• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.1 s.136
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• pp.6-15
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• 2004

This study was performed to evaluate the hemopoietic effects of 6 species of deer antlers from origins and parts in vitro. CD34 positive cells were isolated and confirmed the its population by FACS analysis. In a week liquid culture, there was any statistical significance between extracts of three parts of six species of deer antlers in the experiments as colony forming assay, proliferation assay, differentiation assay and observation of morphology. However, after 2 weeks- culture with extracts of three parts of six species of deer antlers, colonies were counted. six species of deer antlers, such as middle part of Korean nippon deer, upper part of Chinese nippon deer, upper part of Newzealand horse deer, middle part of Korea horse deer and middle part of Newzealand red deer, significantly increased the CFU-GM (colony forming unit garnulocyte-macrophage) of CD34 positive cells re1atεd to production of leucocytes such as eosinophil, basophil and neutrophil, while only middle part of Korea horse deer significantly increased the BFU-E (burst forming unit-erythroid) at 1 mg/ml seggesting progenting red blood cells (RBC). In the molecular study with CD34+ cells pretreated with cyclophosphamide, antagonist of hemopoietic activity, upper Part of Korean nippon deer and upper part of Chinese nippon deer effectively increased TPO involved in a late pathway of hematopoiesis just like in ELISA assay of IL-3, TPO and GM-CSF. Taken together, these results indicate exσacts of deer antler had some hemopoietic activity still proposing more clinical study and more basic mechanism research.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.431-441
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• 2019

Background: The efficacy of ginseng, the representative product of Korea, and its chemical effects have been well investigated. The ginsenoside RG3 has been reported to exhibit apoptotic, anticancer, and antidepressant-like effects. Methods: In this report, the putative effect of RG3 on several cellular function including cell survival, differentiation, development and aging process were evaluated by monitoring each specific marker. Also, mitochondrial morphology and function were investigated in ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. Results: RG3 treatment increased the expression of extracellular matrix proteins, growth-associated immediate-early genes, and cell proliferation genes in UV-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. And, RG3 also resulted in enhanced expression of antioxidant proteins such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 and heme oxygenase-1. In addition, RG3 affects the morphology of UV-induced mitochondria and plays a role in protecting mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusioin: RG3 restores mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and membrane potential via its antioxidant effects in skin cells damaged by UV irradiation, leading to an increase in proteins linked with the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, and antioxidant activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 1997

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein that mediates the growth and differentiation of erythroid progenitors. In order to produce recombinant human erythropoietin in tobacco plant, the EPO genomic DNA (5.4 kb) was cloned into plant expression vectors, pBI$\Delta$GUS121, pBD$\Delta$GUS121 and pPEV-1, and introduced in Nicotiana tabacum (var. Xanthi) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. After selection on MS media containing kanamycin (Km), 10 Km-resistant plants were obtained per each construct. The correct integration of EPO genomic DNA in the genome of transgenic plant was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Northern blot showed that transcripts of 1.8 kb length were produced in leaves of the plants, but there was no difference of mRNA amount according to promoter number and 5'-untranslated sequence (UTS). The proteins obtained from leaves of transgenic plants were immunologically detected by Western blot using rabbit anti-human EPO polyclonal antibody. The expressed protein appeared as smaller band of apparent mass of 30 kDa as compared to the EPO protein from human urine (37 kDa), suggesting that the modification (glycosylation) system in tobacco plant might be different from that of mammalian cells.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.425-441
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• 1997

The neuropeptide substance P(SP) has been implicated in the mediation of inflammation and immune-mediated disease such as arthritis. Recently, it was reported that SP was markedly increased around the blood vessels in inflamed gingiva as well as in close association with the inflammatory cell infiltrate. These results support that SP may contribute to the pathophysiology of neuronal inflammation in human periodontal tissues. SP may regulate inflammatory/immune responses by stimulating the proliferation of human T cells, differentiation and antibody-secreting potential of B cells, macrophage respiratory burst, connective tissue proliferation, and the secretion of cytokines from monocytes and T cells. Here, I studied potential role of SP as a costimulatory chemical signal in inflammatory/immune responses, by determining the released proinflammatory cytokines such as $MIP-1{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6 from culture supernatants of homogeneous immune cell lines. Serum free cell supernatants were concentrated with TCA precipitation, fractionated with SDS-PAGE, and subjected into western blot analysis. Among 15 cell lines tested, macrophage/monocyte cell line RAW264.7 and WRl9m.1 showed the highest level of induction of $MIP-1{\alpha}$ when stimulated with LPS. Discrete IL-6 bands with multiple forms of molecular mass were detected from supernatants of B cell lines A20(32kDa), Daudi(32, 35kDa), and SKW6.4(29kDa), which were expressed constitutively. $IL-1{\beta}$ could not be detected by the method of western blot analysis from supernatants of all cell lines tested except RAW264.7, WRl9m.1, and erythroid cell line K562 which showed the least amount of $IL-{\beta}$ secretion. SP $10^{-9}M$ with suboptimal dose of LPS treatment showed synergistic induction of $MIP-1{\alpha}$ release from RAW264.7 or WR19m.1, and also IL-6 release from A20, but this synergism is not the case in costimulation of RAW264.7 or WRl9m.1 with SP $10^{-9}M$ and TPA. Although treatment of T cell line CTLL-R8 with SP $10^{-7}M$ or PHA+TPA induced modest level of $MIP-1{\alpha}$ secretion, synergism was not observed when they are applied together. These findings all together suggest the possibility of a regulatory role of SP in inflammatory/immune reaction through differential modulation of bioactivities of other chemical cosignals.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.977-985
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• 2019

