• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.590-599
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• 2005

Object : Cigarette smoking is a major cause of mucus hypersecretion, which is a pathophysiological feature of many inflammatory airway diseases. Mucins, which are an important part of the airway mucus, are synthesized from the Muc gene in airway epithelial cells. However, the signaling pathways for cigarette smoke-induced mucin synthesis are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the signal pathway for smoking induced Muc5ac gene expression. Methods : A549 cells were cultured and transiently transfected with the Muc5ac promoter fragment. These cells were stimulated with 5% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) alone or with CSE after a pretreatment with various signal transduction pathway inhibitors (AG1478, PD98059 and SB203580). The Muc5ac promoter activity was examined using the luciferase reporter system, and the level of phosphorylated EGFR, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and JNK were all examined using Western blot analysis. Muc5ac mRNA expression was also examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR). Results : 1. The peak level of luciferase activity of the Muc5ac promoter was observed at 5% concentration and after 3 hours of incubation with the CSE. The level of EGFR phosphorylation and the luciferase activity of the transfected cells caused by the CSE were significantly suppressed by AG1478 or PD98059 (P<0.01). 2. CSE phosphorylated ERK1/2 or p38 MAPK but not JNK. The Muc5ac mRNA expression level was increased by the CSE but that was suppressed by PD98059 or AG1478. 3. The CSE-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was blocked by PD98059 and that of p38 MAPK was blocked by either PD98059 or SB203580. Either PD98059 or SB203580 suppressed the luciferase activity of the transfected cells (P<0.0001). Conclusion : The Muc5ac mRNA expression level was increased by the CSE. The increased CSE-induced transcriptional activity was mediated via EGF receptor activation, which led to ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.188-193
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• 2011

As a specific and effective therapeutic genetic material against hepatitis C virus (HCV) multiplication, HCV internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-targeting hammerhead ribozyme which activity is allosterically regulated by HCV regulatory protein, NS5B RNA replicase, was constructed. The allosteric ribozyme was composed of sequence of RNA aptamer to HCV NS5B, communication module sequence which can transfer structural transition for inducing ribozyme activity upon binding NS5B to the aptamer, and sequence of ribozyme targeting +382 nucleotide of HCV IRES. With real-time PCR analysis, the ribozyme was found to efficiently inhibit HCV replicon replication in cells. Of note, the allosteric ribozyme was shown to inhibit HCV replicon replication more efficiently than either HCV genome-targeting ribozyme or NS5B aptamer only. This allosteric ribozyme can be used as a lead genetic agent for the specific and effective suppression of HCV replication.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2012

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the skin depigmentation effect of the extracts of three herbs, Carthamus tinctorius seed, Cyperus rotundus and Schizonepeta tenuifolia. Their effects on tyrosinase and melanin synthesis inhibitory action were assessed. We found that the C. tinctorius seed ethanol extracts reduced the tyrosinase activity and melanin formation of B16F10 melanoma cells. The C. tinctorius seed suppressed the expression in microphthalmia associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase related protein 2 (TRP-2) in B16F10 melanoma cells. These results show that C. tinctorius seed inhibited melanogenesis on the B16F10 melanoma cell. The underlying mechanism of C. tinctorius seed whitening activity may be the inhibition of tyrisinase, MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 expression. The results suggested that C. tinctorius seed has considerable potential as a natural functional ingredient with a depigmentation effect.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.439-446
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• 2014

This study describes a preliminary evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of Castanopsis cuspidata extracts. C. cuspidata was extracted using 80% ethanol and then fractionated sequentially with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate, and butanol. To screen for anti-inflammatory agents effectively, we first examined the inhibitory effect of the C. cuspidata extracts on the production of pro-inflammatory factors and cytokines stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. In addition, we examined the inhibitory effect of C. cuspidata extracts on pro-inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, COX-2) in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The amounts of protein levels were determined by immunoblotting. Of the sequential solvent fractions of C. cuspidata, the n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethylacetate fractions inhibited the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6), production of NO, and the protein level of iNOS and COX-2. These results suggest that C. cuspidata may have significant effects on inflammatory factors and may be provided as a possible anti-inflammatory therapeutic plant.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2014

