• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.88-95
• /
• 2013

Candida biofilms are self-organized microbial communities growing on the surfaces of host tissues and medical devices. These biofilms have been displaying increasing resistance against conventional antifungal agents. The roots of Scutellaria baicalensis have been widely used for medicinal purpose throughout East Asia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of S. baicalensis aqueous extract upon the preformed biofilms of 10 clinical C. albicans isolates, and assess the mechanism of the antibiofilm activity. Its effect on preformed biofilm was judged using an XTT reduction assay and the metabolic activity of all tested strains were reduced ($57.7{\pm}17.3$%) at MIC values. The S. baicalenis extract inhibited (1, 3)-${\beta}$-D-glucan synthase activity. The effect of S. baicalensis on the morphology of C. albicans was related to the changes in growth caused by inhibiting glucan synthesis; most cells were round and swollen, and cell walls were densely stained or ruptured. The anticandidal activity was fungicidal, and the extract also arrested C. albicans cells at $G_0/G_1$. The data suggest that S. baicalensis has multiple fatal effects on target fungi, which ultimately result in cell wall disruption and killing by inhibiting (1, 3)-${\beta}$-D-glucan synthesis. Therefore, S. baicalensis holds great promise for use in treating and eliminating biofilm-associated Candida infections.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.34-39
• /
• 2005

Purpose: KLF6, a member of the KLF family, is a ubiquitous zinc finger tumor suppressor protein that is mutated in several human cancers. Our aim was to determine whether the expression pattern of KLF6 might be associated with gastric cancer development and, if so, to determine to which pathologic parameter it is linked. Materials and Methods: For the construction of the gastric cancer tissue microarray, 85 paraffin-embedded tissues containing gastric cancer areas were cored 3 times and transferred to the recipient master block. The expression pattern of KLF6 was examined on tissue microarray slides by using immunohistochemistry and was compared with pathologic parameters, including histologic type, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and peritoneal dissemination. Results: The KLF6 protein was expressed on superficial and foveolar epithelial cells in the gastric mucosa. We found loss of KLF6 expression in 28 ($32.9\%$) of the 85 gastric cancer tissues. There was a significant correlation between loss of KLF6 expression and lymph-node metastasis. However, other pathologic parameters, such as histologic type, depth of invasion, and peritoneal dissemination, were not statistically associated with loss of KLF6 expression. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that loss of KLF6 expression may contribute to abnormal regulation of gastrointestinal epithelial cell growth and differentiation and to the development and/or progression of Korean gastric cancer.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.137-146
• /
• 2012

This study investigated whether ferulic acid modulates the heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and HO-2 expression in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced brain injury. Rats (Sprague-Dawley, male) were treated with vehicle or ferulic acid (100 mg/kg, i.v.) before MCAO, and cerebral cortex tissues were collected 24 h after MCAO. This study clearly confirmed the protective effects of ferulic acid during MCAO-induced damage using hematoxylin and eosin staining. MCAO induces nuclear chromatin condensations and necrotic changes with scalloped shrunken form. However, ferulic acid prevented MCAO-induced histopathological changes. HO-1 and HO-2 expression levels were measured using reverse-transcription PCR and Western blot analyses. HO-1 levels were decreased in vehicle-treated animals after MCAO, whereas this decrease in HO-1 levels was attenuated by ferulic acid treatment. However, the level of HO-2 was consistently maintained in the cerebral cortex of vehicle- and ferulic acid-treated animals after MCAO. These results demonstrated that ferulic acid regulates HO-1 expression in ischemic brain injury, while ferulic acid do not modulate HO-2 expression in MACO. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ferulic acid exerts a neuroprotective effect by preventing the MCAO-induced decrease of HO-1 expression.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.712-720
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of rat corneal-derived epithelial cells as an in vitro model to evaluate the harmfulness of the cornea caused by particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5). To establish an experimental model for the effect of PM_2.5 on corneal epithelial cells, it was confirmed that primary cultured cells isolated from rat eyes were corneal epithelial cells through pan-cytokeratin staining. Our results showed that PM_2.5 treatment reduced cell viability of primary rat corneal epithelial (RCE) cells, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis. PM_2.5 treatment also increased the generation of reactive oxygen species due to mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, the production of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines was increased in PM_2.5-treated RCE cells. Furthermore, through heatmap analysis showing various expression profiling between PM_2.5-exposed and unexposed RCE cells, we proposed five genes, including BLNK, IL-1RA, Itga2b, ABCb1a and Ptgs2, as potential targets for clinical treatment of PM-related ocular diseases. These findings indicate that the primary RCE cell line is a useful in vitro model system for the study of PM_2.5-mediated pathological mechanisms and that PM2.5-induced oxidative and inflammatory responses are key factors in PM2.5-induced ocular surface disorders.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.239-244
• /
• 2011

