• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.520-525
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• 2018

Cardiovascular diseases arising from atherosclerosis are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Lipid-lowering agents have been developed in order to treat hypercholesterolemia, a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing, indicating a need to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop new treatment agents. Adenosine receptors (ARs) are emerging as therapeutic targets in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, ischemia, and inflammatory diseases. This study assessed whether LJ-1888, a selective antagonist for $A_3$ AR, can inhibit the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E knock-out ($ApoE^{-/-}$) mice who are fed a western diet. Plaque formation was significantly lower in $ApoE^{-/-}$ mice administered LJ-1888 than in mice not administered LJ-1888, without any associated liver damage. LJ-1888 treatment of $ApoE^{-/-}$ mice prevented western diet-induced hypercholesterolemia by markedly reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and significantly increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Reduced hypercholesterolemia in $ApoE^{-/-}$ mice administered LJ-1888 was associated with the enhanced expression of genes involved in bile acid biosynthesis. These findings indicate that LJ-1888, a selective antagonist for $A_3$ AR, may be a novel candidate for the treatment of atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2012

Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and for general health maintenance in people of all ages. Ginseng is also used to ameliorate menopausal systems. We investigated the estrogenic activity of Korean red ginseng (KRG) in a transient transfection system, using estrogen receptor (ER) and estrogen-responsive luciferase plasmids in MCF-7 cells. The extract activated both ER${\alpha}$ and ER${\beta}$. KRG modulated the mRNA levels of estrogen-responsive genes such as pS2 and ESR1 and decreased the protein level of ER${\alpha}$. In order to examine in vivo estrogenic activity of KRG, sixteen female Sprague-Dawley rats separated into four groups were studied for nine weeks: non-ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with olive oil, OVX rats treated with olive oil, OVX rats treated with 17-${\beta}$-estradiol (E2) in olive oil, and OVX rats treated with KRG extract in olive oil. The experiments were repeated for three times and the data of twelve rats were combined. Body weight of OVX rats was greater than that of sham-operated control rats and was decreased by E2 treatment. Uterine weight increased after E2 treatment compared to OVX rats. However, no difference in body or uterine weight was observed with KRG intake. KRG induced reductions in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not to the same degree as did E2 intake. These results show that KRG does contain estrogenic activity as manifested by in vitro study but the activity is not strong enough to elicit physiological responses.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Complications of diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, are associated with increased mortality among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Homocysteine has been recently identified as a predictor of cardiovascular disease-related complications in diabetes. We investigated whether or not supplementation with folic acid tablets can lower homocysteine levels and improve parameters related with vascular complications. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted a non-randomized 8-week trial involving postmenopausal diabetic women (n = 25) supplemented with $800{\mu}g$ of folic acid ($400{\mu}g$ twice a day) daily. Subjects' serum levels of folate, homocysteine, and vitamin $B_{12}$ were measured, along with vascular function and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. RESULTS: Folic acid supplementation significantly increased serum folate levels (P < 0.0001), reduced homocysteine levels (P < 0.0001), and increased vitamin $B_{12}$ levels (P = 0.0063). There were significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as the ratios of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities were not altered by supplementation. Changes in serum vitamin $B_{12}$ after folic acid supplementation were negatively correlated with changes in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. CONCLUSIONS: In this study on postmenopausal Korean women with type 2 diabetes mellitus, folic acid supplementation reduced serum homocysteine levels, increased serum folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels, and lowered lipid parameters.

• Mycobiology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2011

This work was conducted to investigate dietary supplementation of oyster mushroom fruiting bodies on biochemical and histological changes in hyper and normocholesterolemic rats. Six-week old female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Feeding a diet containing a 5% powder of Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies to hypercholesterolemic rats reduced plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total lipid, phospholipids, and LDL/high-density lipoprotein ratio by 30.18, 52.75, 59.62, 34.15, 23.89, and 50%, respectively. Feeding oyster mushrooms also significantly reduced body weight in hypercholesterolemic rats. However, it had no adverse effects on plasma albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, creatinin, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, glucose, total protein, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, inorganic phosphate, magnesium, or enzyme profiles. Feeding mushroom increased total lipid and cholesterol excretion in feces. The plasma lipoprotein fraction, separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, indicated that P. ostreatus significantly reduced plasma ${\beta}$ and pre-${\beta}$-lipoprotein but increased ${\alpha}$-lipoprotein. A histological study of hepatic cells by conventional hematoxylin-eosin and oil red O staining revealed normal findings for mushroom-fed hypercholesterolemic rats. These results suggest that a 5% P. ostreatus diet supplement provided health benefits by acting on the atherogenic lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic rats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary coconut oil as a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) source on performance, carcass composition and serum lipids in male broilers. A total of 540, one-day-old, male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments with each treatment being applied to 6 replicates of 18 chicks. The basal diet (i.e., R0) was based on corn and soybean meal and was supplemented with 1.5% soybean oil during the starter phase (d 0 to 21) and 3.0% soybean oil during the grower phase (d 22 to 42). Four experimental diets were formulated by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of the soybean oil with coconut oil (i.e., R25, R50, R75, and R100). Soybean oil and coconut oil were used as sources of long-chain fatty acid and MCFA, respectively. The feeding trial showed that dietary coconut oil had no effect on weight gain, feed intake or feed conversion. On d 42, serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were linearly decreased as the coconut oil level increased (p<0.01). Lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, and total lipase activities were linearly increased as the coconut oil level increased (p<0.01). Abdominal fat weight/eviscerated weight (p = 0.05), intermuscular fat width (p<0.01) and subcutaneous fat thickness (p<0.01) showed a significant quadratic relationship, with the lowest value at R75. These results indicated that replacement of 75% of the soybean oil in diets with coconut oil is the optimum level to reduce fat deposition and favorably affect lipid profiles without impairing performance in broilers.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 2012

