• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4545-4548
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• 2014

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) contents in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) and determine their clinical significance. Materials and Methods: Fasting venous blood (3 mL) from 81 patients with primary HCC diagnosed by pathology was collected in the mornings 1 day before PMCT, and 1 day, 7 days and 1 month after PMCT, and then the serum was separated and stored in $-70^{\circ}C$. The contents of VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The serum VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF contents in 81 patients with primary HCC had obviously dynamic changes before and after PMCT. By comparison to 1 day after PMCT with pre-operation, there was no statistical significance regarding VEGF and SIL-2R contents (P>0.05), but HGF content showed significant difference (P<0.01). Compared with pre-operation, VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF contents 7 days and 1 month after PMCT all manifested significant differences (P<0.01). By comparison to 7 days with 1 month after PMCT, there was no statistical significance regarding the VEGF content (P>0.05), whereas SIL-2R and HGF contents showed significant change (P<0.01). Conclusions: The contents of serum VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF have obviously dynamic changes in primary HCC before and after PMCT, and their joint detection is expected to be an effective hematologic evaluation index of PMCT for primary HCC.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.264-275
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• 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a significant role in intracellular signaling and regulation, particularly when they are maintained at physiologic levels. However, excess ROS can cause cell damage and induce cell death. We recently reported that eIF2α phosphorylation protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress and liver fibrosis induced by fructose metabolism. Here, we found that hepatocyte-specific eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient mice have significantly reduced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and altered EGFR-mediated signaling pathways. EGFR-mediated signaling pathways are important for cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in many tissues and cell types. Therefore, we studied whether the reduced amount of EGFR is responsible for the eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient hepatocytes' vulnerability to oxidative stress. ROS such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxides induce both EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation and eIF2α phosphorylation. eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient primary hepatocytes, or EGFR knockdown cells, have decreased ROS scavenging ability compared to normal cells. Therefore, these cells are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. However, overexpression of EGFR in these eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient primary hepatocytes increased ROS scavenging ability and alleviated ROS-mediated cell death. Therefore, we hypothesize that the reduced EGFR level in eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient hepatocytes is one of critical factors responsible for their susceptibility to oxidative stress.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.363-369
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• 1998

The effects of feeding frequency on growth and body composition of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) were compared among five groups at different feeding frequencies : 4 times daily, 2 times daily, once a day, 4 times every other day, and 2 times every other day. The effects of 1~2 nonfeeding days per week were also examined. Growth rates, feed efficiencies, survival rates, and condition factors of fish fed twice and 4 times daily were higher than for the other groups, and were also higher for fish fed 6~7 days per week than those fed 5 days per week. Hepatocyte nuclei of fish were larger in the daily feeding groups than others, which suggested fish daily fed would have higher methabolic rate. Theses results suggested that captive juvenile chum salmon should be fed 2 or more times per day, and 6~7 days per week.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 2022

Streptococcus sp. is generally known as a strain that produces hyaluronic acid. In this study, we focused on ingredients other than hyaluronic acid among several metabolites produced by Streptococcus sp. during cultivation. The hair experimental sample (HAIRCLE^TM) was prepared with Streptococcus sp. culture filtrate under the condition that hyaluronic acid was not produced and the effect on the hair was identified. Tensile strength of hair was tested with a universal testing machine (UTM). Surface properties of a hair were examined with an atomic force microscope (AFM). Our results suggest that HAIRCLE^TM could prevent damage to a hair such as destroyed-cuticle, increased-faction force, and broken-hair. Furthermore, hair-related experiments confirmed that HAIRCLE^TM could promote the expression of hair growth factors VEGF, HGF, and Wnt10b and mitigate male hair loss by inhibiting androgen receptors and TGF-β2 expression. In addition, it was confirmed that the expression of barrier-related factors (INV, CLDN-1) was increased for oxidative stress, and the COX-2 expression, an inflammatory factor, was inhibited, thereby improving damaged scalp barriers and alleviating induced inflammation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2016

Endotoxemia induces production of inflammatory mediators and acute phase proteins, leading to multiorgan injury and systemic inflammation. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and glucocorticoids (GCs) release modify endotoxemia-induced inflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated whether pre-exposure of GCs influences endotoxin-induced production of inflammatory mediators in hepatocytes. Hepa1c1c-7 cells were pretreated with low concentrations of corticosterone for 24 h and then cultured without corticosterone in the presence or absence of LPS. Our results demonstrated that LPS alone significantly enhanced production of IL-6 and CRP but reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to controls. Combination of corticosterone pretreatment and LPS significantly upregulated production of IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, and VEGF but downregulated CRP compared to those in LPS alone. These findings suggest that in low concentration of corticosterone-preexposed hepatocytes, endotoxemia may induce upregulation of IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, VEGF and but downregulation of CRP.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.621-629
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• 2000

A marine bacterium producing carotenoid was isolated from the Yosu coastal area of South Korea, and has been recorded as MCPBK-1. It was identified as Curtobacterium sp.. The optimum conditions of marine carotenoid fermentation from Cutobacterium sp. were pH 7.0, a temperature of $25^{\circ}C$, 4 mM fructose as a carbon source, 0.07% tryptone as a nitrogen source, 0.5 mM $M^{+2}$ ion as a mineral source and $1{\;}\mu\textrm{M}$ of cyanocobalamine as a growth factor in a $7{\;}\ell$ jar-fermentor. 13.0 mg/ml of the marine carotenoid were produced under optimum conditions. The crude marine carotenoid isolated was composed of 5 different compounds, i.e : tunaxanthin(86.6%), diatoxanthin (7.1%), ${\beta}-carotene$ (2.1%), canthaxanthin(1.9%) and cynthiaxanthin (1.9%). Physiological properties including antibacterial activity, cytotoxic effect, antioxidative effect and free radical scavenging activity were characterized with the crude carotenoid, which exhibited no antibacterial activity against E. coli and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, but a strong cytotoxic effect against cancer cells such as HepG2 (Hepatocellular carcinoma, human, ATCC HB-8065) and HeLa (Cervical carcinoma, human, ATCC CCL-2) cells, the ratios of impediment were 86.4% and 39.2%, respectively. This carotenoid, also, expressed a strong antioxidative effect (83%) against CCL-13 (diploid, monotypic hepatocyte, human, ATCC CCL-13) and exhibited free radical scavenging activity (43.4%) when using at a concentration of $50{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$ of the crude carotenoid.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.375-384
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• 2004

