• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2006

Natural product compounds are the source of numerous therapeutic agents. The marine environment produces natural products from a variety of structural classes exhibiting activity against numerous disease targets including anticancer agents. Among these, pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2), which was first identified as a cytotoxic entity in marine sponges, which depolymerizes actin filaments, was found to be highly effective and more potent to activate an intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in p53-deficient tumor cells compared to those with functional p53 both in vitro and in vivo. However, the anti-proliferative mechanism of the compound at non-cytotoxic concentrations has not yet been explored. In the current study, we sought to investigate anti-proliferation and apoptosis of PTX-2 against U937 human leukemic cells and its underlying molecular mechanism. Exposure of U937 cells to PTX-2 resulted in growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in dose- and time-dependent manner as measured by MTT assay, fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometric analysis. The anti-proliferative effect of PTX-2 was associated with a marked increase in the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase p21 (WAF1/CIP1) mRNA which was tumor suppressor p53-independent. The increase in apoptosis was connected with a time-dependent down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) family such as XIAP and cIAP-2. Though additional studies are needed, these findings suggested that PTX-2-induced inhibition of U937 cells was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death and the results provided important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of PTX-2.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.445-451
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• 2019

The fluorescence intensity and fluorescence lifetime of $Ba_2GdV_3O_{11}$, a vanadate compound based on $Ba^{2+}$ ion, were investigated by adding $Eu^{3+}$ as a rare earth ion which is an alkaline earth metal, which is distributed around active ions and has a large influence on fluorescent properties when used as a host in a phosphor. $Ba_2GdV_3O_{11}:Eu^{3+}$ phosphor was synthesized by solid state method and the crystallinity of the phosphor was confirmed by X - ray diffraction analysis. The fluorescence properties of the $Ba_2GdV_3O_{11}:Eu^{3+}$ phosphor were measured using optical and laser. The energy transfer and diffusion of the $Ba_2GdV_3O_{11}:Eu^{3+}$ phosphor are highly dependent on the concentration of $Eu^{3+}$. When the concentration of $Eu^{3+}$ is low, it shows strong fluorescence to the CT band. However, as the concentration of $Eu^{3+}$ increases, the fluorescence due to 4f - 4f transition is strong. The concentration of $Eu^{3+}$ ion increased and the energy between ions was diffused, and the lifetime of fluorescence decreased. Energy transfer occurs between two $Eu^{3+}$ ions at low $Eu^{3+}$ concentration and energy diffusion occurs at high $Eu^{3+}$ concentration.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.131-137
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• 2015

Commercial greenhouse plant factories are highly efficient for controlling external factors such as floods, drought, insects, air pollution etc. However, they require substantial startup & maintenance investments and experimental research to optimize production. These facilities are especially useful for urban farming where high efficiency in small spaces is required. In this study, we investigated whether light emitting diode (LED) lights with mixed dominant wavelengths (650 nm : 550 nm : 445 nm=8:1:1, 650 nm : 445 nm=6:4) can increase the growth rate and bio-active compound content of carrots in comparison to that of fluorescent light (FL). LED with mixed wavelength (650 nm : 550 nm : 445 nm=8:1:1) increased the total weight and root circumference of carrots compared to FL. However, ${\beta}$-carotene contents were not significant in LED (650 nm : 550 nm : 445 nm=8:1:1). However, LED (650 nm : 445 nm=6:4) increased the ${\beta}$-carotene (FL: 7.27, LED: 10.48 mg/g ${\beta}$-carotene dried weight). These results suggested that using LED light at the ideal wavelength, at the antithesis color of the plant, might enhance plant growth and bio-active compound contents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2017

