• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.26-36
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• 2015

Objectives In this study, effect of Geumsuyukgunjeon (GYJ) on the increase in airway epithelial mucosubstances of rats with acute bronchitis and EGF-induced MUC5AC mucin production from human airway epithelial cells were investigated. Materials and Methods Hypersecretion of airway mucus was induced by exposure of rats to SO2 during 3 weeks. Effect of orally-administered GYJ during 2 weeks on increase in airway epithelial mucosubstances from tracheal goblet cells of rats was assesed using histopathological analysis after staining the epithelial tissue with PAS-alcian blue. Possible cytotoxicity of GYJ was assessed by examining the potential damage of kidney and liver functions by measuring serum GOT/GPT activities and serum BUN and creatinine concentrations of rats and the body weight gain during experiment, after administering GYJ orally. Effect of GYJ on EGF-induced MUC5AC mucin production from human airway epithelial cells (A549) was investigated. Confluent A549 cells were pretreated for 30 min in the presence of GYJ and treated with EGF (25 ng/ml) for 24 hrs, to assess the effect of GYJ on EGF-induced MUC5AC mucin production using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results (1) GYJ decreased the amount of intraepithelial mucosubstances of trachea of rats. (2) GYJ did not show kidney and liver toxicities and did not affect body weight gain of rats during experiment. (3) GYJ significantly inhibited EGF-induced MUC5AC mucin production from A549 cells. Conclusions The result from the present study suggests that GYJ might control both the mucus hypersecretion in vivo and do not show in vivo toxicity to liver and kidney functions after oral administration and the production of pulmonary mucin.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.350-361
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• 2020

Background: Black ginseng (BG) is a type of Korean ginseng prepared by steaming and drying raw ginseng to improve the saponin content. This study examined the effects of BG on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with free fatty acids to induce lipid accumulation before supplementation with BG. NAFLD-induced mice were fed different doses (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) of BG for 8 weeks. Results: BG significantly reduced lipid accumulation and expression of lipogenic genes, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, and fatty acid synthase in HepG2 cells, and the livers of mice fed a 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water (HFHF diet). BG supplementation caused a significant reduction in levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, while antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly increased in 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water diet-fed mice. Expression of proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I were upregulated at the transcription and translation levels in both HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, BG-induced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl CoA carboxylase in both models, suggesting its role in AMP-activated protein kinase activation and the acetyl CoA carboxylase signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our results indicate that BG may be a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of NAFLD.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is excessive hepatic lipid accumulation mainly caused by obesity. This study aimed to evaluate whether micro-current stimulation(MCS) could modulate lipid metabolism regarding the Sirt1/AMPK pathway, fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, and lipolysis and lipogenesis-related factors in FL83B cells. For the NAFLD cell model, FL83B cells were treated with oleic acid for lipid accumulation. MCS were stimulated for 1 hr and used frequency 10 Hz, duty cycle 50%, and biphasic rectangular current pulse. The intensity of MCS was divided into 50, 100, 200, and 400 ㎂. Through the results of Oil red O staining, it was confirmed that MCSs with the intensity of 200 ㎂ and 400 ㎂ significantly reduced the degree of lipid droplet formation. Thus, these MCS intensities were applied to western blot analysis. Western blot analysis was performed to analyze the effects of MCS on lipid metabolism. MCS with the intensity of 400 ㎂ showed that significantly activated the Sirt1/AMPK pathway, a key pathway for regulating lipid metabolism in hepatocytes, and fatty acid β-oxidation-related transcription factors. Moreover, it activated the lipolysis pathway and suppressed lipogenesis-related transcription factors such as SREBP-1c, FAS, and PPARγ. In the case of MCS with the intensity of 200 ㎂, only PGC1α and SREBP-1c showed significant differences compared to cells treated only with oleic acid. Taken together, these results suggested that MCS with the intensity of 400 ㎂ could alleviate hepatic lipid accumulation by modulating lipid metabolism in hepatocytes.

