• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.97-105
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• 2023

Background: Hyperactivated airway mucosa cells overproduce mucin and cause severe breathing complications. Here, we aimed to identify the effects of saponins derived from Panax ginseng on inflammation and mucin overproduction. Methods: NCI-H292 cells were pre-incubated with 16 saponins derived from P. ginseng, and mucin overproduction was induced by treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Mucin protein MUC5AC was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA levels were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Moreover, we performed a transcriptome analysis of PMA-treated NCI-H292 cells in the absence or presence of Rg5, and differential gene expression was confirmed using qPCR. Phosphorylation levels of signaling molecules, and the abundance of lipid droplets, were measured by western blotting, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. Results: Ginsenoside Rg5 effectively reduced MUC5AC secretion and decreased MUC5AC mRNA levels. A systematic functional network analysis revealed that Rg5 upregulated cholesterol and glycerolipid metabolism, resulting in the production of lipid droplets to clear reactive oxygen species (ROS), and modulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor (NF)-kB signaling pathways to regulate inflammatory responses. Rg5 induced the accumulation of lipid droplets and decreased cellular ROS levels, and N-acetyl-ⳑ-cysteine, a ROS inhibitor, reduced MUC5AC secretion via Rg5. Furthermore, Rg5 hampered the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 proteins, affecting the NF-kB signaling pathway and pro-inflammatory responses. Conclusion: Rg5 alleviated inflammatory responses by reducing mucin secretion and promoting lipid droplet-mediated ROS clearance. Therefore, Rg5 may have potential as a therapeutic agent to alleviate respiratory disorders caused by hyperactivation of mucosa cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.202-206
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• 2006

Angelicae Dahiricae Radix has been used for controlling inflammatory respiratory diseases in oriental medicine and their components, phellopterin, isoimperatorin and byakangelicol were reported to have various biological effects. In this study, we investigated whether phellopterin, isoimperatorin and byakangelicol affect adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-induced mucin secretion from cultured airway epithelial cells. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial(HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled using $^3H$-glucosamine for 24 h and chased for 30 min in the presence of varying concentrations of each agent to assess the effects on $^3H$-mucin secretion. The results were as follows: 1) phellopterin significantly inhibited ATP-induced mucin secretion; 2) However, isoimperatorin and byakangelicol did not affect ATP-induced mucin secretion, significantly. This result suggests that phellopterin can regulate 'mucin secretion induced by ATP'-a phenomenon simulating mucus overproduction from inflamed airway epithelial cells-by directly acting on airway mucin-secreting cells. Therefore, phellopterin should further be investigated for the possible use as mucoregulators in the treatment of inflammatory airway diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.461-469
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBSECTIVE: Airway inflammation by eosinophils, neutrophils and alveolar macrophages is a characteristic feature of asthma that leads to pathological subepithelial thickening and remodeling. Our previous study showed that oxidative stress in airways resulted in eosinophilia and epithelial apoptosis. The current study investigated whether glutathione-containing dry yeast extract (dry-YE) ameliorated eosinophilia, goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction. MATERIALS/METHOD: This study employed $2{\mu}g$/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or 20 ng/mL eotaxin-1-exposed human bronchial epithelial cells and ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged mice. Dry-YE employed in this study contained a significant amount of glutathione (140 mg in 100 g dry yeast). RESULTS: Human bronchial epithelial cell eotaxin-1 and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) were markedly induced by the endotoxin LPS, which was dose-dependently attenuated by nontoxic dry-YE at 10-50 ${\mu}g$/mL. Moreover, dry-YE inhibited the MUC5AC induction enhanced by eotaxin-1, indicating that eotaxin-1-mediated eosinophilia may prompt the MUC5AC induction. Oral supplementation with 10-100 mg/kg dry-YE inhibited inflammatory cell accumulation in airway subepithelial regions with a reduction of lung tissue level of intracellular adhesion molecule-1. In addition, ${\geq}50$ mg/kg dry-YE diminished the lung tissue levels of eotaxin-1, eosinophil major basic protein and MUC5AC in OVA-exposed mice. Alcian blue/periodic acid schiff staining revealed that the dry-YE supplementation inhibited goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus overproduction in the trachea and bronchiolar airways of OVA-challenged mice. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress may be involved in the induction of eotaxin-1 and MUC5AC by endotoxin episode and OVA challenge. Dry-YE effectively ameliorated oxidative stress-responsive epithelial eosinophilia and mucus-secreting goblet cell hyperplasia in cellular and murine models of asthma.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제46권6호
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• pp.801-808
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• 2022

