• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.501-509
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• 2013

Formaldehyde (FA) is widely used in industries, and it is an indoor and outdoor pollutant. Exposure to FA may cause inflammation and respiratory oxidative stress. Studies have demonstrated that FA can cause cancer in animal models. During the regeneration process of injured starfish (Asterina pectinifera), several changes have been observed in the expression of cytokines. In particular, higher TGF-${\beta}1$ expression has been detected in arm cut starfish extract after eight days. The current study was designed to elucidate the in-vitro and the in-vivo pharmacological effects of starfish extract on FA exposure. We investigated the protective effects of intact starfish extract and arm cut starfish extract on an IMR-90 cell line and on mouse lung injury in response to FA exposure. In the presence of FA, inhalation of the arm cut starfish extract was associated with more promising cell proliferation, TNF-${\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ decrement, and $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$ increment. In the experimental group, the pulmonary structure of the arm cut starfish extract-treated group in the presence of FA exposure was similar to the control group, whereas the FA exposure group showed damage to the pulmonary structure. Moreover, the arm cut starfish extracts was more effective than the intact starfish extracts in terms of the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$, $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$, and surfactant protein A. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that arm cut starfish extracts are more effective in protecting pulmonary structure and function against FA exposure than intact starfish extracts.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2021

Hemistepta lyrata Bunge (HL) has been used as a folk remedy to treat cancer, inflammation, bleeding, hemorrhoids and fever, and leaves and young shoots have been used as famine food. Nevertheless, the biological activities and underlying mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects remain unclear. In this study, it was undertaken to explore the functions of the aerial part of HL as a suppressor of inflammation by using RAW 264.7 cells. As immune response parameters, the productions of as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cytokines such tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated. Although the release of TNF-α remained unchanged in HL-treated RAW 264.7 cells, the productions of NO, PGE2 and IL-6 were significantly increased at concentrations with no cytotoxicity. Furthermore, HL significantly attenuated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway including decreasing the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Collectively, this study provides evidence that HL inhibits the production of major pro-inflammatory molecules in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells via suppression of ERK and P38 MAPK signaling pathways. These findings suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of HL may be attributed partly to its ability to modulate immune functions in macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.793-798
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• 2006

We investigated the effects on the cytotoxicity against several cancer cells of the hydrolysis and molecular weight fractionation of crude laminaran from E. bicyclis, a brown seaweed collected from Uleung island in Korea, was extracted with boiling water and then crude laminaran was prepared by ethanol precipitation of extract obtained after elimination of calcium alginate by calcium chloride. Crude laminaran was hydrolyzed by enzyme (Econase CE), acid (0.1 N HCl) and autoclaving ($121^{\circ}C$, 180 min), and the molecular weight fractions by ultrafiltration to generate molecular weight fractions. Total sugar and sulfate contents of hydrolyzed laminaran were 72.3 and 3.5% (enzyme hydrolysate), 68.5 and 3.0% (acid hydrolysate), 70.2 and 3.2% (autoclaved), and monosaccharides of which consisted of glucose (74.7-78.5%), mannose (9.9-11.5%), galactose (8.5-9.6%) and fucose (3.1-4.5%), respectively. When the cytotoxicity of hydrolyzed laminaran on SNU-1, HeLa and SW cells was evaluated by MTT assay, growth-inhibitory activity of the enzyme hydrolysate against cancer cells was higher than that of acid hydrolysate or autoclaved laminaran. Furthermore, the fraction at a molecular weight range of 10 to 50 kDa revealed higher anti-proliferative activities. The $IC_{50}$ values of 10-50 kDa fraction at a molecular weight range of 10 to 50 kDa revealed higher anti-proliferative activities. The $IC_{50}$ values of 10-50 kDa fractions on SNU-1, HeLa and SW cells were 60.4, 58.6 and 53.9 ${\mu}g/mL$ for enzymatic hydrolysate, 75.6, 73.5 and 77.4 ${\mu}g/mL$ for acid hydrolysate, and 61.7, 68.2 and 60.8 ${\mu}g/mL$ for autoclaved, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.163-183
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• 1998

