• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

Fat accumulation in adipocytes occurs through the process of adipogenesis in which preadipocytes differentiate into adipocytes. Obesity is a metabolic disorder caused by excessive accumulation of fat in the body, which increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and various cancers. Recently, inhibition of adipocyte differentiation was shown to be a potential antiobesity strategy. In this study, the inhibitory effect of dichloromethane fractions from Illicium verum Hooker fil. water extract on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes was investigated. Dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation when applied during the adipocyte differentiation process, as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil-red O staining. In addition, dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. reduced important adipogenic transcription factors, such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$). The expression of FAS and LPL, which are terminal differentiation markers of mature adipocytes, was also reduced in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. In addition, the treatment significantly inhibited mitotic clonal expansion, which is essential for adipocyte differentiation, by arresting the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Taken together, these results suggest that dichloromethane fractions from I. verum Hooker fil. may be a natural material with antiobesity effects.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.89-97
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• 2016

Obesity is caused by excess accumulation of body fat and contributes to various pathological disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In this study, we investigated the effect of a 30% ethanol extract of Fructus Rosae laevigata (RLE) on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, measured by triglyceride accumulation and expression of adipogenesis-related transcription factors during differentiation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes. RLE decreased the intracellular triglyceride contents (assessed by Oil Red-O staining) in a dose-dependent manner. It also downregulated the expression of adipogenic transcription factors and inhibited cell proliferation during the mitotic clonal expansion phase of adipocyte differentiation by inducing G1 phase arrest. We investigated the alterations in the levels of G1 phase arrest-related proteins. The expression of p21 protein significantly increased, while the levels of Cyclin E, Cdk2, and phospho-Rb decreased in a dose-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 cells treated with RLE. These results suggest that RLE inhibits the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes by suppressing the expression of adipogenic transcription factors and inducing G1 phase arrest in the early stages of adipocyte differentiation.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.350-357
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference of differentiation potential in each passage of dental pulp stem cells from supernumerary tooth (sDPSCs). The sDPSCs were obtained from a healthy 6-year-old male patient under the guidelines and got the informed consent. Cells were cultured until passage number 16 and divided into two groups; 1 - 8 passages as a young group and 9 - 16 passages as an old group. It was taken $2.25{\pm}0.46days$ in a young group and $3.25{\pm}0.46days$ in an old group to propagate cells of each passage until confluence and there were statistically significant differences between two groups (p < 0.05). In every passage, cell morphology was observed with microscope and evaluated the capacity to form high levels of minerals by alizarin red solution staining after treating differentiation medium. Fibroblast-like, spindle shaped, elongated cells and a few nodules were found in uninduced cultures of passage number 1, 8 and 9. But at 16 passage culture, cell size became larger and broader and observed with more nodules. After inducing differentiation, mineralized nodules were detected at the first passage of 7th day culture whereas at the 8 passage culture, nodules were seen clearly at 14th day culture. In addition, the amount of mineralized nodules were remarkably decreased after passage 9. From the data presented in this study, it is recommended to use sDPSCs of passage number within 8 for utilizing as stem cells.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2009

Implantation of blastocyst into the uterine endometrium is established by the existence of histologically and functionally prepared uterine endometrium. Doc-1, an oral cancer suppressor gene, is expressed under the control of steroid hormones and has been suggested as a proliferation regulator of endometrial cells. However, the role is not much clear and in this study we examined the expression modulation of Doc-1 in decidualizing cells in vitro. In vitro decidualization was performed in endometrial stroma cells using progesterone and estrogen. Until 24 hr after decidual induction the proliferation of stroma cell was significantly increased but decreased after then. On the other hand, most of the cells differentiated into decidual cell after 48 hr of induction. The Doc-1 protein was co-localized in a specific deciudal cells and colocalization rate was increased in a parallel manner with the induction time. Based on these results, it is suggested that Doc-1 expression is under the control of both steroid hormones and decidual signals, and Doc-1 protein is involved in suppression of the proliferation of decidualizing cells.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2023

This study was conducted to assess the effect of heptapeptide, composed of seven amino acids, on the activation of human hair cells isolated from human hair follicles. We have confirmed that the heptapeptide could bind to Lgr5 from the results of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Heptapeptide enhanced the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HHFDPCs) in a dose dependent manner. It induced the protein level of nuclear β-catenin, and the expressions of β-catenin downstream target genes, including LEF1, Cyc-D1 and c-Myc, in HHFDPCs. Heptapeptide significantly induced the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, and the mRNA expressions of growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in HHFDPCs. In addition, heptapeptide significantly increased mRNA expression levels of differentiation-related transcription factors of human hair germinal matrix cells (HHGMCs) and differentiation markers of human hair outer root sheath cells (HHORSCs). Additionally, we investigated the effect of heptapeptide on human hair follicle stem cells (HHFSCs) differentiation and found that the heptapeptide reduced the mRNA and protein levels of stem cell markers, while it increased those levels of differentiation markers. These results have indicated that the heptapeptide promotes proliferation or differentiation of various types of hair follicle constituent cells through the induction of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. From the results, we have suggested that the heptapeptide in this study could be applied as a new functional material for the improvement of hair growth and alopecia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.171-178
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• 2006

