• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2014

Artemisia apiacea is a traditional herbal medicine using treatment of eczema and jaundice in Eastern Asia including China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, the three phytosterol constituents were isolated and identified from the hexane fraction of 80% aqueous methanol extract of A. apiacea. Compounds were isolated using open column chromatography (silica gel). Their chemical structures were also established using $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR. Moreover, neuroprotective activity of each compound against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal HT-22 cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, Inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium ion ($Ca^{2+}$) accumulation were measured for elucidation of neuroprotective mechanism of isolated compounds. They showed that stigmasterol had neuroprotective activity against the glutamate-induced toxicity by inhibition of ROS and $Ca^{2+}$ production. In conclusion, isolated compound of A. apiacea might be useful for therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.307-316
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• 2022

The misuse of pesticides has resulted in environmental pollution, which directly or indirectly affects all life on earth. Chlorpyrifos is a chlorinated organophosphorus pesticide that is commonly used in agriculture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chlorpyrifos on the fertilization function of boar spermatozoa. Sperm samples from boars were subjected to varying concentrations of chlorpyrifos from 10 to 200 µM for two incubation periods, 30 min or 2 hrs. The boar spermatozoa were then evaluated for motility, motion kinematics, viability, acrosome integrity, chromatin stability, and generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). There was a significant percentage reduction in sperm motility and motion kinematic parameters after both incubation periods (p < 0.05). The proportion of viable spermatozoa decreased after incubation for 30 min and 2 hrs in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). A significantly lower percentage of normal acrosomes was observed in spermatozoa exposed to 200 µM chlorpyrifos over both incubation periods, compared to the controls. The damage to sperm DNA was significantly higher when the exposure time to chlorpyrifos was longer. There was a significant increase in the ROS levels in spermatozoa incubated with chlorpyrifos for 2 hrs (p < 0.05). From the results of the present study, it is concluded that direct exposure of boar spermatozoa to chlorpyrifos altered boar sperm characteristics, suggesting potential toxicity that may affect the male reproductive function.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2015

Heavy metals reduce the photosynthetic efficiency and disrupt metabolic reactions in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, by replacing the metal ions in metalloproteins that use essential metal ions, such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe, as co-factors, heavy metals ultimately lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These, in turn, cause destruction of the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, and eventually cause the plant to necrosis. Given the aforementioned factors, this study was aimed to understand the physiological responses of rice to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) toxicity and the effect of essential metal ions on homeostasis. In order to confirm the level of physiological inhibition caused by heavy metal toxicity, hydroponically grown rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongjin) plants were exposed with $0-50{\mu}M$ cadmium (Cd, $CdCl_2$) and arsenic (As, $NaAsO_2$) at 3-leaf stage, and then investigated malondialdehyde (MDA) contents after 7 days of the treatment. With increasing concentrations of Cd and As, the MDA content in leaf blade and root increased with a consistent trend. At 14 days after treatment with $30{\mu}M$ Cd and As, plant height showed no significant difference between Cd and As, with an identical reduction. However, As caused a greater decline than Cd for shoot fresh weight, dry weight, and water content. The largest amounts of Cd and As were found in the roots and also observed a large amount of transport to the leaf sheath. Interestingly, in terms of Cd transfer to the shoot parts of the plant, it was only transported to upper leaf blades, and we did not detect any Cd in lower leaf blades. However, As was transferred to a greater level in lower leaf blades than in upper leaf blades. In the roots, Cd inhibited Zn absorption, while As inhibited Cu uptake. Furthermore, in the leaf sheath, while Cd and As treatments caused no change in Cu homeostasis, they had an antagonist effect on the absorption of Zn. Finally, in both upper and lower leaf blades, Cd and As toxicity was found to inhibit absorption of both Cu and Zn. Based on these results, it would be considered that heavy metal toxicity causes an increase in lipid peroxidation. This, in turn, leads to damage to the conductive tissue connecting the roots, leaf sheath, and leaf blades, which results in a reduction in water content and causes several physiological alterations. Furthermore, by disrupting homeostasis of the essential metal ions, Cu and Zn, this causes complete heavy metal toxicity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.104-113
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• 1997

