• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.111-122
• /
• 2006

Objectives : We studied the effects of Scutellariae Radix pharmacopuncture solution (SRHAS) on the type 1 hypersensitivity. Methods : In vivo, we measured compound 48/80-induced active systemic anaphylactic shock using ICR mice and anti-DNP IgE-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) using Sprague Dawley rats. In vitro, we showed effects on cytotoxicity and ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$ release from RBL-2H3 cells. Results : In vivo, SRHAS pretreatments (100% or 50%) at BL13 inhibited active systemic anaphylactic shock induced by compound 48/80. PCA was only inhibited by pretreatments of SRHAS at optional points. In vitro, $0.1{\sim}2%$ SRHAS treatments did not affect cell viability while ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release was significantly inhibited. Conclusions : These results suggest that SRHAS may be beneficial in the inhibition of type I hypersensitive inflammatory response.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.48-58
• /
• 2004

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the depigmentation effects of the extracts of Kamikwibi-Tang. Methods Inhibition of tyrosinase activity, melanin production & cell viability in cultured B16 melanoma cells, UV screen and cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide were measured. Results: The extracts of Kamikwibi-Tang did not have any inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity and did not show any inhibitory effects on melanin production in melanoma cells and also did not have any inhibitory effects on UV screen. But the extracts showed high cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide. Conclusion : These results suggest that Kamikwibi-Tang indrectly inhibits melanin biosynthesis which is involved in hyperpigmentation and could be used as a whitening agent for the skin.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.381-385
• /
• 2019

We attempted to examine anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of 4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (GOMV), the first epigenetic inhibitor of histone phosphorylation at Ser10. While GOMV did not affect the viability of murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, it significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced generation of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and nitric oxide (NO) through transcriptional inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). GOMV also scavenged free radicals in vitro, increased NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), and activated antioxidant response element (ARE), thereby resulting in the induction of phase II cytoprotective enzymes in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Finally, GOMV significantly protected HaCaT cells against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced oxidative intracellular damages. Together, our results illustrate that GOMV possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.7-14
• /
• 2021

Vinpocetine induces anti-inflammatory effects in various inflammatory diseases via the inhibition of phosphodiesterase type-1-independent nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and the release of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, we investigated the effect of vinpocetine on the proliferation of colon cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Our data showed that vinpocetine inhibits the viability and proliferation of colon cancer cells. Vinpocetine treatment induced cell death in HCT116 cells, which the percentages of sub-G1 phase were significantly increased, and the apoptosis-related genes were regulated after HCT116 cells were treated with vinpocetine. In sum, our findings indicated that vinpocetine could be a therapeutically useful candidate in the treatment of colon cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.375-384
• /
• 2005

Background and Aims : Pre-induction of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is known to effectively attenuate the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in lung tissue. However, it is unclear if HSP70 induction after LPS exposure attenuates the subsequent LPS-induced inflammatory response in alveolar epithelial cells. This study examined the effects of HSP70 induction after LPS exposure on the IL-6 production and the cell viability after a subsequent LPS challenge in murine alveolar epithelial cells, and investigated whether or not HSP70 itself may be involved in those effects. Methods : Murine alveolar epithelial cells were cultured and divided into two groups; the Non-Pre-LPS group without a LPS pre-treatment and the Pre-LPS group with a LPS pre-treatment. Each group was subdivided into the following four subgroups: subgroup C (control), subgroup Q (quercetin), subgroup HSP70 (HSP70 induction), and subgroup HSP70-Inh (HSP70 inhibition). HSP70 expression, which was induced by sodium arsenite and inhibited by quercetin, was analyzed by western blot analysis. The IL-6 levels in the culture supernatant were measured by ELISA, and the cell viability was measured using a simplified MTT assay. Results : The IL-6 levels were lower in subgroup HSP70 than in subgroup C (P<0.01), and were higher in subgroup HSP70-Inh than in subgroup HSP70 in both the Non-Pre-LPS and Pre-LPS groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The cell viability tended to decrease in the Pre-LPS group compared with the Non-Pre-LPS group. While the cell viability was higher in subgroups Q, HSP70, and HSP70-Inh than in subgroup C in the Non-Pre-LPS group (P<0.05, P<0.05, P<0.01), there was no difference in cell viability among the subgroups in the Pre-LPS group. Conclusion : HSP70 induction after a LPS pre-treatment in murine alveolar epithelial cells inhibits the subsequent LPS-induced IL-6 production without affecting the cell viability, and HSP70 by itself may play an important role in this proccess.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.492-498
• /
• 2012

