• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to identify the anti-inflammatory effects of Salvia miltiorrhizae radix Water extract (SMW) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation. Methods: RAW 264.7 cells were treated with 500 ng/ml of LPS. SMW (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 mg/ml) was treated 1 h prior to LPS. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Levels of nitric oxide (NO) were measured with Griess reagent and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We also examined molecular mechanisms such as mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) activation by western blot. In addition, we observed mice survival rate after LPS and examined their cytokine levels of serum and liver tissue. Results: SMW itself did not have cytotoxic effects in RAW 264.7 cells less than 0.5 mg/ml. SMW treatment inhibited the production of NO, and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ which is pro-inflammatory cytokine. And SMW treatment inhibited the LPS-induced activation of MAPKs such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 kinases (p38), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and $NF-{\kappa}B$. In addition, it also showed reducing the level of $IL-1{\beta}$ on the serum and liver tissue of mice. Also, death of LPS-induced mice was inhibited by SMW. Conclusions: The result suggests that treatment of SMW could reduce the LPS-induced inflammation. Thereby, SMW could be used as a protective agent against inflammation. Also, this study could give a clinical basis that SMW could be a drug or agent to prevent inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2002

Breast cancer cell lines display a wide variety of growth factor receptors, and considerable evidences implicate the importance of signalings from those receptors. A useful prognostic indicator would be the level of activity of a second messenger protein used in common by these receptors. Our studies were designed to obtain preliminary information on the possible role of polyamine as a mediator of the membrane-associated protein phosphorylation and as a regulator of second messenger in mitogenic signal of estrogen or growth factors in MCF-7 human breast lancer cells. DFMO significantly inhibited the phosphorylation induced by $E_2$, TGF-$\alpha$ and EGF in membrane-associated proteins (154, 134, 116, and 104 kDa). Exogenous polyamines abolished the inhibitory effect of DFMO. Tyrosine phosphorylations of membrane-associated proteins were not increased by $E_2$ or growth factor treatments and not affected DFMO treatment. Polyamine administration markedly enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of membrane-associated proteins (154, 134, and 116 kDa). In the present study, $E_2$ and TGF-$\alpha$ and EGF enhanced protein phosphorylation in the almost same levels. These data indicate that $E_2$ and growth factor signaling pathway may cross-talk through various protein kinase which phosphorylated many substrate proteins (154, 134, 116 and 104 kDa). Polyamines may be involved in growth signaling pathway of $E_2$ and TGF-$\alpha$ or EGF for the cross-talk through regulation of the protein phosphorylation such as 154, 134, 116 and 104 kDa. Polyamine may also selectively interfere with several different protein kinases, and the specific steps in signal transduction system were effected by polyamines.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2016

Purpose: The study was conducted to determine that photoreceptors of mouse having pigment in RPE(retinal pigment epithelium) can be damaged by blue-light and apoptosis of specific cells among photoreceptors are induced by blue-light, and to assist the investigation of AMD(Age-related macular degeneration) mechanisms and development of AMD drugs. Methods: C57Black mice were injured by irradiating $2800{\pm}10lux$ of 463 nm LED for 6 hours after 24 hours dark adaptation and eyes were enucleated 1, 3, 7 days. Damage of retina induced by blue-light was determined by western blotting GFAP(Glial fibrillary acidic protein) expression. In the light-injured retina, cell death of photoreceptors was determined by TUNEL(Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) assay. ERK(Extracellular signal-regulated kinases), JNK, and SRC(sarcoma) expression were assessed by western blotting to determine regulated pathway. Blue light-injured retina were immunostained with antibodies against Opsin and Rhodopsin as markers of photoreceptors to compared the damage cone cells with rod cells. Results: After 1, 3 and 7 days from exposure to blue-light, thickness of retina was more decreased than control, and more decreased at nuclear layer than at outer plexiform layer and GFAP expression was increased day 1 after blue-light injured. While phosphorylated ERK and SRC protein expressions at day 1 were increased after blue-light injured, phosphorylated c-JUN was decreased. Fluorescence intensity analysis showed that markers of cone and rod cells were decreased after blue-light injured and Opsin was more decreased than Rhodopsin. Conclusions: The study suggests possibilities that the blue-light promotes retinal damage and causes apoptotic cell death via ERK and SRC pathway in mouse retina, and blue-light retinal damage is more induced cone cells apoptosis than rod cells directly.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1437-1444
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• 2017

