• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.42.1-42.20
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• 2021

Eosinophils play critical roles in the maintenance of homeostasis in innate and adaptive immunity. Although primarily known for their roles in parasitic infections and the development of Th2 cell responses, eosinophils also play complex roles in other immune responses ranging from anti-inflammation to defense against viral and bacterial infections. However, the contributions of pattern recognition receptors in general, and NOD-like receptors (NLRs) in particular, to eosinophil involvement in these immune responses remain relatively underappreciated. Our in vivo studies demonstrated that NLRC4 deficient mice had a decreased number of eosinophils and impaired Th2 responses after induction of an allergic airway disease model. Our in vitro data, utilizing human eosinophilic EoL-1 cells, suggested that TLR2 induction markedly induced pro-inflammatory responses and inflammasome forming NLRC4 and NLRP3. Moreover, activation by their specific ligands resulted in caspase-1 cleavage and mature IL-1β secretion. Interestingly, Th2 responses such as secretion of IL-5 and IL-13 decreased after transfection of EoL-1 cells with short interfering RNAs targeting human NLRC4. Specific induction of NLRC4 with PAM3CSK4 and flagellin upregulated the expression of IL-5 receptor and expression of Fc epsilon receptors (FcεR1α, FcεR2). Strikingly, activation of the NLRC4 inflammasome also promoted expression of the costimulatory receptor CD80 as well as expression of immunoregulatory receptors PD-L1 and Siglec-8. Concomitant with NLRC4 upregulation, we found an increase in expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, but not MMP-2. Collectively, our results present new potential roles of NLRC4 in mediating a variety of eosinopilic functions.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.7-14
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• 2023

The effects of fermented Achyranthes japonica Nakai, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extracts (FAAE) on regulation of inflammation and apoptosis were investigated in primary cultured rat cartilage cells. To identify the protective effects of FAAE against H₂O₂, cell survival was measured by MTT assay. Smad3, Collagen type I, MMP3, and MMP13 were measured by real-timpe PCR and westernbot and the inflammatory (NF-κB pathway, COX-2, iNOS) factors were determined by western blot. The apoptosis related factors (JNK, c-Fos, c-Jun, caspase 3, Bax, and Bcl-2) were determined by western blot. FAAE significantly increased the follwing: H₂O₂ treated cell survival, mRNA and protein expression of Smad 3, collagen type I. In addition, FAAE significantly decreased the protein expression of inflammatory and apoptosis related factors. This study suggests that FAAE have a protection effect of chondrocytes through inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis. Thus, FAAE is a therapeutic potential food componet in osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.443-450
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• 2016

Background: Although unique aortic pathology related to bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) has been previously reported, clinical implications of BAV to aortopathy risk have yet to be investigated. We looked for potential differences in matrix protein expressions in the aortic wall in BAV patients. Methods: Aorta specimens were obtained from 31 patients: BAV group (n=27), tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) group (n=4). The BAV group was categorized into three subgroups: left coronary sinus-right coronary sinus (R+L group; n=13, 42%), right coronary sinus-non-coronary sinus (R+N group; n=8, 26%), and anteroposterior (AP group; n=6, 19%). We analyzed the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2. Results: Based on the mean value of the control group, BAV group showed decreased expression of eNOS in 72.7% of patients, increased MMP-9 in 82.3%, and decreased TIMP in 79.2%. There was a higher tendency for aortopathy in the BAV group: eNOS $(BAV:TAV)=53%{\pm}7%:57%{\pm}11%$, MMP-9 $(BAV:TAV)=48%{\pm}10%:38%{\pm}1%$. The AP group showed lower expression of eNOS than the fusion (R+L, R+N) group did; $48%{\pm}5%$ vs. $55%{\pm}7%$ (p=0.081). Conclusion: Not all patients with BAV had expression of aortopathy; however, for patients who had a suspicious form of bicuspid valve, aortic wall biopsy could be valuable to signify the presence of aortopathy.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.13-34
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• 2003

