• Perinatology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.170-174
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• 2018

Objective: Progesterone is used to prevent recurrent preterm delivery, however the molecular mechanisms of its effect are incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of progesterone on tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity in human choriodecidual (CD) membranes. Methods: We collected CD membranes from women with uncomplicated term pregnancies who were scheduled for elective cesarean delivery (n=10). CD membranes ($1{\times}1cm$) were incubated in tissue culture media at $37^{\circ}C$. We pre-treated the CD membranes with progesterone (P4), $17{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P), promegestone (R5020), or vehicle (ethanol) for 24 hours. The CD membranes were subsequently treated with $TNF-{\alpha}$ (with continued progesterone treatment) for 48 hours, then media was harvested for measuring MMP-9 activity by zymography and total protein was isolated from CD membrane tissues for MMP-9 expression by western blot analysis. Results: P4, 17P, and R5020 significantly reduced $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced MMP-9 activity in fetal membrane tissue samples (P=0.0078, P=0.0156, and P=0.0391, respectively) by zymography. Western blot analysis also showed decreased expression of MMP-9 in progesterone pretreated groups (P=0.0313). Conclusion: Progesterone reduces $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced MMP-9 activity in human CD membranes. These findings may provide further support for the role of progesterone in preventing preterm birth.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.205-209
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• 2001

Mesenchymal cells from the leg buds of stage 24-chick embryos differentiated into chondrocytes when plated at high density. Treatment of high density micromass culture of chick mesenchymal cells with cytochalasin D(CD, 2 $\mu$M for 24 h) resulted in inhibition of chondrogenesis. CD treatment was found to affect the expression of the contractile protein $\alpha$-smooth muscle actin ($\alpha$-SM actin). In control cultures, $\alpha$-SM actin uniformly expressed from culture day 2, but the CD-treated cells induced expression of $\alpha$-SM actin from the first day of culture followed by a continuous increase. Expression of pan-cadherin (P-cadherin) decreased as chondrogenesis proceeded in the control culture, whereas the CD-treated cells showed sustained expression. These results propose a close connection of chondrogenic differentiation with expression of $\alpha$-SM actin and P-cadherin.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.164-172
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• 2010

Background: We tested the hypothesis that dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is associated with a $T_H1$-skewed immune response as opposed to dengue fever (DF). Methods: We estimated intracellular (in T-cells) and serum levels of designate $T_H1/T_H2$ cytokines [interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$] and macrophage inflammatory protein-$1{\alpha}$ (MIP-$1{\alpha}$) at admission, 48h, and day 5 in 20 adults with dengue (DF=10, DHF=10) and 10 dengue-naive healthy controls. Results: At admission, intracellular IFN-${\gamma}$/IL-4 ratio in CD4+ T-cells and proportion of MIP-$1{\alpha}$-positive CD8+ T-cells were significantly higher in patients with DHF [7.21 (5.36~10.81) vs. 3.04 (1.75~4.02); p=0.011 and 6.2% (3.2~8.2%) vs. 2.4% (2.0~3.6%); p=0.023]. The latter showed a significant positive correlation with IFN-${\gamma}$/IL-4 ratio in CD4+ T-cells (Spearman's rho=0.64; p=0.003), percentage-change in haematocrit (rho=0.47; p=0.048), and serum alanine amino-transferase level (rho=0.61; p=0.009). Conclusion: We conclude that DHF is associated with a $T_H1$-skewed immune response. Further, MIP-$1{\alpha}$ in CD8+ T-cells is an important immunologic correlate of disease severity in dengue.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.253-258
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• 1985

It was aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism which is elevated the systemic arterial blood pressure by cadmium(Cd). By using the isolated vas deferens and tail artery from Cd-poisoned rats, it was undertaken to see whether the ${\alpha}-adrenoceptor$ activity and prostaglandins action on the twitch response to electrical stimulation were altered. It was discussed in relation with sympathetic nerve activity. The response to electrical stimulation in vas deferens from Cd-poisoned rats was much enhanced, and frequency 50(Freq.50) was significantly lowered, comparing to control. However, the response of rat tail artery was attenuated by Cd. Inhibitory action of clonidine on the twitch response of vas deferens to electrical stimulation was decreased by Cd-poisoning. However, the increase in response in the presence of methoxamine was not affected. The inhibitory action of prostaglandin $E_2$ on the twitch response in the vas deferens but not in the tail artery was abolished or rather inverted by Cd-poisoning. In the tail artery from Cd-poisoned rats, the maximum contraction to methoxamine or clonidine was significantly decreased, however, $ED_{50}$ of both agonists was not changed. These results suggest that in vas deferens the autoreceptor of presynaptic membrane is inhibited by Cd-poisoning, by which mechanism the sympathetic activity is being enhanced and this alteration may be causally related to the elevation of arterial pressure.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 1986

Inclusion complexation of $\alpha$-cyclodextrin($\alpha$-CD), $\beta$-cyclodextrin($\beta$-CD) and tri-O-methyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin(tri-O-methyl-$\beta$-CD) with chlorpamide(CPA) in aqueous solution and in the solid state were studied by the solubility method, spectroscopy (UV, IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffractometry, and all their molar ratios were found to be 1:1. The solid complexes of CPA with three kinds of cyclodextrins were prepared by a freezedrying method, and their dissolution behaviors were examined. As a result, the release of CPA from the inclusion complexes was significantly improved. The intrinsic dissolution rate of CPA in cyclodextrin inclusion complexes was about 51 times ($\alpha$-CD inclusion complex) and 12 tmies ($\beta$-CD inclusion complex) larger than that of intact CPA.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.444-449
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• 1991

