• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-187
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• 2009

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is one of common causes of acute lung injury (ALI). Early and accurate diagnosis of patients who are like to develop serious acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) would give a therapeutic advantage. Ferritin and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) are increased by oxidative stress and are potential candidates as a predictive biomarker of ARDS. However, the mechanisms responsible for the increases of ferritin and HO-1, and their relationship to ALI, are unclear. In order to elucidate the interactions between ferritin and HO-1, we studied the changes in ferritin and HO-1 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid after intestinal I/R injury in rats. Leukocyte number and protein contents in BAL fluid were elevated following I/R, and the increases were attenuated by mepacrine pretreatment. Both serum ferritin and HO-1 concentrations were progressively elevated throughout the 3 h observation period. Mepacrine pretreatment attenuated the increase of serum and BAL fluid ferritin concentrations, but did not suppress the increase of serum HO-1. Moreover, BAL fluid HO-1 levels did not change after I/R or after mepacrine pretreated I/R compared with sham rats. Unlike ferritin, HO-1 levels are not exactly matched with the ALI. Therefore, there might be a different mechanism between the changes of ferritin and HO-1 in intestinal I/R-induced ALI model.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.479-491
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• 2006

Heme oxygenase (HO), the rate limiting enzyme in the breakdown of heme into carbon monoxide (CO), iron and bilirubin, has recently received overwhelming research attention. To date three mammalian HO isozymes have been identified, and the only inducible form is HO-1 while HO-2 and HO-3 are constitutively expressed. Advances in unveiling signal transduction network indicate that a battery of redox-sensitive transcription factors, such as activator protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) and nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), and their upstream kinases including mitogen-activated protein kinases play an important regulatory role in HO-1 gene induction. The products of the HO-catalyzed reaction, particularly CO and biliverdin/bilirubin have been shown to exert protective effects in several organs against oxidative and other noxious stimuli. In this context, it is interesting to note that induction of HO-1 expression contributes to protection against liver damage induced by several chemical compounds such as acetaminophen, carbon tetrachloride and heavy metals, suggesting HO-1 induction as an important cellular endeavor for hepatoprotection. The focus of this review is on the significance of targeted induction of HO-1 as a potential therapeutic strategy to protect against chemically-induced liver injury as well as hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2014

The fruit of Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) is an important source of traditional Korean and Chinese medicines. In this study, NNMBS223, consisting of the ethanol extract of T. terrestris, showed potent anti-inflammatory activities in RAW264.7 macrophages. We investigated the effect of NNMBS223 in suppressing the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and production of iNOS-derived nitric oxide (NO), COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. In addition, NNMBS223 induced expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 through nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in macrophages. The effects of NNMBS223 on LPS-induced production of NO and PGE2 were partially reversed by the HO activity inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP). These findings suggest that Nrf2-dependent increases in expression of HO-1 induced by NNMBS223 conferred anti-inflammatory activities in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1310-1317
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• 2018

The stems of Dendrobium moniliforme have been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of fever and lack of body fluid in Korea. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of D. moniliforme stems (DM) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major constituent of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. DM inhibited LTA-induced expression of a pro-inflammatory mediator inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the murine macrophages. And DM induced expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) at the transcriptional level. Conversely, the knockdown of HO-1 expression by siRNA markedly reversed the inhibitory effects of DM on LTA-induced iNOS expression. We also demonstrated that nuclear translocation of Nrf2 was increased following treatment with DM. In addition, DM-mediated Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression were suppressed by PI3K/Akt and p38 inhibitors; treatment with DM also resulted in phosphorylation of Akt and p38. These results suggest that DM inhibits the expression of iNOS in LTA-stimulated macrophages, and that these effects are mediated by the upregulation of HO-1 expression via PI3K/Akt/p38-Nrf2 signaling.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2015

The cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) influences endothelial cell survival, proliferation, inflammatory response, and angiogenesis in response to various angiogenic stimuli. In this study, we investigate the involvement of HO-1 in the angiogenic activity of orexin-A. We showed that orexin-A stimulates expression and activity of HO-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, we showed that inhibition of HO-1 by tin (Sn) protoporphryin-IX (SnPP) reduced orexin- A-induced angiogenesis in vivo and ex vivo. Orexin-A-stimulated endothelial tube formation and chemotactic activity were also blocked in SnPP-treated vascular endothelial cells. Orexin-A treatment increased the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and antioxidant response element (ARE) luciferase activity, leading to induction of HO-1. Collectively, these findings indicate that HO-1 plays a role as an important mediator of orexin-A-induced angiogenesis, and provide new possibilities for therapeutic approaches in pathophysiological conditions associated with angiogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.190-195
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• 2010

Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and ischemia. Inducible heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts against oxidants that are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. NNMBS098, a composition comprising the water insoluble of the 70% EtOH extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma, showed the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamateinduced neurotoxicity by induced the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and increased HO activity in the mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Furthermore, NNMBS098 caused the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. In addition, we found that treatment with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) reduced NNMBS098-induced HO-1 expression and NNMBS098 also increased JNK phosphorylation. Therefore, these results suggest that NNMBS098 increases cellular resistance to glutamate-induced oxidative injury in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, presumably through JNK pathway-Nrf2-dependent HO-1 expression.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.293-294
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• 2018

Yangia sp. TSBP01, isolated from tidal flat sediment contaminated by the oil spill, is known to convert indole to indigo via an intermediate called indoxyl. Our analysis revealed that Yangia sp. TSBP01 contained the genome of 5,165,974 bp (G + C content: 66.5%) being composed of two chromosomes and five plasmids. This strain had genes encoding several oxygenases such as indole oxygenase directly involved in the conversion of indole to indoxyl.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.1334-1336
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• 2006

Effects of twenty-three aqueous herbal extracts used in oriental medicines on heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression were estimated in a mouse hippocampal cell line, HT22. HO-1 is one of the cytoprotective enzymes activated various stimuli, and Western blot analysis was used for evaluated HO-1 expression. Six aqueous extracts such as Rhei Rhizoma, Paeoniae Radix, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, Theae Folium, Prunellae Spica, and Coptidis Rhizoma significantly increased HO-1 expression in HT22 cells at the concentration of 300 ${\mu}$g/ml. In Addition, four aqueous extracts including Eucommiae Cortex, Moutan Cortex Radicis, Ginseng Radix Rubra, and Scutellariae Radix moderately increased HO-1 expression. These results would be usefulfor the isolation and identification of their neuroprotective principles.

• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.135-143
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• 2016

Background: Fraxetin (7,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxy coumarin), a coumarin derivative, has been reported to possess antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. A number of recent observations suggest that the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibits inflammation and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we determined the effect of fraxetin on HO-1 expression in HaCaT human keratinocytes and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Reverse transcriptase-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect HO-1 mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Cell viability was measured by the MTS test. The induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by fraxetin was evaluated by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate staining. Results: Fraxetin upregulated mRNA and protein expression of HO-1. Incubation with fraxetin induced the localization of nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in the nucleus and increased the antioxidant response element-reporter gene activity. Fraxetin also induced the phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase $(AMPK){\alpha}$ and diminished the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog, a negative regulator of Akt. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt and $AMPK{\alpha}$ abrogated fraxetin-induced expression of HO-1 and nuclear localization of Nrf2. Furthermore, fraxetin generated ROS in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions: Fraxetin induces HO-1 expression through activation of Akt/Nrf2 or $AMPK{\alpha}/Nrf2$ pathway in HaCaT cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2019

Ecklonia cava, an edible marine brown alga (Laminariaceae), is a rich source of bioactive compounds such as fucoidan and phlorotannins. Ecklonia cava extract (ECE) was prepared using 70% ethanol extraction and ECE contained 67% and 10.6% of total phlorotannins and dieckol, respectively. ECE treatment significantly inhibited receptor activator of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation of RAW 264.7 cells and pit formation in bone resorption assay (p <0.05). Moreover, it suppressed RANKL-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in a dose dependent manner. Downregulated osteoclast-specific gene (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, cathepsin K, and matrix metalloproteinase-9) expression and osteoclast proliferative transcriptional factors (nuclear factor of activated T cells-1 and c-fos) confirmed ECE-mediated suppression of osteoclastogenesis. ECE treatment ($100{\mu}g/ml$) increased heme oxygenase-1 expression by 2.5-fold and decreased intercellular reactive oxygen species production during osteoclastogenesis. The effective inhibition of RANKL-stimulated osteoclast differentiation and oxidative stress by ECE suggest that ECE has therapeutic potential in alleviating osteoclast-associated disorders.