• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.230-236
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• 2009

An extract of Allomyrina dichotoma larva (ADL), one of the insects used most frequently in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of liver diseases such as hepatocirrhosis and hepatofibrosis, was assessed for antioxidant bioactivity in this study. In the current work, we have investigated the protective effects of ADL extracts on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatotoxicity in cultured hepa1c1c7 cells and in the mouse liver. The treatment of the hepa1c1c7 cells with ADL extracts induced a significant reduction of t-BHP-induced oxidative injuries, as determined by cell cytotoxicity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reactive oxygen species contents, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ADL extracts evidenced a protective effect against t-BHPinduced oxidative DNA damage, as revealed by the results of the Comet assay in hepa1c1c7 cells. ADL extracts also protected against hydroxyl radical-induced 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation by ferric ion-nitrilotriacetic acid and $H_2O_2$. In addition, ADL extracts were shown to be able to quench 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Our in vivo study revealed that ADL extracts pretreatment applied prior to t-BHP administration significantly prevented an increase in the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers and reduced LPO in the mouse liver in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that the protective effects of ADL extracts against t-BHP-induced hepatotoxicity may be attributable, at least in part, to its ability to scavenge free oxygen radicals, and to protect against DNA damage due to oxidative stress.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2012

Background: The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis has emerged as a novel target for cancer therapy. Agents that inhibit this pathway are currently under development for lung cancer treatment. In the present study, we have tested whether dual inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling can lead to enahnced antitumor effects. We have also examined the role of autophagy during this process. Methods: We analyzed the combination effect of the mTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus, and the Akt inhibitor, GSK690693, on the survival of NCI-H460 and A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and apoptosis induction was evaluated by flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. Autophagy induction was also evaluated by acridine orange staining. Changes of apoptosis or autophagy-related proteins were evaluated by western blot analysis. Results: Combination treatment with temsirolimus and GSK690693 caused synergistically increased cell death in NCI-H460 and A549 cells. This was attributable to increased induction of apoptosis. Caspase 3 activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage accompanied these findings. Autophagy also increased and inhibition of autophagy resulted in increased cell death, suggesting its cytoprotective role during this process. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that the combination of temsirolimus and GSK690693 could be a novel strategy for lung cancer therapy. Inhibition of autophagy could also be a promising method of enhancing the combination effect of these drugs.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2006

Purpose : This study is to evaluate the synergistic cytotoxicity of Rhizoma Rehmanniae(RR), in adriamycin-treated HeLa human cervical carcinoma cells. Methods : We culture HeLa cell which is human metrocarcinoma cell in D-MEM included 10% fetal bovine serum(Hyclone Laboratories) below $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$. Then we observed apoptosis of log phage cell which is changed cultivation liquid 24 Hours periodically. Results : The combination of RR and adriamycin synergistically augmented the cytotoxicity of HeLa cells. The apoptotic cell death was accompanied by the activation of caspase-3 and -8 as well as cleavage of poly(ADP- ribose) polymerase (PARP) in HeLa cells. The co-treatment of RR with adriamycin didn't have any effect on either the expression of Bcl-2 or that of Bax. Interestingly, a synergistic increase in apoptosis by the combination of two drugs was accompanied by the enhancement of Pas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in HeLa cells. Taken together, the combination of RR and adriamycin significantly augmented the apoptotic cytotoxicity of Fas-positive cells, such as HeLa cells. The pathway is not involved in mitochondria-dependent pathway. Conclusion : RR induces apoptosis in HeLa cells via p38 MAPK activation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.233-240
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• 2005

