• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2018

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the anti-ulcer effect of an standardized herbal extracts mixture of Inulae Flos and Paeoniae Radix (HT074) on acidified ethanol induced gastric injury and its potential mechanisms. Methods : Antioxidant activities of HT074 and its constituents were measured by DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging capacity. After the oral administration of HT074 at doses of 100, 300 mg/kg twice per day for 14 days, Gastric lesions were induced by oral administration of acidified ethanol in Sprague Dawley rats. Oxidative stress markers, such as super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity, concentrations of catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) were measured in gastric mucosal tissues. Additionally, the expression of human mucin gene, Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) mRNA in gastric mucosal tissues was measured. Results : HT074 showed dose dependent radical scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals. Oral administration of HT074 300 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days significantly decreased gastric lesions and histological damages induced by HCl/EtOH in rats. HT074 treatment significantly increased the activity of SOD (300 mg/kg) and concentration of GSH (100 and 300 mg/kg), however catalase concentration was not significantly increased. MUC5AC mRNA expression was significantly increased by HT074 100, 300 mg/kg treatment. Conclusions : HT074 protects the gastric mucosa from oxidative stress caused by acidified ethanol by increasing the activity of SOD, concentration of GSH and mucin biosynthesis. These findings suggest that HT074 could be an effective candidate for prevention and treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcer.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2022

Glioblastoma is one of the highly aggressive central nervous system tumors and it is difficult to treat owing its anatomical location. Peptides are novel class of drugs which has the potential to cross the blood brain barrier and exerts its anti-tumor activity. Here, we discovered a novel peptide from abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) next generation sequencing (NGS) data and tested its anticancer effect on glioblastoma cell line SNU-489. The anticancer activity was measured using a cytotoxicity assay in a time and dose-dependent manner. A concentration and time dependent increase in the cytotoxicity was seen in cells treated with the novel peptide. The highest cytotoxicity rate of about 67% was observed in SNU-489 cells treated with 200 µM peptide for 48 hrs. However, the cytotoxic effect was not or less observed in a normal skin cell line HaCaT at similar concentration, thus, evident of peptide's cell specific anticancer activity. In addition, the gene expression level of necroptosis-related genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR to elucidate the anticancer mechanism of the novel peptide. RIPK3 expression was significantly increased by 9.6-fold in 200 µM of novel peptide treatment group, and MLKL expression level was significantly elevated by 2-fold in 100 µM treated group compared to the control group. Therefore, this study confirmed that the novel abalone-derived peptide has anticancer potency, and it causes cancer cell death through the necroptosis mechanism. Collectively, these results suggest that the novel peptide could be candidate anticancer agent for the treatment of glioblastoma in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

Objectives : Skin aging is generally characterized by wrinkles, sagging, loss of elasticity roughness, pigmentation and dryness. This changes is caused by reducing the elements constituting the extracellular matrix contributing to the physiological properties of the skin, such as collagen fiber, elastic fiber, and hyaluronic acid. Adequate skin hydration is important to maintain normal skin function and reduce skin aging. The present study is objective to observe skin moisturizing effects of Unripe apple(UA, Immature fruit of Malus pumila Mill) in vivo and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods : ICR mice were orally administerd UA(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, and skin water contents and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-𝛽1, ceramide, hyaluronan and collagen type I(COL1) were measured in dorsal back skin of the mice. Gene expression of hyaluronan synthase(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), collagen synthase(COL1A1, COL1A2) and TGF-𝛽1 were also determined by realtime RT-PCR. Results : Skin water contents and the expression of TGF-𝛽1, ceramide, COL1 and hyaluronan were significantly increased in UA group(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) compared to vehicle control. The mRNA expression of HAS isoform(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), COL1A1, COL1A2, and TGF-𝛽1 were also significantly increased by UA. Conclusions : UA has skin moisturizing effects and enhancement activities in skin function related components(COL1, hyaluronan, ceramide and TGF-𝛽1). These results suggested that UA can be a developing candidate for developing alternative skin protective agent or functional food ingredient.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.750-758
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• 2022

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional condition between normality and dementia. Ginseng is known to have effects on attenuating cognitive deficits in neurogenerative diseases. Ginsenosides are the main bioactive component of ginseng, and their protein targets have not been fully understood. Furthermore, no thorough analysis is reported in ginsenoside-related protein targets in MCI. Methods: The candidate protein targets of ginsenosides in brain tissues were identified by drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) coupled with label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Network pharmacology approach was used to collect the therapeutic targets for MCI. Based on the above-mentioned overlapping targets, we built up a proteineprotein interaction (PPI) network in STRING database and conducted gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Finally, we assessed the effects of ginseng total saponins (GTS) and different ginsenosides on mitochondrial function by measuring the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex and performing molecular docking. Results: We screened 2526 MCI-related protein targets by databases and 349 ginsenoside-related protein targets by DARTS. On the basis of these 81 overlapping genes, enrichment analysis showed the mitochondria played an important role in GTS-mediated MCI pharmacological process. Mitochondrial function analysis showed GTS, protopanaxatriol (PPT), and Rd increased the activities of complex I in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking also predicted the docking pockets between PPT or Rd and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I. Conclusion: This study indicated that ginsenosides might alleviate MCI by targeting respiratory chain complex I and regulating mitochondrial function, supporting ginseng's therapeutic application in cognitive deficits.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.350-358
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• 2023

