• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2011

Traditionally, the thorns of Gleditsia sinensis LAM. (GS) have been used for the treatment of various types of cancer and heart, skin, vascular and inflammatory diseases. However, there have been no reports on the antinociceptive or antiinflammatory properties of the thorn of GS. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the ethanolic extract of GS (EEGS) and its sub-fractions. The administration of EEGS (500 mg/kg) or its butanolic fraction (50 and 100 mg/kg) reduced the frequency of the acetic acid-induced writhing reflex in mice. In addition, the administration of the butanolic fraction of EEGS (50 and 100 mg/kg) prolonged the latency of reaction at the hot plate in mice. The butanolic fraction of EEGS also inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide, prostaglandin $E_2$, and tumor necrosis factor-$\acute{a}$ production in the RAW 264.7 cell line. These results suggest that EEGS has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and is a potential therapeutic for inflammation and nociception.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2014

The stiffness of cancer cells is attributable to intermediate filaments such as keratin. Perinuclear reorganization via phosphorylation of specific serine residue in keratin is implicated in the deformability of metastatic cancer cells including the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line (PANC-1). 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is a potent tumor promoter and protein kinase C (PKC) activator. However, its effects on phosphorylation and reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) are not well known. Therefore, we examined the underlying mechanism and effect of TPA on K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. TPA induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8 and transglutaminase-2 (Tgase-2) expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner in PANC-1 cells. These effects peaked after 45 min and 100 nM of TPA treatment. We next investigated, using cystamine (CTM), Tgase inhibitor, and Tgase-2 gene silencing, Tgase-2's possible involvement in TPA-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. We found that Tgase-2 gene silencing inhibited K8 phosphorylation and reorganization in PANC-1 cells. Tgase-2 gene silencing, we additionally discovered, suppressed TPA-induced migration of PANC-1 cells and Tgase-2 overexpression induced migration of PANC-1 cells. Overall, these results suggested that TPA induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization via Tgase-2 expression in PANC-1 cells.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.1 s.56
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• pp.65-71
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• 2007

유산균(Lactic acid bacteria)은 Escherichia coli와 Salmonella typhimurium과 같은 병원균에 대한 항균활성을 나타낼 뿐만 아니라 면역 증강효과를 나타내는 등 인체내에서 건강에 이로운 다양한 역할을 수행하는 것으로 알려졌다. 특히, Pediococcus pentosaseus와 몇몇 Lactobacillus 종으로부터 분리한 항균활성을 나타내는 peptide들인 safelac과 lactopad는 몇몇 암세포주의 성장을 억제하는 것으로 나타났다. 이에, 본 연구에서는 HT-29, SW 480 및 Caco-2와 같은 3종류의 인간의 결장암 세포주에 safelac과 lactopad를 투여하여 이들이 항암효과를 나타낼 수 있는 지를 분석하고자 하였다. XTT assay는 safelaf과 lactopad가 HT-29, SW 480 및 Caco-2의 성장을 억제하는 것으로 나타났으며, 특히, 이들 peptide들을 72시간동안 처리했을 때 나타나는 항암효과는 $3.1{\sim}100mg/mL$의 농도범위에서 유의한 결과를 나타내었으며, 분석한 농도 범위에서 용량 의존적인 방식으로 더 강한 효과를 나타내었다. RAW 264.7 세포주는 cytokine인 tumor-necrosis factor(TNF-${\alpha}$)의 생성에 미치는 이들 peptide들의 효과를 조사하기 위한 대식세포의 모델로써 이용되었다. RAW 264.7 세포주에서 TNF-${\alpha}$의 생성은 이들 peptide들에 의해 48시간 배양시 용량에 의존적인 방식으로 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서, 이러한 발견은 safelac과 lactopad와 같은 유산균으로부터 분리한 항균 peptide들이 결장암 세포에 대한 화학적 예방제로서의 잠재성을 갖고 있음을 시사하는 결과로서 주목된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1047-1055
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• 2015

For the search of a potent first-in-class compound to inactivate macrophages responsible for inflammatory responses, in the present study, we investigated the anti-nflammatory effects of YH-1118, a novel synthetic compound, in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line, Raw 264.7. YH-1118 inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression at both the protein and mRNA levels. The suppression of LPS-induced iNOS expression by YH-1118 was mediated via nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), but not activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor. This was supported by the finding that YH-1118 attenuated the phosphorylation of inhibitor of κBα (IκBα) and nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of NF-κB. Through the mechanisms that YH-1118 inhibited the activation of IκB kinases (IKKs), upstream activators of NF-κB, or p38 MAPK, YH-1118 significantly suppressed LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that YH-1118 inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses by blocking IKK and NF-κB activation in macrophages, and may be a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Objectives : Mori Folium is one of the traditional medicinal herb. It was commonly used for sericulture in the world and has been traditionally administered as natural therapeutic agent for the treatment of filariasis, diabetes and dropsy in East Asia. This study investigated an anti-inflammatory potential of Mori Folium ethanol extract (MFE). Methods : We examined the effects of MFE on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. Results : MFE inhibited production of NO and $PGE_2$ in a dose dependent manner and also decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$. As a plausible molecular mechanism, increased degradation of I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and phosphorylation of I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAP kinases by LPS were partly blocked by MFE treatment. Conclusions : These results suggest that MFE has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential, which may result from inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and MAPK phosphorylation, thereby decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.31-48
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• 2004

