• Kyungpook Mathematical Journal
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.519-526
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• 2005

In this paper, we prove that every exchange ring can be characterized by potent elements. Also we extend [10, Theorem 3.1 and Theorem 4.1] to quasi-clean rings in which every element is a sum of a potent element and a unit.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.367-372
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• 2008

Cellular protection against carcinogens could be achieved by the induction of phase 2 detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO1). Nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) binds to antioxidant response element (ARE) in the promoter region of these genes and the resulting transactivation occurs. In the present study the effect of gujeolcho (Chrysanthemum zawadskii) roots on the Nrf2-ARE pathway were investigated. C. zawadskii root extract was fractionated with a series of organic solvents and their ability to induce Nrf2-ARE pathway was examined. We separated the most potent dichloromethane (DCM) fraction into 12 sub-fractions and found several sub-fractions with strong effects on the Nrf2-ARE pathway. Fraction 4 strongly induced the ARE-reporter gene activity as well as Nrf2 expression. Sitosterol was isolated as a major compound in fraction 4 although its activity was not as potent as its mother fraction. These results indicate that C. zawadskii roots might be used as a potential natural chemopreventive source.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2009

Post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA stability by Hu proteins is an important mechanism for tumorigenesis. We focused on the molecular interactions between the HuC protein and AU-rich elements (AREs) to find chemical inhibitors of RNA-protein interactions using RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay with non-radioactive probes. Screening of 52 natural compounds identified 14 candidate compounds that displayed potent inhibitory activity. Six (quercetin, myricetin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, ellagic acid, (-)-epicatechin gallate, and rhamnetin) were categorized as phytochemicals, and their $IC_{50}$ values were low ($0.2-1.8\;{\mu}M$).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.41-43
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• 1991

For the purpose of survey of the antibacterial activity against a cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176 with the introduction of hydroxyl and allyl groups to o-phenylphenol (Fig. 2, 1), 4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol (2), and 3,6-diallyl-4-hydroxy-o-phenylphenol (4) were synthesized, sucessively. The synthesized compounds, 2 and 4 showed more potent antibacterial activity than the starting material, 1. The hydroxyl group was supposed to the essential element for the antibacterial activity and the introduction of allyl group to phenolic ring to be another element to increase the activity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2020

Objectives: Oleanolic acid, a minor element of ginsenosides, and its derivatives have been shown to have cytotoxicity against some tumor cells. The impact of cytotoxic effect of oleanolic acid 3-acetate on ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells and endometrial cancer HEC-1A cells were examined both in vivo and in vitro to explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Cytotoxic effects of oleanolic acid 3-acetate were assessed by cell viability, phosphatidylserine exposure on the cell surface, mitochondrial release of cytochrome C, nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor, depolarization of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (∆Ψ_m), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In vivo inhibition of tumor growth was also assessed with xenografts in immunocompromised mice. Results: Oleanolic acid 3-acetate exhibited potent cytotoxicity toward SKOV3 and HEC-1A cells by decreasing cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Importantly, oleanolic acid 3-acetate effectively suppressed the growth of SKOV3 cell tumor xenografts in immunocompromised mice. Furthermore, oleanolic acid 3-acetate induced apoptotic cell death as revealed by loss of ∆Ψ_m, release of cytochrome c, and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor with a concomitant activation of many proapoptotic cellular components including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, Bcl-2, and caspases-8, caspase-3, and caspase-7. Oleanolic acid 3-acetate, however, caused a decrease in ROS production, suggesting the involvement of an ROS-independent pathway in oleanolic acid 3-acetate-induced apoptosis in SKOV3 and HEC-1A cells. Conclusion: These findings support the notion that oleanolic acid 3-acetate could be used as a potent anticancer supplementary agent against ovarian and endometrial cancer. Oleanolic acid 3-acetate exerts its proapoptotic effects through a rather unique molecular mechanism that involves an unconventional ROS-independent but mitochondria-mediated pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.565-571
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• 1998

The expression of the endogenous human apolipoprotein(apo)E gene was significantly induced when HepG2 cells were treated with exogenous 25-hydroxy-cholesterol. This sterol-mediated apoE gene upregulation appears to require the participation of a positive element for the apoE gene transcription (PET) ( -169/ -140), a core sequence of upstream regulatory element (URE)1 enhancer of the human apoE gene. This PET was renamed as sterol regulatory element (SRE)4 based on its new role as a sensor for the level of intracellular sterol. Furthermore, a gel mobility shift analysis showed that binding activity of the SRE4 binding protein (BP) obtained from HepG2 cells was induced by sterol treatment, while that from either MCF7 or BT20 cells remained unchanged. Binding activity of SRE4BP was also induced in mouse macrophage cells, J774A.1, by sterol treatment, but it was drastically reduced when cells were subjected to treatment of AY-9944, a potent inhibitor for sterol synthesis. However, binding activity of Spl, which is a co-binding protein to the SRE4 region, remained the same in either condition, suggesting that SRE4BP (formally known as PETBP) may be mainly responsible for the sterol-mediated regulation of the apoE gene expression. Deletion analysis of the core binding site of SRE4BP by gel mobility shift assays showed that the minimal sequence of the SRE4BP binding appears to reside between -157 and -140, confirming the identity of SRE4 with the previously determined core sequence of URE1.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.249-252
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• 2005

