Saponins of Korean Red Ginseng May Protect Human Skin from Adipokine-Associated Inflammation and Pigmentation Resulting from Particulate Matter Exposure.

Background: Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) is an ever-increasing concern worldwide. Strategies to counter the detrimental effects that follow cutaneous exposure to PM, such as induction of pigmentation, inflammation, and alterations in adipokine profile, need to be investigated further. Korean red ginseng (KRG) extracts and individual ingredients have been demonstrated to play an effective role in suppression of ROS, inflammation, and resultant skin aging.

CRTC3, a sensor and key regulator for melanogenesis, as a tunable therapeutic target for pigmentary disorders.

Although CREB phosphorylation is known to be essential in UVB/cAMP-stimulated melanogenesis, CREB null mice did not show identifiable pigmentation phenotypes. Here, we show that CREB-regulated transcription co-activator 3 (CRTC3) quantitatively regulates and orchestrates melanogenesis by directly targeting microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and regulating the expression of most key melanogenesis-related genes. We analyzed CRTC3-null, KRT14-SCF transgenic, and their crossover mice.

Clinicoprognostic and Histopathological Features of Guttate and Plaque Psoriasis Based on PD-1 Expression.

Several studies have determined the correlation between programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and chronic plaque psoriasis (CPP). However, limited studies have assessed the association between PD-1 expression and the clinicoprognostic and distinct clinicopathological characteristics of CPP and guttate psoriasis (GP). Twenty-nine patients with skin biopsy-confirmed CPP were recruited at the Asan Medical Center between January 2018 and June 2020, and 33 patients with biopsy-confirmed GP were enrolled between January 2002 and June 2020.

L-765,314 Suppresses Melanin Synthesis by Regulating Tyrosinase Activity.

Although melanin production is a key self-defense mechanism against ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced skin damage, uneven or excessive deposition of melanin causes hyperpigmentary disorders. Currently available whitening agents are unsatisfactory because of issues with efficacy and safety. To develop more effective depigmenting agents, we performed high-throughput melanin content assay screening using the B16F10 melanoma cell line and identified L-765,314 as a drug that suppressed melanin production in cultured melanocytes in a dose-dependent manner as well as cAMP- or 12--tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-stimulated melanin production without cytotoxicity.

Novel regulation of melanogenesis by adiponectin via the AMPK/CRTC pathway.

Several studies observed that adiponectin, an important adipokine that improves glucose metabolism by regulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, is dermatologically beneficial. In our recent microarray data, we found that adiponectin expression was lower in lesional skin than in non-lesional skin of melasma patients. Given that AMPK is a key adiponectin signaling mediator, we investigated the role of adiponectin and AICAR, a cell-permeable AMPK activator, in melanogenesis.

1-Phenyl-3-(2-thiazolyl)-2-thiourea inhibits melanogenesis via a dual-action mechanism.

1-Phenyl-3-(2-thiazolyl)-2-thiourea (PTTU) is a well-characterized dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitor that prevents 6-hydroxydopamine-induced degenerative neuronal disease. However, the effect of PTTU on melanogenesis has not been reported. In this study, we examined the effect of PTTU on melanogenesis and studied its mechanism of action.

Inhibitory effects of N,N,N-trimethyl phytosphingosine-iodide on melanogenesis via ERK activation-mediated MITF degradation.

N,N,N-trimethyl phytosphingosine-iodide (TMP) was recently developed as an antitumor agent. We examined the effects of TMP on melanogenesis and its related signaling pathways in normal human melanocytes. Our results showed that melanin is significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner in both cells following liposomal TMP treatment.

Usefulness of Skin Explants for Histologic Analysis after Fractional Photothermolysis.

Background: Fractional laser resurfacing treatment has been extensively investigated and is widely used. However, the mechanism underlying its effects is poorly understood because of the ethical and cosmetic problems of obtaining skin biopsies required to study the changes after laser treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of human skin explants for the investigation of fractional photothermolysis.

Low vitamin D levels are associated with atopic dermatitis, but not allergic rhinitis, asthma, or IgE sensitization, in the adult Korean population.

Background: The effect of vitamin D on allergic conditions is unclear. In particular, large-scale, population-based studies examining this relationship in adult Asian populations are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and allergic conditions in the general adult Korean population.

Differential expression in normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence suggests complex molecular carcinogenesis in colon.

The majority of colon cancers develop from pre-existing adenomas. We analyzed the expression profiles in the sequence of normal colon crypts, adenomas and early-stage carcinomas using microdissected cells from tubular adenomas with foci of malignant transformation. Differentially expressed genes were detected between normal-adenoma and adenoma-carcinoma, and were grouped according to the patterns of expression changes in the sequence.

TC1(C8orf4) correlates with Wnt/beta-catenin target genes and aggressive biological behavior in gastric cancer.

Purpose: We have recently reported that TC1(C8orf4), a small protein present in vertebrates, functions as a novel regulator of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. TC1 up-regulates beta-catenin target genes that are implicated in the aggressive behavior of cancers. Our aim was to investigate the clinical and pathobiological relevance of TC1 in gastric cancer.

TC1(C8orf4) is upregulated by IL-1beta/TNF-alpha and enhances proliferation of human follicular dendritic cells.

Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) play crucial roles in immune regulation. TNF-alpha has been shown to be essential to the FDC network. However, the molecular regulation of FDC proliferation has not been characterized.

TC1 (C8orf4) enhances the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway by relieving antagonistic activity of Chibby.

The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway has been implicated in human cancers. Here, we show that TC1 (C8orf4), a small protein present in vertebrates, functions as a positive regulator of the pathway. TC1 interacts with Chibby (Cby) and thereby enhances the signaling pathway by relieving the antagonistic function of Cby on the beta-catenin-mediated transcription.

Gene expression profiling reveals sequential changes in gastric tubular adenoma and carcinoma in situ.

Aim: To analyze the expression profiles of premalignant and/or preclinical lesions of gastric cancers.

Methods: We analyzed the expression profiles of normal gastric pit, tubular adenoma and carcinoma in situ using microdissected cells from routine gastric biopsies. For the DNA microarray analysis of formalin-fixed samples, we developed a simple and reproducible RNA extraction and linear amplification procedure applying two polymerase-binding sites.

TRF2 is in neuroglial cytoplasm and induces neurite-like processes.

TRF2 is a ubiquitous protein that protects telomeres in the nucleus. We found that TRF2 was present at the peripheral nerve axons and the brain neuroglial cell processes extensively. It was in the cytoplasmic membrane as well as nuclear fractions, but not in the soluble cytoplasmic fraction of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Expression profiling and subtype-specific expression of stomach cancer.

The expression profiling and molecular grouping of stomach cancers has been a challenging task because of their complexity and variation. We have analyzed gene expression profiles of 22 gastric cancer/nontumor mucosa couples using 14K cDNA microarray chips designed for gastric cancer analysis. Upon pairwise analysis of the individual couples at the false significance rate 0.