• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.214-222
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• 2015

Recently, many studies have focused on the aging and oxidative stress. Several papers reported that Vigna angularis has various biological properties including antiaging, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Methanol extract from the red bean sprouts was successively partitioned as n-hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and H₂O soluble fractions. We had studied lifespan extending and stress resistant effects of the fractions using Caenorhabditis elegans. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activities, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were also investigated. Moreover, we had studied to find any significant change in aging-related factors such as reproduction, food intake, growth and movement of C. elegans. Our results represent that ethyl acetate fraction showed the most potent lifespan extending and stress resistant effects, and this fraction was able to elevate SOD and catalase activities of worms, and reduce intracellular ROS accumulation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3109-3116
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• 2013

The majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients have a poor prognosis with current therapies, and new approaches are urgently needed. We have developed a novel therapeutic cancer vaccine platform based on tumor cell derived autophagosomes (DRibbles) for cancer immunotherapy. We here evaluated the effectiveness of DRibbles-pulsed dendritic cell (DC) immunization to induce anti-tumor immunity in BALB/c mouse HCC and humanized HCC mouse models generated by transplantation of human HCC cells (HepG2) into BALB/c-nu mice. DRibbles were enriched from H22 or BNL cells, BALB/c-derived HCC cell lines, by inducing autophagy and blocking protein degradation. DRibbles-pulsed DC immunization induced a specific T cell response against HCC and resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth compared to mice treated with DCs alone. Antitumor efficacy of the DCs-DRibbles vaccine was also demonstrated in a humanized HCC mouse model. The results indicated that HCC/DRibbles-pulsed DCs immunotherapy might be useful for suppressing the growth of residual tumors after primary therapy of human HCC.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.203-211
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of demineralized and particulate autogenous tooth, and interleukin-6 in bone regeneration. A demineralized and particulate autogenous tooth was prepared and human osteoblast-like cells (MG63) and human osteosarcoma cells were inoculated into the culture. The rate of cell adhesion, proliferation and mineralization were examined, and the appearance of cellular attachment was observed. An 8 mm critical size defect was created in the cranium of rabbits. Nine rabbits were divided into three groups including: An experimental group A (3 rabbits), in which a demineralised and particulate autogenous tooth was grafted; an experimental group B (3 rabbits), in which a demineralized, particulate autogenous tooth was grafted in addition to interleukin-6 (20 ng/mL); and a control group. The rabbits were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks for histopathological examination with H-E and Masson's Trichrome, and immunohistochemistry with osteocalcin. The cell-based assay showed a higher rate of cell adhesion, mineralization and cellular attachment in the experimental group A compared with the control group. The animal study revealed an increased number of osteoclasts, newly formed and mature bones in the experimental group A compared with the control group. Eventually, a higher number of osteoclasts were observed in the experimental group B. However, the emergence of newly formed and mature bone was lower than in the experimental group A. The current results suggest that treatment with demineralized and particulate autogenous tooth and interleukin-6 is not effective in stimulating bone regeneration during the bone grafting procedure.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.911-917
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• 2015

Citronellal, a well-known plant-derived mosquito repellent, was previously reported to repel Drosophila melanogaster via olfactory pathways involving but not directly activating Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1). Here, we show that citronellal is a direct agonist for Drosophila and human TRPA1s (dTRPA1 and hTRPA1) as well as Anopheles gambiae TRPA1 (agTRPA1). Citronellal-induced activity is isoform-dependent for Drosophila and Anopheles gambiae TRPA1s. The recently identified dTRPA1(A) and ag-TRPA1(A) isoforms showed citronellal-provoked currents with EC50s of $1.0{\pm}0.2$ and $0.1{\pm}0.03mM$, respectively, in Xenopus oocytes, while the sensitivities of TRPA1(B)s were much inferior to those of TRPA1(A)s. Citronellal dramatically enhanced the feeding-inhibitory effect of the TRPA1 agonist N-methylmaleimide (NMM) in Drosophila at an NMM concentration that barely repels flies. Thus, citronellal can promote feeding deterrence of fruit flies through direct action on gustatory dTRPA1, revealing the first isoform-specific function for TRPA1(A).

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.35-40
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• 2006

Background: Inorganic arsenic is a human carcinogen that can target the liver, but its carcinogenic mechanisms are still unknown. Inorganic arsenic induces a spectrum of tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma in mice. Methods: Pregnant C3H mice were supplied with drinking water containing 50 ppm sodium arsenite during their pregnancy. The protein expression profile in the liver of 0.5-day-old. male offsprings exposed transplacentally to sodium arsenite was analyzed using protein 2D gel electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Results: Expression of proteins such as hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase mitochondrial precursor (HMG-CoA synthase), ${\beta}$-actin (cytoplasmic 1) and apolipoprotein A-IV precursor (Apo-AIV) were induced in mouse liver by sodium arsenite, while uricase (urate oxidase), guanine nucleotidebinding protein beta subunit 2-like 1 (RACK1) and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase B (Aldolase 2) were down-regulated. Summary: Expression of proteins that have been implicated in carcinogenesis, such as HMG-CoA, ${\beta}$-actin, and RACK1, was regulated in the liver of mice transplacentally exposed to inorganic arsenic.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1137-1142
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• 2004

