• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.317-325
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• 1998

The primary culture of human nasal epithelial cells was performed using the inferior nasal turbinate tissues, and infected with Hantaan virus to examine the hypothesis of airborne transmission of Hantaan virus in humans. The primary culture cells were identified as epithelial cells by morphologic and immunologic analyses. The viral antigens were detected in the primary human nasal epithelial cells infected with Hantaan virus by immunofluorescence staining. The ICAM-1 induction by Hantaan virus or $IFN-{\gamma}$ was examined in the primary human nasal epithelial cells and human lung fibroblasts (WI-38). Hantaan virus induced the surface ICAM-1 in WI-38 cells in a time-dependent manner, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ induced the surface ICAM-1 in a dose-dependent manner in HNEC and WI-38 cells. These results revealed that the human nasal epithelial cells are susceptible to Hantaan viral infection supporting the hypothesis of airborne transmission of Hantaan virus in humans. The human lung fibroblasts also might have an important role in the pathogenesis of Hantaan virus through the induction of ICAM-1.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.305-311
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• 2015

This study investigated in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity on human lung epithelial A549 cells of different solvent extracts from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tuber. The EtOH extract contained amounts of phenolics (22.20 tannic acid equivalent ㎎/ɡ) and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity. Several methods were employed for measure the antioxidant activity: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 206.79 ㎍/㎖), reducing power activity (21.26 ascorbic acid equivalent ㎎/ɡ) and total antioxidant activity (19.05 ascorbic acid equivalent ㎎/ɡ). Meantime, the EtOH extract inhibited the NO production completely with a concentration of 800 ㎍/㎖. Besides, the H₂O extract exhibited more potent effect on human lung epithelial A549 cells. This study suggested that Jerusalem artichoke tuber had antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity on human lung epithelial A549 cells.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 1995

Cytokine release from alveolar macrophages and subsequent interaction of these cytokines with the bronchial epithelium can induce epithelial cells to release inflammatory mediators. Nitric oxide(NO), a highly reactive gas formed from arginine by nitric oxide synthase(NOS), is known to be involved in inflammation and edema formation, and the inducible form of NOS(iNOS) can be increased by cytokines. In this context, we hypothesized that lung epithelial cells could be stimulated by cytokines released by alveolar macrophages to express iNOS. To test this hypothesis, the murine lung epithelial cell line, LA-4, or the human lung epithelial cell line, A549, were stimulated with culture supernatant fluids from alveolar macrophages. NO production was assessed by evaluating the culture supernatant fluids for nitrite and nitrate, the stable end products of NO. Both murine and human cell culture supernatant fluids demonstrated an increase in nitrite and nitrate which were time- and dose-dependent and attenuated by $TNF{\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ antibodies(p<0.05, all comparisons). Consistent with these observations, cytomix a combination of $TNF{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and $\gamma$-interferon, stimulated the lung epithelial cell lines as well as primary cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells to increase their NO production as evidenced by an increase in nitrite and nitrate in their culture supernatant fluids, an increase in the iNOS staining by immunocytochemistry, and an increase in iNOS mRNA by Northern blottin(p<0.05, all comparisons). The cytokine effects on iNOS were all attenuated by dexamethasone. To determine if these in vitro observations are reflected in vivo, exhaled NO was measured and found to be increased in asthmatics not receiving corticosteroids. These data demonstrate that alveolar macrophage derived cytokines increase iNOS expression in lung epithelial cells and that these in vitro observations are mirrored by increased exhaled NO levels in asthmatics. Increased NO in the lung may contribute to edema formation and airway narrowing.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2003

Metallothionein gene expression activity of cadmium was investigated in a human lung epithelial cell line. Cells, grown to near confluence, were exposed to 0∼10 ${\mu}$M Cd metal for 6 hours. Cadmium did not cause morphological alteration in lung epithelial cells that are characteristic of cell damages such as cell shrinkage, detachment of the cell from its neighbors, cytoplasmic and chromatic condensation. However, metallothionein genes of MT-1 and MT-2 were rapidly induced in the treated cell measured by RT-PCR. Regarding the induction pattern of motallothionein mRNA, MT-1 mRNA was induced in a dependent manner. MT-2 mRNA induction, which was measured using oligo primers based on cDNA of human reticulocytes, seemed to be slightly increased in low doses but decreased at high concentration used in the experiment.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.198-206
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• 2009

Microarray and proteomic expression patterns in response to cadmium exposure were analyzed in human lung epithelial cells. Among 35,000 genes analyzed by cDNA microarray, 228 genes were up-regulated and 99 genes were down-regulated, based on a fold change cut-off value of ${\geq}2$. Combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF-MS), 25 of 629 protein spots showed fold changes in expression ${\geq}2$ (17 up-regulated, 8 down-regulated). After comparing the cDNA microarray and proteomic analyses, only transglutaminase 2, translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase showed overlapping signals in the cDNA microarray and proteomic analyses, whereas the remaining differentially expressed proteins showed large discrepancies with respect to mRNA expression.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2010

