• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2021

[Purpose] Aerobic exercise training (AT) reverses aging-induced deterioration of arterial stiffness via increased arterial nitric oxide (NO) production. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthase, was decreased by AT. However, whether AT-induced changes in ADMA levels are related to changes in nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels remains unclear. Accordingly, we aimed to clarify whether the relationship between plasma ADMA and NOx levels afected the AT-induced reduction of arterial stifness in middle-aged and older adults. [Methods] Thirty-one healthy middle-aged and older male and female subjects (66.4 ± 1.3 years) were randomly divided into two groups: exercise intervention and sedentary controls. Subjects in the training group completed an 8-week AT (60%-70% peak oxygen uptake [${\dot{V}}O_{2peak}$] for 45 min, 3 days/week). [Results] AT signifcantly increased ${\dot{V}}O_{2peak}$ (P < 0.05) and decreased carotid β-stifness (P < 0.01). Moreover, plasma ADMA levels were significantly decreased while plasma NOx levels and NOx/ADMA ratio were significantly increased by AT (P < 0.01). Additionally, no sex diferences in AT-induced changes of circulating ADMA and NOx levels, NOx/ADMA ratio, and carotid β-stifness were observed. Furthermore, the AT-induced increase in circulating ADMA levels was negatively correlated with an increase in circulating NOx levels (r = -0.414, P < 0.05), and the AT-induced increase in NOx/ADMA ratio was negatively correlated with a decrease in carotid β-stifness (r = -0.514, P < 0.01). [Conclusion] These results suggest that the increase in circulating NOx with reduction of ADMA elicited by AT is associated with a decrease in arterial stiffness regardless of sex in middle-aged and older adults.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2008

Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) has been known to regulate many physiological and pathological processes, especially the glandular secretion and blood flow. However, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) responsible for NO synthesis has not been well studied ultrastructurally in rat salivary gland. The present study was performed to investigate the distribution of nitric Oxide synthase isoforms (endothelial. neuronal, and inducible NOS). Immunoelectron microscopic study, using monoclonal mouse anti-endothelial NOS, anti-neuronal NOS, and anti-inducible NOS, was performed in the salivary gland of rat. Endothelial NOS (eNOS)-positive immunoreactivities were most prominent in the secretory granules of serous cells of the salivary gland of the rat. Immunoreactivities were well concentrated on serous secretory granules in the serous cells. However, weak eNOS-positive immunoreactivity was observed in the mucous secretory granules of the mucous cells. Positive endothelial NOS (eNOS) immunoreactivities were most prominent in the secretory granules of intralobular ducts. Ductal secretory granules and acinar serous secretory granules have a similar pattern of labeling as eNOS suggestings. Neural NOS (nNOS)-positive immunoreactivity was not detected in duct systems or in acinar cells. Inducible NOS (iNOS)-positive immunoreactivity was not seen in acinar and ductal cells. These results reveal the presence of eNOS in the salivary gland of the rat, which may be related with regulation of the glandular secretion and blood flow through the gland.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.99-104
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• 2008

According to the increase in the use of radiotherapy to cancer patients, many approaches have been tried to develop new agents for the protection of surrounding normal tissues. However, it is still few applied in the clinic as a radioprotector. We aim to find a representative parameter for radioprotection to easily predict the activity of in vivo experiment from the results of in vitro screening. The polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng was used in this study because the immunostimulator has been regarded as one of the radioprotective agent category and was already reported having a promising radioprotective activity through the increase of hematopoietic cells and the production of several cytokines. Mitogenic activity, AK cells activity and nitric oxide production were monitored for the in vitro immunological assay, and endogenous colony-forming unit (e-CFU) was measured as in vivo radioprotective parameter. The immunological activity was increased by the galactose contents of ginseng polysaccharide dependently. The result of this study suggests that mitogenic activity of splenocytes demonstrated a good correlation with in vivo radioprotective effect, and may be used as a representative parameter to screen the candidates for radioprotector.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.730-735
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• 2012

Existing pharmaceutical studies show that Magnolia biondii is effective in treating rhinitis and in reducing cholesterol, given its endogenous, volatile ingredients. The study herein seeks to assess the cosmeceutical activities and anti-inflammatory activities of Magnolia biondii extracts for possible application as cosmetic ingredients. The cosmeceutical and anti-inflammatory activities were investigated using hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity, xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition, cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) inhibition, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression by Western blotting. Magnolia biondii extracts were identified to have antioxidant activities in hydroxyl free radical scavenging, SOD-like activity, and XO inhibition. In testing the anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts, NO production was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, in a dose-dependent manner, the Magnolia biondii extracts were able to suppress iNOS expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. From these results, Magnolia biondii showed adequate potential for application in cosmetic production and related industries as well as a functional material.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2014

