• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Objectives : Mori Follium (Morus alba L. leaf) has been cultivated in many Asian countries. Especially, mulberry leaf has been used as an anti-diabetic remedy in oriental medicine. However, anti-obesity effect of mulberry has not been unknown. In this study, our objectives of study is to investigate the anti-adipogenic effect of mulberry water extract (MLE) and to reveal potential molecular anti-obesity mechanism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes differentiation model.Methods : The cytotoxicity of MLE in 3T3-L1 was examined by MTT assay. Anti-adipogenic effect of MLE was evaluated by Oil Red O (ORO) staining. To elucidate the molecular mechanism, inhibitor assay was employed. The mRNA expression levels of adipogenic transcriptional factors such as PPARγ and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymer chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.Results : The MLE treatment for 24 h did not affect to the 3T3-L1 cells at concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,000 ㎍/㎖. Thus, non-toxic concentration rages of MLE were used during adipogenesis period (day -2 to 7). Intracellular lipid accumulation in MLE-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes (day 6) were quantitatively evaluated by ORO staining. The MLE treatment significantly and dose-dependently suppressed 3T3-L1 adipogenesis by 60.42%, 38.24%, and 5.97% at 10, 100, and 200 ㎍/㎖, respectively. In addition, our inhibitor assay and RT-PCR analysis revealed that the MLE-inhibited 3T3-L1 adipogenesis through inhibition of PPARγ mediated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Conclusions : In conclusion, these findings indicate that the MLE could be used in prevent and/or treatment of obesity-related diseases.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.511-517
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• 2005

Low sensitivity to anticancer drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been associated with decreased expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis. Recently, it has been shown that the expression levels of some of these genes are reduced by transcription inhibition due to epigenetic silencing on CpG islands. Therefore, epigenetic therapy has been proposed, where epigenetic silencing is repressed with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. The aim of our study was to evaluate the combination effect of 5-FU and its association with the status of epigenetic silencing using methylation-specific PCR of $p14^{ARF}$ when given with S-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), a DNMT inhibitor and depsipeptide, an HDAC inhibitor in DLD-1 human colorectal cancer cells. The combination of 5-aza-dC with depsipeptide showed a synergism and induced unmethylation of $p14^{ARF}$. However, triplet combination of 5-aza-dc/depsipeptide and 5-FU resulted in antagonistic effects and abrogated unmethylation of $p14^{ARF}$. These results suggest that unfavorable interaction of 5-aza-dC/depsipeptide with 5-FU in DLD-1 cells may be related with the failure in repression of epigenetic silencing, which warrants further investigation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4353-4358
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• 2014

Background: PI3/AKT and NF-kB signaling pathways are constitutively active in acute myeloid leukemia and cross-talk between the two has been shown in various cancers. However, their role in acute myeloid leukemia has not been completely explored. We therefore used cell penetrating inhibitor peptides to define the contributions of AKT and NF-kB to survival and multi drug resistance (MDR) in HL-60 cells. Materials and Methods: Inhibition of AKT and NF-kB activity by AKT inhibitor peptide and NBD inhibitor peptide, respectively, resulted in decreased expression of mRNA for the MDR1 gene as assessed by real time PCR. In addition, treatment of HL-60 cells with AKT and NBD inhibitor peptides led to inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis in a dose dependent manner as detected by flow cytometer. Results: Finally, co-treatment of HL-60 cells with sub-optimal doses of AKT and NBD inhibitor peptides led to synergistic apoptotic responses in AML cells. Conclusions: These data support a strong biological link between NF-kB and PI3-kinase/AKT pathways in the modulation of antiapoptotic and multi drug resistant effects in AML cells. Synergistic targeting of these pathways using NF-kB and PI3-kinase/AK inhibitor peptides may have a therapeutic potential for AML and possibly other malignancies with constitutive activation of these pathways.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.165-172
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• 2006

