• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2006

The ischemia-responsive 94 gene (irp94) encoding a 94 kDa endoplasmic reticulum resident protein was investigated its molecular properties associated with unfoled protein responses. First, the expression of irp94 mRNA was tested after the reperfusion of the transient forebrain ischemia induction at the central nervous system in three Mongolian gerbils. Second, irp94 expression in PC12 cells, which are derived from transplantable rat pheochromocytoma cultured in the DMEM media, was tested at transcriptional and translational levels. The half life of irp94 mRNA was also determined In PC12 cells. Last, the changes of irp94 mRNA expression were investigated by the addition of various ER stress inducible chemicals (A23187, BFA, tunicamycin, DTT and $H_2O_2$) and proteasome inhibitors, and heat shock. High level expression of irp94 mRNA was detected after 3 hours reperfusion in the both sites of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the gerbil brain. The main regulation of irp94 mRNA expression in PC 12 cells was determined at the transcriptional level. The half life of irp94 mRNA in PC12 cells was approximately 5 hours after the initial translation. The remarkable expression of irp94 mRNA was detected by the treatment of tunicamycin, which blocks glycosylation of newly synthesized polypeptides, and $H_2O_2$, which induces apoptosis. When PC12 cells were treated with the cytosol proteasome inhibitors such as ALLN (N-acetyl-leucyl-norleucinal) and MG 132 (methylguanidine), irp94 mRNA expression was increased. These results indicate that expression of irp94 was induced by ER stress including oxidation condition and glycosylation blocking in proteins. Expression of irp94 was increased when the cells were chased after heat shock, suggesting that irp94 may be involved in recovery rather than protection against ER stresses. In addition, irp94 expression was remarkably increased when cytosol proteasomes were inhibited by ALLN and MG 132, suggesting that irp94 plays an important role for maintaining the ERAD (endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation) function.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.114-122
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• 1998

This study was designed to observe the effect of hot water soluble polysaccharides extract(PS) from Lentinus edodes on the enzyme activities related with hepatic function and peroxidation in the rats fed better yellow. The four groups of male SD rats were fed with the diets contained 15% casein(basal diet; NO group), added butter yellow(BO group) or /and PS(NP, BP group) for 6 weeks. The activities of ${\gamma}$-GTP and GPT in BP were significantly lower compared with BO. The activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase and lactate dehydrogenase were not significantly different between NP and NO, while those activities were significantly lower value in BP than BO. The activities of glutathione S-transferase of the microsomal and cytosol fractions were significantly lower in BP than in BO. The contents of glutathione and malondialdehyde in the liver were considerably low value in BP. In a view of these results the PS of Lentinus edodes prevents the lipid peroxidation and diminishes the liver toxicity caused with better yellow. The superoxide dismutase activity in cytosolic fraction of liver was not found any effect in all groups. But hepatic function enzyme activities such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase, LDH activities were remarkably decreased in the groups 2(basal diet + PS) and the ${\gamma}$-GTP, GOT and GPT activities, too. In liver, the contents of glutathione decreased by PS supplementation but HDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol ratio in plasma decreased at the groups 3, 4. The ${\gamma}$-GTP, GOT and GPT in plasma were remarkably higher in the rats fed the p-DAB than the control group, too. But above enzyme activities significantly decreased in the groups fed PS.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2006

Objectives: Mercury is a hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminant. It exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for the target organ specificity. Exposure to mercury vapor and to organic mercury compounds specifically affects the CNS, while the kidney is the target organ for inorganic Hg compounds. Methods: In this study, mercury chloride $(HgCl_2)$ was studied in a renal derived cell system, i.e., the tubular epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line, which has specific sensitivity to the toxic effect of mercury. MDCK cells were cultured for 6-24 hr in vitro in various concentrations (0.1-100 M) of $HgCl_2$, and the markers of apoptosis or cell death were assayed, including DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activity andwestern blotting of cytochrome c. The influence of the metal on cell proliferation and viability were evaluated by the conventional MTT test. Results: The cell viability was decreased in a time and concentration dependent fashion: decreases were noted at 6, 12 and 24 hr after $HgCl_2$, exposure. The increases of DNA fragmentation were also observed in the concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M of $HgCl_2$ at 6 hr after exposure. However, we could not observe DNA fragmentation in the concentrations more than 25 M because the cells rapidly proceeded to necrotic cell death. The activation of caspase-3 was also observed at 6 hr exposure in the $HgCl_2$ concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, which is an initiator of the activation of the caspase cascade, was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that the activation of caspase-3 was involved in $HgCl_2-induced$ apoptosis. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. These findings indicate that in MDCK cells, $HgCl_2$ is a potent inducer of apoptosis via cytochrome c release from the mitochondria.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.217-239
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• 2011

