• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.735-743
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• 2015

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of barley leaf extract in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and hairless mice. Pre-treatment with barley leaf extract significantly inhibited the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-II (COX-II) in a dose-dependent manner in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Barley leaf extract also significantly inhibited the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Moreover, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) were strongly suppressed by barley leaf extract in LPS-stimulated cells. In hairless mice, barley extract significantly decreased the pathological phenotypes of contact dermatitis, such as erythema, edema, and scabs. These results indicate that barley leaf extract has an anti-inflammatory effect and therefore a possible role in the treatment of inflammatory diseases or in functional cosmetics.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.536-541
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• 2017

The object of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Litsea japonica fruit flesh extract (LJF-HE) on gastritis of an stress-induced SD rat model. Rats were randomly divided into six groups: Normal (normal group), Control (stress-induced gastritis), Ranitidine (stress-induced gastritis and ranitidine 50 mg/kg), LJF-HE-L (stress-induced gastritis pretreated with L. japonica fruit flesh extract at 30 mg/kg), LJF-HE-M (stress-induced gastritis pretreated with L. japonica fruit flesh extract at 60 mg/kg), LJF-HE-H (stress-induced gastritis pretreated with L. japonica fruit flesh extract at 120 mg/kg). In groups treated with LJF-HE, gastric mucosal damage and pepsin activity were reduced. Additionally, there were decreases in the expression of cholecystokinin 2 receptor (CCK-2r) in the gastric lesions. The plasma levels of IL-$1{\beta}$ slightly but significantly decreased in LJF-HE treated groups compared to control. The plasma level of PGE2 was also significantly increased in LJF-HE treated groups. These results suggest that LJF-HE has the ability to reduce of the severity stress-induced gastritis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.158-164
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• 1998

Crystal structural analyses of the API-TLCK complex revealed that the ${\epsilon}$-amino group (NZ) of the lysyl part of TLCK forms hydrogen bonds with OD1 of $Asp^225$ which is a substrate specificity determinant of API, OG of $Ser^214$, O of $Ser^214$, OG1 of $Thr^189$, and O of $Thr^189$ l89/. The ${\beta}$-carboxyl oxygen of $Asp^225$ forms hydrogen bonds with the NE1 of $Trp^182$. From these observations, it is thought that besides $Asp^225$, $Thr^189$, $Ser^214$, and $Trp^182$ may also contribute to the steric specificity for lysine and high proteolytic activity of API. The side-chain hydroxyl groups of $Thr^189$ and $Ser^214$ were removed to elucidate the role of these hydrogen bonds in the $S_1$-pocket. The $k_{cat}$/$K_m$ of T189V, S214A, and T189V.S214A were decreased to 1/4, 1/3, and 1/46, respectively, of the value for native API. The decreased activities were mainly due to the increase of $K_m$. The CD and fluoroscence spectra of the three mutants were similar to those of wild-type API. With regards to the kinetic parameters ($K_i\;and\;k_2$) of mutants for the reaction involving TLCK and DFP, $k_2$decreased by increase of $K_1$ only. These results suggest that the decreased catalytic activity of these mutants is caused by the partial loss of the hydrogen bond network in the $S_1$-pocket. On the other hand, the similarity of enzymatic properties between W182F and the native enzyme suggests that the hydrogen bond between OD2 of $Asp^225$ and NE1 of $Trp^182$ is not directly related to the reaction of $Asp^225$ with the substrate.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2009

Purpose : We performed this study to evaluate the incidence and clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL Ab) in Korean children with Henoch-$Sch{\ddot{o}}nlein$ purpura (HSP). Methods : The medical records of 62 patients (31 boys and 31 girls) aged $46.0{\pm}3.1$ (1-16) years with a clinical diagnosis of HSP based on the EULAR/PReS criteria were reviewed retrospectively. From the years 2007 to 2009, the sera from children with acute HSP were tested for aPL Ab such as LA, anti-cardiolipin antibody and anti-${\beta}_2$ glycoprotein I antibody. Results : LA was positive in 18 (29%) of the 62 patients with HSP and We divided the patients into the two groups LA positive group (N=18) and LA negative group (N=44). There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to abdominal pain, arthralgia and renal involvement, but LA positive group had significantly higher C-reactive protein ($4.3{\pm}7.2$ mg/dL vs. $1.3{\pm}1.8$ mg/dL, P=0.035), erythrocyte sedimentation rate ($37.5{\pm}26.2$ mm/hr vs. $25.1{\pm}22.6$ mm/hr, P= 0.039), IgM ($148.1{\pm}48.4$ mg/dL vs. $114.9{\pm}41.5$ mg/dL, P=0.024), C3 ($143.1{\pm}21.9$ mg/dL vs. $129.7{\pm}24.5$ mg/dL, P=0.048) and C4 levels ($30.9{\pm}6.3$ mg/dL vs. $24.9{\pm}7.8$ mg/dL, P=0.002) compared with LA negative group. Conclusion : We found that the incidence of positive aPL Ab tests was relatively higher in Korean children with HSP and the presence of aPL Ab was associated with acute inflammatory process of HSP. These results suggest that the aPL Ab are involved in the pathogenesis of HSP in children.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2011

