• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.217-223
• /
• 2011

Ischemic stroke constitutes about 80% of all stroke incidences. It is characterized by brain cell death in a region where cerebral arteries supplying blood are occluded. Under these ischemic conditions, apoptosis is responsible for the cell death, at least in part. Goat's-beard (Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus) is a perennial plant that grows naturally in the alpine regions of Korea. In the present study, we first determined whether water extract of goat's-beard (HY1646) and some of its fractions prepared by partitioning with organic solvents could improve the viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) cultured under hypoxic condition by blocking apoptotic pathways. Based on the in vitro findings, we subsequently investigated whether HY1646 and the ethyl acetate fraction (EA) selected from cell culture-based screening could attenuate brain injury in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of ischemia (2 hr), followed by 22 hours of reperfusion. The cell number was sustained close to that initially plated in the presence of HY1646 even after 24 hr of cell culture under hypoxic condition (3% $O_2$), at which time the cell number reached almost zero in the absence of HY1646. This improvement in cell viability was attributed to the delay in apoptosis, identified by the formation of DNA ladder in gel electrophoresis. Of fractions soluble in hexane, ethyl acetate (EA) and butanol, EA was chosen for the animal experiments because EA demonstrated the best cell viability at the lowest concentration (10 ${\mu}g$/mL). HY1646 (200 mg/kg) and EA (10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly reduced infarct size, an index of brain injury, by 16.6, 40.0 and 61.0%, respectively, as assessed by 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining. The findings suggest that prophylactic intake of goat's beard might be beneficial for preventing ischemic stroke.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 1998.06a
• /
• pp.270-280
• /
• 1998

Ginseng is one of the most widely used medicinal plants, particularly in East Asian countries. Certain fractions or purified ingredients of ginseng have been shown to exert inhibitory effects on growth of cancer cells in culture or on tumorigenesis in experimental animals. Moreover, a recent epidemiologic study reveals that ginseng intake is associated with a reduced risk for environmentally related cancers such as esophageal, gastric, colorectal, and pulmonary tumors. Heat treatment of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer at the temperature higher than that applied to the conventional preparation of red ginseng yielded a mixture of saponins with potent antioxidative properties. Thus, the methanol extract of heat-processed ginseng (designated as'NGMe') attenuated lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates induced by ferric ion or ferric ion plus ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the extract protected against strand scission in f Xl 74 supercoiled DNA Induced by UV photolysis of H2O2 and was also capable of scavenging superoxide generated in vitro by xanthine/xanthine oxidate or in differentiated human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells by the tumor promoter,12-0-tetvade- canoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Since tumor promotion is closely linked to oxidative stress, we have determined possible anti-tumor promotional effects of NGMe on two-stage mouse skin tumorigenesis. Topical application of NGMe onto shaven backs of female ICR mice 10 min prior to TPA significantly ameliorated skin papillomagenesi s initiated by 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA).'Likewise, TPA-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and elevation of tumor necrosis factor-a were suppressed signifies%fly by NGMe pretreatment. NGMe topically applied onto surface of hamster buccal pouch 10 min before each topical application of DMBA inhibited oral carcinogenesis by 76olo in terms of multiplicity. Taken together, these results suggest that processed Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has potential cancer chemopreventive activities.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.518-524
• /
• 2000

We examined the modulation of protein kinase C (PKC) subtypes during apoptosis induced by ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) in human neuroblastoma SK-N-Bl(2) and rat glioma C6Bu-1 cells. Apoptosis induced by C-Rh2 in both cell lines was confirmed, as indicated by DNA fragmentation and in situ strand breaks, and characteristic morphological changes. During apoptosis induced by G-Rh2 in SK-N-BE(2) cells, PKC subtypes $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$ were progressively increased with prolonged treatment, whereas PKC $\delta$ increased transiently at 3 and 6 h and PKC $\varepsilon$ was gradually down-regulated after 6 h following the treatment. On the other hand, PKC subtype $\beta$ markedly increased at 24 h when maximal apoptosis was achieved. In C6Bu-l cells, no significant changes in PKC subtypes $\alpha$, $\gamma$, $\delta$, $\varepsilon$ and $\beta$ were observed during apoptosis induced by G-Rh2. These results suggest the evidence for a possible role of PKC subtype in apoptosis induced by G-Rh2 in SK-N-BE(2) cells but not in C6Bu-1 cells, and raise the possibility that G-Rh2 may induce apoptosis via different pathways interacting with or without PKC in different cell types.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2013