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infectious disease that occurs in children under 5 years of age. Its main causes are coxsackievirus (CV) and enterovirus (EV). Since there are no efficient therapeutics for HFMD, vaccines are effective in preventing the disease. To develop broad coverage against CV and EV, the development of a bivalent vaccine form is needed. The Mongolian gerbil is an efficient and suitable animal model of EV71 C4a and CVA16 infection used to investigate vaccine efficacy following direct immunization. In this study, Mongolian gerbils were immunized with a bivalent inactivated EV71 C4a and inactivated CVA16 vaccine to test their effectiveness against viral infection. Bivalent vaccine immunization resulted in increased Ag-specific IgG antibody production; specifically, EV71 C4a-specific IgG was increased with medium and high doses and CVA16-specific IgG was increased with all doses of immunization. When gene expression of T cell-biased cytokines was analysed, Th1, Th2, and Th17 responses were found to be highly activated in the high-dose immunization group. Moreover, bivalent vaccine immunization mitigated paralytic signs and increased the survival rate following lethal viral challenges. When the viral RNA content was determined from various organs, all three doses of bivalent vaccine immunization were found to significantly decrease viral amplification. Upon histologic examination, EV71 C4a and CVA16 induced tissue damage to the heart and muscle. However, bivalent vaccine immunization alleviated this in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the bivalent inactivated EV71 C4a/CVA16 vaccine could be a safe and effective candidate HFMD vaccine.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.36-36
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• 2022

The molecular understanding of resistance and susceptibility of host plants to scab, a most threatful disease to pome fruit production worldwide, is very limited. Comparing resistant line '93-3-98' to susceptible one 'Sweet Skin' at seven time points of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 days post inoculation, RNA-sequencing data derived from infected and mock-inoculated young leaves were analyzed to evaluate the tolerant response and to mine candidate genes of pear to the scab pathogen Venturia nashicola. Analysis of the mapped reads showed that the infection of V. nashicola led to significant differential expression of 17,827 transcripts with more than 3-fold change in the seven pairs of libraries, of which 9,672 (54%) are up- and 8,155(46%) are down-regulated. These included mainly receptor (NB-ARC domains-containing, CC-NBS-LRR, TIR-NBS-LRR, seven transmembrane MLO family protein) and transcription factor (ethylene responsive element binding, WRKY DNA-binding protein) related gene. An arsenal of defense response of highly resistant pear accessions derived from European pear was probably supposed no sooner had V. nashicola infected its host than host genes related to disease suppression like Polyketide cyclase/dehydrase and lipid transport protein, WRKY family transcription factor, lectin protein kinase, cystein-rich RLK, calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding copine protein were greatly boosted and eradicated cascade reaction induced by pathogen within 24 hours. To identify transcripts specifically expressed in response to V. nashicola, RT-PCRs were conducted and compare to the expression patterns of seven cultivars with a range of highly resistant to highly susceptible symptom. A DEG belonging to the PR protein family genes that were higher expressed in response to V. nashicola suggesting extraordinary role in the resistance response were led to the identification. This study provides the first transcriptional profile by RNA-seq of the host plant during scab disease and insights into the response of tolerant pear plants to V. nashicola.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.394-403
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• 2023

In the pursuit of sustainable and environmentally-friendly agricultural practices, we conducted an extensive study on the rhizosphere bacteria inhabiting soils that have been devoid of chemical fertilizers for an extended period exceeding 40 years. Through this investigation, we isolated a total of 80 species of plant growth-promoting rhizosphere bacteria and assessed their potential to enhance plant growth. Among these isolates, Burkholderia cepacia CD2 displayed remarkable plant growth-promoting activity, making it an optimal candidate for further analysis. Burkholderia cepacia CD2 exhibited a range of beneficial characteristics conducive to plant growth, including phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, denitrification, nitrate utilization, and urease activity. These attributes are well-known to positively influence the growth and development of plants. To validate the taxonomic classification of the strain, 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed its placement within the Burkholderia genus, providing further insights into its phylogenetic relationship. To delve deeper into the potential mechanisms underlying its plant growth-promoting properties, we sought to confirm the presence of specific genes associated with plant growth promotion in CD2. To achieve this, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed by Plasmidsaurus Inc. (USA) utilizing Oxford Nanopore technology (Abingdon, UK). The WGS analysis of the genome of CD2 revealed the existence of a subsystem function, which is thought to be a pivotal factor contributing to improved plant growth. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that Burkholderia cepacia CD2 has the potential to serve as a microbial fertilizer, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2020

