• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5895-5900
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• 2014

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of complicated disorders caused by the interactive influencing factors of heredity and environment, which predisposes to many cnacers. Results from epidemic research indicate that stress is tightly related to the pathogenesis of MS and neoplasia. This paper aims to investigate the association between psychological stress and MS with respect to the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF${\alpha}$) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) genes in the Han and Hui ethnic groups. Methods: All subjects for this case-control study matched strict enrollment criteria (nationality, gender and age) and lived in the city of Wu Zhong of Ningxia Province in China. The enrolled group contained 102 matched pairs of Hui ethnic individuals and 98 matched pairs of Han ethnic individuals. Enrolled subjects completed the general Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). The TNF${\alpha}$-308G/A variant and NPYrs16147 polymorphism were detected in case (81 males, 119 females) and control (81 males, 119 females) groups by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Results: Nine factors of the SCL-90 were found to be statistically different (p<0.05) between case and control groups. The homozygous mutant genotype (AA) and the mutant allele (A) of the TNF${\alpha}$-308G/A gene were less frequently observed in the control population compared to the case group. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) in "Allele" for MS was 2.28 (1.47-3.53), p=0.0001, while "OR" was 1.11 (0.83-1.47), p=0.15, for the NPYrs16147 gene polymorphism. Conclusions: Psychological stress has been positively associated with MS. A previous study from our group suggested there were differences in the level of psychological stress between Hui and Han ethnic groups. Furthermore, we found that the stress-related TNF${\alpha}$ gene was associated with MS for both Han and Hui ethnic groups. In contrast, NPY may be a possible contributor to MS and associated cancer for the Han ethnic group.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.619-624
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• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) exists in a more common sporadic form and less common hereditary forms, associated with the Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and other rare syndromes. Sporadic CRC is believed to arise as a result of close interaction between environmental factors, including dietary and lifestyle habits, and genetic predisposition factors. In contrast, hereditary forms such as those related to the Lynch syndrome result from inheritance of germline mutations of mismatch repair (MMR) genes. However, in certain cases, the influence of low penetrance alleles in familial colorectal cancer susceptibility is also undeniable. Aim: To investigate the genotype frequencies of MLH1 promoter polymorphism -93G>A and to determine whether it could play any role in modulating familial and sporadic CRC susceptibility risk. Methods: A case-control study comprising of 104 histopathologically confirmed CRC patients as cases (52 sporadic CRC and 52 Lynch syndrome patients) and 104 normal healthy individuals as controls was undertaken. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the polymorphism was genotyped employing PCR-RFLP methods. The genotypes were categorized into homozygous wild type, heterozygous and homozygous variants. The risk association between these polymorphisms and CRC susceptibility risk was calculated using binary logistic regression analysis and deriving odds ratios (ORs). Results: When risk association was investigated for all CRC patients as a single group, the heterozygous (G/A) genotype showed a significantly higher risk for CRC susceptibility with an OR of 2.273, (95%CI: 1.133-4.558 and p-value=0.021). When analyzed specifically for the 2 types of CRC, the heterozygous (G/A) genotype showed significantly higher risk for sporadic CRC susceptibility with and OR of 3.714, (95%CI: 1.416-9.740 and p-value=0.008). Despite high OR value was observed for Lynch syndrome (OR: 1.600, 95%CI: 0.715-3.581), the risk was not statistically significant (P=0.253). Conclusion: Our results suggest an influence of MLH1 promoter polymorphism -93G>A in modulating susceptibility risk in Malaysian CRC patients, especially those with sporadic disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5145-5151
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• 2013

Background: Numerous carcinogens and reactive oxygen species (ROS) may cause DNA damage including oxidative base lesions that lead to risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Genetic susceptibility has been reported to play a key role in the development of this disease. The base excision repair (BER) pathway can effectively remove oxidative lesions, maintaining genomic stability and normal expression, with X-ray repair crosscomplementing1 (XRCC1), 8-oxoguanine glycosylase-1 (OGG1) and apurinic/apyimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) playing important roles. Aims: To analyze polymorphisms of DNA BER genes (OOG1, XRCC1 and APE1) and explore their associations, and the combined effects of these variants, with risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: We detected SNPs of XRCC1 (Arg399Gln), OGG1 (Ser326Cys), APE1 (Asp148Glu and -141T/G) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with peripheral blood samples from 231 patients with NPC and 300 healthy people, furtherly analyzing their relations with the risk of NPC in multivariate logistic regression models. Results: After adjustment for sex and age, individuals with the XRCC1 399Gln/Gln (OR=1.96; 95%CI:1.02-3.78; p=0.04) and Arg/Gln (OR=1.87; 95%CI:1.29-2.71; p=0.001) genotype variants demonstrated a significantly increased risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma compared with those having the wild-type Arg/Arg genotype. APE1-141G/G was associated with a significantly reduced risk of NPC (OR=0.40;95%CI:0.18-0.89) in the smoking group. The OR calculated for the combination of XRCC1 399Gln and APE1 148Gln, two homozygous variants, was significantly additive for all cases (OR=2.09; 95% CI: 1.27-3.47; p=0.004). Conclusion: This is the first study to focus on the association between DNA base-excision repair genes (XRCC1, OGG1 and APE1) polymorphism and NPC risk. The XRCC1 Arg399Gln variant genotype is associated with an increased risk of NPC. APE1-141G/G may decrease risk of NPC in current smokers. The combined effects of polymorphisms within BER genes of XRCC1 399Gln and APE1 148Gln may contribute to a high risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5199-5205
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• 2013

