• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.284-291
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise (EX) and Korean red ginseng (KRG) on inflammation mechanism in aging model rats with diet-induced atherosclerosis. MATERIALS/METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups: Young control (Y-C), Aging control (A-C), A-C with HFD (AHF), AHF with EX (AHF-EX), AHF-EX with KRG (AHF-EX+RG), and AHF with KRG (AHF-RG). Aging was induced by D-gal (100mg/kg) and atherosclerosis was induced by HFD (60% fat) for 9 weeks. The experimental rats were performed swimming (60 min/day, 5 days/week) and supplied KRG orally (dose of 200 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. All rat aorta samples were harvested for biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses. REULTS: The EX and KRG supplementation significantly inhibited body weight and levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and enhance of HDL-C compared with untreated AHF groups. AHF-EX, AHF-EX+RG, and AHF-RG group showed a decreased plasma CRP and increase plasma NO activities compared to AHF group. In addition, these groups revealed reduced 4-HNE, NF-kB, TNF-, ${\alpha}$, IL-6, COX-2, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and enhanced eNOS expression in the aorta. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EX alone, KRG alone, and combined treatment of EX and KRG may be an effective anti-inflammatory therapeutic for the atherosclerosis, possibly acting via the decreased of CRP and pro-inflammation proteins and the increased NO and eNOS.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 1999

One of the potential causes of age-related neuronal damage can be reactive oxygen species (ROS), as the brain is particularly sensitive to oxidative damage. In the present study, we investigated the effects of aging and dietary restriction (DR) on ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzymes in cerebrum, hippocampus, and cerebellum of 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old rats. ROS generation significantly increased with age in cerebrum of ad libitum (AL) rats. However, no significant age-difference was observed in hippocampus and cerebellum. DR significantly decreased ROS generation in cerebrum and cerebellum at 24-months. On the other hand, the increased lipid peroxidation of AL rats during aging was significantly reduced by DR in all regions. Our results further showed that catalase activity decreased with age in cerebellum of AL rats, which was reversed by DR, although SOD activity had little change by aging and DR in all regions. In a similar way, glutathione (GSH) peroxidase activity increased with age in cerebrum of AL rats, while DR suppressed it at 24-months. These data further support the evidence that the vulnerability to oxidative stress in the brain is region-specific.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.491-496
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• 2009

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common phenomenon during the prolonged muscle disuse caused by cast immobilization, extended aging states, bed rest, space flight, or other factors. However, the cellular mechanisms of the atrophic process are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the expression of muscle-specific RING finger 1 (MuRF1) during atrophy of the rat gastrocnemius muscle. Histological analysis revealed that cast immobilization induced the atrophy of the gastrocnemius muscle, with diminution of muscle weight and cross-sectional area after 14 days. Cast immobilization significantly elevated the expression of MuRF1 and the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. The starvation of L6 rat skeletal myoblasts under serum-free conditions induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and the characteristics typical of cast-immobilized gastrocnemius muscle. The expression of MuRF1 was also elevated in serum-starved L6 myoblasts, but was significantly attenuated by SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK. Changes in the sizes of L6 myoblasts in response to starvation were also reversed by their transfection with MuRF1 small interfering RNA or treatment with SB203580. From these results, we suggest that the expression of MuRF1 in cast-immobilized atrophy is regulated by p38 MAPK in rat gastrocnemius muscles.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.85-99
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• 2004

