BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure can promote epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The flowers of Tagetes erecta Linn, commonly known as marigold, are rich in diverse flavonoids and carotenoids and play a significant role in preventing cellular damage induced by oxidative stress, but the role of their extracts in RPE cells has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of an ethanol extract of T. erecta Linn flower (TE) on PM2.5-induced EMT processes in RPE ARPE-19 cells.MATERIALS/METHODS: To investigate the protective effect of TE against ARPE-19 cell damage following PM2.5 treatment, cells were exposed to TE for 1 h before exposure to PM2.5 for 24 h. We investigated whether the efficacy of TE on suppressing PM2.5-induced EMT was related to antioxidant activity and the effect on the expression changes of factors involved in EMT regulation. Additionally, we further explored the role of intracellular signaling pathways associated with EMT inhibition. RESULTS: TE significantly blocked PM2.5-induced cytotoxicity while effectively preventing mitochondrial dysfunction, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial membrane potential disruption. TE inhibited PM2.5-induced EMT and inflammatory response by suppressing the ROS-mediated transforming growth factor-β/ suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic/mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that marigold extract is a highly effective in protection against PM2.5-induced eye damage.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Rosa hybrida has been demonstrated to exert biological effects on several cell types. This study investigated the efficacy of the edible ethanol extract of R.hybrida (EERH) against human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116) cells.MATERIALS/METHODS: HCT116 cells were cultured with different concentrations of EERH (0, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 µg/mL) in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium. Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and viable cell counting assays. Cell cycle pattern was observed by flow cytometry analysis. The wound-healing migration assay, invasion assay, and zymography were used to determine the migratory and invasive level of HCT116 cells treated with EERH. The protein expression and binding ability level of HCT116 cells following EERH treatment were analyzed via immunoblotting and the electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS: EERH suppressed HCT116 cell proliferation, thus arresting the G1-phase cell cycle.It also reduced cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclins, which are associated with p27KIP1 expression. Additionally, EERH differentially regulated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, p38, and protein kinase B. Moreover, EERH treatment inhibited the enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and MMP-2, resulting in HCT116 cell migration and invasion. The EERH-induced inhibition of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was attributed to the reduced transcriptional binding of activator protein-1, specificity protein-1, and nuclear factor-κB motifs in HCT116 cells. Kaempferol was identified as the main compound contributing to EERH's antitumor activity. CONCLUSION EERH inhibits HCT116 cell proliferation and metastatic potential. Therefore, it is potentially useful as a preventive and curative nutraceutical agent against colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure can promote epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The flowers of Tagetes erecta Linn, commonly known as marigold, are rich in diverse flavonoids and carotenoids and play a significant role in preventing cellular damage induced by oxidative stress, but the role of their extracts in RPE cells has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of an ethanol extract of T. erecta Linn flower (TE) on PM2.5-induced EMT processes in RPE ARPE-19 cells.MATERIALS/METHODS: To investigate the protective effect of TE against ARPE-19 cell damage following PM2.5 treatment, cells were exposed to TE for 1 h before exposure to PM2.5 for 24 h. We investigated whether the efficacy of TE on suppressing PM2.5-induced EMT was related to antioxidant activity and the effect on the expression changes of factors involved in EMT regulation. Additionally, we further explored the role of intracellular signaling pathways associated with EMT inhibition. RESULTS: TE significantly blocked PM2.5-induced cytotoxicity while effectively preventing mitochondrial dysfunction, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial membrane potential disruption. TE inhibited PM2.5-induced EMT and inflammatory response by suppressing the ROS-mediated transforming growth factor-β/ suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic/mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that marigold extract is a highly effective in protection against PM2.5-induced eye damage.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Rosa hybrida has been demonstrated to exert biological effects on several cell types. This study investigated the efficacy of the edible ethanol extract of R.hybrida (EERH) against human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116) cells.MATERIALS/METHODS: HCT116 cells were cultured with different concentrations of EERH (0, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 µg/mL) in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium. Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and viable cell counting assays. Cell cycle pattern was observed by flow cytometry analysis. The wound-healing migration assay, invasion assay, and zymography were used to determine the migratory and invasive level of HCT116 cells treated with EERH. The protein expression and binding ability level of HCT116 cells following EERH treatment were analyzed via immunoblotting and the electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS: EERH suppressed HCT116 cell proliferation, thus arresting the G1-phase cell cycle.It also reduced cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclins, which are associated with p27KIP1 expression. Additionally, EERH differentially regulated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, p38, and protein kinase B. Moreover, EERH treatment inhibited the enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and MMP-2, resulting in HCT116 cell migration and invasion. The EERH-induced inhibition of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was attributed to the reduced transcriptional binding of activator protein-1, specificity protein-1, and nuclear factor-κB motifs in HCT116 cells. Kaempferol was identified as the main compound contributing to EERH's antitumor activity. CONCLUSION EERH inhibits HCT116 cell proliferation and metastatic potential. Therefore, it is potentially useful as a preventive and curative nutraceutical agent against colorectal cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between distal fusion level in correction and fusion surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and radiologic changes in the sacroiliac (SI) joint. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients who underwent correction and fusion for AIS between 2005 and 2017 with at least 5 years of follow-up. We categorized patients into two groups: Group 1 (distal fusion above L2, 74 patients) and Group 2 (distal fusion at L3 and below, 52 patients). Radiologic parameters and SI joint changes were evaluated on plain radiographs obtained from preoperative to 5 years postoperatively. We also investigated other risk factors for SI joint change. Results: Analysis of demographic factors revealed no significant difference between the two groups. There was a significant difference in the incidence of SI joint change between Group 1 (5 patients, 6.75%) and Group 2 (18 patients, 34.61%), with Group 2 showing a faster increase in incidence according to the Kaplan-Meier method (p<0.0001). Preoperative lumbar lordosis (LL) and ΔLL had a significant relationship with SI joint changes [preoperative LL, hazard ratio (HR)=0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.64– 0.93, p=0.008; ΔLL, HR=0.79, 95% CI=0.67–0.95, p=0.01). Conclusion After AIS surgery, patients who had fusion to the lower lumbar vertebrae (L3 or L4) experienced a higher incidence and faster progression of degenerative changes in the SI joint. Low preoperative LL and inadequate correction of LL during the operation were also risk factors for SI joint degeneration.

Purpose: A one-year blood analysis and dietary intake survey was conducted on postmenopausal women living in a large city in Korea to analyze the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), a predictive factor for cardiovascular disease, and the relationship between the AIP and blood or nutritional indices was analyzed. Methods: The study subjects were 92 women aged 45 to 69 years who lived in Daejeon and had been through menopause for more than one year. Blood samples were collected twice a year, in the fall and spring, and dietary intake surveys were conducted four times a year, once each season, from September 2021 to August 2022. The subjects’ drinking, exercise status, supplement intake, body mass index, blood sugar, and lipid profiles were investigated. Results: The mean AIP of the study participants was −0.30±−0.55, and 76% were in the low-risk group for cardiovascular disease. The body mass index, body weight, total body fat ratio, fasting blood sugar, and glycated hemoglobin of the study participants increased as the AIP quartile increased. A lower AIP quartile means a higher nutrient intake of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and iron and a higher intake of vegetables and oily fish among food groups. Conclusion Weight and blood sugar control are essential to prevent cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal Korean women, and it is necessary to consume more than two servings (approximately 140 g) of oily fish, a source of omega-3 fatty acids, per week and at least four to five servings/day of vegetables, including kimchi.

Background: To identify the optimal surgical technique for single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), this study compared surgical outcomes and incidence of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) in patients undergoing single-level ACDF using cage alone single-level fusion and plate fixation techniques. Methods: This single-center retrospective study (2003–2018) included patients who underwent single-level ACDF with either plate fixation (PLATE) or cage (CAGE) alone. The radiologic and clinical outcomes between the 2 surgical groups were compared over a 4-year follow-up period. Outcomes of interest included parameters related to range of motion, sagittal alignment, as well as fusion, subsidence, and ASD rates. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Dysphagia and hoarseness rates were estimated based on medical records. Results: Forty-seven patients were included (n=17 in CAGE group). In the CAGE group, 94.1% of the patients had Bridwell grade 1 or 2, compared to 83.3% in the PLATE group (p = 0.396). Subsidence occurred in 12.5% and 3.6% of the CAGE and PLATE cases, respectively (p = 0.543). Segmental kyphosis progressed in the CAGE group compared to the PLATE group at 12, 24, and 48 months (p < 0.001). Radiographic ASD was observed in 41.2% and 30.0% of patients in the CAGE and PLATE groups, respectively, with a higher incidence in the upper segments for both groups. Preoperative NDI scores were similar between the groups; however, postoperatively, the CAGE group had significantly lower NDI scores (3.50 ± 2.74 vs. 8.00 ± 5.81) at 4 years (p = 0.020). Neck pain VAS scores also showed significant improvement in the CAGE group (2.33 ± 2.94) compared with that in the PLATE group (3.07 ± 2.31) at 4 years (p = 0.045). Both groups showed comparable arm pain VAS scores at 2 and 4 years postoperatively. Postoperative dysphagia occurred in 1 patient in the PLATE group, resolving almost completely by 1 year. Conclusions Single-level ACDF using a cage alone technique demonstrated favorable radiologic and clinical outcomes overall compared to plate-augmented ACDF. However, plate augmentation is recommended for patients with severe cervical kyphosis or those at high risk of subsidence.

Anticancer activities of Licochalcone D (LCD) in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells HCT116 and oxaliplatin-resistant HCT116 (HCT116-OxR) were determined. Cell viability assay and soft agar assay were used to analyze antiproliferative activity of LCD.Flow cytometry was performed to determine effects of LCD on apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) dysfunction, and multi-caspase activity in CRC cells. Western blot analysis was used to monitor levels of proteins involved in cell cycle and apoptosis signaling pathways. LCD suppressed the growth and anchorageindependent colony formation of both HCT116 and HCT116-OxR cells. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry indicated that LCD induced cell cycle arrest and increased cells in sub-G1 phase. In parallel with the antiproliferative effect of LCD, LCD up-regulated levels of p21 and p27 while downregulating cyclin B1 and cdc2. In addition, phosphorylation levels of JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were increased by LCD. Inhibition of these kinases somehow prevented the antiproliferative effect of LCD. Moreover, LCD increased ROS and deregulated mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to the activation of multiple caspases. An ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) or pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK prevented the antiproliferative effect of LCD, supporting that ROS generation and caspase activation mediated LCD-induced apoptosis in CRC cells. In conclusion, LCD exerted antitumor activity in CRC cells by inducing ROS generation and phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK. These results support that LCD could be further developed as a chemotherapeutic agent for treating CRC.