• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제19권4호
• /
• pp.982-992
• /
• 2005

Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely used for the treatment of many functional disorders such as substance abuse and mental dysfunction. Clinical trials are currently underway to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of drug addiction. Yet, there are still many unanswered questions about the basic mechanism of acupuncture. Studies have shown that both the psychomotor stimulant effects and rewarding properties of addictive drugs, including morphine, are sensitized by repeated drug administration and raised the possibility that both of these effects may De linked to the same or closely overlapping the mesolimbic dopamine systems. Neiguan (PC6) point on the pericardium channel which is associated with the brain and its mental function, has been used to treat mental, psychosomatic disorders and gastroenterological disorders. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of acupuncture on repeated morphine-induced changes in extracellular dopamine levels using in vivo microdialysis and to measure the effect of acupuncture on repeated morphine-induced behavioral changes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated twice a day for three days with increasing doses of morphine (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, s.c.) or with saline. After 15 days of withdrawal, rats were challenged with morphine hydrochloride (5 mg/kg, s.c.). Acupuncture was applied at bilateral Neiguan (PC6) points for 1min after the morphine challenge. Results showed that acupuncture at the specific acupoint PC6, but not at control points (tail and HE8) significantly decreased both dopamine release, behavior induced by a systemic morphine challenge or a single s.c. morphine injection in the morphine-repeated animals. These results suggest that reduction in sensitization may be one mechanism whereby acupuncture alleviates morphine craving in addicts. Moreover, in a more general sense these results suggest that acupuncture can be used as a therapeutic intervention for correcting reversible malfunction of the body by direction of brain pathway and thus acupuncture can contribute to the biochemical balance in the central nervous system by regulating neurotransmitters.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.74-92
• /
• 2005

Objectives/Methods : To analyze the effect of Injinchunggantang(IJCGT) to Interferon-${\alpha}/{\beta}$ signal transmission system in HepG2 cells, HepG2 Cell were treated with IJCGT. Also, revelation of MxA, 2'5'-OAS mRNA leaded by Interferon-${\alpha}/{\beta}$ and revelation and activation of Jak1, TYK1, and STAT 1, all main signal transmission factors, were analyzed. Results : The analysis resulted in the following 1. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ there was no affect cell propagation of Hep G2 cells. With IJCGT alone, cell propagation of HepG2 was promoted, and cell propagation control function was recovered. 2. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ cell death was unaffected. With IJCGT apoptosis of HepG2 cell was restrained, and the cell's reaction to interferon was unaffected. 3. With interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ treatment mRNA revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS was induced. When HepG2 cells were injected with IJCGT without interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ treatment, mRNA revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS increased in proportion to the treatment density. With pre-treatment of IJCGT, leaded with interferon ${\alpha}/{\beta}$, promoted revelation of MxA, 2'5' -OAS mRNA. 4. Though mRNA revelation of lakl, TYK1 and STAT1 was unaffected with IJCGT, activation of STAT1 was promoted with an increase of phosphorylation of STAT1 protein. With pre-treatment of IJCGT, Jak1, TYK2, STAT1 phosphorylation, leaded with interferon, strengthened. 5. TNF-a, IL-1b and LPS present, revelation of MxA and 2'5'-OAS mRNA leaded by interferon was restrained when HepG2 cells were treated with IJCGT, and the interferon signal transmission system restraint action leaded by inflammatory cytokines was moderated. Conclusion : These results support a role for IJGCT in promotion of anti-virus action through maintainance of the liver's sensibility toward interferon. A clinical study of an interferon treated patient treated also with IJGCT is needed to determine its efficacy.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 2002

Objectives: To investigate the distribution of $ER{\alpha}$, $ER{\beta}$, c-fos and c-jun in the uterine myoma and myometrium in oder to know how the tamoxifen cause the growth of myoma. Methods: Myoma and myometrial tissue were obtained from the postmenopausal women treated with tamoxifen in the patients with breast cancer and in the premenopausal patients, who were undergoing myoma of uterus from 1998 through 2000. The espression of each gene was quantitated with quantitative RT-PCR. Results: The expression of $ER{\alpha}$ was slightly increased in the myoma than the myometrium in the proliferative phase, and was slightly decreased in the myometrium than the myoma in the secretory phase. However it was not significant statistically. In the postmemopausal women treated with tamoxifen, $ER{\alpha}$ was expressed in all myoma and myome1rial tissues and the expression was not statistically significant. The expression ofER~ was slightly increased in the myome1rium than the leiomyoma in the proliferative and secretory phase, but it was not significant statistically. In the postmemopausal women treated with tamoxifen, the expression of ER~ was significantly incresed in the myome1rium than the leiomyoma. The expression of c-fos was significantly increased in the myome1rium than the leiomyoma in the proliferative and secretory phase. In the postmemopausal women treated with tamoxifen, the expression of c-fos was slightly increased in the leiomyoma than the myomelrium, however, it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Tamoxifen may cause the growth of leiomyoma by $ER{\alpha}$ with AP-l pathway reducing the counteraction of 6$ER{\beta}$ to $ER{\alpha}$.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제43권4호
• /
• pp.193-198
• /
• 2016

