• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 1999

Background: The endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation has been largely accounted for by the release of nitric oxide (NO). Three distinct isoforms of NO synthases (NOS) have been characterized, i.e., brain(bNOS), inducible (iNOS), and endothelial constitutive (ecNOS). Although hypertension hasbeen associated with a vascular endothelial dysfunction, changes in the vascular expression of NOS isoforms have not been established. The present study was aimed at exploring the vascular expression of NOS isozymes in hypertension. Material and Method: Two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension were induced in rats. The expression of different NOS isozymes in the thoracic aorta was determined by Western blot analysis. The vascular tissue contents of nitrites were measured by colorimetric assay. Result: Arterial blood pressure was significantly higher in experimental groups of 2K1C and DOCA-salt rats compared with their corresponding control rats. The vascular expression of bNOS as well as that of ecNOS was decreased in both models of hypertension. iNOS was not changed in DOCA-salt hypertension, but was also decreased in 2K1C hypertension. The vascular contents of nitrites were significantly decreased in DOCA-salt as well as in 2K1C hypertension. Conclusion: These results suggest that 2K1C and DOCA-salt hypertension are associated with decreases in the vascular expression of NOS isozymes and nitrite contents.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.278-283
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• 2010

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are important inflammation enzyme and severe up-nitric oxide (NO) production by this enzyme has been intricate with pathogenesis of atopy dermatitis. The present study was designed in order to determine whether Lonicera japonica could inhibit atopy dermatitis through modulation of iNOS by NF-${\kappa}B$ suppression. We found that IKK mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide dose-dependantly decreased by Lonicera japonica (0.4 - 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$) and NO production decreased. The distribution of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 and iNOS positive reacted cell in NC/Nga mice with atopy dermatitis were decreased by Lonicera japonica (45 mg/kg/day) and apoptosis were increased. These data likely indicate that Lonicera japonica may act as inflammatory regulator for atopy dermatitis through iNOS modulation by NF-${\kappa}B$B suppression and may be possible to develop useful agent for chemoprevention of NO intricate inflammatory diseases.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.728-733
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• 2007

Bamboo grass, Sasa quelpaertensis, is a native plant to Jeju Island, Korea. The leaves of Sasa plants are widely used in traditional Korean medicine to treat inflammation-related diseases. We investigated the effect of hot water extract from Sasa quelpaertensis leaves (HWE-SQ) on nitric oxide (NO) production and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B\;(NF-{\kappa}B)$ activation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. HWE-SQ inhibited LPS-induced NO production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. Reporter gene assays indicated that HWE-SQ decreases LPS-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ transcriptional activation. However, HWE-SQ did not affect the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory ${\kappa}B{\alpha}\;(1{\kappa}B{\alpha})$. HWE-SQ also directly inhibited iNOS enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that HWE-SQ suppresses NO synthesis in macrophages by attenuating $NF-{\kappa}B-mediated$ iNOS protein expression and inhibiting iNOS enzymatic activity, thereby implicating a mechanism by which HWE-SQ is able to ameliorate inflammation-related diseases by limiting excessive or prolonged NO production in pathological events.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.375-382
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• 1999

Growing evidence indicates that enhanced generation or actions of nitric oxide (NO) are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats and diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We investigated whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in STZ-induced diabetic rats is responsible for the alterations of vascular reactivity. Diabetic state was confirmed 28 days after injection of STZ (i.p) in rats by measuring blood glucose. In order to evaluate whether short term (4 weeks) diabetic state is related with altered vascular reactivity caused by iNOS expression, isometric tension experiments were performed. In addition, plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels and expression of iNOS in the lung and aorta of control and STZ-treated rats were compared by using Griess reagent and Western analysis, respectively. Results indicated that STZ-treated rats increased the maximal contractile response of the aorta to phenylephrine (PE), and high $K^+,$ while the sensitivity remained unaltered. Endothelium-dependent relaxation, but not SNP-mediated relaxation, was reduced in STZ-treated rats. Plasma nitrite/nitrates are significantly increased in STZ-treated rats compared to controls. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of liver, serum, and aorta of diabetic rats were also significantly increased. Furthermore, nitrotyrosine, a specific foot print of peroxynitrite, was significantly increased in endothelial cells and smooth muscle layers in STZ-induced diabetic aorta. Taken together, the present findings indicate that enhanced release of NO by iNOS along with increased lipid peroxidation in diabetic conditions may be responsible, at least in part, for the augmented contractility, possibly through the modification of endothelial integrity or ecNOS activity of endothelium in STZ-diabetic rat aorta.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.498-501
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• 2012

Egg allergy has been reported as the most prevalent food hypersensitivity among children. One of the major egg allergens is ovalbumin (OVA). OVA is the major protein in the egg white, comprising 54% of its total protein content. Curcumin isolated from Curcuma longa has been used as folk remedies in order to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that curcumin inhibits the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by OVA. Curcumin also inhibits OVA-induced iNOS expression and nitrite production. These data suggest new approaches for the development of efficient anti-allergic strategies.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.279-283
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• 2011

