• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.759-770
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• 2022

Background: Aerobic cellular respiration provides chemical energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to maintain multiple cellular functions. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) can deacetylate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) to promote mitochondrial biosynthesis. Targeting energy metabolism is a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, such as cardiac and neurological disorders. Ginsenosides, one of the major bioactive constituents of Panax ginseng, have been extensively used due to their diverse beneficial effects on healthy subjects and patients with different diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of total ginsenosides (GS) on energy metabolism remain unclear. Methods: In this study, oxygen consumption rate, ATP production, mitochondrial biosynthesis, glucose metabolism, and SIRT1-PGC-1α pathways in untreated and GS-treated different cells, fly, and mouse models were investigated. Results: GS pretreatment enhanced mitochondrial respiration capacity and ATP production in aerobic respiration-dominated cardiomyocytes and neurons, and promoted tricarboxylic acid metabolism in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, GS clearly enhanced NAD⁺-dependent SIRT1 activation to increase mitochondrial biosynthesis in cardiomyocytes and neurons, which was completely abrogated by nicotinamide. Importantly, ginsenoside monomers, such as Rg1, Re, Rf, Rb1, Rc, Rh1, Rb2, and Rb3, were found to activate SIRT1 and promote energy metabolism. Conclusion: This study may provide new insights into the extensive application of ginseng for cardiac and neurological protection in healthy subjects and patients.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.19-36
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• 2022

Objectives This study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Imyo-san (IMS) on the obese mice model induced by high-fat diet. Methods Antioxidative capacity was measured by in vitro method. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n=7). Normal group was fed general diet (Normal). The other 4 groups were fed high fat diet (HFD) with water (Control), with Garcinia gummi-gutta (GG, Garcinia gummi-gutta 200 mg/kg), with low-dose IMS (IMSL, Imyo-san 0.54 g/kg) and with high-dose IMS (IMSH, Imyo-san 1.08 g/kg). Results IMS showed high radical scavenging activity. After 6 week experiment, body weight, food intake, food efficiency ratio (FER), epididymal fat and liver weight, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), SREBP-2, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), phospho-liver kinase B1 (p-LKB1), phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor 𝛼 (PPAR𝛼), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor 𝛾 coactivator-1𝛼 (PGC-1𝛼), uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT-1A), and histology of liver and epididymal fat were measured and analysed. Body weight gain, FER, liver and epididymal fat weight of IMS groups were significantly decreased. There were significant improvements in blood lipids with less TG, TC, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol and more HDL-cholesterol. Proteins associated with lipid synthesis (SREBP-1, p-ACC, FAS, SCD-1) and cholesterol (SREBP-2, HMGCR) was improved. Factors regulating lipid synthesis and lipid catabolism (p-LKBI, p-AMPK, PPARα, PGC-1α, UCP-2, CPT-1A) were increased. In histological examinations, IMS group had smaller fat droplets than control group. All results increased depending on concentration. Conclusions It can be suggested that IMS has anti-obesity effects with improving lipid metabolism.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.685-692
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• 2017

Mitochondrial biogenesis-a process that leads to an increment in the number and density of mitochondria, improves physical performance and body health by enhancing exercise capacity. In the present study, we investigated the stimulatory effect of Ashitaba and red ginseng complex (ARC) on exercise capacity in L6 skeletal muscle cells and mice. In L6 skeletal muscle cells, ARC increased the mitochondrial contents and ATP production by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-$1{\alpha}$) and up-regulating the mRNA expression of nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). In the animal experiments, mice treated with ARC showed an increment in exercise capacity as compared with mice treated with Ashitaba extract or red ginseng extract alone. These studies indicate that ARC might serve as a potential natural candidate for enhancing exercise capacity by stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2023

