• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8539-8548
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• 2014

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is an important signaling pathway in living beings in response to extracellular stimuli. There are 5 main subgroups manipulating by a set of sequential actions: ERK(ERK1/ERK2), c-Jun N(JNK/SAPK), p38 MAPK($p38{\alpha}$, $p38{\beta}$, $p38{\gamma}$ and $p38{\delta}$), and ERK3/ERK4/ERK5. When stimulated, factors of upstream or downstream change, and by interacting with each other, these groups have long been recognized to be related to multiple biologic processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, death, migration, invasion and inflammation. However, once abnormally activated, cancer may occur. Several components of the MAPK network have already been proposed as targets in cancer therapy, such as p38, JNK, ERK, MEK, RAF, RAS, and DUSP1. Among them, alteration of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK-MAPK(RAS-MAPK) pathway has frequently been reported in human cancer as a result of abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinases or gain-of-function mutations in genes. The reported roles of MAPK signaling in apoptotic cell death are controversial, so that further in-depth investigations are needed to address these controversies. Based on an extensive analysis of published data, the goal of this review is to provide an overview on recent studies about the mechanism of MAP kinases, and how it generates certain tumors, as well as related treatments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5889-5893
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• 2014

Over-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been identified as a common feature associated with clinical outcome in many types of cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (SCCO). However, the clinical importance of EGFR over-expression in SCCO remains unsettled as conflicting results exist. Therefore we carried out the present meta-analysis of published studies for clarification. A total of 13 studies including 1, 150 patients were enrolled. EGFR over-expression was positive in 722 of these cases. With EGFR over-expression, patients had higher depth of invasion, vascular invasion, and poor prognosis. However, expression had no relation with degree of differentiation, histological grade, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage or lymphatic invasion. EGFR over-expression is probably a valuable predictor for the T stage, vascular invasion and OS, and it could be used as a poor prognosis indicator for the esophageal SCC patients. Targeting therapy to EFGR should be considered to the combined treatment in SCCO.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2016

Two-dimensional cultivation is typically used for cell growth, but the method reduces the characteristics of chondrocytes and stem cells, and limits culture area. Therefore, development of three-dimensional culture method is needed to mimic in vivo environment, improve quality of cells and scale-up efficiently. Improving proliferation and chondrogenesis is available by co-culture of chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that leads to interaction between two kinds of cells. However, the co-culture has problems that permeability of sphere diminishes as aggregate size increased and ratio of two kinds of cells composing each spheres is different. In this work, co-cultivation method using controlled sphere composed of chondrocytes and MSCs was established and enhanced chondrogenesis. Periosteum-derived progenitor cells (PDPCs) that are appropriate for cell therapy source of articular cartilage were used as MSCs. Controlled spheres were formed in the hanging-drop plates and shifted for being induced chondrogenesis in 35-mm non-adhesive culture dishes at a rotation rate of 60 rpm. After inducing chondrogenesis, gene expressions related with chondrogenesis were found to be improved and it was apparent that the utilization of controlled spheres promoted chondrogenesis. As a result, available numbers of cells per unit area were increased and chondrogenic differentiation ability was improved compared to typical two-dimensional culture. This approach shows the potential in cartilage regeneration as it can provide sufficient numbers of chondrocytes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2014

Skin disease is one of the most common diseases and its incidence is increasing dramatically in modern society. Specially, many attempts have been made to treat chronic skin inflammation diseases, such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, but effective therapies for the immune cell-mediated skin diseases, including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have not been developed. Until recently, several drug candidates which were claimed to be effective for skin diseases have been reported, but most of them are not used to treat chronic skin disease. Especially, Psoriasis is characterized by excessive growth and aberrant differentiation of keratinocytes, but is fully reversible with appropriate therapy. The trigger of the keratinocyte response is thought to be activation of the cellular immune system, with T cells and various immune-related cytokines. Formation of new blood vessels starts with early psoriatic changes and disappears with disease clearance. Several angiogenic mediators are up-regulated in psoriasis development. Contact- and mediator-dependent factors derived from keratinocytes, mast cells and immune cells may contribute to the strong blood vessel formation of psoriasis. New technologies and experimental models provide new insights into the role of angiogenesis in psoriasis pathogenesis. TMP and its derivatives themselves effectively inhibited in vitro cell migration, tube formation, and the expression of angiogenic factors. However, TMP and its derivatives induced side effects including hemolysis and local side effects. Therefore, in an attempt to reduce the toxicity and the undesirable side effects of TMP and derivatives, a liposomal formulation was prepared and tested for its effectiveness. TMP and derivatives liposomes retained the effectiveness of TMP in vitro while side effects were reduced. These results support the conclusion that TMP effectively inhibits in vitro angiogenesis, with the possibility that use as a psoriasis relief agent.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 2011

