• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.445-453
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• 2016

Seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis a marine teleost fish, has long been used as one of the essential materials in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the uses of seahorse have been limited due to its high cost, despite its beneficial biological activities. Seahorse has not been widely explored for its biofunctional properties and active components. In the present study, the enzymatic hydrolysates of seahorse were prepared by using two digestive enzymes (trypsin and pepsin) and five food grade enzymes (neutrase, protamex, alcalase, kojizyme, and flavourzyme). The enzymatic hydrolysates indicated higher hydrolysis yields than its water extract. Among them, the distilled water-pepsin hydrolysate (DP) which was obtained by distilled water extraction followed by pepsin hydrolysis, showed the highest yield and protein content as well as the highest alkyl radical scavenging activity. Also, it provided protective effects against oxidative stress induced by AAPH in vero cell and zebrafish. Further fractionation based on the molecular weight was carried out to identify it’s active components, and < 5 kDa (less than 5 kDa) molecular weight fraction was confirmed to have the highest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, this study suggests that DP of seahorse has antioxidant properties, and might be a novel and useful material from the marine origin for healthy functional foods and cosmetics.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.691-696
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• 2014

${\alpha}$-Enolase is a glycolytic enzyme and a surface receptor for plasminogen. ${\alpha}$-Enolase-bound plasminogen promotes tumor cell invasion and cancer metastasis by activating plasmin and consequently degrading the extracellular matrix degradation. Therefore, ${\alpha}$-enolase and plasminogen are novel targets for cancer therapy. We found that the amino acid sequence of a peptide purified from enzymatic hydrolysates of seahorse has striking similarities to that of ${\alpha}$-enolase. In this study, we report that this peptide competes with cellular ${\alpha}$-enolase for plasminogen binding and suppresses urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)-mediated activation of plasminogen, which results in decreased invasive migration of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. In addition, the peptide treatment decreased the expression levels of uPA compared to that of untreated controls. These results provide new insight into the mechanism by which the seahorse-derived peptide suppresses invasive properties of human cancer cells. Our findings suggest that this peptide could emerge as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

We compared the fermentation of 0 to 4 weeks by manufacturing a rapid low salt-fermented seahorse with a commercial Protamex added to the functional food, Hippocampus abdominalis. We studied amino acid composition, content and major amino acids related to flavor during the fermentation process of salt-fermented seahorse. In the enzyme-free group, it showed little change in the content of non-protein nitrogenous compounds, the content of amino acids and degree of hydrolysis. The Protamex enzyme treatment group was rapidly hydrolyzed in one week of ripening, resulting in increased non-protein nitrogenous compounds content, amino acid content and degree of hydrolysis, and minimal changes in the four weeks. The total amino acid contents ratio showed the highest content of glutamic acid in the enzyme additive group, glycine, alanine, which indicates sweet taste, and serine, the content of glycine, alanine, serine, and lysine, indicating sweet taste, has increased significantly over the enzyme-free group. Twenty species of free amino acid in the four-week of salt-fermented seahorse were detected. It detected 43.0% (6 species) in the enzyme-free group and 63.96% (7 species) in the enzyme additive group.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.124-132
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• 2006

We have investigated morphological development with growth and survival rates of juvenile for 158 days after parturition to get a basis data in the way of establishment of breeding techniques in the common seahorse species of Barbour's seahorse, Hippocampus barbouri. At 1 day after parturition, seahorse larvae were $8.82\sim10.36mm(mean\;9.48{\pm}0.69mm,\;n=4)$ in standard length (SL) with 17 dorsal fm rays, 14 pectoral fin rays and 4 anal fin rays. At 20 days after parturition, the size of seahorse larvae were $14.37\sim15.79mm(14.97{\pm}0.62mm,\;n=4)$ in SL, snout of seahorse larvae became slender was long, and body was coloration to the full as adult seahorse. At 41 days after parturition, seahorse larvae were grew $20.14\sim24.89mm(22.89{\pm}2.22mm,\;n=4)$ in SL with development of several spines in coronet, and their have 11 trunk rings and 35 tail rings. At 158 days after parturition, seahorse were grew to $59.07\sim63.76mm(61.42{\pm}3.32mm\;n=2)$, and head length (HL), trunk length (TrL) and tail length (TaL) were composed respectively $19.1{\pm}0.3%,\;25.2{\pm}0.7%$ and $55.8{\pm}0.3%$ of SL. In this time, survival rate is 15.6%.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2007

Seahorse is an interesting organism for the study of its conservation as well as development as an marine ornament fish. To investigate the ecological characteristics and fish fauna around the habitat of such an endangered species, fishes were collected from the seahorse habitat. A total of 161 fishes were classified into 8 families and 11 species including two species of seahorse, Hippocampus mohnikei and H. coronatus representing 1.9% and 1.2%, respectively, of the population. The most dominant fish species in the area was Takifugu niphobles accounting for 30.4% of the population. The predators of the seahorse such as Acanthopagrus schlegeli, Lateolabrax japonicus and Lateolabrax maculatus were found in the relative abundance of 0.6%, 5.6%, and 11.8%, respectively. The relative abundance of H. coronatus ($0.96\;ind./1,000\;m^2$), H. mohnikei ($0.97\;ind./1,000\;m^2$) and the other coexisting fishes are similar in all the areas investigated (P>0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.74-77
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• 1995

Seahorse fish, Hippocampus trimaculatus Leach, collected in the Chriu Island and Dolsan Island, Korea is recorded for the lent time from Korea. Hippocampus trimacufctus is easily distinguishable from the other species of this genus, in having 20 dorsal fin raws, 17 anal fin rays, 11 trunk rings and 41 tail rings. H. tukokurae reported from Japan is a junior svnonsnn of H. trimacufatus.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.298-303
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• 2005

This study described the reproductive behavior and the morphological development of the larvae and juvenile of the hedgehog seahorse (Hippocampus spinosissimus). Larvae released from male seahorse were reared for 30 days in the laboratory. At the birth, the small flap-like mouth and anus of the yolk-sac larvae were open, and the yolk was completely absorbed within 1 day. The size of newborn larvae ranged 7.01-13.19mm (mean $9.26\pm1.9mm$, n=9) in TL (total length). The larvae had 15-16 pectoral fin rays and 19 dorsal fin rays, but 4 anal fin rays were not completely developed. The larval size ranged 13.38-14.38 mm (mean $13.96\pm0.3mm$, n=6) in TL at 1 day after release, and they had 17 pectoral fin rays, 20 dorsal fin rays and 4 anal fin rays when the larvae reached the juvenile stage. Juvenile size ranged 14.98-16.42mm (mean $15.84\pm0.5mm$, n=5) in TL at 3 days after release, and 1, 4, 6, 8 trunk spines extended quickly. Terminal part of the coronet became a four-forked wedge shape concurrently. Juvenile became 23.25mm (n=l) in TL after 15 days and all 11 trunk rings was connected completely. After 20 days, the juveniles were 24.66-28.65mm (mean $27.26\pm1.6mm$, n=5) in TL, and many melanophores appeared in integument. In the eye lenses, 5-6 lusters were formed. After 30 days, the juveniles were 26.78-28.26 mm (mean $27.36\pm0mm$, n=4)in TL and 8-9 lusters appeared on the eye lenses. Coronet terminal part developed to a five-forked crown-shape completely.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.346-353
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• 2015

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones regulated through responses to stress to maintain diverse metabolic and homeostatic functions. GCs act on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a member of the nuclear receptor family. This study identified and characterized the GR gene from the big-belly seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis designating it HaGR. The open reading frame of the HaGR cDNA was 2,346 bp in length, encoding a 782-amino-acid polypeptide with a theoretical isoelectric point of 6.26 and predicted molecular mass of 86.8 kDa. Nuclear receptors share a common structural organization, comprising an N-terminal transactivation domain, DNA-binding domain, and C-terminal ligand-binding domain. The tissue-specific mRNA expression profile of HaGR was analyzed in healthy seahorses using a qPCR technique. HaGR mRNA was expressed ubiquitously in all of the tissues examined, with the highest expression levels in kidney, intestine, stomach, and gill tissues. The mRNA expression in response to immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), Edwardsiella tarda, and Streptococcus iniae revealed that it is inducible in response to pathogen infection. These results suggest that HaGR is involved in the immune response of the big-belly seahorse.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2016

Recently, liver damage contributes to big percentage of the morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Excessive intake of alcohol is one of the major causes of liver injury. When liver injury is repeated and becomes chronic, it leads to development of fibrosis and cirrhosis. In the liver, TGF-${\beta}$ is a profibrogenic cytokine, which participates in various critical events cause liver fibrosis. Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) is a common traditional Chinese medicine and has been widely used for centuries. Seahorse has been known to have a variety of bioactivities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-fatigue, and anti-tumor. Peptide is one of the main compounds of seahorse. In this study, we isolated enzymatic hydrolysate from seahorse H. abdominalis by alcalase hydrolysis and investigated the effect of the hydrolysate on liver injury. In the present in vitro studies, the hydrolysate increases cell viability of Chang cells and protects Huh7 cells from ethanol toxicity. In addition, the hydrolysate inhibits TGF-${\beta}$-induced responses. In vivo studies show that the pretreatment of hydrolysate reduces alcohol-induced increases of serum Glutamic oxaloacetic acid transaminase and Glutamic pyruvate transaminase activities and increases liver weight and body weight. These results suggest that seahorse may have a hepatoprotective effect.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-45
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• 2013

Single specimen (68 mm TL) of the Shiho's seahorse Hippocampus sindonis collected from Geomun Island was described as a first record from Korea. The species is characterized by having 15 dorsal fin-rays, 14 pectoral fin-rays, snout length 2.8 in HL, trunk rings 10, and tail rings 37. A new Korean name, "Sin-do-hae-ma" is proposed.