• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.11
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• pp.1619-1624
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• 2018

Laser ablation may provide a minimally invasive palliative treatment for pancreatic cancer. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of a 532-nm laser equipped with a cylindrical light diffuser for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Monolayers of BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cell were exposed to 532 nm laser light. Power levels of 5 - 7 W were used to uniformly target the entire cell colonies for 60 and 120 seconds. The cells were incubated for 24 hours after treatment and viabilities were determined by using a MTT assay. Laser ablation was performed by using the cylindrical light diffuser on six pancreatic tumor tissues obtained from pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse models, which were exposed to the 532 nm light at 5W or 7W for 10 to 30 seconds. In the in vitro study, the survival rates of the pancreatic cancer cells were reduced by 6.6% to 98.9% after the treatment, and the survival rates were reduced by increasing laser power and/or irradiation time. In the pancreatic tumor tissues, a homogenous circular ablation zone was observed in all tumors and the ablation distance induced by the laser irradiation showed to be constant from the diffuser to all directions (standard deviation, 0.3 - 1.3 mm). Ablation distance and area increased with increasing laser power and/or irradiation time. The 532 nm laser effectively killed pancreatic cancer cells, and the cylindrical light diffuser was found to be suitable for laser ablation as it provided uniform ablation in pancreatic cancer.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.533-540
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• 2022

We evaluated a worm-based extruded pellet diet with black soldier fly Hermetia illucens larvae (BSF) meal and BSF oil for olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus through field feeding experiments at a commercial aquafarm. We prepared two experimental diets by replacing fish meal and fish oil with BSF meal and BSF oil (BEP-1, BSF meal 7%, BSF oil 1%) and (BEP-2, BSF oil 2%), respectively. We prepared raw-fish based moist pellets (MP) for comparison between the two experimental diets. We distributed the olive flounder (220±6.29 g) in square (10 m×10 m×1 m) concrete, 100 ton tanks at a density of 1,600 fish per tank (n=3) in triplicate for each dietary treatment. We fed the diets to the fish to apparent satiation for 7 months. At the end of the feeding trial, we found no substantial differences between the groups in terms of growth performance, survival, or feed utilization. None of the diet groups showed any changes in either hematological or non-specific immune responses. The histological observation of the intestine showed that the goblet cell number and cholecystokinin-producing cell activity increased in the fish fed the BEP diet compared with the those of the fish fed the MP diet. These results indicated that dietary BSF meal and oil can be used for olive flounder without compromising growth or, hematological and histological parameters.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.46-46
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• 2023

It has been reported that Rosa acicularis has anti-obesity activity by inhibiting the digestive lipase activity. However, there is a lack of clear in vitro studies regarding the anti-obesity activity of Rosa acicularis. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to verify the anti-obesity activity of Rosa acicularis leaves (RAL) and elucidate its mechanism of action in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. RAL dose-dependently inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets and triacylglycerol. RAL had no effect on cell proliferation and survival in undifferentiated 3T3-L1 cells, but it inhibited cell proliferation in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. RAL increased ATGL, p-HSL, and HSL, and decreased perilipin-1 in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, RAL reduced lipid droplet accumulation and increased free glycerol content in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. RAL increased ATGL and HSL in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Also, RAL increased p-AMPK, PPARγ, UCP-1, and PGC-1α in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. AMPK inhibition by Compound C attenuated RAL-mediated increase of ATGL, HSL, PPARγ, and UCP-1 in 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, it is thought that RAL may inhibit lipid accumulation through lipolysis and thermogenesis via the activation of AMPK in adipocytes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1164-1177
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• 2024

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is among the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract, with the sixth highest fatality rate worldwide. The ESCC-related dataset, GSE20347, was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify genes that are highly correlated with ESCC. A total of 91 transcriptome expression profiles and their corresponding clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. A mitochondria-associated risk (MAR) model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis and validated using GSE161533. The tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity were explored using the MAR model. Finally, in vitro experiments were performed to analyze the effects of hub genes on the proliferation and invasion abilities of ESCC cells. To confirm the predictive ability of the MAR model, we constructed a prognostic model and assessed its predictive accuracy. The MAR model revealed substantial differences in immune infiltration and tumor microenvironment characteristics between high- and low-risk populations and a substantial correlation between the risk scores and some common immunological checkpoints. AZD1332 and AZD7762 were more effective for patients in the low-risk group, whereas Entinostat, Nilotinib, Ruxolutinib, and Wnt.c59 were more effective for patients in the high-risk group. Knockdown of TYMS significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasive ability of ESCC cells in vitro. Overall, our MAR model provides stable and reliable results and may be used as a prognostic biomarker for personalized treatment of patients with ESCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.2043-2049
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• 2015