The implications of nutrient starvation due to aging on the degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is yet to be fully explored. We examined the involvement of AMPK activation in mitochondrial homeostasis and its relationship with the maintenance of a healthy mitochondrial population and epithelial characteristics of RPE cells under nutrient starvation. Nutrient starvation induced mitochondrial senescence, which led to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in RPE cells. As nutrient starvation persisted, RPE cells underwent pathological epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the upregulation of TWIST1, a transcription regulator which is activated by ROS-induced NF-κB signaling. Enhanced activation of AMPK with metformin decelerated mitochondrial senescence and EMT progression through mitochondrial biogenesis, primed by activation of PGC1-α. Thus, by facilitating mitochondrial biogenesis, AMPK protects RPE cells from the loss of epithelial integrity due to the accumulation of ROS in senescent mitochondria under nutrient starvation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary leucine supplementation on mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism in the liver of normal birth weight (NBW) and intrauterine growth-retarded (IUGR) weanling piglets. MATERIALS/METHODS: A total of sixteen pairs of NBW and IUGR piglets from sixteen sows were selected according to their birth weight. At postnatal day 14, all piglets were weaned and fed either a control diet or a leucine-supplemented diet for 21 d. Thereafter, a $2{\times}2$ factorial experimental design was used. Each treatment consisted of eight replications with one piglet per replication. RESULTS: Compared with NBW piglets, IUGR piglets had a decreased (P < 0.05) hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. Also, IUGR piglets exhibited reductions (P < 0.05) in the activities of hepatic mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), citrate synthase (CS), ${\alpha}$-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (${\alpha}$-KGDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and complexes I and V, along with decreases (P < 0.05) in the concentration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the protein expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$ coactivator $1{\alpha}$ (PGC-$1{\alpha}$). Dietary leucine supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the content of ATP, and the activities of CS, ${\alpha}$-KGDH, MDH, and complex V in the liver of piglets. Furthermore, compared to those fed a control diet, piglets given a leucine-supplemented diet exhibited increases (P < 0.05) in the mtDNA content and in the mRNA expressions of sirtuin 1, PGC-$1{\alpha}$, nuclear respiratory factor 1, mitochondrial transcription factor A, and ATP synthase, $H^+$ transporting, mitochondrial F1 complex, ${\beta}$ polypeptide in liver. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary leucine supplementation may exert beneficial effects on mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism in NBW and IUGR weanling piglets.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.607-613
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of either chrysin or exercise on the inflammasome and thermogenic markers in the livers of high-fat fed mice. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to four groups: normal diet control (NC; n=5), high-fat diet control (HC; n=5), high-fat diet with chrysin (Hch; n=5), and high-fat diet with moderate exercise (HME; n=5). The mice were fed a high-fat diet (60% of calories from fat) or normal diet (18% of calories from fat). Chrysin was supplemented orally as 50mg/kg/day dissolved in a 0.1ml solution of dimethyl sulfoxide. The exercised mice ran on a treadmill at 12-20 m/min for 30-60 min/day, 5 times/week, for 16 weeks. After the intervention, the epididymal fat and liver weights were significantly decreased in the HME group compared with HC and Hch groups. The adipocyte size was effectively decreased in the Hch and HME groups compared with the HC group. The inflammasome markers NLRP3, $IL-1{\beta}$, and caspase1 were significantly decreased in the Hch and HME groups compared with the HC group. The thermogenic markers $PGC-1{\alpha}$ and BMP7 were significantly lower in the HC than in the NC group. However, the HME group showed an increase in the thermogenic markers. In conclusion, chrysin and moderate exercise have positive effects on obese metabolic complications induced by high-fat diets by reducing inflammasome genes. However, chrysin supplementation had no effect on thermogenic gene expression. Moderate exercise would therefore seem to be more effective in controlling obesity-induced metabolic deregulation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.786-793
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• 2004

Women with menopause or rats with ovariectomy is associated with increased body weight, body fat and insulin resistance, which are components of metabolic syndrome. Increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome after menopause might be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, since mitochondrial oxidative and phosphorylation activity is strongly correlated with insulin sensitivity. Although estradiol replacement prevents the metabolic syndrome, harmful effect of estradiol hampers the casual usage to prevent the metabolic syndrome. It has been reported that genistein has a mild estrogenic activity, decreases fat mass in mice and has an antidiabetic role in diabetic rats. Although insulin resistance is closely related to mitochondrial functions, there has not been yet any study in regard to the effect of dietary genistein on mitochondrial function in the insulin resistant female subjects induced by ovariectomy or similar situation. The present study investigated whether the supplementation of genistein in the high fat diet affected the mitochondrial function of high fat fed ovariectomized rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were assigned to the following groups: sham-operated+ high fat diet (S, n=6); sham-operated + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (S + G, n=7); ovariectomized + high fat diet (OVX, n=8); ovariectomized + high fat diet with 0.1% genistein (OVX+ G, n=8). Ovariectomy significantly increased body weight compared with S group. Genistein consumption in ovariectomized (OVX + G) rats decreased body weight gain compared with OVX rats. Liver weights were increased by ovariectomy. The hepatic mitochondrial protein density expressed as mg per g liver was lower in the OVX group than in the S group. However, OVX + G group showed the increased mitochondrial protein density similar to the level of S group. When mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondria such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator 1 (PGC-1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit III (COX III) were measured, there were decreases in the mRNA levels of PGC-1 and COX III in S + G, OVX and OVX + G group. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase was not different between groups. We could observe the decrease in succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity per g liver in OVX rats. Genistein supplement increased SDH activity. In conclusion, genistein supplementation to the OVX rats enhanced mitochondrial function by increasing mitochondrial protein density and SDH activity. The improvement in mitochondrial function by genistein can contribute to the improvement in metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 2023

