• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.238-245
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• 2007

This survey was performed to elucidate whether pesticide can cause the non-spinning syndrome of silkworm, Bombyx mori in Yecheon and Sangju 2002. We primarily focused to Insect Growth Regulator Pesticides(IGR) used in that areas. In the result of the survey to the retail pesticide store at Yecheon and Sangju, seven pesticides of the total 12 IGR pesticides sold were used during spring sericuitural season. 7 pesticides might effect on silkworm in consideration of possibility of exposure according to the characteristics of used amount, spray drift, volatility and treatment time. Five chitin synthesis inhibitor involving diflubenzuron of 7 IGR pesticides were known as very toxic to silkwork after exposure by skin and feeding but no non-spinning syndrome was observed from several papers. Methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide also has used at sericultural season, but are ecdysone agonist. One of the most feasible suspect of non IGR pesticide, was molinate in consideration of its volatility property and wide spread use in the sericultural area. But it's symptom after exposure of molinate was not the same as the non-spinning syndrome broke out at the sericultural farm in Yecheon and Sangju.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.779-788
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• 2005

Purpose : Echinacea, a traditional plant medicine has been used as immune-stimulant. Recent studies have revealed that extract of Echinacea has immunostimulatory effects on human blood mononuclear cells. This study was designed for the purpose of screening the genes associated with immunologic effects of Echinacea on monocytes and dendritic cells using a cDNA microarray chip. Methods : $CD14^+$ monocyte cells were cultured for one day with Echinacea extract(final concentration : $50{\mu}g/mL$) in experiment 1, but were cultured without Echinacea in experiment 2. The gene expression of these cultured monocytes was analyzed using the cDNA microarray chip. Dendritic cells produced from $CD14^+$ monocyte were cultured for five days with GM-CSF and IL-4, and then cultured for one day with Echinacea in experiment 3, but were done without Echinacea in experiment 4. Results : In experiments 1 and 2, there were 17 significantly expressed genes with average expression ratios above 2.5, including interferon gamma-inducible protein 30(IFI 30), CDC(cell-division-cylcle)-like kinase 2(CLK 2), syndecan binding protein(syntenin), superoxide dismutase 2, etc. In experiments 3 and 4, there were 24 gene, with significantly expressed genes were 24 genes, which were insulin-like growth factor 2(somatomedin A), methyl-CpG binding domain protein 3, IFI 30, small inducible cytokine subfamily A, member 22, etc. The genes encoding CD44, IFI 30, mannose receptor C type 1(MRC 1), chemokine receptor 7(CCR 7), CLK 2, syntenin and cytochrome C oxidase subunit VIII were significantly expressed in both monocytes and dendritic cells cultured with Echinacea. Conclusion : This study employed a cDNA microarray chip to elicit the immune-associated gene profile; the expression was enhanced by Echinacea in CD14+ monocytes and dendritic cells. Thus we laid the basis for the quantitative and functional analysis of genes induced by Echinacea in monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.473-479
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• 2005

Background : Gefitinib targets the epidermal growth factor receptor r(EGFR), and Gefitinib has antitumor activity in patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, only 10 to 20 percent of patients show a clinical response to this drug, and the molecular mechanisms underlying patient sensitivity to gefitinib are unknown. PTEN (Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome Ten) plays a role for the modulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway (PI3K), which is involved in cell proliferation and survival, so that it can inhibit cell cycle progression and induce G1 arrest. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between PTEN expression and gefitinib's responsiveness in patients having advanced non small cell lung cancer that had progressed after previous chemotherapy. Methods : The expression of PTEN was studied by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tumor blocks that were obtained from 22 patients who had been treated with gefitinib from JAN, 2001 to AUG. 2004. For the evaluation of the relationships between the PTEN expression, the clinical stage and the basal characteristics, those cases that showed the respective antigen expression in >50% of the tumor cells were considered positive. Results : The positive rate of PTEN staining was 55% of the total of 22 patients. There was a significant relationship between the increased expression of PTEN and the response group (p=0.039). However, there was no significant relationship between the expression of PTEN and other clinicopathologic characteristics. Conclusion: The expression of PTEN in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer that has progressed after previous chemotherapy may play a role in gefitinib's responsiveness.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.304-313
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• 2006

