• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.607-613
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of either chrysin or exercise on the inflammasome and thermogenic markers in the livers of high-fat fed mice. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to four groups: normal diet control (NC; n=5), high-fat diet control (HC; n=5), high-fat diet with chrysin (Hch; n=5), and high-fat diet with moderate exercise (HME; n=5). The mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% of calories from fat) or normal diet (18% of calories from fat). Chrysin was supplemented orally as 50mg/kg/day dissolved in a 0.1ml solution of dimethyl sulfoxide. The exercised mice ran on a treadmill at 12-20 m/min for 30-60 min/day, 5 times/week, for 16 weeks. After the intervention, the epididymal fat and liver weights were significantly decreased in the HME group compared with HC and Hch groups. The adipocyte size was effectively decreased in the Hch and HME groups compared with the HC group. The inflammasome markers NLRP3, $IL-1{\beta}$, and caspase1 were significantly decreased in the Hch and HME groups compared with the HC group. The thermogenic markers $PGC-1{\alpha}$ and BMP7 were significantly lower in the HC than in the NC group. However, the HME group showed an increase in the thermogenic markers. In conclusion, chrysin and moderate exercise have positive effects on obese metabolic complications induced by high-fat diets by reducing inflammasome genes. However, chrysin supplementation had no effect on thermogenic gene expression. Moderate exercise would therefore seem to be more effective in controlling obesity-induced metabolic deregulation.

• Molecular Medicine Reports
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.3709-3718
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• 2019

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by recurrent pancreatic injury, resulting in inflammation and fibrosis. Currently, there are no drugs for the treatment of pancreatic fibrosis associated with CP. Piperine, a natural alkaloid found in black pepper, has been reported to show anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and antitumor activities. Although piperine exhibits numerous properties in regards to the regulation of diverse diseases, the effects of piperine on CP have not been established. To investigate the effects of piperine on CP in vivo, we induced CP in mice through the repetitive administration of cerulein (50 ㎍/kg) six times at 1-h intervals, 5 times per week, for a total of 3 weeks. In the pre-treatment groups, piperine (1, 5, or 10 mg/kg) or corn oil were administrated orally at 1 h before the first cerulein injection, once a day, 5 times a week, for a total of 3 weeks. In the post-treatment groups, piperine (10 mg/kg) or corn oil was administered orally at 1 or 2 week after the first cerulein injection. Pancreases were collected for histological analysis. In addition, pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) were isolated to examine the anti-fibrogenic effects and regulatory mechanisms of piperine. Piperine treatment significantly inhibited histological damage in the pancreas, increased the pancreatic acinar cell survival, reduced collagen deposition and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition, piperine treatment reduced the expression of fibrotic mediators, such as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen, and fibronectin 1 in the pancreas and PSCs. Moreover, piperine treatment reduced the production of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in the pancreas and PSCs. Furthermore, piperine treatment inhibited TGF-β-induced pSMAD2/3 activation but not pSMAD1/5 in the PSCs. These findings suggest that piperine treatment ameliorates pancreatic fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signaling during CP.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.544-555
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: The outcome benefits of β-blockers in chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) have not been fully assessed. We evaluated the prognostic impact of β-blockers on patients with chronic CAD after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: A total of 3,075 patients with chronic CAD were included from the Grand Drug-Eluting Stent registry. We analyzed β-blocker prescriptions, including doses and types, in each patient at 3-month intervals from discharge. After propensity score matching, 1,170 pairs of patients (β-blockers vs. no β-blockers) were derived. Primary outcome was defined as a composite endpoint of all-cause death and myocardial infarction (MI). We further analyzed the outcome benefits of different doses (low-, medium-, and high-dose) and types (conventional or vasodilating) of β-blockers. Results: During a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 3.1 (3.0-3.1) years, 134 (5.7%) patients experienced primary outcome. Overall, β-blockers demonstrated no significant benefit in primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.24), all-cause death (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.60-1.25), and MI (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.49-3.15). In subgroup analysis, β-blockers were associated with a lower risk of all-cause death in patients with previous MI and/or revascularization (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.14-0.99) (p for interaction=0.045). No significant associations were found for the clinical outcomes with different doses and types of β-blockers. Conclusions: Overall, β-blocker therapy was not associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with chronic CAD undergoing PCI. Limited mortality benefit of β-blockers may exist for patients with previous MI and/or revascularization.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.3 s.47
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• pp.393-397
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• 2004

