• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.528-534
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• 2005

Angiogenesis is important for the growth and metastasis of solid tumors. Some growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, and angiogenin are known to promote tumor angiogenesis. Among them, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most intriguing factor in regard to tumor angiogenesis. Inhibition of VEGF activity by neutralizing antibodies or by the introduction of dominant negative VEGF receptors into endothelial cells of tumor-associated blood vessels resulted in the inhibition of tumor growth and in tumor regression, indicating that VEGF is a major initiator of tumor angiogenesis. VEGF promotes angiogenesis through their receptors, Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR. on vascular endothelial cells. These two receptors were usually believed to be expressed specifically on vascular endothelial cell. Several reports have now shown that VEGF is not only significantly associated with microvessel density but also has prognostic value in both node-negative and node-positive oral squamous cell carcinoma. For many years several histologic features of the neoplasms are being considered when assessing the influence of malignancy grading on recurrence and prognosis. Among the characteristics investigated, degree of keratinization, nuclear pleomorphism, mode of invasion, microscopic depth of invasion, intravascular invasion, lymphocyte infiltration, and number of mitoses have been considered as important prognostic factors. So, this study was conducted to evaluate the correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression with malignancy in paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens from 11 patients with tongue cancers. Our results showed that high immunoreactivity specimens of VEGF expression were significantly lower keratinization degree and more pronounced nuclear pleomorphism than in low immunoreactivity specimens. Thus, VEGF expression could be used as a prognostic marker in tongue cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.1165-1176
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• 2019

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), produced by Clostridium botulinum, are the most toxic substances known. However, the number of currently approved medical countermeasures for these toxins is very limited. Therefore, studies on therapeutic antitoxins are essential to prepare for toxin-related emergencies. Currently, more than 10,000 Halla horses, a crossbreed between the native Jeju and Thoroughbred horses, are being raised in Jeju Island of Korea. They can be used for equine antitoxin experiments and production of hyperimmune serum against BoNT/A1. Instead of the inactivated BoNT/A1 toxoid, Halla horse was immunized with the receptor-binding domain present in the C-terminus of heavy chain of BoNT/A1 (BoNT/A1-HCR) expressed in Escherichia coli. The anti-BoNT/A1-HCR antibody titer increased rapidly by week 4, and this level was maintained for several weeks after boosting immunization. Notably, $20{\mu}l$ of the week-24 BoNT/A1-HCR(-immunized) equine serum showed an in vitro neutralizing activity of over 8 international units (IU) of a reference equine antitoxin. Furthermore, $20{\mu}l$ of equine serum and $100{\mu}g$ of purified equine $F(ab^{\prime})_2$ showed 100% neutralization of 10,000 $LD_{50}$ in vivo. The results of this study shall contribute towards optimizing antitoxin production for BoNT/A1, which is essential for emergency preparedness and response.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.904-909
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• 2012

Acid sulfate soil (ASS) and potential acid sulfate soil (PASS) are distribution in worldwide and originate from sedimentary process, volcanic activity, or metamorphism and are problematic in agriculture and environmental due to their present and potential acidity developed by the oxidation. The PASS was defined as soil materials that had sulfidic layer more than 20 cm thick within 4 m of the soil profile and contained more than 0.15% of total-sulfur (T-S). A tentative interpretative soil classification system was proposed weak potential acid sulfate (T-S, 0.15-0.5%), moderate potential acid sulfate (T-S, 0.5-0.75%) and strong potential acid sulfate (T-S, more than 0.75%). PASS due to excess of pyrite over soil neutralizing capacity are formed. It provides no information on the kinetic rates of acid generation or neutralization; therefore, the test procedures used in acid base account (ABA) are referred to as static procedures. The net acid generation (NAG) test is a direct method to measure the ability of the sample to produce acid through sulfide oxidation and also provides and indication. The NAG test can evaluated easily whether the soils is PASS. The samples are mixed sandy loam and the PAS from the hydrothermal altered andesite (1:3, 1:8, 1:16, 1:20, 1:40, 1:80 and 1:200 ratios) in this study. We could find out that the NAG pH of the soil containing 0.75% of T-S was 2.5, and that of the soil has 0.15% of T-S was 3.8. NAG pH test can be proposed as soil classification criteria for the potential acid sulfate soils. The strong type has NAG pH of 2.5, the moderate one has NAG pH of 3.0, and the weak one has NAG pH of 3.5.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.439-445
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• 2006

