Mi Hee Lee

Removal and sterilization of biofilms and planktonic bacteria by microwave-induced argon plasma at atmospheric pressure

Microbial biofilms are a functional matrix of microbial cells, enveloped in polysaccharides, enzymes and virulence factors secreted by them that can develop on indwelling medical devices and biomaterials. Plasma sterilization has been widely studied in recent years for biological applications. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of removal and anti-recovery of biofilms by microwave-induced argon plasma at atmospheric pressure. We observed that all bacterial biofilms formatted by Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are removed in less than 20 s, and the growth inhibitions of planktonic bacteria within biofilms are also confirmed by plasma exposure for 5 s. These results suggest that our plasma system can be applied to medical and biological fields where the removal of biofilms and their debris is required.

Apoptosis of human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells by epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate via induction of p53 and caspases as well as suppression of Bcl-2 and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB

Animal tumor bioassays and in vitro cell culture systems have demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the predominant catechin in green tea, possesses anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on various cancer cells and tumors. In this study, we investigated the effects of EGCG on cell growth, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. The involvement of p53, Bcl-2, Bax, caspases, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was examined as a mechanism for the anti-cancer activity of EGCG. Time-dependent intracellular trafficking of EGCG was also determined using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated EGCG (FITC-EGCG). Our data show that EGCG treatment caused dose-dependent cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and DNA fragmentation suggesting the induction of apoptosis in HT-1080 cells. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the expression of p53, caspase-7 and -9 as well as the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 protein increased significantly with higher EGCG concentrations and longer incubation times. Moreover, expression of phosphorylated NF-κB/p65 in HT-1080 cells was inhibited by EGCG treatment in a dose-dependent manner, while that of unphosphorylated NF-κB/p65 remained unaffected. Here we also reveal time-dependent internalization of FITC-EGCG into the cytosol of HT-1080 cells and its subsequent nuclear translocation. These results suggest that EGCG may interrupt exogenous signals directed towards genes involved in proliferation and cell cycle progression. Taken together, our data indicate that HT-1080 apoptosis may be mediated through the induction of p53 and caspases by the pro-oxidant activity of internalized EGCG, as well as suppression of Bcl-2 and phosphorylated NF-κB by the antioxidant activity of EGCG.

Asiaticoside enhances normal human skin cell migration, attachment and growth in vitro wound healing model.

Wound healing proceeds through a complex collaborative process involving many types of cells. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts of epidermal and dermal layers of the skin play prominent roles in this process. Asiaticoside, an active component of Centella asiatica, is known for beneficial effects on keloid and hypertrophic scar. However, the effects of this compound on normal human skin cells are not well known. Using in vitro systems, we observed the effects of asiaticoside on normal human skin cell behaviors related to healing. In a wound closure seeding model, asiaticoside increased migration rates of skin cells. By observing the numbers of cells attached and the area occupied by the cells, we concluded that asiaticoside also enhanced the initial skin cell adhesion. In cell proliferation assays, asiaticoside induced an increase in the number of normal human dermal fibroblasts. In conclusion, asiaticoside promotes skin cell behaviors involved in wound healing; and as a bioactive component of an artificial skin, may have therapeutic value.

Enhanced Neural Cell Adhesion and Neurite Outgrowth on Graphene-Based Biomimetic Substrates

Neural cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth were examined on graphene-based biomimetic substrates. The biocompatibility of carbon nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), that is, single-walled and multiwalled CNTs, against pheochromocytoma-derived PC-12 neural cells was also evaluated by quantifying metabolic activity (with WST-8 assay), intracellular oxidative stress (with ROS assay), and membrane integrity (with LDH assay). Graphene films were grown by using chemical vapor deposition and were then coated onto glass coverslips by using the scooping method. Graphene sheets were patterned on SiO2/Si substrates by using photolithography and were then covered with serum for a neural cell culture. Both types of CNTs induced significant dose-dependent decreases in the viability of PC-12 cells, whereas graphene exerted adverse effects on the neural cells just at over 62.5 ppm. This result implies that graphene and CNTs, even though they were the same carbon-based nanomaterials, show differential influences on neural cells. Furthermore, graphene-coated or graphene-patterned substrates were shown to substantially enhance the adhesion and neurite outgrowth of PC-12 cells. These results suggest that graphene-based substrates as biomimetic cues have good biocompatibility as well as a unique surface property that can enhance the neural cells, which would open up enormous opportunities in neural regeneration and nanomedicine.

