• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.425-435
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• 2024

Schisandra chinensis extract (SCE) protects against hypocholesterolemia by inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) protein stabilization. We hypothesized that the hypocholesterolemic activity of SCE can be attributable to upregulation of the PCSK9 inhibition-associated low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Male mice were fed a low-fat diet or a Western diet (WD) containing SCE at 1% for 12 weeks. WD increased final body weight and blood LDL cholesterol levels as well as alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase expression. However, SCE supplementation significantly attenuated the increase in blood markers caused by WD. SCE also attenuated WD-mediated increases in hepatic LDLR protein expression in the obese mice. In addition, SCE increased LDLR protein expression and attenuated cellular PCSK9 levels in HepG2 cells supplemented with delipidated serum (DLPS). Non-toxic concentrations of schisandrin A (SA), one of the active components of SCE, significantly increased LDLR expression and tended to decrease PCSK9 protein levels in DLPS-treated HepG2 cells. High levels of SA-mediated PCSK9 attenuation was not attributable to reduced PCSK9 gene expression, but was associated with free PCSK9 protein degradation in this cell model. Our findings show that PCSK9 secretion can be significantly reduced by SA treatment, contributing to reductions in free cholesterol levels.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2013

Dietary inorganic sulfur is the minor component in our diet, but some studies suggested that inorganic sulfur is maybe effective to treat cancer related illness. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of inorganic sulfur on cell proliferation and gene expression in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured the absence or presence of various concentrations (12.5, 25, or 50 ${\mu}mol/L$) of inorganic sulfur. Inorganic sulfur significantly decreased proliferation after 72 h of incubation (P < 0.05). The protein expression of $ErbB_2$ and its active form, $pErbB_2$, were significantly reduced at inorganic sulfur concentrations of 50 ${\mu}mol/L$ and greater than 25 ${\mu}mol/L$, respectively (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of $ErbB_2$ was significantly reduced at an inorganic sulfur concentration of 50 ${\mu}mol/L$ (P < 0.05). The protein expression of $ErbB_3$ and its active form, $pErbB_3$, and the mRNA expression of $pErbB_3$ were significantly reduced at inorganic sulfur concentrations greater than 25 ${\mu}mol/L$ (P < 0.05). The protein and mRNA expression of Akt were significantly reduced at an inorganic sulfur concentration of 50 ${\mu}mol/L$ (P < 0.05), but pAkt was not affected by inorganic sulfur treatment. The protein and mRNA expression of Bax were significantly increased with the addition of inorganic sulfur concentration of 50 ${\mu}mol/L$ (P < 0.05). In conclusion, cell proliferation was suppressed by inorganic sulfur treatment through the ErbB-Akt pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.829-839
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of the fast food and beverage intake on sociality and anger expression of adolescents. Questionnaires were distributed to the adolescents of 599 middle and high school students in Busan. According to the results, the preference-intake frequency analysis (PEA) on fast food grid, high preference and high intake frequency were 'dukbokki', 'chicken' and 'mandu' and low preference and high intake frequency were 'ramyon', 'gimbab. PEA on beverage grid, high preference and high intake frequency were 'milk-dairy product', 'fruit juice', 'isotonic beverage' and low preference and high intake frequency were 'carbonate drink'. The intake frequency of 'pizza', 'sandwich', 'udong', and 'dukbokki' had a positive relationship with sociality. 'Hamburger', 'chicken', 'french fry', 'gimbab', 'mandu', and 'ramyon' showed a positive relationship with anger-out. The intake frequency of 'carbonated drink' had a negative relationship with anger-control, but 'green tea' showed a positive relation with it. 'Carbonate drink', 'isotonic beverage', 'coffee', and 'milkshake' had a negative relationship with anger-out. The explanation power ($R^2$) of intake of fast food and beverage on sociality was $0.019{\sim}0.038$, and 'carbonated drink' and 'coffee' had a negative influence on sociality. The explanation power ($R^2$) of intake of fast food and beverage on anger expression was $0.011{\sim}0.041$, and 'carbonated drink' had a negative influence on angercontrol. 'Hamburger', 'carbonated drink', and 'coffee' showed a positive influence on anger-out. From these results, it was necessary to develop the practical eating-out habits program on proper fast food and beverage choice for adolescents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1620-1627
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• 2009

The design and expression of an antihypertensive peptide multimer (AHPM), a common precursor of 11 kinds of antihypertensive peptides (AHPs) tandemly linked up according to the restriction sites of gastrointestinal proteases, were explored. The DNA fragment encoding the AHPM was chemically synthesized and cloned into expression vector pGEX-3X. After an optimum induction with IPTG, the recombinant AHPM fused with glutathione S-transferase (GST-AHPM) was expressed mostly as inclusion body in Escherichia coli BL21 and reached the maximal production, 35% of total intracellular protein. The inclusion body was washed, dissolved, and purified by cation-exchange chromatography under denaturing conditions, followed by refolding together with size-exclusion chromatography and gradual dialysis. The resulting yield of the soluble GSTAHPM (34 kDa) with a purity of 95% reached 399 mg/l culture. The release of high active fragments from the AHPM was confirmed by the simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results suggest that the design strategy and production method of the AHPM will be useful to obtain a large quantity of recombinant AHPs at a low cost.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.112-116
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• 2011

