• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2017

Background: Chong-Myung-Tang (CMT) extract is widely used in Korea as a traditional herbal tonic for increasing memory capacity in high-school students and also for numerous body ailments since centuries. The use of CMT to improve the learning capacity has been attributed to various plant constituents, especially black ginseng, in it. Therefore, in this study, we have first investigated whether black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts affected spatial learning using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. Their molecular mechanism of action underlying improvement of learning and memory was examined in vitro. Methods: We used two types of black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, designated as CM-1 and CM-2, and evaluated their efficacy in the MWM test for spatial learning behavior and their anti-inflammatory effects in BV2 microglial cells. Results: Our results show that both black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts improved the learning behavior in scopolamine-induced impairment in the water maze test. Moreover, these extracts also inhibited nitric oxide production in BV2 cells, with significant suppression of expression of proinflammatory cytokines, especially inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. The protein expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ pathway factors was also diminished by black ginseng-enriched CMT extracts, indicating that it not only improves the memory impairment, but also acts a potent anti-inflammatory agent for neuroinflammatory diseases. Conclusion: Our research for the first time provides the scientific evidence that consumption of black ginseng-enriched CMT extract as a brain tonic improves memory impairment. Thus, our study results can be taken as a reference for future neurobehavioral studies.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.12
• /
• pp.1029-1035
• /
• 2003

Osteoporosis is recognized as one of the major hormonal deficiency diseases, especially in menopausal women and the elderly. When estrogen is reduced in the body, local factors such as IL-1 $\beta$ and IL-6, which are known to be related with bone resorption, are increased and promote osteoclastogenesis, which is responsible for bone resorption. In the present study, we investigated whether glucosidic isoflavones (Isocal, PIII) extracted from Sophorae fructus affect the proliferation of osteoblasts and prevent osteoclastogenesis in vitro by attenuating upstream cytokines such as IL-1$\beta$ and IL-6 in a human osteoblastic cell line (MG-63) and in a primary osteoblastic culture from SD rat femurs. Interestingly, IL-1$\beta$ and IL-6 mRNA were significantly suppressed in osteoblast-like cells treated with 17$\beta$-estradiol (E2) and PIII when compared to positive control (SDB), and this suppression was more effective at $10^{-8}$% than at the highest concentration of $10^{-4}$%. In addition, these were confirmed in protein levels using ELISA assay. In the cell line, the cells showed that E2 was the most effective in osteoblastic proliferation over the whole range of concentration ($10^{-4}%-10^{-12}$%), even though PIII also showed the second greatest effectiveness at $10^{-8}$%. Nitric oxide (NO) was significantly (p<0.05) upregulated in PIII and E2 over the concentration range $10^{-6}% to 10^{-8}$% when compared to SDB, without showing any dose dependency. In bone marrow primary culture, we found by TRAP assay that PIII effectively suppressed osteoclastogenesis next to E2 in comparison with SDB and culture media (control). In conclusion, these results suggest that local bone-resorbing cytokines can be regulated by PIII at lower concentrations and that, therefore, PIII may preferentially induce anti-osteoporosis response by attenuating osteoclastic differentiation and by upregulating NO.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.2 s.145
• /
• pp.103-109
• /
• 2006

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation plays an important role in the progression of diabetic complications. To develop effective herbal formulations with suppression of diabetic nephropathy, a common complication in diabetic patients, we evaluated inhibitory activities of KIOM-79, a new herbal prescription, on the formation of AGEs using in vitro and in vivo model systems. Effects of KIOM-79 on the expression of AGEs, RAGEs (receptor for Advanced glycation end products), type IV collagen and renal $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNA was also examined in streptozotocon (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated orally with KIOM-79 (250 and $500\;kg^{-1}$ once a day for 13 weeks). In vitro system KIOM-79 suppressed the formation of AGEs $(18.12\;{\mu}g/ml)$. In STZ-induced diabetic rats showing accumulation of AGE and RAGE, pathological examination revealed that KIOM-79 prevented AGE and RAGE deposition in the kidney. In STZ induced diabetic rats, the expansion of mesangial matrix and the glomerular tufts seemed to be larger than those in normal rats. Howεver, after administration with KIOM-79, mesangial metrix and glomerular volume were decreased, and overexpression of type IV collagen was also decreased. Overexpression of renal $TGF-{\beta}1$ mRNA was inhibited significantly. These results suggest that the KIOM-79 might be an effective herbal prescription to prevent or alleviate the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.52-57
• /
• 2016

