• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2006

Phthalate analogues are a plasticizer and solvent used in industry. Phthalates were classified in the category of "suspected" endocrine disruptors. The purpose of our study was to screen and elucidate the endocrine disrupting activity of seven phthalate analogues. E-screen assay was performed in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with seven phthalate analogues. In this cell proliferation assay, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) showed high estrogenic activity. Their relative proliferation efficiencies (RPE) were 109 and 106%, respectively. In vitro estrogen receptor (ER) binding assay, BBP, di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP) and dinonyl phthalate (DNP) showed weak relative binding affinity (RBA: 0.02%) compared to $17{\beta}-estradiol\;(E2)$ (RBA: 100%). In uterotrophic assay, E2 produced a significant increase, whereas four tested phthalate analogues had potential estrogenic effects in vitro did not increased in uterus weight in immature rats. From these results, we demonstrated that phthalate analogues exhibit weak estrogenic activity in vitro assays at high concentrations. Although phthalates induced an increase in MCF-7 cell proliferation by an estrogenic effect, they could not induce a uterus weight increase in vivo. From these, we may suggest that these phthalate analogues are easily metabolized to inactive forms in vivo. Further investigation in other in vitro and in vivo experimental systems might be required.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2000

Phthalate esters are used extensively as a plasticizer in the manufacture of plastic products such as PVC bags and medical devices. Recently, phthalate esters have been shown to induce endocrine system mediated responses. However. only a Jew studies have been conducted for estrogenic activity of phthalate esters. In this study estrogenic activities of seven phthalate esters. butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), diethylphthalate (DEP), di-n-pentylphthalate (DPP), di-n-propylphthalate (DPrP) and dicyclohexylphthalate (DCHP), were examined in vitro using E-screen assay and competitive binding assay. From the E-screen assay, BBP. DEHP. DBP and DEP showed weak estrogenic activity at the concentration of 5 $\mu\textrm{M}$. The relative proliferative effect (RPE) and the relative proliferative potency (RPP) were 50~70% and 0.01%. respectively, when compared with 500 pM of 17$\beta$-estradiol (E2). In competitive binding assay with the rat uterine estrogen receptor (ER), BBP and DEP showed weak binding potency ［(l/$10^4$~1/$10^5$ of E2］ while DEHP and DBP scarcely bound to ER. These results suggest that some phthalate esters have weak estrogenic activities in vitro.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2000

The purposes of our study were to optimize the conditions of the screening and testing methods for endocrine disruptors, to characterize these assays using several compounds with well-defined endocrine activity, and to compare the sensitivity between these assays currently undergoing validation. Two in vitro test systems, MCF-7 cells proliferation (E-screen assay) and competitive binding to estrogen receptors (ER) were selected to evaluate the estrogenic effects. 17$\beta$-Estradiol (E2) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were used as a positive control in vitro test. Also, E2 and ethinyl estradiol (EE) were used as a positive control in vivo uterotrophic assay. In in vitro test, E2 and DES showed a strong estrogenic response at concentration of 1.0 nM. In uterotrophic assay, E2 (0.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg) and EE (0.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg) produced a significant increase in uterus and vagina weight in both immature and ovariectomized rats. Although we did not com-pared the specificity between in vivo and in vitro assays, these assay systems may serve as a good tool for endocrine disruptors screening methods. Our data indicate that these assay systems exhibit some difference in their sensitivity to the same estrogenic compounds. Therefore, as a first rapid screening assay for estrogenic activity qf unknown chemicals, at least two assay systems should probably be carried out with a view of high sensitivity and standardization conditions. Also, a careful validation tests are necessary to obtain a reasonable degree of reproducibility.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 1998

One hundred and seventeen crude drugs were screened for DNA-binding activity in vitro. The DNA-methyl green assay is a useful biochemical screen for the detection or development of biologically active compounds which bind to DNA. This assay is based upon the fact that free methyl green undergoes rapid spontaneous molecular rearrangement to its colorless carbinol base so that the liberation of the dye from DNA by displacement can be followed spectrophotometrically as a decrease in absorbance at 65Onm. Seven methanolic extracts of crude drugs including Cinnamomi Cortex spissus, Coicis Semen, Coptidis Rhizoma, Perillae Semen, Plantaginis Semen, Polygalae Radix and Zanthoxyli Fructus showed less than 2,000${\mu}$g/ml as their $IC_{50}$ values. The active principles of Plantaginis Semen and Zanthoxyli Fructus were transferred into organic solvents, which showed the $IC_{50}$ values with 588 and 574${\mu}$g/ml, respectively. These fractions have been selected for isolation of biologically active constituents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.183-183
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• 1994