Biological Advantages of Porous Hydroxyapatite Scaffold Made by Solid Freeform Fabrication for Bone Tissue Regeneration

Presently, commercially available porous bone substitutes are manufactured by the sacrificial template method, direct foaming method, and polymer replication method (PRM). However, current manufacturing methods provide only the simplest form of the bone scaffold and cannot easily control pore size. Recent developments in medical imaging technology, computer-aided design, and solid freeform fabrication (SFF), have made it possible to accurately produce porous synthetic bone scaffolds to fit the defected bone shape. Porous scaffolds were fabricated by SFF and PRM for a comparison of physical and mechanical properties of scaffold. The suggested three-dimensional model has interconnected cubic pores of 500 μm and its calculated porosity is 25%. Whereas hydroxyapatite scaffolds fabricated by SFF had connective macropores, those by PRM formed a closed pore external surface with internally interconnected pores. SFF was supposed to be a proper method for fabricating an interconnected macroporous network. Biocompatibility was confirmed by testing the cytotoxicity, hemolysis, irritation, sensitization, and implantation. In summary, the aim was to verify the safety and efficacy of the scaffolds by biomechanical and biological tests with the hope that this research could promote the feasibility of using the scaffolds as a bone substitute.

The biological activities of (1,3)-(1,6)-β-d-glucan and porous electrospun PLGA membranes containing β-glucan in human dermal fibroblasts and adipose tissue-derived stem cells

In this study, we investigated the possible roles of (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-d-glucan (beta-glucan) and porous electrospun poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) membranes containing beta-glucan for skin wound healing, especially their effect on adult human dermal fibroblast (aHDF) and adipose tissue-derived stem cell (ADSC) activation, proliferation, migration, collagen gel contraction and biological safety tests of the prepared membrane. This study demonstrated that beta-glucan and porous PLGA membranes containing beta-glucan have enhanced the cellular responses, proliferation and migration, of aHDFs and ADSCs and the result of a collagen gel contraction assay also revealed that collagen gels contract strongly after 4 h post-gelation incubation with beta-glucan. Furthermore, we confirmed that porous PLGA membranes containing beta-glucan are biologically safe for wound healing study. These results indicate that the porous PLGA membranes containing beta-glucan interacted favorably with the membrane and the topical administration of beta-glucan was useful in promoting wound healing. Therefore, our study suggests that beta-glucan and porous PLGA membranes containing beta-glucan may be useful as a material for enhancing wound healing.

Preventive Effects of Epigallocatechin-3-O-Gallate against Replicative Senescence Associated with p53 Acetylation in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Considering the various pharmacological activities of epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) including anticancer, and anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and so forth, relatively less attention has been paid to the antiaging effect of EGCG on primary cells. In this study, the preventive effects of EGCG against serial passage-induced senescence were investigated in primary cells including rat vascular smooth muscle cells (RVSMCs), human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), and human articular chondrocytes (HACs). The involvement of Sirt1 and acetylated p53 was examined as an underlying mechanism for the senescence preventive activity of EGCG in HDFs. All cells were employed with the initial passage number (PN) between 3 and 7. For inducing senescence, the cells were serially passaged at the predetermined times and intervals in the absence or presence of EGCG (50 or 100 μM). Serial passage-induced senescence in RVSMCs and HACs was able to be significantly prevented at 50 μM EGCG, while in HDFs, 100 μM EGCG could significantly prevent senescence and recover their cell cycle progression close to the normal level. Furthermore, EGCG was found to prevent serial passage- and H2O2-induced senescence in HDFs by suppressing p53 acetylation, but the Sirt1 activity was unaffected. In addition, proliferating HDFs showed similar cellular uptake of FITC-conjugated EGCG into the cytoplasm with their senescent counterparts but different nuclear translocation of it from them, which would partly account for the differential responses to EGCG in proliferating versus senescent cells. Taking these results into consideration, it is suggested that EGCG may be exploited to craft strategies for the development of an antiaging or age-delaying agent.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate regulates cell growth, cell cycle and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB in human dermal fibroblasts