Objective : KagamJwagwiEum(KJE) has been used for the purpose of prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma and allergic asthma in Korea. To investigate the biological effect of KJE, the author examined cytotoxicity and inflammatory cytokines secretion with human leukemic mast cell line, HMC-1. Methods: HMC-1 was stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA) and calcium ionophore A23187. KJE by itself had no effect on viability of HMC-l. The effects of KJE on the secretion of tumor necrosis $factor-alpha(TNF-{\alpha})$, interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-8 from HMC-1 were evaluated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results : KJE inhibited PMA plus A23187-induced $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 secretion. But KJE had no effect IL-8 secretion: KJE had immunoregulatory effects on cytokines, increased secretion of NO and $TNF-{\alpha}$ but did not effect IL-12 secretion when the cells were primed and trigged with $IFN-{\gamma}$ in the peritoneal macrophages of C57BL/6 mice. Conclusions : Taken together, these results suggest that KJE inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines in HMC-1 cells and activate macrophages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1823-1829
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• 2014

Aims: Much evidence suggests that increased glucose metabolism in tumor cells might contribute to the development of acquired chemoresistance. However, the molecular mechanisms are not fully clear. Therefore, we investigated a possible correlation of mRNA expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and GLUT1 with chemoresistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: Bone marrow samples were obtained from newly diagnosed and relapsed AML (M3 exclusion) cases. RNA interference with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was used to stably silence GLUT1 or HIF-$1{\alpha}$ gene expression in an AML cell line and HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and GLUT1 mRNA expression was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (qPCR). Results: High levels of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and GLUT1 were associated with poor responsiveness to chemotherapy in AML. Down-regulation of the expression of GLUT1 by RNA interference obviously sensitized drug-resistant HL-60/ADR cells to adriamycin (ADR) in vitro, comparable with RNA interference for the HIF-$1{\alpha}$ gene. Conclusions: Our data revealed that over-expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and GLUT1 might play a role in the chemoresistance of AML. GLUT1 might be a potential target to reverse such drug resistance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1899-1902
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• 2016

Background: Despite the fact that testicular cancer is a major health issue with its increasing incidence, very few studies have described its characteristics in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon. Materials and Methods: We report in this paper a retrospective pilot study of the characteristics of testicular cancer in Lebanon. The demographic, epidemiologic and survival characteristics of 178 patients diagnosed between 1990 and 2015 at an oncology clinic affiliated to Hotel Dieu de France Hospital were analyzed. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was $32{\pm}10years$. The most prevalent testicular tumor was the germ cell type (GCT) (95.2%) of which non-seminomatous tumors (NST) were the commonest (64.7%). Most of our patients were diagnosed at an early stage. Lymph node spread affected most commonly the retroperitoneal region and distant visceral metastases occurred in 14.6%. All patients underwent orchiectomy with 67% receiving adjuvant treatment, mainly chemotherapy. After a median follow up of 2,248 days (75.9 months) 16 patients were reported dead. Two, five and ten-year overall survival rates were 96%, 94% and 89% respectively. The median overall survival rate was not reached. Conclusions: Despite being part of the developing world, demographic, epidemiologic and survival analyses of testicular cancer reported in our study are in line with those reported from developed countries and would allow us to extrapolate management plans from these populations.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.1 s.128
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• pp.64-68
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• 2002

Eighty methanol extracts prepared from Vietnamese plants were tested for their cytotoxic activity against A549 cells, a human lung carcinoma cell line. Nine extracts showed survival rates of tumor cells of less than 30% at $100\:{\mu}g/mL$ of the methanol extracts. Among them, three were less than 15%; Meliosma pinnata (VK03, 4%), Goniothalamus vietnamensis (VK05, 06, 0%), Garcinia sp. (VK50, 51, 0%) and Aglaia aphanamixis (VK63, 11%). Both leaf and root extracts of Goniothalamus vietnamensis and the leaf extract of a Garcinia species completely inhibited the growth of A549 cells at the concentration of $100\:{\mu}g/mL$ methanol extract.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2008

In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects by kaempferol-3-O-${\beta}$-D-sophoroside (KS) isolated from Sophora japonica (Leguminosae) on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin ($PGE_2$) production by RAW 264.7 cell line compared with kaempferol. KS significantly inhibited the LPS-induced NO and $PGE_2$ production. Consistent with these observations, KS reduced the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at the protein and mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the release and the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were also reduced by KS. Moreover, KS attenuated the LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF{-\kappa}B$), a transcription factor necessary for pro-inflammatory mediators, iNOS, COX-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 expression. These results suggest that the down regulation of iNOS, COX-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and IL-6 expression by KS are achieved by the downregulation of $NF{-\kappa}B$ activity, and that is also responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects.