• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.388-398
• /
• 2009

Background and Objective: Luffae Fructus Retinervus (LFR) is used for investigating symptoms of inflammation. We have evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of LFR by analyzing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Materials and Methods : We differentiated THP-l cells into macrophage-like cells by treatment with PMA. Inflammation was induced by treatment with LPS and PMA. We determined the safe concentration of LFR by using the MTS and MTT assays and using PD 98059 as a negative control for comparison of the anti-inflammatory effect of LFR. Results : The MTS and MTT analysis showed that the cell survival rate was >80% within the LFR concentration range of 10-100 ng/ml and began to decrease to >80% at 1 ${\mu}g/ml$. By RT-PCR analysis, the gene expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-8, TGF-${\beta}$, IL-6, IL-${\beta}$1, and IL-10 levels were down-regulated when monocyte-derived macrophages were treated with concentrations of LFR between 10 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL. Conclusion : We conclude that LFR exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory activity. The results suggest a promising way to treat general inflammatory diseases.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.307-310
• /
• 2008

AAD16034 is an alginate lyase from Pseudoalteromonas sp. IAM14594. A very close homologue with known 3D structure exists (marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain no. 272). A three-dimensional structure of AAD16034 was generated based on this template (PDB code: 1J1T) by comparative modeling. The modeled enzyme exhibited a jelly-roll like structure very similar to its template structure. Both enzymes possess the characteristic alginate sequence YFKhG+Y-Q. Since AAD16034 displays enzymatic activity for poly-M alginate, docking of a tri-mannuronate into the modeled structure was performed. Two separate and adjacent binding sites were found. The ligand was accommodated inside each binding site. By considering both binding sites, a plausible binding pose for the poly-M alginate polymer could be deduced. From the modeled docking pose (i.e., the most important factor that attracts alginate polymer into this lyase) the most likely interaction was electrostatic. In accordance with a previous report, the hydroxyl group of Y345 was positioned close to the ${\alpha}$-hydrogen of ${\beta}$-mannuronate, which was suitable to initiate a ${\beta}$-elimination reaction. K347 was also very near to the carboxylatemoiety of the ligand, which might stabilize the dianion intermediate during the ${\beta}$-elimination reaction. This implies that the characteristic alginate sequence is absolutely crucial for the catalysis. These results may be exploited in the design of novel enzymes with desired properties.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.735-739
• /
• 2014

Ephedra sinica Stapf, known as a medicinal plant, inhibited not only syncytium formation, but also trafficking of viral glycoprotein, hemagglutinin-neuramidase (HN) to the cell-surface. Trafficking of viral glycoprotein to the surface of infected-cells results in syncytium formation in Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-infected baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Viral glycoprotein in the infected-cell is processed within the endoplasmic reticulum during routing into surface. The processing of viral glycoprotein like a N-linked oligosaccharide trimming by ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in cell is necessary for virus infection. Methanol extracts showed inhibitory activities ($IC_{50}$ $15{\mu}g/mL$) against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. This suggested that E. sinica extracts inhibited the cell-surface expression of NDV-HN glycoprotein without significantly affecting HN glycoprotein synthesis in NDV-infected BHK cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.115-121
• /
• 2018

Upon sensing of microbial infections or endogenous danger signals in macrophages, inflammasome signaling plays a significant role in triggering inflammatory responses via producing interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$. Recent studies revealed that active caspase-1, a product of the inflammasome complex, causes maturation of inactive pro-IL-$1{\beta}$ into the active form. However, the underlying mechanism by which this leaderless cytokine is secreted into the extracellular space remains to be elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that prolonged lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment to macrophages could trigger the unexpected maturation and extracellular release of IL-$1{\beta}$ through a nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3)-independent manner. Short-term treatment (less than 6 h) of LPS induced robust production of the IL-$1{\beta}$ precursor form inside cells but did not promote the maturation and secretion of IL-$1{\beta}$ in bone marrow-derived macrophages or peritoneal macrophages. Instead, prolonged LPS treatment (more than 12 h) led to a significant release of matured IL-$1{\beta}$ with no robust indication of caspase-1 activation. Intriguingly, this LPS-triggered secretion of IL-$1{\beta}$ was also observed in NLRP3-deficient macrophages. In addition, this unexpected IL-$1{\beta}$ release was only partially impaired by a caspase-1 and NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor. Collectively, our results propose that prolonged exposure to LPS is able to drive the maturation and secretion of IL-$1{\beta}$ in an NLRP3 inflammasome-independent manner.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.97-103
• /
• 2005

Irritation fibroma (IF) is the most common tumor-like oral lesion that is evolved by proliferation of collagen in response to chronic irritation. Oral leukoplakia (OL) is considered as precancerous lesion characterized by proliferation of epithelial cells due to chronic irritation, smoking and drinking. TGF-${\beta}1$ and EGFR are important factors that play an essential role in extracellular matrix remodeling during normal wound healing process. The epithelial reaction by chronic irritation may be connected with pathogenesis of IF and OL. In the present study, we examined the expression of TGF-${\beta}1$ and EGFR in the IF and OL using immunohistochemistry. We used 88 cases of IF, 44 cases of OL and 9 cases of normal oral mucosa as normal control. TGF-${\beta}1$ was decreased in the epithelium of IF and OL. As for EGFR, the epithelial cells revealed the increased positive expression in IF and OL. In case of OL, the Spearman correlation coefficient of TGF-${\beta}1$ and EGFR was -0.10 (p< 0.05), which showed weak correlation. In the fibrous tissue, TGF-${\beta}1$ was increased only in IF. The expression difference of TGF-${\beta}1$ and EGFR may be involved in the pathogenesis of IF and OL.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.119-125
• /
• 2008

