• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2008

The layers of keratinocytes form an acid mantle on the surface of the skin. Herein, we investigated the effects of acidic pH on the membrane current and $[Ca^{2+}]_c$ of human primary keratinocytes from foreskins and human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Acidic extracellular pH ($pH_e{\leq}5.5$) activated outwardly rectifying $Cl^-$ current ($I_{Cl,pH}$) with slow kinetics of voltage-dependent activation. $I_{Cl,pH}$ was potently inhibited by an anion channel blocker 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS, 73.5% inhibition at 1${\mu}$M). $I_{Cl,pH}$ became more sensitive to $pH_e$ by raising temperature from $24^{circ}C$ to $37^{circ}C$. HaCaT cells also expressed $Ca^{2+}$-activated $Cl^-$ current ($I_{Cl,Ca}$), and the amplitude of $I_{Cl,Ca}$ was increased by relatively weak acidic $pH_e$ (7.0 and 6.8). Interestingly, the acidic $pH_e$ (5.0) also induced a sharp increase in the intracellular [$Ca^{2+}$] (${\triangle}[Ca^{2+}]_{acid}$) of HaCaT cells. The ${\triangle}[Ca^{2+}]_{acid}$ was independent of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$, and was abolished by the pretreatment with PLC inhibitor, U73122. In primary human keratinocytes, 5 out of 28 tested cells showed ${\triangle}[Ca^{2+}]_{acid}$. In summary, we found $I_{Cl,pH}$ and ${\triangle}[Ca^{2+}]_{acid}$ in human keratinocytes, and these ionic signals might have implication in pathophysiological responses and differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 1999

Morphological alteration of floral organ development in rice affected by chilling stress was examined. Three varieties of rice were grown under natural conditions and subjected to 12$^{\circ}C$ for 3 or 6 days starting from the ineffective tillering stage, before heading stage and returned to natural condition. Headings were delayed by a 6 day chilling treatment. After heading the panicles were collected and examined for any possible alteration in floral organ development. It appears that there were some differences in sensitivity to chilling stress and degree of injury depending on treatment stages and variety. Chuchungbyeo was the most frequent in producing abnormal flowers among the three varieties examined. Meiosis stage was shown to be the most vulnerable to chilling stress in both Chuchungbyeo and Ilpumbyeo and young panicle differentiation stage was the frequent stage to alter flower development in response to chilling stress only in Chuchungbyeo. It was confirmed that abnormalities occurred in pollen due to chilling stress is a major factor leading to low yield, but to some extent the alterations in carpel development may playa certain role in determining a total yield in response to chilling stress at the reproduction stage in rice. There were abnormalities like extra stigmata, extra lemma, double ovary as well as abnormal anther formation in response to chilling stress. Further studies of the phenocopy observed in rice floral development may be useful for an understanding of the resistance against chilling injury during reproductive stages in rice.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.926-933
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• 2023

Aspergillus oryzae KCCM 11372 was used to enhance the production of β-glucan using humidity control strategies. Under conditions of 60% humidity, solid-state fermentation (SSF) increased the yields of enzymes (amylase and protease), fungal biomass (ergosterol), and β-glucan. The maximum concentrations obtained were 14800.58 U/g at 72 h, 1068.14 U/g at 120 h, 1.42 mg/g at 72 h, and 12.0% (w/w) at 72 h, respectively. Moreover, the β-glucan containing fermented brown rice (β-glucan-FBR) extracts at concentrations of 25-300 ㎍/ml was considered noncytotoxic to 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. We then studied the inhibitory effects of the extracts on fat droplet formation in 3T3-L1 cells. As a result, 300 ㎍/ml of β-glucan-FBR extracts showed a high inhibition of 38.88% in lipid accumulation. Further, these extracts inhibited adipogenesis in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes by decreasing the expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, aP2, and GLUT4 genes.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of microscopic invasion to determine the adequate resection margin in early gastric cancer (EGC). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed that included patients who underwent gastrectomy for clinical early gastric cancer (cEGC) at Seoul National University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2010. After subtracting the microscopic resection margin from the gross resection margin for each proximal or distal resection margin, microscopic invasion was represented by the larger value. Microscopic invasion and its risk factors were analyzed according to the clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: In total, 861 patients were enrolled in the study. Microscopic invasion of cEGC was $6.0{\pm}12.8mm$, and the proportion of patients with microscopic invasion ${\geq}0mm$ was 78.4%. In the risk group, tumor location, pT stage, and differentiation did not significantly discriminate the presence of microscopic invasion. The microscopic invasion of EGC-IIb was $13.9{\pm}16.8mm$, which was significantly greater than that of EGC-I. No linear correlation was observed between the overall tumor size and microscopic invasion (R=0.030). The independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$ were EGC-IIb vs. EGC-I/IIa/IIc/III (odds ratio [OR], 3.103; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.533-6.282; P=0.002) and male vs. female sex (OR, 1.655; 95% CI, 1.012-2.705; P=0.045). Conclusions: Male sex and EGC-IIb were independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$. Examination of intraoperative frozen sections is highly recommended to avoid resection margin involvement, especially in cases of EGC-IIb.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.475-481
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• 2019

