• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.376-382
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• 2011

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a cytoprotective and homeostatic molecule with important signaling capabilities in physiological and pathophysiological situations. CO protects cells/tissues from damage by free radicals or oxidative stress. NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) is a highly inducible enzyme that is regulated by the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway, which is central to efficient detoxification of reactive metabolites and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Methods: We generated NQO1 promoter construct. HepG2 cells were treated with CO Releasing Molecules-2 (CORM-2) or CO gas and the gene expressions were measured by RT-PCR, immunoblot, and luciferase assays. Results: CO induced expression of NQO1 in human hepatocarcinoma cell lines by activation of Nrf2. Exposure of HepG2 cells to CO resulted in significant induction of NQO1 in dose- and time-dependent manners. Analysis of the NQO1 promoter indicated that an antioxidant responsible element (ARE)-containing region was critical for the CO-induced Nrf2-dependent increase of NQO1 gene expression in HepG2 cells. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CO-induced Nrf2 increases the expression of NQO1 which is well known to detoxify reactive metabolites and ROS.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.86-87
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• 2015

Objectives: Condurango is widely used in various systems of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) against oesophageal and stomach ailments including certain types of cancer. However, until now no systematic study has been conducted to verify its efficacy and dose with proper experimental support. Therefore, we examined if ethanolic extract of Condurango could ameliorate benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rats in vivo to validate its use as a traditional medicine. Methods: After one month of scheduled BaP feeding (50 mg/kg body-weight), lung cancer developed after four months. BaP-intoxicated rats were then treated with Condurango (0.06 mL) twice daily starting at the end of the four months for an additional one, two and three months, respectively. Effects of Condurango were evaluated by analyzing lung histology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant biomarkers, DNA-fragmentation, RT-PCR (Reverese Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction), ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) and western blot of several apoptotic signalling markers and comparing the results against those obtained for controls. Results: A histological study revealed gradual progress in lung tissue-repair activity in Condurango-fed cancer-bearing rats, showing gradual tissue recovery after three months of drug administration. Condurango has the capacity to generate ROS, which may contribute to a reduction in anti-oxidative activity and to an induction of oxidative stress-mediated cancer-cell death. Condurango-activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, p53, cytochrome-c, apaf-1, ICAD and PARP) and down-regulated antiapoptotic-Bcl-2 expression were noted both at mRNA and protein levels. Studies on caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage by western blot analysis revealed that Condurango induced apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway. Conclusions: The anticancer efficacy of an ethanolic extract of Condurango for treating BaP-induced lung cancer in rats lends support for its use in various traditional systems of medicine.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.109-117
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• 1997

In order to elucidate the effect of phenobarbital (PB) on the nonlinear pharmacokinetic behavior of naproxen (NAP), we compared the dose dependent hepatic intrinsic clearance, biliary excretion and protein binding of NAP in control rats to those in the PB-pretreated rats which were intraperitoneally pretreated with PB sodium (75 mg/kg) once a day for four days. NAP was injected via femoral (1.5 mg/kg) and portal(0.25, 0.5, 1.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg) vein to the control and PB-pretreated rats, respectively. And also, we measured the plasma free fraction of NAP with the equilibrium dialysis method and the biliary excreted total amounts of NAP in both rats. Plasma free fraction of NAP was decreased in lower concentration than $150\;{\mu}g/ml$ of NAP due to PB pretreatment. In higher concentration, however, plasma free fraction was increased. These in vitro results suggest that the total protein concentration was increased but the total binding capacity of NAP to protein was decreased by PB-pretreatment. The total plasma clearance and the hepatic intrinsic clearance of NAP had similar values in both groups, respectively. And, both clearances of NAP were significantly increased by PB-pretreatment. Even though the plasma free fractions of NAP in both groups were constantly remained within the concentration range according to the increase of administration dose, the hepatic intrinsic clearances of NAP were significantly increased in both groups with the increased dose. And, the biliary excreted total amounts of NAP were significantly increased by PB-pretreatment at the lower dose, but decreased at the higher dose. These in vivo results suggest that NAP represents the uncommon nonlinear pharmacokinetic behavior that the hepatic intrinsic clearance was enhanced with the increased dose, and that PB enhances further the hepatic intrinsic clearance of NAP with the increased dose due to its enzyme induction effect.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.23-28
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• 2009

