• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.302-310
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• 2023

Background: The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), is marked by the formation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. The impairments of axons and synapses appear in the process of Aβ plaques formation, and this damage could cause neurodegeneration. We previously reported that non-saponin fraction with rich polysaccharide (NFP) from Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) showed neuroprotective effects in AD. However, precise molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effects of NFP from KRG in AD still remains elusive. Methods: To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of NFP from KRG on AD, we conducted proteomic analysis for frontal cortex from vehicle-treated wild-type, vehicle-treated 5XFAD mice, and NFP-treated 5XFAD mice by using nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS. Metabolic network analysis was additionally performed as the effects of NFP appeared to be associated with metabolism according to the proteome analysis. Results: Starting from 5,470 proteins, 2,636 proteins were selected for hierarchical clustering analysis, and finally 111 proteins were further selected for protein-protein interaction network analysis. A series of these analyses revealed that proteins associated with synapse and mitochondria might be linked to the therapeutic mechanism of NFP. Subsequent metabolic network analysis via genome-scale metabolic models that represent the three mouse groups showed that there were significant changes in metabolic fluxes of mitochondrial carnitine shuttle pathway and mitochondrial beta-oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the therapeutic effects of NFP on AD were associated with synaptic- and mitochondrial-related pathways, and they provided targets for further rigorous studies on precise understanding of the molecular mechanism of NFP.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권12호
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• pp.7601-7605
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• 2013

Background: Gambogenic acid is a major active compound of gamboge which exudes from the Garcinia hanburyi tree. Gambogenic acid anti-cancer activity in vitro has been reported in several studies, including an A549 nude mouse model. However, the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Methods: We used nude mouse models to detect the effect of gambogenic acid on breast tumors, analyzing expression of apoptosis-related proteins in vivo by Western blotting. Effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins in MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by MTT, flow cytometry and Western blotting. Inhibitors of caspase-3,-8,-9 were also used to detect effects on caspase family members. Results: We found that gambogenic acid suppressed breast tumor growth in vivo, in association with increased expression of Fas and cleaved caspase-3,-8,-9 and bax, as well as decrease in the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2. Gambogenic acid inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our observations suggested that Gambogenic acid suppressed breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell growth by mediating apoptosis through death receptor and mitochondrial pathways in vivo and in vitro.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.127-133
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• 2002

Nitrosative stress can prevent or induce apoptosis. It occurs via S-nitrosylation by the interaction of nitric oxide (NO) with the biological thiols of proteins. Cellular redox potential and non-heme iron content determine S-nitrosylation. Apoptotic cell death is inhibited by S-nitrosylation of the redox-sensitive thiol in the catalytic site of caspase family proteases, which play an essential role in the apoptotic signal cascade. Nitrosative stress can also promote apoptosis by the activation of mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, such as the release of cytochrome c, an apoptosis-inducing factor, and endonuclease G from mitochondria, as well as the suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. In this article we reviewed the mechanisms whereby S-nitrosylation and nitrosative stress regulate the apoptotic signal cascade.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.173-180
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• 2011

Osteocalcin (OC), a marker of bone turnover, displays patterns in relation to physiological and genetic factors. Here, we present an association study in a population of Chinese Holstein cattle (n = 24) with OC serum concentration as a phenotypic trait. We hypothesised that OC status is associated with phylogeny, vitamin D serum level and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used as an unlinked marker to examine phylogeny and linkage to measured phenotypic traits of vitamin D and OC status. Following an association study with OC serum variability as the trait, genotyping of SNPs (n = 27) in OC-related genes was performed. Candidate SNPs were chosen in genes with an emphasis on the vitamin D and vitamin K pathways. Multivariant factor analysis revealed a correlation between vitamin D serum concentration and a SNP in the gene GC (rs43338565), which encodes a vitamin D-binding protein, as well as between a SNP in NFATc1 (rs42038422) and OC concentration. However, univariate analysis revealed that population structure, vitamin D serum levels and SNPs were not significant determinants of OC status in the studied group.

