• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

[Purpose] Chronic stress is a precipitating factor for depression, whereas exercise is beneficial for both the mood and cognitive process. The current study demonstrates the anti-depressive effects of regular exercise and the mechanisms linked to hippocampal neurogenesis. [Methods] Mice were subjected to 14 consecutive days of restraint, followed by 3 weeks of treadmill running, and were then subjected to behavioral tests that included the forced swimming and Y-maze tests. Protein levels were assessed using western blot analysis and newborn cells were detected using 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). [Results] Three weeks of treadmill running ameliorated the behavioral depression caused by 14 days of continuous restraint stress. The exercise regimen enhanced BrdU-labeled cells and class III β-tubulin levels in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, as well as those of thioredoxin-1 (TRX-1) and synaptosomal β2-adrenergic receptors (β2-AR) under stress. In vitro experiments involving treatment with recombinant human TRX-1 (rhTRX-1) augmented the levels of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), nuclear β-catenin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigens, which were previously inhibited by U0216 and FH535 (inhibitors of ERK1/2 and β-catenin/T cell factor-mediated transcription, respectively). The hippocampal neurogenesis elicited by a 7-day exercise regimen was abolished by a selective inhibitor of β2-AR, butoxamine. [Conclusion] These results suggest that TRX-1-mediated hippocampal neurogenesis by β2-AR function is a potential mechanism underlying the psychotropic effect of exercise.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 2013

TCR subunits are members of membrane-bound receptors which allow the fast and efficient elimination of the specific fish pathogens have regulated function in adaptive immunity. Sequence structure of TCR subunits have been reported for various teleosts, but the information of each TCR subunit functional characterization through expression analysis in fish was unknown. In this study, we examined the gene expression of TCR subunits in the early developmental stages and observed transcript levels in various tissues from healthy adult olive flounder by RT-PCR. The mRNA expression of alpha subunit was already detected in the previous hatching step. But the transcripts of another TCR subunit were not observed during embryo development and increased after hatching and maintained until metamorphosis at the same level. It was found that all TCR subunits mRNAs are commonly expressed in the immune-related organ such as spleen, kidney and gill, also weak expressed in fin and eye. TCR alpha and beta subunit were expressed in brain, whereas gamma and delta were not expressed same tissue. The sequence alignment analysis shows that there are more than 80% sequence homology between TCR subunits. Because it has a high similarity of amino acid sequence to expect similar in function, but expression analysis show that will have may functional diversity due to different time and place of expression.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.148-156
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• 2013

The $PrP^C$ is expressed in many types of immune cells including monocytes and macrophages, however, its function in immune regulation remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined a role for $PrP^C$ in regulation of monocyte function. Specifically, the effect of a soluble form of $PrP^C$ was studied in human monocytes. A recombinant fusion protein of soluble human $PrP^C$ fused with the Fc portion of human IgG1 (designated as soluble $PrP^C$-Fc) bound to the cell surface of monocytes, induced differentiation to macrophage-like cells, and enhanced adherence and phagocytic activity. In addition, soluble $PrP^C$-Fc stimulated monocytes to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6. Both ERK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways were activated in soluble $PrP^C$-treated monocytes, and inhibitors of either pathway abrogated monocyte adherence and cytokine production. Taken together, we conclude that soluble $PrP^C$-Fc enhanced adherence, phagocytosis, and cytokine production of monocytes via activation of the ERK and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2017

