• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.86-92
• /
• 2006

Background: Germanium compounds are increased to use in nutrient foods and medicines in terms of antibiotics to microbes, anticancer, modulation of immune system and neutralizing heavy metal toxins. Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, containing stable organic germanium and bound to the yeast protein was developed by Geranti Pharm. LTD. and the modulation effect in the immune system was examined in vivo and in vitro. Methods: The compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, was fed to female Balb/c mice (each group has 10 mice) for 4 weeks and the yeast powder and steamed red ginseng powder were used as control during the same feeding time points. During 4 weeks there was no symptom to be considered, and after 4 weeks feeding all mice were sacrificed to check the changes of related immune cells and subsidiary responses (i.e. cell counting, FACS, MTT, LDH, PFC assay). Results: In pre-post comparison, B cell population was increased in the group of Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast in a dose dependent manner (100 to 800 mg/kg). However, the population of T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage was not comparably changed in all doses. The ability of cytokine production and proliferation was almost same level as shown in control group. In contrast, PFC assay informed that the compound increase the antibody production ability when fed over 200 mg/kg implying that the increase of PFC number might be due to the increase of B cells. Conclusion: Over the entire study, we concluded that the compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast has better potential in immune response in terms of B cell proliferation than that of positive control, red ginseng, and the compound can be one of the future candidates for a new supplementary source improving immune system activity.

• Journal of Oriental Physiology
• /
• v.14 no.2 s.20
• /
• pp.199-208
• /
• 1999

As the average life span have been lengthened and the rate of senile population have been raised, chronic degenerative diseases incident to aging has been increased rapidly and become a social problem. With this social background, recently, the facts that oxygen radicals(OR) have toxic effects on Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System and cause neuropathy such as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer Disease have been turned out, and accordingly lots of studies on the mechanism of the toxic effects of OR on nerves, the diseases caused by OR and the approaches to curing the diseases have been made. The purpose of this study is to examine the toxic effects caused by Glucose Oxidase(GO) and the effects of herbal extracts such as Chilbokyeum(CBY) on the treatment of the toxic effects. For this purpose, experiments with the cultured cell from the cerebrums of new born mice were done. The results of these experiments were as follows. 1. GO, a oxygen radical, decreased the survival rate of the cultured cells on NR assay and MTT assay 2. GO, a oxygen radical, increased lipid peroxidation and the amount of LDH. 3. CBY have efficacy of decreasing lipid peroxidation. 4. CBY have efficacy of decreasing the amount of LOH. From the above results, It is concluded that Chilbokyeum has marked efficacy as a treatment for the damages caused in the GO-mediated oxidative process. And Chilbokyeum is thought to have certain pharmacological effects on controlling over aging and treating Dementia. Further clinical study of this pharmacological effects of Chilbokyeum should be complemented.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.218-228
• /
• 2010

Components of dental resin-based restorative materials are reported to leach from the filling materials even after polymerization. Hydroquinone (HQ) is one of the major monomers used in the dental resin and is known as a carcinogen. Thus, carcinogenic risk of HQ leaching from the dental resin becomes a public health concern. The present study attempted to examine the carcinogenic potentials of HQ on the human epithelial cell, which is the target cell origin of the most of oral cancers. Cytotoxicity of HQ was observed above 50${\mu}M$ as measured by LDH assay, indicating a relatively low toxicity of this substance in human epithelial cells. The parameters of neoplastic cellular transformation such as cell saturation density, soft agar colony formation and cell aggregation were analyzed to examine the carcinogenic potential of HQ. The study showed that 2-week exposure of HQ showed the tendency of increase in the saturation density and the significant enhancement of soft agar colony formation at the highest dose, 50 ${\mu}M$ only. It is suggested that HQ has a weak potential of carcinogenicity. When cells were treated with HQ and TPA, a well-known tumor promoter, the parameters of neoplastic cellular transformation was significantly increased. This result indicates that the potential risk of carcinogenicity from HQ is largely dependent upon the presence of promoter. Exposure of 50 ${\mu}M$ HQ increased the time-dependent apoptosis as measured by the ELISA kit. This concentration coincides with a dose of neoplastic transformation, indicating a possible link between apoptosis and HQ-induced cellular transformation. Hydroquinone generated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which was evidenced by the treatment of antioxidants such as trolox and N-acetyl cysteine and the GSH depleting agent, BSO. Antioxidants blocked the generation of ROS and the GSH depleting agent, BSO dramatically increased the ROS production. Since HQ is known to increase ROS production thru activation of transcriptional factor such as c-Myb and Pim-1, it is speculated that ROS generation by HQ plays a role in the activation of oncogene, which may lead to neoplastic transformation. In addition, ROS is involved in the alteration of signal transduction, which regulates the apoptosis in many cellular systems. Thus, ROS-mediated apoptosis may be involved in the HQ-induced carcinogenic processes. Protein kinase C (PKC) is known to play pivotal roles in neoplastic transformation of cells and its high expression is often found in a variety of types of tumors including oral cancer. PKC translocation of PKC-${\alpha}$ was observed following HQ exposure. Altered signaling system may also play a role in the transformation process. Taken together, HQ leached from the dental resin does not pose a significant threat as a cancer causing agent, but its carcinogenic potential can be significantly elevated in the presence of promoter. The mechanism of HQ-induced carcinogenesis involved ROS generation, apoptosis and altered signaling pathway. The present study will provide a valuable data to estimate the potential risk of HQ as a carcinogen and understand mechanism of HQ-induced carcinogenesis in human epithelial cells.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.384-389
• /
• 2014