Mutant p53 (R280K) is highly expressed in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative human breast cancer cells. Currently, we reported the role of mutant p53-R280K in mediating the survival of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro. The present study was undertaken to determine whether mutant p53-R280K affects breast cancer cell growth in vivo. To this end, we used small interfering RNA to knockdown the level of mutant p53-R280K in MDA-MB-231 cells. Silencing of mutant p53-R280K in MDA-MB-231 cells causes substantial tumor regression of established xenografts in vivo. In xenograft model for breast cancer, silencing of mutant p53-R280K in MDA-MB-231 cells significantly inhibited the tumor growth. Moreover, TUNEL assay showed more occurrence of apoptotic cells in mutant p53-R280K silenced tumors compared to control. Our data indicate that mutant p53-R280K has an important role in mediating tumor growth of MDA-MB-231 cells in vivo. Taken together, this study suggests that endogenous mutant p53-R280K could be used as a therapeutic target for breast cancer cells harboring this TP53 missense mutation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.241-248
• /
• 2015

Although studies on probiotics have been performed mostly with viable microbes, the beneficial functions of dead or heat-killed form of probiotic strains have also been examined. In this study, live and heat-killed forms of Lactobacillus acidophilus CBT LA1 were investigated in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the properties necessary for gut barrier protection. Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), autoaggregation (AA), cell adhesion, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding properties were evaluated. In addition, the suppressive effect on LPS-induced interleukin (IL)-8 expression was investigated in HT-29 cells. To identify optimal conditions for CBT LA1 to adhere to HT-29 cells, CBT LA1 cells were heat-treated at 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, or $121^{\circ}C$ for 10 min; cells treated at $80^{\circ}C$ for 10 min showed the highest adhesion. Heat-killed bacteria at $80^{\circ}C$ showed higher levels of LPS-binding, CSH, AA, adhesion to HT-29, and suppression of IL-8 expression than did live CBT LA1. In vivo imaging was performed to evaluate the ability of live or heat-killed CBT LA1 to remove LPS from the intestine in a rat model of infection. At 16 h after infection, fluorescence from FITC-conjugated LPS had mostly disappeared from the intestine of the rats administered with live or heat-killed CBT LA1; the effect was greater with heat-killed CBT LA1 at $80^{\circ}C$. These results suggest that heat-killed CBT LA1 as well as its live form can be applied as a pharmabiotic for protection of the gut barrier.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.8
• /
• pp.3781-3789
• /
• 2012

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive tumors with a dismal prognosis. The membrane cytoskeletal crosslinker Ezrin participates in several functions including cell proliferation, adhesion, motility and survival. There is increasing evidence that Ezrin is overexpressed in vast majority of malignant tumors and regulates tumor progression. However, its roles in pancreatic cancer remain elusive. Methods: Three pairs of specific Ezrin siRNAs were designed and synthetized and screened to determine the most efficient one for construction of a hairpin RNA plasmid targeting Ezrin. After transfection into the Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cell line, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were performed to examine the expression of mRNA and protein. The MTT method was applied to examine the proliferation and the drug sensibility to Gemcitabine. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cycle and apoptosis, while capacity for invasion was determined with transwell chambers. Furthermore, we detected phosphorylated-Erk1/2 protein and phosphorylated-Akt protein by Western blotting. Results: Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting revealed that Ezrin expression was notably down-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels by RNA interference (P< 0.01). Proliferation was inhibited and drug resistance to gemcitabine was improved (P< 0.05). Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of cells in the G1/G0 phase increased (P< 0.01), and in G2/M and S phases decreased (P< 0.05), with no apparent differences in apoptosis (P> 0.05). The capacity for invasion was markedly reduced (P< 0.01). In addition, down-regulating Ezrin expression had no effect on phosphorylated-Akt protein (P>0.05), but could decrease the level of phosphorylated-Erk1/2 protein (P< 0.05). Conclusions: RNA interference of Ezrin could inhibit its expression in the pancreatic cancer cells line Panc-1, leading to a potent suppression of malignant behavior in vitro. Assessment of potential as a target for pancreatic cancer treatment is clearly warranted.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.115-127
• /
• 2009

Samsoeum (SSE) is used in traditional oriental medicine for various medicinal purposes. However, the exact mechanism that accounts for the anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory effects of the SSE is still not fully understood. The aim of the present study is to elucidate whether and how SSE modulates the allergic reactions in vivo, and inflammatory reaction in vitro. In this study, we showed that SSE significantly decreased compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis, ear-swelling response, histamine release from preparation of rat peritoneal mast cells and anti-dinitropheny IgE-induced passive cutaneous reaction. Also, SSE inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokine and cyclooxygenase-2 in PMA plus A23187-stimulated human mast cells (HMC-1). In addition, we showed that anti-inflammatory mechanism of SSE is through suppression of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ activation and $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ phosphorylation/degradation in HMC-1. These results provided new insight into the pharmacological actions of SSE as a potential molecule for therapy of inflammatory allergic diseases.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.52-61
• /
• 2023

