• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2023

The poor outcome of advanced ovarian cancer under conventional therapy necessitates new strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy. β-glucosidase (encoded by GBA) is a lysosomal enzyme and is involved in sphingolipids metabolism. Recent studies revealed that β-glucosidase plays a role in cancer development and chemoresistance. In this work, we systematically evaluated the expression and role of GBA in ovarian cancer. Our work demonstrates that inhibition of β-glucosidase has therapeutic potential for ovarian cancer. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses of patient samples demonstrated that GBA mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly increased in ovarian cancer compared to normal tissues. Functional studies using gainof-function and loss-of-function approaches demonstrated that GBA overexpression did not affect growth and migration but alleviated cisplatin's efficacy in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, GBA depletion resulted in growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, and enhancement of cisplatin's efficacy. Of note, we found that GBA inhibition specifically decreased receptor tyrosine kinase AXL level, leading to the suppression of AXL-mediated signaling pathways. Our data suggest that GBA represents a promising target to inhibit AXL signaling and overcome cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.488-495
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• 2023

Mitochondrial transplantation is a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA, as well as several metabolic and neurological disorders. Animal studies have shown that mitochondrial transplantation can improve cellular energy metabolism, restore mitochondrial function, and prevent cell death. However, challenges need to be addressed, such as the delivery of functional mitochondria to the correct cells in the body, and the long-term stability and function of the transplanted mitochondria. Researchers are exploring new methods for mitochondrial transplantation, including the use of nanoparticles or CRISPR gene editing. Mechanisms underlying the integration and function of transplanted mitochondria are complex and not fully understood, but research has revealed some key factors that play a role. While the safety and efficacy of mitochondrial transplantation have been investigated in animal models and human trials, more research is needed to optimize delivery methods and evaluate long-term safety and efficacy. Clinical trials using mitochondrial transplantation have shown mixed results, highlighting the need for further research in this area. In conclusion, although mitochondrial transplantation holds significant potential for the treatment of various diseases, more work is needed to overcome challenges and evaluate its safety and efficacy in human trials.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.292-304
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• 2010

High value-added therapeutic proteins have been leading the biologics industry and occupied major portion of the market. More than 60% of the currently available protein therapeutics are glycoproteins attached with glycans which play crucial roles for the protein folding, therapeutic efficacy, in vivo half-life and immunogenecity. This review introduces the process of glycosylation and the impacts of glycans in the aspects of therapeutics. The important glycan structures in therapeutic performances were also summarized focusing on three representative categories of glycoproteins, cytokines, therapeutic antibody and enzyme. Currently, mammalian expression systems such as Chinese hamster ovary cells are preferred for the production of therapeutic glycoproteins due to their ability to synthesize glycans having similar structures with human type glycans. However, recent advances of plant glycoengineering to overcome the limitation originating from different glycan structures will soon allow to develop more efficient and economic plant-based production systems for therapeutic glycoproteins.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.7-14
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• 2015

This study examined whether game usage would alleviate players' aggressive tendencies. Other game-related variables, psychological care factors (adaptive game use tendency, game self-efficacy, and life self-efficacy), and psychological problem factors (loneliness and depression) were controlled for determination of the effect. We drew on the catharsis theory from therapeutic psychology literature to explain how game usage contributes to the alleviation of aggressive tendencies. Over two weeks data were collected from 918 participants online. The results indicated that gaming activity had a significant effect on aggression. Higher levels of game and life self-efficacy, as well as adaptive game use tendencies, decreased the degree of aggression. Likewise, higher levels of loneliness and depression reduced the degree of aggression. Results and implications are discussed.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.391-395
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• 2012

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that can affect any hair-bearing area. AA is known to be caused by immunological disorder but still, the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Many therapeutic modalities have been used to treat alopecia areata, with variable efficacy and safety profiles. Unfortunately, none of these agents is definitely curative or preventive alone. We studied hair growth efficacy and safety of Korean red ginseng (KRG) in AA comparing corticosteroid intra-lesional injection (ILI) alone patient group with ILI with KRG taking patient group using Folliscope 2.5 for 12 wk. Herein, we would like to report the efficacy of KRG in the treatment of AA and recommend KRG as a useful complimentary food for gaining efficacy of treatment for AA.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 1994

