• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2002

Alteration in the syntesis or enhanced inactivation of nitric oxide(NO) can induce impairment of endothelial cell function. Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(IDDM) is characterized by impaired endothelial function and vascular disease. NO is produced through L-arginine pathway To elucidate the hypothesis that the decreased production on NO in IDDM reflects vascular damage and the NO production can be manipulated by either dietary fat(7% of kg diet) or the oral supplementation with L-arginine(2g/kg bw), plasma markers for vascular endothelial damage and plasma lipid profiles were measured in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic or normal Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 6 different experimental diets for 4 weeks(SO : soybean oil, SOA: soybean oil + L-arginine supplementation, BT : beef tallow, BTA_ beef tallow + L-arginine supplementation, OV olive oil, OVA : olive oil + L-arginine supplementation). Plasma glucose, total cholesterel, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride were measured. Endothelial markers, plasma von Willebrand factor(vWf), thromboxane B$_2$, and 6-keto PGF1$\alpha$ of aorta were measured by ELISA. Plasma NO production was evaluated through the measurement of nitrite by EIA. Feeding saturated fatty acid(SFA, BT) increased relative liver size(RLS) in diabetic rats compared to either polyunsatunted fatty acid(PUFA, SO) or monounsaturated fatty acid(MUFA, OV) The supplementation of L-arginine inhibited the liver and kidney enlargement in olive oil find diabetic rats. Plasma glucose was lower in diabetic animal find the olive oil compared to fed beef tallow and the supplementation L-arginine decreased it in diabetic rats find beef tallow significantly(p < 0.05). Plasma TXB$_2$ levels were increased due to diabetes and the value of beef tallow group showed highest value. Plasma vWf concentration of beef tallow group was higher value in normal rats and was elevated more in diabetes. In diabetic groups, the vWf concentration of olive oil group was lower than beef tallow or soybean oil group. The supplementation of L-arginine in diabetic rats decreased plasma TXB$_2$ and vWf levels significantly(p < 0.05). NO production was higher in normal olive oil fed rats and was tend to be decreased in diabetic rats and the supplementation of L-arginine recovered to normal value(p < 0.05), Olive oil supplemented with L-arginine tended to lower plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol after 4 week treatment. These results suggest that generalized vascular endothelial changes based on plasma TXB$_2$and vWf occurs in diabetic rats. and olive oil with L-arginine supplementation contributes to a better control of the hyperglycemia, endothelial changes and hypercholesterolemia accompanying diabetes as compared with beef tallow or soy bean oil in this rat model.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.567-577
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• 2022

Recently, the prevalence of ischemic diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, cerebral ischemia, and peripheral arterial disease, has been continuously increasing due to the aging population. The current standardized treatment for ischemic diseases is reperfusion therapy through pharmacotherapy and surgical approaches. Although reperfusion therapy may restore the function of damaged arteries, it is not effective at restoring the function of the surrounding tissues that have been damaged due to ischemia. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new treatment strategy that can safely and effectively treat ischemic damage and restore the function of surrounding tissues. To overcome these limitations, stem cell-based therapy to regenerate the damaged region has been studied as a promising strategy for ischemic vascular diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from diverse tissues and have been shown to be promising for the treatment of ischemic disease by regenerating damaged tissues through immunomodulation, the promotion of angiogenesis, and the secretion of various relevant factors. Moreover, new approaches to enhancing MSC function, such as cell priming or enhancing transplantation efficiency using a 3D culture method, have been studied to increase stem cell therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we provide various strategies by which MSCs are used to treat ischemic diseases, and we discuss the challenges of MSC transplantation, such as the differentiation, proliferation, and engraftment of MSCs at the ischemic site.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.98-100
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• 2003

