• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2023

This study is to determine the regulation of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) by edaravone in mice with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH). C57BL/6J mice were reared in a hypoxic chamber. HPH mice were treated with edaravone or edaravone + L-NMMA (a NOS inhibitor). Lung tissue was collected for histological assessment, apoptosis analysis, and detection of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and NOS3. The levels of serum TNF-α and IL-6 were also measured. Immunohistochemistry was used to visualize the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) in pulmonary arterioles. Edaravone treatment improved hemodynamics, inhibited right ventricular hypertrophy, increased NOS3 expression, and reduced pathological changes, pulmonary artery wall thickness, apoptotic pulmonary cells, oxidative stress, and the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and α-SMA in HPH mice. L-NMMA treatment counteracted the lung protective effects of edaravone. In conclusion, edaravone might reduce lung damage in HPH mice by increasing the expression of NOS3.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1251-1256
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• 2003

To determine the effect of Zibachunggan-tang(ZCT) on the process of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-kBp65 (NF-kBp65) activation, and LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory proteins including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in HepG2 cell. Immunoblot analysis showed that the level of nucleic NF-kBp65 was rapidly up-regulated and cytosolic inhibitory I-kBα was down-regulated by LPS challenge. While ZCT inhibited an increase of NF-kBp65 and degradation of I-kBα in HepG2 cell. Beside LPS-induced expression of a group of genes, such as TNF-α, inducible iNOS and COX-2, are repressed by ZCT. It may be concluded that ZCT attenuates the progress of LPS-induced inflammation by reduction of NF-kBp65 activation. The ZCT would be useful as a therapeutic agent for endotoxin-induced liver disease.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.261-268
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• 2021

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) on proliferation, migration, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in canine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). The proliferation and migration of BMSCs were examined after treatment with CMC. The effect of CMC on the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, was also evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the proliferation assay, no significant changes were found at all CMC concentrations compared with controls. The migration assay showed that CMC dose-dependently stimulated the migration of BMSCs in normal and LPS-treated conditions. RT-PCR showed that TNF-α and IL-10 expressions were suppressed in the BMSCs after CMC treatment. However, other genes were not affected. Taken together, CMC promoted BMSC migration and inhibited TNF-α and IL-10. Therefore, CMC may be possible to regulate wound healing when mesenchymal stem cells are applied in inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1039-1049
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• 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by immune dysregulation. Meanwhile, the supernatant of lactic acid bacteria (SL) was recently reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) are widely used for studying AD-like responses. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of SL from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT keratinocytes, and then we investigated the strains' probiotic properties. SL was noncytotoxic and regulated chemokines (macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)) and cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-25, and IL-33) in TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced HaCaT keratinocytes. SL from Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus MG4644, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MG4693, and Lactococcus lactis MG5474 decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Furthermore, the safety of the three strains was demonstrated via hemolysis, bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, and toxicity tests, and the stability was confirmed under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Therefore, L. rhamnosus MG4644, L. paracasei MG4693, and Lc. lactis MG5474 have potential applications in functional food as they are stable and safe for intestinal epithelial cells and could improve atopic inflammation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2010

Purpose : Adiponectin is an endogenous modulator of vascular remodeling that suppresses vascular inflammation. However, the role of adiponectin in Kawasaki disease (KD) has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between serum adiponectin level and several parameters, such as interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$, lipid profile, and C reactive protein (CRP), and to clarify the association between adiponectin and cardiac function. Methods : Twenty-two KD patients (22 patients in acute phase and 20 patients in subacute phase) were enrolled in the study group. The control group consisted of 31 subjects (13 febrile patients and 18 healthy children). Both groups underwent blood sampling and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Results : CRP was significantly increased in the KD group compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in serum $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and adiponectin levels between groups. However, a negative correlation was found between adiponectin level and CRP level or platelet count. Systolic myocardial velocity and A myocardial velocity measured by TDI were decreased significantly in the acute KD group compared with the subacute KD group and control group. Positive correlations were found between adiponectin level and systolic myocardial velocity or A myocardial velocity. Conclusion : In acute KD patients, low adiponectin level was related to severe inflammatory reactions and decreased left ventricular functions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1207-1211
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• 2008

