• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.54-58
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• 2017

Lymphangioma is a congenital malformed lymphatic tumor that rarely involves the tongue. In our clinic, a 10-year-old female presented with lymphangioma circumscriptum involving the right two-thirds of the tongue. We administered an intralesional combination injection of triamcinolone, bleomycin, and bevacizumab as a treatment. Almost complete remission after combination therapy was achieved without complications such as edema, swallowing difficulties or recurrence. Bevacizumab, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor, was effective for the treatment of lymphangioma of the tongue in this case. No recurrence was noted at the 1-year follow up.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.525-530
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• 2015

Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a pathogenic role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and is thus a potential target for the development of therapeutics for this disease. Here, we demonstrated that Wnt5a antagonized β-catenin response transcription (CRT) induced with Wnt3a by promoting β-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33/Ser37/Thr41 and its subsequent degradation in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Wnt5a decreased the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), which was up-regulated by Wnt3a. Furthermore, Wnt5a increased E-cadherin expression and decreased cell migration by down-regulating Snail expression, thereby abrogating the Wnt3a-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human RPE cells. Our findings suggest that Wnt5a suppresses the pathogenic effects of canonical Wnt signaling in human RPE cells by promoting β-catenin phosphorylation and degradation. Therefore, Wnt5a has significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of AMD. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(9): 525-530]

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.317-328
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of ghrelin on memory impairment in a rat model of vascular dementia induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Methods: Randomized controlled groups and the posttest design were used. We established the representative animal model of vascular dementia caused by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and administered $80{\mu}g/kg$ ghrelin intraperitoneally for 4 weeks. First, behavioral studies were performed to evaluate spatial memory. Second, we used molecular biology techniques to determine whether ghrelin ameliorates the damage to the structure and function of the white matter and hippocampus, which are crucial to learning and memory. Results: Ghrelin improved the spatial memory impairment in the Y-maze and Morris water maze test. In the white matter, demyelination and atrophy of the corpus callosum were significantly decreased in the ghrelin-treated group. In the hippocampus, ghrelin increased the length of hippocampal microvessels and reduced the microvessels pathology. Further, we confirmed angiogenesis enhancement through the fact that ghrelin treatment increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related protein levels, which are the most powerful mediators of angiogenesis in the hippocampus. Conclusion: We found that ghrelin affected the damaged myelin sheaths and microvessels by increasing angiogenesis, which then led to neuroprotection and improved memory function. We suggest that further studies continue to accumulate evidence of the effect of ghrelin. Further, we believe that the development of therapeutic interventions that increase ghrelin may contribute to memory improvement in patients with vascular dementia.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.180-180
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• 2006

A novel preparation method for core/shell nanoparticles with protein drug-loaded lipid core was designed and characterized. The lipid core is composed of lecithin and protein drug and the polymeric shell is composed of Pluronics (poly (ethylene oxide)-poly (propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer, F-127 For the application of core/shell nanoparticles as a protein drug carrier, lysozyme and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) were loaded into the core/shell nanoparticles by electrostatic interaction and the drug release pattern was observed by manipulating the polymeric shell.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-VEGF receptor (VEGFR) system has been shown to play central roles not only in physiological angiogenesis, but also in pathological angiogenesis in diseases such as cancer. Based on these findings, a variety of anti-angiogenic drugs, including anti-VEGF antibodies and VEGFR/multi-receptor kinase inhibitors have been developed and approved for the clinical use. While the clinical efficacy of these drugs has been clearly demonstrated in cancer patients, they have not been shown to be effective in curing cancer, suggesting that further improvement in their design is necessary. Abnormal expression of an endogenous VEGF-inhibitor sFlt-1 has been shown to be involved in a variety of diseases, such as preeclampsia and aged macular degeneration. In addition, various factors modulating angiogenic processes have been recently isolated. Given this complexity then, extensive studies on the interrelationship between VEGF signals and other angiogenesis-regulatory systems will be important for developing future strategies to suppress diseases with an angiogenic component.

• CELLMED
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.14.1-14.5
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• 2016

Taemyeongcheong (TMC) is Korean traditional extracted drink with various health ingredients. TMC has been used to treat hepatic damage, obesity, gastritis, and colitis. However, the role of TMC on allergic reaction has not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic effects of TMC against a compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic reaction and IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA). TMC significantly inhibited the compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic reaction and IgE-mediated PCA reaction. Furthermore, TMC reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-13, and vascular endothelial growth factor in the serum of mice under PCA reaction. Taken together, these results suggest that TMC can play a useful role as an anti-allergic agent.

