• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.503-508
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• 2005

Possible mechanisms of increased serum aryl sulfotransferase (AST) isozyme activities in cholestatic rats were studied. Serum AST-I, II and -III, IV isozymes activities were determined from the experimental rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL) or choledocho-caval shunt (CCS). The activities of serum AST-I, II and -III, IV isozymes were found to be increased significantly in both the CCS plus taurocholic acid (TCA) injected group, and the CBDL plus TCA group than those in each control group, such as CCS or CBDL alone groups. The above results suggest that the elevated serum AST most likely due to increased hepatocyte membrane permeability caused by TCA mediated liver cell necrosis.

• BMB Reports
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.184-190
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• 1995

Functional study of the gap junction channel has been hindered by its inaccessibility in situ. Identification of forms of this channel in artificial membrane has been elusive because of the lack of identifying channel physiology. Connexin32 forms gap junction channels between neighboring cells in rat liver. Connexin32 was affinity-purified using a monoclonal antibody and reconstituted into artificial phospholipid vesicles. The reconstituted connexin32 formed channels through the vesicle membrane that were permeable to sucrose (Stokes radius: $5{\AA}$). The permeability to sucrose was reversibly reduced by acidic pH. In addition, the pH effect on the permeability to sucrose fit well with by the Hill's equation (where, n=2.7 and pK=6.7).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.732-737
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• 2003

Anti-antibodies against three mouse monoclonal antibodies viz. IIB5D6, VIA6E8 and VIC1F9 (specific to bovine growth hormone) in rabbits have been generated and characterized. Ammonium sulfate fractionated and affinity-purified monoclonal antibodies were used for producing anti-antibodies. The generated anti-antibodies were against common as well as uncommon antigenic determinants present in mouse monoclonal antibodies. The raised anti-antibodies replaced [$I^125$ ]bGH bound to goat liver microsomes indicating production of anti-idiotypic antibodies against bovine growth hormone. These antibodies can have profound implications in vivo in lactating bovines for enhancing milk yield.

• 사상체질의학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.195-207
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• 2013

Objectives This study aimed to examine differences in the hepatic function disorders and prevalence rates of liver diseases in accordance with the Sasang constitutional type, and to analyze whether Sasang constitution is a significant risk factor for fatty liver. Methods A total of 1211 patients who underwent health check-up at the Ilsan Hospital of Dongguk University and had their physical constitutions diagnosed by a specialist in Sasang constitutional medicine from October 31, 2011 to September 28, 2012 were used as the subjects of this study. Presence of hepatobiliary diseases was analyzed from the results of the hepatic function test, lipid test and viral hepatitis infection marker test in the biochemistry tests, and abdominal ultrasonography. Results & Conclusion Subjects of the study were composed of 691 males and 520 females and, in terms of Sasang constitution distribution, 550 Taeeumin, 343 Soeumin and 318 Soyangin. As the results of analysis of prevalence rates in accordance with Sasang constitutions, significant differences were observed in the prevalence rates of abnormal groups in the cases of AST, ALT, GGT, Triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and all of their prevalence rates were in the descending order of Taeeumin, Soyangin and Soeumin. Soeumin displayed significantly higher positive rate for HBs Ab in comparison to Taeeumin and Soyangin. In the results of abdominal ultrasonography, the prevalence rates of fatty liver displayed significant differences and were in the descending order of Taeeumin, Soyangin and Soeumin. And as the result of logistic regression analysis in order to find the risk factors of fatty liver, the Sasang constitution was found to be a significant risk factor for fatty liver. The odds ratio of Taeeumin in fatty liver was found to be 1.634 higher than Soeumin and 1.773 higher than Soyangin

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.48.1-48.8
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• 2023