Purpose: This study observed the changes in the telomerase activity, it's developmental regulation, PCNA expression, and their correlation in rat's upper digestive organs during growth and aging. Materials and Methods: Upper digestive organs(buccal mucosa, gingiva, palate, submandibular and parotid glands, and tongue) were aseptically removed from Sprague-Dawley rats of fetal(gestational 20 days), growing(1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 weeks after birth) and adult(12 week old). Samples for telomerase activity were frozen on liquid nitrogen immediately after sacrifice, and stored until the use at $-75^{\circ}C$ in order to measure it. Telomerase activity was measured by a PCR-based telomeric repeat amplication protoco(TRAP) assay and quantitated with Photometric Telo TAGGG Telomerase PCR ELISA plus(Roche Diagnostics GmbH. Mannheim. Germany). PCNA expression were measured immunohistochemistry with anti PCNA Ab-1, Clone PC10(NeoMark. California. USA). Results: 1. Telomerase activities in buccal mucosa, palate and gingiva were the highest in fetus and decreased gradually or rapidly after birth and then diminished, but In salivary gland and tongue were the highest in fetus and also high at 1 week and then decreased rapidly. 2. PCNA expression in buccal mucosa, gingiva, Tongue and salivary gland was the highest in fetus and decreased gradually and then diminished. but only in palate decreased rapidly after birth and then diminished. Conclusion: The highest telomerase activity of embryonic stage decreased rapidly after birth in rat's upper digestive organs. There may be a developmental regulation of telomerase activity, but not a tissue-specific. This telomerase activity seems correlated closely with PCNA expression in rat's upper digestive system.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2016

Sirtuin family members with lysine deacetylase activity are known to play an important role in anti-aging and longevity. Cellular senescence is one of the hallmarks of aging, and downregulation of sirtuin is reported to induce premature senescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of small-molecule sirtuin inhibitors on cellular senescence. Various small molecules such as tenovin-1 and EX527 were employed for direct sirtuin activity inhibition. U251, SNB-75, and U87MG glioblastoma cells treated with sirtuin inhibitors exhibited phenotypes with nuclear enlargement. Furthermore, treatment of rat primary astrocytes with tenovin-1 also increased the size of the nucleus. The activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase, a marker of cellular senescence, was induced by tenovin-1 and EX527 treatment in U87MG glioblastoma cells. Consistent with the senescent phenotype, treatment with tenovin-1 increased p53 expression in U87MG cells. This study demonstrated the senescence-inducing effect of sirtuin inhibitors, which are potentially useful tools for senescence research.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.466-471
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• 2002

Oxidative stress is considered to be associated with many diseases, such as inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, aging and cancer. An important etiological mechanism of these diseases may be a causal relationship between the presence of oxidants and the generation of lipid hydroperoxides derived from enzymatic reactions or xenobiotic metabolism. The hydroperoxides can be decomposed to alkoxy- (ROㆍ) and peroxy- (ROOㆍ) free radicals that can oxidize other cell components, resulting in changes in enzyme activity or the generation of mediators, which can cause further cell damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of aqueous extract from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), Changkil (CK), to affect cellular response in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes to t-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity. CK-treated cells showed an increased resistance to oxidative challenge, as revealed by a higher percent of survival capacity in respect to control cells. CK reduced t-BHP-enhanced lipid peroxidation measured as production of malondialdehyde and enhanced intracellular reduced glutathione depletion by t-BHP. Furthermore, CK protected from the t-BHP-induced intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species assessed by monitoring dichlorodihydrofluorescein fluorescence. It can be concluded that CK exerts an antioxidant action inside the cell, responsible for the observed modulation of the cellular response to oxidative challenge, and CK have a marked antioxidative and hepatoprotective potency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 1998

Long-term exposure of cigarette smoke or air pollutants to human can induce damages in the airway mucociliary function and can be closely related to the irritation and sputum formation in the respiratory system. This study was undertaken to investigate whether rat trachea can be used as a tool for evaluating the cigarette smoke quality. It was identified that, through the examination with inverted microscope, ciliary beating in 1 mm long cut of nat trachea ring was continued for at least 48 hours in saline solution at $25^{\circ}C$. The ciliostasis time in a KCN solution as a positive control was decreased with increasing the concentration of KCN. There were no significant differences in the ciliostasis time by body weight and individual variation of rats. Ciliotoxicity of whole smoke trapped in saline was not significantly changed by aging for more than 6 hrs. The ciliostasis time was in inverse proportion to the number of sample cigarettes applied. As moisture in the cigarette was increased, ciliostasis time was linearly increased. Therefore, these data indicate that the ciliotoxicity test using rat trachea in vitro can be applied to evaluate the cigarette smoke quality and to search factors for the irritation and sputum formation by cigarette smoke as well as air pollutants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.446-453
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• 1995

