• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• 제46권2호
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent degenerative joint diseases and is more common in older and obese individuals. Silkworm male pupae exerts tonic effects by increasing testosterone secretion and the forced swimming time and muscle ratio increased in mice consuming silkworm pupae, which may be beneficial to the older population. Therefore, it will be beneficial to investigate the effects of silkworm pupal extracts (SPE) on OA. To confirm this effect, we prepared SPE in different solvents, and their ability to attenuate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6 [IL-6], interleukin-8 [IL-8] and tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]) were evaluated in an interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced SW1353 human chondrosarcoma cell line. 70% ethanolic SPE outperformed the other solvents, reducing MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression by up to 53% and 13%, respectively. Further experiments were performed using 70% ethanolic SPE from three distinct pupation stages in males and females. SPE treatment alleviated MMP-1 expression (43.9-47.4%) regardless of pupation stage and sex. Among the inflammatory mediators, 70% ethanolic SPE alleviated IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and the concentrations thereof were lowest in the early-stage male SPE-treated group (43.15% and 56.74%, respectively). In conclusion, 70% ethanolic SPE may prevent IL-1β-induced osteoarthritis by inhibiting MMPs and inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, SPE is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
• /
• 제39권1호
• /
• pp.200-200
• /
• 2024

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.53-66
• /
• 1980

The editorials of the leading newspapers may reflect as well as help formulate the public opinions to a significant degree. Bearing this in mind, this study was carried out to provide information useful in formulating such public health policies that could practically meet the social interests and demands in health appearing in the editorials of the newspapers. This analysis covered the editorials of 5 leading newspapers such as Donga Ilbo, Chungang Ilbo, Hankook Ilto, Chosun Ilbo and Seoul Shinmoon for about 10 years from Jan. 1st, 1970 through Oct. 31th, 1979. The major findings are as follows: 1. The total number of health-concerned editorials in the five daily papers for the period was 1,768 or occupied 6.4% of the total editorials of the same sources. The increasing trend of frequnecy of the health-concerned editorials since 1976 indicates the increment of social interests and demands in health. Analysing the contents, environmental pollution received the greatest attention in those editorials, which was followed by medical affairs, environmental sanitation, and disease control in order in terms of frequency of appearance. However, there was a tendency that the interests in the environmental pollution, medical affairs and social welfare tended to increase year by year, whereas those in environmental hygiene and disease control comparatively decreased. 2. Motives of dealing with the health-concerned editorials were provided by announcement of the governmental policies and implementation for 25.6% and by out-breaks of the relevant events for 23.9%. This tendency coincides with the general characteristics of the editorials that reflect the timely issues. Closely analysing, however, the fact that the motives engendered by the out-breaks of the relevant events or by the season concerned comparatively tended to decrease as years pass by, indicates that the editorials tend more to seek the future-oriented demands in health rather than the current issue-oriented. 3. The editorials appeared to be more concerned with the governmental policies. 95.7% of all the editorials analysed were addressed to the government. This signifies the role of government in the field of public health and medical affairs. Their attitudes toward health-related policies of the government were much more negative than the other editorials that were addressed to the government in other fields. This suggests that the governmental interests in health were neither sufficient nor fair. 4. What the editorials most stressed were; (1) increment of governmental interests in health, (2) improvement of the governmental health administration, (3) enriching the basic statistics, and (4) development of various technologies pertinent to health affairs and disease control, and so forth. However, must of their suggestions were not concrete but rather abstract and conceptual. 5. The editorials also expressed strong interests in research area. The areas of the needed research most suggested by items are; (1) development of effective health care delivery system, (2) establishment of more practical system of calculating medical cost, (3) implementation of effective policies to control degenerative diseases, (4) division of medical care services and pharmaceutical services systems, (5) effective ways to prevent Co poisoning accidents, (6) changing status of environmental pollution and its effects upon health, and (7) status of occupational diseases, and so forth. 6. There were some editorials -not small in quantity -that have risk to mislead the public opinions as well as the health policies due to lack of professional knowledge of the writers. It is desirable to establish some kind of mechanism that screens the erroneous contents of the editorials to help prevent misleading opinions.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.214-219
• /
• 2009

