• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.361-376
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• 2023

본 연구에서는 햄프씨드 오일이 고콜레스테롤혈증을 개선시키는 지 확인하기 위하여 Sprague-Dawley rat에 1.25% 콜레스테롤식이를 8주 동안 급여하였으며, 햄프씨드 오일을 두 농도 (저농도, 고농도)로 경구 투여한 후 혈액, 조직 분석을 통하여 지질개선 및 염증 완화 효과를 발휘하는지 분석하였다. 햄프씨드 오일 식이는AMPK/SREBP-2 경로를 경유하여 혈중 콜레스테롤의 합성을 효과적으로 억제하였으며, PI3IK/Akt/NF-κB의 경로를 유의하게 억제하여 항염증 효과를 발휘함을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 신호전달의 경로는 간 조직에서 지질축적의 감소와도 관련이 있는 것으로 보인다. 이상의 결과를 종합해보면 햄프씨드 오일은 고콜레스테롤혈증의 예방 및 치료를 위한 잠재적 후보소재로서 가능성이 있음을 시사한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권8호
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• pp.612-622
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• 2023

생체 면역조직에서는 면역세포의 성장, 분화에 있어서 매우 중요한 역할을 수행하는 면역조직 기질세포가 존재하며, 이들은 서로 연결된 3차원적인 그물구조를 형성하면서 그 사이의 공간에 위치한 면역세포와의 상호작용을 통해 다양한 면역반응을 수행한다. 따라서 생체환경을 모사한 면역세포의 배양이 이루어지기 위해서는 면역세포들이 상호작용할 수 있는 3차원적 면역조직 기질세포 뼈대의 구축이 매우 중요한 의의를 지닌다. 특히 면역반응에서 핵심적인 기능을 수행하는 T세포의 생존, 성장 및 분화에 있어서 필수적인 역할을 하는 흉선상피세포에 대한 3차원적 배양은 T세포의 연구에 필수적으로 요구되지만, 아직 이에 관한 연구가 거의 이루어지지 않은 실정이다. 본 연구에서 흉선상피세포는 폴리도파민으로 코팅된 PCL 및 PCL/PLGA 지지체에서 비코팅군에 비해 부착 및 성장이 촉진되었다. 또한 폴리도파민으로 코팅된 지지체에서 흉선상피세포를 배양하였을 때 2차원 배양군에 비해 흉선세포형성촉진인자의 유전자 발현이 더 증가하였다. 따라서 본 연구는 면역조직 기질세포의 3차원 배양 기술의 개발에 크게 기여할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.44-52
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• 2023

Objective: The DNA integrity of spermatozoa that attach to fallopian tube (FT) cells is higher than spermatozoa that do not attach. FT epithelial cells can distinguish normal and abnormal sperm chromatin. This study investigated the effects of sperm with a high-DNA fragmentation index (DFI) from men with unexplained repeated implantation failure (RIF) on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway in human FT cells in vitro. Methods: Ten men with a RIF history and high-DFI and 10 healthy donors with low-DFI comprised the high-DFI (>30%) and control (<30%) groups, respectively. After fresh semen preparation, sperm were co-cultured with a human FT epithelial cell line (OE-E6/E7) for 24 hours. RNA was extracted from the cell line and the human innate and adaptive immune responses were tested using an RT2 profiler polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. Results: The PCR array data showed significantly higher TLR-1, TLR-2, TLR-3, TLR-6, interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, interferon α (IFN-α), IFN-β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), CXCL8, GM-CSF, G-CSF, CD14, ELK1, IRAK1, IRAK2, IRAK4, IRF1, IRF3, LY96, MAP2K3, MAP2K4, MAP3K7, MAP4K4, MAPK8, MAPK8IP3, MYD88, NFKB1, NFKB2, REL, TIRAP, and TRAF6 expression in the high-DFI group than in the control group. These factors are all involved in the TLR-MyD88 signaling pathway. Conclusion: The MyD88-dependent pathway through TLR-1, TLR-2, and TLR-6 activation may be one of the main inflammatory pathways activated by high-DFI sperm from men with RIF. Following activation of this pathway, epithelial cells produce inflammatory cytokines, resulting in neutrophil infiltration, activation, phagocytosis, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and apoptosis.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.429-437
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• 2000

