• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 2018

Background: Compound K (CK) is a ginsenoside, a metabolite of Panax ginseng. There is interest both in increasing skin health and antiaging using natural skin care products. In this study, we explored the possibility of using CK as a cosmetic ingredient. Methods: To assess the antiaging effect of CK, RT-PCR was performed, and expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, and type I collagen were measured under UVB irradiation conditions. The skin hydrating effect of CK was tested by RT-PCR, and its regulation was explored through immunoblotting. Melanin content, melanin secretion, and tyrosinase activity assays were performed. Results: CK treatment reduced the production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in UVB irradiated NIH3T3 cells and recovered type I collagen expression level. Expression of skin hydrating factors-filaggrin, transglutaminase, and hyaluronic acid synthases-1 and -2-were augmented by CK and were modulated through the inhibitor of ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or extracellular signal-regulated kinases pathway. In the melanogenic response, CK did not regulate tyrosinase activity and melanin secretion, but increased melanin content in B16F10 cells was observed. Conclusion: Our data showed that CK has antiaging and hydrating effects. We suggest that CK could be used in cosmetic products to protect the skin from UVB rays and increase skin moisture level.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3188-3194
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• 2014

Compound K (CK) was formulated as polymeric micelles (PM) using Pluronic$^{(R)}$ F-127 to enhance the oral absorption of CK, an intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponin. The physicochemical properties of Ck-loaded PM were characterized and an in vitro transport study using the Caco-2 cell system as well as an in vivo pharmacokinetic study using SD rats was carried out. The hydrodynamic mean particle size of CK-loaded PM (CK-PM) was $254{\pm}23.45nm$ after rehydration and the drug loading efficiency was ca. 99.9%. The FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy data supported the presence of a new solid phase in the PM. The $P_{app}$ value of in vitro Caco-2 cell permeation of CK-PM and the oral absorption of CK was enhanced about 1.2-fold and 2.6-fold compared to CK suspension, respectively, showing that the present PM formulation enabled an enhancement of oral CK absorption.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.620-627
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• 2014

We have previously shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) miR-760, miR-186, miR-337-3p, and miR-216b stimulate premature senescence through protein kinase CK2 (CK2) downregulation in human colon cancer cells. Here, we examined whether these four miRNAs are involved in the replicative senescence of human lung fibroblast IMR-90 cells. miR-760 and miR-186 were significantly upregulated in replicatively senescent IMR-90 cells, and their joint action with both miR-337-3p and miR-216b was necessary for efficient downregulation of the ${\alpha}$ subunit of CK2 ($CK2{\alpha}$) in IMR-90 cells. A mutation in any of the four miRNA-binding sequences within the $CK2{\alpha}3^{\prime}$-untranslated region (UTR) indicated that all four miRNAs should simultaneously bind to the target sites for $CK2{\alpha}$ downregulation. The four miRNAs increased senescence-associated ${\beta}$-galactosidase (SA-${\beta}$-gal) staining, p53 and $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ expression, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in proliferating IMR-90 cells. $CK2{\alpha}$ overexpression almost abolished this event. Taken together, the present results suggest that the upregulation of miR-760 and miR-186 is associated with replicative senescence in human lung fibroblast cells, and their cooperative action with miR-337-3p and miR-216b may induce replicative senescence through $CK2{\alpha}$ downregulation-dependent ROS generation.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2012