• 한국생물물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물물리학회 2003년도 정기총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.19-19
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• 2003

We have developed a cardiac cell model (Kyoto Model) for the sinoatrial node and ventricle, which is composed of a common set of kinetic equations of membrane ionic currents, Ca$\^$2+/dynamics of sarcoplasmic reticulum and contractile protein. To expand this model by including metabolic pathways, the intracellular ATP metabolism, which is pivotal in cardiac excitation - contraction coupling, was incorporated. ATP consumption by the sarcolemmal Na$\^$+/ pump and the Ca pump in the sarcoplasmic reticulum were calculated with stoichiometry of 3Na:2K:1ATP and 2Ca:1ATP, respectively. ATP consumption by contraction was estimated according to experimental data. Dependence of contraction on ATP and inorganic phosphate was modeled, based on data of skinned cardiac fiber. in production by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was modified from Korzeniewski '||'&'||' Zoladz (2001), and creatine kinase and adenylate kinase reactions were incorporated. ATP dependence of ATP-sensitive K channel and L type Ca channel were also included.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.93-101
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• 2002

The extract of European mistletoe ( Viscum album, L) has been used in adjuvant chemotherapy of cancer and mistletoe lectins are considered to be major active components. The present work was performed to investigate the effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album L. coleratum agglutinin, VCA) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatoma cells as well as the underlying mechamisns for these effects. We showed that VCA induced atoptosis in both SK-Hep-1 and Hep 3B (p53-negative) cells through p53- and p21 -independent pathways. VCA induced apoptosis by down-regulation of Bcl-2 and by up-regulation of Bax functioning upstream of caspase-3 in both cell lines. In addition, we observed down-regulation of telomerase activity in both VCA-treated cells. Our results provide direct evidence of the anti-tumor potential of this biological response which comes from inhibition of telomerase and consequent inducing apoptosis. VCA-induced apoptosis is regulated by mitochondria controlled pathway independently of p53. These findings are important for the therapy with preparation of mistletoe because they show that telomerase-dependent mechanism can be targeted by VCA in human hepatocarcinoma. Taken together, our results suggest that the VCA, considered as a telomerase-inhibitor, can be envisaged as a candidate for enhancing sensitivity of conventional anticancer drugs.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.57-65
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• 2020

Excessive drinking of alcohol is known to be one of the main causes of various neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Scopoletin is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, and to protect nerve cells. This study examined whether scopoletin inhibits the alcohol-induced apoptosis of primary hippocampal neurons, and how scopoletin regulates several factors associated with the caspase-mediated pathway. To achieve this, the cell viability and apoptosis rate of primary hippocampal neurons were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Apoptosis-related protein expressions (Bax, Bid, caspase-3, caspase-9, and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)) were analyzed by Western blotting, and the ANOVA method was used to confirm the significance of the measured results. As a result, scopoletin inhibited the expressions of alcohol-induced apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins in primary hippocampal neurons. These results suggest that down-regulation of Bid, Bax, and cleaved caspase-9 expression induced by scopoletin down-regulates the expression of cleaved caspase-3, inhibits the expression of cleaved PARP, and finally, inhibits mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. The study suggests that scopoletin is worth developing as a candidate for neuroprotective agent.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.299-303
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• 2015

Panax ginseng is a well-known economic medical plant that is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine. This species contains a unique class of natural products-ginsenosides. Recent clinical and experimental studies have presented numerous lines of evidence on the promising role of ginsenosides on different diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer. Nowadays, most of the attention has focused on ginsenoside Rd as a neuroprotective agent to attenuate ischemic stroke damages. Some of the evidence showed that ginsenoside Rd ameliorates ischemic stroke-induced damages through the suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation. Ginsenoside Rd can prolong neural cells' survival through the upregulation of the endogenous antioxidant system, phosphoinositide-3-kinase/AKT and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 pathways, preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential, suppression of the nuclear factor-kappa B, transient receptor potential melastatin, acid sensing ion channels 1a, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, protein tyrosine kinase activation, as well as reduction of cytochrome c-releasing and apoptosis-inducing factor. In the current work, we review the available reports on the promising role of ginsenoside Rd on ischemic stroke. We also discuss its chemistry, source, and the molecular mechanism underlying this effect.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권9호
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• pp.984-992
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• 2015

