• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2019

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is mediated by disturbance of $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis. The store-operated calcium (SOC) channel is the primary $Ca^{2+}$ channel in non-excitable cells, but its participation in agent-induced ER stress is not clear. In this study, the effects of tunicamycin on $Ca^{2+}$ influx in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were observed with the fluorescent probe Fluo-4 AM. The effect of tunicamycin on the expression of the unfolded protein response (UPR)-related proteins BiP and CHOP was assayed by western blotting with or without inhibition of Orai1. Tunicamycin induced endothelial dysfunction by activating ER stress. Orai1 expression and the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in HUVECs were both upregulated during ER stress. The SOC channel inhibitor SKF96365 reversed tunicamycin-induced endothelial cell dysfunction by inhibiting ER stress. Regulation of tunicamycin-induced ER stress by Orai1 indicates that modification of Orai1 activity may have therapeutic value for conditions with ER stress-induced endothelial dysfunction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.12
• /
• pp.6145-6149
• /
• 2012

Objective: To identify whether saliva supernatant miR-21 can serve as a novel potential biomarker in patients with esophageal cancer (EC). Methods: 32 patients with EC and 16 healthy controls were recruited in this study. Total RNA was extracted from saliva supernatant samples for measurement of miR-21 levels using RT-qPCR and relationships between miR-21 levels and clinical characteristics of EC patients were analyzed. Results: miR-21 was significantly higher in the EC than control groups. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.4% and 62.5% respectively. Supernatant miR-21 levels showed no significant correlation with cancer stage, differentiation and nodal metastasis. Conclusions: Saliva supernatant miR-21 may be a novel biomarker for EC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.206-210
• /
• 2017

Objective: A study was conducted to test six threonine (Thr) levels (0.39%, 0.44%, 0.49%, 0.54%, 0.59%, and 0.64%) to estimate the optimal dietary Thr requirements for Longyan laying ducks from 17 to 45 wk of age. Methods: Nine hundred Longyan ducks aged 17 wk were assigned randomly to the six dietary treatments, where each treatment comprised six replicate pens with 25 ducks per pen. Results: Increasing the Thr level enhanced egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (linearly or quadratically; p<0.05). The Haugh unit score, yolk color, albumen height, and the weight, percentage, thickness, and breaking strength of the eggshell did not response to increases in the Thr levels, but the albumen weight and its proportion increased significantly (p<0.05), whereas the yolk weight and its proportion decreased significantly as the Thr levels increased. Conclusion: According to a regression model, the optimal Thr requirement for egg production, egg mass, and FCR in Longyan ducks is 0.57%, while 0.58% is the optimal level for egg weight from 17 to 45 wk of age.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.3151-3156
• /
• 2014

Background: Sorafenib is a promising drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, treatment may be discontinued for multiple reasons, such as progressive disease, adverse events, or the cost of treatment. The consequences of sorafenib discontinuation and continuation are uncertain. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 88 HCC patients treated with sorafenib from July 2007 to January 2013. Overall survival (OS), post-disease progression overall survival (pOS), and time to disease progression (TTP) were compared for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to assess the effect of important factors on OS in the overall patient population and on pOS in patients who continued sorafenib treatment. Results: Sorafenib was discontinued and continued in 24 and 64 patients, respectively. The median OS (355 vs 517 days respectively; p=0.015) and median post-PD OS (260 vs 317 days, respectively; p=0.020) were statistically different between the discontinuation and continuation groups. Neither the median time to first PD nor the time to second PD were significantly different between the 2 groups. In the discontinuation group, 3 of the 24 patients (12.5%) suffered disease outbreaks. In Cox proportional hazard regression analysis after correction for confounding factors, BCLC stage (p=0.002) and PD site (p=0.024) were significantly correlated with pOS in patients who continued sorafenib treatment. Conclusions: Sorafenib discontinuation may cause HCC flares or outbreaks. It is advisable to continue sorafenib treatment after first PD, particularly in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B disease or only intrahepatic PD.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.441-447
• /
• 2016

Despite the complex vascular effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), its actions on human pulmonary resistance arteries remain unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that DEX inhibits vascular tension in human pulmonary arteries through the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mediated production of nitric oxide (NO). Pulmonary artery segments were obtained from 62 patients who underwent lung resection. The direct effects of DEX on human pulmonary artery tension and changes in vascular tension were determined by isometric force measurements recorded on a myograph. Arterial contractions caused by increasing concentrations of serotonin with DEX in the presence or absence of L-NAME (endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), yohimbine (${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor antagonist) and indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) as antagonists were also measured. DEX had no effect on endothelium-intact pulmonary arteries, whereas at concentrations of $10^{-8}{\sim}10^{-6}mol/L$, it elicited contractions in endothelium-denuded pulmonary arteries. DEX (0.3, 1, or $3{\times}10^{-9}mmol/L$) inhibited serotonin-induced contraction in arteries with intact endothelium in a dose-dependent manner. L-NAME and yohimbine abolished DEX-induced inhibition, whereas indomethacin had no effect. No inhibitory effect was observed in endothelium-denuded pulmonary arteries. DEX-induced inhibition of vasoconstriction in human pulmonary arteries is mediated by NO production induced by the activation of endothelial ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor and nitric oxide synthase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.9
• /
• pp.1218-1223
• /
• 2012

