• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2015

Background: The beneficial effects of ginsenoside species have been well demonstrated in a number of studies. However, the function of ginsenoside Ro (GRo), an oleanane-type saponin, has not been sufficiently investigated. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of GRo in vitro using the Raw 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to clarify the possible mechanism of GRo involving heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which itself plays a critical role in self-defense in the presence of inflammatory stress. Methods: Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with GRo (up to $200{\mu}M$) for 1 h before treatment with 1 mg/mL LPS, and both cell viability and inflammatory markers involving HO-1 were evaluated. Results: GRo significantly increased cell viability in a dose dependent manner following treatment with LPS, and decreased levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. GRo decreased inflammatory cytokines such as nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 induced by LPS. Moreover, GRo increased the expression of HO-1 in a dose dependent manner. Cotreatment of GRo with tin protoporphyrin IX, a selective inhibitor of HO-1, not only inhibited upregulation of HO-1 induced by GRo, but also reversed the anti-inflammatory effect of GRo in LPS treated Raw 264.7 cells. Conclusion: GRo induces anti-inflammatory effects following treatment with LPS via upregulation of HO-1.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.24.1-24.7
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• 2023

Assays of clinical diagnosis and species identification using molecular markers are performed according to a quantitative method in consideration of sensitivity, cost, speed, convenience, and specificity. However, typical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay is difficult to quantify and have various limitations. In addition, to perform quantitative analysis with the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) equipment, a standard curve or normalization using reference genes is essential. Within the last a decade, previous studies have reported that the digital PCR (dPCR) assay, a third-generation PCR, can be applied in various fields by overcoming the shortcomings of typical PCR and qRT-PCR assays. We selected Stilla Naica System (Stilla Technologies), Droplet Digital PCR Technology (Bio-Rad), and Lab on an Array Digital Real-Time PCR analyzer system (OPTOLANE) for comparative analysis among the various droplet digital PCR platforms currently in use commercially. Our previous study discovered a molecular marker that can distinguish Hanwoo species (Korean native cattle) using Hanwoo-specific genomic structural variation. Here, we report the pros and cons of the operation of each dPCR platform from various perspectives using this species identification marker. In conclusion, we hope that this study will help researchers to select suitable dPCR platforms according to their purpose and resources.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1637-1643
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• 2011

Korean native chickens are a very valuable chicken population in Korea and their prices are higher than that of commercial broilers. In order to discriminate two commercial Korean native chicken populations (CCP1 and CCP2), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from mitochondrial (mt) DNA D-loop sequences and LEI0258 marker polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region were investigated. A total of 718 birds from nine populations were sampled and 432 mtDNA sequences were obtained. Of these, two commercial Korean native chicken populations (363 birds) were used for investigation of their genetic relationship and breed differentiation. The sequence data classified the chickens into 20 clades, with the largest number of birds represented in clade 1. Analysis of the clade distribution indicated the genetic diversity and relation among the populations. Based on the mtDNA sequence analysis, three selected SNPs from mtDNA polymorphisms were used for the breed identification. The combination of identification probability (Pi) between CCP1 and CCP2 using SNPs from mtDNA and LEI0258 marker polymorphisms was 86.9% and 86.1%, respectively, indicating the utility of these markers for breed identification. The results will be applicable in designing breeding and conservation strategies for the Korean native chicken populations and also used for the development of breed identification markers.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.321-327
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Cuscuta chinensis Lamark ethanol extract (CL) on wrinkle improvement. Cuscuta chinensis Lamark is known to contain dried saccharide, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans and rein glycoside as major components of dried mature seeds of Cuscuta japonica Choisy. In this study, we evaluated the anti-wrinkle effects of CL and investigated bio-markers (e.g ; MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, TIMP-1, type I procollagen) associated with skin wrinkle improvement. We tested the anti-wrinkle effect of CL using human fibroblast called CCD-986Sk cell. We observed an increase in MMPs, TIMP-1, and type 1 pro-collagen CL in CCD-986Sk cells irradiated with UVB at an intensity of $2mJ/cm^2$ for 60 seconds. As a result, CL decreased UVB-induced MMPs levels and mRNA expressions in CCD-986Sk cell. The levels and mRNA expressions of type I procollagen and TIMP-1 were increased by CL. These results suggest that CL has activities on improvement of skin wrinkle, which is induced by UVB radiation. Taken together, this study proposed the possibility of developing herbal medicine and functional herbal cosmetic materials with wrinkle-improving effects of Cuscuta chinensis Lamark.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.263-271
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• 2009

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the most cause of death around the world and fields of interest for cardiac stem cells. Also, current use of terminally differentiated adult cardiomyocytes for CVDs has limited regenerative capacity therefore any significant cell loss may result in the development of progressive heart failure. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) derived from blastocyst-stage embryos spontaneously have ability to differentiate via embryo-like aggregates (endoderm, ectoderm and mesoderm) in vitro into various cell types including cardiomyocyte. However, most effective molecule or optimized condition which can induce cardiac differentiation of hESCs is rarely studied. In this study, we developed both spontaneous and inductive cardiomyocyte-like cells differentiation from hESCs by treatment of induced-factors, 5-azacytidine, BMP-4 and cardiogenol C. On the one hand, spontaneous and inductive cardiomyocyte-like cells showed that cardiac markers are expressed for further analysis by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Interestingly, BMP-4 greatly improved homogeneous population of the cardiomyocyte-like cells from hESCs CHA15 and H09. In conclusion, we verified that spontaneously differentiated cells showed cardiac specific markers which characterize cardiac cells, treated extrinsic factors can manage cellular signals and found that hESCs can undergo differentiation into cardiomyocytes better than spontaneous group. This finding offers an insight into the inductive factor of differentiated cardiomyocytes and provides some helpful information that may offer the potential of cardiomyocytes derived from hESCs using extrinsic factors.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.406-422
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is an age-related, progressive skeletal muscle disorder involving the loss of muscle mass and strength. Previous studies have shown that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from fermented oysters aids in regulatory T cells (Tregs) cell expansion and function by enhancing autophagy, and concomitantly mediate muscle regeneration by modulating muscle inflammation and satellite cell function. The fermentation process of oysters not only increases the GABA content but also enhances the content of branched amino acids and free amino acids that aid the level of protein absorption and muscle strength, mass, and repair. In this study, the effect of GABA-enriched fermented sarco oyster extract (FSO) on reduced muscle mass and functions via Treg modulation and enhanced autophagy in aged mice was investigated. Results showed that FSO enhanced the expression of autophagy markers (autophagy-related gene 5 [ATG5] and GABA receptor-associated protein [GABARAP]), forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) expression, and levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-10 and transforming growth factor [TGF]-β) secreted by Tregs while reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-17A and interferon [IFN]-γ). Furthermore, FSO increased the expression of IL-33 and its receptor IL-1 receptor-like 1 (ST2); well-known signaling pathways that increase amphiregulin (Areg) secretion and expression of myogenesis markers (myogenic factor 5, myoblast determination protein 1, and myogenin). Muscle mass and function were also enhanced via FSO. Overall, the current study suggests that FSO increased autophagy, which enhanced Treg accumulation and function, decreased muscle inflammation, and increased satellite cell function for muscle regeneration and therefore could decrease the loss of muscle mass and function with aging.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2023

