• 대한유전성대사질환학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.15-20
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• 2022

The most common urea cycle disorder is ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. More than 80 percent of patients with symptomatic ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency are late-onset, which can present various phenotypes from infancy to adulthood. With no regards to the severity of the disease, characteristic fluctuating courses due to hyperammonemia may develop unexpectedly, and can be precipitated by various metabolic stressors. Late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency is not merely related to a type of genetic variation, but also to the complex relationship between genetic and environmental factors that result in hyperammonemia; therefore, it is difficult to predict the prevalence of neurological symptoms in late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Most common acute neurological manifestations include psychological changes, seizures, cerebral edema, and death; subacute neurological manifestations include developmental delays, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, executive function deficits, and emotional and behavioral problems. This review aims to increase awareness of late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, allowing for an efficient use of biochemical and genetic tests available for diagnosis, ultimately leading to earlier treatment of patients.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.80-88
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• 2022

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, ranking second for the number of cancer-related deaths. Metastasis has been reported as the main cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is a transcription factor that functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion. In our previous efforts to generate natural product-motivated PPAR-γ ligands, the compounds 1 and 2 were obtained. These compounds activated PPAR-γ and inhibited the migration and invasion of HCT116 colorectal cancer cells, and they were also found to inhibit the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which is a key process in cancer metastasis. Compounds 1 and 2 upregulated expression of the epithelial marker (E-cadherin), and downregulated expression of the mesenchymal marker (N-cadherin) and transcriptional factor (Snail). Therefore, the PPAR-γ agonists 1 and 2 could serve as a valuable model for the study on anti-metastatic leads for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

• 대한치과마취과학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.49-56
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• 2014

Background: Propofol (2.6-diisopropylphenol) is a widely used intravenous anesthetic agent for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia during surgeries and sedation for ICU patients. Propofol has a structural similarity to the endogenous antioxidant vitamin E and exhibits antioxidant activities.13) However, the mechanism of propofol on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury has yet to be fully elucidated. We investigated how P-PostC influences the autophagy and cell death, a cellular damage occurring during the H/R injury. Methods: The groups were randomly divided into the following groups: Control: cells were incubated in normoxia (5% CO2, 21% O2, and 74% N2) without propofol treatment. H/R: cells were exposed to 24 h of hypoxia (5% CO2, 1% O2, and 94% N2) followed by 12 h of reoxygenation (5% CO2, 21% O2, and 74% N2). H/R + P-PostC: cells post-treated with propofol were exposed to 24 h of hypoxia followed by 12 h of reoxygenation. 3-MA + P-PostC: cells pretreated with 3-MA and post-treated propofol were exposed to 24 h of hypoxia followed by 12 h of reoxygenation Results: The results of our present study provides a new direction of research on mechanisms of propofol-mediated cytoprotection. There are three principal findings of these studies. First, the application of P-PostC at the onset of reoxygenation after hypoxia significantly increased COS-7 cell viability. Second, the cellular protective effect of P-PostC in H/R induced COS-7 cells was probably related to activation of intra-cellular autophagy. And third, the autophagy pathway inhibitor 3-MA blocked the protective effect of P-PostC on cell viability, suggesting a key role of autophagy in cellular protective effect of P-PostC. Conclusions: These data provided evidence that P-PostC reduced cell death in H/R model of COS-7 cells, which was in agreement with the protection by P-PostC demonstrated in isolated COS-7 cells exposed to H/R injury. Although the this study could not represent the protection by P-PostC in vivo, the data demonstrate another model in which endogenous mechanisms evoked by P-PostC protected the COS-7 cells exposed to H/R injury from cell death.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.311-319
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• 2018

Mitochondrial calcium overload is a crucial event in determining the fate of neuronal cell survival and death, implicated in pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. One of the driving forces of calcium influx into mitochondria is mitochondria membrane potential (${\Delta}{\psi}_m$). Therefore, pharmacological manipulation of ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ can be a promising strategy to prevent neuronal cell death against brain insults. Based on these issues, we investigated here whether nobiletin, a Citrus polymethoxylated flavone, prevents neurotoxic neuronal calcium overload and cell death via regulating basal ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ against neuronal insult in primary cortical neurons and pure brain mitochondria isolated from rat cortices. Results demonstrated that nobiletin treatment significantly increased cell viability against glutamate toxicity ($100{\mu}M$, 20 min) in primary cortical neurons. Real-time imaging-based fluorometry data reveal that nobiletin evokes partial mitochondrial depolarization in these neurons. Nobiletin markedly attenuated mitochondrial calcium overload and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in glutamate ($100{\mu}M$)-stimulated cortical neurons and isolated pure mitochondria exposed to high concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ ($5{\mu}M$). Nobiletin-induced partial mitochondrial depolarization in intact neurons was confirmed in isolated brain mitochondria using a fluorescence microplate reader. Nobiletin effects on basal ${\Delta}{\psi}_m$ were completely abolished in $K^+-free$ medium on pure isolated mitochondria. Taken together, results demonstrate that $K^+$ influx into mitochondria is critically involved in partial mitochondrial depolarization-related neuroprotective effect of nobiletin. Nobiletin-induced mitochondrial $K^+$ influx is probably mediated, at least in part, by activation of mitochondrial $K^+$ channels. However, further detailed studies should be conducted to determine exact molecular targets of nobiletin in mitochondria.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.167-179
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• 2019

