• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.371-377
• /
• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the physiological and structural damages to cadmium (Cd) in Acorus calamus var. angustatus as a native aquatic species in Korea. In addition to the physiological responses such as plant growth, photosynthesis, and root activity, the structural damages in leaf and root tissues were observed through light and scanning electronic microscopy. The five-leaf plants were treated with different Cd concentrations 0, 10, 25, and 50 ${\mu}M$ for 15 days. The plant damages to Cd were significant at 10-25 ${\mu}M$ Cd physiologically and at 25-50 ${\mu}M$ Cd structurally. The physiological damages in the shoot part (photosynthesis) started at 10 ${\mu}M$ Cd whereas those in root part (root activity) were serious above 25 ${\mu}M$ Cd. On the other hand, the structural damages began at 25 ${\mu}M$ Cd in the leaf and root tissues similarly, but the plant tissue destruction was more serious in the roots than in leaves. Based on the plant physiological and structural damages, 10 ${\mu}M$ was assumed to be the limited concentration for sustainable growth and landscaping ability in Acorus calamus var. angustatus to Cd.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.121-132
• /
• 2004

Concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn were determined in four arctic brown algae (Laminaria saccharina, L. digitata, Alaria esculenta, Desmarestia aculeata) in an attempt to examine for their metal accumulation capacity and also to assess their contamination levels. Macroalgae were collected from shallow subtidal waters (<20m) of Kongsfjorden (Kings Bay) on Spitsbergen during the period of the late July to early August 2003. Metal concentrations highly varied between sampling sites, species and tissue parts. Input of melt-water laden with terrigenous sediment particles seemed to have a large influence on baseline accumulations of some metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Pb etc.) in the macroalgae, causing a significant spatial variation. There were also significant concentration differences between the young and old tissue parts in L. saccharina, L. digitata and A. esculenta. While Al, Fe, Mn, Pb were higher in the perennial parts (stipes and holdfast below meristematic region), Cd and As concentrations were significantly higher in the young blades above the meristematic region. Zn and Cr, on the other hand, showed little differences between the tissue parts. The highest metal concentrations were found in D. aculeata, which seems to be due to its filamentous fine branches leading to high surface/volume ratios. The lowest concentrations were found in the two Laminaria spp., the blades of which are thicker than D. aculeata and A. esculenta. No distinct signs of contamination were detected in the brown algal species analyzed. Added to this, the results of the present studies suggest the potential utility of L. saccharina, L. digitata and A. esculenta as biomonitors for metal pollution monitoring in this area.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.14-23
• /
• 2007

Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction and Alzheimer disease, although the mechanism is still unknown. Both folate and betaine, a choline metabolite, play essential roles in the remethylation of Hcy to methionine. Choline deficiency may be associated with low folate status and high plasma Hcy. Alterations in DNA methylation also have established critical roles for methylation in development of the nervous system. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of choline and folate deficiency on Hcy metabolism and genomic DNA methylation status of the liver and brain. Groups of adult male Sprague Dawley rats were fed on a control, choline-deficient (CD), folate-deficient (FD) or choline/folate-deficient (CFD) diets for 8 weeks. FD resulted in a significantly lower hepatic folate (23%) (p<0.001) and brain folate (69%) (p<0.05) compared to the control group. However, plasma and brain folate remained unaltered by CD and hepatic folate reduced to 85% of the control by CD (p<0.05). Plasma Hcy was significantly increased by FD $(18.34{\pm}1.62{\mu}M)$ and CFD $(19.35{\pm}3.62{\mu}M)$ compared to the control $(6.29{\pm}0.60{\mu}M)$ (p<0.001), but remained unaltered by CD. FD depressed S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) by 59% (p<0.001) and elevated S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAM) by 47% in liver compared to the control group (p<0.001). In contrast, brain SAM levels remained unaltered in CD, FD and CFD rats. Genomic DNA methylation status was reduced by FD in liver (p<0.05) Genomic DNA hypomethylation was also observed in brain by CD, FD and CFD although it was not significantly different from the control group. Genomic DNA methylation status was correlated with folate stores in liver (r=-0.397, p<0.05) and brain (r = -0.390, p<0.05), respectively. In conclusion, our data demonsoated that genomic DNA methylation and SAM level were reduced by folate deficiency in liver, but not in brain, and correlated with folate concentration in the tissue. The fact that folate deficiency had differential effects on SAM, SAH and genomic DNA methylation in liver and brain suggests that the Hcy metabolism and DNA methylation are regulated in tissue-specific ways.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.1083-1099
• /
• 2008