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Well-known risk factors include hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus, along with exposure to aflatoxins, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Genomic variants play a crucial role in mediating the associations between these risk factors and liver cancer. However, the specific variants involved in this process remain under-explored. This study utilized a bioinformatics approach to identify genetic variants associated with liver cancer from various continents. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with liver cancer were retrieved from the genome-wide association studies catalog. Prioritization was then performed using functional annotation with HaploReg v4.1 and the Ensembl database. The prevalence and allele frequencies of each variant were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficients. Two variants, rs2294915 and rs2896019, encoded by the PNPLA3 gene, were found to be highly expressed in the liver tissue, as well as in the skin, cell-cultured fibroblasts, and adipose-subcutaneous tissue, all of which contribute to the risk of liver cancer. We further found that these two SNPs (rs2294915 and rs2896019) were positively correlated with the prevalence rate. Positive associations with the prevalence rate were more frequent in East Asian and African populations. We highlight the utility of this population-specific PNPLA3 genetic variant for genetic association studies and for the early prognosis and treatment of liver cancer. This study highlights the potential of integrating genomic databases with bioinformatic analysis to identify genetic variations involved in the pathogenesis of liver cancer. The genetic variants investigated in this study are likely to predispose to liver cancer and could affect its progression and aggressiveness. We recommend future research prioritizing the validation of these variations in clinical settings.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.7-14
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• 2004

쇠고기내의 oleic acid(18:1)의 힘량은 고기의 향미와 다즙성에 영향올 미치며, 그 함량이 높으면 혈중 콜레스테롤을 낮출 수 있는 요인이 된다. 본 연구는 한우의 간 조직과 등심 조직에서 불포화지방산의 조성과 불포화지방산 합성효소의 mRNA 발현량의 차이를 비교분석하여 그 상호 관련성에 대해 조사하였다. 단일불포화지방산인 palmitoleic acid(16:1)와 oleic acid (18:1)의 조성은 등심 조직에서 총 지방산의 51%를 차지하고 있었으나, 지방대사가 활발한 간 조직에서는 22%에 지나지 않았다. 반면에 포화지방산인 palmitic acid(16:0) 와 stearic acid (18:0)의 조성비는 등심 조직과 간 조직에서 각각 37%와 58%'를 차지하였다. 이같이 단일불포화지방산의 조성은 조직간 현격한 차이가 나타나며, 조직내 stearoyl-CoA desaturase(SCD) 활성을 나타내는 포화지방산에 대한 불포화지방산의 비율인 불포화도(the desaturation index)를 살펴보면 등심 조직은 간 조직보다 약 3.6배 높았다. SCD는 palmitic acid(16:0) 와 stearic acid(18:0)를 기질로 하여 palmitoleic acid(16:1)와 oleic acid (18:1)로 전환하는 중요한 효소이다. 등심 조직과 간 조직에서 단일 불포화지방산의 조성비 차이가 SCD mRNA 의 발현량과 어떤 관련성을 가지는지를 RT PCR 법을 이용하여 분석되었다. 그 결과, SCD mRNA는 등심 조직에서 간 조직보다 약 3배 많이 발현되었다. 이상과 같이 한우 등섬 조직과 간 조직에서 단일불포화지방산의 조성의 현격한 치아는 SCD 활성지표인 지방산의 불포화도(3.6배 차이)와 SCD mRNA 발현량(3배 차이)과 상호 밀접한 관련성으로 해석할 수 있었다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권8호
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• pp.401-406
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• 2022

Ahnak, a large protein first identified as an inhibitor of TGF-β signaling in human neuroblastoma, was recently shown to promote TGF-β in some cancers. The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, various biological functions, and cancer growth and metastasis. In this study, we used Ahnak knockout (KO) mice that underwent a 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) to investigate the function of Ahnak in TGF-β signaling during liver regeneration. At the indicated time points after PH, we analyzed the mRNA and protein expression of the TGF -β/Smad signaling pathway and cell cycle-related factors, evaluated the cell cycle through proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining, analyzed the mitotic index by hematoxylin and eosin staining. We also measured the ratio of liver tissue weight to body weight. Activation of TGF-β signaling was confirmed by analyzing the levels of phospho-Smad 2 and 3 in the liver at the indicated time points after PH and was lower in Ahnak KO mice than in WT mice. The expression levels of cyclin B1, D1, and E1; proteins in the Rb/E2F transcriptional pathway, which regulates the cell cycle; and the numbers of PCNA-positive cells were increased in Ahnak KO mice and showed tendencies opposite that of TGF-β expression. During postoperative regeneration, the liver weight to body weight ratio tended to increase faster in Ahnak KO mice. However, 7 days after PH, both groups of mice showed similar rates of regeneration, following which their active regeneration stopped. Analysis of hepatocytes undergoing mitosis showed that there were more mitotic cells in Ahnak KO mice, consistent with the weight ratio. Our findings suggest that Ahnak enhances TGF-β signaling during postoperative liver regeneration, resulting in cell cycle disruption; this highlights a novel role of Ahnak in liver regeneration. These results provide new insight into liver regeneration and potential treatment targets for liver diseases that require surgical treatment.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권11호
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• pp.590-597
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• 2016