Carbon monoxide (CO), a reaction product of cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), is a gaseous messenger with anti-proliferative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory actions in many cell types. Here, we investigated the role of CO on the process of monocyte differentiation induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in human monocytic THP-1 cells. CORM-2 (tricarbonyldichlororuthenium (II) dimer, $Ru2Cl_4(CO)_6$), a CO-releasing compound, decreased a marked cell adherence with a slight reduction of proliferation in monocytic THP-1 cells treated with PMA. And, CORM-2 significantly inhibited expression of differentiation markers such as CD14, CD11b plus CD18 (macrophage-1 antigen, Mac-1 or complement receptor 3, CR3) and phagocytosis of carboxylate-modified red fluorescent latex beads, in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. For the further experiments, differentiation of PMA-treated cells was enhanced after the initial 2 days stimulus by removing the PMA-containing media then incubating the cells in fresh media for a another 4 days. And, we observed the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and phagocytosis in differentiated macrophages. Treatment with CORM-2 significantly abolished the secretion of IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and phagocytosis using fluorescence-conjugated E. coli (K-12 strain) bioparticles in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated differentiated macrophages. In conclusion, these results suggest that CO inhibits the differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells as well as the activation of differentiated macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.53-73
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• 2002

It has been reported that degranulation of mast cells in rats, rabbits and dog was observed after dosing xylazine hydrochloride(Xh) which has been widely used as sedative, analgesic and muscular relaxant. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to examine the relations between Xh and histamine release and to identify the action of ${\alpha}$-adrenoceptors which exists on the suface of mast cells. 1. The content of histamine within serum was measured with HPLC by performing the O-phthalaldehyde(OPA) fluorescent derivation. The pretreatment method had a little modification from the conventional method. The pretreament was carried out in the following method. 0.2$m\ell$ of serum and 1$m\ell$ of butanol were added to mixed together and then the liquid was centrifugally separated at 4$^{\circ}C$ and 2,000 rpm for 3 minutes. 0.4$m\ell$ of 0.1N HCl and 1.6$m\ell$ of heptane were added to 0.8$m\ell$ of supernatant taken from the liquid, and they were mixed together. This mixture was also centrifugally separated at 4$^{\circ}C$ and 2,000 rpm for 5 minutes. The supernatant was thrown away and the OPA fluorescent derivation was carried out with 0.2$m\ell$ of the lower liquid then, 5 minutes after mixing 400${\mu}\ell$ of 0.1N HCl, 120${\mu}\ell$ of 1N NaOH and 40${\mu}\ell$ of 0.1% OPA in the 0.2$m\ell$ of the lower liquid,120${\mu}\ell$ of 3.57N H$_3$PO$_4$ was added to the mixed liquid, and the liquid, was mixed again and syringe-filtered. Then, the measurement was done with HPLC in the 30 : 70(ν/ν) ratio of 0.004M KH$_2$PO$_4$: CH$_3$CN, flow rate of 1.0$m\ell$/min., and a wavelength of λex= 350nm and λem=444nm at the column temperature of 27$^{\circ}C$, using the fluorescence detector. 2. The content of histamine in each laboratory animal appeared to be higher in such an order as rabbit, rat, guinea pig, dog, Korean indigenous goat, swine, Korean indigenous cattle, Holstein, and mouse, of which the individual mean values${\pm}$standard deviation were 2.0668 ${\pm}$ 0.6049. 0.4999 ${\pm}$ 0.2278, 0.4241 ${\pm}$ 0.1974, 0.1054 ${\pm}$ 0.0556, 0.1028 ${\pm}$ 0.0276, 0.0972 ${\pm}$ 0.0513, 0.0872 ${\pm}$ 0.0373, 0.0717 ${\pm}$ 0.0379, and 0.0706 ${\pm}$ 0.0366, respectively. 3. The content of histamine was measured at the moments of 15-, 30-, 60-, 120-minutes after inoamuscular injection of 20mg/100kg Xh into two to 4 years old Holstein weighing 600∼700kg. The result showed that there was a significant increase at the times of 30- and 90-minutes after injection(p<0.05). 4. Intramuscular injection of 3mg/10kg Xh was given to crossbred pug dogs weighing 2.5∼4.3kg. The content of histamine was measured at the times of 30-, 60-, 90- and 120-minutes after injection. The result revealed that there was a significant increase at the times of 60-and 90-minutes after injection(p<0.05). 5. Intramuscular injection of 10mg/$m\ell$∼25mg/$m\ell$ Xh in concentration of 0.1$m\ell$ was applied to Korean indigenous goat over 5 months old. Then, the content of histamine was measured at the times of 15-, 30-, 60- and 90-minutes after injection. A significant increase was shown at the times of 30- and 60-minutes after injection(p<0.05). 6. The content of histamine was measured at the moments of 30- and 60-minutes after intramuscular injection of 0.1-0.2$m\ell$ Xh (20mg/$m\ell$) into male rabbits weighting 2.5-4kg. A significant increase was found at the moment of 60 minutes after injection(p<0.001). 7. After administering Xh to the mast cell taken from the abdominal cavity of mouse, the content of histamine was measured. The result showed that the higher the concentration, the more significantly the content of histamine was increased(p<0.05). 8. Compound 48/80 was administered in concentration of 5$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ and 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ to the mast cell picked from the abdominal cavity of mouse. The result showed that there was a significant increase in the content of histamine in case of the concentration of 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$(p<0.05). It was found to be about 10,000 to 500,000 times stronger than the Xh. 9. After premedication of 1mg/kg of yohimbine hydrochloride as ${\alpha}$$_2$-adrenergic antagonist to rabbits, the Xh was administered to them. The result was that the value of histamine within serum was decreased significantly(p<0.001). 10. After premeditation of 1mg/kg of prazosin hydrochloride as ${\alpha}$$_1$-adrenergic antagonist to rabbits, the Xh was administered to them. It was found that the value of histamine within serum was decreased significantly(p<0.005). 11, Prazosin hydrochloride and yohimbine hydrochloride as ${\alpha}$$_1$-adrenergic antagonist, respectively, and ${\alpha}$$_2$-adrenergic antagonist were administerd. In this case, the value of histamine within serum was decreased significantly(p<0.0001). As the results, when the Xh is administered to various kinds of animals, the amount of histamine release within serum is increased. In view of the results so far achieved, it is concluded that Xh acted on both a$_1$-adrenoreceptor and ${\alpha}$$_2$-adrenoreceptor induces the degranulation of mast cell.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2004

