• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.123-131
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• 2012

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential antidiabetic and antioxidant effect of the ethanol extract from Chrysanthemum cornarium L. var. spatiosum(CSE) against alloxan-induced oxidative stress in pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells, HIT-T15. In this study, the antidiabetic effect of CSE was examined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliu bromide(MTT) cell proliferation assay, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) release assay, $NAD^+$/NADH ratio and insulin secretion. To further investigate whether CSE is involved in the antioxidant activity of alloxan-damaged HIT-T15 cells, its antioxidant effect against alloxan-induced oxidative stress was measured in HIT-T15 cells by determining the levels of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione S-transferase(GST), glutathione reductase(GR) and glutathione peroxidase(GPx). The results of this analysis showed that alloxan significantly decreased cell viability, increased LDH leakage, and lowered $NAD^+$/NADH ratio and insulin secretion in HIT-T15 cells. However, CSE significantly increased the viability of alloxan-treated cells and lowered LDH leakage. The intracellular NAD+/NADH ratio and insulin secretion were also significantly increased by 1.7-fold and 1.3-fold, respectively, after treatment with 100 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ CSE. The HIT-T15 cells treated with alloxan showed significant decreases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, while CSE significantly elevated the levels of antioxidant enzymes. These findings suggest that CSE could have a protective effect against cytotoxicity and dysfunction of pancreatic cells in the presence of alloxan-induced oxidative stress.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6429-6438
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• 2015

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play an important role in detoxification of carcinogenic electrophiles. The null genotypes in GSTM1 and GSTT1 have been implicated in carcinogenesis. Present study was planned to evaluate the influence of genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene loci in cervical carcinogenesis. The study was conducted in Lok Nayak hospital, New Delhi. DNA from clinical scrapes of 482 women with minor gynaecologic complaints attending Gynaecology OPD and tumor biopsies of 135 cervical cancer cases attending the cancer clinic was extracted. HPV DNA was detected by standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using L1 consensus primer pair. Polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were analysed by multiplex PCR procedures. Differences in proportions were tested using Pearson's Chi-square test with Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The risk of cervical cancer was almost three times in women with GSTM1 homozygous null genotype (OR-2.62, 95%CI, 1.77-3.88; p<0.0001). No association of GSTM1 or GSTT1 homozygous null genotypes was observed in women with normal, precancerous and cervical cancerous lesions among ${\leq}35$ or >35 years of age groups. Smokers with null GSTT1 genotype had a higher risk of cervical cancer as compared to non-smokers (OR-3.01, 95% CI, 1.10-8.23; p=0.03). The results further showed that a significant increased risk of cervical cancer was observed in HPV positive smoker women with GSTT1 (OR-4.36, 95% CI, 1.27-15.03; p=0.02) and GSTM1T1 (OR-3.87, 95% CI, 1.05-14.23; p=0.04) homozygous null genotypes as compared to HPV positive non smokers. The results demonstrate that the GST null genotypes were alone not associated with the development of cervical cancer, but interacted with smoking and HPV to exert effects in our Delhi population.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2018

Due to the critical location and physiological activities of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell, it is constantly subjected to contact with various infectious agents and inflammatory mediators. However, little is known about the signaling events in RPE involved in Toxoplasma gondii infection and development. The aim of the study is to screen the host mRNA transcriptional change of 3 inflammation-related gene categories, PI3K/Akt pathway regulatory components, blood vessel development factors and ROS regulators, to prove that PI3K/Akt or mTOR signaling pathway play an essential role in regulating the selected inflammation-related genes. The selected genes include PH domain and leucine- rich-repeat protein phosphatases (PHLPP), casein kinase2 (CK2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1). Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we found that T. gondii up-regulates PHLPP2, $CK2{\beta}$, VEGF, GCL, GST and NQO1 gene expression levels, but down-regulates PHLPP1 and PEDF mRNA transcription levels. PI3K inhibition and mTOR inhibition by specific inhibitors showed that most of these host gene expression patterns were due to activation of PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways with some exceptional cases. Taken together, our results reveal a new molecular mechanism of these gene expression change dependent on PI3K/Akt or mTOR pathways and highlight more systematical insight of how an intracellular T. gondii can manipulate host genes to avoid host defense.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2021