I will try to serve as the basis for the development of a clinical therapeutic guideline of antipsychotic drugs. Knowing that many patients fail standard treatment recommendations, either because of insufficient efficacy or intolerance to adverse effects, led us to emphasize the importance of the guideline. The clinicians continually assimilate new information about recent advances, including : novel agents targeted to impact specific components of various neurotransmitter systems ; combination strategies ; alternative uses of existing agents ; and specialized requirements of a growing number of identified diagnostic subtypes. The cost to benefit ratio must always be considered when developing a therapeutic guideline.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.29-40
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• 2013

Objectives: To investigate therapeutic mechanisms of Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GJBRH) against gynaecological diseases, articles on biological assay were gathered and analyzed. Methods: The articles were classified as being from domestic or international journals, and by their year of publication. The mechanisms of the biological effects against gynaecological diseases were noted. Results: Of the 14 articles analyzed, 13 were published in China and 1 was from Japan. GJBRH showed therapeutic effect against uterine and mammary gland diseases. Uterine-related diseases such as endometriosis, hysteromyoma, adenomyosis, cancer, and inflammation can be improved by the administration of GJBRH through anti-angiogenesis, anti-inflammation, the modulation of immune cell and immunoglobulin, and the regulation of hormone secretion. GJBRH also reduced mammary hyperplasia by regulating hormone and cytokine release. Conclusions: We speculate that the inhibitory effect against uterine and mammary gland diseases could be related to the therapeutic efficacy of GJBRH in improving gynaecological diseases.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 1998

Clinicians can use therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM) to optimise dosage decisions with psychotropic drugs, in order to maximize efficacy and prevent toxicity, especially when individuals are nonresponsive to treatment or vulnerable to adverse reactions with standard doses because age, disease states or drug interactions. Currently, therapeutic drug concentrations have been established for the TCA and lithium. There is also evidence for the usefulness of TDM with carbamazepine, valproic acid and some antipsychotic drugs. However for most psychotropic drugs this approach remains experimental. TDM-assisted psychiatric treatment is potentially useful and cost effective, particularly when applied by psychiatrists who are knowledgeable of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2000

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a water soluble, biocompatible, non-toxic polymer and PEGylation is a well established technique for the modification of therapeutic proteins and peptides. PEG-protein drugs have been extensively studies in relation to therapies for various diseases: cancer, inflammation and others. The covalent attachment of PEG to proteins and peptides prolonged plasma half-life, reduced antigenicity and immunogenicity, increased thermal and mechanical stability, and prevented degradation by enzymes. Several chemical groups for general and site specific conjugation have been exploited to activate PEG for amino group, carboxyl group, and cysteine groups. PEGylation of many proteins and peptides have been studied to enhance their properties for the potential uses. Also, the different positional isomers in several PEG-proteins have shown the difference in vivo stability and biological indicating that the site of PEG molecule attachment is one of the important factor to develop PEG-proteins as potential therapeutic agents.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.7-14
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• 2020

Objectives : Pyeongwi-san is widely used in Korean medicine for acute indigestion or gastrodynia. As a therapeutic agent for digestive diseases of modern people, in order to confirm the mechanism of Pyeongwi-san on digestive tract disease and the difference of therapeutic efficacy between its formulation, a comparative efficacy test was conducted on digestive tract disease animal model. Methods : For LPS enteritis animal model, male SD rats were intraorally treated with different formulation types of Pyeongwi-san, and then intraperitoneally administered LPS one hour later to induce enteritis. After 5 hours, blood was collected and TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6 and PGE2 were confirmed by ELISA. For acute gastritis animal model, male SD rats were intraorally treated with different formulation types of Pyeongwi-san according to the prescribed concentration, and then intraorally administered 60% ethanol and 150 mM HCl one hour later to induce acute gastritis. After 5 hours, blood was collected and TNFα,IL-6 were confirmed by ELISA. Results : In the LPS-administered enteritis animal model, Pyeongwi-san decreased TNFα, IL-1β, PGE2 and especially IL-6. Pyeongwi-san also decreased IL-6 in acute gastritis animal model. In addition, there was no significant difference in efficacy between the two formulations when compared with inflammatory markers. Conclusions : The efficacy of Pyeongwi-san was confirmed in the inflammatory markers related to digestive inflammatory diseases, and the efficay between two formulations of Pyeongwi-san was relatively similar. Further studies are needed to investigate the new applicability of Pyeongwi-san on different inflammatory diseases that have similar inflammation markers identified in this experiment.