To discover new functional materials using edible plants, antioxidant activities of methanol extracts from various parts of seven wild vegetables were investigated in vitro. Total polyphenol contents, determined by Folin-Denis method, varied from 16.74 to $130.22{\mu}g/mg$. Radical-scavenging activities of methanol extracts were examined using ${\alpha},\;{\alpha}-diphenyl-{\beta}-pirrylhydrazyl$ (DPPH) radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. Inhibition effects on peroxidation of linoleic acid determined by ferric thiocyanate (FTC) method and on oxidative degradation of 2-deoxy-D-ribose in Fenton-type reaction system were dose-dependent. Athyrium acutipinulum Kodama (leaf and rood), Achyranthes japonica (Miq.) Nakai (seed), and Solidago virga-aurea var. gigantea Nakai (root) showed relatively high antioxidant activities in various systems.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.295-302
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• 2019

Liquiritigenin (LG) is a chiral flavonoid isolated from the roots of licorice. It exhibits multiple biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. In particular though, the anti-cancer activity of LG in oral squamous cell carcinoma has yet to be elucidated, and LG-induced apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains poorly understood. In the present study, we tested the role of LG in inducing apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. LG treatment of HN22 cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability as detected by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The induction of apoptosis in terms of Annexin V/7-Aminoactinomycin D staining, sub-G1 population, and multi-caspase activity were assessed with a $Muse^{TM}$ Cell Analyzer. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that LG treatment resulted in G2/M arrest in cell cycle progression and downregulation of cyclin B1 and CDC2 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. It also resulted in significant upregulation of p27. In addition, LG was seen to trigger the generation of reactive oxygen species and induce CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein and 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein in concentration-dependent upregulation. The LG treatment of HN22 cells led to a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$); it also reduced the levels of anti-apoptotic protein and increased the expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase and Bax. Overall, our results indicate that the pro-apoptotic effects of LG in HN22 cells depend on the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways. Thus, our results suggest that LG constitutes a natural compound with a potential role as an anti-tumor agent in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.438-452
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Brain senescence causes cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. It has also been demonstrated that curcumin (Cur) and hesperetin (Hes), both antioxidant polyphenolic compounds, mediate anti-aging and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether Cur, Hes, and/or their combination exert anti-aging effects in D-galactose (Dg)-induced aged neuronal cells and rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells differentiated in response to retinoic acid were treated with Cur (1 μM), Hes (1 μM), or a combination of both, followed by 300 mM Dg. Neuronal loss was subsequently evaluated by measuring average neurite length and analyzing expression of β-tubulin III, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and neurofilament heavy polypeptide. Cellular senescence and related proteins, p16 and p21, were also investigated, including their regulation of antioxidant enzymes. In vivo, brain aging was induced by injecting 250 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) Dg. The effects of supplementing this model with 50 mg/kg b.w. Cur, 50 mg/kg b.w. Hes, or a combination of both for 3 months were subsequently evaluated. Brain aging was examined with a step-through passive avoidance test and apoptosis markers were analyzed in brain cortex tissues. RESULTS: Cur, Hes, and their combination improved neuron length and cellular senescence by decreasing the number of β-gal stained cells, down-regulated expression of p16 and p21, and up-regulated expression of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione peroxidase 1, and catalase. Administration of Cur, Hes, or their combination also tended to ameliorate cognitive impairment and suppress apoptosis in the cerebral cortex by down-regulating Bax and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase expression and increasing Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Cur and Hes appear to attenuate Dg-induced brain aging via regulation of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis. These results suggest that Cur and Hes may mediate neuroprotective effects in the aging process, and further study of these antioxidant polyphenolic compounds is warranted.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2003

Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with apoptosis as a causing factor or an inducer. On the other hand, it has been reported that epigallocatechin gallate (EUG), one of antioxidants and flavonoids, and z-VAD-fmk, a nonselective caspase inhibitor, suppress oxidative-radical-stress-induced apoptosis. However, it is not yet known what is the effects of EGCG and z-VAD-fmk on the apoptotic pathway is through phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) as well as mitochondria, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). We investigated the effects of EGCG by using $H_2O_2$ treated N18D3 cells, mouse DRG hybrid neurons. Methods: Following 30 min $100\;{\mu}m\;H_2O_2$ exposure, the viability of N18D3 cells (not pretreated vs. EGCG or z-VAD-fmk pretreated) was evaluated by using MTT assay. The effect of EGCG on immunoreactivity (IR) of cytochrome c, caspase-3, PARP, PI3K/Akt and GSK-3 was examined by using Western blot, and was compared with that of z-Y4D-fmk. Results: EGCG or z-VAD-fmk pretreated N18D3 cells showed increased viability. Dose-dependent inhibition of caspase-3 activation accompanied by PARP cleavage were demonstrated by pretreatment of both agents. However, inhibition of cytochrome c release was only detected in EGCG pretreated N18D3 cells. On the pathway through PI3K/Akt and GSK-3, however, the result of Western blot in EGCG pretreated N18D3 cells showed decreased IR of Akt and GSK-3 and increased IR of p85a PI3K, phosphorylated Akt and GSK-3, and contrasted with that in z-VAD-fmk pretreated N18D3 cells showing no changes on each molecule. Conclusion: These data show that EGCG affects apoptotic pathway through upstream signal including PI3K/Akt and GSK-3 pathway as well as downstream signal including cytochrome c and caspase-3 pathway. Therefore, these results suggest that EGCG mediated activation of PI3K/Akt and inhibition GSK-B could be new potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative injury.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.476-484
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• 2024

Although two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell culture models are still widely used as the optimal models for anticancer activity research, three-dimensional (3D) multicellular tumor spheroid (3D MTS) models that can better approximate the tumor environment can offer an alternative to bridge the gap between in vitro and animal model studies. Isoalantolactone is among the sesquiterpene lactones found in medicinal plants, including the roots of Elecampane (Inula helenium L.), and is known to have various pharmacological activities, including anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated whether the anticancer activity of isoalantolactone observed in 2D models could be reproduced in a 3D MTS model derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Hep3B cells. According to our results, isoalantolactone inhibited the formation of MTSs in a manner dependent on the treatment concentration, which was accompanied by an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In particular, as isoalantolactone treatment and the culture time increased, the area of proliferating cells was replaced by cells in which apoptosis was induced. Additionally, in MTSs, isoalantolactone increased the expression of death-receptor-related proteins and the activity of caspase-3, and it decreased the expression of the Bax/Bcl-2 expression ratio and total poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. However, when the production of ROS was artificially blocked, all these changes caused by isoalantolactone were attenuated and the cell survival rate of MTS cells was restored. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the induction of apoptosis in Hep3B cell-derived MTSs by isoalantolactone is achieved through the activation of extrinsic and intrinsic pathways and is ROS-dependent.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.27 no.6 s.93
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• pp.424-429
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of polysaccharides isolated from the fruit body and cultured mycelia of Phellinus linteus IY001. All fractions were extracted by hot water, followed by ethanol precipitation (F-THE and M-HE) or ultrafiltration (M-HU) (F-TH, F-THE; fruit body, M-HE, M-HU; cultured mycelia). Among these fractions, F-TH fraction was obtained at the highest yields of 6.83% and yield of F-THE was at the level 2.79%. The carbohydrates of these fractions was found to be a heteroglucan composed of glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, ribose and xylose by analysis of gas chromatography. The total carbohydrate contents of M-HE and M-HU fractions were 99.2%, and 86.0% respectively. The glucose content of M-HE, M-HU and F-THE ranged from 54 to 84.8% of the total monosaccharide. Amino acid pattern showed that all fractions contained a large amount of aspartic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, alanine. Serine and threonine were found to be involved in the linkage, O-linked type. These fractions, except F. TH, contained polysaccharides with the molecular weights of 12 kD and showed the characteristics of IR absorption for ${\beta}-glucosides$ at $890\;cm^{-1}$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.229-229
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• 1994

