• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2271-2275
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• 2016

Background: The value of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in fluorescence detection of peritoneal metastases and the underlying mechanisms were evaluated in patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. Materials and Methods: Oral 5-ALA was administered at a concentration of 20 mg/kg body weight with 50 ml of water 2 hours prior to surgery (n=115). The diagnostic value of 5-ALA based fluorescence production was evaluated following white light inspection during prior to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Then, peptide transporter PEPT1 (ALA influx transporter) and ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2 (porphyrin efflux transporter) gene expression was determined with quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR and pathological diagnoses confirmed for all tissue samples. Results: The 5-ALA based photodynamic detection rate was 17% for appendiceal mucinous neoplasms, 54% for colorectal cancers, 33% for gastric cancers, 67% for diffuse malign peritoneal mesotheliomas, and 89% for epithelial ovarian cancer of peritoneal metastases. 5-ALA was detected in all cases of peritoneal metastases originating from cholangiocarcinomas whereas it was not able to detect any in granulosa cell and gastrointestinal stromal tumor cases. Furthermore, PEPT1 was overexpressed whereas ABCG2 expression was downregulated in tumors detected with fluorescence. Conclusions: 5-ALA provided 100% specificity and high sensitivity to detect peritoneal metastases in subgroups of patients with peritoneal surface mailgnancies. ALA influx transporter PEPT1 and porphyrin efflux transporter ABCG2 genes are important in tumor specific 5-ALA induced fluorescence in vivo. Further studies should clarify diagnostic utility of 5-ALA in peritoneal surface malignancies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10597-10601
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• 2015

Up-regulation of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) is regarded as one of the main causes for multidrug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells, leading to failure of chemotherapy-based treatment for a multitude of cancers. However, whether silencing the overexpressed MRP1 is sufficient to reverse MDR has yet to be validated. This study demonstrated that RNAi-based knockdown of MRP1 reversed the increased efflux ability and MDR efficiently. Two different short haipin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting MRP1 were designed and inserted into pSilence-2.1-neo. The shRNA recombinant plasmids were transfected into cis-dichlorodiamineplatinum-resistant A549 lung (A549/DDP) cells, and then shRNA expressing cell clones were collected and maintained. Real time PCR and immunofluorescence staining for MRP1 revealed a high silent efficiency of these two shRNAs. Functionally, shRNA-expressing cells showed increased rhodamine 123 retention in A549/DDP cells, indicating reduced efflux ability of tumor cells in the absence of MRP1. Consistently, MRP1-silent cells exhibited decreased resistance to 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and DDP, suggesting reversal of MDR in these tumor cells. Specifically, MRP1 knockdown increased the DDP-induced apoptosis of A549/DDP cells by increased trapping of their cell cycling in the G2 stage. Taken together, this study demonstrated that RNAi-based silencing of MRP1 is sufficient to reverse MDR in tumor cells, shedding light on possible novel clinical treatment of cancers.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2008

In the present study, we examined how the transport of choline is regulated at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) under the central nervous system (CNS) cellular damages by oxidative stress using a conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cells (TR-BBB), in vitro the BBB model. It was also tested whether the choline uptake is influenced by membrane potential, extracellular pH, protonophore (FCCP) and amiloride in TR-BBB cells. In result, $[^3H]choline$ uptake was inhibited by FCCP and dependent on extracellular pH. The treatment of TR-BBB cells with 20 ng/mL tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ $(TNF-{\alpha})$, 10 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 100 ${\mu}M$ diethyl maleate (DEM) and 100 ${\mu}M$ glutamate resulted in 3.0-fold, 2.6-fold, 1.8-fold and 2.0-fold increases of $[^3H]choline$ uptake at the respective peak time, respectively. In contrast, hydrogen peroxide and raffinose did not show any significant effects on choline uptake. In addition, choline efflux was significantly inhibited by $TNF-{\alpha}$, LPS and DEM producing cell damage states. In conclusion, the influx and efflux transport system for choline existed in TR-BBB cell line and this process was affected by several oxidative stress inducing agents.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.401-408
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• 2009