Cancer stem cells have stem cell-like features, such as the ability for self-renewal and differentiation but show unlimited growth because they have the lost normal regulation of cell growth. Cancer stem cells and normal stem cells have similar features. They show high motility, diversity of progeny, robust proliferative potential, association with blood vessels, immature expression profiles, nestin expression, epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor expression, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression, hedgehog pathway activity, telomerase activity, and Wnt pathway activity. On the other hand, with cancer cells, some of these signaling pathways are abnormally modified. In 1875, Cohnheim suggested the concept of cancer stem cells. Recently, evidence for the existence of cancer stem cells was identified. In 1994, the cancer stem cells' specific cell surface marker for leukemia was identified. Since then, other specific cell surface markers for cancer stem cells in solid tumors (e.g. breast and colon cancer) have been identified. In oral cancer, studies on cancer stem cells have been performed mainly with squamous cell carcinomas. Oral cancer specific cell surface markers, which are genes strongly expressed in oral cancer and cancer stem cell specific side populations, have been identified. Cancer stem cells are resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, to eliminate malignant tumors efficiently and reduce the recurrence rate, therapy targeting cancer stem cells needs to be performed. Currently, studies targeting the cancer stem cells' specific signaling pathways, telomerase and tumor vasculatures are being done.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.168-174
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• 2018

Adipocytes affect obesity through the regulation of lipid metabolism. Physical loading is an important regulator of fat tissue. There are ongoing in vitro studies inducing mechanotransduction on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with mechanical stimulus in order to treat obesity by inhibiting adipogenesis and provoking cell death. In this study, our goal was to suggest a new therapy for obesity by investigating whether fluid shear stress (FSS) changes transcription factors on 3T3-L1 related with adipogenesis and cell death. FSS loading was applied to 3T3-L1 preadipocytes at 1Pa and 1Hz. After loading, bright field images were taken and an immunofluorescence assay was conducted to observe actin stress fiber formation. Western blot analysis was conducted to identify the activation of the ERK pathway as well as the adipogenic factors, which including C/EBPs and $PPAR{\gamma}$. The expression of osteopontin, a protein related to inflammation in adipose tissue, and cell death related factors, Bax, Bcl-2, and Beclin, were also measured. Results showed that FSS stimulated the formation of actin stress fibers in 3T3-L1 and also that the activation of C/EBPs decreased significantly when compared with the control group. $PPAR{\gamma}$ activation in the 2 hour FSS group was lower than the 1 hour FSS group, which implied that the results were time dependent. Additionally, there were no differences in the expression of cell death factors after FSS loading. In summary, similar to other fibroblasts, the formation of actin stress fibers induced by mechanotransduction may affect the differentiation of 3T3-L1, leading to inhibition of adipogenesis and inflammation.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2002