Purpose : ${\alpha}$-Galactosylceramide (${\alpha}$-GalCer)-stimulated human $V{\alpha}24$ natural killer T (NKT) cells exert antitumor activity against some leukemia in a CD1d dependent and TCR-mediated manner, but could not kill CD1d - negative neuroblastoma (NB) cells. There are few reports about the direct antitumor effect of highly secreted cytokines by these cells on activation. In this study, using a cell-free supernatant (SPN) collected from plate bound hCD1d/${\alpha}$ GalCer tetramers-stimulated NKT cells, we examined whether they could be helpful in the immunotherapeutic treatment of NB. Methods : Cells were cultured in IMDM. The cytokines produced by NKT cells were measured with Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) analysis. Cell viability was evaluated by calcein-AM fluorescence with digital image microscopy scanning (DIMSCAN). The percentage of specific apoptosis was calculated by flow cytometric detection of apoptosis using annexin V and 7-AAD. Results : The activated NKT cells secreted high levels of IL-2, INF-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$. The SPN was significantly cytotoxic against four out of eight tested NB cell lines, through mainly apoptosis as evidenced by annexin-V staining and inhibition with the pretreatment of pancaspase blocker. This apoptosis was significantly inhibited when anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ and anti-IFN-${\gamma}$ neutralizing mAbs were used separately and it was completely abolished when the two mAbs were combined. Conclusion : IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ produced by NKT cells could exert synergistically direct antitumor activity through apoptosis on some NB cell lines.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2013

Rheum tanguticum has long been used in oriental medicine as antipyretics, analgesics, anti-inflammation, aperient, hypertension medicine and medicine for skin disease. This study has investigated the effectiveness of defense for gastritis making use of Rheum tanguticum and its similar plants, Rumex cripus, Rheum officinale, Rhem palmatum and Rheum undulatum. Chysophanol, chrysophanol-8-O-glc, Desoxyrhaponticin desoxyrhaponti-genin, emodin, isorhaponticin, 2-methoxy-4-hydroxyanthraquinone-5-O-glc, physcion, pirace-tannol-3'-O-glc, resveratrol, rhaponticin and rhapontigenin are used as the components of Rheum tanguticum. In HCl ethanol-induced gastritis in rat, the most effective extract was 70 percent ethanol which is of Rheum tanguticum, showing the inhibition of 91.8 percent to the gastric lesions. 70% ethanol extract of Rhem palmatum and Rumex cripus shown inhibition of 75.6 percent and 73.2 percent, respectively. This effectiveness is considered as acid-neutralizing capacity, anti-H.pylori and anti-oxidant activity. 70% ethanol extract of Rheum tanguticum and its component, piracetannol-3'-O-glc exhibited higher free radical scavenging activity than others. These results suggest that Rheum species extracts and their active components could be utilized for the treatment of gastritis. Furthermore, these results are expected to contribute the standardization with objectivity and reliability for Rheum species, medicinal herbs. In addition, it can contribute to the prevention of indiscriminate distribution of imitation, and the rising rate of dependence on imports of medicinal herbs, and mixing prevention of low-quality goods.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 2006

