• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.859-876
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• 2023

It is known that animal-origin medicine could be one of effective treatment to remedy atopic dermatitis (AD) by controlling the cytokines. Cicadidae Periostracum (CP), the slough of Cryptotympana pustulata, has been frequently used for treating AD and skin affliction in traditional Korean Medicine. This study is aimed at investigating the ameliorating effects of CP on AD and its potential mechanism. The dinitrochlorobenzene sensitized mice were treated with CP for 2 weeks. The various biomarkers and the dermatitis scores presented that CP treatment can induce the visual and biological improvements of AD model. Pruritus, the most serious symptom of AD, which can cause repeated scratching behaviors and finally lead to lichenification, was reduced with CP treatment by regulating the inflammatory reactions. In addition, CP treatment diminished the number of mast cells that are known for causing inflammatory reactions. Moreover, it is proven that CP can decline secretion of interleukin-22, which means CP treatment has anti-inflammatory effects. CP treatment can correct the imbalance of helper T (Th)1 and Th2, downregulating thymic stromal lymphopoietin that leads to decrease of mRNA level of inflammatory cytokines. The crucial role of CP treatment is controlling of the Janus kinase 1/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway. In addition, CP treatment has the inhibitory effects on kallikrein related peptidase (KLK) 5 and KLK7. Taken together, CP treatment can ameliorate most symptoms and problems caused by AD disease, improving the AD patients' life quality.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2024

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is a commonly occurring benign tumor originating in the salivary glands. The incidence is mostly in the parotid glands (85%) followed by minor salivary glands (10%). Pleomorphic adenoma from minor salivary glands of the lips is a rare neoplasm. Here, we present a case of a patient with PA in the upper lip, reporting a common neoplasm in a rare site. A 82-year-old male with a slowly progressing swelling that occurred 20years ago on the upper white lip. This tumor is not associated with pain and tenderness. The mass was about 1.5x1.5cm sized, circumscribed, sessile and firm on the external upper lip without oral side bulging (Fig. 1). The tumor was removed completely with a elliptical incision under local anesthesia. The encapsulated mass was measured 0.9x0.9x0.6cm. On histology, a well-circumscribed growth was seen comprising epithelial and stromal components. The epithelial component formed glandular structures lined by round-to oval cells having small nuclei, pink cytoplasm and myoepithelial basal cell layer while the stroma had a fibromyxoid appearance(Fig. 2). Postoperatively wound was well healed without recurrence after 6months. Pleomorphic adenoma of the upper lip is a rare neoplasm, especially not intraoral growth. For aesthetic good result, the mass was removed without hesitation. It is required a high index of suspicion and a long-term follow-up because it could recur and rarely be transformed into malignancy.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8.1-8.20
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• 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a representative autoimmune disease that is primarily characterized by persistent inflammation and progressive destruction of synovial joints. RA has a complex and heterogeneous pathophysiology, involving interactions among various immune and joint stromal cells and a diverse network of cytokines and intracellular signaling pathways. With improved understanding of RA, over the past decades, therapeutic strategies have become considerably advanced and now included targeted molecular therapies, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, IL-6 blockers, B-cell depletion agents, as well as inhibitors of T-cell co-stimulation and Janus kinases. However, a considerable proportion of RA patients experience refractory disease and interrupted treatment owing to the associated risk of developing serious infections and cancers. In contrast, although IL-1β, IL-17A, and p38α play significant roles in RA pathogenesis, several drugs targeting these factors have not been approved because of their low efficacy and severe adverse effects. In this review, we provide an overview of the working mechanism, advantages, and limitations of the currently available targeted drugs for RA. Additionally, we suggest potential mechanistic causes for clinically approved and failed drugs. Thus, this review provides perspectives on approaches for basic and translational studies that hold promise for identifying future next-generation therapeutics for RA.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.767-782
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• 2017

