• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

Background: Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are a group of chemical substances used in building materials and plastic products to suppress or mitigate the combustion of materials. Although OPFRs are generally used in mixed form, information on their mixture toxicity is quite scarce. Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the toxicity and determine the types of interaction (e.g., synergistic, additive, and antagonistic effect) of OPFRs mixtures. Methods: Nine organophosphorus flame retardants, including TEHP (tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate) and TDCPP (tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate), were selected based on indoor dust measurement data in South Korea. Nine OPFRs were exposed to the luminescent bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri for 30 minutes and the human hepatocyte cell line HepG2 for 48 hours. Chemicals with significant toxicity were only used for mixture toxicity tests in HepG2. In addition, the observed EC_x values were compared with the predicted toxicity values in the CA (concentration addition) prediction model, and the MDR (model deviation ratio) was calculated to determine the type of interaction. Results: Only four chemicals showed significant toxicity in the luminescent bacteria assays. However, EC₅₀ values were derived for seven out of nine OPFRs in the HepG2 assays. In the HepG2 assays, the highest to lowest EC₅₀ were in the order of the molecular weight of the target chemicals. In the further mixture tests, most binary mixtures show additive interactions except for the two combinations that have TPhP (triphenyl phosphate), i.e., TPhP and TDCPP, and TPhP and TBOEP (tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate). Conclusions: Our data shows OPFR mixtures usually have additivity; however, more research is needed to find out the reason for the synergistic effect of TPhP. Also, the mixture experimental dataset can be used as a training and validation set for developing the mixture toxicity prediction model as a further step.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.213-228
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this report was to investigate the chemotherapeutic effect of Bujeonghangamtang against cancer cells. Materials and Methods : Various cancer cell lines including PANC-1, C6 glioma, SH-SY5Y, HepG2, and MCF-7 cells, were used. Apoptosis was determined by DAPI nuclei staining and flow cytometry in PANC-1 cells treated with 1 mg/ml Bujeonghangamtang for 48 hr. Expression of cell cycle arrest mediators including, cdc2p34 and cyclin B1 proteins were measured by Western blot analysis. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by fluorescence staining with JC-1, rhodamine 123. Result : Bujeonghangamtang induced the apoptosis of PANC-1, which was characterized as nucleic acid and genomic DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and sub-G0/G1 fraction of cell cycle increase. but not C6 glioma, SH-SY5Y, HepG2, and MCF-7 cells. PANC-1 cells were markedly sensitive to Bujeonghangamtang. Treatment with Bujeonghangamtang resulted in the decreased expression of cdc2p34 and cyclin B1. Treatment with Bujeonghangamtang also increased the ROS production and induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusion : Bujeonghangamtang exerted cytotoxicity against human Pancreatic cancer cells via cell cycle arrest-mediated apoptotic signaling including ROS production and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our data suggest that Bujeonghangamtang may be an important modulator of chemosensitivity of cancer cells against anticancer chemotherapeutic agents.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.255.1-255.1
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• 2002

We investigated the anti-proliferative effects of lxeris sonchifolia H. (godulbaegi) root extracts. luteolin(3'. 4', 5. 7-Q-glucoside and 3'. 4', 5, 7-tetrahydoxyflavone) and apigenin (3', 4'. 5. 7-O-gluconic acid) on HepG2 (p53 wild type) cells. Hep3B (p53 null) cells, and Chang liver cells. In MTT assay 3', 4'.5. 7-tetrahydoxyflavone showed the most efficient anti-proliferative effects on these three cell lines. However, there was no significant anti-proliferative effect on Chang liver cell line in MTT results. (omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2003

