• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.1102-1105
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• 2006

The effect of heat treatments on in vitro starch hydrolysis of proso millet, sorghum, Job's tears, and buckwheat by pancreatic ${\alpha}-amylase$ was investigated. Grain samples were tested raw, boiled in water, or steamed/roasted. Starch content of the grains varied from 59.5% in Job's tears to 65.5% in proso millet, and amylose content varied from 5.3% in Job's tears to 36.3% in buckwheat. The in vitro starch hydrolysis of raw and heat-treated grains continuously increased during 60 min of hydrolysis. The starch hydrolysis (%) of raw grains after 60 min incubation was in the order of buckwheat (5.7%), proso millet (33.0%), Job's tears (51.2%), and sorghum (57.6%). Grains treated with steaming/roasting appeared to have higher starch hydrolysis rates than those with boiling except proso millet. Hydrolysis rates of buckwheat with a high amylose content appeared to be lower, compared to proso millet, sorghum, and Job's tears containing low amylose contents.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.383-388
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• 2011

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are regulators of $Ca^{2+}$ signaling that accelerate the GTPase activity of the G-protein ${\alpha}$ -subunit. RGS1, RGS2, RGS4, and RGS16 are expressed in the pancreas, and RGS2 regulates G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-induced $Ca^{2+}$ oscillations. However, the role of RGS4 in $Ca^{2+}$ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells is unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of GPCR-induced $Ca^{2+}$ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells derived from $RGS4^{-/-}$ mice. $RGS4^{-/-}$ acinar cells showed an enhanced stimulus intensity response to a muscarinic receptor agonist in pancreatic acinar cells. Moreover, deletion of RGS4 increased the frequency of $Ca^{2+}$ oscillations. $RGS4^{-/-}$ cells also showed increased expression of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}$ ATPase type 2. However, there were no significant alterations, such as $Ca^{2+}$ signaling in treated high dose of agonist and its related amylase secretion activity, in acinar cells from $RGS4^{-/-}$ mice. These results indicate that RGS4 protein regulates $Ca^{2+}$ signaling in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.648-653
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory activity of Sargassum thunbergii (ST) against ${\alpha}$-amylase and elucidate the availability of ST extract as a functional food agent. To test the inhibitory activity of ST against ${\alpha}$-amylase, porcine pancreatic ${\alpha}$-amylase and potato starch were used as substrates. It was revealed that ST crude ethanol extracts have high ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activity. Subsequently, ST crude ethanol extract was separated into five partition layers by solvent extraction: n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Chloroform and n-hexane fractions showed higher inhibitory activities than did acarbose (positive control). To confirm the changes in enzyme inhibitory activity by physical treatments, ST crude ethanol extract was subjected to heat, pH, and ${\gamma}$-irradiation treatments. In all heat treatments with the exception of one ($121^{\circ}C$, 15 min), the inhibitory activity was increased compared with the untreated group. With regard to pH stability, ST extract showed no significant changes at pH 4.6, but somewhat decreased inhibitory activity was revealed at pH 2, 8, and 10. On the other hand, ST ethanol extract was stable under ${\gamma}$-irradiation under all conditions (3.20 kGy). In summary, ST ethanol extract can be used in the food industry as a natural ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitor.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.500-512
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the effects of SuJeom-san(SJS) extract in rats with caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods : We examined changes of pancreatic weight, histological, immunohistochemical and gene expression of cyclooxygenase (COX-2). Thirty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups as follow: normal(Nor), caerulein-induced (Con), caerulein + cefotaxime sodium(CT), caerulein + SJS 3 mg/kg(SJSA), caerulein + SJS 6 mg/kg(SJSB) and caerulein + SJS 12 mg/kg(SJSC) groups. Pancreatic tissues of rats from all groups were removed for histological observation and light, and electron microscopic examination. Platelet activating factor(PAF) and Interleukin-6(IL-6) levels were determined spectrophotometrically. Results : The ratio of pancreas/body weight was significantly(p<0.05) increased in the Con compared with Nor, but significantly(p<0.05) decreased in SJSA, SJSB, SJSC and CT groups compared with Con. Caerulein administration significantly increased(p<0.05) the levels of amylase, but SJSA, SJSB, SJSC and CT significantly(p<0.05) reduced the levels of these enzymes. The levels of platelet activating factor(PAF) increased in Con compared with Nor, but decreased in SJSA, SJSB, SJSC and CT groups compared with Con. Interleukin-6(IL-6) levels increased significantly in all groups compared to Nor at 6 hrs, but significantly(p<0.05) reduced in SJSA, SJSB, SJSC and CT groups compared with Con at 24 hrs. The levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-${\alpha}$ levels increased in all groups compared to Nor at 6 hrs, but significantly(p<0.05) reduced in SJSA, SJSB, SJSC and CT groups compared with Con at 24 hrs. The COX-2 positive materials were observed in the pancreas of the Con, but these positive materials were decreased in the SJS extract treatment group. Conclusion : SJS is potentially capable of limiting pancreatic damage during AP by restoring the fine structure of acinar cells and tissue; therefore, we conclude that SJS may have beneficial effects in the treatment of caerulein-induced AP.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2018

