• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.319-325
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rf is a ginseng saponin found only in Panax ginseng that affects lipid metabolism. It also has neuroprotective and antiinflammatory properties. We previously showed that Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) by hypoxia via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the possibility of ginsenoside Rf as an active ingredient of KRG in the inhibition of hypoxia-induced COX-2 via $PPAR{\gamma}$. Methods: The effects of ginsenoside Rf on the upregulation of COX-2 by hypoxia and its antimigration effects were evaluated in A549 cells. Docking of ginsenoside Rf was performed with the $PPAR{\gamma}$ structure using Surflex-Dock in Sybyl-X 2.1.1. Results: $PPAR{\gamma}$ protein levels and peroxisome proliferator response element promoter activities were promoted by ginsenoside Rf. Inhibition of COX-2 expression by ginsenoside Rf was blocked by the $PPAR{\gamma}-specific$ inhibitor, T0070907. The $PPAR{\gamma}$ inhibitor also blocked the ability of ginsenoside Rf to suppress cell migration under hypoxia. The docking simulation results indicate that ginsenoside Rf binds to the active site of $PPAR{\gamma}$. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that ginsenoside Rf inhibits hypoxia induced-COX-2 expression and cellular migration, which are dependent on $PPAR{\gamma}$ activation. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rf has an antiinflammatory effect under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, docking analysis of ginsenoside Rf into the active site of $PPAR{\gamma}$ suggests that the compound binds to $PPAR{\gamma}$ in a position similar to that of known agonists.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 2007

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) is expressed at very high levels in the gastrointestinal epithelium. Many of the functions of $PPAR{\gamma}$ in gastrointestinal epithelial cells have been elucidated in recent years, and a pattern is emerging which suggests that this receptor plays an important role in gastrointestinal physiology. There is also strong evidence that $PPAR{\gamma}$ is a colon cancer suppressor in pre-clinical rodent models of sporadic colon cancer, and there is considerable interest in exploitation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists as prophylactic or chemopreventive agents in colon cancer. Studies in mice and in human colon cancer cell lines suggest several mechanisms that might account for the tumor suppressive effects of $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists, although it is not in all cases clear whether these effects are altogether mediated by $PPAR{\gamma}$. Conversely, several reports suggest that $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists may promote colon cancer under certain circumstances. This possibility warrants considerable attention since several million individuals with type II diabetes are currently taking $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists. This review will focus on recent data related to four critical questions: what is the physiological function of $PPAR{\gamma}$ in gastrointestinal epithelial cells; how does $PPAR{\gamma}$ suppress colon carcinogenesis; is $PPAR{\gamma}$ a tumor promoter; and what is the future of $PPAR{\gamma}$ in colon cancer prevention?

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2017

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a traditional herbal medicine made by steaming and drying fresh ginseng. It strengthens the endocrine and immune systems to ameliorate various inflammatory responses. The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/prostaglandin E2 pathway has important implications for inflammation responses and tumorigenesis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) is a transcription factor that regulates not only adipogenesis and lipid homeostasis, but also angiogenesis and inflammatory responses. Methods: The effects of the KRG on inhibition of hypoxia-induced COX-2 via $PPAR{\gamma}$ in A549 cells were determined by luciferase assay, Western blot, and/or quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The antimigration and invasive effects of KRG were evaluated on A549 cells using migration and matrigel invasion assays. Results and conclusion: We previously reported that hypoxia-induced COX-2 protein and mRNA levels were suppressed by KRG. This study examines the possibility of $PPAR{\gamma}$ as a cellular target of KRG for the suppression of hypoxia-induced COX-2. $PPAR{\gamma}$ protein levels and $PPAR{\gamma}$-responsive element (PPRE)-driven reporter activities were increased by KRG. Reduction of hypoxia-induced COX-2 by KRG was abolished by the $PPAR{\gamma}$ inhibitor GW9662. In addition, the inhibition of $PPAR{\gamma}$ abolished the effect of KRG on hypoxia-induced cell migration and invasion. Discussion: Our results show that KRG inhibition of hypoxia-induced COX-2 expression and cell invasion is dependent on $PPAR{\gamma}$ activation, supporting the therapeutic potential for suppression of inflammation under hypoxia. Further studies are required to demonstrate whether KRG activates directly $PPAR{\gamma}$ and to identify the constituents responsible for this activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.765-771
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• 2018

