• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2008

Some studies of dandelion have been carried out on bioactivities, however, no comparative analysis on antioxidant and cytotoxic activities in the Korean dandelion (T. coreanum NAKAI.; KD) and dandelion (T. officinale WEB.) have been reported. In this study, the extracts of KD and dandelion analyzed relative phenolic contents and free radical scavenging, antioxidant enzyme and cytotoxic activities. The extract of Korean dandelion leaves (KDL) exhibited a higher phenolics content ($368{\pm}11.5\;mg/l00\;g$) and a strong free radical scavenging activity ($RC_{50}$value;87.89 ug/ml) than other parts and BHT (120.12 ug/ml), synthetic antioxidant. At ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, the dandelion root (DR) had a greater (38.8 U/mg protein) antioxidant enzyme compare to the dandelion leaves (12.2 U/mg protein). The catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) followed higher enzyme activity in Korean dandelion root (KDR) than other parts. In a cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell, the extracts of KDR was found to be active against Calu-6, HCT-116, and SNU-601 cell lines, with $IC_{50}$ values of 522.34, 532.74 and 614.85 ug/ml, respectively. These results suggest that KD and dandelion would be an alternative antioxidant source, based on natural plant resources.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.155-159
• /
• 2017

Korean goral (Neamorhedus caudatus) is registered as a natural monument number 217 by South Korea Cultural Heritage Administration. It is also recognized as the endangered species I by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In this study, blood samples of Korean goral were collected to make reference intervals. Blood sampling was conducted on 19 numbers of Korean gorals (ten females, nine males), which were reared in Korean Goral Restoration Center. For total samples, the reference intervals of hematological parameters were: white blood cell $7.69{\sim}10.87K/{\mu}{\Lambda}$; hematocrit 36.73~46.18%; red blood cell $10.72{\sim}12.86K/{\mu}{\Lambda}$; hemoglobin 12.79~15.14 g/dL; mean corpuscular volume 33.15~36.75 fL; mean corpuscular hemoglobin 11.53~12.23 pg; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 32.64-35.91 g/dL and red blood cell distribution width 39.2~43.46%. For total samples of each parameters, the following results were obtained for serum biochemistry: glucose 111.81~153.77 mg/dL; blood urea nitrogen 22.35~28.91 mg/dL; creatine 1.22~1.84 mg/dL; phosphate 4.57~6 mg/dL; calcium 8.7~9.1 mg/dL; total protein 6.53~6.92 g/dL; albumin 3.1~3.48 g/dL; globulin 3.26~3.62 g/dL; alanine aminotransferase 56.7~158.56 U/L; aspartate aminotransferase 230.35~473.06 U/L; alkaline phosphatase 178.06~332.47 U/L; gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase 131.6-~181.24 U/L; total bilirubin 1.47~2.12 mg/dL; cholesterol 46.48~71.52 mg/dL; amylase 16.3~26.03 U/L; sodium 150.43~153.88 mmol/L; potassium 3.98~4.6 mmol/L and chlorine 109.48~113.26 mmol/L. The ranges of values were similar campared to previous studies except in the case of RDW value, which showed higher range than the RDW value of a previous study. The reference intervals from this study will be useful data for treatment and management of gorals.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.59 no.2
• /
• pp.106-116
• /
• 2016

Objective : Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) acts as a chaperone on the cell surface, and it has been reported that PDI is associated with the tumor cell migration and invasion. The aims of this study are to investigate the anti-migration effect of bacitracin, which is an inhibitor of PDI, and the associated factor in this process. Methods : U87-MG glioma cells were treated with bacitracin in 1.25, 2.5, 3.75, and 5.0 mM concentrations. Western blot with caspase-3 was applied to evaluate the cytotoxicity of bacitracin. Adhesion, morphology, migration assays, and organotypic brain-slice culture were performed to evaluate the effect of bacitracin to the tumor cell. Western blot, PCR, and gelatin zymography were performed to investigate the associated factors. Thirty glioma tissues were collected following immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results : Bacitracin showed a cytotoxicity in 3rd (p<0.05) and 4th (p<0.001) days, in 5.0 Mm concentration. The cell adhesion significantly decreased and the cells became a round shape after treated with bacitracin. The migration ability, the expression of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) decreased in a bacitracin dose- and time-dependent manner. The U87-MG cells exhibited low-invasiveness in the 2.5 mM, compared with the untreated in organotypic brain-slice culture. PDI was expressed in the tumor margin, and significantly increased with histological glioma grades (p<0.001). Conclusion : Bacitracin, as a functional inhibitor of PDI, decreased the phosphorylated FAK and the secreted MMP-2, which are the downstream of integrin and play a major role in cell migration and invasion, might become one of the feasible therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.266-279
• /
• 2021

The present study examined the cytotoxic effects of a Smilax china L. extract (SCLE) in human cancer (A-549, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, U87-MG, AGS, MKN-74, and SNU-601) and normal MRC-5 fibroblasts, as well as in mesenchymal stem cells derived from dental tissue (DSC). The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for SCLE were significantly (p<0.05) lower in the cancer cell lines (A-549, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, U87-MG, AGS, MKN-74 and SNU-601) than in the MRC-5 and DSC cells. Cell growth was significantly (p<0.05) more inhibited in the cancer cell lines treated with 200 ㎍/ml SCLE than in the normal MRC-5 and DSC, and anoikis-like floating cell morphology was observed in the SCLE-treated cancer cells. The cells detached by SCLE treatment were retrieved daily and assayed for viability and telomerase activity. Cells retrieved at 4 days showed significantly decreased viability and telomerase activity (p<0.05), as well as apoptosis-like abnormal morphology, when compared to cells retrieved in the previous 3 days. The ratio of apoptosis and cells in the G1 phase was significantly (p<0.05) increased in the A-549, AGS, and MCF-7 cancer cells treated with SCLE for 4 days compared to untreated controls. However, after SCLE treatment, cell adhesion was not increased by application of an inhibitor of the associated protein kinase (ROCK) that mainly contributes to the increase in cell attachment. This suggests that the cellular detachment by SCLE is probably controlled by a Rho-independent mechanism(s). These observations indicate that SCLE readily induces anoikis in cancer cells and could serve as a potent agent for cancer chemotherapy.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 1992

Corrosion of pipes Is one of the most serious problems in the maintenance of water worlds. Corrosion is promoted not only by physical factors such as temperature, but also by electrochemical factors including concentration of soluble metal ions, chlorine ion, pH, DO and microorganisms. Corrosion products also affect corrosion rate. In this research, study results are summarized as follows ; 1) Corrosion test was performed for 4 weeks at $70^{\circ}C$, pH 7.0 with specimens of 4 types of metal materials used as service pipes. Corrosion rate and S.E.M were analyzed. The results were showed that corrosion 1.ate of carbon steel pipe was 4.10~5.22 $mg/\textrm{cm}^2$ . week, galvanized steel pipe 0.98~1.34$mg/\textrm{cm}^2$. week, Copper pipe 0.02~0.04$mg/\textrm{cm}^2$. week, stainless steel pipe 0.05~ 0.10$mg/\textrm{cm}^2$ . week. 2) When corrosion rate was tested for tile types of pipes at pH 7 and both $25^{\circ}C$ and $75^{\circ}C$, avaerage corrosion rate for 6 weeks at $25^{\circ}C$ Ivas 2.26$mg/\textrm{cm}^2$ . week in carbon steel pipe, 1.99$mg/\textrm{cm}^2$. week in galvanized steel pipe, 0.26 $mg/\textrm{cm}^2$. week in stainless steel pipe. At $87^{\circ}C$, average corrosion rate for 4 weeks u.3s 4.56 $mg/\textrm{cm}^2$. week in carbon steel pipe,