MicroRNAs control the differentiation and proliferation of human adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (hADSCs). However, the role of miR-200a and miR210 on the osteogenic differentiaton of hADSCs has not been determined. hADSCs were isolated from human adipose tissues. Direct binding of mircoRNA to target mRNAs was determined by luciferase assay of the constructs containing putative microRNA binding sites within 3' untranslated region of target mRNAs. Overexpression of miR-200a increased the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, while causing downregulation of the levels of ZEB2. Inhibition of miR-200a with antisense RNAs inhibited the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs. Overexpression of miR-210 was found to inhibit the proliferation of hADSCs but increase the osteogenic differentiation, while causing downregulation of the levels of IGFBP3. Inhibition of miR-210 with antisense RNAs increased the proliferation but inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs. Analysis of the luciferase activity of the constructs containing the miR-200a target site within the ZEB2 3' region and the miR-210 target site within the IGFBP3 3' region revealed lower activity in the miR-200a- or miR-210-transfected hADSCs than in control miRNA-transfected hADSCs. Downregulation of ZEB2 or IGFBP3 in the hADSCs showed similar effects on both their proliferation and osteogenic differentiation with that of miR-200a and miR-210 overexpression, respectively. The results of the current study indicate that miR-200a and miR-210 regulate the osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of hADSCs through the direct targeting of IGFBP3 and ZEB2, respectively.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2011

The working mechanism of bisphosphonate on bone cells is unclear despite its powerful inhibitory activity on bone resorption. The differentiation and activation of osteoclasts are essential for bone resorption and are controlled by the stimulatory RANKL and inhibitory OPG molecules. Teeth exhibit a range of movement patterns during their eruption to establish their form and function, which inevitably accompanies peripheral bone resorption. Hence, the mandible, which contains the teeth during their eruption processes, is a good model for revealing the inhibitory mechanism of bisphosphonate upon bone resorption. In the present study, RANKL and OPG expression were examined immunohistochemically in the mandible of rats with developing teeth after alendronate administration (2.5 mg/kg). The preeruptive mandibular first molars at postnatal days 3 to 10 showed the developing stages from bell to crown. No morphological changes in tooth formation were observed after alendronate administration. The number of osteoclasts in the alveolar bone around the developing teeth decreased markedly at postnatal days 3, 7 and 10 compared with the control group. RANKL induced strong positive immunohistochemical reactions in the dental follicles and stromal cells around the mandibular first molar. In particular, many osteoclasts with strongly positive reactions to RANKL appeared above the developing mandibular first molars at postnatal days 3 and 10. Immunohistochemical reactions with RANKL after alendronate administration were weaker than the control groups. However, the immunohistochemical reactivity to OPG was stronger after alendronate administration, at postnatal days 3 and 10. These results suggest that alendronate may decrease bone resorption by regulating the RANKL/OPG pathway in the process of osteoclast formation, resulting in a delay in tooth eruption.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.507-515
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• 2014

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is commonly found in aging men, is characterized by hyperplasia of prostatic stromal and epithelial cells beginning in the periurethral zone of the prostate. The prevalence of BPH increases in an age-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the protective effects of unripe Rubus occidentalis extracts (UROE) on BPH development using a prostate cancer cell line and testosterone-induced BPH rat model. Experiments using an established hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) showed that UROE treatment significantly decreased expression of androgen-related genes, including androgen receptor (AR), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and 5-alpha reductase 2, but not 5-alpha reductase 1, which was also observed in flutamide-treated cells. Further, AR and PSA gene expression was reduced by UROE treatment under androgen-stimulated conditions using dihydrotestosterone (DHT). BPH animals displayed elevated prostate weights. However, UROE as well as finasteride treatment significantly reduced prostate weights and DHT levels compared to testosterone-induced BPH animals. Histopathological analysis also showed that UROE treatment suppressed testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia. Taken together, the results suggest that UROE may effectively inhibit the development of BPH and thus may be a useful agent in BPH treatment.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 1994