Objective : We aimed to identify the effects of Bogimakseong-bang(BGMSB) treatment on cBSA-induced MN in a mouse model. Methods : We divided 20 mice into 4 groups. The normal group (NR) had no treatment. We used cBSA to induced MN to the other 3 groups. One group (CT) was treated with cBSA (7mg/kg i.p) only. The second (BG-250) was treated with cBSA (7mg/kg i.p) and BGMSB extract (250mg/kg, p.o). The third group (BG-500) was treated with cBSA(7mg/kg i.p) and BGMSB extract (500mg/kg, p.o). After cBSA and BGMSB extract treatment for 4 weeks, proteinuria, serum albumin, total cholesterol, serum creatinine, BUN, total nucleated spleen cell number and total infiltrated kidney cell number of all groups were measured. CD3e+/CD19+ and CD4+/CD8 cells ratio of peripheral blood, kidney and spleen of all groups were analyzed. $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, IgG, IgM, and $IFN-{\gamma}$ levels of all groups were gauged. Histological analysis of kidney tissue and immunohistochemical staining (CD4 CD8) of kidneys were observed. Results : Proteinuria significantly decreased and serum albumin increased in groups treated with cBSA and BGMSB extract compared with the control. Total cholesterol decreased but not significantly. CD3e+/CD19cells ratio of peripheral blood decreased. CD3e+/CD19+ and CD4+/CD8 cells percentage of kidney and spleen showed no significant change. Level of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 significantly decreased. and $IFN-{\gamma}$ increased but has not significantly. Concentration of IgG and IgM significantly decreased compared with control. Thickness of GBM decreased on histological analysis of kidney. Deposition of CD4 and CD8 decreased on immunohistochemical staining of kidney. Conclusions : According to the above result, BGMSB had a significant effect for treating MN which is cBSA-induced.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.1046-1056
• /
• 2016

RV-23 is a melittin-related antibacterial peptide (MRP) with lower cytotoxicity than either melittin or AR-23, another MRP. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism of RV-23's antibacterial selectivity and its hemocompatibility. The results showed that all the peptides exhibited lytic activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with RV-23 showing the highest potency. Moreover, RV-23 had lower cytotoxicity than melittin or AR-23 at their minimal inhibitory concentration. In addition, CD experiments showed that melittin, RV-23, and AR-23 all had a typical α-helical structure, and RV-23 had the lowest α-helix content. The structural information showed that RV-23 has the lowest hydrophobicity and highest hydrophobic moment. Because hydrophobicity and α-helix content are believed to correlate with hemolysis, the results indicate that the selective lytic activity against bacteria of RV-23 may be due to its low hydrophobicity and α-helicity, which lead to low cytotoxicity without affecting antibacterial activity. Furthermore, RV-23 did not affect the structure and function of blood components such as red blood cells, platelets, albumin, and the blood coagulation system. In conclusion, RV-23 is a cell-selective antibacterial peptide with high hemocompatibility due to its unique structure.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.397-403
• /
• 2015

Heavy metals reduce the photosynthetic efficiency and disrupt metabolic reactions in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, by replacing the metal ions in metalloproteins that use essential metal ions, such as Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe, as co-factors, heavy metals ultimately lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These, in turn, cause destruction of the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, and eventually cause the plant to necrosis. Given the aforementioned factors, this study was aimed to understand the physiological responses of rice to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) toxicity and the effect of essential metal ions on homeostasis. In order to confirm the level of physiological inhibition caused by heavy metal toxicity, hydroponically grown rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongjin) plants were exposed with $0-50{\mu}M$ cadmium (Cd, $CdCl_2$) and arsenic (As, $NaAsO_2$) at 3-leaf stage, and then investigated malondialdehyde (MDA) contents after 7 days of the treatment. With increasing concentrations of Cd and As, the MDA content in leaf blade and root increased with a consistent trend. At 14 days after treatment with $30{\mu}M$ Cd and As, plant height showed no significant difference between Cd and As, with an identical reduction. However, As caused a greater decline than Cd for shoot fresh weight, dry weight, and water content. The largest amounts of Cd and As were found in the roots and also observed a large amount of transport to the leaf sheath. Interestingly, in terms of Cd transfer to the shoot parts of the plant, it was only transported to upper leaf blades, and we did not detect any Cd in lower leaf blades. However, As was transferred to a greater level in lower leaf blades than in upper leaf blades. In the roots, Cd inhibited Zn absorption, while As inhibited Cu uptake. Furthermore, in the leaf sheath, while Cd and As treatments caused no change in Cu homeostasis, they had an antagonist effect on the absorption of Zn. Finally, in both upper and lower leaf blades, Cd and As toxicity was found to inhibit absorption of both Cu and Zn. Based on these results, it would be considered that heavy metal toxicity causes an increase in lipid peroxidation. This, in turn, leads to damage to the conductive tissue connecting the roots, leaf sheath, and leaf blades, which results in a reduction in water content and causes several physiological alterations. Furthermore, by disrupting homeostasis of the essential metal ions, Cu and Zn, this causes complete heavy metal toxicity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.87 no.3
• /
• pp.466-474
• /
• 1998

