• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1331-1338
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• 2010

This study was designed to investigate the potentially protective effects of Curcuma longa Linn. extract (CLE) on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with 50 or 100mg/kg of CLE or 100mg/kg of butylated hydroxytoluene(BHT) for 14 days before $CCl_4$ administration. In addition, the CLE control group was pretreated with 100mg/kg CLE for only 14 days. Three hours after the final treatment, a single dose of $CCl_4$ (20mg/kg) was administrated intraperitoneally to each group. After the completion of this phase of the experiment, food and water were removed 12 h prior to the next step. The rats were then anesthetized by urethane and their blood and liver were collected. It was observed that the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities of the serum, and the hepatic malondialdehyde levels had significantly decreased in the CLE group when compared with the $CCl_4$-treated group. The antioxidant activities, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, in addition to glutathione content, had increased considerably in the CLE group compared with the $CCl_4$-treated group. Phase II detoxifying enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferase, were found to have significantly increased in the CLE group as opposed to the $CCl_4$-treated group. The content of Nrf2 was determined by Western blot analysis. Pretreated CLE increased the level of nuclear translocated Nrf2, and the Nrf2 then increased the activity of the antioxidant and phase II detoxifying enzymes. These results indicate that CLE has protective effects against $CCl_4$-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, via activities of antioxidant and phase II detoxifying enzymes, and through the activation of nuclear translocated Nrf2.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2006

The effects of formalin on mixed function oxygenase (MFO) system and stress-response were investigated in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Olive flounder was exposed to formalin at the concentration of 300 ppm for 1, 2, 4 and 16 h. Levels of stress-response enzymes together with total protein, glucose and osmolality were quantitatively determined in blood, and the activities of phase I (cytochrome P450, ethoxyresorufin deethylase) and phase II (glutathione S-transferase) hepatic enzymes were also determined. Since the formalin-exposure for 16 h resulted no significant changes in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, specific enzymes for liver damage, it was thought that it did not cause hepatic tissue damage at the concentration of 300 ppm. However, hepatic MFO system was induced at 1 to 4 h, and stress response was induced after 16 h of exposure. Moreover, it is considered that the depression of MFO activity after 16 h of exposure may not be adaptation to formalin, but toxic response. These results suggest that low concentration of formalin does not cause hepatic tissue damage of fish, but could induce MFO and stress response.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2016

Oxidative stress activates several intracellular signaling cascades that may have deleterious effects on neuronal cell survival. Thus, controlling oxidative stress has been suggested as an important strategy for prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we found that ginsenoside Rh1 inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species generation and subsequent cell death in rat primary astrocytes. Rh1 increased the expression of phase II antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, superoxide dismutase-2, and catalase, that are under the control of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways. Further mechanistic studies showed that Rh1 increased the nuclear translocation and DNA binding of Nrf2 and c-Jun to the antioxidant response element (ARE), and increased the ARE-mediated transcription activities in rat primary astrocytes. Analysis of signaling pathways revealed that MAP kinases are important in HO-1 expression, and act by modulating ARE-mediated transcriptional activity. Therefore, the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes by Rh1 may provide preventive therapeutic potential for various neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with oxidative stress.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 1997

A method of dual-signal generation from two different enzymes was developed and utilized to simultaneously perform dual immunoassays in a single microwell. Two enzymes selected as tracers were horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and β-galactosidase (GAL). 3, 3', 5, 5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and chlorophenolred-β-galactopyranoside (CPRG) as chromogenic substrates for the respective enzyme were used. Although the two enzymes showed their maximum activities at distinct pH conditions (pH 5.1 for HRP and 7.5 for GAL), the enzyme reactions were able to be concurrently carried out at pH 5.75 in a dual-substrate solution without signal loss. This performance was achieved by increasing TMB concentration two-fold, introducing potassium salt as activator of GAL reaction, and extending total reaction time 50%. The signal generation method was then used for dual-enzyme immunoassays to detect antibodies with co-immobilized Hepatitis C virus antigens (core and NS5) and a Hepatitis B virus antigen (PreS(2)) in a microwell. Dose-response curves of the assays revealed cooperativity between different antigen-antibody complex formation, which suggested that dual immunoassays can only be used for qualitative screening tests unless the antigens immobilized were spatially separated.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 1980

A source of D-xylose was required for the enhanced production of D-glucose isomerase of Streptomyces sp. strain K-17. D-glucose supported the luxuriant growth of the organism as well as D-xylose, but D-glucose isomerase activity was hardly detected in the D-glucose-grown cells. When the D-glucose-grown cells were incubated aerobically for a few hours in 0.5% xylose solution in 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, it was found that inductive formation of D-glucose isomerase occurred in the cells without multiplication. In the non-growth phase of cells the inductive formation of D-glucose isomerase occurred because a source of nitrogen for the synthesis of enzymes was obtained from turnover of protein accumulated in cells. D-ribose, L-arabinose, D-glucose, D-mannose, citrate, succinate and tartrate could not induce the formation of D-glucose isomerase, but D-xylose could induce. Inductinn of D-glucose isomerase was repressed by D-glucose and its catabolites : glycerol, succinate and citrate. Inductive formation of the enzymes in the non-growth phase was stimulated by $Ba^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$, and inhibited by C $u^{2+}$, C $d^{2+}$, A $g^{+}$and H $g^{2+}$. The synthesis of enzymes in the induction system composed of 0.5% xylose solution was disrupted by actinomycin D, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, tetracycline, p-chloromercuribenzo ate, arsenate and 2, 4-dinitrophenol, but not disrupted by mitomycin C and penicillin G.icillin G.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1339-1347
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• 2003