P2Y receptors are metabotropic G-protein-coupled receptors, which are involved in many important biologic functions in the central nervous system including retina. Subtypes of P2Y receptors in retinal tissue vary according to the species and the cell types. We examined the molecular and pharmacologic profiles of P2Y purinoceptors in retinoblastoma cell, which has not been identified yet. To achieve this goal, we used $Ca^{2+}$ imaging technique and western blot analysis in WERI-Rb-1 cell, a human retinoblastoma cell line. ATP ($10\;{\mu}M$) elicited strong but transient $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in a concentration dependent manner from more than 80% of the WERI-Rb-1 cells (n=46). Orders of potency of P2Y agonists in evoking $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients were 2MeS-ATP>ATP>>UTP=${\alpha}{\beta}$-MeATP, which was compatible with the subclass of $P2Y_1$ receptor. The $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients evoked by applications of 2MeS-ATP and/or ATP were also profoundly suppressed in the presence of $P2Y_1$ selective blocker (MRS 2179; $30\;{\mu}M$). $P2Y_1$ receptor expression in WERI-Rb-1 cells was also identified by using western blot. Taken together, $P2Y_1$ receptor is mainly expressed in a retinoblastoma cell, which elicits $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal $Ca^{2+}$ storage sites via the phospholipase C-mediated pathway. $P2Y_1$ receptor activation in retinoblastoma cell could be a useful model to investigate the role of purinergic $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ signaling in neural tissue as well as to find a novel therapeutic target to this lethal cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 1993

To investigate the relationship between radiosensitivity and postirradiation recovery in human cancer cells, a study was performed using human cancer cell lines-A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13. For the study of radiosensitivity, single doses of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 Gy were given and for postirradiation recovery, two fractions of 4 Gy were separated with a time interval of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, or 6 hours. Surviving fraction was estimated using colony forming ability. Surviving fractions at 2 Gy (SF2) were 0.496 (0.570-0.412) for A549, 0.496 (0.660-0.332) for CaSki, 0.386 (0.576-0.216) for SNU-C5, and 0.185 (0.247-0.123) for PCI-13. By statistical analysis the SF2 of PCI-13 was lower significantly than those of others (p<0.05). This difference was also observed at 4, 6 and 8 Gy dose levels. At 6 and 8 Gy the surviving fractions of SNU-C5 were also lower significantly than A549 and CaSki (p<0.05). By the analysis with linear quadratic model, the values of ${\alpha}$ for A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13 were 0.3016, 0.3212, 0.4327 and 0.8423, respectively, and those of ${\beta}$ were 0.02429, 0.02009, 0.03349 and 0.00059, respectively. So, the value of ${\alpha}$ showed increasing tendency with decreasing SF2. By the multitarget single hit model the values of Do for A549, CaSki, SUN-C5 and PCI-13 were 1.97, 1.97, 1.46 and 0.81, respectively, and those of n were 1.53, 1.50, 1.56 and 2.28, respectively. So, the value of Do decreased with decreasing SF2. Post-irradiation recovery reached plateau at around 2 hours. Recovery ratio at plateau phase ranged from 1.2 to 4.2; the value were 1.2 for PCI-13, 3.2 for CaSki, 3.3 for SNU-C5, and 4.2 for A549. Recovery rate well correlated with SF2, and increased with increasing Do and decreasing ${\alpha}$. According to above results, the intrinsic radiosensitivity was quite different among the tested cell lines; PCI-13 was the most sensitive and A549 and CaSki was similar. This difference of radiosensitivity is thought to be partly due to the difference in amount of postirradiation recovery. By linear quadratic model the difference of ${\alpha}$ values was very high, and by multitarget single hit model the difference of Do value was significantly high among four cell lines.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.179-192
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• 2008