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) involves tissue protection against the destructive action of neutrophil elastase at the site of inflammation. Several studies on new functions of SLPI have demonstrated that SLPI may play a primary role in innate immunity than protease inhibitor, To identify the function of SLPI by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in the embryonic fibroblast (NIH3T3) cells. we studied the expression of SLPI compared to other growth factors involving the LPS treatment. To address this, we performed the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blots for the detection of mRNA and protein expression of the SLPI and some growth factors such as VEGF. bFGF, and PDGF-BB after LPS stimulation. NIH3T3 cells were exposed 100 ng/mL Escherichia coli LPS for 30min, 60min, 90min, 24h, and 48h, respectively. The result of RT-PCR showed that SLPI and VEGF mRNA was expressed strongly in NIH3T3 without related to LPS stimulation. mRNA of bFGF was weakly expressed such as the expression of the control. PDGF mRNA expression gradually increased follows at time course. However, SLPI protein level was increased in lysates and culture medium by LPS stimulation. Phase contrast microscopic and scanning electron microscopic observation showed that the increased cell number and cytoplasmic enlargement of the NIH3T3 cells. Therefore, it suggests that the LPS upregulates SLPI expression in NIH3T3 cells. Moreover, secreted SLPI may stimulate cell proliferation and migration.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 1995

The putative totipotency germ cells has a relative abundance of alkaline phosphatases. Thus, histological staining of AP activity offers a new route to isolate totipotent cells and also provides insights into culture systems of these cells. Furthermore, the AP staining technique is simple and fast, requires only the napthol AS/MS substrate in combination with trapping diazonium salts such as fast red or fast blue. However, our unexpected finding was that AP staining of mouse ES cells were detected in the undifferentiaed epiblast-derived cells as well as several types of differentiating cells. This findings are different from results of Talbot et al. (1993) reported usefulness of the AP staining and implies that histological staining of AP may not by useful to determine undifferentiaed state or totipotency of ES cells. Thus, we have investigated the patterns of AP expression by RT-PCR in order to identify a marker of undifferentiated ES/primordial germ (PG) cells. In RT-PCR analysis, embryonic (E)-AP was detected only in undifferentiated ES cells, but intestinal(I)-AP was not detected in all of the examined ES and PG cells. In addition, nonspecific (NS)-AP wasdetected in undifferentiated PG cell from day 7, 5 to 13 of gestation. Histological activity of AP in ES cells was completely suppressed by addition of L-phenylalanine (Phe), L-homoarginine (Har), and L-phenylalanylglycylglycine (PheGlyGly) as an inhibitor, but RT-PCR showed the same results as in the absence of an inhibitors. Our findings suggested that expression of E-AP and NS-AP may use as a marker to determine the undifferentiated status in ES and PG cells.

• 한국전자현미경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.127-129
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• 2005

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide(LPS) is can stimulate the most LPS-responsive cells in the mammalian host. The macrophage response to LPS can protect the host from infection but high levels, contribute to systemic inflammatory response syndrome and destruction of host itself, The previously study, secretory leukocyte pretense inhibitor (SLPI) was known LPS-induced product of macrophage and had the function that antagonizes their LPS-induced activation of pro-inflammation signaling factors. Purpose of this study was to identify the expression of SLPI involving the infection in various cell lines including odontoblast cell line. Therefore, we conducted in vitro researches, which treated the LPS to the MDPC-23, and compared to NIH3T3, RAW264.7. To investigate the expressionof SLPI in mRNA level, the methods was used RT-PCR and western blotting for protein expression of SLPI. Moreover, we performed the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation for the morphological change. This work was supported by Korea Science and Engineering Foundation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.519-529
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effects of Injinchunggan-tang on cell growth and apoptosis in human hepatic stellate cell line LX2. Materials and Methods : Hepatic stellate cells were treated with various concentrations of Injinchunggan-tang extract for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The extraction was done with distilled water. After the treatment, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, caspase activity, caspase inhibitor and the mRNA of the Bcl-2, and Bax with ${\beta}$-actin were measured by using MTT assay, apoptosis assay and RT-PCR. Results : Proliferation, and mRNA expression of the hepatic stellate cells were inhibited by Injinchunggan-tang treatment in a dose-dependent manner. This indicates the prescription has inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis of the liver by regulating the fibrogenesis-associated genes in transcription. Cell viability was inhibited in time- and dose-dependent manners. Conclusions : These results suggest that Injinchunggan-tang would be beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients as well as for the patients with chronic hepatitis.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.440-447
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• 2003