Benzene is one of volatile environmental pollutants to induce asthma and allergy in respiratory system. The airway epithelium is a physical barrier to inhaled toxicants and particulates. However, the effect of benzene in lung epithelial cell viability has not been elucidated. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of benzene on apoptosis in A549 cells, lung epithelial cell line. In this study, benzene decreased cell viability of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner (> $10{\mu}M$). Benzene-induced decrease of cell viability was blocked by the treatment of antioxidants (vitamin C and NAC). Indeed, benzene induced lipid peroxide formation in A549 cells. Benzene decreased Bcl-2 expression but increased Bax expression in A549 cells. In addition, benzene also increased the cleaved form of caspase-3. In conclusion, benzene induced apoptosis via oxidative stress in cultured epithelial cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2012

Asbestos exposure has been known to contribute to several lung diseases named asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, but the disease-related molecular and cellular mechanisms are still largely unknown. To examine the effects of asbestos exposure in human bronchial epithelial cells at gene level, the global gene expression profile was analyzed following chrysotile treatment. The microarray results revealed differential gene expression in response to chrysotile treatment. The genes up- and down-regulated by chrysotile were mainly involved in processes including metabolism, signal transduction, transport, development, transcription, immune response, and other functions. The differential gene expression profiles could provide clues that might be used to understand the pathological mechanisms and therapeutic targets involved in chrysotile-related diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2022

Although there have been advances in cancer therapy and surgical improvement, lung cancer has the lowest survival rate (19%) at all stages. This is because most patients are diagnosed with concurrent metastasis, which occurs due to numerous related reasons. Especially, lung cancer is one of the most common and malignant cancers in the world. Although there are advanced therapeutic strategies, lung cancer remains one of the main causes of cancer death. Recent work has proposed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the main cause of metastasis in most cases of human cancers including lung cancer. EMT involves the conversion of epithelial cells, wherein the cells lose their epithelial abilities and become mesenchymal cells involved in embryonic development, such as gastrulation and neural crest formation. In addition, recent research has indicated that EMT contributes to altering the cancer cells into cancer stem cells (CSCs). Although EMT is important in the developmental stages, this process also activates lung cancer progression, including complicated and diverse signaling pathways. Despite the numerous investigations on signaling pathways involved in the progression of lung cancer, this malignancy is considered critical for treatment. EMT in lung cancer involves many transcription factors and inducers, for example, Snail, TWIST, and ZEB are the master regulators of EMT. EMT-related factors and signaling pathways are involved in the progression of lung cancer, proposing new approaches to lung cancer therapy. In the current review, we highlight the signaling pathways implicated in lung cancer and elucidate the correlation of these pathways, indicating new insights to treat lung cancer and other malignancies.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.219-224
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• 2018

During the screening for cytotoxic compounds from plants grown in Korea, Betula platyphylla (BP) showed potent activity against the adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial A549 cell line. To identify the cytotoxic components from BP, the $CH_2Cl_2$ fraction with the most significant cytotoxic effect was applied to the column chromatographies. Seven compounds were isolated: lupeol (1), betulinic acid (2), (-)-rhododendrol (3), platyphyllenone (4), platyphyllone (5), (-)-centrolobol (6), and oleanolic acid (7). Among them, three diarylheptanoids (4 - 6) exhibited cytotoxicity toward A549 cells. Especially, $50{\mu}M$ of 4 reduced A549 cell viability to $18.93{\pm}0.82%$ compared to control ($100.00{\pm}21.48%$). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were also induced by $50{\mu}M$ 4. This is the first report on the cytotoxic effect of BP-derived diarylheptanoids 4-6 against A549 cells. The compound 4 may be useful for the development of early hit compounds for non-small cell lung carcinoma, but the consideration about selectivity of 4 is required since 4 also showed the cytotoxicity in the human normal lung epithelial BEAS-2B cell line.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2022

Peucedanum japonicum Thunberg (PJT) has been used in traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, fevers, and other inflammatory diseases. The goal of this study was to investigate whether 3'-isovaleryl-4'-senecioylkhellactone (IVSK) from PJT has anti-inflammatory effects on lung epithelial cells. The anti-inflammatory effects of IVSK were evaluated using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated A549 cells and regular human lung epithelial cells as a reference. IVSK reduced the secretion of the inflammatory mediators interleukin (IL)-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and IL-1β. Additionally, it inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK), p65, Iκ-Bα, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) p38, JNK, and ERK in A549 cells stimulated with PMA. Moreover, the binding affinity of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was significantly reduced in the luciferase assay, while nuclear translocation was markedly inhibited by IVSK in the immunocytochemistry. These findings indicate that IVSK can protect against inflammation through the AP-1 and NF-κB pathway and could possibly be used as a lead compound for the treatment of inflammatory lung diseases.