• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.768-774
• /
• 2007

To study the effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enrichment on the expression of hepatic genes in pigs, weaned, crossbred pigs (30 d old) were fed diets supplemented with either 2% tallow or DHA oil for 18 d. Hepatic mRNA was extracted. Suppression subtractive hybridization was used to explore the hepatic genes that were specifically regulated by dietary DHA enrichment. After subtraction, we observed 288 cDNA fragments differentially expressed in livers from pigs fed either 2% DHA oil or 2% tallow for 18 d. After differential screening, 7 genes were found to be differentially expressed. Serum amyloid A protein 2 (SAA2) was further investigated because of its role in lipid metabolism. Northern analysis indicated that hepatic SAA2 was upregulated by dietary DHA enrichment (p<0.05). In a second experiment, feeding 10% DHA oil for 2d significantly increased the expression of SAA2 (compared to the 10% tallow group; p<0.05). The porcine SAA2 full length cDNA sequence was cloned and the sequence was compared to the human and mouse sequences. The homology of the SAA2 amino acid sequence between pig and human was 73% and between pig and mouse was 62%. There was a considerable difference in SAA2 sequences among these species. Of particular note was a deletion of 8 amino acids, in the pig compared to the human. This fragment is a specific characteristic for the SAA subtype that involved in acute inflammation reaction. Similar to human and mouse, porcine SAA2 was highly expressed in the liver of pigs. It was not detectable in the skeletal muscle, heart muscle, spleen, kidney, lung, and adipose tissue. These data suggest that SAA2 may be involved in mediation of the function of dietary DHA in the liver of the pig, however, the mechanism is not yet clear.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.207-217
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of Artemisia capillaris (AC) extract on disorders of hepatic functions and lipid metabolism induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an endocrine disrupter, using male rats (SD, five weeks old) for a period of three weeks. These 37 animals were divided into four groups. AC extract was added as 1.5% or 3% levels to basal diets, respectively. TCDD (40 ug/kg B.W) was administered by intraperitoneal injection into rats after a week from the beginning of the experiment. AC extract alleviated the increase of rat's relative liver weights induced by TCDD. Thymuses of all rats treated with TCDD were apparently shrunken by approximately 80%. Levels of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrits were significantly increased by treatment with TCDD, however, WBC tended to decrease by AC extract diets. In hepatic function, the elevation of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase activities by TCDD treatment was diminished by AC extract diets. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly elevated by AC extract diets. The apparent increase of triglyceride levels of rat livers induced by TCDD was significantly suppressed in the AC extract diet groups. Hepatic cytosolic catalase activities significantly decreased by treatment with TCDD showed a recovering trend by AC extract diets. In histochemical observation, the fat droplets and apoptosis of hepatocytes treated with TCDD were markedly alleviated by AC extract diets. These results indicated that AC could exert recovering effects on some disorders of hepatic functions, lipids metabolism, and antioxidant activities resulting from TCDD treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 1985

The possible effects of 10% carbohydrate containting diets on the serum glucose and lipids values were studied with normal and alloxan - diabetic male rats for a period of 28 days. The diets were supplemented with either glucose, cornstarch or sucrose, fructose or the basal diet containing no added carbohy drates. After this period, 3 to 4 rats among the each group were killed and samples of serum, liver, spleen and kidney were collected. The others were rendered diabetic by the intraperitoneal injection of alloxan ($190mg/\frac{wt}{kg}$). Then original feeding scedule was continued for 3 days in all five diabetic groups, before the collection of tissue samples and serum. Feeding the nondiabetic rats with glucose and fructose delayed the bodyweight development relatively compared with nonsugar group. The weight deductions after alloxan injection were similar in all feeding groups. All diabetic animals exhibited increased blood glucose triglceride levels but almost unchanged total cholesterol values. Blood glucose values for nondiabetic rats were normal ranges, and then glucose feeding group was the highest. Total - cholesterol values were the highest in nondiabetic rats fed glucose, fructose and in diabetics fed sucrose, glucose. Triglyceride values were the highest in nondiabetic rats fed sucrose, and no difference in diabetic rats. Some cornstarch group exhibited fatty-livers in diabetic and nondiabetic, and more studies need.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.399-406
• /
• 2013

