• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.144-149
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• 2001

Antioxidant enzymes, scavengers of the reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI), are involved in numerous defense systems in cells. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the hot-water extracts of two medicinally potent mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus) on the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes in vitro and in vivo. The mushroom extracts stimulated the catalase activity in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, whereas the other antioxidant enzymes (such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) were unaffected by the extracts. The catalytic activity of catalase in the liver and brain was significantly increased after the oral treatment of the mushroom extracts (2.5 g/kg) to ICR mice for 2 months. Western blot analysis of the liver and brain tissues revealed that the expression level of catalase in the mice, treated with both mushroom extracts, was significantly increased compared to that of the control mice. However, the level of the SOD expression in the mice treated with the natural product extracts was unchanged under the same experimental conditions. Although the mechanisms for the stimulatory effect of the catalase expression by these extracts remains unclear, these results suggest that the ingredients of the Ganoderma lucidum and Phellinus linteus extracts act as an activator of catalase, and regulate the expression of catalase at the translational or transcriptional level.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.328-331
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• 2000

Maize (Zea mays L. cv. kosungjaerae and cv. youngwoljaerae) seeds were irradiated with the dose of $0.5{\sim}20$ Gy by $^{60}Co\;{\gamma}-ray$ radiation to investigate the effect of the low dose ${\gamma}-ray$ radiation on the germination rate, early growth and yield. The low dose radiation was able to improve the germination rate and early growth in maize, but the optimal radiation doses were different depended on kinds of cultivars. High stimulatory effect in early growth of maize was observed in 2 Gy irradiation group of kosungjaerae cultivar and in 12 Gy irradiation group of youngwoljaerae cultivar. The optimal radiation dose for the enhancement of yield and yield components in maize was 8 Gy in kosungjaerae cultivar and $4{\sim}12$ Gy in youngwoljaerae cultivar.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2005

We examined the effect of leptin on the insulin resistance in skeletal muscles by measuring the glucose transport. Male Wistar rats were fed with chow or high-fat diets for 30 days. Three days before sacrifice, high-fat fed rats were subcutaneously injected with leptin (1 mg/kg body weight) for 3 days. The glucose transports in the epitrochlearis and soleus muscle were not different among the experimental groups under basal state, however these were decreased significantly in the high fat-diet rats under insulin-stimulation (p＜0.01). Leptin treatment recovered the decreased glucose transport in the epitrochlearis (p＜0.05) and soleus (p=0.08). Triglyceride concentration in the soleus muscle was increased significantly in the high fat-fed rats, compared to chow diet rats (p＜0.01), and it was decreased significantly by leptin treatment (p＜0.01). The glucose transport was measured under basal and $60{\mu}u/ml$ of insulin with or without 50 ng/ml of leptin. Leptin had no direct stimulatory effect on glucose transport under both basal and insulin-stimulated conditions in vitro. These results demonstrate that leptin injection to high fat diet fed rats recovered impaired insulin responsiveness of the skeletal muscles and muscle triglyceride concentration. However, there was no direct stimulatory effect of leptin on insulin sensitivity of the skeletal muscle in vitro.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.826-831
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• 1999

${\beta}-Glucan$, one of the major cell wall components of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is known to enhance the immune function, especially by activating macrophages. Accordingly, in an effort to develop a safe and efficient immune stimulatory agent, we prepared crude ${\beta}-glucan$ (glucan-p1) and partially purified ${\beta}-glucan$ that was free of mannoproteins (glucan-p2), and evaluated their effect on both the macrophage function and resistance to E. coli-induced peritonitis. To investigate the function of the macrophages, phagocytosis, $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion, oxygen burst, and the expression of cytokine genes such as $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-12 were analyzed. Glucan-p2 markedly stimulated the macrophages with all these parameters. Glucan-p1, however, did not stimulate phagocytosis, yet it induced $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion, oxygen burst, and the expression of $IFN-{\gamma}$ and IL-12, although less efficiently than glucan-p2. Finally, to test the in vivo protective effect of {\beta}-glucan against infection, the survival of mice from E. coli-induced peritonitis was investigated. After 24 h of the peritoneal challenge of E. coli, all of the mice treated with glucan-p2 survived whereas none survived in the control group. Glucan-p1 showed only a marginal effect in protecting the mice. These results suggest that mannoprotein-free gluean-p2, but not gluean-p1, can serve as an effective immune-stimulating agent.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.288-297
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• 2000