• Journal of The Korean Ophthalmological Society
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2019

Purpose: Intravitreal aflibercept, ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and dexamethasone are the most widely used drugs in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors and dexamethasone for the treatment of DME. Methods: There were nine previous systematic reviews on this topic; we updated these high-quality reviews. Seven studies were added to two studies following a literature search. Efficacy outcomes were 1) average improvement in visual acuity, 2) proportion of patients who experienced an improvement in vision (an increase in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of ${\geq}15$ in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS]), and 3) proportion of patients who experienced worsening vision (a decrease in BCVA of ${\geq}15$ in the ETDRS). Safety outcomes included systemic adverse events and ocular-related adverse events. Results: The mean difference in the BCVA for ranibizumab versus bevacizumab treatment was 0.16 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.02, 0.34), and that for ranibizumab versus aflibercept was -0.08 (95% CI: -0.26, 0.10). The mean difference in the change of BCVA for aflibercept versus ranibizumab was -0.20 (95% CI: -0.40, -0.01), and that for aflibercept versus bevacizumab was -0.34 (95% CI: -0.53, -0.14). Other efficacy outcomes showed similar trends, and there was no significant difference between treatments. There was also no significant difference in both systemic and ocular adverse events rates between the treatments. Conclusions: In DME patients, the efficacy of aflibercept was found to be higher with respect to BCVA changes compared with ranibizumab or bevacizumab. However, there were no significant difference in terms of visual acuity improvement or visual acuity of more than 15 letters, nor in terms of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (as a safety outcome).

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.737-742
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• 2009

Hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$) is a heterodimeric transcriptional activator that mediates gene expression in response to hypoxia. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has been noted as an effective therapeutic target for ischemic diseases such as myocardiac infarction, stroke and cancer. By using a yeast two-hybrid system and a random peptide library, we found a 16-mer peptide named F29 that directly interacts with the bHLH-PAS domain of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. We found that F29 facilitates the interaction of the HIF-$1{\alpha/\beta}$ heterodimer with its target DNA sequence, hypoxia-responsive element (HRE). The transient transfection of an F29-expressing plasmid increases the expression of both an HRE-driven luciferase gene and the endogenous HIF-1 target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Taken together, we conclude that F29 increases the DNA-binding ability of HIF-$1{\alpha}$, leading to increased expression of its target gene VEGF. Our results suggest that F29 can be a lead compound that directly targets HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and increases its activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.192-197
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• 2006

Purpose : Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a key cytokine for controlling vascular permeability and angiogenesis, which is one of the major findings in airway remodeling. However, it is not well known if it is associated with acute lower respiratory tract disease such as lobar pneumonia. The aim of this study is to compare serum VEGF levels in patients with asthma according to its severity and duration of cough, and to compare its levels with children with lobar pneumonia. Methods : Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the serum VEGF levels were measured in 16 mild asthmatics, 14 moderate to severe asthmatics, six children with lobar pneumonia, and 22 control subjects. The asthmatics were also classified into three groups according to the duration of cough. Serum VEGF levels were compared in each group. Results : Serum VEGF levels were significantly increased in the children with moderate to severe asthma and lobar pneumonia compared to the children with mild asthma and control subjects. Serum VEGF levels were higher in children with chronic coughs of more than two weeks than in children with coughs lasting less than two weeks. Serum levels of VEGF showed positive correlations with blood platelet and white blood cell counts. Conclusion : VEGF increased according to the severity of asthma and duration of cough in children with asthma. It may play an important role not only in chronic airway inflammation, but also in the acute inflammation in children with lower respiratory tract disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3909-3919
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• 2013

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of A ferruginea extract on Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) induced tumours in BALB/c mice. Experimental animals received A ferruginea extract (10 mg/kg.b.wt) intraperitoneally for 14 consecutive days after DLA tumor challenge. Treatment with extract significantly increased the life span, total white blood cell (WBC) count and haemoglobin (Hb) content and decreased the level of serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (${\gamma}$-GT) and nitric oxide (NO) in DLA bearing ascites tumor models. In addition, administration of extract significantly decreased the tumour volume and body weight in a DLA bearing solid tumor model. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as well as pro-angiogenic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were elevated in solid tumour controls, but significantly reduced by A ferruginea administration. On the other hand, the extract stimulated the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) in animals with DLA induced solid tumours. Increase in $CD4^+$ T-cell population suggested strong immunostimulant activity for this extract. GC/MS and LC/MS analysis showed quinone, quinoline, imidazolidine, pyrrolidine, cyclopentenone, thiazole, pyrazole, catechin and coumarin derivatives as major compounds present in the A ferruginea methanolic extract. Thus, the outcome of the present study suggests that A ferruginea extract has immunomodulatory and tumor inhibitory activities and has the potential to be developed as a natural anticancer agent.