• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2011

This study divided a group of healthy adults aged 20 or older who had a health examination at J General Hospital in Gyeonggi Province into three groups according to the degrees of metabolic syndrome risk factors. They include the normal group (n=58), the pre-metabolic syndrome group (n=112) and the metabolic syndrome group (n=32). They were compared in exercise capacity and cardiac structure and function and impacts of exercise capacity on the cardiac diastolic function. All the groups took echocardiography to have their cardiac structures and functions examined and an exercise stress test to have their exercise capacity measured. The research findings were as follows: There were differences in exercise capacity, cardiac structure, and diastolic heart function among three groups. Between exercise capacity and diastolic heart function was found to be related. It turned out exercise capacity affected the cardiac diastolic functions. In conclusion, there were significant differences in exercise capacity between the normal group and the metabolic syndrome group and in the cardiac structure and function among the normal, metabolic syndrome, and pre-metabolic syndrome group. In addition, METs (metabolic equivalents) and heart rate recovery of exercise capacity turned out to affect cardiac diastolic functions.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2013

Purpose: This study attempted to compare the metabolic syndrome components, liver function and heathy living habits according to abdominal obesity in male and female workers. Methods: The subjects of this study are 1,078 adult workers who visited N hospital in Incheon for health examination. The data were analyzed using t-test or $x^2$-test with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. Results: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome are 22.2% in male workers, and 5.2% in female workers. There were significant differences in 4 metabolic syndrome components (high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterolemia), abnormal liver function, and living habits (alcohol drinking) according to abdominal obesity in male workers. There were significant differences in 1 metabolic syndrome component (low HDL cholesterolemia), and abnormal liver function in female workers. Conclusion: It is important to manage all metabolic syndrome components and alcohol drinking in the case of male workers with abdominal obesity, and low HDL cholesterolemia in the case of female workers. Also, occupational nurses should include the relevance between abdominal obesity and liver function index when training health for workers in workplace.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.234-240
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• 2014

Cisplatin is one of the most potent chemotherapy agents. However, its use is limited due to its toxicity in normal tissues, including the kidney and ear. In particular, nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin is closely associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the heme metabolism, has been implicated in a various cellular processes, such as inflammatory injury and anti-oxidant/oxidant homeostasis. Capsaicin is reported to have therapeutic potential in cisplatin-induced renal failures. However, the mechanisms underlying its protective effects on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity remain largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrated that administration of capsaicin ameliorates cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction by assessing the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) as well as tissue histology. In addition, capsaicin treatment attenuates the expression of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers for renal damage. We also found that capsaicin induces HO-1 expression in kidney tissues and HK-2 cells. Notably, the protective effects of capsaicin were completely abrogated by treatment with either the HO inhibitor ZnPP IX or HO-1 knockdown in HK-2 cells. These results suggest that capsaicin has protective effects against cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction through induction of HO-1 as well as inhibition oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.727-735
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• 2023

Stem cells require high amounts of energy to replicate their genome and organelles and differentiate into numerous cell types. Therefore, metabolic stress has a major impact on stem cell fate determination, including self-renewal, quiescence, and differentiation. Lysosomes are catabolic organelles that influence stem cell function and fate by regulating the degradation of intracellular components and maintaining cellular homeostasis in response to metabolic stress. Lysosomal functions altered by metabolic stress are tightly regulated by the transcription factor EB (TFEB) and TFE3, critical regulators of lysosomal gene expression. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of TFEB-mediated lysosomal function may provide some insight into stem cell fate determination under metabolic stress. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanism of TFEB/TFE3 in modulating stem cell lysosomal function and then elucidate the role of TFEB/TFE3-mediated transcriptional activity in the determination of stem cell fate under metabolic stress.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2020

The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome score, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and beta-cell function (HOMA-B) in obese Korean adults. The study included 1,860 adults aged 20 years or older from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data. Metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome score (MSS) were positively associated with HOMA-IR (both P<0.001). HOMA-B levels of elevated blood pressure (P<0.001) and elevated fasting blood glucose group (P<0.001) were significantly lower than the normal group. However, the HOMA-B levels of abdominal obesity (P=0.003) and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol group (P=0.030) were significantly higher than the normal group. Nevertheless, metabolic syndrome (P<0.001) and MSS (P<0.001) were inversely associated with the HOMA-B levels. In conclusion, metabolic syndrome and MSS were positively associated with insulin resistance and inversely associated with beta-cell function in Korean adults with obesity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2014