Ovarian cancer is the fifth main cause of pre-senescent death in women. Although chemotherapy is generally an efficient treatment, its side effects and the occurrence of chemotherapeutic resistance have prompted the need for alternative treatments. In this study, ${\alpha}$-mangostin and apigenin were evaluated as possible anticancer alternatives to the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin, used herein as a positive control. The ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line SKOV-3 (ATCC No. HTB77) was used as model ovarian cancer cells, whereas the skin fibroblast line CCD-986Sk (ATCC No. CRL-1947) and lung fibroblast line WI-38 (ATCC No. CCL-75) were used as model untransformed cells. Apigenin and doxorubicin inhibited the growth of SKOV-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. After 72 hr exposure, doxorubicin was mostly toxic to SKOV-3 cells, whereas apigenin was toxic to SKOV-3 cells but not CCD-986Sk and WI-38 cells. ${\alpha}$-Mangostin was more toxic to SKOV-3 cells than to CCD-986Sk cells. A lower cell density, cell shrinkage, and more unattached (floating round) cells were observed in all treated SKOV-3 cells, but the greatest effects were observed with ${\alpha}$-mangostin. With regard to programmed cell death, apigenin caused early apoptosis within 24 hr, whereas ${\alpha}$-mangostin and doxorubicin caused late apoptosis and necrosis after 72 hr of exposure. Caspase-3 activity was significantly increased in ${\alpha}$-mangostin-treated SKOV-3 cells after 12 hr of exposure, whereas only caspase-9 activity was significantly increased in apigenin-treated SKOV-3 cells at 24 hr. Both ${\alpha}$-mangostin and apigenin arrested the cell cycle at the $G_2/M$ phase, but after 24 and 48 hr, respectively. Significant upregulation of BCL2 (apoptosis-associated gene) and COX2 (inflammation-associated gene) transcripts was observed in apigenin- and ${\alpha}$-mangostin-treated SKOV-3 cells, respectively. ${\alpha}$-Mangostin and apigenin are therefore alternative options for SKOV-3 cell inhibition, with apigenin causing rapid early apoptosis related to the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, and ${\alpha}$-mangostin likely being involved with inflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.273-280
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• 2004

Nitric oxide (NO) has been suggested to act as a mediator of cytokine-induced effects of turn over of bone. Activation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by inflammation has been related with apoptotic cell death in osteoblast. YS 49, a synthetic isoquinoline alkaloid, inhibits NO production in macrophages activated with cytokines. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of YS 49 to inhibit iNOS expression in ROS 17/2.8 cells, which were activated with combined treatment of inflammatory cytokines $(TNF-{\alpha},\;IFN-{\gamma})$ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results indicated that YS 49 concentration-dependently reduced iNOS mRNA and protein expression, as evidenced by Northern and Western blot analysis, respectively. The underlying mechanism by which YS 49 suppressed iNOS expression was not to affect iNOS mRNA stability but to inhibit activation and translocation of $NF-_kB$ by preventing the degradation of its inhibitory protein $I_kB_{\alpha}$. As expected, YS 49 prevented NO-induced apoptotic cell death by sodium nitroprusside. Taken together, it is concluded that YS 49 inhibits iNOS expression by interfering with degradation of phosphorylated inhibitory $_kB_{\alpha}\;(p-I_kB_{\alpha})$. These actions may be beneficial for the treatment of inflammation of the joint, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.298-305
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• 2015

최근 종양을 극복하고자 하는 새로운 접근 방법가운데 하나로, 종양세포내에 발현되는 줄기세포 전사인자들(Oct4, Sox2, KLF4 and Lin28)을 억제하여 종양을 치료하는 연구들이 증가하고 있다. 본 실험은 미분화 전사인자를 표적(조절)하는 microRNA-126을 이용하여 난소종양세포들(6종: HSC832(t)c, Ovcar3, Skov3, PA-1, TOV21G and Tov112D)들 생존과 성장에 어떠한 생물학적 변화를 유도하는지 연구하였다. Scramble과 microRNA-126를 난소종양세포들에 처리 후 세포모양 관찰결과 Skov3를 제외한 난소 종양세포들에서 형태학적 모양 변성과 부유현상을 관찰하였다. CCK-8을 이용한 세포분열능 분석에서 Skov3를 제외한 난소 종양세포들의 분열능력이 점차적으로 감소되는 것을 확인하였다. 특히 Tov112D, Tov21G and PA-1에서 각 시간대별로 뚜렷한 세포분열 능력 감소를 확인할 수 있었다. RT-PCR결과 미분화 전사인자들(Sox2, Lin28)의 발현감소를 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과들은 microRNA-126이 다양한 난소 종양세포들을 표적하여 세포분열능과 사멸을 유도할 수 있는 가역적 환경(유전자 발현조절)을 제공함과 동시에 임상 치료에 대한 분자생물학적 단서를 제공할 수 있을 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.12-17
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• 2007

Curcumin은 자연에 존재하는 황색의 페놀성분의 커리 향신료이며 항산화 및 항염증의 성질을 가지고 있어서 산화 스트레스와 면역염증과 관련한 여러 질병의 치료로 사용되어져 왔다. 이러한 curcumin의 항산화 및 항염증 효과는 여러 퇴행성 신경질환으로부터 뇌를 보호하는데 유용하게 적용될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 glutamate에 의한 excitotoxicity로부터 해마신경세포를 보호하는 curcumin의 신경보호효과에 대하여 보고한다. 태아 생쥐의 해마로부터 얻어진 신경세포를 저농도의 curcumin으로 전처리한 경우, 신경세포는 glutamate에 의한 세포사멸로부터 보호되었다. 그러나 이러한 신경보호효과는 산화스트레스의 조절과는 무관하였다. 흥미롭게도 고농도의 curcumin전처리는 오히려 초대배양 신경세포의 세포사멸을 유도하였다. 해마신경세포에서 스트레스 반응 단백질인 HSP70이 저농도의 curcumin을 처리하였을 때 현저하게 증가하였으며 반면 세포사멸의 마커인 절단된 PARP의 양은 고농도의 curcumin을 처리하였을 때 급증함이 immunoblot분석을 통하여 관찰되었다. 이러한 발견은 curcumin이 excitotoxin인 glutamate에 대한 신경세포의 반응을 조절할 수 있음을 보여주고 curcumin과 관련 화합물들의 퇴행성 신경질환에서의 예방 및 치료법으로의 가능성을 제시하고 있다.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.38-48
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• 2011

목 적: 국소성 분절성 사구체 경화증(Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 이하 FSGS)은 소아신부전의 원인 중 가장 흔한 사구체 질환이다. 일차성 FSGS의 병인은 아직 알려져 있지 않으므로, 저자들은 FSGS의 동물 모델을 대상으로 cDNA 마이크로어레이를 이용한 유전자 발현 양상 분석을 통하여 유전자 발현 수준에서의 FSGS의 질환의 특성을 밝히고자 하였다. 방 법: 사람의 일차성 FSGS와 유사한 질병경과를 보이는 동물모델인 FGS/kist 생쥐의 신피질 조직을 대조군 생쥐(FGS/kist 생쥐의 조상 strain인 RFM/kist 생쥐)와 AB 1700 mouse chip을 이용한 마이크로어레이 실험으로 비교하였다. 결 과: FGS 질병특이 유전자가 62개 추출되었다. 이들은 세포주기/사멸, 면역반응과 지질 대사/혈관 질환과 관련된 유전자들로써, 유전자간 network의 중심유전자가 면역반응(TNF, IL-6/4, IFNg)과 세포사멸 조절 유전자(TP 53), 그리고 지질대사의 중요 유전자인 PPARG이었다. 결 론: 이 연구에서 저자들은 자발적인 FSGS의 임상경과를 보이는 FGS/Kist 생쥐의 신장조직의 유전자 발현의 분석을 통하여 신장세포사멸과 면역반응에 뒤따르는 기질 섬유화, 그리고 지질 대사의 이상과 조기 혈관 질환이 FSGS의 병태생리에 기여할 것임을 다시 확인할 수 있었다. 추가적인 연구가 계속된다면 global transcriptome profiling 기법으로 병인 탐색 및 치료방법 개발 에 의미 있는 결과를 도출할 수 있을 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권9호
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• pp.1209-1217
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• 2009

많은 암세포에 선택적 세포독성을 나타내는 TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)는 유효한 항암제로서 사용될 수 있지만, TRAIL에 내성을 나타내는 암세포에는 TRAIL-sensitization의 방법이 필요하다. 사람 대장암 세포인 KMl2 세포도 TRAIL에 내성을 나타낸다. 본 연구에서는 KMl2세포의 TRAIL 내성에 대한 새로운 표적 분자의 발굴과 이를 토대로 한 새로운 내성극복 방법을 연구하였다. 새로운 TRAIL sensitizer로서 quercetin을 발굴하고, 이를 KMl2세포에 TRAIL과 병용 처리하여 TRAIL의 효과증강을 시도하였다. KMl2세포에서 quercetin은 c-FLTP의 발현을 감소시키고, DNA-PK/Akt 신호전달경로를 억제하므로서, death receptors (DR4/DR5) 발현을 증강시켰다. 또한 caspases (caspase 3, -8 및 -9)활성 증강과 PARP cleavage, 이에 따른 Bax의 발현을 증강시키는 기전으로 TRAIL에 의한 apoptosis를 증대시키는 활성이 있음을 밝혔다. 즉 quercetin이 KMl2세포의 TRAIL-sensitization에 사용될 수 있음을 제시하였다. 이러한 연구 결과는 대장암의 치료 시 TRAIL과 quercetin병용하므로서 치료 효과를 높일 수 있는 새로운 약제 병용 방법을 제시하였고, 다른 TRAIL 내성 종양에 응용 될 수 있음을 시사하였다.