• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.721-728
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• 2008

Hepcidin is a peptide hormone produced by the liver, of which secretion is closely related to iron status in the body. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism(s) by which this peptide regulates body iron homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of hepcidin treatment within the physiological concentration range on the expressions of two different iron transporter proteins-ferroportin (FPN) and divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1). Differentiated Caco-2 intestinal cells and macrophage J774 cells were treated with either synthetic hepcidin or hepcidin-rich fraction separated from human urine at the concentration of 10 nM and 100 nM for 24 hours. Results show that hepcidin treatment in differentiated Caco-2 cells or in J774 cells did not change the level of either FPN mRNA or DMT1 mRNA. On the other hand, hepcidin treatment at the dose of 100 nM significantly decreased the FPN protein levels and DMT1 protein levels in differentiated Caco-2 cells. Similarly, urinary hepcidin treatment (10 nM & 100 nM) also significantly decreased the levels of FPN and DMT1 proteins in J774 macrophage cells. These results showed that hepcidin might play an important role in the regulation of iron homeostasis by lowering the protein levels of iron transporter FPN and DMT1 both in enterocytes and in macrophage cells.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2013

iNOS (Inducible nitric oxide synthase) and TLR-4 (Toll-like Receptor-4) play crucial roles in innate immunity of poultry. iNOS has been mapped to chicken chromosome 14 and implicated in a variety of chicken diseases. iNOS possesses potent antimicrobial activity, including the inhibition of microbes replication in vitro. TLR-4 is a pathogen associated molecular-pattern receptor for bacterial product, such as LPS (lipopolysaccharides) found in Gram negative bacteria, that triggers pro-inflammatory cytokine expression after engagement with ligands. In the previous studies, genetic analysis of iNOS and TLR-4 revealed the possible association of mutation in these genes with the intestinal microflora of cecum when infected with Salmonella spp. This study was aimed to augment previous findings, which show the association of iNOS (C14513T) and TLR-4 (G4409T) polymorphisms with economic traits in Korean Native Black (KNB), Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Cornish chickens. Investigation in the effect of SNPs on economic traits (layday, layw, layno, bw150, bw270, layw270) was conducted. iNOS (C14513T) had a significant effect on the average body weight at 270 days of age (p<0.05) in both KNB and RIR, whereas TLR-4 (G4409T) showed no significant correlation with all traits (p>0.05). The results obtained from using the candidate genes can be useful for the genetic improvement of body weight in both KNB and RIR breeds.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) sources on the antioxidant defense system in the blood and liver of laying hens. Thirty-six 40-wk old Lohmann Brown hens were randomly assigned to three groups based on body weight, with four cages with three layers each. Laying hens were divided into one of the following groups: control (CON), powdered CoQ10 (PCoQ, 100 mg/kg diet), and emulsified CoQ10 (ECoQ, 100 mg/kg diet). All hens were fed a control diet or a control diet supplemented with powdered or emulsified CoQ10 ad libitum for five weeks. There were no differences in body weight, weight gain, and organ weights among the treatment groups, including the liver and spleen. The blood total antioxidant power (TAP) in the ECoQ group increased (P<0.05) by approximately 2-fold compared to that in the CON group. However, there was no significant difference in blood TAP levels between the PCoQ and ECoQ groups, although a decreasing trend (P<0.13) was observed for levels of TAP in the ECoQ group. The mRNA expression and specific activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in the liver were not affected by dietary CoQ10 or type of CoQ10. However, hepatic lipid peroxidation in the ECoQ group was lower (P<0.05) than in the CON group. In conclusion, emulsified CoQ10 increased blood TAP and decreased hepatic lipid peroxidation without affecting antioxidant enzymes, suggesting that emulsified CoQ10 might be more applicable as an active antioxidant supplement than powdered type in laying hens.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine the possible additive effects of endurance exercise training (EXER) and selenium (SELE) on the improvements of glucose and lactate transport capacities in diabetic Goto-kakizaki rats. Animals either remained sedentary control (SED) or performed EXER or received SELE [$5{\mu}mol$ kg body wt (-1) day (-1)], or underwent both EXER and SELE (COMBI), which lasted for 6 wk. Compared with sedentary control, EXER alone or the SELE alone group, or the combined treatment group had significant reduction in glucose response measured at 90 min and 120 min during an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and body weight after 6week treatment. EXER alone, or combined group individually had significantly higher glycogen contents in liver compared with SED or SELE groups. EXER alone increased glycogen content in soleus and plantaris compared with SED, and this parameter was increased to greatest extent in the combined treatment groups compared with SED or SELE groups. EXER alone, SELE alone or COMBI, caused significant decreases in the plasma lactates, serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol and HOMA-IR along with a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared with SED. In addition, EXER or COMBI individually had significantly lower serum triacylglycerol compared with SED or SELE. With respect to protein expression related to glucose and lactate transport capacities, EXER alone, SELE alone, or COMBI increased in MCT1 and MCT4 protein level in soleus and plantaris. Furthermore, EXER alone, SELE alone or COMBI caused significant increases in mt MCT1 protein level in soleus and plantaris. The findings of the current study suggest that endurance exercise training and selenium treatment may provide therapeutic values to type II diabetic patients with peripheral insulin resistance and hyperlactatecemia by improving glucose and lactate transport capacities, leading to improvements in plasma lactate, serum glucose, insulin and lipid profiles (TC, TG, HDL).