To investigate whether phytochemicals affect cancer cell viability, human colorectal HCT116 cells were treated with four different phytochemicals. Among these phytochemicals, curcumin is the strongest inhibitor of cell proliferation. In addition, it decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. To unveil the molecular mechanisms involved in the inhibition of cell proliferation by curcumin, we carried out oligo DNA microarray analysis. We found that 137 genes were up-regulated more than 2-fold, and 141 genes were down-regulated more than 2-fold by 25 ${\mu}M$ curcumin treatment. Among the up-regulated genes, we selected 3 genes (ATF-3, GADD45A, and NR4A1) to confirm microarray data. The results of RT-PCR strongly agreed with those of the microarray data. Among the phytochemicals used in this study, curcumin is the strongest inducer of ATF3 expression, and increased ATF3 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, FACS analysis showed that the inhibition of cell growth by curcumin was recovered by ATF3-siRNA transfection. Finally, we detected the changes of gene expression by ectopic expression of ATF3. The results indicated that many up-regulated genes were related to apoptosis. Overall, these results suggest that ATF3 may play an important role in the anti-proliferative activity of curcumin in human colorectal cancer cells.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.377-385
• /
• 2016

In order to investigate the possibility of Sesamum indicum L. (S. indicum) extract as an active ingredient for wrinkle-care cosmetics, we prepared 70% ethanolic extract of S. indicum and measured its elastase inhibitory activity and collagenase inhibitory activity. We also evaluated the effect of S. indicum extract on protein and mRNA expression of MMPs in fibroblast cell (CCD-986sk). For anti-wrinkle effects, elastase inhibition activities and collagenase inhibition activities were 37.8% and 45% at a dose of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$ of S. indicum 70% ethanol extract. For a cell viability test, measured on fibroblast cell by ethanol extract of S. indicum, results showed 96% with cell viability at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. According to the results of western blot of ethanol extract from S. indicum the expression of the matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) protein was decreased by 63%, 43%, 49% at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of ethanol extract from S. indicum showed that the expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3 mRNA was decreased by 82%, 79%, 82% at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. The findings suggest that 70% ethanol extract from S. indicum has potential as a cosmeceutical ingredient with anti-wrinkle effects.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.231-238
• /
• 2005

Neuronal apoptotic events, which result in cell death, are occurred in hypoxic/ischemic conditions. Estradiol is a female sex hormone with steroid structure known to provide neuroprotection through multiple mechanisms in the central nervous system. This study was aimed to investigate the signal transduction pathway of $CoCl_2$-induced neuronal cell death and the inhibitory effects of estradiol. Administration of $CoCl_2$ decreased cell viability in both a dose- and time-dependent manner in PC12 cells. $CoCl_2$-induced cell death produced genomic DNA fragmentation and morphologic changes such as cell shrinkage and condensed nuclei. It was found that $CoCl_2$-treated cells increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as caspase-8, -9 and -3 activities. However, pretreatment with estradiol before exposure to $CoCl_2$ prevented the reduction in cell viability reduction and attenuated DNA fragmentation and morphologic changes caused by $CoCl_2$. Furthermore, the $CoCl_2$-induced increases of ROS levels and caspases activities were attenuated by estradiol. Gene expression analysis revealed that estradiol blocked the underexpression of the Bcl-2 and ameliorated the increase in the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytoplasm and Fas-ligand (Fas-L) upregulated by $CoCl_2$. These results suggest that $CoCl_2$ induce apoptosis in PC12 cells through both mitochondria- and death receptor-mediated cell death pathway. Estradiol was found to have a neuroprotective effect against $CoCl_2$-induced apoptosis through the inhibition of ROS production and by modulating apoptotic effectors associated with the mitochondria- and death-dependent pathway in PC12 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2012

The effects of genistein on cell proliferation and adipogenesis were examined in mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. Genistein decreased viability of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Oil Red O staining of these cells also indicated that adipogenesis was inhibited by 50 ${\mu}M$ genistein treatment. We investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the decrease in cell viability in genistein-treated 3T3-L1 cells by conducting an oligo DNA microarray analysis. We selected the sirtuin-1 gene, one of the upregulated genes, for further experimentation because sirtuin-1 belongs to the sirtuin family, which is associated with anti-obesity and anti-inflammation activities. We found that four phytochemicals (resveratrol, capsaicin, daidzein, and genistein) could increase sirtuin-1 expression. Genistein was the strongest inducer of sirtuin-1 among the tested phytochemicals. The inhibition of adipogenesis by genistein was recovered by surtuin-1 siRNA transfection. Overall, these results may further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibition of proliferation and adipogenesis by genistein in mouse 3T3-L1 cells.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.286-292
• /
• 2009

Arginine deiminase (ADI), an arginine-degrading enzyme, has anti-proliferative and anti-tumor activities and is capable of inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO). Modulation of nitric oxide (NO) production is considered a promising approach for the treatment of various diseases including cancer, inflammation and neuronal disorders. In this study, an ADI gene was fused with an HIV-1 Tat peptide in a bacterial expression vector to produce an genetic in-frame Tat-ADI fusion protein. When added exogenously to the culture media, the expressed and purified Tat-ADI fusion proteins were efficiently transduced into macrophage Raw 264.7 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, transduced Tat-ADI fusion proteins markedly increased cell viability in cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This increase in viability was mediated by an inhibition of NO production. These results suggest that this Tat-ADI fusion protein can be used in protein therapies of NO-related disorders such as cancer, inflammation and neuronal diseases.