Aim:To investigate the effects of (−)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the main polyphenol in green tea, on cell growth, cell cycle and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB (pNF-κB) expression in neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (nHDFs).Methods:The proliferation and cell-cycle of nHDFs were determined using WST-8 cell growth assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The apoptosis was examined using DNA ladder and Annexin V-FITC assays. The expression levels of pNF-κB and cell cycle-related genes and proteins in nHDFs were measured using cDNA microarray analyses and Western blot. The cellular uptake of EGCG was examined using fluorescence (FITC)-labeled EGCG (FITC-EGCG) in combination with confocal microscopy.Results:The effect of EGCG on the growth of nHDFs depended on the concentration tested. At a low concentration (200 μmol/L), EGCG resulted in a slight decrease in the proportion of cells in the S and G2/M phases of cell cycle with a concomitant increase in the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase. At the higher doses (400 and 800 μmol/L), apoptosis was induced. The regulation of EGCG on the expression of pNF-κB was also concentration-dependent, whereas it did not affect the unphosphorylated NF-κB expression. cDNA microarray analysis showed that cell cycle-related genes were down-regulated by EGCG (200 μmol/L). The expression of cyclins A/B and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 was reversibly regulated by EGCG (200 μmol/L). FITC-EGCG was found to be internalized into the cytoplasm and translocated into the nucleus of nHDFs.Conclusion:EGCG, through uptake into cytoplasm, reversibly regulated the cell growth and expression of cell cycle-related proteins and genes in normal fibroblasts.

Fabrication of Endothelial Cell-Specific Polyurethane Surfaces co-Immobilized with GRGDS and YIGSR Peptides

Polyurethane (PU) is widely used as a cardiovascular biomaterial due to its good mechanical properties and hemocompatibility, but it is not adhesive to endothelial cells (ECs). Cell adhesive peptides, GRGDS and YIGSR, were found to promote adhesion and spreading of ECs and showed a synergistic effect when both of them were used. In this study, a surface modification was designed to fabricate an EC-active PU surface capable of promoting endothelialization using the peptides and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) spacer, The modified PU surfaces were characterizedin vitro. The density of the grafted PEG on the PU surface was measured by acid-base back titration to the terminal-free isocyanate groups. The successful immobilization of peptides was confirmed by amino acid analysis, following hydrolysis, and contact angle measurement. The uniform distribution of peptides on the surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). To evaluate the EC adhesive property, cell viability test using human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) was investigatedin vitro and enhanced endothelialization was characterized by the introduction of cell adhesive peptides, GRGDS and YIGSR, and PEG spacer. Therefore, GRGDS and YIGSR co-immobilized PU surfaces can be applied to an EC-specific vascular graft with long-term patency by endothelialization.

Beneficial effects of microwave-induced argon plasma treatment on cellular behaviors of articular chondrocytes onto nanofibrous silk fibroin mesh

Silk fibroin scaffolds were examined as a biomaterial option for tissue-engineered cartilage-like tissue. In tissue engineering for cartilage repair using a scaffold, initial chondrocyte-material interactions are important for the following cell behaviors. In this study, the surface of nanofibrous silk fibroin (NSF) meshes was modified by a microwave-induced argon plasma treatment in order to improve the cytocompatibility of the meshes used as cartilaginous grafts. In addition, the effects of a plasma treatment on the cellular behavior of chondrocytes on NSF were examined. The plasma treatment resulted in an increase in the hydrophilicity of NSF meshes suggesting that the cytocompatibility of the mesh might be improved. Furthermore, the human articular chondrocytes showed higher viability on the surface-modified NSF meshes. These results suggest that the surface modification of NSF meshes by plasma can enhance the cellular behavior of chondrocytes and may be used in tissue engineering.