Background: Serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) as a novel and potential marker for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been found to be elevated in HCC patients and associated with clinical variables representing tumor growth and invasiveness. The aim of this study was to prepare a pair of monoclonal antibodys (mAbs) against GP73 and develop a newly designed double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (s-ELISA), which would be used in the detection of serum GP73 (sGP73) as well as in the diagnosis of HCC. Materials and Methods: Produced by prokaryotic expression, the purified recombinant GP73 (rGP73), produced by prokaryotic expression, was used to immunize the Balb/c mice. Two hybridoma cell lines against GP73 were obtained by fusing mouse Sp2/0 myeloma cells with spleen cells from the immunized mice. The titers of anti-GP73 mAb reached 1:243,000. Western blotting analysis and Immunohistochemistry staining revealed that anti-GP73 mAb could recognize GP73 protein. The double-antibody s-ELISA was successfully established and validated by 119 HCC and 103 normal serum samples. Results: showed that the detection limit of this method could reach 1.56 ng/ml, and sGP73 levels in HCC group (mean=190.6 ng/ml) were much higher than those of in healthy controls (mean=70.92 ng/ml). Conclusions: Results of our study not only showed that sGP73 levels of HCC patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls, but also indicated that the laboratory homemade anti-GP73 mAbs could be the optimal tool used in evaluating sGP73 levels, which would provide a solid foundation for subsequent clinical applications.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2007

The principal objective of this study was to compare the effects of whole and hydrolyzed cells (bifidobacteria) treated with gastrointestinal digestive enzymes on the activation of cloned macrophages. Seven different strains of Bifidobacterium obtained from swine, chickens, and rats, were digested with pepsin followed by pancreatin and the precipitate (insoluble fraction) and supernatant (soluble fraction) obtained via centrifugation. The RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were incubated with either whole cells, the precipitate, or supernatant at various concentrations. Pronounced increases in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ were observed in the whole cells and precipitates, but these effects were less profound in the supernatants. The precipitates also evidenced a slight, but significant, inductive activity for NO and all tested cytokines, with the exception of $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ in the macrophage model as compared with the whole cells. By way of contrast, $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ production when cultured with whole cells (100 ng/ml) resulted in marked increases as compared with what was observed with the precipitates. The results of this study indicated, for the first time, that digested Bifidobacterium sp. can induce the production of NO and several cytokines in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. In the current study, it was demonstrated that Bifidobacterium strains treated with digestive enzymes, as compared with whole cells, are capable of stimulating the induction of macrophage mediators, which reflects that they may be able to modulate the gastrointestinal immune functions of the host.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1285-1293
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• 2012

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of commercial monostrain and multistrain probiotics in diets on growth performance, intestinal morphology and mucin gene (MUC2) expression in broiler chicks. Three hundred seventy-eight 1-d-old male Arian broiler chicks were allocated in 3 experimental groups for 6 wk. The birds were fed on a corn-soybean based diet and depending on the addition were labeled as follows: control-unsupplemented (C), birds supplemented with Bacillus subtilis (BS) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) based probiotics. Each treatment had 6 replicates of 21 broilers each. Treatment effects on body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and biomarkers such as intestinal goblet cell density, villus length, villus width, and mucin gene expression were determined. Total feed intake did not differ significantly between control birds and those fed a diet with probiotics (p>0.05). However, significant differences in growth performance were found. Final body weight at 42 d of age was higher in birds fed a diet with probiotics compared to those fed a diet without probiotic (p<0.05). Inclusion of Bacillus subtilis based probiotic in the diets also significantly affected feed conversion rate (FCR) compared with control birds (p<0.05). No differences in growth performance were observed in birds fed different types of probiotic supplemented diets. Inclusion of lactic acid bacteria based probiotic in the diets significantly increased goblet cell number and villus length (p<0.05). Furthermore, diets with Bacillus subtilis based probiotics significantly increased gene expression (p<0.05), with higher intestinal MUC2 mRNA in birds fed diet with probiotics compared to those fed the control diet. In BS and LAB probiotic fed chicks, higher growth performance may be related to higher expression of the MUC2 gene in goblet cells and/or morphological change of small intestinal tract. The higher synthesis of the mucin gene after probiotic administration may positively affect bacterial interactions in the intestinal digestive tract, intestinal mucosal cell proliferation and consequently efficient nutrient absorption.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4637-4642
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• 2014

