• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.376-379
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• 1997

The peripheral neutrophil recovery test was conducted to determine the efficacy of CJ-50001, a drug developed in Cheil Jedang R&D center as a recombinant granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rG-CSF). Grasin was used as control drug. CJ-50001 and Gratin were subcutaneously administered to ${\gamma}$-ray irradiated mice for 21 days at a dose of 10$\mu$g/kg after bone marrow transplantation and the recovery of neutrophil number was examined on the days of 9, 13, 17, and 21 after the drug administration. It was observed that the peripheral neutrophil number of the vehicle control group was recovered to the normal level on the day of 13 after the transplantation whereas the group administered with CJ-50001 and Grasin respectively, showed the normal level of peripheral neutrophil number on 9th day after the bone marrow transplantation. The number of peripheral neutrophils reached the highest level on the 21 st day of drug administration, and was recovered to the normal level on the 4th day after ceasing of the drug administration (on the 25th day of the transplantation). Thus, it was presumed that CJ-50001 showed efficacy similar to Grasin on the peripheral neutrophil recovery after bone marrow transplantation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.253-257
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• 2002

This study was performed to investigate therapeutic effects of Achyranthis Radix extract and chitosan on the growth and differentiation of rat calvarial cells. it was found that treatment of methanol extract of Achyranthis Radix for 2 days caused 2.4-fold increase in the growth of rat calvarial cells. However, chitosan treatment caused only 1.9-fold increase in the cell growth. Treatment of methanol extract of Achyranthis Radix for 14 days caused 2-fold increase in the growth of rat calvarial cells. Alkaline phosphatase activity, one of the markers for bone cell differentiation, was increased approximately by 1.7-fold and 2.9-fold by the treatment of methanol extract of Achyranthis Radix for 2 days and 14 days, respectively. These results suggest that Achyranthis Radix extract could be beneficial for bone regeneration.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2020

Activation of osteoclast and inactivation of osteoblast result in loss of bone mass with bone resorption, leading to the pathological progression of osteoporosis. The receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) is a member of the TNF superfamily, and is a key mediator of osteoclast differentiation. A flavanone glycoside isolated from the fruit of Poncirus trifoliata, poncirin has anti-allergic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet activities. The present study investigates the effect of poncirin on osteoclast differentiation of RANKL-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. We observed reduced formation of RANKL-stimulated TRAP-positive multinucleated cells (a morphological feature of osteoclasts) after poncirin exposure. Real-time qPCR analysis showed suppression of the RANKL-mediated induction of key osteoclastogenic molecules such as NFATc1, TRAP, c-Fos, MMP9 and cathepsin K after poncirin treatment. Poncirin also inhibited the RANKL-mediated activation of NF-κB and, notably, JNK, without changes in ERK and p38 expression in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, we assessed the in vivo efficacy of poncirin in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bone erosion model. Evaluating the micro-CT of femurs revealed that bone erosion in poncirin treated mice was markedly attenuated. Our results indicate that poncirin exerts anti-osteoclastic effects in vitro and in vivo by suppressing osteoclast differentiation. We believe that poncirin is a promising candidate for inflammatory bone loss therapeutics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.563-569
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• 2014

Materials with differing surfaces have been developed for clinical implant therapy in dentistry and orthopedics. This study was designed to evaluate bone response to titanium alloy containing Ti-32Nb-5Zr with nanostructure, anodic oxidation, heat treatment, and ibandronate coating. Rats were randomly assigned to two groups for implantation of titanium alloy (untreated) as the control group and titanium alloy group coated with ibandronate as the experimental group. Then, the implants were inserted in both tibiae of the rats for four weeks. After implantation, bone implant interface, trabecular microstructure, mechanical fixation was evaluated by histology, micro-computed tomography (${\mu}CT$) and the push-out test, respectively. We found that the anodized, heat-treated and ibandronate-coated titanium alloy triggered pronounced bone implant integration and early bone formation. Ibandronate-coated implants showed elevated values for removal torque and a higher level of BV/TV, trabecular thickness and separation upon analysis with ${\mu}CT$ and mechanical testing. Similarly, higher bone contact and a larger percentage bone area were observed via histology compared to untreated alloy. Furthermore, well coating of ibandronate with alloy was observed by vitro releasing experiment. Our study provided evidences that the coating of bisphosphonate onto the anodized and heat-treated nanostructure of titanium alloy had a positive effect on implant fixation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2010

Twenty six compounds (1-26) were isolated from the root barks of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica. The anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds were evaluated agai nst the generation of inflammatory chemical mediators in bone marrow-derived mast cells. Among them, compounds 10, 11, 13, 15 and 19 inhibited not only cyclooxygenase-2 dependent prostaglandin $D_2$ generation but also 5-lipoxygenase dependent leukotrien $C_4$ generation in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, compounds 11, 12, 13, 15 and 19 also inhibited $\beta$-hexosaminidase release, a marker of mast cell degranulation reaction, from bone marrow-derived mast cell. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of U. davidiana might in part occur by both the inhibition of eicosanoid generations and the degranulation reaction of mast cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2010

