• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2009

Objectives : This study evaluates neuroprotective effect of Gastrodiae Rhizoma on apoptosis in the cerebral infarct. Methods : Cerebral infarct was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 hours with intraluminal thread method in Sprague-Dawley rats. Then ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma was administered orally for 3 days. Infarct area and volume were evaluated with TTC staining. Neuronal apoptosis was identified with TUNEL labeling. Apoptosis modulatory effect was observed with immunohistochemical Bax, Bcl-2, iNOS, and MMP-9 expressions in penumbra. Results : 1. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced infarct size partly and volume significantly of in the MCAO rat brain. 2. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma reduced TUNEL positive cell ratio in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain significantly. 3. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma suppressed Bax, iNOS and MMP-9 expression in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain significantly. 4. Ethanol extract of Gastrodiae Rhizoma did not change Bcl-2 expression in the penumbra of MCAO rat brain. But expression ratio of Bcl-2 against Bax was increased in the Gastrodiae Rhizoma group. Conclusions : These results suggest that Gastrodiae Rhizoma plays an anti-apoptotic neuroprotective effect through suppression of Bax, iNOS, and MMP-9 expressions and relative up-regulation of Bcl-2 in the ischemic brain tissue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 1991

Pulmonary surfactant is a lipoprotein complex composed primarily of phospholipid and lungspecific apoproteins that reduces surface tension in the alveolus and maintains alveolar stability at low lung volume. Three families of lung-specific apoproteins have been described: SP-A, a glycoprotein with a reduced molecular weight of 28~36 KDa. SP-B a hydrophobic protein with a nonreduced molecular weight of 18 KDa, and SP-C a hydrophobic protein with a non-reduced molecular weight of 5~8 KDa. Surfactant proteins have important roles in regulating surfactant metabolism as well as in determining its physical properties. The synthesis of the active surfactant peptides appears to be modulated by system with considerable complexity, including numerous levels of regulation such as cell-specific, hormonal and developmental controls. Endotoxin appears to alter surfactant protein mRNAs differentially. It is hoped that the elucidation of the factors controlling the synthesis and metabolism of the surfactant proteins will aid in understanding the pathogenesis of hyaline membrane disease and offer new avenues for the therapy and diagnosis of ther pulmonary disorders as well.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6215-6223
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• 2015

Tyrosine phosphorylation plays an important role in regulating human physiological and pathological processes. Functional stabilization of tyrosine phosphorylation largely contributes to the balanced, coordinated regulation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Research has revealed PTPs play an important suppressive role in carcinogenesis and progression by reversing oncoprotein functions. Receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase O (PTPRO) as one member of the PTPs family has also been identified to have some roles in tumor development. Some reports have shown PTPRO over-expression in tumors can not only inhibit the frequency of tumor cell division and induce tumor cell death, but also suppress migration. However, the tumor-suppression mechanisms are very complex and understanding is incomplete, which in some degree blocks the further development of PTPRO. Hence, in order to resolve this problem, we here have summarized research findings to draw meaningful conclusions. We found tumor-suppression mechanisms of PTPRO to be diverse, such as controlling G0/G1 of the tumor cell proliferation cycle, inhibiting substrate phosphorylation, down-regulating transcription activators and other activities. In clinical anticancer efforts, expression level of PTPRO in tumors can not only serve as a biomarker to monitor the prognosis of patients, but act as an epigenetic biomarker for noninvasive diagnosis. In addition, the re-activation of PTPRO in tumor tissues, not only can induce tumor volume reduction, but also enhance the susceptibility to chemotherapy drugs. So, we can propose that these research findings of PTPRO will not only support new study ideas and directions for other tumor-suppressors, importantly, but also supply a theoretical basis for researching new molecular targeting agents in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2021