Objectives : Draconis Resina (DR) has been used as a traditional Korean herbal medicine since ancient times, and today it is used as a medication for wounds, tumors, diarrhea, rheumatism, in the itching of insect bites and with other conditions in the folk medicine. The aim of this study was to determine whether fractionated extracts of DR inhibit free radical generation, intracellular oxidation, production of nitrite, an index of NO, PGE2, iNOS, COX-2 and proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, Methods : DR extract prepared with methanol, and then fractionated with hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate, n-butanol and water. Inhibitory effect of DR onto free radical generation was determined by measuring DPPH, superoxide anions and nitric oxide scavenging activities in vitro. Cytotoxic activity of extracts on RAW 264.7 cells was measured using 5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt (MTS) assay. Intracelluar oxidation was analysed by DCF-DA assay. The nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by Griess reagent system. The levels of iNOS and COX-2 expression were confirmed by western blot. And proinflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA kit. Results : Our results indicated that fractionated extracts, especially dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts, significantly inhibited free radical generation, the LPS-induced H202, NO, PGE2 production and iNOS, COX-2 expression accompanied by an attenuation of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 formation in macrophages. Conclusions : Our results indicate that dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts of DR have potential as an agent of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.345-360
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was examined to investigate the effects of Cheonmagudeng-um gagam (CGG) extract on spontaneous hypertension. Methods : For the study of CGG, we divided rats into three groups. The normal group was Wister Kyoto rats (WKY). The control group was spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The treatment group was SHR which were administered CGG extract (SHR-CGG). SHR-CGG were orally administered CGG extract that was diluted in distilled water at the various concentrations for 4 weeks (234.5 mg/kg) and SHR were orally administered the same dosage of plain distilled water as SHR-CGG. Then we measured anti-oxygen effects, ACE inhibitory activity, weight of heart and kidney, blood pressure, heart rate, plasma aldosterone, electrolyte, creatinine, uric acid, BUN, and observed the cortex of the cardiac muscle, kidney, and adrenal gland. Results : CGG increased DPPH scavenging activity and SOD similar activity depending on the concentration. CGG significantly decreased ROS, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, heart weight, blood pressure, heart rate, aldosterone, and BUN in SHR. CGG increased ACE inhibition activity depending on the concentration. CGG inhibited the heart, kidney and adrenal gland tissue injury that is caused by hypertension. Conclusions : These results suggest that CGG is effective in treatment and prevention of hypertension.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2016

Recently, various marine algae have been considered as a natural resource for anti-inflammation. In this research, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of Ulva pertusa Kjellman ethanol extract (UPKEE). This study showed that UPKEE inhibited the secretion of cytokines including IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and $IL-1{\beta}$, and reduced the expression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as well as iNOS and COX-2. In the formation of mouse ear edema test, three doses (10, 50, 250 mg/kg body weight) of UPKEE showed inhibitory activity after inducing inflammation using croton oil. In conclusion, we found that UPKEE showed an inhibitory effect on $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPKs, and reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. This result suggests that UPKEE can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory resource in food industry.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.661-670
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• 2018

Fimasartan, a new angiotensin II receptor antagonist, reduces myocyte damage and stabilizes atherosclerotic plaque through its anti-inflammatory effect in animal studies. We investigated the protective effects of pretreatment with fimasartan on ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in a mouse model of ischemic renal damage. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with or without 5 (IR-F5) or 10 (IR-F10) mg/kg/day fimasartan for 3 days. Renal ischemia was induced by clamping bilateral renal vascular pedicles for 30 min. Histology, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and apoptosis assays were evaluated 24 h after IRI. Compared to the untreated group, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels were significantly lower in the IR-F10 group. IR-F10 kidneys showed less tubular necrosis and interstitial fibrosis than untreated kidneys. The expression of F4/80, a macrophage infiltration marker, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$, decreased in the IR-F10 group. High-dose fimasartan treatment attenuated the upregulation of $TNF-{\alpha}$, interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, and IL-6 in ischemic kidneys. Fewer TUNEL positive cells were observed in IR-F10 compared to control mice. Fimasartan caused a significant decrease in caspase-3 activity and the level of Bax, and increased the Bcl-2 level. Fimasartan preserved renal function and tubular architecture from IRI in a mouse ischemic renal injury model. Fimasartan also attenuated upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and decreased apoptosis of renal tubular cells. Our results suggest that fimasartan inhibited the process of tubular injury by preventing apoptosis induced by the inflammatory pathway.