• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제79권4호
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• pp.257-266
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• 2016

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a common interstitial lung disease; it is a chronic, progressive, and fatal lung disease of unknown etiology. Over the last two decades, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis has improved markedly and facilitated the identification of potential targets for novel therapies. However, despite the large number of antifibrotic drugs being described in experimental pre-clinical studies, the translation of these findings into clinical practices has not been accomplished yet. NADH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a homodimeric enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of NADH to $NAD^+$ by various quinones and thereby elevates the intracellular $NAD^+$ levels. In this study, we examined the effect of increase in cellular $NAD^+$ levels on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were treated with intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. The mice were orally administered with ${\beta}$-lapachone from 3 days before exposure to bleomycin to 1-3 weeks after exposure to bleomycin. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for analyzing the infiltration of immune cells. In vitro, A549 cells were treated with transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$) and ${\beta}$-lapachone to analyze the extracellular matrix (ECM) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Results: ${\beta}$-Lapachone strongly attenuated bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis, characterized by histological staining, infiltrated immune cells in BALF, inflammatory cytokines, fibrotic score, and TGF-${\beta}1$, ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin accumulation. In addition, ${\beta}$-lapachone showed a protective role in TGF-${\beta}1$-induced ECM expression and EMT in A549 cells. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ${\beta}$-lapachone can protect against bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in mice and TGF-${\beta}1$-induced EMT in vitro, by elevating the $NAD^+$/NADH ratio through NQO1 activation.

• Gut and Liver
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.682-693
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Intestinal barrier dysfunction is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as ulcerative colitis. This dysfunction is caused by increased permeability and the loss of tight junctions in intestinal epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether estradiol treatment reduces colonic permeability, tight junction disruption, and inflammation in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colon cancer mouse model. Methods: The effects of $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2) were evaluated in ICR male mice 4 weeks after AOM/DSS treatment. Histological damage was scored by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the levels of the colonic mucosal cytokine myeloperoxidase (MPO) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To evaluate the effects of E2 on intestinal permeability, tight junctions, and inflammation, we performed quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the expression levels of mucin 2 (MUC2) and mucin 4 (MUC4) were measured as target genes for intestinal permeability, whereas zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), occludin (OCLN), and claudin 4 (CLDN4) served as target genes for the tight junctions. Results: The colitis-mediated induced damage score and MPO activity were reduced by E2 treatment (p<0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression levels of intestinal barrier-related molecules (i.e., MUC2, ZO-1, OCLN, and CLDN4) were decreased by AOM/DSS-treatment; furthermore, this inhibition was rescued by E2 supplementation. The mRNA and protein expression of inflammation-related genes (i.e., KLF4, NF-${\kappa}B$, iNOS, and COX-2) was increased by AOM/DSS-treatment and ameliorated by E2. Conclusions: E2 acts through the estrogen receptor ${\beta}$ signaling pathway to elicit anti-inflammatory effects on intestinal barrier by inducing the expression of MUC2 and tight junction molecules and inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.141-157
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of DOGO phreatic water containing germanium on Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga mouse. Methods : We made DOGO phreatic water added germanium. After making atopic dermatitis caused by sensitizing NC/Nga mouse to DNCB(dinitrochlorobenzene), we made mouse swim in tanks each filled with distilled water, tap water, DOGO phreatic water, DOGO phreatic water(added germanium) for 30minutes everyday. 3weeks later, we analyzed skin clinical score, total IgE levels(by ELISA), WBC differential counting(Neutrophils, Monocytes), absolute cell number of $Neutrophil^+Gr-1^+$, CCR3 mRNA expressions(by Real-time PCR), IL-4, IFN-${\gamma}$ production levels(by ELISA), histologic test(by H&E staining, toluidine blue staining). Results : The results of making NC/Nga mouse induced atopic dermatitis swim in tanks filled with DOGO phreatic water(contain germanium) are as follows. 1. Skin clinical scores were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 2. Total IgG levels were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 3. WBC differential counting(Neutrophils, Monocytes) were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 4. Absolute cell number of $Neutrophil^+Gr-1^+$ were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 5. CCR3 mRNA expressions were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 6. IL-4, IFN-${\gamma}$ production levels were decreased significantly in comparison to control group. 7. The epithelial tissue thickness, leucocytes infiltration, erythema, edema, excoriation, scaling, mast cells infiltrations in dorsal skin were decreased in comparison to control group. Conclusions : These results indicate that DOGO phreatic water(contain germanium) can be used for helping treat atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.405-418
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• 2022