Irisin is a novel hormone like polypeptide that is cleaved and secreted by an unknown protease from fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), a membrane-spanning protein and which is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, heart, adipose tissue, and liver. Since its discovery in 2012, it has been the subject of many researches due to its potent physiological role. It is believed that understanding irisin's function may be the key to comprehend many diseases and their development. Irisin is a myokine that leads to increased energy expenditure by stimulating the 'browning' of white adipose tissue. In the first description of this hormone, increased levels of circulating irisin, which is cleaved from its precursor fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5, were associated with improved glucose homeostasis by reducing insulin resistance. Irisin is a powerful messenger, sending the signal to determine the function of specific cells, like skeletal muscle, liver, pancreas, heart, fat and the brain. The action of irisin on different targeted tissues or organs in human being has revealed its physiological functions for promoting health or executing the regulation of variety of metabolic diseases. Numerous studies focus on the association of irisin with metabolic diseases which has gained great interest as a potential new target to combat type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance. Irisin is found to improve insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes by increasing sensitization of the insulin receptor in skeletal muscle and heart by improving hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, promoting pancreatic ${\beta}$ cell functions, and transforming white adipose tissue to brown adipose tissue. This review is a thoughtful attempt to summarize the current knowledge of irisin and its effective role in mediating metabolic dysfunctions in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.68-75
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• 2021

Objectives: The hair follicle is composed of more than 20 kinds of cells, and mesoderm derived dermal papilla cells and keratinocytes cooperatively contribute hair growth via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We are to investigate β-catenin expression and regulatory mechanism by CBD in alopecia hair tissues and dermal papilla cells. Methods: We performed structural and anatomical analyses on alopecia patients derived hair tissues using microscopes. Pharmacological effect of CBD was evaluated by β-catenin expression using RT-PCR and immunostaining experiment. Results: Morphological deformation and loss of cell numbers in hair shaft were observed in alopecia hair tissues. IHC experiment showed that loss of β-catenin expression was shown in inner shaft of the alopecia hair tissues, indicating that β-catenin expression is a key regulatory function during alopecia progression. Consistently, β-catenin expression was decreased in testosterone or PMA treated dermal papilla cells, suggesting that those treatments are referred as a model on molecular mechanism of alopecia using dermal papilla cells. RT-PCR and immunostaining experiments showed that β-catenin expression was decreased in RNA level, as well as decreased β-catenin protein might be resulted from ubiquitination. However, CBD treatment has no changes in gene expression including β-catenin, but the decreased β-catenin expression by testosterone or PMA was restored by CBD pretreatment, suggesting that potential regulatory effect on alopecia induction of testosterone and PMA. Conclusion: CBD might have a modulating function on alopecia caused by hormonal or excess of signaling pathway, and be a promising application for on alopecia treatment.

• International Journal of Oncology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.2117-2126
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• 2019

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a multifunctional cytokine that functions as a growth suppressor in normal epithelial cells and early stage tumors, but acts as a tumor promoter during malignant progression. However, the molecular basis underlying the conversion of TGF-β1 function remains largely undefined. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is a pro-apoptotic tumor suppressor that frequently displays epigenetic inactivation in various types of human malignancies, including colorectal cancer. The present study explored whether the anti-apoptotic effect of TGF-β1 is linked to its regulatory effect on XAF1 induction in human colon cancer cells under stressful conditions. The results revealed that TGF-β1 treatment protected tumor cells from various apoptotic stresses, including 5-fluorouracil, etoposide and γ-irradiation. XAF1 expression was activated at the transcriptional level by these apoptotic stresses and TGF-β1 blocked the stress-mediated activation of the XAF1 promoter. The study also demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibition or extracellular signal-activated kinase (Erk)1/2 depletion induced XAF1 induction, while the activation of K-Ras (G12C) led to its reduction. In addition, TGF-β1 blocked the stress-mediated XAF1 promoter activation and induction of apoptosis. This effect was abrogated if Erk1/2 was depleted, indicating that TGF-β1 represses XAF1 transcription through Erk activation, thereby protecting tumor cells from apoptotic stresses. These findings point to a novel molecular mechanism underlying the tumor-promoting function of TGF-β1, which may be utilized in the development of a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.9
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• pp.1256-1263
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• 2015

Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka has been traditionally called Yuza in Korea and is used as a cuisine material or tea as well as medicinal herb. In this study, we evaluated the immune-enhancing effect of Citrus junos ethanol extract (CJE) on RAW264.7 mouse macrophage and primary immunocytes. CJE treatment showed increased macrophage activity in a dose-dependant manner. CJE also enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity. We measured lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level as a measurement of NK cell cytotoxicity against YAC-1 lymphoma cells. CJE treatment showed an increased LDH level in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we evaluated the effect of CJE on mouse primary splenocyte proliferation. CJE treatment slightly increased splenocyte proliferation compared to the control. The results of this study suggest that CJE can help immune function via macrophage cytokine production, increased NK cell activity, and splenocyte proliferation.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2015