• Journal of Digital Policy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2023

This study was conducted to examine the effect of Broccoli Extract on the proliferation inhibition of human-derived cancer cells and the degree of inhibition. The three cell lines used in the experiment were respiratory system lung cancer cells A549, digestive system liver cancer cells SNU-182 and biliary tract cancer SNU-1196. All cancer cells were derived from the human body, and the CCK-8 method was used to measure the degree of inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. As a result of examining the effect on Broccoli Extract 10ug/mL, 100ug/mL, 1000ug/mL, Broccoli Extract inhibited proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner in most cancer cells, In particular, lung cancer cell A549 and liver cancer cell SNU-182 showed significant proliferation inhibition at 1000ug/mL.As a result, it can be seen that broccoli extract provides potential as a cancer preventive and therapeutic agent for tumor suppression mechanisms proven through cell experiments.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.392-402
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• 2017

Background: Previously, we reported that Korean Red Ginseng inhibited liver fibrosis in mice and reduced the expressions of fibrogenic genes in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The present study was undertaken to identify the major ginsenoside responsible for reducing the numbers of HSCs and the underlying mechanism involved. Methods: Using LX-2 cells (a human immortalized HSC line) and primary activated HSCs, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assays were conducted to examine the cytotoxic effects of ginsenosides. $H_2O_2$ productions, glutathione contents, lactate dehydrogenase activities, mitochondrial membrane permeabilities, apoptotic cell subpopulations, caspase-3/-7 activities, transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and immunoblot analysis were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism responsible for ginsenoside-mediated cytotoxicity. Involvement of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-related signaling pathway was examined using a chemical inhibitor and small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. Results and conclusion: Of the 11 ginsenosides tested, 20S-protopanaxadiol (PPD) showed the most potent cytotoxic activity in both LX-2 cells and primary activated HSCs. Oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis induced by 20S-PPD was blocked by N-acetyl-$\text\tiny L$-cysteine pretreatment. In addition, 20S-PPD concentration-dependently increased the phosphorylation of AMPK, and compound C prevented 20S-PPD-induced cytotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, 20S-PPD increased the phosphorylation of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), an upstream kinase of AMPK. Likewise, transfection of LX-2 cells with LKB1 siRNA reduced the cytotoxic effect of 20S-PPD. Thus, 20S-PPD appears to induce HSC apoptosis by activating LKB1-AMPK and to be a therapeutic candidate for the prevention or treatment of liver fibrosis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2011

Objectives : The present study investigated inflammatory effect of Rheum undulatum L. in lipopolysaccharide-exposed rats and Raw 264.7 cells. Methods : Male rats weighting $185.39{\pm}8.21g$ fed basal diet for 1 week and 32 rats were divided into a control group and 3 experimental groups. We fed a control group of rats a basal diet and administered normal saline(100 mg/kg, 1time/1day) for 6 weeks. And we fed basal diet and administered an extract of Rheum undulatum L.(100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 1time/1day) to each experimental group of rats. We measured the plasma concentration of $IL-1{\beta}$($interleukin-1{\beta}$), IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$(tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$), liver cytokines, Raw 264.7 macrophages cytokines. Results : The plasma concentration of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ peaked at 5h(hour) after LPS(lipopolysaccharides) injection, and the values of the Rheum undulatum L. extract groups were lower than those of the control group. In the increment of these cytokines concentration at 2h and 5h after LPS injection, the Rheum undulatum L. groups were lower than that of control group. The plasma concentration of IL-10 peaked at 5h after LPS injection, and the values of the Rheum undulatum L. extract groups were higher than those of the control group. In the increment of this cytokine concentration at 2h and 5h after LPS injection, the Rheum undulatum L. groups were higher than that of control group. Liver cytokines measurement was done at 5h after LPS injection. The concentration of liver $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6 in the Rheum undulatum L. groups was lower than that of the control group. The concentrations of liver $TNF-{\alpha}$, and IL-10 showed no significant differences among all the treatment groups. In the studies of lipopolysaccharide-exposed Raw 264.7 cells, the concentration of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the lipopolysaccharide-exposed cells groups was higher than that of control group(normal group), and in the lipopolysaccharide-exposed cells groups, these values showed a tendency to decrease in the Rheum undulatum L. groups. The concentration of IL-10 in the lipopolysaccharide-exposed cells groups was higher than that of control group(normal group), and in the lipopolysaccharide-exposed cells groups, the values showed a tendency to increase in the Rheum undulatum L. groups. Conclusions : These results indicate that the Rheum undulatum L. extracts have an functional material for inflammatory activities.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is more frequently diagnosed and is characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. $\small{D}$-xylose, a sucrase inhibitor, may be useful as a functional sugar complement to inhibit increases in blood glucose levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of $\small{D}$-xylose both in vitro and stretpozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NA)-induced models in vivo. MATERIALS/METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: (i) normal control; (ii) diabetic control; (iii) diabetic rats supplemented with a diet where 5% of the total sucrose content in the diet was replaced with $\small{D}$-xylose; and (iv) diabetic rats supplemented with a diet where 10% of the total sucrose content in the diet was replaced with $\small{D}$-xylose. These groups were maintained for two weeks. The effects of $\small{D}$-xylose on blood glucose levels were examined using oral glucose tolerance test, insulin secretion assays, histology of liver and pancreas tissues, and analysis of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCK) expression in liver tissues of a STZ-NA-induced experimental rat model. Levels of glucose uptake and insulin secretion by differentiated C2C12 muscle cells and INS-1 pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells were analyzed. RESULTS: In vivo, $\small{D}$-xylose supplementation significantly reduced fasting serum glucose levels (P < 0.05), it slightly reduced the area under the glucose curve, and increased insulin levels compared to the diabetic controls. $\small{D}$-xylose supplementation enhanced the regeneration of pancreas tissue and improved the arrangement of hepatocytes compared to the diabetic controls. Lower levels of PEPCK were detected in the liver tissues of $\small{D}$-xylose-supplemented rats (P < 0.05). In vitro, both 2-NBDG uptake by C2C12 cells and insulin secretion by INS-1 cells were increased with $\small{D}$-xylose supplementation in a dose-dependent manner compared to treatment with glucose alone. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, $\small{D}$-xylose exerted anti-diabetic effects in vivo by regulating blood glucose levels via regeneration of damaged pancreas and liver tissues and regulation of PEPCK, a key rate-limiting enzyme in the process of gluconeogenesis. In vitro, $\small{D}$-xylose induced the uptake of glucose by muscle cells and the secretion of insulin cells by ${\beta}$-cells. These mechanistic insights will facilitate the development of highly effective strategy for T2D.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2004

Metallothionein (MT) is a family of ubiquitous, low molecular weight (6-7 kDa), cysteine-rich protein with a high affinity to metal ions and has no aromatic amino acids and histidine. Some of the known functions of MT include detoxification of heavy metals and alkylating agents and neutralization of free radicals. Also, this protein may affect a number of cellular processes including gene expression, apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. But, its actual functions are still not clear. The present study was undertaken to examine immunocytochemically the localization of MT in developing rat liver. On the day 11 of gestation, the fetal rat liver has already been formed and contained numerous oval cells with high nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, which were the progenitors of hepatic parenchymal cells, but no reaction products of MT were detected at this time. And then, positive reactions against MT started to appear predominantly in the parenchymal cells of liver from the 13th day after gestation. Reaction products, immunogold particles or brown coloration, were localized at both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of the parenchymal cells, except mitochondria. The intensity of this reaction gradually increased, and exhibited the strongest at birth. The intensity of MT staining and immunogold labelling diminished with growth, and by the 15th day after birth weak positive reaction was observed in the cells. In brief, positive reactions for MT were observed in the oval cells and the parenchymal cells during fetal stage, meanwhile they were present only in the parenchymal cells after birth. The present results suggest that MT possibly involves parechymal cell proliferation and differentiation through the storage or the supply of various metal ions in the developing rat liver.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2008