Background: The ginsenoside Rg1 has been shown to exert various pharmacological activities with health benefits. Previously, we have reported that Rg1 promoted myogenic differentiation and myotube growth in C2C12 myoblasts. In this study, the in vivo effect of Rg1 on fiber-type composition and oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle was examined. Methods: To examine the effect of Rg1 on skeletal muscle, 3-month-old mice were treated with Rg1 for 5 weeks. To assess muscle strength, grip strength tests were performed, and the lower hind limb muscles were harvested, followed by various detailed analysis, such as histological staining, immunoblotting, immunostaining, and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In addition, to verify the in vivo data, primary myoblasts isolated from mice were treated with Rg1, and the Rg1 effect on myotube growth was examined by immunoblotting and immunostaining analysis. Results: Rg1 treatment increased the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms characteristic for both oxidative and glycolytic muscle fibers; increased myofiber sizes were accompanied by enhanced muscle strength. Rg1 treatment also enhanced oxidative muscle metabolism with elevated oxidative phosphorylation proteins. Furthermore, Rg1-treated muscles exhibited increased levels of anabolic S6 kinase signaling. Conclusion: Rg1 improves muscle functionality via enhancing muscle gene expression and oxidative muscle metabolism in mice.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.151-159
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• 1996

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid(RA) on the development of cholangiocarcinoma in hamsters. Eighty six female Syrian golden hamsters were divided into four groups. Group I was for the induction of the cholangiocarcinoma, which was infected orally with C sinensis and given dimethylnitrosamine(DMN, 15ppm) in drinking water for 4 weeks. Group II was for evaluating the effect of all-trans RA treatment on the cholangiocarcinogenesis, which was treated the same as group I and orally given RA(1mg/kg, 5 times per week) for 15 weeks. Group III was given only RA hr 15 weeks. Control group IV was given only soybean oil which was solvent for RA treatment. More than 5 heads of hamsters in each group were sacrificed at 4, 7, 11 and 15 weeks after the begining of the experiment. The livers were examined grossly, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Death of animals started from the 11 weeks after the begining of the experiment. One of the total 22 animals(5%) and 7 of the total 24 animals(29%) died in group I and group II, respectively. 2. Proliferation of oval cell was peaked at 11 weeks in group I and at 7 weeks in group II, and decreased gradually after those periods of the time. 3. Cholangiocarcinomas were found in 1 of 6 animals(17%) at 11 weeks and in 4 of 6 animals(67%) at 15 weeks in group I, respectively. But in group II, the cholangiocarcinomas occured in 1 of 5 animals(20%) at 7 weeks, in 7 of 12 animals(58%) at 11 weeks and in 2 of the rest animals(100%) at 15 weeks, respectively. 4. Expression of $\alpha$-fetoprotein(AFP) of the oval cells in the group II showed the same degree of positive reaction at that of group I at 4 weeks. But AFP postive oval cells decreased gradually and AFP negative oval cells(ductlike oval cells) increased gradually. 5. Expression of cytokeratin of the oval cells in group II was shown slightly at 4 weeks and the degree of expression increased moderately from the 7 weeks. But the expression of the oval cells in group I was shown slightly after the 7 weeks. These results suggested that all-trans RA promoted the occurrence and the rate of cholangiocarcinoma by inducing differentiation of small cells and oval cells in the liver of hamsters infected with C sinensis and treated with DMN.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.905-916
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• 2009

Pinelliae rhizoma (Pr, 半夏) is a traditional medicine used in the treatment of incipient stroke. We investigated the effects of Pr on gene expression in a hypoxic model using cultured rat cortical cells. Pr (2.5 $\mu$g/ml) was added to the culture medium on DIV 12. A hypoxic shock (2% 0$_2$/5% CO$_2$, 37$^{\circ}$C, 3 hr) was given two days later (on DIV 14), and total mRNAs were isolated at 24 hr post-shock from both Pr-treated samples and untreated control cultures. Microarray using TwinChip $^{TM}$ Rat-5K (Digital Genomics, Seoul) indicated that Pr upregulated genes for cell growth and differentiation (tubb5, tgfa, ptpn11, n-ras, pdgfa) and antiapoptosis (mcl-1), while downregulating the apoptosis-induced gene (tieg). Therefore, it is interpreted that Pr protects neurons from hypxoic shock by maintaining cell growth and differentiation and by preventing apoptosis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.274-281
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• 2020

