• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 2014

Twenty five methanolic plant extracts were investigated to determine the anticancer activity against sonic hedgehog (shh)/Gli signaling pathway dependent cancer, PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells, through three screening programs. All extracts were inspected their inhibitory properties on sonic hedgehog-conditioned medium (shh-CM) induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in C3H10T1/2 mouse mesenchymal stem cells to examine whether the plant extracts affect the shh/Gli signaling pathway. Next, plant extracts were screened the ability to suppress the cell proliferation of PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, active plant extracts from the two screening systems were evaluated for the suppressive effect on Gli-mediated transcriptional activity in PANC-1 cells. Among active plants, Cinnamomum cassia suppressed Gli-mediated transcriptional activity leading to the down-regulated expression of Gli-target genes such as Gli-1 and Patched-1 (Ptch-1). This study provides the consideration for the important role of natural products in drug discovery process as well as the basis for the further analysis of active plant and potential identification of novel bioactive compounds as inhibitors of Gli and therapeutic candidates against shh/Gli signaling pathway dependent cancers.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2023

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a type of active oxygen species (ROS) that causes oxidative stress in cells and affects cell growth, proliferation, senescence, and death. The purpose of this study is to find active peptides that attenuate cytotoxicity of H₂O₂. A positional scanning synthetic tetrapeptide combinatorial library was screened to predict the sequence of potentially active peptides. As a result of comparing the effect of peptide pools on H₂O₂-induced death of human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), various active peptide sequences were predicted. Especially, peptides containing cysteine (C) residue were predicted to be active. In follow-up experiments, the cytotoxicity and activity of cysteine-containing peptides of different lengths, such as C-NH₂, CC-NH₂, CCC-NH₂, and CCCC-NH₂ were examined. C-NH₂ and CC-NH₂ showed no significant cytotoxicity up to 1.0 mM, but CCC-NH₂, and CCCC-NH₂ showed relatively strong cytotoxicity. C-NH₂ and CC-NH₂ alleviated H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity. CC-NH₂ was more cytoprotective compared to C-NH₂, C, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and glutathione (GSH). When intracellular ROS was measured by flow cytometry, H₂O₂ increased ROS production, and CC-NH₂ suppressed ROS production more effectively than C-NH₂, and it was as effective as C, NAC, and GSH. This study suggests that CC-NH₂ of the cysteine-containing peptides of different lengths has an antioxidant property that safely and effectively alleviates H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity and ROS production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.436-443
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• 2016

