• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.962-969
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• 2005

Effects of 5 and 10% dietary supplement tablets containing green tea, buckwheat, and grape leaf extracts on atherosclerosis, and plasma and hepatic lipid compositions in hamsters fed antherogenic diet [modified AIN-76A containing 10% coconut oil (w/w), 0.05% cholesterol] were examined. Compared to atherogenic diet only groups, addition of supplement to atherogenic diet-fed group significantly down-regulated triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in plasma and liver. F1B hamsters fed atherogenic diet had greater foam cell accumulation compared to control and those fed atherogenic diet with addition of supplement. Lipid metabolisms of plasma and liver increased with addition of supplement dose-dependently, whereas aortic lipid accumulation decreased. These results indicate tablets supplemented with green tea, buckwheat, and grape leaf extracts have potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases in golden Syrian hamsters.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2015

This study surveys the improvement characteristics in old-aged muscular mitochondria by bio-active materials coated fabric (BMCF). To observe the effects, the fabric (10 and 30%) was worn to old-aged rat then the oxygen consumption efficiency and copy numbers of mitochondria, and mRNA expression of apoptosis- and mitophagy-related genes were verified. By wearing the BMCF, the oxidative respiration significantly increased when using the 30% materials coated fabric. The mitochondrial DNA copy number significantly decreased and subsequently recovered in a dose-dependent manner. The respiratory control ratio to mitochondrial DNA copy number showed a dose-dependent increment. As times passed, Bax, caspase 9, PGC-$1{\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$-actin increased, and Bcl-2 decreased in a dose-dependent manner. However, the BMCF can be seen to have had no effect on Fas receptor. PINK1 expression did not change considerably and was inclined to decrease in control group, but the expression was down-regulated then subsequently increased with the use of the BMCF in a dose-dependent manner. Caspase 3 increased and subsequently decreased in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the BMCF invigorates mitophagy and improves mitochondrial oxidative respiration in skeletal muscle, and in early stage of apoptosis induced by the BMCF is not related to extrinsic death-receptor mediated but mitochondria-mediated signaling pathway.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.185-195
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• 2012

Purpose: (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects in periodontitis. However, its exact mechanism of action has yet to be determined. The present in vitro study evaluated the anti-in-flammatory effects of EGCG on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs) and human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) affected by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracted from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Methods: hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were extracted from healthy young adults and were treated with EGCG and/or P. gingivalis LPS. After 1, 3, 5, and 7 days from treatment, cytotoxic and proliferative effects were evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and bromodeoxyuridine assay, respectively. And then, the gene expressions of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were observed for interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and RANKL/OPG using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. The experiments were performed with the following groups for hPDLFs and hPDLSCs; 1) No treat, 2) EGCG alone, 3) P. gingivalis LPS alone, 4) EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS. Results: The 20 ${\mu}M$ of EGCG and 20 ${\mu}g/mL$ of P. gingivalis LPS had the lowest cytotoxic effects, so those concentrations were used for further experiments. The proliferations of hPDLFs and hPDLSCs increased in all groups, though the 'EGCG alone' showed less increase. In real-time PCR, the hPDLFs and hPDLSCs of 'EGCG alone' showed similar gene expressions to those cells of 'no treat'. The gene expressions of 'P. gingivalis LPS alone' in both hPDLFs and hPDLSCs were highly increased at 6 hours for IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, RANKL, and RANKL/OPG, except the RANKL/OPG in hPDLSCs. However, those increased gene expressions were down-regulated in 'EGCG+P. gingivalis LPS' by the additional treatment of EGCG. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that EGCG could exert an anti-inflammatory effect in hPDLFs and hPDLSCs against a major pathogen of periodontitis, P. gingivalis LPS.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1999

Objective: Heat shock protein 70-2 (Hsp70-2) gene knockout mice are found to have premeiotic arrest at the primary spermatocyte stage with a complete absence of spermatids and spermatozoa. This observation led to the hypothesis that hspA2 may be disrupted in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we studied the mRNA expression of hspA2 in infertile men with azoospermia. Design: The mRNA expression were analyzed by competitive RT-PCR among testes with normal spermatogenesis, pachytene spermatocyte arrest, and sertoli-cell only syndrome. Materials and methods: Testicular biopsy was performed in men with azoospermia (n=15). Specimens were subdivided into three groups: (group 1) normal spermatogenesis (n=5), (group 2) spermatocyte arrest (n=5), (group 3) Sertoli-cell only syndrome (n=5). Total RNA was extracted by Trizol reagent. Total extracted RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified by PCR using specific primers for hspA2 target cDNAs. A competitive cDNA fragment was constructed by deleting a defined fragment from the target cDNA sequence, and then coamplified with the target cDNA for competitive PCR. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as an internal control. Results: On Competitive RT-PCR analyses for hspA2 mRNA, significant amount of hspA2 expression was observed in group 1, whereas a constitutively low level of hspA2 was expressed in groups 2 and 3. Conclusion(s): The study demonstrates that the hspA2 gene expression is down-regulated in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis, which in turn suggests that hspA2 gene may play a specific role during meiosis in human testes.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.63-68
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• 2015

