• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1404-1408
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• 2013

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, has been shown to have strong antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects. However it is unknown whether EGCG can recover alcohol-associated pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on pancreatic enzyme activities and the expressions of pancreatic regenerating related markers, such as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), raf-1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP), and Regenerating gene 1 (Reg1), in mice pancreatic primary acinar cells. Our results revealed that activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and chymotrypsin were significantly increased in the cells treated with ethanol compared to the untreated control cells; however, the increased activities of both enzymes were markedly reduced by pretreatment with EGCG. Phosphorylation of AMPK and total expression of RKIP were decreased in the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells; however, these were both significantly increased in the EGCG-pretreated cells. In addition, when EGCG was treated, expression of Reg1 was markedly increased compared with that of the control or the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells, demonstrating that EGCG can modulate pancreatic regenerating related genes. Therefore, our findings suggest that EGCG may have therapeutic utility in the prevention or treatment of alcohol-associated pancreatitis.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to present the basic data for conservation and management of traditional landscape and ecological environment by surveying and analysing the vascular plants distributed in Gwnagneung, a royal tomb of the Joseon Dynasty. The results are as follows. The numbers of vascular plants were summarized as 446 taxa including 97 families, 274 genera, 384 species, 4 subspecies, 49 varieties and 9 forms. The planting species were 34 taxa including Ginkgo biloba L., Pinus koraiensis Siebold ＆ Zucc., Taxus cuspidata Siebold ＆ Zucc. and so forth. Exotic species such as Pterocarya stenoptera DC. and Magnolia obovata Thunb. need to be remove for traditional landscape management. The rare plants were 7 taxa including 2 taxa of CR(critically endangered), 2 taxa of VU(vulnerable) and 3 taxa of LC(least concerned). The Korean endemic plants were 8 taxa including Pseudostellaria coreana (Nakai) Ohwi, Chrysosplenium pilosum var. fulvum (N.Terracc.) Hara, Philadelphus schrenkii Rupr., Indigofera koreana Ohwi, Paulownia coreana Uyeki(planting), Weigela subsessilis (Nakai) L.H.Bailey, Aster koraiensis Nakai(planting) and Hosta minor (Baker) Nakai(planting). The specific plants by floristic region were 45 taxa including 2 taxa of grade V, 12 taxa of grade III, 9 taxa of grade II and 22 taxa of grade I. The naturalized plants were 25 taxa including Fallopia dumetorum (L.) Holub, Chenopodium ficifolium Smith, Amorpha fruticosa L., Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) S.F.Blake and so forth. The target plants adaptable to climate change were 9 taxa including 1 taxon of endemic plant and 8 taxa of northern plants.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.550-560
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• 2022

Background: The effect of ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects of G-Rh2 on OVA-induced asthmatic mice and on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis. Methods: Asthma model was established for evaluating airway changes and ear allergy. RPMCs and RBL-2H3 were used for in vitro experiments. Calcium uptake, histamine release and degranulation were detected. ELISA and Western blot measured cytokine and protein levels, respectively. Results: G-Rh2 inhibited OVA-induced airway remodeling, the production of TNF-α, IL-4, IL-8, IL-1β and the degranulation of mast cells of asthmatic mice. G-Rh2 inhibited the activation of Syk and Lyn in lung tissue of OVA-induced asthmatic mice. G-Rh2 inhibited serum IgE production in OVA induced asthmatic mice. Furthermore, G-Rh2 reduced the ear allergy in IgE-sensitized mice. G-Rh2 decreased the ear thickness. In vitro experiments G-Rh2 significantly reduced calcium uptake and inhibited histamine release and degranulation in RPMCs. In addition, G-Rh2 reduced the production of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-4 in IgE-sensitized RBL-2H3 cells. Interestingly, G-Rh2 was involved in the FcεRI pathway activation of mast cells and the transduction of the Lyn/Syk signaling pathway. G-Rh2 inhibited PI3K activity in a dose-dependent manner. By blocking the antigen-induced phosphorylation of Lyn, Syk, LAT, PLCγ2, PI3K ERK1/2 and Raf-1 expression, G-Rh2 inhibited the NF-κB, AKT-Nrf2, and p38MAPK-Nrf2 pathways. However, G-Rh2 up-regulated Keap-1 expression. Meanwhile, G-Rh2 reduced the levels of p-AKT, p38MAPK and Nrf2 in RBL-2H3 sensitized IgE cells and inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway activation by activating the AKT-Nrf2 and p38MAPK-Nrf2 pathways. Conclusion: G-Rh2 inhibits mast cell-induced allergic inflammation, which might be mediated by the AKT-Nrf2/NF-kB and p38MAPK-Nrf2/NF-κB signaling pathways.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 1996