Our aim was to determine the effects of a citrus by-product (CBP) and CBP fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum (LP-CBP), provided as dietary supplements, on the growth performance, feed utilization, innate immunity and temperature tolerance of red seabream. A diet without inclusion of CBP or LP-CBP was used as a control and four other experimental diets were formulated to replace wheat flour by 4% and 8% of either CBP or LP-CBP (designated as Con, LP-CBP4%, LP-CBP8%, CBP4% and CBP8%, respectively). Experimental diets were fed to triplicate groups of 25 fish (initial body weight, 55.0 g) for 9 weeks. Growth performance and feed utilization were not significantly different among all the groups. Bone collagen content was significantly increased by supplementation with CBP and LP-CBP. Vitamin C concentration tended to be higher in livers of fish fed the supplements than in the control group. Myeloperoxidase, lysozyme and superoxide dismutase activities were higher in fish fed CBP or LP-CBP than in fish fed the control diet. When fish were exposed to low water temperature, cumulative mortalities of those fed CBP or LP-CBP supplemented diets were lower (29%, 33%, 34% and 33% mortalities for LP-CBP4%, LP-CBP8%, CBP4% and CBP8%, respectively) than in the control group (58%). Therefore, inclusion of either CBP or LP-CBP at up to 8% in red seabream diet brings benefits through enhanced innate immunity and better tolerance of low water temperature.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.70-76
• /
• 2013

Some fish live in aquatic environments with low or temporally changing $O_2$ availability. Variation in dissolved oxygen (DO) levels requires behavioral, physiological, and biochemical adaptations to ensure the uptake of sufficient $O_2$. Several species are relatively well adapted to tolerate low $O_2$ partial pressures (hypoxia). The medaka (Oryzias dancena ) is an important model organism for biomedical research that shows remarkable tolerance to hypoxia. We investigated the regulation and role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) as a general hypoxia-response gene and stanniocalcin-2 (STC2), which is one of the genes regulated by HIF-$1{\alpha}$ in mammals under hypoxia. We subjected adult male medaka to the following three acute hypoxia regimes: 1, 24, and 72 h at DO = $1.8{\pm}0.5$ ppm. The changes in STC2 and HIF-$1{\alpha}$ mRNA were monitored using quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR. We found strong upregulation of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ mRNA in the livers of fish exposed to hypoxia. Hypoxia rapidly upregulated STC-2 mRNA expression in muscle, but not in the brain, gills, liver, or intestine. Therefore, unlike in mammals, hypoxia might regulate O. dancena STC-2 expression in an HIF-$1{\alpha}$-independent manner.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.50 no.3
• /
• pp.270-277
• /
• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate seasonal changes in body composition in Boleophthalmus pectinirostris in Korea. B. pectinirostris collected in Gangjin, Jeonnam, consisted of 58.7-75.8% moisture content, 16.1-17.6% protein, 0.8-3.4% crude lipids, and 1.3-3.6% crude ash. Livers consisted of 15-17% moisture content, 14.0-16.8% crude protein, 34.4-71.2% crude lipids, and 0.5-1.2% crude ash. Calcium, iron, potassium, etc., content in B. pectinirostris muscle averaged 267.5-599.8 mg/100 g, 1.98-28.3 mg, 160.7-327.9 mg, 20.6-60.2 mg, 0.4-2.2 mg, 0.23-0.46 mg, 66.5-192.9 mg, and 1.32-3.8 mg, respectively. (Please clarify: the list of measured values must correspond directly with what was measured, not just "etc.") The major amino acids in B. pectinirostris muscle, in proportional order, were glutamic acid, isoleucine, and leucine; whereas the major amino acids in the liver were glutamic acid, lysine, aspartic acid, and leucine. The major saturated fatty acids in the muscle were palmitic acid (15-19%) and stearic acid (8-11%). The major monoenes and polyenes were palmitoleic acid (C16:1) and oleic acid (C18:1), and EPA and DHA, respectively. The major saturated fatty acids and polyenes in the liver were the same as in muscle, but the monoenes were palmitoleic acid (C16:1) and cis-10-hepta-decenoic acid (C17:1). Seasonal changes in B. pectinirostris body composition may be attributable to differential accumulation of fat and nutrients in comparison to the spawning and hibernation period.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 1991

The effect of 9-methyl folate on histidine oxidation, the uptake of an injected dose of $[^{3}H]folate$ by the livers and kidneys, the hepatic and blood folate levels were investigated by feeding crude x-methyl folate(XMF) at a level of 5 g per kg diet. 9-Methyl folate is konwn as a major forate antagonist in XMF to produce deficiency signs in rat. Feeding of XMF decreased histidine oxidation and hepatic folate levels significantly, which showed the function of 9-methyl folate as an antifolate in rats. The hepatic uptake of labeled folate in XMF- fed rats was decreased significantly. These data led to conclude that 9-methyl folate inhibited folate uptake and retention by tissue, especially liver, which could explain the low liver folate levels and the decreased histidine oxidation. However, only very low level of 9-methyl folate was detected in liver. It suggested that 9-methyl folate may be metabolized very quickly in the liver after uptaken.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.23-33
• /
• 2018

