• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.549-554
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• 2011

FK506 is a widespread immunosuppressive drug after liver transplantion in patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. Dexamethasone is frequently used as co-treatment in cytotoxic cancer therapy, e.g. to prevent nausea, to protect normal tissue or for other reasons. Our aim was to investigate antitumor effects of FK506 in Hep3B cells, one of differentiated human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and inhibitory effects of dexamethsone on FK506- induced antitumor effects. Cell injury was evaluated by biochemical assays as cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Hep3B cells. Intracellular calcium concentration ([$Ca^{2+}$]i) and the level of activation of the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the Bax protein in cultured Hep3B cells was measured. Exposure of 0.1 ${\mu}M$ FK506 to Hep3B cells led to cell death accompanied by a decrease in cell viability and an increase in LDH, ROS and [$Ca^{2+}$]i. FK506 induced an increase in activity of Bax and JNK protein but inhibited the activity of Bcl-2 protein. Treatment of dexamethsone, per se, had no effects on cell viability, LDH and ROS. However, co-treatment of FK506 and dexamethasone diminished the FK506-induced LDH release, ROS generation and JNK activation. These results demonstrate that FK506 has antitumor effect in Hep3B cells but the combination of FK506 and dexamethasone antagonizes the FK506-induced antitumor effects.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.336-340
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• 2007

Plants from the genus Centaurea (C.) (Family: Asteraceae alt. Compositae), widely distributed in Asia, Europe and North America, have traditionally been used in the treatment of various ailments. As a part of our on-going studies on the plants from the genus C. for their phytochemistry and biological activities, extracts of the seeds of Turkish endemic C. species, C. bornmuelleri and C. huber-morathii, were tested for their cytotoxicity towards the CaCo2 colon cancer cell line as well as for the toxicity towards the brine shrimps, using the MTT and the brine shrimp lethality assays, respectively. Among the extracts, the MeOH extract of these plants showed significant toxicity towards the brine shrimps ($LD_{50}=55.2{\times}10^{-2}\;and\;42.4{\times}10^{-2}mg/ml$, respectively). The MeOH extract of both C. species also inhibited the growth of CaCo2 colon cancer cells in the MTT assay ($IC_{50}$=29.9 and 33.0 g/ml, respectively). As the most prominent activities in both assays were observed with the MeOH extracts, it can be assumed that the compound(s) responsible for these activities are polar in nature.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.265-269
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• 2008

Calumenin, a multiple EF-hand $Ca^{2+}$ binding protein is located in the SR of mammalian heart, but the functional role of the protein in the heart is unknown. In the present study, an adenovirus gene transfer system was employed for neonatal rat heart to examine the effects of calumenin over-expression (Calu-OE) on $Ca^{2+}$ transients. Calu-OE (8 folds) did not alter the expression levels of DHPR, RyR2, NCX, SERCA2, CSQ and PLN. However, Calu-OE affected several parameters of $Ca^{2+}$ transients. Among them, prolongation of time to 50% baseline ($T_{50}$) was the most outstanding change in electrically-evoked $Ca^{2+}$ transients. The higher $T_{50}$ was due to an inhibition of SERCA2-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ uptake into SR, as tested by oxalate-supported $Ca^{2+}$ uptake. Furthermore, co-IP study showed a direct interaction between calumenin and SERCA2. Taken together, calumenin in the cardiac SR may play an important role in the regulation of $Ca^{2+}$ uptake during the EC coupling process.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.269-273
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• 2005

In horizontal cells (HCs) that were freshly dissociated from goldfish retina, two types of voltagedependent calcium currents ($I_{Ca}$) were recorded using a patch-clamping configuration: a transient type current and a sustained type current. The cell was held at -40 mV, and the prepulse step of -90 mV was applied before command pulse between -65 and +55 mV. The transient $Ca^{2+}$ current was activated by depolarization to around -50 mV from a prepulse voltage of -90 mV lasting at least 400 ms and reached a maximal value near -25 mV. On the other hand, the sustained $Ca^{2+}$ current was induced by pre-inactivation for less than 10 ms duration. Its activation started near -10 mV and peaked at +20 mV. $Co^{2+}$ (2 mM) suppressed both of these two components, but nifedipine ($20{\mu}M$), L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonist, blocked only the sustained current. Based on the activation voltage and the pharmacolog$I_{Ca}$l specificity, the sustained current appears to be similar to L-type $I_{Ca}$ and the transient type to T-type $I_{Ca}$. This study is the first to confirm that transient type $I_{Ca}$ together with the sustained one is present in HCs dissociated from goldfish retina.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 1999