To evaluate the impacts of the health education programs including smoking cessation, pap smear and breast self-examination(BSE), a community trial was conducted during one year from December 1996 to December 1997 in Kyongju City. Before health education, a base-line survey was implemented and the target population was allocated randomly to case and control groups. The case and control groups were divided into three categories which were smoking cessation, pap smear and BSE. The series of health education leaflets about anti-smoking, pap smear and BSE were mailed to case group and the evaluation survey was conducted at the end of this trial to compare the change of health related behaviours of case and control groups. Smoking prevalence of case group did not decline significantly after anti-smoking education but the cessation rates of the elderly and low educated were higher than others. The knowledge level of case group on the health risk associated with smoking was higher than that of control group and the willingness of case group to quit smoking was higher than the control group. The case group's compliance with pap smear for cervical cancer was more increased compared to control group after health education. Of the case group, the younger and lower educated women were screened at a higher rate than others. The knowledge level of case group on the risk factors of cervical cancer and how to prevent it was higher than that of control group. Nearly 60 percent of case group reported that the health education leaflet influenced them to have the pap smear. The unscreened cases were highly motivated to get the pap smear test in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.120-128
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• 2008

The death ligand tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)/ Apo1L is a cytokine that activates apoptosis through cell surface death receptors. TRAIL has sparked growing interest in oncology due to its reported ability to selectively trigger cancer cell death. Euphorbiae humifusae Wind has been used in traditional Oriental medicine as a folk remedy used for the treatment of cancer. However, the mechanism responsible for the anticancer effects of E. humifusae not clearly understood. Here, we show that treatment with subtoxic doses of water extract of E. humifusae (WEEH) in combination with TRAIL induces apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant human gastric carcinoma AGS cells. Combined treatment with WEEH and TRAIL induced chromatin condensation and sub-G1 phase DNA content. These indicators of apoptosis were correlated with the induction of caspase activity that resulted in the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Combined treatment also triggered the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, co-treatment with WEEH and TRAIL down-regulated the protein levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP and cIAP-1. Although more study will be needed to examine the detailed mechanisms, this combined treatment may offer an attractive strategy for safely treating gastric adenocarcinomas and the results provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anticancer activity of E. humifusae.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.6 s.89
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• pp.471-477
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• 2004

Oldenlandia diffusa is a Chinese medicinal herb with antitumor activity capable of suppressing the growth of some cancer cell lines. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid are triterpenoid compounds that exist in Oldenlandia diffusa. Recently, these have been noted for anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and hepato-protective effects. Application of both plant growth regulators, 2,4-D and kinetin, was found to be essential for the initiation of callus and suspension cells. Leaf blades of Oldenlandia diffusa was transformed into callus on Schenk and Hildebrandt medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L kinetin, while optimum initiation condition for suspension cells of Oldenlandia diffusa was determined to be 0.75 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.1 mg/L kinetin. Chromatographic separation of oleanolic acid from its derivatives was achieved using Rexchrom S5-100-ODS column. Analytical conditions for oleanolic acid were determined as follows: flow rate at 1.0 mL/min, UV length at 200 nm and mobile phase of $80\%$ acetonitrile and $20\%$ water. Production of secondary metabolites was found to be increased by the treatment with elicitors or signal transducers. The maximum production of oleanolic acid was 99.6 mg/L in cultures with 0.5 mM salicylic acid. It is 1.74 times higher than that of control.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.110-119
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• 2003

Purpose: Radioiodine (I-131) therapy is an effective modality to reduce both recurrence and mortality rates in differentiated thyroid cancer. Whether higher doses shows higher therapeutic responses was still debatable. The purpose of this study was to validate curve-fitting (CF) method measuring maximum permissible dose (MPD) by a biological dosimetry using metaphase analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Materials and Methods: Therapeutic effects of MPD was evaluated in 58 patients (49 females and 9 males, mean age $50{\pm}11$ years) of papillary thyroid cancer. Among them 43 patients were treated with ${\Leq}7.4GBq$, while 15 patients with ${\geq}9.25GBq$. The former was defined as low-dose group, and the latter high-dose group. Therapeutic response was defined as complete response when complete disappearance of lesions on follow-up I-131 scan and undetectable serum thyroglobulin levels were found. Statistical comparison between groups were done using chi-square test. P value less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: MPD measured by CF method using tracer and therapeutic doses were $13.3{\pm}1.9\;and\;13.8{\pm}2.1GBq$, respectively (p=0.20). They showed a significant correlation (r=0.8, p<0.0001). Exposed doses to blood measured by CF and biological methods were $1.54{\pm}0.03\;and\;1.78{\pm}0.03Gy$ (p=0.01). They also showed a significant correlation (r=0.86, p=0.01). High-dose group showed a significantly higher rate of complete response (12/15, 80%) as compared to the low-dose group (22/43, 51.2%) (p=0.05). While occurrence of side effects was not different between two groups (40% vs. 30.2%, p=0.46). Conclusion: Measurement of MPD using CF method is reliable, and the high-dose I-131 therapy using MPD gains significantly higher therapeutic effects as compared with low-dose therapy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.545-554
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• 2019

