• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.385-389
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• 2023

Background: Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and for general health maintenance. Previously, we showed that ginseng did not demonstrate estrogenic property in ovariectomized mouse model. However, it is still possible that disruption of steroidogenesis leading to indirect hormonal activity. Methods: The hormonal activities were examined in compliance with OECD guidelines for detecting endocrine disrupting chemicals: test guideline (TG) No. 456 (an in vitro assay method for detecting steroidogenesis property) and TG No. 440 (an in vivo short-term screening method for chemicals with uterotrophic property). Results: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) and ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3 did not interfere with estrogen and testosterone hormone synthesis as examined in H295 cells according to TG 456. KRG treatment to ovariectomized mice did not show a significant change in uterine weight. In addition, serum estrogen and testosterone levels were not change by KRG intake. Conclusion: These results clearly demonstrate that there is no steroidogenic activity associated with KRG and no disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by KRG. Additional tests will be performed in pursuit of cellular molecular targets of ginseng to manifest mode of action.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.195-203
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• 2023

Exposure to environmental chemicals, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, during the gestational period can have profound adverse effects on several organs in offspring. Bisphenol A (BPA) can infiltrate the human body through food and drinks, and its metabolites can cross both the placental and the blood-brain barriers. In this study, we investigate the effect of gestational exposure to BPA on epigenetic, biochemical, and histological modifications in the uterine tissues of F1 adult offspring rats. Pregnant rats were exposed to BPA from gestational day 8-15, and changes in global DNA methylation in uterine tissues obtained from adult offspring born to the exposed mothers were analyzed. Global DNA methylation analysis revealed that gestational exposure to BPA resulted in DNA hypomethylation in the uterus. Progesterone receptor (PR) protein expression in uterine tissues was monitored using western blot analysis, which revealed that the PR protein content was considerably higher in all BPA-exposed groups than in the control. Immunohistochemical examination for the PR revealed that intense PR-positive cells were more frequently observed in the BPA-exposed group than in the control group. To date, the evidence that the upregulation of PRs observed in the present study was caused by the non-methylation of specific PR promoter regions is lacking. Conclusively, these results indicate that exposure to BPA during gestation induces epigenetic alterations in the uteri of adult female offspring. We speculate that the global DNA hypomethylation and upregulation of the PR observed simultaneously in this study might be associated with the uterus.

• BMB Reports
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• 제57권3호
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• pp.149-154
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• 2024

The stomach has emerged as a crucial endocrine organ in the regulation of feeding since the discovery of ghrelin. Gut-derived hormones, such as ghrelin and cholecystokinin, can act through the vagus nerve. We previously reported the satiety effect of hypothalamic clusterin, but the impact of peripheral clusterin remains unknown. In this study, we administered clusterin intraperitoneally to mice and observed its ability to suppress fasting-driven food intake. Interestingly, we found its synergism with cholecystokinin and antagonism with ghrelin. These effects were accompanied by increased c-fos immunoreactivity in nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Notably, truncal vagotomy abolished this response. The stomach expressed clusterin at high levels among the organs, and gastric clusterin was detected in specific enteroendocrine cells and the submucosal plexus. Gastric clusterin expression decreased after fasting but recovered after 2 hours of refeeding. Furthermore, we confirmed that stomachspecific overexpression of clusterin reduced food intake after overnight fasting. These results suggest that gastric clusterin may function as a gut-derived peptide involved in the regulation of feeding through the gut-brain axis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.249-258
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• 2007