선택성이 높고 뛰어난 약효를 지닌 항 바이러스제의 개발은 신약개발의 중요한 영역중에 하나이다. 현재 AIDS 치료제로 사용되고 AZT를 비롯하여 항virus 효과를 나타내는 약물의 대부분은 구조적으로 nucleoside계에 속하는 화합물로서 수 많은 약리학적 연구 및 합성 화학적 연구가 이루어져 왔다. 특히 합성 화학적 측면에서 이들 화합물의 합성은 크게 두가지로 나누어지는데 그것은 sugar 부위의 변형을 통한 방법과 염기 부위의 변형을 통한 방법에 의해 새로운 항 바이러스제를 개발하는 것이다. 최근의 연구 동향에 있어서 주목할 만한 변화의 하나는 sugar 부위의 구조적 변형을 시도하는데 있어서 종래의 5원환 형태에서 환이 개열된 형태의 acyclic nucleoside에 대한 연구가 이루어져 좋은 효과를 거두고 인다는 사실이다. Acyclovir, Ganciclovir등 의 개발이 그것이다. 본 연구에서는 종래의 acyclic nucleoside가 ribose sugar의 2'번 및 3'번 탄소를 제거한 acyclic ether 형태로 되어있는 것과는 다르게 ether 부위의 산소를 탄소 치환한 carbo-acyclic nucleoside를 합성하고자 하였다. Acyclic nucleoside를 합성하고자 하였다. Acyclic nucleoside의 side chain의 conformation이 항 바이러스 작용을 나타내는데 필수 불가결한 점을 감안할때, carbo-acyclic nucleoside계 화합물은 보다 다양하게 변형될 수 있는 장점을 가지고 있다. 이러한 관점에서 side chain의 2'번 및 3'번 탄소는 side chain의 conformation을 좌우하는 결정적 요인으로 작용할 것으로 판단된다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 이들 탄소를 중심으로한 분자수식을 시도하기로 하고 bioisosterism을 이용하여 3'위치의 수소를 fluoride로 치환한 화합물을 설계하여 합성을 시도하였다.silyl group-5'-무치환 화합물을 tosyl, azido화 한다음 desilylation하여 얻었다. 목적하는(1) 화합물의 diasteromer 인 2',3'-dihydroxy-5'-무치환 유도체(3)는 (4)화합물 합성시 얻은 hemiactal을 key intermediate로 하여 TsNHNH$_2$, NaB(CN)H$_3$ 및 NaOAc로 처리하므로서 얻을수 있었다. 이들 화합물들의 각종 DNA 및 RNA virus에 대한 항 바이러스작용을 검토한 결과 현저한 항 바이러스 작용을 나타내지 않았다.분화유도 활성을 나타내어 항종양제로의 개발에 많은 흥미가 기대된다.기대된다.oxylic acid (compound 10)를 합성하였다.10^{－7}$ M)에 의한 단백인산화에 대하여는 더 미약한 억제-효과를 나타내었다. 이상의 결과는 PDE-1과 항우울약들의 항혈소판작용은 PKC-기질인 41-43 kD와 20 kD의 인산화를 억제함에 기인되는 것으로 사료된다.다. 것으로 사료된다.다.바와 같이 MCl에서 작은 Dv 값을 갖는데, 이것은 CdCl$_{4}$$^{2-}$ 착이온을 형성하거나 ZnCl$_{4}$$^{2-}$ , ZnCl$_{3}$$^{-}$같은 이온과 MgCl$^{+}$, MgCl$_{2}$같은 이온종을 형성하기 때문인것 같다. 한편 어떠한 용리액에서던지 NH$_{4}$$^{+}$의 경우 Dv값이 제일 작았다. 바. 본 연구의 목적중의 하나인 인체유해 중금속이온인 Hg(II), Cd(II)등이 NaCl같은 염화물이 함유된 시료용액에 공해이온으로 존재할 경우 흡착에 의한 제거가 가능하다. 한편 이같은 중금속이온의 흡착실험은 특히 해수중의 금속이온의 회수연구에도