Anti-lipoapoptotic effect of Artemisia capillaris extract on free fatty acids-induced HepG2 cells

BACKGROUND: Artemisia capillaris (AC) has been recognized as one of the promising candidates for hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antiobesitic and anti-inflammatory therapeutic effectiveness. This study evaluated the inherent mechanism and anti-apoptotic activity of 30% ethanol extract of AC (AC extract) 100 μg/ml on free fatty acids (FFAs)-induced HepG2 cellular steatosis and lipoapoptosis. METHODS: Hepatic steatosis was induced by culturing HepG2 cells with a FFAs mixture (oleic and palmitic acid at the proportion of 2:1) for 24 h, thus ultimately giving rise to lipoapoptosis. Cell viability and lipid accumulation were detected by MTT assay and Oil Red O staining method respectively and Caspase-3, −9, Bax, Bcl-2, p-JNK and PUMA were measured for lipoapoptosis after 24 hours. RESULTS: AC extract significantly improved the FFAs-induced steatosis without cytotoxicity and Caspase-3, −9, Bax and Bcl-2 were modulated profitably to HepG2 cells after AC treatment. In addition, AC extract inhibited the activation of c-Jun NH(2) terminal kinase (JNK) and PUMA, which mechanism is related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). CONCLUSIONS: Combined together, AC extract exerted an obvious hypolipidemic and anti-apoptotic effect, indicating that AC extract might have potential therapeutic herb against NASH

The First Korean Experience of Telemanipulative Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Using the da Vinci System

With the advancement of laparoscopic instruments and computer sciences, complex surgical procedures are expected to be safely performed by robot assisted telemanipulative laparoscopic surgery. The da Vinci system (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA, USA) became available at the many surgical fields. The wrist like movements of the instrument's tip, as well as 3-dimensional vision, could be expected to facilitate more complex laparoscopic procedure. Here, we present the first Korean experience of da Vinci robotic assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy and discuss the introduction and perspectives of this robotic system

Clinical risk factors associated with the development of wheezing in children less than 2 years of age who required hospitalization for viral lower respiratory tract infections

PurposeWheezing following viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in children <2 years of age is an important risk factor for the development of asthma later in life; however, not all children with viral LRTIs develop wheezing. This study investigated risk factors for the development of wheezing during viral LRTIs requiring hospitalization.MethodsThe study included 142 children <2 years of age hospitalized for LRTIs with at least one virus identified as the cause and classified them into children diagnosed with LRTIs with wheezing (n=70) and those diagnosed with LRTIs without wheezing (n=72).ResultsThere were no significant differences in the viruses detected between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for potentially confounding variables including sex and age, the development of wheezing was strongly associated with parental history of allergic diseases (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 20.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.22-126.48), past history of allergic diseases (aOR, 13.95; 95% CI, 1.34-145.06), past history of hospitalization for respiratory illnesses (aOR, 21.36; 95% CI, 3.77-120.88), exposure to secondhand smoke at home (aOR, 14.45; 95% CI, 4.74-44.07), and total eosinophil count (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.02).ConclusionPast and parental history of allergic diseases, past history of hospitalization for respiratory illnesses, exposure to secondhand smoke at home, and total eosinophil count were closely associated with the development of wheezing in children <2 years of age who required hospitalization for viral LRTIs. Clinicians should take these factors into consideration when treating, counseling, and monitoring young children admitted for viral LRTIs

Characterization of a Thermostable l-Arabinose (d-Galactose) Isomerase from the Hyperthermophilic Eubacterium Thermotoga maritima

The araA gene encoding l-arabinose isomerase (AI) from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein containing a C-terminal hexahistidine sequence. This gene encodes a 497-amino-acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 56,658. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity by heat precipitation followed by Ni(2+) affinity chromatography. The native enzyme was estimated by gel filtration chromatography to be a homotetramer with a molecular mass of 232 kDa. The purified recombinant enzyme had an isoelectric point of 5.7 and exhibited maximal activity at 90°C and pH 7.5 under the assay conditions used. Its apparent K(m) values for l-arabinose and d-galactose were 31 and 60 mM, respectively; the apparent V(max) values (at 90°C) were 41.3 U/mg (l-arabinose) and 8.9 U/mg (d-galactose), and the catalytic efficiencies (k(cat)/K(m)) of the enzyme were 74.8 mM(−1) · min(−1) (l-arabinose) and 8.5 mM(−1) · min(−1) (d-galactose). Although the T. maritima AI exhibited high levels of amino acid sequence similarity (>70%) to other heat-labile mesophilic AIs, it had greater thermostability and higher catalytic efficiency than its mesophilic counterparts at elevated temperatures. In addition, it was more thermostable in the presence of Mn(2+) and/or Co(2+) than in the absence of these ions. The enzyme carried out the isomerization of d-galactose to d-tagatose with a conversion yield of 56% for 6 h at 80°C