Parasitic diseases remain an unarguable public health problem worldwide. Liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis is a high risk pathogenic parasitic helminth which is endemic predominantly in Asian countries, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the far eastern parts of Russia, and is still actively transmitted. According to the earlier $8^{th}$ National Survey on the Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in 2012, C. sinensis was revealed as the parasite with highest prevalence of 1.86% in general population among all parasite species surveyed in Korea. This fluke is now classified under one of the definite Group 1 human biological agents (carcinogens) by International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) along with two other parasites, Opisthorchis viverrini and Schistosoma haematobium. C. sinensis infestation is mainly linked to liver and biliary disorders, especially cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). For the purposes of this mini-review, we will only focus on C. sinensis and review pathogenesis and carcinogenesis of clonorchiasis, disease condition by C. sinensis infestation, and association between C. sinensis infestation and CCA. In this presentation, we briefly consider the current scientific status for progression of CCA by heavy C. sinensis infestation from the food-borne trematode and development of CCA.

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.58-59
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• 2017

The beneficial paracrine roles of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tissue repair have potential in therapeutic strategies against various diseases. However, the key therapeutic factors secreted from MSCs and their exact molecular mechanisms of action remain unclear. In this study, the cell-free secretome of umbilical cord-derived MSCs showed significant anti-fibrotic activity in the mouse models of liver fibrosis. The involved action mechanism was the regulation of hepatic stellate cell activation by direct inhibition of the $TGF{\beta}$/Smad-signaling. Antagonizing the milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFGE8) activity blocked the anti-fibrotic effects of the MSC secretome in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MFGE8 was secreted by MSCs from the umbilical cord as well as other tissues, including teeth and bone marrow. Administration of recombinant MFGE8 protein alone had a significant anti-fibrotic effect in two different models of liver fibrosis. Additionally, MFGE8 downregulated $TGF{\beta}$ type I receptor expression by binding to ${\alpha}v{\beta}3$ integrin on HSCs. These findings revealed the potential role of MFGE8 in modulating $TGF{\beta}$-signaling. Thus, MFGE8 could serve as a novel therapeutic agent for liver fibrosis.

• 한국환경성돌연변이발암원학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.97-103
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• 2005

The genotoxic effect of antimalarial drugs amodiaquine (AQ), mefloquine (MQ) and halofantrine (HF) was investigated in.at liver cells using the alkaline comet assay. AQ, MQ and HF at concentrations between $0-1000{\mu}mol/L$ significantly increased DNA strand breaks of rat liver cells dose-dependently. The order of induction of strand breaks was AQ>MQ>HF. The rat liver cells exposed to AQ and HF (200 and 400 ${\mu}mol/L$) and treated with (Fpg) the bacterial DNA repair enzyme that recognizes oxidized purine showed greater DNA damage than those not treated with the enzyme, providing evidence that AQ and HF induced oxidation of purines. Such an effect was not observed when MQ was treated with the enzyme. Treatment of cells with catalase, an enzyme inactivating hydrogen peroxide, decreased significantly the extent of DNA damage induced by AQ, and HF but not the one induced by MQ. Similarly quercetin, an antioxidant flavonoid at $50{\mu}mol/L$ attenuated the extent of the formation of DNA strand breaks by both AQ and HE. Quercetin, however, did not modify the effects of MQ. These results indicate the genotoxicity of AQ, MQ and HF in rat liver cells. In addition, the results suggest that reactive oxygen species may be involved in the formation of DNA lesions induced by AQ and HF and that, free radical scavengers may elicit protective effects against genotoxicity of these antimalarial drugs.