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by the vascular remodeling of the pulmonary arterioles, including formation of plexiform and concentric lesions comprised of proliferative vascular cells. Clinically, PAH leads to increased pulmonary arterial pressure and subsequent right ventricular failure. Existing therapies have improved the outcome but mortality still remains exceedingly high. There is emerging evidence that the seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor APJ and its cognate endogenous ligand apelin are important in the maintenance of pulmonary vascular homeostasis through the targeting of critical mediators, such as Kr$\ddot{u}$ppel-like factor 2 (KLF2), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and microRNAs (miRNAs). Disruption of this pathway plays a major part in the pathogenesis of PAH. Given its role in the maintenance of pulmonary vascular homeostasis, the apelin-APJ pathway is a potential target for PAH therapy. This review highlights the current state in the understanding of the apelin-APJ axis related to PAH and discusses the therapeutic potential of this signaling pathway as a novel paradigm of PAH therapy.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.145.1-145.1
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• 2003

Oxidative stress has been implicated in a range of disease states, including end-stage renal failure treated with hemodialysis [Westhuyzen J. et al, 2003]. Free radicals react with biological molecules and destroy the structure of cells, which eventually causes free-radical induced disease such as cancer, renal failure, aging, etc. Exogenous or endogenously produced nitric oxide (NO) inhibits superoxide-stimulated urea permeability. In the inner medulla, superoxide generation by local oxidases may stimulate urea transport, and the role of endogenous No may be to dampen this effect by decreasing superoxide levels ［Zimpelmann J. et al, 2003 (Epub ahead of print)］. (omitted)

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.488-493
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• 2009

Protulaca oleracea, a widely distributed weed, has been reported to exhibit different health promoting effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of P. oleracea on LPS-stimulated AGS cells. The cytotoxicity of P. oleracea in AGS cells was examined by MTT assay. The anti-oxidative effects of P. oleracea were examined by DPPH assay. RT-PCR was carried out to examine the effect of P. oleracea in the mRNA expression of different inflammatory mediators. MTT assay revealed that P. oleracea have almost no cytotoxity in AGS cells. DPPH radical scavenging activities were better than butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT). The mRNA expression of different endogenous anti-oxidative enzymes (SOD2, GPx3 and catalase) were preserved by P. oleracea in AGS cells. The nitric oxide production and expression of iNOS in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 were suppressed in P. oleracea treated groups. Based on these findings, P. oleracea has protective anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1 s.61
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• pp.26-36
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• 2005

Objective : Many traditional herbal remedies exhibit several beneficial effects including anti-inflammation. Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb (EA), known as Gui jun woo in Korea, has long been used in folk medicine to regulate Qi (bodily energy) and blood circulation, relieve pain, eliminate stagnant blood, and treat dysmenorrhea in oriental countries. The exact mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action of Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb (EA), however, has not been determined. Methods: Since there is increasing evidence that nitric oxide (NO) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, this study was undertaken to address whether the methanol (MeOH) extract and its fractions of the bark of EA could modulate the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in thioglycollate-elicited murine peritoneal macrophages and murine macrophage cell line, RA W264.7 cells. Results: Stimulation of the peritoneal macrophages and RAW264.7 cells with $interferon-\gamma\;(IFN-\gamma)$ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in increased production of NO in the medium. However, the butanol (BuOH) fraction of the MeOH extract of EA barks showed marked inhibition of NO synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of NO synthesis was reflected in the decreased amount of iNOS protein, as determined by Western blotting. The BuOH fraction did not affect the viability of RA W264.7 cells, as assessed by methylthiazol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; rather, it reduced endogenous NO-induced apoptotic cell death via inhibition of NO synthesis in RAW264.7 cells. On the other hand, the MeOH and BuOH fraction showed no inhibitory effect on the synthesis of NO by RAW264.7 cells, when iNOS was already expressed by the stimulation with $IFN-\gamma$ and LPS. Conclusion: Collectively, these results demonstrate that the MeOH and BuOH fraction inhibits NO synthesis by inhibition of the induction of iNOS in murine macrophages.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.159-159
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• 2022

Nitric oxide (NO) is a versatile signaling molecule, which is not only involved in plant growth and development but also regulates biological processes in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Exogenous application of NO regulates the endogenous level of nitric oxide in response to stress conditions and therefore, NO donors are frequently used for stress alleviation. However, NO has very short half-life along with high reactivity. Therefore, conventional NO donors are often disadvantageous due to the relative instability of NO. On the contrary, development of NO releasing nanoparticles is a potential technique for enhancing the availability of NO in plants. Therefore, our aim was to synthesize such potential NO releasing nanoparticles which may be useful for application in agriculture. We have prepared Chitosan encapsulated S-nitrosoglutathione nanoparticles (GSNONP) and tried it with different concentrations for basic research in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our results suggest that lower concentration of this nanoparticle is highly effective for better growth of plants whereas higher concentration produces toxicity that leads to plant death. We observed better growth of Arabidopsis thaliana at 1µM concentration of the GSNONP compared to free GSNO.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.83-99
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• 2004

Objectives : Daeganghwal-Tang(DGHT) is one of the prescriptions used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in oriental medicine. The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of DGHT on a rat model of CFA-induced arthritis, and the relations between DGHT-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase(iNOS)/neuronal NOS. Methods : CFA-induced arthritis model used to test the effect of DGHT was chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 18 days. the reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. DGHT dissolved in water was orally administrated. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 hours. Results : DGHT produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 2 hours. DGHT produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and nNOS/iNOS protein expression which is increased by arthritis were suppressed by DGHT administration. Conclusions : The data suggest 1) that DGHT produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and 2) that DGHT-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of nNOS/iNOS protein expression.