Mycobacterium (M.) bovis, a member of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTC), is a re-emerging, zoonotic agent of bovine tuberculosis whose prevalence probably depends on variations in direct exposure to cattle and ingestion of raw milk. Accurate species differentiation of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis is needed to distinguish between human and zoonotic tuberculosis. This study successfully developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection and differentiation of M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, however showed negative reactions in eight non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) samples and ten other bacterial species. Sensitivity of this assay for detection of genomic M. bovis DNA was 10 $fg/{\mu}l$. And this assay successfully detected M. bovis in bovine clinical specimens. In conclusion, the LAMP assay is a simple and powerful tool for rapid detection of M. bovis in both pure bacterial culture and in clinical samples.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2009

Thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal protein (tPMP) is a small cationic peptide that exerts potent in vitro microbicidal activity against a broad spectrum of human pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus rattus BHT. Earlier evidence has suggested that tPMP targets and disrupts the bacterial membrane. However, it is not yet clear whether membrane disruption itself is sufficient to kill the bacteria or whether subsequent, presumably intracellular, events are also involved in this process. In this study, we investigated the microbicidal activity of rabbit tPMP toward S. rattus BHT cells in the presence or absence of a pretreatment with antibiotics that differ in their mechanisms of action. The streptocidal effects of tPMP on control cells (no antibiotic pretreatment) were rapid and concentration-dependent. Pretreatment of S. rattus BHT cells with either penicillin or amoxicillin (inhibitors of bacterial cell wall synthesis) significantly enhanced the anti-S. rattus BHT effects of tPMP compared with the effects against the respective control cells over most tPMP concentration ranges tested. On the other hand, pretreatment of S. rattus BHT cells with tetracycline or doxycycline (30S ribosomal subunit inhibitors) significantly decreased the streptocidal effects of tPMP over a wide peptide concentration range. Furthermore, pretreatment with rifampin (an inhibitor of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase) essentially blocked the killing of S. rattus BHT by tPMP at most concentrations compared with the respective control cells. These results suggest that tPMP exerts anti-S. rattus BHT activity through mechanisms involving both the cell membrane and intracellular targets.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.31-40
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The probiotic effects of lactic acid bacteria have widely been researched in diverse human pathogens, but only a few effects are reported against oral pathogens. The antimicrobial effects of the Enterococcus faecium 7413 isolated from Korean infants on the 9 pathogen including 6 oral streptococci were investigated the clinical use of the antimicrobial peptide for oral microflora control. Materials and Methods: E. faecium 7413 was identified by morphological, biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Inhibitory effects of culture supernatants were determined for their ability to grow on agar plate containing pathogenic bacteria. Result: The culture supernatant of Enterococcus faecium 7413 showed inhibitory effects on oral pathogens, namely Streptococcus pyogenes KCTC 3556, S. pneumoniae KCTC 5080, S. mutans ATCC 25175, S. anginosus ATCC 33397, S. constellatus KCTC 3268, S. intermedius ATCC 27823 and Shigella flexneri KCTC 2008. Whereas it did not affect the multiplication of E. coli strains, KCTC 1041 and ATCC 43894. Conclusion: The data obtained in this study could be useful for future development of effective probiotics allowing prevention for oral pathogens.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2011

Obesity provokes many serious human diseases, including various cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Body mass index (BMI) is a highly heritable trait that is broadly used to diagnose obesity. To identify genetic loci associated with obesity in Asians, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of a population of Korean adults (n=6,742, age 40~60 years) and detected six BMI risk loci (TNR, FAM124B, RGS12, NFE2L3, MC4R and FTO) having p< $1{\times}10^{-5}$. However, in the replication study, only melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) (rs9946888, p=$4.58{\times}10^{-7}$) was replicated with marginal significance (p<0.05) in the second cohort (n=5,102, age 40~60 years). This study indicates that each locus associated with BMI has very weak genetic effect.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.507-514
• /
• 2004