In this study, we conducted the anti-HIV-1 enzymes assay in vitro and its active components were predicted by QSAR in silico for the elucidation of action mechanism on anti-HIV of natural resources. The extracts of Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans Makino were tested for their inhibitory effects on the reverse transcriptase (RT), protease and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. In the enzyme inhibition assay, the methanol extracts of Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans Makino stem showed a strong activity of 32.5% on the enzyme activity to cleave an oligopeptide, resembling one of the cleavage sites in the viral polyprotein which can only be processed by HIV-1 protease. Moreover the methanol extracts of stem exhibited alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 26.1%. The methanol extracts ($100{\mu}g/ml$) of stem showed a weak activity of 13.4% on anti-HIV-1 RT using Enzyme Linked Oligonucleotide Sorbent Assay (ELOSA) method. However, all extracts of leaf and stem didn't exhibit the HIV-1-induced cytopathic effects with IC (inhibitory concentration) of $100{\mu}g/ml$ in HIV-1-infected human T-cell line. From these results, it is suggested that Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans Makino extracts may possibly be involved in the inhibition of reverse transcriptase, protease and alpha-glucosidase but can't vitally concerned with the viral replication in vitro.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.260-269
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• 2015

The protective effects of extract powder of Angelica gigas on the degeneration of the articular cartilage in rats was investigated with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis, The treatment of high concentration (50 μg/mL) of Angelica gigas effectively inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production induced by interleukin-1α (IL-1α) without any cytotoxicity. Specifically, mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were dose dependently reduced by extract powder of Angelica gigas. Importantly, mRNA expression in articular cartilage of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were clearly reduced. The inflammatory cytokines in blood were also reduced as well. These results suggested that the protective effects on the degeneration of the articular cartilage was derived from the inhibitory effects of mRNA and protein expression of tested inflammatory cytokines which is linked to prevent the degradation of proteoglycan (PG), the main matrix content in articular cartilage. Meanwhile, the 2 hrs incubation of decursin, a major compound of extract powder in rat whole blood rapidely converted decursin into decursinol which shows string anti-inflammatory activity. The coverted decursinol was detected after 8 hrs in whole blood by LC-MS/MS. Conclusively, the inhibitory effects of inflammatory cytokines production in osteoarthritis may be derived from the production of decursinol, which performs against inflammatroy cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.120-122
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• 1997

1. 서론 : 본 연구에서는 매우 안정된 유동의 하나로 막 표면의 전단력을 향상시켜 여과가 진행됨에 따라 막의 표면에서 발생하여 여과선속을 저하시키는 케이크층의 형성을 억제하는 데에 효과가 있다고 알려진 Taylor와류를 응용한 회전막 여과기를 사용하여 여과실험을 수행함으로써 이러한 유동이 케이크층의 형성에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 또한 여과선속에 영향을 미치는 여러 매개인자들을 포함하는 새로운 모델식을 제안하고 실험결과와 비교해봄으로써 그 타당성을 살펴보았다.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-13
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• 1995

As a continuation of the previous studies, a third group of thirty five hot aqueous extracts from natural products were screened for platelet activating factor(PAF) receptor binding antagonistic acitivities using rabbit platelet. The results demonstrate that Arctium lappa is potential source of PAF antagonist.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.114-115
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• 2001

Alloxan은 glucokinase효소가 기질인 glucose결합부위인 -SH기를 경쟁적으로 저해함으로서 glucose의 초기 인산화를 억제하여 당뇨병을 유도시키는 화학물질이다. 본 연구에서는 이제까지의 조직학적이고 혈청학적인 연구에서 한 단계 나아가 효소학적인 측면에서 당대사와 인슐린 분비 조절인자로 알려진 glucokinase와 혈중 당을 조직내로 흡수하여 인산화시키는 효소인 hexokinase에 대한 다시마 열수추출물의 효과를 분석 검토하였다. (중략)

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.335-338
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• 2000

산소와 질소의 단순 화합물질인 산화질소 (nitric oxide) 는 생체내의 다양한 작용을 야기하는 시그날 물질로 주목을 받고 있으며 이의 작용에 대한 연구가 광범위하게 진행되고 있다. 본 논문을 통하여 저자는 수정란 대사에 미치는 산화질소 작용규명이 지금까지 어떻게 진행되어 왔는지 소개하였으며 본 물질에 대한 최근 연구결과를 설명하였다. 일련의 실험결과 산화질소는 수정란의 초기발생 저해인자로 작용하며 수정란 배양 중의 산화질소작용 억제에 의하여 배반포 발생이 현저히 증가한다는 사실을 밝혀냈다. 참고로 본 논문내용은 Mol. Reprod. Dev. (1998), Theriogenology (1999) 및 Fertil. Steril. (in press)에 개재된 연구결과를 요약한 것이다.