Fructose-1, 6-diphosphate (FOP), a glycolytic metabolite is reported to ameliorate inflammation and inhibit the nitric oxide production in murine macrophages stimulated with endotoxin. It is also reported that FOP has cytoprotective effects against hypoxia or ischemia/reperfusion injury in brain and heart. In this study, we examined whether FDP has protective effects on UV-induced oxidative damage in skin cell culture system and human skin in vivo. FDP had a protective role in UVB-induced LDH release and ROS accumulation in HaCaT although it did not show direct radical scavenging effect in the experiment using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). FDP also preserved cellular GSH content after UV irradiation in HaCaT and normal human fibroblast culture system. Cellular oxidative stress induces multiple downstream signaling pathways that regulate expression of multiple gene including MMP-1 and collagen, we examined the effects of FDP on UV-induced alteration of these protein expression in fibroblast culture and human skin in vivo. The increased MMP-1 expression in fibroblast and human skin by UV irradiation was significantly decreased by FDP. FDP also prevented the UV-induced decrease of collagen expression in fibroblast and human skin. Moreover, the decreasing the intracellular levels of reducing equivalents in human fibroblast by glutathione (GSH) depletion lowered the UVA dose threshold for reduction of procollagen expression, indicating that the differences of glutathione contents define the susceptibility of fibroblasts towards UV-induced reduction of procollagen expression. FDP also preserved cellular GSH content after UV irradiation, indicating that FDP has protective effects on UV-induced reduction of procollagen expression, which are possibly through maintaining intracellular reducing equivalent. Based on these premises, we examined the effect of daily use of a moisturizer containing FDP on facial wrinkle in comparison with vehicle moisturizer lacking FDP. In the clinical study, FDP significantly decreased facial wrinkle compared with vehicle alone after 6 months of use. Our results suggest that FDP has anti-aging effects in skin by increasing cellular antioxidant system and preventing oxidative signal and inflammatory reaction. Therefore FDP may be useful anti-aging agent for cosmetic purpose.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.625-629
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the anti-wrinkle effects of peptides derived from collagens isolated from Asterias amurensis, which was collected in the East Sea. The molecular weights of the peptides were between 10-50 kDa, as determined through sephadek G-75 gel. The cytotoxicities against CCD-986sk cells and HEL-299 cells were measured using the MTT assay. The cytotoxicity of all the fractions(F1: Fraction No. 4-13, 116 kDa; F2: Fraction No. 25-30, 100 kDa; F3: Fraction No. 45-55, 58 kDa; F4: Fraction No. 59-63, 43 kDa; F5: Fraction No. 79-90, 24 kDa) was less than 25%, by the addition of 1.0 mg/mL. These peptides did not show any adverse effects on human skin cells. In the presence of F1 at 1.0 mg/mL, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression of UVA-induced human normal fibroblasts was reduced to 34.8%. Overall, the results seem to suggest that peptides of approximately 20 kDa have superior anti-wrinkle effects.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1207-1214
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• 2017

Schisandrae Fructus (SF), the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of a number of chronic diseases. SF extracts have been recently reported to attenuate the inflammatory responses in SW1353 human chondrocyte cells in in vitro and monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced cartilage degradation in in vivo osteoarthritis (OA) models. However, their protective and therapeutic potentials against OA in primary culture chondrocytes and animal models remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the ethanol extract of SF on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), biomarkers for diagnosis of OA, on interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes and MIA-induced osteoarthritis in a rat model. Our data indicated that SF treatment significantly reduced the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of MMP-1, -3 and -13 in $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes. The chondro-protective effects of SF were then analyzed in a rat OA model using a single intra-articular injection of MIA in the right knee joint. According to our results, the elevated levels of MMP-1 and -3 were markedly ameliorated by SF administration. Collectively, these findings indicate that SF could be a candidate for the treatment of OA.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.14-34
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of cytotoxicity, skin regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing of Oncheongeum (OCE).Methods: The cytotoxicity of OCE lyophilized aqueous extracts (yield=13.82%) was observed against human normal fibroblast cells and B16/F10 murine melanoma cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay, and skin regeneration and anti-wrinkle effects were also evaluated through the assay of collagen type I synthesis compared to the transformation of the growth factor (TGF)-β1, hyaluronidase, collagenase and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 inhibitory assays compared to oleanolic acid (OA), and elastase inhibitory effects compared to phosphoramidon disodium salt (PP). In addition, OCE’s whitening effects were measured by a tyrosinase inhibitory assay and melanin formation test in B16/F10 murine melanoma cells compared to arbutin, and skin moisturizing effects were observed through a mouse skin water content test, respectively. Results: No OCE treatment-related cytotoxic effects appeared on human normal fibroblasts and B16/F10 murine melanoma cells. OCE concentration-dependently increased the collagen Type I synthesis on human normal fibroblast cells, and also effectively inhibited hyaluronidase, elastase, collagenase and MMP-1 activities. In addition, OCE inhibited melanin production of B16/F10 murine melanoma cells and activity of tyrosinase. And significant and dose-dependent increases of skin water content were detected in OCE-treated mouse skin compared to vehicle control skins. Conclusions: OCE showed favorable and sufficient effects in skin regeneration, anti-wrinkle, whitening and skin moisturizing in this experiment. But more detail mechanisms and studies on the skin protective efficiency of in vivo are needed with the screening of active biological compounds in individual OCE herbs.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.59-74
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• 2008

