• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.148-157
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• 2019

A 70% ethanol extract of Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. was investigated for its whitening activity for application as a functional ingredient in cosmetic products. At the E. annuus extract concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$, the electron-donating ability was found to be 67.83%, the tyrosinase inhibitory effect (related to skin-whitening) was 69%, the elastase inhibitory effect (related to skin-wrinkling) was 69%, and the astringent effect was 80%. The $ABTS^+$ radical-scavenging ability was 87% at the $500{\mu}g/ml$ concentration. In the cell viability test measured on melanoma cells, 96% of the cells treated with $100{\mu}g/ml$ of the extract were viable. According to the western blot results, the protein expression of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2 was decreased by 60.22%, 47.83%, 54.79%, and 67.88%, respectively, at the extract concentration of $100{\mu}g/ml$. The protein expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (p-ERK) and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) was decreased with increasing concentrations of the extract. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of the extract showed that the mRNA expression of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 was decreased by 86.51%, 85.22%, 74.26%, and 66.66%, respectively, at $100{\mu}g/ml$ extract concentration. The findings suggest that the 70% ethanol extract from E. annuus (L.) Pers. has potential as a cosmeceutical ingredient with whitening effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2023

This study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Rumohra adiantiformis extracts fermented with Bovista plumbea mycelium (B-RAE) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid content of B-RAE were 379.26±7.77 mg/g and 50.85±3.08 mg/g, respectively. The results of measuring the antioxidant activity of B-RAE showed that it scavenges 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and superoxide anion radical in a dose-dependent manner. B-RAE inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. The gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-lβ (IL-1β), and IL-6 was measured using real time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). We found that, compared to the LPS-treated group, B-RAE significantly reduced the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the phosphorylation of transcription factors such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway proteins were assessed using Western blot analysis. We found that B-RAE significantly suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2, but their expression was increased by LPS treatment. In addition, the phosphorylation of NF-κB and IκB, which was increased by LPS treatment, was reduced with B-RAE treatment. The effect of B-RAE on the phosphorylation of the MAPK signaling pathway proteins was measured, and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the p38 MAPK proteins decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) increased. These anti-inflammatory effects of B-RAE may thus have been achieved through the high antioxidant activity, the inhibition of NO production through the suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression, the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, and the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1023-1030
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• 2008

NtMEK2, which is the tobacco MAPK kinase that is upstream of SIPK and WIPK, was identified using the dexamethasone (DEX)-inducible gain-of-function transgenic system. Expression of $NtNEK2^{DD}$, a constitutively active mutant of NtNEK2, leads to HR-like cell death, which indicates that the NtMEK2-SIPK/WIPK cascade controls defense responses in tobacco. However, little is known about the downstream target substrates or defense-related genes that are regulated by the NtMEK2-SIPK/ WIPK cascade. In this study, ACP-based differential display RT-PCR was used to isolate the downstream effectors mediated by the NtMEK2-SIPK/WIPK cascade in $NtNEK2^{DD}$ transgenic plants. The results identified 6 novel differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These included pathogen induced protein 2-4 (pI2-4), monoterpene synthase 2 (MTS2), seven in absentia protein (SINA), cell death marker protein 1 (CDM1), hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) and unknown genes (DEG45). The induction of these genes was confirmed by RT-PCR of samples obtained from $NtNEK2^{DD}$ plants. Additionally, when compared with other isolated DEGs, the pI2-4, CDM1 and HRGP genes were significantly up-regulated in response to treatment with salicylic acid and tobacco mosaic virus. Taken together, these results suggest that three novel DEGs were regulated by the NtMEK2-SIPK/WIPK cascade involved in disease resistance in tobacco.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.28 no.1 s.66
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• pp.165-174
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• 1998

The turnover of collagen is controlled by the balance between collagen synthesis and degradation. The production of collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1) and its inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of matrix metallopmteinase-1 (TIMP-1) are one of the substances which regulate this balance. The periodontal ligament fibroblast plays an important role in collagen metabolism during orthodontic treatment and is believed to be an origin of the osteoblast in the alveolar bone. The collagenase secreted by the periodontal ligament fibroblast and the osteoblast initiates the bone resorption by removing the osteoid layer in the alveloar bone. The interleukin-$1{\beta}$ is secreted by the macrophage during orthodontic treatment. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of mechanical stress and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ on the expression of collagenase and TIMP-1 in the periodontal ligament fibroblasts using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining. The periodontal ligament fibroblasts were stitched by placing the $Petriperm dish^{\circledR}$ dish on the top of spheroidal convex watch glass ($5\%$ surface increase) and tented with interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (1.0 ng/ml), or treated with both of them. Treatment with mechanical stress and/or interleukin-$1{\beta}$ resulted in increased collagenase mRNA expression. The mechanical stress treated group (1.61, 1.62, 1.37 fold increase), the interleukin-$1{\beta}$, tented group (1.68, 1.60, 3.78 fold increase), the mechanical stress and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ treated group (1.89, 1.72, 5.48 fold increase) induced increases in collagenase mRNA compared with the control group after 2, 4, 8 hours respectively. But TIMP-1 mRNA expressions at experimental groups were decreased after 2, 4 hours and increased after 8 hours. The mechanical stress treated group (0.16, 0.49 fold decrease and 3.77 fold increase), the interleukin-$1{\beta}$ treated group (0.15,0.44 fold decrease and 4.46 fold increase), the mechanical stress and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ tented group (0.15, 0.69 fold decrease and 4.81 fold increase) induced changes in TIMP-1 mRNA compared with the control group after 2, 4, 8 hours, respectively. Immunohistochemical stain showed that increased collagenase and TIMP-1 staining of the mechanical stress tented group, the interleukin-$1{\beta}$ treated group, and the mechanical stress and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ treated group compared with that of the control group after 8 hours. These findings suggest that mechanical stress and interleukin-$1{\beta}$ regulate expression of collagenase and TIMP-1.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2002

5-Hydroxytryptamine(5-HT; serotonin) system has been implicated in the modulation of male sexual behaviors and the secretion of reproductive hormones. In human males, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors(SSRIs) are known to improve the major male sexual dysfunction, premature ejaculation, through the central nervous system-mediated pathways. As numerous hormone and local factors, 5-HT may have peripheral role in the regulation of male sexual function. The expression of 5-HT receptor subtypes in the target tissue, however, has not been explored yet. The present study was undertaken to test whether the 5-HT receptor subtypes are expressed in the reproductive tissues of male rat, especially in ejaculatory machinery such as seminal vesicle and vas deferens. To do this, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Southern blot analysis were employed. The transcripts for the 1A, 1B and 2C subtypes of 5-HT receptor were amplified in all the tested tissues. The present study demonstrated the expression of 5-HT receptor in the rat ejaculatory machinery, suggesting that 5-HT may play a pivotal role in the male sexual function via not only central pathway but also peripheral route. Further study on the receptor subtype-specific effect and their harmonized mode of action will be needed to establish the understanding of ejaculation mechanism and drug design.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.238-246
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• 2010

In 2006 fall, a preliminary survey of viruses in two important medicinal plants, Cynanchum wilfordii and C. auriculatum, was conducted on the experimental fields at the Agricultural Research and Extension Services of Chungbuk province in Korea. On each experimental fields, percentage of virus infection was ranged from 20 to 80%, and especially an average of disease incidence propagated by roots was twice higher than that by seeds. The various symptoms were observed in Cynanchum spp. plants, such as mosaic, mottle, necrosis, yellowing, chlorotic spot and malformation etc. In electron microscopic examination of crude sap extracts, filamentous rod particles with 390-730 nm were observed in most samples. The virus particles were purified from the leaves of C. wilfordii with typical mosaic symptom, and the viral RNA was extracted from this sample containing 430-845 nm long filamentous rod. To identify the viruses, reverse transcription followed by PCR with random primers was carried out. The putative sequences of P3 and coat protein of potyvirus were obtained. From a BLAST of the two sequences, they showed 26-38% and 62-72% identities to potyviruses, respectively. In SDS-PAGE analysis, the subunit of coat protein was approximately 30.3 kDa, close to the coat protein of potyvirus. In bioassay with 21 species in 7 families, Chenopodium quinoa showed local lesion on inoculated leave and chlorotic spot on upper leave, but the others were not infected. RT-PCR detection using specific primer of C. wilfordii and C. auriculatum samples, all of 24 samples with virus symptom was positive, and five out of seven samples without virus symptom were also positive. On the basis of these data, the virus could be considered as a new member of potyvirus. We suggested that the name of the virus was Keunjorong mosaic virus (KjMV) after the common Korean name of C. wilfordii.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2011

Purpose : Norovirus infection, a common cause of community-acquired gastroenteritis, can also lead to severe illness in immunocompromised patients. We investigated clinical manifestations of norovirus infection in pediatric cancer patients. Methods : Stool specimens were collected from pediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms between November 2008 and September 2009 at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Norovirus infection was identified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A retrospective chart review was performed in pediatric cancer patients who were diagnosed with norovirus infection. Results : Ten patients were diagnosed with norovirus infection by RT-PCR in stool samples. The median age was 0.83 years (range 0.25-5.5 years) and the male to female ratio was 1.5:1 (6 males and 4 females). Underlying diseases were hematologic malignancies (4/10, 40%), neuroblastoma (4/10, 40%), and brain tumors (2/10, 20%). Three patients were infected before hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and four patients after HCT. All patients had diarrhea (10/10, 100%), with a median frequency of diarrhea of 8.5 times/day (range 4-22 times/day). Median virus shedding duration was 72.5 days (range 19-299 days). Four patients with pneumatosis intestinalis were conservatively treated with bowel rest and total parenteral nutrition. One patient with severe diarrhea and bloody stool had concomitant chronic gut graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Norovirus infection-related mortality was not observed. Conclusion : Norovirus infection can cause significant clinical manifestations with prolonged viral shedding in immunocompromised patients. Norovirus should be considered in pediatric cancer patients with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2008

