• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.465-477
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• 2000

Purpose: Thallim-201 ($^{201}Tl$) brain SPECT and proton ($^1H$) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have been used to evaluate tumor grade and viability of glioma. We assessed the correlations between $^{201}Tl$ brain index or spectrum of metabolites of $^1H$ MRS and grade of glioma or histopathologic findings. Materials and Methods: We studied 17 patients (4 astrocytoma, 7 anaplastic astrocytoma and 6 glioblastoma). On $^{201}Tl$ Brain SPECT, $^{201}Tl$ index was measured as the ratio of average counts for region of interest to those for the contralateral normal brain. On $^1H$ MRS, we calculated choline (Cho) /creatine (Cr) ratio and N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/Cr ratio in ROI defined as tumor center. Histopathologic findings were graded by Ki-67 index, cellularity, mitosis, pleomorphism, necrosis and endothelial proliferation. An unpaired t test and statistical correlations were performed to evaluate these data. Results: Tl-index showed the best correlation with Ki-67 index (p<0.01), less correlations with cellularity, mitosis, and endothelial proliferation, but no correlation with results of MRS, pleomorphism, or necrosis. The findings of MRS did not correlate with all of the above. The cases of glioblastoma demonstrated a higher Tl-index, Cho/cr ratio, Ki-67 index and lower NAA/Cr ratio, albeit without statistical significance. Conclusion: Even though $^{201}Tl$ brain SPECT did not correlate directly with grade of malignancy, it may still be useful in determining biological aggressiveness of tumor and prognosis of patients because it correlated well with Ki-67 index, a growth fraction of glioma, cellularity, mitosis and endothelial proliferation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.71-81
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• 2003

So-Hap-Hyang-Won, a traditional oriental medicine used in the treatment of stroke patients, was examined for its ability to reverse the cell damage caused by lipid peroxidation products and oxidative stress in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). The effects of herbal medicine on cell proliferation and recovery of oxidative damaged situation were studied in BAEC, which was considered an appropriate in vitro model for stroke resulting from various vascular diseases prevalent in advanced age. In a clinical study of stroke patients, So-Hap-Hyang-Won appeared to improve considerably arm and leg movements as well as consciousness disturbance condition, compared with other traditional medicines used for stroke. When BAEC were treated with extracts of the lyophilized herbal medicines, only that of So-Hap-Hyang-Won stimulated cell proliferation and showed no toxicity even at high concentrations. In studies of BAEC treated with extracts of the lyophilized material of the 14 components of So-Hap-Hyang-Won, only the extract of Foeniculi Fructus stimulated cell growth at all concentrations tested. Moreover, when cells were treated with Foeniculi Fructus (10 and 100 mg/ml) extract after prior exposure to t-BHP ($l0\mu\textrm{M}$) or HNE ($0.2\mu\textrm{M}$), lipid peroxidation products which are known to be involved in aging and vascular diseases, or after the exposure to SIN-l ($500\mu\textrm{M}$), which generates nitric oxide (NO) and other reactive oxygen species, there was substantial recovery from the oxidative damage, presumably due to the radical-scavenging effect of Foeniculi Fructus extract. Foeniculi Fructus not only showed stimulatory effects on cell growth and cell damage repair in BAEC, but also appeared to show the most anti-aging activity among all the herbal components of So-Hap-Hyang-Won.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, allergic inflammatory skin disease that is accompanied by pruritic chronic eczema and markedly increased levels of inflammatory cells in endothelial cells. Arctium lappa L. is a popular edible vegetable cultivated in Asia. This study examined the effect of butanol extracts of A. lappa (ALBE) on the expression of adhesion molecule, ICAM-1 and the production of NO-iNOS induced by TNF-alpha in A549 endothelial cells. We also studied the effects of ALBE on the proliferation of keratinocyte. We observed significant inhibition of NO-iNOS production in dose-dependant manners and ALBE at $100\;{\mu}g$/mL suppressed the expression of ICAM-1 in TNF-${\alpha}$-induced A549 cells. In addition, the treatment of ALBE for 48 hrs increased the proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes. These results support that ALBE has an anti-inflammatory effects for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2021

Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc is distributed throughout Asia and has traditionally been used as medicine and food. P. mume is known to contain large amounts of various organic acids, minerals, and phenol components. To date, the trend of P. mume research has focused only on the effects of antioxidant, anticancer and antibacterial, with only a few studies have focused on angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is a common characteristic of metastatic cancer through which oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells and tissues. In the present study, angiogenesis-inhibiting activity was investigated by evaluating the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the P. mume butanol fraction (PBF) and their ability to inhibit VEGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation, migration, invasion, and capillary formation. The polyphenols (12.81 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (28.4 mg QE/g) of the PBF exhibited high antioxidant activity. The results of this study showed that PBF did not inhibit the proliferation of HUVECs at concentrations of 25-200 ㎍/ml and did not exhibit toxicity to normal cells. However, PBF inhibited the VEGF-induced mobility, invasion, and capillary formation of HUVECs. These results show that PBF inhibits the angiogenesis of HUVECs induced by VEGF. Therefore, PBF could serve as a therapeutic agent for the inhibition of angiogenesis.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2023

This study was conducted to assess the effect of heptapeptide, composed of seven amino acids, on the activation of human hair cells isolated from human hair follicles. We have confirmed that the heptapeptide could bind to Lgr5 from the results of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Heptapeptide enhanced the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HHFDPCs) in a dose dependent manner. It induced the protein level of nuclear β-catenin, and the expressions of β-catenin downstream target genes, including LEF1, Cyc-D1 and c-Myc, in HHFDPCs. Heptapeptide significantly induced the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, and the mRNA expressions of growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in HHFDPCs. In addition, heptapeptide significantly increased mRNA expression levels of differentiation-related transcription factors of human hair germinal matrix cells (HHGMCs) and differentiation markers of human hair outer root sheath cells (HHORSCs). Additionally, we investigated the effect of heptapeptide on human hair follicle stem cells (HHFSCs) differentiation and found that the heptapeptide reduced the mRNA and protein levels of stem cell markers, while it increased those levels of differentiation markers. These results have indicated that the heptapeptide promotes proliferation or differentiation of various types of hair follicle constituent cells through the induction of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. From the results, we have suggested that the heptapeptide in this study could be applied as a new functional material for the improvement of hair growth and alopecia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.150-160
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• 1999

Background: The CREST syndrome is an indolent form of progressive systemic sclerosis. Although its clinical progress is indolent, pulmonary hypertension(PH) associated with CREST syndrome have grave prognosis with over 40 percent mortality rate at 2 year follow-up. But the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension in this disease is not known, and classified as either primary or secondary PH. Clonality of endothelial cell proliferation in plexiform lesion is a molecular marker which allows distinction between primary and secondary PH. We performed this study to know whether the PH associated with CREST syndrome is a variant of primary PH or is a secondary PH. Methods: We assessed the X-chromosome inactivation based on the methylation pattern of the human androgen-receptor gene by PCR(HUMARA). Endothelial cells in plexiform lesions from female patients(n=3) with PH associated with CREST syndrome were microdissected from paraffin blocks. Vascular smooth muscle cells and lung parenchyma were also microdissected for clonality studies. Results: The proliferating endothelial cells in 14 plexiform lesions were all polyclonal. Similarly proliferated smooth muscle cells from 5 vessels with medial hypertrophy were also polyclonal. Conclusion: These results suggest that the pulmonary hypertension associated with CREST syndrome has different pathogenesis from primary PH and to be classified as secondary PH.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.679-684
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• 2007

Purpose: DMH(1,2-dimethylhydrazine) has been known to induce vascular neoplasm such as malignant endothelioma in animal experiment, through induction of abnormal proliferation of HUVECs. In our previous studies, 11 types of PKC isoenzymes were determined by RT-PCR and the expression of $PKC{\alpha}$, and ${\mu}$ was more prominent than other PKC isoenzymes in the DMH-treated group. However, this result was not based on objective assessment. In this study, we further evaluated the role of $PKC{\alpha}$ on the DMH-induced abnormal proliferation of HUVECs by two different methods to identify its presence with high relevance in objective view. $PKC{\mu}$ will be investigated in further study. Methods: The study was conducted with the cultured HUVECs group(control) and the $0.75{\times}10^{-9}M$ DMH-treated group. After processing protein extraction in 0 and 24 hour, extracted protein was treated of quantitative test through BCA protein assay. In the western blot analysis, electrophoresis was performed in the order of gel preparation, sample preparation, and gel running. Electrotransfer to nitrocellulose membrane and reaction with antibody were done. Detection of $PKC{\alpha}$ was achieved through "Gel Image Analysis System". In the fluorescence immunocytochemical analysis, the grading of radiance of the intracellular $PKC{\alpha}$ particles was detected with confocal microscope after treating with primary and fluorescent secondary antibody in 0 and 24 hours. Results: The Western blot analysis showed increased $PKC{\alpha}$ expression from the specimen obtained in 24 hour of the DMH treatment group when compared to those in control group. Under confocal fluorescence microscope, the emitting radiance in the DMH treated group was brighter at 24 hours as well. Conclusion: We believe that $PKC{\alpha}$ plays a role in DMH-induced abnormal proliferation of the vascular endothelium, which may provide insights in understanding the vascular neoplasm.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1996

