• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.667-676
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• 2017

Abnormal differentiation of muscle is closely associated with aging (sarcopenia) and diseases such as cancer and type II diabetes. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that regulate muscle differentiation will be useful in the treatment and prevention of these conditions. Protein lysine acetylation and methylation are major post-translational modification mechanisms that regulate key cellular processes. In this study, to elucidate the relationship between myogenic differentiation and protein lysine acetylation/methylation, we performed a PCR array of enzymes related to protein lysine acetylation/methylation during C2C12 myoblast differentiation. Our results indicated that the expression pattern of HDAC11 was substantially increased during myoblast differentiation. Furthermore, ectopic expression of HDAC11 completely inhibited myoblast differentiation, concomitant with reduced expression of key myogenic transcription factors. However, the catalytically inactive mutant of HDAC11 (H142/143A) did not impede myoblast differentiation. In addition, wild-type HDAC11, but not the inactive HDAC11 mutant, suppressed MyoD-induced promoter activities of MEF2C and MYOG (Myogenin), and reduced histone acetylation near the E-boxes, the MyoD binding site, of the MEF2C and MYOG promoters. Collectively, our results indicate that HDAC11 would suppress myoblast differentiation via regulation of MyoD-dependent transcription. These findings suggest that HDAC11 is a novel critical target for controlling myoblast differentiation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.88-92
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• 2012

Purpose: Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II or Hunter syndrome) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) deficiency. MPS II causes a wide phenotypic spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. IDS activity, which is measured in leukocyte pellets or fibroblasts, was reported to be related to clinical phenotype by Sukegawa-Hayasaka et al. Measurement of residual plasma IDS activity using a fluorometric assay is simpler than conventional measurements using skin fibroblasts or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This is the first study to describe the relationship between plasma IDS activity and clinical phenotype of MPS II. Methods: We hypothesized that residual plasma IDS activity is related to clinical phenotype. We classified 43 Hunter syndrome patients as having attenuated or severe disease types based on clinical characteristics, especially intellectual and cognitive status. There were 27 patients with the severe type and 16 with the attenuated type. Plasma IDS activity was measured by a fluorometric enzyme assay using 4-methylumbelliferyl- ${\alpha}$-iduronate 2-sulphate. Results: Plasma IDS activity in patients with the severe type was significantly lower than that in patients with the attenuated type ($p$=0.006). The optimal cut-off value of plasma IDS activity for distinguishing the severe type from the attenuated type was 0.63 $nmol{\cdot}4hr^{-1}{\cdot}mL^{-1}$. This value had 88.2% sensitivity, 65.4% specificity, and an area under receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) curve of 0.768 (ROC curve analysis; $p$=0.003). Conclusion: These results show that the mild phenotype may be related to residual lysosomal enzyme activity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.347-354
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• 2014

Larrea nitida is a plant that belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family and is widely used in South America to treat inflammatory diseases, tumors and menstrual pain. However, its pharmacological activity remains unclear. In this study we evaluated the property of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) of Larrea nitida extracts (LNE) as a phytoestrogen that can mimic, modulate or disrupt the actions of endogenous estrogens, depending on the tissue and relative amount of other SERMs. To investigate the property of SERM of LNE, we performed MCF-7 cell proliferation assays, estrogen response element (ERE)-luciferase reporter gene assay, human estrogen receptor (hER) binding assays and in vivo uterotrophic assay. To gain insight into the active principles, we performed a bioassay-guided analysis of LNE employing solvents of various polarities and using classical column chromatography, which yielded 16 fractions (LNs). LNE showed high binding affinities for $hER{\alpha}$ and $hER{\beta}$ with $IC_{50}$ values of $1.20{\times}10^{-7}$ g/ml and $1.00{\times}10^{-7}$ g/ml, respectively. LNE induced $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2)-induced MCF-7 cell proliferation, however, it reduced the proliferation in the presence of E2. Furthermore, LNE had an atrophic effect in the uterus of immature rats through reducing the expression level of progesterone receptor (PR) proteins. LN08 and LN10 had more potent affinities for binding on $hER{\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ than other fractions. Our results indicate that LNE had higher binding affinities for $hER{\beta}$ than $hER{\alpha}$, and showed SERM properties in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and the rat uterus. LNE may be useful for the treatment of estrogen-related conditions, such as female cancers and menopause.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.513-521
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• 2020