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) is a key transcription factor that regulates adipogenesis, and epigenetic control of $PPAR{\gamma}$ is of great interest in obesity-inhibition research. Our previous study showed that CACUL1 (CDK2-associated cullin domain 1) acts as a corepressor that inhibits $PPAR{\gamma}$ transcriptional activity and adipocyte differentiation. Here, we investigated the roles of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), a novel binding partner of CACUL1, in regulating $PPAR{\gamma}$. The interaction between PRMT5 and CACUL1 was shown by immunoprecipitation assay in vivo and GST pulldown assay in vitro. As shown by luciferase reporter assay, PRMT5 and CACUL1 cooperated to inhibit the transcriptional activity of $PPAR{\gamma}$. The suppressive role of PRMT5 in adipogenesis was examined by Oil Red O staining using 3T3-L1 cells, which stably overexpress or deplete PRMT5. Overexpression of PRMT5 suppresses $PPAR{\gamma}$-mediated adipogenesis, whereas PRMT5 knockdown increases lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Consistently, PRMT5 attenuates the expression of Lpl and aP2, the target genes of $PPAR{\gamma}$, as demonstrated by RT-qPCR analysis. Overall, these results suggest that PRMT5 interacts with CACUL1 to impair the transcriptional activity of $PPAR{\gamma}$, leading to the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, the regulation of PRMT5 enzymatic activity may provide a clue to develop an anti-obesity drug.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2006

Dental pulp is a loose, mesenchymal tissue almost entirely enclosed in the dentin. It consists of cells, ground substance, and neural and vascular supplies. Damage to the dental pulp by mechanical, chemical, thermal, and microbial irritants can provoke various types of inflammatory response. Pulpal inflammation leads to the tissue degradation, which is mediated in part by Matrix metalloproteinase leads to accelerate extracellular matrix degradation with pathological pathway We have now investigated the induction of MMPs and inflammatory cytokines by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) control of inflammatory mediators by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Human dental pulp cells exposed to various concentrations of LPS ($1-10{\mu}g/ml$) revealed elevated levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 at 24 hrs of culture. LPS also stimulated the production of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, $IL-1{\beta},\;and\;TNF-{\alpha}$. Adenovirus $PPAR{\gamma}\;(Ad/PPAR{\gamma})\;and\;PPAR{\gamma}$ agonist rosiglitazone reduced the synthesis of MMPs, adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The inhibitory effect of $Ad/PPAR{\gamma}$ was higher than that of $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonist. These result offer new insights in regard to the anti-inflammatory potential of $PPAR{\gamma}$ in human dental pulp cell.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1146-1150
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• 2008

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR_{\gamma}$), a member of the nuclear receptor of ligand-activated transcription factors, plays a key role in lipid and glucose metabolism or adipocytes differentiation. A lignan compound was isolated from mace (the aril of Myristica fragrans Houtt.) as a $PPAR_{\gamma}$ ligand, which was identified as fragrin A or 2-(4-allyl-2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propane. To ascertain whether fragrin A has $PPAR_{\gamma}$ ligand-binding activity, it was performed that GAL-4/$PPAR_{\gamma}$ transactivation assay. $PPAR_{\gamma}$ ligand-binding activity of fragrin A increased 4.7, 6.6, and 7.3-fold at 3, 5, and $10{\mu}M$, respectively, when compared with a vehicle control. Fragrin A also enhanced adipocytes differentiation and increased the expression of $PPAR_{\gamma}$ target genes such as adipocytes fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Furthermore, it significantly increased the expression level of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). These results indicate that fragrin A can be developed as a $PPAR_{\gamma}$ agonist for the improvement of insulin resistance associated with type 2 diabetes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.507-512
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the ability of luteolin, a plant derived flavonoid on hepatocarcinoma cell growth using HepG2 cell culture system. We found that luteolin increased the Smac/DIABLO releases, a mitochondrial protein that potentiates apoptosis. Luteolin also induced either transcriptional activity or expression of PPAR-gamma, a target of cancer growth that PPAR-gamma agonist sensitizes to apoptosis in certain cancer types. To find the possible upstream target molecules of PPAR-gamma activated by luteolin treatment, we used compound C, a specific inhibitor of AMP-activated protein kinase. Pre-treatment of Compound C significantly restored the activation or expression of PPAR-gamma stimulated by luteolin. This result indicated that AMPK signaling might be involved in the activation or expression of PPAR-gamma signaling pathway stimulated by luteolin. Moreover, we also found that luteolin inhibited the insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation as well as AICAR, a specific AMPK activator. These results propose that luteolin significantly induces cancer cell death through modulating survival signal pathways such as PPAR-gamma and Akt. AMPK signaling pathway may be an upstream regulator for survival signal pathways such as PPAR-gamma and Akt stimulated by luteolin.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.482-487
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• 2014