목적 : 이 연구는 봉약침의 봉독과 그 주요성분인 멜리틴이 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성억제와 세포자멸사 관련 단백질의 발현 조절을 통하여 세포자멸사를 유도하고 전립선 암세포주인 LNCaP 세포의 성장을 억제하는지를 확인하고 해당 기전을 살펴보고자 하였다. 방법 : 봉독이나 멜리틴을 처리한 후 LNCaP의 성장억제를 관찰하기 위해 WST-1 assay, CCK-8 assay를 시행하였고, 세포자멸사의 관찰에는 DAPI, TUNEL staining assay를 시행하였으며, 세포자멸사 조절단백질의 변동 관찰에는 western blot analysis를 시행하였고, 세포자멸사와 연관된 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 변화를 관찰하기 위해 EMSA를 시행하였으며, LNCaP에서 봉독이나 멜리틴과 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 상호작용을 관찰하기 위해 transient transfection assay를 시행 시 세포생존율과 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 변동을 측정하였다. 결과 : LNCaP 세포에 봉독이나 멜리틴을 처리한 후, 전립선암세포의 성장, 세포자멸사의 유발, 세포자멸사 관련 단백질의 발현, $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성, $NF-{\kappa}B$의 p50 치환 후 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성과 LNCaP 세포 증식에 미치는 영향을 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. LNCaP 세포에서 봉독이나 멜리틴을 처리한 후 세포자멸사가 유도되어 세포성장이 억제되었고, 세포자멸사 관련 단백질 중 분리된 PARP, caspase-9, Bax는 유의한 증가를, Bcl-2, p-Akt, MMP 13, XIAP, cXIAP는 유의한 감소를 나타내었다. 2. LNCaP 세포에서 봉독이나 멜리틴을 처리한 후 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성의 유의한 감소를 나타내었다. 3. LNCaP 세포에서 $NF-{\kappa}B$ p50를 치환하여 작용기를 없애고 봉독이나 멜리틴을 처리하였을 경우에도 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성의 유의한 감소를 나타내었다. 결론 : 이상의 결과는 봉독이나 멜리틴이 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 억제를 통하여 인간 전립선암세포주인 LNCaP의 세포자멸사를 유발함으로써 증식억제 효과가 있음을 입증한 것으로 전립선암의 예방과 치료에 대한 효과적인 치료제 개발에 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다. 다만 그 기전에서 봉독이나 멜리틴은 기존연구와 달리 $NF-{\kappa}B$ p50의 작용기와 직접적으로 상호작용을 하지는 않는 것으로 보이므로 심화 연구를 요한다.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2011

The effect of lactic acid bacteria.fermented ginseng berry extract (FGBE) on physiological activities was evaluated. The contents of ginsenosides Re, Rc, and Rb1 in ginseng berry extract (GBE) were increased after fermentation by lactic acid bacteria when analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity of GBE and FGBE was also analyzed by DPPH radical scavenging activity assay and SOD.like activity assay. FGBE showed a 86.34 % inhibition of DPPH radical and a 76.82 % inhibition by SOD.like activity at a concentration of 1.00 %. GBE showed a 49.78 % inhibition of DPPH radical and a 40.80 % inhibition by SOD.like activity at the same concentration. Furthermore, procollagen type I (COL1A1) gene expression increased by 823.13 % and matrix metal-loproteinase(MMP)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ gene expression decreased by 87.88 % and 99.92 %, respectively, in human fibroblast cultured with FGBE at a concentration of 0.50 %. These results suggest that FGBE could be used as an active ingredient for functional cosmetics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.450-455
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• 2017

Codonopsis lanceolata (Campanulaceae) has been widely used in traditional medicine and is considered to have medicinal properties to treat diseases and symptoms such as bronchitis, coughs, spasm, edema, hepatitis, colitis, and lung injury. In order to investigate whether native Codonopsis lanceolata extract alleviates ashmatic symptoms in vivo, we first carried out various antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays. The antioxidant activities were increased by adding Codonopsis lanceolata extract in a concentration-dependent manner which compared to ascorbic acid as a positive control. Histological studies using an ovalbumin-induced animal model exhibited potent anti-inflammatory potential by decreasing immuno-responsive cells in the lung by the extract by confirming H&E and PAS staining. It is revelaed that further immunihistochemical analysis showed anti-ashmatic capabilities by assessing histamine, IL-31, and MMP-9 expressions. The level of IL-13 expression in Codonopsis lanceolata extract-treated group was decreased upto 73.7% compared to control, whereas that of total cells and eosinophil counting in Codonopsis lanceolata extract-treated group was diminished to 73.5% and 80.9%, respectively. These results collectively indicate that the C. lanceolata extract ameliorates asthmatic symptoms effectively in an ovalbumin-challenged mice model, in that the extract can be used for the development of an anti-asthmatic food ingredient.