Our previous work confirmed that Sph2/LA1029 was a sphigomyelinase-like hemolyisn of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Lai. Characteristics of both hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of Sph2 were reported in this paper. Sph2 was a heat-labile neutral hemolysin and had similar hemolytic behavior as the typical sphingomyelinase C of Staphylococcus aureus upon sheep erythrocytes. The cytotoxic activity of Sph2 was shown in mammalian cells such as BALB/C mouse lymphocytes and macrophages, as well as human L-02 liver cells. Transmission electron microscopic observation showed that the Sph2 treated BALB/C mouse lymphocytes were swollen and ruptured with membrane breakage. They also demonstrated condensed chromatin as a high-density area. Cytoskeleton changes were observed via fluorescence confocal microscope in Sph2 treated BALB/C mouse lymphocytes and macrophages, where both cytokine IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 were induced. In addition, typical apoptotic morphological features were observed in Sph2 treated L-02 cells via transmission electron microscope and the percentage of apoptotic cells did increase after the Sph2 treatment detected by flow cytometry. Therefore, Sph2 was likely an apoptosis-inducing factor of human L-02 liver cells.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.13-24
• /
• 2007

Objective : Recent studies indicate that the deposition of ${\beta}-amyloid$ ($A{\beta}$) is related in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the underlying mechanism is still not clear. Method : To investigate the potential cellular functions of APP and water extract of the JangwonHwangagambang (JWHG), we use as in vitro model, neuro 2A cells were treated with either JWHG or its oriental medicines, and the effect in APP expression was determined by MTT and LDH assay. JWHG have been shown to be neuroprotective in different model systems. We asked whether JWHG treatment would influence cell survival and AD-like pathology in APP-induced neuronal cells. Result : JWHG and water extracts of some oriental medicine has attenuated high cell death in vitro. JWHG-treated cells increased percentage of cell survival more longly than controls. JWHG had significantly increas neurite outgrowth in the as compared to control cells. Conclusion : These results suggest that JWHG prevent APP-induced neurotoxicity through attenuating oxidative stress, and may be useful as potential therapeutic agents for AD.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.99-103
• /
• 2005

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of a large group of TGF-beta family, are important molecular regulators of morphogenesis of numerous tissues and organs, including bones and teeth. Most BMPs are capable of inducing bone formation in vivo and therefore are of considerable clinical interest for regenerating mineralized tissues. Recently, we have developed a method to culture cells from human cementum (human cementum-derived cells, HCDCs). HCDCs, when attached to synthetic hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP) ceramic and transplanted into immunodeficient mice, formed histologically identifiable cementum-like tissue. Since it is unclear to what extent BMPs are involved in cementogenesis, the aim of this study was to establish which BMPs are expressed by cementogenic HCDCs and whether the expression of BMPs is related to the degree of cellular differentiation in vitro. HCDCs were maintained in growth medium (DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS) until confluent (proliferation stage). Upon reaching confluence, cells were incubated in the differentiation medium (DMEM/F12 medium containing 10% FBS and 50 mg/ml ascorbic acid) for 14 days (differentiation stage). Next, HCDCs were incubated in mineralization medium (DMEM/F12, 50 mg/ml ascorbic acid, 2.5 mg/ml of ITS (insulin-transferrinselenium), 5 mM beta-glycerophosphate and $10^{-8}M$ dexamethasone) for another 14 days (mineralization stage). At the end of each differentiation stage, total RNA was isolated and evaluated for BMPs (2 through 8) expression by employing real time RT-PCR. HCDCs expressed most of BMPs examined except BMP-7 and BMP-8. Furthermore, on average, the highest levels of BMPs were expressed at the earlier differentiation stage, prior to the initiation of mineralization in vitro. These results indicate that several BMPs are expressed during cementoblastic differentiation and suggest that BMPs may be involved in the homeostasis of human cementum.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.109-109
• /
• 2003

Taurine is present in a variety of tissue and exhibits many important physiological functions in many tissues. Although it is known that many tissues mediate taurine transport, its functions of taurine transport in bone have not been identified yet. In the present study, we investigated the expression of taurine transporter (TauT) and taurine uptake using mouse stromal ST2 cells and osteoblast-like MC3T3-El cells, which is bone related cells. Detection of TauT mRNA expression in these cells were performed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The activity of TauT was assessed by measuring the uptake of ［$^3$H］taurine in the presence or absence of inhibitors. TauT mRNA was detected in these cells. ［$^3$H］Taurine uptake was dependent upon the presence of extracellular sodium, chloride and calcium ions, and inhibited by cold-taurine and ${\beta}$-alanine. These results suggest that taurine has biological functions in bone and some effect on the bone cells.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.219-226
• /
• 1998

Cytosine arabinoside(AraC) inhibits DNA synthesis and ${\beta}$-DNA polymerase, an enzyme involved in DNA repair. This, a potent antimitotic agent, is clinically used as an anticancer drug with side effect of severe neurotoxicity. Earlier reports suggested that inhibition of neuronal survival by AraC in sympathetic neuron may be due to the inhibition of a 2'-deoxycytidine-dependent process that is independent of DNA synthesis or repair and AraC induced a signal that is triggers a cascade of new mRNA and protein synthesis, leading to apoptotic cell death in cultured cerebellar granule cells. The present study would suggest whether caspase family(ICE/CED-3-like protease) involved in AraC-induced apoptosis pathway of PC12 cells. It was observed that treatment of PC12 cells with AraC led to decrease of viability by MTT assay and morphology changes, which did not suggest that AraC induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. The mRNA of caspase-1/caspase-3 were expressed in PC12 cells constitutively, and AraC did not activate caspase family. These results suggest that caspase-1/caspase-3 may not be required for AraC-induced cell death pathway in PC12 cells.