Background : Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative degradation of heme to form biliverdin, carbon monoxide (CO), and free iron. The current evidence has indicated a critical role of HO-1 in cytoprotection and also in other, more diverse biological functions. It is known that the high expression of HO-1 occurs in various tumors, and that HO-1 has an important role in rapid tumor growth because of its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. Therefore, the role of HO-1 was analyzed in human lung cancer cell lines, and especially in the A549 cell line. Material and Methods : Human lung cancer cell lines, i.e., A549, NCI-H23, NCI-H157 and NCI-H460, were used for this study. The expression of HO-1 in the untreated state was defined by Western blotting. ZnPP, which is the specific HO inhibitor we used, and the viability of cells were tested for by conducting MTT assaysy. The HO enzymatic activity, as determined via the bilirubin level, was also indirectly measured. Moreover, the generation of intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was monitored fluorimetrically with using a scopoletin-horse radish peroxidase (HRP) assay and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). We have also transfected small HO-1 interfering RNA (siRNA) into A549 cells, and the apoptotic effects were evaluated by flow cytometric analysis and Western blotting. Results : The A549 cells had a greater expression of HO-1 than the other cell lines, whereas ZnPP significantly decreased the viability of the A549 cells more than the viability of the other lung cancer cells in a dose-dependant fashion. Consistent with the viability, the HO enzymatic activity also was decreased. Moreover, intracellular H2O2 generation via ZnPP was induced in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptotic events were, then induced in the HO-1 siRNA transfected A549 cells. Conclusion : HO-1 provides new important insights into the possible molecular mechanism of the antitumor therapy in lung cancer.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.439-445
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• 2009

The process for ethanol production requires lignocellulosic biomass to be hydrolyzed to generate monomeric sugars for the fermentation. During hydrolysis step, a monomeric sugars and a broad range of inhibitory compounds (furan derivatives, weak acids, phenolics) are formed and released. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhibitory compounds on the fermentative performance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae K35 and Pichia stipitis KCCM 12009 in ethanol production, two yeast strains were fermented in the synthetic medium including six inhibitory compounds such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfura (5-HMF), furfural, acetic acid, syringaldehyde, vanillic acid and syringic acid. Ethanol of over 40 g/L was produced by two yeast strains in the absence of inhibitory compounds, respectively. Most inhibitory compounds except acetic acid had a little effect on the ethanol production, but acetic acid showed high inhibition effect on the cell growth and ethanol production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1581-1590
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• 2009

Hizikia fusiforme is a kind of brown edible seaweed that mainly grows in the temperate seaside areas of the northwest pacific, including Korea, Japan and China, and has been widely used as a health food for hundreds of years. Recently, H. fusiforme has been known to exert pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticoagulant activities. However, the molecular mechanisms of H. fusiforme in malignant cells have not been clearly elucidated yet. In this study, the effects of ethyl alcohol extract of H. fusiforme (EAHF) on the anti-proliferative effects of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells were investigated. EAHF treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent growth inhibition by including apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells and G1 phase arrest in MCF-7 cells, which could be proved by MTT assay, DAPI staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis. In MDA-MB-231 cells, the increase in apoptosis induced by EAHF treatment correlated with up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression. EAHF treatment induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and a concomitant inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, $\beta$-catenin, phospholipase-${\gamma}1$ protein and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase. Taken together, these findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of H. fusiforme.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.389-398
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• 2013

Platycodin D is a major constituent of triterpene saponins, which is found in the root of Platycodon grandiflorum, Platycodi Radix, which is widely used in traditional Oriental medicine for the treatment of many chronic inflammatory diseases. Several pharmacological effects of this compound have been reported recently, such as anti-inflammation, immunogenicity, anti-adipogenesis, lowered cholesterol, and anti-cancer activity. However, the mechanism by which this action occurs is poorly understood. In this study, we found that platycodin D greatly increased the potential of the anti-proliferative effect in various cancer cell lines. Our data revealed that platycodin D treatment resulted in a time- and concentration-response growth inhibition of U937 cells by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies, chromatin condensation, and the accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. Apoptosis induction of U937 cells by platycodin D correlated with an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caused the down-regulation of IAP family members. In addition, platycodin D treatment resulted in proteolytic activation of caspase-3, the concomitant degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases, and the collapse of the mitochondria membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}_m$). However, the cytotoxic effects induced by platycodin D treatment were significantly inhibited by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, which demonstrated the important role that caspase-3 played in the observed cytotoxic effect. These findings suggest that platycodin D may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for use in the control of human leukemia U937 cells. These findings also provided important new insights into possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of platycodin D.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2005

By extracting the sample of Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae), which was known to have the protection of damaged organ and the anti-inflammation action, it was experimented whether it is available for the application of treatment of osteoporosis. In the previous experiment, the extracts from Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) were confirmed to inhibit Cathepsin K through treating the cell of long bone, which contains osteoclast. Through this, it is suggested that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) can play a role of prodrug as an inhibitor of absorbing bone ash in the treatment of osteoporosis. In the present experiment, a research in vitro Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) on the growth and sensibilization of osteoblast in a state that induced osteosis by using the cell tissue of MC3T3-El pre-osteoblastic was conducted. As a result, it could be confirmed that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) has the strengthening function by enhancing the dosage and the activity of ALP depending on the time. The dosage was observed at the minimum of $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and the maximum of $150{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. The enhancement in bone morphogenetic protein-2 at $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ UD could be observed, and it also increased the concentration of ALP mRNA within the cell of MC3T3-El. At $60{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ UD which indicated a little increase in Type I collagen mRNA for a long time of culture. However, it was shown to sharply inhibit the expression of gene in the culture between 15-20 days. These results suggest that Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) has an influence upon bone metabolism through thje sensibilization of osteoblast. Therefore, it could be known that utilized Ulmus davidiana Planch(Ulmaceae) can be positively applied for the general disease of bone metabolism through future studies.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.238-246
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• 2001