The human skin is constantly exposed to environmental irritants such as ultraviolet, smoke, chemicals. Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by these environmental facts play critical roles in cellular damage. These irritants are in themselves damaging to the skin structure but they also participate the immensely complex inflammatory reaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the skin cell protective effect of Juniperus chinensis xylem extract on the UV and SLS-induced skin cell damages. We tested free radical and superoxide scavenging effect in vitro. We found that Juniperus chinensis xylem extracts had potent radical scavenging effect by 98％ at 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. Fluorometric assays of the proteolytic activities of matrix metalloproteinase-l(MMP-1, collagenase) were performed using fluorescent collagen substrates. UV A induced MMP-1 synthesis and activity were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and gelatin-based zymography in skin fibroblasts. The extract of Juniperus chinensis showed strong inhibitory effect on MMP-1 activities by 97％ at 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL and suppressed the UVA induced expression of MMP-1 by 79％ at 25 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. This extract also showed strong inhibition on MMP-2 activity in UVA irradiated fibroblast by zymography. We also examined anti-inflammatory effects by the determination test of proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin 6 in HaCaT keratinocytes. In this test Juniperus chinensis decreased expression of interleukin 6 about 30％. Expression of prostaglandin E$_2$, (PGE$_2$) after UVB irradiation was measured by competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using PGE$_2$ monoclonal antibody. At the concentrations of 5-50 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL of the extracts, the production of PGE$_2$ by HaCaT keratinocytes (24 hours after 10 mJ/$\textrm{cm}^2$ UVB irradiation) was significantly inhibited in culture supernatants (p〈0.05). The viability of cultured HaCaT keratinocytes was significantly reduced at the doses of above 10 mJ/$\textrm{cm}^2$ of UVB irradiation, but the presence of these extracts improved cell viability comparing to control after UVB irradiation. We also investigated the protective effect of this extract in sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)-induced irritant skin reactions from 24 hour exposure. Twice a day application of the extract for reducing local inflammation in human skin was done. Irritant reactions were assessed by various aspects of skin condition, that is, erythema (skin color reflectance) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). After 5 days the extract was found to reduce SLS-induced skin erythema and improve barrier regeneration when compared to untreated symmetrical test site. In conclusion, our results suggest that Juniperus chinensis can be effectively used for the prevention of UV and SLS-induced adverse skin reactions such as radical production, inflammation and skin cell damage.