• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.98-111
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• 2001

The article demonstrates a method of studying human health and nutrition by applying a multi-disciplinary approach and examines how humans developed and survived by adjusting to their environment. This process involves physiological, cultural and genetic adaptation both independently and interactively. This study postulates that a sound human health may be the result of balance between nutrition and environmental conditions. It is noted that there is a positive correlation between malaria and fava bean intake, and sickle cell anemia and cassava intake. It is also suggested that the difference in disease structure in soybean and non-soybean consumption cultures can be explained by an ecological approach to studying nutrition. This study further suggest that the relationship between nutrition and socio-cultural system. epidmiological study of nutrition and cultural environment nutrition and conceptual characteristics, nutrition and food intake pattern, nutrition and health sociological functions and the physioloical, cultural and genetic adaptation can all be stimulating research subjects to be studied form and ecological point of view. This article also includes the results from a series of ecological studies conducted by the author investigating the relationship between nutritional status of Korean breast-feeding mothers and the composition of the human milk and also the Vitamin D status of Korean and their lifestyle. (Korean J Nutrition 34(1):98-111, 2001)

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.39-45
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• 2013

Objectives: Buxus Microphylla var. Koreana Nakai Extract (BMKNE) is used as a folk remedy for malaria and veneral disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BMKNE in the growth and the survival of AGS cells, the most common human gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines. Methods: The AGS cells were treated with varying concentrations of BMKNE. Analyses of the sub G1 peak, the caspase-3 and -9 activities, and the mitochondrial depolarization were conducted to determine whether AGS cell death occured by apoptosis. Also, to identify the role of transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) 7 channels in AGS cell growth and survival, we used human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells overexpressed with TRPM7 channels. Results: Experimental results showed that the sub G1 peak, the caspase-3 and -9 activities, and the mitochondrial depolarization were increased. Therefore, BMKNE was found to induce the apoptosis of these cells, and this apoptosis was inhibited by SB203580 (a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor), and by a c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) II inhibitor. Furthermore, BMKNE inhibited TRPM7 currents and TRPM7 channel over-expressions in HEK 293 cells, exacerbating BMKNE-induced cell death. Conclusions: These findings indicate that BMKNE inhibits the growth and the survival of gastric cancer cells due to a blockade of the TRPM7 channel's activity and MAPK signaling. Therefore, BMKNE is a potential drug for treatment of gastric cancer, and both the TRPM7 channel and MAPK signaling may play an important role in survival in gastric cancer cells.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.82-85
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• 2007

The Chinese medicinal plant Artemisia annua is the source of the antimalarial compound artemisinin. By the way, Artemisin annula was known have endoperoxide ring structure is included and has anti-malarial effect. Malaria and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is belong to Apicomplexa genera. So, confirmed whether we go compound 1,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-6,7-dioxa-bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane that have endoperoxide ring structure and there is anti-toxoplasmosis effect. The efficacy of 1,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-6,7-dioxa-bicyclo[3.2.2] nonane alone was examined in vitro and in a murine model of acute toxoplasmosis. In vitro studies were peformed with HeLa cell cultures, with quantification of Toxoplasma growth by a cell proliferation assay. Selectivity of 1,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-6,7-dioxa-bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane was 4.9 in vitro cell proliferation assay, this is higher than sulfadiazine (selectivity was 1.63). For in vivo studies, mice were acutely infected intraperitoneally with 10$^5$ tachyzoites of the virulent RH strain and then treated perorally for 4 days from 6 hours postinfection. Efficacy was assessed by sequential determination of parasite burdens in peritoneal cavity. in vitro, 1,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-6,7-dioxa-bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane inhibited Toxoplasma growth at a concentration of 150mg/kg of body weight per day, the inhibition ratio was estimated to be 85.72%.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.23-33
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• 2010