Morphological features of the interaction between the hatching blastocyst and implantation in pig were studied by electron microscopy. The observations extended from late blastocyst stage to the completion of trophoblastic erosion of the epithelium and early decidual transformation of the epithelium and early decidual transformation of the stromal cells. Between day 7 and 17 of pregnancy, blastocysts from 0.3 to 12 mm in diameter were flushed from the uterine horns of Dutch Landrace pigs. On the 7th of development in the pig blastocyst, the blastocyst shedded of the zona pellucida established the tips of microvilli and with bleb-like cytoplasmic protrusions of the epithelial cells. From day 11 on in pig embryo, the bilayered trophoblast undergoes a dramatic phase of elongation so that the initially spherical expanded blastocyst becomes tubular. In pig, close apposition to the uterine wall beg-ins at about 12 $^1$/$_2$ days and then attachment occurred during the afternoon of the 16th or 18th day post coitum. At this stage, embryonic loss compared with corpus luteum number is up to 40% of ovulated oocytes. Therefore, the implantation failture of these embryos may be mainly caused by morphological abnormality and failture of zona shedding.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2006

Poly (ethylene glycol)-based diblock and triblock thermo- sensitive polyester copolymers were investigated for application on tissue engineering and injectable biomaterials in drug delivery system due to their nontoxicity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. We synthesized the diblock copolymers consisting of methoxy poly (ethylene glycol) (MPEG) (Mn=750 g/mole) and poly $(\varepsilon-caprolactone)$ (PCL) by ring opening polymerization of $\varepsilon-CL$ with MPEG as an initiator in the presence of HCl $Et_2O$. The effect of diblock copolymers on in vivo osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCS) with and without the presence of osteogenic supplements (dexamethasone) was investigated. Thin sections were cut from paraffin embedded tissues and histological sections were stained by H&E, von Kossa, and immunohistochemical staining for osteocalcin. In conclusion, dexamethasone containing thermo- sensitive hydrogel might be improved osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. We expect the osteoinduction effect to be excellent when it uses stem cell or other osteogenic materials.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 2004

Pilomatricoma is a benign soft tissue tumor of hair follicle origin. They occur most commonly in the head and neck region and are usually found in girls during the first two decades of life. Although malignant transformation has been described, it is exceedingly rare. The clinical presentation is typically that of an asymptomatic, superfical, solitary, firm mass that is often accompanied by a reddish-blue discoloration of the overlying skin. Histopathologically pilomatricoma are seen as epithelial islands embedded in a cellular stroma. The epithelial component consist of two main cell types : basaloid cells and ghost cells. Intracellular and stromal calcification is reported in many cases. Diagnosis is usually suspected based on palpation of a superficial, rock-hard mass and confirmed by histopathologic examination. Surgical excision is both curative and the treatment of choice. Recurrence is rare. In this case, the radiographs showed a dense calcification, measuring about 1cm diameter. So simple excision was peformed intraorally, and resultantly the lesion was proved to be a pilomatricoma by histological examination.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.745-754
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and verify the effectiveness of sustainable cosmetic raw materials developed from Gynostemma pentaphyllum, a plant native to Ulleungdo, in improving the skin barrier function and treating atopic dermatitis. Cells were derived from adult Gynostemma pentaphyllum plants, and suitable conditions for mass culture of the cells were established in a bioreactor. DNA components and amino acids extracted from this mass culture were identified from the HPLC fraction. In the in vitro efficacy evaluation results, changes in the expression levels of skin barrier-related proteins such as filaggrin (FLG) and Zonula occludens-1 (Zo-1) were insignificant. It was confirmed that the expression levels of the proteins thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) were significantly reduced. These results lead to the conclusion that Gynostemma pentaphyllum cell extracts have significant anti-inflammatory effects and that these extracts can be widely used as sustainable, nature-friendly active material in cosmetics with anti-inflammatory effects and targeted at improving atopic dermatitis.They may find use in anti-aging cosmetic products as well.