• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제11권3_4호
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• pp.53-57
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• 1996

In this study we investigated the effect of hydroxybrazilin on glutathione depletion induced by BrCCl$_3$ and menadione in cultured hepatocytes to understand the cellular mechanisms of hepatoprotective effect of hydroxybrazilin. Hydroxybrazilin alone had no effect on total glutathione level and the ratio of reduced glutathione/total glutathione (GSH/(GSSG+GSH)). BrCCl$_3$ dramatically decreased total glutathione level and hydroxybrazilin significantly prevented glutathion depletion by BrCCl$_3$. The ratio of GSH/(GSSG+ GSH) was also decreased by BrCCl$_3$ and recovered by hydroxybrazilin treatment. Menadione decreased total glutathione level and the ratio of GSH/(GSSG+GSH) but hydroxybrazilin showed no significant effects on menadione-induced glutathione depletion. These data suggest that hydroxybrazilin might prevent the hepatotoxicity induced by chemicalderived radicals but not the toxicity linked with oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.177-183
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• 2000

We examined the neurotoxic effects of 3 glutathione (GSH) depletors, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), diethyl maleate (DEM) and phorone, under the presence of trolox, cycloheximide (CHX), pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) or MK-801 in primary mouse cortical cell cultures. All three depletors induced neuronal death in dose and exposure time dependent manner, and decreased total cellular GSH contents. The patterns of the neuronal death and the GSH decrements were dependent on the individual agents. DEM $(200\;{\mu}M)$ induced rapid and irreversible decrement of the GSH. BSO (1 mM) also decreased the GSH irreversibly but the rate of decrement was more progressive than that of DEM. Phorone (1 mM) reduced the GSH content to 40% by 4 hr exposure, that is comparable to the decrement of BSO, but the GSH recovered and reached over the control value by 36 hr exposure. BSO showed a minimal neurotoxicity $(0{\sim}10%)$ at the end of 24 hr exposure, but marked neuronal cell death at the end of 48 hr exposure. The BSO (1 mM)-induced neurotoxicity was markedly inhibited by trolox or CHX and partially attenuated by MK-801. DEM induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity at the end of 24 hr exposure. Over the doses of $400\;{\mu}M,$ glial toxicity also appeared. DEM $(200\;{\mu}M)-induced$ neurotoxicity was markedly inhibited by trolox or PDTC. Phorone (1 mM) induced moderate neurotoxicity (40%) at the end of 48 hr exposure. Only CHX showed significant inhibitory effect on the phorone-induced neurotoxicity. These results suggest that the GSH depletors induce neuronal injury via different mechanisms and that GSH depletors should be carefully employed in the researches of neuronal oxidative injuries.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.143-152
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• 1992

Metallothionein은 세포내의 중금속의 농도을 조절하는 주요한 단백질로서 bacteria에서 척추동물에 이르기까지 모든 생명체에서 나타나는 공통된 단백질이다. 비록 metallothionein의 정확한 기능은 알려져 있지 않으나 독성을 나타내는 중금속에 대하여 세포내 방어기작에 관여할 뿐만 아니라 여러다른 유전자의 총괄적 조절기작 및 matalloprotein의 발현에 관여할 것으로 보고있다. 본 연구에서는 Channel Catfish의 metallothionein cDNA 유전자를 poly(A)를 갖는 mRNA로 부터 Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction(RT-PCR)에 의하여 cloning하였다. 증폭된 PCR products는 pBluescript SK+의 EcoRV site 및 pUC19의 Smal site에 dT tailing을 하여 cloning하였으며, PCR products는 multicloning site에 있는 EcoRI 및 HindIII 로 절단하여 확인하거나 신속한 PCR screening에 의하여 확인하였다. 여러 PCR clone 중 하나인 pMT150에 대한 DNA 염기서열을 조사한 결과 다른 어류의 metallothionein cDNA 유전자와 높은 유사성을 보였다.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.233-239
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• 2004