The three speices of miroalgae (Chlorella vulgaris, Dunaliella salina and Porphyridium purpureum) were immobilized in Ca-alginate capsules as a basic study for development of economic cultivation process, and then were cultivated in an air-bubble column bioreactor. Under the batch culture of aerobic conditions, the thickness of the capsule membrane and $CO_2$ supply did not affect the growth of the immobilized microalga, Chlorella vulgaris. Cell concentration of immobilized microalgae in the capsule was higher than those of imobilized microalgae in beads and free cells. The cell concentration of microencapsulated Dunaliella salina was greater about 5 times than that of free cells. Based on these results, it is concluded that the application of microencapsulation technology to the culture of microalgae was an effective method for high-density cultivation.

• 대한약리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.68.1-68.1
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.146.2-147
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• 2000

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8923-8929
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• 2014

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that stromal monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) may play key roles in tumor development. However, their clinical value remains largely unexplored in gastric cancer (GC). The present study aimed to determine clinicopathological significance and prognostic values of stromal MCT4 and CA IX in GC. Materials and Methods: Specimens from 143 GC patients were immunohistochemically stained using polyclonal anti-MCT4 and anti-CA IX antibodies. Expression was correlated with patient clinicopathologic characteristics and survival data. Results: High stromal MCT4 expression was detected in 72 of 143 (50.3%) GCs and high CA IX in 74 (51.7%). Both high stromal MCT4 and CA IX were correlated with advanced TNM stage (p=0.000; p=0.000). High CA IX expression was positively related to depth of invasion (p=0.022) and positive lymph nodes (p=0.002) as well. Survival analysis indicated high expression of stromal MCT4 to be an independent factor in predicting poor overall survival (OS) (HR and 95%CI=1.962, 1.032-3.729, p=0.040) and disease free survival (DFS) (HR and 95%CI=2.081, 1.158-3.741, p=0.014) of GC patients. However, high CA IX expression exhibited no significant predictive value. Conclusions: These findings suggest that high expression of stromal MCT4 and CA IX proteins is significantly correlated with GC progression. High stromal MCT4 heralds worse outcome of GC patient, suggesting a novel candidate prognostic marker and therapeutic target.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.737-748
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• 1995

Osteoblast(OBL) cells were isolated from ICR Swiss neonatal mouse calvarial tissues and cultured in a CO2 incubator with minimum essential medium (MEM) containing 0.25g BSA. The cells were cultured for 7 days and were treated with bovine parathyroid hormone (bPTH, 1-34) and calcitonin(CT). Enzyme activities related to mineral metabolism and other biochemical actions within the bone cells including protein phosphorylation were investigated. In other experiments using cultured calvarial bone tissues, hormones were treated for 24, 48, 72 or 96 hours. The activities of $\beta$-glucuronidase enzymes involved in bone collagen synthesis and mineral deposits were increased by 8% with bPTH and were inhibited with CT treatment, while those were 67% increase treated with bPTH and CT together. On the other hand, alkaline phophatase(AP) activities were inhibited by PTH hormone at all the time courses observed. Protein phosphorylation reaction in OBL was mediated by bPTH, cAMP and ionized Ca. Phosphorylation was observed in different cell fractions including homogenate, membrane and cytosol. The number of proteins phosphorylated by PTH, cAMP, and Ca were 10, 5, and 9, respectively. Most of the protein kinases(PKs) were existed in cytosolic compartment. In membrane fractions, two bPTH-dependent-PKs (70K, 50K Da) were observed of which 70K Da protein was also Ca-dependent. Most of the cAMP-dependent PKs were regulated via bPTH. 70K, 50K, 5K, 19K, 16K, 10.5K phosphoproteins regulated by Ca share the same pathways as those by bPTH-dependent proteins. Ca seems to regulate PK activities differently from cAMP.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.1 s.60
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• pp.17-22
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• 2007

In this study, we investigated the effects of Sedum sarmentosum extract on the expression of hyaluronan synthase (HAS) genes and hyaluronan (HA) production in HaCaT keratinocytes. We also assessed water content (electrical capacitance) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in human skin after topical treatment with Sedum sarmentosum extract. Sedum sarmentosum extract increased expression of HAS-2 and HAS-3 genes in HaCaT cells, when assayed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR). Sedum sarmentosum extract induced HA production in HaCaT cells, when determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, treatment of Sedum sarmentosum extract on human skin increased the skin hydration and decreased TEWL when measured using Corneometer and Tewameter. Our study suggests that Sedum sarmentosum extract should be a very useful cosmetic ingredient, as a skin moisturizer.