• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 1998

The antimutagenic activity of a methanol extract of Ecklonia stolonifera (Laminariaceae) against aflatoxin $B_1\;(AFB_1)$ was demonstrated with the Salmonella typhimurium assay. The numbers of revertants per plate decreased significantly when this extract was added to the assay system using S. Salmonella typhimurium TA100. The methanol extract also exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the micronuclei formation in mouse peripheral blood reticulocytes and the DNA damage in mouse spleen lymphocytes induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MMU) and benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P). The MeOH extract was then sequentially partitioned with $CH_2Cl_2,\;CH_2Cl_2$ insoluble intermediate, EtOAc, n-BuOH, and $H_2O$. All fractions possessed antimutagenic activity but the $H_2O$ fraction was inactive. Among active fractions, the EtOAc and $CH_2Cl_2$ insoluble intermediate fractions showed the highest activity. Column chromatography using $SiO_2$ and Sephadex LH-20 yielded phloroglucinol from the EtOAc fraction. Phloroglucinol also demonstrated significant antimutagenic activity, and inhibitory effects on the micronuclei formation in mouse peripheral blood reticulocytes and DNA damage in mouse spleen lymphocytes induced by MMU and B(a)P.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4883-4889
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• 2013

Background: The most common incident cancer and cause of cancer-related deaths in women is breast cancer. The Myc gene is upregulated in many cancer types including breast cancer, and it is considered as a potential anti-cancer drug target. The present study was conducted to evaluate the Myc (gene and protein) expression pattern in an experimental mammary tumour model in rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty six Sprague Dawley rats were divided into: Experimental group (26 animals), which received the chemical carcinogen N-methyl nitrosourea (MNU) and a control group (10 animals), which received vehicle only. c-Myc oncoprotein and its mRNA expression pattern were evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively, in normal rat mammary tissue and mammary tumours. The rat glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as internal control for semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Histopathological examination of mammary tissues and tumours from MNU treated animals revealed the presence of premalignant lesions, benign tumours, in situ carcinomas and invasive carcinomas. Immunohistochemical evaluation of tumour tissues showed upregulation and heterogeneous cellular localization of c-Myc oncoprotein. The expression levels of c-Myc oncoprotein were significantly elevated (75-91%) in all the tumours. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed increased expression of c-Myc mRNA in mammary tumours compared to normal mammary tissues. Conclusions: Further large-scale investigation study is needed to adopt this experimental rat mammary tumour model as an in vivo model to study anti-cancer strategies directed against Myc or its downstream partners at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.128-138
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• 2002

1,3-Bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU, Carmustine)-loaded poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA, lactide/glycolide mole ratio 75 : 25) microparticles were prepared and fabricated into wafers in an attempt to study the possibility for the treatment of malignant glioma by direct inserting the wafers to the tumor or the cavity remained after surgical resection of the tumor. SEM observation of the microparticles prepared by spray drying method revealed that the microparticles were spherical, i. e. microspheres. Significant reduction of the crystallinity of BCNU encapsulated in PLGA was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analyses of the BCNU-loaded PLGA microparticles. Release pattern of BCNU was dependent on several preparation parameters, such as the molecular weight and concentration of PLGA, and initial BCNU loading amount, etc. In vitro release of BCNU was prolonged over 8 weeks with close to zero-order release pattern after initial burst effect. Observations of morphological change of wafers and pH change of release media during release test period confirmed that hydration and degradation of PLGA would be facilitated with an increase of BCNU-loading amount.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.335-343
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• 2004

Carmustine (l,3-bis(2-chloroethyI)-1-nitrosourea, BICNU) used as antineoplastic drug for the treatment of brain tumor is not appropriate for the long term delivery, because it has short biological half life. Therefore, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is useful as drug carrier for the long term delivery due to bulk erosion property. Glycolide monomer is applied to release of BICNU owing to non-toxic and monomeric components after biodegradation of PLGA. In this study, BICNU-loaded PLGA wafers with or without glycolide monomer were fabricated by conventional direct compression method for the sustained release of BICNU. These wafers were observed for their release profiles of BICNU and degradation rates by SEM, NMR, and GPC. Furthermore, we make multi-layer wafers and compare them with release profiles of conventional wafer. From these results, drug release of BICNU-loaded PLGA wafers was increased with increasing the glycolid monomer contents. We confirmed that glycolide monomer and BICNU contents in barrier-layer influenced the drug release profiles and degradation rate.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.670-679
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• 2002

