• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.127-131
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• 2001

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of amino acids on anoxia-induced cell injury in rabbit renal cortical slices. In order to induce anoxic cell injury, slices were exposed to a 100% $N_2$ atmosphere and control slices were exposed to 100% $O^2$. Irreversible cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and alterations in renal cell function were examined by measuring p-aminohippurate (PAH) uptake. Anoxia caused the increase in LDH release in a time-dependent manner. Glycine and glutathione almost completely prevented anoxia-induced LDH release. Of amino acids tested, glycine and alanine exerted the protective effect against anoxia-induced cell injury. However, asparagine with amide side chain, leucine and valine with hydrocarbon side chain, and basic amino acids (lysine, histidine, and arginine) were not effective. Anoxia-induced inhibition of PAM uptake was prevented by glycine. ATP content was decreased by anoxia, which was not affected by glycine. Anoxia-induced depletion of glutathione was significantly prevented by glycine. These results suggest that neutral amino acids with simple structure exert the Protective effect against anoxia-induced cell injury the involvement of specific interaction of amino acids and cell structure.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2004

Acute spinal cord injury can produce neurologic injury with many physical, psychological and social ramifications. It has been shown that two separate components combine to produce neurologic damage in acute spinal cord injury : the primary and secondary injuries. The primary mediators of spinal cord injury include the actual mechanical tissue disruption which is a passive process that occurs immediately following the trauma. A secondary injury cascade follows which appears mediated by cellular and molecular processes working through complex mechanisms. Both the primary and secondary injury cascades produce cell death both in neuronal and supporting cell tissues. Recovery from central nervous system(CNS) disorders is hindered by the limited ability of the vertebrate CNS to regenerate injured cells, replace damaged myelin sheath, and re-establish functional neuronal connections. Of many CNS disorders including multiple sclerosis, stroke, and other trauma, spinal cord injury is one of the important diseases because of the direct association with the functional loss of the body. Previous studies suggest that substantial recovery of function might be achieved through regeneration of lost neuronal cells and remyelination of intact axon in spinal cord injury which is occurred frequently. As a therapeutic approach in spinal cord injury, recently, cell transplantation provides a potential solution for the treatment of spinal cord injury. This review describes the characteristics of spinal cord injury and presents some evidence supporting functional recovery after cell transplantation following spinal cord injury.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to determine the underlying mechanisms of reactive oxygen species-induced cell injury in renal epithelial cells and whether there is a difference in the role of lipid peroxidation between freshly isolated renal cells and cultured renal cells. Rabbit renal cortical slices were used as a model of freshly isolated cells and opossum kidney (OK) cells as a model of cultured cells. Cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in renal cortical slices and frypan blue exclusion in OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$ was used as a drug model of reactive oxygen species. $H_2O$$_2$ induced cell injury in a dose-dependent manner in both cell types. However, renal cortical slices were resistant to $H_2O$$_2$ approximately 50-fold than OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$-induced cell injury was prevented by thiols (glutathione and dithiothreitol) and iron chelators (deferoxamine and phenanthroline) in both cell types. $H_2O$$_2$-induced cell injury in renal cortical slices was completely prevented by antioxidants N,N-diphenyl-p -phenylenediamine and Trolox, but the cell injury was not affected by these antioxidants in OK cells. $H_2O$$_2$ increased lipid peroxidation in both cell types, which was completely inhibited by the antioxidants. These results suggest that $H_2O$$_2$ induces cell injury through a lipid peroxidation-dependent mechanism in freshly isolated renal cells, but via a mechanism independent of lipid peronidation in cultured cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 2004

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) or its mRNA expression are increased in acute nephrosis of various types including ischemia/reperfusion injury. This study was undertaken to determine whether pentoxifylline (PTX), an inhibitor of TNF-α production, provides a protective effect against hypoxia-induced cell injury in rabbit renal cortical slices. To induce hypoxia-induced cell injury, renal cortical slices were exposed to 100% N₂ atmosphere. Control slices were exposed to 100% O₂ atmosphere. The cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and p-aminohippurate (PAH) uptake. Exposure of slices to hypoxia increased the LDH release in a time-dependent manner. However, when slices were exposed to hypoxia in the presence of PTX, the LDH release was decreased. The protective effect of PTX was dose-dependent over the concentrations of 0.05∼1 mM. Hypoxia did not increase lipid peroxidation, whereas an organic hydroperoxide t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) resulted in a significant increase in lipid peroxidation. PTX did not affect tBHP-induced lipid peroxidation. Hypoxia decreased PAH uptake, which was significantly attenuated by PTX and glycine. tBHP-induced inhibition of PAH uptake was not altered by PTX, although it was prevented by antioxidant deferoxarnine. The PAH uptake by slices in rabbits with ischemic acute renal failure was prevented by PTX pretreatment. These results suggest that PTX may exert a protective effect against hypoxia-induced cell injury and its effect may due to inhibition of the TNF-α production, but not by its antioxidant action.

• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.94-105
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• 2002

Apoptotic cell death is a fundamental and highly regulated biological process in which a cell is instructed to actively participate in its own demise. This process of cellular suicide is activated by developmental and environmental cues and normally plays an essential role in eliminating superfluous, damaged, and senescent cells of many tissue types. In recent years, a number of experimental studies have provided evidence of widespread neuronal and glial apoptosis following injury to the central nervous system (CNS). These studies indicate that injury-induced apoptosis can be detected from hours to days following injury and may contribute to neurological dysfunction. Given these findings, understanding the biochemical signaling events controlling apoptosis is a first step towards developing therapeutic agents that target this cell death process. This review will focus on molecular cell death pathways that are responsible for generating the apoptotic phenotype. It will also summarize what is currently known about the apoptotic signals that are activated in the injured CNS, and what potential strategies might be pursued to reduce this cell death process as a means to promote functional recovery.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of baicalein, a major flavone component of Scutellaria balicalensis Georgi, on oxidant-induced cell injury in renal epithelial cells. Opossum kidney cells, an established proximal tubular epithelial cells, were used as a cell model of renal epithelial cells and t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) as an oxidant drug model. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay and lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring the content of malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation. Exposure of cells to tBHP caused cell death and its effect was dose-dependent over concentration range of 0.1~1.0 mM. When cells were exposed to tBHP in the presence of various concentrations (0.1~10 $\mu$M) of baicalein, tBHP-induced cell death was prevented with a manner dependent of baicalein concentration. tBHP induced A TP depletion, which was significantly prevented by baicalein. Similarly, tBHP-induced DNA damage was prevented by baicalein. tBHP produced a marked increase in lipid peroxidation and its effect was completely inhibited by baicalein. These results indue ate that tBHP induces cell injury through a lipid peroxidation-dependent mechanism in renal epithelial cells, and baicalein prevented oxidant-induced cell injury via antioxidant action inhibiting lipid peroxidation. In addition, these results suggest that baicalein may be a candidate for development of drugs which are effective in preventing and treating renal diseases.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.441-446
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• 2005

The molecular mechanism of ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unclear. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in cell death caused by ischemia/reperfusion in vivo or hypoxia in vitro. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation has been reported to be involved in hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in renal epithelial cells. This study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the role of P ARP activation in chemical hypoxia in opossum kidney (OK) cells. Chemical hypoxia was induced by incubating cells with antimycin A, an inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport. Exposure of OK cells to chemical hypoxia resulted in a time-dependent cell death. In OK cells subjected to chemical hypoxia, the generation of ROS was increased, and this increase was prevented by the $H_2O_2$ scavenger catalase. Chemical hypoxia increased P ARP activity and chemical hypoxia-induced cell death was prevented by the inhibitor of PARP activation 3-aminobenzamide. Catalase prevented OK cell death induced by chemical hypoxia. $H_2O_2$ caused PARP activation and $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death was prevented by 3-aminobenzamide. Taken together, these results indicate that chemical hypoxia-induced cell injury is mediated by PARP activation through H202 generation in renal epithelial cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.174-187
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• 2002

Objectives : This study was carried out to determine whether Kamihaengche-tang plus Yulanijihwang-tang (KCYH) exerts a protective effect against oxidant-induced liver cell injury. Methods : Cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) release, and lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation in rabbit liver slices. Results : Oxidants (tBHP and $H_2O_2$) increased dose-dependently LDH release which was significantly prevented by 1% KCYH. The protective effect of KCYH against oxidant-induced cell injury was dose-dependent in the range of 0.05-1 % concentrations. Similarly, KCYH inhibited oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. When liver tissues were exposed to Hg (0.5 mM), ALT activity in the medium and lipid peroxidation in tissues were markedly increased. These changes were prevented by 1% KCYH, KCYH restored toxicant-induced inhibition of cellular GSH content. KCYH increased the activities of catalase and glutathion peroxidase in oxidant-treated tissues. Conclusions : These results indicate that KCYH exerts a protective effect against oxidant-induced liver cell injury, and this effect is attributed to prevention of lipid peroxidation. These effects may be due to an increase in concentration of endogenous antioxidants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.464-471
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• 1998

This study was carried out to determine whether Kamihaengche-tang plus Yukmijihwang-tang (KCYH) exerts the protective effect against oxidant-induced liver cell injury. Cell injurt was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) release, and lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation in rabbit liver slices. $H_2O_2$increased LDH release which was significantly prevented by 1% KCYHT. The protective effect of KCYH against $H_2O_2$-induced cell injury was dose-dependent in the range of 0.05-1% concentrations. Similary, KCYH inhibited $H_2O_2$ induced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. When liver tissuse were exposed to Hg(0.5 mM), ALT activity in the medium and lipid erpoxidation in tissues were markedly increased. These changes were prevented by 1% KCYH. KCHY restored Hg-induced inhibition of cellular GSH content. These result indicate that KCYH exerts the protective effect oxidant-induced liver cell injury, and this effect is attributed to prevented to prevention of lipid peroxidation. These dffects may be due to an increase in concentration of endogenous antioxidants.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.12
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• pp.789-794
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• 2010

A novel gene, designated mgt-6, containing four splicing variants, was isolated from a gene trap clone library of C3H/10T1/2 cells transfected with retroviral promoterless gene-trap vector, ROSAFARY. The transcript variants were differentially expressed in murine tissues and cell lines and differentially responded to diverse stimuli including TGF-${\beta}1$ and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors. The mgt-6 gene encoded a protein of 37 or 11 amino acid residuals with cytoplasmic distribution. However, when C3H/10T1/2 cells were treated with 5-azacytidine, the protein translocated into cell nucleus as indicated by fused LacZ or C-terminally tagged EGFP. Our preliminary results suggest that further study on the role of mgt-6 gene in cell transformation and differentiation may be of significance.