• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.702-705
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• 2002

Apicularen A (Api A) was recently isolated from Chondromyces sp. as a potent antitumor agent. Because of its unique chemical structure, a macrolide with a highly unsaturated amide side chain, and potent growth inhibitory effect in various cancer cell lines, Api A is currently in clinical trial for cancer therapy. In the present study, the effect of Api A on in vitro angiogenesis of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECS) was investigated. Api A potently inhibited the proliferation of BAECS in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of the endothelial cells with up to 10 ng/ml of the compound did not show any cytotoxicity. In addition, it inhibited basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced invasion and capillary tube formation of BAECS at concentrations of 2-5 ng/ml. These results, therefore, demonstrate that Apl A is a novel antiangiogenic agent and may suppress the growth of tumors, at least in part, by the inhibition of neovascularization.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2018

The warming of water as a result of climate change affects fish habitat. Variations in water temperature affect fish physiology almost totally. The rise in water temperature due to climate change leads to hypoxia following decreased oxygen solubility and decreased binding capacity of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. This study was conducted to evaluate the health status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry at elevated water temperatures($20^{\circ}C$) compared with optimum water temperature ($15^{\circ}C$). The method facilitated the detection of biomarker genes using NGS RNAseq analysis and evaluation of their expression pattern using RT-qPCR analysis. The biomarker genes included interferon alpha-inducible protein 27-like protein 2A transcript variant X3, protein L-Myc-1b-like, placenta growth factor-like transcript variant X1, fibroblast growth factor receptor-like 1 transcript variant X1, transferrin, intelectin, thioredoxin-like, c-type lectin lectoxin-Thr1-like, ladderlectin-like and calponin-1. The selected biomarker genes were sensitive to changes in water temperature based on NGS RNAseq analysis. The expression patterns of these genes based on RT-qPCR were similar to those of NGS RNAseq analysis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2007

Background: This study was designed to investigate the role of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) with regards to differentiation of somatic stem cells originating from the human umbilical cord blood (UCB) into hepatic lineage cells in vitro culture system. Methods: Mononuclear cells from UCB were cultured with and without HGF based on the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1, FGF-2, and stem cell factor. The cultured cells were confirmed by immunofluorescent staining analysis with albumin (ALB), cytokeratin-19 (CK-19), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) MoAb. ALB and CK-18 mRNA were also evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In order to observe changes in proliferating capacity with respect to the cultured period, CFSE with affinity to proliferating cells were tagged and later underwent flow cytometry. Results: In the HGF-treated group, cultured cells had a large oval shaped appearance with adherent, but easily detachable characteristics. In the HGF-non treated group, these cells were spindle-shaped with strong adherent characteristics. Expressions of ALB and CK-19 were evident in HGF-treated group compared to non-expression of those in to HGF-non treated group. Dual immunostaining analysis of the ALB producing cells showed presence of PCNA in their nuclei, and ALB and CK-18 mRNA were detected on the 21st day of cultured cells in the HGF-treated group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HGF has a pivotal role in differentiating somatic stem cells of human UCB into hepatic lineage cells in vitro.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.175-180
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• 2022

The seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii (STK) used in traditional Oriental medicine for the treatment of dry cough and constipation have diverse pharmacological activities, including hypolipidemic, antioxidant, immunosuppressive, and anticancer effects. However, the effect of STK on angiogenesis has not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated whether the ethanolic extract of STK (ESTK) can regulate the migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and explored the underlying mechanism. Results of transwell assay showed that ESTK treatment dose-dependently suppressed the migration of HUVECs. The conditioned medium collected from H1299 human lung cancer cells was used as a chemoattractant. Our observation suggests that ESTK would inhibit the recruitment of endothelial cells into tumors. In addition, ESTK treatment significantly reduced the tube formation of HUVECs. As a molecular mechanism, we found that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was completely blocked by ESTK treatment. The expression of angiogenic factors, including VEGFA, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), angiopoietin, placental growth factor (PGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), angiogenin, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, was commonly decreased by ESTK treatment in H1299 cells, indicating that ESTK would reduce the production of angiogenic factors from cancer cells. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrated that ESTK exhibited anti-angiogenic effects in HUVECs, which provides another possible mechanism underlying the anticancer activities of STK.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.572-580
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• 2016

3-Deoxysappanchalcone (3-DSC) has been reported to possess anti-allergic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of 3-DSC on the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) and mouse hair growth in vivo. A real-time cell analyzer system, luciferase assay, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were employed to measure the biochemical changes occurring in HDPCs in response to 3-DSC treatment. The effect of 3-DSC on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice was also examined. 3-DSC promoted the proliferation of HDPCs, similar to Tofacitinib, an inhibitor of janus-activated kinase (JAK). 3-DSC promoted phosphorylation of ${\beta}$-catenin and transcriptional activation of the T-cell factor. In addition, 3-DSC potentiated interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced phosphorylation and subsequent transactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), thereby increasing the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (Cdk4), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). On the contrary, 3-DSC attenuated STAT6 mRNA expression and IL4-induced STAT6 phosphorylation in HDPCs. Finally, we observed that topical application of 3-DSC promoted the anagen phase of hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. 3-DSC stimulates hair growth possibly by inducing proliferation of follicular dermal papilla cells via modulation of $WNT/{\beta}$-catenin and STAT signaling.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.324-328
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• 2001

