• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.15-34
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• 1995

1970년말부터 뇌하수체 성선자극호르몬(gonadotropic hormone ; GTH)의 유전자 구조(FSH$\beta$, LH$\beta$ 및 공동의 $\alpha$쇄)가 다양한 종에서 밝혀지기 시작하였으나 이러한 유전자의 조직/세포 특이적 분비양식과 세포외 신호에 의한 조절양식은 정확히 밝혀져 있지 않다. 그러나 최근 들어 형질전환 맞추스 제작기법에 의해 $\alpha$쇄 유전자 상류에 세포특이적 발현을 조절하는 특이부위가 존재함이 보고됨을 시작, FSH$\beta$ 및 LH$\beta$쇄 유전자발현을 조절하는 특이부위 또한 가까운 시기내 발견되리라 기대된다. 한편, 성선자극 호르몬 방출호르몬(GnRH), 스테로이드 호르몬 및 여러 결합단백질과 같은 세포의 신호는 각기 다른 신호전달체계를 통하여 GTH유전자 발현을 일으킨다. 또한 뇌하수체에서도 그 존재가 확인된 전사인자들 (cFos, cJun)과 미지의 인자들은 상호간에 다양한 이량체를 형성하여 유전자 발현을 조절하는 각 특이부위에 결합함으로써 전사단계에서의 다양한 제어가 존재함이 밝혀지고 있으며 이러한 유전자상의 특이발현영역과 세포의 신호별 전사인자에 관한 연구는 번식에 있어 중요한 성선자극호르몬에 관한 분자수준의 조절기전을 밝혀내리라 기대되어진다.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.83-88
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• 2001

Most reactive oxygen species (ROS) are free radicals and implicated in the development of a number of disease processes including artherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, aging and cancer. ROS are byproducts of a number of in vivo metabolic processes and are formed deliberately as part of nor-mal inflammatory response. On the other hand, ROS are generated either as by products of oxygen reduction during xenobiotic metabolism or are liberated as the result of the futile redox cycling of the chemical agents including several chemical carcinogens. A better understanding of the mechanisms of free radical toxicity may yield valuable clue to risks associated with chemical exposures that leading to the development of chronic diseases including cancer. The molecular biology of ROS-mediated alterations in gene expression, signal transduction and carcinognesis is one of the important subjects in free radical toxicology. Epidemiological studies suggest that high intake of vegetables and fruits are associated with the low incidence of human cancer. Many phytopolyphenols such as tea polyphenols, curcumin, resveratrol, apigenin, genistein and other flavonoids have been shown to be cancer chemopreventive agents. Most of these compounds are strong antioxidant and ROS scavengers in vitro and effective inducers of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutatse, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in vivo. Several cellular transducers namely receptor tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C, MAPK, PI3K, c-jun, c-fos, c-myc, NFkB, IkB kinase, iNOS, COX-2, Bcl-2, Bax, etc have been shown to be actively modulated by phyto-polyphenols. Recent development in free radical toxicology have provided strong basis for understanding the action mechanisms of cancer chemoprevention.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.581-586
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• 2014

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is known to play key roles in skin regeneration and wound-healing. Here, we demonstrate that Pep2-YAC, a tripeptide covering residues 29-31 in the B loop of EGF, promotes the proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes with activity comparable to EGF. The treatment of HaCaT cells with Pep2-YAC induced phosphorylation, internalization, and degradation of EGFR and organization of signaling complexes, which consist of Grb2, Gab1, SHP2, and PI3K. In addition, it stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 at Thr 202/Tyr 204 and of Akt1 at Ser 473 and the nuclear translocation of EGFR, STAT3, c-Jun, and c-Fos. These results suggest that Pep2-YAC may be useful as a therapeutic agent for skin regeneration and wound-healing as an EGFR agonist.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.517-525
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• 2001

