• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1356-1363
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• 2014

Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid orexigenic peptide hormone that is secreted predominantly by tX/A cells in the stomach, and it plays a major role in energy homeostasis. Activated ghrelin has an n-octanoyl group covalently linked to the hydroxyl group of the Ser3 residue, which is critical for its binding to the G-protein coupled growth hormone secretagogue receptor-1a (GHS-R1a). According to recent reports, both ghrelin and its receptor, GHS-R1a, are expressed by a variety of immune cells, including T- and B-lymphocytes, monocytes, and dendritic cells, and ghrelin stimulation of leukocytes provides a potent immunomodulatory signal controlling systemic and age-associated inflammation and thymic involution. Here, we report that ghrelin protected murine thymocytes from dexamethasone (DEX)-induced cell death both in vivo and in vitro. Subsequently, we explored the molecular mechanisms of the antiapoptotic effect of ghrelin. According to our experiments, ghrelin inhibited the expression of proapoptotic proteins via the regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation. As a result, ghrelin inhibited the proapoptotic activation of proteins, such as Caspase-3, PARP, and Bim. These data suggest that ghrelin, through GHS-R, inhibits the pathway to apoptosis by regulation of the proapoptotic protein activation signal pathway. They provide evidence that blocking apoptosis is an essential function of ghrelin during the development of thymocytes.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2015

Background Wound healing is an interaction of a complex signaling cascade of cellular events, including inflammation, proliferation, and maturation. $K^+$ channels modulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Here, we investigated whether $K^+$ channel-activated MAPK signaling directs collagen synthesis and angiogenesis in wound healing. Methods The human skin fibroblast HS27 cell line was used to examine cell viability and collagen synthesis after potassium chloride (KCl) treatment by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and western blotting. To investigate whether $K^+$ ion channels function upstream of MAPK signaling, thus affecting collagen synthesis and angiogenesis, we examined alteration of MAPK expression after treatment with KCl (channel inhibitor), NS1619 (channel activator), or kinase inhibitors. To research the effect of KCl on angiogenesis, angiogenesis-related proteins such as thrombospondin 1 (TSP1), anti-angiogenic factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pro-angiogenic factor were assayed by western blot. Results The viability of HS27 cells was not affected by 25 mM KCl. Collagen synthesis increased dependent on time and concentration of KCl exposure. The phosphorylations of MAPK proteins such as extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 increased about 2.5-3 fold in the KCl treatment cells and were inhibited by treatment of NS1619. TSP1 expression increased by 100%, bFGF expression decreased by 40%, and there is no significant differences in the VEGF level by KCl treatment, TSP1 was inhibited by NS1619 or kinase inhibitors. Conclusions Our results suggest that KCl may function as a therapeutic agent for wound healing in the skin through MAPK signaling mediated by the $K^+$ ion channel.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2012

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-hypercholesterolemic effect of bile salt hydrolase-producing Lactobacillus plantarum CIB 001 (KCTC 11717 bp) in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Four treatment groups of rats (n=5) were fed experimental diets: a normal diet (ND), a ND plus L. plantarum CIB 001(NDL) at $5.0-7.5{\times}10^9$ colony forming unit (CFU)/day, a high-cholesterol diet (HCD), as well as a HCD plus L. plantarum CIB 001 (HCDL) at $5.0-7.5{\times}10^9$ CFU/day for 6 weeks. Compared with the HCD group, the HCDL group demonstrated a decrease in serum triglyceride (p<0.05), total cholesterol (p<0.05), and the corresponding HDL-cholesterol concentration increased at a rate of 40% (p<0.05). The HCDL group also induced a decrease in liver inflammation and steatosis. The present results suggest that supplementation of L. plantarum CIB 001 can have short-term (6 weeks) effects on blood lipids and liver injury, as well as on the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factors.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.31 no.3 s.52
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• pp.265-271
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• 2005

This study is performed to investigate the effects of citrus essential oils on melanin production in B16 melanoma cells and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in RBL 2H3 cells. Five kinds of citrus essential oil (bergamot, grapefruit, lemmon, mandarin, petigrain) did not have any influence on DPPH radical scavenger activity, cell growth and cytotoxicity in B16 melanoma cells. In purified tyrosinase assay, both mandarin and petigrain essential oils dose-dependently inhibited its activity, but bergamot did not. In $1{\mu}M\;{\alpha}-MSH-stimulated$ B16 melanoma cells, all of 5 citrus essential oils inhibited melanin production in $\underline{a}$ dose dependent manner. On the other hand, four kinds of citrus essential oil dose-dependently increased ROS generation in RBL 2H3 mast cells, but mandarin did not. From the above results, it is possible that citrus essential oils nay be developed to be anti-melanogenic agent on the basis of their inhibitory effect on MSH-induced melanin production. Hut we can not rule out the possibility of the induction of allergy and inflammation since citrus essential oils caused ROS generation in RBL 2H3 mast cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2016

Pinellia ternata Breitenbach, the natural medicinal plant of the Araceae family, is a perennial plant originated from the East Asia, but also widely distributed in Europe and North America. Its tuber is used as traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases such as vomiting, inflammation, and traumatic injury. Pharmacological studies revealed that P. ternata possesses anticonvulsant, anti-tumor, insecticidal, and cytotoxic activities. Despite being well-known as the useful medicinal plant, there is no reliable, standardized method for origin discrimination. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector and quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry based metabolite-profiling was applied to explore significant metabolite for origin discrimination between Korean and Chinese P. ternata. One compound was isolated from Korean P. ternata using repeated ODS column chromatography by bioactivity guided fractionation, and determined as [6]-gingerol according to the results of spectroscopic data including nuclear magnetic resonance and MS. This compound was selected as cosmeceutical biomarker by fingerprints, and it was associated to melanin inhibitory effect determining its origin authenticity. Furthermore, the calibration curve of biomarker was prepared using validated method for the comparison of content between Korean and Chinese P. ternata. This is the report to address the selection and successful validation of the discriminant metabolite for confirmation of Korean P. ternata.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.247-251
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• 2004

