Publications by authors named "Woong-Il Kim"

Background: Although copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) offer certain benefits to humans, they can be toxic to organs and exacerbate underlying diseases upon exposure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), induced by smoking, can worsen with exposure to various harmful particles. However, the specific impact of CuONPs on COPD and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

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Asian sand dust (ASD), a seasonal dust storm originating from the deserts of China and Mongolia, affects Korea and Japan during the spring, carrying soil particles and a variety of biochemical components. Exposure to ASD has been associated with the onset and exacerbation of respiratory disorders, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates ASD-induced pulmonary toxicity and its mechanistic pathways, focusing on the role of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP).

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Article Synopsis
  • Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are increasingly used in various industries, raising concerns about their toxicity and potential to worsen asthma symptoms.
  • A study using an asthma model showed that exposure to CuO NPs caused heightened inflammation, increased mucus production, and elevated levels of specific immune responses, all tied to the activation of the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) pathway.
  • Reducing TXNIP levels in experiments significantly lowered these adverse effects, indicating that targeting this pathway might help manage the pulmonary toxicity and asthma exacerbation caused by CuO NPs.
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  • * Silibinin treatment reduced inflammatory markers and improved oxidative stress responses in both cell lines and animal models exposed to ASD, showing significant decreases in various pro-inflammatory proteins.
  • * The findings suggest that silibinin can alleviate pulmonary inflammation linked to ASD by targeting inflammatory signaling pathways and oxidative stress, highlighting its potential as a treatment option.
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Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiONPs) are used in products that are applied to the human body, such as cosmetics and food, but their biocompatibility remains controversial. Pycnogenol (PYC), a natural extract of pine bark, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this study, we investigated whether PYC effectively alleviates pulmonary toxicity induced by airway exposure to TiONPs, and the beneficial effects of PYC were explained through the analysis of changes to the mechanism of cytotoxicity.

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Allergic asthma, a type of chronic airway inflammation, is a global health concern because of its increasing incidence and recurrence rates. L. yields a variety type of teas, which are also used as medicinal plants in East Asia and are known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-potentiating properties.

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Asian sand dust (ASD), generally produced in East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea, directly leads to the development of pulmonary disease and exacerbates underlying pulmonary diseases. Franch. and Sav.

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Asian sand dust (ASD), also called China dust or yellow dust, mainly occurs in East Asia during spring and autumn. Because ASD enters the body mainly through the respiratory system, it can cause respiratory disorders or worsen underlying diseases. Because of this, it has become an important health concern that threatens the well-being of humans and animals.

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Exposure to particulate matter is currently recognized as a serious aggravating factor of respiratory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of particulate matter (PM) on the respiratory system in BALB/c mice and NCI-H292 cells. PM (0, 2.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Melia azedarach L. is a traditional medicinal plant used to control pain, pyrexia, inflammation and bacterial infections that possesses several pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Particularly, the root of M.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Angelica decursiva Franchet & Savatier is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat asthma, cough, headache, pyrexia and thick phlegm in China, Japan and Korea. A. decursiva contains many types of coumarins, which can exert several pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for treating various diseases such as pneumonitis, atopic dermatitis, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.

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Melamine or cyanuric acid alone has low toxicity, but combined exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid was reported to cause unexpected toxicological effects. This study investigated the potential effects and toxic mechanism of combined exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid on placental and fetal development in rats. Exposure to melamine and cyanuric acid caused maternal toxicity manifested by increased abnormal symptoms and decreased body weight gain.

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Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlO NPs) have recently been reported to cause an inflammatory response in the lungs, and studies are being conducted on their adverse effects, especially in patients with underlying lung diseases such as asthma. However, the underlying mechanism of asthma aggravation caused by AlO NPs remains unclear. This study investigated whether AlO NPs exacerbate ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma and focused on the correlation between toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling and AlO NP-induced asthma exacerbation.

