• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.797-807
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Mahwangyunpye-tang(MYT) significantly affects mucin secretion from airway epithelial cells. Methods : Confluent hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled with 3H-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of MYT to assess the effect of the agent on 3H-mucin secretion. Total elution profiles of control spent media and treatment sample through Sepharose CL-4B column were analyzed. Effect of MYT on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle was investigated; also investigated was effect of the agent on MUC5AC gene expression in cultured NCI-H292 cells. Possible cytotoxicities of the agent were assessed both by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from HTSE cells and examining the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells. Results : MYT significantly increased mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells, without significant cytotoxicity. MYT chiefly affected the 'mucin' secretion. MYT inhibited Acetylcholine-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. MYT did not significantly affect the expression levels of MUC 5AC gene in cultured NCI-H292 cells. Conclusions : Based on the above results, it is suggested that MYT increased mucin secretion from cultured HTSE cells without significant cytotoxicity and inhibited contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7687-7692
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• 2014

Aim: To observe the effects of a novel all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) derivative, N-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-retinamide (ATPR), on lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and to explore the potential mechanism of ATPR inhibiting of A549 cell migration. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of ATRA and ATPR on A549 cells was assessed using MTT assay. Wound healing assays were used to analyze the influences of ATRA, ATPR, ML-7 (a highly selective inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK)), PMA (an activator of MAPKs) and PD98059 (a selective inhibitor of ERK1/2) on the migration of A549 cells. Expression of MLCK and phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) were assessed by Western blotting. Results: ATRA and ATPR inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the effect of ATPR was much more remarkable compared with ATRA. Relative migration rate and migration distance of A549 cells both decreased significantly after treatment with ATPR or ML-7. The effect on cell migration of PD98059 combining ATPR treatment was more notable than that of ATPR alone. Moreover, compared with control groups, the expression levels of MLCK and phosphorylated MLC in A549 cells were both clearly reduced in ATRA and ATPR groups. Conclusions: ATPR could suppress the migration and invasion of A549 cells, and the mechanism might be concerned with down-regulating the expression of MLCK in the ERK-MAPK signaling pathway, pointing to therapeutic prospects in lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1421-1425
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• 2015

Aims: Pleiotrophin (PTN), an angiogenic factor, is associated with various types of cancer, including lung cancer. Our aim was to investigate the possibility of using serum PTN as an early indicator regarding disease diagnosis, classification and prognosis, for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Significant differences among PTN levels in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC, n=40), NSCLC (n=136), and control subjects with benign pulmonary lesions (n=21), as well as patients with different pathological subtypes of NSCLC were observed. Results: A serum level of PTN of 300.1 ng/ml, was determined as the cutoff value differentiating lung cancer patients and controls, with a sensitivity and specificity of 78.4% and 66.7%, respectively. Negative correlations between serum PTN level and pathological differentiation level, stage, and survival time were observed in our cohort of patients with NSCLC. In addition, specific elevation of PTN levels in pulmonary tissue in and around NSCLC lesions in comparison to normal pulmonary tissue obtained from the same subjects was also observed (n=2). Conclusion: This study suggests that the serum PTN level of patients with NSCLC could be an early indicator for diagnosis and prognosis. This conclusion should be further assessed in randomized clinical trials.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate any clinical research regarding asthma published by the Korean Oriental Medical Society and its sub-societies for future rigorous clinical research. Methods: Every article relevant to asthma was initially obtained from journals in the Korean Oriental Medical Society and its sub-societies by electronic search at journal web sites or manual search. Journals were limited to those registered by the Korea Research Foundation. From initial findings, two independent reviewers selected clinical articles and these articles were further analyzed separately into predefined criteria according to prospective and retrospective studies. For prospective studies, quality assessment was also conducted. Results: From 99 articles initially obtained, 19 were finally analyzed. 14 were prospective whereas 5 were retrospective. Among the prospective articles, there were no randomized controlled trials and the non-randomized studies had no control groups, with several problems of quality regarding pre-calculated study size and unbiased assessment. None of the retrospective studies described asthma diagnosis objectively and outcome measures were either non-relevant to asthma or non-validated. Conclusions: Well-designed randomized controlled studies for asthma are needed and more rigorous non-randomized controlled studies should be conducted.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.93-104
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• 2004

Objectives : The aim was to identify the inhibitory effects of Liriopis Tuber on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis by analysing the changes of imflammatory cell cytokines and SHI(Semiquantitative Histological Index), Materials and Methods : In this study fibrosis prone C57BL/6J mice were used. Control group was treated with blomycin(0.06mg/0.1 ml) by IT(intratracheal) instillation which is a popular method of inducing lung fibrosis and sample group took Liriopis Tuber water extract(38.0mg/10g body weight) orally for 14 days after IT instillation of blomycin. We measured the total and differential count of WBC, $IFN-{\gamma}$ & IL-4 in mice BALF and SHI(Semiquantitative Histological Index) from lung tissues of mice. BALF and lung tissues of mice were taken 14 days after IT instillation of blomycin. Results : In sample group total WBC count, proportion of neutrophil, SHI and IL-4 significantly(p<0.05) decreased, proportion of macrophage significantly(p<0.05) increased and proportion of lymphocyte, $IFN-{\gamma}$ did not decrease significantly. Conclusions : This study suggests that Liriopis Tuber has an inhibitory effects of pulmonary fibrosis by attenuation of inflammation and Th2 immune response. To determine whether this herbal medicine contribute to cure and prophylaxis of pulmonary fibrosis, further studies on the role of $IFN-{\gamma}$ relating to fibrosis are required.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.201-211
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• 2010