Background: Diesel exhaust particle (DEP) is a harmful kind of particulate matter known to exacerbate pre-existing respiratory diseases. Although their adverse effects on airway pathologies have been widely studied, the mechanistic analysis of signaling pathways and potential targets in reducing DEP-induced mucin secretion and pro-inflammatory cytokine production remain elusive. We, for the first time, investigated the effects of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extracts on mucin overproduction and airway inflammation induced by DEP. Methods: The effects of KRG and saponin on DEP-induced expression of MUC5AC and interleukin (IL)-6/8 were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in human airway epithelial NCI-H292 cells. We conducted Western blotting analysis to analyze the associated signaling pathways. To evaluate the effects of saponin treatment on DEP-induced MUC5AC expression and inflammatory cell infiltrations in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and real-time PCR were implemented. Results: The KRG extracts markedly attenuated DEP-induced MUC5AC expression in vitro by inhibiting the TLR4/TRIF/NF-𝛋B pathway. Furthermore, KRG and saponin inhibited DEP-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6/8 production. The in vivo study revealed that saponin blocked DEP-induced inflammation, mucin production and MUC5AC expression. Conclusion: Our study revealed that KRG extracts have inhibitory effects on DEP-induced expression of MUC5AC and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This finding provides novel insights into the mechanism by which saponin alleviates diesel-susceptible airway inflammation, elucidating its potential as a phytotherapeutic agent for inflammatory pathologies of airway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.293-301
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• 2020

Hypersecretion of pulmonary mucus is a major pathophysiological feature in allergic and inflammatory respiratory diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Overproduction and/or oversecretion of mucus cause the airway obstruction and the colonization of pathogenic microbes. Developing a novel pharmacological agent to regulate the production and/or secretion of pulmonary mucus can be a useful strategy for the effective management of pathologic hypersecretion of mucus observed in COPD and asthma. Thus, in the present review, we tried to give an overview of the conventional pharmacotherapy for mucus-hypersecretory diseases and recent research results on searching for the novel candidate agents for controlling of pulmonary mucus hypersecretion, aiming to shed light on the potential efficacious pharmacotherapy of mucus-hypersecretory diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권11호
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• pp.700-709
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• 2023

Mucus hyperproduction and hypersecretion are observed often in respiratory diseases. MUC8 is a glycoprotein synthesized by epithelial cells and generally expressed in the respiratory track. However, the physiological mechanism by which extracellular nucleotides induce MUC8 gene expression in human airway epithelial cells is unclear. Here, we show that UTP could induce MUC8 gene expression through P2Y2-PLCβ3-Ca²⁺ activation. Because the full-length cDNA sequence of MUC8 has not been identified, a specific siRNA-MUC8 was designed based on the partial cDNA sequence of MUC8. siRNA-MUC8 significantly increased TNF-α production and decreased IL-1Ra production, suggesting that MUC8 may downregulate UTP/P2Y2-induced airway inflammation. Interestingly, the PDZ peptide of ZO-1 protein strongly abolished UTP-induced TNF-α production and increased IL-1Ra production and MUC8 gene expression. In addition, the PDZ peptide dramatically increased the levels of UTP-induced ZO proteins and TEER (trans-epithelial electrical resistance). These results show that the anti-inflammatory mucin MUC8 may contribute to homeostasis, and the PDZ peptide can be a novel therapeutic candidate for UTP-induced airway inflammation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제64권5호
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• pp.347-355
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• 2008