An understanding of the nature of the immune response to asexual erythrocytic stages of malaria parasites will facilitate vaccine development by identifying which responses the vaccine should preferentially induce. The present study examined and compared the immune responses of NIH mice in either single or mixed infections with avirulent (DK) or virulent (DS) strains of Plasmodium chabaudi adami using the ELISA test for detecting and measurement of cytokines and antibody production. In both single and mixed infections, the study showed that both cell- and antibody-mediated responses were activated. In all experiments, an early relatively high level of IFN-$\gamma$ and IgG2a during the acute phase of the infection, and later elevation of IL-4 and IgG1, suggested that there was a sequential Th1/Th2 response. However, in the avirulent DK strain infection a stronger Th1 response was observed compared to the virulent DS strain-infection or in mixed infections. In the virulent DS infection, there was a stronger Th2 response compared to that in the DK and mixed infections. The faster proliferation rate of the virulent DS strain compared to the DK strain was also evident.

• 생약학회지
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.239-242
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the anti-malarial activity of Juniperus chinensis by in vitro and in vivo system using Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive(3D7) and P. falciparum chloroquine-resistant(S20) strains. According to cytotoxicty test on NIH 3T3 cell, the ethanol extract(EtOH), ethylacetate(EtOAc) fraction and aqueous fraction possessed significant anti-malarial activity against both 3D7 and S20 strains at non-toxic concentrations(<100 /). In vitro assay, EtOAc fraction showed notable activity against 3D7 and S20 strains of P. falciparum with $IC_{50}$ values of $37{\pm}2{\mu}g/ml$ and $36{\pm}6{\mu}g/ml$. In animal test using P. falciparum infected human erythrocytes, the treatment of EtOAc fraction significantly inhibited parasitaemia in mice in a dose-dependent manner that is parasitaemia of 42%, 34% and 31% in doses of 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, respectively. The study provides data to support the medicinal importance of the J. chinensis.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.21-33
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• 2016

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is still used in certain areas of tropics and subtropics to control malaria and other insect-transmitted diseases. DDT and its metabolites have been extensively studied for their toxicity and carcinogenicity in animals and humans and shown to have an endocrine disrupting potential affecting reproductive system although the effects may vary among animal species in correlation with exposure levels. Epidemiologic studies revealed either positive or negative associations between exposure to DDT and tumor development, but there has been no clear evidence that DDT causes cancer in humans. In experimental animals, tumor induction by DDT has been shown in the liver, lung, and adrenals. The mechanisms of hepatic tumor development by DDT have been studied in rats and mice. DDT is known as a non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogen and has been shown to induce microsomal enzymes through activation of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and to inhibit gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the rodent liver. The results from our previously conducted 4-week and 2-year feeding studies of p,p'-DDT in F344 rats indicate that DDT may induce hepatocellular eosinophilic foci as a result of oxidative DNA damage and leads them to hepatic neoplasia in combination with its mitogenic activity and inhibitory effect on GJIC. Oxidative stress could be a key factor in hepatocarcinogenesis by DDT.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.521-525
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Artemisinin (AT), an active compound in Arternisia annua, is well known as an anti-malaria drug. It is also known to have several effects including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer activities. To date, the effect of AT on vascular disorders has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of AT on the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). MATERIALS/METHODS: Aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC migration was measured by the scratch wound healing assay and the Boyden chamber assay. Cell viability was determined by using an EZ-Cytox Cell Viability Assay Kit. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC was measured through $H_2DCF$-DA staining. We also determined the expression levels of signal proteins relevant to ROS, including measures of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 measured by western blot analysis and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: AT ($10{\mu}M$ and $30{\mu}M$) significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC in a dose-dependent manner. The production of ROS, normally induced by PDGF-BB, is reduced by treatment with AT at both concentrations. PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC treated with AT ($10{\mu}M$ and $30{\mu}M$) have reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and inhibited MMP9 expression compared to untreated PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest, based on these results, that AT may exert an anti-atherosclerotic effect on PDGF-BB stimulated VSMCs by inhibiting their proliferation and migration through down-regulation of ERK1/2 and MMP9 phosphorylation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.403-411
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• 2015