이자섬은 이자를 구성하는 외분비조직에 둘러싸여 존재하는 내분비세포의 집단으로, 이자섬에서 분비되는 인슐린은 $\beta$세포에서 분비되는 호르몬이며, 세포질의 리보좀에서 합성되고 골지체를 경유하여 세포질로 방출되는 기작을 가지고 있다. 충분한 양의 이자섬 이식은 인슐린 의존형 당뇨병인 제1형 당뇨병에서 정상혈당을 회복시키고, 당뇨 합병증을 방지할 수 있는 치료방법으로 사용되고 있다. 하지만 당뇨병 환자에게 이식을 위한 이자섬의 양에 비해 공여자로부터 증여된 이자섬의 양은 제한적이다. 이러한 문제점은 이자섬의 증식으로 연구되고 있으나, 배양된 이자섬이 정상 조직내의 이자섬과 형태적 기능적으로 동일한 것인지에 관한 연구는 미비하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 분리된 이자섬과 배양된 이자섬을 구성하는 세포들의 내부구조의 변화를 주사전자현미경, 투과전자현미경을 이용하여 세포의 미세구조를 확인하고, 인슐린 항체를 이용한 $\beta$세포 내의 인슐린 분포양상을 확인하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 분리된 이자섬의 $\beta$세포는 일반적인 핵 미토콘드리아, 세포질세망 그리고 인슐린 과립이 분포하고, 배양된 이자섬 $\beta$세포의 경우 분리된 이자섬에 비하여 일반적인 핵의 모습과 부피가 증가한 세포질과 미토콘드리아, 세포질세망 그리고 골지체의 발달이 이루어지는 것으로 관찰되었다. 인슐린 과립의 경우 분리된 이자섬에 비해 감소하며, 세포막 주위에 분포하는 것으로 관찰되었다. 배양된 이자섬에서 관찰되는 인슐린 과립 분포의 변화, 세포질세망의 증가, 골지체의 발달은 배양된 이자섬 $\beta$세포의 인슐린 생성 분비 기능의 향상과 부피의 증가가 이루어지기 위한 세포 내부의 형태적 변화가 이루어지는 것으로 추측된다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.76-83
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• 1991

저자들은 최근 7년 10개월 동안 영남대학교 의과대학 병리학교실에서 위선종으로 진단된 위내시경 생검조직 48예, 53병변을 병리조직학적으로 재검토하여 아래와 같은 결론을 얻었다. 1) 환자의 평균 연령은 59세였으며, 51세이상이 40예(83%), 61세이상이 27예(56%)였고, 남녀비는 2.3 : 1로서 고연령층과 남자에게서 호발하였다. 2) 위선종의 발생부위는 전정부 33예(62%), 체부 19예(36%) 그리고 분문부 1예로서 전정부에 호발하였다. 3) 육안적인 형태는 Yamada type II가 29예(55%)로 가장 많았으며, 크기는 장경이 1cm미만이 41예(80%)로 대부분을 차지하였다. 4) 세포이형도와 위선종의 크기와의 관계는 알 수 없었다. 이는 내시경 생검조직만을 대상으로 하였기 때문으로 사료되며, 절제된 위조직을 포함한 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료되었다. 5) 53병변 모두에서 정도의 차이는 있지만 장형화생을 동반하고 있어, 위선종이 장형화생을 거쳐 발생된다고 사료되었다. 6) Grade III의 세포이형도를 보이는 6예 전부에서 Grimelius 및 Fontana-Masson 염색에 음성반응을 보였다. 7) 핵분열상은 세포이형도에 관계없이 비교적 흔히 관찰되었다. 8) 위선암종을 동반하고 있는 예는 5예(9.4%)로서, 평균연령은 61.4세였으며, 남녀비는 4 : 1로서 60세이상의 남자환자에서 위선종이 발견될 경우, 위선암종을 동반할 가능성이 많아 철저한 조사가 필요하리라 사료되었다. 9) 위선종과 위선암종과의 관계에 대한 연구는 위선종의 철저한 추적조사로서 보완 되어야 하리라 사료되었다.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.348-354
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• 2008

Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental endocrine disrupter, enters the human body continuously in food and drink. Young children are likely to be more vulnerable than adults to chemical exposure due to the immaturities of their organ systems, rapid physical development, and higher ventilation, metabolic rates, and activity levels. The direct effect of BPA on peripheral tissue might also be of importance to the development of insulin resistance. However, the influence that BPA has on insulin signaling molecules in skeletal muscle has not been previously investigated. In this study, we examined the effect of BPA on fasting blood glucose (FBG) in post-weaned Wistar rats and on insulin signaling proteins in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Subsequently, we investigated the effects of BPA on insulin-mediated Akt phosphorylation in C2C12 myotubes. In rats, BPA treatment (0.1-1,000 ng/mL for 24 hours) resulted in the increase of FBG and plasma insulin levels, and reduced insulin-mediated Akt phosphorylation. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of insulin receptor (IR) was decreased after 24 hours of BPA treatment in C2C12 cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the mRNA levels of other insulin signaling proteins, including insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and 5'-AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), were unaffected. Treatment with BPA increased GLUT4 expression and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) activity in C2C12 myotubes, but not in protein levels. We conclude that exposure to BPA can induce insulin resistance by decreasing IR gene expression, which is followed by a decrease in insulin- mediated Akt activation and increased PTP1B activity.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.537-541
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• 2008

