• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.72.1-72
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• 2003

Generally, plants defend themselves against pathogens by structural and biochemical reactions. Defense structures act as physical barriers and inhibit the pathogen from gaining entrance and spreading through the plant. Xanthomonas axonopodis pv glycines, the causal pathogen of bacterial pustule of soybean, causes hypersensitive response (HR). When pepper fruits were inoculated with X. axonopodis pv. glycines, in situ, time-series defense-related structural changes occurred in the inoculated sites. Early responses were programmed cell death (PCD), characterized by condensation and vacuolization of the cytoplasm, condensation of nuclear materials, and fragmentation of the nuclear DNA, which were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Nuclear fragmentation was proven by TUNEL method under confocal laser scanning microscopy and DNA laddering through eletrophoresis. At later stages, plant responses were cell elongation and cell division, forming a periderm-like boundary layer that demarcated healthy tissues from the inoculation sites. Using several stains such as toluidine blue, sudan IV, annexin V, and phloroglucinol-HCl, defense-related materials and structural changes were also examined.

• ALGAE
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.239-248
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• 2009

Fluorescence and electron microscopy were used to examine epidermal shedding in the fucoid alga, Ascophyllum nodosum. Mature meristoderm cells are ca. 50-100 x 30-40 ${\mu}m$ and highly polarized, with a single nucleus and chloroplasts near the base of the cell. Nuclei in these cells undergo mitosis when they are dividing to form a new cortical cell towards the middle of the frond, or anticlinal divisions as part of frond elongation. However, cytokinesis also occurs regularly in these cells when a new periclinal wall is deposited at about 30% of the cell length from the apical end. The newly formed distal cells are anucleate and without chloroplasts. Following cytokinesis the tangential walls then break at the thinnest point. The whole process is synchronous in adjoining epidermal cells across large areas of the frond surface, and this layer dehisces from the thallus. This is the only known plant or algal system in which cytokinesis regularly occurs in the absence of mitosis. We consider this process a novel form of programmed cell death.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.341-345
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• 2009

Cerebral ischemia results from a transient or permanent reduction in cerebral blood flow that decreases oxygen and glucose supply. When the cellular oxygen supply is reduced to critical level, damage to cells and induction of cell death are occurred by excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation. Ischemia remains one of the leading causes of death, but there is no effective treatment that might protect neurons gainst ischemia by interrupting the cascade of cell death. In this study, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells are exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reoxgenation. OGD can mimic the acute restriction of metabolite and oxygen supply caused by ischemia and is widely used as a model of ischemic conditions. SH-SY5Y cells are treated samples at the commencement of OGD to achieve different final concentrations, and cell viabilities were quantified using the measurement of flow cytometry analysis. Of those tested, the extracts of Polygala tenuifolia (roots), Dictamnus dasycarpus (barks), Polygala tenuifolia (roots), Eucommia ulmoides (branches), Eucommia ulmoides (barks), Poria cocos (whole), Sophora flavescens (roots) showed neuroprotective effects, with $EC_{50}$ values of $4.5{\pm}0.6$, $7.9{\pm}1.5$, $10.5{\pm}0.7$, $18.4{\pm}1.9$, $19.6{\pm}0.3$, $21.6{\pm}1.9$, and $30.7{\pm}3.9{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress plays a key role in neuronal cell damage, which is associated with neurodegenerative disease. The aim of present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of perilla oil (PO) and its active component, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), against hydrogen peroxide $(H_2O_2)$-induced oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: The SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells exposed to $250{\mu}M$ $H_2O_2$ for 24 h were treated with different concentrations of PO (25, 125, 250 and $500{\mu}g/mL$) and its major fatty acid, ALA (1, 2.5, 5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$). We examined the effects of PO and ALA on $H_2O_2$-induced cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and nuclear condensation. Moreover, we determined whether PO and ALA regulated the apoptosis-related protein expressions, such as cleaved-poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), cleaved caspase-9 and -3, BCL-2 and BAX. RESULTS: Treatment of $H_2O_2$ resulted in decreased cell viability, increased LDH release, and increase in the nuclei condensation as indicated by Hoechst 33342 staining. However, PO and ALA treatment significantly attenuated the neuronal cell death, indicating that PO and ALA potently blocked the $H_2O_2$-induced neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, cleaved-PARP, cleaved caspase-9 and -3 activations were significantly decreased in the presence of PO and ALA, and the $H_2O_2$-induced up-regulated BAX/BCL-2 ratio was blocked after treatment with PO and ALA. CONCLUSIONS: PO and its main fatty acid, ALA, exerted the protective activity from neuronal oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$. They regulated apoptotic pathway in neuronal cell death by alleviation of BAX/BCL-2 ratio, and down-regulation of cleaved-PARP and cleaved caspase-9 and -3. Although further studies are required to verify the protective mechanisms of PO and ALA from neuronal damage, PO and ALA are the promising agent against oxidative stress-induced apoptotic neuronal cell death.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.171-174
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• 2007