B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi1) is a polycomb group protein and a core component of polycomb repressive complex 1. Initial research into Bmi1 has focused on its role in tumorigenesis, and it is generally accepted that it is important for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. However, more recent studies have revealed that Bmi1 is downregulated in brains with neurodegenerative disease and that it regulates the function of mitochondria and reactive oxygen species levels. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of Bmi1 in pilocarpine-induced seizures in Bmi1-knockout mice. Bmi1 expression transiently increased in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 and the dentate gyrus following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). In terms of seizure behavior, SE induction was 43.14% and 53.57% for Bmi1^+/+ and Bmi1^+/- mice, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in mortality or hippocampal damage between the two groups. Two months after SE induction, the frequency of epileptic seizures in the Bmi1^+/- mice was 50% lower than in the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, mossy fiber outgrowth in the Bmi1^+/- mice was significantly higher than in their wild-type littermates. Taken together, these data indicate that reduced Bmi1 activity increases pilocarpine-induced seizure probability and mossy fiber outgrowth.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.128-134
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• 2004

Background and Objectives: Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel development from preexisting vessel. Angiogenenesis has been considered to be essential for the growth and expansion of a solid tumor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), known as one of the most important vascular permeability factors, induces proliferation of endothelial cells, stiumulates angiogenesis, and increases vascular permeability. Several recents reports have documented that VEGF overexpression is associated with poor clinical outcomes in many maligmancies. The aims of this study were to determine whether microvessel density and VEGF expression are related to clinicopathologic factors such as age, sex, tumor size, tumor stage, and prognostic factors and to evaluate the relationship between VEGF expression and angiogenesis in benign and malignant thyroid tumors. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 65 patients (27 with papillary carcinoma, 27 with adenomatous hyperplasia, 11 with follicular adenoma) who underwent thyroidectomy from 1995 to 2001. Imuunohistochemistry was used to detect VEGF expression and microvessel density (MVD) in paraffin-embedded thryoid tumor specimens. Results: The intensity of the VEGF expression did not show stastically difference between benign and malignant thyroid tumors. There was no apparent correlation between VEGF expression and age, tumor size, T stage or scores of the AGES, AMES and MACIS systems. The neo-microvessel density was higher in the maligant tumor than the benign tumors. Also, higher neo-microvessel density was associated with metastases of the lymph nodes and scores of the AMES and AGES systems. Conclusion: Our results suggest that neo-microvessel vessel density may be a significant prognostic factor in the thyroid papillary carcinoma. But the VEGF expression does not appear to be an significant independent prognostic factor for thyroid papillary carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.755-762
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• 2020

This study is desinged to examine the effects of Taheebo(Tabebuia avellanedae) extract on the prostate of male rats as a natural radiation protection agent. Taheebo extract is well known to inhibit cell growth for the cell lines of breast and prostate cancer. In this study, the X-ray 7 Gy was irradiated in the prostate of male rat to identify radiation protection effects by Taheebo Extracts, 1, 7, and 21 Days later, hematological changes, external toxicity assessments(LDH), antioxidant enzyme(SOD) activity changes and tissue change were observed. IR+TH group showed greater lymphocyte levels than the irradiation group, which is believed to affect the hematopoietic immune system's resilience. As a results of the external toxicity assessment, Taheebo extract's toxicity is maximum 18.128±5.16%, minimum 13.6945±4.43%. Taheebo is considered to be of little toxicity. The composition of prostate cell nuclei and cytoplasm in Control and TH group was honogeneous, whereas the cell nucleus cohesion in the prostate in irradiation group and inflammatory reactions in cytoplasm were shown. IR+TH group showed less inflammatory reactions of cytoplasm in the prostate than in the radiation irradiation group, but showed a cohesive phenomenon of cell nuclei. It is judged that Taheebo extract has radiation protection against prostate cells.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.4
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• pp.140-149
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• 2013