Bone morphogenetic proteins(BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor $\beta$(TGF-$\beta$) superfamily were first identified as the factors that induce ectopic bone formation in vivo, when implanted into muscular tissue. Especially BMP-2 inhibits terminal differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts and converts them into osteoblast lineage cells. In the molecular mechanism of the signal transduction of TGF-$\beta$ and related factors, intracellular signaling proteins were identified as Smad. In previous study, it has been reported that Smad 1 and Smad 5, which belong to the R-Smad family mediate BMP signaling, were involved in the induction of osteoblast differentiation in C2C12 cells. To understnad the role of Smads involved in osteogenic transdifferentiation in C2C12 cell, in present study, after we stably transfected C2C12 cells with each. Smad(Smad 1,Smad 5) expression vector, cultured for 3 days and stained for alkaline phophatase activity. ALP activity positive cells appeared in the Smad 1, Smad 5 stably transfected cell even in the abscence of BMP. After transiently co-transfected C2C12 cells with each Smad expression vector and ALP promoter, it was examined that Smad 1 and Smad 5 expression vector had increased about 2 fold ALP promoter activity in the abscence of BMP. These result suggested that both Smad 1 and Smad 5 were involved in the intracellular BMP signals which induce osteoblast differentiation in C2C12 cells. The effect of BMP on C2C12 cells with Smad 1, Smad 5 transfected were studied by using northern blot analysis. the treatment of BMP upregulated ALP mRNA level in three groups, especially upregulation of ALP was larger in Smad 1, Smad 5 transfected cell than control group. Pretreatment with cycloheximide($10{\mu}g/ml$), a protein synthesis inhibitor resulted in blocking the ALP gene expression even in BMP(100ng/ml) treated cell. These results suggested that Smad increased the level of ALP mRNA via the synthesis of a certain transcriptional regulatory protein.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1026-1038
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• 1995

Although aloe lost a lot of its previous popularity in modern clinical uses as medicine numerous scientific researches still have claimed the beneficial properties(curing and general tonic effect) of aloe gel. Whereas considerable contradictory reports have helped to confuse the aloe gel issue and continually aroused controversy about aloe gel efficacy. However health food, cosmetic and medicinal products made from aloe gel are widely available in the world market especially in U.S.A. so the growing of Aloe plant and the processing of A. vera gel have become big industries in some countries. In some previous papers the salicylic acid, one of the common trace gel components, was thought to have an analgetic and antinflammatory effect. Large amount of Mg ion in the gel was suggested to act as anesthetic, Mg-lactate as antihistamic, and Aloctin A(a glycoprotein) as wound healer by promoting the cell growth. The carboxypeptidase and bradykinase activity in the gel were proposed to have the pain relieving and antiinflammatory effect. But any of thes etheories concerining the physiological action of the trace gel components has not been demonstrated by modern pharmacology, and failed to be supported by clinical research. It was suggested by some research workers that trace amount of anthraquinone compounds in the gel play an important role to act as false substrate inhibitors for PG and TX production(antiprostanoid effect), by which, they believed, inflammation, burn and frostbite, and infected wound could be healed. This hypothesis has not been substantiated. Butthe suggested antimicrobial action, antidiabetic, and antidotic effect of aloe gel are likely to be attributed to the trace anthraquinone compounds. In a lot of recent experimental reports it has been claimed that aloe gel polysaccharides(acetylglucomannan, acetylmannan, and glycoprotein) have the antimicrobial, antinflammatory, antitumour, and infected wound healing effect by immunoenhancement. It is hoped that these effects will be soon documented in clinical studies, then the controversy on aloe gel beneficial effect will cease. In the 30 days subchronic toxicity test the lowest observed adverse effect level of acemannan(acetylmannan) on dog was 5.0 mg/kg, IP. But the aloe gel is generally agreed to be harmless and non toxic even for the internal use such as health food. In the case of idiosynrasy one must keep the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction of aloe gel in mind. In conclusion it seem to be impossible to simply refuse a lot of evidences made by research workers who have claimed aloe gel's beneficial effects and to deny the fact that there had been long therapeutic histories of Aloe plants.