Objectives: Odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) have a tendency to recur and possess an aggressive nature. the aim of the present study was to evaluate cytokeratin (CK) expression patterns as a method for the differentiation between dentigerous cysts (DCs) and OKCs, as their histomorphologic appearance are often indistinguishable. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 43 OKCs and 38 DCs were immunohistochemically analyzed with i-solution in a quantitative manner in order to evaluate the immunoreactivity of CK 10, 16 and 17. Results: CK 10 expression was evident in 79.1% of OKCs but found in only 18.4% of DCs (P<0.05), and CK 10 expression was observed to occur more frequently in OKCs (mean 25.45%) than in DCs (2.19%) (P<0.05). The expression of CK 16 was evident in 79.1% of OKCs but found in only 7.9% of the DCs (P<0.05) and CK 16 expression was observed to occur more frequently in OKCs (mean 4.33%) than in the DCs (0.61%) (P<0.05). The expression of CK 17 was evident in 88.4% of OKCs but seen in only 15.7% of the DCs (P<0.05) and CK 17 expression was observed to occur more frequently in OKCs (mean 31.11%) than in the DCs (2.37%) (P<0.05). Conclusion: The immunohistochemical detection of CK 10, 16 and 17 can be utilized as a valuable biomarker for use in distinguishing between OKCs and DCs, which have clinically significant differential diagnoses.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1716-1720
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• 2011

A bacterium hydrolysing various organic materials including cellulose, protein, starch and lipid was isolated. The isolate was identified as Bacillus subtilis, and named Bacillus subtilis CK-2 in this paper. This bacterium showed optimal growth at $40\sim45^{\circ}C$, pH 6~9, and 0~3% of NaCl. B. subtilis CK-2 seemed to synthesis highly active autolysin. The hydrolytic enzymes produced by B. subtilis CK-2 were primary enzymes because extracellular enzyme activities varied similarly to the growth curve. The hydrolytic enzymes seemed to be stable at basic pH conditions. From these results, B. subtilis CK-2 was found to bea useful bacterial agent for composting, or for use in feed-production waste in agriculture, fishery, forest materials, livestock farming, and food.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.773-782
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• 2019

Cellular senescence is an irreversible form of cell cycle arrest. Senescent cells have a unique gene expression profile that is frequently accompanied by senescence-associated heterochromatic foci (SAHFs). Protein kinase CK2 (CK2) downregulation can induce trimethylation of histone H3 Lys 9 (H3K9me3) and SAHFs formation by activating SUV39h1. Here, we present evidence that the PI3K-AKT-mTOR-reactive oxygen species-p53 pathway is necessary for CK2 downregulation-mediated H3K9me3 and SAHFs formation. CK2 downregulation promotes SUV39h1 stability by inhibiting its proteasomal degradation in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, the dephosphorylation status of Ser 392 on p53, a possible CK2 target site, enhances the nuclear import and subsequent stabilization of SUV39h1 by inhibiting the interactions between p53, MDM2, and SUV39h1. Furthermore, $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ is required for CK2 downregulation-mediated H3K9me3, and dephosphorylation of Ser 392 on p53 is important for efficient transcription of $p21^{Cip1/WAF}$. Taken together, these results suggest that CK2 downregulation induces dephosphorylation of Ser 392 on p53, which subsequently increases the stability of SUV39h1 and the expression of $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$, leading to H3K9me3 and SAHFs formation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2022

Lysine methylation is one of the most important histone modifications that modulate chromatin structure. In the present study, the roles of the histone lysine demethylases JMJD2a and LSD1 in CK2 downregulation-mediated senescence were investigated. The ectopic expression of JMJD2a and LSD1 suppressed the induction of senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and heterochromatin foci formation as well as the reduction of colony-forming and cell migration ability mediated by CK2 knockdown. CK2 downregulation inhibited JMJD2a and LSD1 expression by activating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-ribosomal p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) pathway. In addition, the down-regulation of JMJD2a and LSD1 was involved in activating the p53-p21^Cip1/WAF1-SUV39h1-trimethylation of the histone H3 Lys9 (H3K9me3) pathway in CK2-downregulated cells. Further, CK2 downregulation-mediated JMJD2a and LSD1 reduction was found to stimulate the dimethylation of Lys370 on p53 (p53K370me2) and nuclear import of SUV39h1. Therefore, this study indicated that CK2 downregulation reduces JMJD2a and LSD1 expression by activating mTOR, resulting in H3K9me3 induction by increasing the p53K370me2-dependent nuclear import of SUV39h1. These results suggest that CK2 is a potential therapeutic target for age-related diseases.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2023

