• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.737-742
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• 2009

Hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}/{\beta}$) is a heterodimeric transcriptional activator that mediates gene expression in response to hypoxia. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has been noted as an effective therapeutic target for ischemic diseases such as myocardiac infarction, stroke and cancer. By using a yeast two-hybrid system and a random peptide library, we found a 16-mer peptide named F29 that directly interacts with the bHLH-PAS domain of HIF-$1{\alpha}$. We found that F29 facilitates the interaction of the HIF-$1{\alpha/\beta}$ heterodimer with its target DNA sequence, hypoxia-responsive element (HRE). The transient transfection of an F29-expressing plasmid increases the expression of both an HRE-driven luciferase gene and the endogenous HIF-1 target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Taken together, we conclude that F29 increases the DNA-binding ability of HIF-$1{\alpha}$, leading to increased expression of its target gene VEGF. Our results suggest that F29 can be a lead compound that directly targets HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and increases its activity.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2009

Diabetic retinopathy is one of major complications of diabetes mellitus, which is associated with the dysfunction of retina. It has been reported that the onset of diabetic retinopathy is related to the activation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), which converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II, is a key component of RAS. Among many growth factors, vascualr endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important cytokine in the neovasculization of retina, which is a characteristics of diabetic retinopathy. However, the relationship between ACE and VEGF was not elucidated in diabetic retinopathy. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the protective effect of captopril, an ACE inhibitor, in the retina of streptozotocin (STZ)-treated diabetic rats. In present study, STZ-treated diabetic rats exhibited the increase of VEGF levels in serum and retina. The serum levels of VEGF in STZ-treated diabetic rats was not blocked by the treatment of captopril. However, the retina levels of VEGF in STZ-treated diabetic rats was blocked by the treatment of captopril, suggesting the local action of captopril in retina. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed that the retina of STZ-treated diabetic rats manifested the increase of ganglion cell layers, outer nuclear layers, and inner nuclear layers, which were also prevented by the treatment of captopril. In conclusion, captopril prevented the expression of VEGF in the retina of STZ-treated diabetic rats.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.323-328
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• 2017

Angiogenesis is a process including members of the angiogenic factors. In particular, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is considered the most potent angiogenic factor because it promotes cell proliferation and tube formation. A recent study reported that fucoidan derived from marine plant potentiated FGF-2 induced tube formation in human endothelial cells. On the other hand, the molecular mechanisms involved in the angiogenic activity of fucoidan and FGF2 are unknown. In this study, a fucoidan treatment promoted angiogenesis induced by FGF2. The effects of fucoidan on FGF2-induced angiogenesis were confirmed by a proliferation assay using a CellTiter96 Aqueous One solution after a treatment with fucoidan and FGF2. The tube formation and wound healing assay for the angiogenic activity were also confirmed. Reverse transcription PCR showed a change in the mRNA of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), matrix metallopeptidase9 (MMP9), and the signal transducer and activator of transcription3 (STAT3). In summary, the Fucoidan/FGF2 treatment induced an increase in cell proliferation, improved the tube formation and wound healing activity, and altered the STAT3, VEGF-A, ICAM-1, and MMP9 mRNA expression levels. Further research will be needed to provide a scientific explanation in terms of cell-signaling and confirm the present findings.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.22-30
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• 2005

Objectives: Recently, angiogenesis has gained an increasing interest as a prognostic factor in breast cancer. In this study we aimed to assess the anti angiogenic effects of HAD, a botanical anticancer remedy which has been prescribed in Daejeon University Oriental Hospital in Korea, on patients with breast carcinoma by measuring the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) and platelets levels. Methods: The study included 26 consecutive breast cancer patients (mean age$\pm$standard deviation: 47.5$\pm$8.7 years) with stage II to IV disease who were treated with HAD (mean duration $\pm$ standard deviation: 264.5$\pm$121.6 days). In addition to routine laboratory and staging procedures, serum VEGF, b-FGF levels and platelet counts were determined as antiangiogenic markers. The antiangiogenic effects of HAD were evaluated by analyzing the differences between the values of the antiangiogenic markers before and after the treatment with HAD. Results: Serum b-FGF concentrations were significantly reduced after the treatment with HAD (P=0.042). Serum VEGF concentrations were found to have a somewhat decreasing change, though the change was not statistically significant (P=0.229). Platelet counts had little changes (P=O.80). Conclusions: It is supposed that HAD has effects on decreasing the serum b-FGF levels related with the clinical outcome of breast cancer patients.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2023

This study was conducted to assess the effect of heptapeptide, composed of seven amino acids, on the activation of human hair cells isolated from human hair follicles. We have confirmed that the heptapeptide could bind to Lgr5 from the results of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Heptapeptide enhanced the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HHFDPCs) in a dose dependent manner. It induced the protein level of nuclear β-catenin, and the expressions of β-catenin downstream target genes, including LEF1, Cyc-D1 and c-Myc, in HHFDPCs. Heptapeptide significantly induced the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, and the mRNA expressions of growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in HHFDPCs. In addition, heptapeptide significantly increased mRNA expression levels of differentiation-related transcription factors of human hair germinal matrix cells (HHGMCs) and differentiation markers of human hair outer root sheath cells (HHORSCs). Additionally, we investigated the effect of heptapeptide on human hair follicle stem cells (HHFSCs) differentiation and found that the heptapeptide reduced the mRNA and protein levels of stem cell markers, while it increased those levels of differentiation markers. These results have indicated that the heptapeptide promotes proliferation or differentiation of various types of hair follicle constituent cells through the induction of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. From the results, we have suggested that the heptapeptide in this study could be applied as a new functional material for the improvement of hair growth and alopecia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.586-591
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• 2010