Exposure to cold may affect growth performance in accordance with the metabolic and immunological activities of animals. We evaluated whether ambient temperature affects growth performance, blood metabolites, and immune cell populations in Korean cattle. Eighteen Korean cattle steers with a mean age of 10 months and a mean weight of 277 kg were used. All steers were fed a growing stage-concentrate diet at a rate of 1.5% of body weight and Timothy hay ad libitum for 8 weeks. Experimental period 1 (P1) was for four weeks from March 7 to April 3 and period 2 (P2) was four weeks from April 4 to May 1. Mean ($8.7^{\circ}C$) and minimum ($1.0^{\circ}C$) indoor ambient temperatures during P1 were lower (p<0.001) than those ($13.0^{\circ}C$ and $6.2^{\circ}C$, respectively) during P2. Daily dry matter feed intake in both the concentrate diet and forage groups was higher (p<0.001) during P2 than P1. Average daily weight gain was higher (p<0.001) during P2 (1.38 kg/d) than P1 (1.13 kg/d). Feed efficiency during P2 was higher (p = 0.015) than P1. Blood was collected three times; on March 7, April 4, and May 2. Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were higher on March 7 than April 4 and May 2. Blood cortisol, glucose, and triglyceride concentrations did not differ among months. Blood CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+CD25+ T cell percentages were higher, while CD8+CD25+ T cell percentage was lower, during the colder month of March than during May, suggesting that ambient temperature affects blood T cell populations. In conclusion, colder ambient temperature decreased growth and feed efficiency in Korean cattle steers. The higher circulating NEFA concentrations observed in March compared to April suggest that lipolysis may occur at colder ambient temperatures to generate heat and maintain body temperature, resulting in lower feed efficiency in March.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2353-2358
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to detect the expression of HIF-1${\alpha}$, VEGF, HPSE-1 and CD31 in SKOV3 xenografts in nude mice treated with different doses of ionizing radiation, trying to explore the possible mechanism of hypoxia and radioresistance. Methods: Nude mice bearing SKOV3 xenografts were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group A (control group, no ionizing radiation), Group B (treated with low dose of ionizing radiation: 50cGy), Group C (treated with high dose of ionizing radiation: 300cGy), Group D ( combined ionizing radiation, treated with ionizing radiation from low dose to high dose : 50cGy first and 300cGy after 6h interval). The mRNA levels of HIF-1 and VEGF in each group were detected by real time polymerase chain reaction, while HPSE-1 expression was measured by ELISA. The microvessel density (MVD) and hypoxic cells were determined through immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of CD31 and HIF-1a. Results: Significant differences of HIF-1${\alpha}$ mRNA level could be found among the 4 groups (F=74.164, P<0.001): Group C>Group A>Group D> Group B. The mRNA level of VEGF in Group C was significantly higher than in the other three groups (t=-5.267, P=0.000), while no significant difference was observed among Group A, B and D (t=1.528, 1.588; P=0.205, 0.222). In addition, the MVD was shown to be the highest in Group C (t=6.253, P=0.000), whereas the HPSE-1 level in Group A was lower than in Group B (t=14.066, P=0.000) and higher than in Group C (t=-21.919, P=0.000), and similar with Group D (t=-2.066, P=0.058). Through IHC staining of HIF-1a, the expression of hypoxic cells in Group A was (++), Group B was (+), Group C was (+++) and Group D was (+). Conclusion: Ionizing radiation with lowerdoses might improve tumor hypoxia through inhibiting the expression of HIF-1 and HPSE-1, whereas higherdoses worsen tumor hypoxic conditions by up-regulating HIF-1${\alpha}$, HPSE-1, VEGF and CD31 levels. A protocol of low-dose ionizing radiation followed by a high-dose irradiation might at least partly improve tumor hypoxia and enhance radiosensitivity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2013