The mitogen-activated protein(MAP) kinase signal transduction pathway represents an important mechanism by which mitogen, such as serum and PMA, regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Target substrates of the MAP kinase are located within several compartments containing plasma membranes and nucleus. We now report that serum addition induces proliferation of the P388 murine leukemia cell, but PMA does not, while both serum and PMA treatment cause translocation of the MAP kinase, mainly p42$^{mapk}$ isoform, from cytosol into the nucleus, which was monitored by immunoblot analysis using polyclonal anti-ERK1 antibodies. We investigated whether the MAP kinase was capable of phosphorylating c-Jun protein and GST-fusion proteins, the P562$^{kk}$N-terminal peptides (1-77 or 1-123 domain) of the T cell tyrosine kinase, using the partially purified MAP kinase by SP-sephadex C-50, phenyl superose and Mono Q column chromatography. We found that the partially purified MAP kinase was able to phosphorylate c-Jun protein and the GST-fusion protein expressed using E.coli DH5$\alpha$ which is transformed with pGEX-3Xb plasmid vector carrying of p562$^{kk}$N-terminal peptide-encoding DNA. These results imply that tyrosine kinase receptor/Ras/Raf/MAP kinase pathway is a major mechanism for mitogen-induced cell proliferation in P388 murine leukemia cell and that the various MAP kinase isoforms may have their own target substrates located in distinct subcellular compartments.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.439-451
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• 2004

Total solar irradiance (750), total UV irradiunce (TUV) and erythemal UV irradiance (EUV) measured at King Sejong station $(62.22^{\circ}S,\;58.78^{\circ}W)$ in west Antarctica have been used together with total ozone, cloud amount and snow cover to examine the effects of ozone, cloud and snow surface on these surface solar inadiunce over the period of 1998-2003. The data of three solar components for each scan were grouped by cloud amount, n in oktas $(0{\leq}n<3,\;3{\leq}n<4,\;4{\leq}n<5,\;5{\leq}n<6,\;6{\leq}n<7\;and\;7{\leq}n<8)$ and plotted against solar zenith angle (SZA) over the range of $45^{\circ}\;to\;75^{\circ}$. The radiation amplification factor (RAE) is used to quantify ozone effect on EUV. RAF of EUV decreases from 1.51 to 0.94 under clear skies but increases from 0.94 to 1.85 under cloudy skies as SZA increases, and decreases from 1.51 to 1.01 as cloud amount increases. The effects of cloud amount and snow surface on EUV are estimated as a function of SZA and cloud amount after normalization of the data to the reference total ozone of 300 DU. In order to analyse the transmission of solar radiation by cloud, regression analyses have been performed for the maximum values of solar irradiance on clear sky conditions $(0{\leq}n<3)$ and the mean values on cloudy conditions, respectively. The maximum regression values for the clear sky cases were taken to represent minimum aerosol conditions fur the site and thus appropriate for use as a normalization (reference) factor for the other regressions. The overall features for the transmission of the three solar components show a relatively high values around SZAs of $55^{\circ}\;and\;60^{\circ}$ under all sky conditions and cloud amounts $4{\leq}n<5$ and $5{\leq}n<6$. The transmission is, in general, the largest in TUV and the smallest in EUV among the three components of the solar irradiance. If the ground is covered with snow on partly cloudy days $(6{\leq}n<7)$, EUV increases by 20 to 26% compared to snow-free surface around SZA $60^{\circ}-65^{\circ}$, due to multiple reflections and scattering between the surface and the clouds. The relative difference between snow surface and snow-free surface slowly increases from 9% to 20% as total ozone increases from 100 DU to 400 DU under partly cloud conditions $(3{\leq}n<6)$ at SZA $60^{\circ}$. The snow effects on TUV and TSO are relatively high with 32% and 34%, respectively, under clear sky conditions, while the effects changes to 36% and 20% for TUV and TSO, respectively, as cloud amount increases.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.311-336
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• 2020