To understand the effect of radish on growth of food born microorganisms, mashedflesh radishes were extracted by using acetone and distilled water. Their effect was assayed by measuring the optical density of cultural broth of food born microorganisms. In the experiment, seven strains of yeast were used as the test organism. Acetone extract inhibited growth of the cells of L. plantarum, L. sake and Danmuji film yeast. Growth of the film yeast was drastically inhibited in the concomitant presence of 0.03% extract, while other microbes such as L. faecalis, P. pentosaceus, B/ subtilis and E. coli grew by succeeding cultivation for 4 to 8 hour after addition of the extract. Water extract, on contrast to acetone extract, at he concentrations of 0.1∼1.5% stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Culture of L. faecalis and L. sake showed an optical density higher than that of control by 40∼50 times. The effect was not so apparent against E. coli, S. aureus and Danmuji film yeast.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.325-330
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• 1991

The ability of several auxin analogs to induce ethylene production was tested in the corn coleoptile. The synthetic auxins 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA) and 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) had strong stimulatory effects on ethylene induction surpassing that of IAA. Both 2-naphthalaneacetic acid (2-NAA) and 2, 6-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 6-D), structural analogs of these auxins, respectively, were found to be inactive. Treatment with NPA, a strong inhibitor of polar auxin transport, led to drastic increase in IAA-induced ethylene production while it has bo effect on ethylene production induced by 1-NAA. A positive correlative existed between intracellular auxin level and ethylene production.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 1990

The competence time of Streptomyces viridochromogenes for aerial mycelium formation was determined. Within 10 hrs after spore inoculation the submerged mycelium was programed to form aerial mycelium, when the former was laid on agar plate. The white aerial mycelium was formed 17-22 hrs after the transfer. Ascorbic acid oxidizing enzyme band on native gel showed chracteristic mobility change during aerial mycelium formation. Total activity of this enzyme did not show any correlation with the differentiation. The asay condition for the crude enzyme was determined. EDTA and $FeCl_{2}$ showed stimulatory effect. Approximate ratio of oxygen consumed to ascorbic acid oxidized was 1:1.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.874-882
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• 2018

Curcumin is known to possess various biological functions, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-cancer activities. Natural killer (NK) cells are large lymphocytes that directly kill cancer cells. However, many aggressive cancers, including breast cancer, were reported to escape the successful killing of NK cells in a tumor microenvironment. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of curcumin in coculture of human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 and NK (NK-92) cells. We found that curcumin had an immune-stimulatory effect on NK-92 by increasing the surface expression of the $CD16^+$ and $CD56^{dim}$ population of NK-92. We confirmed that the cytotoxic effect of NK-92 on MDA-MB-231 was significantly enhanced in the presence of curcumin, which was highly associated with the activation of Stat4 and Stat5 proteins in NK-92. Finally, this improved anticancer effect of curcumin was correlated with decreased expression of pErk and PI3K in MDA-MB-231.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-55
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• 1981

To elucidate the effect of ginseng saponin on adrenaline-induced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, ginseng saponin was administered before and after administration of adrenaline, and concentration of glucose, triglyceride(TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) as well as lipase activity in plasma was determined. 1) Glucose concentration was slightly increased by administration of ginseng saponin at 1 hour before and 10 minutes after adrenaline administration, but decreased by administration of ginseng saponin at 7 and 4 hours before adrenaline administration. TG and FFA concentration was also greatly inhibited by administration of ginseng saponin in advance. 2) When gineseng saponin 3, 10, 30mg/kg were administered 7 hours before adrenaline administration, glucose and TG concentration as well as lipase activity were inhibited in proportion to the dose of ginseng saponin, but FFA concentration was slightly inhibited. 3) It was suggested that protopanaxatriol group have potentiating effect on adrenaline induced hyperglycemia but protopanaxadiol group have inhibitory effect. And ginseng saponin seems to have strong inhibitory action on TG mobilization into blood and stimulatory effect on esterification of FFA in liver and adipose tissue.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 1989

Natural killer (NK) cells are a heteroguneous subpopulation of lymphocytes that spontaneously exhibit cytotoxic activity against various virus-Infected and neoplastic target cells without prior exposure to a specific antigen. It was thought that NK calls play an important role in immunosurvrillanre against viral agents and tumors, and in prevention of metastasis. Recently, several reports have indicated evidence that ginseng extracts show a significant stimulatory effect on the humoral and cellular immune responses. This evidence gives support to the suggestion that the anticarcinogenic effect of ginseng may be due to the effect of ginseng on the immunological system. Treatment with total, diol, and triol saponin resulted in an increase in NK cytotoxic activity, but no enhancement of the lytic activity due to the natural killer cytotoxic factor (NKCF). Therefore, these results suggest that the augmentation of NK activity by ginseng saponin fractions may not be due to the activation of NKCF lytic activity.