Vinclozolin (VCZ) is a systemic fungicide commonly used in fruits, vegetables and the wine industry. VCZ and its metabolites, butenoic acid (M1) and enanilide (M2) derivatives, act as anti-androgens through actions on the androgen receptor. Although there is growing body of evidence that VCZ's action as an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) in male reproductive physiology and pathphysiology, no evidence on the VCZ's EDC action in female is available yet. Previously we found that the prepubertal VCZ exposures could effectively delay the onset of puberty in female rats, suggesting the postponed or weakened activities of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary (H-P-O) reproductive hormonal axis. The present study was performed to examine whether the VCZ administration affects the transcriptional activities of reproductive hormone-related genes in the same animal model. VCZ (10 mg/kg/day) was administered daily from postnatal day 21 (PND 21) through the day when the first vaginal opening (V.O.) was observed. To determine the transcriptional changes of reproductive hormone-related genes in hypothalamus and pituitary, total RNAs were extracted and applied to the semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). As a result, treatment with VCZ significantly lowered the transcriptional activity of nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) which is known to adjust gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in the hypothalamus (p<0.01). Similarly, the mRNA levels of KiSS-1, G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) and GnRH were significantly decreased in hypothalamus (p<0.01) from VCZ-treated group. As expected, the transcriptional activities of luteinizing hormone-${\beta}$ (LH-${\beta}$) and follicle stimulating hormone-${\beta}$ (FSH-${\beta}$) in the anterior pituitary from VCZ-treated group were also significantly lower than those from the control group. The present study indicates that(i) the inhibitory effect of VCZ exposure on the onset of puberty in immature female rats could be derived from the reduced transcriptional activities of gonadotropin subunits and their upstream modulators such as GnRH and KiSS-1 in hypothalamus-pituitary neuroendocrine axis, and (ii) these inhibitory effects could be mediated by NO signaling pathway.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.94-100
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• 2001

Purpose : Enterovirus is a common cause of aseptic meningitis and nonspecific febrile illness in young children. During the summer and fall months, enterovirus-infected young children are frequently admitted and evaluated to rule out bacterial sepsis and/or meningitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between nonpolio enterovirus infection and febrile illness in infants under 3 months of age during the summer, fall months by using a stool culture to identify the presence of enterovirus. Methods : Patients included febrile infants under 3 months of age admitted to Masan Fatima Hospital for sepsis evaluation from May 1999 to September 1999. Cultures were performed from stool and Cerebrospinal fluid samples and then were tested for enterovirus infection. Viral isolation and serotype identification were performed by cell culture and immunofluorescent testing. Enteroviruses not typed by immunofluorescent testing were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results : A total of 44 febrile infants were enrolled; of those, 20(45%) were positive for enterovirus. Two enterovirus culture-positive infants had concomitant urinary tract infection and one had Kawasaki disease. All infants infected with an enterovirus recovered without complications. Serotype of 20 enteroviruses were isolated from stool, 3 of echovirus type 9, 1 of echovirus type 11, 1 Coxsachievirus type B4, 15 of untyped enteroviruses. One untyped enterovirus was isolated in the CSF. Conclusion : Nonpolio enterovirus infections are associated with nonspecific febrile illnesses in infants under 3 months of age.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2006

Although some phytoes rogens might have beneficiary rather than adverse effects, most endocrine disrupting compounds(EDCs) are considered to be harmful to human and wildlife health through interfering the endocrine system. Previously we found that prepubertal exposure to genistein(GS), a well-known isoflavone phytoestrogen, could activate the reproductive system of immature female rats resulting precocious puberty. Interestingly, di(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate(DEHP) exposure brought inverse result, a delayed puberty, in the same experimental regimen. In this study, we examined whether prepubertal exposure to GS or DEHP affect the gene expressions of estrogen receptors($ER\;{\alpha}$ and $ER\;{\beta}$) and LH receptor(LHR) which represent the maturational status of ovary and uterus in immature rats. GS (100 mg/kg/day) was administered daily from postnatal day 25 to the day when the first vaginal opening(VO) was observed, and the animals were sacrificed on the next day(day 32). Similarly, DEHP(l00 mg/kg/day) was administered daily from postnatal day 25 through the day when the first V.O. in control group was observed, and the animals were sacrificed on the next day(day 36). To determine the transcriptional changes in the hormone receptors, total RNAs were extracted from ovary and uterus and were applied to semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). In the GS group, the transcriptional activities of $ER\;{\alpha}$, $ER\;{\beta}$ and LHR in uterus and LHR in ovary were significantly increased when compared to those of control group. In the DEHP group, the transcriptional activities of all the hormone receptors measured were significantly lowered when compared to those of control group. These alteration of the reproductive hormone receptor expressions in ovary and uterus might be represent the phenotypic aspects(secondary sexual characteristics) such as tissue weights and reproductive hormone levels during perinatal period in immature female rats.