• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.459-464
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• 1997

The human liver cDNA clone UDPGTh2, encoding a liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) was isolated from a .gamma. gt 11 cDNA library by hybridization to mouse transferase cDNA clone, UDPGTm1. UDPGTh2 encoded a 529 amino acid protein with an amino terminus membrane-insertion signal peptide and a carboxyl terminus membrane-spanning region. There were three potential asparagine-linked glycosylation sites at residues 67, 68, and 315. In order to obtain UDPGTh2 protein encoded from cloned human liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferase cDNA, the clone was inserted into the pSVL vector (pUDPGTh2) and expressed in COS 1 cells. The presence of a transferase with Mr-52,000 in transfected cells cultured in the presence of $[^{35}S]$ methionine was shown by immunocomplexed products with goat antimouse transferase IgG and protein A-Sepharose and analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The expressed UDPGT was a glycoprotein as indicated by electrophoretic mobility shift in Mr-3,000-4,000 when expressed in the presence of tunicamycin. The extent of glycosylation was difficult to assess, although one could assume that glycosyl structures incorporated at the level of endoplasmic reticulum were always the core oligosaccharides. Thus, it is likely that at least two moieties inserted can account for the shift of Mr-3,000-4,000. This study demonstrates the cDNA and deduced amino acid sequence of human liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferase cDNA, UDPGTh2.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.213-218
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• 2007

Objectives : Effects of Fructus Foeniculi extract on liver function were investigated in carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) intoxicated rats. Methods : Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats with mean weight of $227.28{\pm}7.92g$ were used in these experiments and housed with food and water ad libitum. Fructus Foeniculi extract was administerd at dose 100mg/kg/day and 200mg/kg/day p.o. for 2 weeks after that CCl4 was treated 3 times at dose of 2.5ml/kg, p.o. in alternate day basis. Then serum AFP(${\alpha}$-Fetoprotein), Total protein, Albumin, Triglyceride, Total cholesterol concentrations and ALP (Alkaline phosphatase), AST(Aspartate Aminotransferase), ALT(Alanine Aminotransferase), ${\gamma}$-GT( ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase), LDH(Lactate Dehydrogenase) activities were determined with commercial kit by autoanalyzer. Results : Plasma ${\alpha}$-fetoprotein and total protein concentration showed a tendency to decrease in Fructus Foeniculi extract-treated groups. However, plasma albumin concentration showed no significant differences in all treatment groups. Activity of plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in Fructus Foeniculi extract-treated groups showed a lower value than that of control group. Alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities showed a tendency to decrease in Fructus Foeniculi treated groups. However, ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transferase activity showed no significant difference in all treated groups. Concentration of plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol showed a high level in CCl4 intoxicated rats but not in Fructus Foeniculi treated groups. Conclusion : Reviewing these experimental results, it appears that Fructus Foeniculi extract have recovering effect against liver injury.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.465-470
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• 1997

The human cDNA clone UDPGTh2, encoding a liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT), was isolated from a .gamma.gt 11 cDNA library by hybridization to mouse transferase cDNA clone, UDPGTm1. The two clones had 74% nlicleotide sequence identities in the coding region. UDPGTh2 encoded a 529 amino acid protein with an amino terminus membrane-insertion signal peptide and a carboxyl terminus membrane-spanning region. In order to establish substrate specificity, the clone was inserted into the pSVL vector (pUDPGTh2) and expressed in COS 1 cells. Sixty potential substrates were tested using cells transfected with pUDPGTh2. The order of relative substrate activity was as follows: 4-hydroxyestrone > estriol >2-hydroxyestriol > 4-hydroxyestradiol > $6{\alpha}$-hydroxyestradiol >$5{\alpha}$-androstane-$3{\alpha}$, $11{\beta}$, $17{\beta}$-triol=5${\beta}$-androstane-$3{\alpha}$ ${\beta}$, $17{\beta}$-triol. There were only trace amounts of gulcuronidation of 2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-hydroxyestrone, and in contrast to other cloned transferase, no gulcuronidation of either the primary estrogens and androgens (estrone, $17{\beta}$estradiol/testosterone, androsterone) or any of the exogenous substrates tested was detected. A lineweaver-Burk plot of the effect of 4-hydroxystrone concentration on the velocity of glucuronidation showed an apparent Km of $13{\mu}M$. The unique specificity of this transferase might play an important role in regulating the level and activity of these potent and active estrogen metabolites.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4303-4310
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• 2015