Synthesis of maltosyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin using maltose ($G_2$) and $\beta$-cyclodextrin ($\beta$-CD) as substrates through the reverse reaction of pullulanase was investigated. The optimal conditions for the condensation reaction were as below: mixing ratio of maltose to $\beta$-CD of 12.7, mixed substrate concentration of 70% (w/w, 70 g/100 ml $H_2O$), and amount of pullulanse of 350 units/100 ml. The concentration of synthesized maltosyl-P-CD concentration was reached up to 2.31 g/100 rnl at above reaction conditions, which corresponded the conversion yield of 43% (w/w, g of branched-CD/g of CD). The synthesis of maltosyl-$\alpha >\gamma >\beta$-CD was also attempted, and conversion yield was in the order of a>y>J3-CDs. Condensation reaction between various maltooligosaccharides ($G-1\sim G_6$ showed that maltose was the most effective oligorner for condensation reaction with $\beta$-CD. To increase the conversion yield various alcohols were added into the reaction mixture, amyl alcohol was found to be the most acceptable alcohol for increasement of convesion yield which increased from 43.0 to 83.0% upon addition of same volume of amyl alcohol into the reaction mixture.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2015

Objective : The aim of this study was to explore the immunity in rats transplanted with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) and acellular nerve (ACN) for repairing sciatic nerve defects. Methods : ADSCs were isolated from the adipose tissues of Wistar rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a sciatic nerve defect model and then divided into four groups, according to the following methods : Group A, allogenic nerve graft; Group B, allograft with ACN; Group C, allograft ADSCs+ACN, and Group D, nerve autograft. Results : At the day before transplantation and 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after transplantation, orbital venous blood of the Sprague-Dawley rats in each group was collected to detect the proportion of $CD3^+$, $CD4^+$, and $CD8^+$ subsets using flow cytometry and to determine the serum concentration of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and $interferon-{\gamma}$ ($IFN-{\gamma}$) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). At each postoperative time point, the proportion of $CD3^+$, $CD4^+$, and $CD8^+$ subsets and the serum concentration of IL-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ in group C were all near to those in group B and group D, in which no statistically significant difference was observed. As compared with group A, the proportion of $CD3^+$, $CD4^+$, and $CD8^+$ subsets and the serum concentration of IL-2, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ were significantly reduced in group C (p<0.05). Conclusion : The artificial nerve established with ADSCs and ACN has no obvious allograft rejection for repairing rat nerve defects.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2002

The formation of inclusion complexes between cyclodextrin(CD) and Congo red was studied by spectrophotometric methods at various temperatures. The cavity sizes are 0.49 nm, 0.62 nm for $\alpha$-and $\beta$-CD, respectively. Therefore, $\alpha$-CD was not found to form an inclusion complex with Congo red due to steric hinderance. In the $\beta$-CD use two $\beta$-CD molecules formed an inclusion complex with one molecule of Congo red, from the slope of the S-shaped curve increased. Two prominent isosbestic points appear at 346 nm and 478 nm. The formation constants were decreased with the increasing temperatures, due to low binding energy between $\beta$-CD and Congo red. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated from the plot of $lnK_f$ vs 1/T. The $\Delta$H, $\Delta$S and $\Delta$G were -50.73 kJ/mol, $-108.96J/K{\cdot}mol$ and -18.26 kJ/mol, respectively.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2013

Ribavirin is an antiviral drug used in combination with pegylated interferon-${\alpha}$ (IFN-${\alpha}$) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Recently, ribavirin was reported to inhibit the suppressive activity of regulatory T (Treg) cells. In the present study, we re-evaluated the effect of ribavirin on $CD4^+$ $CD4^+$ $CD25^+$ Treg cells from normal donors. First, we examined the expression of CTLA-4 and CD39, which are known to play a role in the suppressive function of Treg cells. We found that ribavirin treatment did not modulate the expression of CTLA-4 and CD39 in Treg cells. We also studied the effect of ribavirin on Treg cells in the presence of IFN-${\alpha}$; however, the expression of CTLA-4 and CD39 in Treg cells was not changed by ribavirin in the presence of IFN-${\alpha}$. Next, we directly evaluated the effect of ribavirin on the suppressive activity of Treg cells in the standard Treg suppression assay, by co-culturing CFSE-labeled non-Treg $CD4^+$ T cells with purified Treg cells. We found that ribavirin did not attenuate the suppressive activity of Treg cells. Taken together, while ribavirin reversed Treg cell-mediated suppression of effector T cells in the previous study, we herein demonstrate that ribavirin does not impair the suppressive activity of Treg cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2007

Acanthopanacis Cortex (AC) has been popularly used as an herbal medicine for medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, impotence and diabetes. Here, we investigated immunostimulating effects of the aqueous extract of AC on macrophage. We studied nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ release in response to AC treatment, as they are important secretory products of macrophage. AC alone induce the NO and TNF-${\alpha}$ production. AC increase c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation but does not p38 activation in RAW 264.7 cells. Also AC resulted in the enhanced cell-surface expression of CD80 and CD14. In addition, AC resulted in enhanced T cell-stimulatory capacity and increased T cell secretion of interferon (IFN)-gamma. After feeding with AC to mouse for 10 days, the change of $CD28^+$ and $CD40^+$ population was analyzed. AC increased $CD28^+$ population in splenocytes in vivo. These studies indicate that AC induces macrophage activation and suggest the possible use of AC in macrophage-based immunotherapies.