• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to enhance the colored potatoes utilization and to determine the biological activity of colored potato extracts. In order to understand the factors responsible for the potent anti-oxidant ability of colored potatoes, it has been evaluated for anti-oxidative activity using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. 'Hongyoung' extract was significant anti-oxidant activities in ORAC assay. About two-fold higher radical absorbance capacity was found in 'Hongyoung' compared to that in 'Jayoung'. The ability of 80% ethanol extracts from colored potatoes to influence the inhibitory activity of nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has also been investigated. The various therapeutic benefit claims in the new functional medicinal usage of colored potatoes ascribed to the phenolic compounds and anthocyanin. This result revealed that the extracts of colored potatoes are expected to be good candidate for development into sources of free radical scavenger or COX-2 inhibiting agents.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2013

In the present study, we investigated the effects of high forage diets on the volume of udder, hormone level in blood, and lactation characteristics in the Holstein dairy cow. We divided into two groups; high forage diet [HF, concentrate: forage=4:6 n=41] and low forage diet [LF, 6:4 n=21]. Five cows were selected from each group based on their age for measuring the udder volume and the serum levels of estradiol and progesterone. Lactation characteristics were compared between HF and LF. The udder volume was 2.5 fold larger in HF at early gestation (p<0.01), but no difference was noted afterward. For the hormone levels, no significant difference was found between the groups. In HF, milk yield was significantly increased and maintained high longer, while somatic cell count was approximately 50% lower. Meanwhile, the milk fat content was significantly lower in HF during early lactating phase (p<0.001), but there was no difference thereafter. For milk protein and solid content, and MUN, no differences were found between the groups during lactation. Our results indicated that feeding high forage diets to dairy cows can increase milk yield and quality without notable changes in the udder volume and hormone level.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.294-299
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• 2004

Purpose: Both human NIS and mutant $D_2R$ transgenes are proposed as reporting system in transplanted cell tracking. Using hepatoma cell lines, we constructed a dual reporter system containing human sodium-iodide symporter (hNIS) and dopamine 2 receptor ($D_2R$) and compared its characteristics. Materials and Methods: The recombinant plasmid ($pIRES-hNIS/D_2R$) was constructed with IRES (internal ribosome entry site) under control of the CMV promoter $pIRES-hNIS/D_2R$ was transfected to human hepatoma SK-Hep1 cell line with lipofectamine. HEP-ND ($SK-Hep1-hNIS/D_2R$) cells stably expressing hNIS and $D_2R$ was established by selection with G418 for two weeks. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the expression of both hNIS and $D_2R$ genes. The expressions of hNIS and $D_2R$ were measured by $^{125}I$ uptake assays and receptor binding assays. Specific binding of $D_2R$ to $[^3H]spiperone$ was verified by Scatchard plot with (+) butaclamol as a specific inhibitor. $K_d\;and\;B_{max}$ values were estimated. The correlation between hNIS and $D_2R$ expression was compared by using each clone. Results: Similar quantities of hNIS and $D_2R$ genes were expressed on HEP-ND as RT-PCR assays. HEP-ND cells showed 30 to 40 fold higher radioiodine uptakes than those of parental SK-Hep1 cells. $^{125}I$ uptake in HEP-ND cells was completely inhibited by $KClO_4$, a NIS inhibitor Specific binding to HEP-ND cells was saturable and the $K_d\;and\;B_{max}$ values for HEP-ND cells were 2.92 nM, 745.25 fmol/mg protein and 2.91nM, 1323 fmole/mg protein in two clones, respectively. The radioiodine uptake by hNIS activity and $D_2R$ binding was highly correlated. Conclusion: We developed a dual positron and gamma imaging reporter system of hNIS and $D_2R$ in a stably transfected cell line. We expect that $D_2R$ and hNIS genes can complement mutually as a nuclear reporting system or that $D_2R$ can be used as reporter gene when hNIS gene were used as a treatment gene.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to image metastaic lung melanoma model with optimal pre-conditions for animal handling by using $[^{18}F]FDG$ small animal PET and clinical CT. Materials and Methods: The pre-conditions for lung region tumor imaging were 16-22 h fasting and warming temperature at $30^{\circ}C$. Small animal PET image was obtained at 60 min postinjection of 7.4 MBq $[^{18}F]FDG$ and compared pattern of $[^{18}F]FDG$ uptake and glucose standard uptake value (SUVG) of lung region between Ketamine/Xylazine (Ke/Xy) and Isoflurane (Iso) anesthetized group in normal mice. Metastasis tumor mouse model to lung was established by intravenous injection of B16-F10 cells in C57BL/6 mice. In lung metastasis tumor model, $[^{18}F]FDG$ image was obtained and fused with anatomical clinical CT image. Results: Average blood glucose concentration in normal mice were $128.0{\pm}23.87$ and $86.0{\pm}21.65\;mg/dL$ in Ke/Xy group and Iso group, respectively. Ke/Xy group showed 1.5 fold higher blood glucose concentration than Iso group. Lung to Background ratio (L/B) in SUVG image was $8.6{\pm}0.48$ and $12.1{\pm}0.63$ in Ke/Xy group and Iso group, respectively. In tumor detection in lung region, $[^{18}F]FDG$ image of Iso group was better than that of Ke/Xy group, because of high L/B ratio. Metastatic tumor location in $[^{18}F]FDG$ small animal PET image was confirmed by fusion image using clinical CT. Conclusion: Tumor imaging in small animal lung region with $[^{18}F]FDG$ small animal PET should be considered pre-conditions which fasting, warming and an anesthesia during $[^{18}F]FDG$ uptake. Fused imaging with small animal PET and CT image could be useful for the detection of metastatic tumor in lung region.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2005