The peroxisome is an intracellular organelle that responds dynamically to environmental changes. Various model organisms have been used to study the roles of peroxisomal proteins in maintaining cellular homeostasis. By taking advantage of the zebrafish model whose early stage of embryogenesis is dependent on yolk components, we examined the developmental roles of the D-bifunctional protein (Dbp), an essential enzyme in the peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation. The knockdown of dbp in zebrafish phenocopied clinical manifestations of its deficiency in human, including defective craniofacial morphogenesis, growth retardation, and abnormal neuronal development. Overexpression of murine Dbp rescued the morphological phenotypes induced by dbp knockdown, indicative of conserved roles of Dbp during zebrafish and mammalian development. Knockdown of dbp impaired normal development of blood, blood vessels, and most strikingly, endoderm-derived organs including the liver and pancreas - a phenotype not reported elsewhere in connection with peroxisome dysfunction. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that zebrafish might be a useful model animal to study the role of peroxisomes during vertebrate development.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.267-276
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between VAI, insulin resistance, and pancreatic beta cell function according to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in obese adults. From 2017 to 2019, 1,797 obese adults who received medical checkups at a general hospital in Bundang. Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is NCEP-ATP III. HOMA index was used for insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell function. VAI was higher in the metabolic syndrome than in the control(p<.001). As the number of risk factors for metabolic syndrome increased, the VAI value was higher(p<.001). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased as the VAI quartile increased(p<.001). VAI was also shown to be related to HOMA-IR and HOMA-β in the control, but not in the metabolic syndrome.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 2016

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a common interstitial lung disease; it is a chronic, progressive, and fatal lung disease of unknown etiology. Over the last two decades, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary fibrosis has improved markedly and facilitated the identification of potential targets for novel therapies. However, despite the large number of antifibrotic drugs being described in experimental pre-clinical studies, the translation of these findings into clinical practices has not been accomplished yet. NADH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a homodimeric enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of NADH to $NAD^+$ by various quinones and thereby elevates the intracellular $NAD^+$ levels. In this study, we examined the effect of increase in cellular $NAD^+$ levels on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were treated with intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. The mice were orally administered with ${\beta}$-lapachone from 3 days before exposure to bleomycin to 1-3 weeks after exposure to bleomycin. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for analyzing the infiltration of immune cells. In vitro, A549 cells were treated with transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$) and ${\beta}$-lapachone to analyze the extracellular matrix (ECM) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Results: ${\beta}$-Lapachone strongly attenuated bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis, characterized by histological staining, infiltrated immune cells in BALF, inflammatory cytokines, fibrotic score, and TGF-${\beta}1$, ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin accumulation. In addition, ${\beta}$-lapachone showed a protective role in TGF-${\beta}1$-induced ECM expression and EMT in A549 cells. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ${\beta}$-lapachone can protect against bleomycin-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis in mice and TGF-${\beta}1$-induced EMT in vitro, by elevating the $NAD^+$/NADH ratio through NQO1 activation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.431-441
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• 2019

Background: The efficacy of ginseng, the representative product of Korea, and its chemical effects have been well investigated. The ginsenoside RG3 has been reported to exhibit apoptotic, anticancer, and antidepressant-like effects. Methods: In this report, the putative effect of RG3 on several cellular function including cell survival, differentiation, development and aging process were evaluated by monitoring each specific marker. Also, mitochondrial morphology and function were investigated in ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. Results: RG3 treatment increased the expression of extracellular matrix proteins, growth-associated immediate-early genes, and cell proliferation genes in UV-irradiated normal human dermal fibroblast cells. And, RG3 also resulted in enhanced expression of antioxidant proteins such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 and heme oxygenase-1. In addition, RG3 affects the morphology of UV-induced mitochondria and plays a role in protecting mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusioin: RG3 restores mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and membrane potential via its antioxidant effects in skin cells damaged by UV irradiation, leading to an increase in proteins linked with the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, and antioxidant activity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.400-416
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• 2024

Matricellular proteins are integral non-structural components of the extracellular matrix. They serve as essential modulators of immunometabolism and tissue homeostasis, playing critical roles in physiological and pathological conditions. These extracellular matrix proteins including thrombospondins, osteopontin, tenascins, the secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) family, the Cyr61, CTGF, NOV (CCN) family, and fibulins have multi-faceted functions in regulating immune cell functions, metabolic pathways, and tissue homeostasis. They are involved in immune-metabolic regulation and influence processes such as insulin signaling, adipogenesis, lipid metabolism, and immune cell function, playing significant roles in metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, their modulation of tissue homeostasis processes including cellular adhesion, differentiation, migration, repair, and regeneration is instrumental for maintaining tissue integrity and function. The importance of these proteins in maintaining physiological equilibrium is underscored by the fact that alterations in their expression or function often coincide with disease manifestation. This review contributes to our growing understanding of these proteins, their mechanisms, and their potential therapeutic applications.