Aster yomena (Kitam.) Honda is an edible vegetable and perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, and has been used for a long time for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Although leaf extracts of A. yomena are known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, accurate efficacy assessments are still inadequate. In this study, we investigated whether the antioxidant efficacy of ethanol extract of A. yomena leaf (EEAY) is correlated with the anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results showed that EEAY significantly inhibited the hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced growth inhibition in RAW 264.7 cells, which was associated with increased expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). EEAY pretreatment also effectively prevented $H_2O_2$-induced reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis through inhibition of caspase-3 activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase degradation. Additionally, EEAY significantly increased the expression and production of interleukin-10, a representative anti-inflammatory cytokine, which was associated with increased expression of toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 at transcriptional and translational levels. Furthermore, the increased production of nitric oxide (NO) by lipopolysaccharide was markedly abolished under the condition of EEAY pretreatment, and the inhibitory effect of NO production by EEAY was further increased by hemin, an HO-1 inducer. Overall, our results suggest that EEAY is able to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway to protect RAW 264.7 macrophages from oxidative and inflammatory stress.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.546-557
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• 2021

Objective: If fertilization does not occur within a specific period, the quality of unfertilized oocytes in the oviduct (in vivo aging) or in culture (in vitro aging) will deteriorate over time. Icariin (ICA), found in all species of Epimedium herbs, has strong antioxidant activity, and is thought to exert anti-aging effects in vitro. We asked whether ICA protects oocytes against age-related changes in vitro. Methods: We analyzed the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and expression of antioxidant, maternal, and estrogen receptor genes, and along with spindle morphology, and the developmental competence and quality of embryos in the presence and absence of ICA. Results: Treatment with 5 μM ICA (ICA-5) led to a significant reduction in ROS activity, but increased mRNA expression of glutathione and antioxidant genes (superoxide dismutase 1 [SOD1], SOD2, peroxiredoxin 5, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2), during aging in vitro. In addition, ICA-5 prevented defects in spindle formation and chromosomal alignment, and increased mRNA expression of cytoplasmic maturation factor genes (bone morphogenetic protein 15, cyclin B1, MOS proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase, and growth differentiation factor-9). It also prevented apoptosis, increased mRNA expression of antiapoptotic genes (BCL2-like 1 and baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 5), and reduced mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes (BCL2 antagonist/killer 1 and activation of caspase-3). Although the maturation and cleavage rates were similar in all groups, the total cell number per blastocyst and the percentage of apoptotic cells at the blastocyst stage were higher and lower, respectively, in the control and ICA-5 groups than in the aging group. Conclusion: ICA protects oocytes against damage during aging in vitro; therefore, it can be used to improve assisted reproductive technologies.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.565-573
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• 2022

Gingival inflammation is one of the main causes that can be related to various periodontal diseases. Human gingival fibroblast (HGF) is the major constituent in periodontal connective tissue and secretes various inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation. This study is aimed at investigating the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities of Lotus Root extract (LRE) in Porphyromonas gingivalis derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS-PG)-stimulated HGF-1 cells. The concentration of NO and PGE₂, as well as their responsible enzymes, inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), was analyzed by Griess reaction, ELISA, and western blot analysis. LPS-PG sharply elevated the production and protein expression of inflammatory mediators, which were significantly attenuated by LRE treatment in a dose-dependent manner. LRE treatment also suppressed activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in LPS-PG-stimulated HGF-1 cells. In addition, one of phase II enzyme, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase (NQO)-1, and its transcription factor, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), were significantly induced by LRE treatment. Consequently, these results suggest that LRE ameliorates LPS-PG-induced inflammatory responses by attenuating TLR4/MyD88-mediated NF-κB, and activating NQO-1/Nrf2 antioxidant response element signaling pathways in HGF-1 cells.