• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 2023

Acne is one of the most common skin diseases, mainly occurring in adolescence. The pathophysiology of acne involves not only hormonal, genetic and environmental factors, but also other factors including hyperseborrhea, inflammation, over-keratinization of follicular keratinocytes and overgrowth of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes). Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to relieve pain, stress and inflammation. Moreover, cannabis extracts containing CBD have been reported to be effective in treating acne. However, the therapeutic effect of CBD on acne remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of CBD on lipogenesis in SEB-1 sebocytes. We treated sebocytes with CBD and found that it not only inhibited lipid synthesis, but also inhibited cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. We then demonstrated that sterol response element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) mediates the inhibitory effect of CBD on lipogenesis. Furthermore, Akt and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), upstream regulators of SREBP-1, were regulated by CBD treatment. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that CBD inhibits adipogenesis by regulating the Akt/AMPK-SREBP-1 signaling pathway, providing potential for use as a therapeutic agent for acne. Further research is needed to confirm the effect of CBD on inflammation caused by hyperkeratosis, which will increase the possibility of using CBD for acne treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.53-53
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• 2022

Modem agricultural production needs to provide sustainable management practices that are eco-friendly and low cost. Plant extracts are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic plant growth regulators. This study was therefore carried out to investigate the effects of various plant extracts produced using different extraction methods on the vegetative growth of rice under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. For this study, seventeen plant extracts were made from plant species such as leaves of M. arvense, C. asiatica, M. oleifera, V. radiata, V. unguiculate, P. guajava, A. vera, and A. tuberosum, aboveground plant parts of C. rotundus, M. sativa, and P. frutescens, roots of R. undulatum, tubers of A. sativum, leaves and stems of G. max (cv. Taegwang) as well as rice straw and hulls (cv. Hopyeong). As a test crop, we applied these extracts to rice plants. For the purpose of making our extracts, some plant materials and species were collected in fields and others were purchased from Chonnam Hanyaknonghyup Cooperation (South Korea). Leaves, roots, and aboveground plant parts of plant species were dried, ground, extracted (water, boiling water and ethanol) and fermented. Rice growth promotion effects were determined using plant extracts at 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1% concentrations under petri dish conditions. Seven selected plant extracts were applied to rice seeds with soil drench application or seedling at 3-4 leaf stages with soil and foliar applications under greenhouse conditions. For comparison with extracts, we used urea at 0.6%. Of the 17 water extracts used in this study, 10 extracts reduced rice growth, but the other 7 extracts (P. guajava, A. vera, A. tuberosum, M. sativa, A. sativum, and G. max) increased growth by 40-60% on compared to the control in Petri dish bioassay. Thus, these 7 extracts were selected for further study. Under greenhouse conditions, rice growth also increased by 20-40% when the same 7 extracts were applied to rice seeds using soil drench application. Furthermore, at the 3-4 leaf stage rice growth also increased 30-80% or 30-60% when the same 7 extracts were applied using soil and foliar applications. Overall, the 7 extracts produced higher rates of growth promotion when soil drench application was used than when foliar application was used. In the case of boiling water and ethanol extracts, rice growth increased only 20% in response to both soil drench and foliar application of the same 7 extracts. Rice growth promotion was greater when extracts were produced using water extraction method than boiling water and ethanol extraction methods. Most notably, the 7 water extracts used in this study produced higher rates of growth promotion than urea at 0.6% which is typically used for crop growth promotion. Overall, the 7 water extracts when applied using soil drenching method can be used as effective growth promotors of rice in organic agriculture.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2021.04a
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• pp.37-37
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• 2021