A spectrophotometric and first derivative spectrophotometric method was developed in aquatic Tween 80 micellar solutions for selective determination of nickel without using any pre-separation step. 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN), as a sensitive chromogenic complexing agent formed a red-colored Ni(II)-PAN complex in Tween 80 media with satisfactory solubility and stability. Conditions such as pH, PAN concentration, type and concentration of micellizing agent were optimized. Molar absorptivity of Ni-PAN complex was found $4.62\;{\times}\;10^4L\;cm^{?1}\;mol^{?1}$ at 569 nm, under the optimum condition. Calibration graphs were derived by zero, first and second derivative spectrophotometry at maximum wavelengths of 569, 578 and 571 nm with linear ranges of 30-1800, 20-2500 and 30-2000 ng $mL^{?1}$ , respectively. Precision as standard deviation as well as accuracy as recovery percent were in the range of 1-20 ng $mL^{?1}$, and 93.3-103.3%, respectively, for the entire of the linear ranges. Spectrophotometric detection limit was 3 ng $mL^{?1}$ and effects of diverse ions on the first derivative determination of nickel were studied to investigate selectivity of the method. Interferences of cobalt and copper on the nickel determination were prevented using o-phenanthroline as masking agent. The recommended procedures were applied to the various synthetic and stainless steel alloys, tea leaves and human hair, with satisfactory results.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1349-1354
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• 2013

Twenty two new 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) derivatives, 2-butoxy-4-substituted 5-fluoropyrimidines, were synthesized and characterized by IR, $^1H$ NMR, MS, HRMS. All compounds were preliminarily evaluated by MTT assay on human liver BEL-7402 cancer cell line in vitro. Ten compounds were selected to test their cytotoxic activity against A549, HL-60 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines in vitro. These compounds were more sensitive to BEL-7402 than other cell lines, particularly, cytotoxic activity of compounds 6b, 6d-f, 6p, 6s-u were in sub-micromolar scale. The highest cytotoxic potency against A549, HL-60 and MCF-7 was shown by 2-butoxy-4-chloro-5-fluoropyrimidine (5) with $IC_{50}$ values of 0.10, 1.66 and $0.59{\mu}M$, respectively. Compounds 6d and 6e were effective against MCF-7 with $IC_{50}$ $9.73{\mu}M$ and HL-60 with $IC_{50}$ $8.83{\mu}M$, respectively.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2013

The study examined the effect of urbanization on the water quality of Nwaorie and Otamiri Rivers in Owerri metropolis, Imo State, South-East Nigeria. Water samples were collected from Nwaorie and Otamiri Rivers from four sampling stations up and down stream. Water parameters analyzed using standard procedures were: color, turbidity, temperature, pH, total hardness, total solids, metals (Iron and magnesium), anions (nitrate and ammonia) and Fecal coliform. Results showed increased levels of coloration, iron, ammonia, turbidity and fecal coliform which exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits for drinking water. Increase in these parameters indicated influx of industrial effluent from the nearby industries and indiscriminate disposal of wastes at the bank of the rivers. Application of ANOVA showed various degree of variation in pollutants levels between the two rivers and at different sampling points. River Nwaorie was observed to be more impacted than River Otamiri. High values of iron observed from the study could be deleterious to human health if the river water is consumed without treatment. The study, therefore, recommended proper waste management and disposal as well as effluent treatments in Owerri municipal against pollution of surface water.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2009

Reactive oxygen species play a role in signal transduction and in many human diseases. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) plays a role for mature B cell generation and maintenance and for the incidence of autoimmune diseases. We previously reported that BAFF expression was induced by ROS. In this study, we investigated whether ROS-induced BAFF expression was affected by toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 or myeloid differentiation primary response gene (MyD) 88. BAFF expression was increased by serum deprivation that is an experimental modification to produce ROS. In contrast, TLR4 and MyD88 were decreased by serum deprivation. Although ROS production was decreased in TLR4-nonfunctional or MyD88-deficient splenocytes as compared to that in control mice, serum deprivation increased ROS production and augmented BAFF expression in both cells. $50{\mu}M\;H_2O_2$ also increased BAFF expression in TLR4-deficient or MyD88-deficient splenocytes. Collectively, results show that BAFF expression may be mediated by TLR4 or MyD88-independent manner and TLR4 or MyD88 may not be required in BAFF expression.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.74-92
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• 2005

The high resolution solution structure of MCP-3 was determined using multinuclear, multidimensional NMR spectroscopy with an expressed and $^{13}C-\;and\;^{15}N-labeled$ protein. The MCP-3 has a typical chemokine fold including 3 anti-parallel $\beta-sheets$, and a C-terminal helix, but it exists as a monomer in solution under the conditions where the structure was determined (2 mM, pH 5.1 at $30^{\circ}C$). Based on the structure and the amino acid sequence compared to other chemokines we propose that Ile20 and Leu25 in MCP-3 play key roles in the formation of N-loop (residues between the $2^{nd}$ cysteine and the I sheet) which has been implicated as a determinant of chemokine specificity. Additional receptor binding surface is supplied by the 40s loop (residues between the 2 and the 3 sheet) and the binding interface of the acidic N-terminal region of chemokine receptor to MCP-3 would resemble the dimerization interface of CC type dimer.