연구배경: 특발성폐섬유증 환자의 전형적인 증상은 운동호흡곤란과 마른기침으로, 객담이 적은 원인에 대해서 아직까지 잘 알려져 있지 않다. Interferon-${\gamma}$ inducible protein-10 (IP-10)은 여러 호흡기질환과 관련되는데 폐 내로 염증을 유입시키는데 중요한 역할을 한다. 본 연구는 특발성폐섬유증 환자에서 객담이 적은 기전으로 IP-10이 연관성이 있는지에 대해 연구하였다. 방법: 특발성폐섬유증 환자를 대상으로 기관지폐포세척액에서 IP-10의 농도를 ELISA로 측정하였다. IP-10이 기도 점액소 발현에 미치는 영향을 간접적으로 알아보기 위해 NCI-H292 세포(점막표피모양 암종 세포주)에서 IP-10을 전처치한 이후 tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)로 자극하여 발현정도를 측정하였다. 이때 점액소 발현과 관련되는 기전으로 epidermal growth factor receptor-mitogen activated protein kinase (EGFR-MAPK)의 신호전달 경로를 알아 보았다. 결과: IP-10의 기관지폐포세척액내 농도는 특발성폐섬유증 환자가 건강 대조군에 비해 유의하게 높았다. IP-10의 전처치는 NCI-H292 세포에서 TNF-${\alpha}$ 유도 MUC5AC 점액소 발현을 감소시켰는데 이 때 EGFR-MAPK 신호전달 경로의 차단과 관련되었다. 결론: 특발성폐섬유증 환자의 적은 객담은 IP-10의 발현증가와 일부 관련 가능성이 있으며, 이때 IP-10의 작용은 MUC5AC 점액소 유전자 발현에 필요한 EGFR-MAPK 신호전달 경로의 차단과 관련될 것으로 생각한다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.80-90
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• 2003

배경 : 본 연구에서는 세균성 리포다당질(lipopolysac-charide, LPS)로 인한 호중구성 염증이 EGFR 시스템을 통해서 배상 세포의 이형성 및 점액의 과다 분비를 유발할 것이라는 가설 하에, LPS와 MMPs 억제제(matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, MMPI)를 투여한 후 EGFR 및 MMP-9의 발현을 연구하고자 하였다. 방법 : Pathogen-free Sprague-Dawley 를, 다양한 농도의 LPS를 투여한 군과 투여하지 않은 대조군으로 나누어 기도의 조직학적인 변화를 날짜 별로 관찰하였고, MMPI(CMT-3)를 LPS 투여 3일 전부터 매일 구강을 통해 섭식시켰다. 호중구의 침윤은 다섯 개의 고배율 시야에서 관찰된 호중구의 수로 정량화하여 비교하였고, mucus glycoconjugate에 대한 AB/PAS 염색 및 MUC5AC, EGFR, MMP-9에 대한 면역조직화학 염색 (immunohistochemical stain)을 시행하였다 결과 : LPS를 투여한 경우 기도 상피의 AB/PAS 및 MUC5AC의 염색 정도는 시간 및 용량 의존적으로 증가하였고, MMPI를 치료할 경우에 LPS로 인한 배상세포의 과형성이 유의하게 감소하였다. LPS를 주입할 경우 호중구의 침윤이 증가하였고 기도 상피에서 EGFR의 발현을 증가시켰다. MMPI로 치료할 경우 LPS로 인한 호중구의 침윤 및 EGFR의 발현 그리고 배상세포의 과형성이 현저하게 감소되었다. 결론 : Matrix metalloproteinase는 호중구성 염증 및 EGFR에 의해 발생하는 LPS에 의한 배상 세포의 과형성 및 점액 과다분비의 기전에 있어서 밀접하게 관련되고, 따라서 점액 과다분비를 특징으로 하는 세균 감염으로 인한 기도 질환의 치료에 있어서 MMPI가 잠재적인 임상적 효과가 있을 것으로 사료된다.