This study was conducted to evaluate heavy metal concentrations(Cd, Cu, Z, and Pb) in the soil of two zinc mines and to correlate heavy metal contents between the soils and trees growing near the mines. Soils and leaves, stems, and roots of five tree species(Corylus heterophylla, Pinus rigida. Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa, Rhododendron mucronulatum, and Robinia pseudoacacia) were collected from Sambo Zinc Mine located in Hwasung and Gahak Zinc Mine in Kwangmyung city in Kyonggido. Soils near two zinc mines were not seriously contaminated by heavy metals, but Zn and Pb concentrations were at toxic level. The heavy metal concentration in soils decreased in the order of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd, and decreased with increasing distance from zinc mining sites. Among the five tree species, Populus alba ${\times}$ glandulosa showed the highest heavy metal concentrations in the tissue except for Pb. Particulars, leaves of the species contained the high concentrations of heavy metals to reach the maximum of 91ppm Zn. The roots of Corylus heterophylla contained high concentrations of Cu and Pb. The order of heavy metal concentrations in the tree species was Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd. The concentration of heavy metals in the tree tissues showed a positive correlation with that in soil in which trees are growing. The ratio of heavy metal concentration of trees to that of soils(concentration factor : CF) was highest in Zn and lowest in Pb. Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa had the highest CF value among the five tree species. It was concluded that Populus alba${\times}$glandulosa, based on the high metal uptake ability, could be used for decontaminating of heavy metals from contaminated soils, and Pinus rigida could be used to reflect the level of contamination in soils.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.537-545
• /
• 2007

The heavy metal removal capacity of filamentous green alga Cladophora sp. cultured together with wet-mixed solidified soil (loess) was tested. A Cladophora sp. was cultured for 5d, with added Chu No. 10 medium, in stream water contaminated by high concentration of heavy metals from a closed mine effluent. Heavy metal ion concentrations of the medium and in algal tissue were measured every day during the experiment. Dissolved metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) in medium were rapidly removed (over 90% elimination) within 1-2d when alga and loess were added. Dissolved heavy metals dropped by only 10% when algae were cultured without loess. The Cladophora sp. accumulated much more heavy metals when cultured with loess than when the alga was cultured alone. Cladophora sp. exhibited a maximum uptake capacity for Al ($17,000{\mu}g^{-1}$ algal dry weight). The metal bioremoval capacities of the algae were in the order Al, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Cd. The heavy metal removal capacity of Cladophora sp. showed significant increases when wet-mixed solidified soil was added to culture media.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.515-523
• /
• 1999

Nine trace metals (Zn, Fe, Al, Pb, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Cd) and Se concentrations were determined in organs and tissues(muscle, bone, kidney, liver and skin) of the striped field mice, Apodemus agrarius collected at Daejeo-dong, Pusan city and the Sorak Mt., Kangwon Province. All the trate elements were detected from all the mice examined. As for the metal concentrations in the mice from Daejeo-dong, Zn, Fe, Al, Mn, Ni and Cr were significantly higher than those in Sorak Mt.(p<0.05), suggesting that pesticides including Zn and factory wastes containing several metals might contaminated the environment of Daejeo-dong. As regards the element concentrations in each organ and tissue, Fe, Al, Pb, Mn, Cu, Cr and Cd concentrations were high in liver or kidney; Zn in skin and bone; Ni in bone, skin and kidney; and Se in muscle, liver and skin in all the mice examined. There were significant differences(p<0.05) between juveniles and adults in average concentration of metals(Zn, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, and Cd) in every organs and tissues of mice collected at Daejeo-dong. Much higher average levels of metals in juveniles indicate that considerable burdens fo metals might be transferred through the placenta. However, there were no significant differences between males and females, and between young and old adults in average metal concentrations, which suggests that the mice might accumulate the metals during their life time, although they might excrete the metals not only through reproductive activities, such as parturition, lactation and ejaculation of semen, but also through molting, judging from higher accumulating ratios of most metals in skin of adults than of juveniles.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 1997

This study was performed to investigate the growth response of earthworm (Eisenia foetida) in cow manure added Cadmium (Cd) and therefore, to estimate the toxic threshold level of Cadmium and the levels of Cadmium in cow manure for obtain-ing the maximum Cadmium-concentration enable to accumulate in earthworm tis-sue. Seven different concentrations of Cadmium added in cow manure were 0 (control), 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 mg/kg, respectively. Survival rate (SR), mean fresh weight of adult worm at final time ($FW_2$), increasing rate (IR), number of cocoon (NC), number of young worm (NY) and residual matter (RW) were not significantly different among Cadmium concentrations in cow manure. Of the measured growth-characteristics, survival rate (SR) had a significantly positive correlation (p<0.001) with number of cocoon (NC). But mean fresh weight of adult worm at final time ($FW_2$) had a significantly negative correlation (p<0.05) with residual matter of cow manure. The maximum Cadmium concentration accumulated in tissue was ranged from 283.8 mg/kg to 396.2 mg/kg. It was obtained at the level of 956.5 mg/kg and 1116.6 mg/kg in cow manure added Cadmium, respectively.