본 연구는 ‘설향’ 딸기 유묘를 대상으로, 꽃눈 분화 유도 조건(단일일장, 야간 15°C)과 비유도 조건(연속광, 24－25°C)에서의 형태적 및 생리적 반응을 비교하여, 꽃눈 분화와 관련된 주요 생장 지표를 확인하고자 수행되었 다. 유묘는 15일간 각각의 환경 조건에 따라 처리된 후, 모든 처리구를 동일한 비유도 조건(연속광, 24－25°C) 하에 배양하며 총 49일간 관찰하였다. 관부 직경, 잎 수, 엽면적, 런너 수 등 형태적 지표와 함께 건물중 분포, 엽록소 농도 (SPAD), 가용성 당(자당, 포도당, 과당) 함량을 조사하였다. 그 결과, 꽃눈 분화 유도 처리군은 관부 직경과 뿌리 생 체량, 잎의 엽록소 농도가 유의하게 높았으며, 이는 생식 생장으로의 전환을 나타내는 초기 지표로 판단되었다. 반 면, 비유도 조건에서는 잎 수, 런너 수, 줄기 생체중, 엽면적이 증가하여 영양생장이 지속됨을 확인하였다. 특히, 유 도 처리 28일 이후 관부 내 자당 농도가 두드러지게 증가하였으며, 이는 꽃눈 분화 개시와의 관련성을 시사한다. 본 연구는 환경 조건에 따른 딸기 유묘의 생장 반응 차이를 규명하고, 꽃눈 분화 예측과 정식 시기 결정을 위한 유용한 생리적 지표를 제시함으로써, 환경 제어 기반의 효과적인 유묘 관리 전략 수립에 기초자료를 제공할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

Maca has been reported to alleviate male menopause symptoms in humans and experimental animals; however, its mechanism of action in improving male menopause has not been clearly identified. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of gelatinized maca in improving male menopause by analyzing serum testosterone, testicular androgen receptor (AR) expression, and testicular oxidation-antioxidation balance. Gelatinized maca was administered orally to aged male C57BL/6 mice at three doses (500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg/kg/day) for 28 consecutive days. Serum biochemical analysis showed an increase in serum hydroxysteroid 17-beta-dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17β13) concentration at 1,500 mg/kg/day and a decrease in serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentration at ≥ 1,000 mg/kg/day. Gelatinized maca administration also resulted in the increased expression levels of testicular AR and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) at 1,500 mg/kg/day. Oxidative stress analysis showed an increase in testicular superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and a decrease in testicular malondialdehyde at 1,500 mg/kg/day. In conclusion, gelatinized maca administration to aged male mice increased HSD17β13, AR and CREB expression, and antioxidant capacity and decreased serum SHBG. The results of the present study suggest that gelatinized maca may be a useful substance that can help alleviate male menopause symptoms.

Though Farnesiferol C (FC) derived from Ferula asafoetida is known to have antiangiogenic and apoptotic effect in gastric, breast, nonsmall lung cancers, the underlying antitumor mechanism of FC is not fully understood so far. Hence, in the current study, apoptotic mechanism of FC was explored in colon cancers in association with carbon catabolite repression 4-negative on TATA-less 2 (CNOT2)/c-Myc signaling. Herein FC significantly increased cytotoxicity and reduced the number of colonies in HCT116 cells more effectively than in SW480 cells, though FC enhanced sub-G1 cell population in HCT116 and SW480 cells compared to untreated control. Consistently, FC activated the cleavages of Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and Bax and attenuated the expression of pro-PARP and Cyclin D1 in HCT116 cells better than SW480 cells. Also, FC significantly reduced the expression of CNOT2 and c-Myc. Also, FC reduced of c-Myc stability in HCT116 cells by cycloheximide assay. Notably, CNOT2 depletion reduced the expression of c-Myc, while c-Myc depletion also attenuated the expression of CNOT2 in HCT116 cells, implying the crosstalk between CNOT2 and c-Myc. Furthermore, overexpression of c-Myc or CNOT2 promoted the expression of pro-PARP in HCT116 cells. Overall, these findings suggest that FC induces apoptosis via inhibition of CNOT2 and c-Myc in colon cancers for a potent anticancer candidate for further agriculture cultivation in Korea.