1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU, carmustine) is one of the effective chemotherapeutic agents which has been used clinically for treating malignant glioma. Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA, molecular weight: 20000 g/mole. mole ratio of lactide to glycolide 75 : 15) is a well known biodegradable polymer used as a drug carrier for drug delivery system. In this study, we investigated the BCNU release behaviour of BCNU-loaded PLGA wafers containing poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) or polyethyleneoxide (PEO) and the effect of hydrophilic polymers incoporated in the wafers. BCNU-loaded PLGA microparticles with or without hydrophilic polymers were prepared by a spray drying method and fabricated into wafers by direct compression. Encapsulation efficiency of BCNU-loaded PLGA microparticles containing PVP and PEO was 85 ∼ 97% and crystallinity of BCNU encapsulated in PLGA decreased significantly initial release amount and release rate of BCNU increased with the increasing PVP or PEO amount. Morphological change and mass loss of wafers during the release test were confirmed that hydration and degradation of PLGA would be facilitated with an increase of hydrophilic polymers.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Five mutants were investigated at the molecular level to determine the factors responsible for mutated endosperm types. They were classified as high (HA) or low amylose (LA) phenotypes based on the amylose content in endosperm. The five were previously produced from Ilpum and Shindongjin cultivar treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and gamma-ray irradiation, respectively. Analysis of the genomic structure and expression of Granule-bounded Starch Synthase I (GBSSI) genes revealed that mutants generally showed a higher incidence of nucleotide transition than transversion, and the $A:T{\rightarrow}G:C$ transition was particularly prevalent. The rates of nucleotide substitution in HA mutants were generally higher than those in the LA mutants, leading to higher substitutions of amino acid in the HA mutants. Neither nucleotide substitutions interfering with intron splicing or causing early termination of protein translation were found, nor any large-sized deletions or additions were found in all the mutants. In principle, amylose content can be regulated by three factors: internal alterations of GBSSI protein, the strength of gene expression, and other unknown external factors. Our results indicate that the endosperm mutants from Shindongjin arose from internal alterations of GBSSI proteins, which may be the result of amino acid substitutions. On the other hand, the Ilpum mutants might be principally caused by the alteration of gene expression level. Analysis of another three glutinous cultivars revealed that the major factor leading to glutinous phenotypes is the 23-bp duplicative motif (5'-ACGGGTTCCAGGGCCTCAAGCCC-3') commonly found in exon 2, which results in the premature termination of protein translation leading to the production of a non-functional GBSSI enzyme.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 1997

The micronucleus test using peripheral blood reticulocytes (RETs) was evaluated in ICR mice treated with N-methyI-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] as model clastogens. The frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRETs) in both positive compounds was similar to other results which were reported previously. On the other hand, an anticlastogenic effect of the natural antioxidant, $\beta$-carotene and one of taroholds, galangin as model anticlastogens were investigated using simultaneous treatment. Mice were treated with a model clastogen alone, or with a model clastogen and a model anficlastogen simultaneously. Both $\beta$-carotene and galangin showed anticlastogenic effects against MNU- or B(a)P-induced micronuclei in mice. However, galangin has stronger activity than $\beta$-carotene. Results from our experiment suggest that the in vivo supravital staining micronucleus test using peripheral blood is useful in the evaluation of clastogenic and anticlastogenic effects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.311-311
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• 1994

어류를 이용한 화학물질의 독성평가 방법 및 기작에 관한 연구의 일환으로 암수동체 점박이 송사리에서 N-methyl-N'-nitrosourea (NMU)에 의해 유발되고 여성 호르몬의 일종인 17$\beta$-estradiol (E$_2$)에 의해 촉진유도된 갑상선 종양의 조직학적 특징을 광학 현미경과 전자현미경 수준에서 조사하였다. 본 연구에서 유도된 갑상선 종양은 광학현미경 수준에서 포유류와 유사하게 hyperplasia형, medullary형, papillae형, follicle형, 그리고 papillae형과 follicle형의 혼합형으로 구분할 수 있었다. 전자현미경 관찰 결과 미토콘드리아의 변형, 핵의 크기 증가 및 핵내 세포질 봉입체 함입등의 특징이 인간을 포함한 포유류의 양상과 매우 유사하였다. 이상의 결과는 본 종이 신약의 갑상선 종양유발성을 검증하는데 매우 유용한 실험동물 모델임을 시사한다.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1990

The regulation of DNA repair genes expression was investigated using fused genes, in which the promoter of repair genes was hybridized with the lacZ structural gene. The activities of beta-galactosidase expressed from the fused gense were highly increased when the host cells were exposed to methylating agents, such as methyl methansulfonate (MMS), N-methyl-N'-nitro-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and methyl nitrosourea (MNU). On the other hand, the enzyme activities from the fused genes were not induced when the cells were treated with ethylating or nonalkylating agents, such as ethyl methansulfonate (EMS), 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), Bleomycin, and Benzo(a)pyrene (BP).

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2015

Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) is a microscopic and filamentous cyanobacterium that derives its name from the spiral or helical nature of its filaments. In this study, we induced mutants of A. platensis through NMU treatment and selected two strains by level of ipid contents. We named mutant '1-9', '2-5', and they were cultivated in the same way with the wild type. During 12 days cultivation, cell growth, dry cell weight, pigment content, and lipid content were measured for characteristics of mutants. As a result, pigment and lipid content of mutants were increased about 3.6, 1.8 times compared with wild type, respectively. It was shown that total flavonoid and polyphenol contents of mutants were increased about 1.5 times compared with wild type. And radical scavenging effect of mutants were increased about 10% compared with wild type.