Background: Hypoxia-inducible factor $1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) plays an important role in regulating cell survival and angiogenesis, which are critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Genetic variations of HIF1A have been shown to influence the susceptibility to many kinds of human tumors. Increased expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has also been demonstrated to be involved in tumor progression. However, the prognostic value of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inthe HIF1A gene remains to be determined in most cancer types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we sought to investigate the predictive role of HIF1A SNPs in prognosis of CRC patients and efficacy of chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: We genotyped two functional SNPs in HIF1A gene using the Sequenom iPLEX genotyping system and then assessed their associations with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes of 697 CRC patients receiving radical surgery using Cox logistic regression model and Kaplan Meier curves. Results: Generally, no significant association was found between these 2 SNPs and clinical outcomes of CRC. In stratified analysis of subgroup without adjuvant chemotherapy, patients carrying CT/TT genotypes of rs2057482 exhibited a borderline significant association with better overall survival when compared with those carrying CC genotype [Hazard ratio (HR), 0.47; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.29-0.76; P < 0.01]. Moreover, significant protective effects on CRC outcomes conferred by adjuvant chemotherapy were exclusively observed in patients carrying CC genotype of rs2057482 and in those carrying AC/CC genotype of rs2301113. Conclusions: Genetic variations in HIF1A gene may modulate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery in CRC patients.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1235-1243
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• 2015

Hwangheuk-san (HHS) is a Korean multi-herb formula comprising four medicinal herbs. HHS, which was recorded in “Dongeuibogam,” has been used to treat patients with inflammation syndromes and digestive tract cancer for hundreds of years. However, little is known about its anti-tumor efficacy. The present study investigated the pro-apoptotic effect and mode of action of HHS against AGS human gastric carcinoma cells. HHS inhibited the cell growth of AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies, chromatin condensation, and an accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. HHS-induced apoptotic cell death was associated with the up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression, down-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol. The treatment of AGS cells with HHS significantly elevated the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, apoptosis-inducing concentrations of HHS induced the activation of both caspase-9 and -8, initiator caspases of the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic and death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathways, respectively, and caspase-3, accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase. However, ROS scavenger and pan-caspases inhibitor significantly blocked HHS-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that HHS induces apoptosis through ROS- and caspase-dependent mechanisms and that HHS may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human gastric cancer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.973-977
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• 2013

These studies were attempted to investigate the change of microbial community of anode of microbial fuel cell using swine wastewater in the enrichment step with the lapse of time. Microbial fuel cells enriched by a 1 : 1 mixture of anaerobic digestive juices of the sewage treatment plant and livestock wastewater. Enrichment culture step was divided into three stages to indentify the microorganisms. It was separated by each lag phase, exponential phase, and stationary phase. These steps were determined by the change of the current value. The current after enrichment was generated about $0.84{\pm}0.06mA$. We were cut out the different 17 bands in the DGGE fingerprint gel to do sequencing. The bands which the concentration was increasing or newly appearing with the lapse of time were included for this study. In the lag and exponential phase, Clostridium, Rhodocyclaceae, Bacteriodetes, and Uncultured bacterium etc. were detected. There were in the stationary phase Geobacter sp., Rhodocyclaceae, Candidatus, Nitrospira, Flavobactriaceae and uncultured bacterium etc. Geobactor among microorganisms detected in this study is known as the Electrochemically active microorganisms. It may include electrochemically active microorganisms to be considered as electrical activity microorganisms.