Bladder cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Most gene mutations related to bladder cancer are dominantly acquired gene mutations and are not inherited. Previous comparative transcriptome analysis of urinary bladder cancer and control samples has revealed a set of genes that may play a role in tumor progression. Here we set out to investigate further the expression of two candidate genes, centromere protein U (CENPU) and mitochondrial ribosomal protein s28 (MRPS28) to better understand their role in bladder cancer pathogenesis. Our results confirmed that CENPU is up-regulated in human bladder cancer tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies in T24 human urinary bladder cancer cell line revealed a hierarchical relationship between CENPU and MRPS28 in the regulation of cell viability, migration and invasion activity. CENPU expression was also up-regulated in in vivo nude mice xenograft model of bladder cancer and mice overexpressing CENPU had significantly higher tumor volume. In summary, our findings identify CENPU and MRPS28 in the molecular pathogenesis of bladder cancer and suggest that CENPU enhances the progression of bladder cancer by promoting MRPS28 expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2018

$Na^+/H^+$ exchangers (NHEs) have been shown to be involved in regulating cell volume and maintaining fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Pooled evidences have suggested that loss of $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger isoform 8 (NHE8) impairs intestinal mucosa. Whether NHE8 participates in the pathology of infectious colitis is still unknown. Our previous study demonstrated that somatostatin (SST) could stimulate the expression of intestinal NHE8 so as to facilitate $Na^+$ absorption under normal condition. This study further explored whether NHE8 participates in the pathological processes of infectious colitis and the effects of SST on intestinal NHE8 expression in the setting of infectious colitis. Our data showed that NHE8 expression was reduced in Citrobacter rodentium (CR) infected mice. Up-regulation of NHE8 improved diarrhea symptom and mucosal damage induced by CR. In vitro, a similar observation was also seen in Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) infected Caco-2 cells. Seglitide, a SST receptor (SSTR) 2 agonist, partly reversed the inhibiting action of EPEC on NHE8 expression, but SSTR5 agonist (L-817,818) had no effect on the expression of NHE8. Moreover, SST blocked the phosphorylation of p38 in EPEC-infected Caco-2 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that enhancement of intestinal NHE8 expression by SST could ameliorate the symptoms of mice with infectious colitis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 1992

Five buffaloes kept in normal ambient temperature ($30^{\circ}C$) showed no significant changes in the heart rate, respiratory rate, packed cell volume, plasma constituents and renal hemodymics during intravenous infusion of urea for 4 h. The rate of urine flow, fractional urea excretion, urinary potassium excretion and osmolar clearance significantly decreased while the renal urea reabsorption markedly increased during urea infusion. The decrease of fractional potassium excretion was concomitant with the reduction of the rate of urine flow and urine pH. In animals exposed to heat ($40^{\circ}C$) the rectal temperature heart rate and respiratory rate significantly increased while no significant changes in GFR and ERPF were observed. An intravenous infusion of urea in heat exposed animals caused the reduction of the rate of urine flow with no changes in renal urea reabsorption, urine pH and fractional electrolyte excretions. During heat exposure, there were marked increases in concentrations of total plasma protein and plasma creatinine whereas plasma inorganic phosphorus concentration significantly decreased. It is concluded that an increase in renal urea reabsorption during urea infusion in buffaloes kept in normal ambient temperature depends on the rate of urine flow which affect by an osmotic diuretic effect of electrolytes. The limitation of renal urea reabsorption in heat stressed animals would be attributed to an increases in either plasma pool size of nitrogenous substance or body metabolism.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4453-4458
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• 2012

Angiogenesis plays a significant role in colorectal cancer (CRC) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) appears to be involved with multiple aspects of CRC angiogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Tan II-A (Tanshinone II-A, Tan II-A) on tumor growth in mice, as well as alteration of expression of COX-2 and VEGF in CRC. We established the mice xenograft model of C26 CRC cell line, and injected 0.5, 1, 2mg/kg of Tan II-A and 1mg/kg of 5-FU in respectively in vivo. Then, we assayed tumor weight and volume, and evaluated microvascular density and expression of VEGF. COX-2 promoter and COX-2 plasmids were transfected into HCT-116 cells, followed by detection of COX-2 promoter activity by chemiluminescence, and detection of COX-2 mRNA expression by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Taken together, the results showed Tan II-A could inhibit tumor growth and suppress the VEGF level in vivo. HCT-116 cell experiments showed marked inhibitory effects of Tan II-A on COX-2 and VEGF in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that Tan II-A can effectively inhibit tumor growth and angiogenesis of human colorectal cancer via inhibiting the expression level of COX-2 and VEGF.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2012