In the present study toxicity and immunostimulating activity of the lectin(KML-C), which was extracted from Korean mistletoe(Viscum album coloratum) were investigated in swine. To determine the toxicity, lectin was injected into thigh or cervical muscles of 4-week-old piglets(Landrace) and observed clinically and pathologically. For determination of the immnunostimulating activity, lectin($0.7{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight)-adjuvanted vaccine of Aujeszky's disease virus(ADV)(NYJ1-87) which was inactivated by 0.2% formalin was injected into the cervical muscle of antibody-negative piglets in the same age group. Subpopulation of the immune cells and serum neutralizing(SN) antibodies in the piglets were examined after vaccination, and resistance of the piglets against challenge by virulent NYJ1-87 was further examined. The results were also compared with those from piglets injected with aluminum hydroxide [$Al(OH)_3$]-adjuvanted vaccine of inactivated NYJ1-87 and NYJ1-87 vaccine without adjuvant, and the results are as follows. By injection of lectin with $30{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight to the thigh muscle, all of 12 piglets died after signs such as dyspnea, fever, systemic erythema and subcutaneous hemorrhages, and lesions pertaining to poisonous hepatitis and dysfunction of kidney were observed. By injection of lectin with $7{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight to the thigh muscle, all of 12 piglets showed signs such as edema and cutaneous hemorrhage in the injected area, lameness and depression, and lesions pertaining to poisonous hepatitis and dysfunction of kidney were observed. By injection of lectin with 1, 3 and $5{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight to the thigh muscle of each one piglet, signs such as congestion, induration and grayish coloration in the injected area, depression and inappetence were observed in all piglets. Toxic changes were also observed in the liver and kidney of piglets by lectin of 3 and $5{\mu}g$. By injection of lectin with 0.5 and $0.7{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight to the cervical muscle of each 9 piglets, all piglets were clinically normal and there were no significant changes in blood counts and chemistry values. Whereas, epithelial swelling and vacuolation of convoluted tubules were observed from one piglet injected with lectin of $0.7{\mu}g$, and necrosis and fibrosis of muscular fiber were observed in the muscle of one piglet injected with lectin of $0.5{\mu}g$. Only population of sIgM+ B lymphocytes increased among immune cells in all of 15 piglets immunized with lectin($0.7{\mu}g/kg$ of body weight)-adjuvanted vaccine, while compared to those in $Al(OH)_3$-adjuvanted vaccine and vaccine without adjuvant. No additional stimulation to the immune cells was recognized when lectin was added to $Al(OH)_3$-adjuvanted vaccine. In piglets immunized with lectin-adjuvanted vaccine, SN titers in reciprocal values for loge were 1.3-4.0 at 1-4 weeks after vaccination, which was similar to those with 1.0-3.3 by vaccine without adjuvant but lower than those with 2.0-5.7 by $Al(OH)_3$-adjuvanted vaccine. Also, no additional increase in the SN titers was recognized when lectin was added to $Al(OH)_3$-adjuvanted vaccine. Piglets immunized with lectin-adjuvanted vaccine were resistant to challenge by the virulent NYJ1-87 at 4 weeks after vaccination, and the SN titers reached to 5.0 one week after challenge, which was higher than those with 4.0 by vaccine without adjuvant but somewhat lower than those with 7.7 by $Al(OH)_3$-adjuvanted vaccine.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.919-928
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• 2022

As seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpected emergence of new viruses presents serious concern on public health. Especially, the absence of effective vaccines or antiviral drugs against emerging viruses significantly increases the severity of disease and duration of viral circulation among population. Natural products have served as a major source for safe and effective antiviral drugs. In this study, we examined the virucidal activity of medical herb extracts with a view to discover novel antiviral agents with desired levels of safety and antiviral efficacy. Ethanol extracts of ten selected medical herbs were tested for antioxidant activity and in-vitro cytotoxicity in various animal cell lines. Of note, the herbal extracts showed broad and potent virucidal activities against rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and influenza A virus. The extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis showed strong virucidal activities against influenza A virus. We also examined whether the extracts of Sorbus commixta and Glycyrrhiza uralensis can be used as inactivating agents to prepare an inactivated viral vaccine. In a mouse model, influenza A virus inactivated by the extracts elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies, and the vaccination provided complete protection against lethal challenge. These results suggest that herb-derived natural products can be developed to antiviral drugs as well as inactivating agents for preparation of inactivated viral vaccines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.682-689
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• 2013

This study determined the effects of cabbage juice and cabbage-mixed juices on the growth of AGS human gastric cancer cells and their anti-gastritic effects on HCl-ethanol induced gastritis in SD rats. Cabbage juice showed the highest growth inhibition on AGS gastric cancer cells in vitro (42%), compared with chlorella (20%) and kale juice (21%). However, cabbage-chlorella and cabbage-kale juice mixtures (at a 7:3 ratio) showed synergistic effects (57% and 65% inhibitory effects, respectively) on the gastric cancer cells. Inflammatory genes (iNOS, COX-2, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$) were significantly down-regulated in the mixed juices. Tests of DPPH radical scavenging activity and acid-neutralizing capacity with the mixed juices also showed this trend, as cabbage-chlorella and cabbage-kale mixed juices showed synergistic effects compared to cabbage juice alone. The inhibition rate of acute gastritis induced by HCl-ethanol in rats was 46% with high amounts of cabbage (CH; 800 mg/kg), 71% with high amounts of cabbage and chlorella (CChH; 800 mg/kg), 74% with high amounts of cabbage and kale (CKH; 800 mg/kg), and 75% with cimetidine (positive control) compared with the control. In addition, rates with CChH and CKH showed decreasing gastric secretions with increasing pH. These results show that cabbage juice and cabbage-mixed juices, especially with chlorella or kale, exhibit remarkable anti-gastritic effects and can be administered for a long period for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer and gastritis.