• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.251-260
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• 2017

Platelet activation is essential at the sites of vascular injury, which leads to hemostasis through adhesion, aggregation, and secretion process. However, potent and continuous platelet activation may be an important reason of circulatory disorders. Therefore, proper regulation of platelet activation may be an effective treatment for vascular diseases. In this research, inhibitory effects of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on platelet activation were determined. As the results, cordycepin increased cAMP and cGMP, which are intracellular $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists. In addition, cordycepin reduced collagen-elevated $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization, which was increased by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cAMPS), but not a cGMP-protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cGMPS). Furthermore, cordycepin increased $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation, indicating inhibition of $IP_3$-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal store via the $IP_3RI$, which was strongly inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not so much inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the reduction of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation. In addition, cordycepin increased the phosphorylation of VASP ($Ser^{157}$) known as PKA substrate, but not VASP ($Ser^{239}$) known as PKG substrate. Cordycepin-induced VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation was inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS, and cordycepin inhibited collagen-induced fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$, which was increased by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the inhibition of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that inhibitory effects of cordycepin on platelet activation were due to inhibition of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization through cAMP-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation and suppression of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation through cAMP-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. These results strongly indicated that cordycepin might have therapeutic or preventive potential for platelet activation-mediated disorders including thrombosis, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3 s.67
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• pp.51-62
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• 2006

Objective: Although chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is a common disease, it is very difficult to treat effectively. Lygodium japonicum has traditionally been used in treatment of urinary tract inflammation and voiding disturbance. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and action mechanism of Lygodium japonicum in the rat model of non-bacterial prostatitis induced by castration and testosterone treatment. Methods: Five-month-old rats were treated with $17\beta-estradiol$ after castration for induction of experimental non-bacterial prostatitis, which is similar to human chronic prostatitis in histopathological profiles. Lygodium japonicum and testosterone were administered as an experimental specimen and a positive control, respectively. The prostates were evaluated by histopathological parameters including the epithelial score and epithelio-stromal ratio for glandular damage, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index for cyto-proliferation and a TUNEL (deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin nick end-labeling) assay for cell apoptosis. Results: While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation, the rats treated with Lygodium japonicum showed a lesser range of tissue damage. Epithelial score was improved in Lygodium japonicum than that of the control (P<0.05). The epithelio-stromal ratio was lower in Lygodium japonicum when compared to that of the control (P<0.05). Although there was no difference in PCNA and TUNEL positive cells of the glandular epithelia, we found an decreased number of PCNA positive cell and concurrent increase of TUNEL positive cells in the stroma of Lygodium japonicum treated rats (P<0.01). Conclusions: These findings suggest that Lygodium japonicum may protect the glandular epithelial cells and also inhibit stromal proliferation in association with suppression of cyto-proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis. We concluded that Lygodium japonicum may be a useful remedy agent for treating the chronic non-bacterial prostatitis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3 s.67
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• pp.107-131
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• 2006

Background and Aims: Dansamtongmek-tang (DSTMT) and Dansamsengmek-san (DSSMS) have been used for many years as therapeutic agents for the acute stage of cerebrovascular disease, hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Oriental medicine, but the effects of DSTMT and DSSMS on hyperlipidemia and safety for cell damage are not yet well-known. This study was done to investigate the effects of DSTMT and DSSMS on hyperlipidemia. Methods: In vivo test: after administering DSTMT and DSSMS to SHR and ICR occurred hyperlipidemia for 3 weeks, we analyzed body weight, cholesterol levels. TG, HDL-chol, LDL-chol, LDH in plasma, brain, liver and kidney tissue, and DNA by RT-PCR. In vitro test: after administering DSTMT and DSSMS to human hepatocellular carcinoma in hypoxia, we observed cell cohesion by light microscope, analyzed the inflow of Ca2+ by confocal laser scanning microscope and DNA by RT-PCR. Results: DSTMT significantly decreased the levels of triglyceride and increased the levels of HDL-cholesterol in SHR, and significantly decreased the levels of LDL-cholesterol and body weight and increased the levels of HDL-cholesterol in ICR. DSSMS significantly decreased body weight, total cholesterol levels, LDL-cholesterol, LDH and cardiac risk factor (CRE) in SHR and significantly decreased the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, LDH and CRF in ICR. DSTMT had an effect on protecting cells from damage by inhibiting production of p53 mRNA, and in DSSMS, by inhibiting production of p53 mRNA and p21 mRNA after hypoxia. DSTMT effectively blocked off Ca2+ at low density, but DSSMS effectively blocked off Ca2+ at high density. Both DSTMT and DSSMS had an effect on inhibiting lipid metabolism by blocking off production of apo B mRNA. Conclusions: These results suggest that DSTMT and DSSMS might be usefully applied for treatment of hyperlipidemia and suppression of brain damage.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2009