In this study, we evaluated diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) to investigate whether the DWI parameters can predict characteristic parameters on pathologic specimens of tumor or not. CFPAC-1 was injected subcutaneously on the back flank of athymic nude mice (n=13) then two tumors were initiated on each mouse (2${\times}$13=26 tumors). The mice were sacrificed to make specimen immediately after initial MR imaging then were compared with the MR image. A dedicated high-field (7T) small-animal MR scanner was used for image acquisitions. A T1 and T2 weighted axial image using RARE technique was acquired to measure the T2 values and tumor size. DWI MR was performed for calculating ADC values. To evaluate tumor cellularity and determine the levels of MVD, tumor cells were excised and processed for H-E staining and immunostaining using CD31. T2 values and ADC values were computed and analyzed for each half of the tumors and compared to the correlated specimens slide. Median ADC within each half of mass was compared to the cellularity and MVD in the correlated area of pathologic slide. The mean of ADC value is $0.7327{\times}10^{-3}$ $mm^2/s$ and standard deviation is $0.1075{\times}10^{-3}$ $mm^2/s$. There is a linear relationship between ADC value and tumor necrosis (R2=0.697, p< 0.001). DW image parameters including the ADC values can be utilized as surrogate markers to assess intratumoral neoangiogenesis and change of the internal structure of tumor cells.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.125-133
• /
• 2005

Morphometric changes in testicular Sertoli and Leydig cells from hatching to adulthood were studied using Korean native chickens of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 44, 52 and 64 weeks (n=13 chickens per group) of age. The objective of this study was to understand the developmental phase of the Sertoli and Leydig cells with age. Testis of chickens was fixed by whole body perfusion using a fixative containing $2.5\%$ glutaraldehyde in cacodylate buffer, processed and embedded in Epon-araldite. Using 1 Um sections stained with methylene blue-azure II, qualitative and quantitative (stereological) morphological studies were performed. The average volume of a testis of 1 week old Korean native chickens was determined as $0.148\;cm^3$ and the parameter increased linearly from 1 week to 21 weeks days $(28.86\;cm^3)$, and did not change from 21 weeks to 64 weeks. The volume density of the seminiferous tubules increased with age from $32.6\%$ at week 1 to $92.89\%$ at week 64. The volume density of the interstitium represents $67.4\%$ of the testicular parenchyma at week 1. This proportion progressively diminished during development to reach a value of $7.11\%$ at week 64. The volume density of the Leydig cells decreased almost linearly from 1 week $(4.9\%)$ to 14 weeks $(1.7\%)$ and remained unchanged thereafter. In contrast, the Sertoli cells occupied a volume density of $3.4\%$ at week 1, increased progressively up to 18 weeks of age $(10.79\%)$ and remained unchanged thereafter. The absolute volume of the Leydig and Sertoli cells per testis increased significantly from week 1 to week 21 but did not change significantly from week 24 to week 64. The number of Leydig cells per testis increased almost linearly from 1 week to 21 weeks, remained high and unchanged with advancing age. The number of Sertoli cells per testis increased gradually with age from 1 week to 14 weeks and remained unchanged thereafter.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.8
• /
• pp.1042-1048
• /
• 2008