The conventional glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation method of tissue valves is considered to be responsible for accelerated valve degeneration. The release of toxic GA from the valve tissue is believed to limit endothelial cell (EC) ingrowth. Removal of toxic GA by reaction with L-glutamic acid and storage in a Paraben solution may offer good EC growth. To investigate the conditions for endothelialization of tissue valves, the growth properties of ECs on the conventionally and alternatively treated pericardial tissue were compared. Conventional preparation included zero-pressure fixation for 72 hours in phosphated-buffered saline (PBS) solution containing 0.5% GA at 4$^{\circ}C$ and storage into PBS containing 0.2% GA(group I). Alternatively treated pericardial tissues were divided into three postfixation treatment groups : (1) storage in PBS solution containing Paraben(group II), (2) treatment with PBS containing 8$^{\circ}C$ L-glutamic acid(PH 7.35) and storage in PBS solution containing Paraben (g oup III), (3) treatment with L-glutamic acid dissolved in distilled water (PH 3.5) (group IV). Pericardial tissue were transferred into the 24-well plate after storage for 4 weeks. ECs were harvested enzymatically from the bovine pulmonary artery and grown to confluence on culture flask surfaces. Detached ECs by trypsin were incubated into the each well of the 24-well plate including test pericardial tissues. Cells were detached by trypsin, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 days after incubation and counted on the hemacytometer. Cell viability test was performed by frypan-blue exclusion method. Acute cell death in the group I were found even after prolonged washing. The group II showed prolonged cell survival compared with the group I. Both group III and group IV showed better cell growth than group II. There was no statistically significant difference between group III and group IV method in terms of EC growth. This results suggest that treatment by L-glutamic ac id and storage in a Paraben solution be a promising approach for improvement of durability of GA-treated tissue valves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.636-642
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• 2009

The corpus luteum (CL) is a transient endocrine gland that produces progesterone, a product required for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In the absence of pregnancy, the production of progesterone in the CL decreases and the structure itself regresses in size. The life span and function of the CL are regulated by complex interactions between stimulatory (luteotrophic) and inhibitory (luteolytic) mediators. When an ovum is released from a mature follicle, angiogenesis and rapid growth of follicular cells form the CL. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether steroidogenesis, proliferation, and hypoxiarelated proteins are expressed in caprine CL. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and hypoxia-inducible factor $1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) were determined in caprine CL during the estrous cycle. Cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage protein did not vary significantly during the estrous cycle; however, there was an increased expression of $3{\beta}$ -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the early and middle stages, which rapidly decreased in the late stage. The same observations were made with respect to steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. Variations in progesterone content and expression of PCNA, HIF-$1{\alpha}$, and VEGF were consistent with this result. Thus, the steroidogenic proteins, PCNA, HIF-$1{\alpha}$, and VEGF in caprine CL are dependent on the stage of the estrous cycle.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2008

The endogenous retrovirus-like elements (HERVs) found on several human chromosomes are somehow involved in gene regulation, especially during the transcription level. HERV-H, located on chromosome Xp22, may regulate gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) in connection with diverse diseases. By suppression subtractive hybridization screen on SV40-immortalized lung fibroblast (WI-38 VA-13), we discovered that expression of HERV-HX2, a clustered HERV-H sequence on chromosome X, was upregulated in immortalized lung cells, compared to that of normal cells. Expression of HERV-HX2 was then analyzed in various cell lines, including normal somatic cells, cancer cells, SV40-immortalized cells, and undifferentiated and differentiated human embryonic stem cells. Expression of HERV-HX2 was specifically upregulated in continuously-dividing cells, such as cancer cells and SV40-immortalized cells. Especially, HERV-HX2 in HeLa cells was highly upregulated during the S phase of the cell cycle. Similar results were obtained in hES cells, in which undifferentiated cells expressed more HERV-HX2 mRNA than differentiated hES cells, including neural precursor and endothelial progenitor cells. Taken together, our results suggest that HERV-HX2 is upregulated in cancer cells and undifferentiated hES cells, whereas downregulated as differentiation progress. Therefore, we assume that HERV-HX2 may playa role on proliferation of cancer cells as well as differentiation of hES cells in the transcriptional level.