The usage and types of chemicals are advancing, specializing, large-scaled increasing, and new chemical exposed workers are concerning to occupational disease. The generation of reactive oxygen in the body from carcinogen, mutation and DNA damage in cancer is protected by natural antioxidants (phytochemicals) with antimutagenic effect. There were many reports of ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ grievances of the genetic mutation to suppress the effect confirm the genetic toxicity test with chromosomal aberration test and the Comet (SCGE) assay confirmed the suppression effect occurring chromosomal DNA damage. We had wanted to evaluate the compatibility and sensitivity between the chromosomal aberration (CA) test and the Comet assay. We used the CA test and Comet assay to evaluate the anti-genotoxicity of ginsenoside Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$, in CHO-K1 (Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast) cell in vitro, composed negative control (solvent), positive control (benzo[a]pyrene), test group (carcinogen+variety concentration of ginsenoside) group. The positive control was benzo[a]pyrene (50 $\mu$M), well-known carcinogen, and the negative control was the 1 % DMSO solvent. The test group was a variety concentration of ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ with 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1%, 10%. In chromo-somal aberration test, we measured the number of cells with abnormally structured chromosome. In Comet assay, the Olive tail moment (OTM) and Tail length (TL) values were measured. The ratio of cell proliferation was increased 8.3% in 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1%, 10% Rb$_1$ treated groups, and increased 10.4% in 10$^{-10}$%, 10$^{-8}$%, 10$^{-6}$%, 10$^{-4}$%, 10$^{-2}$%, 1% Rg$_1$ treated groups. In the CA test, the number of chromosomal aberration was decreased all the Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ treated groups. In the Comet assay, the OTM values were decreased in all the Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ treated groups. To evaluate the compatibility between CA and Comet assay, we compared the reducing ratio of chromosomal abnormalities with its OTM values, it was identified the antimutagenicity of ginsenoside, but it was more sensitive the CA test than the Comet assay. Ginsenoside Rb$_1$ and Rg$_1$ significantly decrease the number of cells with chromosomal aberration, and decrease the extent of DNA migration. Therefore, ginsenoside Rb$_1$, Rg$_1$ are thought as an antioxidant phytochemicals to protect mutagenicity. The in vitro Comet assay seems to be less sensitive than the in vitro chromosomal aberration test.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.323-334
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• 2020

Lysin motif (LysM) proteins are reported to be necessary for the virulence and immune response suppression in many herbaceous plant pathogens, while far less is documented in woody plant pathogens. In this study, we preliminarily characterized the molecular function of a LysM protein LtLysM1 in woody plant pathogen Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Transcriptional profiles revealed that LtLysM1 is highly expressed at infectious stages, especially at 36 and 48 hours post inoculation. Amino acid sequence analyses revealed that LtLysM1 was a putative glycoprotein with 10 predicted N-glycosylation sites and one LysM domain. Pathogenicity tests showed that overexpressed transformants of LtLysM1 displayed increased virulence on grapevine shoots in comparison with that of wild type CSS-01s, and RNAi transformants of LtLysM1 exhibited significantly decreased lesion length when compared with that of wild type CSS-01s. Moreover, LtLysM1 was confirmed to be a secreted protein by a yeast signal peptide trap assay. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana together with protein immunoblotting confirmed that LtLysM1 was an N-glycosylated protein. In contrast to previously reported LysM protein Slp1 and OsCEBiP, LtLysM1 molecule did not interact with itself based on yeast two hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays. These results indicate that LtLysM1 is a secreted protein and functions as a critical virulence factor during the disease symptom development in woody plants.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1699-1702
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• 2014