This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hypolipidemic effects of the medicinal mushroom Phellinus pini. The methanol extract (ME) of the fruiting body of Ph. pini was active against pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase with 99.14% and 67.23% inhibited activity at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited 81.81% and 55.33% of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase activities, respectively, at 2.0 mg/mL. Hyperlipidemia as induced by feeding rats with a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC). HFC supplemented with a 5% fruiting body powder of Ph. pini (HFC + PhP) significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in rats compared with HFC. The reduced levels were comparable to rats fed the normal control diet (NC). The atherogenic index of HFC + PhP rats was significantly lower than that of the HFC rats. The excretion of fecal total lipid and cholesterol in the HFC + PhP rats was significantly higher than those in the NC and HFC rats. Histopathological examinations demonstrated scant deposition of lipids in the liver of rats fed HFC + PhP. The dietary supplementation with the fruiting body powder provided natural plasma lipid and glucose lowering effects in experimental rats without adverse effects on the plasma biochemical parameters and liver function related enzyme activities. Therefore, the hypolipidemic effects of Ph. pini may be due to the inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, and ${\alpha}$-amylase, and excretion of excess lipids and cholesterol in the feces.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1404-1408
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• 2013

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, has been shown to have strong antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects. However it is unknown whether EGCG can recover alcohol-associated pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on pancreatic enzyme activities and the expressions of pancreatic regenerating related markers, such as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), raf-1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP), and Regenerating gene 1 (Reg1), in mice pancreatic primary acinar cells. Our results revealed that activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and chymotrypsin were significantly increased in the cells treated with ethanol compared to the untreated control cells; however, the increased activities of both enzymes were markedly reduced by pretreatment with EGCG. Phosphorylation of AMPK and total expression of RKIP were decreased in the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells; however, these were both significantly increased in the EGCG-pretreated cells. In addition, when EGCG was treated, expression of Reg1 was markedly increased compared with that of the control or the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells, demonstrating that EGCG can modulate pancreatic regenerating related genes. Therefore, our findings suggest that EGCG may have therapeutic utility in the prevention or treatment of alcohol-associated pancreatitis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.500-508
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• 2011

Forty-four Gansu Alpine Fine-wool lambs were used to study changes in the activities of three gastric and five pancreatic enzymes under grazing conditions between 0 and 56 days of age. The lambs were slaughtered on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56, the abomasal contents, mucosa and pancreas were immediately removed and placed into liquid nitrogen and enzyme activities were determined. Gastric enzyme (chymosin, pepsin and pregastrc esterase) activities were relatively high at birth, especially chymosin, but decreased quickly between day 0 and 21. The activity of pepsin changed insignificantly with increasing age. There was no significant change in the pancreatic enzyme activities (trypsin, chymotrypsin, ${\alpha}$-amylase, lipase and lactase). The activity of trypsin was relatively higher than that of the other pancreatic enzymes, and lactase activity was low. These ontogenic patterns might be under the control of many gut regulatory peptides, the plasma concentrations of which changed simultaneously. Some gastric and pancreatic enzymes were correlated with plasma concentrations of these gut regulatory peptides.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2022