혈근초(Sanguinaria canadensis)에서 처음 분리된 sanguinarine은 항산화, 항암 및 면역 증강 등의 효능이 있는 것으로 알려진 alkaloid 계열 물질 중의 하나이다. 본 연구에서는 인체간암 HepG2 세포를 대상으로 sanguinarine의 apoptosis 유도 효능 및 관련 기전 해석을 시도하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 sanguinarine은 HepG2 간암세포의 증식을 처리 농도 의존적으로 억제하였으며, 이는 apoptosis 유도와 연관성이 있었다. Sanguinarine에 의한 apoptosis 유도에는 Fas 및 Bax의 발현 증가, 미토콘드리아에서 세포질로의 cytochrome c 유리 및 MMPl (Δψm)의 소실을 동반하였다. Sanguinarine은 intrinsic 및 extrinsic apoptosis pathway의 활성에 관여하는 initiator caspase인 caspase-9와 -8의 활성과 effector caspase인 caspase-3의 활성 및 PARP 단백질의 단편화를 유발하였다. Sanguinarine은 또한 ROS의 생성을 촉진시켰으며, N-acetylcysteine 처리에 의한 ROS의 생성을 차단하였을 경우, sanguinarine에 의한 apoptosis 효능이 완벽하게 차단되었다. 아울러 sanguinarine은 Akt의 인산화를 억제한 반면, MAPKs의 인산화를 촉진시켰으며, 특히 PI3K와 ERK의 선택적 억제제는 sanguinarine에 의한 HepG2 간암세포의 증식을 더욱 억제시켰다. 따라서 sanguinarine에 의한 HepG2 간암세포의 apoptosis 유발에는 ROS 생성 의존적인 intrinsic 및 extrinsic signaling pathway가 동시에 활성화되며, PI3K/Akt 및 ERK 신호계가 관여함을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국결정학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국결정학회 2003년도 춘계학술연구발표회
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• pp.18-18
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• 2003

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a small redox protein that is ubiquitously distributed from achaes to human. In diverse organisms, the protein is involved in various physiological roles by acting as electron donor and regulators of transcription and apoptosis as well as antioxidants. Sequences of Trx within various species are 27～69% identical to that of E. coli and all Trx proteins have the same overall fold, which consists of central five β strands surrounded by four α helices. The N-terminal cysteine in WCGPC motif of Trx is redox sensitive and the motif is highly conserved. Compared with general cysteine, the N-terminal cysteine has low pKa value. The result leads to increased reduction activity of protein. Recently, novel thio.edoxin-related protein (TRP14) was found from rat brain. TRP14 acts as disulfide reductase like Trx1, and its redox potential and pKa are similar to those of Trx1. However, TRP14 takes up electrons from cytosolic thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1), not from the mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase (TrxR2). Biological roles of TES14 were reported to be involved in regulating TNF-α induced signaling pathways in different manner with Trx1. In depletion experiments, depletion of TRP14 increased TNF-α induced phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα more than the depletion Trx1 did. It also facilitated activation of JNK and p38 MAP kinase induced by TNF-α. Unlike Trx1, TRP14 shows neither interaction nor interference with ASK1. Here, we determined three-dimensional crystal structure of TRP14 by MAD method at 1.8Å. The structure reveals that the conserved cis-Pro (Pro90) and active site-W-C-X-X-C motif, which may be involved in substrate recognition similar to Trx1 , are located at the beginning position of strand β4 and helix α2, respectively. The TRP14 structure also shows that surface of TRP14 in the vicinity of the active site, which is surrounded by an extended flexible loop and an additional short a helix, is different from that of Trx1. In addition, the structure exhibits that TRP14 interact with a distinct target proteins compared with Trx1 and the binding may depend mainly on hydrophobic and charge interactions. Consequently, the structure supports biological data that the TRP14 is involved in regulating TNF-α induced signaling pathways in different manner with Trx1.