This study aimed to identify and compare the characteristics of Elymus humidus on common wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Chinse Spring, CS). The seed length, width, height, and weight of E. humidus were smaller than those of the CS. In particular, the germination rate of E. humidus was substantially lower than that of CS. In the anatomical dissection of the leaf, E. humidus showed a considerably different xylem diameter of the main vascular bundle in the main vein; however, there was no difference in the phloem of the main vascular bundle compared with the xylem and phloem of the main vascular bundle in the main vein of CS, although E. humidus showed a leaf structure similar to that of CS. In addition, E. humidus had a thinner epidermis than that of CS. Regarding stomatal traits, E. humidus showed a graminoid stomata type similar to that of CS. On the adaxial and abaxial sides, the density, length, and width of the stomata in E. humidus were smaller than those in CS, whereas the distance between stomata in E. humidus was greater than that in CS. The chromosomes of E. humidus were classified as long and short based on their respective lengths. Long chromosomes were classified based on the ratio of the long arm to the short arm e.g., 1:1 or 2:1. Short chromosomes showed the same trend and some short chromosomes were microsatellites. To evaluate genetic diversity, 38 barley EST markers with polymorphisms between E. humidus and CS were selected from 236 barley EST markers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.538-555
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the association of the type and frequency of coffee consumption with the health-related quality of life and metabolic bio-markers in adult men and women from the 2013 ~ 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: A total of 11,201 subjects (4,483 men and 6,718 women) were classified according to the type of coffee consumption (non-coffee, black coffee, 3-in-1 coffee) and type and frequency of coffee consumption (non-coffee, ${\leq}2$ times/day of black coffee, > 2 times/day of black coffee, ${\leq}2$ times/day of 3-in-1 coffee, > 2 times/day of 3-in-1 coffee) using food frequency questionnaires. Dietary nutrient intake data were assessed using food frequency questionnaires. The health-related quality of life was measured using the EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) and EQ-5D index score. Data on metabolic bio-markers were obtained from a health examination. Results: Among men and women, the proportion of subjects with an energy intake below the estimated energy requirement (EER) was lower among the 3-in-1 coffee consumption group, and the proportion of subjects with iron intakes below the estimated average requirements (EAR) was lower among the 3-in-1 coffee consumption group. Women (OR: 0.810, 95% CI: 0.657 ~ 0.998) with the ${\leq}2$ times/day of 3-in-1 coffee had a lower risk of impaired health-related quality of life (lowest 20% level in the EQ-5D score) compared to the non-coffee consumers after a multivariable adjustment. In both men and women, the type and frequency of coffee consumption was not associated with metabolic bio-markers risk after multivariable adjustment. Conclusion: These results suggest that 3-in-1 coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of impaired health-related quality of life and may not be associated with the metabolic bio-markers risk in adult men and women.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2011

The faulty regulation of imprinting gene lead to the abnormal development of reconstructed embryo after nuclear transfer. However, the correlation between the imprinting status of donor cell and preimplantation stage of embryo development is not yet clear. In this study, to determine this correlation, we used the porcine spermatogonial stem cell (pSSC) and fetal fibroblast (pFF) as donor cells. As the results, the isolated cells with laminin matrix selection strongly expressed the GFR ${\alpha}$-1 and PLZF genes of SSCs specific markers. The pSSCs were maintained to 12 passages and positive for the pluripotent marker including OCT4, SSEA1 and NANOG. The methylation analysis of H19 DMR of pSSCs revealed that the zinc finger protein binding sites CTCF3 of H19 DMRs displayed an androgenic imprinting pattern (92.7%). Also, to investigate the reprogramming potential of pSSCs as donor cell, we compared the development rate and methylation status of H19 gene between the reconstructed embryos from pFF and pSSC. This result showed no significant differences of the development rate between the pFFs ($11.2{\pm}0.8%$) and SSCs ($13.3{\pm}1.1%$). However, interestingly, while the CTCF3 methylation status of pFF-NT blastocyst was decreased (36.3%), and the CTCF3 methylation status of pSSC-NT blastocyst was maintained. Therefore, this result suggested that the genomic imprinting status of pSSCs is more effective than that of normal somatic cells for the normal development because the maintenance of imprinting pattern is very important in early embryo stage.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.271-280
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• 2009

Human placenta is abundant source of adult stem cells. Especially, amniotic epithelial cells have stem cell characteristics, expressing surface markers normally present on embryonic stem cells and germ cells. However, culturing and expanding amniotic epithelial cells in vitro without feeder cells are difficult due to endogenous characteristics of epithelial cells. In the present study, amniotic epithelial cells are isolated and proliferated in several passages by applying dithiothreitol and a Rho-associated kinase inhibitor in culture media. The cultured amniotic epithelial cells showed the epithelial and stem cell characteristics. In conclusion, human placenta-derived amniotic epithelial stem cells can be a major source of stem cells for medical treatment of various diseases without any controversial issues.