Sargassum macrocarpum is a widely distributed marine brown algae found in the North Pacific. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of an ethanol extract of S. macrocarpum (EESM). First, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of EESM in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. EESM treatment suppressed nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production and inhibited the expressions of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and interleukin-1 beta ($IL-1{\beta}$), was decreased in a dose dependent manner. Investigation of the signaling pathways of nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) revealed suppression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ translocation from the cytosol to nucleus by EESM treatment. The phosphorylation of the Akt and ERK proteins was also inhibited by EESM treatment. EESM treatment also stimulated the expression of the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). These results suggest that EESM has anti-inflammatory activity and could have potential uses in the field of nutraceuticals.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2013

Fructus Sophorae, the dried ripe fruit of Styphnolobium japonicum (L.), is an herbal ingredient used in traditional Oriental medicine. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Fructus Sophorae extracts (FSE) on immune modulation in a murine RAW 264.7 macrophage model. As immune response parameters, the production of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and tumor necrotic $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) were evaluated. Our data revealed that FSE increased the macrophage activation and the production of $PGE_2$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$, which was consistently correlated with upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and $TNF-{\alpha}$ expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. On comparative cytokine protein array, FSE significantly increased several cytokines, which was associated with phosphorylation of mitogen- activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Akt in RAW 264.7 cells. However, each inhibitor of these molecules attenuated the FSE-induced $PGE_2$ production. These results indicate that FSE activated macrophages through the activation of MAPKs and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages. These findings suggest that FSE may provide a promising source of an immunoenhancing agent.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.355-366
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• 2014

Fucoxanthin is known to be an effective cell proliferation inhibitor with anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic activities. However, there is a lack of data regarding the biological effects of cis isomers of fucoxanthin. To assess the potential therapeutic properties of 9'-cis-(6'R) fucoxanthin (FcA), and 13-cis and 13'-cis-(6'R) fucoxanthin complex (FcB) isolated from Sarggassum siliquastrum, we investigated their inhibitory effects on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced human fibrosarcoma (HT1080) cells. FcA and FcB reduced MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein and mRNA levels, as well as the migration of these cells, in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, FcA and FcB increased levels of MMPs inhibition factors such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1. FcA and FcB significantly inhibited the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) and by inhibiting c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Our results demonstrate that suppression of the NF-${\kappa}B$, JNK, and p38 signaling pathways may inhibit PMA-induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. Therefore, FcA and FcB may be useful in noninvasive therapeutic strategies against fibrosarcoma metastasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.194-201
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• 2016

The anti-inflammatory activity of ethanol extract from Chondrus nipponicus Yendo (CNYEE) was investigated by measuring production of a lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response mediator. CNYEE had no cytotoxic effects on proliferation of macrophages compared to the control. CNYEE significantly inhibited (over 50%) NO production at $50{\mu}g/mL$, with inhibitory effects on expression levels of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), and IL-$1{\beta}$. In particular, IL-6 inhibitory activity of CNYEE was higher than 70% at $100{\mu}g/mL$. CNYEE also reduced protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ in a dose-dependent manner. CNYEE also significantly reduced phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Therefore, these results suggest that CNYEE may have anti-inflammatory effects by modulating the NF-${\kappa}B$ and mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathways and may be used as an anti-inflammatory therapeutic material.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2018