Objectives : Gastric lesions affect many people around the world and their development are results of the imbalance between destructive and protective factors in the gastric mucosa. Lycium chinense has been widely used as a traditional Korean medicine, it was recently reported that they have potent anti-inflammatory effects in chronic hepatitis models. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Lycium chinense extract (LCE) on HCl-Ethanol induced gastric lesion mice.Methods : The ICR mice were divided randomly into five groups of six animals each. Group A was normal mice, and group B was treated orally with 0.5 ml 150 mM HCl-60% Ethanol. Mice in group C and D were pre-treatment of LCE (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg bodyweight, p.o before HCl/ethanol treatment) and group E was orally administered sucralfate (10 mg/kg).Results : 150mM HCl/60% ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury mice were ameliorated mucosal damage upon histological evaluation by treatment of LCE. Pre-treatment of LCE attenuated reactive oxidative species (ROS) and produces peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) in stomach tissues. As results of stomach protein analyses, LCE effectively reduce inflammatory-related factors such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in gastric lesion mice. In addition, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibitor of phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (p-IκB) were down-regulated in LCE-administrated gastric lesion mice.Conclusions : Our discovery supports that the therapeutic activity of LCE ameliorate the development of gastric lesion via suppressing the oxidative stress and gastric partial inflammation induced by 150 mM HCl/60% ethanol.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.309-316
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• 2003

연구목적: 스테로이드 계통의 에스트로겐 호르몬은 막 수용체와 결합하고 DNA에 부착되어, 자궁조직에서 발현되는 많은 유전자들의 발현 양상을 조절하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 난소를 제거한 생쥐 모델을 이용하여 에스트로겐에 의해 조절되는 전사 관련 유전자(transcription factor)들을 동정하고, early up-regulation gene으로 확인된 Fos related antigen (Fra1과 Fra2) 유전자의 발현 양상을 RT-PCR과 면역염색방법으로 살펴보았다. 연구재료 및 방법: 난소 절제술을 시행한 생쥐에 에스트로겐을 피하주사하고 2, 4, 6, 12시간 간격으로 자궁조직을 적출하였다. 대조군으로는 sesame oil만을 주사한 후 2시간째에 수획한 자궁조직을 사용하였으며, 시간대별로 채취한 자궁조직(n=4)에서 RT-PCR을 수행하였다. RT-PCR을 통해 early response gene으로 확인된 Fra1과 Fra2에 대한 에스트로겐의 영향을 살펴보기 위해 estrogen receptor antagonist인 ICI 182, 780을 주사하여 유전자 발현 양상의 변화를 살펴보았다. 또한, 자궁조직내에서의 단백질 발현 부위를 관찰하기 위해 면역조직화학염색을 실시하였다. 결 과: 생쥐 자궁조직에서 에스트로겐에 의해 발현 양상의 변화가 확인된 유전자는 early up-regulation genes (CREB2, Fra-1, 2, GATA5), late up-regulation gene (E2F1), no response genes (CREB1, ATF1, GLI3, E2F3), down-regulation genes (GLI2, E2F5, GATA-2, 3, 6) 등으로 구분할 수 있었다. 그 중 early up-regulation genes에 해당하는 Fra1과 Fra2 유전자는 ICI 182, 780에 의해 그 발현이 유의하게 감소되는 것을 확인하였다(p < 0.01). 이들 단백질은 생쥐 자궁조직의 상피세포층, 기질층, 근육층에서 고루 발현되었으며, 특히 근육층에서 강한 염색정도를 관찰할 수 있었다. 결 론: 이상의 결과를 통해 Fra1과 Fra2 유전자의 발현은 에스트로겐에 의해 조절됨을 알 수 있었으며, 이들의 강한 발현이 자궁조직의 근육층에서 관찰되어 이들의 기능에 대한 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1600-1607
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• 2012