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a collection of symptoms caused by prolonged exposure to excess cortisol. Chronically elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels contribute to hepatic steatosis. We hypothesized that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) could attenuate hepatic steatosis through glucocorticoid receptor (GR) acetylation in experimental CS. To induce CS, we administered adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 40 ng/kg/day) to Sprague-Dawley rats by subcutaneous infusion with osmotic mini-pumps. We administered the HDACi, sodium valproate (VPA; 0.71% w/v), in the drinking water. Treatment with the HDACi decreased steatosis and the expression of lipogenic genes in the livers of CS rats. The enrichment of GR at the promoters of the lipogenic genes, such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc), fatty acid synthase (Fasn), and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (Srebp1c), was markedly decreased by VPA. Pan-HDACi and an HDAC class I-specific inhibitor, but not an HDAC class II a-specific inhibitor, attenuated dexamethasone (DEX)-induced lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. The transcriptional activity of Fasn was decreased by pretreatment with VPA. In addition, pretreatment with VPA decreased DEX-induced binding of GR to the glucocorticoid response element (GRE). Treatment with VPA increased the acetylation of GR in ACTH-infused rats and DEX-induced HepG2 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that HDAC inhibition attenuates hepatic steatosis through GR acetylation in experimental CS.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 2001

Effect of single pre-administration of Cordyceps militaris(Cm) extract on the survival ratio, body weight and organ weight changes and blood cell counts after whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$ were investigated. The single pre-administration of Cm extract at 24 hrs before ${\gamma}-irradiation$ increased the 40-day survival ratio of irradiated mice from 60.1% to 71.4%. The administration of Cm extract completely prevented weight reductions of spleen and thymus produced by ${\gamma}-irradiation$ (P<0.01, P<0.05). Similar but somewhat less radioprotective effect was also found In the testis of the Cm treated mice. The administration of Cm extract retarded the reduction of both leukocyte and lymphocyte counts occured during the first 7 days and accelerated the recovery of the counts thereafter. The exrtract also acclerated the recovery of the erythrocyte counts occured after the day 21th. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the soluble proteins extracted from various organs did not reveal differences to any extent in all groups except in the livers of the irradiated and extract treated groups, in which some proteins were missing or less present. Also, the result of general intra and extra mycelial enzyme assays with Cm, extramycelial enzyme activity was relatively higher than the intramycelial enzyme, Cm appeared to indicate that ${\alpha}-amylase$ was the highest among the enzymes and gluosidase and chitinase were followed. Since the spleen, thymus and testis have been well known as radiosensitive organs, the protective action of Cm extract on irradiated mice may be responsible for its enhancing recovery of these organs. Although the exact mechanism in protective effect of Cm extract on irradiated mice is not clear yet, the present study is the first report regarding the Cm which was tested and found to be a potential radioprotective agent.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.157-163
• /
• 2018

This study aims to determine the pollution levels of nine kinds of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in Lake Shihwa, which is susceptible to the inflow of pollutants, and the levels of heavy metal exposure in its fish and shellfish. Shihwa Lake's water quality did not exceed the short-term standard for protection of marine ecosystems, but concentrations of As, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, and Zn exceeded the long-term standard for protection of a marine ecosystem. In comparison to findings in prior research, performed in 2010, levels of Cr, Ni, As, and Zn are now 4.1 times lower. However, when compared to Saemangeum Lake, the environment is similar to that of Lake Shihwa, Cu, Ni, Hg, Mn, and Zn were 244.4 times higher. The levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg in fish's muscles did not exceed the average values set by the marine safety standard. However, when compared to the fish from the Korean coast, the levels of heavy metals were 9.7 times higher, on average. The levels of heavy metals in fish's livers were on average 26.8 times higher than in the muscles. In the case of shellfish, the levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg did not exceed the standard values, but in comparison to the shellfish from the south coast, the levels of heavy metals were 6.2 times higher on average. In particular, Mn (153.5 times higher) from fish and Cd (14.7 times higher) from shellfish were found in high amounts, indicating a concerning level of these specific heavy metals.