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This study investigated the potential effects of China dust (CD) exposure on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular toxicity in mice, focusing on spermatogenesis and oxidative damage. CP treatment reduced testicular and epididymal weight and sperm motility and enhanced sperm abnormality. Histopathological examination presented various morphological alterations in the testis, including increased exfoliation of spermatogenic cells, degeneration of early spermatogenic cells, vacuolation of Sertoli cells, a decreased number of spermatogonia/spermatocytes/spermatids, along with a high number of apoptotic cells.

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Franch. & Sav. found in China, Japan, and Korea is traditionally used for managing arthritis and respiratory diseases.

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We evaluated the potential genotoxic effects of the nutrient supplement SUNACTIVE Zn-P240 in vitro and in vivo. Genotoxicity tests were performed at the Korea Testing and Research Institute, a GLP certification institution. A bacterial reverse mutation test was performed using the pre-incubation method, while the in vitro chromosome aberration test was performed using a cultured Chinese hamster lung cell line in the presence or absence of metabolic activation.

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The prevalence of asthma is gradually increasing, and endangers human health. Many therapeutic agents have been developed to address this concern. (L.

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Silica dioxide nanoparticles (SiONPs) have been increasingly used in various industries; however, this has raised concerns regarding their potential toxicity. SiONPs are also a major component in the Asian sand dust that causes pulmonary diseases among the general public. Melatonin exerts some inhibitory effects against lung inflammation.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phlomis umbrosa (P. umbrosa) is a traditional herbal medicine used to help with inflammatory diseases, including asthma.
  • In a study, scientists tested how a P. umbrosa extract (PUE) worked on mice with asthma caused by a substance called ovalbumin (OVA).
  • The results showed that PUE helped reduce symptoms like inflammation and mucus in the lungs, suggesting it could be a helpful treatment for allergic asthma.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant disease threatening human health. Currently, roflumilast, a phosphodiesterase (PDE)4 inhibitor, is recommended as a therapeutic agent for COPD. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of melatonin against COPD, focusing on determining whether it is a PDE4 inhibitor via in vivo and in vitro experiment using cigarette smoke (CS) and cigarette smoke condensate (CSC), respectively.

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Cimicifugae Rhizoma has been used as a medicinal herb for fever, pain, and inflammation in East Asia. We conducted this study because the effect of Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract (CRE) on allergic asthma has not yet been evaluated. To induce allergic airway inflammation, we intraperitoneally injected ovalbumin (OVA) mixed with aluminum hydroxide into mice twice at intervals of 2 weeks (Days 0 and 14) and then inhaled them thrice with 1% OVA solution using a nebulizer (Days 21 to 23).

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Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiONPs) are widely used in industrial and medicinal fields and in various consumer products, and their increasing use has led to an increase in the number of toxicity studies; however, studies investigating the underlying toxicity mechanism have been rare. In this study, we evaluated potential toxic effects of TiONPs exposure on lungs as well as the development of asthma through the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model of asthma. Furthermore, we also investigated the associated toxic mechanism.

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Several studies on the potential adverse effects of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlONPs) have reported conflicting results. The present study investigated the potential adverse effects of AlONPs in Sprague-Dawley rats following 28-day repeated oral administration. In addition, we aimed to determine the target organ and no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of AlONPs.

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Yijin-tang is an oriental traditional herb used to treat inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of Yijin-tang water extract (YTE) using an ovalbumin- (OVA-) induced asthma model, focusing on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the herb. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with OVA on days 0 and 14 and then challenged with OVA on days 21, 22, and 23.

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The present study investigated the potential adverse effects of aluminum chloride (AlCl) following a 4-week repeated oral administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. The test article was administered once daily by gavage to male and female rats at dose levels of 0, 100, 300, and 900 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. After administration of AlCl at 900 mg/kg/day, treatment-related systemic toxicity manifested as significant increases in salivation incidence, neutrophil percentage, reticulocytes, serum triglyceride, adrenal gland and liver weights, and single-hepatocyte necrosis, as well as significant decreases in body weight gain, food intake, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), lymphocyte percentage, serum total protein and albumin, and thymus weight in male rats; and significant increases in salivation incidence, serum triglyceride, and liver weight, as well as a significant decrease in lymphocyte percentage in female rats.

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