Background: Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), an important regulator of plasminogen activator system which controls degradation of extracellular membrane and progression of tumor cells, and PAI-1 gene polymorphic variants have been known as the prognostic biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer patients. Recently, experimental in vitro study revealed that transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ initiated PAI-1 transcription through epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. However, there is little clinical evidence on the association between PAI-1 A15T gene polymorphism and prognosis of Korean population with pulmonary adenocarcinoma and the influence of activating mutation of EGFR kinase domain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 171 patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma and undergone EGFR mutation analysis from 1995 through 2009. Results: In all patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, there was no significant association between PAI-1 A15T polymorphic variants and prognosis for overall survival. However, further subgroup analysis showed that the group with AG/AA genotype had a shorter 3-year survival time than the group with GG genotype in patients with EGFR mutant-type pulmonary adenocarcinoma (mean survival time, 24.9 months vs. 32.5 months, respectively; p=0.015). In multivariate analysis of 3-year survival for patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma harboring mutant-type EGFR, the AG/AA genotype carriers had poorer prognosis than the GG genotype carriers (hazard ratio, 7.729; 95% confidence interval, 1.414-42.250; p=0.018). Conclusion: According to our study of Korean population with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, AG/AA genotype of PAI-1 A15T would be a significant predictor of poor short-term survival in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma harboring mutant-type EGFR.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2002

A fusion protein, consisting of a human epidermal growth factor as the recognition domain and human angiogenin as the toxin domain, can be used as a targeted therapeutic against breast cancer cells among others. The fusion protein was expressed as an inclusion body in recombinant E. coli, yet when the conventional solution-phase refolding process was used the refolding yield was very low due to severe aggregation, probably because of the opposite surface charge resulting from the vastly different pl values of each domain. Accordingly the solid-phase refolding process, which exploits the ionic interactions between a solid matrix and the protein, was tried, however the ionic binding yield was also very low regardless of the resins and pH conditions used. Therefore, to provide a higher affinity toward the solid matrix, six Iysine residues were tagged to the N-terminus of the hEGF domain. When cation exchange resins, such as heparin- or CM-Sepharose, were used as the matrix, the adsorption capacity increased 2.5~3-fold and the subsequent refolding yield increased nearly 15-fold compared to the conventional process. A similat result was also obtained when an Ni-NTA metal affinity resin was used.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.295-301
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• 2012

This study was carried out to determine the biological activities of Wa-song (Orostachys japonicus) hot water extracts. Four types of extract samples were prepared, including Wa-song, traditional plants mixture [PM; mixture of Baekbokryung (Poria cocos), Changchul (Atractylodis rhizoma), and Sa-in (Amomum xanthoides)], and two different ratio composites of these (mixture of PM and Wa-song extract, 1:1 (v/v); PMO-1 and 1:3 (v/v); PMO-3). Their biological activities were measured using various in vitro assays. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of PM were higher compared to those of Wa-song, and those of PMO-1 were higher than those of PMO-3. Further, PMO-1 contained higher ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power, and nitrite scavenging activities than PMO-3. On the contrary, PMO-3 contained higher tyrosinase and inhibitory activities of MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cells than PMO-1. According to the results, biological activities of PMOs were significantly higher than those of Wa-song extract and PM in in vitro assays. Therefore, we expect that PMOs could show higher biological activities than Wa-song extract alone in vivo.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1330-1335
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• 2005

Red brownish p-pheylenediamine (PPD) has been widely used hair dye for women. The dye was known to cause systemic anaphylaxis, dermatitis and bladder cancer. But the effect of PPD toxicity with oxygen free radical has not been studied. This study investigated the degree of skin injury by PPD. PPD ($2.5\%$ PPD in $2\%\;NH_{4}OH$) was applied to the rat skin ($25 mg/16.5\;cm^2$) 3 or 5 times every other day. Histopathological findings demonstrated the proliferation of epithelial cells and the increased keratinization by PPD. The activities of glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) was decreased and acid phosphatase (ACP) was increased in PPD-applied rat skin. Groups in which PPD was applied 5 times were more damaged than groups applied 3 times. To examine the relationship between tissue damage and oxygen free radicals, effect of PPD on xanthine oxidase (XO) activity was measured and XO activity was more significantly increased in the group treated with PPD 5 times than 3 times. However, reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and the activities of catalase (CAT), super-oxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S -transferase (GST) were more decreased in PPD-applied groups than in controls. Even though the activities of XOD was not changed in the group treated with PPD 3 times, the decreased activities of oxygen free radical system and the damaged skin tissue were observed. This result might be caused by the production of toxic PPD metabolites in rat skin. In conclusion, topical PPD application led to skin injury in a dose-dependent manner, probably due to the generation rate of oxygen free radical.