HIV-1 protcase 를 이용한 in vitro assay system을 개발하기 위하여HIV-1 protease유전자를 Ecoli 발현 벡터를 이용하여 발현시켰다. 가능성있는 Protease유전자의 생간 및 분래를 용이하게 하기위하여 maltose binding protein 의 fusion protein을 이용하였으며 protease 의 autoprocessing을 maltose binding protein 의 polyclonal 항체로 확인하였다, 발현된 protease는 일련의 chromatography 방법 (DEAE, SE cellulose, Superose 12, Mono S) 으로 순수하게 분리되었다. 정제된 protease 는 SDS-PAGE분석으로 단일밴드를 보여주었고, 합성된 undecapeptide를 기질로 하였을때 Km 이 9.8$\mu$M 이었다. 효소 assay 를 위해 기질이 protease 에 의해 절단된 생성물을 HPLC를 사용하여 분석하였다. Protease의 억제제 탐색을 위해 유기합성한 몇개의 기질유사체와 HIV-1 증식을 억제하는 것으로 알려진 천연물의 억제정도를 조사하여 보았다. 이들 test 에 사용한 물질들은 높은 농도에서 protease 의 활성을 저해하는 것으로 보아 좋은 억제제는 아닌것으로 시료되나 본 연구를 통하여 확립된 in vitro assay system 은 추후에도 억제제 탐색을 위하여 계속 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.181-190
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• 2019

In Escherichia coli, DicA protein is involved in cell division control. DicA protein is known to bind DNA better at $25^{\circ}C$ than at $37^{\circ}C$. However, the molecular cause of the temperature dependent binding is not clear. In this study, we investigated how DicA binds DNA and why its DNA binding activity depends on temperature. An unique in vivo DNA binding assay developed in this laboratory showed that unlike the homologous proteins such as RovA or SlyA, DicA uses its N-terminal domain for DNA binding. The in vivo DNA binding assay of DicA also demonstrated that the temperature-dependent DNA binding activity does not come from Cnu or H-NS that is known to bind DNA better at $25^{\circ}C$ than at $37^{\circ}C$. Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA), when performed with purified DicA protein, did not show temperature-dependent DicA binding activity. However when EMSA was performed with crude protein from WT E. coli cells, temperature-dependent DicA binding activity was observed, suggesting that there is a factor(s) that confers temperature DNA binding activity of DicA in vivo.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.381-384
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• 1995

Covalent binding of the reactive metabolites of SC_42867 to microsomal proteins has been examined. In the absence of inhibitor of cytochrome oxydase (.alpha.-naphtyl-isothiocyanate) or a radical scavenger (3-terthiobuty-4-hydroxyanisol), up to 4.0% of total redioactivity used in the assay could irreversibly bind to proteins. In the presence of an inhibitor, the highest percentage of covalent binding observed is 0.7% a significant decrease of the metabolism of SC42876 was observed. These results suggest in a cytochrome P-450 dependent generation of SC_42867 metabolites significantly take part in the covalent binding process.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.952-952
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• 2005

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.400-408
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• 2016

Background: Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is the main bioactive component in American ginseng, a commonly used herb, and its antitumor activity had been studied in previous studies. PDZ-binding kinase/T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (PBK/TOPK), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is highly expressed in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. Methods: We examined the effect of GRh2 on HCT116 cells ex vivo. Next, we performed in vitro binding assay and in vitro kinase assay to search for the target of GRh2. Furthermore, we elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms for the antitumor effect of GRh2 ex vivo and in vivo. Results: The results of our in vitro studies indicated that GRh2 can directly bind with PBK/TOPK and GRh2 also can directly inhibit PBK/TOPK activity. Ex vivo studies showed that GRh2 significantly induced cell death in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. Further mechanistic study demonstrated that these compounds inhibited the phosphorylation levels of the extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and (H3) in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. In vivo studies showed GRh2 inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors of HCT116 cells and inhibited the phosphorylation levels of the extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 and histone H3. Conclusion: The results indicate that GRh2 exerts promising antitumor effect that is specific to human HCT116 colorectal cancer cells through inhibiting the activity of PBK/TOPK.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.89-97
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• 2024

Background: Ginsenoside F2 (GF2), the protopanaxadiol-type constituent in Panax ginseng, has been reported to attenuate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the mechanism of action is not fully understood. Here, this study investigates the molecular mechanism by which GF2 regulates MASLD progression through liver X receptor (LXR). Methods: To demonstrate the effect of GF2 on LXR activity, computational modeling of protein-ligand binding, Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay for LXR cofactor recruitment, and luciferase reporter assay were performed. LXR agonist T0901317 was used for LXR activation in hepatocytes and macrophages. MASLD was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding with or without GF2 administration in WT and LXRα^-/- mice. Results: Computational modeling showed that GF2 had a high affinity with LXRα. LXRE-luciferase reporter assay with amino acid substitution at the predicted ligand binding site revealed that the S264 residue of LXRα was the crucial interaction site of GF2. TR-FRET assay demonstrated that GF2 suppressed LXRα activity by favoring the binding of corepressors to LXRα while inhibiting the accessibility of coactivators. In vitro, GF2 treatments reduced T0901317-induced fat accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in hepatocytes and macrophages, respectively. Consistently, GF2 administration ameliorated hepatic steatohepatitis and improved glucose or insulin tolerance in WT but not in LXRα^-/- mice. Conclusion: GF2 alters the binding affinities of LXRα coregulators, thereby interrupting hepatic steatosis and inflammation in macrophages. Therefore, we propose that GF2 might be a potential therapeutic agent for the intervention in patients with MASLD.