This study is to investigate the effects of testosterone on adipogenesis and its molecular mechanism using RT-PCR analysis and transient transfection assays. Castrated(CAST) mice treated with testosterone had lower white adipose tissue weights and expression of adipocyte-specific genes($PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2) than CAST control mice. Consistent with the in vivo data, testosterone treatment inhibited triglyceride accumulation and expression of adipocyte-specific genes($PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2) in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells compared with control group. Testosterone-activated androgen receptor(AR) repressed the luciferase reporter gene activity induced by $PPAR{\gamma}$ transfection. Thus, these results suggest that testosterone downregulates the actions of $PPAR{\gamma}$ on adipogenesis through AR.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.380.2-380.2
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• 2002

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-$\gamma$ is a nuclear hormone receptor family that plays an important role in the transcriptional regulation of genes in cellular lipid and energy metabolism. In our search for Iigands for PPAR-$\gamma$ from natural resources. two phenylpropanoids. 3.4.5-Trimethoxy cinnamylalcohol (1) and 3.4.5- Trimethoxy cinnamaldehyde (2). were isolated as PPAR-$\gamma$ agonists from the MeOH extracts of Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb. & ZUCCo (Rutaceae) by activity-guided fractionation. These two compoundS bind and activated PPAR-$\gamma$ transcriptional activity in a dose dependent manner assessed by ligand-binding assay. While the maximum activities for PPAR-$\gamma$ of these compounds were comparable with that of rosiglitazone. which is currently used in the treatment of Type II diabetes. the potency of these compounds were much weaker than rosiglitazone ($ED_{50}$=t.2$\mu\textrm{M}$) with the $ED_{50}$ values of 9.08 and 4.08 $\mu\textrm{M}$. respectively. To examine the structure-activity relationship of phenylpropanoids. we prepared several phenylpropanoid derivatives and measured the activity. We observed that substituents at 4'- position could playa key role in determining the potency for PPAR-$\gamma$ agonistic activity .

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2004

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$ (PPAR${\gamma}$) is the molecular target for a class of drugs, the antidiabetic thiazolidnediones (TZDs). The heterodimer of PPAR${\gamma}$ with retinoid X receptor (RXR) plays a central role in the regulation of adipogenesis and insulin sensitization. We synthesized two chemicals, DANA87 and DANA88, sharing structural characteristics with TZDs. Given this structural similarity, it was hypothesized that DANA87 and DANA88 may act as PPAR$\gamma$ ligands. In transient transfection assays, DANA87 and DANA88 caused slight increases in the endogenous expression of a luciferase reporter gene containing the PPAR responsive element in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. However, DANA87 and DANA88 significantly inhibited troglitazone-induced reporter gene activation when cells were treated with a combination of DANA87 or DANA 88 and troglitazone, one of the TZDs that activate PPAR$\gamma$. These results suggest that DANA87 and DANA88 are not only weak agonists of PPAR${\gamma}$ transactivation, but also competitively antagonize troglitazone-induced PPAR$\gamma$ reporter activity.