Six renaturable protein kinases that utilize the myelin basic protein (MBP) as a substrate were activated during prolonged exposure of cardiac myocytes to okadaic acid (OA). We characterized the substrate preference and activation of these kinases, with particular emphasis on 3 novel kinases-MBPK-55, MBPK-62 and MBPK-87. The transcription factors c-Jun, Elk, ATF2, and c-Fos that are used to assess mitogen-activated protein kinase activation were all poor substrates for these three kinases. MAPKAPK2 was also not phosphorylated. In contrast, Histone IIIS was phosphorylated by MBPK-55 and MBPK-62. These protein kinases were activated in cultured cardiac fibroblasts, H9c2 cardiac myoblasts, and Cos cells. High concentrations (0.5 to $1\;{\mu}M$) of OA were essential for the activation of the protein kinases in all of the cell types examined, whereas calyculin A [an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and PP2A], cyclosporin A (a PP2B inhibitor), and an inactive OA analog all failed to activate these kinases. The high dose of okadaic acid that is required for kinase activation was also required for phosphatase inhibition, as assessed by immunoblotting whole cell lysates with anti-phosphothreonine antibodies. A variety of chemical inhibitors, including PD98059 (MEK-specific), genistein (tyrosine kinase-specific) and Bisindolylmaleimide I (protein kinase C-specific), failed to inhibit the OA activation of these kinases. Thus, MBPK-55 and MBPK-62 are also Histone IIIS kinases that are widely expressed and specifically activated upon exposure to high OA concentrations.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.134-143
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• 2003

Objectives : We performed this study to understand the molecular basis of the antitumor effect of Saussurea lappa, Pharbitis nil, Plantago asiatica and Taraxacum mongolicum, which have been used for cancer treatment in Korean traditional medicine. Design: We analyzed, the effect of these medicinal herbs on proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells and its association with gene expression, We performed semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes using a gastric cancer cell line AGS. Results : Cell counting assay and $[^3H]thymidine$ uptake analysis showed that Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil strongly inhibit cell proliferation of AGS in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, gene espression assay revealed that mRNA espression levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 were markedly decreased by Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil. Furthermore, Saussurea lappa was identified to activate expression of the p53 tumor suppressor and its downstream effector $p21^{Wafl}$, which leads to $G_1$ cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These observations suggest that the anticancer effect of Saussurea lappa and Pharbitis nil might be associated with their regulatory capability of tumor-related gene expression.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.388-392
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• 2014

Berberine, a type of isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs, has been reported to have various pharmacological activities. Studies have demonstrated that berberine has beneficial effects on vascular remodeling and alleviates restenosis after vascular injury. However, its mechanism of action on vascular smooth muscle cell migration is not fully understood. We therefore investigated the effect of berberine on human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) migration. Boyden chamber assay was performed to show that berberine inhibited HASMC migration dose-dependently. Real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses showed that levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) were reduced by berberine at both the mRNA and protein levels. Western blotting assay further confirmed that activities of c-Fos, c-Jun, and NF-${\kappa}B$ were significantly attenuated. These results suggest that berberine effectively inhibited HASMC migration, possibly by down-regulating MMP-2, MMP-9, and u-PA; and interrupting AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ mediated signaling pathways.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.326-332
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• 2012

