• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.597-603
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• 2008

Purpose : Obesity is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance and the presence of pro-inflammatory mediators are thought to cause a state of vascular endothelial dysfunction, an abnormal lipid profile, hypertension, and vascular inflammation. These chronic inflammatory responses, which are characterized by abnormal cytokine production, lead to activation of a pro-inflammatory signaling pathway. Leptin is an important mediator of inflammatory processes and immune-mediated diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between leptin and various cytokines associated with obesity in adolescents. Methods : Sixty-six obese adolescents (between 16-17 years of age, obesity index >130%) and 26 normal controls were included in this study. Obesity index and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. Serum lipid profile, AST and ALT were tested after 10 hours of fasting. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured by ELISA. Insulin, adiponectin, and leptin levels were estimated by radioimmunoassay. Results : Leptin was significantly higher in the obese adolescents compared to the control adolescents ($12.0{\pm}6.8ng/mL$ vs $6.3{\pm}1.0ng/mL$). TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and insulin were significantly higher in the obese adolescents. Adiponectin was significantly lower in the obese group than the control group ($3.3{\pm}1.9{\mu}g/mL$ vs $5.0{\pm}1.4{\mu}g/mL$). Leptin had positive correlations with obesity index, BMI, and IL-6. Conclusion : In obese adolescents, leptin, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and insulin might be important mediators of obesity. Further clinical research is necessary to ascertain leptin as a predictor of cardiovascular diseases and to develop a guideline for clinical intervention.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2004

Objectives : This study was performed to determine whether an increase in abdominal obesity is an independent risk factor for impaired fasting glucose and type 2 DM. Methods : Among 24,212 adults over 30 years who undertook comprehensive medical screening examinations from Jan to Dec 1999, in a university hospital in Seoul, a total of 11,183 subjects were selected who had no DM at baseline and who were followed up more than once by Dec 2002. The average follow up period was 2.4 (${\pm}0.5$) years. DM was defined as having a fasting glucose level $\geq$ 126mg/dl, and impaired fasting glucose as showing a fasting glucose level between 110 and 125 mg/dl. Body weight, height and waist circumference (WC) were simultaneously measured with blood sampling. The relative risks (RRs) for DM and impaired fasting glucose by WC were calculated using Cox proportional hazard model. Ageadjusted rates were estimated by direct standardization using a reference population of 2000 from 30 to 80 years. Results : The average age of the subjects was 41.7 (${\pm}7.0$) years; males 41.2 (${\pm}6.5$) and females 45.6 (${\pm}9.2$). RRs for type 2 DM by WC with the reference group of WC < 80cm were as follows: 2.66 (95%, CI $0.55{\sim}12.8$) for WC of $80{\sim}89cm$ in men, 5.92 (95%, CI $1.08{\sim}32.3$) for WC $\geq$ 90 cm in men, and 2.64 (95%, CI $0.23{\sim}29.8$) for WC of $80{\sim}89cm$ in females. RRs for impaired fasting glucose by WC were 3.03 (95%, CI $2.18{\sim}4.22$) for WC $80{\sim}89cm$ in men, 6.10 (95%, CI $4.25{\sim}8.75$) for WC $\geq$ 90cm in men, and 1.56 (95%, CI $0.43{\sim}5.67$) for WC $80{\sim}89cm$ in women, and 8.08 (95%, CI $2.22{\sim}29.4$) for WC $\geq$ 90cm in females. These results remained significant after adjustment for age, BMI and fasting glucose concentrations at baseline in both sexes. Annual increment of more than 1 cm in WC was associated with the development of DM and impaired fasting glucose independently of age, sex, BMI, or presence of abdominal obesity. Conclusion : In Korean adults, abdominal obesity increased the risk for the development of type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose. This result supports many other prospective studies suggesting abdominal obesity as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2006

Objective: We analyzed quantification of mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) to investigate the relationship of mitochondria and pathogenesis of PCOS. Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 28 patients with PCOS who were under the inclusion criteria for PCOS and from 28 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was used to analyze real-time PCR for mtDNA copy number quantification. The mtDNA copy number was compared between the control and PCOS groups. All data was expressed as mean ${\pm}$ SD. Statistical analysis was assessed by t-test. Results: In this study, the mtDNA $C_T$ was $11.67{\pm}0.422$ in PCOS patients and $11.51{\pm}0.722$ in control group, respectively. The mtDNA copy number was $1726410.71{\pm}407858.591$ the patients of in PCOS and $2167887.51{\pm}252459.28$ in control group (p=0.08), respectively. Conclusion: In our study, using real-time PCR, there was a tendency of lower mtDNA copy number in the patients of PCOS when comparing to the control group even though statistical difference was not significant. However, more extensive analysis is required to clarity relationship between mtDNA copy number and pathogenesis of PCOS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1036-1042
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• 2013

The aim of the present study is to elucidate the anti-obesity effects of Doenjang with and without salt in C57BL/6J mice. For the analysis, a total of forty mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal diet group (ND), high-fat diet group (HD), high-fat diet supplemented with 20% Doenjang group (DJ), high-fat diet supplemented with 20% unsalted Doenjang group (NS). During the study period, food intake and body weight were measured daily and weekly, respectively. The animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks. Body weight gain, epididymal fat pad weight and serum triglyceride levels of DJ group were found to be significantly lower than those of the HD and NS groups. Serum total-cholesterol levels of DJ and NS groups were significantly lower as compared to the HD group. There were significant decreases in plasma insulin and leptin levels in DJ group compared with the HD and NS groups. We did not observe any significant changes in the expression of hepatic lipogenic-related gene $PPAR{\gamma}$ among the HD, DJ and NS groups. However, ACC expression was found to be significantly decreased in DJ group. Lipolysis-related gene ($PPAR{\alpha}$ and CPT-1) expression was significantly higher in the DJ group as compared to HD and NS groups. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that Doenjang supplementation lowers body weight gain and improves obesity-related parameters.