Calystegia soldanella L. is a perennial herbaceous halophyte belonging to the convolvulaceae family, which mainly grows in coastal sand dunes in Korea. Shoots and rhizomes are edible, and roots called 'Hyoseon Chogeun' are known to have medicinal effects such as antipyretic, sterilization, and diuretic. In addition, physiological activities of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and PTP-1B (protein tyrosine phosphate-1B) inhibition have been reported. In this study, in vitro induction cell lines of C. soldanella L. collected from the coastal sand dunes in Jeju island was redifferentiated into adventitious roots that can be used as medicinal resources. Also the biomass of mass-proliferated adventitious roots using a bioreactor were evaluated. Plants of C. soldanella L. were collected from the crevice of the seashore in the coastal area of Taeheung 2-ri, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si. Then, it was separated into leaves, stems, rhizomes, and roots, and surface sterilized with 70% ethyl alcohol and 2% NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite). After washing with sterilized water, each organ section was cultured in Hormone-free MS medium (Murashige & Skoog Medium). As a result, the induction response rates were evaluated at 85% and 55%, respectively, in terms of callus formation and shoot generation in the rhizome segment. In the case of the adventitious roots morphological characteristics induced by single-use treatment of auxin-based plant growth regulators IBA and NAA from redifferentiated shoots were compared. Most efficient adventitious root culture method as a rooting rate, number, length, and biomass proliferation in the bioreactor system was confirmed when treated by culturing in MS salts, Sucrose 30 g·L^-1, and IBA 1mg·L^-1 for 4 weeks. In this study, the medium composition and culture period were confirmed using a bioreactor system to mass-proliferate adventitious roots derived from C. soldanella L. in Jeju island. Also this adventitious root line developed a new medicinal material could increase value of the bio-industry ingredient through quantitative and qualitative screening of phyto-bioactive compounds.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1021-1030
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• 2024

Objective: R-loops are DNA:RNA triplex hybrids, and their metabolism is tightly regulated by transcriptional regulation, DNA damage response, and chromatin structure dynamics. R-loop homeostasis is dynamically regulated and closely associated with gene transcription in mouse zygotes. However, the factors responsible for regulating these dynamic changes in the R-loops of fertilized mouse eggs have not yet been investigated. This study examined the functions of candidate factors that interact with R-loops during zygotic gene activation. Methods: In this study, we used publicly available next-generation sequencing datasets, including low-input ribosome profiling analysis and polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq), to identify potential regulators of R-loop dynamics in zygotes. These datasets were downloaded, reanalyzed, and compared with mass spectrometry data to identify candidate factors involved in regulating R-loop dynamics. To validate the functions of these candidate factors, we treated mouse zygotes with chemical inhibitors using in vitro fertilization. Immunofluorescence with an anti-R-loop antibody was then performed to quantify changes in R-loop metabolism. Results: We identified DEAD-box-5 (DDX5) and histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) as candidates that potentially regulate R-loop metabolism in oocytes, zygotes and two-cell embryos based on change of their gene translation. Our analysis revealed that the DDX5 inhibition of activity led to decreased R-loop accumulation in pronuclei, indicating its involvement in regulating R-loop dynamics. However, the inhibition of histone deacetylase-2 activity did not significantly affect R-loop levels in pronuclei. Conclusion: These findings suggest that dynamic changes in R-loops during mouse zygote development are likely regulated by RNA helicases, particularly DDX5, in conjunction with transcriptional processes. Our study provides compelling evidence for the involvement of these factors in regulating R-loop dynamics during early embryonic development.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.418-425
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• 2024

Solid tumors are heterogeneous populations of multiple cell types. While the majority of the cells that comprise cancer are unable to divide, cancer stem cells have self-renewal and differentiation properties. Normal stem cell pathways that control self-renewal are overactivated in cancer stem cells, making cancer stem cells important for cancer cell expansion and progression. Dick first proposed the definition of cancer stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia, according to which cancer stem cells can be classified based on the expression of cell surface markers. Cancer stem cells maintain their potential in the tumor microenvironment. Multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment maintain quiescent cancer stem cells and serve as regulators of cancer growth. Since current cancer treatments target proliferative cells, quiescent state cancer stem cells that are resistant to treatment increase the risk of recurrence or metastasis. Various signals of the tumor microenvironment induce changes to become a tumor-supportive environment by remodeling the vasculature and extracellular matrix. To effectively treat cancer, cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment must be targeted. Therefore, it is important to understand how the tumor microenvironment induces reprogramming of the immune response to promote cancer growth, immune resistance, and metastasis. In this review, we discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms that can enhance immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1772-1776
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• 2010

