• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2019

The activation energy to create a phase transformation or for the reaction to move to the next stage in the milling process can be calculated from the slop of the DSC plot, obtained at the various heating rates for mechanically activated Al-Ni alloy systems by using Kissinger's equation. The mechanically activated material has been called "the driven material" as it creates new phases or intermetallic compounds of AlNi in Al-Ni alloy systems. The reaction time for phase transformation by milling can be calculated using the activation energy obtained from the above mentioned method and from the real required energy. The real required energy (activation energy) could be calculated by subtracting the loss energy from the total input energy (calculated input energy from electric motor). The loss energy and real required energy divided by the reaction time are considered the "metabolic energy" and "the effective input energy", respectively. The milling time for phase transformation at other Al-Co alloy systems from the calculated data of Al-Ni systems can be predicted accordingly.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.142-152
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• 2023

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) mediates the cellular antioxidant response, allowing adaptation and survival under conditions of oxidative, electrophilic and inflammatory stress, and has a role in metabolism, inflammation and immunity. Activation of Nrf2 provides broad and long-lasting cytoprotection, and is often hijacked by cancer cells, allowing their survival under unfavorable conditions. Moreover, Nrf2 activation in established human tumors is associated with resistance to chemo-, radio-, and immunotherapies. In addition to cancer cells, Nrf2 activation can also occur in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and facilitate an anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Several cancer cell-derived metabolites, such as itaconate, L-kynurenine, lactic acid and hyaluronic acid, play an important role in modulating the TIME and tumor-TAMs crosstalk, and have been shown to activate Nrf2. The effects of Nrf2 in TIME are context-depended, and involve multiple mechanisms, including suppression of proinflammatory cytokines, increased expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and kynureninase, accelerated catabolism of cytotoxic labile heme, and facilitating the metabolic adaptation of TAMs. This understanding presents both challenges and opportunities for strategic targeting of Nrf2 in cancer.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.425-433
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• 2023

During liver injury, hepatic stellate cells can differentiate into myofibroblast-like structures, which are more susceptible to proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix generation, leading to liver fibrosis. Anaerobic glycolysis is associated with activated stellate cells and glyceraldehyde (GA) is an inhibitor of glucose metabolism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effects of GA in human stellate LX-2 cells. In this study, we used cell viability, morphological analysis, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), western blotting, and qRT-PCR techniques to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of GA in LX-2 cells. The results showed that GA significantly reduced cell density and inhibited cell proliferation and lactate levels in LX-2 cells but not in Hep-G2 cells. We found that GA prominently increased the activation of caspase-3/9 for apoptosis induction, and a pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, attenuated the cell death and apoptosis effects of GA, suggesting caspase-dependent cell death. Moreover, GA strongly elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and notably increased the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. Interestingly, it dramatically reduced α-SMA and collagen type I protein and mRNA expression levels in LX-2 cells. Thus, inhibition of ERK and JNK activation significantly rescued GA-induced cell growth suppression and apoptosis in LX-2 cells. Collectively, the current study provides important information demonstrating the anti-fibrotic effects of GA, a glycolytic metabolite, and demonstrates the therapeutic potency of metabolic factors in liver fibrosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.782-788
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• 2013

Chrysanthemum zawadskii Herbich var. latilobum Kitamura (Compositae), colloquially known "Gujulcho" in Korea, has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including cough, common cold, bladder-related disorders, gastroenteric disorders, hypertension, and inflammatory diseases, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, pharyngitis, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) However, the effect of Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum on breast cancer invasion is unknown. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum extract (CZE) on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and cell invasion, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved in MCF-7 cells. CZE were not cytotoxic up to 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration in the MCF-7 cell line. CZE decreased MMP-9 expression. TPA substantially increased NF-${\kappa}B$ DNA binding activity. Pre-treatment with CZE inhibited TPA-stimulated NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activity and NF-${\kappa}B$ related protein expression. To identify invasion ability of MCF-7 cells decreased by CZE, we used martrigel invasion assay. As a result, it is significantly decreased cell invasion. These results indicate that CZE-mediated inhibition of TPA-induced MMP-9 expression and cell invasion involves the suppression of the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway in MCF-7 cells. Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum may have potential value in restricting breast cancer metastasis.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.218-225
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• 2016