Mast cells play pivotal pathologic roles in allergic disease involving T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. Fisetin has been known as an anti-allergic agent having inhibitory effects on the IL-4 and IL-13 gene expressions in inflammatory immune cells. However, its molecular mechanisms for suppressive effects of fisetin on IL-4 and IL-13 in activated mast cells have been incompletely elucidated. In this study we found that fisetin significantly inhibited the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin (PI)-induced production of IL-4 and IL-13 in mast cells. The levels of mRNA were dramatically decreased by fisetin, indicating the suppression might be regulated at the transcriptional levels. Western blot analysis of the nuclear expression of various transcription factors involved in the promoter activation indicated that suppression of c-Fos was prominent together with significant down-regulation of nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NF-AT) and NF-${\kappa}B$, but not c-Jun. Furthermore, the nuclear expression of GATA binding protein 2 (GATA-2) transcription factor was significantly down-regulated by fisetin. Taken together, our study indicated fisetin has suppressive effects on IL-4 and IL-13 gene expression through the regulation of selective transcription factors.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.153-171
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• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate effects of Gagambosim-Tang(GBT) of focal brain ischemic injury induced by intraluminal filament insertion in the rats. Method : The ischemia was induced by intraluminal filament insertion into middle cerebral artery Eight-arm radial maze was designed for the behavioral task. Gagambosim-Tang was orally administrated in SD rats for 21 days. The task was started on the 4th week after focal brain injury, and performed two trials per day for 6days. The effects of Gagambosim-Tang on neuroprotective agents in cresyl violet, choline acetyltranferase(ChAT), nerve growth factor (NGF)-stain and c-Fos with ischemic injury were investigated. Results : The errors in the eight-arm radial maze task were significantly decreased in normal group compared with control group on 2-6days, GBT lX(42.2 mg/ml)orally administrated group on 1days, GBT 6X(253.2 mg/ml) on 3, 5, 6days. The rate of correct choice was increased in normal and GBT 6X groups. The neuroprotective effect in the hippocampal CA1 was increased in normal and GBT 1X, GBT 6X groups compared with control group. The density of ChAT in the hippocampal CA1 was increased in normal and GBT6X groups compared with control group. The density of NGF in the hippocampal CA1 was increased normal and GBT6X groups compared with control group. The number of c-Fos-positive neurons in the hippocampal CA1 was increased in normal and GBT 6X groups compared with control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that Gagambosim-Tang may have protective effect on dementia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.299-304
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• 2005

Cardiac hypertrophy contributes an increased risk to major cerebrovascular events. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cerebrovascular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy have not yet been characterized. In the present study, we examined the molecular mechanism of isoproterenol (ISO)-evoked activation of Ras/Raf/MAPK pathways as well as PKA activity in cerebral artery of rabbits, and we also studied whether the activations of these signaling pathways were altered in cerebral artery, during ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy compared to heart itself. The results show that the mRNA level of c-fos (not c-jun and c-myc) in heart and these genes in cerebral artery were considerably increased during cardiac hypertrophy. These results that the PKA activity and activations of Ras/Raf/ERK cascade as well as c-fos expression in rabbit heart during cardiac hypertrophy were consistent with previous reports. Interestingly, however, we also showed a novel finding that the decreased PKA activity might have differential effects on Ras and Raf expression in cerebral artery during cardiac hypertrophy. In conclusion, there are differences in molecular mechanisms between heart and cerebral artery during cardiac hypertrophy when stimulated with β2 adrenoreceptor (AR), suggesting a possible mechanism underlying cerebrovascular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.819-825
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• 2003

pharbitis nil and Taraxacum mongolicum are representative herbs that have been used for cancer treatment in Korean traditional medicine. To understand the molecular basis of the antitumor function, we analyzed the effect of these herbs on proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells using a gastric cancer cell line AGS. Cell counting assay showed that pharbitis nil strongly inhibit cell proliferation Of AGS whereas Taraxacum mongolicum exhibit no detectable effect on cellular growth. [³H]thymidine uptake analysis also demonstrated that DNA replication of AGS is suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with pharbitis nil. Additionally, tryphan blue exclusion assay showed that Pharbitis nil induce apoptotic cell death of AGS in a dose-dependent. To explore whether anti antiproliferative and/or proapototic property of Pharbitis nil is associated with their effect on gene expression, we performed RT-PCR analysis of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 were markedly reduced by Pharbitis nil. Taraxacum mongolicum also showed inhibitory action on expression of these growth-promoting protooncogene but there effects are less significant, as compared to Pharbitis nil. Furthermore, it was also found that Pharbitis nil activates expression of the p53 tumor suppressor and its downstream effector p21Waf1, which induce G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Pharbitis nil induce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells and these effects are accompanied with down-and up-regulation of growth-regulating protooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, respectively. This observation thus suggests that the anticancer effect of Pharbitis nil might be associated with its regulatory capability of tumor-related gene expression.