• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2014

Cigarette smoke is considered a major risk factor for vascular diseases. There are many toxic compounds in cigarette smoke, including acrolein and other ${\alpha},{\beta}$-unsaturated aldehydes, which are regarded as mediators of inflammation and vascular dysfunction. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that acrolein, an ${\alpha},{\beta}$-unsaturated aldehyde in cigarette smoke, induces inflammatory mediator expression, which is known to be related to vascular diseases. In this study, we investigated whether Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) water extract suppressed acrolein-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Acrolein-induced COX-2 expression was accompanied by increased levels of phosphorylated p38 in HUVECs and KRG inhibited COX-2 expression in HUVECs. These results suggest that KRG suppresses acrolein-induced COX-2 expression via inhibition of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. In addition, KRG exhibited an inhibitory effect on acrolein-induced apoptosis, as demonstrated by annexin Vepropidium iodide staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay. Consistent with these results, KRG may exert a vasculoprotective effect through inhibition of COX-2 expression in acrolein-stimulated human endothelial cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2011

The accelerated cooling rate associated with vitrification reduces injuries attributed to cryopreservation and improves the post-freezing developmental competence of vitrified embryos. In this study, embryos were vitrified and warmed and morphologically evaluated for their development to blastocysts. Survival rates between the fresh ($96.7%{\pm}3.8%$) and vitrified embryos ($90.7%{\pm}5.1%$) did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The mitochondrial membrane potential of fresh control cells measured by 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolyl carbocyanide iodide staining was similar to that of cryoprotected and vitrified embryos. Mitochondrial staining with rhodamine 123 did not differ among the fresh, cryoprotected, and vitrified embryos. Moreover, the distribution of $H_2O_2$, assessed by 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining, did not differ among the groups. The results showed that the developmental rate did not differ significantly among the fresh ($87.8%{\pm}11.3%$), cryoprotected ($83.2%{\pm}7.6%$), and vitrified 2-cell embryos ($75.8%{\pm}14.2%$). The mean number of the inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm (TE), and apoptotic cells was counted and statistically compared, and although the number of ICM and TE was decreased in the cryoprotected and vitrified embryos, there were no significant differences among the groups (P>0.05). During the cultivation period, randomly selected blastocysts from each group were stained using either 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and bisbenzimide or the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling technique. The incidence of apoptosis appeared to be almost identical in all the groups. Droplet vitrification could subsequently lead to high survival and developmental rates of cryopreserved mouse embryos.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2000

This study investigated whether propofol, an intravenous, non-barbiturate anesthetic, could reduce brain damage following global forebrain ischemia. Transient global ischemia was induced in gerbils by occlusion of bilateral carotid arteries for 3 min. Propofol (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before, immediately after, and at 1 h, 2 h, 6 h after occlusion. Thereafter, propofol was administered twice daily for three days. Treated animals were processed in parallel with ischemic animals receiving 10% intralipid as a vehicle or with sham-operated controls. In histologic findings, counts of viable neurons were made in the pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampal CA1 area 4 days after ischemia. The number of viable neurons in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 area was similar in animals treated with a vehicle or a subanesthetic dose of propofol. In terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay, semiquantitative analysis of dark-brown neuronal cells was made in the hippocampal CA1 area. There was no significant difference in the degree of TUNEL staining in the hippocampal CA1 area between vehicle-treated and propofol-treated animals. These results show that subanesthetic dose of propofol does not reduce delayed neuronal cell death following transient global ischemia in Mongolian gerbils.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.259-264
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• 2001