It was clarified that ethanol extract herb-acupuncture solution (EE-UD) and hydrotherapy herb-acupuncture solution (WE-UD) in Ulmus davidiana Planch (Ulmaceae), are the excellent inhibitors of cathepsin K and L. WE-UD inhibited cathepsin K when IC50 value was 5.32 ${\square}g$/ml, and suppressed cathepsin L when IC50 value was 6.34 ${\square}g$/ml. However, EE-UD indicated the activity of inhibiting cathepsin K and L in the level of 1.45 ${\square}g$/ml and 2.43 ${\square}g$/ml, thus it showed more significance than WE-UD. It could be observed that EE-VD is an excellent inhibitor to cathepsin K with Ki value of 0.8 ${\square}g$/ml. This activity is increased by 10-fold even in the analytical experiment when having operations like glutathione in pH 7.0. Also, this supports the mixture of GSH thiolate anion, thus it was thought that this increase in effectiveness is probably attributable to the enhanced chemical function in the combinations of herb-acupuncture solution towards a place of activity in enzyme. WE-UD showed the time-dependent inhibiting property, thus it allowed to know the disunion and the compounding speed in constant cathepsin K during the process of experiment. Finally, EE-UD was proved to suppress the absorbent bone ash in the experiment related to osteoclast in rats for test, and to the bone in rodent. It was proved that WE-UD has the effect of inhibiting the protease in cathepsin K and L, and in collagen of bone. These results strongly suggest that it is effective in preventing the progress of bone damage, which was induced due to cathepsin K. Also, it obtained the conclusion that it is effective to the reabsorption activity of bone in the bone marrow cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.63-72
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• 2017

Objective: Hyperstimulation methods are broadly used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with infertility; however, the side effects associated with these therapies, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), have not been well studied. N-glycoproteomes are subproteomes used for the remote sensing of ovarian stimulation in follicular growth. Glycoproteomic variation in human follicular fluid (hFF) has not been evaluated. In this study, we aimed to identify and quantify the glycoproteomes and N-glycoproteins (N-GPs) in natural and stimulated hFF using label-free nano-liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-quad time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Methods: For profiling of the total proteome and glycoproteome, pooled protein samples from natural and stimulated hFF samples were selectively isolated using hydrazide chemistry to obtain the total proteomes and glycoproteomes. N-GPs were validated by the consensus sequence N-X-S/T (92.2% specificity for the N-glycomotif at p<0.05). All data were compared between natural versus hyperstimulated hFF samples. Results: We detected 41 and 44 N-GPs in the natural and stimulated hFF samples, respectively. Importantly, we identified 11 N-GPs with greater than two-fold upregulation in stimulated hFF samples compared to natural hFF samples. We also validated the novel N-GPs thyroxine-binding globulin, vitamin D-binding protein, and complement proteins C3 and C9. Conclusion: We identified and classified N-GPs in hFF to improve our understanding of follicular physiology in patients requiring assisted reproduction. Our results provided important insights into the prevention of hyperstimulation side effects, such as OHSS.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2009