We investigated the effect of paternal folate status on folate content and expression of the folate transporter folate receptor ${\alpha}$ ($FR{\alpha}$) in rat placental tissues. Rats were mated after males were fed a diet containing 0 mg of folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-deficient, PD) or 8 mg folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-supplemented, PS) for 4 weeks. At 20 days of gestation, the litter size, placental weight, and fetal weight were measured, and placental folate content (n=8/group) and expression of $FR{\alpha}$ (n=10/group) were analyzed by microbiological assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. Although there was no difference observed in litter size or fetal weight, but significant reduction (10%) in the weight of the placenta was observed in the PD group compared to that in the PS group. In the PD group, placental folate content was significantly lower (by 35%), whereas $FR{\alpha}$ expression was higher (by 130%) compared to the PS group. Our results suggest that paternal folate status plays a critical role in regulating placental folate metabolism and transport.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.236-240
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• 1997

A crude extract of Smphytum officinale L. (comfrey) was for its ability to inhibit he growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and expression of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-II) gene. The DNA synthesis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, Hep G2, Hep 3B, and PLC/PRF/5 was inhibited by a crude extract of Smphytum officinale in both a time- and a dose-dependent manners. This plant extract also inhibited expression of the IGF-II gene. Since IGF-II exerts a mitogenic effect on Hep G2 cells, these results suggest that the growth inhibition by Symphytum officinale extract is, in part, mediated through the inhibition of IGF-II gene expression.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.589-599
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• 2019

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is known as a conventional herbal medicine, and ginsenoside Rg1, a steroid glycoside, is one of its components. Although Rg1 has been proved to have an antiobesity effect, the mechanism of this effect and whether it involves adipose browning have not been elucidated. Methods: 3T3-L1 and subcutaneous white adipocytes from mice were used to access the thermogenic effect of Rg1. Adipose mitochondria and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression were analyzed by immunofluorescence. Protein level and mRNA of UCP1 were also evaluated by Western blotting and realtime polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results: Rg1 dramatically enhanced expression of brown adipocyte-especific markers, such as UCP1 and fatty acid oxidation genes, including carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1. In addition, it modulated lipid metabolism, activated 5' adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase, and promoted lipid droplet dispersion. Conclusions: Rg1 increases UCP1 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis in 3T3-L1 and subcutaneous white adipose cells isolated from C57BL/6 mice. We suggest that Rg1 exerts its antiobesity effects by promoting adipocyte browning through activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.496-501
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• 2023

Elongation of most bones occur at the growth plate through endochondral ossification in postnatal mammals. The maturation of chondrocyte is a crucial factor in longitudinal bone growth, which is regulated by a complex network of paracrine and endocrine signaling pathways. Here, we show that a phytochemical sulfuretin can stimulate hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation in vitro and in vivo. We found that sulfuretin stabilized nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), stimulated its transcriptional activity, and induced expression of its target genes. Sulfuretin treatment resulted in an increase in body length of zebrafish larvae and induced the expression of chondrocyte markers. Consistently, a clinically available Nrf2 activator, dimethyl fumarate (DMF), induced the expression of hypertrophic chondrocyte markers and increased the body length of zebrafish. Importantly, we found that chondrocyte gene expression in cell culture and skeletal growth in zebrafish stimulated by sulfuretin were significantly abrogated by Nrf2 depletion, suggesting that such stimulatory effects of sulfuretin were dependent on Nrf2, at least in part. Taken together, these data show that sulfuretin has a potential use as supporting ingredients for enhancing bone growth.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2015

Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with obesity. This study investigated effect of high hydrostatic pressure extract of red ginseng (HRG) on inflammation in rats with high-fat (HF) diet induced obesity. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats (80~110 g) were randomly divided into two groups, and fed a 45% HF diet (HF) and a 45% HF diet containing 1.5% HRG (HF+HRG) for 14 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the serum leptin level was reduced by the HRG supplementation. The mRNA expression of genes related to adipogenesis including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and adipocyte protein 2 was down-regulated in the white adipose tissue (WAT). The mRNA levels of major inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and interleukin-6 were remarkably down-regulated by the HRG in WAT. These results suggest that HRG might be beneficial in ameliorating the inflammation-associated health complications by suppressing adipogenic and pro-inflammatory gene expression.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 1998

As an efffort ot construct LAB (latice acid bacteria), capable of utilizing starch as fermentation substrate without the aid of externally supplied enzymes, plasmid vectors containing the amyL($\alpha$-amylase/pullulansase gene) from Clostridium thermophydrosulfuricum, and glucoamylase cDNA from Asperigillus shirousamii were constructed and introduced itno E. coli and L. lactis. For expression in procaryotes , 1.9kb glucoamylase cDNA encoding the mature form of enzyme was PCR amplified and translationaly fused to a PCR amplified 260 bp fragment containing the promotor and secretion signals of amyl in the same reading frame. The production of $\alpha$-amylase, Apu, and glucoamlase in E. coli and L. lactis was confirmed by enzyme assay and zymography . Enzymeswere detected in both cellpellets and supernatants, indicating theworking of scretion signals in heterologous hosts. The efficiencies of secretion were varibale depending on the gene and host. The highest $\alpha$- amylase acitivity observed was 1.1 units and most activiity was detected from thecell pellets. The degree of gene expression in both hosts and the effect on the growth of hosts were examined.