• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.438-452
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Brain senescence causes cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. It has also been demonstrated that curcumin (Cur) and hesperetin (Hes), both antioxidant polyphenolic compounds, mediate anti-aging and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether Cur, Hes, and/or their combination exert anti-aging effects in D-galactose (Dg)-induced aged neuronal cells and rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells differentiated in response to retinoic acid were treated with Cur (1 μM), Hes (1 μM), or a combination of both, followed by 300 mM Dg. Neuronal loss was subsequently evaluated by measuring average neurite length and analyzing expression of β-tubulin III, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and neurofilament heavy polypeptide. Cellular senescence and related proteins, p16 and p21, were also investigated, including their regulation of antioxidant enzymes. In vivo, brain aging was induced by injecting 250 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) Dg. The effects of supplementing this model with 50 mg/kg b.w. Cur, 50 mg/kg b.w. Hes, or a combination of both for 3 months were subsequently evaluated. Brain aging was examined with a step-through passive avoidance test and apoptosis markers were analyzed in brain cortex tissues. RESULTS: Cur, Hes, and their combination improved neuron length and cellular senescence by decreasing the number of β-gal stained cells, down-regulated expression of p16 and p21, and up-regulated expression of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase 1, glutathione peroxidase 1, and catalase. Administration of Cur, Hes, or their combination also tended to ameliorate cognitive impairment and suppress apoptosis in the cerebral cortex by down-regulating Bax and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase expression and increasing Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Cur and Hes appear to attenuate Dg-induced brain aging via regulation of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis. These results suggest that Cur and Hes may mediate neuroprotective effects in the aging process, and further study of these antioxidant polyphenolic compounds is warranted.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.483-490
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• 2001

There were many controversies in the cause and progress of tumorigenesis. Recently, studies on the mutation of genes related to the tumor have extensively been performed due to development of molecular biology. Structural and morphological changes of chromosomes, which are related to the abnormal activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppression genes, transform the normal cells into the tumor cells. p53 and Rb are well known tumor suppressor genes, while oncogenes include c-myc, bcl-2 and ras, etc. When exposed to cell damaging agents, p53 inhibits cell growth by inducing transcription of p21. Especially p73, which is homo-logy of p53, frequently deleted in melanoma, neuroblastoma, colon cancer, and breast cancer, when over produced, p73 activates the transcription of p21, bax-1 and inhibits cell growth by inducing apoptosis. For study on mRNA expression of p21 and p73, normal oral keratinocytes, and cell lines of primary and metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma were cultured and then electrophoresis and RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) were performed. 1. The mRNA of p21 and p73 in normal oral keratinocyte expressed lower than that of primary squamous cell carcinoma. 2. The mRNA of p21 in metastatic oral squamous carcinoma cell lines was expressed as various patterns compared with that of normal oral keratinocyte. 3. In the metastatic oral squamous cell lines, the mRNA of HN8 expressed higher than that of HN12 or HN19. 4. The mRNA of p73 in primary oral squamous cell lines expressed 4-5 times higher than that of normal keratinocyte. 5. In metastatic oral squamous cell lines, there was no significant expression of p73 mRNA compared with that of normal oral keratinocyte. From the results obtained in this study, mRNA expression of p73 in primary oral squamous cell lines was remarkable, while mRNA expression of p21 and p73 in metastatic oral squamous cell lines were statistically insignificant.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3035-3042
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• 2015

