• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.453-462
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Platycodon grandiflorum (PG), an oriental herbal medicine, has been known to improve liver function, and has both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. However, little is known about the immune-enhancing effects of PG and its mechanism. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether fermented PG extract (FPGE), which has increased platycodin D content, activates the immune response in a murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cell viability was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and the nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured using Griess reagent. Cytokine messenger RNA levels of were monitored by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying immunomodulatory actions of FPGE in RAW 264.7 cells, we have conducted luciferase reporter gene assay and western blotting. RESULTS: We found that FPGE treatment induced macrophage cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. FPGE also modulated the expression of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. The activation and phosphorylation levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were increased by FPGE treatment. Moreover, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide, an activator of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), significantly reduced both lipopolysaccharides- and FPGE-induced NF-κB reporter gene activity. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our findings suggest that FPGE may be a novel immune-enhancing agent acting via AMPK-NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1109-1118
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• 2014

A Fundamental Frequency Sorting Algorithm (FFSA) is proposed in this paper to balance the voltages of floating dc capacitors for Modular Multilevel Converters (MMCs). The main idea is to change the sequences of the CPS-PWM carriers according to the capacitor voltage increments during the previous fundamental period. Excessive frequent sorting is avoided and many calculating resources are saved for the controller. As a result, more sub-modules can be dealt with. Furthermore, it does not need to measure the arm currents. Therefore, the communication between the controllers can be simplified and the number of current sensors can be reduced. Moreover, the proposed balancing method guarantees that all of the switching frequencies of the sub-modules are equal to each other. This is quite beneficial for the thermal design of the sub-modules and the lifetime of the power switches. Simulation and experimental results acquired from a 9-level prototype verify the viability of the proposed balancing method.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2002

Ailanthus altissima has been used to settle an upset stomach, to alleviate a fever and as an insecticide. We reported that the water extract of A. altissima induced apoptotic cell death in Jurkat T-acute Iymphoblastic leukemia cells. Here, we showed the dose-dependent inhibitions of cell viability by the extract, as measured by cell morphology. The cell cycle control genes are considered to play important roles in tumorigenesis. The purpose of the present study is also to investigate the effect of A. altissima on cell cycle progression and its molecular mechanism in the cells. The level of p21 protein was increased after treatment of the extract, whereas both Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were not changed. These results suggest that A. altissima induces apoptotic cell death via p21-dependent signaling pathway in Jurkat cells which delete wild type p53. Gl checkpoint related gene products tested (cyclin D3, cyclin dependent kinase 4, retinoblastoma, E2Fl) were decreased in their protein levels in a dose-dependent manner after treatment of the extract Taken together, these results indicate that the increase of apoptotic cell death by A. altissima may be due to the inhibition of cell cycle in Jurkat cells.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.268-284
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• 2003

Nor-aporphine derivatives have been discovered which interfere with the flux of Calcium into and out of the cell interior. It has been shown that adrenergic antagonists that block the Calcium exchange lead to an inhibition of Protein kinase C activity, thus blocking tyrosinase activation. Di-acetyl-dimethoxy-methyl-nor-aporphine is a semi-synthetic molecule of natural origin with very high potency. On B16 melanocytes as well as in normal human melanocytes the decrease in melanin synthesis reaches -50％ at a level of 40 ppm in the culture medium. On a molar concentration basis, this is 50 to 70 times stronger than Kojic acid inhibition. Yet, the cell viability is not affected. Reversibility studies show that after washing out of the active compound, melanogenesis returns to normal levels. Possible mechanisms of the activity are discussed. Tests carried out on SkinEthic(R) three-dimensional models of the epidermis and in vivo clinical studies on Asian population confirm the strong inhibition of melanogenesis. Safety evaluation of these molecules, on the other hand, demonstrates good skin tolerance and absence of toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3865-3869
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• 2016

Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound isolated from the rhizomes of an herbaceous perennial plant, Curcuma longa, is known to possess anticancerous activity. However, the mechanism of apoptosis induction in cancers differs. In this study, we have (1) investigated the anticancerous activity of curcumin on REH and RS4;11 leukemia cells and (2) studied the chemo-sensitizing potential of curcumin for doxorubicin, a drug presently used for leukemia treatment. It was found that curcumin induced a dose dependent decrease in cell viability because of apoptosis induction as visualized by annexin V-FITC/ PI staining. Curcumin-induced apoptosis of leukemia cells was mediated by PARP-1 cleavage. An increased level of caspase-3, apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), cleaved PARP-1 and decreased level of Bcl2 was observed in leukemia cells after 24h of curcumin treatment. In addition, curcumin at doses lower than the $IC_{50}$ value significantly enhanced doxorubicin induced cell death. Therefore, we conclude that curcumin induces apoptosis in leukemia cells via PARP-1 mediated caspase-3 dependent pathway and further may act as a potential chemo-sensitizing agent for doxorubicin. Our study highlights the chemo-preventive and chemo-sensitizing role of curcumin.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.45-60
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• 2001