Although hepatic microcirculatory dysfunction occurs during endotoxemia, the mechanism responsible for this remains unclear. Since Kupffer cells provide signals that regulate hepatic response in inflammation, this study was designed to investigate the role of Kupffer cells in the imbalance in the expression of vasoactive mediators. Endotoxemia was induced by intraperitoneal E. coli endotoxin (LPS, 1 mg/kg body weight). Kupffer cells were inactivated with gadolinium chloride ($GdCl_3$, 7.5 mg/kg body weight, intravenously) 2 days prior to LPS exposure. Liver samples were taken 6 h following LPS exposure for RT-PCR analysis of mRNA for genes of interest: endothelin (ET-1), its receptors $ET_A$ and $ET_B$, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), heme oxygenase (HO-1), and tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$). mRNA levels for iNOS and TNF-$\alpha$ were significantly increased 31.8-fold and 26.7-fold in LPS-treated animals, respectively. This increase was markedly attenuated by $GdCl_3$, HO-1 expression significantly increased in LPS-treated animals, with no significant difference between saline and $GdCl_3$ groups. ET-1 was increased by LPS. mRNA levels for $ET_A$ receptor showed no change, whereas $ET_B$ transcripts increased in LPS-treated animals. The increase in $ET_B$ transcripts was potentiated by $GdCl_3$. We conclude that activation of Kupffer cells plays an important role in the imbalanced hepatic vasoregulatory gene expression induced by endotoxin.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.347-364
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• 2006

This study is concerned with assessment of diethylnitrosamine (DEN 0.01 %) induced liver cell carcinogenesis by measurement of changes preceding the development of neoplasms. Therefore, it was undertaken to investigate changes of liver-specific enzyme activities in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by ad libitum feeding of DEN. And also. the changes of hepatic morphology in SD rats were detected by haematoxylineosin stain and immunohistochemistry (PCNA). 5- Fluorouracil (5- FU) is one of the most widely used anticancer agents for digestive cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, and is known to affect the cell cycle and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. In the present study, SD rats were given drinking water containing 0.01% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) for 8 weeks. Minor behavioral change, brittleness of hair and decreased amount of water and diet intake were observed in rats 4 weeks after DEN administration. The body and liver weights were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in rats 11 weeks after DEN administration. The liver weight ratio to body weight was rather stable and not significantly decreased in the all treatment groups. The liver specific enzyme activities (AST, ALT, ${\gamma}$-GTP) were significantly increased in all treatment groups compared to control group (p < 0.05). Variable size of liver tumor and hepatomegaly were observed in rats treated with DEN after 10 weeks. Numerous vacuoles were seen on the midzonal and or peripheral areas of hepatic lobules. The large and polymorphological hepatocytes with eosinophilic cytoplasm or densely basophilic mitotic nucleoli were seen. Several proliferative small round cells were seen on vacuolated and necrotic areas in peripheral hepatic lobules or portal areas. PCNA-positive cells were seen on the vacuolated portal areas and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules in the areas of small round cells. We examined functional and morphological changes of livers by 5 - FU treatments on DEN -treated rat. The DEN -treated rats compared to 5 - FU -treated rats after DEN treatment for 8 weeks. The serum total protein and triglyceride were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, and the liver enzyme activities of AST and ALT were significantly(p < 0.05) increased. After 8 weeks, in the non-5-FU -treated group, the size of liver tumor were varied and hepatomegaly were observed, hepatocellular vacuolization, necrosis and steatosis were observed on the midzonal and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules. The large and polymorphological hepatocytes were seen, the interlobular connective tissues were proliferated. PCNA positive cells were seen in the portal areas and peripheral areas of hepatic lobules in the non-5-FU-treated group. In hepatocytes, condensation of nuclear chromatin and vacuolization were observed, shape of the nuclei were irregular, the degraded nuclei and organelles were observed. The livers of rats in the 5 - FU treatment group were seen grossly brilliant, red-brown color, and the vacuolated and degenerated regions, hyperplastic nodules were not nearly observed. In the electron microscope, the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes contained a large number of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, developed organelles surrounding nuclei. The above findings suggest that 5 - FU will be effective as anti -liver tumor drug.