• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2023

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing interest in anti-obesity strategies. According to the National Statistical Office, the obesity rate in Korea was 38.3% in 2020 and 37.1% in 2021. Obesity is a risk factor for several severe diseases, including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda is a hybrid of Pinus rigida Mill and Pinus taeda Linn, and its cones are considered a by-product. Although previous studies have investigated their pharmacological effects on antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative DNA damage, few researchers have explored their potential as functional natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the cone of ethyl acetate fraction of P. rigida × P. taeda (ERT), specifically its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation. Our analysis showed that ERT contains phytochemicals (catechin and caffeic acid) which are known to improve immune function and inhibit cell damage. ERT inhibited lipid droplet accumulation at the cellular levels through Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ERT suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and CEBP/α) as well as downstream lipogenic target genes (FAS and SREBP-1) thereby inhibiting adipogenesis. ERT also down-regulated key adipogenic markers, including aP2α, while inducing the phosphorylation of AMPK. It has been reported that PPARγ and CEBP/α are expressed in the early stages of adipose differentiation, while SREBP-1 is expressed in the late stage. Therefore, our findings suggest that ERT activates AMPK signaling pathways, which inhibits adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1) and lipogenic genes (FAS and aP2α), thereby blocking lipid accumulation and preventing obesity and related disorders. ERT showed potential as a new resource for developing a functional material for anti-obesity agents.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2019

The ami of our study was on the anti-obesity effect of ethanol extract from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim root (TKM) in murine adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells. This study focused on anti-adipogenic activity through inhibition of cell differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells treated TKM. 100 ug/ml of non-cytotoxic TEM remarkablely inhibited content of triglycerol and suppressed expressions of $C/EBP{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}a$ and SREBP-1c related with lipogenic transcription factors in theres 3T3-L1 cells compared to (-)control cells. As phosphorylations of AMPK and ACC were incerased, HSL and CPT-1 mRNA expression increased upon TKM treatment, which involved in inhibition of fatty acid synthase expression. In conclusion, these results indicate that TKM can inhibit mRNA and protein expression of lipogenic genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our study suggests that TKM has potential anti-obesity effects and is a convergence therapeutic functional agent with anti-adipogenic activity via hypolipogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1293-1299
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• 2017

Obesity contributes to the development of diseases, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cancer. In addition, oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is recognized widely as a contributing factor in the development of chronic diseases. This study was examined the antioxidant and anti-adipogenic activities of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were differentiated with or without EGCG for 6 days. The production of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. EGCG inhibited significantly the lipid accumulation and the expression of adipogenic specific proteins including CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein. The production of intracellular ROS was decreased significantly by EGCG in 3T3-L1 cells. EGCG increased the GSH production and the activities of GPx, GR, CAT, and SOD. Moreover, EGCG increased the protein expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase and heme oxygenase-1 in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest that EGCG increased the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes and suppressed the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, the use of phytochemicals that can maintain the GSH redox balance in adipose tissue could be promising for reducing obesity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.369-378
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• 2023

Smilax sieboldii is one of the Smilax species. A number of Smilax plants have multiple physiologically-active components and anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant effects. Antiobesity effects induced by Smilax sieboldii have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects and molecular mechanisms of anti-obesity activity of 70% ethanol Smilax sieboldii extract (SSE). The anti-obesity effect of SSE was determined using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We confirmed that SSE was not cytotoxic to murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we evaluated SSE dose-dependently decreased the accumulation of lipids via an Oil Red O assay and triglyceride assay. These anti-obesity activities of SSE were mediated by the inhibition of adipogenesis-related marker genes (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α, and SREBP1c) and lipogenesis-related marker genes (fatty acid synthase and aP2). These results suggest that SSE has the potential to exert anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemia effects by regulating adipogenic transcription factors and inhibiting the expression of adipogenic markers.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological characteristics and anti-obesity effects of E. faecalis MD366 isolated from raw milk. E. faecalis MD366 inhibited lipase activity ($65.0{\pm}0.9%$) and differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes ($27.4{\pm}1.4%$) at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$ ($10^8CFU/g$ E. faecalis MD366). The optimum growth temperature of E. faecalis MD366 was $37^{\circ}C$. Among 16 tested antibiotics, E. faecalis MD366 demonstrated the highest sensitivity to novobiocin and the highest resistance to neomycin, kanamycin, and vancomycin. The strain also showed high acid phosphatase activity. Moreover, E. faecalis was relatively tolerant to bile juice and acid, and displayed high resistance to Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus (80.4%, 60.2%, and 65.4%, respectively). These results demonstrate that E. faecalis MD366 can be potentially used as a probiotic with anti-obesity effects.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.145-152
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• 2021

Microbial bioconversion using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) provides several human health benefits. Although whey and whey-derived bioactive compounds can contribute to an improvement in human health, the potential anti-obesity effect of whey bioconversion by LAB has not been well studied. This study aimed to investigate whether bioconversion of whey by Pediococcus pentosaceus KI31 and Lactobacillus sakei KI36 (KI31-W and KI36-W, respectively) inhibits 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation. Both KI31-W and KI36-W reduced intracellular lipid accumulation significantly, without decreasing 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation. In addition, obesity-related transcription factor (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) and genes (adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein and lipoprotein lipase) were down-regulated significantly in 3T3-L1 cells in the presence of KI31-W and KI36-W. Collectively, these results suggest that bioconversion of whey by LAB exhibits anti-adipogenic activity and may be applied as a therapeutic agent for obesity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2010

Hydrolysate silk fibroin (HSF) is a fibrous protein composed of parallel $\beta$-structures and is made from pure silk elements including 18 amino acids, with glycine, alanine, and serine comprising of over 80% of the amino acids. Numerous studies have documented a range of effects of HSF, including moisturizing, antioxidant activity, nervous system disorders, and many more. We investigated whether HSF has anti-obesity effects in vitro. The effects of HSF inhibition on lipid accumulation and acceleration of lipid degradation in 3T3-L1 cells were studied. Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with HSF caused significant inhibition of cell viability, an increase in glycerol release, and a decreased in adipocyte differentiation. Moreover HSF stimulated downregulated of adipogenic enzyme expressions (PPAR${\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$) and up-regulated of fatty oxidation enzyme expressions (CPT-1 and UCP-2). Based on these results, hydrolysate silk fibroin can be suggested as a potential therapeutic substance as part of a prevention or treatment strategy for obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.651-663
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• 2016

Corn silk, Job's tears, Lentinus edodes, and apple peel 70% ethanol extracts (CS, JT, LE, and AP) were studied for their antioxidant activities. CS among all extracts showed the highest antioxidant activities based on total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 2,2-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical scavenging activity, and reducing power. Adipocyte differentiation was investigated by Oil Red O staining assay using CS, JT, LE, AP, and extract of developed bread containing corn silk, Job's tears, Lentinus edodes, and apple peel (DB) treated to 3T3-L1 adipocytes. DB1 and DB2 showed anti-adipogenic and antioxidant effects. Triglyceride (TG) accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was measured, and among the samples tested (CS, JT, LE, and AP), CS was found to have the highest inhibitory activity against TG accumulation of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and regulated factors associated with adipogenesis. CS suppressed lipid droplet formation and adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. We examined the effects of CS on the levels of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\beta}(C/EBP{\beta})$, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}(PPAR{\gamma})$, and adipocyte-specific lipid binding protein (aP2) mRNA as well as protein levels in 3T3-L1 cells treated with CS at various concentrations (0, 10, 50, and $100{\mu}g/mL$) during adipocyte differentiation and treatment with CS in 3T3-L1 adipocytes down-regulated expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2 mRNA. CS also significantly inhibited up-regulation of $C/EBP{\beta}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and aP2 proteins during adipocyte differentiation. These data indicate that DBs have anti-adipogenic activity induced by CS in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and CS exerts anti-adipogenic activity by inhibiting expression of $C/EBP{\beta}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and aP2 signaling pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. JT, LE, and AP had no inhibitory effects on differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes but displayed strong antioxidant effects. These results suggest that the developed bread may be a health beneficial food that can prevent or treat obesity and diseases induced by oxidative stress.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.138-143
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• 2004

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to have a range of biological activities, including anti-carcinogenic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-adipogenic and anti-diabetogenic effects. Recent reports also showed that CLA has free radical scavenging capacity, which may have health benefits for human beings. The current study was performed to investigate the effect of structured lipid (SL)-containing CLA on plasma lipids and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity. Sprague-Dawley mts were fed 5% and 10% SL-containing normal diet for 6 wks and these groups were compared to rats fed 5% and 10% corn oil. In plasma lipids, total-cholesterol was not affected by fat source or dietary fat level while triglyceride level decreased significantly in groups fed 10% fat diet compared to the other groups. Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level decreased significantly in the S5 and S10 groups compared to the C5 and C10 groups, although hepatic TBARS level was not altered by fat source. On the other hand, in terms of hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity, superoxide dismutase activity increased in the S10 group, whereas catalase activity decreased in the S10 group. Glutathione peroxidase activity decreased significantly in the SL groups compared to the C5 group. Glutathione reductase activity increased and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity decreased in the C10 group compared to the C5 and C5 groups. In conclusion, the free radical scavenging activity of CLA seemed to suppress oxidative stress, which reduced lipid peroxidation resulting in lower hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity.