• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.6
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• pp.482-489
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• 2011

Background: Based on the assertion that apocynin diminishes acute lung injury (ALI) by inhibition of NADPH oxidase, the effect of apocynin was tested in interleukin-$1{\alpha}$ (IL-1)-induced ALI in rats. Methods: IL-1 was insufflated into the trachea of Sprague-Dawley rats to induce ALI, and apocynin (8 mg/kg) was given intravenously for inhibition of NADPH oxidase. In addition, we determined whether apocynin inhibited generation of superoxide anions from isolated human neutrophils. Five hours after IL-1 instillation, lung injury parameters, expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) by cells from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), an index of oxidative stress in lung tissues (${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase, activity), and ultrastructure of alveolar type II (AT II) cells were evaluated. Results: Apocynin decreased the generation of free radicals from phorbol myristate (PMA)-activated neutrophils in vitro, but did not ameliorate ALI. IL-1 induced enhancement of the expression of cPLA2 on neutrophils was not altered by apocynin. Conclusion: Apocynin induced suppression of the generation of superoxide anions from neutrophils by inhibition of NADPH oxidase does not attenuate IL-1-induced ALI in rats.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.818-824
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• 2009

The mechanisms responsible for ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury have direct or indirect relevance to clinical lung injury after severe shock, cardiopulmonary bypass, and transplantation. This study investigated the effects of aspirin on intestinal I/R-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in A549 and RAW264.7 cells. RAW264.7 macrophages had shown greater expression of COX-2 than A549 cells. In addition, the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 attenuated LPS-stimulated COX-2 expression. To induce ALI, intestinal ischemia was performed for 60 min prior to the 4 hr reperfusion by clamping the superior mesenteric artery in Sprague-Dawley rats. In order to test and compare the effect of non-specific COX inhibitor aspirin with the effect of mepacrine, a well known phospholipase$A_{2}$ inhibitor, rats were divided into 4 groups: Sham, I/R, Mepa+I/R (mepacrine, 60 mg/kg, i.p.), ASA+I/R (aspirin, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). In the present investigation, myeloperoxidase activities in the lung and intestinal tissues were increased by I/R. These changes were reduced by single pretreatment of mepacrine (60 mg/kg, i.p.) or aspirin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before I/R. Structural studies demonstrated that the tissue injuries in the lung and intestine after I/R were also attenuated by the pretreatment of mepacrine or aspirin. These results suggest that I/R-induced ALI is mediated, in part, by the activation of COX. In addition, pretreatment of aspirin might be helpful for the prevention of ALI in ARDS-prone patients. In addition, the p38 MAPK inhibitor and apocynin also might be helpful to ALI through the inhibition of COX-2 expression.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.89-91
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• 2004

Six components were isolated from the $CH_2Cl_2$ fraction of Belamcanda chinensis rhizome by open column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated as ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (1), apocynin (2), decursin (3), iristectorigenin A (4), irigenin (5) and tectorigenin (6) by spectral analysis. Among these compounds, decursin (3) was isolated for the first time from a plant of the family Iridaceae.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1183-1189
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• 2005

Although plant-derived phenolic acids have been reported to have anti-cancer activity, the exact mechanism is not completely understood. In this study, we investigated the role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a mediator of the apoptosis induced by caffeic acid (CA) and ferulic acid (FA), common phenolic acids in plants in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. CA and FA reduced cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, they evoked a dose-related elevation of intracellular ROS. Treatment with various inhibitors of NADPH oxidase (diphenylene iodonium, apocynin, neopterine) significantly blunted both the generation of ROS and the induction of apoptosis induced CA and FA. These results suggest that ROS generated through activation of NADPH oxidase may play an essential role in the apoptosis induced by CA and FA in HepG2 cells. These results further suggest that CA and FA may be valuable for the therapeutic management of human hepatomas.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.6 s.86
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• pp.778-782
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• 2007

The Diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) is widely used as an inhibitor of flavoenzymes, particularly NADPH oxidase. In this study, we investigated the effect of DPI on the cell growth progression of human colon cancer cells HCT-116 (wild-type p53), HT-29 (p53 mutant) and human breast cancer cells MCF-7 (wild-type p53). DPI treatment in cancer cells evoked a dose- and time-dependent growth inhibition, and also induced the cell cycle arrest in C2/M phase. The peak of cell population arrested in C2/M phase was observed at12 hr after treatment of DPI. In addition, DPI significantly induced the expression of p53, which induces proapoptotic genes in response to DNA damage or irreparable cell cycle arrest, at 6 hr in DPI-stimulated cells. However, a catechol apocynin, which inhibits the assembly of NADPH oxidase, did not induce p53 expression. This suggest that p53 expression induced by DPI is not associated with the inhibition of NADPH oxidase. In conclusion, we suggest that DPI induces the expression of wild-type p53 by ROS-in-dependent mechanism in several cancer cells, and upregulated p53 may be involved in regulatory mechanisms for growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest at C2/M phase in DPI-stimulated cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2012