Rumex vesicarius is an edible herb distributed in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The whole plant has significant value in folk medicine and it has been used to alleviate several diseases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the major primary malignant tumor of the liver, is one of the most life-threatening human cancers. The goal of the current study was to explore the potent role of Rumex vesicarius extract against HCC induced in rats. Thirty adult male albino rats were divided into 3 groups: (I): Healthy animals received orally 0.9 % normal saline and served as negative control group, (II): HCC group in which rats were orally administered N-nitrosodiethylamine NDEA, (III): HCC group treated orally with R. vesicarius extract in a dose of 400 mg/kg b.wt daily for two months. ALT and AST, ALP and ${\gamma}$-GT activities were estimated. CEA, AFP, AFU, GPC-3, Gp-73 and VEGF levels were quantified. Histopathological examination of liver tissue sections was also carried out. The results of the current study showed that the treatment of the HCC group with R. vesicarius extract reversed the significant increase in liver enzymes activity, CEA, AFP, AFU, glypican 3, golgi 73 and VEGF levels in serum as compared to HCC-untreated counterparts. In addition, the favorable impact of R. vesicarius treatment was evidenced by the marked improvement in the histopathological features of the liver of the treated group. In conclusion, the present experimental setting provided evidence for the significance of R. vesicarius as anticancer candidate with a promising anticancer potential against HCC. The powerful hepatoprotective properties, the potent antiangiogenic activity and the effective antiproliferative capacity are responsible for the anticancer effect of this plant.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.747-752
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• 2013

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a multifunctional cellular regulator acting on a wide variety of cells, which has potential roles in the regulation of gene activation, cell survival, proliferation and differentiation. Previous studies have shown that OSM can induce morphological and/or functional differentiation and maturation of many tumor cells. However, the action of OSM on the induction of differentiation of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been reported. Here, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of OSM on human HCC cell line SMMC-7721 growth, proliferation, cell cycling, apoptosis and differentiation in vitro. Cell growth was determined via MTT assay, proliferation by cell cycle analysis, apoptosis by flow cytometry, morphology by transmission electronic microscopy, and cell function by detection of biochemical markers. Our results demonstrated that OSM strongly inhibited the growth of SMMC-7721 cells in a dose-dependent manner, associated with decreased clonogenicity. Cell cycle analysis revealed a decreased proportion of cells in S phase, with arrest at G0/G1. The apotosis rate was increased after OSM treatment compared to the control. These changes were associated with striking changes in cellular morphology, toward a more mature hepatic phenotype, accompanied by significant reduction of the expression of AFP and specific activity of ${\gamma}$-GT, with remarkable increase in secretion of albumin and ALP activity. Taken together, our findings indicate that OSM could induce the differentiation and reduce cell viability of SMMC-7721 cells, suggesting that differentiation therapy with OSM offers the opportunity for therapeutic intervention in HCC.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2002

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary sources of fatty acids and protein on serum protein profiles, hepatic functional enzyme activities, mammary tumor incidence and tumor weight in 7, 12-dimethylbenz($\alpha$)anthracene (DMBA)-treated rats. The sources of dietary fatty acids were 18n6 (rich in linoleic acid), 18n3 (rich in linolenic acid) and 22n3 (rich in DHA) : sources of dietary protein were casein (C) and soy protein isolate (S). mammary tumors (MTs) were chemically induced by DMBA (9 mg/100 g body weight) which was gastrically intubated at 7 weeks of age. Each experimental diet was given for the following 25 weeks. Casein-fed rats (group C) exhibited significantly higher levels of weight gain and FER (food efficiency ratio) than did group S. Group C showed higher levels of serum protein and globulin, and higher albumin/globulin (A/G) ratios than group S. Liver functional enzyme activities (GOT, GPT, ALP, LDH, $\gamma$-GT) and LDH/GOT ratios were not influenced by dietary protein. GPT activity was lower in the group given 18n3, and ALP activity was lower in the group given 18n6. The incidence and total number of MTs appeared to be lower in the group given 22n3 than in the group given 18n3 or 18n6, even though the average weight of MTs was highest in the group given 22n3, The average weight of MTs was higher in the C group than in the S group. MT incidence had a positive correlation with LDH activity and LDH/GOT ratio. The average weight of MTs had a negative correlation with serum albumin levels and A/G ratios, and a positive correlation with ALP activity. This research suggests that the measurement of serum protein profiles and liver functional enzyme activities may be utilized to monitor the development of mammary tumors.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2011

