• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.215-225
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• 2006

Precocious puberty is defined as the appearance of secondary sex characteristics before age 8 years in girls (or menarche before age 9 years) and before 9 years in boys. The age of onset of puberty is progressing to younger age. The pubertal activation of gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH) release requires coordinated changes in excitatory or inhibitory amino acids, growth factors, and a group of transcriptional regulators. A number of factors affecting precocious puberty were explored, including the role of genetic factors, nutrition(body fat) and exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. In addition to the psychosocial disturbances associated with precocious puberty, the premature pubertal growth spurt and the accelerated bone maturation result in reduced adult height. Precocious puberty may be gonadotrophin-dependent premature activation of the GnRH pulse generator or gonadotrophin-independent. In rapidly progressing central precocious puberty, GnRH agonists appear to increase final height. However more data on the effect and long-term safety of GnRHa are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.471-479
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various levels of chitosan oligomer (CO) molecular weight on the disorders of lipid metabolism and immune-related factors induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), that is a endocrine disrupter, using adult male rats (SD) for 3 weeks. These 40 animals were divided into five groups. Three kinds of CO were used by molecular weight (MW) (less than 1000, 1000~3000, and 5000~10000) and added 4% to basal diets respectively. TCDD (40 ${\mu}g$/kg B.W) was intraperitoneally injected into rats at the beginning of the experiment. The relative weights of the livers were increased in all rats treated with TCDD, and the brain and testis weights were increased in all CO diet groups, compared to the control and TCDD groups. The levels of white blood cells (WBC) and red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrits (HCT), and platelets were significantly lowered by treating TCDD. By the way, RBC and HCT tended to recover by CO diets. The elevation of serum total and HDL cholesterol levels induced by TCDD treatment was significantly reduced by CO (5000~10000 MW) diets. The apparent increasing of the total lipid, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of rat livers induced by TCDD was tended to be suppressed in those fed CO diets. Especially, diets with less than 1000 MW significantly diminished liver triglycerides. The levels of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG1 and IgM were significantly high in rats fed CO (5000~10000 MW) diets. The decreasing levels of IgE by treatment with TCDD tended to recover all the CO diet groups to the level of control group. In histochemical observation, the fat droplets and apoptosis of liver due to TCDD treatment were markedly alleviated in all CO diet groups. These results indicated that CO, though not regular according to molecular weight, can exert improving effects on lipid accumulation, hepatocytic disorders, abnormal blood cells, and some immunoglobulins induced by TCDD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1092-1100
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• 2020

The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4 (Steap4) is a metalloreductase that plays a role in intracellular iron and cupper homeostasis, inflammatory response, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Previously, Steap4 has been reported to stimulate adipocyte differentiation; however, the underlying mechanisms of this action remain unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in Steap4-induced adipocyte differentiation using 3T3-L1 cells, immortalized brown adipocyte (iBA) cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblast C3H10T1/2 cells. The knockdown of Steap4 using adenovirus-containing shRNA attenuated mitotic clonal expansion (MCE), as evidenced by the impaired proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells, iBA cells, and C3H10T1/2 cells within 48 hr after adding the differentiation medium. Steap4 knockdown downregulated G1/S phase transition-related cell cycle regulators (including cyclin A and cyclin D) and upregulated cell cycle inhibitors (including p21 and p27). Furthermore, Steap4 knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and Akt. Moreover, Steap4 knockdown repressed the expression of early adipogenic activators, such as CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and Kruppel-like factor family factor 4 (KLF4). On the other hand, Steap4 knockdown stimulated the expression of adipogenic inhibitors, including KLF2, KLF3, and GATA2. The overexpression of Steap4 using an adenovirus removed the repressive histone marks H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 on the promoter of C/EBPβ. These results indicate that Stepa4 stimulates adipocyte differentiation through the induction of MCE and the modulation of early adipogenic transcription factors, including C/EBPβ, during the early phase of adipocyte differentiation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 1982

The effects of ginseng extract and ginseng saponin on the growth of bacterial cells were variable depending upon the species of bacterium and concentrations of saponin. Serratia marcescens and Aerobocter aerosenes showed the maximum growth in the basal medium pius 0.1% of ginseng extract, but did the suppressed growth in the medium plus above 1 % of ainseng extract. Stophylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed the maximum growth in the basal medium plus 5% of ginseng extract. The slightly accelerated growth was shown with Micrococus flavus and Aerobacter aerogenes cultivated in the basal medium plus 0.002% of ginseng saponin, but the remarkably supressed growth was done in the medium plus above 0.02% of ginseng saponin. Ginseng saponin functioned a physiologically suppressing factor of growth to genus Serratia, but no antimicrobial activity was found against Erwinia aroideae and Sarcina marginata. The substance causing the antimicrobial activity from ginseng saponin was proven to be a ginsenoside Rg$_1$.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2017