Background/Aim: The Hippo signaling pathway is a newly discovered and conserved signaling cascade, which regulates organ size control by governing cell proliferation and apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate its effects in human gastric cancer. Methods: Tumor tissues (n=60), adjacent non-tumor tissues (n=60) and normal tissues (n=60) were obtained from the same patients with primary gastric cancer (GC). In addition, 70 samples of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) tissues were obtained from patients with intestinal metaplasia (IM) by endoscopic biopsy. Hippo signaling molecules, including Mst1, Lats1, YAP1, TAZ, TEAD1, Oct4 and CDX2, were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Protein expression of Mst1, Lats1, YAP1, TEAD1 and CDX2 was assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Results: Mst1, Lats1 and Oct4 mRNA expression showed an increasing tendency from GC tissues to normal gastric tissues, while the mRNA expression of YAP1, TAZ and TEAD1 was up-regulated (all P<0.01). Mst1 and Lats1 protein expression presented a similar trend with their mRNA expression. In addition, YAP1 and TEAD1 protein expression in GC was significantly higher than in the other groups (all P<0.01). CDX2 mRNA and protein expression in the CAG group were higher than in the other groups (all P<0.01). In GC, mRNA expression of Mst1, Lats1, Oct4, YAP1, TAZ, TEAD1 and CDX2 had a close correlation with lymphatic metastasis and tumor TNM stage (all P<0.01). Furthermore, protein expression of Mst1, Lats1, YAP1, TAZ, TEAD1 and CDX2 had a close correlation between each other (P<0.05). Conclusion: The Hippo signaling pathway is involved in the development, progression and metastasis of human gastric cancer. Therefore, manipulation of Hippo signaling molecules may be a potential therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2006

Background: Chronic inflammation in the brain has known to be associated with the development of a various neurological diseases including dementia. In general, the characteristic of neuro-inflammation is the activated microglia over the brain where the pathogenesis occurs. Pro-inflammatory repertoires, interleukin-1${\beta}$ (IL-1${\beta}$) and nitric oxide (NO), are the main causes of neuro-degenerative disease, particularly in Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is caused by neuronal destruction. Those pro-inflammatory repertoires may lead the brain to chronic inflammatory status, and thus we hypothesized that chronic inflammation would be inhibited when pro-inflammatory repertoires are to be well controlled by inactivating the signal transduction associated with inflammation. Methods: In the present study, we examined whether biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate (DDB), an active compound from Schizandra chinensis Baillon, inhibits the NO production by a direct method using Griess reagent and by RT-PCR in the gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-1${\beta}$. Western blots were also used for the analysis of NF-${\kappa}B$ and I${\kappa}B$. Results: In the study, we found that DDB effectively inhibited IL-1${\beta}$ as well as NO production in BV-2 microglial cell, and the translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$ was comparably inhibited in the presence of DDB comparing those to the positive control, lipopolysaccharide. Conclusion: The data suggested that the DDB from Schizandra chinensis Baillon may play an effective role in inhibiting the pro-inflammatory repertoires which may cause neurodegeneration and the results imply that the compound suppresses a cue signal of the microglial activation which can induce the brain pathogenesis such as Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.69-81
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• 2015

Purpose : The first purpose of this study is to find out whether the water extract of Rehmanniae Radix Preparat(RRP), Cuscutae Semen(CS) and their combination(Ssangbohwan, SBH) have the effect of suppressing Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand(RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. The second purpose of this study is to find out whether the water extract of RRP, CS and SBH have the effect of inhibiting osteoporosis in an osteoporosis model induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS). Methods : After promoting differentiation of osteoclasts by treating the RANKL, we observed the effect by the administration of RRP, CS and SBH. In addition, by means of Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), we assayed mRNA expression levels of NFATc1, c-Fos, TRAP and GAPDHS(Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, spermatogeni) from bone marrow macrophages(BMMs). Similarly, the protein expression levels of NFATc1 (Nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic1), C-Fos, MAPKs(Mitogen-activated protein kinases) and ${\beta}$-actin in cell lysates were analyzed by means of Western Blotting. Finally, we determined the anti-osteoporotic effects of RRP, CS and SBH, through the use of Lipopolysaccharide-induced bone-loss mouse. Results : RRP, CS and SBH showed remarkable inhibitive effect on RANKL-treated osteoclast differentiation without cytotoxicity. SBH inhibited the phosphorylation of p38, Jun N-terminal kinases(JNK), and I-${\kappa}B$ and down-regulated the induction of c-Fos and NFATc1 by RANKL. RRP, CS suppressed degradation of I-${\kappa}B$, but it did not affect c-Fos and NFATc1 by RANKL. Lastly, in vivo data showed that RRP and SBH prevented bone erosion by LPS treatment. Conclusions : These results demonstrate SBH can be effective remedy for bone-loss diseases such as osteoporosis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2020