Some of the edible plants like apricot kernel, flaxseed, and cassava generate hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when cyanogenic glycosides are hydrolyzed. Rhodanese (thiosulfate: cyanide sulfurtransferases of TSTs; EC: 2.8.1.1) is a sulfide-detoxifying enzymes that converts cyanides into thiocyanate and sulfite. This enzyme exists in a liver and kidneys in abundance. The present study is to evaluate the conversion of apricot cyanogenic glycosides into thiocyanate by human hepatic (HepG2) and colonal (HT-29) cells, and the induction of the enzymes in the rat. The effects of short term exposure of amygdalin to rats have also been investigated. Cytosolic, mitochondrial, and microsomal fractions from HepG2 and HT-29 cells and normal male Spraque-Dawley rats were used. When apricot kernel extract was used as substrate, the rhodanese activity in liver cells was higher than the activity in colon cells, both from established human cell line or animal tissue. The cytosolic fractions showed the highest rhodanese activity in all of the cells, exhibiting two to three times that of microsomal fractions. Moreover, the cell homogenates could metabolize apricot extract to thiocyanate suggesting cellular hydrolysis of cyanogenic glycoside to cyanide ion, followed by a sulfur transfer to thiocyanate. After the consumption of amygdalin for 14 days, growth of rats began to decrease relative to that of the control group though a significant change in thyroid has not been observed. The resulting data support the conversion to thiocyanate, which relate to the thyroid dysfunction caused by the chronic dietary intake of cyanide. Because Korean eats a lot of Brassicaceae vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and radish, the results of this study might indicate the involvement of rhodanese in prolonged exposure of cyanogenic glycosides.

• 한국해양바이오학회지
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.71-75
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• 2006

별불가사리 단백추출물을 조제하여 유방암 유발억제효과를 측정한 결과, 별불가사리 단백추출물은 estrogen-의존성의 유방암세포(MCF-7)와 estrogen-비의존성 유방암세포(MDA-MB-231)의 증식을 농도의존적으로 억제하는 효과가 있었으며, 유방암발생 발암물질 활성에 관여하는 cytochrome P450 1A1 활성도 저해하였다. 또한 유방암발생의 촉진단계에 주요한 기능을 가진 ODC 활성도 억제하였으므로 별불가사리 단백추출물은 유방암 발생을 저해할 것으로 기대된다.

• 한국초지조사료학회지
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.223-230
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• 2017

Arabidopsis nucleoside diphosphate kinase 2 (AtNDPK2) is an upstream signaling molecule that has been shown to induce stress tolerance in plants. In this study, the AtNDPK2 gene, under the control of a stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter, was introduced into the genome of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants. The induction of the transgene expression mediated by methyl viologen (MV) and NaCl treatments were confirmed by RT-PCR and northern blot analysis, respectively. Under salt stress treatment, the transgenic tall fescue plants (SN) exhibited lower level of $H_2O_2$ and lipid peroxidation accumulations than the non-transgenic (NT) plants. The transgenic tall fescue plants also showed higher level of NDPK enzyme activity compared to NT plants. The SN plants were survived at 300 mM NaCl treatment, whereas the NT plants were severely affected. These results indicate that stress-inducible overexpression of AtNDPK2 might efficiently confer the salt stress tolerance in tall fescue plants.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.100-108
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate whether dietary factors, normal fat and genistein leads to beneficial improvement of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in adult hyperlipidemic male rats. Seven wk-old male SD rats were fed high fat diet (15% fat, 1% cholesterol) for 4 wks for induction of hyperlipidemic model rat. Weight-matched rats were then assigned to four groups according to dietary fat level (7% or 15% fat) and genistein contents (0 or 320 mg/kg diet). Food intake was significantly decreased by both high fat intake and genistein supplementation compared with normal fat intake and genistein no supplementaion. But weight gain was significantly decreased by genistein supplementation in normal fat intake compared with the other groups. Total lipid, total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum and liver were significantly decreased by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. But total cholesterol in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation in both high fat and normal fat intake. TBARS in serum and liver was less produced by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake but TBARS in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation compared with genistein no supplementation in normal fat intake. Glutathione reductase activity in erythrocytes was significantly reduced by genistein supplementation in normal fat intake compared with the other groups. Glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities in liver were significantly inhibited by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. Catalase activity in liver was significantly increased by genistein supplementation compared with genistein no supplementation in high fat intake. Nitrite was significantly decreased by normal fat intake compared with high fat intake. These results suggest that normal fat intake has the treatment effect against risk factors related with cardiovascular disease by reducing lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation. And genistein shows action as a antioxidant replacing antioxidant enzymes but also may act as prooxidant causing the production of TBARS.

