• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.951-957
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• 2013

Our aim was to investigate the chemopreventive potential of saffron in DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Assessment was by monitoring the percentage of tumor bearing hamsters, tumor size as well as the status of detoxification agents, lipid peroxidation and antioxidants. Oral squamous cell carcinomas were induced in the buccal pouch of Syrian golden hamsters by painting them with 0.5% DMBA in liquid paraffin three times a week for 14 weeks. We observed 100% oral tumor formation with severe histopathological abnormalities in all the hamsters treated with DMBA alone, activities of phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes, lipid peroxidation and antioxidants being significantly altered. Though oral administration of saffron completely prevented the formation of tumors, we noticed severe hyperplasia and dysplasia in hamsters treated with DMBA, suggesting that tumors might eventually develop. Oral administration of saffron return detoxification enzymes, lipid peroxidation and antioxidants to normal ranges. The chemopreventive potential of saffron thus is likely due to antioxidant properties and modulating effects on detoxification in favour of the excretion of carcinogenic metabolites during DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.364-371
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• 2002

Many chemical compopunds are converted into reactive electrophilic metabolites by the oxidative(Phase I) enzymes, which are mainly cytochrome P-450 enzyme(CYPs). Phase II conjugating enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferase(GST), usually act as inactivation of enzymes. Genetic polymorphisms have been found to be associated with increased susceptibility to cancer of the lung, bladder, breast and colorectal. Many of the polymorphic genes of carcinogen metabolism show considerably different type of cancer among different ethnic groups as well as individuals within the same group. The aim of this study is (1) to establish the frequencies of genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and CYP1A1 in Korean oral squamous cell carcinoma(SCC), (2) to associate oral SCC with the risk of these genetic polymorphisms. The genetic polymorphisms of the GSTM1 and the CYP1A1 genes among 50 Korean oral SCC were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction(PCR). The results suggest that the homozygote and the mutant type of CYP1A1 MspI polymorphisms may be associated with genetic susceptibility to oral SCC in Korean. A combination of the GSTM1 null type with the homozygote(m1/m1), and the mutant(m2/m2) type of CYP1A1 MspI polymorphisms showed a relatively high risk of oral SCC in Korean. In the smoking group, the GSTM1 wild genotype may be the high risk factor of oral SCC in Korean. These data coincide with the hypothesis which states that different susceptibility to cancer of genetic polymorphisms exist among different ethnic group and different types of human cancer.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2007

Metformin is a drug used to lower blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes via activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether metformin at the pharmacologically effective concentrations affects the expressions of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and phase II antioxidant genes in the H4IIE cell. Treatment of the cells with either metformin or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside (AICAR) abrogated tert-butylhydroxyquinone (t-BHQ) induction of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase, a rate limiting enzyme of GSH synthesis. The ability of t-BHQ to induce glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), a major class of phase II detoxifying enzymes that playa critical role in protecting cells from oxidative stress or electrophiles, was also inhibited by the agents. Transcriptional gene repression by metformin was verified by the GSTA2 promoter luciferase assay. Moreover, either metformin or AICAR treatment significantly decreased t-BHQ-dependent induction of other GSTs (i.e., $GST{\mu}$ and $GST{\pi}$ forms). Taken together, our data indicate that metformin treatment may result in the repression of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione S-transferase genes possibly via AMPK activation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1947-1953
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• 2006

There have been a number of studies of methods for recycling animal wastewater to provide new bioresources. In the present work, a marine algal culture medium, designated KEP II, was prepared by adding swine waste (3% v/v) fermented by soil bacteria to a dilution of f/2 culture medium (CT). When Phaeodactylum tricornutum was grown in batch culture in KEP II, the cells lasted long at the exponential phase producing the specific growth rate and biomass; the production of total amino acids and secondary metabolites rose up to 5-fold. It also substantially enhanced the maximum quantum yield of photo system (PS) II of P. tricornutum, greatly increased the level of thylakoid membranes containing PS, and stimulated the production of pyrenoids, including enzymes for $CO_2$ fixation in chloroplasts. KEP II should improve the cost efficiency of industrial mass batch cultures and the value of microalgae for long-term preservation of fresh aquaculture feed as well as production of anticancer and antioxidant agents. Specifically, a low-cost medium for growing the diatoms of aquaculture feed will be economically advantageous.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.183-187
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• 2005

Abstract The cancer chemopreventive potential of chitosanoligosaccharides was investigated by measuring the induction of quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities and inhibition of cytochrome P450 1A1, 2B1, and 2E1 activities. Chitosanoligosaccharide I (1-${\kappa}$Da${\kappa}$Da) significantly induced glutathione S-transferase activity with a maximal 1.5-fold increase at 500 ${\mu}$g/ml, while chitosanoligosaccharide II (3-${\kappa}$Da${\kappa}$Da) (500 ${\mu}$g/ml) strongly induced quinone reductase (p<0.01) and glutathione S-transferase (p<0.005) activities. The in vitro incubation of rat liver microsomes with chitosanoligosaccharides I and II (2.5, 5, 50, and 500 ${\mu}$g/ml) showed a dose-dependent inhibiton of cytochrome P450 1A1, 2B1, and 2E1 activities. Chitosanoligosaccharide II was a more potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450 2B1 activity than chitosanoligosaccharide I. Accordingly, these findings suggest that chitosanoligosaccharides are potential chemopreventive agents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.95-96
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• 2001

The mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of catechin, hamamelitannin and two proanthocyanidin fractions prepared from the bark of Hamamelis virginia L. - a commonly used medicinal herb - were investigated in a human derived hepatoma (Hep G2) cell line using the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE, syn. Comet assay) for the detection of DNA-migration. The cells possess different phase I and phase II enzymes involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics.(omitted)

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2006

Great inter-variability in drug response and adverse drug reactions is related to inter-variability of drug bioavailability, drug interaction and patient's disease and physyological state that cause change in absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs. However, these alone do not sufficiently predict and explain inter-variability in drug response. In recent studies, it is reported that inter-variability in drug response and adverse drug reactions may largely resulted from genetically determined differences in drug absoption, distribution, metabolism and drug target proteins. Especially, the major human drug-metabolizing enzymes such as CYP450, N-acetyl tranferase, thiopurine S-methyl transferase, glutathione S-transferase are identified as the major gene variants that cause inter-individual variability in drug's response and adverse drug reactions. These variations may have most significant implications for those drugs that have narrow therapeutic index and serious adverse drug reactions. Therefore, the genetic variation such as polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes can affect the response of individuals to drugs that are used in the treatment of depression, psychosis, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, ulcer and gastrointestinal disorders, pain and epilepsy, among others. This review describes the pharmacogenomics of the drug metabolizing enzymes associated with the drug response and its clinical applications.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2000

Liver isolated from 18 hours fasted rats was subjected to $N_2$hypoxia (for 45 min) followed by reoxygenation (for 30 min). The perfusion medium used was Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4, $37^{\circ}C$). Vitamin C (0.5 mM) and trolox C (0.5 mM), soluble vitamin E analog, were added to perfusate. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total glutathione, oxidized glutathione, lipid peroxide and drug-metabolizing enzymes were measured. After hypoxia LDH significantly increased but this increase was attenuated by vitamin C and combination of vitamin C and E. Total glutathione and oxidized glutathione in perfusate markedly increased during hypoxia and this increase was inhibited by vitamins C, E and its combination. Similarly; oxidized glutathione and lipid peroxide in liver tissue increased after hypoxia and reoxygenation and this increase was inhibited by vitamin I and combination of vitamin C and E. Hepatic drug metabolizing function (phase I, II) were suppressed during hypoxia but improved during reoxygenation. While vitamins C and E only increased glucuronidation, the combination of vitamin C and E increased the oxidation, glucuronidation and sulfation. Our findings suggest that vitamins C and E synergistically ameliorates hepatocellular damage as indicated by abnormalities in drug metabolizing function during hypoxia/reoxygenation and that this protection is in major part, caused by decreased oxidative stress.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.605-612
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• 2000

Green tea polyphenols (GTP) have been demonstrated to suppress tumorigenesis in several chemical-induced animal carcinogenesis models, and predicted as promising chemopreventive agents in human. Recent studies of GTP extracts showed the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the regulation of Phase II enzymes gene expression and induction of apoptosis. In the current work we compared the biological actions of five green tea catechins: (1) induction of ARE reporter gene, (2) activation of MAP kinases, (3) cytotoxicity in human hepatoma HepG2-C8 cells, and (4) caspase activation in human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells. For the induction of phase IIgene assay, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) potently induced antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated luciferase activity, with induction observed at 25 $\mu\textrm{m}$with EGCG. The induction of ARE reporter gene appears to be structurally related to the 3-gallate group. Comparing the activation of MAPK by the five polyphenols, only EGCG showed potent activation of all three MAPKs (ERK, JNK and p38) in a dose- and time-dependent manner, whereas EGC activated ERK and p38. In the concentration range of 25 $\mu\textrm{m}$ to 1 mM, EGCG and ECG strongly suppressed HepG2-ARE-C8 cell-growth. To elucidate the mechanisms of green tea polyphenol-induced apoptosis, we measured the activation of an important cell death protein, caspase-3 induced by EGCG, and found that caspase-3 was activated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, the activation of caspase-3 was a relatively late event (peaked at 16 h), whereas activation of MAPKs was much earlier (peaked at 2 h). It is possible, that at low concentrations of EGCG, activation of MAPK leads to ARE-mediated gene expression including phase II detoxifying enzymes. Whereas at higher concentrations of EGCG, sustained activation of MAPKs such as JNK leads to apoptosis. These mechanisms are currently under investigation in our laboratory. As the most abundant catechin in GTP extract, we found that EGCG potently induced ARE-mediated gene expression, activated MAP kinase pathway, stimulated caspase-3 activity, and induced apoptosis. These mechanisms together with others, may contribute to the overall chemopreventive function of EGCG itself as well as the GTP.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1388-1393
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• 2007

The protective effect of xBrassicoraphanus (BR) on liver inhury was evaluated in the rats with liver injury induced by i.p. injection of D-galactosamine (GalN) following 2 week oral treatment of ethanol extract of xBrassicoraphanus (EBR). EBR (200 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the levels of ALT, AST, SDH, ${\gamma}-GT$, ALP, LDH and lipid peroxidation compared with GalN treated control, while EBR at 100 mg/kg significantly suppressed AST and ${\gamma}-GT$. Similarly, EBR at 200 mg/kg significantly attenuated the levels of Phase I enzymes such as XO, AO, AH and AD as well as significantly increased the levels of Phase II enzymes such as SOD, catalase and GSH-Px in the GalN treated rats. Taken together, these results indicate that the ethanol extract of xBrassicoraphanus may have a hepatoprotective effect against GalN induced liver injury, suggesting the ethanol extract of xBrassicoraphanus can be applied as hepatoprotective functional food. However, its mechanism should be further studied in molecular and cellular view points.