• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2019

Albizzia julibrissin (AJ) is an herbal medicine that shows low toxicity, promotes promoting blood circulation and mitigates the inflammation and has mild side effects. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that occurs in older males and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of AJ against BPH using LNCaP cells and Sprague Dawley rats treated with testosterone. Treatment with AJ extract reduced the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. In vivo, rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 (Normal Control); 2 (Testosterone propionate (TP) alone); 3 (TP + finasteride); 4 (TP + AJ 10 mg/kg); 5 (TP + AJ 50 mg/kg); 6 (TP + AJ 300 mg/kg). The groups treated with AJ showed reduced the relative prostate weights and BPH-related proteins were altered, with decreased AR, PSA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) observed by western blot. Histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic effect of AJ, with a decreased thickness of epithelial cells and reduced level of PCNA and $5{\alpha}$-reductase type 2. These results suggest that AJ extract could ameliorate testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2014

Differential transcription of the clusterin (CLU) gene yields two CLU isoforms, a nuclear form (nCLU) and a secretory form (sCLU), which play crucial roles in prostate tumorigenesis. Pro-apoptotic nCLU and anti-apoptotic sCLU have opposite effects and are differentially expressed in normal and cancer cells; however, their regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional level are not yet known. Here, we examined the transcriptional regulation of nCLU in response to hypoxia. We identified three putative hypoxia response elements (HREs) in the human CLU promoter between positions -806 and +51 bp. Using a luciferase reporter, electrophoretic gel mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we further showed that hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) bound directly to these sites and activated transcription. Exposure to the hypoxia-mimetic compound $CoCl_2$, incubation under 1% $O_2$ conditions, or overexpression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ enhanced nCLU expression and induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer PC3M cells. However, LNCaP prostate cancer cells were resistant to hypoxia-induced cell death. Methylation-specific PCR analysis revealed that the CLU promoter in PC3M cells was not methylated; in contrast, the CLU promoter in LNCap cells was methylated. Co-treatment of LNCaP cells with $CoCl_2$ and a demethylating agent promoted apoptotic cell death through the induction of nCLU. We conclude that nCLU expression is regulated by direct binding of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ to HRE sites and is epigenetically controlled by methylation of its promoter region.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activities, inhibition activity against ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) and antitumor activity of extract from Acanthopanax senticosus HARMS fruits for development novel functional resources. In order to understand the factors responsible for the potent antioxidant and antihypertensive ability of fruits in A. senticosus, it has been evaluated for anti-oxidative activity using Fenton's reagent/ethyl linoleate system and for free radical scavenging activity using the l,l-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical generating system. The fruits extract of A. senticosus showed higher antioxidant activities than positive control, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol at all concentrations, while fruits extract of A. senticosus showed same degree of radical scavenging activity with positive control, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol. The ability of fruit extracts from A. senticosus to influence the inhibitory activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and xanthine oxidase (XOase) has also been discussed. The activity of growth-inhibitory of fruit extracts of A. senticosus was screened by SRB (sulphorhodamine B) method on diverse cancer cells representing different types of cancers. The fruit extracts of A. senticosus showed moderate inhibition on proliferation of LNCaP and MOLT-4F cells and did not inhibit the proliferation of other cancer cells. The fruit extracts of A. senticosus inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells with $GI_{50}$ values ranging from 5 to $10{\mu}g/mL$. This result revealed that the fruit extracts of A. senticosus was expected to be good candidate for development into source of free radical scavengers, antihypertentive, and anti-tumor agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.805-811
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• 2016

The present study was performed to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-proliferating activity of the water extract mixture of Cordyceps militaris (CM) and Allium tuberosum (AT). The water extract mixture rate of CM and AT was optimized by means of a sensory evaluation test. The optimized mixture rate were decided at 70% of CM, 30% of AT, and 10% of apple concentrate as an additive. The values of total acidity, pH, sugar contents, and turbidity of the water extract mixture were 0.1%, 4.28, 9.10 °Brix, and 1.48 respectively. The water extract mixture had effective DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power effect, and ABTS radical activity. DPPH radical activities of the water extract and the water extract mixture were 43.2% and 51.7% respectively; their reducing power (OD₇₀₀) was 1.14 and 1.43 respectively; and ABTS^.+ radical activities were 47.1% and 62.2% respectively. Also, the water extract mixture showed a higher anti-proliferating effect than the AT extract on human prostate cancer cells. These results provided experimental evidence that the water extract mixture of CM and AT is a better source of anti-oxidant and anti-cancer ingredients than a single extract of CM. In conclusion, the water extract mixture of CM and AT will be beneficial in development of a functional drink.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1007-1021
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• 2018

