• Toxicological Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 1991

Membrane transport of brazilin was investigated i primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Brazilin was transported into hepatocytes very slowly and reached plateau at about 60 minutes. Saturation of transport process was not observed and the transport was not affected by ouabain, metabolic inhibitors, and its structural analog. The amount of brazilin transported into hepatocytes was decreased when the environmental temperature was decreased. These results suggest that brazilin might be transported into hepatocytes by simple diffusional process.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.285-302
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• 1992

Human and rat hepatocytes were isolated by nonperfusion method and cultured for longer than 5 days. Human liver biopsy sample and rat liver were used as hepatocyte source. Several physical and chemical factors which were influencing on hepatocyte isolation procedure were examined and a batch isolation procedure was established for small size sample of rat liver. Isolated hepatocytes showed normal morphlologica characteristics in microscopy and electron microscopical examinations and a morphologica response to phalloidin. Isolated cells were cultured as a monolayer and proven to have intact morphological characteristics for longer than 15 days. Because human liver sample is harder and tighter compared with rat liver, a standard procedure for rat hepatocytes was slightly modified to reduce mechanical damage. Similarly with rat hepatocytes, isolated human hepatocytes showed a normal morphological characteristics and could be cultured for longer than 15days. Human and rat hepatocytes were examined on their functional integrities including cytochrome-P450 related enzyme activity and it's inducibility, hormonal inducibility of AIB uptake and TAT activity, albumin synthesis, DNA synthesis, cellular protein maintenance. In all parameters used in the present study, human and rat hepatocytes showed normal functional characteristics.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2019

Curcumin, an active ingredient of Curcuma longa L., can reduce the concentration of low-density lipoproteins in plasma, in different ways. We had first reported that curcumin exhibits hypocholesterolemic properties by improving the apolipoprotein B (apoB) mRNA editing in primary rat hepatocytes. However, the role of curcumin in the regulation of apoB mRNA editing is not clear. Thus, we investigated the effect of curcumin on the expression of multiple editing components of apoB mRNA cytidine deamination to uridine (C-to-U) editosome. Our results demonstrated that treatment with $50{\mu}M$ curcumin markedly increased the amount of edited apoB mRNA in primary mouse hepatocytes from 5.13%-8.05% to 27.63%-35.61%, and significantly elevated the levels of the core components apoB editing catalytic polypeptide-1 (APOBEC-1), apobec-1 complementation factor (ACF), and RNA-binding-motif-protein-47 (RBM47), as well as suppressed the level of the inhibitory component glycine-arginine-tyrosine-rich RNA binding protein. Moreover, the increased apoB RNA editing by $50{\mu}M$ curcumin was significantly reduced by siRNA-mediated APOBEC-1, ACF, and RBM47 knockdown. These findings suggest that curcumin modulates apoB mRNA editing by coordinating the multiple editing components of the edito-some in primary hepatocytes. Our data provided evidence for curcumin to be used therapeutically to prevent atherosclerosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 1996

Solvent fractions were prepared from traditional herbal drugs which of methanol extracts inhibited $CCl_4$-induced cytotoxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes and c ontinuously assayed their effects. Ethylacetate and n-buthanol fractions from Cibotii Rhizoma and chloroform fraction from Gelatina Nigra inhibited the release of LDH and GPT from $CCl_4$-treated hepatocytes, respectively. Water fraction (WAR) among solvent fractions from Astragali Radix showed the most potent inhibitory effect on the release of GOT or GPT by treatment with $CCl_4$. All of solvent fractions prepared from Eucommiae Cortex had no effect on $CCl_4$-induced cytotoxicity. Chloroform and ethylacetate fractions from Rehmanniae Radix Preparata increased the release of GPT from $CCl_4$-treated hepatocytes. n-Hexan, chloroform or ethylacetate fraction from 5 herbal drugs increased the release of LDH, GOT or GPT from normal hepatocytes at the dose of 1.Omg/ml. Administration of WAR suppressed the elevation of GOT, ALP activities and MDA contents in the serum as well as in the liver tissue of $CCl_4$-intoxicated rats. Based on these results, isolation of antihepatotoxic substances from WAR is under the process.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2000

Intracellular accumulation of bile acids in the hepatocytes during cholestasis is thought to be pathogenic in cholestatic liver diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the role of lipid peroxidation and glutathione on the bile acid-induced hepatic cell death mechanism in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. To induce hepatic cell death, we incubated primary cultured rat hepatocytes with glycochenodeoxycholic acid $(GCDC;\;0{\sim}400\;{\mu}M)$ for 3 hours. In electron microscopic examination and agarose gel electrophoresis, low concentration of GCDC treatment mainly induced apoptotic feature. Whereas $400\;{\mu}M$ GCDC treated cells demonstrated both apoptosis and necrosis. Lipid peroxidation was increased dose-dependently in GCDC treated hepatocyte. And this was also accompanied by decreased glutathione. Therefore, oxygen free radical damage may play a partial role in GCDC-induced hepatic cell death.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2011

