• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.498-506
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• 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of mulberry extract (MBE) on blood flow improvement. The $SC_{50}$ value for the DPPH radical scavenging activity of MBE was $89.36{\pm}5.46{\mu}g/mL$. Analysis of the cellular toxicity of MBE on RAW 264.7 and HepG2 cells showed no toxicity under a concentration of 2,500 ${\mu}g/mL$. We found that MBE inhibited the enzyme activity of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 as well as oxidation of human LDL. Western blotting analysis showed that MBE inhibited protein expression of COX-2 and 5-lipoxygenase in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, MBE inhibited protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, MBE reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol and C-reactive protein in a concentration-dependent manner. These results both in vitro and in vivo suggest that MBE can be employed for the improvement of blood flow.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.15-27
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Ulmus davidiana Planch herbal acupuncture(UA) to inhibit nuclear $factor(NF)-{\kappa}B$ activation on type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Methods : Using an in vitro test, the synoviocytes picked out from the experimental CIA mice were subcultured. The synoviocyte cells were treated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate(PMA) for 1 hour prior to the addition of indicated concentrations($0.4\;-\;1.0mg/m{\ell}$) of UA, and the cells were further incubated for 24 hours. The in vivo test, $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM)-1 production and apoptosis was observed by immunohistochemical staining. Results : The PMA-induced $I{\kappa}B$ kinase(IKK), iNOS and COX-2 mRNA expression were dose-dependently decreased in UA treated synoviocytes. Using the in vivo test, the number of eosinophils in mice treated with UA noticeably decreased in the the CIA group(P<0.05 using student t test). In mice treated with UA, there was less cartilage erosion. less bone destruction, mild synovial hyperplasia, mild fibrosis, and mild angiogenesis with less MIP-2 production. By immunohistochemical staining, suppression of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, iNOS production, inhibition of COX-2 production, inhibition of VCAM-1 production and inducing apoptosis were observed. Conclusions : These results suggest that UA might be applicable to the therapy of RA to suppress $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2006

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a disease model of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is characterized by remittance and relapse of the disease and autoimmune and demyelinating lesions in the central nervous system (CNS). Autoimmune inflammation is maintained by secretion of a large number of protein. Previous studies have suggested that transcripts encoding osteopontin (OPN) are frequently detected in the mRNA population of MS plaques. To elucidate the functional role of OPN in initiation and development of EAE, we examined the expression and localization of OPN in the spinal cord during acute EAE. We demonstrated that OPN significantly increased at the early stage of EAE and slightly declined thereafter by western blot analysis. An immunohistochemical study revealed that OPN was constitutively expressed in some glial cells (microglia, astrocytes) of white matter and neurons in the CNS of control rats. OPN expression was shown to be increased in the same cells at the early and peak stage of EAE. To identity cells expressing OPN by double-immunofluorescence labeling, we labeled rat spinal cord sections for OPN with a monoclonal OPN antibody and with mAbs for astrocyte (GFAP), microglia/macrophage (OX42)-specific markers. The major cell types of OPN-expressing cells were activated astrocytes and microglia in the adjacent inflammatory lesions. Interestingly, OPN was mainly expressed in the end feet of astrocytes around vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expressing endothelial cells of CNS blood vessel. These findings suggest that increased levels of OPN in activated glial cell may play an important role in the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the CNS parenchyma during EAE.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.998-1007
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) extract on the inflammation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and blood lipid improvement in hypercholesterolemic mice fed a high cholesterol diet. The lettuce extract (100% ethanol extract) inhibited the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in HUVEC treated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$). The lettuce extract suppressed the adhesion of THP-1 to TNF-${\alpha}$-treated HUVEC. The lettuce extract decreased the TNF-${\alpha}$-stimulated production of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein 1. In hypercholesterolemic mice, the lettuce extract reduced serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, while the lettuce extract elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, resulting in the decrease of atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor level. These results suggested that lettuce extract can be an useful resource to show an anti-inflammatory effect and improve lipid metabolism.