Up until today, the key to contouring has been resumed in these two alternatives, either limiting the adipocyte storing capacity by modulating lipogenesis, or by stimulating lipolysis to eliminate adipocyte lipid content. Another interesting way could be the regulation of adipocyte differentiation. In this work, we have evaluated the effect of a brown algal extract of Sphacelaria scoparia (SSE) on the differentiation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes. A pre-adipocyte line (3T3-L 1) was used. The differentiation was evaluated by the measure of produced lipids thanks to red oil coloration and spectrophotometry, and also by the expression of adipocyte differentiation markers: enzymes such as fatty acid synthase (FAS) and stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD), or membrane proteins such as glucose transporters (GLUT -4) and fatty acid transporters (FAT) expressed on the surface of human adipocytes. These genes are under control of two transcription factors: CAAT-enhancer binding protein (c/EBP alpha) and sterol response element binding protein (SREBP1). All these markers were analysed at different stages of differentiation by RT -PCR. Sphacelaria extract (SSE) inhibits pre-adipocytes differentiating into adipocytes following a dose-dependant relation, using a kinetics similar to retinoic acid. It decreases the expression of mRNA specific to FAS, FAT, GLUT -4, SCD1, c/EBP alpha and SREBP1. Moreover, SSE regulated on collagen 1 and collagen 4 expression. A stimulation of collagen 1 was also measured in human skin fibroblasts. Thus, SSE performs as a genuine differentiation inhibitor and not only as a lipogenesis inhibitor, and could be used in slimming products.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3259-3264
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• 2012

Curcumin (CM) possesses anti-cancer activity against a variety of tumors. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in remodeling the extracellular matrix and their activities are regulated by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) family. Control of MMP and TIMP activity are now of great significance. In this study, the effect of CM is investigated on metastatic MMPs and anti-metastatic TIMPs genes on MDA breast cancer cells cultured in a mixture of DMEM and Ham's F12 medium and treated with different concentrations of CM (10, 20 and $40{\mu}M$ for various lengths of time. Reverse transcription followed by quantitative real time PCR was used to detect the gene expression levels of MMPs and TIMPs in CM-treated versus untreated cases and the data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. At high concentrations of curcumin, TIMP-1, -2, -3 and -4 genes were up-regulated after 48 hours of treatment, their over-expression being accompanied by down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 gene expression levels in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. These results suggest that curcumin plays a role in regulating cell metastasis by inhibiting MMP-2 and MMP-9 and up-regulating TIMP1 and TIMP4 gene expression in breast cancer cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.258-263
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• 2013

We demonstrate herein that silibinin, a polyphenolic flavonoid compound isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibits LPS-induced activation of macrophages and production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot analysis showed silibinin inhibits iNOS gene expression. RT-PCR showed that silibinin inhibits iNOS, TNF-${\alpha}$, and $IL1{\beta}$. We also showed that silibinin strongly inhibits p38 MAPK phosphorylation, whereas the ERK1/2 and JNK pathways are not inhibited. The p38 MAPK inhibitor abrogated the LPS-induced nitrite production, whereas the MEK-1 inhibitor did not affect the nitrite production. A molecular modeling study proposed a binding pose for silibinin targeting the ATP binding site of p38 MAPK (1OUK). Collectively, this series of experiments indicates that silibinin inhibits macrophage activation by blocking p38 MAPK signaling.