We carried out a series of experiment demonstrating the role of mitochondria in the cytosolic and mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ transients and compared the results with those from computer simulation. In rat ventricular myocytes, increasing the rate of stimulation (1~3 Hz) made both the diastolic and systolic [$Ca^{2+}]$ bigger in mitochondria as well as in cytosol. As L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel has key influence on the amplitude of $Ca^{2+}$ -induced $Ca^{2+}$ release, the relation between stimulus frequency and the amplitude of $Ca^{2+}$ transients was examined under the low density (1/10 of control) of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel in model simulation, where the relation was reversed. In experiment, block of $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter on mitochondrial inner membrane significantly reduced the amplitude of mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ transients, while it failed to affect the cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ transients. In computer simulation, the amplitude of cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ transients was not affected by removal of $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter. The application of carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP) known as a protonophore on mitochondrial membrane to rat ventricular myocytes gradually increased the diastolic [$Ca^{2+}$] in cytosol and eventually abolished the $Ca^{2+}$ transients, which was similarly reproduced in computer simulation. The model study suggests that the relative contribution of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel to total transsarcolemmal $Ca^{2+}$ flux could determine whether the cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ transients become bigger or smaller with higher stimulus frequency. The present study also suggests that cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ affects mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ in a beat-to-beat manner, however, removal of $Ca^{2+}$ influx mechanism into mitochondria does not affect the amplitude of cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ transients.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.370-377
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• 2001

Flounder brain cytosol contains protein inhibitors that markedly inhibit the activity of partially purified brain membrane phospholipase D (PLD) which is dependent on phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ($PIP_2$) but insensitive to ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF), The PLD inhibitors have been enriched through several chromatographic steps and characterized with respect to size and mechanism of inhibition. Sequential chromatography of the brain cytosol yielded six inhibitor fractions, Two (IIA and IIB) of six inhibitor fractions showed the $PIP_2$-phosphatase activities. IIA was identified as synaptojanin, a nerve terminal protein that has known to be a member of the inositolpolyphosphate 5-phosphatase family, by immunoblot analysis. IIB showed an apparent molecular mass of 158 kDa by Superose 12 gel filtration chromatography and was immunologically distinct from synaptojanin. IIB hydrolyzed $PIP_2$, yielding only phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) as product, suggesting that IIB hydrolyzes only one phosphate from either the 4- or 5-position of PI (4,5)$P_2$. These studies demonstrate that the existence of multiple $PIP_2$-phosphatases have been implicated in the negative regulation of $PIP_2$-dependent PLD activity within flounder brain.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.37-46
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Dangguibohyultang (DB) and its combination (DB-I; Astragali membraneus BUNGE : Angelica gigas NAKAI=5:1, DB-II; Astragali membraneus BUNGE:Angelica gigas NAKAI=1:1, DB-III; Astragali membraneus BUNGE:Angelica gigas NAKAI=1:5,) on apoptosis in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HCT116 cells. Methods : To study the cytotoxic effect of methanol extract of DB-I, DB-II and DB-III on HCT116 cells, the cell viability was determined by XTT reduction method and ttypan blue exclusion assay. To confirm the induction of apoptosis, the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3 and a typical sign of apoptosis, and the activation of procaspase-3, -8 and -9 were examined by western blot analysis. Furthermore, DB-induced apoptosis was confirmed by DNA fragmentation. The release of cytochrome C from mitochondria to cytosol, the level of Bcl-2 and Bax, and the expressions of Raf/MEK/ERK were examined by western blot analysis. Results : DB-I and DB-II reduced proliferation of HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner. DB-I and DB-II decreased procaspase-3, -8, -9 levels in a dose-dependent manner and induced the clevage of PARP. DB-I and DB-II also triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic signaling by increasing the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria to cytosol, decreasing of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, and increasing of pro-apoptotic Bax. DB-I and DB-II decreased the activation of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion : These results suggest that DB-I and DB-II induce apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway in HCT116 cells. Furthermore, Raf/MEK/ERK cascade is involved in DB-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that DB is potentially useful as a chemotherapeutic agent in human liver cancer.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.27-36
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was performed for the investigation of anticancer effects of methanol extract of Rheum Rhizoma (MeOH-RR) on a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2). Methods : To study the cytotoxic effect of MeOH-RR on HepG2 cells, the cell viability was determined by XTT reduction method and trypan blue exclusion assay. The cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3 and a typical sign of apoptosis, and the activation of procaspase-3, -8 and -9 were examined by western blot analysis. Furthermore, MeOH-RR-induced apoptosis was confirmed by DNA fragmentation. The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol, the level of Bcl-2 and Bax were examined by western blot analysis. Results : MeOH-RR reduced proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner at 24 h and 48 h treatment. MeOH-RR induced the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3. Furthermore, treatment with MeOH-RR resulted in internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, evidenced by the formation of a DNA ladder on agarose gel, a hallmark of cells undergoing apoptosis. MeOH-RR downregulated Bcl-2, upregulated Bax, and increased the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into cytosol in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, MeOH-RP increased caspase-3 activity. Conclusion : There results suggest that MeOH-RR induce apoptosis via mitochondrial pathway and caspase-3-dependent pathway in HepG2 cells. There results suggest that MeOH-RR is potentially useful as a chemotherapeutic agent in human liver cancer.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.5
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• 2009