Gamma irradiation ($\gamma$-IR) is reported to have diverse effects on immune cell apoptosis, survival and differentiation. In the present study, the immunomodulatory effect of a low dose $\gamma$-IR (5~10 Gy) was investigated, focusing on the role of NF-${\kappa}B$ in the induction of the B cell differentiation molecule, CD23/FceRII. In the human B cell line Ramos, $\gamma$-IR not only induced CD23 expression, but also augmented the IL-4-induced surface CD23 levels. While $\gamma$-IR did not cause STAT6 activation in these cells, it did induce both DNA binding and the transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ in the $I{\kappa}B$ degradation-dependent manner. It was subsequently found that different NF-${\kappa}B$ regulating signals modulated the $\gamma$-IR-or IL-4-induced CD23 expression. Inhibitors of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation, such as PDTC and MG132, suppressed the $\gamma$-IR-mediated CD23 expression. In contrast, Ras, which potentiates $\gamma$-IR-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ activity in these cells, further augmented the $\gamma$-IR- or IL-4-induced CD23 levels, The induction of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and the subsequent up-regulation of CD23 expression by $\gamma$-IR were also observed in monocytic cells. These results suggest that $\gamma$-IR, at specific dosages, can modulate immune cell differentiation through the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, and this potentially affects the immune inflammatory response that is mediated by cytokines.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.98-106
• /
• 2016

Investigation of human papillomavirus (HPV) in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material is important for understanding cervical carcinogenesis. The objective of the present study was to identify the high risk HPVs (HR-HPVs) using HPV E6/E7 mRNA testing from archival tissues in cervical cancer and the relation to HR-HPVs genotypes in paired cervical exfoliated cells. HPV E6/E7 mRNA testing and DNA chip testing were performed in 79 paired cervical FFPE tissues and exfoliated cells from women with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Overall agreement in HR-HPVs detection from FFPE samples and cytology samples were 98.5% in HPV 16, 100% in HPV 18, HPV 31, HPV 33, HPV 58, HPV 66, and HPV 68. Type-specific agreement between FFPE samples and cytology samples was 89.1% in HPV positive, 93.5% in HPV 16 and more than 70% in the other HR-HPVs. In conclusion, HR-HPVs were reliably detected in paired FFPE and cytology samples with some variation in type-specific detection.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.123-132
• /
• 2005

Melittin,cationic 26-amino acid, is the principal component of the bee venom (BV) which has been used for treatment of inflammatory disease such as arthritis rheumatism NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB via activation of a multisubunit IkB kinase (IKK). We previously found that melittin bind to the sulfhydryl group of p50, a subunit of NF-kB. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of IKKa and IKKb, melittin could modify IKK activity by protein-protein interaction. We therefore examined effect of melittin on IKK activities in sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-stimulated synoviocyte obtained from RA patients. Melittin suppressed the SNP-induced release of IkB resulted in inhibition of DNA binding activity of NF-kB and NF-kB-dependent luciferase activity. Consistent with the inhibitory effect on NF-kB activation, IKKa and IKKb activities were also suppressed by melittin. Surface plasmon resonance analysis realized that melitin binds to IKKa $(Kd\;=\;1.34{\times}10-9M)$ and IKKb$(Kd\;=\;1.0{\times}10-9M)$. Inhibition of IKKa and IKKb resulted in reduction of the SNP-induced production of inflammatory mediators NO and PGE2 generation. The inhibitory effect of melittin on the IKKs activities, binding affinity of melittin to IKKs, and NO and PGE2 generation were blocked by addition of reducing agents dithiothreitol and glutathione. In addition, melittin did not show inhibitory effect in the transfected Synoviocytes with plasmid carrying dominant negative mutant IKKa (C178A) and IKKb (C179A). These results demonstrate that melittin directly binds to sulfhydryl group of IKKs resulting in IkBrelease, thereby inhibits activation of NF-kB and expression of genes involving in the inflammatory responses.