The improtant components of extracellular matrix(ECM) are collagen and chondroitin sulfate. The hydrophobic surface of collagen is one of the determining factors of diameter of collagen fiber and also is closely related to the aging phenomena. The controlling mechanism of the diameter of collagen fiber influenced by the interaction with chondroitin sulfate was evaluated using bis-ANS as a hydrophobic probe. Hydrophobic surface area of collagen molecule shielded by chondroitin sulfate was evaluated. Relative fluorescence intensity of collagen in thepresence of chondroitin sulfate was measured using bis-ANS as a hydrophobic probe. The fluorescence intensity decreased with the increase in chondroitin sulfate up to 3.8 chondroitin sulfate/collagen(mole/mole). Further increase in the ratio of chondroitin sulfate to collagen did not change the fluorescence intensity. Similar changes in the relative fluorescence intensity were observed for both rat tail and lathyrific rat skin collagen. The fluorescence intensity indicated by the binding between bis-ANS and hydrophobic sites of collagen was pH dependent, and the shielding effect of collagen-chondroitin sulfate interaction could not be detected at pH above 6.0. This is probably due to the charge repulsions caused by negative charged collagen molecules at higher pH.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.331-348
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• 1994

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the shape and ultrastructure of the articular disc of the rat mandibular joint with aging. Mechanical stress applied to the articular disc changes during neonatal, suckling, juvenile, adult and senile stages. Mandibular joints of 6 groups of rats(1-, 7-, 17-, 27-, 55-day and over-1-year groups) were removed en bloc and processed for light and electro microscopic study. The changes in the shape of articular disc were examined by light microscope in each group. Structural and ultrastructural changes in the articular disc were examined by light and electron microscope in each group. The results were as follows : In the 1-day and 7-day groups, the articular disc was long and slender in shape and the articular disc was not fitted with the shape of the mandibular fossa and condyle. However' after that time, the anterior and posterior portions of the articular disc were more bulged and the middle portion was shorter and biconcave. Thus the articular disc was well fitted with the shape of the mandibular fossa and condyle. The cell density decreased with aging. In the l -day and 7-day groups, the Golgi apparatus, rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosome, which are involved in the synthesis of intracellular and extracellular matrix, were developed. In the 17-day, 27-day and 55-day groups, not only the cell organelles involved in the synthesis of the intracellular and extracellular matrix but also the cell organelles involved in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix(i.e., finger-like cell process, lysosome and mitochondria)were well developed. With advancing age, intracytoplasmic microfilaments were more accumulated and condroid cells increased. In the over-1-year group, the majority of cells of the articular disc were chondroid cells. The majority of cytoplasmic compartment were filled with intracytoplasmic microfilaments and cell organelles were not developed. Therefore, metabolic activities of the cell was markedly reduced and cells contained structures enduring mechanical stress, and cells which were in the process of degeneration were observed occasionally.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2015

Extract from Gryllus bimaculatus crickets inhibits oxidation at the DNA level, with reduced production of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Microarray analyses were performed with a rat 28K cDNA clone set array to identify the gene expression profiles of aged (10 months old) Wistar Kyoto rats treated for one month with 100 mg/kg G. bimaculatus ethanol extract to assess the effects. The extract produced a meaningful anti-edema effect, evident by the inhibition of creatinine phosphokinase activity. The weights of abdominal and ovarian adipose tissues were reduced and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in adipose tissues was increased in an extract dose-dependent manner. Compared with untreated control rats, rats treated with the extract displayed the upregulation of 1053 genes including Fas (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 6), Amigo3 (adhesion molecule with an immunoglobulin-like domain), Reticulon 4, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme (Hmgcr; a reductase), related anti-fatigue (enzyme metabolism), and Rtn antioxidant, and the downregulation of 73 genes including Ugt2b (UDP glycosyltransferase 2 family), Early growth response 1, and Glycoprotein m6a. Data suggest that G. bimaculatus extract may have value in lessening the effects of aging, resulting in a differential gene expression pattern indicative of a marked stress response and lower expression of metabolic and biosynthetic genes.