Background: Isorhamnetin (Iso), a novel and essential monomer derived from total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides that has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction, has also shown a spectrum of antitumor activity. However, little is known about the mechanisms of action Iso on cancer cells. Objectives: To investigate the effects of Iso on A549 lung cancer cells and underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: A549 cells were treated with $10{\sim}320{\mu}g/ml$ Iso. Their morphological and cellular characteristics were assessed by light and electronic microscopy. Growth inhibition was analyzed by MTT, clonogenic and growth curve assays. Apoptotic characteristics of cells were determined by flow cytometry (FCM), DNA fragmentation, single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, immunocytochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling (TUNEL). Tumor models were setup by transplanting Lewis lung carcinoma cells into C57BL/6 mice, and the weights and sizes of tumors were measured. Results: Iso markedly inhibited the growth of A549 cells with induction of apoptotic changes. Iso at $20{\mu}g/ml$, could induce A549 cell apoptosis, up-regulate the expression of apoptosis genes Bax, Caspase-3 and P53, and down-regulate the expression of Bcl-2, cyclinD1 and PCNA protein. The tumors in tumor-bearing mice treated with Iso were significantly smaller than in the control group. The results of apoptosis-related genes, PCNA, cyclinD1 and other protein expression levels of transplanted Lewis cells were the same as those of A549 cells in vitro. Conclusions: Iso, a natural single compound isolated from total flavones, has antiproliferative activity against lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanisms of action may involve apoptosis of cells induced by down-regulation of oncogenes and up-regulation of apoptotic genes.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.108-121
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• 2013

목적 Pheochromocytoma of the Adrenal gland Scaled Score (PASS) 시스템과 면역화학염색 등을 통한 갈색세포종 및 부교감신경절종의 악성화 예측인자가 제시되고 있으나 명확한 병리학적 또는 분자생물학적 예측인자는 밝혀진 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 임상적, 병리학적 분석을 통해 갈색세포종 및 복강내 부교감신경절종의 악성화 예측인자를 확인하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 1990년 1월부터 2010년 12월까지 서울대학교어린이병원에서 수술적 절제 후 병리학적으로 갈색세포종 및 복강내 부교감신경절종으로 확진된 20명의 18세 이하 소아 환자를 대상으로 임상적 특징을 분석하였고, PASS 시스템에 따른 병리 슬라이드 판독하였다. 세포활성도를 반영한다고 알려진 유전자에 대한 항체 중 Ki-67, p53, bcl-2, mdm-2, cycline D1, p21, p27을 이용해 면역 화학검사를 한 후 결과를 확인하였다. 결과 20명의 환자 중 갈색세포종은 14명, 복강내 부교감신경절종은 6명이었다. 악성화는 각각 4명, 3명에서 관찰되었다. 혈관 침범, 주변부 지방조직 침습, 세포분열 증가가 통계적으로 유의한 악성화 예측인자였으며(각각 p=.007, .031, .031), 갈색세포종만 분석하였을 때도 통계적으로 유의하였다(각각 p=.033, .003, .019). PASS 시스템은 악성화를 예측하는데 있어 통계적으로 유의하지 않았으며, 혈관 침범, 주변부 지방조직 침습, 세포분열 증가를 항목으로 하여 새롭게 만든 병리 스코어 시스템은 악성 환자군과 양성 환자군 사이에 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다(p< .001). 악성과 양성 질환 사이의 면역화학염색 결과에서 유의한 차이는 없었다. 결론 소아에서 갈색세포종 및 복강내 부교감신경절종의 악성화 예측인자로 혈관 침범, 주변부 지방조직 침습, 세포분열 증가를 이용할 수 있다. 소아에서 PASS시스템으로 악성화를 예측할 수 없었으나, 새로운 병리스코어 시스템으로 악성 환자군을 예측할 수 있었다. 면역화학검사 결과 세포 활성도를 반영하는 인자들은 악성화를 예측할 수 없었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5291-5298
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• 2012

Beta-asarone is one of the main bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicine Acorus calamu. Previous studies have shown that it has antifungal and anthelmintic activities. However, little is known about its anticancer effects. This study aimed to determine inhibitory effects on LoVo colon cancer cell proliferation and to clarify the underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. Dose-response and time-course anti-proliferation effects were examined by MTT assay. Our results demonstrated that LoVo cell viability showed dose- and time-dependence on ${\beta}$-asarone. We further assessed anti-proliferation effects as ${\beta}$-asarone-induced apoptosis by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay usinga flow cytometer and observed characteristic nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation of apoptosis by microscopy. Moreover, we found the apoptosis to be induced through the mitochondrial/caspase pathway by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reducing the Bcl-2-to-Bax ratio, in addition to activating the caspase-9 and caspase-3 cascades. Additionally, the apoptosis could be inhibited by a pan-caspase inhibitor, carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK). When nude mice bearing LoVo tumor xenografts were treated with ${\beta}$-asarone, tumor volumes were reduced and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays of excised tissue also demonstrated apoptotic changes. Taken together, these findings for the first time provide evidence that ${\beta}$-asarone can suppress the growth of colon cancer and the induced apoptosis is possibly mediated through mitochondria/caspase pathways.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5317-5323
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• 2013

