• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.307-313
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• 2006

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy by hyperglycemia. To find natural agents improving diabetic nephropathy, 63 natural resources which used to the treatment of diabetes mellitus in a folk remedy were investigated with an in vitro system employing radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of AGEs formation. In results, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Rubus coreanus, Rosa rugosa, and Epimedium koreanum significantly inhibited the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical with $IC_{50}$ values less than $10{\mu}g/ml$. The extracts of Zea mays, Cucurbita moschata, Cudrania tricuspidata, and Aspalathus linearis effectively reduced the formation of AGEs compared with the positive control $N-acetyl-_L-cystenine$ (NAC) and aminoguanidine (AG). In addition, the extracts of Aspalathus linearis, Commelina communis, Cornus officinalis, and Lespodeza cuneata showed the all inhibitory activity against DPPH radical and AGEs formation. Also, these resources definitely showed the radical scavenging activity against peroxynitrite $(ONOO^-)$ and hydroxyl radical $({\cdot}OH)$ relating to high glucose-induced ROS production. Thus, these results suggest that some natural resources may regulate the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy through inhibition of ROS production and AGEs formation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.143-157
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• 2019

Medicinal plants are high-value natural resources that have been used as precautionary drugs by many people globally. The increasing global demand for bioactive compounds from medicinal plants has led to the overexploitation of many valuable species. One widely used approach to overcome this problem is the use of adventitious root cultures as a propagation strategy. This review examines the scientific research published globally on the application of adventitious root cultures for many medicinal plants. Adventitious roots generated under aseptic environments in suitable phytohormone-augmented medium exhibit high growth rates and production of important secondary metabolites. Parameters such as medium properties and composition, growth hormone type, and elicitation strategies for in vitro grown adventitious roots of medicinal plants, are the main topics discussed in this review. We also examine current developments in bioreactor system cultivation for plant bioactive compounds using adventitious root cultures, a technology with possible commercial applications, via several studies on adventitious root culture of medicinal plants in which bioreactor systems play a role. In conclusion, the development of adventitious root cultures for medicinal plants is highly useful because of their capability for vegetative propagation and germplasm preservation.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2011

Efficient Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of Scoparia dulcis L. was developed using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary vector pCAMBIA1301 with ${\beta}$-glucuronidase (GUS) (uidA) and hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) genes. Two-day precultured leaf segments of in vitro shoot culture were found to be suitable for cocultivation with the Agrobacterium strain, and acetosyringone was able to promote the transformation process. After selection on shoot organogenesis medium with appropriate concentrations of hygromycin and carbenicillin, adventitious shoots were developed on elongation medium by twice subculturing under the same selection scheme. The elongated hygromycin-resistant shoots were subsequently rooted on the MS medium supplemented with $1mg\;l^{-1}$ indole-3-butyric acid and $15mg\;l^{-1}$ hygromycin. Successful transformation was confirmed by PCR analysis using uidA- and hpt-specific primers and monitored by histochemical assay for ${\beta}$-GUS activity during shoot organogenesis. Integration of hpt gene into the genome of transgenic plants was also verified by Southern blot analysis. High transformation efficiency at a rate of 54.6% with an average of $3.9{\pm}0.39$ transgenic plantlets per explant was achieved in the present transformation system. It took only 2-3 months from seed germination to positive transformants transplanted to soil. Therefore, an efficient and fast genetic transformation system was developed for S. dulcis using an Agrobacterium-mediated approach and plant regeneration via shoot organogenesis, which provides a useful platform for future genetic engineering studies in this medicinally important plant.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.386-392
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• 2017

This study was conducted to examine the growth and phytochemical contents of spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L. 'Sushiro') as affected by different fluorescent lamps in a closed-type plant production system. Seeds were sown in a 128-cell plug tray filled in rockwool. The seedlings were transplanted into a DFT (deep floating technique) system with recycling nutrient solution (EC $1.5dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and pH 6.5) in a closed-type plant production system. The seedlings were grown under 3 types of fluorescent lamp, #S (NBFHF 32S8EX-D, CH LIGHTING Co. Ltd., China), #O (FHF32SSEX-D, Osram Co. Ltd., Germany), and #P (FLR32SS EX-D, Philips Co. Ltd., The Netherlands) at $150{\mu}mol{\cdot}m-2{\cdot}s^{-1}\;PPFD$ with a photoperiod of 14/10 (light/dark) hours. Plants were cultured under condition of $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ temperature and $60{\pm}10%$ relative humidity after transplanting. Thirty plants per each treatment were cultivated for $6^{th}$ week after transplanting. And growth and phytochemical contents were measured at $3^{rd}$ and $6^{th}$ week. At the $3^{rd}$ week after transplanting, the parameter values of plant height and leaf width were higher in the #O than the others. However, fresh and dry weights of root were the greatest in the #P. In addition, total phenolic concentration was the greatest in the #P. At $6^{th}$ week after transplanting, the #O had the greatest growth of spinach in the plant height and fresh and dry weights of shoot. The total phenolic contents significantly increased in the #O and showed significantly difference. However, there was no significant difference all treatments in antioxidant activity. Therefore, these results suggest that the #O was suitable for the growth and phytochemical accumulation of spinach in a closed-type plant production system.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.395-403
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• 2013