• Sim-seong Yeon-gu
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2017

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the nature of Objective Psyche based on island related case materials. Theoretical background starts with psychological meaning of islands, a kind affective symbol rather than cognitive image, and creation myths as the story of man's awareness of the world; Chaos as archaic identity (unconscious), islands as emergence of the ego from unconscious. In alchemical symbolism, island related to coagulatio, the operation which turns something into earth, the realm of ego. In addition, related parts of Hindu creation myths, Korean giant woman creator Sulmoonde-halmang, and legends of "Relocation of Island/Mountain" will be presented to integrate with case materials. Case A : Starts with a dream of killing a huge dragon and dead body became an island. The dragon in the water was seen as Spirit of Mercurius, the autonomous spirit, connecting of the ego with the Self. The act of killing related to Primeval being which needs to be killed to be transformed. Myths of Eskimo, The Eagle's Gift, the giant woman creator in Korea, and Marduk, the Babylonian hero will be integrated. Case B : Prior to introduce six island images in sand trays, a dream of a giant serpent (python) wound around her body will be presented to portray her situation. By relating Jung's "The Sermons to the Dead," her effort to make the solid island regarded as an act of bringing order out of original oneness (pleroma). Then stresses the importance to coagulate archetypal image Case C : A vignette of active imagination seminar where island image emerged will be described. Her endeavor of focusing on inner image related to the Hindu Creator, Cherokee creation myth, as well as Sulmoonde-halmang. As a motif of growing island, Samoan creation myth, and Legend of Mountain, Mai were incorporated. Colors in her art work regarded as expression of inner need, and importance of expressing inner feeling images as a mean to coagulate volatile emotional and spiritual content. Case D : A dream and art work of terminally ill woman; embracing the tip of the island with gushing up water will be presented. Her island and replenishing water image regard as "an immortal body," corresponds to the Philosophers' Stone for she accepted her death peacefully after the dream. Also related to "The Mercurial Fountain" in Rosarium Philosophorum, and aqua permanence, an allegory of God.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 2000

Snailfish usually lives at the bottom of the sea and showed typical retrogressive change with specialized tissue structures of skin and skeletons. In order to obtain the specific genes of snailfish, highly expressed in the body, we made subtracted cDNA library and analyzed 200 clones. Totally 200 clones were obtained and sequenced, and among them 62 clones were turned out to be homologous to the known gene, i.e., thioesterase (9), myosin (8), creatine kinase (7), skeletal alpha-actin (6), parvalbumin b (5), ribosomal protein (5), type I collagen (3), muscle troponin (3), dopamine receptor (2), histatin (2), and heat shock protein (2), cystatin (1), lectin (1), statherin (1), secretory carrier membrane protein (1), keratin type I (1), desmin (1), chloroplast (1), muscle tropomyosin (1), reticulum calcium ATPase (1), ribonucleoprotein (1). The remaining 138 clones were low homologous or non-redundant genes through Genbank search. Especially 5 clones were novel and specifically expressed in the body tissues of Snailfish by in situ hybridization. Therefore, we analysed these 5 clones to identify the C-terminal protein structures and motifs, and partly defined the roles of these proteins in comparison with the expression patterns by in situ hybridization. C9O-77, about 5000 bp, was supposed to be a matrix protein expressed strongly positive in epithelium, myxoid tissue, fibrous tissue and collagenous tissue. C9O-116, about 1500 bp, was supposed to be a transmembrane protein which was weakly expressed in the fibrous tissue, epithelium tissue, and myxoid tissue, but strong in muscle tissue. C9O-130, about 1200 bp, was supposed to be an intracytoplasmic molecule usually in the epithelial cells. C9O-161, about 2000 bp, was weakly expressed in epithelium, muscle tissue and myxoid tissue, but specially strong in epithelium. C9O-171, about 1000 bp, was supposed to be a transcription factor containing zinc finger like domain, which was intensely expressed in the epithelium, muscle tissue, fibrous tissue, and in collagenous tissue.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2024