$K^+$-$Cl^-$-cotransport (KCC) has been reported to have various cellular functions, including proliferation and apoptosis of human cancer cells. However, the signal transduction pathways that control the activity of KCC are currently not well understood. In this study we investigated the possible role of phospholipase $A_2$ ($PLA_2$)-arachidonic acid (AA) signal in the regulatory mechanism of KCC activity. Exogenous application of AA significantly induced $K^+$ efflux in a dose-dependent manner, which was completely blocked by R-(+)-[2-n-butyl-6,7 -dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-1-oxo-1Hinden-5-yl]oxy]acetic acid (DIOA), a specific KCC inhibitor. N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM), a KCC activatorinduced $K^+$ efflux was significantly suppressed by bromoenol lactone (BEL), an inhibitor of the calciumindependent $PLA_2$ ($iPLA_2$), whereas it was not significantly altered by arachidonyl trifluoromethylketone ($AACOCF_3$) and p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), inhibitors of the calcium-dependent cytosolic $PLA_2$ ($cPLA_2$) and the secretory $PLA_2$ ($sPLA_2$), respectively. NEM increased AA liberation in a doseand time-dependent manner, which was markedly prevented only by BEL. In addition, the NEM-induced ROS generation was significantly reduced by DPI and BEL, whereas $AACOCF_3$ and BPB did not have an influence. The NEM-induced KCC activation and ROS production was not significantly affected by treatment with indomethacin (Indo) and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX), respectively. Treatment with 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), a non-metabolizable analogue of AA, markedly produced ROS and activated the KCC. Collectively, these results suggest that $iPLA_2$-AA signal may be essentially involved in the mechanism of ROS-mediated KCC activation in HepG2 cells.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.2
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• pp.168-173
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• 2006

Stem respiration rate ($R_{stem}$) was examined using an open flow system on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). $R_{stem}$ exponentially increased with increasing air and stem temperature during measurement period and was most closely correlated with stem temperature. It was more closely correlated with stem temperature observed 0.5-2.0 hrs earlier than with current stem temperature, that is, there was time lag between the increase of stem temperature and the efflux of $CO_2$ from stem. $R_{stem}$ gradually increased from spring to summer, and then decreased during autumn. $R_{stem}$ ranged from 0.13 to $4.44{\mu}mol$ $CO_2m^{-2}s^{-1}$. $Q_{10}$ decreased with increasing stem temperature, and varied along position (or diameter) within trees during the same period, especially during the growing season. On the other hand, time lag was shortened with increasing temperature.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 1983

Red cell glycolytic intermediates, metabolites and metabolic ratios were studied. Glycolytic intermediates were measured in neutralized perchloric acid extracts of red cell suspensions after 3 hr incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ in the presence and absence of saponin. Adenosine triphosphate(ATP), adenosine diphosphate(ADP), pyruvate and lactate were measured by enzymatic procedures involving stoichiometric oxidation or reduction of a pyridine nucleotide. Glucose was determined using glucose oxidase after zinc hydroxide extraction. The redox state was calculated from the lactate dehydrogenase equilibrium. Adenosine triphosphatase activity(ATPase) was measured by determining the amount of phosphate released from ATP by washed erythrocyte membranes(ghost) during 20 min. incubation. Both total hydrolysis and the amount of hydrolysis that occured in the presence of ouabain were measured. The second measurement yields Mg-ATPase and represents nonspecific ATPase activity of the membranes. The difference between total and Mg-ATPase activity can be attributed to Na-K-ATPase. For the measurement of sodium fluxes, human erythrocytes were preincubated in $^{22}Na$ for 3 hr at $37^{\circ}C$, washed and suspended in a tracer-free medium. The amount of $^{22}Na$ transported out of cells at any time was determined by analysis of supernatant samples taken at various time after addition of the labeled cells to isotope-free medium. The cells and medium were separated and the radioactivity appearing in the medium was measured. From the total radioactivity in the suspension and the radioactivity appearing in the medium at known time, the rate constant for sodium release was computed. The results are summarized as follows: 1) ATP and ATP/ADP were found to increase at every concentration of saponin tested whereas ADP declined at every cone. of saponin. The increase in pyruvate and lactate were observed at every cone, of saponin and thus $NAD^+/NADH$ computed from pyruvate/lactate also increased. Glucose utilization was stimulated by saponin. 2) $Na^+-K^+-ATPase$ activities showed a biphasic response to saponin, first increasing in lower concentration and then decreasing in higher concentration of saponin. 3) The efflux of sodium was significantly increased by saponin in the range of 5 to 10 mg%. The stimulatory effect of saponin on the rate constants for active(ouabain-sensitive) sodium efflux was inhibited by addition of ouabain.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.375-385
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• 2010

