• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.760-771
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• 2012

Marine triterpene glycosides are physiologically active natural compounds isolated from sea cucumbers(holothurians). It was demonstrated that they have a wide range of biological activities, including antifungal, cytotoxic, and antitumor effects. A previous study showed that stichoposide C (STC) isolated from Thelenota anax induces apoptosis through generation of ceramide by activation of acid sphingomyelinase (SMase) and neutral SMase in human leukemia cells. In this study, we investigated whether STD, a structural analog of STC, can induce apoptosis and examined the molecular mechanisms for its activity. It was found that STC and STD induce apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner and lead to the activation of caspase-8, mitochondrial damage, activation of caspase-9, and activation of caspase-3 in K562 and HL-60 cells. STC activates acid SMase and neutral SMase, which results in the generation of ceramide. Specific inhibition of acid SMase or neutral SMase partially blocked STC-induced apoptosis, but not STD-induced apoptosis. In contrast, STD generates ceramide through the activation of ceramide synthase. Specific inhibition of ceramide synthase partially blocked STD-induced apoptosis, but not STC-induced apoptosis. Moreover, STC and STD markedly reduced tumor growth of HL-60 xenograft tumors and increased ceramide generation in vivo. These results indicate that STC and STD can induce apoptosis and have antitumor activity through the different molecular mechanisms, because they have a different sugar residue attached to aglycones. Thus, these results suggest that their actions are affected by a sugar residue attached to aglycones and they can be used as anticancer agents in the treatment of leukemia.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.50-50
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• 2003

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 2020

Background: In aged skin, degradation of collagen fibers, which occupy the majority of the extracellular matrix in the dermis, and changes of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and skin constituents, such as hyaluronic acid and ceramide, cause wrinkles and decrease skin moisturization to contribute to dryness and lower elasticity skin. Red ginseng (RG) is used as a cosmetic and food material and is known to protect from UVB-induced cell death, increase skin hydration, prevent wrinkles, and have an antioxidative effect. But, in general, RG used as a material is the soluble liquid portion in the solvent, and the part that is not soluble in the solvent is discarded. Thus, we made the whole RG into microgranulation and dispersed in water to produce gel form for using entire RG, and it was named red ginseng NaturalGEL (RG NGEL). Methods: RG NGEL was investigated for matrix metalloproteinases inhibitory activity, induction of Type I collagen, AQP3, hyaluronan synthetase 2, serine palmitoyl transferase, ceramide synthase 3, and filaggrin expression and compared with RG water extract. Results: RG NGEL reduced the levels of UV-induced matrix metalloproteinases and increased Type I collagen in human fibroblast cells and upregulated AQP3, hyaluronan synthetase 2, serine palmitoyl transferase, ceramide synthase 3, and filaggrin expressions in human keratinocytes compared with RG water extract. Conclusion: RG NGEL has the potential as an effective reagent for antiaging cosmetics to improve wrinkle formation and skin hydration.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

Thrombin is a serine protease that participates in a variety of biological signaling through protease-activated receptors. Intestinal myofibroblasts play central roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. In this study, we found that thrombin-induced apoptosis is mediated by the calcium-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase A₂ in the CCD-18Co cell. Thrombin reduced cell viability by inducing apoptosis and proteinase-activated receptor-1 antagonist attenuated thrombin-induced cell death. Endogenous ceramide did not affect the cell viability itself, but a ceramide-mediated pathway was involved in thrombin-induced cell death. Thrombin increased intracellular calcium levels and cytosolic phospholipase A₂ activity. The ceramide synthase inhibitor Fumonisin B1, intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA-AM, and cytosolic phospholipase A₂ inhibitor AACOCF₃ inhibited thrombin-induced cell death. Thrombin stimulated arachidonic acid release and reactive oxygen species generation, which was blocked by AACOCF₃, BAPTA-AM, and the antioxidant reagent Trolox. Taken together, thrombin triggered apoptosis through calcium-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase A₂ in intestinal myofibroblasts.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2011

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), the most widely utilized industrial plastizer and a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, can act on peroxisome proliferators-activated nuclear hormone receptor family (PPAR) isoforms. To understand the contribution of sphingolipid metabolism to DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity, effect of DEHP exposure on activities of sphingolipid metabolic enzymes in rat liver was investigated. DEHP (250, 500 or 750 mg/kg) was administered to the rats through oral gavage daily for 28 days. The activities of acidic and alkaline ceramidases were slightly increased in 250 mg/kg DEHP-administered rat livers and significantly elevated in 500 mg/kg DEHP-administered ones, although the level of 750 mg/kg DEHP-administered ones was not increased. Neutral ceramidase, acidic and neutral sphingomyelinases, sphingomyeline synthase and ceramide syhthase were not changed at all by DEHP exposure. Therefore, acidic and alkaline ceramidases might play important roles in DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.688-699
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• 2023

We set up this study to understand the underlying mechanisms of reduced ceramides on immune cells in acute rejection (AR). The concentrations of ceramides and sphingomyelins were measured in the sera from hepatic transplant patients, skin graft mice and hepatocyte transplant mice by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Serum concentrations of C24 ceramide, C24:1 ceramide, C16:0 sphingomyelin, and C18:1 sphingomyelin were lower in liver transplantation (LT) recipients with than without AR. Comparisons with the results of LT patients with infection and cardiac transplant patients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy in humans and in mouse skin graft and hepatocyte transplant models suggested that the reduced C24 and C24:1 ceramides were specifically involved in AR. A ceramide synthase inhibitor, fumonisin B₁ exacerbated allogeneic immune responses in vitro and in vivo, and reduced tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs), while increased P3-like plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in the draining lymph nodes from allogeneic skin graft mice. The results of mixed lymphocyte reactions with ceranib-2, an inhibitor of ceramidase, and C24 ceramide also support that increasing ceramide concentrations could benefit transplant recipients with AR. The results suggest increasing ceramides as novel therapeutic target for AR, where reduced ceramides were associated with the changes in DC subsets, in particular tDCs.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

Objectives : Skin aging is generally characterized by wrinkles, sagging, loss of elasticity roughness, pigmentation and dryness. This changes is caused by reducing the elements constituting the extracellular matrix contributing to the physiological properties of the skin, such as collagen fiber, elastic fiber, and hyaluronic acid. Adequate skin hydration is important to maintain normal skin function and reduce skin aging. The present study is objective to observe skin moisturizing effects of Unripe apple(UA, Immature fruit of Malus pumila Mill) in vivo and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods : ICR mice were orally administerd UA(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, and skin water contents and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-𝛽1, ceramide, hyaluronan and collagen type I(COL1) were measured in dorsal back skin of the mice. Gene expression of hyaluronan synthase(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), collagen synthase(COL1A1, COL1A2) and TGF-𝛽1 were also determined by realtime RT-PCR. Results : Skin water contents and the expression of TGF-𝛽1, ceramide, COL1 and hyaluronan were significantly increased in UA group(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) compared to vehicle control. The mRNA expression of HAS isoform(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), COL1A1, COL1A2, and TGF-𝛽1 were also significantly increased by UA. Conclusions : UA has skin moisturizing effects and enhancement activities in skin function related components(COL1, hyaluronan, ceramide and TGF-𝛽1). These results suggested that UA can be a developing candidate for developing alternative skin protective agent or functional food ingredient.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.162.2-163
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• 2003

Fumonisins are specific inhibitors of ceramide synthase in sphingolipid metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the elevation of free sphingoid bases 1-phosphate (S1P) are related to the fumonisin exposure. Sprague Dawley rats were injected i.p. with 10mg/kg fumonisin B1 (FB1), and kidney, liver, heart, lung, brain and serum were collected for sphingolipid analysis. (omitted)

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.249-253
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• 2001

Fumonisin B1, a mycotoxin, is thought to induce esophageal cancer in humans and apoptosis in animal cells by inhibiting ceramide synthase. Dumonisin Bl may also generate reactive oxygen species directly or indirectly, leading to DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. In this study, a DNA fragmentation assay, dichlorofluorescein (DCF) analysis, and single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) were used to investigate the involvement of cellular free radicals, specifically hydrogen peroxide, in the DNA damaging activity of fumonisin B1. From an in vitro DNA fragmentation assay, E. coli DNA, damage by fumonisin Bl was increased by the addition of superxide dismutase (SOD) and decreased by catalase. SCGE and DCF analysis in vivo showed that the nuclear DNA damage and intracellular free radicals in cultured rat hepatocytes treated with fumonisin B1 were increased with the concentration of fumonisin Bl . DNA damage and free radical generation were inhibited by the addition of catalase. Fumonisin Bl , in the presence of SOD, produces hydrogen peroxide causing oxidative DNA damage and protein malfunction, leading to genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the toxin.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.69.1-69.1
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• 2003

Fumonisins are a family of mycotoxins produced from Fusarium verticillioides. Most of fumonisin B1 (FB1) toxicities can be explained by its ability to alter sphingolipid metabolism by inhibiting ceramide synthase. At least, the elevation in dihydrosphingosine (DHS) mediates the earliest toxicity of FB1. Some tissues such as kidney and liver, may be most affected by FB1 because they shows high rates of de novo sphingolipid synthesis. Recent review on FB1 toxicity by A.H. Merrill Jr. et al. suggested the possible role of dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dihydroS1P), which sometimes elevated in cell- or tissue specific manners. (omitted)