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of $AS_2O_3$ upon antiangiogenesis in rat cornea, to examine it\`s possible application as an anticancer drug and to provide basic data for further studies of antiangiogenetic mechanism of $AS_2O_3$ . Angiogenesis was induced by cornea micropocket assay, as previously described. Sixteen of forty-eight eyes of Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups, namely, only a bFGF group(control group), and a group treated by $AS_2O_3$ ($AS_2O_3$ group). After pellet implantation, we measured the number of new vessels, vessel length and clock hour of neovascularization, and area of neovascularization was determined using a mathematical formula. New vessels growing began at day 3, number of vessels in $AS_2O_3$ group were significantly more less than those in control group (p<0.05). The length of vessels of $AS_2O_3$ group was significantly shorter than that of control group after day 3(p<0.05). The clock hours of all group were slowly increased at all days but $AS_2O_3$ group was inhibited more than control group. Neovascularization areas of $AS_2O_3$ group were more significantly inhibited than those of control group (p<0.05). This study showed that $AS_2O_3$ had powerful antiangiogenetic effects and it would be useful in the choice of anticancer drug.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.550-557
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• 2017

The periodontal ligament (PDL) is the connective tissue between tooth root and alveolar bone containing mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). It has been suggested that human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) differentiate into osteo/cementoblast and ligament progenitor cells. The periodontitis is a representative oral disease where the PDL tissue is collapsed, and regeneration of this tissue is important in periodontitis therapy. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) stimulates proliferation and differentiation of fibroblastic MSCs into various cell lineages. We evaluated the dose efficacy of FGF-2 for cytodifferentiation of hPDLSCs into ligament progenitor. The fibrous morphology was highly stimulated even at low FGF-2 concentrations, and the expression of teno/ligamentogenic markers, scleraxis and tenomodulin in hPDLSCs increased in a dose dependent manner of FGF-2. In contrast, expression of the osteo/cementogenic markers decreased, suggesting that FGF-2 might induce and maintain the ligamentogenic potential of hPDLSCs. Although the stimulation of tenocytic maturation by $TGF-{\beta}1$ was diminished by FGF-2, the inhibition of the expression of early ligamentogenic marker by $TGF-{\beta}1$ was redeemed by FGF-2 treatment. The stimulating effect of BMPs on osteo/cementogenesis was apparently suppressed by FGF-2. These results indicate that FGF-2 predominantly differentiates the hPDLSCs into teno/ligamentogenesis, and has an antagonistic effect on the hard tissue differentiation induced by BMP-2 and BMP-4.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.226-230
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• 2005

Chitosan derivatives, 6-amino-6-deoxychitosan (6A6DC) was successively prepared as a reactive carbohydrate for the stabilization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) by the reactions of chitosan with tosyl chloride, sodium azide, and lithium aluminum tetrahydride. The structure of 6A6DC was confirmed by EA, FT-IR, $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C\{^1H\}-NMR$. The degree of substitution (ds) of amino groups in 6A6DC was determined to be 0.7. 6A6DC did not show any cytotoxicity on the normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) proliferation at least in the range tested (0.3 g/mL 600 g/mL) and was considered as a suitable material for the stabilization of EGF against proteolytic degradation due to its non-cytotoxicity and high reactivity.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2016

Objectives: Cornu cervi pantotrichum (CCP) has been widely used in Korean and China, as an anti-fatigue, anti-aging, and tonic agent to enhance the functions of the reproductive and the immune systems. Because CCP has various growth factors that play important roles in the development of hair follicles, we examined whether CCP pharmacopuncture solution (CCPPS) was capable of promoting hair growth in an animal model. Methods: One day after hair depilation, CCPPS were topically applied to the dorsal skin of C57BL/6 mice once a day for 15 days. Hair growth activity was evaluated by using macro- and microscopic observations. Dorsal skin tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Expressions of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-7 were examined by using immunohistochemical staining. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also conducted to measure the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of FGF-7. Results: CCPPS induced more active hair growth than normal saline. Histologic analysis showed enlargement of the dermal papilla, elongation of the hair shaft, and expansion of hair thickness in CCPPS treated mice, indicating that CCPPS effectively induced the development of anagen. CCPPS treatment markedly increased the expressions of BrdU and PCNA in the hair follicles of C57BL/6 mice. In addition, CCPPS up regulated the expression of FGF-7, which plays an important role in the development of hair follicles. Conclusion: These results reveal that CCPPS facilitates hair re-growth by proliferation of hair follicular cells and up-regulation of FGF-7 and suggest that CCPPS can potentially be applied as an alternative treatment for patients with alopecia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.402-407
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• 2005

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potential for cardiac repair following myocardial injury, but this approach is limited by their poor viability after transplantation. To reduce cell loss after transplantation, we introduced the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) gene ex vivo before transplantation. The isolated MSCs produced colonies with a fibroblast-like morphology in 2 weeks; over 95% expressed CD71, and 28% expressed the cardiomyocyte-specific transcription factor, Nkx2.5, as well as ${\alpha}$-skeletal actin, Nkx2.5, and GATA4. In hypoxic culture, the FGF-2-transfected MSCs (FGF-2-MSCs) secreted increased levels of FGF-2 and displayed a threefold increase in viability, as well as increased expression of the anti-apoptotic gene, Bcl2, and reduced DNA laddering. They had functional adrenergic receptors, like cardiomyocytes, and exposure to norepinephrine led to phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Viable cells persisted 4 weeks after implantation of $5.0{\times}10^5$ FGF-2-MSCs into infarcted myocardia. Expression of cardiac troponin T (CTn T) and a voltage-gated $Ca^{2+}$ channel (CaV2.1) increased, and new blood vessels formed. These data suggest that genetic modification of MSCs before transplantation could be useful for treating myocardial infarction and end-stage cardiac failure.