Mercury (Hg) is a major concern in marine environment because of their bioaccumulation and biomagnification properties, and adverse effects to aquatic organisms at even a trace amount. However, little information on the effects of Hg, compared to other heavy metals, is available in marine small crustaceans. Here, we investigated the transcriptional modulation of metabolism-related genes in the brackish water flea, Diaphanosoma celebensis after exposure to sublethal concentration (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 ㎍/l) of HgCl₂ for 48 h. Relative mRNA expression levels of five detoxification enzyme-coding genes (cytochrome P450; cyp360A1, cyp361A1, cyp4AP3, cyp4C122, and cyp370C5) and six digestive enzyme-coding genes [alpha amylase (AMY), alpha amylase related protein (AMY-like), trypsin (TRYP), chymotrypsin-like protein (CHY), lipase (LIP), pancreatic lipase-related protein (PLRP)] were analyzed using quantitative real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). As results, Hg increased the mRNA level of cyp370C5 (clan2) and cyp4AP3 (clan4) in a concentration dependent manner. A significant increase in TRYP mRNA was also concentration-dependently observed after exposure to Hg. These findings suggest that cyp370C5 and cyp4AP3 play a key role in Hg detoxification in D. celebensis, and Hg can affect energy metabolism by modulating the transcription of digestive enzyme. This study will provide better understanding the molecular effects of Hg in marine small crustacean.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 2016

The AMY2B gene, encoding human pancreatic ${\alpha}$-amylase isozyme (HPA II), was expressed in Pichia pastoris, and the effects of chloride ions on HPA II activity toward starch substrates were investigated. As seen with chloride ion-dependent ${\alpha}$-amylases-including HPA I, the isozyme of HPA II-chloride ions increased enzyme activity and shifted the optimal pH to an alkaline pH. The activity enhancement by chloride was more significant at pH 8 than that at pH 6, suggesting that the protonation state of the general acid/base catalyst of HPA II was important for the hydrolysis of starches at an alkaline pH because of the increase in its $pK_a$ by chloride ions. The turnover values for cereal starches as the substrates markedly increased in the presence of chloride by up to 7.2-fold, whereas that for soluble starch increased by only 1.7-fold. Chloride inhibited substrate hydrolysis at high substrate concentrations, with $K_i$ values ranging from 6 to 15 mg/mL.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.57-66
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• 2005

Objectives : We examined the effects of electroacupuncture on the cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. Methods : Rats were administered with $75{\mu}g/kg$ cholecystokinin-octapeptide subcutaneously three times (1, 3 and 5h after shaving) for 5days. Three days after finishing cholecystokinin-octapeptide administration, high frequency electroacupuncture (100Hz) and low frequency electroacupuncture (2Hz) were applied to acupoint equivalent to ST36 (Zusanli) for 7 days. The author determined the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, the levels of pancreatic heat shock protein HSP60 and HSP72. The author also assay the secretion of ${\beta}-amylase$, lipase and pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum. Repeated cholecysokinin-octapeptide treatment resulted in the typical laboratory and morphological changes of experimentally induced pancreatitis. Results : Eelectroacupuncture significantly decreased the pancreatic weight/body weight ratio in cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis, increased the pancreatic levels of HSP60 and HSP72, and decreased ${\beta}-amylase$ and lipase levels in cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis. Additionally, the secretion of $Interleukin-1{\beta}$ and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ was decreased in the animals treated with electroacupuncture. Conclusion : These results suggest that electroacupuncture may have protective effects against cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis.