Herbal extract THI improves metabolic abnormality in mice fed a high-fat diet

Sora Han,Ki Sook Oh,Yoosik Yoon,Jeong Su Park,Yun Sun Park,Jeong Hye Han,Ae Lee Jeong,Sunyi Lee,Miyoung Park,Yeon A Choi,Jong Seok Lim,Young Yang 한국영양학회 2011 Nutrition Research and Practice Vol.5 No.3

Target herbal ingredient (THI) is an extract made from two herbs, Scutellariae Radix and Platycodi Radix. It has been developed as a treatment for metabolic diseases such as hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. One component of these two herbs has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-obesity activities. However, there have been no reports about the effects of the mixed extract of these two herbs on metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigated the metabolic effects of THI using a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model. High-fat diet (HFD) mice were orally administered daily with 250 mg/kg of THI. After 10 weeks of treatment, the THI-administered HFD mice showed reduction of body weights and epididymal white adipose tissue weights as well as improved glucose tolerance. In addition, the level of total cholesterol in the serum was markedly reduced. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the metabolic effects of THI in vitro, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with THI, after which the mRNA levels of adipogenic transcription factors, including C/EBPα and PPARγ, were measured. The results show that the expression of these two transcription factors was down regulated by THI in a dose-dependent manner. We also examined the combinatorial effects of THI and swimming exercise on metabolic status. THI administration simultaneously accompanied by swimming exercise had a synergistic effect on serum cholesterol levels. These findings suggest that THI could be developed as a supplement for improving metabolic status.

Comprehensive analysis of reproductive ADAMs: relationship of ADAM4 and ADAM6 with an ADAM complex required for fertilization in mice.

Han, Cecil,Choi, Eunyoung,Park, Inju,Lee, Boyeon,Jin, Sora,Kim, Do Han,Nishimura, Hitoshi,Cho, Chunghee Society for the Study of Reproduction [etc.] 2009 BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION Vol.80 No.5

<P>A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease (ADAM) family members expressed in male reproductive tissues are divided phylogenetically into three major groups. In the present study, we analyzed six ADAMs in one of the groups (ADAMs 4, 6, 24, 26, 29, and 30) of which function is largely unknown. Our results showed that most of the ADAMs undergo unique processing during sperm maturation and are located at the surface of sperm head. We found that the levels of ADAM4 and ADAM6 are dramatically reduced in Adam2 and Adam3 knockout sperm defective in various fertilization processes. We observed premature processing of ADAM4 in the Adam3-null mice. Furthermore, we obtained a result showing complex formation of ADAM6 with ADAM2 and ADAM3 in testis. Taken together, these results disclose involvement of ADAM4 and ADAM6 in a reproductive ADAM system that functions in fertilization.</P>

Adiponectin Deficiency Suppresses Lymphoma Growth in Mice by Modulating NK Cells, CD8 T Cells, and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

Han, Sora,Jeong, Ae Lee,Lee, Sunyi,Park, Jeong Su,Kim, Kwang Dong,Choi, Inpyo,Yoon, Suk Ran,Lee, Myung Sok,Lim, Jong-Seok,Han, Seung Hyun,Yoon, Do Young,Yang, Young The American Association of Immunologists, Inc. 2013 JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY Vol.190 No.9

<P>Previously, we found that adiponectin (APN) suppresses IL-2–induced NK cell activation by downregulating the expression of the IFN-γ–inducible TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and Fas ligand. Although the antitumor function of APN has been reported in several types of solid tumors, with few controversial results, no lymphoma studies have been conducted. In this study, we assessed the role of APN in immune cell function, including NK cells, CTLs, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, in EL4 and B16F10 tumor-bearing APN knockout (KO) mice. We observed attenuated EL4 growth in the APNKO mice. Increased numbers of splenic NK cells and splenic CTLs were identified under naive conditions and EL4-challenged conditions, respectively. In APNKO mice, splenic NK cells showed enhanced cytotoxicity with and without IL-2 stimulation. Additionally, there were decreased levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cell accumulation in the EL4-bearing APNKO mice. Enforced MHC class I expression on B16F10 cells led to attenuated growth of these tumors in APNKO mice. Thus, our results suggest that EL4 regression in APNKO mice is not only due to an enhanced antitumor immune response but also to a high level of MHC class I expression.</P>