Transcription factors Nrf2 and NF-${\kappa}B$ are important regulators of the innate immune response, and their cross-talks in inflammation have been reported. Previously, we demonstrated that gold(I)-compound auranofin, an inhibitor of NF-${\kappa}B$ signal, induced Nrf2 activation in human synovial cells and monocytic cells. To investigate whether the Nrf2 activation is involved in the mechanism of the auranofin-attenuated NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling, we examined the effects of Nrf2 knockdown on NF-${\kappa}B$ activation using rheumatic synovial cells. When the cells were transfected with a specific siRNA for Nrf2, the gene expression was perfectly blocked. However, the Nrf2 knockdown did not cancel the suppressive effect of auranofin on TNF-$\alpha$-induced $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ degradation. Treatment with a specific siRNA for HO-1, which is a target of Nrf2 and plays a role in anti-inflammation, also did not affect the blocking activity of auranofin on $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ degradation. In addition, auranofin-inhibited ICAM-1 expression was not restored by Nrf2 knockdown. These findings indicate that the activated Nrf2 and HO-1 are not associated with the suppressive action of auranofin on the pro-inflammatory cytokines-stimulated NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. This suggests that Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ signals, which are regulated by auranofin, participate in the anti-inflammatory action of auranofin via independent pathways in rheumatic synovial cells.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.47
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• pp.7-36
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• 2016

The security providers industry, often referred to as an industry with unconfined growth ceiling, has entered a remarkable mass-growth phase since the 1980. In the modern era, private-sector security increasingly cover functions relating to general security awareness (including counter-terrorism) in partnership with State bodies, and the scale of operations continue to accelerate, relative to the expanding roles. In the era of pluralisation of policing, there has been widening efforts pursued to develop a range of regulatory strategies internationally in order to manage such growth and development. To date, in South Korea, a diverse set of industry review studies have been conducted. However, the analyses have been conventionally confined to North America, Britain, Germany and Japan, while developments in other world regions remain unassessed. This article is intended to inform the drivers and determinants of regulatory reforms in Australia, and examine the effectiveness of the main pillars of licensing innovations. Over the past decades, the Australian regime has undergone a wave of reforms in response to emerging issues, and in recognition of the industry as a 'public good' due to underpopulation density and the resulting security challenges. The focus of review in this study was on providing a detailed review of the regulatory approach taken by Australia that has expanded police-private security co-operation since the 1980s. The emphasis was on examining the core pillars of risk management strategies and oversight practices progressed to date and evaluating areas of possible improvement in regulation relative to South Korea. Overall, this study has identified three key features of Australian regime: (1) close checks on questionable close associates (including fingerprinting), (2) power of inspection and seizure without search warrant, (3) the 'three strikes' scheme. The rise of the private security presence in day-to-day policing operations means that industry warrant some intervening government-sponsored initiative. The overall lessons learnt from the Australian case was taken into account in determining the following checks and balances that would provide the ideal setting for the best-practice arrangement: (1) regulatory measure should be evaluated against a set of well-defined indicators, such as the merits of different enforcement tools for each given risk, (2) information about regulatory impacts should be analysed by a specialist research institute, (3) regulators should be innovative in applying a range of strategies available to them by employing a mixture of compliance promotional strategies, and adjust the mix as required.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.93-110
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• 1990

