Anti-inflammatory effect of pepper extract with high polyamine levels; inhibition of ERK/MAPK pathway in mice.

Unlabelled: Polyamines have been reported to have cell proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects on normal metabolism in the body. This study aimed to investigate polyamine content of AIG01 pepper and the anti-inflammatory effect of AIG01 pepper extract (PAE) in mice. Polyamine content was analyzed by HPLC after acid hydrolysis of peppers with different acidic solvents.

Intestinal Production of Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor by Spores.

This study examines the possibility of directly producing and utilizing useful substances in the intestines of animals using anaerobic bacteria that can grow in the intestines of animals. A facultative anaerobe producing a large amount of α-glucosidase inhibitor was isolated from hay and identified and named CC. The main compound of α-glucosidase inhibitor produced by CC was identified as 1-deoxynojirimycin.

Effect of Pinoresinol and Vanillic Acid Isolated from on Mouse Myoblast Proliferation via the Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Growth and maintenance of skeletal muscle is essential for athletic performance and a healthy life. Stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of muscle cells may help prevent loss of muscle mass. To discover effective natural substances enabling to mitigate muscle loss without side effects, we evaluated muscle growth with several compounds extracted from Walt.

Production of α-glucosidase inhibitor in the intestines by Bacillus licheniformis.

We selected Bacillus licheniformis NY1505 by screening a strain capable of producing α-glucosidase inhibitors in both aerobic and anaerobic environments in vitro and spore formation. To confirm whether this strain proliferates in the intestine and produces α-glucosidase inhibitor, the spores of this strain were administered to mice orally. As the results, it was confirmed that 10 cells and about 300 units of α-glucosidase inhibitor per 1 g feces were excreted in the feces after three weeks of administration as spores.

Comparison of Allergenic Properties among Commercially Available House Dust Mite Allergen Extracts in Korea.

Precise allergy diagnosis and effective allergen specific immunotherapy are largely dependent on the quality of allergen extract. A new extract of was commercially developed by Prolagen. The allergenic properties of the new extract were compared with those of other commercial products.

The monoclonal antibody for discrimination of natural honey against artificial honey.

Background: Honey is a natural product used as food, medicine, or cosmetics for very long time and is made by bees. Honey contains various components such as sugar, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Honey is made by or , which commonly has major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) as a major protein.

Increased miR-223 expression in foetal organs is a signature of acute chorioamnionitis with systemic consequences.

Acute chorioamnionitis, frequently observed in preterm placentas, is a major risk factor for the development of infection and non-infection-related adverse perinatal outcomes. MicroRNAs play important roles in immune cell development and function as well as in the development of cancers and neurologic diseases. We sought to investigate the changes in microRNA-223 (miR-223) expression and the functional significance of the changes in miR-223 expression in foetal organs in the presence of acute chorioamnionitis.

Detection of Korean Native Honey and European Honey by Using Duplex Polymerase Chain Reaction and Immunochromatographic Assay.

Korean native honey (KNH) is much more expensive than European honey (EH) in Korea, because KNH is a favored honey which is produced less than EH. Food fraud of KNH has drawn attention of the government office concerned, which is in need of a method to differentiate between KNH and EH which are produced by the Asiatic honeybee, and the European honeybee, , respectively. A method to discriminate KNH and EH was established by using duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in this study.

Identification of genes dysregulated by elevation of microRNA-210 levels in human trophoblasts cell line, Swan 71.

Problem: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy disorder characterized by gestational hypertension and proteinuria. miR-210 is significantly overexpressed in the placentas of preeclampsia patients.

Method Of Study: Swan 71 cells, first-trimester human trophoblastic cell line, were transfected with hsa-miR-210-3p oligonucleotides by electroporation.

Inhibitory effects of 2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-yl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate on allergic inflammatory responses in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

Mast cells play crucial roles in the initiation of allergic inflammatory responses by releasing various mediators such as histamines, cytokines, and leukotrienes. In addition, signaling cascade pathways, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, contribute to the regulation of mast cell degranulation. Accordingly, different research strategies have been pursued to develop anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic drugs by regulating these signaling pathways.

Cinnamaldehyde derivatives inhibit degranulation and inflammatory mediator production in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

Mast cells play a critical role in allergic diseases. Therefore, development of new therapeutic agents that suppresses the activation of mast cells may help prevent or treat allergic diseases. Here, we investigated the anti-allergic effects of 4-chloro-cinnamaldehyde and 4-trifluoro-cinnamaldehyde in RBL-2H3 cells.

Coptis chinensis Franch. extract up-regulate type I helper T-cell cytokine through MAPK activation in MOLT-4 T cell.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The dried rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch. (Huanglian) has been widely used in Asian traditional medicine. It was already known that Coptis chinensis Franch.

Histological and molecular analysis of the long-pulse 1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser irradiation on the ultraviolet-damaged skin of hairless mice: In association with pulse duration change.

Background: Nonablative lasers have been widely used to improve photodamaged skin, although the mechanism underlying dermal collagen remodeling remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the effects and the molecular mechanisms of long-pulse neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser irradiation on dermal collagen remodeling in association with different pulse durations.

Material And Methods: Five hairless mice were pretreated with ultraviolet B irradiation for 8 weeks.

Umbilical cord prostaglandins in term and preterm parturition.

