• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.325-334
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to compare the content and metabolic activities between fresh pine needle juice (PNJ) and fermented pine needle juice (FPNJ). A variety of factors were measured, including total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity [DPPH radical scavenging activity (RSA), total radical-trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), cellular antioxidant capacity (CAC)], anti-genotoxic activity, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. The TPC was $17.3{\pm}0.2$ and $4.6{\pm}0.0$ mg GAE/g in PNJ and FPNJ, respectively. The DPPH RSA, TRAP, and ORAC values increased in a dose-dependent manner for both PNJ and FPNJ, with significantly higher activities in PNJ than FPNJ. The CAC against AAPH-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells was protected by both PNJ and FPNJ. Pretreatment with PNJ and FPNJ in human leukocytes produced significant reductions in $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage at a concentration of $50{\mu}g/mL$. ${\alpha}$-Glucosidase inhibitory activity was significantly higher in FPNJ than PNJ. The ACE inhibitory activity was about 87.1% and 60.0% in 1:1 diluted PNJ and FPNJ, respectively. This study suggests that the fermentation of PNJ could enhance the regulation of blood glucose metabolism and both PNJ and FPNJ might be a new potential source of natural antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-hypertensive agents applicable to food.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.116-124
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• 2013

The aim was to examine resistance exercise-related genes after 8 weeks of resistance training. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: 4 weeks sedentary (4 wks CON, n=8), 8 weeks sedentary (8 wks CON, n=8), 4 weeks exercise training (4 wks REG, n=8), and 8 weeks exercise training (8 wks REG, n=8). The rats were trained to climb a 1-m vertical incline (85-degree), with weights secured to their tails. They climbed 10 times, 3 days per week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Skeletal muscle was taken from the flexor halucis longus after the exercise training. After separating the total RNA, large-scale gene expression was investigated by beadarray (Illumina RatRef-12 Expression BeadChip) analysis, and qPCR was used to inspect the beadarray data and to analyze the RNA quantitatively. The detection p-value for the genes was p<0.01, the M-value {M=$log_2$(condition)-$log_2$(reference)} was >1.0, and the DiffScore was >20. In total, the expression of 30 genes significantly increased 4 weeks after the exercise training, and the expression of six genes decreased. At 8 weeks, the expression of five genes significantly increased and that of 12 decreased. Several genes are potentially involved in resistance exercise and muscle hypertrophy, including 1) regulation of cell growth (IGFBP1, PLA2G2A, OKL38); 2) myogenesis (CSRP3); 3) tissue regeneration and muscle development (MUSTN1, MYBPH); 4) hypertrophy (CYR61, ATF3, NR4A3); and 5) glucose metabolism (G6PC, PCK1). These results may help to explain previously reported physiological changes of the skeletal muscle and suggest new avenues for further investigation.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.443-450
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• 2012

Recently, NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4)-mediated generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was proposed to accelerate adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cell. We have previously shown that Cheonnyuncho (Opuntia humifusa) extract significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation via downregulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) gene expression. In this study, we focused on the molecular mechanism(s) of NOX4, G6PDH (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) and antioxidant enzymes in anti-oxidative activities of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results indicate that Cheonnyuncho extracts markedly inhibits ROS production during adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Cheonnyuncho extracts suppressed the mRNA expression of the pro-oxidant enzyme such as NOX4 and the NADPH-producing G6PDH enzyme. In addition, treatment with Cheonnyuncho extract was found to upregulate mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes such as Mn-SOD (manganese-superoxide dismutase), Cu/Zn-SOD (copper/zinc-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathion reductase (GR), and catalase, all of which are important for endogenous antioxidant responses. These data suggest that Cheonnyuncho extract may be effective in preventing the rise of oxidative stress during adipocyte differentiation through mechanism(s) that involves direct down regulation of NOX4 and G6PDH gene expression or via upregulation of endogenous antioxidant responses.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.493-502
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the oral health problems among type 2 diabetes patients and suggest basic data for the promotion of their body and oral health by emphasizing the correlation between hemoglobin A1c and subjective oral health status. For 174 patients with type 2 diabetes and who were older than 40 years old, the questionnaire and measurement of hemoglobin A1c were conducted from January 9, 2012 to March 9, 2012. The results of the study were as follows. 1. They tended to be most aware of the following; 'inflammation on the oral mucosa' and 'pain on the oral mucosa' among the symptoms of oral mucosa, 'gum bleeding when brushing teeth' among the symptoms of periodontal disease, and 'feels dry in general' among the symptoms of xerostomia. 2. The patients with longer duration of diabetes showed greater recognition with regards to the symptoms of oral mucosa disease, periodontal disease, and xerostomia (p<0.05). 3. The group with regular meal showed lower level of hemoglobin A1c (p<0.001). 4. The level of hemoglobin A1c was higher in the group that recognized 'burning sensation', 'gum bleeding', 'gum recession' and 'bad breath' (p<0.05) as well as in the group that responded 'get up at night to drink' among the symptoms of xerostomia (p<0.05). Especially the symptoms of periodontal disease were revealed to be a factor that showed the 3rd strongest correlation with hemoglobin A1c.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1092-1100
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• 2020

The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4 (Steap4) is a metalloreductase that plays a role in intracellular iron and cupper homeostasis, inflammatory response, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Previously, Steap4 has been reported to stimulate adipocyte differentiation; however, the underlying mechanisms of this action remain unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in Steap4-induced adipocyte differentiation using 3T3-L1 cells, immortalized brown adipocyte (iBA) cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblast C3H10T1/2 cells. The knockdown of Steap4 using adenovirus-containing shRNA attenuated mitotic clonal expansion (MCE), as evidenced by the impaired proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells, iBA cells, and C3H10T1/2 cells within 48 hr after adding the differentiation medium. Steap4 knockdown downregulated G1/S phase transition-related cell cycle regulators (including cyclin A and cyclin D) and upregulated cell cycle inhibitors (including p21 and p27). Furthermore, Steap4 knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and Akt. Moreover, Steap4 knockdown repressed the expression of early adipogenic activators, such as CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and Kruppel-like factor family factor 4 (KLF4). On the other hand, Steap4 knockdown stimulated the expression of adipogenic inhibitors, including KLF2, KLF3, and GATA2. The overexpression of Steap4 using an adenovirus removed the repressive histone marks H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 on the promoter of C/EBPβ. These results indicate that Stepa4 stimulates adipocyte differentiation through the induction of MCE and the modulation of early adipogenic transcription factors, including C/EBPβ, during the early phase of adipocyte differentiation.