Background : Toxic oxygen free radicals have been implicated as important pathologic mediators in many clinical disorders. Enhancing the intracellular content of antioxidant enzymes(superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) can provide means of limiting biological damage caused by oxygen free radicals. The oxygen free radicals and changes of antioxidant enzymes are though to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Method : To investigate the pulmonary oxygen radical injury and the protective role of antioxidant enzymes in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), author measured the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactants, the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the sulfhydry1 groups of glutathione in serum and red blood cells from the patients with COPD(COPD patients) and the normal controls. Results : The thiobarbituric acid reactant in serum and red blood cells of COPD patients was increased than those of the normal controls, and the superoxide dismutase activity in red blood cells was no statistical difference in both groups. But the glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities in red blood cel1s of COPD patients were significantly lowered than those of the normal controls. The sulfhydry1 groups in serum and red blood cells were no statistically difference in both groups. Conclusion : These results suggest that the increased thiobarbituric acid reactants in serum and RBCs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mean oxygen radical toxicity, and the decreased glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities in RBC could take pan in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1330-1335
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• 2005

Red brownish p-pheylenediamine (PPD) has been widely used hair dye for women. The dye was known to cause systemic anaphylaxis, dermatitis and bladder cancer. But the effect of PPD toxicity with oxygen free radical has not been studied. This study investigated the degree of skin injury by PPD. PPD ($2.5\%$ PPD in $2\%\;NH_{4}OH$) was applied to the rat skin ($25 mg/16.5\;cm^2$) 3 or 5 times every other day. Histopathological findings demonstrated the proliferation of epithelial cells and the increased keratinization by PPD. The activities of glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) was decreased and acid phosphatase (ACP) was increased in PPD-applied rat skin. Groups in which PPD was applied 5 times were more damaged than groups applied 3 times. To examine the relationship between tissue damage and oxygen free radicals, effect of PPD on xanthine oxidase (XO) activity was measured and XO activity was more significantly increased in the group treated with PPD 5 times than 3 times. However, reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and the activities of catalase (CAT), super-oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S -transferase (GST) were more decreased in PPD-applied groups than in controls. Even though the activities of XOD was not changed in the group treated with PPD 3 times, the decreased activities of oxygen free radical system and the damaged skin tissue were observed. This result might be caused by the production of toxic PPD metabolites in rat skin. In conclusion, topical PPD application led to skin injury in a dose-dependent manner, probably due to the generation rate of oxygen free radical.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2009

In this study, we polymerized new materials for soft contact lens using HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) which is the based-monomer of soft contact lens, EGDMA (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) as cross linkage agent, and the new additives of monoester or di-ester derived from itaconic acid commercially produced by the fermentation of Asp. itaconicus. New polymer materials for soft contact lens were synthesized with the mixture of HEMA and mono- or diester at different ratios and presented to a good water content and oxygen transmissibility (Dk/L) values. In case of polymerization with HEMA and mono-ester (15%), the water content and oxygen transmissibility of contact lens were found to be good values at 57.6% and 28.5 Dk respectively. The mixture of HEMA and mono-ester is more excellent than HEMA/di-ester in the water content and oxygen transmissibility. The toxicity of new contact lens materials were confirmed in the fibroblast L-929 cell line using a agar overlay test and a growth inhibition test with the extract solution of contact lens.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2020

T In the present study, we investigated the effect of oncogenic H-Ras on rat mdr1b expression in NIH3T3 cells. The constitutive expression of H-Ras^V12 was found to downregulate the mdr1b promoter activity and mdr1b mRNA expression. The doxorubicin-induced mdr1b promoter activity of the H-Ras^V12 expressing NIH3T3 cells was markedly lower than that of control NIH3T3 cells. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between the level of H-Ras^V12 expression and a sensitivity to doxorubicin toxicity. To examine the detailed mechanism of H-Ras^V12-mediated down-regulation of mdr1b expression, antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenylene iodonium (DPI) were used. Pretreating cells with either NAC or DPI significantly enhanced the oncogenic H-Ras-mediated down-regulation of mdr1b expression and markedly prevented doxorubicin-induced cell death. Moreover, NAC and DPI treatment led to a decrease in ERK activity, and the ERK inhibitors PD98059 or U0126 enhanced the mdr1b-Luc activity of H-Ras^V12-NIH3T3 and reduced doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that Ras^V12 expression could downregulate mdr1b expression through intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and ERK activation induced by ROS, is at least in part, contributed to the downregulation of mdr1b expression.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.6-13
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• 2016