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of microbial phytase ($Natuphos^{(R)}$) supplementation in combination with carbohydrases (composed of enzymes targeted to soybean meal (SBM) dietary components such as $\alpha$-galactosides and galactomannans; $Endo-Power^{(R)}$) to corn-soybean meal based diet (CSD) and complex diet (CD) with a partial replacement of SBM with rape seed meal (RSM) and cotton seed meal (CSM) on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of growing pigs. A total of 168 growing pigs averaging $13.18{\pm}1.77kg$ of initial body weight was arranged as a $2{\times}2$ factorial design with main effects of diet types (corn-SBM based diet (CSD) and complex diets (CD; 5% of SBM was replaced with 2.5% of RSM and 2.5% of CSM in diet for phase I (0 to 3 weeks) and 6% of SBM was replaced with 3% of RSM and 3% of CSM in diet for phase II (4 to 7 weeks))) and enzyme supplementation (none and 0.1% of phytase (500 FTU/kg diet) and 0.1% of carbohydrases). The diet with enzyme application were formulated to have a 0.18% unit lower aP than diets without enzyme application. Each treatment had three replicates with 14 pigs per replicate. To determine supplementation effect of phytase and carbohydrases on ileal amino acid digestibility of SBM, RSM and CSM, a total of 18 T-cannulated pigs (initial body weight; $13.52{\pm}1.24kg$) were assigned to six dietary treatments in the present study. Dietary treatments in metabolic trial included 1) SBM diet, 2) SBM diet+with enzymes (phytase (500 FTU/kg) and carbohydrases at 0.1%, respectively), 3) CSM diet, 4) CSM diet+enzymes, 5) RSM diet and 6) RSM diet+enzymes. During whole experimental period (0 to 7 wks), there was no difference in growth performance between diets (CSD and CD). However, dietary phytase and carbohydrases supplementation significantly improved gain/feed ratio (G:F) of growing pigs. During the phase II (4-7 weeks), dietary phytase and carbohydrases supplementation significantly improved all fecal nutrient digestibilities (Dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P)). Dietary phytase and carbohydrases supplementation improved significantly overall ileal amino acid digestibilities of SBM, RSM and CSM based diets (p<0.05). The simultaneous inclusion of phytase and carbohydrases in both of CSD and CD reduced feed cost per kg body weight gain (FCG). Also, results suggest that 2.5 to 3% of RSM and CSM, respectively, might be used as a protein source in growing pig diets without having an adverse effect on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility and simultaneous phytase and carbohydrases addition improves nutritional value of SBM, RSM and CSM by improving ileal amino acid digestibilities.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2016

Background: The induction of cellular defensive genes such as phase II detoxifying and antioxidant enzymes is a highly effective strategy for protection against carcinogenesis as well as slowing cancer development. Transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor E2-related factor 2) is responsible for activation of phase II enzymes induced by natural chemopreventive compounds. Methods: Red ginseng oil (RGO) was extracted using a supercritical $CO_2$ extraction system and chemical profile of RGO was investigated by GC/MS. Effects of RGO on regulation of the Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway were determined by ARE-luciferase assay, western blotting, and confocal microscopy. Results: The predominant components of RGO were 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (31.48%), bicyclo[10.1.0] tridec-1-ene (22.54%), and 22,23-dihydrostigmasterol (16.90%). RGO treatment significantly increased nuclear translocation of Nrf2 as well as ARE reporter gene activity, leading to upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1. Phosphorylation of the upstream kinases such as apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK)1, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MKK)4/7, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK were enhanced by treatment with RGO. In addition, RGO-mediated Nrf2 expression and nuclear translocation was attenuated by JNK inhibitor SP600125 and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190. Conclusion: RGO could be used as a potential chemopreventive agent, possibly by induction of Nrf2/ARE-mediated phase II enzymes via ASK1-MKK4/7-JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2012

The molecular mechanisms by which a variety of naturally-occurring dietary compounds exert chemopreventive effects have been a subject of intense scientific investigations. Induction of phase II detoxification and anti-oxidant enzymes through activation of Nrf2/ARE-dependent gene is recognized as one of the major cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative or xenobiotic stresses and currently represents a critical chemopreventive mechanism of action. In the present review, the functional significance of Keap1/Nrf2 protein module in regulating ARE-dependent phase II detoxification and anti-oxidant gene expression is discussed. The biochemical mechanisms underlying the phosphorylation and expression of Keap1/Nrf2 proteins that are controlled by the intracellular signaling kinases and ubiquitin-mediated E3 ligase system as well as control of nucleocytoplasmic translocation of Nrf2 by its innate nuclear export signal (NES) are described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.96-106
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• 2001

The phase II detoxifying enzymes are inducible by a variety of compounds and play an essential role for the protection of cells. Many of chemoprotective agents trigger cellular signals for the phase II enzyme induction, which subsequently activate gene transcription through ARE activation.(omitted)

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1487-1493
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• 2013

Based on the finding that the 2-aminobenzamido group of MS-275 plays a crucial role in inhibiting HDACs through chelation of zinc existing at the active site of HDAC enzymes, novel N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)arylsulfonamide derivatives were synthesized for their potential ability to inhibit HDACs and evaluated for anticancer activity against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Although the synthesized arylsulfonamides have failed to significantly inhibit total HDACs activity, phenyl carbamate-linked arylsulfonamide 10 and benzyl thiocarbamate-linked arylsulfonamide 15 exhibited good anticancer activities, which were only 4.3- and 3.6-fold lower anticancer activities, respectively, than MS-275 that is undergoing phase II clinical trials. These results suggest that these compounds may act as a selective HDAC inhibitor and probably N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) sulfamoyl group may play an important role in interacting with HDAC enzymes through chelation of zinc ion.