Objective : Angelica Gigas Nakai is a popular oriental medicine used for the treatment of vascular diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate neuroprotective effect of the water extract of Anelicae Gigantis Radix Palva (AG) in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO)-induced ischemic rats via the regulation of angiogenesis-related molecules. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administrated with AG water extract at doses of 10, 25, 50 mg/kg body weight after tMCAO (90 min occlusion). reperfusion for 24 hr infarction volumes were measured by 2,3,5-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Brain tissues were observed neuronal cell injuries by nissl staining, and also brain-blood barrier (BBB) permeability change by evans blue. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and Tie-2 receptor protein in brain tissues was determined by western blot. Results : AG water extract significantly reduced infarction volume in ischemic brains of rats, degradation of neuronal cell, BBB permeability and expression of VEGF protein dose-dependently. Ang-1 protein was increased dose-dependantly, not significantly. Conclusion : This study suggests that AG water extract shows neuroprotective effect by preventing BBB breakdown, with regulating angiogenesis factor VEGF and Ang-1.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2005

Much of the interest on the chemopreventive properties of herbs and plants has been raised, whereas little is regarding to anti-tumor effect of farming and aquatic products. In the present study, the anti-tumor effect of hot-water extract of a seaweed, BLC (Sargassum fulvellum) and BLC/HEN egg was investigated using MCF-7 cells in vitro and in vivo systems. We found that the BLC extract and BLC/HEN egg inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, which might be mediated through up-regulation of p53. Furthermore, this test compound can directly induce apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, which might be mediated through up-regulation of a pro-apoptotic Bax protein and down-regulation of a anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, not by immune system. Nude mice bearing established breast tumors (with exogenous estradiol) were treated with BLC extract and BLC/HEN egg. Treatment BLC extract and BLC/HEN egg caused a 42% and 71% inhibition of tumor growth, respectively. Both agents caused a significant inhibition of volume and weight growth of estrogen independent human breast tumors established from MCF-7 cells. Our results suggested that BLC extract and BLC/HEN egg have the efficacious effect of human breast cancer not only in vitro but also in vivo.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2006

An area of current research is investigating the app1ication of human mesenchymal stem cells or hMSCs as a cell-based regenerative therapy. In order to achieve effective bone regeneration, appropriate matrices functioning as cell-carriers must be identified and optimized in terms of function, efficacy and biocompatibility. Two methods of approaching optimization of matrices are to facilitate adhesion of the donor hMSCs and furthermore to facilitate recruitment of host progenitor cells to osteoblastic differentiation. Pleiotrophin is an extracellular matrix protein that was first identified in developing rat brains and believed to be associated with developing neuronal pathways. A recent publication by Imai and colleagues demonstrated that transgenic mice with upregulated pleiotrophin expression developed a greater volume of cortical as well as cancellous bone. The proposed mechanism of action of pleiotrophin is demonstrated here. Through either environmental stresses and/or intracellular regulation, there is an increase in pleiotrophin production. The pleiotrophin is released extracellularly into areas requiring bone deposition. A receptor-mediated process recruits host osteoprogenitor cells into these areas. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the osteoconductive properties of pleiotrophin. We wanted to determine if pleiotrophin coating facilitates cellular adhesion and furthermore if this has any effect on hMSCs derived bone formation in an animal model. The results showed a dose dependent response of cellular adhesion in fibronectin samples, and cellular adhesion was facilitated with increasing pleiotrophin concentrations. Histologic findings taken after 5 weeks implantation in SCID mouse showed no presence of bone formation with only a dense fibrous connective tissue. Possible explanations for the results of the osteogenesis assay include inappropriate cell loading.