The present study was designed to determine the impact of mercury on endotoxin-induced inflammatory cytokine expression and corresponding signal transduction in mouse kidney. Male BALB/c mice were exposed continuously to 0, 0.3, 1.5, 7.5, or 37.5 ppm of mercury in drink-ing water for 14 days and at the end of the treatment period, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 2 h prior to euthanasia. The doses of mercury and LPS did not cause hepatotoxicity or renal toxicity as indicated by unaltered plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, and terminal UTP nucleotide end-labeling assay from kidney, respectively. Mercury decreased kidney glutathione (GSH) and with LPS, it additively decreased GSH. Mercury activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and additively increased LPS-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. In contrast, mercury inhibited LPS-induced activation of extra-cellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) but had no effect alone. Mercury increased the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$ (TN F$\alpha$) and potentiated LPS-induced TNF$\alpha$ expression. Mercury did not affect LPS-induced interleukin-1$\beta$ (IL-1$\beta$) expression but decreased LPS-induced IL-6 expression. These results suggest that low levels of mercury might augment LPS-induced TNF$\alpha$ expression by altering GSH and p38 MAPK. Mercury modulates LPS-induced p38 and ERK activation, and downstream TNF$\alpha$ and IL-6 expression in kidney, respectively.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.120-125
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• 2006

Phenytoin is an anti-epileptic. It works by slowing down impulses in the brain that cause seizures. The recent microarray technology enables us to understand possible mechanisms of genes related to compounds which have toxicity in biological system. We have studied that the effect of a compound related to hepatotoxin in vitro system using a rat whole genome microarray. In this study, we have used a rat liver epithelial cell line WB-F344 and phenytoin as a hepatotoxin. WB-F344 was treated with phenytoin for 1 to 24 hours. Total RNA was isolated at times 1, 6 and 24h following treatment of phenytoin, and hybridized to the microarray containing about 22,000 rat genes. After analysis with clustering methods, we have identified a total of 1,455 differentially expressed genes during the time course. Interestingly, about 1,049 genes exhibited differential expression pattern in response to phenytoin in early time. Therefore, the identification of genes associated with phenytoin in early response may give important insights into various toxicogenomic studies in vitro system.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.126-133
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• 2006

Thioacetamide (TA) is well known hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic agent. TA also diminishes the contents of hepatic cytochrome P450 and inhibits the enzyme activity of the hepatic mixed function oxidases. TA metabolite, thioacetamide-s-oxide, is further transformed into a still unknown highly reactive metabolite that binds to macromolecules. In this study, we focused on TA-induced gene expression at hepatotoxic dose. Mice were exposed to two levels (5 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg i.p.) of TA, sampled at 6 or 24 h, and hepatic gene expression levels were determined to evaluate dose and time dependent changes. We evaluated hepatotoxicity by serum AST and ALT level and histopathological observation. Mean serum activities of the liver leakage enzymes, AST and ALT, were slightly increased compare to control. H & E and PAS evaluation of stained liver sections revealed TA-associated histopathological finding in mice. Centrilobular eosinophilic degeneration was observed at high dose-treated mice group. Hepatic gene expression was analyzed by QT clustering. Clustering of high dose-treated samples with TA-suggests that gene expressional changes could be associated from toxicity as measured by traditional biomarkers in this acute study.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.235-247
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• 2009

Objectives : Ginseng Radix Rubra water extract(RGE) has been used in vivo test for its beneficial effects on neuronal survival and neuroprotective functions, particularly in connection with APP-related dementias and Alzheimer's disease (AD). APP derived from proteolytic processing of the ${\beta}$-amyloid precursor protein (APP), including the amyloid-${\beta}$ peptide (A${\beta}$), plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's dementia. Methods : We determined that RGE inhibits formation of APP, which are the behavior, and possibly causative, feature of AD. Results and Conclusions : In the cells, RGE significantly activated antiapoptosis and decreased the activity of APP-grim, a key enzyme in the apoptosis cell-signaling cascade. These results suggest that neuronal damage in AD might be due to two factors: a direct APP toxicity and multiple cellular and molecular neuroprotective mechanisms, including attenuation of apoptosis and direct inhibition of APP, underlie the neuroprotective effects of RGE.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.109-114
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• 2011

Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba is commonly used herbal medicine and it has been known that has immuno-regualtory effects and anti-cancer effects. The inhibition of osteoclastogenesis is essential for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba on osteoclast differentiation in vitro and on resorbing activity of osteoclast. Osteoclast formation was evaluated in bone marrow cells (BMC) in the presence or absence of Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba. The expression of c-fos, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), OSCAR, DC-STAMP, cathepsin K, MafB and NFATc1 mRNA in osteoclast precursor were assessed by RT-PCR. The levels of TNF receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF-6), c-fos and NFATc1 protein were assessed by Western blot analysis. Also the correlation with MAPKs and NF-${\kappa}B$ pathways were measured by using Western blot analysis. With bone resorption study, I tried to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba on mature osteoclast function. Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba inhibited the RANKL induced osteoclastic differentiation from bone marrow macrophage in a dose dependant manner without cellular toxicity. Gene expression of c-fos and NFATc1 was significantly down regulated with Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba treatment. Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba markedly inhibited the RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis through suppression of nuclear factor kappa b (NF-${\kappa}B$) pathway, down stream pathway of p38, ERK and JNK pathway. Taken together, I concluded that Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba have beneficial effect on osteoporosis by inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and by inhibition of functioning osteoclast. Thus I expect that Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba could be a treatment option for osteoporosis.

• 한국패류학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.85-93
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• 1993

Contamination of heavy metals in water and sediments along Mantyeong (river) has reached up to critical level, The object of the study is to dlucidate some macroinvertebrates which inhabit along the river in respect to the modulatory role in reducing the pollution. For the purpose, Scapharca subcrenata(sea shell) which is common in numbers and biomass in the area was collected, and cadmium (Cd) was subjected as a reference metal in the experiment. The seashell was dried and autoclaved, followed by pellet preparation under various concentration of Cd: 50,100,250,500 and 1,500 ug /pellet. Mice were fed for 3 months, althrough last group(5 mice), 1,500 ug/pellet, died within 4 weeksof the administration.MT-Cd in liver and kidney increased in correlation with the amont of Cd concentration in pellet, especially in kidney than in liver. Liver and kidney of the mice showed pathological changes such as cellular infiltration and focal necrosis in liver, and peri-tubular cell infiltration or tubular necrosis etc. The changes were more intensive by amount of the Cd. Overall results in the present study suggest that Cd may eventually combine with soluble-protein forming metalloprotein, then reduce the toxicity of heavy metal, How the formed Mt-Cd is discharged from the kidney and the mechanism shall be the further subject to be clarified.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.17-24
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• 2011

Lipid metabolites involved in cellular regulation as signaling mediators. Prostaglandins (PGs), metabolites of lipid are involved to pregnancy at the time of implantation but the functional roles of PGs on embryo development are still controversy and largely unknown. In previous report, the levels of $PGE_2$ and $PGF_{2a}$ at embryos of morula stage and blastocyst stage were explored (Cheon et al., 1998). In this study, the previous suggestion was confirmed and the possible downstream mediator of prostaglandin $E_2$ and prostaglandin $F_{2a}$ on the expansion and hatching of mouse embryo was examined. As expected, developmental rate of the blastocyst to expanded stage was a concentration-response curve that showed the highest expansion rate at 10 ${\mu}M$ $PGE_2$, but at 100 ${\mu}M$ $PGE_2$, the rate was decreased. In contrast to the $PGE_2$, $PGF_{2a}$ stimulated expansion without toxicity at highest concentration. Cotreatment of PGs with indomethacin overcame the inhibitory effects of indomethacin in expansion. Exogenous PGs also improved the development of expanded embryos to the hatching stage. Besides, PGs receptors' transcripts detected at blastocyst. $PGE_2$ was caused of calcium fluctuation in the blastocyst but $PGF_{2a}$ did not. The changes of intracellular calcium concentration were different between indomethacin pretreated embryos and non-treated embryos. Based on these results it is suggested that PGs work as paracrine and/or autocrine factors through calcium and the others which were not identified in this study.