• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권5호
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• pp.355-359
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• 2000

Cocaine induces immediate early gene expression and behavioral changes by blocking dopamine transporters in the terminals of nigrostriatal neurons in the striatum. The pharmacological role of serotonin 2/1C (5HT2/1C) receptors in cocaine-induced expression of zif268 (NGFI-A, egr1 and Krox-24) mRNA, a member of the zinc finger, was investigated using quantitative in situ hybridization histochemistry in vivo. Behavioral alterations induced by cocaine were also monitored in relation with blockade of the receptors. Systemic injection of ritanserin (1 mg/kg, s.c.), a 5HT2/1C receptor antagonist, did not reverse behavioral alterations and zif268 mRNA gene expression induced by 15 mg/kg cocaine, i.p., in the dorsal and ventral striatum. These data indicate that ritanserin-sensitive 5HT2/1C receptors are not necessary for cocaine-induced behavioral alterations and zif268 mRNA gene expression in the striatum.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.403-409
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• 2018

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a lipid-coated zinc oxide (ZnO) supplement Shield Zn (SZ) at the sub-pharmacological concentration on intestinal morphology and gene expression in weanling pigs, with an aim to gain insights into the mechanism of actions for SZ. Methods: Forty 22-day-old weanling pigs were fed a nursery diet supplemented with 100 or 2,500 mg Zn/kg with uncoated ZnO (negative control [NC] or positive control [PC], respectively), 100, 200, or 400 mg Zn/kg with SZ for 14 days and their intestinal tissues were taken for histological and molecular biological examinations. The villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) of the intestinal mucosa were measured microscopically following preparation of the tissue specimen; expression of the genes associated with growth and immune function was determined using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: There was no difference in daily gain, gain:feed, and diarrhea score between the SZ group and either of NC and PC. The VH and VH:CD ratio were less for the SZ group vs NC in the jejunum and duodenum, respectively (p<0.05). The jejunal mucosal mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and interleukin (IL)-10 regressed and tended to regress (p = 0.053) on the SZ concentration with a positive coefficient, respectively, whereas the IL-6 mRNA level regressed on the SZ concentration with a negative coefficient. The mRNA levels of IGF-I, zonula occludens protein-1, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and IL-10 did not differ between the SZ group and either of NC and PC; the occludin and transforming growth $factor-{\beta}1$ mRNA levels were lower for the SZ group than for PC. Conclusion: The present results are interpreted to suggest that dietary ZnO provided by SZ may play a role in intestinal mucosal growth and immune function by modulating the expression of IGF-I, IL-6, and IL-10 genes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.992-1001
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of hot-melt extruded ZnO nano-particles (HME-ZnO) as an alternative for P-ZnO on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, Zn bioavailability, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs. Methods: A total of 450 piglets (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) were randomly allotted to five treatments based on initial body weight and sex. The experimental diets were fed in a meal form as phase 1 from d 0 to 14 and phase 2 from d 15 to 28. Treatments were the control diet without ZnO supplementation, the diet containing 2,500 ppm Zn as ZnO, and three diets containing 500, 1,000, or 2,500 ppm Zn as HME-ZnO. Results: The overall result showed a higher (p<0.01) average daily gain in weanling pigs fed ZnO-supplemented diets in comparison to the control diet. There was a decrease (p<0.01) in fecal score in the ZnO-supplemented diets. Dietary supplementation of ZnO improved (p<0.05) crude protein digestibility. The weanling pigs fed the P-ZnO diet had a lower (p<0.01) Zn digestibility in the feces than HME-ZnO supplemented treatments. Weanling pigs fed diets supplemented with ZnO had greater (p<0.05) Lactobacillus spp. populations and lower Clostridium spp. (p<0.05) and Coliforms (p<0.01) populations in the ileum. Weanling pigs fed diets supplemented with increasing concentrations of HME-ZnO linearly decreased Clostridium spp. (p<0.05) and Coliforms (p<0.01) in the ileum. Lower (p<0.05) Clostridium spp. and Coliforms counts in the colon were observed in pigs fed with ZnO-supplemented diets. Weanling pigs fed diets supplemented with ZnO showed a greater (p<0.01) villus height in the duodenum. Conclusion: Dietary supplementation of HME-ZnO and P-ZnO showed a potential to improve the digestibility of protein, intestinal Coliform and Clostridium, villus height in duodenum and ileum. Moreover, HME-ZnO showed a higher Zn digestibility compared with P-ZnO.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.231-235
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• 2005

기질 금속단백분해효소(MMP)는 기저막이나 간질성 조직 등에 있는 세포외기질 성분을 분해하여 상처 치유, 태아의 발생, 종양세포의 침윤과 전이 등을 포함하여 조직이 재구성되는 과정에서 생리학적 및 병리학적인 과정 양쪽 모두에 매우 중요한 역할을 한다. 본 연구에서는 MMP-9 유전자의 발현을 억제하는 물질을 천연물에서 탐색하였고, 탐색된 시료 중에서 높은 역가를 가진 낙우송과의 Metasequoia glyptostroboides가 선택되었다. 여러 가지 flavonoid 성분을 가지고 있는 Metasequoia glyptostroboides를 이용하여 4개의 biflavonoid와 2개의 monoflavonoid 구조의 물질을 분리하였고, 이 flavonoid들은 sciadopitysin, isoginkgetin, bilobetin, 2, 3-dihydrohino-kiflavone, luteolin, apigenin으로 정제하여 구조를 밝히고 zymography, WST-1을 이용한 세포독성시험, northern blot 등의 실험을 통하여 각 화합물의 구조적인 특성과 함께 MMP-9 유전자 발현을 억제하는 효과가 있는 것을 확인하였다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.92-100
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• 2019