Previously, we have reported that arachidonic acid (AA) appears to be involved in the induction of apoptosis in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells. In this study we investigated the possible role of the NADPH oxidase, a membranebound enzyme generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), in the mechanism of AA-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Apoptotic cell death induced by AA was significantly suppressed by various inhibitors of the NADPH oxidase, diphenylene iodonium (DPI), apocynin (Apo) and neopterine (NP). In addition, these inhibitors of the NADPH oxidase completely blunted the AA-induced ROS elevation. Next, we investigated the implication of metabolic pathway of AA in these AA actions. Both apoptosis and ROS production induced by AA were not significantly altered by treatment with indomethacin (Indo) or nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX), respectively, suggesting that AA metabolites produced by COX or LOX may not have an essential role in the AA-induced apoptosis and ROS generation. Collectively, these results suggest that the NADPH oxidase may be a key player in the mechanism of AA-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. These results further suggest that NADPH oxidase may be a good target for the management of human hepatomas.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.485-491
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• 2011

Previously, we have reported that apigenin, a natural flavonoid found in a variety of vegetables and fruits, stimulated melanogenesis through the activation of $K^+-Cl^-$-cotransport (KCC) in B16 melanoma cells. In this study we investigated the possible involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mechanism of apigenin-induced melanogenesis in B16 cells. Apigenin elevated intracellular ROS level in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with various inhibitors of NADPH oxidase, diphenylene iodonium (DPI), apocynin (Apo) and neopterine (NP) significantly inhibited both the generation of ROS and melanogenesis induced by apigenin. In addition these inhibitors profoundly inhibited apigenin-induced $Cl^-$-dependent $K^+$ efflux, a hallmark of KCC activity. However, the apigenin-induced ROS generation was not significantly affected by treatment with a specific KCC inhibitor R-(+)-[(2-n-butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-1-oxo-1H-inden-5-yl)oxy]acetic acid (DIOA). These results indicate that the ROS production may be a upstream regulator of the apigenin-induced KCC stimulation, and in turn, melanogenesis in the B16 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS production may play an important role in the apigenin-induced melanogenesis in B16 cells. These results further suggest that NADPH oxidase may be a good target for the management of hyperpigmentation disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2016

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin, is reported to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in vascular cells. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), formed by specialized brain endothelial cells that are interconnected by tight junctions, strictly regulates paracellular permeability to maintain an optimal extracellular environment for brain homeostasis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of resveratrol and the role of AMPK in BBB dysfunction induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Exposure of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) to LPS ($1{\mu}g/ml$) for 4 to 24 hours week dramatically increased the permeability of the BBB in parallel with lowered expression levels of occluding and claudin-5, which are essential to maintain tight junctions in HBMECs. In addition, LPS significantly increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) productions. All effects induced by LPS in HBVMCs were reversed by adenoviral overexpression of superoxide dismutase, inhibition of NAD(P) H oxidase by apocynin or gain-function of AMPK by adenoviral overexpression of constitutively active mutant (AMPK-CA) or by resveratrol. Finally, upregulation of AMPK by either AMPK-CA or resveratrol abolished the levels of LPS-enhanced NAD(P)H oxidase subunits protein expressions. We conclude that AMPK activation by resveratrol improves the integrity of the BBB disrupted by LPS through suppressing the induction of NAD(P)H oxidase-derived ROS in HBMECs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.748-756
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• 2000

Effects of xanthine (X), xanthine oxidase (XO), and catalase (C), $H_2O_2$, and carbohydrates on sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction, and fertilizing ability in vitro were examined. Glucose alone, but not fructose, supported the maximum rate of sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction. However, in the combination of X, XO, and C (XXOC) or $H_2O_2$, fructose alone also supported maximum capacitation, acrosome reaction, and fertilization. Either insufficient or excessive amounts of $H_2O_2$ decreased sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction. In order to understand how glucose generates $H_2O_2$ or other reactive oxygen species in sperm cells, 6-aminonicotinamide, an inhibitor of the pentose-phosphate pathway (PPP), and apocynin, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, were added to sperm suspensions in glucose-containing medium. Results appeared that sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction, and fertilization were consequently inhibited by either one of these compounds. These inhibitory effects were nullified by addition of XXOC. These results support the hypothesis that glucose, in addition to being a substrate for glycolysis, facilitates sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction by generating reactive oxygen species through G-6-P dehydrogenase and NADPH oxidase.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.586-599
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• 2010

Objective : The water extract of Yukgunja-tang(YGJT) has been traditionally used in treatment of qi deficiency and phlegm in Oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which YGJT protects neuronal cells from injury damages. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of YGJT on C6 glial cells by glutamate-induced cell death. Methods : The present study describes glutamate, which is known as an excitatory neurotransmitter, related with oxidative damages, and YGJT, which shows protective effects against glutamate-induced C6 glial cell death. One of the main mediators of glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was known on the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS) via activation of NADPH oxidase (NOX). The protective effects of antioxidant(NAC) and NOX inhibitor(apocynin) on the glutamate-induced C6 glial cells were determined by a MTT reduction assay. Result : YGJT inhibited glutamate-induced ROS generation via inhibition of NOX expression on glutamate-stimulated C6 glial cells. Furthermore, YGJT attenuated glutamate-induced caspase activation. These results suggest that YGJT could be a new potential candidate against glutamate-induced oxidative stress and cell death. Conclusion : These findings indicate that in C6 glial cells, ROS plays an important role of glutamate-induced cell death and that YGJT may prevent cell death from glutamate-induced cell death by inhibiting the ROS generation.