Plant factory has drawn attention in many countries in the world due to capability of environmental control not only for better yield and quality, but also for increase in functional and medicinal components of the products. In this paper, an experimental plant factory was constructed for various tests under different environmental conditions, and the operations were evaluated. A production room was constructed with adiabatic materials with dimensions of $6,900{\times}3,000{\times}2,500$ mm ($L{\times}W{\times}H$). Four sets of $2,890{\times}600{\times}2,320$ mm ($L{\times}W{\times}H$) production frame unit, each with 9 light-installed beds and an aeroponic fertigation system, resulting in 36 beds, were prepared. Accuracy and response were evaluated for each environmental control component with and without crops. Air temperature, humidity, $CO_2$ concentration, light intensity, frequency, and duty ratio, fertigation rate and scheduling were controllable from a main control computer through wireless communication devices. When the plant factory was operated without crop condition, the response times were 8 minutes for change in temperature from 20 to $15^{\circ}C$ and 20 minutes from 15 to $20^{\circ}C$; 7 minutes for change in humidity from 40 to 65%; and 4 minutes for change in $CO_2$ concentration from 450 to 1000 ppm. When operated for 24 hours with crop cultivation; average, maximum, and minimum values of temperatures were 20.06, 20.8, and $18.8^{\circ}C$; humidity were 66.72, 69.37, and 63.73%; $CO_2$ concentrations were 1017, 1168, and 911 ppm, respectively. Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density was increased as the distance from the light source decreased, but variability was greater at shorter distances. Results of the study would provide useful information for efficient application of the plant factory and to investigate the optimum environment for crop growth through various experiments.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.217-227
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• 2019

Production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using a plant platform has been considered an alternative to the mammalian cell-based production system. A plant-derived mAb CO17-1AK ($mAb^P$ COK) can specifically bind to various types of cancer cell lines. The target protein of $mAb^P$ COK is the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) highly expressed in human epithelial cancer cells, including breast and colorectal cancer cells. It has been hypothesized that its overexpression supports tumor growth and metastasis. A ganglioside is extended well beyond the surfaces of the various cell membranes and has roles in cell growth, inflammation, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. However, the regulation of EpCAM gene expression in breast cancers and the role of gangliosides in oncogenesis are unclear. Here, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of $mAb^P$ COK on human breast cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and ganglioside expression patterns. Our results show that treatment with $mAb^P$ COK suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells and induced apoptotic cell death. It also upregulated the expression of metastasis-related gangliosides in breast cancer cells. Thus, treatment with $mAb^P$ COK may have chemo-preventive therapeutic effects against human breast cancer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.33-40
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• 2002

We, Tong Yang Moolsan Co. Ltd. (TYM) set up the mass-production system for virus-free seed garlic via tissue culture technique. TYM's tissue culture technique is called as 'Multiple shoot propagation technique'. This technique can lead mass propagation of genetically homogeneous seed garlic in a short period because of its highly proliferation rate of in vitro shoots ($15^{10}$ /year). TYM researchers applied the technique to some selected garlic cultivars with superior characteristics and carried out field test of productivity in the inside and outside of the country for several years. According to the yearly results of field test with virus-free seed garlic, we ascertained that virus-free seed garlic can produce the highly yield increase (max. above $50\%$) and also can enhance the product quality. Consequently, we estimated that TYM's seed garlic will contribute to farmers with increase of income and can elevate the national position of garlic market in the world for its competitive power of technical and production cost.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.185-191
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• 2013

Over the past decades, carbon dioxide concentration of the atmosphere of the world has increased significantly, and thereby the greenhouse effect has become a social issue. To solve this problem, new renewable energy sources including solar, hydrogen, geothermal, wind and bio-energy are suggested as alternatives. Among these new energy sources, bio-energy crops are widely introduced and under rapid progress. For example, corn and oilseed rape plants are used for the production of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel, respectively. However, grain prices has increased severely because of the use of corn for bio-ethanol production. Therefore, non-edible switchgrass draws attention as an alternative source for bio-ethanol production in USA. This review describes the shortage of fossil energy and an importance of switchgrass as a bio-energy crop. Also, some characteristics of its major cultivars are introduced including growth habit, total output of biomass yields. Furthermore, biotechnological approaches have been conducted to improve the productivity of switchgrass using tissue culture and genetic transformation.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.143-149
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to elucidate the anti-inflammatory activity of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) ethanolic extract fractions (CFEFs). Butanol fraction had the strongest antioxidant activity, and all CFEFs, except for chloroform fraction, partly inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitrite production in RAW 264.7 cells. In the cell-free system, hexane and butanol fractions chemically quenched nitric oxide (NO). In addition, the iNOS mRNA transcription was suppressed by ethanol extract and hexane fraction in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Taken together, the inhibitory effect of CFEFs on NO production from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, might be due to both the chemical NO quenching activity and the suppression of iNOS mRNA transcription partially. The synthesis of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) was potently inhibited by ethanol extract to below basal label, and the transcription of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme involving in $PGE_2$ synthesis, was partially suppressed by ethanol extract and hexane fraction. Based on these results, CFEFs may be useful as an alternative medicine for the relief and retardation of immunological inflammatory responses through the reduction of inflammatory mediators, including NO and $PGE_2$ production.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2012

In this work, the natural indigo production process from Polygonum tinctorium was balanced based on the traditional Niram method in Korea. A standard procedure was determined considering the conditions of indican extraction from plant material, the amount of alkali for precipitation, storage of extract, etc. The effect of experimental conditions on the yield of crude dye was investigated. The contents of indigo and indirubin of the crude dyes were analyzed by HPLC. Increase of the amount of crude dye was observed within 1-2.5 days of extraction time. Longer extraction beyond 2.5 days resulted in a slight decrease in the amount of crude dye. There was no consistency in terms of indigo content depending on extraction pH. We found that the storage of extract or harvested plants affected adversely to dye yield and dye quality. Based on the lab scale extraction, large scale extraction was performed for 2-2.5 days in water and 2.0-2.5 g/L of $Ca(OH)_2$ was applied for precipitation of indigo dye. We obtained natural indigo dye containing about 15% of pure indigo in scale-up production using whole plant except root.