Objective: Human embryonic stem (ES) cells have a great potential in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The human ES cells could be differentiated into specific cell types by treatments of growth factors and alterations of gene expressions. However, the efficacy of guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells are still low. In this study, we characterized isolated cells from differentiated human ES cells by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) system using specific antibodies to cell surface markers. Methods: The undifferentiated hES cells (Miz-hESC4) were sub-cultured by mechanical isolation of colonies and embryoid bodies were spontaneously differentiated with DMEM containing 10% FBS for 2 weeks. The differentiated cells were isolated to positive and negative cells with MACS system using CD34, human epithelial antigen (HEA) and human fibroblast (HFB) antibodies, respectively. Observation of morphological changes and analysis of marker genes expression were performed during further culture of MACS isolated cells for 4 weeks. Results: Morphology of the CD34 positive cells was firstly round, and then it was changed to small polygonal shape after further culture. The HEA positive cells showed large polygonal, and the HFB positive spindle shape. In RT-PCR analysis of marker genes, the CD34 and HFB positive cells expressed endodermal and mesodermal genes, and HEA positive cells expressed ectodermal genes such as NESTIN and NF68KD. The marker genes expression pattern of CD34 positive cells changed during the extension of culture time. Conclusion: Our results showed the possibility of successful isolation of specific cells by MACS system from undirected differentiated human ES cells. Thus, MACS system and marker antibodies for specific cell types might be useful for guided differentiation and isolation of specific cells from human ES cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.534-541
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• 2011

Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A, is known to regulate dedifferentiation of rabbit articular chondrocytes. The regulatory mechanism of dedifferentiation by RA is not yet understood. Thus, the effect of RA on the regulation of nitric oxide (NO)-induced dedifferentiation was investigated in rabbit articular chondrocytes. RA caused loss of the differentiated chondrocyte phenotype as demonstrated by inhibition of type II collagen expression and proteoglycan synthesis. RA also accelerated NO-induced dedifferentiation in rabbit articular chondrocytes as detected by expression of type II collagen and Sox-9 using Western blot analysis and production of sulfated proteoglycan using Alcain blue staining. Further, RA potentiated NO-induced activation of ERK. Inhibition of ERK with PD98059 (PD) recovered the expression of type II collagen and Sox-9 and production of sulfate proteoglycan in NO-induced dedifferentiated chondrocytes by RA treatment. Our findings suggest that RA accelerates NO-induced dedifferentiation of rabbit articular chondrocytes via the ERK pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1104-1110
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• 2019

Recently, there has been an increase in the elderly population of the world. Consequently, bone metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis are emerging as a social problem. Osteoclasts play a role in bone resorption, and osteoporosis is induced when bone resorption occurs excessively. Because currently used bone resorption inhibitors may cause side effects when used for a long period of time, it is necessary to develop a new material that effectively inhibits osteoclast differentiation. This study aimed to confirm the inhibitory effect of ethanol extract of Locusta migratoria on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and its mechanism. The toxicity and proliferation effects of LME on RAW264.7 osteoclasts were measured by an MTS assay. There was no cytotoxicity or proliferation when the osteoclasts were treated with up to $2,000{\mu}g/ml$ of LME. In order to confirm the effect of LME on the differentiation of osteoclasts, osteoclasts were treated with RANKL alone or with LME for 3 days. As a result of a TRAP (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) assay, the increasing osteoclast differentiation by RANKL decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with the treatment of LME. In addition, LME suppressed the expression of differentiation-related marker genes (TRAP, RANK, NFATc1, and CK) and proteins (NFATc1 and c-Src) that had been increased by RANKL. Also, LME influenced the $NF-{\kappa}B$, ERK and JNK signaling pathways, resulting in the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. These results suggest that LME may be used as a novel functional material for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by playing a role in inhibiting bone absorption.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.162-166
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• 1998

The acute myelogeous leukemia cell line, HL-60 is good model to examine leukemia differentiation with nitro blue terazolium reduction assay. We investigated that effect of triterpene acids and ginseng saponin on differentiation of HL-60 cells. Differentiation of HL-60 cells was induced in proportion to ,olar concentration by dibutylyl cAMP, ginseng saponin, lithocholic acid, ginsenoside RH2, and ginsenoside RH3.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 1997

A regulation of differentiation in human neuroblastoma cells remains poorly understood, although it is of great importance in the clinical therapy of neuroblastoma. This study was aimed to elucidate effects of DNA synthesis inhibitors on the differentiation of neuroblastoma cells on the basis of morphological, biochemical and molecular respects. Three DNA synthesis inhibitors, sodium butyrate, hydroxyurea, cytosine arabinoside were used to explore their effects on the cellular morphology, the expression of c-myc and the elevation of choline acetyltransferase activity. They led to the extension or neurite-like processes reflecting differentiation or IMR-32 cells. In addition, the treatment of three DNA synthesis inhibitors resulted in the remarkable increases in the expression of c-myc as well as the stimulation of choline acetyltransferase activity which is involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine in the differentiated cholinergic neurons. Taken together, these results indicate that DNA synthesis inhibitors play an important role in the induction of cellular differentiation in IMR-32 cells. Furthermore these DNA synthesis inhibitors seem to be future useful to give an important clue (for the treatment of neuroblastoma).