Adipocyte differentiation in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) is not as efficient as that in murine pre-adipocytes when induced by adipogenic agents including insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IDX condition). Therefore, the promotion of adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs has been used as a cell culture model to evaluate insulin sensitivity for anti-diabetic drugs. In hBM-MSCs, $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonists or sulfonylurea anti-diabetic drugs have been added to IDX conditions to promote adipocyte differentiation. Here we show that troglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) agonist, significantly reduced the levels of anti-adipogenic $PGE_2$ in IDX-conditioned hBM-MSC culture supernatants when compared to $PGE_2$ levels in the absence of $PPAR{\gamma}$ agonist. However, there was no difference in the mRNA levels of cyclooxygenases (COXs) and the activities of COXs and prostaglandin synthases during adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs with or without troglitazone. In hBM-MSCs, troglitazone significantly increased the mRNA level of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (HPGD) which can act to decrease $PGE_2$ levels in culture. These results suggest that the role of $PPAR{\gamma}$ activation in promoting adipocyte differentiation in hBM-MSCs is to reduce anti-adipogenic $PGE_2$ levels through the up-regulation of HPGD expression.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2000

To evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties and tissue distribution of a newly developed recombinant human erythropoietin (GC-rhEPO), we analyzed the plasma and tissue levels of erythropoietin by an ELISA after intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) adminstration to the male rats at the doses of 20, 100, 500 or 2,500 unit/kg. After single IV bolus injection of GC-rhEPO, the plasma concentration was rapidly increased and decreased with two phases with half-lives of 13.4 min and 2.94 hours. AUC was increased dose- dependently but plasma half-lives remained constant regardless of GC-rhEPO doses. Following SC administration, the plasma concentration increased slowly with half-life of 9.2 hours and reached peak at 8 hours. Mean residence time and bioavailability were 18.2 hours and 44%, respectively. After single IV dose of 100 unit/kg, tissue GC-rhEPO level was higher in bone marrow and spleen, while the depletion rate was slower in liver and bone marrow, indicating the higher affinity of GC-rhEPO to bone marrow. Taken together, the experimental results indicate that GC-rhEPO contained the typical pharmacokinetic properties and the tissue distribution patterns inherent to human erythropoietin.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.527-535
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• 2021

Sclerostin (SOST), a regulator of bone formation in osteocytes, inhibits the canonical Wnt signaling by interacting with low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5/6 (LRP5/6) to prevent Wnt binding. Loss-of-function mutations of the SOST gene caused massive bone outgrowth and SOST-null mouse exhibited a high bone density phenotype. Therefore, SOST has been suggested as a promising therapeutic target for osteoporosis. A few previous studies with X-ray crystallography identified the binding interfaces between LRP6 and SOST, but there are limitations in these studies as they used truncated SOST protein or SOST peptide. Here, we analyzed the conformational dynamics of SOST-LRP6 E1E2 complex using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). We examined the effect of the C-terminal tail of SOST on LRP6 conformation upon complex formation. HDX-MS analysis suggested a new potential binding interface for the C-terminal region of SOST that was missing from the previous crystal structure of the SOST-LRP6 E1E2 complex.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2008

Taurine is the most abundant amino acid in many tissues and is found to be enhancing the bone tissue formation or inhibits the bone loss. Although it is reported that taurine reduces the alveolar bone loss through inhibiting the bone resorption, its functions of taurine and expression of taurine transporter (TauT) in bone have not been identified yet. The purpose of this study is to clarify the uptake mechanism of taurine in osteoblast using mouse osteoblast cell lines. In this study, mouse stromal ST2 cells and mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells as osteoblast cell lines were used. The activity of taurine uptake was assessed by measuring the uptake of [$^3H$]taurine in the presence or absence of inhibitors. TauT mRNA was detected in ST2 and MC3T3-E1 cells. [$^3H$]Taurine uptake by these cells was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium ion. The [$^3H$]taurine uptake in ST2 cells treated with 4 mM calcium was increased by 1.7-fold of the control which was a significant change. In contrast, in $Ca^{++}$-free condition and L-type calcium channel blockers (CCBs), taurine transport to osteocyte was significantly inhibited. In oxidative stress conditions, [$^3H$]taurine uptake was decreased by TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$. Under the hyperosmotic conditions, taurine uptake was increased, but inhibited by CCBs in hyperosmotic condition. These results suggest that, in mouse osteoblast cell lines, taurine uptake by TauT was increased by the presence of extracellular calcium, whereas decreased by CCBs and oxidative stresses, such as TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 2015

We tested the hypothesis that micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis provides a better quantitative readout of the therapeutic potential of methotrexate (MTX) for treating collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats and compared to conventional histopathological examination. Rats were divided into three groups: Group 1 (G1) was treated with 0.9% saline, whereas groups 2 (G2) and 3 (G3) were boosted with type II collagen at days 0 and 7. Following the first collagen immunization, rats in G1 and G2 were treated with 0.9% saline and those in G3 were treated with 1.5 mg/kg MTX from day 14 to 28. All rats were sacrificed on day 28, at which point and all hind knee joints were analyzed by micro-CT and histopathological examination. Micro-CT analyses showed that bone volume and trabecular number were significantly decreased in G2 and G3 compared to G1 (p<0.01), as was percent bone volume (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). However, bone surface/bone volume was significantly increased in G2 and G3 compared to G1 (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Trabecular separation was significantly increased in G3 compared to G1 (p<0.05). Histopathological examination showed that knee joints of rats in G2 and G3 showed severe joint destruction with inflammatory cell infiltration. However, cartilage destruction was slightly reduced in G3 compared to G2. Taken together, these results suggest that MTX treatment reduced cartilage destruction in rats with CIA, and micro-CT analyses made it possible to quantify arthritic bony lesion.