The Nramp1/Slc11a1 locus encodes a proton-coupled divalent cation transporter, expressed in late endosomes/lysosomes of macrophages, that constitutes a component of the innate immune response to combat intracellular pathogens and it was shown to play an important role in regulating inherent immunity. The previously identified Z-DNA forming polymorphic repeat(GT)n in the promoter region of the human Nramp1 gene does act as a functional polymorphism influencing gene expression. Research has shown that INF-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and bacteria LPS increase the level of Nramp1 expression. However, the molecular mechanism for Nramp1 gene regulation is unclear. In this research, bovine Nramp1 5'-flanking region (-1748~+769) was cloned and analyzed by bioinformatics. Then to find the core promoter and the cis-acting elements, deletion analysis of promoter was performed using a set of luciferase reporter gene constructs containing successive deletions of the bovine Nramp1 5'-flanking regions. Promoter activity analysis by the dual luciferase reporter assay system showed that the core promoter of Nramp1 was located at +58~-89 bp. Some positive regulatory elements are located at -89~-205 bp and -278~-1495 bp. And the repressor elements were in region -205~-278 bp, intron1 and -1495~-1748 bp. LPS-responsive regions were located at -1495~-1748 bp and -278~-205 bp. The present study provides an initial effort to explore the molecular mechanism of transcriptional activation of the bovine Nramp1 gene and should facilitate further studies to decode the complex regulatory process and for molecular breeding for disease resistance in bovines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.805-811
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• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of water extract from Crassostrea gigas (CGW) against ethanol-induced hepatic toxicity in rats. Seventy-two male Wistar rats (6-week-old) were divided into six groups of 12 animals each: control group (1 mL saline/d), ethanol-treated group, positive control group (ethanol+Hovenia dulcis Thunb extract), CGWL group (ethanol+low dosage of CGW), CGWM group (ethanol+medium dosage of CGW), and CGWH group (ethanol+high dosage of CGW). All groups except the control group received ethanol (40% ethanol 5 g/kg) orally. CGW administration with ethanol resulted in prevention of ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity by increasing levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and ${\gamma}-glutamyltransferase$. CGW supplementation significantly reduced formation of malonaldehyde and inhibited reduction of hepatic glutathione and peroxidase levels, as compared with the ethanol-administration group. Further, CGW suppressed expression of CYP2E1, which was elevated by ethanol administration. Consequently, our results indicate that Crassostrea gigas may exert hepatoprotective effects against alcohol-induced hepatocyte injury by intensifying the anti-oxidative defense system.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Objectives The objective of present study was to investigate the effect of Ojeoksangamibang ($W\check{u}j\bar{i}s\check{a}nji\bar{a}w\grave{e}if\bar{a}ng$) extract on recovery of liver function in carbontetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-exposed rat. Methods Male rats weighing $230{\pm}7.21g$ fed experimental diet for 1 week and 28 rats were divided into 4 groups. Each of 7 rats was devided into a control group and experimental groups. We fed a control group of rats a basal diet and administered normal saline (100 mg/kg, 1 time/1 day) for 3 weeks. And we fed each experimental group of rats basal diet and administered an extract of Ojeoksangamibang extracts (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 1 time/1 day) for 3 weeks. We measured lipid of plasma and liver, concentration of proinflammatory cytokines ($IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and IL-10). Statistical analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple range test with significance level at p<0.05. Results Plasma a-fetoprotein (AFP) and total protein concentration showed a tendency to decrease in Ojeoksangamibang extract-treated groups. However, plasma albumin concentration showed no significant differences in all treatment groups. Activity of plasma Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the Ojeoksangamibang extract-treated groups, increased addition amount of Ojeoksangamibang extracts tended to decline. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transferase (${\gamma}$-GT) activities showed a tendency to decrease in Ojeoksangamibang extract-treated groups, increased addition amount of Ojeoksangamibang extracts tended to decline. Concentration of plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol showed a lower value than that of control group. The liver $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ concentration were decreased, and IL-10 was increased in Ojeoksangamibang extract groups, compared to control group. Plasma $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ concentration were decreased, and IL-10 was increased in Ojeoksangamibang extract groups, compared to control group. Conclusions This study suggested that Ojeoksangamibang may alleviate liver inflammatory reaction induced by liver toxicity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and bulbs of Allium victorialis var. platyphyllum (Liliaceae) collected from Daegwallyoung (D) and Ullung Island (U) in Korea were obtained using three different extracting methods. The first extracts, DL-1 DB-1, UL-1 and UB-1, were obtained from leaves (L) and bulbs (B) dried at $90^{\circ}C$, respectively, and the second extracts, DL-2, DB-2, UL-2 and UB-2, were obtained by extracting the leaves and bulbs of fresh plant parts. The third extracts DL-3, DB-3, UL-3 and UB-3 were obtained by incubating leaves and bulbs at $36^{\circ}C$. The six extracts obtained from A. victorialis var. platyphyllum at Daegwanllyoung (cultivated site) were orally administered to examine for a possible antihepatotoxic effect in $CCl_4-induced$ rats. DL-1 exhibited the most pronounced effect. The extracts inhibited serum ALT, AST, SDH, ${\gamma}-GT$, ALP and LDH activities elevated by $CCl_4$ injection and attenuated decreased glutathione S-transferase, glutatione reductase and ${\gamma}-glutamylcysteine$ synthetase activities and a decreased hepatic glutathione. However, the extracts obtained from Ullung Is. (native site) were less active than the extracts from Daegwallyoung, suggesting that A. victorialis var. platyphyllum from the cultivated site is more useful for functional food than of native site. These results also suggest that the antihepatotoxic effect is due to a higher content of hepatic glutathione. Gas chromatography of the twelve extracts showed significantly different sulfides, disulfides or trisulfides contents belonging to volatile sulfur substances (VSS). Nine components were identified on the basis of their mass spectra, namely, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, diallyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, allyl methyl trisulfide, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3,4-dihydro-3-vinyl-1,2-dithiin, and allithiamine. Extract DL-1 had the highest VSS content. Dried plant materials contained larger amounts of the VSSs than other extracts, and the leaves contained larger amount than the bulbs. These results suggest that heat treatment increases the antiheaptotoxic ability of A. victorialis var. platyphyllum by increasing the proportion of VSSs.