In the literatual study of anti-tumor effects of chunghwangsan for leukemia, the results were as follows. 1. Chunghwangsan is composed of Indigo naturalis and Realgar. The composing rate is 9 : 1 and it is made into capsule or piece. The basic administration is 0.3g per day and could increase the quantity each day. 2. The effects of Chunghwangsan is expelling toxin and colling, colling blood to detumescence, drying wetness and anticancer are. So it can be used to treat AML, CML and lymphoma. 3. The anticancer component of Indigo naturalis is indirubin which has the effects of suppression the transplanted tumor, activating the phagocyte of macrophage, promoting the maturation of myeloblast to improve cure rate of CML. The anticancer component of Realgar is $As_2O_3$ which has the direct cellular toxicity for leukemia cell. 4. In viewpoints of oriental medicine, leukemia is malignant myeloid neoplasia in which pathogen invade to shaoyin(少陰). So Chunghwangsan which is expelling toxin and colling, colling blood to detumescence, drying wetness and anticancer is effective to leukemia. 5. In clinical reports, Chunghwangsan is often used in CML, and also used in AML, lymphoma and so on. 6. Chunghwangsan is cool-natured, so we must carefully pay attention to pregnant women and hematsdthenic patients. The main side effects are nausea, bone marrow pain, diarrhea, polydefecation, hematokezia and purpora. We sometimes take invigorating stomach medicine to prevent the side effects. 7. If we continuously develop Chunghwangsan and therapy for leukemia with syndrome differentiation. we can improve the response and cure rate for leukemia in the future.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.133-137
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• 2009

Pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells isolated from inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocyst-stage embryos are capable of differentiating into various cell lineages and demonstrate germ-line transmission in experimentally produced chimeras. These cells have a great potential as tools for transgenic animal production, screening of newly-developed drugs, and cell therapy. Miniature pigs, selectively bred pigs for small size, offer several advantages over large breed pigs in biomedical research including human disease model and xenotransplantation. In the present study, factors affecting primary culture of somatic cell nuclear transfer blastocysts from miniature pigs for isolation of ES cells were investigated. Formation of primary colonies occurred only on STO cells in human ES medium. In contrast, no ICM outgrowth was observed on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) in porcine ES medium. Plating intact blastocysts and isolated ICM resulted in comparable attachment on feeder layer and primary colony formation. After subculture of ES-like colonies, two putative ES cell lines were isolated. Colonies of putative ES cells morphologically resembled murine ES cells. These cells were maintained in culture up to three passages, but lost by spontaneous differentiation. The present study demonstrates factors involved in the early stage of nuclear transfer ES cell isolation in miniature pigs. However, long-term maintenance and characterization of nuclear transfer ES cells in miniature pigs are remained to be done in further studies.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.220-225
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• 2018

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a rare genetic disease caused by various abnormalities in the androgen receptor (AR). The AR is an essential steroid hormone receptor that plays a critical role in male sexual differentiation and development and preservation of the male phenotype. Mutations in the AR gene on the X chromosome cause malfunction of the AR so that a 46,XY karyotype male has some physical characteristics of a woman or a full female phenotype. Depending on the phenotype, AIS can be classified as complete, partial or mild. Here, we report 2 cases of complete AIS in young children who showed complete sex reversal from male to female as a result of AR mutations. They had palpable inguinal masses and normal female external genitalia, a blind-end vagina and absent $M{\ddot{u}}llerian$ duct derivatives. They were both 46,XY karyotype and AR gene analysis demonstrated pathologic mutations in both. Because AIS is inherited in an X-linked recessive manner, we performed genetic analysis of the female family members of each patient and found the same mutation in the mothers of both patients and in the female sibling of case 2. Gonadectomy was performed in both patients to avoid the risk of malignancy in the undescended testicles, and estrogen replacement therapy is planned for their adolescence. Individuals with complete AIS are usually raised as females and need appropriate care.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2018

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are useful candidates for tissue engineering and cell therapy. Physiological cell environment not only connects cells to each other, but also connects cells to the extracellular matrix that provide mechanical support, thus exposing the entire cell surface and activating signaling pathways. Hydrogel is a polymeric material that swells in water and maintains a distinct 3-dimensional (3D) network structure by cross linking. In this study, we investigated the optimized cellular function for canine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (cAD-MSCs) using hydrogel. We observed that the expression levels of Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, which are involved in cell proliferation and stemness, were increased in transwell-hydrogel (3D-TN) compared to the transwell-normal (TN). Also, transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ and SOX9, which are typical bone morphogenesis-inducing factors, were increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Collagen type II alpha 1, which is a chondrocyte-specific marker, was increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Osteocalcin, which is a osteocyte-specific marker, was increased in 3D-TN compared to the TN. Collectively, preconditioning cAD-MSCs via 3D culture systems can enhance inherent secretory properties that may improve the potency and efficacy of MSCs-based therapies for bone regeneration process.