Sodium butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid derivative found in foods, such as Parmesan cheese and butter and is produced by anaerobic bacteria fermentation of dietary fibers in the large intestine. There have been reports that butyrate prevented obesity, protected insulin sensitivity, and ameliorated dyslipidemia in dietary obese mice. This study investigated the effects of sodium butyrate on fasting blood glucose level and serum lipid profile in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed AIN-93G for four weeks prior to intraperitoneal injections with STZ (100 mg/kg body weight). Diabetic mice had supplements of 5% sodium butyrate for four weeks. The 5% sodium butyrate diet significantly improved fasting blood glucose level and lipid profile in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Inflammation has been recognized to decrease beta cell insulin secretion and increase insulin resistance. Circulating cytokines can directly affect beta cell function, leading to secretory dysfunction and increased apoptosis. Thus, anti-inflammatory therapies represented a potential approach for the therapy of diabetes and its complications. In this animal study, the 5% sodium butyrate supplementation also inhibited inflammatory cytokine production in STZ-induced diabetic mice. These results suggested that sodium butyrate can be a potential candidate for the prevention of diabetes and its complications.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.312-319
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• 2004

The porous SiO$_2$-B$_2$O$_3$ membrane was prepared from Si(OC$_2$$H_5$)$_4$-($CH_3$O)$_3$B-C$_2$$H_5$OH-$H_2O$ system by sol-gel method. In order to investigate the characteristics of this membrane, we examined that using BET, IR spectrophotometer, X-ray diffractometer, SEM and TEM. At $700^{\circ}C$, the surface area of SiO$_2$-B$_2$O$_3$ membrane was 354.398 $m^2$/, the median pore diameter was 0.0048 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, and the particle size of SiO$_2$-B$_2$O$_3$ membrane was 7 nm. The separation properties of the gas mixture ($H_2$/$N_2$) through the SiO$_2$-B$_2$O$_3$ membrane was studied as a function of pressure. The real separation factor($\alpha$) of SiO$_2$-B$_2$O$_3$ membrane for $H_2$/$N_2$ gas mixture was 4.68 at 155.15 cmHg and $25^{\circ}C$. The real separation factor($\alpha$), head separation factor($\beta$) and tail separation factor((equation omitted)) were increased as the pressure of permeation cell increased.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.985-990
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• 1995

Grapefruit seed extracts(GFSE) have some unknown compounds which exhibit the antibiotic activities aganist microorganisms including bacteria and fungi. We have examined the effects of GFSE on the growth of Enterobacter pyrinus which was isolated from necrotic lesions of pear trees. During the cultivation, the growth of the bacteria was strongly inhibited at the low concentration(0.01%, w/w) of GFSE. Hydrophobic fraction extracted from GFSE by mixed solvents (chloroform : methanol : water, 1 : 2 : 0.8, v/v/v) had components which inhibited the growth of bacteria. There was, however, no inhibitory effect of GFSE on the activities of several enzymes including hexokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase. $O-nitrophenyl-{\beta}-D-galactopyranoside(ONPG)$, the artificial substrate of ${\beta}-galactosidase$ was hydrolyzed in the presence of GFSE, indicating that the membrane was pertubated by the GFSE. From the results it was suggested that the antibiotic activity of GFSE is due to the change of membrane permeability of cell. GFSE was fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with $C_{18}$ reverse phase column. Among active fractions, three peaks were identified as 1-chloro-2-methyl-benzene (o-toluene), N,N-dimethyl-benzenemethaneamine, 1-[2-(2-ethylethoxy)ethoxy]-4- (1,1,3,3-tetramethyl)-bezene, respectively, while the other three remained unidentified.