Purpose : We investigated the temporal alterations of apoptosis and mitotic death following irradiation in the rat's small intestinal crypts. Materials and methods : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were irradiated 2 Gy by 6 MV linear accelerator and sacrified at 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 hours after irradiation. The mean numbers of the apoptotic cells and mitotic cells per their small intestinal crypts were measured in the unirradiated control and irradiated groups. To compare with H & E staining, ISEL (In Situ End Labelling) were peformed in the group having the highest apoptotic count. Results : The mean number of the apoptosis per crypt in the control group was 0.14 and those at 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 hours after irradiation were 1.43, 3.19, 1.15, 0.26, 0.17, respectively. So the apoptosis development was increased upto 4 hours and then normalized around 24 hours following irradiation. The mean number of the mitotic cells per crypt in the control group was 1.29 and those at 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 hours after irradiation were 0.56, 0.47, 0.23, 0.65, 1.19, respectively. The mitotic cell counts following irradiation was decreased to 8 hours and recovered to the normal level about 48 hours. So the increment of apoptotic cell count was occurred earlier and more remarkable than the decrement of mitotic cell count after irradiation. According to the staining time, false positivity was found in the ISEL staining. Conclusions : The cell death in the small intestinal crypt developed by acute radiation damage was usually decreased to the normal level within $24\~48\;hours$ after irradiation and the apoptosis was thought to be more important process than the mitotic death.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.12-21
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• 2005

Objectives: In the present study, we investigated whether an aqueous extract of Armeniacae semen induces apoptotic neuronal cell death upon mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells. Methods: 1. Cell viability was determined by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTI) assay. 2. For in situ detection of apoptotic cells, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. 3. The fraction of cells was revealed by flow cytometric analysis used that. 4. For detection of apoptotic DNA cleavage, DNA fragmentation assay was performed. 5. For detection of bax and bcl-2, Western blot analysis was performed. 6. Caspase enzyme activity was measured using caspase-3 assay. Results: From the present results, N2a neuroblastoma cells treated with Armeniacae semen extract exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. A treatment of Armeniacae semen extract was shown to increase the expression of Bax, a proapoptotic protein, and the treatment decreased the expression of Blc2, an anti-apoptotic protein. In addition, Armeniacae semen extract increased the caspase-3 enzyme activity. Conclusions: The present results show that Armeniacae semen extract induces apoptotic cell death in mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2005

Phellodendri Cortex (PC) has been used traditionally in Korea for damp heat leukorrhea with thick, yellow, discharge, foul-smelling diarrhea or dysentery. We investigated whether the Phellodendri Cortex Herbal-acupuncture Solution (PCHS) induced cell-death on SNU-17, human cervical cancer cell. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to find out the cytotoxicity of PCHS. The cell death was identified as apoptosis from the results of 4, 6-diamidineo-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, terminal deoxy-nucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The expression of proapototic gene, Bax, was increased and the expression of apoptotic gene, Caspase-3, was also increased. Considering the above results, PCHS could induce the apoptosis on SNU-17, human cervical cancer cell, via Bax-related Caspase-3 activation. And it might provide the experimental data for the clinical use of Phellodendri Cortex on cervical cancer.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.325-333
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• 2021

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders. Enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis by promoting proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a promising therapeutic strategy for AD. 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) and oleanolic acid (OA) are small, bioactive compounds found in ginseng that can promote NSC proliferation and neural differentiation in vitro. However, it is currently unknown whether PPD or OA can attenuate cognitive deficits by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo in a transgenic APP/PS1 AD mouse model. Here, we administered PPD or OA to APP/PS1 mice and monitored the effects on cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis. Methods: We used the Morris water maze, Y maze, and open field tests to compare the cognitive capacities of treated and untreated APP/PS1 mice. We investigated hippocampal neurogenesis using Nissl staining and BrdU/NeuN double labeling. NSC proliferation was quantified by Sox2 labeling of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. We used western blotting to determine the effects of PPD and OA on Wnt/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway activation in the hippocampus. Results: Both PPD and OA significantly ameliorated the cognitive impairments observed in untreated APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, PPD and OA significantly promoted hippocampal neurogenesis and NSC proliferation. At the mechanistic level, PPD and OA treatments resulted in Wnt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway activation in the hippocampus. Conclusion: PPD and OA ameliorate cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis, achieved by stimulating the Wnt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway. As such, PPD and OA are promising novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