We previously reported that $IFN-{\gamma}$ producing T cell responses induced by the combined therapy of DNA vaccine and lamivudine for one year are important for the induction of sustained virological response (SVR). However, $IFN-{\gamma}$ production is not sufficient to predict sustained viremia control in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers treated. Methods: Twelve CHB carriers were intramuscularly immunized 12 times at a 4-week interval with 8mg of HBV DNA vaccine during the standard lamivudine treatment (100mg/daily/1 year). The level of cytokines during and after the combined therapy in plasma of all 12 CHB carriers treated was determined by each ELISA kit. Six out of 12 CHB carriers revisited the clinic, and their HBV DNA levels were examined. Results: The combined therapy increased plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio during the treatment (baseline vs. peak level: $41.8{\pm}8.3$ vs. $163.1{\pm}29.2\;pg/ml$; p<0.01 and $0.96{\pm}0.25$ vs. $3.58{\pm}0.86$; p<0.01, respectively), and the peak level of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio was evoked at 6 to 10 months during the combined therapy. In particular, CHB carriers with SVR had two and three-fold higher level of the peak plasma IL-12 and plasma IL-12/p40 ratio than non-virological responders (NVRs), respectively ($218.0{\pm}41.4$ vs. $108.1{\pm}28.6\;pg/ml$; p=0.09 and $5.35{\pm}1.38$ vs. $1.80{\pm}0.29$; p<0.05, respectively), while p40 level was consistent during the combined therapy. In addition, there was no significant temporal correlation between the peak IL-12/p40 ratio and the elevation of serum alanine amino-transferase (ALT) in this study, contrast to $IFN-{\alpha}$ therapy which induced peak IL-12 level following ALT flares. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the combined therapy induces the increase of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio, which are associated with long-term SVR in CHB carriers.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used to treat a wide range of neurological disorders (e.g., paralysis and stroke) and skin problems (e.g., atopic dermatitis and eczema) in oriental medicine. This study was designed to investigate whether GEB extract inhibits melanogenesis activity in murine B16F10 melanoma. MATERIALS/METHOD: Murine B16F10 cells were treated with 0-5 mg/mL of GEB extract or $400{\mu}g/mL$ arbutin (a positive control) for 72 h after treatment with/without 200 nM alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH) for 24 h. Melanin concentration, tyrosinase activity, mRNA levels, and protein expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (Trp)1, and Trp2 were analyzed in ${\alpha}$-MSH-untreated and ${\alpha}$-MSH-treated B16F10 cells. RESULTS: Treatment with 200 nM ${\alpha}$-MSH induced almost 2-fold melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity along with increased mRNA levels and protein expression of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1 and Trp2. Irrespective of ${\alpha}$-MSH stimulation, GEB extract at doses of 0.5-5 mg/mL inhibited all these markers for skin whitening in a dose-dependent manner. While lower doses (0.5-1 mg/mL) of GEB extract generally had a tendency to decrease melanogenesis, tyrosinase activity, and mRNA levels and protein expression of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1, and Trp2, higher doses (2-5 mg/mL) significantly inhibited all these markers in ${\alpha}$-MSH-treated B16F10 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These inhibitory effects of the GEB extract at higher concentrations were similar to those of $400{\mu}g/mL$ arbutin, a well-known depigmenting agent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that GEB displays dose-dependent inhibition of melanin synthesis through the suppression of tyrosinase activity as well as molecular levels of MITF, tyrosinase, Trp1, and Trp2 in murine B16F10 melanoma. Therefore, GEB may be an effective and natural skin-whitening agent for application in the cosmetic industry.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.841-845
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• 2003

In order for engineered tissues to find clinical utility, the engineered tissues must function appropriately. However, smooth muscle (SM) tissues engineered in vitro with a conventional tissue engineering technique may not exhibit contractile functions, because smooth muscle cells (SMCs) cultured in vitro typically revert from a contractile, differentiated phenotype to a synthetic, nondifferentiated phenotype and lose their ability to contract. SMCs in vivo typically reside in mechanically dynamic environments. We hypothesized that cyclic mechanical stretch induces the features of SMCs in in vitro engineered tissues to be similar to those of SMCs in native tissues. To test the hypothesis, aortic SMCs were seeded onto elastic, three-dimensional scaffolds and cultured in vitro under a cyclic mechanical stretching condition for 4 weeks. A significant cell alignment in a direction parallel to the cyclic stretching direction was found in the SM tissues exposed to cyclic stretching. The cellular alignment and alignment direction were consistent with those of native vascular SM tissues, in which SMCs in vivo align in the radial direction (parallel to stretching direction). In control tissues (SM tissues engineered without stretching), cells randomly aligned. The expression of SM ${\alpha}-actin$ and SM myosin heavy chain, phenotypic markers of SMCs in a contractile state, was upregulated in the stretched tissues by 2.5- and 2.0-fold, respectively, compared to SMCs in the control tissues. The cellular features of alignment and contractile phenotype of SMCs in the SM tissues engineered under a mechanically dynamic environment could allow the engineered SM tissues to exhibit contractile functions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.894-900
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• 2005

Purpose : Because of the unavailability of marrow transplantation, umbilical cord blood (CB) is increasingly being used. We evaluated the potential of ex vivo expansion and clonality in CD34+ cells separated from cord blood source and mobilized peripheral blood (PB) in a serum-free media. Methods : The CD34+ cells, selected from CB and mobilized PB, were expanded with hematopoietic growth factors. They were then cultured for burst-forming units of erythrocytes (BFU-E), colony-forming units of granulocytes and monocytes (CFU-GM) and colony-forming units of megakaryocytes (CFU-Mk) at culture days 0, day 4, day 7, and day 14 with various growth factors. Results : The CB-selected CD34+ cells showed significantly higher total cell expansion than those from the PB at day 7 (2 fold increase than PB). The CB-selected CD34+ cells produced more BFU-E colonies than did the PB on culture at days 7 and at day 14. Also, the CB-selected CD34+ cells produced more CFU-Mk colonies than did the PB on culture at day 4 and at day 7. Conclusion : The ex vivo expansion of the CB cells may be promising in producing total cellular expansion, CFU-Mk and BFU-E compared with PB for 7 to 14 days. The growth factors combination including megakaryocyte growth and development, flt3-ligand and interleukin-3 showed more expansion in the view of total cells and clonal maintenance compared with less combination.