Background: A breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide and among different types of breast cancers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis. Methods: We investigated the potential of ginsenoside compound K (CK), an active ingredient in the bio-transformed ginsenoside, to be used as a therapeutic ingredient by examining the effects of CK on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer-related gene expressions in breast cancer cells. Results: From the results of treating MCF-7, an ER and PR-positive breast cancer cells, and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) with CK at a concentration of 0-100 µM, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values for each cell were 52.17 µM and 29.88 µM, respectively. And also, it was confirmed that cell migration was inhibited above the IC50 concentration. In addition, fluorescence analysis of Apoptosis/Necrosis showed that CK induced apoptosis rather than necrosis of breast cancer cells. Through qPCR, it was confirmed that the expression of genes related to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest was increased in CK-treated breast cancer cells, and it acted more effectively on TNBC. However, the expression of genes related to tumor invasion and metastasis is also increased, so it is necessary to consider the timing of application of CK as a potential therapeutic anticancer compound. Conclusions: CK showed a stronger inhibitory effect in TNBC with poor prognosis but considering the high tumor invasion and metastasis-related gene expression, the timing of application of CK should be considered.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.220-228
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• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng, one of the valuable perennial medicinal plants, stores numerous pharmacological substrates in its storage roots. Given its perennial growth habit, organ regeneration occurs each year, and cambium stem cell activity is necessary for secondary growth and storage root formation. Cytokinin (CK) is a phytohormone involved in the maintenance of meristematic cells for the development of storage organs; however, its physiological role in storage-root secondary growth remains unknown. Methods: Exogenous CK was repeatedly applied to P. ginseng, and morphological and histological changes were observed. RNA-seq analysis was used to elucidate the transcriptional network of CK that regulates P. ginseng growth and development. The HISTIDINE KINASE 3 (PgHK3) and RESPONSE REGULATOR 2 (PgRR2) genes were cloned in P. ginseng and functionally analyzed in Arabidopsis as a two-component system involved in CK signaling. Results: Phenotypic and histological analyses showed that CK increased cambium activity and dormant axillary bud formation in P. ginseng, thus promoting storage-root secondary growth and bud formation. The evolutionarily conserved two-component signaling pathways in P. ginseng were sufficient to restore CK signaling in the Arabidopsis ahk2/3 double mutant and rescue its growth defects. Finally, RNA-seq analysis of CK-treated P. ginseng roots revealed that plant-type cell wall biogenesis-related genes are tightly connected with mitotic cell division, cytokinesis, and auxin signaling to regulate CK-mediated P. ginseng development. Conclusion: Overall, we identified the CK signaling-related two-component systems and their physiological role in P. ginseng. This scientific information has the potential to significantly improve the field-cultivation and biotechnology-based breeding of ginseng.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.545-549
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• 2003

After irradiation of a cloned dextransucrase gene (dsrB742) with ultrasoft X-ray, an E. coli transformant (pDSRB742CK) was first developed for the expression of an extracellular dextransucrase, having increased activity and the synthesis of a highly branched dextran. Seven nucleotides of the parent gene (dsrB742) were changed in the nucleotide sequences of dsrB742ck. Among them, four nucleotides were changed at the ORF of dsrB742, resulting in a 30 amino acids deletion in the N-terminal of DSRB742 dextransucrase. The activity of DSRB742CK dextransucrase in culture supernatant was approximately 2.6 times higher (0.035 IU/ml) than that of the DSRB742 clone. The pDSRB742CK clone produced DSRB742CK dextransucrase when grown both on a sucrose medium (inducibly) and on a glucose medium (constitutively). The DSRB742 clone did not produce dextran constitutively on a glucose medium. DSRB742CK dextran had 15.6% branching and 2.7-times higher resistance to dextranase hydrolysis compared to DSRB742 dextran. $^{13}C-NMR$ showed that DSRB742CK dextran contained ${\alpha}-(1{\rightarrow}3)$ branch linkages that were not present in DSRB742 dextran.