Synthetic polymers such as PET and ePTFE have widely been used for artificial vascular patches. However, these materials cannot function for a long term as blood vessel due to thrombotic occlusion and calcification. To overcome this limitation, a biocompatible vascular patch was developed using stem cell and tissue engineering approach. Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were differentiated into vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. These cells were seeded onto collagen patch matrices. The matrices were anastomosed to abdominal arteries in canine models. Prior to implantation, histological and scanning electron microscopical examination revealed stem cell adhesion and growth on the matrices. At 3 weeks, the implanted vascular patches were patent. Histological examination showed the regeneration of endothelium, media and adventitia in the grafts. Cell tracing analysis using fluorescent reagent showed that labeled stem cells were present in the implanted grafts and contributed to the regeneration of vascular tissues. This study may help us develop a tissue-engineered vascular patch appropriate for clinical applications.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.63-75
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• 2010

Vascular dementia(VaD) is currently considered to be the second most common type of dementia. VaD is not a single diagnostic entity, but a heterogeneous syndrome which encompasses several clinicopathological forms of dementia resulting from cerebrovascular diseases. A common form of VaD is subcortical VaD which is characterized by lacunar infarcts and deep white matter changes, leading to a progressive decline in memory and cognitive function. The neuropsychological and cognitive profiles of subcortical VaD have been reported relatively homogeneous. At present, subcortical vascular dementia is regarded as the most important subtype of VaD with getting the attention of vascular dementia. The aims of this study are to discuss the concept of subcortical VaD and its importance focusing on diagnosis, prevention and treatment with a case report.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.830-842
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• 2021

When perceiving microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) or plant-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), plants alter their root growth and development by displaying a reduction in the root length and the formation of root hairs and lateral roots. The exogenous application of a MAMP peptide, flg22, was shown to affect root growth by suppressing meristem activity. In addition to MAMPs, the DAMP peptide PEP1 suppresses root growth while also promoting root hair formation. However, the question of whether and how these elicitor peptides affect the development of the vascular system in the root has not been explored. The cellular receptors of PEP1, PEPR1 and PEPR2 are highly expressed in the root vascular system, while the receptors of flg22 (FLS2) and elf18 (EFR) are not. Consistent with the expression patterns of PEP1 receptors, we found that exogenously applied PEP1 has a strong impact on the division of stele cells, leading to a reduction of these cells. We also observed the alteration in the number and organization of cells that differentiate into xylem vessels. These PEP1-mediated developmental changes appear to be linked to the blockage of symplastic connections triggered by PEP1. PEP1 dramatically disrupts the symplastic movement of free green fluorescence protein (GFP) from phloem sieve elements to neighboring cells in the root meristem, leading to the deposition of a high level of callose between cells. Taken together, our first survey of PEP1-mediated vascular tissue development provides new insights into the PEP1 function as a regulator of cellular reprogramming in the Arabidopsis root vascular system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.459-466
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• 2021

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Because of the side effects and incomplete recovery from current therapy, stem cell therapy emerges as a potential therapy for CVD treatment, and endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) is one of the key stem cells used for therapeutic applications. The effect of this therapy required the expansion of EPC function. To enhance the EPC activation, proliferation, and angiogenesis using dronedarone hydrochloride (DH) is the purpose of this study. DH received approval for atrial fibrillation treatment and its cardiovascular protective effects were already reported. In this study, DH significantly increased EPC proliferation, tube formation, migration, and maintained EPCs surface marker expression. In addition, DH treatment up-regulated the phosphorylation of AKT and reduced the reactive oxygen species production. In summary, the cell priming by DH considerably improved the functional activity of EPCs, and the use of which might be a novel strategy for CVD treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.411-418
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• 2014