This study was to investigate water quality and biotic community characteristics in Juam Lake. In water quality, water temperatures was $3.8{\sim}21.2^{\circ}C$, 6.7~8.6 in pH, $64{\sim}76{\mu}s\;cm^{-1}$ in Conductivity, $5.3{\sim}13.2mg\;L^{-1}$ in DO, $2.5{\sim}3.3mg\;L^{-1}$ in COD, $1.0{\sim}5.1mg\;L^{-1}$ in SS, $0.622{\sim}0.841mg\;L^{-1}$ in T-N, $0.007{\sim}0.019mg\;L^{-1}$ in T-P and $2.8{\sim}8.8mg\;m^{-3}$ in Chl-a. Revised Carlson's Index (TSIm) assessment using total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll-a domonstrated that the trophic states of Juam Lake were rated as mesotrophic. A total of 53 species of phytoplankton were identified. They were 28 Bacillariophyceae, 13 Chlorophyceae, 3 Cyanophyceae, and 9 Other algal taxa. The standing crops of phytoplankton was ranged from $113cells\;mL^{-1}$ to $2,909cells\;mL^{-1}$. A total of 16 species of zooplankton were identified (10 rotifers, 4 cladocerans and 2 copepods). Total zooplankton abundance was $309ind.\;L^{-1}$ to $435ind.\;L^{-1}$. The collected benthic macroinvertebrates from the surveyed sites in Juam Lake were 1,038 individuals, 33 species, 21 families and 12 orders. A dominant species was Uracanthella rufa and a subdominant species was Ecdyonurus kibunensis. Hydrophytes recorded from Juam Lake were identified 9 taxa. Emerged plants, floating plants among the hydrophytes was classified 8, 1 taxa, respectively. Ecosystem disturbance wildplant by Environment Ministry found were Paspalum distichum var. distichum and Ambrosia artemisiaefolia. A total of 30 species (6 families) were collected fishs from Juam Lake. There were 10 Korean endemic species (33.3% of collected species number) and 3 exotic species (10.0%).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1167-1179
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to fathom the underlying mechanisms of nutrition intervention and redox sensitive transcription factors regulated by Antrodia cinnamomea fermented product (FAC) dietary supplementation in broiler chickens. Methods: Four hundreds d-old broilers (41±0.5 g/bird) assigned to 5 groups were examined after consuming control diet, or control diet replaced with 5% wheat bran (WB), 10% WB, 5% FAC, and 10% FAC. Liver mRNA expression of antioxidant, inflammatory and lipid metabolism pathways were analyzed. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) concentration in each group were tested in the chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) of 35-d old broilers to represent the stress level of the chickens. Furthermore, these cells were stimulated with 2,2'-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the cell stress tolerance by measuring cell viability and oxidative species. Results: Heme oxygenase-1, glutathione S-transferase, glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit, and superoxide dismutase, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) that regulates the above antioxidant genes were all up-regulated significantly in FAC groups. Reactive oxygen species modulator protein 1 and NADPH oxygenase 1 were both rather down-regulated in 10% FAC group as comparison with two WB groups. Despite expressing higher level than control group, birds receiving diet containing FAC had significantly lower expression level in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and other genes (inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-richcontaining family, pyrin domain-containing-3, and cyclooxygenase 2) involving in inflammatory pathways. Additionally, except for 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase that showed relatively higher in both groups, the WB, lipoprotein lipase, Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid binding protein, fatty acid desaturase 2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha genes were expressed at higher levels in 10% FAC group. In support of above results, promoted Nrf2 and inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation in chicken liver were found in FAC containing groups. H₂O₂ and NO levels induced by LPS and AAPH in cPBMCs were compromised in FAC containing diet. In 35-d-old birds, PGE₂ production in cPBMCs was also suppressed by the FAC diet. Conclusion: FAC may promote Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and positively regulate lipid metabolism, both are potential inhibitor of NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.606-612
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Several medicinal properties of Smilax china L. have been studied including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, the antiobesity activity and mechanism by which the water-soluble fraction of this plant mediates its effects are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the lipolytic actions of the water-soluble fraction of Smilax china L. leaf ethanol extract (wsSCLE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: The wsSCLE was identified by measuring the total polyphenol and flavonoid content. The wsSCLE was evaluated for its effects on cell viability, lipid accumulation, glycerol, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) contents. In addition, western blot analysis was used to evaluate the effects on protein kinase A (PKA), PKA substrates (PKAs), and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). For the lipid accumulation assay, 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with different doses of wsSCLE for 9 days starting 2 days post-confluence. In other cell experiments, mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated for 24 h with wsSCLE. RESULTS: Results showed that treatment with wsSCLE at 0.05, 0.1, and 0.25 mg/mL had no effect on cell morphology and viability. Without evidence of toxicity, wsSCLE treatment decreased lipid accumulation compared with the untreated adipocyte controls as shown by the lower absorbance of Oil Red O stain. The wsSCLE significantly induced glycerol release and cAMP production in mature 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, protein levels of phosphorylated PKA, PKAs, and HSL significantly increased following wsSCLE treatment. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the potential antiobesity activity of wsSCLE is at least in part due to the stimulation of cAMP-PKA-HSL signaling. In addition, the wsSCLE-stimulated lipolysis induced by the signaling is mediated via activation of the ${\beta}$-adrenergic receptor.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1621-1628
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• 2012

