proliferation compared to conventional group in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.903-909
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• 2002

Research in the cytokine field has grown exponentially in recent years, and the validity of such studies relies heavily on the appropriate measurement of levels of cytokines in various biological samples. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-$\beta$, a hormonally active polypeptide found in normal and transformed tissue, is a potent regulator of cell growth and differentiation. The most widely used bioassay for TGF-$\beta$ is the inhibition of the proliferation of mink lung epithelial cells. Though detection of [$^3$H]thymidine incorporation is more sensitive than the MTT assay, it presents some disadvantages due to the safety and disposal problems associated with radioisotopes. In this study, we attempted to ascertain the experimental conditions which could be used for measuring the in vitro biological activity of TGF-$\beta$ in a safer and more sensitive way compared with the currently available methods. We compared the commonly used method, the MTT assay, to the XTT assay using different parameters including cell number, incubation time and the wave length used for detecting the product. We examined the anti-proliferative activities of TGF-$\beta$ in three different cell lines: Mv-1-Lu mink lung epithelial cells, MCF10A human breast epithelial cells and H-ras-transformed MCF10A cells. Herein, we present an experimental protocol which provides the most sensitive method of quantifying the biological activity of TGF-$\beta$, with a detection limit of as low as 10 pg/ml: Mv-1-Lu or H-ras MCF10A cells ($1{\times}10^5/well$) were incubated with TGF-$\beta$ at $37^{\circ}C$ in a humidified $CO_2$ incubator for 24 hr followed by XTT treatment and determination of absorbance at 450 or 490 nm. Our results may contribute to the establishment of an in vitro bioassay system, which could be used for the satisfactory quantitation of TGF-$\beta$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.139-144
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• 1998

Eighteen lambs were used to determine the effects of zinc (Zn) level and source on Zn status and immune function during both normal conditions and conditions of physiologic stress. Treatments consisted of a basal diet (27.6 mg of Zn/kg), and the basal diet supplemented with 25 mg of Zn/kg, added as either zinc oxide or zinc methionine. The basal diet was a corn-cottonseed hull-isolated soy protein- based diet (14% CP). Lambs were weighed and blood samples taken at 28-d intervals for determination of serum Zn and alkaline phosphatase activity. Weights and serum Zn were similar (p > 0.10) among treatments at all sampling days. To evaluate immune responses and Zn status during conditions of physiologic stress lambs were administered 100 I.U. of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) on d 112 and feed was withheld for 48 h. Cortisol levels were elevated (p < .01) 5 h post ACTH injection, but had returned to initial levels after 48 h. Lymphocyte blastogenesis ([$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation) on d 112 (prior to ACTH injection) and 114 was unaffected (p > .10) by dietary treatment. However, blastogenesis in response to pokeweed mitogen was greater (p < .0001), whereas the response to phytohemagglutinin was reduced (p < .01) following ACTH administration and fasting. Antibody response to administration of porcine red blood cells was unaffected (p > .05) by dietary treatment. These results indicate that, given the Zn concentration of the basal diet, there was no enhancement of immune function by supplemental Zn, either before or after lambs were subjected to stress.