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses are markedly induced during toxic responses caused by various chemical substances, including difenoconazole, but no research has been conducted on 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP), a chemical that is generally used in agriculture and industry, which induces hepatotoxicity. Therefore, in this study, the changes in indicators for hepatotoxicity, apoptosis, and ER stress were analyzed in TCP-treated Sprague Dawley (SD) rats to study the regulatory mechanism of ER stress during the hepatotoxicity. The TCP-treated group decreased in body weight and dietary intake compared to the vehicle-treated group, and necrosis and vacuolation increased significantly in liver histology. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related factors, including Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase (Cas)-3/Cas-3 increased significantly in the TCP-treated group compared to the vehicle-treated group. In the analysis of ER stress response indicators, the expression of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), phospho-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha subunit (eIF2α), and phospho-inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) increased only in the TCP100-treated group and decreased in the TCP200-treated group. However, the transcriptions of growth arrest and DNA damage-34 (GADD34) increased in the TCP200-treated group, while Spliced X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1s) and unspliced XBP1(XBP1u) decreased in the same group. These results suggest that the ER stress response is successfully triggered during the hepatotoxicity induced by TCP treatment through the alternative regulation of the unfolded-protein response (UPR) pathway.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.761-767
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• 2007

This study was conducted to determine the effects of exogenous zinc-metallothionein (Zn-MT) on anti-oxidative function and pork quality. After feeding a corn-soybean meal-based diet for two weeks, 48 pigs ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Chinese\;Black Pig$) were assigned randomly to four groups. Pigs in Group 1 were maintained under non-stress conditions, whereas pigs in Groups 2, 3 and 4 were aggressively handled for 25 min to produce stress. Pigs in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received intramuscular administration of saline (control group; CON), 0 (negative control group; NCON), 0.8 (low dose group; LOW), and 1.6 (high dose group; HIGH) mg rabbit liver Zn-MT per kg body weight, respectively. Pigs were slaughtered at 3 and 6 h post-injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PX) while decreasing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. These responses were greater (p<0.05) at 6 h than at 3 h post Zn-MT injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) hepatic SOD mRNA levels in a time and dose-dependent manner and decreased (p<0.05) serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (indicators of tissue integrity). Zn-MT administration decreased (p<0.05) lactate concentration and increased (p<0.05) pH and water-holding capacity in the longissimus thorasis meat. Collectively, our results indicate that intramuscular administration of Zn-MT to pre-slaughter stressed pigs improved tissue anti-oxidative ability and meat quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.2008-2020
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary corn resistant starch (RS) on the intestinal morphology and barrier functions of broilers. Methods: A total of 320 one-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments: one normal corn-soybean (NC) diet, one corn-soybean-based diet supplementation with 20% corn starch (CS), and 3 corn-soybean-based diets supplementation with 4%, 8%, and 12% corn resistant starch (RS) (identified as 4% RS, 8% RS, and 12% RS, respectively). Each group had eight replicates with eight broilers per replicate. After 21 days feeding, one bird with a body weight (BW) close to the average BW of their replicate was selected and slaughtered. The samples of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum digesta, and blood were collected. Results: Birds fed 4% RS, 8% RS and 12% RS diets showed lower feed intake, BW gain, jejunal villus height (VH), duodenal crypt depth (CD), jejunal VH/CD ratio, duodenal goblet cell density as well as mucin1 mRNA expressions compared to the NC group, but showed higher concentrations of cecal acetic acid and butyric acid, percentage of jejunal proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells and delta like canonical Notch ligand 4 (Dll4), and hes family bHLH transcription factor 1 mRNA expressions. However, there were no differences on the plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactic acid concentration among all groups. Conclusion: These findings suggested that RS could suppress intestinal morphology and barrier functions by activating Notch pathway and inhibiting the development of goblet cells, resulting in decreased mucins and tight junction mRNA expression.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.210-220
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• 2015

Athletic performance is an important criteria used for the selection of superior horses. However, little is known about exercise-related epigenetic processes in the horse. DNA methylation is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in response to environmental changes. We carried out comparative genomic analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in the blood samples of two different thoroughbred horses before and after exercise by methylated-DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq). Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the pre-and post-exercise blood samples of superior and inferior horses were identified. Exercise altered the methylation patterns. After 30 min of exercise, 596 genes were hypomethy-lated and 715 genes were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas in the inferior horse, 868 genes were hypomethylated and 794 genes were hypermethylated. These genes were analyzed based on gene ontology (GO) annotations and the exercise-related pathway patterns in the two horses were compared. After exercise, gene regions related to cell division and adhesion were hypermethylated in the superior horse, whereas regions related to cell signaling and transport were hypermethylated in the inferior horse. Analysis of the distribution of methylated CpG islands confirmed the hypomethylation in the gene-body methylation regions after exercise. The methylation patterns of transposable elements also changed after exercise. Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) showed abundance of DMRs. Collectively, our results serve as a basis to study exercise-based reprogramming of epigenetic traits.