Background: Due to the interrupted blood supply in cerebral ischemic stroke (CIS), ischemic and hypoxia results in neuronal depolarization, insufficient NAD+, excessive levels of ROS, mitochondrial damages, and energy metabolism disorders, which triggers the ischemic cascades. Currently, improvement of mitochondrial functions and energy metabolism is as a vital therapeutic target and clinical strategy. Hence, it is greatly crucial to look for neuroprotective natural agents with mitochondria protection actions and explore the mediated targets for treating CIS. In the previous study, notoginseng leaf triterpenes (PNGL) from Panax notoginseng stems and leaves was demonstrated to have neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the potential mechanisms have been not completely elaborate. Methods: The model of middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) was adopted to verify the neuroprotective effects and potential pharmacology mechanisms of PNGL in vivo. Antioxidant markers were evaluated by kit detection. Mitochondrial function was evaluated by ATP content measurement, ATPase, NAD and NADH kits. And the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and pathological staining (H&E and Nissl) were used to detect cerebral morphological changes and mitochondrial structural damages. Western blotting, ELISA and immunofluorescence assay were utilized to explore the mitochondrial protection effects and its related mechanisms in vivo. Results: In vivo, treatment with PNGL markedly reduced excessive oxidative stress, inhibited mitochondrial injury, alleviated energy metabolism dysfunction, decreased neuronal loss and apoptosis, and thus notedly raised neuronal survival under ischemia and hypoxia. Meanwhile, PNGL significantly increased the expression of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) in the ischemic regions, and regulated its related downstream SIRT1/2/3-MnSOD/PGC-1α pathways. Conclusion: The study finds that the mitochondrial protective effects of PNGL are associated with the NAMPT-SIRT1/2/3-MnSOD/PGC-1α signal pathways. PNGL, as a novel candidate drug, has great application prospects for preventing and treating ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.517-525
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• 2012

In this study, a 4-year-old mountain ginseng was mixed and ripened with 4-year-matured persimmon vinegar, and then it was diluted 5 times and orally administerd to rats. Afterwards, by analyzing the protein expression rate which affects both the carbohydrate metabolism and the lipid metabolism, this study examined the anti-obesity effect of the fusion material. The rats were divided into a control group (CON), a persimmon vinegar group (PV) and a mountain ginseng+persimmon vinegar fusion material group (MPV). The weight gain rate was found to be low in PV and MPV, and the concentration of glucose was also low in PV and MPV. However, GLUT-2 was found to be significantly high in these two groups on the contrary. Both the concentration of free fatty acid and CPT-1 protein expression rate were high in PV and MVP, but MVP was higher than PV. Cytochrome C oxidase was found to be higher in MPV than in CON. AMPK, $PPAR-{\gamma}$ and $PGC1-{\alpha}$ were all high in PV and MPV, but MPV was higher than PV. All the results above verified the thermogenesis effect of the fusion material, leading to an increase of energy metabolism, and it was thought that the fusion material could be effectively used for anti-obesity. However, it seems necessary to verify the anti-obesity effect through various further studies.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.427-434
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• 1994

The primordial germ cells (PGCs) were transfected in vitro and expressed the exogenous RSVLTR/${\beta}G2$ plasmid, suggesting thaI PGC is a possible vector for direct gene transfer into the germ line. Transfection efficiency of cell suspensions containing PGCs was 1.5% by liposome mediated DNA transfection. By microinjection of the transfected PGCs into the host germinal crescent, PGCs migrated via blood vessel to the future gonad and these transfected PGCs resulted in the RSVLTR/${\beta}G2$ expression in the gonad. The results from the seeding of PGCs on the chorioallantoic membrane were insufficient to test the hypothesis that PGCs can penetrate or invade the chorioallantoic membrane for transport via the circulatory system.