Study on Initial GrowthBehavior of RuO₂ Film Grown by Pulsed Chemical Vapor Deposition:Effects of Substrateand Reactant Feeding Time

Han, JeongHwan,Lee, Sang Woon,Kim, Seong Keun,Han, Sora,Lee, Woongkyu,Hwang, Cheol Seong American ChemicalSociety 2012 Chemistry of materials Vol.24 No.8

<P>This study examined the nucleation behavior of RuO<SUB>2</SUB> filmsgrown by pulsed chemical vapor deposition (p-CVD) using a RuO<SUB>4</SUB> solution and a N<SUB>2</SUB>(95%)/H<SUB>2</SUB>(5%) mixedgas as the Ru precursor and reactant, respectively, on various substratessuch as Pt, TiN, TiO<SUB>2</SUB>, and SiO<SUB>2</SUB> surfaces. Inaddition, highly doped and nondoped Si substrates were also used tounderstand the influence of the electrical conductivity of a givensubstrate material. Contrary to the nucleation behavior of atomiclayer deposited and CVD Ru or RuO<SUB>2</SUB> using metal–organicprecursors, where oxygen supplying surfaces facilitate nucleation,the nucleation in this study was enhanced by oxygen consuming substratessuch as TiN and Si. This is basically due to the thermal decompositionmechanism of the RuO<SUB>4</SUB> precursor. This precursor showedfluent nucleation properties on a Pt substrate too, which is thoughtto come from the catalytic activity of the surface. The electricalconductivity and ionicity of the substrate had little relevance withthe nucleation characteristics of the film. The addition of a H<SUB>2</SUB> reducing gas improved the nucleation to a certain degree,but the enhancement was not substantial. The deposited films werepure and maintained a highly uniform composition along the film thicknessdirection. The films were already crystallized with the rutile structure.</P><P>Influence of substrate type and reactant feeding time onnucleation behavior of RuO<SUB>2</SUB> film grown by p-CVD using RuO<SUB>4</SUB> precursor was investigated. Nucleation rate of RuO<SUB>2</SUB> was enhanced by oxygen consuming substrate and longer feeding ofreduction gas.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/cmatex/2012/cmatex.2012.24.issue-8/cm200989t/production/images/medium/cm-2011-00989t_0009.gif'></P>

Risk Factors for Suicidality in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: A Focus on Physical and Functional Characteristics

Han Sora,Kim Wooyeung,김온유 대한재활의학회 2023 Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine Vol.47 No.5

Objective: To demonstrate the association between the physical and functional characteristics of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and suicidality, an area of research that is less understood than the association with demographic, social, and psychological characteristics.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 259 patients with SCI admitted for rehabilitation at the National Rehabilitation Center, Seoul, between January 2019 and December 2021. Demographic, SCI-related, physical, and functional data were collected from their medical records. Suicide risk was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.Results: The 259 participants had an average age of 49.1 years, and 75.7% were male. The analysis revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between age and suicidality. No significant differences were found for sex, education, occupation, or SCI-related factors. Lower upper extremity motor score (UEMS) was significantly associated with higher suicide risk. Regarding functional factors, the inability to perform independent rolling, come to sit, wheelchair propelling, and self-driving were associated with increased suicidality. In the multiple linear regression analysis, lower UEMS, limited shoulder joint motion, upper extremity spasticity, and dependent wheelchair propulsion were predictors of higher suicide risk.Conclusion: This study highlights the associations among physical status, functional dependency, and suicide risk in individuals with SCI. These findings emphasize the need to address psychological aspects and physical and functional factors in the management of individuals with SCI who are at a high risk of suicide.

Interleukin-32: Frenemy in cancer?

( Sora Han ),( Young Yang ) 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2019 BMB Reports Vol.52 No.3

Interleukin-32 (IL-32) was originally identified in natural killer (NK) cells activated by IL-2 in 1992. Thus, it was named NK cell transcript 4 (NK4) because of its unknown function at that time. The function of IL-32 has been elucidated over the last decade. IL-32 is primarily considered to be a booster of inflammatory reactions because it is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines and stimulates the production of those cytokines and vice versa. Therefore, many studies have been devoted to studying the roles of IL-32 in inflammation-associated cancers, including gastric, colon cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. At the same time, roles of IL-32 have also been discovered in other cancers. Collectively, IL-32 fosters the tumor progression by nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-mediated cytokines and metalloproteinase production, as well as stimulation of differentiation into immunosuppressive cell types in some cancer types. However, it is also able to induce tumor cell apoptosis and enhance NK and cytotoxic T cell sensitivity in other cancer types. In this review, we will address the function of each IL-32 isoform in different cancer types studied to date, and suggest further strategies to comprehensively elucidate the roles of IL-32 in a context-dependent manner. [BMB Reports 2019; 52(3): 165-174]