Recently, Korea has undergone rapid social and economic development, and with that came various changes in living habits and disease patterns; the nation, accordingly, has been alerted to the associated risks of chronic ailments. As risk factors of metabolic syndrome commonly include causal factors of chronic diseases, prevention is important. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults is 22.4%, which comprises a large portion of the whole disease (Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013). This study aims to examine the elements of healthy living practices by analyzing the risk factors of metabolic syndrome and health behaviors, and provide basic materials to contribute to the activation of health promotion. Among 12,481 subjects of the source data from the 2014 community health survey, which was performed on adults aged 19 and over in Jeonlabuk-do, 12,185 people were analyzed in this study using SPSS 23.0. There were significant differences with respect to sex, smoking status, age, education level, and number of days of physical activity among the results of the difference of the risk factors of the metabolic syndrome according to the characteristics of the health behavior of the subjects. Of the risk factors for metabolic syndrome, this study emphasized the necessity of strategies to promote health programs regarding the management of drinking, smoking, physical activities, depression, subjective health condition and quality of life to the group of those with dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.778-785
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• 2021

The germination of cucumber seeds begins with the degradation of reserved oil to fatty acids within the lipid body, which are then further metabolized to acyl-CoA. The acyl-CoA moves from the lipid body to the glyoxysome following β-oxidation for the production of acetyl-CoA. As an initial carbon source supplier, acetyl-CoA is an essential molecule in the glyoxylate cycle within the glyoxysome, which produces the metabolic intermediates of citrate and malate, among others. The glyoxylate cycle is a necessary metabolic pathway for oil seed plant germination because it produces the metabolic intermediates for the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and for gluconeogenesis, such as the oxaloacetate, which moves to the cytosol for the initiation of gluconeogenesis by phophoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Following reserved oil mobilization, the production and transport of various metabolic intermediates are involved in the coordinated operation and activation of multiple metabolic pathways to supply directly usable carbohydrate in the form of glucose. Furthermore, corresponding gene expression regulation compatibly transforms the microbody to glyoxysome, which contains the organelle-specific malate synthase (MS) and isocitrate lyase (ICL) enzymes during oil seed germination. Together with glyoxylate cycle, carnitine, which mediates the supplementary route of the acetyl-CoA transport mechanism via the mitochondrial BOU (A BOUT DE SOUFFLE) system, possibly plays a secondary role in lipid metabolism for enhanced plant development.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.167-179
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• 2021

Objectives : Oxidative stress is a important cause of liver disease, and regulation of oxidative stress is essential to maintain the normal metabolic function of the liver. Until a recent date, there has been no studies on the hepatoprotective effect of Ikwiseungyang-tang (IWSYT). Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the hepatoprotective effect of IWSYT and its related molecular mechanisms on arachidonic acid (AA) + iron induced oxidative stress model in HepG2 cells. Methods : To determine the cytoprotective effect of IWSYT against AA + iron-induced oxidative stress, cell viability, apoptosis-related proteins, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), GSH, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation was analyzed by immunoblot analysis. In addition, Nrf2 transcription activation through ARE binding was measured by reporter gene assays, and the expression of the Nrf2 target antioxidant genes were confirmed by immunoblot analysis. Results : IWSYT increased cell viability from cell death induced by AA + Iron, and inhibited apoptosis by regulating apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, IWSYT protected cells by inhibiting intracellular ROS production, GSH depletion, and MMP degradation. Nrf2 activation was increased by IWSYT, and Nrf2 target genes were activated by IWSYT too. Conclusions : These results suggest that IWSYT can protect hepatocytes from oxidative stress through Nrf2 activation and can be potentially applied in the prevention and treatment of liver damage.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2005