The objective of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition of anthocyanin-enriched extract of radiation-induced blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) mutant (${\gamma}$-B201) as well as the protective effect of ${\gamma}$-B201 against oxidative stress in vitro. The cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, and DNA damage were assessed by WST-1 assay, flow cytometry, and comet assay, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were determined by using a commercial kit. The in vitro results showed that ${\gamma}$-B201 increased the cell viability, reduction of lactate dehydrogenase release, and intracellular ROS scavenging capacity in hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-treated HepG2 cells. Furthermore, treatment with ${\gamma}$-B201 attenuated DNA damage in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells and treatment with ${\gamma}$-B201 restored the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that ${\gamma}$-B201 blackberry extract can exert a significant cytoprotective effect against $H_2O_2$-induced cell damage.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.515-528
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the immunological activity and optimized the mixture conditions of Sargassum horneri (S. horneri) extracts in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: S. horneri was extracted using three different methods: hot water extraction (HWE), 50% ethanol extraction (EE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production (Interleukin-2 and Interferon-γ) were measured using a WST-1 assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The levels of nitric oxide and T cell activation production were measured using a Griess assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The natural killer (NK) cell activity was determined using an EZ-LDH kit. Results: Among the three different types of extracts, HWE showed the highest levels of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in vitro. In the animal model, three different types of extracts were administrated for 14 days (once/day) at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight. HWE and SFE showed a high level of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in the with and without mitogen-treated groups, whereas EE administration did not induce the splenocyte activation. When RAW264.7 macrophage cells were treated with different mixtures (HWE with 5, 10, 15, 20% of SFE) to determine the optimal mixture ratio of HWE and SFE, the levels of nitric oxide and cytokine production increased strongly in the HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE containing group. In the animal model, HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE mixture administration increased the levels of splenocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and activated CD4⁺ cell population significantly, with the highest level observed in the HWE with 5% of SFE group. Moreover, the NK cell activity was increased significantly in the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture-treated group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The optimal mixture condition of S. horneri with immune-enhancing activity is the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture. These results confirmed that the extracts of S. horneri and its mixtures are potential candidate materials for immune enhancement.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.11
• /
• pp.865-871
• /
• 2022

Tenebrio molitor larvae is well known as edible insect. Then, although it has been widely studied that Tenebrio molitor larvae has various bioactive functions such as antioxidant, anti-wrinkle, and anticancer. Nevertheless, antioxidant effects of Tenebrio molitor larvae water extract (TMH) has not been well described in Adult Retina Pigment Epithelial cell line (ARPE-19). In this study, we demonstrated that antioxidant effects of TMH against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in ARPE-19. Thus, we selected for our studies and performed a series of dose-response assay to determine the working concentration that lead to a consistent and high degree of cytotoxicity, which we defined as the level of H₂O₂ that killed 40% of the ARPE-19 cells. ARPE-19 cells were pre-treated with various concentrations of TMH (0.1 up to 2 mg/ml) before exposure to 300 µM H₂O₂. As we expected, TMH effectively prevented ARPE-19 cells from 300 µM H₂O₂-induced cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, TMH inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. Overall, the inhibitory effects of TMH on H₂O₂-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress were associated with the protection cleaved caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, and HO-1. The TMH suppressed H₂O₂-induced cell membrane leakage and oxidative stress in ARPE-19 cells. Thus, these results suggest that the TMH plays an important role in antioxidant effect in ARPE-19.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.46 no.8
• /
• pp.811-816
• /
• 2003

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology with a predilection for the coronary arteries. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a cytokine which promotes vascular permeability and angiogenesis. We investigated serum VEGF(sVEGF) levels in Kawasaki disease to determine whether sVEGF level can be used as a risk factor to predict the occurrence of coronary artery lesions(CAL) in Kawasaki disease. Methods : We measured sVEGF levels in 11 patients with Kawasaki disease in acute phase(patient group)and 11 normal children(control group) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) method. We investigated the relationship between sVEGF levels and the lumen diameters of coronary artery and other potential CAL risk factors; duration of fever, hemoglobin, WBC counts, platelet counts, ESR, CRP and LDH levels. Results : SVEGF levels of patients in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease(mean $847.9{\pm}495.7pg/mL$) were significantly higher than that of normal controls(mean $279.9{\pm}150.6pg/mL$; P<0.05). SVEGF levels showed significant positive correlation with the lumen diameters of the coronary artery(P<0.05, $r_s=0.75$) in the patient group. There was no significant correlation between sVEGF levels and duration of fever or other laboratory measurements. Conclusion : Our results support the notion that sVEGF level may be considered as a predictive indicator for the occurrence of coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2011