Northern pipevine (Aristolochia contorta) commonly inhabits marginal areas between waterside and terrestrial vegetation. In particular, A. contorta is ecologically important in the marginal areas as a food plant of dragon swallowtail butterfly (Sericinus montela), which is designated as vulnerable species in the Republic of Korea. For long-term sustainability of the plant population, assessment of the genetic diversity of exist populations should be conducted. Genomic DNA of A. contorta leaf samples were extracted from four populations where the vigorous growth were observed in the South Korea. Intra-population genetic diversity and inter-population genetic distance were assessed using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with five polymorphic random primers. Overall genetic diversity was lower, compared to other wetland species (h: 0.0607 ~ 0.1401; I: 0.0819 ~ 0.1759), while GP showed the highest intra-population genetic diversity. Despite of the geographical distance, GP showed the larger genetic distance from other populations. This result seemed to be caused by the fragmented habitat and lower sexual reproduction of A. controta. Mixture of the different source populations and construction of the proper environmental condition such as shade and physical support for sexual reproduction should be considered for conservation of A. contorta population.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2013

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that produces a wide array of toxins, leading to a number of adverse symptoms. We examined 275 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from various foods between 2006 and 2008 for antimicrobial susceptibility. At least 259 (94.2%) of the tested strains showed antibiotic resistant properties, and 106 (40.7%) of them showed multiple antibiotic resistance. Eleven of the tested strains were resistant to oxacillin and mec A-positive. Moreover, oxacillin-resistant strains were significantly more likely to be multi-drug resistant (p < 0.01). Of the 275 isolates tested, 24.4% were noted as being positive for slime production and 30.5% were positive for biofilm assay. Antibiotic resistance was not associated with a significantly higher prevalence of biofilm formation. Twenty strains were classified using the DiversiLab system. Most of the strains could be classified into 2 clusters and 4 unique types. All 10 mec A-positive strains (cluster I) were grouped together into the same sub-cluster. Cluster II (6 strains) was not found to be resistant to oxacillin in this study. Although the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in food is currently low, the risk of its transmission through the food chain cannot be disregarded.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.345-352
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• 2006

Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) have a good capacity to produce heavily marbled meat of high value. The intramuscular fat in Hanwoo is known to be deposit from 12 months of age by degree of slightly visible and significantly developed in 28 months of age. Lipogenesis gene expression profiling in longissimus dorsi at early and late fattening stage will be helpful to understand the mechanism of intramuscular fat deposition in skeletal muscle. Therefore, we analysed the gene expression patterns of six genes related lipid metabolism (FABP4, GLUT4, LPL, ACC, ACL and SCD) between early and late fattening stage. The mRNA expression of FABP4 at late fattening stage (27 months old) was higher about 3.0 fold than at early fattening stage (12 months old) in each three individuals of Hanwoo. However, GLUT4 mRNA expression was not different at late fattening stage compared with at early fattening stage. On the other hand, The expression patterns of LPL, ACC, ACL and SCD genes related lipid metabolism were significantly over-expressed about 3.5 fold, 2.7 fold, 3.7 fold and 7.5 fold at late fattening stage, respectively. Thus, these results suggested that lipogenesis in skeletal muscle at late fattening stage is due to increasing uptake of fatty acid by FABP4 and lipogenesis gene expression such as LPL, ACC, ACL and SCD.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.25.1-25.7
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• 2015

Rumen bypass fat is commonly added to increase energy intake in dairy cattle. The objective of this study is to examine the addition of rumen bypass fat during finishing period on performance and carcass characteristics in grain fed steers. This study was conducted as a completely randomized block design with 126 cross-bred steer calves (initial BW $471.5{\pm}7.5kg$) randomly assigned to pens with 9 steers/pen (n = 7 pens/treatment). Each pen was randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups; rumen bypass fat treatment (CCS, calcium soap of palm fatty acids) and control diet (CT, tallow). The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Animals were fed twice daily at 110 % of the previous daily ad libitum intake. Blood from each sample was taken from the jugular vein. Muscle and adipose samples were collected from the longissimus dorsi regions. Feedlot performance and carcass characteristics were assessed. To examine adipogenic gene expression, quantitative real-time PCR was completed. Steers fed the CT had a greater level of performance for most of the parameters measured. The CT group had greater DMI (P < 0.05) and tended to have greater ADG (P < 0.10). Marbling score (P < 0.05) and quality grade (P < 0.05) were greater for steers fed the CT diet than those fed CCS. The longissimus muscle area tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in steers fed CT ($87.60cm^2$) than those fed CCS (84.88 cm2). The leptin mRNA expression was down-regulated (P < 0.05) in adipose tissue of steers fed a CCS when compared to those fed CT. These data suggest that calcium soap of palm fatty acids can be added to finishing diets without significant reduction in final body weight, although there may be modest reductions in marbling and quality scores.