The prenatal period in livestock animals is crucial for meat production because net increase in the number of muscle fibers is finished before birth. However, there is no study on the growth and development mechanism of muscles in Hanwoo during this period. Therefore, to find candidate genes involved in muscle growth and development during this period in Hanwoo, mRNA expression data of longissimus in Hanwoo at 6 and 9 months post-conceptional age (MPA) were analyzed. We independently identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using DESeq2 and edgeR which are R software packages, and considered the overlaps of the results as final-DEGs to use in downstream analysis. The DEGs were classified into several modules using WGCNA then the modules' functions were analyzed to identify modules which involved in myogenesis and adipogenesis. Finally, the hub genes which had the highest WGCNA module membership among the top 10% genes of the STRING network maximal clique centrality were identified. 913(6 MPA specific DEGs) and 233(9 MPA specific DEGs) DEGs were figured out, and these were classified into five and two modules, respectively. Two of the identified modules'(one was in 6, and another was in 9 MPA specific modules) functions was found to be related to myogenesis and adipogenesis. One of the hub genes belonging to the 6 MPA specific module was axin1 (AXIN1) which is known as an inhibitor of Wnt signaling pathway, another was succinate-CoA ligase ADP-forming beta subunit (SUCLA2) which is known as a crucial component of citrate cycle.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2009

urpose : The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been demonstrated to play a major role in regulating blood pressure. Therefore, components of the RAS are likely candidate genes that may predispose an individual to essential hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Among them, the M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene has been speculated to be associated with elevated circulating angiotensinogen concentrations and essential hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism in hypertensive adolescents and investigate its relationship with cardiovascular risks. Methods : Forty Korean hypertensive adolescents (aged 16-17, systolic $BP{\geq}140 mmHg$ and/or diastolic $BP{\geq}90 mmHg$) and fifty seven normal adolescents were included. Obesity index (OI), body mass index (BMI) were calculated. BP was measured by oscillometric methods in resting state. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed on DNA from the hypertensives subjects to analyze the M235T polymorphism. Serum homocysteine, insulin, renin, aldosterone and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were tested according to each genotype. The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery diameter, Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured according to each genotype. Results : Genotype frequencies of T/T, M/T and M/M were 62.5%, 35.0%, 2.5%, respectively in hypertensive adolescents. The results were not significantly different compared to control group. Serum insulin, renin levels, BMI and OI were significantly higher in thoses with the M/M genotype as compared to those with the T/T of M/T genotype. Conclusion : This study showed that the M235T polymorphism was not associated with essential hypertension or any cardiovascular risks. Further clinical research is required to ascertain the relationship between this polymorphism and cardiovascular complications in Korean hypertensive adolescents.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.467-475
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• 2015

Improvement for carcass traits related to beef quality is the key concern in beef production. Recent reports found that epigenetics mediates the interaction of individuals with environment and nutrition. The present study was designed to analyze the genetic effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven epigenetic-related genes (DNMT1, DNMT3a, DNMT3b, DNMT3L, Ago1, Ago2, and HDAC5) and two meat quality candidate genes (CAPN1 and PRKAG3) on fourteen carcass traits related to beef quality in a Snow Dragon beef population, and also to identify SNPs in a total of fourteen cattle populations. Sixteen SNPs were identified and genotyped in 383 individuals sampled from the 14 cattle breeds, which included 147 samples from the Snow Dragon beef population. Data analysis showed significant association of 8 SNPs within 4 genes related to carcass and/or meat quality traits in the beef populations. SNP1 (13154420A>G) in exon 17 of DNMT1 was significantly associated with rib-eye width and lean meat color score (p<0.05). A novel SNP (SNP4, 76198537A>G) of DNMT3a was significantly associated with six beef quality traits. Those individuals with the wild-type genotype AA of DNMT3a showed an increase in carcass weight, chilled carcass weight, flank thicknesses, chuck short rib thickness, chuck short rib score and in chuck flap weight in contrast to the GG genotype. Five out of six SNPs in DNMT3b gene were significantly associated with three beef quality traits. SNP15 (45219258C>T) in CAPN1 was significantly associated with chuck short rib thickness and lean meat color score (p<0.05). The significant effect of SNP15 on lean meat color score individually and in combination with each of other 14 SNPs qualify this SNP to be used as potential marker for improving the trait. In addition, the frequencies of most wild-type alleles were higher than those of the mutant alleles in the native and foreign cattle breeds. Seven SNPs were identified in the epigenetic-related genes. The SNP15 in CAPN1 could be used as a powerful genetic marker in selection programs for beef quality improvement in the Snow Dragon Beef population.