Objective: Prostaglandins (PGs) are considered the universal mediators of parturition. Amniotic fluid PGE2 and PGF2α concentrations increase before the onset of spontaneous labor at term, as well as during labor. This study was conducted to determine if the concentrations of umbilical cord PGE2 and PGF2α change with advancing gestational age, spontaneous labor at term, and preterm labor (with and without funisitis).

Antioxidative effect of purple corn extracts during storage of mayonnaise.

Anthocyanin is a powerful natural antioxidant. Purple corn husk is rich in anthocyanin. In this paper the antioxidative effect of anthocyanin-rich purple corn husk extract (PCHE) in mayonnaise during storage was studied.

Endoglin in amniotic fluid as a risk factor for the subsequent development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective: Cross-talk between inflammation and angiogenesis pathways has been recently reported. The objectives of this study were to: (i) examine whether amniotic fluid (AF) concentrations of soluble endoglin (sEng), a protein with anti-angiogenic properties, change during pregnancy, parturition, or intra-amniotic infection and/or inflammation (IAI); (ii) determine whether an increase in sEng in the AF of patients with preterm labor (PTL) and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes; and (iii) investigate potential sources of sEng in AF.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted to include patients in the following groups: (i) mid-trimester (n = 20); (ii) PTL with term delivery (n = 95); (iii) PTL leading to preterm delivery with (n = 40) and without IAI (n = 46); (iv) preterm PROM with (n = 37) and without IAI (n = 37); (v) term in labor (n = 48) and not in labor (n = 44).

Glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB plasma concentration is elevated in pregnancy and preterm preeclampsia.

Glycogen phosphorylase is a key enzyme in glycogenolysis. Released with myocardial ischemia, blood concentration of glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB (GPBB) is a marker of acute coronary syndromes. Pregnancy imposes metabolic stress, and preeclampsia is associated with cardiac complications.

miR-210 targets iron-sulfur cluster scaffold homologue in human trophoblast cell lines: siderosis of interstitial trophoblasts as a novel pathology of preterm preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age pregnancies.

This study was performed to assess the biological significance of miR-210 in preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) pregnancies. Placental miR-210 expression was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) in the following groups: i) appropriate-for-gestational-age pregnancies (n = 72), ii) preeclampsia (n = 52), iii) SGA (n = 66), and iv)preeclampsia with SGA (n = 31). The effects of hypoxia (1% O(2)) on miR-210 and iron-sulfur cluster scaffold homologue (ISCU) expressions and miR-210 binding to ISCU 3' UTR were examined in Swan 71 and BeWo cell lines.

Protein profiling underscores immunological functions of uterine cervical mucus plug in human pregnancy.

The cervical mucus plug (CMP) differs from the cervical secretions of non-pregnant women, and is the ultimate sealant of the uterine cavity during pregnancy. Although several studies have analyzed biochemical properties of large glycoproteins in the CMP, comprehensive information about its protein composition is yet unavailable. We hypothesized that protein profiling of the CMP could provide key clues to its physiological functions in pregnancy.

Chronic chorioamnionitis displays distinct alterations of the amniotic fluid proteome.

Acute chorioamnionitis of infectious origin and chronic chorioamnionitis of immunological origin are two major placental lesions of spontaneous preterm birth with elevated amniotic fluid interleukin-6 and CXCL10 concentrations, respectively. The changes in the amniotic fluid proteome associated with intra-amniotic infection and acute chorioamnionitis are well defined, yet alterations unique to chronic chorioamnionitis remain to be elucidated. This study was conducted to determine those amniotic fluid proteins changing specifically in the presence of chronic chorioamnionitis.

A molecular signature of an arrest of descent in human parturition.

Objective: This study was undertaken to identify the molecular basis of an arrest of descent.

Study Design: Human myometrium was obtained from women in term labor (TL; n = 29) and arrest of descent (AODes; n = 21). Gene expression was characterized using Illumina HumanHT-12 microarrays.

Evidence for a spatial and temporal regulation of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 expression in human amnion in term and preterm parturition.

Context: Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) is a key enzyme involved in parturition. PTGS2 mRNA was found to be differentially expressed between placental amnion (amnion overlying the placental disc) and reflected amnion (amnion of the extraplacental chorioamniotic membranes) in term placentas.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the spatial and temporal regulation of PTGS2 expression in the amnion and the chorion-decidua.

Surfactant protein-A as an anti-inflammatory component in the amnion: implications for human pregnancy.

The mechanism of mouse parturition is thought to involve myometrial infiltration by amniotic fluid (AF) macrophages, activated by surfactant protein-A (SP-A). In humans, the concentration of AF SP-A decreases during labor, and no fetal macrophages are found in the myometrium after labor. Therefore, it appears that the mechanisms of labor in mice and humans are different.

Widespread microbial invasion of the chorioamniotic membranes is a consequence and not a cause of intra-amniotic infection.

Acute chorioamnionitis is a response to amniotic fluid (AF) infection. However, it remains unclear whether substantial bacterial propagation in the chorioamniotic membranes (CAMs) precedes microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC), which is inconsistent with characteristic 'amniotropic neutrophil migration' in acute chorioamnionitis. This study was performed to determine whether CAMs have widespread bacterial infection during MIAC and whether bacteria normally colonize CAMs.