Objectives : Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which is characterized by severe pruritis, erythema, edema, effusion and scabs. The aim of this study was to understand effects of Arctium lappa Linne, which is well known for its efficacy for various skin diseases, on atopic dermatitis Methods : We conducted this experiment using the DNFB-induced NC/Nga mice. After two weeks of applying DNFB to NC/Nga mice, severe symptoms of atopic dermatitis occurred. We divided the mice into three different groups: a control group which was given no treatment at all, a group treated with dexamethasone (1mg/kg), and another group treated with Arctium lappa Linne (300mg/kg). After one week of treatment, results were recorded according to their improvement on skin, itching behavior, IL-4, and INF-$\gamma$ measurement, which is a significant criterion for diagnosing atopic dermatitis. Results : Itching behavior showed significant improvement in the Arctium lappa Linne group. However Arctium lappa Linne failed to reduce IL-4 and INF-$\gamma$ count. Also there was no satisfying improvement on AD-like skin lesions on the rostral back of the NC/Nga mice treated with Arctium lappa Linne. Conclusions : Arctium lappa Linne showed improvement in itching behavior in NC/Nga mice induced by DNFB. Arctium lappa Linne showed neither significant improvement on skin lesions nor in IL-4 and INF-$\gamma$ measurement.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.213-219
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• 2017

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease characterized by chronic and relapsing inflammatory dermatitis with immunological disturbances. Spleen deficiency (脾虛) is one of the major causes of AD, so development of animal model is required for AD research that reflects the pattern identification. The groups that we have used in this study included Senna folium extracts (SFE), 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and normal mice. Therefore, the present study was developed to atopic dermatitis mouse model with spleen deficiency in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and senna leaves extracts induced AD in NC/Nga mice. The results demonstrated that senna leaves extract treatment significantly increased the dermatitis clinical score and epidermal thickness in AD-like skin lesions. We also proved beyond doubt that there was occurrence of erythema and skin moisture indices in the senna leaves extract groups. Further, we also found that the level of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the senna leaves extract-treated group was increased. The amount of IL-4, IL-13, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $TGF-{\beta}$ mRNA determined by real-time PCR was increased remarkably when senna leaves extract groups were treated on dorsal skin. Senna leaves extract groups significantly promoted the number of CD11B+/Gr-1 cell in skin, as well as the number of CD4+/CD8+ cell in dorsal skin compared with control. The review summarizes recent process in our understanding of the immunopathophysiology of spleen deficiency AD and the implications for spleen deficiency mouse models of AD on drug discovery from medical plants.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.216-220
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• 2002

A 43 years old woman with a previous history of healed tuberculosis presented with a recurrent hemoptysis. On a bronchoscopy inspection, three nodular shaped mass-like lesions (0.5cm in diameter) were found on the right lower lobar bronchus. Massive hemoptysis occurred when the specimen were taken during bronchoscopy. The bleeding could not be controlled by non-surgical treatment. Consequently, she underwent a right lower lobectomy in order to control the bleeding. The patient died of respiratory failure 3 days later. A bronchoscopic biopsy revealed an abnormal blood vessel just beneath the bronchial respiratory epithelium.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.308-315
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• 2019

Objectives: Estimating influenza-associated mortality is important since seasonal influenza affects persons of all ages, causing severe illness or death. This study aimed to estimate influenza-associated mortality, considering both periodic changes and age-specific mortality by influenza subtypes. Methods: Using the Microdata Integrated Service from Statistics Korea, we collected weekly mortality data including cause of death. Laboratory surveillance data of respiratory viruses from 2009 to 2016 were obtained from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After adjusting for the annual age-specific population size, we used a negative binomial regression model by age group and influenza subtype. Results: Overall, 1 859 890 deaths were observed and the average rate of influenza virus positivity was 14.7% (standard deviation [SD], 5.8), with the following subtype distribution: A(H1N1), 5.0% (SD, 5.8); A(H3N2), 4.4% (SD, 3.4); and B, 5.3% (SD, 3.7). As a result, among individuals under 65 years old, 6774 (0.51%) all-cause deaths, 2521 (3.05%) respiratory or circulatory deaths, and 1048 (18.23%) influenza or pneumonia deaths were estimated. Among those 65 years of age or older, 30 414 (2.27%) all-cause deaths, 16 411 (3.42%) respiratory or circulatory deaths, and 4906 (6.87%) influenza or pneumonia deaths were estimated. Influenza A(H3N2) virus was the major contributor to influenza-associated all-cause and respiratory or circulatory deaths in both age groups. However, influenza A(H1N1) virus-associated influenza or pneumonia deaths were more common in those under 65 years old. Conclusions: Influenza-associated mortality was substantial during this period, especially in the elderly. By subtype, influenza A(H3N2) virus made the largest contribution to influenza-associated mortality.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.567-581
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• 2019

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of SGX01 on the lung injuries of COPD mice model. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in two ways: in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, L929 cells were challenged with LPS, and then treated with six concentrations of SGX01 (10, 30, 50, 100, 300, and $500{\mu}g/ml$) and analyzed by ELISA. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were challenged with LPS and cigarette smoking solution (CSS), and then treated with a vehicle only (control group), dexamethasone 3 mg/kg (dexa group), or a SGX01 200 mg/kg (SGX01 group). After sacrifice, the BALF or lung tissue was analyzed with Cytospin, FACS, ELISA, real-time PCR and H&E, and Masson's trichrome staining. Results: SGX01 significantly decreased NO, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and IL-6 on L929 cells challenged with LPS. In the COPD model, SGX01 significantly inhibited the increase of neutrophils, $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-17A, CXCL-1, MIP2, CD8+ cells in BALF, and $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA expression in lung tissue. It also decreased the severity of the histological lung injury. Conclusion: This study suggests the usability of SGX01 for COPD patients by controlling lung tissue injury.