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, is one of the major bacterial disease of apple and pear, causing enormous economic losses worldwide. Several control measures against E. amylovora have been reported till date, however, none of them have proved to be effective significantly against the pathogen. In this study, mechanisms of the copper-based control agents (CBCAs): copper oxychloride (COCHL), copper oxide (COX), copper hydroxide (CHY), copper sulfate basic (CSB), and tribasic copper sulfate (TCS) and their disease severity reduction efficacy against E. amylovora were analyzed. Bis-1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid trimethine oxonol, carboxyl fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester, and 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride staining were used to check the damage of membrane potential, cytoplasmic pH_in, and respiration of CBCAs-treated E. amylovora, respectively. High disturbance in the membrane potential of E. amylovora was found under COX and COCHL treatments. Similarly, higher significant changes in the inner cytoplasmic pH_in were observed under COX, COCHL, and TCS treatment. CHY and COCHL-treated E. amylovora showed a significant reduction in respiration. In vitro bioassay results revealed that CHY, CSB, and TCS at 2,000 ppm reduced the severity of fire blight both in pre- and post-treatment of CBCAs in immature apple fruits and seedlings. Overall, the most effective CBCAs against E. amylovora could be CHY at 2,000 ppm as its showed inhibition mechanisms and disease severity reduction.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.380-388
• /
• 2005

In this study, the immunological effect of a traditional Korea herbal medicine, Sochungyong-tang (SCRT) that has been widely used for the treatment of various immunological disorders including allergic asthma in Korea, was examined in vitro. In our previous study demonstrated that SCRT decreases the expression of IL-4 mRNA, that plays pivotal role in Th2 cell development, while increases $IFN-{\gamma}{\tilde{a}}expression$, which is one of the key cytokines for Th1 lineage development in Th0 condition. That study strongly implies that SCRT can correct Th2 dominant condition directly affecting to the CD4+ T cell development. Present study designated to further evaluate the SCRT on helper T cell development by monitoring Th1/Th2 specific cytokine secretion patterns in artificially induced Th1 or Th2 polarized condition. The results demonstrated that Th2 cells were dramatically under-populated in Th2 driven condition with SCRT treatment, while Th1 cells were not altered in Th1 skewed condition. Furthermore, under Th2-skewed conditions the levels of and IL-4 were considerably decreased with SCRT treatment. However, the expression of GATA-3, a transcription factor that plays pivotal role in Th2 lineage programming, was not changed with SCRT, suggesting that the suppression of Th2 cell development by SCRT was not mediated by GATA-3. Present study implies that the effect on CD4+ T cell may be the one of key pharmacological effect point for treating IgE medicated allergic asthma by SCRT. These results also suggest that SCRT might be desirable agent for the correction of Th2 dominant pathological disorders.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.12
• /
• pp.5303-5307
• /
• 2016

Objective: Brain tumors cause great mortality and morbidity worldwide, and success rates with surgical treatment remain very low. Several recent studies have focused on introduction of novel effective medical therapeutic approaches. Genistein is a member of the isoflavonoid family which has proved to exert anticancer effects. Here we assessed the effects of genistein on the expression of MMP-2 and VEGF in low and high grade gliomas in vitro. Materials and Methods: High and low grade glioma tumor tissue samples were obtained from a total of 16 patients, washed with PBS, cut into small pieces, digested with collagenase type I and cultured in DMEM containing 10% FBS. When cells reached passage 3, they were exposed to genistein and MMP-2 and VEGF gene transcripts were determined by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Expression of MMP-2 demonstrated 580-fold reduction in expression in low grade glioma cells post treatment with genistein compared to untreated cells (P value= 0.05). In cells derived from high grade lesions, expression of MMP-2 was 2-fold lower than in controls (P value> 0.05). Genistein caused a 4.7-fold reduction in VEGF transcript in high grade glioma cells (P value> 0.05) but no effects were evident in low grade glioma cells. Conclusion. Based on the data of the present study, low grade glioma cells appear much more sensitive to genistein and this isoflavone might offer an appropriate therapeutic intervention in these patients. Further investigation of this possibility is clearly warranted.