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence have been rapidly increasing in some parts of Korea. We analyzed prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), in the sera of 552 residents in Ganghwagun, 661 ones in Cheorwon-gun, and 305 ones in Goseong-gun, Korea in 2019. IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), glutathione-S-transferase-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. IgG seroprevalence was 28.1% in Ganghwa-gun, 19.5% in Cheorwon-gun and 35.7% in Goseong-gun. Odds ratios comparing Cheorwon vs Ganghwa was 0.63 (P=0.001) and Goesong versus Ganghwa was 1.47 (P=0.01) adjusting age and sex. Goseong had highest seroprevalence among the 3 counties both in crude rates and logistic regression. Although Cheorwon and Goseong are adjacent to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea, seroprevalence rate was much higher in Goseong. Further investigation on other DMZ-closed areas is necessary whether they have high prevalence rates compared to the other areas. T. gondii prevalence in Korea is still persists; proper health policy should be established.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.179-185
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• 2012

Paecilomyces sinclairiis (PS) is known as a functional food or human health supplement. However concerns have been raised about its kidney toxicity. This study was performed to investigate the kidney toxicity of PS by 13 week-oral administration to rats. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and kidney damage biomarkers including beta-2-microglobulin (${\beta}2m$), glutathione S-transferase alpha (GST-${\alpha}$), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), calbindin, clusterin, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and osteopontin were measured during or after the treatment of PS. BUN, creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not changed by PS. However, kidney cell karyomegaly and tubular hypertrophy were observed dose-dependently with higher severity in males. KIM-1, TIMP-1 and osteopontin in kidney and urine were increased dose dependently in male or at the highest dose in female rats. Increased urinary osteopontin by PS was not recovered at 2 weeks of post-exposure in both genders. Cystatin C in kidney was decreased at all treatment groups but inversely increased in urine. The changes in kidney damage biomarkers were more remarkable in male than female rats. These data indicate that the PS may provoke renal cell damage and glomerular filtration dysfunction in rats with histopathological lesions and change of kidney damage biomarkers in kidney or urine. Kidney and urinary KIM-1 and cystatin C were the most marked indicators, while kidney weight, BUN and creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not influenced.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 2003

Background : Although smoking is a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), only 10-20% of cigarette smokers develop symptomatic COPD, which suggests the presence of genetic susceptibility. This genetic susceptibility to COPD might depend on variations in the activities of the enzyme that detoxify hazardous chemical products, such as microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEPHX) and glutathione-S transferase M1 subunit (GSTM1) genes. Methods : The genotypes of 58 patients with COPD, and 79 age matched control subjects, were determined by a polymerase chain reaction, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the mEPHX, and multiplex PCR for the GSTM1. Results : GSTM1 was deleted in 53.3% of the subjects. There was no difference in GSTM1 deletion rates between the COPD patients (32/58, 55.2%) and the control subjects (41/79, 51.9%). The combination patterns of two polymorphisms of mEPHX showed slow enzyme activity in 29(21.2%), normal in 73(53.3%) and fast in 32(23.4%). The COPD group (7/57, 12.3%) showed a significantly lower incidence of slow enzyme activity compared to the control subjects (22/77, 28.6%, p<0.05). However, when the COPD and control groups were compared with smokers only, there were no significant differences in the genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX. Conclusion : The genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX were not significant risk factors of COPD in this cohort of study.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.241-246
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• 2003