In mammalian ovary, major portion(>99%) of ovarian follicles undergo atresia. Recent studies have shown that this phenomenon is mediated via GC apoptosis. Ceramide, a product of sphingomyelin hydrolysis, has been proposed as a novel lipid second messenger with specific roles in mediating antiproliferative responses including apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. In the present study, we have examined the effect of ceramide on apoptotic cell death of GC in vitro. GCs were harvested by squeezing the antral follicles from the immature mice (3-4 weeks) and cultured in MEM medium with 10% fetal bovine serum. The cells were treated with various concentrations of ceramide (0 to 50 \mu M)and cultured up to 24 h.Cell death was determined by MTT cell viability assay and apoptosis was examined by acridine orange staining, in situ 3'-end labeling(TUNEL), and flow cytometry. Ceramid treatment induced apoptotic cell death of GC in a time- and a dose-dependent manner. Results of flow cytometric analysis showed that creamide-induced cell death was mostly confined to the $G_{0}$/$G_{1}$ cells. these results provide an evidence for ceramide as a lipid second messenger of apoptosis in mouse GC.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.123-124
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• 2001

Purpose. Free radicals are implicated in the pathophysiology of aging, ischemic injury and neurodegenerative disorders. To deform]no whether Hominis Placenta extract prevents $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis, we have performed morphological and biochemical analyses for the detection of apoptotic phenomena in the pineal tumor cell line $PGT-{\beta}$ We have also peformed cytochemical and immunocytochemical analyses for the detection of changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and estimated the expression . of apoptotic genes using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) Methods. $PGT-{\beta}\;cells$ were pretreated with Hominis Placenta extracts $(0,\;10^{-2}\;{\mu}g/ml)$ for 2 hours and then exposed to $H_2O_2\;(0,\;50\;{\mu}M)$ for 3 hours. Appearance of apoptotic characteristics were monitored using 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometric analysis. NOS activity was measured by NADPH-diaphorase cytochemistry. Expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF k B) was assessed via immunocytochemistry. The expression of apoptotic genes was examined by RT-PCR. Results. After 3 flours of exposure to $H_2O_2$, it was shown that $PGT-{\beta}\;cells$ treated with $H_2O_2(50\;{\mu}M)$ exhibit classical apoptotic features and increases in NOS activity and caspase-3 expression. Treatment with Hominis Placenta extract resulted in a reduced occurrence of apoptotic features. DAPI staining, TUNEL and flow cytometric assays revealed decreases in the occurrence of nuclear fragmentation and in the sub-Gl fraction in the $PGT-{\beta}\;cells$ treated with Hominis Placenta extract. Cells treated with Hominis Placenta extract also showed lower activity of NADPH-diaphorase and immunoreactivities of both iNOS and NF k B than those of $H_2O_2$-treated cells which were not treated with Hominis Placenta extract. By RT-PCR, it was shown that the level of caspase-3 mRNA was derreased In the cells treated with Hominis Placenta . extract. Conclusions. This study shows that Hominis Placenta extract prevents $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis in $PGT-{\beta}\;cells$; inhibitions of iNOS and caspnse-3 are possible mechanisms of the protection against apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.452-459
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• 2012

This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of resveratrol on the induction of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The result of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl terazolium bromide (MTT) assay shows that cell viability significantly decreased in a dose and time-dependent manner. 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining shows significantly increased chromatin condensation in a dose and time-dependent manner. Resveratrol increased the expression of p53, cleaved-caspase-3, and cleaved-caspase-9, whereas the expression of PI3K/Akt decreased in a time-dependent manner. We investigated the in vivo tumor growth inhibitory effect of resveratrol. Tumor volume was significantly decreased in the 50 mg/kg resveratrol-administration group compared to the control group. In the 50 mg/kg treated group. Apoptosis cells were frequently observed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Immunohistochemistry staining shows increased the expression of p53, cytochrome-C, and cleaved-caspase-3 in the 50 mg/kg treated group. These results indicate that resveratrol induced apoptosis through PI3K/Akt and p53 signal pathway in MDA-MB-231 cell.