• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.315-320
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• 2004

Alpha-viniferin was previously isolated as a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor from Carex humilis (Cyperaceae) and is an oligomeric stilbene compound with benzofuran (BF) moieties in its chemical structure. In the present study, a chemically synthetic BF compound, named as 3,3-dimethyl-2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18-hexadecahydro-1H-benzo[b] cyclopentadeca[d]furan-1-one, was discovered to inhibit bacterial lipo polysaccharide (LPS)-induced prostaglandin $E_2$ $(PGE_2)$ production in macrophages RAW 264.7. The BF compound exhibited a selectively preferred inhibitory effect on COX-2 activity over COX-1 activity. Furthermore, BF compound inhibited LPS-induced COX-2 expression at transcription level. As a down-regulatory mechanism of COX-2 expression shown by BF compound, suppression of nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$ activation has been demonstrated. BF compound inhibited LPS-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity and nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, in parallel, but did not affect LPS-induced degradation of inhibitory ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein $(I{\kappa}B{\alpha})$. Taken together, anti-inflammatory effect of BF compound on $PGE_2$ production was ascribed by its down-regulatory action on LPS-induced COX-2 synthesis in addition to inhibitory action on enzyme activity of COX-2.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.246-252
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• 2014

Background: Neuropathic pain is generally defined as a chronic pain state resulting from peripheral and/or central nerve injury. There is a lack of effective treatment for neuropathic pain, which may possibly be related to poor understanding of pathological mechanisms at the molecular level. Curcumin, a therapeutic herbal extract, has shown to be effectively capable of reducing chronic pain induced by peripheral administration of inflammatory agents such as formalin. In this study, we aimed to show the effect of curcumin on pain behavior and serum COX-2 level in a Chronic Constriction Injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain. Methods: Wistar male rats (150-200 g, n = 8) were divided into three groups: CCI vehicle-treated, sham-operated, and CCI drug-treated group. Curcumin (12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg, IP) was injected 24 h before surgery and continued daily for 7 days post-surgery. Behavioral tests were performed once before and following the days 1, 3, 5, 7 after surgery. The serum COX-2 level was measured on day 7 after the surgery. Results: Curcumin (50 mg/kg) decreased mechanical and cold allodynia (P < 0.001) and produced a decline in serum COX-2 level (P < 0.001). Conclusions: A considerable decline in pain behavior and serum COX-2 levels was seen in rat following administration of curcumin in CCI model of neuropathic pain. High concentration of Curcumin was able to reduce the chronic neuropathic pain induced by CCI model and the serum level of COX-2.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.349-359
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• 2017

In this paper, we conducted survival analyses by fitting the Cox proportional hazards model to stage III proximal colon cancer data obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute. We investigated the effect of covariates on the hazard function for death from proximal colon cancer in stage III with surgery performed and estimated the survival probability for a patient with specific covariates. We showed that the proportional hazards assumption is satisfied for covariates that were used to analyses, using a test based on the Schoenfeld residuals and plots of the Schoenfeld residuals and $log[-log\{{\hat{S}}(t)\}]$. We evaluated the model calibration and discriminatory accuracy by calibration plot and time-dependent area under the ROC curve, which were calculated using 10-fold cross validation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2017

Objectives: Study of the mechanisms involved in cancer progression suggests that cyclooxygenase enzymes play an important role in the induction of inflammation, tumor formation, and metastasis of cancer cells. Thus, cyclooxygenase enzymes could be considered for cancer chemotherapy. Among these enzymes, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is associated with liver carcinogenesis. Various COX-2 inhibitors cause growth inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, but many of them act in the COX-2 independent mechanism. Thus, the introduction of selective COX-2 inhibitors is necessary to achieve a clear result. The present study was aimed to determine the growth-inhibitory effects of new analogues of chalcone epoxide as selective COX-2 inhibitors on the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line. Methods: Estimation of both cell growth and the amount of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production were used to study the effect of selective COX-2 inhibitors on the hepatocellular carcinoma cell. Cell growth determination has done by MTT assay in 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, and PGE2 production has estimated by using ELYSA kit in 48 h and 72 h. Results: The results showed growth inhibition of the HepG2 cell line in a concentration and time-dependent manner, as well as a reduction in the formation of PGE2 as a product of COX-2 activity. Among the compounds those analogues with methoxy and hydrogen group showed more inhibitory effect than others. Conclusion: The current in-vitro study indicates that the observed significant growth-inhibitory effect of chalcone-epoxide analogues on the HepG2 cell line may involve COX-dependent mechanisms and the PGE2 pathway parallel to the effect of celecoxib. It can be said that these analogues might be efficient compounds in chemotherapy of COX-2 dependent carcinoma specially preventing and treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2007

Background: In pathogenesis and prognosis of lung cancer, significance of enormous types of genetic expression were very compounding and undetermined. We performed this study to search association between clinical characteristics and expression of COX-2, MMP-9 and p53 in non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Ninety-one patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. We had searched clinical data retrospectively and performed immunohistochemical staining for COX-2, MMP-9 and p53. We had analyzed significance of these three genes in clinical features and prognosis for survival. Results: 1) In squamous cell carcinoma, male was predominant and was significantly correlated with smoking. 2) Major prognostic determinants for overall survival were curative resection. 3) Expression of COX-2 was more frequent in adenocarcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma. 4) Negative staining of COX-2, MMP-9 and p53 was more frequent in squamous cell carcinoma than adenocarcinoma. 5) Survival duration was longer in the group with positive expression of p53 and negative for COX-2 and MMP-9 (median duration of survival = 165.6 weeks) than groups with the other expressional patterns. 6) Significant correlation was found between expression of MMP-9 and COX-2. In squamous cell carcinoma, expression of MMP-9, COX-2 and mutant p53 were mutually correlated. 7) COX-2 expression was significant prognostic factor for survival in resected cancer group. In unresected inoperable non-small cell lung cancer group, MMP-9 was statistically significant prognostic factor for overall survival. Conclusion: COX-2 and MMP-9 might have some roles for progression or prognosis in some selected patients with non-small cell lung cancer. COX-2 and MMP-9 may have some roles for disease progression or prognosis in selected patients with NSCLC.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2010