Prostate cancer is the most predominant cancer in men and related death rate increases every year. Till date, there is no effective therapy for androgen independent prostate cancer. To investigate the mechanism for cell growth inhibition or apoptosis in human androgen independent prostate cancer PC-3 cells after gamma irradiation. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of gamma irradiation to induce apoptosis in PC-3 cells and to assess the mechanism of gamma irradiation-induced apoptosis. Five different assays were employed in this study: cell proliferation assay, morphological assessments of apoptotic cells, DNA fragmentation analysis, quantification of apoptosis by annexin V (AV) and propidium iodide (PI) staning, and western blot analysis. Cell viability was inversely related to radiation dose. DAPI-positive cells were detected 48 hr after 40 Gy radiation exposure. And nuclear morphological changes of cells were observed by gamma irradiation. DNA ladder patterns in the cells exposed to gamma-radiation were appeared at 24 hr. Also, gamma irradiation induces apoptosis of PC-3 cells via Caspase3, Bax and PARP-dependent fashion.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.11 no.7
• /
• pp.289-295
• /
• 2020

As the importance of the beauty to pursue beauty comes to the fore, the market size of hairdressing industry including hair dyeing is getting bigger. In case of continuously applying an oxidative dyeing agent commonly used in hair salons, as hair damage is inevitable, we investigated morphological changes of hair treated with a neutral oxidative dyeing agent. In the experiment results, Between the control and the 6N-7N experimental groups, there was a significant difference in Max. modulus and Tangential modulus according to Max. load, Max. stress, Max. elongation, Break load, Break stress, Break elongation, and strain section. There were the highest values in Max. load, Max. stress, Max. elongation, Break load, Break stress and Break elongation in the control group, and there was no tendency to decrease significantly according to the treatment of the experimental group. Max. modulus and Tangential modulus according to the strain evaluation section did not show a tendency to increase or decrease constantly, although there was a difference between the control and experimental groups. This study attempts to provide basic data for the development of oxidative dyeing agent that minimizes hair damage and to establish the foundation for understanding the correlation between hair designers' oxidative dyeing agent and hair health.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.192-200
• /
• 2006

The aim of this study was to assess the microleakage underneath a pit and fissure sealant bonded to occlusal surfaces treated by Er:YAG laser To determine the most effective energy density of laser, fourteen specimens were irradiated from 50mJ to 300mJ at 3Hz. After irradiation, the lased specimens were observed under the scanning electron microscope. Thirty six non-carious extracted premolars were randomly assigned to four groups of nine teeth: group 1, no treatment on the occlusal surface; group 2, acid etching for 15 seconds; group 3, Er:YAG laser irradiation; group 4, acid etching followed by Er:YAG laser irradiation. The pits and fissures were sealed with unfilled sealant(Helioseal F) and the specimen teeth were thermo-cycled, immersed in 2% Rhodamine B solution, longitudinally sectioned and analyzed for microleakage with fluorescent microscope. The results were as follows: 1. Er:YAG lased surfaces with 50mJ, 3Hz showed a similar pattern of irregularity with acid etched enamel surfaces 2. The mean microleakage score increased in the order of group 2, 4, 3 and 1. There was no significant difference among group 1, 3 and 4(p>0.05), however group 2 showed significantly less microleakage compared with group 1 and 3. Conclusively, the laser irradiation seemed not enough to replace the acid etching for proper retention of pit and fissure sealants.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.1596-1600
• /
• 2007

Bee venom is used to treat inflammatory diseases in Korean traditional medicine and has been known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in bee venom-induced apoptosis are still uncharacterized in human lung cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the effects of bee venom on the apoptosis of A549 human lung epithelial cancer cells. Treatment of bee venom inhibited the cell viability and induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner as measured by hemocytometer counts, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Bee venom-induced apoptosis in A549 cells was associated with a marked inhibition of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression without significant changes in the levels of Bax and Bcl-xL. Bee venom treatment also inhibited the levels of IAP family members such as cIAP-1 and cIAP-2 and induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Although further studies are needed, the present results suggest that apoptotic signals evoked by bee vemon in A549 cancer cells may converge caspases activation through a down-regulation of Bcl-2 rather than an up-regulation of Bax. These findings provide important insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of bee vemon in human cancer cells.