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.87-97
• /
• 1976

This study is based on data from the food consumption survey on 727 members of 125 farm households from 7 different provinces. The survey was conducted in May, 1975 in cooperation with the O.R.D. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows. 1. The average consumption of the basic food groups per capita per day was 563 g for cereals and grains(398g of rice and 129g of barley), 87.6g for meats and legumes, 317.8g for fruits and vegetables, 25.7g for milks and small fishes, 9.1g for fats and oils, and 45.1g for other group. 2. The average daily consumption of calories and nutrients was 2256 cal and 11.7g for animal proteins, 70.5g for total proteins, 21.6g for fats, 537.4mg for calcium, 18.1mg for iron, 5375lU for vitamin A, 1.27mg for thiamine, 1.05mg for riboflavin, 15.5mg for niacin, 77.7mg for ascorbic acid. When these figures are compared with the recommended allowances for Korean, the calories and nutrients intakes were satisfactory, except for the intakes of animal protein which was below two third of the recommended allowance. 3. The diets of the projected villages differed from those of the non-projected villages in the following respect: (a) The amounts of animal proteins and fats were larger in the projected villages than in the non-projected villages. (b) The percentage contribution of fats to the total amount of calories from three nutrients, carbohydrates, proteins and fats was higher in the projected villages than in tile non-projected villages. (c) The percentage contribution from carbohydrates to the total amount of calories was higher in the non-projected villages than in the projected villages. 4. Certain physical and clinical symptoms were observed among the people in the rural areas, which can be related to the shortages of animal proteins and fats in their diets. It is recommended to pay special attention to the nutrition of school children in the Korean rural areas.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.45 no.7
• /
• pp.479-494
• /
• 2022

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that have been intensively studied as therapeutic tools for a variety of disorders. To enhance the efficacy of MSCs, therapeutic genes are introduced using retroviral and lentiviral vectors. However, serious adverse events (SAEs) such as tumorigenesis can be induced by insertional mutagenesis. We generated lentiviral vectors encoding the wild-type herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene and a gene containing a point mutation that results in an alanine to histidine substitution at residue 168 (TK(A168H)) and transduced expression in MSCs (MSC-TK and MSC-TK(A168H)). Transduction of lentiviral vectors encoding the TK(A168H) mutant did not alter the proliferation capacity, mesodermal differentiation potential, or surface antigenicity of MSCs. The MSC-TK(A168H) cells were genetically stable, as shown by karyotyping. MSC-TK(A168H) responded to ganciclovir (GCV) with an half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value 10-fold less than that of MSC-TK. Because MSC-TK(A168H) cells were found to be non-tumorigenic, a U87-TK(A168H) subcutaneous tumor was used as a SAE-like condition and we evaluated the effect of valganciclovir (vGCV), an oral prodrug for GCV. U87-TK(A168H) tumors were more efficiently ablated by 200 mg/kg vGCV than U87-TK tumors. These results indicate that MSC-TK(A168H) cells appear to be pre-clinically safe for therapeutic use. We propose that genetic modification with HSV-TK(A168H) makes allogeneic MSC-based ex vivo therapy safer by eliminating transplanted cells during SAEs such as uncontrolled cell proliferation.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.1201-1211
• /
• 2018

The study compared the anti-aging, anti-adipogenesis, and anti-tumor effects of epigallocatechin-3- gallate (EGCG) in various cancer cell lines (SNU-601, MKN74, AGS, MCF-7, U87-MG, and A-549) and normal cell lines (MRC-5 fibroblasts, dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells [DSC], and 3T3-L1 pro-adipocytes). Half inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) values were significantly (p<0.05) higher in normal cell lines (~50 uM), when compared to that in cancer cell lines (~10 uM). For anti-aging effects, MRC-5 and DSC were exposed to 10 uM EGCG for up to five passages that did not display any growth arrest. Population doubling time and senescence-related ${\beta}-galactosidase$ ($SA-{\beta}-gal$) activity in treated cells were similar to untreated cells. For anti-adipogenic effects, mouse 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were induced to adipocytes in an adipogenic differentiation medium containing 10 uM EGCG, but adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells was not inhibited by EGCG treatment. For anti-tumor effects, the cancer cell lines were treated with 10 uM EGCG. PDT was significantly (p<0.05) increased in EGCG-treated SNU-601, AGS, MCF-7, and U87-MG cancer cell lines, except in MKN74 and A-549. The level of telomerase activity and cell migration capacity were significantly (p<0.05) reduced, while $SA-{\beta}-gal$ activity was highly up-regulated in EGCG treated-cancer cell lines, when compared to that in untreated cancer cell lines. Our results have demonstrated that EGCG treatment induces anti-tumor effects more efficiently as noted by decreased cell proliferation, cell migration, telomerase activity, and increased $SA-{\beta}-gal$ activity than inducing anti-aging and anti-adipogenesis. Therefore, EGCG at a specific concentration can be considered for a potential anti-tumor drug.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.375-387
• /
• 2012