UV radiation exerts various influences in the skin, including photoaging and inflammation (1). The MMPs (Matrix metalloproteinases), which are induced by UV irradiation, can degrade matrix proteins, and these results in a collagen deficiency in photodamaged skin that leads to skin wrinkling. It has been known that the production of PGE$_2$ stimulates MMPs expression, and inhibits procollagen (2). Thus, it is possible that the induction of MMPs and the inhibition of matrix protein synthesis by UV -induced PGE$_2$ may play some role in UV-induced collagen deficiency in photoaged skin. Fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP), a glycolytic metabolite, is reported to have cytoprotective effects against ischemia and postischemic reperfusion injury of brain and heart, presumably by augmenting anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism (3). And also, FDP significantly prevent skin aging by decreasing facial winkle compared with vehicle alone after 6 months of use. We studied the mechanism of anti-aging effect of FDP on UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocyte model. FDP has protective role in UVB injured keratinocyte by attenuating prostaglandin E$_2$ (PGE$_2$) production and COX-2 expression. And FDP also suppressed UVB-induced MMP-2 expression. Further, to delineate the inhibition of UVB-induced COX-2 and MMPs expression with cell signaling pathways, treatment of FDP to HaCaT keratinocytes resulted in marked inhibition of UVB-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK. It also prevents UV induced NFB translocation, which are activated by cellular inflammatory signal. Our results indicate that FDP has protecting effects in UV-injured skin aging by decreasing UVB-induced COX-2 and MMPs expression, which are possibly through blocking UVB-induced signal cascades.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.456-460
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• 2008

Santalum album has been used as a folk medicine for treatment of skin diseases, inflammation, gonorrhea, gleet, and cystitis in India and other Asian countries. In a search for possible bioactive agents from natural sources, we found that the various solvent extracts of S. album showed significant antioxidative effect in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity test and moderate other biological functions submitted to the several bioassay systems for whitening and cytotoxicity evaluations. Among the tested extracts displayed DPPH radical scavenging activity, and the 70% acetone extract showed the most potent activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $18.6\;{\mu}g/ml$, more potent than a positive control, L-ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}$, $28.7\;{\mu}g/mL$). Also, anti-lipid peroxidation, tyrosinase inhibitory, and cytotoxic effects were determined in each experiment. Total phenolic content of 70% acetone extract was found to be 117.1 mg equivalent of gallic acid per g of extract. Previous phytochemical investigation reveals the presence of phenolic compounds. The results indicate that S. album possess potential antioxidant activity and phenolic constituents are responsible for this capacity.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2013

Zaltoprofen, a propionic acid derivative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was known to have powerful inhibitory effects on acute, subacute and chronic inflammation. For initial release and sustained release, the microspheres were prepared using an emulsion-solvent evaporation method like an O/W emulsion method with varying the ratio of zaltoprofen-loaded polyoxalate (POX)/PLGA micropheres. The morphology of the microspheres was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The crystallinity of microspheres was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimeter. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyze the chemical structure of microspheres. The increased ratio of POX microspheres affected the initial drug release, and the sustained release of drug was influenced by ratio of PLGA microspheres. In this study, the initial release behavior of zaltoprofen can be controlled by the ratio of POX/PLGA microspheres.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2004

Effects of the extracts from bran part of the pigmented rices on inflammation was evaluated by determining their inhibitory action on the production of nitric oxides, histamines and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP) from inflammatory leukocytes. Effects on the production of nitric oxides in a macrophage cell line, RAW264.7 cells, were determined, demonstrating that any significant difference was not detected between the normal rice and the pigmented rice extracts. Inhibitory effects on the histamine-release from a basophilic cell line, RBL-2H3, were examined, showing 3.6 to 5.4-fold increase in the inhibitory activity compared to that of the normal rices. Among the pigmented rice cultivars tested, especially, inhibitory activity of LK1-3-6-12-1-1 was the greatest. Using RAW264.7 cells, we examined the effect of the pigmented rice extracts on the MMP activity. The results showed that the enzyme activity increased with the increasing concentration of the normal rice extract. However, the pigmented rice extracts, except LK1A-2-12-1-l, acted to decrease the MMP activity with their increasing concentrations. The results described above showed the superiority of the pigmented rice extracts in inhibition on release of histamine and MMP, pivotal factors for causing inflammatory responses, from the leukocytes.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.208-213
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• 2018

Activation of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF{\kappa}B$) leads to the inflammatory process. During this $NF{\kappa}B$-dependent inflammation process, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are expressed in the inflammatory cells. Our previous data indicated that a specific septapeptide (GVAWWMY) from the soybean extract fermented by Bacillus licheniformis B1 inhibited iNOS mRNA expression and NO production in cultured macrophage cells. Our further experiments revealed that treatment of same septapeptide resulted in inhibition of LPS-induced $NF{\kappa}B$ activation by reversing degradation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, an inhibitory protein for $NF{\kappa}B$. The molecular docking indicated that the septapeptide binds to $I{\kappa}B$ kinase ${\beta}$ ($IKK{\beta}$), and thus it can inhibit phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$. Supporting this, the binding site for the septapeptide has the highest affinity (-8.7 kcal/mol) and the site was located at the kinase domain (KD) of $IKK{\beta}$, which can significantly affect the kinase activity of $IKK{\beta}$.