The basic purpose behind the Korean government's policy toward the Korean deep sea fishing industry is to limit growth of the industry. Therefore, the regulations on the industry are generally restrictive and interventionist. The policy is intended to maintain high domestic fish prices in order to protect the domestic coastal fishing industry. Some regulations have also been introduced to maintain "industrial order." Each fishing vessel must obtain a government permit for operation. The permit specifies the kind of fish it can catch, the area of sea in which it can operate, and the port at which it can unload its catches. The number of permits government issues each year is based on the estimates of the demand increase calculated by government officials, and the government traditionally has been fairly conservative in its estimation, reflecting its concern for fish price stabilization, which actually implies a gradual increase of the prices. There is also a restriction on importing vessels from abroad. This regulation is intended to protect the domestic shipbuilding industry. However, this regulation has resulted in an unusually high average age of Korean fishing vessels, causing fishing costs to rise. These regulations and the inflexible response of the regulators to changing circumstances have resulted in many problems: i) high domestic fish prices, which are, to some extent deliberately, inflated to three or four times the level of international prices, resulting in huge consumer welfare losses; ii) over-exploitation of coastal fish resources; iii) provision of a hospitable environment for inefficient firms to survive, which is especially evident from the fact that, despite the high fish prices in Korea, most of the firms in the industry do not enjoy high profitability. It also must be pointed out that the actual beneficiaries of the high fish prices are the large operators, who are protected from competition and provide most of the fish for domestic consumption, rather than the low-income fishing households and small coastal operators whom the policy was originally designed to help. This study proposes a set of regulatory reforms and policy changes which could Promote competition and equity within the industry and allow firms to reduce costs and increase productivity. Such changes can make the industry more efficient and internationally competitive. Major proposals are, among others: minimization of bureaucratic discretion in issuing fishing permits and maintaining transparency in the governments' decision-making processes; reduction of the government permit specifications and simplification of the operational categories within the industry; and removal of the restrictions on importing foreign fishing vessels.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2011

In plants, heteroblasty reflects the morphological adaptation during leaf development according to the external environmental condition and affects the final shape and size of organ. Among parameters displaying heteroblasty, leaf index is an important and typical one to represent the shape and size of simple leaves. Leaf index factor is eventually determined by cell proliferation and cell expansion in leaf blades. Although several regulators and their mechanisms controlling the cell division and cell expansion in leaf development have been studied, it does not fully provide a blueprint of organ formation and morphogenesis during environmental changes. To investigate genes and their mechanisms controlling leaf index during leaf development, we carried out molecular-genetic and physiological experiments using an Arabidopsis mutant. In this study, we identified macrophylla (mac) which had enlarged leaves. In detail, the mac mutant showed alteration in leaf index and cell expansion in direction of width and length, resulting in not only modification of leaf shape but also disruption of heteroblasty. Molecular-genetic studies indicated that mac mutant had point mutation in ROTUDIFOLIA3 (ROT3) gene involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis and was an allele of rot3-1 mutant. We named it mac/rot3-5 mutant. The expression of ROT3 gene was controlled by negative feedback inhibition by the treatment of brassinosteroid hormone, suggesting that ROT3 gene was involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis. In dark condition, in addition, the expression of ROT3 gene was up-regulated and mac/rot3-5 mutant showed lower response, compare to wild type in petiole elongation. This study suggests that ROT3 gene has an important role in control of leaf index during leaf expansion process for proper environmental adaptation, such as shade avoidance syndrome, via the control of brassinosteroid biosynthesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1092-1100
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• 2020

The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4 (Steap4) is a metalloreductase that plays a role in intracellular iron and cupper homeostasis, inflammatory response, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Previously, Steap4 has been reported to stimulate adipocyte differentiation; however, the underlying mechanisms of this action remain unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in Steap4-induced adipocyte differentiation using 3T3-L1 cells, immortalized brown adipocyte (iBA) cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblast C3H10T1/2 cells. The knockdown of Steap4 using adenovirus-containing shRNA attenuated mitotic clonal expansion (MCE), as evidenced by the impaired proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells, iBA cells, and C3H10T1/2 cells within 48 hr after adding the differentiation medium. Steap4 knockdown downregulated G1/S phase transition-related cell cycle regulators (including cyclin A and cyclin D) and upregulated cell cycle inhibitors (including p21 and p27). Furthermore, Steap4 knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and Akt. Moreover, Steap4 knockdown repressed the expression of early adipogenic activators, such as CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and Kruppel-like factor family factor 4 (KLF4). On the other hand, Steap4 knockdown stimulated the expression of adipogenic inhibitors, including KLF2, KLF3, and GATA2. The overexpression of Steap4 using an adenovirus removed the repressive histone marks H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 on the promoter of C/EBPβ. These results indicate that Stepa4 stimulates adipocyte differentiation through the induction of MCE and the modulation of early adipogenic transcription factors, including C/EBPβ, during the early phase of adipocyte differentiation.