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a promising source of functional food, which contains several phytochemicals that perform important roles in reducing the risk of pathological diseases. Chemical compositions, such as the total sugar, uronic acid, polyphenols, and anthocyanin contents, and radical scavenging activity were determined and compared among PEs from six different cultivation areas. Total anthocyanin contents (TAC) and total polyphenol contents (TPC) from various growing areas were detected in the following order, respectively: Spain (19.08 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Turkey (12.91 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Iran-A (6.67 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Taiwan (4.77 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Uzbekistan (1.88 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Iran-B (0.76 ${\mu}g$/mL) and Turkey (639.52 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Uzbekistan (502.19 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Spain (306.40 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Iran-B (249.20 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Taiwan (162.78 ${\mu}g$/mL)> Iran-A (143.93 ${\mu}g$/mL). PEs from six different cultivation areas were determined to vary in ellagic acid content from 8.90 ${\mu}g$/mL to 332.52 ${\mu}g$/mL. The amounts of total sugars in PE from Iran-A evidenced relatively high total sugar contents, but low uronic acid levels (11.92 mg/mL). DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activities were as follows: Turkey> Uzbekistan $\gg$ Spain> Iran-B> Iran-A> Taiwan. ABTS [2,20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] radical scavenging activities were detected in the following order: Turkey$\geq$ Uzbekistan$\gg$ Spain> Iran-B> Iran-A> Taiwan. These results indicate that the PEs from Turkey with higher levels of TPC, TAC, ellagic acid, and higher radical scavenging activity may constitute a promising functional source for the prevention of several degenerative diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제38권3호
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 2015

Because Schwann cells perform the triple tasks of myelination, axon guidance and neurotrophin synthesis, they are candidates for cell transplantation that might cure some types of nervous-system degenerative diseases or injuries. However, Schwann cells are difficult to obtain. As another option, ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) can be easily harvested from the nasal respiratory mucosa. Whether fibrin, an important transplantation vehicle, can improve the differentiation of EMSCs into Schwann-like cells (SLCs) deserves further research. EMSCs were isolated from rat nasal respiratory mucosa and were purified using anti-CD133 magnetic cell sorting. The purified cells strongly expressed HNK-1, nestin, $p75^{NTR}$, S-100, and vimentin. Using nuclear staining, the MTT assay and Western blotting analysis of the expression of cell-cycle markers, the proliferation rate of EMSCs on a fibrin matrix was found to be significantly higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface but insignificantly lower than that of cells grown on fibronectin. Additionally, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix expressed myelination-related molecules, including myelin basic protein (MBP), 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and galactocerebrosides (GalCer), more strongly than did those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. Furthermore, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix synthesized more neurotrophins compared with those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. The expression level of integrin in EMSCs grown on fibrin was similar to that of cells grown on fibronectin but was higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface. These results demonstrated that fibrin not only promoted EMSC proliferation but also the differentiation of EMSCs into the SLCs. Our findings suggested that fibrin has great promise as a cell transplantation vehicle for the treatment of some types of nervous system diseases or injuries.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2020

Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive degeneration of articular cartilage. Inflammation is a recognized and important factor of OA progression. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of Corni Fructus water extract (CFW) on a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced rat model of OA. Methods: Osteoarthritis was induced by injection of MIA (50 µL; 80 mg/mL) into the knee joint cavity of rats. After an adaptation period for seven days, the rats were divided into 4 groups (n=8/group): normal, control, indomethacin-treated (5 mg/kg), and CFW-treated (200 mg/kg) groups. The rats were treated orally for 14 days. Pain was evaluated by determining hind paw weight distribution. For biochemical analyses, we measured the changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) in the knee joint. The presence of anti-oxidant proteins and inflammatory proteins was determined by western blotting. Results: The administration of CFW significantly improved the hind paw weight distribution. The ROS and ONOO^- levels of knee joint were significantly decreased in the CFW group. CFW inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators, such as COX-2, and inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and IL-1β, via the NF-κB signaling pathway. The expression of anti-oxidant enzymes, such as catalase and GPx-1/2 also increased significantly. Conclusions: The findings indicate that CFW has a therapeutic and protective effect on OA by suppression of inflammation. Therefore, CFW could represent a potential and effective candidate for OA treatment.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.22-30
• /
• 2008

사철쑥 (Artemisia capillaris Thunberg)이 암세포의 세포고사에 미치는 영향을 보기 위하여 인체 자국경부 상피암 세포주인 HeLa 세포를 이용하여 사철쑥의 메탄올, 에틸아세테이트, 부탄올 추출물의 농도를 각각 0, 100, 500, 1,000 및 $2,000{\mu}g/ml$로 처리하여 세포활성도, 세포형태 변화, DNA분절, DNA 함량을 알아보았다. 세포활성도는 사철쑥의 메탄올, 에틸아세테이트 추출물이 농도에 비례하여 HeLa세포생존율을 감소시켰지만 부탄올 추출물에서는 그 정도가 약하였고 물 추출물에서는 거의 관찰되지 않았다. 사철쑥의 메탄올, 에틸아세테이트, 부탄올과 물 추출물은 각 추출물의 농도에 의존적으로 배양된 HeLa 세포에 세포부착을 방해하고 세포막의 blobbing 및 핵의 분절화 등 세포고사의 특징들을 나타냈다. 사다리형 DNA 분절현상은 사철쑥의 메탄올 추출물 $1,000{\mu}g/ml$, $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ 처리군에서 관찰되었다. 유세포분석기 (FACS)를 이용하여 측정한 고사세포의 DNA 함량은 메탄올과 에틸아세테이트, 부탄올 추출물이 농도 의존적으로 증가하였다. 이상의 결과는 사철쑥이 암세포의 세포고사를 증가시킴으로서 암 억제 작용이 있을 것을 시사해 준다고 할 수 있다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
• /
• 제13권4호
• /
• pp.227-237
• /
• 2009