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and one of the leading causes of death among women in the world. Plants and herbs may play an important role in complementary or alternative treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-proliferative potential of Urtica dioica. The anti oxidant activity of an aqueous extract of Urtica dioica leaf was measured by MTT assay and the FRAP method while its anti-proliferative activity on the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and fibroblasts isolated from foreskin tissue was evaluated using MTT assay. Mechanisms leading to apoptosis were also investigated at the molecular level by measuring the amount of anti and pro-apoptotic proteins and at the cellular level by studying DNA fragmentation and annexin V staining by flow cytometry. The aqueous extract of Urtica dioica showed antioxidant effects with a correlation coefficient of $r^2$=0.997. Dose-dependent and anti-proliferative effects of the extract were observed only on MCF-7 cells after 72 hrs with an $IC_{50}$ value of 2 mg/ml. This anti proliferative activity was associated with an increase of apoptosis as demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, the appearance of apoptotic cells in flow cytometry analysis and an increase of the amount of calpain 1, calpastatin, caspase 3, caspase 9, Bax and Bcl-2, all proteins involved in the apoptotic pathway. This is the first time such in vitro antiproliferative effect of aqueous extract of Urtica dioica leaf has been described for a breast cancer cell line. Our findings warrant further research on Urtica dioica as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.395-400
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• 2015

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disability caused by a decrease of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although the etiology of PD is not clear, oxidative stress is believed to lead to PD. Catalase is antioxidant enzyme which plays an active role in cells as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. Thus, we investigated whether PEP-1-Catalase protects against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) induced SH-SY5Y neuronal cell death and in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-trtrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced PD animal model. PEP-1-Catalase transduced into SH-SY5Y cells significantly protecting them against MPP⁺-induced death by decreasing ROS and regulating cellular survival signals including Akt, Bax, Bcl-2, and p38. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transduced PEP-1-Catalase markedly protected against neuronal cell death in the SN in the PD animal model. Our results indicate that PEP-1-Catalase may have potential as a therapeutic agent for PD and other oxidative stress related diseases. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 395-400]

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2018

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage foam cell formation and apoptosis play critical roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx) is an antioxidant that potently protects various cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. However, the protective effect of Trx on ox-LDL-induced macrophage foam cell formation and apoptosis has not been studied. This study aims to investigate the effect of recombinant human Trx (rhTrx) on ox-LDL-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and elucidate the possible mechanisms. RhTrx significantly inhibited ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation and apoptosis in RAW264.7 macrophages. RhTrx also suppressed the ox-LDL-induced overproduction of lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1), Bax and activated caspase-3, but it increased the expression of Bcl-2. In addition, rhTrx markedly inhibited the ox-LDL-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Furthermore, anisomycin (a p38 MAPK activator) abolished the protective effect of rhTrx on ox-LDL-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, and SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) exerted a similar effect as rhTrx. Collectively, these findings indicate that rhTrx suppresses ox-LDL-stimulated foam cell formation and macrophage apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation, p38 MAPK activation and LOX-1 expression. Therefore, we propose that rhTrx has therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.266-267
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• 2011