. Mediator of transcriptional regulation is the evolutionary conserved coactivator complex that plays He central role in the integration and recruitment of diverse regulatory signals and transcription machinery to certain promoters. In yeast, each Mediator subunit is required for transcriptional regulation of a distinct group of genes. In order to decipher the mechanistic roles of Mediator proteins in regulating developmental specific gene expression, we isolated, and analyzed a multiprotein complex containing Drosophila Mediate. homologs (dMediato.). dMediato. interacts with several sequence-sperific transcription factors and basal transcription machinery, and is critical for activated transcription in response to diverse transcriptional activators. In order to elucidate the function of Mediator in metazoan development, we isolated mutants of a conserved Mediate. subunit, Drosophila Med6 (dMed6). dMed6 null homozygotes failed to pupate and died in the third larval instar. Larval mitotic cells and most imaginal discs showed severe defects in proliferation, but no apparent morphological defect was observed in other larval tissues. Clonal analysis of dMed6 mutant cells revealed that dMed6 is essential for cell viability and proliferation of most adult cell types. Drosophila cDNA microarray, quantitative RT-PCR, and in situ expression analyses of developmentally regulated genes in dMed6 mutants showed that transcriptional activation of a subset of genes involved in neuroblast proliferation in the larval brain were most affected. Our results suggest that dMed6 is required in most for transcriptional regulation of a subset of genes important for cell proliferation and metabolism.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 2006

Induction of apoptosis allows the organism to get rid of abnormal cells and also of tumor cells. Understanding the mechanism involved in Ultraviolet radiation (UV) induced apoptosis may improve its therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we present expression of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) during apoptosis induced by UV in HeLa $S_3$ cells. Four different assays were performed in this study: morphological assessment of apoptotic cells and cell viability, DNA fragmentation analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis, quantitative assay of fragmented DNA, and expression of PARP by the western blot analysis. The percentages of apoptotic HeLa $S_3$ cells irradiated with $75J/m^2$ UV was increased continuously from 3 hrs incubation. DNA ladder pattern was appeared at 6 hrs. The amount of nucleosomal DNA fragments in cells treated UV increased from 3 to 12 hrs incubation and gradually decreased. The cleavage of PARP in HeLa $S_3$ cells irradiated with UV was induced, and the cleavage of PARP was more delayed in the cells pretreated with $5J/m^2$ UV and subsequently irradiated with $75J/m^2$ UV. than that in the cells only irradiated with $75J/m^2$ UV. Thus these data suggest that the cleavage of PARP relates with DNA fragmentation associated with apoptosis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.442-447
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• 2020

The non-viral delivery of genes into macrophages, known as hard-to-transfect cells, is a challenge. In this study, the microporation of a CpG-free and small plasmid (pCGfd-GFP) showed high transfection efficiency, sustainable transgene expression, and good cell viability in the transfections of Raw 264.7 and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages. The non-viral method using the pCGfd vector encoding anti-EGFR single-chain Fv fused with Fc (scFv-Fc) generated the macrophages secreting anti-EGFR scFv-Fc. These macrophages effectively phagocytized tumor cells expressing EGFR through the antibody-dependent mechanism, as was proved by experiments using EGFR-knockout tumor cells. Finally, peri-tumoral injections of anti-EGFR scFv-Fc-secreting macrophages were shown to inhibit tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2002

The mechanism by which catechin-mediated cytotoxicity against tumor cells remains to be elusive. To elucidate the mechanical mights of anti-tumor effects, (-)epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) of catechin was applied to human prostate cancer DU 145 cells. Cell viability was measured by crystal violet staining. Cell lysates were wed to measure the catalytic activity of caspases by using fluorogenic peptide: Ac-DEVD-AMC for caspase-3 protease, Z-IETD-AFC for caspase-8 protease, Ac-LEHD-AFC for caspase-9 protease as substrates. The equal amounts of protein from cell lysate was separated on SDS-PAGE and analyzed by western blotting with anti-Fas antibody, anti-FasL antibody, anti-BCL2 antibody and anti-Bax antibody. (-)EGCG induced the death of DUl45 cells, which was revealed as apoptosis shown by DNA fragmentation. (-)EGCG induced the activation of caspase family cysteine proteases including caspase-3, -8 and -9 proteases in DU145 cells. Also, (-)EGCG increased the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) protein in DU145 colls. The expression level of BCL2 was decreased in (-)EGCG treated DU145 cells, whereas Bax protein was increased in a time-dependent manner. We suggest that (-)EGCG-induced apoptosis of DU145 cells is mediated by signaling pathway involving caspase family cysteine protease, mitochondrial BCL2-family protein and Fas/FasL.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 2016

Naringenin (NAR) as one of the flavonoids observed in grapefruit has been reported to exhibit an anti-cancer activity. Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is associated with apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which NAR stimulates ATF3 expression and apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. NAR reduced the cell viability and induced an apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. ATF3 overexpression increased NAR-mediated cleaved PARP, while ATF3 knockdown attenuated the cleavage of PARP by NAR. NAR increased ATF3 expression in both protein and mRNA level, and increased the luciferase activity of ATF3 promoter in a dose-dependent manner. The responsible region for ATF3 transcriptional activation by NAR is located between -317 and -148 of ATF3 promoter. p38 inhibition blocked NAR-mediated ATF3 expression, its promoter activation and apoptosis. The results suggest that NAR induces apoptosis through p38-dependent ATF3 activation in human colon cancer cells.