최근 골수와 혈액으로 유래된 중간엽 줄기세포와 비슷한 능력을 가지는 것으로 알려진 지방 유래 중간엽줄기세포가 새로운 세포 치료제로 떠오르고 있다. 하지만 줄기세포를 이용하여 치료하려는 질병은 나이가 들어감에 따라 발병하는 퇴행성 질환들이 대부분인데, 노화가 진행됨에 따라 줄기세포의 능력이 차이가 있다고 알려져 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 노화가 일어남에 따라 발생되는 신경성 질환을 자가 유래 지방 중간엽 줄기세포를 이용하여 치료함에 있어서 노화가 진행됨에 따라 얻어진 지방줄기세포가 세포학적으로 변화는 없는지에 대해 줄기세포 성장능, 생존율과 신경세포로의 분화유도 능력을 비교하였다. 30대, 40대, 50대에서 사람 지방 유래 줄기세포를 분리 배양하여 연령별 계대에 따른 세포수와 생존율을 측정하고, 줄기세포 성장능력을 비교 분석하였고, 지방 줄기세포를 신경세포 배양 조건 하에서 10일 동안 배양하여 신경 분화능력을 연령별로 비교하였다. 실험결과, 세포수와 생존율, 세포 모양이 연령과 계대별에 의해 차이가 없다는 것을 확인하였다. 신경 분화 후 면역형광염색법을 통해 분석한 결과, 연령에 따른 신경 분화능력의 차이가 관찰되지 않았다. 분자 유전적학으로 신경세포 마커의 발현을 mRNA 수준에서 분석한 결과, 연령별 간의 차이가 몇 개의 유전자 발현을 제외하고는 차이가 발견되지 못했다. 하지만 계대가 진행될수록 50대군의 줄기세포에서 MAP2와 Sox2의 mRNA 발현이 30대군의 줄기세포에 비해 상대적으로 낮게 발현됨이 확인되었다. 결론적으로 자가 지방 중간엽 줄기세포의 신경세포 분화능력이 연령에 상관없이 차이가 없음이 관찰되었으며, 이는 나이 든 사람으로부터 얻어진 지방 줄기세포도 젊은 사람에서 얻어진 세포와 마찬가지 능력으로 자가 세포 치료제로 사용될 수 있다는 점을 말해주고 있다.

• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2015

With the growth of aging population in Korea, a better care of chronic and other degenerative illnesses is urgently needed. Evidences suggest that this can be achieved through incorporating a wide range of care options, expanding beyond medical interventions. The aim of this study is to analyze the distribution of publically funded research to understand if the Korean research and development funding system matches various approaches and purposes to successfully tackle the chronic care needs of an aging society. We complied the list of funded projects to be analyzed by searching the National Technical Information Service database with key words such as aging society/senescence, chronic diseases, disability, and health promotion. Most projects were based on the biomedical approach with the purpose of establishing the etiology and clinical (treatment) interventions. Health promotion projects showed a distinctive distribution with more percentage of projects based on psycho-behavioral approaches while research on chronic diseases predominantly biomedical. It would be necessary to diversify publically-funded research projects to develop effective and efficient care technologies for the future.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제39권7호
• /
• pp.543-549
• /
• 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be involved in many neurodegenerative diseases. The present study focused on the role of hsa-miR-144-3p in one of the neuro-degenerative diseases, Parkinson's disease (PD). Our study showed a remarkable down-regulation of miR-144-3p expression in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated SH-SY5Y cells. MiR-144-3p was then overexpressed and silenced in human SH-SY5Y cells by miRNA-mimics and miRNA-inhibitor transfections, respectively. Furthermore, ${\beta}$-amyloid precursor protein (APP) was identified as a target gene of miR-144-3p via a luciferase reporter assay. We found that miR-144-3p overexpression significantly inhibited the protein expression of APP. Since mitochondrial dysfunction has been shown to be one of the major pathological events in PD, we also focused on the role of miR-144-3p and APP in regulating mitochondrial functions. Our study demonstrated that up-regulation of miR-144-3p increased expression of the key genes involved in maintaining mitochondrial function, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator-$1{\alpha}$(PGC-$1{\alpha}$), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Moreover, there was also a significant increase in cellular ATP, cell viability and the relative copy number of mtDNA in the presence of miR-144-3p overexpression. In contrast, miR-144-3p silencing showed opposite effects. We also found that APP overexpression significantly decreased ATP level, cell viability, the relative copy number of mtDNA and the expression of these three genes, which reversed the effects of miR-144-3p overexpression. Taken together, these results show that miR-144-3p plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial function, and its target gene APP is also involved in this process.