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and assessment of health risk effects of heavy metals in herbal pills. 31 Items and 93 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas, herbal markets and on-line supermarkets from Jan to Jun in 2010. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in samples were as follows : 0.87 mg/kg for Pb, 0.08 mg/kg for Cd, 2.87 mg/kg for As and 0.16 mg/kg for Hg, respectively. In addition, the average contents of heavy metals in different parts of plants, including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were 0.63 mg/kg, 3.94 mg/kg, 1.42 mg/kg, 1.05 mg/kg, 0.16 mg/kg, 22.31 mg/kg and 10.17 mg/kg, respectively. After the estimations of dietary exposure, the acceptable daily intake (ADI), the average daily dose (ADD), the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and the relative hazard of heavy metals were evaluated. As the results, the relative hazards compared to PTWI in samples were below the recommended standard of JECFA as Pb 3.1%, Cd 0.9%, Hg 0.5%. Cancer risks through slope factor (SF) by Ministry of Environment Republic Korea and Environmental Protection Agency was $4.24{\times}10^{-7}$ for Pb and $3.38{\times}10^{-4}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic). Based on our results, possible Pb-induced cancer risks in herbal pills according to parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.95{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.45{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.14{\times}10^{-7}$, $6.27{\times}10^{-7}$, $1.99{\times}10^{-8}$, $3.61{\times}10^{-7}$ and $9.64{\times}10^{-8}$, respectively. Possible As-induced cancer risks in herbal pills by parts used including cortex, fructus, herba, radix, seed, algae and others were $1.54{\times}10^{-5}$, $7.24{\times}10^{-5}$, $1.23{\times}10^{-4}$, $2.02{\times}10^{-5}$, $3.25{\times}10^{-6}$, $2.18{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5.67{\times}10^{-6}$ respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.353-361
• /
• 2017

Uranium concentration in groundwater of the Goesan area was anticipated high because the area contains Ogcheon metamorphic rock zone which partly includes coal bed bearing high uranium content and nearly half of the area is covered by granitic rocks. Groundwater samples collected from 250 wells in five 5 lithology (Ogcheon meta-sandy rock zone (Og1), Ogcheon lower phyllite zone (Og2), Ogcheon pebble bearing phyllite zone (Og3), Jurassic granite (Jgr), Cretaceous granite (Kgr)), of the area were analyzed and equivalent uranium concentrations (e(U)) from 200 rocks near sampled wells were measured using portable gamma spectrometry. Higher median value of e(U) (8.2 mg/kg) was found on Kgr outcrops. The median e(U) value of Og2 was not as high as that of Kgr and similar to those of Jgr, Og1, and Og3 (3.05~3.90 mg/kg). The uranium level in groundwater of the area ranged from 0.01 to $293.0{\mu}g/L$ with a median value of $0.87{\mu}g/L$ which is similar to the national median uranium level of $0.74{\mu}g/L$. The uranium concentration was high in the samples from the Kgr (median $4.74{\mu}g/L$) and low samples from the Og1, Og2, and Og3 (median $0.35{\sim}0.74{\mu}g/L$). The percentage of total samples having uranium level above $30{\mu}g/L$ was 2.8%, on the other hand, that of Kgr is 20.7%, reflecting additional survey on the Kgr area is needed.