Many organisms control their physiology and behavior in response to the local light environment, which is first perceived by photoreceptors that undergo light-dependent conformational changes. Phytochromes are one of the major photoreceptors in plants, controlling wide aspects of plant physiology by recognizing the light in red (R) and far-red (FR) spectra. Higher plants have two types of phytochromes; the photo-labile type I (phyA in Arabidopsis) and photo-stable type II (phyB-E in Arabidopsis). Phytochrome B (phyB), a member of the type II phytochromes in Arabidopsis, shows classical R and FR reversibility between the inter-convertible photoisomers, Pr and Pfr. Interestingly, the Pr and Pfr isomers show partitioning in the cytosol and nucleus, respectively. In the over 50 years since its discovery, it has been thought that the type II phytochromes only function to mediate R light. As described in the text, we have now discovered phyB has an active function in FR light. Even striking is that the R and FR light exert an opposite effect. Thus, FR light is not simply nullifying the R effect but has an opposing effect to R light. What is more interesting is that the phyB-mediated actions of FR and R light occur at different cellular compartment of the plant cell, cytosol and nucleus, respectively, which was proven through utilization of the cytosolic and nuclear-localized mutant versions of phyB. Our observations thus shoot down a major dogma in plant physiology and will be considered highly provocative in phytochrome function. We argue that it would make much more sense that plants utilize the two isoforms rather than only one form, to effectively monitor the changing environmental light information and to incorporate the information into their developmental programs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2018

This study was attempted to investigate the effects of Duchesnea chrysantha (DC) on antioxidative activities by in vivo. Rats were divided into four experimental groups which are composed of normal diet group (N group), high fat high cholesterol diet group (HF group), high fat high cholesterol diet with 5% DC powder supplemented group (DA group) and high fat high cholesterol diet with 10% DC powder supplemented group (DB group). Supplementation of DC powder groups resulted in increased activities of hepatic glutathione peroxidase and catalase. The microsomal superoxide radical contents of the DA and DB groups were significantly reduced compared to the high fat high cholesterol diet group. The mitochondrial superoxide radical contents of the DB group were significantly reduced compared to the high fat high cholesterol diet group. Hepatic hydrogen peroxide contents in cytosol were significantly reduced 5% and 10% DC powder supplemented group. The carbonyl values contents in mitochondria and microsome of the DA and DB groups were significantly reduced compared to the HF group. Thiobarbituric acid reaction substance (TBARS) values in liver were reduced in 10% DC powder supplemented group compared to the HF group. These results suggest that DC powder may have a strong regulatory effect in the activation of the antioxidative defense system.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate functional activities of the free radical scavenging and germ of Glycin max. Merrill fur cytotoxicity toward P338 and L1210 cells derived from mouse. Effect of crude saponin were examined to oxygen radicals and their scavenger enzymes in liver fractions of Spragae-Dawley(SD) rats. Male rats were fed basic diets of control and experiment diets of 0.5∼1.0% crude saponin. There were no significant differences in hydroxy radical($.$OH) formation of liver mitochondria and microsomes in 1.0% group, while $.$OH formations were significantly decrease in 0.5% and 1.0% saponin compared with control group. Their oxygen radical(O$_2$$\^$$.$/) scavenging activities were significantly decrease in liver cytosol of 0.5% and 1.0% saponin group compared with control group. Soybean germ saponin was isolated purified by the method of HPLC to investigate the cytotoxicity of mouse cells by using the MTT assay. SA-1 saponin fraction of soybean germ showed to inhibit toward growth cell of P338 and L1210 cells and its showed less than 50% cytotoxicity These results suggest that the saponin may play a effective role in attenuating a oxygen radical formations and increasing a scavenger enzyme activities.