Simotang oral liquid (SMT) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) consisting of four natural plants and is used to alleviate gastrointestinal side effects after chemotherapy and functional dyspepsia (FD). However, the mechanism by which SMT helps cure these gastrointestinal diseases is still unknown. Here, we discovered that SMT could alleviate gastrointestinal side effects after chemotherapy by altering gut microbiota. C57BL/6J mice were treated with cisplatin (DDP) and SMT, and biological samples were collected. Pathological changes in the small intestine were observed, and the intestinal injury score was assessed. The expression levels of the inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-6 and the adhesive factors Occludin and ZO-1 in mouse blood or small intestine tissue were also detected. Moreover, the gut microbiota was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons. SMT was found to effectively reduce gastrointestinal mucositis after DDP injection, which lowered inflammation and tightened the intestinal epithelial cells. Gut microbiota analysis showed that the abundance of the anti-inflammatory microbiota was downregulated and that the inflammatory microbiota was upregulated in DDP-treated mice. SMT upregulated anti-inflammatory and anticancer microbiota abundance, while the inflammatory microbiota was downregulated. An antibiotic cocktail (ABX) was also used to delete mice gut microbiota to test the importance of gut microbiota, and we found that SMT could not alleviate gastrointestinal mucositis after DDP injection, showing that gut microbiota might be an important mediator of SMT treatment. Our study provides evidence that SMT might moderate gastrointestinal mucositis after chemotherapy by altering gut microbiota.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.478-487
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• 2003

연구배경 : Angiotensin II가 폐포상피세포의 세포사멸을 유도하고 폐섬유모세포에서 TGF-${\beta}$등의 발현을 증가시켜 폐섬유화증을 촉진시킬 수 있다고 알려져 있어 angiotensin II receptor의 차단이 폐섬유화증을 감소시키는 효과가 있을 것으로 예상하고 특발성 폐섬유화증 환자에게 angiotensin II receptor antagonist(AGIIRA)를 투여하여 치료효과를 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 저자들은 가천의대 길병원에서 특발성 폐섬유화증으로 진단된 13명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 이들 중 8명 의 환자에게는 angiotensin II type 1 receptor antaginist인 losartan(cozaar$^{(R)}$) 을 투여하였고 나머지 5명의 환자에게는 losartan을 투여 하지 않았으며, 치료 직전과 치료 l년 후에 모든 환자에게 폐기능 검사와 호흡곤란 지수의 정도의 변화를 측정하여 그 결과를 비교하였다. 결 과 : AGIIRA 복용 군에서는 폐기능이 전체적으로 약간의 호전을 보였으며, 미 복용 군에서는 DLco%가 5%로 증가하였으나 TLC가 14%로 감소하는 등 전반적으로 페기능이 감소하는 소견을 보였다. 폐기능 변화가 두 군 모두 통계적으로 유의성이 없었고 두 군간의 변화율의 변화에서도 통계적 유의성은 없었다. 호흡곤란 지수는 AGIIRA 복용한 군에서만 통계적으로 유의하게 더 호전을 보였다. 결 론 : 특발성 폐섬유화증의 치료에 AGIIRA가 일부 환자들에게 임상적 안정화에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 사료된다. 차후 더 많은 환자를 대상으로 오랜 기간의 연구와 함께 폐섬유화에 있어서 anglotensin II와 그 receptor에 대한 기전과 역할에 대하여 더 많은 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.