The flora of Sejong were summarized as 531 taxa including 104 families, 315 genera, 462 species, 3 subspecies, 59 varieties and 7 form. The rare plants were 8 taxa including Nepeta cataria L. and Aristolochia ontorta Bunge. The Korea endemic plants were 9 taxa including Populus tomentiglandulosa T. B. Le and Clematis trichotoma Nakai.. The specific plants were 42 taxa including Phytolacca esculenta Van Houtte(V), Corydalis decumbens (Thunb.) Pers(IV), Poncirus trifoliata Raf(III), Pseudostellaria coreana (Nakai) Ohwi(II), Cyrtomium fortunei J.Sm.(I). The naturalized plants were 49 taxa including Sicyos angulatus L, Ambrosia trifida L, Physalis angulata L. Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx., Galinsoga parviflora Cav, and Erigeron philadelphicus L. Especially, Sicyos angulatus L., Phytolacca americana L. and Bidens frondosa L. have been spread throughout the country are required to manage. The naturalized index(NI) and urbanized index(UI) were 8.7% and 15.3%. Useful plants incuding Edible was 199 taxa, Pasture was 193 taxa, Medicinal was 178 taxa, Ornamental was 82 taxa, Timber was 25 taxa, Fiber was 18 taxa, Stain was 9 taxa. Useful plants will be important materials for plant design in recreational and healing forests.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6155-6157
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• 2012

Background: Mutations in the MAPK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase) signaling pathway - EGFR/Ras/RAF/MEK have been associated with the development of several carcinomas. ERK2, a downstream target of the MAPK pathway and a founding member of the MAPK family is activated by cellular signals emanating at the cell membrane. Activated ERK2 translocates into the nucleus to transactivate genes that promote cell proliferation. MKP - a dual specific phosphatase - interacts with activated ERK2 via the common docking (CD) domain of the later to inactivate (dephosphorylate) and effectively terminate further cell proliferation. A constitutively active form of ERK2 carrying a single point mutation - E322K in its CD domain, was earlier reported by our laboratory. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of this CD domain E322K mutation in 88 well differentiated OSCC tissue samples. Materials and Method: Genomic DNA specimens isolated from 88 oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples were amplified with primers flanking the CD domain of the ERK2 gene. Subsequently, PCR amplicons were gel purified and subjected to direct sequencing to screen for mutations. Results: Direct sequencing of eighty eight OSCC samples identified an E322K CD domain mutation in only one (1.1%) OSCC sample. Conclusions: Our result indicates that mutation in the CD domain of ERK2 is rare in OSCC patients, which suggests the role of genetic alterations in other mitogenic genes in the development of carcinoma in the rest of the patients. Nevertheless, the finding is clinically significant, as the relatively rare prevalence of the E322K mutation in OSCC suggests that ERK2, being a common end point signal in the multi-hierarchical mitogen activated signaling pathway may be explored as a viable drug target in the treatment of OSCC.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.222-232
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• 2014