질화갈륨(GaN)은 높은 전자이동도 및 높은 항복전계를 가지며 낮은 온저항으로 인하여 에너지효율이 우수하기 때문에 고출력 전력소자 분야에서 많은 관심을 받고 있다. GaN을 이용한 고출력 전력소자의 경우 상용화 수준에 근접할 만한 기술적 진보가 있었으나, 페르미 레벨 고정(Fermi-level pinning) 현상, 소자의 누설전류 등 아직 해결되어야 할 문제를 갖고 있다. 본 연구에서는 실리콘 기판 위에 성장된 GaN 에피탁시를 활용한 고출력 전력소자의 누설전류를 억제시키기 위해 오믹 접합 중 Au의 상호확산을 억제하는 중간층 금속(Mo or Ni)을 변화시켰으며 오믹 열처리 온도에 따른 특성을 비교 연구하였다. $Cl_2$와 $BCl_3$를 이용하여 0.6 ${\mu}m$ 깊이의 메사 구조가 활성영역을 형성하였고, Si 도핑된 n-GaN 위에 Ti/Al/Mo/Au (20/100/25/200 nm) 와 Ti/Al/Ni/Au (20/100/25/200 nm) 오믹 접합을 각각 설계, 제작하였다. 오믹 열처리시의 GaN 표면오염을 방지하기 위해 $SiO_2$ 희생층을 증착하였다. 오믹 접합 형성을 위해 각 750$^{\circ}C$, 800$^{\circ}C$, 850$^{\circ}C$에서 30초간 열처리를 진행 하였으며, 이후 6 : 1 BOE 용액으로 $SiO_2$ 희생층을 제거하였다. 750, 800, 850$^{\circ}C$에서 Ti/Al/Mo/Au 구조의 오믹 접합 저항은 각 2.56, 2.34, 2.22 ${\Omega}$-mm 이었으며, Ti/Al/Ni/Au 구조의 오믹 접합 저항은 각 43.72, 2.64, 1.86 ${\Omega}$-mm이었다. Isolation 누설전류를 측정하기 위해서 두 개의 오믹 접합 사이에 메사 구조가 있는 테스트 구조를 제안하였다. Isolation 누설전류는 Ti/Al/Mo/Au 구조에서 두 오믹 접합 사이의 거리가 25 ${\mu}m$이고 100 V일 때 750, 800, 850 $^{\circ}C$의 열처리 온도에서 각 1.25 nA/${\mu}m$, 2.48 nA/${\mu}m$, 8.76 nA/${\mu}m$이었으며, Ti/Al/Ni/Au 구조에서는 각 1.58 nA/${\mu}m$, 2.13 nA/${\mu}m$, 96.36 nA/${\mu}m$이었다. 열처리 온도가 증가하며 오믹 접합 저항은 감소하였으나 isolation 누설전류는 증가하였다. 750$^{\circ}C$ 열처리에서 오믹 접합 저항은Ti/Al/Mo/Au 구조가 Ti/Al/Ni/Au 구조보다 약 17배 우수하였고, 850$^{\circ}C$ 고온의 열처리 경우 Ti/Al/Mo/Au 구조의 isolation 누설전류는 8.76 nA/${\mu}m$로 Ti/Al/Ni/Au의 누설전류 96.36 nA/${\mu}m$보다 약 11배 우수하였다. Ti/Al/Mo/Au가 Ti/Al/Ni/Au 보다 오믹 접합 저항과 isolation 누설전류 측면에서 전력용 GaN 소자에 적합함을 확인하였다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.402-407
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• 2005

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potential for cardiac repair following myocardial injury, but this approach is limited by their poor viability after transplantation. To reduce cell loss after transplantation, we introduced the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) gene ex vivo before transplantation. The isolated MSCs produced colonies with a fibroblast-like morphology in 2 weeks; over 95% expressed CD71, and 28% expressed the cardiomyocyte-specific transcription factor, Nkx2.5, as well as ${\alpha}$-skeletal actin, Nkx2.5, and GATA4. In hypoxic culture, the FGF-2-transfected MSCs (FGF-2-MSCs) secreted increased levels of FGF-2 and displayed a threefold increase in viability, as well as increased expression of the anti-apoptotic gene, Bcl2, and reduced DNA laddering. They had functional adrenergic receptors, like cardiomyocytes, and exposure to norepinephrine led to phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Viable cells persisted 4 weeks after implantation of $5.0{\times}10^5$ FGF-2-MSCs into infarcted myocardia. Expression of cardiac troponin T (CTn T) and a voltage-gated $Ca^{2+}$ channel (CaV2.1) increased, and new blood vessels formed. These data suggest that genetic modification of MSCs before transplantation could be useful for treating myocardial infarction and end-stage cardiac failure.