• BMB Reports
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• 제52권9호
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• pp.566-571
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• 2019

Lymphoma is one of the most curable types of cancer. However, drug resistance is the main challenge faced in lymphoma treatment. Peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation. Deregulation of ACOX1 has been linked to peroxisomal disorders and carcinogenesis in the liver. Currently, there is no information about the function of ACOX1 in lymphoma. In this study, we found that upregulation of ACOX1 promoted proliferation in lymphoma cells, while downregulation of ACOX1 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Additionally, overexpression of ACOX1 increased resistance to doxorubicin, while suppression of ACOX1 expression markedly potentiated doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, downregulation of ACOX1 promoted mitochondrial location of Bad, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and provoked apoptosis by activating caspase-9 and caspase-3 related apoptotic pathway. Overexpression of ACOX1 alleviated doxorubicin-induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. Importantly, downregulation of ACOX1 increased p73, but not p53, expression. p73 expression was critical for apoptosis induction induced by ACOX1 downregulation. Also, overexpression of ACOX1 significantly reduced stability of p73 protein thereby reducing p73 expression. Thus, our study indicated that suppression of ACOX1 could be a novel and effective approach for treatment of lymphoma.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2020

Molecular mimicry is the most common mechanism that breaches self-tolerance. We previously identified autoantibodies to aquaporin-5 (AQP5) in the sera of patients with Sjögren's syndrome and found that the aquaporin of Prevotella melaninogenica (PmAqp), an oral commensal, is highly homologous to human AQP5. This study aimed to test whether PmAqp can induce anti-AQP5 autoantibodies via molecular mimicry. From the amino acid sequence of PmAqp, an immunizing peptide; i.e., PmE-L, was designed, which contained both the B cell epitope "E" and T cell epitope. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were subcutaneously immunized with linear or cyclic forms of PmE-L emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. The concentrations of the antibodies in sera were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Both linear and cyclic PmE-L induced high levels of antibodies against not only the immunized peptides but also autoantibodies against AQP5E and antibodies against PmE, a Pm homolog of AQP5E. In C57BL/6 mice; however, the cyclic form of PmE-L was more efficient than the linear form in inducing autoantibodies against AQP5E that contained a cyclic epitope. The levels of anti-PmE antibodies and anti-AQP5E autoantibodies showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.95, p < 0.0005), suggesting molecular mimicry. Collectively, the mice produced anti-AQP5E autoantibodies in response to a PmAqp-derived peptide. This model proved to be useful for studying the mechanisms of autoantibody production by molecular mimicry.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.266-274
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• 2022

Colon cancer, the third most frequent occurred cancer, has high mortality and extremely poor prognosis. Ginsenoside, the active components of traditional Chinese herbal medicine Panax ginseng, exerts antitumor effect in various cancers, including colon cancer. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of Ginsenoside in the tumor suppression have not been fully elucidated. Here, we chose the representative ginsenoside Rg3 and reported for the first time that Rg3 induces mitophagy in human colon cancer cells, which is responsible for its anticancer effect. Rg3 treatment leads to mitochondria damage and the formation of mitophagosome; when autophagy is inhibited, the clearance of damaged mitochondria can be reversed. Next, our results showed that Rg3 treatment activates the PINK1-Parkin signaling pathway and recruits Parkin and ubiquitin proteins to mitochondria to induce mitophagy. GO analysis of Parkin targets showed that Parkin interacts with a large number of mitochondrial proteins and regulates the molecular function of mitochondria. The cellular energy metabolism enzyme GAPDH is validated as a novel substrate of Parkin, which is ubiquitinated by Parkin. Moreover, GAPDH participates in the Rg3-induced mitophagy and regulates the translocation of Parkin to mitochondria. Functionally, Rg3 exerts the inhibitory effect through regulating the nonglycolytic activity of GAPDH, which could be associated with the cellular oxidative stress. Thus, our results revealed GAPDH ubiquitination by Parkin as a crucial mechanism for mitophagy induction that contributes to the tumor-suppressive function of ginsenoside, which could be a novel treatment strategy for colon cancer.