The mammalian unfolded protein response (UPR) protects the cell. against the stress of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It has recently demonstrated that IRE1, PERK, ATF6, and X-box protein 1 (XBP-l) directly or indirectly participate in this process. Upon accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the ER lumen, release of BiP from Ire1p permits dimerization and autophosphorylation to activate its kinase and endoribonulease activities to initiate XBP-1 mRNA splicing. Spliced XBP-1 mRNA removed middle part of 23 bp and encodes a potent transcription factor, XBP-l protein that binds to the unfolded protein response element (UPRE) or endoplasmic reticulum stress element (ERSE) sequence of many UPR target genes and produces several kind of ER chaperones. In this study, we described both the result and the detailed experimental procedures of XBP-1 mRNA splicing induced by ER stress, this result might help to elucidate the roles of the UPR and early diagnosis in a number of human diseases involving endoplasmic reticulum storage disease (ERSD).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.79-79
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• 2001

Genotoxic chemotherapeutics are irreversible DNA targeting agents, which can act as anticancer and antiviral drugs. Natural antibacterial and anticancer enediynes function through the formation of free radicals formed by Bergman-type cycloaromatization and being capable of cleavage of DNA strand. They have been focused primarily on the design and syntheses of simple enediyne structures, which can be mimic their mechanistic feature. Recently. I have been reported the possible application of 4'-bromoacetophenone as a simple photoactivatable DNA cleaving agent, which could be readily prepared and exhibit potent and selective DNA cleaving activity. Herein, we further investigated the activity of 4'-bromoacetophenone-pyrrolecarboxamides, which consist of both DNA cleaving element and recognition unit under various conditions in order to get more understanding of the mechanism of the action and find a broad spectrum of application.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.41-49
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• 2008

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate Daesiho-tang(Dachaihu-tang) water extracts (DSTE) have potent anti-obesity activities in a high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model. Methods : In this study, we designed three groups (normal diet group, high-fat diet group, high-fat diet plus DSTE group for 7-weeks oral administration). Results : Increases in body weight were inhibited by 7-weeks oral administration of DSTE at a 500 mg/kg concentration in this animal model. Results from blood lipid analysis showed that the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were significantly lowered by DSTE administration, also HDL-cholesterol was increased more than high-fat diet-induced obese mouse. To understand the underlying mechanism at the molecular level, the effects of DSTE were examined on the expression of the genes involved in lipogenesis by real-time PCR. In epididymal fat and liver of DSTE-treated mice, the mRNA level of lipogenic genes such as sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthase were decreased, which was well correlated with the reduction of the tissues weight. Conclusions : These results suggest that DSTE may have great potential as a novel anti-obesity agent.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 2002

Background: Although Tat plays a role as a potent transactivator in the viral gene expression from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 long terminal repeat (HIV-1 LTR), it does not function efficiently in rodent cells implying the absence of a human specific factor essential for Tat-medicated transactivation in rodent cells. In previous experiments, we demonstrated that one of chimeric forms of TAR (transacting responsive element) of HIV-1 LTR compensated the restriction in rodent cells. Methods: To characterize the nature of the compensation, we tested the effects of several upstream binding factors of HIV-1 LTR by simple substitution, and also examined the role of the configuration of the upstream binding factor(s) indirectly by constructing spacing mutants that contained insertions between Sp1 and TATA box on Tat-mediated transactivation. Results: Human Sp1 had no effect whereas its associated factors displayed differential effects in human and rodent cells. In addition, none of the spacing mutants tested overcame the restriction in rodent cells. Rather, when the secondary structure of the chimeric HIV-1 TAR construct was destroyed, the compensation in rodent cells was disappeared. Interestingly, the proper interaction between Sp1 and TATA box binding proteins, which is essential for Tat-dependent transcription, was dispensable in rodent cells. Conclusion: This result suggests that the human-specific Tat cofactor acts to allow Tat to interact effectively in a ribonucleoprotein complex that includes Tat, cellular factors, and TAR RNA, rather than be associated with the HIV-1 LTR upstream DNA binding factors.