Neutral salt soluble [0.9% NaCl (Fr. NaCl)], hot water soluble (Fr. HW) and methanol soluble (Fr. MeOH) materials were extracted from Paecilomyces sinclairii. In vitro cytotoxicity tests. Fr. HW was not cytotoxic against MH3T3, Sarcoma 180 and HepG2 cancer cell lines at the concentration of $0{\sim}2,000\;{\mu}g/ml$, while HT-29 cell line was cytotoxic at the concentration of $100\;{\mu}g/ml$. Fr. NaCl and Fr. MeOH were slightly cytotoxic to the cell lines. Intraperitoneal injection with Fr. NaCl and Fr. MeOH exhibited antitumor activity with life prolongation effect of 32.3% in mice inoculated with Sarcoma 180. Fr. NaCl improved proliferation of spleen cells and the immunopotentiation activity of B lymphocyte by increasing spleen cell numbers and the alkaline phosphatase activity by $2.4{\sim}2.6\;and\;2.7{\sim}3.9$ folds, respectively. Fr. NaCl generated $89\;{\mu}M$ of nitric oxide (NO) when cultured with RAW 264.7, a mouse macrophage cell line, at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/ml$, while iipopolysaccharide, a positive control, produced $79\;{\mu}M$. The Fr. NaCl showed the hightest antitumor effect and activation of B lymphocytes and macrophage. From these results, antitumor effect of P. sinclaitii was likely due to immunopotentiation activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1994

Cytotoxic test was performed by SRB assay on human epidermoid carcinoma HEp-2 cell line for screening the soil microorganism, secreting anticancer agent. One microorganism was selected among two thousand microorganisms for its highest cytotoxicity. And this microorganism was identified with Streptomyces species after performing of diaminopimeric acid and reducing sugar analysis of cell wall and analysing the cultural characteristics and named Streptomyces sp. SM 1119. The effect of anticancer agent in SM 1119 culture extract on the cell cycle was studied by using GG$_{o}$ synchronized NIH 3T3 cells. The extract inhibited the serum stimulation of GG$_{o}$ NIH 3T3 cell only within 1 hour after serum stimulation but not after 6 hours. The extract also reduced the amount of c-myc mRNA in Colo 320 cell. These results suggest that the anticancer agent in the extract inhibits the progression of cell cycle very early stages, probably from G$_{0}$ to G$_{1}$.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.109-120
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• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract on the experimental nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) induced by palmitate. Materials and Methods: To generate a cellular model of NAFLD, we used HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line, treated with 0.5 mM palmitate. By this cellular model, effects of KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract were evaluated. Intracellular lipid accumulation, free radical formation, and apoptosis were detected by Nile red staining, 2',7'-dichloroflourescin diacetate(H2DCF-DA), and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI)/propidium iodide(PI) staining, respectively. Some proteins related with NAFLD were determined by western blot. Results: Typical pathological features of NAFLD occurred in the cellular model. Palmitate increased the levels of intracellular lipid vacuoles, decreased cell viability, and increased apoptosis. Palmitate increased free radical formation and lipid peroxidation, too. However, KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract reduced palmitate-induced pathologic features, i.e. steatosis, free radical formation, and apoptosis. In addition, KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract suppressed palmitate-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) signaling, and SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, significantly reversed the palmitate-induced pathologic changes as KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract. It means that the signaling pathway other than JNK can be involved in the KHchunggan-tang mediated cellular protection of palmitate-treated Hep G2 cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that KHchunggan-tang aqueous extract has hepatoprotective effects on NAFLD with combined properties in cellular steatosis, ROS production, and cytoprotection, and thus may have valuable clinical applications for treatment of this chronic liver disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.123-133
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• 2003