Background: There have been several reports describing the capability of ginseng extracts as an adjuvant. In this study, we tested if ginsan, a polysaccharide extracted from Panax ginseng, was effective in enhancing antibody response to orally delivered Salmonella antigen. Methods: Ginsan was treated before oral salmonella antigen administration. Salmonella specific antibody was determined by ELISA. mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR. Cell migration was determined by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. COX expression was detected by western blot. Results: Ginsan treatment before oral Salmonella antigen delivery significantly increased both secretory and serum antibody production. Ginsan increased the expression of COX in the Peyer's patches. Various genes were screened and we found that CCL3 mRNA expression was increased in the Peyer's patch. Ginsan increased dendritic cells in the Peyer's patch and newly migrated dendritic cells were mostly found in the subepithelial dome region. When COX inhibitors were treated, the expression of CCL3 was reduced. COX inhibitor also antagonized both the migration of dendritic cells and the humoral immune response against oral Salmonella antigen. Conclusion: Ginsan effectively enhances the humoral immune response to orally delivered antigen, mediated by CCL3 via COX. Ginsan may serve as a potent vaccine suppliment for oral immunization.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2015

The COX-2/$PGE_2$ pathway has been implicated in the occurrence and progression of cancer. The underlying mechanisms facilitating the production of COX-2 and its mediator, $PGE_2$, in cancer survival remain unknown. Herein, we investigated $PGE_2$-induced COX-2 expression and signaling in HL-60 cells following menadione treatment. Treatment with $PGE_2$ activated anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL while reducing pro-apoptotic proteins, thereby enhancing cell survival. $PGE_2$ not only induced COX-2 expression, but also prevented casapse-3, PARP, and lamin B cleavage. Silencing and inhibition of COX-2 with siRNA transfection or treatment with indomethacin led to a pronounced reduction of the extracellular levels of $PGE_2$, and restored the menadione- induced cell death. In addition, pretreatment of cells with the MEK inhibitor PD98059 and the PKA inhibitor H89 abrogated the $PGE_2$-induced expression of COX-2, suggesting involvement of the MAPK and PKA pathways. These results demonstrate that $PGE_2$ signaling acts in an autocrine manner, and specific inhibition of $PGE_2$ will provide a novel approach for the treatment of leukemia.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1102-1108
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• 2006

An in vitro bioassay-guide revealed that the methanol (MeOH) extract of the stem bark of Populus davidiana showed considerable inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase (COX-1, COX-2). Continuous phytochemical study of the MeOH extract of this plant led to the isolation of ten flavonoids; sakuranetin (1), rhamnocitrin (2), 7-O-methylaromadendrin (3), naringenin (4), eriodictyol (5), aromadendrin (6), kaempferol (7), neosakuranin (8), sakuranin (9) and sakurenetin-5,4'-di-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (10). Their structures were identified on the basis of their physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses. The isolated compounds, 1-10, were tested for their inhibitory activities against COX-1 and COX-2. Compound 7 was found to have potent inhibitory effect on COX-1 and a moderate effect on COX-2, meanwhile, compounds 1-6 showed moderate inhibition against COX-1 only. Moreover, compounds 5-8 exhibited suppressive effects on xanthine oxidase (XO). These results may explain, in part, the traditional uses of P. davidiana in ethnomedicine.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2003

Inflammation appears to have a major role in the development of atherosclerosis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is involved in the inflammatory response via the generation of prostanoids that, in turn, are involved in the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This study hypothesized that a vascular infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may induce a chronic inflammatory reaction and activated inflammatory cells may express inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9). To confirm the hypothesis, the immunohistochemical stains for CMV late antigen, COX-2, MMP-9, macrophage, and T-lymphocyte were performed on CMV-infected atherosclerotic lesions. The immunoreactivity for COX-2 and MMP-9 was evident in all cases of atherosclerosis along with plaques, mainly in macrophages/foamy cells, intimal and medial smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells of the intima. Within the intima, the increased immunoreactivity for COX-2 and MMP-9 was colocalized to the area stained with CMV late antigen. Sections from control specimens showed no immunoreactivity for CMV late antigen, COX-2 and MMP-9. These data seem to support the hypothesis that CMV may participate in a pathogenetic mechanism for atherogenesis or progression of atherosclerosis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.90-98
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• 2004

Objectives : The present study was undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms of Ichungwhan for inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression via suppression of NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) using aged rats. NF-κB is the most important modulator of inflammation and NF-κB regulates the gene expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as COX-2. Methods : In the experiment, we investigated the scavenging property of Ichungwhan on reactive species (RS) including nitrogen-derived species (RNS), measured by DCF-DA (2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorexcein diacetate) / DHR 123 (dihydrorhodamine 123) assay. Protein expression levels of COX-2, NF-κB, p-ERK and p-p38 were assayed by western blot. Results : We showed that Ichungwhan inhibits RS including RNS and inhibits NF-κB activation by blocking the dissociation of inhibitory IκB-β via suppression of IKK pathway. Also, Ichungwhan inhibits COX-2 gene expression. Conclusions : These findings suggest that Ichungwhan modulates COX-2 gene expression via suppression of the NF-κB pathway.