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are known to induce multiple functions in early development, including mesoderm formation, gastrulation movement and antero-posterior patterning. The induction of mesoderm from Xenopus presumptive ectoderm and the combination effect on inducing organs of bFGF(basic FGF) and HGF (Hepatocyte Growth Factor) were studied. Explants were cultured in the combined solution for 3 days to normal embryo arrive at St. 43. These effects on combined dose were examined by histological experiment and by immunohistochemical method. The concentrations of growth factors were tested in 0, 0.5, 1, 10 and also tested in 50 ng/ml of bFGF, and 0, 1, 10, 50 and 100ng/ml of HGF respectively. The synergistic effects were seen in the combined-dose of bFGF and HGF rather than in single dose. Various organs were differentiated and highest inducing effects were seen at the combined concentration of 1 ng/ml of bFGF and 10ng/ml of HGF, and at the concentration 10ng/ml of bFGF and 1 ng/ml of HGF. The bFGF induces various organs from cultured animal cap explants and the effects are time and dose-dependent. HGF is also a potent mitogen for renal tubular cells and for mature hepatocytes in primary culture. Eyes were developed in high percentage at the combined concentration of 1 and 10ng/ml of bFGF, and 1 and 10 ng/ml of HGF. From the induced eye and normal embryonic eye, RPE65 was commonly detected by monoclonal antibodies 40All and 25F5 and the localization of RPE65 was seen by AP reaction.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.16.1-16.13
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• 2021

Background: Preconditioning with inflammatory stimuli is used to improve the secretion of anti-inflammatory agents in stem cells from variant species such as mouse, human, and dog. However, there are only few studies on feline stem cells. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the immune regulatory capacity of feline adipose tissue-derived (fAT) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) pretreated with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Methods: To assess the interaction of lymphocytes and macrophages with IFN-γ-pretreated fAT-MSCs, mouse splenocytes and RAW 264.7 cells were cultured with the conditioned media from IFN-γ-pretreated MSCs. Results: Pretreatment with IFN-γ increased the gene expression levels of cyclooxygenase-2, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, hepatocyte growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 in the MSCs. The conditioned media from IFN-γ-pretreated MSCs increased the expression levels of M2 macrophage markers and regulatory T-cell markers compared to those in the conditioned media from naive MSCs. Further, prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) inhibitor NS-398 attenuated the immunoregulatory potential of MSCs, suggesting that the increased PGE₂ levels induced by IFN-γ stimulation is a crucial factor in the immune regulatory capacity of MSCs pretreated with IFN-γ. Conclusions: IFN-γ pretreatment improves the immune regulatory profile of fAT-MSCs mainly via the secretion of PGE₂, which induces macrophage polarization and increases regulatory T-cell numbers.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2005

Polyurethanes containing z-Iysine segments in the main chain (PULL) were synthesized from 4,4'-diphe-nylmethyl diisocyanate, poly(tetramethylene glycol), and z-Iysine oligomer as a chain extender. The PULL film was treated first with a $10\%$ HBr-acetic acid solution and subsequently with a saturated sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution to produce a primary amine group on the surface (PULL-N). Lactobionic acid (LA)-immobilized PULL (PULL-L) was prepared by the coupling reaction of the PULL surface amine groups and the LA carboxylic acid groups. The surface-modified PULLs were then characterized by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle goniometry. In the hepatocytes adhesion experiment, the cells poorly adhered to the PULL surface, although they adhered moderately well to the PULL-N surface. On the other hand, the cells adhered well to the PULL-L surface, suggesting the good affinity of the surface $\beta$-galactose moieties for hepatocytes. When hepatocytes were cultured in the presence of epidermal growth factor for 48 h, the cells rapidly aggregated on the PULL-L surface, whereas they aggregated only slowly on the other surfaces. The PULL prepared in this study has the potential to be used as a coating material for the enhancement of hepatocyte adhesion.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.205-213
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• 2003

Various angiogenesis inhibitors target vascular endothelial cells and block tumor angiogenesis. Angiostatin is a specific endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor in clinical trials, which contains only the first four triple loop structures, known as kringle domains. Its generated by proteolytic cleavage of its parent molecule plasminogen, which itself does not exhibit antiangiogenic activity. Kringle domains from prothrombin, apolipoprotein, hepatocyte growth factor, urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator also elicit anti-angiogenic or antitumor activities in several model systems, albeit low amino acid sequence identity between angiostatin and each individual kringle. However, the differential effects of each kringle domain on endothelial cell proliferation, and migration observed in these kringle domains, suggest that the amino acid sequence of the primary structure is still important although kringle architecture is essential for anti-mlgiogenic activity. If it is further studied as to how amino acid sequence and kringle architecture contributes in anti-angiogenic activity, with studies on underlying mechanisms of anti-angiogenesis by kringle-based angiogenesis inhibitors, it will provide basis for the development of new potent anti-angiogenesis inhibitors and improvement of the efficacy of angiogenesis inhibitors.