The phytochemical compounds of Pueraria, a medicinally important leguminous plant, include various isoflavones that have weak estrogenic activity and a potential role in preventing chronic disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and postmenopausal syndrome. However, the major isoflavones are derivatives of puerarin and occur mainly as unabsorbable and biologically inactive glycosides. The bioavailability of the glucosides can be increased by hydrolysis of the sugar moiety using ${\beta}$-glucosidase. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of a Pueraria extract after fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76. The L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 strain was inoculated into Pueraria powder and fermented at $37^{\circ}C$ for 72 hr. The total polyphenol content of the Pueraria extract increased by about 134% and the total flavonoid content increased around 110% after fermentation with L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 when compared to a non-fermented Pueraria extract. Superoxide dismutase-like activities, DPPH radical scavenging, and ABTS radical scavenging increased by approximately 213%, 190%, and 107%, respectively, in the fermented Pueraria extract compared to the non-fermented Pueraria extract. Fermentation of Pueraria extracts with L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76 is therefore possible and can effectively increase the antioxidant effects. These results can be applied to the development of improved foods and cosmetic materials.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.475-480
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• 2021

Interest in edible insects such as Protaetia brevitarsis has increased rapidly, and several insect producers use these insects in industrialized mass production. However, mass rearing of insects can cause insect diseases. Sprouted barley is a valuable source of nutrients and has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sprouted barley as a feed additive for producing healthy P. brevitarsis larvae. P. brevitarsis larvae were fed feeds with or without sprouted barley, and their body weight and larval period wewe checked weekly. To confirm the antibacterial effects of sprouted barley, in vitro bioassays were performed by counting Serratia marcescens colonies, and in vivo bioassays were performed by determining the survival rate and body weights of the S. marcescens-infected larvae. Larvae fed different feeds were analyzed for their nutrient compositions (i.e., such as proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, and heavy metals). Larvae fed 5% and 10% sprouted barley had maximum weight increases of 19.2% and 23.1%, respectively. Both treatment groups had significantly shorter larval periods than those of the control group. Sprouted barley markedly inhibited the growth of entomopathogenic S. marcescens. Furthermore, larvae fed sprouted barley exhibited higher Cu, Zn, and K levels. Seventeen amino acids were present in larvae fed sprouted barley, of which, tyrosine and glutamic acid were predominant. No heavy metals were detected in any of the investigated groups. Therefore, sprouted barley may be a suitable feed additive for producing high-quality P. brevitarsis larvae.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.701-712
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• 2024

Fucoidan is a polysaccharide found in brown algae, which is known for its various bioactive effects, including immune enhancement, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the effects of fucoidan on cellular and mitochondrial damage, as well as changes in osteogenic and osteoclastic activities induced by advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells, were investigated. Treatment with AGEs resulted in a time- and dose-dependent decrease in MTT reduction capacity, activation of caspases (-3, -8, and -9), and an increase in apoptosis. Pre-treatment with fucoidan significantly alleviated these cellular damage markers caused by AGEs. In addition, fucoidan protected against AGEs-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by significantly mitigating the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, reduction in intracellular ATP levels, and occurrence of mitochondrial permeability transition in AGEs-treated cells. Fucoidan also markedly suppressed the production of reactive oxygen species and, lipid and protein peroxidation induced by AGEs. In cells exposed to AGEs, gene expression related to osteogenic differentiation and markers of osteogenic activity increased, while markers of osteoclastic activity decreased. Fucoidan significantly moderated these changes. In conclusion, AGEs induce mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells, while decreasing osteogenic differentiation and activity, and increasing osteoclastic activity. Fucoidan appears to reduce cellular and mitochondrial damage and improve osteogenic activity impaired by AGEs.