To develop a new functional agent for cosmetics, we investigated the anti-aging activities in fibroblasts of casuarictin. The anti-aging effect of casuarictin in CCD-986sk cell was as follows: it inhibited ROS expression increased by Ultraviolet B and suppressed pro-collagen expression. Also, casuarictin had inhibited Matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression. Therefore, the results suggested that casuarictin has considerable potential as a cosmetics ingredient with a anti-aging effect.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.392-397
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• 2016

Zaluzanin C is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Ainsliaea acerifolia, a Korean medicinal plant. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of zaluzanin C were demonstrated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells). Zaluzanin C inhibited the release of nitric oxide (NO) by alleviating the protein expression of inducible NO synthase in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, it suppressed the release of interleukin-6 induced by LPS. Zaluzanin C was also found to block the translocation of the p65 subunit of nuclear factor-kB from the cytosol to the nucleus, which is one of the underlying mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory action of zaluzanin C. These data suggest the potential of zaluzanin C in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.177-186
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• 2006

목적 : 약침액(藥鐵液)의 지질과산화 예방 및 cytocome P450과의 상호 작용에 있어서 대계의 역할은 과거 연구가 거의 없었다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 대계 약침액이 지질과산화를 예방하고, 심혈관계질환 유발에 밀접한 연관이 있는 cytochrome P450의 직접적인 저해 효과를 검토 하고자 한다. 방법 : 대계 약침액이 지질과산화를 억제하는 정도를 평가하기 위하여 세포막을 구성하는 불포화지방산의 일종인 linoleic acid를 대상으로 지질과산화 진행 시간과 대계 약침액의 농도에 의존적인 저해 효과를 실험하였다. 또한 실험쥐의 간조직을 이용하여, 강제적인 과산화를 유도한 후 이를 방어하는 효능을 검토하였다. 그리고 cytochrome P450을 구성하는 그룹의 1A1, 1A2 및 2E1의 활성을 각각 EROD, MROD, p-nitrophenol, aniline 방법으로 측정하였다. 결과 및 결론 : 대계 약침액은 세포막 구성의 불포화 지방산인 linoleic acid의 산화를 시간 및 처리 농도에 의존적으로 억제하였고, 실험쥐의 조직 과산화를 유의성 있게 저해하였다. 또한 aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)을 활성화 시켜 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)에 의한 심혈관계 질환 유발 인자로 알려진 cytochrome P450 1A1 및 1A2의 발현을 일부 저해하였으며, 특히 체내에 흡수된 알콜 대사에 관여하는 P450 2E1을 강하게 억제 시켰다.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2014

In this study, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extracts was studied in order to see any effects on the ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release suppression of RBL-2H3 cells and on the expression of filaggrin, transglutaminase-1 (TGase-1) and cornified cell envelope (CE) related to the recovery of HaCaT keratinocyte skin barrier. Results showed that Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extracts reduced ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release in RBL-2H3 cells and increased the effects of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extract on the expression of filaggrin, transglutaminase-1 (TGase-1) and cornified cell envelope (CE) in HaCaT keratinocytes. Taken together, these results suggested that Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extract may be applicable for keratinocyte differentiation.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2002

Five citrus juices were separated into a ascorbate and phenolic portion using rep-pak C$\_$18/ cartridge, respectively, in order to elucidate the nitrite scavenging effect and N-nitrosodimethylamine(NDMA) formation in model system. The nitrite scavenging effect of ascorbate portion from citrus juices, in the different pH, when added with 5ml were 79.9 ∼98.6% under the condition of pH 2.5. 48.5∼86.3% at pH 4.2 and lower than 35.2% at pH 6.0. The nitrite scavenging effect was excellent phenolic portion rather than ascorbate portion. Particularly, the effect was more 2 times than ascorbate portion under the reaction condition of pH 6.0. When added the phenolic portion in the reaction mixture, NDMA formation was inhibited 92.8% or more in kum quat, mandarin orange and sweet orange juices. But the ascorbate portion was a negative response of the inhibition of NDMA formation. The inhibition on NDMA formation in citrus juice may be due to phenolic compounds were reacted.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.261-263
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• 2014

Chronic inflammation is involved in cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn's disease. Inerleukin-6 (IL-6) plays major roles in inflammation. Chungkookjang, fermented soybean contains diverse peptides produced by cleavage of soybean proteins. The peptides can be bioactive compounds. Peptide (Gly-Val-Tyr-Tyr-Met-Tyr was purified from Chungkookjang, and modified to be 6mer H, Glu-Val-Tyr-Tyr-Met-Tyr (EVYYMY). Peptide H's activity to suppress IL-6 expression in a human breast cancer cell, MDA-MB-231 was determined. IL-6 Expression was reduced in the cell treated with peptide H 25 times less than controls which were not treated with peptide H. Proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells was inhibited by peptide H, which is concentration-dependent. Blocking of IL-6 signals is known to be effective in reducing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and cancers. Since peptide H can reduce inflammatory IL-6 expression, application of this study will contribute to drug development for diseases which are caused by excessive IL-6.