This study was conducted to evaluate whether plasma homocysteine levels were related to obesity or its contributing factors (e.g., lipids, insulin, glucose, glucagon, and fructosamine) in dogs without systemic diseases such as diabetes or renal failure. For achieving our study goal, 100 client-owned dogs without systemic diseases were enrolled in this study. Fasting glucose concentration; lipid profile (i.e., total triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol [TC], highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]); and fructosamine, insulin, and glucagon levels were determined. The dogs were subdivided by the body condition score (BCS). The median levels of homocysteine were considerably higher in obese dogs than in lean and normal dogs. Interestingly, not only was homocysteine positively associated with the level of HDL-C, but also found to have a significant positive association with TG, TC, plasma glucagon levels, and fructosamine. In contrast, LDL-C, fasting glucose and insulin did not show any association with homocysteine. The findings presented, suggest that elevated levels of homocysteine may play a biological role in obesity in dogs.

• Mycobiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2011

The wild edible mushroom, Lentinus lepideus has recently been cultivated for commercial use in Korea. While the mushroom has been widely used for nutritional and medicinal purposes, the possible anti-hyperlipidemic action is unclear. The effects of dietary L. lepideus on plasma and feces biochemical and on the liver histological status were investigated in hypercholesterolemic rats. Six-wk-old female Sprague-Dawley albino rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Biochemical and histological examinations were performed. A diet containing 5% L. lepideus fruiting bodies reduced plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, total lipid, phospholipids, and the ratio of low-density to high-density lipoprotein. Body weight was reduced. The diet did not adversely affect plasma biochemical and enzyme profiles. L. lepideus reduced significantly plasma ${\beta}$- and pre-${\beta}$-lipoprotein, while ${\alpha}$-lipoprotein content was increased. A histological study of hepatic cells by conventional hematoxylin-eosin and oil red O staining revealed normal findings for mushroom-fed hypercholesterolemic rats. The present study suggests that a diet supplemented with L. lepideus can provide health benefits by acting on the atherogenic lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic rats.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.149-155
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• 2010

Objective : Ssangwha-tang is a traditional medicine formula widely prescribed for a decrease of fatigue after an illness in Korea. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Ssangwha-tang fermented by Lactobacillus fermentum (SF) on osteoclast differentiation in vitro and on bone metabolism of an ovariectomized rat in vivo. Methods : Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and staining were applied to evaluate the formation of osteoclasts. Ovariectomized rats were orally administrated with SF (30 ml/kg/day) for 12 weeks. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, phosphate, calcium levels were determined. Effect of SF on bone loss were studied by histological analysis and the measurement of bone mineral density. Results : SF significantly inhibited tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and formation of osteoclasts in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by receptor activator for nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) ligand (RANKL). In addition, SF significantly decreased the level of triglyceride and increased the level of low-density lipoprotein. Moreover, the decrease of trabeculae of the femur was partially prevented in ovariectomized rats administrated with SF. Conclusions : SF treatment could prevent ovariectomy induced bone loss and its effects could be medicated by the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.362-370
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• 1995

Human plasma low density lipoprotein(LDL) is the main carrier for cholesterol, and recent studies suggest the normal LDL can be readily oxidized by free radical and not interact with LDL receptor. Lipoprotein pariticles are consisted of lipid andprotein, and fatty acids of lipoproteins are prone to oxidation. LDL particles readily undergo oxidative modification by copper. From the results, oxidized LDL altered its biological properties. A marked increase in the electrophoretic mobility of LDl on agarose gel indicated that negative surface charge of the LDL particles was increased. Also, the results from the HPLC showed that oxidized LDL was degraded into several polypeptides nonenzymatically. Degradation tests which measured the amount of 5-IAF labelled oxidized LDL were carried out by monocyte and hepatocyte cell culture. Hepatocyte cell culture of modified LDL did not show consistent pattern. However, binding rate of modified LDL with HMDM(human monocyte derived macrophage) was enhanced with oxidation, but was retarded by addition of antioxidants(hyaluronic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E). Also comparisons of oxidized-LDL, acetyl-LDL and MDA-LDL showed significant differences in the chemical properteis and binding affinity to HMDM. Thus, modificaition of normal LDL altered its biological properties.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.413-416
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• 2008

Effects of extracts obtained from the flowers of Elsholtzia splendens on the serum lipid profile and hepatotoxicity in mice were investigated. Female ICR mice were given E. splendens ethanolic extract (ESEs) orally at a dose of 10 or 50 mg/kg BW for 50 days. Significant dose-dependent decreases in triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol of serum were observed. In addition, ESEs prolonged the lag-time of LDL oxidation in vitro. In the serum of ICE mice given ESEs orally at 10 and 50 mg/kg BW, the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) increased significantly, while total protein, albumin, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin did not change. Therefore, ESEs may be beneficial to human health, although it has some hepatotoxicity.