L-Carnitine $({\beta}-hydroxy-{\gamma}-trimethyl-ammoniumbutyric{\;}acid)$ is a small water-soluble molecule important in mammalian fat metabolism. It is essential for the normal oxidation of fatty acids by the mitochondria, and is involved in the trans-esterification and excretion of acyl-CoA esters. In this paper, to investigate the relationship between aging and L-carnitine, we investigated the effects of in vitro matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition and activity and expression of UYA-induced MMPs in human skin fibroblasts. Also, we studied to develop as anti-aging cosmetics with L-carnitine. Fluorometric assays of the proteolytic activities of MMP-1 (collagenase) were performed using fluorescent collagen substrates. ELISA (enzyme linked immune sorbent assay), gelatin-substrate zymography, RT-PCR ELISA techniques were used for the effects of L-carnitine on MMP expression, activity, and MMP mRNA expression in UVA irradiated fibroblast $(5\;J/cm^2)$, respectively. In addition, we performed clinical study with L-carnitine cream. L-carnitine inhibited the activities of MMP-1 in a dose-dependent manner and the $IC_{50}$ values calculated from semi-log plots were 2.45 mM, and L-carnitine showed strong inhibition on MMP-2 (gelatinase) activity in UVA irradiated fibroblast by zymography. Also, UVA induced MMP-1, 2 expression was reduced $43\%,\;53\%$ by treated with L-carnitine at 1.25 mM, and MMP-1 mRNA expression was reduced dose-dependent manner. Therefore L-carnitine was able to significantly inhibit the MMP activity, and regulate MMP expression in protein and mRNA level. The results of clinical study showed that $1.0\%$ L-carnitine treated group reduced wrinkle significantly compared with placebo treated group (P<0.05). All these results suggest that L-carnitine may be useful as new anti-aging cosmetics for protection against UVA induced Mm expression and activity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.562-570
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• 2008

Most purulent maxillofacial infections are of odontogenic origin. Treatment of infection includes the surgical intervention, such as incision and drainage, and adjunctive treatment. The use of high-dose antibiotics is also indicated. The choice of an antibiotics should be based on the knowledge of the usual causative microbes and the results of antibacterial sensitivity test. We have undertaken clinical studies on 119 patients in Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Inha University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2007. Many anaerobic microbes are killed quickly when exposed to oxygen. Thus the needle aspiration techniques and the transfer under inert gas were used when culturing. The aim of this study was to obtain informations for the bacteriologic features and the effective antimicrobial therapy against maxillofaical odontogenic infections. The obtained results were as follows: 1. The most frequent causes of infections were odontogenic (88.3%), and in odontogenic cause, pulpal infections were the most common causes(53.8%). 2. The buccal and submandibular spaces (respectively 23.5%) were the most frequent involved fascial spaces, followed by masticator spaces (14.3%). 3. The most common underlying medical problems were diabetes (17.6%), however the relation with prognosis was not discovered. 4. The complications were the expiry, mediastinitis, necrotizing fasciitis, orbital abscess, and osteomyelitis. 5. The most common admission periods were 1-2 weeks, and the most patients were discharged within 3 weeks. However, patients who admitted over 5 weeks were about 10%. 6. A total of 99 bacterial strains (1.1 strains per abscess) was isolated from 93 patients (78.2%). The most common bacterium isolated was Streptococcus viridans (46.2%), followed by $\beta$-hemolytic group streptococcus (10.1%). 7. Penicillins (penicillin G 58.3%, oxacillin 80.0%, ampicillin 80.0%) have slightly lower sensitivity. Thus we recommend the antibiotics, such as glycopeptides (teicoplanin 100%, vancomycin 100%) and quinolones (ciprofloxacin 90.0%) which have high susceptibility in cases in which peni cillin therapy failed or severe infections.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 2011

Screening of estrogenic activity on dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), dichloro diphenyl dichloro ethylene (DDE), dieldrin, heptachlor, aldrin, chlordane, lindane, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and parabens was compared using Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 455 (TG455). The estrogenic activity of DDT was 58,000-fold ($PC_{50}$, $1.67{\times}10^{-6}$ M) less than $17{\beta}$-estradiol($E_2$) ($PC_{50}$, $2.88{\times}10^{-11}$ M) but DDE, dieldrin, heptachlor, aldrin, chlordane, lindane and PBDE did not show any estrogenic activity in this assay system. In the case of paraben compounds, the rank of relative transcriptional activation (logRTA) was butyl paraben -1.63752 ($PC_{50}$, $1.25{\times}10^{-7}$ M) > isobutyl paraben -2.34008 ($PC_{50}$, $6.3{\times}10^{-7}$ M) > ethyl paraben -2.64016 ($PC_{50}$, $1.26{\times}10^{-6}$ M) > isopropyl paraben -2.73993 ($PC_{50}$, $1.58{\times}10^{-6}$ M) > propyl paraben -2.84164 ($PC_{50}$, $2.0{\times}10^{-6}$ M). Our data suggest that OECD test guideline TG455 may be useful as a screening tool for potential endocrine disruptors.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2021