Timosaponin A3 Induces Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Effects In Vitro and In Vivo

Obesity is a serious global health challenge, closely associated with numerous chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes. Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge (AA) known as Jimo has been used to address conditions associated with pathogenic heat such as wasting-thirst in Korean Medicine. Timosaponin A3 (TA3), a natural compound extracted from AA, has demonstrated potential therapeutic effects in various disease models. However, its effects on diabetes and obesity remain largely unexplored. We investigated the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties of TA3 using in vitro and in vivo models. TA3 treatment in NCI-H716 cells stimulated the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) through the activation of phosphorylation of protein kinase A catalytic subunit (PKAc) and 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TA3 effectively inhibited lipid accumulation by regulating adipogenesis and lipogenesis. In a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice model, TA3 administration significantly reduced body weight gain and food intake. Furthermore, TA3 improved glucose tolerance, lipid profiles, and mitigated hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice. Histological analysis revealed that TA3 reduced the size of white adipocytes and inhibited adipose tissue generation. Notably, TA3 downregulated the expression of lipogenic factor, including fatty-acid synthase (FAS) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), emphasizing its potential as an anti-obesity agent. These findings revealed that TA3 may be efficiently used as a natural compound for tackling obesity, diabetes, and associated metabolic disorders, providing a novel approach for therapeutic intervention

Synergistic Activity of N-hydroxy-7-(2-naphthylthio) Heptanomide and Sorafenib Against Cancer Stem Cells, Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) although rare is the most deadly form of thyroid cancer. The fatality rate for ATC is high-pitched, the survival rate at 1 year after diagnosis is <20%. Control of ATC is severely hard and widespread with unpredictability. We Previous proved that histone gene reviser and epigenetic changes role significant parts in papillary and anaplastic thyroid cancer tumorigenesis. Herein, the goal of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor activities of a HDAC inhibitor, HNHA alone and in combination with sorafenib in ATC cells in vitro and in vivo and to explore its effects on apoptotic cell death pathways. Three ATC cell lines were exposed to sorafenib in the presence or absence of HNHA, and cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Effects of combined treatment on cell cycle and intracellular signaling pathways were assessed by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. The ATC cell lines xenograft model was used to examine the anti-tumor activity in vivo. Our data showed that HNHA and sorafenib synergistically decreased cell viability in ATC cells, and also significantly increased apoptotic cell death in these cells, as proved by the cleavage of caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation. HNHA and sorafenib combination was reduced anti-apoptotic factor in ATC. Thus, combination therapy with HNHA and sorafenib significantly decreased vessel density, and most significantly reduced tumor volume and increased survival in ATC xenografts.These results propose that HNHA in combination with sorafenib has significant anti-cancer activity in preclinical models, potentially suggesting a new clinical approach for patients of advanced thyroid cancer type

Heterocycle-linked Phenylbenzyl Amides as Novel TRPV1 Antagonists and Their TRPV1 Binding Modes: Constraint-Induced Enhancement of In Vitro and In Vivo Activities

National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF); Korean government (MEST) [20100028431]; MEST [20110019400]; National Leading Research Lab Program [2011-0028885]; MEST; NRFA series of heterocycle-linked constrained phenylbenzyl amides were found to be TRPV1 antagonists with promising in vivo profiles. In particular, one of the analogues containing a furan linker exhibited excellent TRPV1 antagonistic activity and in vivo analgesic efficacy. In addition, the binding modes of dibenzyl thiourea, benzylphenethyl amide, and furan-linked phenylbenzyl amide were examined by using the flexible docking study within the rTRPV1 homology model