The effect of blast oxygen furnace (BOF) slag used as filling materials on the soil environment was studied using column tests that simulated the flow of the BOF slag leachate through the soil layer. The Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, and F contents of the leachate affected soil were similar to that of the controls (i.e., soils that were not affected by the leachate). The As, Cd, and Pb contents were lower in the leachate affected soils than the controls. The changes in these contaminants contents can be attributed to the interactions between anions such as alkalinity generating anions (e.g., CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻, OH⁻) or calcium ions with heavy metals or F, which consequently affected the fate of heavy metals and F in the leachate affected soils. The germination and growth of Spinapis alba in the soils affected by the leachate and the controls were also similar. However, the proportion of alkalophilic bacteria in the soils affected by the leachate significantly increased, and this can be explained by the increased soil pH due to the alkaline leachate. Overall, this study shows that the alkalinity of the BOF slag leachate, rather than the presence of heavy metals and F in the leachate, needs to be considered when the BOF slag is to be reused as structural filling materials.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2008

This study was conducted to find out biological response of bivalves exposed to tributyltin chloride(TBTCl). The results of the study confirmed that TBTCl induce the reduction of oxygen consumption rateand histopathological feature in the gill structure of equilateral venus, Gomphina veneriformis. The experi-mental groups consisted of a control and 3 TBTCl exposure groups (0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 yg TBTCl L') and theexperimental period was 36 weeks. For histological analysis, gill tissues were fixed in Bouin's fluid andthen stained H-E stain, AB-PAS (PH 2.5) reaction and Masson's trichrome stain after having serially sec-tioned the tissue by paraffin method at thickness of 4-6 (an. The oxygen consumption rate was not signifi-cantly different between the control and exposure groups at 4 weeks, but in all exposure groups at 28 weeks,it was significantly different to the control. Gill of G. veneriformis had demibranch that attached two sheetsof lamellae and a lamella was composed of numerous filaments, numbering 25 on average. The frontal fila-ment zone had three types of cilia; frontal, latero-frontal and lateral depending on locations while the lateralcilia were the longest and largest in number. The mucous cells observed in filaments were more abundant in(542c) in AB-PAS (PH 2.5) reaction. Gill exposed to TBTCl was extended hemolymph sinus and increased hemocytes at 4 weeks, and then it showed increases of mucous cells and partially disappearance of frontalcilia. In the group of 0.8 yg TBTCl L' at 12 weeks, hypertrophy of frontal and latero-frontal epithelia wasobserved. Also it observed m decrease of mucous cell containing weekly acid mucosubstance and appearedpartially destruction muscle fiber bundle, In the groups of 0.4 and 0.6 ug TBTCl L' at 36 weeks, it appearedpartially modification of epithelia and in 0.8 us TBTCl L' group, observed filaments that come out chiti-nous rod from disappearance of frontal and latero-frontal epithelia.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.230-238
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• 2004

The adverse health effects of a number of environment pollutions are related to the formation of free radicals. Induction of antioxidant defensive system in the response to an oxidative attack is an essential element of the cell to survive. CYP2E1 is easily induced by organic solvents and induces continuous formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ${\gamma}$-Glutamyltranspeptidase (${\gamma}$GT) plays an important role in glutathione metabolism and xenobiotic detoxification. To evaluate the characteristic of oxidative stress which induces GGT expression and to understand human antioxidant defensive response against oxidative stress induced by CYP2E1, we studied regulation of ${\gamma}$GT enzyme expression in response to various oxidative stresses in human HepG2 cells. The ${\gamma}$GT activity was not modified after exposure of acute oxidative stress inducing agents (ferric nitrilotriacetate, cumene hydroperoxide, ADP-Fe, O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, tumor necrosis factor-alpha). To induce continuous exposure of cells to ROS, HepG2 cells were transfected by human CYP2E1 gene transiently. The CYP2E1 activity was verified with chlorzoxazone hydroxylation. Transfection of CYP2E1 showed continuous 60% increase in intracellular ROS and 240 % increase in microsomal ROS. CYP2E1 overexpressing cells showed increased ${\gamma}$GT activity (2.5-fold). The observed enhancement of ${\gamma}$GT activity correlated with a significant increase of ${\gamma}$GT mRNA (2.1-fold). Treatment with antioxidant strongly prevented the increase in ${\gamma}$GT activity. The CYP2E1 overexpression did not modify toxicity index and increased glutathione levels. These results show that continuous exposure of cells to ROS produced by CYP2E1 up-regulates ${\gamma}$GT; This may be one of the adaptive antioxidant responses of cells to oxidative insult. Present study also suggests that the induction of ${\gamma}$GT could be used as a marker of oxidative stress induced by exposure to organic solvents.