Proliferation and maintain of dermal papilla during progression of hair-cycle are crucial to the duration of anagen and regulated by diverse signaling pathway such as PI3K/Akt/Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of Viola verecunda on dermal papilla cells. Treatment of dermal papilla cells with whole plant extract of V. verecunda resulted in cell proliferation, which was accompanied by up-regulation of cyclin D1, phospho (ser780)-pRB and cdc2 p34, and down-regulation of p27kip1. V. verecunda extract also promoted the levels of phospho (ser473)-Akt and phospho (ser780)-pRB in a time-dependent manner. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt by Wortmannin suppressed progression of cell-cycle, thereby attenuated the increases in proliferation of dermal papilla cells by V. verecunda extract. We further investigated Wnt/β-catenin pathway with respect to the effects of V. verecunda extract on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. Treatment with V. verecunda extract results in up-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin proteins such as phospho (ser9)-GSKβ, phospho (ser552)-β-catenin and phospho (ser675)-β-catenin. In addition, Wortmannin abrogated V. verecunda extract mediated up-regulation of cdc2 p34 and down-regulation of p27kip1. These finding reveal that the proliferative effect of V. verecunda mediated by alteration of cell-cycle via activating PI3K/Akt/Wnt pathway in dermal papilla cells.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2003

Background : Cyclosporin A(CsA) and tacrolimus(FK506) have been widely used as immunosuppressants. The effects of CsA, or FK506, on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway have been shown to vary according to the cell type. However, their effects on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway have not been reported in bronchial epithelial cells. In this study, the effects of CsA and FK506 on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway in bronchial epithelial cells, monocytes, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages were evaluated. The relationship between their effects on the $I{\kappa}B/NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway and $I{\kappa}B$ kinase(IKK) activity was also investigated. Methods : BEAS-2B and A549 cells, pulmonary alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes were used. The cells were pre-treated with CsA, or FK506, for various time periods, followed by stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$, LPS or IL-$1{\beta}$. The $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expressions were assayed by Western blot analyses. The IKK activity was evaluated by an in vitro immune complex kinase assay, using GST-$I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ as the substrate. Results : Neither CsA nor FK506 affected the level of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ expression in any of the cell types used in this study. CsA pre-treatment inhibited the TNF ${\alpha}$-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in bronchial epithelial cells. In contrast, the TNF ${\alpha}$-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation was not affected by FK506 pre-treatment. However, FK506 suppressed the cytokine-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in the pulmonary alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes. The inhibitory effect of CsA, or FK506, on $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation was not related to IKK. Conclusions : CsA and FK506 suppressed the $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation in bronchial epithelial cells, monocytes, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages, so this may not be mediated through IKK.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2007

Backgrounds: Although glucocorticoids are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory agents, they have limited effect on cysteinyl leukotriene biosynthesis. In addition, the response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and inhaled long-acting ${\beta}_2-agonists$ (LABA) combination therapy in moderate to severe persistent asthmatics varies. Additional therapy with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) in patients with moderate to severe asthma suboptimally controlled with ICS and LABA combination therapy would be complementary to asthma control. Methods: One hundred and ninety eight asthmatics entered a 2 month, open-label descriptive study. Patients suffering from persistent asthma and suboptimally controlled on a combination therapy of fluticasone/salmeterol or budesonide/formoterol were given montelukast 10 mg daily as an add-on therapy. The level of asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) including $FEV_1%$ predicted at the baseline and after a 2-month treatment with montelukast. A global evaluation of the treatment was also made by the patients and physicians. Results: The mean ACQ score decreased significantly on montelukast ($11.5{\pm}5.4$ at baseline vs. $6.7{\pm}5.0$), with a significant improvement in all individual symptom scores (p<0.01). The $FEV_1%$ predicted values did not show any significant change. 59.9% of patients and 59.4% of physicians reported global improvement in their asthma (${\kappa}=0.85$). Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of montelukast in patients with persistent asthma that is suboptimally contolled by combination therapy of ICS and LABA might confer complementary effects on asthma control.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1209-1216
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water-soluble sulfated ${\beta}$-glucan (SBG) obtained from Ganoderma lucidum mycelia on the antihyperlipidemic and serum lipid levels in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet for two weeks to induce obesity. They were ten divided into five groups-normal control diet group (NC), high-fat control diet group (HC), high-fat diet and 200 mg/kg of SBG group (HC-HSBG), high-fat diet and 20 mg/kg of SBG group (HC-LSBG), and high-fat diet and 20 mg/kg of lovastatin group (HC-Lov)-and fed one of five diets for two more weeks. Although food intake and final body weight after four weeks of SBG consumption were similar in the five experimental groups, food efficiency ratio was higher in the high-fat diet groups(2, 3, 4, and 5) than in the NC group. In evaluating the hematological parameters of the rats, the neutrophil and monocyte ratios were higher in the HC-HSBG, HC-LSBG, and HC-Lov groups than in the HC group. Serum lipid profiles were analyzed after a 12 hr fast at the end of the study. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were significantly lower in the HC-HSBG and HC-LSBG groups than in the HC group. These results suggest that chemically engineered sulfated mushroom ${\beta}$-glucan (SBG) might contribute to lower cholesterol and lipid levels in blood.