Objective: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common human enzyme defect. G6PD plays a key role in the pentose phosphate pathway, which is a major source of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). NADPH provides the reducing equivalents for oxidation-reduction reductions involved in protecting against the toxicity of reactive oxygen species such as $H_2O_2$. We hypothesized that G6PD deficiency may reduce the amount of NADPH in sperms, thereby inhibiting the detoxification of $H_2O_2$, which could potentially affect their motility and viability, resulting in an increased susceptibility to infertility. Methods: Semen samples were obtained from four males with G6PD deficiency and eight healthy males as a control. In both groups, motile sperms were isolated from the seminal fluid and incubated with 0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, and $120{\mu}M$ concentrations of $H_2O_2$. After 1 hour incubation at $37^{\circ}C$, sperms were evaluated for motility and viability. Results: Incubation of sperms with 10 and $20{\mu}M\;H_2O_2$ led to very little decrease in motility and viability, but motility decreased notably in both groups in 40, 60, and $80{\mu}M\;H_2O_2$, and viability decreased in both groups in 40, 60, 80, and $120{\mu}M\;H_2O_2$. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the G6PD-deficient group and controls. Conclusion: G6PD deficiency does not increase the susceptibility of sperm to oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$, and the reducing equivalents necessary for protection against $H_2O_2$ are most likely produced by other pathways. Therefore, G6PD deficiency cannot be considered as major risk factor for male infertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제35권2호
• /
• pp.111-118
• /
• 2008

연구방법: 미성숙 백서 난소의 과배란 유도를 위해 PMSG를 주사하고, 배란을 위해서 hCG를 주입하였다. RGS-2의 유전자 발현양상을 조사하기 위하여는 Northern blot 분석과 in situ hybridization 분석을 시행하였다. 결 과: 미성숙 백서에 성선자극호르몬인 PMSG를 복강내 주사했을 때 RGS-2 mRNA 발현에 영향을 미치지 않음을 Northern blot analysis로 확인할 수 있었으나, hCG를 주입했을 때는 1시간에서 3시간 내에 발현이 증가됨을 알 수 있었다. In situ hybridization으로 살펴본 RGS-2 mRNA의 발현세포는 난포의 크기에 관계없이 난자였으나, hCG로 처리한 후에는 배란 전 난포와 성장중인 난포의 과립막 세포이었다. 그러나, RGS-2 단백의 발현은 hCG 처치와 관계없이 난포막 세포이었다. 상기 생체 실험과 마찬가지로 시험관에서도 배란 전 난포의 과립막 세포에 대한 LH 처리는 RGS-2 유전자 발현을 1시간 내에 촉진하였다. 또한, 성선자극호르몬 분비호르몬 2 길항제도 이러한 LH의 촉진작용을 증진시켰다. 결 론: 본 연구로 배란 전 과립막 세포에서 성선자극호르몬인 LH/hCG와 성선자극호르몬 분비호르몬 길항제에 의해 RGS-2의 발현이 증진되는 양상으로 보아 RGS-2가 배란과정 동안에 Gq protein 신호전달을 조절할 것으로 추정된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제19권4호
• /
• pp.309-318
• /
• 2015

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, its effects on prediabetes or early diabetes have not been studied. We investigated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the pancreas and liver resulting from chronic alcohol consumption in the prediabetes and early stages of diabetes. We separated Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a type-2 diabetic animal model, into two groups based on diabetic stage: prediabetes and early diabetes were defined as occurrence between the ages of 11 to 16 weeks and 17 to 22 weeks, respectively. The experimental group received an ethanol-containing liquid diet for 6 weeks. An intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was conducted after 16 and 22 weeks for the prediabetic and early diabetes groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in body weight between the control and ethanol groups. Fasting and 120-min glucose levels were lower and higher, respectively, in the ethanol group than in the control group. In prediabetes rats, alcohol induced significant expression of ER stress markers in the pancreas; however, alcohol did not affect the liver. In early diabetes rats, alcohol significantly increased most ER stress-marker levels in both the pancreas and liver. These results indicate that chronic alcohol consumption increased the risk of diabetes in prediabetic and early diabetic OLETF rats; the pancreas was more susceptible to damage than was the liver in the early diabetic stages, and the adaptive and proapoptotic pathway of ER stress may play key roles in the development and progression of diabetes affected by chronic alcohol ingestion.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제29권10호
• /
• pp.1144-1151
• /
• 2019

비알코올성 지방간은 만성 간 질환으로 비만, 고혈압, 비만, 이상지질혈증과 같은 다양한 대사증후군과 연관되어 있다. 꾸지뽕은 한국을 포함한 동아시아 국가에서 다양한 질병에 사용되는 약용작물로 본 연구에서는 유리지방산에 의해 지방축적이 유도된 세포 내에서 꾸지뽕 열매 추출물의 비알코올성 지방간 개선 효과와 기전을 규명하였다. 꾸지뽕 열매 추출물은 지방 축적 및 중성지방, 콜레스테롤 생성 및 HMG 환원효소의 활성을 억제하였다. 또한 지방생성과 관련된 유전자인 SREBP-1, FAS, SCD-1, SREBP-2의 발현을 억제 하였으며 AMPK의 활성화를 억제하였다. 본 연구결과를 통해서 꾸지뽕 열매 추출물이 유리지방산에 의해 유도된 지방 축적을 억제하고 AMPK/SREBP 신호전달 경로를 조절하여 억제 활성을 나타냄을 밝히며, 비알코올성 지방간의 예방 및 개선을 위한 천연물 소재로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제32권8호
• /
• pp.967-975
• /
• 2022

Kombucha mutualistic community (KMC) is composed by acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, producing fermented tea with health benefits. As part of the BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment (BIOMEX) project, the effect of Mars-like conditions on the KMC was analyzed. Here, we analyzed metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of the Komagataeibacter, which is a predominant genus in KMC, to understand their roles in the KMC after exposure to Mars-like conditions (outside the International Space Station) based on functional genetic elements. We constructed three MAGs: K. hansenii, K. rhaeticus, and K. oboediens. Our results showed that (i) K. oboediens MAG functionally more complex than K. hansenii, (ii) K. hansenii is a keystone in KMCs with specific functional features to tolerate extreme stress, and (iii) genes related to the PPDK, betaine biosynthesis, polyamines biosynthesis, sulfate-sulfur assimilation pathway as well as type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) system, quorum sensing (QS) system, and cellulose production could play important roles in the resilience of KMC after exposure to Mars-like stress. Our findings show the potential mechanisms through which Komagataeibacter tolerates the extraterrestrial stress and will help to understand minimal microbial composition of KMC for space travelers.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
• /
• 제36권1호
• /
• pp.21-39
• /
• 2023

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Goihwa-san water extract(GHS) in vitro & in vivo. Methods : In vitro, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of GHS by comparing the Raw 264.7 cells with 10, 30, 100, 300㎍/㎖ of GHS for 1 hour before Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) to the single LPS treated group. We examined the relative cell viability by MTT assay and the relative level of LPS, Loxoribine(LOX), Peptidoglycan(PGN), Flagellin(FLA)-induced NO production by using Griess reagent and measured relative iNOS protein level and COX-2 protein level by using western blot and Image analyzing system. We measured the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 by each ELISA kits and then measured the relative levels of IκBα, p-IκBα in whole-cell lysate fraction and NF-κB in nuclear fraction by using western blot and Image analyzing system. In vivo, we induced the paw edema by subcutaneous injection of 100㎕/rat CA and measured the swelling volume of paw by using a plethysmometer and then measured the relative iNOS protein level by using western blot. Results : As a result, in vitro, LPS, PGN-induced NO production was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with GHS. GHS reduced LPS, PGN-induced iNOS expression, PGN-induced COX-2 expression and LPS-induced production of cytokine(TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6). Expression of IκBα was increased by pretreatment with GHS 100㎍/㎖. And the expression of p-IκBα and NF-κB were decreased by pretreatment with GHS 100㎍/㎖. In vivo, CA-induced inflammation rat model was used for the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect of GHS. 0.3 or 1.0g/kg of GHS significantly reduced the increases of paw swelling and iNOS expression in paw tissues. Conclusions : These results show that GHS can decrease inflammatory response via inhibition of the NF-κB pathway in vitro. And in vivo, the anti-inflammatory effect suggest the clinical basis of GHS for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제47권1호
• /
• pp.106-116
• /
• 2023

Background: Pirarubicin (THP) is an anthracycline antibiotic used to treat various malignancies in humans. The clinical usefulness of THP is unfortunately limited by its dose-related cardiotoxicity. Ginsenoside F1 (GF1) is a metabolite formed when the ginsenosides Re and Rg1 are hydrolyzed. However, the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of GF1 on THP-induced cardiotoxicity remain unclear. Methods: We investigated the anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress effects of GF1 on an in vitro model, using H9c2 cells stimulated by THP, plus trigonelline or AKT inhibitor imidazoquinoxaline (IMQ), as well as an in vivo model using THP-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), creatine kinase (CK-MB), cardiac troponin (c-TnT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) were determined. Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and the expression of Nrf2 target genes, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), glutathione-S-transferase (Gst), glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), and expression levels of AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathway proteins were detected using Western blot analysis. Results: THP-induced myocardial histopathological damage, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, and cardiac dysfunction were reduced in vivo by GF1. GF1 also decreased MDA, BNP, CK-MB, c-TnT, and LDH levels in the serum, while raising SOD and GSH levels. GF1 boosted Nrf2 nuclear translocation and Nrf2 target gene expression, including HO-1, Gst, and GCLM. Furthermore, GF1 regulated apoptosis by activating AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathways. Employing Nrf2 inhibitor trigonelline and AKT inhibitor IMQ revealed that GF1 lacked antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. Conclusion: In conclusion, GF1 was found to alleviate THP-induced cardiotoxicity via modulating Nrf2 and AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathways, ultimately alleviating myocardial oxidative stress and apoptosis.