PC12 neuronal cell-protective effects of hot water extracts of guava fruit and leaf were evaluated. Total phenolic levels in fruit and leaf were 11.75 and 293.25 mg/g, respectively. Gallic acid, the predominant phenoic, was detected in both extracts. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation after $H_2O_2$ treatment was significantly reduced when the hot water extract of guava leaf was added to cell medium, compared to PC12 cells treated with $H_2O_2$ only. In a cell viability assay using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl- tetrazoliumbromide (MTT), the hot water extracts of fruit and leaf protected against $H_2O_2$-induced neurotoxicity. The leaf extract was more effective in terms of inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into medium, compared to the fruit extract. These in vitro data suggest that hot water extracts of guava fruit and leaf may be useful in treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.11
• /
• pp.1653-1663
• /
• 2016

Meat quality is a complex trait influenced by many factors, including genetics, nutrition, feeding environment, animal handling, and their interactions. To elucidate relevant factors affecting pork quality associated with oxidative stress and muscle development, we analyzed protein expression in high quality longissimus dorsi muscles (HQLD) and low quality longissimus dorsi muscles (LQLD) from Duroc pigs by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomic analysis. Between HQLD (n = 20) and LQLD (n = 20) Duroc pigs, 24 differentially expressed proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS. A total of 10 and 14 proteins were highly expressed in HQLD and LQLD, respectively. The 24 proteins have putative functions in the following seven categories: catalytic activity (31%), ATPase activity (19%), oxidoreductase activity (13%), cytoskeletal protein binding (13%), actin binding (12%), calcium ion binding (6%), and structural constituent of muscle (6%). Silver-stained image analysis revealed significant differential expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) between HQLD and LQLD Duroc pigs. LDHA was subjected to in vitro study of myogenesis under oxidative stress conditions and LDH activity assay to verification its role in oxidative stress. No significant difference of mRNA expression level of LDHA was found between normal and oxidative stress condition. However, LDH activity was significantly higher under oxidative stress condition than at normal condition using in vitro model of myogenesis. The highly expressed LDHA was positively correlated with LQLD. Moreover, LDHA activity increased by oxidative stress was reduced by antioxidant resveratrol. This paper emphasizes the importance of differential expression patterns of proteins and their interaction for the development of meat quality traits. Our proteome data provides valuable information on important factors which might aid in the regulation of muscle development and the improvement of meat quality in longissimus dorsi muscles of Duroc pigs under oxidative stress conditions.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.259-266
• /
• 2000

Objectives : The effects of aqueous extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae (a traditional medicine for cancer treatment in oriental medicine) on the induction of apoptotic cell death were investigated in human liver origm hepatoma cell lines, HepG2. Methods : The death of HepG2 cells was markedly induced by the addition of extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae in a dose-dependent manner. The apoptotic characteristic ladder pattern of DNA strand break was not observed in cell death of HepG2. In addition, it was not shown nucleus chromatin condensation and fragmentation under hoechst staining. However, by the using annexin V staining assay, externalizations of phosphatidylserine in HepG2 cell which were treated with Cortex ulmi pumilae extracts were detected in the early time (at 9 hr after extract treatment). Furthermore, LDH release was not detected in this early stage. Therefore, Cortex ulmi pumilae extracts-induced cell death of HepG2 cells is mediated by apoptotic death signal processes. Result : The activity of caspase 3-like proteases remained in a basal level in HepG2 cells which treated with the extract of Cordyceps sinensis. However, it was markedly increased in HepG2 cells which treated with two extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae (C.U.P.-C, C.U.P.-K) which were differently extracted (respectively, 2.3 and 3.3 fold). On a while, the phosphotransferase activities of JNK1 was markedly induced in HepG2 cells which were treated with two extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae. On the contrary, the activation of transcriptional activator, activating protein1(AP-1) and NF-kB were severely decreased by these two extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae (C.U.P.-C, C.U.P.-K). In addition, antioxidants (GSH and NAC) and intracellular $Ca2^+$ level regulator (Bapta/AM and Thapsigargin) did not affect Cortex ulmi pumilae extracts-induced apoptotic death of HepG2 cells. Conclusions : In conclusion, our results suggest that two extracts of Cortex ulmi pumilae (C.U.P.-C, C.U.P.-K) induces the apoptotic death of human liver origin hepatoma HepG2 cells via activation of caspase 3-like proteases as well as JNK1, and inhibition of transcriptional activators, AP-1 and $NK-{\kappa}B$.