본 연구는 retrovirus vector system 에 의해서 EPO와 EGFP 유전자가 전이된 소 태아세포를 이용하여 핵치환된 소 난자에서의 이들 유전자의 성공적인 도입을 조사하였다. Non-starved 소 태아세포는 탈핵된 소 난자의 위란강내로 주입되었다. 소 태아 세포와 난자는 세포간 전기자극에 의해 융합시켰으며, 이후 calcium ionophore와 6-dimethylaminopurine를 이용하여 난활성을 유도하였다. 핵치환에 의해 재구성된 난자는 8일 동안 CRlaa 배양액에서 소 난관상피세포와 함께 공배양하였다. 핵치환에 의해 재구성된 187개와 210(EPO, EGFP)개의 소 난자 중에서, 149개와 158(EPO : 80.0%, EGFP : 75.2%)개의 난자가 분할되었고, 이들 분할된 난자 중 36개와 35(EPO : 24.2%, EGFP : 22.2%)개의 난자가 배반포까지 발달하였다. 이들 배반포에서, EPO 유전자는 PCR에 의해 36개의 모든 난자에서 삽입을 확인하였고, EGFP 유전자의 발현은 형광현미경 하에서 35개의 모든 난자에서 확인하였다. 이 결과는 외래유전자가 삽입된 소 태아 세포를 이용하여 핵치환된 난자는 배반포까지 성공적으로 발달할 수 있다는 것을 나타낸다. 더우기, 이러한 방법은 효율적인 형칠전환 소를 생산하는데 이용될 수 있으리라 사료된다.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.402-417
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• 2023

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a highly conserved wound-healing response and the final common pathway of chronic inflammatory injury. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anti-fibrotic effect of the combination of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma water extract (RW) and silymarin in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis model. Methods: The liver fibrosis mouse model was established through the intraperitoneal injection of TAA (1 week 100 mg/kg, 2-3 weeks 200 mg/kg, 4-8 weeks 400 mg/kg) three times per week for eight weeks. Animal experiments were conducted in five groups; Normal, Control (TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice), Sily (silymarin 50 mg/kg), RSL (RW 50 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg), and RSH (RW 100 mg/kg+silymarin 50 mg/kg). Biochemical analyses were measured in serum, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ammonia levels. Liver inflammatory cytokines and fibrous biomarkers were measured by Western blot analysis, and liver histopathology was evaluated through tissue staining. Results: A significant decrease in the liver function markers AST and ALT and a reduction in ammonia and total bilirubin were observed in the group treated with RSL and RSH. Measurement of reactive oxygen species and MDA revealed a significant decrease in the RSL and RSH administration group compared to the TAA induction group. The expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins, such as transforming growth factor β1, α-smooth muscle actin, and collagen type I alpha 1, was likewise significantly decreased. All drug-administered groups had increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 but a decreasing tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1. RSL and RSH exerted a significant upregulation of NADPH oxidase 2, p22^phox, and p47^phox, which are oxidative stress-related factors. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase 2 and interleukin-1β were markedly suppressed through the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation. Conclusions: The administration of RW and silymarin suppressed the NADPH oxidase factor protein level and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation-related enzymes. These results suggest that the combined administration of RW and silymarin improves acute liver injury induced by TAA.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.682-697
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Tibetan tea is a kind of dark tea, due to the inherent complexity of natural products, the chemical composition and beneficial effects of Tibetan tea are not fully understood. The objective of this study was to unravel the composition of Tibetan tea using knowledge-guided multilayer network (KGMN) techniques and explore its potential antioxidant and hypolipidemic mechanisms in mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: The C57BL/6J mice were continuously gavaged with Tibetan tea extract (T group), green tea extract (G group) and ddH2O (H group) for 15 days. The activity of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in mice was detected. Transcriptome sequencing technology was used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects of Tibetan tea in mice. Furthermore, the expression levels of liver antioxidant and lipid metabolism related genes in various groups were detected by the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method. RESULTS: The results showed that a total of 42 flavonoids are provisionally annotated in Tibetan tea using KGMN strategies. Tibetan tea significantly reduced body weight gain and increased T-AOC and SOD activities in mice compared with the H group. Based on the results of transcriptome and qPCR, it was confirmed that Tibetan tea could play a key role in antioxidant and lipid lowering by regulating oxidative stress and lipid metabolism related pathways such as insulin resistance, P53 signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, fatty acid elongation and fatty acid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to use computational tools to deeply explore the composition of Tibetan tea and revealed its potential antioxidant and hypolipidemic mechanisms, and it provides new insights into the composition and bioactivity of Tibetan tea.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원식물학회 2023년도 임시총회 및 춘계학술대회
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• pp.51-51
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• 2023

The world-wide rate of obesity is increasing continuously, representing a serious medical threat since it is associated with a variety of diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and numerous cancers. Sophora japonicais used as a traditional herb for medicinal purposes in eastern Asia. However, the anti-obesity effects of S. japonicafruit have not been explored. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by an ethanol extract of S. japonicafruit (EESF) in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Our results demonstrate that EESF suppressed the terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in lipid droplet number and lipid content through Oil Red O staining. EESF significantly reduced the accumulation of cellular triglyceride, which was associated with a significant inhibition of the levels of pro-adipogenic transcription factors, including PPARγ, C/EBPα and C/EBPβ. In addition, EESF potentially down regulated the expression levels of adipocyte-specific proteins, including aP2 and leptin. In particular, EESF treatment effectively enhanced the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway; however, the co-treatment with compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK, significantly restored the EESF-induced inhibition of pro-adipogenic transcription factors and adipocyte-specific genes. These results indicate that EESF may exert an anti-obesity effect by controlling the AMPK signaling pathway, suggesting that the fruit extract of S. japonica may be a potential anti-obesity agent.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제65권4호
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• pp.818-837
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• 2023