Background: Ultraviolet (UV) goes through the epidermis and promotes release of inflammatory cytokines in keratinocytes. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), one of the keratinocyte-derived cytokines, regulates proliferation and differentiation of melanocytes. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways regulate expression of GM-CSF. Based on these results, we found that ginsenoside Rh3 prevented GM-CSF production and release in UV-B-exposed SP-1 keratinocytes and that this inhibitory effect resulted from the reduction of PKCδ and ERK phosphorylation. Methods: We investigated the mechanism by which ginsenoside Rh3 from Panax ginseng inhibited GM-CSF release from UV-B-irradiated keratinocytes. Results: Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or UV-B induced release of GM-CSF in the SP-1 keratinocytes. To elucidate whether the change in GM-CSF expression could be related to PKC signaling, the cells were pretreated with H7, an inhibitor of PKC, and irradiated with UV-B. GM-CSF was decreased by H7 in a dose-dependent manner. When we analyzed which ginsenosides repressed GM-CSF expression among 15 ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rh3 showed the largest decline to 40% of GM-CSF expression in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot analysis showed that TPA enhanced the phosphorylation of PKCδ and ERK in the keratinocytes. When we examined the effect of ginsenoside Rh3, we identified that ginsenoside Rh3 inhibited the TPA-induced phosphorylation levels of PKCδ and ERK. Conclusion: In summary, we found that ginsenoside Rh3 impeded UV-B-induced GM-CSF production through repression of PKCδ and ERK phosphorylation in SP-1 keratinocytes.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 1992

There was significant reduction in the mitotic indices of oat roots treated with alachlor. Uniform decrease in prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase as treatment time increasing was observed. Alachlor did not disrupt mitosis, but rather inhibited the onset of mitosis. Labeled dividing cells were significantly inhibited, but the number of labeled interphase cells of all treatment were increased, as compared with control in 8 hr and 12hr period. Labeled dividing cells which entered mitosis thru $G_2$ were inhibited approximately 68% at 8hr after treatment with $1{\times}10^{-5}$ M of alachlor. Alachlor apparently inhibited from the $G_2$stage into mitosis of dividing cells. After 24 hr treatment, 12.1% abd 46.6% inhibition of coleoptile growth occurred at $1{\times}10^{-5}$ M and $1{\times}10^{-4}$ M, respectively. Cell elongation was inhibited by alachlor but was less sensitive than cell division. The longitudinal section cells of oat roots treated with $1{\times}10^{-4}$ M alachlor for 12 hr were observed to be enlarged central cylinder and also showed degradation of apical meristem zone, as compared with the untreated roots.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2014

Objectives: Although nerve growth factor (NGF) could promote the functional regeneration of an injured peripheral nerve, it is very difficult for NGF to sustain the therapeutic dose in the defect due to its short half-life. In this study, we loaded the NGF-bound heparin-conjugated fibrin (HCF) gel in the NGF-delivering implants and analyzed the time-dependent release of NGF and its bioactivity to evaluate the clinical effectiveness. Materials and Methods: NGF solution was made of 1.0 mg of NGF and 1.0 mL of phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Experimental group A consisted of three implants, in which $0.25{\mu}L$ of NGF solution, $0.75{\mu}L$ of HCF, $1.0{\mu}L$ of fibrinogen and $2.0{\mu}L$ of thrombin was injected via apex hole with micropipette and gelated, were put into the centrifuge tube. Three implants of experimental group B were prepared with the mixture of $0.5{\mu}L$ of NGF solution, $0.5{\mu}L$ HCF, $1.0{\mu}L$ of fibrinogen and $2.0{\mu}L$ of thrombin. These six centrifuge tubes were filled with 1.0 mL of PBS and stirred in the water-filled beaker at 50 rpm. At 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days, 1.0 mL of solution in each tubes was collected and preserved at $-20^{\circ}C$ with adding same amount of fresh PBS. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was done to determine in vitro release profile of NGF and its bioactivity was evaluated with neural differentiation of pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Results: The average concentration of released NGF in the group A and B increased for the first 5 days and then gradually decreased. Almost all of NGF was released during 10 days. Released NGF from two groups could promote neural differentiation and neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells and these bioactivity was maintained over 14 days. Conclusion: Controlled release system using NGF-HCF gel via NGF-delivering implant could be an another vehicle of delivering NGF to promote the nerve regeneration of dental implant related nerve damage.