Conventional cancer chemotherapy is seriously limited by tumor cells exhibiting multidrug resistance (MDR), which is caused by changes in the levels or activity of membrane transporters that mediate energy-dependent drug efflux and of proteins that affect drug metabolism and/or drug action. Cancer scientists and oncologists have worked together for some time to understand anticancer drug resistance and develop pharmacological strategies to overcome such resistance. Much focus has been on the reversal of the MDR phenotype by inhibition of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters. ABC transporters are a family of transporter proteins that mediate drug resistance and low drug bioavailability by pumping various drugs out of cells at the expense of ATP hydrolysis. Many inhibitors of MDR transporters have been identified, and though some are currently undergoing clinical trials, none are in clinical use. Herein, we briefly review the status of MDR in human cancer, explore the pathways of MDR in chemotherapy, and outline recent advances in the design and development of MDR modulators.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.492-495
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• 2015

This study provides evidence that RecG regulates the expression of the OxyR-independent gene mexA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. A reduction in mexA expression was observed in the absence of RecG, but not OxyR, by northern blot and quantitative real-time PCR analyses. The canonical palindromic RecG binding sequence was present upstream of the mexA promoter, and bound purified RecG and single strand-binding protein. These data reveal a novel mechanism of OxyR-independent gene transcription by RecG.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.120-123
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of naringin, one of flavonoids, on the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of nimodipine in rabbits. Pharmacokinetic parameters of nimodipine were determined in rabbits after oral administration of nimodipine (16 mg/kg) with or without naringin (1, 5 or 15 mg/kg). Nimodipine was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography using Hypersil ODS column. Naringin significantly (p<0.05) increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration ($C_{max}$) of nimodipine at 5 and 15 mg/kg. The absolute bioavailability (AB%) of nimodipine by prescence of naringin (5 or 15 mg/kg) increased from 32.2-36.9% (p<0.05) compared to the control (22.0%). However, presence of naringin had no significant effect on the elimination rate constant ($K_{el}$) of nimodipine. There were no apparent changes of the time of peak concentration ($T_{max}$) of nimodipine by coadministration. These results suggest that the increased bioavailability and the significant changes of these pharmacokinetic parameters of nimodipine by naringin may be attributed to the potential of narigin to inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and P-glycoprotein efflux pump in the liver and intestinal mucosa.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of atorvastatin on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem (15 mg/kg) after oral administration of diltiazem with or without atorvastatin (0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg) in rats. Coadministration of atorvastatin increased significantly (p<0.05, 3.0 mg/kg) the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration $(C_{max})$ of diltiazem compared to the control group. The total plasma clearance (CL/F) of diltiazem was decreased significantly (p<0.05, 3.0 mg/kg) compared to the control group. The relative bioavailability (RB%) of diltiazem was increased from 1.14- to 1.49-fold. Coadministration of atorvastatin did not significantly change the elimination rate constant $(K_{el})$, terminal half-life $(T_{1/2})$ and the time to reach the peak concentration $(T_{max})$ of diltiazem. Based on these results, we can make a conclusion that the significant changes of these pharmacokinetic parameters might be due to atorvastatin, which possesses the potency to inhibit the metabolizing enzyme (CYP3A4) in the liver and intestinal mucosa, and also inhibit the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux pump in the intestinal mucosa.