To develop the novel anti-allergic drug, many sophoricoside derivatives were synthesized. Among these derivatives, JSH-II-3, VI-3, VII-3, VIII-3, VII-20 and VII-20 (sodium salt) were selected and subjected to high throughput toxicity screening (HTTS) because they revealed strong IL-5 inhibitory activity and limitation of quantity. Single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay, mouse lymphoma thymidine kinase ($tk^{+/-}$) gene assay (MOLY), chromosomal aberration assay in mammalian cells and Ames reverse mutation assay in bacterial system were used as simplified, inexpensive, short-term in vitro screening tests in our laboratory. Through the primary screening using the comet assay, we could choose the first candidates of sophoricoside derivatives with no genotoxic potentials as JSH-VI-3, VII-3, VII-20 and VII-20 (sodium salt). Also JSH-VII-3, VII-20 and VII-20 (sodium salt) are non-mutagenic in MOLY assay, while JSH-II-3 is mutagenic at high concentration with the presence of metabolic activation system in both comet assay and MOLY assay. The selected derivatives (JSH-VI-3, VII-3, VII-20 and VII-20 (sodium salt) are not mutagenic in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains both in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. From results of chromosomal aberration assay, 6 h treatment of JSH-VI-3, VII-3 and VII-20 (sodium salt) were not revealed clastogenicity both in the presence and absence of S-9 mixture. Therefore, we suggests that JSH-VI-3, VII-3, VII-20 and VII-20 (sodium salt), as the optimal candidates with both no genotoxic potential and IL-5 inhibitory effects must be chosen. To process the development into new anti-inflammatory drug of these derivatives, further investigation will need.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2001

Sophoricoside was isolated as the inhibitor of IL-5 bioactivity from Sophora japonica (Leguminosae). It has been reported to has an anti-inflammatory effect on rat paw edema model. To develope as an anti-allergic drug, genotoxicity of sophoricoside was investigated in bacterial and mammalian cell system such as Ames bacterial reversion test, chromosomal aberration assay and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. As results, in the range of 1,250~40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/plate sophoricoside concentrations was not shown significant mutagenic effects in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100, TA 1535 and TA 1537 strains in Ames test. The 80% cell growth inhibition concentration (IC/SUB 80/) of sophoricoside was determined as above 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast cell and L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line for the chromosomal aberration and comet assay, respectively. Sophoricoside was not induced chromosomal aberration in CHL fibroblast cell at concentrations of 700, 350 and 175 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ or 600, 300 and 150 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system, respectively. Also, in the comet assay, the induction of DNA damage was not observed in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell line both in the absence or presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. From these results, no genotoxic effects of sophoricoside were observed in bacterial and mammalian cell systems used in these experiments.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2004

The validation of many synthetic chemicals that may pose a genetic hazard in our environment is of great concern at present. Since these substances are not limited to the original products, and enter the environment, they have become widespread environmental pollutants, thus leading to a variety of chemicals that possibly threaten the public health. In this respect, the regulation and evaluation of the chemical hazard playa very important role to environment and human health. The clastogenicity of 11 synthetic chemicals was evaluated in Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast in vitro. Benzoyl chloride (CAS No. 98-88-4) induced chromosomal aberrations with statistical significance at the concentration of 31-123 $\mug/ml$ and 43 $\mug/ml$ in the absence and presence of S-9 metabolic activation system, respectively. 2-Propyn-l-o1 (CAS No. 107-19-7) and 2-Phenoxy ethanol (CAS No. 122-99-6) revealed clastogenicity only at the highest concentration in the presence of S-9 mixture. However, 1-naphthol (CAS No. 90-15-3) which is one of the most cytotoxic chemical among 11 chemicals tested revealed no clastogenicity both in the presence and absence of S-9 metabolic activation system. From the results of chromosomal aberration assay with 11 synthetic chemicals in CHL fibroblast in vitro, Benzoyl chloride (CAS No. 98-88-4), 2-Propyn-l-01 (CAS No. 107-19-7) and 2-Phenoxy ethanol (CAS No. 122-99-6) revealed positive clastogenic results in this study.