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in induction of innate immune responses. The activation of TLRs triggers inflammatory responses that are essential for host defense against invading pathogens. Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) extracted from cruciferous vegetables has an effect on anti-inflammatory therapy. Dysregulated activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}$B (NF-${\kappa}$B), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been shown to play important roles in the development of certain inflammatory disease. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of PEITC, NF-${\kappa}$B activation and COX-2 and iNOS expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 agonist), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly[I:C], TLR3 agonist), 2 kDa macrophageactivating lipopeptide (MALP-2, TLR2 and TLR6 agonist) or oligodeoxynucleotide 1668 (ODN1668, TLR9 agonist) were examined. PEITC inhibits the activation of NF-${\kappa}$B induced by LPS or Poly[I:C] but not by MALP-2 or ODN1668. PEITC also suppressed the iNOS expression induced by LPS or Poly[I:C]. However, PEITC did not suppress COX-2 expression induced by LPS, Poly[I:C], MALP-2, or ODN1668. These results suggest that PEITC has the specific mechanism for antiinflammatory responses.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1124-1131
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• 2009

Acanthopanax senticosus has been used in East Asia as a traditional medicine. The purpose of this study is the investigation of an extraction method for A. senticosus var subinermis (ASvS) leaves to improve their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Six extracts were prepared: extracted with water (W), ethanol (Eth), water or ethanol after ultra high pressure (WP, EthP), and water or ethanol after an extrusion process (WEx, EthEx). Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing ability showed that all extracts had a significant antioxidant activity. In anti-inflammatory activities, Eth and EthEx significantly inhibited the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ independent of cell viability in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein was significantly decreased by EthEx. These findings present that Eth and EthEx extracts of ASvS leaves have anti-inflammatory activities, and EthEx extract suppresses LPS-induced NO through the down-regulation of iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.270-276
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• 2006

We evaluated the effects of extracts of Tsunokaori tangor peel on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2\;(PGE_2)$ in RAW 264.7 cells. The ethyl acetate fraction of Tsunokaori tangor peel (EA-TTP) markedly inhibited the production of NO and $PGE_2$ in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Consistent with these findings, the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins were down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, EA-TTP decreased the expression iNOS mRNA but not COX-2 mRNA. To determine the upstream signaling mechanism for the down-regulation of LPS-induced iNOS expression, we investigated the effect of EA-TTP on the degradation and re-synthesis of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$. EA-TTP dose-dependently delayed $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and increased $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ re-appearance following degradation, suggesting this as the mechanism by which EA-TTP suppressed iNOS gene expression. The EA-TTP also dose-dependently reduced the expression of the cellular stress-response protein heme oxygenase-1, and inhibited the LPS-induced sustained activation of extracellar signal-regulated kinase (ERK).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.594-602
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• 2009

Purpose : Transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$ reportedly increases neuronal survival by inhibiting the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in astrocytes and protecting neurons after excitotoxic injury. However, the neuroprotective mechanism of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury in neonatal rats is not clear. The aim of this study was to determine whether $TGF-{\beta}1$ has neuroprotective effects via a NO-mediated mechanism and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulation on perinatal HI brain injury. Methods : Cortical cells were cultured using 19-day-pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats treated with $TGF-{\beta}1$ (1, 5, or 10 ng/mL) and incubated in a 1% O2 incubator for hypoxia. Seven-day-old SD rat pups were subjected to left carotid occlusion followed by 2 h of hypoxic exposure (7.5% $O_2$). $TGF-{\beta}1$ (0.5 ng/kg) was administered intracerebrally to the rats 30 min before HI brain injury. The expressions of NOS and NMDA receptors were measured. Results : In the in vitro model, the expressions of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) increased in the hypoxic group and decreased in the 1 ng/mL $TGF-{\beta}1-treated$ group. In the in vivo model, the expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) decreased in the hypoxia group and increased in the $TGF-{\beta}1$-treated group. The expressions of eNOS and nNOS were reversed compared with the expression of iNOS. The expressions of all NMDA receptor subunits decreased in hypoxia group and increased in the $TGF-{\beta}1$-treated group except NR2C. Conclusion : The administration of $TGF-{\beta}1$ could significantly protect against perinatal HI brain injury via some parts of the NO-mediated or excitotoxic mechanism.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.398-404
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• 2007

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are involved in various pathophysiological processes such as inflammation and carcinogenesis. In a search for inhibitors of COX-2 and iNOS production we found that extracts of Stewartia koreana strongly inhibited NO and $PGE_2$ production in LPS-treated macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We have now shown that the mRNA and protein levels of iNOS and COX-2 are reduced by the Stewartia koreana extract (SKE). SKE inhibited expression of an NF-${\kappa}B$ reporter gene in response to LPS, and gel mobility shift assays revealed that SKE reduced NF-${\kappa}B$ DNA-binding activity. The extract also inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ and nuclear translocation of p65. Administration of the extract reduced the symptoms of arthritis in a collagen-induced arthritic mouse model. These results indicate that Stewartia extracts contain potentially useful agents for preventing and treating inflammatory diseases.