Neuronal death is a common characteristic hallmark of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, there have been no effective drugs to successfully prevent neuronal death in those diseases, whereas oriental medicinal plants have to possess valuable therapeutic potentials to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, in an attempt to provide neuroprotective agents from natural plants, 80% methanol extracts of a wide range of medicinal plants, which are native to Jeju Island in Korea, were prepared and their protective effects on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death were examined. Among those tested, extracts from Smilax china and Saururus chinesis significantly decreased hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death. The extracts attenuated hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$)-induced caspase-3 activation in a dose-dependent manner. Further, plant extracts restored $H_2O_2$-induced depletion of intracellular glutathione, a major endogenous antioxidant. The data suggest that Jeju native medicinal plants could potentially be used as therapeutic agents for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases in which oxidative stress is implicated.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1395-1400
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• 2024

The antimicrobial activity of the natural compounds from plant and food have well discovered since the interest on the beneficial effect of the natural compounds was risen. Quercetin, a flavonoid derived from vegetables, including onions, red leaf lettuces and cherries has been studied for diverse biological characteristics as anti-cancer and anti-microbial activities. The aim of current study is to investigate the specific antibacterial modes of action of quercetin against Escherichia coli. Quercetin decreased the E. coli cell viability and induced the severe damages (oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation) leading to cell death. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was observed during the process, which we confirmed that oxidative stress was the key action of antibacterial activity of quercetin exerting its influence potently. Based on the results of Annexin V and Caspace FITC-VAD-FMK assay, the oxidative damage in E. coli has led to the bacterial apoptosis-like death in E. coli. To sum up, the contribution of ROS generation exerts crucial impact in antibacterial activity of quercetin.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.552-555
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• 2009

This study investigated the proapoptotic effect of ethanol extracts obtained from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells. Cells were treated with dandelion flowers ethanol extract (DFE) ranging from 1.5625 to $100{\mu}g/mL$ for 24 hr. Significant antiproliferative effects of DFE were first observed from at $6.25{\mu}g/mL$ (p<0.05), and this inhibition showed in a dose-dependent manner. When cells were treated with more than $6.25{\mu}g/mL$ DFE, cell-cycle analysis showed that DFE caused an increase in the percentage of sub-G0/G1 cells and arrested at the S and G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, apoptosis induction by DFE involved p53 activation and bax upregulation as well as downregulation of bcl-2. Our findings indicate that DFE resulted in apoptotic cell death, suggesting that DFE possesses potential anticancer properties.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-66
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• 2008

Aconiti Tuber is a traditional medicinal plant generally used in Oriental medicine therapy. In this study, we investigated the biochemical mechanisms of anti-proliferative effects by the methanol extract of Aconiti tuber (MEBJ) in Caki-1 human renal cell carcinoma cells. It was found that MEBJ could inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, cell growth which was associated with apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation and increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase. Apoptosis of Caki-1 cells by MEBJ was associated with an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression, and a down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner; however, the levels of IAP family were not affected. MEBJ treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and -8, and a inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and $PLC{\gamma}1$ protein. Furthermore, MEBJ treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2). Though further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of MEBJ, the present findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the apoptotic activity of MEBJ in cancer cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.217-227
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• 2019

Production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using a plant platform has been considered an alternative to the mammalian cell-based production system. A plant-derived mAb CO17-1AK ($mAb^P$ COK) can specifically bind to various types of cancer cell lines. The target protein of $mAb^P$ COK is the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) highly expressed in human epithelial cancer cells, including breast and colorectal cancer cells. It has been hypothesized that its overexpression supports tumor growth and metastasis. A ganglioside is extended well beyond the surfaces of the various cell membranes and has roles in cell growth, inflammation, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. However, the regulation of EpCAM gene expression in breast cancers and the role of gangliosides in oncogenesis are unclear. Here, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of $mAb^P$ COK on human breast cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and ganglioside expression patterns. Our results show that treatment with $mAb^P$ COK suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells and induced apoptotic cell death. It also upregulated the expression of metastasis-related gangliosides in breast cancer cells. Thus, treatment with $mAb^P$ COK may have chemo-preventive therapeutic effects against human breast cancer.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 2008

The fungal genus Alternaria is comprised of many saprophytic and endophytic species, but is most well known as containing many notoriously destructive plant pathogens. There are over 4,000 Alternaria/host associations recorded in the USDA Fungal Host Index ranking the genus 10th among nearly 2,000 fungal genera based on the total number of host records. While few Alternaria species appear to have a sexual stage to their life cycles, the majority lack sexuality altogether. Many pathogenic species of Alternaria are prolific toxin producers, which facilitates their necrotrophic lifestyle. Necrotrophs must kill host cells prior to colonization, and thus these toxins are secreted to facilitate host cell death often by triggering genetically programmed apoptotic pathways or by directly causing cell damage resulting in necrosis. While many species of Alternaria produce toxins with rather broad host ranges, a closely-related group of agronomically important Alternaria species produce selective toxins with a very narrow range often to the cultivar level. Genes that code for and direct the biosynthesis of these host-specific toxins for the Alternaria alternata sensu lato lineages are often contained on small, mostly conditionally dispensable, chromosomes. Besides the role of toxins in Alternaria pathogenesis, relatively few genes and/or gene products have been identified that contribute to or are required for pathogenicity. Recently, the completion of the A. brassicicola genome sequencing project has facilitated the examination of a substantial subset of genes for their role in pathogenicity. In this review, we will highlight the role of toxins in Alternaria pathogenesis and the use of A. brassicicola as a model representative for basic virulence studies for the genus as a whole. The current status of these research efforts will be discussed.