Bambusae Caulis in Liquamen(BCL) has been used to relieve the cough and asthma, and remove the phlegm in traditional Oriental medicine. In recent years, it was studied for its antiinflammatory, antiallergenic, immune-modulating, and anticarcinogenic capabilities. This experiment was performed to evaluate the microarray profiles of CD genes in human mast cells before and after BCL treatment. The results are as follows: The expression of 51 of the genes studied was up-regulated in the Bel-treated group; they include the genes coding L apoferritin, beta-2-microglobulin, ferritin light polypeptide, CD63, monocyte chemotactic and activating fact, heme oxygenase 1, CD140a, integrin alpha M, colony stimulating factor 2 receptor, eukaryotic translation elongation factor, CD37, interleukin 18, NADH dehydrogenase 1 beta, CD48, 5-lipoxygenase activating protein, interleukin 4, ribosomal protein L5, GABA(A) receptor-associated protein, beta-tubulin, integrin beta 1, CD162, CD32, lymphotoxin beta, alpha-tublin, integrin alpha L, CD2, CD151, CD331, 90 kDa heat shock protein, CD59, CD3Z, microsomal glutathione S-transferase 2, CD33, CD162R, cyclophilinA, CD84, interleukin 9 receptor, interleukin 11, CD117, CD39-Like 2, and so forth. The expression of 7 of the genes studied was down-regulated in the BCL-treated group; they include the genes coding con, CD238, SCF, CD160, CD231, CD24, and CD130. Consequently, the treatment of BCL on the human mast cells increased the expression of 51 genes and decreased the expression of 7 genes. These data would provide a fundamental basis to the traditional applications of Bambusae Caulis in Liquamen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1167-1179
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to fathom the underlying mechanisms of nutrition intervention and redox sensitive transcription factors regulated by Antrodia cinnamomea fermented product (FAC) dietary supplementation in broiler chickens. Methods: Four hundreds d-old broilers (41±0.5 g/bird) assigned to 5 groups were examined after consuming control diet, or control diet replaced with 5% wheat bran (WB), 10% WB, 5% FAC, and 10% FAC. Liver mRNA expression of antioxidant, inflammatory and lipid metabolism pathways were analyzed. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) concentration in each group were tested in the chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) of 35-d old broilers to represent the stress level of the chickens. Furthermore, these cells were stimulated with 2,2'-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to evaluate the cell stress tolerance by measuring cell viability and oxidative species. Results: Heme oxygenase-1, glutathione S-transferase, glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit, and superoxide dismutase, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) that regulates the above antioxidant genes were all up-regulated significantly in FAC groups. Reactive oxygen species modulator protein 1 and NADPH oxygenase 1 were both rather down-regulated in 10% FAC group as comparison with two WB groups. Despite expressing higher level than control group, birds receiving diet containing FAC had significantly lower expression level in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and other genes (inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-richcontaining family, pyrin domain-containing-3, and cyclooxygenase 2) involving in inflammatory pathways. Additionally, except for 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase that showed relatively higher in both groups, the WB, lipoprotein lipase, Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid binding protein, fatty acid desaturase 2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha genes were expressed at higher levels in 10% FAC group. In support of above results, promoted Nrf2 and inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation in chicken liver were found in FAC containing groups. H₂O₂ and NO levels induced by LPS and AAPH in cPBMCs were compromised in FAC containing diet. In 35-d-old birds, PGE₂ production in cPBMCs was also suppressed by the FAC diet. Conclusion: FAC may promote Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and positively regulate lipid metabolism, both are potential inhibitor of NF-κB inflammatory pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2009

The hepatoprotective effect of ethanol extract from Hovenia dulcis fruit (HD) against ethanol-induced oxidative damage was investigated. Ethanol-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and liver damage on HepG2/2E1 cells were protected by $100{\mu}g/mL$ ethanolic extract from HD. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups; control (NC), ethanol (ET), ethanol plus 1 g/kg body weight ethanolic extract of HD (ET-HD). The activities of serum alanine amintransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly increased in ethanol-treated group. However, ET-HD group showed protective effect by lowering serum activities. The ET group markedly decreased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) with the reduced level of glutathione (GSH) in liver. On the other hand, ET-HD group increased the activities of SOD and GST, and the level of GSH. Lipid peroxidation level, which was increased after ethanol administration, was significantly reduced in ET-HD group. Based upon these results, it could be assumed that ethanolic extract of HD protected the liver against ethanol-induced oxidative damage by possibly inhibiting the suppression of antioxidant activity and reducing the rate of lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, extract of Hovenia dulcis fruit might be used as a protective agent for ethanol-induced hepatic damages.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2001

The $M_r$ 63,000 glycoprotein (GP63) and lipophosphoglycan (LPG) of Leishmania donovani were evaluated as vaccine candidates against visceral leishmaniasis. Mice were immunized with liposomeencapsulated GP63 and/or LPG that were purified from the soluble extract of L. donovani promastigotes, and were challenged with virulent amastigotes. Mice immunized with GP63/LPG in liposomes plus BCG resulted in a 27.4% reduction of amastigotes in the liver compared to the control group (liposomes plus BCG), and mice immunized with liposome-GP63 plus BCG failed to induce a protective immune response against the challenge infection. Immunization of mice with GP63 fused to the Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase (GP63-GST) plus BCG also failed to elicit protective immunity. To analyze the cause of failure to induce protection, cytokine release from the spleen cells of immunized mice and Leishmania-specific serum antibodies were analyzed. Spleen cells from mice immunized with GP63-GST plus BCG that were exposed to soluble extract of L. donovani in vitro produced 10-fold greater quantities of IFN-gamma and 3-fold greater quantities of IL-5 than cells from mice receiving BCG only or saline. Western blot analysis revealed that sera from these mice had Leishmania-specific antibodies recognizing 1 to 3 antigens of L. donovani with M. W. of 60-65 kDa. Although immunization of mice with GP63-GST induced a strong Th1 response, this study indicated that GP63-GST simultaneously elicited the Th2 response of the CD4+ T-cell, which was known to abrogate the protective immune response conferred by the Th1 effector function.