Ginger, one of worldwide consumed dietary spice, is not only famous as food supplements, but also believed to exert a variety of remarkable pharmacological activity as herbal remedies. In this study, a ginger constituent, 12-dehydrogingerdione (DHGD) was proven that has comparable anti-inflammatory activity with positive control 6-shogaol in inhibiting LPS-induced interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$, prostaglandin (PG) $E_2$, nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, without interfering with COX-1 in cultured microglial cells. Subsequent mechanistic studies indicate that 12-DHGD may inhibit neuro-inflammation through suppressing the LPS-activated $Akt/IKK/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway. Furthermore, 12-DHGD markedly promoted the activation of NF-E2-related factor (Nrf)-2 and heme oxygenase (HO)-1, and we demonstrated that the involvement of HO-1 on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ by using a HO-1 inhibitor, Zinc protoporphyrin (Znpp). These results indicate that 12-DHGD may protect against neuro-inflammation by inhibiting $Akt/IKK/I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway and promoting Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권9호
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• pp.1178-1185
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• 2022

Steroids are a class of compounds with cyclopentane polyhydrophenanthrene as the parent nucleus, and they usually have unique biological and pharmacological activities. Most of the biosynthesis of steroids is completed by a series of enzymatic reactions starting from cholesterol. Synthetic biology can be used to synthesize cholesterol in engineered microorganisms, but the production of cholesterol is too low to further produce other high-value steroids from cholesterol as the raw material and precursor. In this work, combinational strategies were established to increase the production of cholesterol in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae RH6829. The basic medium for high cholesterol production was selected by screening 8 kinds of culture media. Single-factor optimization of the carbon and nitrogen sources of the culture medium, and the addition of calcium ions, zinc ions and citric acid, further increased the cholesterol production to 192.53 mg/l. In the 5-L bioreactor, through the establishment of strategies for glucose and citric acid feeding and dissolved oxygen regulation, the cholesterol production was further increased to 339.87 mg/l, which was 734% higher than that in the original medium. This is the highest titer of cholesterol produced by microorganisms currently reported. The fermentation program has also been conducted in a 50-L bioreactor to prove its stability and feasibility.

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

Purpose : Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is recognized as an important cellular response in metastatic proceduresand characterized by loss of cellular polarity as well as gain of mesenchymal features, which enables migration and invasion. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common primary carcinomas in the liver and exhibits a poor prognosis due to frequent extrahepatic metastasis. Taraxacum officinale has been used for a long time in oriental medicine because of its various pharmacological activitiessuch as anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anticarcinogenic activities. In this study, the anti-metastatic activity of T. officinale water extract (TOWE) and ethanol extract (TOEE) was investigated through the regulation of EMT in the Huh7 cells. Methods : The effects of TOWE and TOEE on migratory and invasive activities were investigated by wound healing and in vitro invasion assays. Western blot analysis was also applied to analyze protein expression levels associated with EMT and their upstream transcription factors in Huh7 cells. Results : TOWE and TOEE treatment potently inhibited migration and invasion of Huh7 cells compared to the untreated group. Both extracts treatment inhibited protein expression levels of N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and vimentin while E-cadherin was significantly accelerated. In addition, the activated status of transcription factors, Snail, nuclear factor (NF)-κ B, and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox (ZEB)1 was also inhibited with statistical significance. In comparison to both extracts, TOEE more potently attenuated migration, invasion, and EMT markers as well as their transcription factors in Huh7 cells than TOWE, which means that TOEE might possess more functional phytochemicals than TOWE. Conclusion : Consequently, TOWE and TOEEattenuated metastatic activity of hepatocellular carcinoma through the regulation of EMT markers and their transcription factors in Huh7 cells, which means that T. officinale might be a promising strategy for a chemopreventive agent against HCC metastasis.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.425-431
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• 1996

염증 질환의 원인이 되는 사람 중성구 elastases는 혈액에 존재하는 ${\alpha}_1-PI$나 ${\alpha}_2-macroglobulin$과 같은 단백질 분해효소 억제제에 의하여 조절되어진다. 그러나 특수한 병리적 상황에서 과다하게 분비되는 효소나 또는 단백질 분해효소 억제제의 비정상적 작용으로 말미암아 다양한 염증질환이 유발된다. 비스테로이드성 항염증제는 염증 질환을 치료하기 위하여 이미 임상에 적용 하고 있으며, prostaglandin 합성하는 효소인 cyclooxygenases의 활성도를 억제하는 것이 그 작용 기전으로 잘 알려져 왔다. 사람 중성구 elastase의 활성도는 naproxen, phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone 등에 의하여 억제되었으나, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, aspirin, salicylic acid, tolmetin 등에 의하여서는 억제되지 않았다. 또한 사람 중성구 elastase의 활성도는 EDTA, EGTA, tetracycline 등에 의하여서도 억제되었다. EDTA에 의하여 2가 이온 $Ca^{++}$나 $Zn^{++}$등을 elastase 분자로부터 일부 제거함으로 효소 활성도가 억제되었고 Raman spectra의 변화도 강하게 일어났으며, 금속이온 $Zn^{++}$를 새로 충진함으로 그 활성도는 원래대로 회복되고 Raman spectrum도 원래 상태와 유사한 상태로 회복되었다. 이런 현상은 chelator나 chelator-like agents가 효소분자안에 존재하는 $Zn^{++}$ 이온을 제거하거나 chelation함으로 활성 부위나 그 인접 부위의 4차원 구조의 변화를 일으켰음에 기인하며 특히 -C=O나 -COOH기의 관여에 의한 것으로 생각된다.