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the effects of Chungganhaeju-tang on expression of alcohol metabolizing enzymes, cell viability and alcohol-induced apoptosis. Materials and Methods : For this study, the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 was used. HepG2 cells were treated with ethanol-or acetaldehyde, chungganhaeju-tang, anti-Fas neutralizing antibody and were investigated by using quantitative RT-PCR, MTT and Trypan blue exclusion assays. Results : The results are summarized as follows: 1. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that ethanol-or acetaldehyde-mediated increase of ALDH gene expression was not affected by Chungganhaeju-tang treatment. 2, Ethanol-or acetaldehyde-induced apoptosis was remarkably inhibited by Chungganhaeju-tang in a dose-dependent manner. 3, Ethanol-or acetaldehyde-induced apoptosis was significantly blocked by anti-FasL neutralizing antibody, suggesting apoptosis induced by alcohol might be mediated by FasL/Fas signaling pathway. Conclusions : Taken all together, these results indicate that the FasL/Fas signaling plays a critical role in alcohol-induced apoptosis and Chungganhaeju-tang increases viability of liver cells by suppression of the FasL/Fas-mediated apoptosis-signaling pathway.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.224-229
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• 2005

Cirsii Japonici Herba (CJH) extract has been used for hundreds of years in Asian countries as a treatment for pollutant, radiation, and alcohol-induced liver damage. The reducing effect of CJH on hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the main cause of cell damage or death, was evaluated using the HepG2 cell line. Cell survival was determined using MTS assay. The viability of cells treated with CJH was not significantly different from oxidative-stressed HepG2 cells. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect by CJH on ROS production was shown in oxidative-stressed cells using the $H_{2}DCFDA$ assay. To identify candidate genes responsible for the anti-oxidative effects of CJH on HepG2 cells, an oligonucleotide microarray analysis was performed. The expressions of five genes were decreased, whereas nineteen genes were up-regulated in CJH plus hydrogen peroxide treated cells, compared to only hydrogen peroxide treated cells. Among them, the expression of 5 genes was decreased in hydrogen peroxide treatment when compared to control. These genes are known to regulate cell survival and progression. On the other hand, it was shown that its main compounds were not a sylimarin or its analogs. The list of differentially expressed genes may provide further insight on the action and mechanism behind the anti-oxidative effects of Cirsii Japonici Herba.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.821-827
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• 2010

Gene delivery that provides targeted delivery of therapeutic genes to the cells of a lesion enhances therapeutic efficacy and reduces toxic side effects. This process is especially important in cancer therapy when it is advantageous to avoid unwanted damage to healthy normal cells. Incorporating cancer-specific ligands that recognize receptors overexpressed on cancer cells can increase selective binding and uptake and, as a result, increase targeted transgene expression. In this study, we investigated whether a peptide capable of homing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could facilitate targeted gene delivery by cationic liposomes. This homing peptide (HBP) exhibited selective binding to a human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, at a concentration ranging from 5 to 5,000 nM. When conjugated to a cationic liposome, HBP substantially increased cellular internalization of plasmid DNA to increase the transgene expression in HepG2 cells. In addition, there was no significant enhancement in gene transfer detected for other human cell lines tested, including THLE-3, AD293, and MCF-7 cells. Therefore, we demonstrate that HBP provides targeted gene delivery to HCC by cationic liposomes.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.588-591
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• 2000

Serine palmitoyl transferase(SPT) and ceramidase are the key enzymes in sphingolipid biosynthesis. To study sphingolipid metabolism, we have got the 5'-upstream regions of human serine palmitoyl transferase subunit II and acid ceramidase gene by using GenomeWalker kits(Clontech Co.). Human genomic DNA was purified from HT29, human colon canser cell line by using DNAzol. We got several bands after secondary PCR and subcloned them to T7bule vector. Human SPTII promoter which we got was 2690bp but we cut it with Bgl II and vector with Bgl II and BamH I, and subcloned 1782bp to pGL2-enhancer vector and pGL2-basic vector with luciferase reporter gene. Human acid ceramidase promoter which we got were 2028bp and 1034bp and subcloned to pGL2-enhancer vector and pGL2-basic vector. We transfected these promoters to HT29 cell and assayed luciferase activity. For measuring transfection efficiency, pRL-TK vector with seapancy luciferase reproter gene was cotransfected with these promoters.