Understanding adipocyte development in fetus during bovine pregnancy is important for strengthening fattening technology. Additionally, nutritional level of dams during pregnancy has the potential to improve offspring growth and fat development. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the intramuscular adipocyte development and expression level of related genes in bovine fetus, and the effect of increased crude protein (CP) intake during pregnancy on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of male offspring. Eighty six pregnant Hanwoo cows (average body weight, 551.5 ± 51.3 kg, age 5.29 ± 0.61 y) were used. Fetuses were collected at 90, 180 and 270 d of gestation from 18 pregnant Hanwoo cows. The remaining 68 pregnant cows were randomly assigned to 2 feeding groups. The control (CON) group was provided the standard protein diet (n = 34), and treatment (TRT) group was provided a diet with a 5% increase in CP intake (n = 34). Male offspring were divided into two groups according to protein treatment of the pregnant cows: CON male offspring (CON-O) and TRT male offspring (TRT-O). Intramuscular adipocytes were found in the fetal skeletal muscle after 180 days of gestation. Male calf's birth weight increased in the TRT group compared to that in the CON group (p < 0.002). The final body weight (p < 0.003) and average daily gain (p < 0.019) of male offspring were significantly higher in TRT-O than in CON-O. The feed conversion ratio was also improved by 10.5% in TRT-O compared to that in CON-O (p < 0.026). Carcass weight was significantly higher in the TRT-O group than that in the CON-O group (p < 0.003), and back fat was thicker in the TRT-O group (p = 0.07). The gross receipts and net income were higher in TRT-O than in CON-O (p < 0.04). Thus, fetal intramuscular fat can be formed from the mid-gestation period, and increased CP intake during pregnancy can increase net income by improving the growth and carcass weight of male offspring rather than intramuscular fat.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.123-135
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• 2024

Although gemcitabine-based regimens are widely used as an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer, acquired resistance to gemcitabine has become an increasingly common problem. Therefore, a novel therapeutic strategy to treat gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer is urgently required. Piceamycin has been reported to exhibit antiproliferative activity against various cancer cells; however, its underlying molecular mechanism for anticancer activity in pancreatic cancer cells remains unexplored. Therefore, the present study evaluated the antiproliferation activity of piceamycin in a gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cell line and patient-derived pancreatic cancer organoids. Piceamycin effectively inhibited the proliferation and suppressed the expression of alpha-actinin-4, a gene that plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of various cancers, in gemcitabine-resistant cells. Long-term exposure to piceamycin induced cell cycle arrest at the G₀/G₁ phase and caused apoptosis. Piceamycin also inhibited the invasion and migration of gemcitabine-resistant cells by modulating focal adhesion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition biomarkers. Moreover, the combination of piceamycin and gemcitabine exhibited a synergistic antiproliferative activity in gemcitabine-resistant cells. Piceamycin also effectively inhibited patient-derived pancreatic cancer organoid growth and induced apoptosis in the organoids. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that piceamycin may be an effective agent for overcoming gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.3.1-3.23
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• 2024

Cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-treated mouse airway epithelial cells (MAECs)-derived exosomes accelerate the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by upregulating triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1); however, the specific mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of CSE-treated MAECs-derived exosomes on M1 macrophage polarization and pyroptosis in COPD. In vitro, exosomes were extracted from CSE-treated MAECs, followed by co-culture with macrophages. In vivo, mice exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) to induce COPD, followed by injection or/and intranasal instillation with oe-TREM-1 lentivirus. Lung function and pathological changes were evaluated. CD68⁺ cell number and the levels of iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β (M1 macrophage marker), and pyroptosis-related proteins (NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-1 recruitment domain, caspase-1, cleaved-caspase-1, gasdermin D [GSDMD], and GSDMD-N) were examined. The expression of maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), spleen focus forming virus proviral integration oncogene (SPI1), methyltransferase 3 (METTL3), and TREM-1 was detected and the binding relationships among them were verified. MEG3 increased N6-methyladenosine methylation of TREM-1 by recruiting SPI1 to activate METTL3. Overexpression of TREM-1 or METTL3 negated the alleviative effects of MEG3 inhibition on M1 polarization and pyroptosis. In mice exposed to CS, EXO^-CSE further aggravated lung injury, M1 polarization, and pyroptosis, which were reversed by MEG3 inhibition. TREM-1 overexpression negated the palliative effects of MEG3 inhibition on COPD mouse lung injury. Collectively, CSE-treated MAECs-derived exosomal long non-coding RNA MEG3 may expedite M1 macrophage polarization and pyroptosis in COPD via the SPI1/METTL3/TREM-1 axis.