Ferulate is a phenolic compound abundant in wheat germ and bran and has been investigated for its beneficial activities. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of ferulate against the oxidative stress-induced imbalance of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), and serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), in connection with our previous finding that oxidative stress-induced imbalance of PTKs and PTPs is linked with proinflammatory nuclear factor-kappa B $(NF-{\kappa}B)$ activation. To test the effects of ferulate on this process, we utilized two oxidative stress-induced inflammatory models. First, YPEN-1 cells were pretreated with ferulate for 1 hr prior to the administration of 2,2'-Azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH). Second, 20-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were fed ferulate for 10 days. After ferulate treatment, the activities of PTKs, PTPs, and PP2A were measured because these proteins either directly or indirectly promote $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Our results revealed that in YPEN-1 cells, ferulate effectively suppressed AAPH-induced increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity, as well as AAPH-induced PTK activation. Furthermore, ferulate also inhibited AAPH-induced PTP and PP2A inactivation. In the aged kidney model, ferulate suppressed aging-induced activation of PTKs and ameliorated aging-induced inactivation of PTPs and PP2A. Thus, herein we demonstrated that ferulate could modulate PTK/PTP balance against oxidative stress-induced inactivation of PTPs and PP2A, which is closely linked with $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Based on these results, the ability of ferulate to modulate oxidative stress-related inflammatory processes is established, which suggests that this compound could act as a novel therapeutic agent.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 2017

Prostaglandin $D_2$ ($PGD_2$) may act against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and play an anti-inflammatory role in the heart. Although the effect of $PGD_2$ in regulation of ANP secretion of the atrium was reported, the mechanisms involved are not clearly identified. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether $PGD_2$ can regulate ANP secretion in the isolated perfused beating rat atrium, and its underlying mechanisms. $PGD_2$ (0.1 to $10{\mu}M$) significantly increased atrial ANP secretion concomitantly with positive inotropy in a dose-dependent manner. Effects of $PGD_2$ on atrial ANP secretion and mechanical dynamics were abolished by AH-6809 ($1.0{\mu}M$) and AL-8810 ($1.0{\mu}M$), $PGD_2$ and prostaglandin $F2{\alpha}$ ($PGF2{\alpha}$) receptor antagonists, respectively. Moreover, $PGD_2$ clearly upregulated atrial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and the $PGD_2$ metabolite 15-deoxy-${\Delta}12$, 14-$PGJ_2$ (15d-$PGJ_2$, $0.1{\mu}M$) dramatically increased atrial ANP secretion. Increased ANP secretions induced by $PGD_2$ and 15d-$PGJ_2$ were completely blocked by the $PPAR{\gamma}$ antagonist GW9662 ($0.1{\mu}M$). PD98059 ($10.0{\mu}M$) and LY294002 ($1.0{\mu}M$), antagonists of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling, respectively, significantly attenuated the increase of atrial ANP secretion by $PGD_2$. These results indicated that $PGD_2$ stimulated atrial ANP secretion and promoted positive inotropy by activating $PPAR{\gamma}$ in beating rat atria. MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways were each partially involved in regulating $PGD_2$-induced atrial ANP secretion.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.582-587
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• 2020

It is well known that oxidative stress participates in neuronal cell death caused production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The increased ROS is a major contributor to the development of ischemic injury. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) is involved in the kynurenine pathway in tryptophan metabolism and plays a role as an anti-oxidant. However, whether IDO-1 would inhibit hippocampal cell death is poorly known. Therefore, we explored the effects of cell permeable Tat-IDO-1 protein against oxidative stress-induced HT-22 cells and in a cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury model. Transduced Tat-IDO-1 reduced cell death, ROS production, and DNA fragmentation and inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation in H₂O₂ exposed HT-22 cells. In the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury model, Tat-IDO-1 transduced into the brain and passing by means of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) significantly prevented hippocampal neuronal cell death. These results suggest that Tat-IDO-1 may present an alternative strategy to improve from the ischemic injury.