백색지방조직(white adipose tissue)은 에너지 저장뿐만 아니라 다양한 adipokines을 분비하는 중요한 내분비 기관이다. 급성기반응 단백질로 알려져 있는 합토글로빈(haptoglobin)도 adipokine의 한 종류로서 지방세포에서 합성되고 분비된다. 그러나 adipokine으로서의 기능과 지방조직에서의 역할은 아직까지 규명되지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 3T3-L1 지방전구세포를 합토글로빈 유전자로 transfection 시켜 합토글로빈을 과발현하는 세포를 만들고 세포증식, 염증관련 인자들의 발현조절 및 단구세포의 유인성을 조사하였다. 그 결과, 합토글로빈은 3T3-L1 세포의 성장에는 별 영향을 미치지 않았으나 IL-6와 COX-2 발현을 저해하고 HO-1 합성을 증가하였다. 또한 THP-1 단구세포를 이용한 invasion assay에서는 합토글로빈이 단구세포의 이동을 저해하였다. 이러한 결과들은 합토글로빈이 지방조직에서 항염증 반응에 관여함을 시사한다. 만성적 염증상태(chronic low-grade inflammatory state)로 인식되고 있는 비만은 염증관련 인자들에 의한 인슐린저항성이 유도되는 바, 합토글로빈은 비만 관련 인슐린저항성을 방지하고 인슐린민감성을 향상시키는 데에도 기여할 것으로 생각된다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.551-561
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• 2021

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular cancers, have a favorable prognosis. However, poorly differentiated thyroid cancers, such as medullary, squamous and anaplastic advanced thyroid cancers, are very aggressive and insensitive to radioiodine treatment. Thus, novel therapies that attenuate metastasis are urgently needed. We found that both PDGFC and PDGFRA are predominantly expressed in thyroid cancers and that the survival rate is significantly lower in patients with high PDGFRA expression. This finding indicates the important role of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in thyroid cancer development. Next, we established a SW579 squamous thyroid cancer cell line with 95.6% PDGFRA gene insertion and deletions (indels) through CRISPR/Cas9. Protein and invasion analysis showed a dramatic loss in EMT marker expression and metastatic ability. Furthermore, xenograft tumors derived from PDGFRA geneedited SW579 cells exhibited a minor decrease in tumor growth. However, distant lung metastasis was completely abolished upon PDGFRA gene editing, implying that PDGFRA could be an effective target to inhibit distant metastasis in advanced thyroid cancers. To translate this finding to the clinic, we used the most relevant multikinase inhibitor, imatinib, to inhibit PDGFRA signaling. The results showed that imatinib significantly suppressed cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in SW579 cells. Our developed noninvasive apoptosis detection sensor (NIADS) indicated that imatinib induced cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, we believe that developing a specific and selective targeted therapy for PDGFRA would effectively suppress PDGFRA-mediated cancer aggressiveness in advanced thyroid cancers.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.74-86
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• 2000