The agar-degrading bacterium GNUM-1 was isolated from the brown algal species Sargassum serratifolium, which was obtained from the West Sea of Korea, by using the selective artificial seawater agar plate. The cells were Gram-negative, $0.5-0.6{\mu}m$ wide and $2.0-2.5{\mu}m$ long curved rods with a single polar flagellum, forming nonpigmented, circular, smooth colonies. Cells grew at $20^{\circ}C-37^{\circ}C$, between pH 5.0 and 9.0, and at 1-10% (w/v) NaCl. The DNA G+C content of the GNUM-1 strain was 45.5 mol%. The 16S rRNA sequence of the GNUM-1 was very similar to those of Alteromonas stellipolaris LMG 21861 (99.86% sequence homology) and Alteromonas addita $R10SW13^T$(99.64% sequence homology), which led us to assign it to the genus Alteromonas. It showed positive activities for agarase, amylase, gelatinase, alkaline phosphatase, esterase (C8), lipase (C14), leucine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, ${\alpha}$-galactosidase, ${\beta}$-galactosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, catalase, and urease. It can utilize citrate, malic acid, and trisodium citrate. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (21.5%, comprising $C_{16:1}{\omega}7c/iso-C_{15:0}$ 2-OH) and C16:0 (15.04%). On the basis of the variations in many biochemical characteristics, GNUM-1 was considered as unique and thus was named Alteromonas sp. GNUM-1. It produced the highest agarase activity in modified ASW medium containing 0.4% sucrose, but lower activity in rich media despite superior growth, implying that agarase production is tightly regulated and repressed in a rich nutrient condition. The 30 kDa protein with agarase activity was identified by zymography, and this report serves as the very first account of such a protein in the genus Alteromonas.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 1996

Methylobacillus sp. strain SK1, which grows only on methanol, was found to grow in the absence of added copper. The doubling time (t$_{d}$ = 1.3 h) of the bacterium growing at the exponential growth phase at 30.deg.C in the absence of copper was the same as that of the cell growing in the presence of copper. The bacterium growing after the exponential phase in the absence of copper, however, grew faster than the cell growing in the presence of copper. Cells harvested after thee arly stationary phase in the presence of copper were found to exhibit no methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) activity, but the amount and subunit structure of the enzyme in the cells were almost the same as that in cells harboring active MDH. Pellets of the cells harvested after the early stationary phase in the presence of copper were pale green. Cell-free extracts prepared from cells harvested at the early stationary phase in the presence of copper were pink and exhibited MDH activity, but it turned dark-green rapidly from the surface under air. The green-colored portions of the extracts showed no MDH activity and contained c-type cytochromes that were oxidized completely. The inactive MDH activity and contained c-type cytochromes that were oxidized completely. The inactive MDH proteins in the green portions were found to have antigenic sites identical to those of the active one as the inactive MDHs in cells grown in the presence of copper. The bacterium was found to accumulate copper actively during the exponential growth phase. MDH prepared from cells grown in the presence or absence of copper was found to be more stable under nitrogen gas than under air. Methanol at 10 mM was found to enhance the stability of the MDH under air.r.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.59-69
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• 2001

Arsenic exposure is associated with several human diseases, including cancers, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cerebrovascular diseases. In cultured cells, arsenite, an inorganic arsenic com-pound, was demonstrated to interfere with many physiological functions, such as enhancement of oxidative stress, delay of cell cycle progression, and induction of structural and numerical changes of chromosomes. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of arsenic exposure on gene expression profiles by colorimetric cDNA microarray technique. HFW (normal human diploid skin fibroblasts), CL3 (human lung adenocarcinoma cell line), and HaCaT (immortalized human keratinocyte cell line) were treated with 5 $\mu\textrm{M}$ or 10 $\mu\textrm{M}$ sodium arsenite for 6 or 16 h, respectively. By a dual-color detection system, the expression profile of arsenite-treated cultures was compared to that of control cultures. Several genes expressed differentially were identified on the microarray membranes. For example, MDM2, SWI/SNF, ubiquitin specific protease 4, MAP3K11, RecQ protein-like 5, and Ribosomal protein Ll0a were consistently induced in all three cell types by arsenite, whereas prohibitin, cyclin D1, nucleolar protein 1, PCNA, Nm23, and immediate early protein (ETR101) were apparently inhibited. The present results suggest that arsenite insults altered the expression of several genes participating in cellular responses to DNA damage, stress, transcription, and cell cycle arrest.