Plasmodium falciparum can invade all stages of red blood cells, while Plasmodium vivax can invade only reticulocytes. Although many P. vivax proteins have been discovered, their functions are largely unknown. Among them, P. vivax reticulocyte binding proteins (PvRBP1 and PvRBP2) recognize and bind to reticulocytes. Both proteins possess a C-terminal hydrophobic transmembrane domain, which drives adhesion to reticulocytes. PvRBP1 and PvRBP2 are large (>326 kDa), which hinders identification of the functional domains. In this study, the complete genome information of the P. vivax RBP family was thoroughly analyzed using a prediction server with bioinformatics data to predict B-cell epitope domains. Eleven pvrbp family genes that included 2 pseudogenes and 9 full or partial length genes were selected and used to express recombinant proteins in a wheat germ cell-free system. The expressed proteins were used to evaluate the humoral immune response with vivax malaria patients and healthy individual serum samples by protein microarray. The recombinant fragments of 9 PvRBP proteins were successfully expressed; the soluble proteins ranged in molecular weight from 16 to 34 kDa. Evaluation of the humoral immune response to each recombinant PvRBP protein indicated a high antigenicity, with 38-88% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Of them, N-terminal parts of PvRBP2c (PVX_090325-1) and PvRBP2 like partial A (PVX_090330-1) elicited high antigenicity. In addition, the PvRBP2-like homologue B (PVX_116930) fragment was newly identified as high antigenicity and may be exploited as a potential antigenic candidate among the PvRBP family. The functional activity of the PvRBP family on merozoite invasion remains unknown.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.44-48
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• 2012

본 연구에서는 배양된 액체종균의 세균 오염 여부를 Giemsa 용액의 단일 염색으로 짧은 시간 안에 정확하게 판정이 가능한지를 조사하였다. Giemsa 용액은 혈액 골수 림프절 말라리아 원충 리케차 세포 등을 염색하는 것으로, 염기성 색소인 methylene azul과 methylene blue, 그리고 산성색소인 eosine을 methyl alcohol-glycerine에 녹여서 제조하였다. 그리고 팽이 액체종균의 폭기 배양액 분취하여 슬라이드에 올리고 Gimesa 용액으로 염색한 후 광학 현미경으로 검사하였다. 이 결과 40~60초 동안의 세균세포를 (팽나무)버섯(류) 균사세포의 부스러기나 잔존 대두박 등과 구별할 수 있었다. 이 Gimesa 용액을 이용한 염색 및 검경방법은 빠르고 간편하며 정확하므로 액체종균을 사용하는 버섯재배 농가에서도 세균 오염을 효과적으로 동정(감지)하는데 이용할 수 있다고 생각한다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권12호
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• pp.1716-1721
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• 2021

Chikungunya fever is an arboviral disease caused by the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). The disease has similar clinical manifestations with other acute febrile illnesses which complicates differential diagnosis in low-resource settings. We aimed to develop a rapid test for CHIKV detection based on the nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay technology. The system consists of a primer set that recognizes the E1 region of the CHIKV genome and test strips in an enclosed cassette which are used to detect amplicons labeled with FITC/biotin. Amplification of the viral genome was done using open-source PCR, a low-cost open-source thermal cycler. Assay performance was evaluated using a panel of RNA isolated from patients' blood with confirmed CHIKV (n = 8) and dengue virus (n = 20) infection. The open-source PCR-NALFIA platform had a limit of detection of 10 RNA copies/ml. The assay had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (95% CI: 67.56% - 100%) and 100% (95% CI: 83.89% - 100%), respectively, compared to reference standards of any positive virus culture on C6/36 cell lines and/or qRT-PCR. Further evaluation of its performance using a larger sample size may provide important data to extend its usefulness, especially its utilization in the peripheral healthcare facilities with scarce resources and outbreak situations.