Objective: To evaluate clinical efficacy of a dose escalating schedule of paclitaxel concurrent with radiotherapy in treating patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung (NSCLC). Methods: Patients with locally advanced NSCLC were treated with conventional fractionated radiotherapy or three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3 DCRT), concurrently with a dose escalating schedule of paclitaxel. All patients were divided into three groups, A with paclitaxel $30mg/m^2$, B with paclitaxel $60mg/m^2$ and C with paclitaxel $90mg/m^2$. Paclitaxel was repeated every week for a total of 4 or 6 weeks. Results: Among 109 patients, response rates were 68.8%, 71.1% and 71.8% (p>0.05) for group A (n=32), B (n=38), and C (n=39) respectively. Accordingly, disease control rates were 81.3%, 81.6% and 82.1% (p>0.05). Progression-free survival time was $8.0{\pm}5.0$ months, $11.6{\pm}6.1$ months, and $14.8{\pm}7.9$ months (p<0.05), respectively. Overall survival time was $15.4{\pm}7.6$ months, $18.2{\pm}8.0$ months, and $22.0{\pm}7.6$ months (p<0.05), one-year survival rates were 62.5%, 73.1% and 90.0% (p>0.05) and two-year survival rates were 31.3%, 38.5% and 50.0% (p<0.05). Main side-effects were bone marrow suppression, radiation related esophagitis and gastrointestinal reaction. Conclusion: In treating patients with NSCLC, concurrent chemoradiotherapy with paclitaxel improves early response compared with conventional fractionated radiotherapy or 3 DCRT. The survival rate was improved with the addition of paclitaxel, but there was an increase in adverse reactions when the dose of paclitaxel was increased.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.8-27
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• 2000

Components of extracellular matrix and the matrix-degrading enzymes are some of the key regulators of tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a matrix glycosaminoglycan, is known to promote tumor adhesion and migration, and its small fragments are angiogenic. Until now, we have compared levels of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that degrade HA, in normal adult prostate, benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer tissues and in conditioned media from epithelial explant cultures, using a substrate (HA)-gel assay and ELISA-like assay (Kim et al., unpublished results). The present review described an overall characterization of hyaluronidases and its application to human diseases. The hyaluronidases are a family of enzymes that have, until recently, deed thorough explication. The substrate for these enzymes, hyaluronan, is becoming increasingly important, recognized now as a major participant in basic processes such as cell motility, wound healing, embryogenesis, and implicated in cancer progression. And in those lower life forms that torment human beings, hyaluronidase is associated with mechanisms of entry and spread, e.g. as a virulence factor for bacteria, for tissue dissection in gas gangrene, as a means of treponema spread in syphilis, and for penetration of skin and gut by nematode parasites. Hyaluronidase also comprises a component of the venom of a wide variety of organisms, including bees, wasps, hornets, spiders, scorpions, sh, snakes and lizards. Of particular interest is the homology between some of these venom hyaluronidases and the enzyme found in the plasma membrane of mammalian spermatozoa, attesting to the ancient nature of the conserved sequence, a 36% identity in a 300 amino acid stretch of the enzyme protein. Clearly, hyaluronidase is of biological interest, being involved in the pathophysiology of so many important' human disorders. Greater effort should be made in studying this family of enzymes that have, until recently, been overlooked. Also, oriental medical application of the hyaluronidase will be discussed with respect to inhibition and suppression of inflammation and malignacy.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.532-538
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• 2016

Menopause is characterized by a decrease in estrogen production by the ovaries. Furthermore, the risk of developing chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes increases in menopausal women. In this study, we evaluated the ability of Caragana sinica (CS) to affect lipid and glucose metabolism in an ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rat model of induced menopause. The animals were divwided randomly into three groups: sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX), and ovariectomized rats treated with 1% water extract of CS (OVX-CS). The OVX-CS treated mice showed a significant decrease in body weight, adipose tissue, triglyceride, and total cholesterol. Improved lipid and glucose profiles were also observed, and were attributed to suppression of hepatic lipogenesis and adipokine production and regulation of glucose-regulating enzyme activity. Therefore, these findings indicate a potential use for CS as a functional food for menopause-induced hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2010

Emulsification characters were investigated for COY (Cooking oil and Egg Yolk Mixture) and control efficacies of COY was enhanced by supplemented Sulfur wp. against paprika powdery mildews. Amount of water added to one egg yolk and 100 ml olive oil affected tbe homogenization of mixtures to emulsion profoundly; those premixes with 5~10 ml water were too concentrated to be homogenized, hence not dispersible in water; those with 15~20 ml water were homogenized, but tended to flocculation and not readily dispersible in water, suggesting the instability of emulsion; and those with 50 or 100 ml water were homogenized well and was readily dispersible in water to stable emulsion over long period of time. It was further confirmed that those fruits sprayed with not-fully emulsified COY revealed the oily membranes or blotches on their surfaces, whereas the ones with fully emulsified COY revealed normal clean surfaces. Treatment of COY either alone or in supplementation with Sulfur wettable powder (sulfur wp) were also effective in suppressing the recurrence of powdery mildew signs, wbich had disappeared in three days of foliar application. Still, the COYs supplemented with sulfur wp (COY+sulfur wp) at 1,000x or 5,000x were significantly effective in suppression against the symptomlsign recurrence over COY or sulfur wp alone.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 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.