Objectives : This is the experimental paper to study the curative and preventive effects of Dansambohyultang, Methods : Oriental herb medicine for gastro-intestinal disease caused by stress, on the rats put under the stress through starvation, heating and immoblization, the author used four different group; the normal group, which was not put under stress and well fed, and the control group, to which the drug was not administered and put under the stress through starvation, heating and immoblization, the Sample I, to which the drug was administered before they were put under stress, the Sample lI, to which the drug was administered after they were put under stress. Results : When a Masson's trichrome stain method was applied to the control group, a small size of ulcer was found in the fundus and the pylorus, and atrophy was observed in the neck region of mucous membrane. When the drug was administered to the Sample I and the Sample II, the former recovered from the ulcer and atrophy to almost normal and showed better results than the latter. When a Masson's trichrome stain method was applied to the control group, atrophy of mucous membrane was found all over the intestines. When the drug was administered to the Sample I and the Sample ll, the curative and recovered effects was seen in both, but the former showed better results than the latter. After application of Mayer's hematoxylin stain method, the observation of numerical changes of goblet cells in the small intestines showed the most significant decrease in the control group. In the Sample I, the number of the cells in the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum returned to an almost normal level. In the Sample II, a slight increase was observed only in the ileum. After application of Mayer's hematoxylin stain method, the observation of numerical changes of goblet cell in the large intestines showed a significant decreased in the control group. Both the Sample I and the Sample II showed an increase in the number of goblet cells in comparison with the control group. When a serotonin-immunoreaction test was applied, the control group showed a general decrease in the number of gastro-entero-endocrine cells, The Sample I showed the effect in all over gastro.intestinal tract as compared with control group and the Sample II showed the effect in all over gastro-intestinal tract except the duodenum and the former showed better results than the latter. Conclusion : According to the above results, the regions which are most sensitive to stress were observed to the ileum and the colon. It was concluded that Dansambohyultang has a remedical value particularly on the abnormalities caused by stress in all over gastro-intestinal tract and it was found to be more effective in the Sample I than in the Sample ll. Judging from the fact that the Sample I showed better results than the Sample ll, Dansambohyultang can be said to have a preventive effect more than a curative effect on gastro-intestinal tract disease.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.167-176
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• 1990

비스테로이드성 항에스트로젠제는 표적기관에서 estrogen 수용체와 상경적으로 결합하므로써 estrogen의 작용을 억제하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 비스테로이드성 항에스트로젠제는 대체로 triphenylethylene계로서 tamoxifen, clomiphene, LYl17018등이 있으며 표적기관에서 estrogen의 작용을 억제하기 때문에 estrogen과 관련된 질환을 치료하는데 이용되어 오고 있다. 본 연구에서는 생후 21-23일된 미성숙 흰쥐를 재료로 항에스트로젠제중 tamoxifen과 LY117018이 자궁세포 성장에 어떠한 영향을 미치며 어떠한 기전으로 estrogen의 작용을 길항하는지를 규명하고자, 항에스트로젠제가 estrogen작용의 중요 지포에 미치는 영향을 비교 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. Tamoxifen과 LY117018은 자궁세포에서 estrogen의 영향이 없는 경우에는 estrogen agonist로, estrogen작용하에서는 estrogen antagonist로서 작용하였다. Estrogen 작용의 여러 가지 지표에 대해 tamoxifen이 LY117018보다 agonistic effect는 더 컸으나, antagonistic effect는 LY117018이 더 큰 것으로 나타났다. Estrogen 수용체에 대한 결합능은 LY117018이 estradiol보다는 약간 낮았으나 용량에 비례하여 estrogen 수용체와 결합하였다. 그러나 tamoxifen은 estrogen 수용체에 대한 결합이 아주 낮았다. Estrogen 수용체에 대한 binding affinity는 estradiol(100%), LY117018(77%), tamoxifen(6.3%) 순으로 나타났다. 항에스트로젠제의 생체내 투여는 estrogen 존재 유무에 따라 estrogen 수용체 농도에 agonist 또는 antagonist로 작용하였다. 항에스트로젠제의 단독투여는 progesterone 수용체 생성을 증가시키나, estrogen에 의하여 유도된 progesterone 수용체 생성을 억제하였다. 이상의 결과로 보아, tamoxifen과 LY117018은 estrogen유무에 따라 흰쥐 자궁세포에서 estrogen antagonist로서 뿐만 아니라 agonist로서도 작용함을 알 수 있다. 그러나 estrogen수용체와의 결합능력이 아주 낮은 tamoxifen은, 용량에 비례하여 estrogen수용체에 결합하므로써 작용하는 LY117018과는 다른 기전으로 작용하는 것으로 생각된다.