Cancer represents one of the most significant threats to human health on a global scale. Hence, the development of effective cancer prevention strategies, as well as the discovery of novel therapeutic agents against cancer, is urgently required. In light of this challenge, this research aimed to evaluate the effects of several potent bioactive peptides and proteins contained in crocodile white blood cell extract (cWBC) against LU-1, LNCaP, PC-3, MCF-7, and CaCo-2 cancer cell lines. The results demonstrate that 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}g/ml$ cWBC exhibits a strong cytotoxic effect against all investigated cell lines ($IC_{50}$ $70.34-101.0{\mu}g/ml$), while showing no signs of cytotoxicity towards noncancerous Vero and HaCaT cells. Specifically, cWBC treatment caused a significant reduction in the cancerous cells' colony forming ability. A remarkable suppression of cancerous cell migration was observed after treatment with cWBC, indicating potent antimetastatic properties. The mechanism involved in the cancer cell cytotoxicity of cWBC may be related to apoptosis induction, as evidenced by typical apoptotic morphology features. Moreover, certain cWBC concentrations induced significant overproduction of ROS and significantly inhibited the $S-G_2/M$ transition in the cancer cell. The molecular mechanisms of cWBC in apoptosis induction were to decrease Bcl-2 and XIAP expression levels and increase the expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8, and p53. These led to a decrease in the expression level of the cell cycle-associated gene cyclin-B1 and the arrest of cell population growth. Consequently, these findings demonstrate the prospect of the use of cWBC for cancer therapy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2007.10d
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• pp.366-371
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• 2007

무선 센서 네트워크는 경제적, 환경적 목적으로 다양한 방면에서 활용되고 있다 이 때, 배치된 각 센서의 위치를 파악하는 것은 센서 네트워크에서 가장 기본적이며 가장 중요한 문제 중의 하나이다. 기존 논문에서 제안된 센서 위치 측정 방법은 특별한 장비를 장착하거나 특정한 환경의 지역에 한정시킨 방범으로 제한하고 있는 경우가 대부분이다. 하지만 어떠한 관심 지역의 환경은 언제라도 바뀔 수 있다. 또한, 센서가 위치할 환경의 기온, 풍속 등을 미리 안다는 것은 비현실적인 가정이다. 더구나 각각의 센서에 특별한 장비를 장착한다는 것은 비용 절감을 이유로 센서 네트워크를 운영하는 경우 오히려 그것을 이용하지 않는 경우보다 비용이 더 들 수도 있다. 이에 본 논문에서는 센서 노드의 기본적인 통신 기능은 이용하여, 환경에 순응적으로 센서의 위치를 측정할 수 있는 방법을 제안하고자 한다. 센서 노드에서 기본적으로 제공하는 통신 기능은 RF 전파를 보낼 때 전송 레벨을 달리하여 보낼 수 있다. 이러한 기본적인 기능을 이용하여 위치를 측정하게 되면 전체적인 센서 네트워크의 비용이 절감될 뿐만 아니라 환경에 순응적인 위치 측정이 가능하게 된다. 또한, 각 노드의 위치가 정해진 후 다른 노드와 통신할 때 전파의 세기를 조정함으로써 RF 통신에서 소모되는 전력량을 줄일 수 있다. 따라서 본 논문에서 제안하는 전송 레벨을 이용한 위치 측정 방법은 단순히 위치를 측정한다는 의미뿐 아니라 환경에 순응적으로 작동한다는 장점이 있다. 향후 네트워크 내에서 통신에 소비되는 전력을 줄일 수 있다는 점에서도 중요한 의미를 지닌다.를 집행하는 caspase의 활성 형태인 cleaved caspase-8, -9, -7, -3의 단백질 수준이 목향 헥산추출물의 처리에 의해 증가하였고 caspase-3의 표적 단백질 중 하나인 PARP의 불활성 형태인 cleaved PARP의 단백질 수준도 현저하게 증가하였다. 이 결과들은 목향 헥산 추출물이 LNCaP 세포의 apoptosis를 유도함으로써 전립선 암세포의 증식을 억제함을 보여주는 것이며 목향 헥산추출물에 의한 apoptosis 유도는 caspase 활성 증가와 Bak 및 t-Bid 단백질의 증가에 의한 것임을 제시한다. 따라서 앞으로 항암효과를 나타내는 성분의 동정 및 동물실험을 통하여 좀 더 면밀한 기전 연구가 수행된다면 목향 헥산추출물은 화학적 암예방 물질이나 치료제로 개발될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.적 분해층과 마모질이가 가장 깊은 것으로 나타났으며 flowable type의 복합레진과 컴포머는 표면 경도와 마모도에서 양호한 결과를 보였다. 이상의 결과 복합레진과 컴포머의 평가요소로서 마모도와 함께 가수분해도 고려되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.증후군 환자에서 대조군에 비해 높은 비율을 보였다.er thinning은 3 군모두에서 관찰되었고 항암 3 일군이 가장 심하게 나타났다. 이상의 실험결과를 보면 술전 항암제투여가 초기에 시행한 경우에는 조직의 치유에 초기 5 일정도까지는 영향을 미치나 7 일이 지나면 정상범주로 회복함을 알수 있었고 실험결과 항암제 투여후 3 일째 피판 형성한 군에서 피판치유가 늦어진 것으로 관찰되어 인체에서 항암 투여후 수술시기는 인체면역계가 회복하는 시기를 3