A novel blood pressure modulator C1q/TNF-α-related protein 1 (CTRP1)

( Sora Han ),( Young Yang ) 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2018 BMB Reports Vol.51 No.12

C1q/TNF-α-Related Protein 1 (CTRP1) has recently been shown to act as a blood pressure regulator, as it induces vasoconstriction. In the aorta, CTRP1 facilitates recruitment of angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1R) to plasma membrane, through activation of the AKT/AS160 signaling pathway. This leads to activation of the Ras homolog gene family (Rho)/Rho kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway, resulting in vasoconstriction. Accordingly, mice overexpressing Ctrp1 have hypertensive phenotype. Patients with hypertension also display higher circulating CTRP1 levels, compared to healthy individuals, indicating that excessive CTRP1 may affect development of hypertension. Conversely, CTRP1 is regarded as an ‘innate blood pressure modulator’ because CTRP1 increases blood pressure under dehydration to prevent hypotension. Mice lacking Ctrp1 fail to maintain normotension under dehydration conditions, resulting in hypotension, suggesting that CTRP1 is an essential protein for maintaining blood pressure homeostasis. In conclusion, CTRP1 is a novel, anti-hypotensive vasoconstrictor that increases blood pressure during dehydration-induced hypotension. [BMB Reports: Perspective 2018; 51(12): 611-612]

3D Printing 기술을 활용한 음량증폭 스피커 설계

SORA HAN,SUNGJOO CHO 대한인간공학회 2017 대한인간공학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2017 No.11

C1q/TNF-α-Related Protein 1 (CTRP1) Maintains Blood Pressure Under Dehydration Conditions

Han, Sora,Jeong, Ae Lee,Lee, Sunyi,Park, Jeong Su,Buyanravjikh, Sumiyasuren,Kang, Wonku,Choi, Seungmok,Park, Changmin,Han, Jin,Son, Woo-Chan,Yoo, Kyung Hyun,Cheong, Jae Hoon,Oh, Goo Taeg,Lee, Won-Youn Ovid Technologies Wolters Kluwer -American Heart A 2018 Circulation research Vol.123 No.5

Evaluation of Circulating MicroRNA Biomarkers in the Acute Pancreatic Injury Dog Model

Lee, Han-Byul,Park, Hyun-Kyu,Choi, Hyun-Ji,Lee, Sora,Lee, Sang-Joon,Lee, Ji-Young,Cho, Eun-Ho,Han, Hyo-Jeong,Seok, Ju-Hyung,Son, Woo-Chan MDPI 2018 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES Vol.19 No.10

<P>This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of four microRNAs (miRNAs) in an acute pancreatic injury dog model. Acute pancreatitis was induced by infusion of cerulein for 2 h (7.5 μg/kg/h). The levels of well-known miRNAs, microRNA-216a (miR-216a) and microRNA-375 (miR-375), and new candidates microRNA-551b (miR-551b), and microRNA-7 (miR-7), were measured at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 h with serum amylase and lipase, and histopathological examination was performed. Among the four miRNAs, miR-216a and miR-375, and serum enzymes were significantly increased by cerulein treatment. The expression levels of miRNAs and serum enzymes peaked at 2–6 h with a similar pattern; however, the overall increases in miR-216a and miR-375 levels were much higher than those of the serum enzyme biomarkers. Increased levels of miR-216a and miR-375 were most highly correlated to the degree of individual histopathological injuries of the pancreas, and showed much greater dynamic response than serum enzyme biomarkers. Twenty-four-hour time-course analysis in this study revealed time-dependent changes of miRNA expression levels, from initial increase to decrease by predose level in acute pancreatitis. Our findings demonstrate that, in dogs, miR-216a and miR-375 have the potential to sensitively detect pancreatitis and reflect well the degree of pancreatic injury, whereas miR-551b and miR-7 do not.</P>