${\varepsilon}$-Poly-$_L$-lysine (${\varepsilon}$-PL), produced by Streptomyces or Kitasatospora strains, is a homo-poly-amino acid of $_L$-lysine, which is used as a safe food preservative. The present study investigates the combined use of cell immobilization and in situ adsorption (ISA) to produce ${\varepsilon}$-PL in shaken flasks. Loofah sponge-immobilized Streptomyces ahygroscopicus GIM8 produced slightly more ${\varepsilon}$-PL than those immobilized on synthetic sponge, and sugarcane bagasse. Moreover, loofah sponge supported the maximum biomass. Hence, loofah sponge was chosen for cell immobilization. Meanwhile, the ion-exchange resin D152 was employed for ISA. The loofah sponge-immobilized cells produced $0.54{\pm}0.1g/l$ ${\varepsilon}$-PL, which significantly increased to $3.64{\pm}0.32g/l$ after combining with ISA through the addition of resin bags. The free cells with ISA using the dispersed resin yielded $2.73{\pm}0.26g/l$ of ${\varepsilon}$-PL, an increase from $0.82{\pm}0.08g/l$. These data illustrate that the proposed combination method improved production most significantly compared with either immobilization or ISA only. Moreover, the immobilized cells could be repeatedly used and an ${\varepsilon}$-PL total amount of $8.05{\pm}0.84g/l$ was obtained. The proposed combination method offers promising perspectives for ${\varepsilon}$-PL production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.8
• /
• pp.1220-1225
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of genistein on the antioxidative defence system and membrane fluidity in chick skeletal muscle cells after supplementation with 0, 20, 40, and $80{\mu}mol/L$ genistein in $50{\mu}mol/L$ $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$ treated cells for 24 h. Genistein supplementation recovered the decreased activity of total superoxide dismutase induced by $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$, significantly increased glutathione peroxidase activity (p<0.05) and decreased malondialdehyde production (p<0.05). The treatment of 80 mol/L genistein in $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$ treated cells decreased the secretion of creatine kinase (p<0.05). Fluorescence polarization values and microviscosities observed with $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$ treated cells were significantly higher than those observed with no $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$ treated cells. The addition of $80{\mu}mol/L$ genistein improved the increased fluorescence polarization value (p<0.05) caused by $FeSO_4/H_2O_2$ treatment. The microviscosity value was significantly decreased by adding genistein (p<0.05). In conclusion, genistein protected skeletal muscle cells from oxidative damage by improving antioxidative status and membrane fluidity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.26-37
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Hyperuricemic nephropathy is a common cause of acute kidney injury. Resveratrol can ameliorate kidney injury, but the explicit mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of resveratrol on the inflammatory response and renal injury in hyperuricemic rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: A rat model of hyperuricemic nephropathy was established by the oral administration of a mixture of adenine and potassium oxinate. Biochemical analysis and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to assess the rat kidney function. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to evaluate the immune and oxidative responses. RESULTS: The expression levels of urine albumin and β2-microglobulin were significantly decreased after resveratrol treatment. In addition, the levels of serum creatinine and uric acid were significantly decreased in the resveratrol groups, compared with the control group. The levels of proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, in kidney tissue and serum were also increased in the hyperuricemic rats, and resveratrol treatment inhibited their expression. Moreover, the total antioxidant capacity in kidney tissue as well as the superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase levels in serum were all decreased by resveratrol treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol may protect against hyperuricemic nephropathy through regulating the inflammatory response.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.3333-3338
• /
• 2015

Background: This study was conducted to analyze positron emission tomography (PET) / computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performance with oropharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (ONHL).Materials and Methods: The complete image data of 30 ONHL cases were analyzed, all patients were performed PET / CT and MRI examination before the treatment, with the time interval of these two inspections not exceeding 14 days. The distribution, morphology, MRI signal characteristics, enhancement feature, standardized uptake value (SUV) max value and lymph node metastasis way of the lesions were analyzed. Results: Among the 30 cases, 23 cases were derived from the B-cell (76.7%), 5 cases were derived from the peripheral T cells (16.7%) and 2 cases were derived from the NK/T cells (6.7%). 19 cases exhibited the palatine tonsil involvement (63.3%). As for the lesion appearance, 10 cases appeared as mass, 8 cases were the diffused type and 12 cases were the mixed type. 25 cases exhibited the SUVmax value of PET / CT primary lesions as 11 or more (83.3%). MRI showed that all patients exhibited various degrees of parapharyngeal side-compressed narrowing, but MRI still exhibited the high-signal fat, and the oropharyngeal mucosa was intact. 25 cases were associated with the neck lymph node metastasis, among who 22 cases had no necrosis in the metastatic lymph nodes, while the rest 3 cases exhibited the central necrosis in the metastatic lymph nodes. Conclusions: PET / CT and MRI have important value in diagnosing and determining the lesion extent of ONHL.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.3293-3297
• /
• 2014

Background: Pine needle oil from crude extract of pine needles has anti-tumor effects, but the effective component is not known. Methods: In the present study, compounds from a steam distillation extract of pine needles were isolated and characterized. Alpha-pinene was identified as an active anti-proliferative compound on hepatoma carcinoma BEL-7402 cells using the MTT assay. Results: Further experiments showed that ${\alpha}$-pinene inhibited BEL-7402 cells by arresting cell growth in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, downregulating Cdc25C mRNA and protein expression, and reducing cycle dependence on kinase 1(CDK1) activity. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings indicate that ${\alpha}$-pinene may be useful as a potential anti-tumor drug.