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2002

An International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) program based at the University of Illinois at Chicago initiated its activities in 1998, with the following specific objectives: (a) inventory and conservation of of plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and of medicinal plants of Laos; (b) drug discovery (and development) based on plants of Vietnam and Laos; and (c) economic development of communities participating in the ICBG project both in Vietnam and Laos. Member-institutions and an industrial partner of this ICBG are bound by a Memorandum of Agreement that recognizes property and intellectual property rights, prior informed consent for access to genetic resources and to indigenous knowledge, the sharing of benefits that may arise from the drug discovery effort, and the provision of short-term and long-term benefits to host country institutions and communities. The drug discovery effort is targeted to the search for agents for therapies against malaria (antimalarial assay of plant extracts, using Plasmodium falciparum clones), AIDS (anti-HIV-l activity using HOG.R5 reporter cell line (through transactivation of the green fluorescent protein/GFP gene), cancer (screening of plant extracts in 6 human tumor cell lines - KB, Col-2, LU-l, LNCaP, HUVEC, hTert-RPEl), tuberculosis (screening of extracts in the microplate Alamar Blue assay against Mycobacterium tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra\;and\;H_{37}Rv),$ all performed at UIC, and CNS-related diseases (with special focus on Alzheimer's disease, pain and rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma), peformed at Glaxo Smith Kline (UK). Source plants were selected based on two approaches: biodiversity-based (plants of Cuc Phuong National Park) and ethnobotany-based (medicinal plants of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam and medicinal plants of Laos). At mc, as of July, 2001, active leads had been identified in the anti-HIV, anticancer, antimalarial, and anti- TB assay, after the screening of more than 800 extracts. At least 25 biologically active compounds have been isolated, 13 of which are new with anti-HIV activity, and 3 also new with antimalarial activity. At GSK of 21 plant samples with a history of use to treat CNS-related diseases tested to date, a number showed activity against one or more of the CNS assay targets used, but no new compounds have been isolated. The results of the drug discovery effort to date indicate that tropical plant diversity of Vietnam and Laos unquestionably harbors biologically active chemical entities, which, through further research, may eventually yield candidates for drug development. Although the substantial monetary benefit of the drug discovery process (royalties) is a long way off, the UIC ICBG program provides direct and real-term benefits to host country institutions and communities.