The flora of vascular plants in Sumeunmulbaengdui wetland located in Hallasan National Park was surveyed 9 times from September, 2010 to May, 2014. This survey resulted in 236 taxa in total composed of 202 species, 2 subspecies, 27 varieties and 5 forms of 148 genera under 69 families. They were categorized by their life forms into 8 groups of 37 megaphanerophytes, 26 nanophanerophytes, 2 epiphytes, 3 chamaephytes, 84 hemicryptophytes, 33 geophytes, 21 hydrophytes, 30 therophytes. Among them, 10 taxa of Korean endemic plants and 9 taxa of rare and endangered plants were included. In addition, the floristic regional indicator plants were 43 taxa comprised of 3 taxa of grade V, 7 taxa of grade IV, 12 taxa of grade III, 8 taxa of grade II and 13 taxa of grade I. 2 species of alien plants, Erechtites hieracifolia Raf. and Taraxacum officinale Weber were found. Sustainable interest and protective measures to Sumeunmulbaengdui wetland are required, since this area is comparatively larger in size and higher in plant diversity than other Ramsar wetlands in Jeju-do Province.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.121-130
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• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate a method for producing cultured virus - free ovules for breeding high - quality Citrus cultivars. Ovules from the immature fruits of three citrus cultivars native to Jeju (Dongjeongkyool, Cheongkyool, and Jikak) and two cultivars of Citrus unshiu Marc. (Miyagawa wase and Haryejosaeng) that were thought to be infected with Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) were cultured on MS2 medium (Murashige - Skoog [MS] basal medium containing $500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ malt extract, $50g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ sucrose, $1.0 mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ kinetin, and $8g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ agar). After four weeks of culture, 10, 21, 13, 5, and 7 somatic embryos and 2, 4, 2, 4, and 5 white callus cells (surrounding green somatic embryos) were obtained from Dongjeongkyool, Cheongkyool, Jikak, Miyagawa wase, and Haryejosaeng, respectively. After six weeks of culture, somatic embryos were obtained from cultured cells grown on MT basal medium supplemented with malt extract ($500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$), lactose ($70g{\cdot}L^{-1}$), and agar ($16g{\cdot}L^{-1}$). Over 60% of the somatic embryos from citrus cultivars native to Jeju developed into normal plants on MS basal medium supplemented with malt extract ($500mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$), sucrose ($50g{\cdot}L^{-1}$), and agar ($8g{\cdot}L^{-1}$) after 10 weeks of culture. Normal plants were regenerated from two Citrus unshiu Marc. cultivars on MT basal medium supplemented with sorbitol (1.0 M), galactose (1.0 M), $GA_3$ ($1.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$), and Gelrite ($3g{\cdot}L^{-1}$). The absence of virus in plants generated from cultured ovules was confirmed by RT - PCR and antigen - antibody reactions. Therefore, virus - free Citrus cells can be obtained for breeding high - quality citrus cultivars using the biotechnological technique evaluated in this study.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2011

Valproic acid (VPA) is a well-known anticonvulsive agent and has been used in the treatment of epilepsy for almost 30 years. VPA emerged in 1997 as an antineoplastic agent. And it is known that antitmor activity of VPA is associated with its targeted at histone deacetylases. 17AAG, Inhibition of HSP90 leads to the proteasome degradation of the HSP90 client proteins, such as Akt, Raf/Ras, Erk, VEGF, cyclin D and p53, and causes potent antitumor activity. It is reported that 17AAG-induced HSP90 inhibition results in prevention of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in several types of cancer. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effect of co-treatment with the histone deacetylases inhibitor, VPA and the HSP90 inhibitor, 17AAG on human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells. Cell viability was evaluated by trypan-blue exclusion. Induction and augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by Hoechst staining, flow cytometry (DNA hypoploidy and MMP change), Westen blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining. In this study, HOS cells co-treated with VPA and 17AAG showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation such as nuclear condensations, the reduction of MMP, the decrease of DNA content, the release of cytochrome c into cytosol, the translocation of AIF onto nuclei, and activation of caspase-3, caspase-7 and PARP whereas each single treated HOS cells did not. Although the single treatment of 1 mM VPA or 0.5 ${\mu}M$ 17AAG for 48 h did not induce apoptosis, the co-treatment with them induced prominently apoptosis. Therefore our data in this study provide the possibility that combination therapy with VPA and 17AAG could be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy for human osteosarcoma.