Chemoprevention of a flavonoid fraction from Rhus verniciflua Stokes on aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic damage in mice.

Since aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1))-mediated hepatic damage is related to the production of AFB(1)-8,9-epoxide and reactive oxygen species, bioactive compounds having antioxidant potentials are suggested to be capable of reducing AFB(1)-induced toxicity. We previously purified a mixture of flavonoids that we named RCMF (Rhus verniciflua Stokes chloroform-methanol fraction), from a traditional Korean food additive and herbal medicine. RCMF exhibited various biological effects, including antioxidant and antitumor activities.

Comparative analysis of expressed sequence tags from the white-rot fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium).

Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome of the P. chrysosporium is a useful approach to improve our understanding of its special and unique enzyme system and fungal evolution in molecular and industrial aspects. In order to unveil the functional diversity of this white-rot fungus in gene level and the expression patterns of its genes, in this study we carried out sequencing and annotation of 4,917 P.

Single Oral Dose Toxicity Study of an Alcohol Extract of Bumblebee, Larvae in Rats.

The alcohol extract of the larvae of , otherwise known as the Bumblebee, was orally administered to rats at doses of 0, 0.04, 0.2, 1 or 2 g/kg as a single oral dose.

Apoptosis-inducing factor plays a critical role in caspase-independent, pyknotic cell death in hydrogen peroxide-exposed cells.

It has been proposed that continuously generated hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) inhibits typical apoptosis and instead initiates an alternate, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-dependent process. Aside from the role of AIF, however, the detailed morphological characterization of H(2)O(2)-induced cell death is not complete. This study examined the cellular mechanism(s) by which the continuous presence of H(2)O(2) induces cell death.

Cytotoxicity of amphotericin B-incorporated polymeric micelles composed of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)/dextran graft copolymer.

In this study, we prepared amphotericin B (AmpB)-encapsulated polymeric micelle of poly(DL-lactideco-glycolide) (PLGA) grafted-dextran (DexLG) copolymer for the cytotoxicity test. The average particle size of AmpB-encapsulated DexLG polymeric micelles was around 30 approximately 70 nm and their morphology showed spherical shapes. Since aggregation states of AmpB are related to intrinsic cytotoxicity, prevention of AmpB aggregation in aqueous solution will provide low cytotoxicity and increased antimicrobial activity for the infectious disease.

Antitumor effect of adriamycin-encapsulated nanoparticles of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)-grafted dextran.

In this study, we prepared adriamycin (ADR)-encapsulated core-shell type nanoparticles of a poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) grafted-dextran (DexLG) copolymer and evaluated its antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The particle size of ADR-encapsulated DexLG nanoparticles was around 50-200 nm and the morphology was spherical shapes at transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. Since reconstitution of lyophilized nanoparticles is essential to practical use in vivo, ADR-encapsulated DexLG nanoparticles were lyophilized and reconstituted them into deionized water.

Hypoxia affects positively the proliferation of bovine satellite cells and their myogenic differentiation through up-regulation of MyoD.

Hypoxia alters the biological functions of skeletal muscle cells to proliferate and differentiate into myotubes. However, the cellular responses of myoblasts to hypoxia differ according to the levels of oxygen and the types of cells studied. This study examined the effect of hypoxia (1% oxygen) on bovine satellite cells.

Cyclic mechanical stretch stimulates the proliferation of C2C12 myoblasts and inhibits their differentiation via prolonged activation of p38 MAPK.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play an indispensable role in activation of the myogenic program, which is responsive to mechanical stimulation. Although there is accumulating evidence of mechanical force-mediated cellular responses, the role of MAPK in regulating the myogenic process in myoblasts exposed to cyclic stretch is unclear. Cyclic stretch induced the proliferation of C2C12 myoblasts and inhibited their differentiation into myotubes.

Involvement of p38 MAPK-mediated signaling in the calpeptin-mediated suppression of myogenic differentiation and fusion in C2C12 cells.

Calpeptin inhibits myoblast fusion by inhibiting the activity of calpain. However, the mechanism by which calpeptin inhibits myogenesis is not completely understood. This study examined how calpeptin affects the expression of the myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) and the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in differentiating C2C12 myoblasts.

Cyclic mechanical stress suppresses myogenic differentiation of adult bovine satellite cells through activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

Mechanical stress leads to satellite cell activation, which is an important event in the development, growth, and remodeling of postnatal skeletal muscle. Although there is a considerable knowledge on the events involved in skeletal muscle regeneration and development, the precise role of mechanical stress on activation of satellite cells remains unclear. Previously, satellite cells were isolated from adult bovine muscle and it was shown that the cells are multipotent, i.

Induction of cytokines and nitric oxide in murine macrophages stimulated with enzymatically digested lactobacillus strains.

Based on observations that lactic acid bacteria have the ability to activate macrophages, we assessed the potential effects of eight different Lactobacillus strains treated with gastrointestinal enzymes on the production of nitric oxide and various cytokines in macrophages. RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells were cultured with either precipitates or supernatants of Lactobacillus strains digested with pepsin followed by pancreatin.

Comparison of cytokine and nitric oxide induction in murine macrophages between whole cell and enzymatically digested Bifidobacterium sp. obtained from monogastric animals.

The principal objective of this study was to compare the effects of whole and hydrolyzed cells (bifidobacteria) treated with gastrointestinal digestive enzymes on the activation of cloned macrophages. Seven different strains of Bifidobacterium obtained from swine, chickens, and rats, were digested with pepsin followed by pancreatin and the precipitate (insoluble fraction) and supernatant (soluble fraction) obtained via centrifugation. The RAW 264.