Hepatocytes, the major epithelial cells of the liver, maintain their morphology in culture dishes coated with extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagen and fibronectin or biodegradable polymers (e.g. chitosan, gelatin). In these coated dishes, survival of cells and maintaining of liver-specific functions may increase. The aim of this study was to determine a suitable, cost-effective and simple system for hepatocyte isolation and culture which may be useful for various applications such as in vitro toxicology studies, hepatocyte transplantation and bioartificial liver (BAL) systems. In order to obtain primary cultures, hepatocytes were isolated from liver by an enzymatic method and cultured on plates coated with collagen, chitosan or gelatin. Collagen, gelatin-sandwich and gelatin-cell mixture methods were also evaluated. Morphology and attachment of the cells were observed by inverted microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). An MTT assay was used to determine cell viability and mitochondrial activity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.271-274
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• 1996

The antihepatotoxic activity of Bezoar Bovis and Moschus was investigated by in vitro assay method using galactosamine and carbon tetrachloride-induced cytotoxicity in primary-cultured rat hepatocytes. The antihepatotoxic activity was evaluated by measuring the level of glutamate pyruvate transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase which were released from the necrotic hepatocytes to the culture medium. In galactosamine-intoxicated hepatocytes, the chloroform fraction of Bezoar Bovis reduced the level of glutamate pyruvate transaminase and sorbitol dehydrogenase resulting in 65% and 59% protection, respectively. The n-Hexane fraction of Moschus resulted in 45% and 40% protection, respectively in this system. In the case of carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rat hepatocytes, Bezoar Bovis did not have significant effect and only the aqueous fraction of Moschus showed 42% and 40% protection, respectively.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.453-461
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• 1996

We compared the effects of two different systems of collagen matrix protein application on the survival and the biological functions of cultured primary hepatocytes. The rat liver primary hepatocytes were grown for approximately 40 days in vitro either on single collagen gel or between collagen sandwich gels. The morphological changes were observed for this culture period. While the hepatocytes grown on single gel began to die around at 7 days of culture, the cells grown between collagen gels still maintained their viability and began to die after 15 days. As markers for liver hepatic functions, we determined the biochemical activities of hepatocytes such as the secretions of albumin, fibronectin, fibrinogen, urea, and the reduction of secreted ammonia. We found that the rat hepatocytes cultured between collagen gels maintained fairly good biochemical functions than the hepatocytes cultured on single gel did. Therefore, the application of an extracellular matrix protein, collagen, in sandwich form was confirmed as a better choice for maintaining the functional hepatocytes culture for long term in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2010

The molecule possessing ankyrin-repeats induced by lipopolysaccharide (MAIL) protein is a novel member of the $Ikappa{\beta}$ family. In the present study, we examined the effect of norepinephrine (NE) on MAIL mRNA expression in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells. MAIL mRNA expression in hepatocytes and non-parenchymal liver cells was not directly influenced by NE. However, MAIL mRNA expression in hepatocytes was significantly induced by incubation with a culture medium of non-parenchymal liver cells, treated with NE. Pretreatment with an interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist significantly attenuated the stimulatory effect of the medium. Moreover, exogenous $IL-1{\beta}$ induced MAIL mRNA expression in hepatocytes, while IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$ did not. The concentration of $IL-1{\beta}$ in the medium of non-parenchymal liver cells was significantly increased after NE-treatment. These results suggest that NE can induce MAIL mRNA expression in hepatocytes through $IL-1{\beta}$, released from non-parenchymal liver cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.617-624
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects of 25 herbal formulas on acetaminophen (APAP) or D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced hepatotoxicity in primary rat hepatocytes. Cell viability was measured using by Cell Counting Kit-8. 15 kinds of herbal formulas significantly reversed the cell viabilities of D-GalN-treated rat hepatocytes compared with D-GalN alone (p<0.05). In particular, 9 herbal formulas (Bangpungtongseong-san, Bojungikgi-tang, Galgeun-tang, Gumiganghwal-tang, Guibi-tang, Sagunja-tang, Samsoeum, Pyeongwi-san and Yijin-tang) showed the potent protective effects. However, 8 herbal formula exerted weak protective effects and 2 herbal formula did not exert effects on hepatotoxicity by D-GalN. On APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, 7 kinds of herbal formulas increased the viabilities of hepatocytes compare with APAP alone (p<0.05). These results could be provide a valuable information for the future in vivo or clinical studies to predict the hepatoprotective effects of herbal formulas.