Vascular remodelling is an adaptive mechanism, which counteracts pressure changes in blood circulation. Nicotine content in cigarette increases the risk of hypertension. The exact relationship between nicotine and vascular remodelling still remain unknown. Current study was aimed to determine the effect of clinically relevant dosage of nicotine (equivalent to light smoker) on aortic reactivity, oxidative stress markers and histomorphological changes. Twelve age-matched male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups, i.e.: normal saline as control or 0.6 mg/kg nicotine for 28 days (i.p., n=6 per group). On day-29, the rats were sacrificed and the thoracic aorta was dissected immediately for further studies. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) of nicotine-treated vs. control were significantly increased (p<0.05). Nicotine-treated group showed significant (p<0.05) increase tunica media thickness, and decrease in lumen diameter, suggesting vascular remodelling which lead to prior hypertension state. The phenylephrine (PE)-induced contractile response in nicotine group was significantly higher than control group ($ED_{50}=1.44{\times}10^5M$ vs. $4.9{\times}10^6M$) (p<0.05~0.001). However, nicotine-treated rat showed significantly lower endothelium-dependent relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh) than in control group ($ED_{50}=6.17{\times}10^7M$ vs. $2.82{\times}10^7M$) (p<0.05), indicating loss of primary vascular function. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker was significantly higher in nicotine group. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity and glutathione (GSH) were all reduced in nicotine group (p<0.05) vs. control, suggesting nicotine induces oxidative imbalance. In short, chronic nicotine administration impaired aortic reactivity, probably via redox imbalance and vascular remodelling mechanism.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.206-211
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• 2020

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are a unique cell type that has unusual plasticity controlled by environmental stimuli. As an abnormal increase of VSMC proliferation is associated with various vascular diseases, tight regulation of VSMC phenotypes is essential for maintaining vascular homeostasis. Hypoxia is one environmental stress that stimulates VSMC proliferation. Emerging evidence has indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators in the hypoxic responses of VSMCs. Therefore, we previously investigated miRNAs modulated by hypoxia in VSMCs and found that miR-1260b is one of the most upregulated miRNAs under hypoxia. However, the mechanism that underlies the regulation of VSMCs via miR-1260b in response to hypoxia has not been explored. Here we demonstrated that hypoxia-induced miR-1260b promotes VSMC proliferation. We also identified growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, as a novel target of miR-1260b. miR-1260b directly targets the 3'UTR of GDF11. Downregulation of GDF11 inhibited Smad signaling and consequently enhanced the proliferation of VSMCs. Our findings suggest that miR-1260b-mediated GDF11-Smad-dependent signaling is an essential regulatory mechanism in the proliferation of VSMCs, and this axis is modulated by hypoxia to promote abnormal VSMC proliferation. Therefore, our study unveils a novel function of miR-1260b in the pathological proliferation of VSMCs under hypoxia.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.175-186
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• 2009

The vasorelaxant effect of an extract of Lophatherum gracile Brongn (ELB) and its possible action mechanism were ascertained in aortic tissues isolated from rats. ELB relaxed endothelium-intact thoracic aorta in a dose-dependent manner. However, the induced vascular relaxation was abolished by removal in endothelium of the thoracic aorta. Pretreatment of endothelium-intact vascular tissues with $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-$\alpha$]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) significantly inhibited vascular relaxation induced by ELB. Moreover, ELB significantly increased cGMP production in aortic tissues, which was blocked by pretreatment with L-NAME or ODQ. The vasorelaxant effect of ELB was attenuated by tetraethylammonium (TEA), and glibenclamide. ELB-induced vasorelaxation was not blocked by atropine, propranolol, indomethacin, verapamil, and diltiazem. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that ELB dilates vascular smooth muscle via an endothelium-dependent NO-cGMP signaling pathway, which may be at least in part related with the function of $K^+$ channels.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2018

The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of hypothermia on endothelium-independent vascular smooth muscle contractility and to determine the mechanism underlying the relaxation. Denuded aortic rings from male rats were used and isometric contractions were recorded and combined with molecular experiments. Hypothermia significantly inhibited fluoride-, thromboxane $A_{2-}$, phenylephrine-, and phorbol ester-induced vascular contractions regardless of endothelial nitric oxide synthesis, suggesting that another pathway had a direct effect on vascular smooth muscle. Hypothermia significantly inhibited the fluoride-induced increase in pMYPT1 level and phorbol ester-induced increase in pERK1/2 level, suggesting inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activity and subsequent phosphorylation of MYPT1 and ERK1/2. These results suggest that the relaxing effect of moderate hypothermia on agonist-induced vascular contraction regardless of endothelial function involves inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activities.