Chemokine and Growth Factor are major mediumtors of immuno-inflammatory pathway. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether productions of Chemokine and Growth Factor in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells are modulated by Gallic acid (GA), which is easily founded in tannin-containing natural materials such as red wine, green tea, grape juice, and Corni Fructus. Productions of Chemokine and Growth Factor were analyzed by High-throughput Multiplex Bead based Assay with Bio-plex Suspension Array System based on $xMAP^{(R)}$ (multi-analyte profiling beads) technology. At first, cell culture supernatant was obtained after treatment with LPS and GA for 24 hour. Then, the antibody-conjugated beads were added and incubated for 30 minutes. After incubation, detection antibody was added and incubated for 30 minutes. And Strepavidin-conjugated Phycoerythrin (SAPE) was added. After incubation for 30 minutes, the level of SAPE fluorescence was analyzed on Bio-plex Suspension Array System. Based on fluorescence intensity, concentrations of Chemokine and Growth Factor were determined. The results of the experiment are as follows. GA significantly inhibited the production of interferon-inducible protein (IP)-10, keratinocyte-derived chemokine(KC), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells at the concentration of 25, 50, 100, 200 uM (p<0.05). GA significantly inhibited the production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1) and macrophage-colony stimulating factor(M-CSF) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells at the concentration of 50, 100, 200 uM (p<0.05). GA diminished the production of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. But GA did not show the inhibitory effect on the production of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIP) and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that GA has the immuno-modulating activity related with its inhibitory effects on the production of IP-10, KC, MCP-1, VEGF, and M-CSF in LPS-induced macrophages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2277-2281
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• 2015

Objectives: To explore the expression of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) in cervical cancer and analyze its correlation with microvascular density (MVD), nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kB p65) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical MaxVision method was adopted to detect the expression level of AEG-1, NF-kB p65 and VEGF in 45 samples of invading cervical cancer and 12 samples of cervicitis from The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Tumor microvascular endothelial marker CD34 combined with Weidner was used to determine the MVD in cervical cancer tissue. The positive expression and staining conditions of AEG-1, NF-kB p65 and VEGF in cervical cancer tissues were observed under a light microscope. Correlations between expression of AEG-1 protein and those of NF-Kb p65 and VEGF, as well as MVD, were analyzed using Pearson correlation. Results: The expression levels of AEG-1 were $0.186{\pm}0.043$ in cervical cancer and $0.051{\pm}0.002$ in chronic cervicitis (p<0.01). Moreover, expression of AEG-1 was related to vascular invasion and lymphatic metastasis of cervical cancer (p<0.01), but not with age of the patients, differentiation degree, tumour size, pathological type and parametrial infiltration (p>0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression of AEG-1 was linked with NF-kB p65 (r=0.501, p=0.000), VEGF (r=0.718, p=0.000) as well as MVD in cervical cancer tissue (r=0.815, p=0.000). Conclusions: AEG-1 is highly expressed in cervical cancer and promotes angiogenesis, which might be related to the fact that AEG-1 activating the signal pathway of NF-kB could up-regulate the level of VEGF expression.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2010

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent mediator of angiogenesis. VEGF production is regulated by HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and EGFR. This study examined the relationship between the clinicopathological factors and VEGF, HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and EGFR protein overexpression, and evaluated their prognostic value in patients with a surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Patients who underwent a surgical resection at Kangnam St. Mary's hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The core biopsy samples from 54 patients with NSCLC were assembled on a tissue microarray (TMA), and immunohistochemical staining for the VEGF, HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and EGFR proteins was performed. The overexpression of these proteins was evaluated in relation to age, gender, histology and staging by univariate analysis. The clinicopathological prognostic factors were analyzed. Results: Multivariate analysis performed by Cox regression (odds ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.0~8.2, p=0.046) revealed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ overexpression to be an unfavorable factor. There was no correlation between the overexpression of these proteins and the clinicopathological factors. VEGF showed a positive relationship with EGFR, but there was no statistical significance [$p(x^2)=0.06$]. Conclusion: HIF-$1{\alpha}$ overexpression predicts shorter survival in patients with a surgically resected NSCLC. Therefore, HIF-$1{\alpha}$ may be a poor prognostic factor in NSCLC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3419-3423
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• 2013

Of all gynecologic cancers, endometrial cancer is the most common cancer in the US and Europe. In addition, it is presently the second most common gynecologic cancer in the world. As a result of increasing menopausal, obese and tamoxifen use women, the incidence of the cancer seems to be on the increase. Surgery is the major treatment, whereas postoperative radiation therapy in high-intermediate risk patients many prevent locoregional recurrence. Adjuvant chemotherapy can improve progression free survival in advanced or recurrent cancers. Molecular targeted therapies are now a focus of attention including anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). They may provide useful future strategies for control of endometrial malignancies in developing countries and across the world.

• 대한두경부종양학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2007