The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) is an important mediator of the immune response in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Since the production of TNF-$\alpha$ is mostly regulated at the transcriptional level and polymorphisms in the TNF-$\alpha$ promoter alter its expression, TNF-$\alpha$ promoter polymorphisms could affect the pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection. In this study, we investigated the potential association of TNF-$\alpha$ promoter polymorphisms with chronic HBV infection. The study included 181 patients with chronic HBV infection, 201 persons who had been spontaneously recovered from hepatitis B, and 170 unrelated healthy controls. The -308G/A and -238G/A polymorphisms in the TNF-$\alpha$ promoter were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The distribution of both the -308 and -238 genotypes in the patient group was not statistically different from that in the spontaneous recovery and control groups (p>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the allele frequency between the groups (p>0.05). The results suggest that the TNF-$\alpha$ -308 and -238 promoter polymorphisms are not associated with the development of chronic HBV infection in the Korean population.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2019

Objectives : Nypa fruticans Wurmb. (NF) have been used as a traditional medicine to treat inflammatory diseases in East-South Asia. However, it is largely undiscovered whether NF water extract could exhibit anti-inflammatory activities against tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)-induced inflammatory responses on human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of NF water extract on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses in HaCaT cells. Methods : To investigate the anti-inflammatory activites of NF water extract in HaCaT cells, the inflammatory model of HaCaT cells was established under a suitable concentration (10 ng/ml) of human TNF-${\alpha}$ (hTNF-${\alpha}$). HaCaT keratinocyte cells were pre-treated with NF water extract for 1 h, and then stimulated with hTNF-${\alpha}$. Then, the cells were harvested to measure the inflammatory mediators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and pro-inflammatory cytokine including TNF-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6. In addition, we examined the inhibitory mechanisms of NF, mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inhibitory kappa B alpha ($I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$) Results : The treatment of NF inhibited the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced elevation of iNOS, COX-2, and $PGE_2$ in HaCaT cells. In addition, NF treatment inhibited the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced elevation of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6. Furthermore, NF treatment inhibited the activation of MAPKs but not degradation of $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$. Conclusions : Taken together, our result suggest that treatment of NF could inhibit the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses via deactivation of MAPKs in HaCaT cells. This study could suggest that NF could be a beneficial agent to prevent skin damage or inflammation.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.195-202
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Apoptosis is an outstanding determinant of glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) have been demonstrated to be associated with apoptosis in diseases models. However, the role of hUC-MSCs in GC-induced ONFH via regulating apoptosis still needs further study. Methods and Results: In the present study, a GC-induced ONFH model was built in vivo through a consecutive injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and methylprednisolone. The necrosis and apoptosis of the femoral head was evaluated by histological and Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl Transferase Mediated Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. The level of collagen and TRAP positive cells were determined by Masson and TRAP staining, respectively. M1 macrophage polarization was assessed using immunofluorescence assay. The level of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 of femoral head was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The protein expression of AKT, mTOR, p-AKT and p-mTOR was detected using western blot assay. The results showed that hUC-MSCs treatment prominently promoted the GC-induced the decrease of the collagen level and the increase of TRAP positive cells. Besides, hUC-MSCs treatment decreased necrosis and apoptosis, macrophage polarization, the level of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, the protein expression of p-AKT and p-mTOR, and the radio of p-AKT to AKT and p-mTOR to mTOR of femoral head in vivo. Conclusions: Therefore, the present study revealed that hUC-MSCs improved the necrosis and osteocyte apoptosis in GC-induced ONFH model through reducing the macrophage polarization, which was associated with the inhibition of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.354-360
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• 2022

This research was designed to evaluate the possible anti-inflammatory effects of Carex scabrifolia Steud. extract using RAW264.7 cells. The assessments of these effects were based on cell viability assay, mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and levels of nitric oxide (NO)/prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) production. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that treatment with C. scabrifolia Steud. extract decreased the mRNA levels of iNOS, COX2, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα. Furthermore, from the production levels of PGE₂/NO, it can be inferred that C. scabrifolia Steud. extract exhibited anti-inflammatory properties. These results suggest that C. scabrifolia Steud. extract contains anti-inflammatory compound(s), and consequently, that it may have applications as a potent cosmeceutical material.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.556-561
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• 2023

Oldenlandia diffusa (OD), a member of the Rubiaceae family, has been used for treating inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, the anti-atopic effects of OD are not completely understood yet. Thus, the aim of the present study was to elucidate beneficial effects of OD on atopic dermatitis (AD) in vivo. We examined the pharmacological effects of OD on compound 48/80- or histamine-induced scratching behaviors and 2, 4-dinitrochlrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesions in mice. Additionally, we evaluated regulatory effects of OD on the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions. Results showed that OD inhibited the scratching behavior and AD symptoms. It also decreased serum levels of IgE and histamine in mice. Moreover, OD significantly ameliorated the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in AD-like skin lesion. These finding suggest experimental evidence of that OD's potential for treating AD.