The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family plays essential roles in physiological processes such as embryonic development, angiogenesis, wound healing, and tissue homeostasis as a consequence of MMPr capacity for breaking down many types of extracellular matrix proteins. Imbalanced regulation of MMP expression can also lead to pathological conditions such as tumor progression. We recently reported that the Drosophila Mmp1 gene is highly expressed in the digestive tract and is required for the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis such as by restriction of uncontrolled intestinal stem cell proliferation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of MMP gene expression in the intestine remain unclear. In this study, we determined that the expression of Mmp1 is regulated by the homeodomain transcription factor Caudal. Experiments using the targeted expression of Caudal under the regulation of Gal4-UAS system indicated that endogenous Caudal is required for the Mmp1 gene expression in the adult Drosophila intestine and that exogenous Caudal induces Mmp1 expression. Transient transfection experiments indicated that Caudal can activate the promoter activity of Mmp1 and that several putative Caudal binding sites in the 5'-flanking region of the Mmp1 gene may be critical to the upregulation by Caudal. Our data suggest that Mmp1 is one of the target genes of Caudal in physiological normal condition and in tumorigenesis.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.236-241
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• 2016

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe $sdu1^+$ gene, belonging to the PPPDE superfamily of deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) genes, was previously shown to encode a protein with ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH) activity and to participate in the response against oxidative and nitrosative stresses. This work focused on the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent regulation of the S. pombe $sdu1^+$ gene. UCH activities, encoded by the $sdu1^+$ gene, were attenuated in the S. pombe cells exposed to $H_2O_2$, superoxide radical-generating menadione (MD), and nitric oxide (NO)-generating sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Reduced glutathione (GSH) and its precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) were able to significantly enhance the UCH activities in the absence or presence of $H_2O_2$. However, the influences of both GSH and NAC on the ROS levels in the absence or presence of $H_2O_2$ were opposite to their effects on the UCH activities under the same conditions. The UCH activities in the Sdu1-overexpressing S. pombe cells were also diminished under exposure to $H_2O_2$, MD and SNP, but still remained to be higher than those in the vector control cells. In brief, it is proposed that the S. pombe $sdu1^+$ gene is regulated by ROS in a negative manner, the meaning of which largely remains elusive.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2008

HIV affects many organ systems. Patients with HIV infection have substantially increased risk of developing various cancers, primarily by opportunistic infection with oncogenic viruses due to their immunocompromised status. However, extensive evidence also indicates that the viral protein, Tat itself, may playas a major factor in the development of AIDS-related neoplasms. The molecular mechanism underlying Tat's oncogenic activity may include deregulation of cellular genes. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effect of HIV-l Tat on CD99 as one of the target cellular genes, which is a well-known tumor marker in several cancers. By using established HeLa clones that are stably expressing Tat, we found that CD99 is upregulated by endogenous Tat, whereas STAT3 is down regulated. Upon the screening of genes differentially expressed between Tat-stable cells and the control cells by using the gene fishing technique, DEG, we detected 3 genes which expression is affected by the presence of Tat. Furthermore, the methylation specific PCR analysis of the stably Tat expressing cell lines revealed that the CD99 promoter is de methylated in the presence of Tat. Taken together, these results open a potential role of CD99 in AIDS-related oncogenesis via epigenetic regulation by HIV-1 Tat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.899-905
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• 2003

The effects of cooked soybean and a traditional fermented soy product, chongkukjang, on blood pressure and lipid metabolism were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). SHRs were divided into 3 groups (n=10, male), and fed casein, powders of cooked soybean, and chongkukjang as dietary protein sources for 6 weeks. Body weight gain was not different among experimental groups, but food efficiency was increased in groups fed cooked soybean and chongkukjang diets compared to control group. Consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang for 6 weeks in SHR significantly suppressed blood pressure rise with aging (p<0.05). Feeding of cooked soybean and chongkukjang to SHR decreased plasma triacylglycerols (p<0.05) by 21.6% and 30.2% and LDL-cholesterol by 30.0% and 27.5%, respectively. Addition of cooked soybean and chongkukjang to the diet resulted in reduction of total lipids and triacylglycerols of liver, while consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang resulted in the increase of fecal cholesterol and bile acid excretions, respectively (p<0.05). Cooked soybean and chongkukjang diets down-regulated the activity of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase by 56.4% and 94.5%, compared to control, respectively. From the above-mentioned results, it can be concluded that consumption of cooked soybean and chongkukjang might be helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease by suppressing blood pressure rise and hyperlipidemia.