• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.20-28
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• 2006

Aryl sulfotransferase (AST) IV is a liver enzyme involved in detoxication and has been shown to be susceptible to down regulation by a number of hepatotoxic xenobiotics. Studies presented here to investigate the ability of biological and non-biological divalent metal cations on AST IV activity showed that AST IV was strongly inhibited following in vitro or in vivo exposure to. Zn ( II ), Co ( II ) or Cd ( II ). It was found that $0.025\sim$2.5 uM of these metal ions were sufficient to cause $50\%$ of inhibition in vitro in purified AST IV and $0.25\sim$25 uM of these metal ions in liver cytosolic fractions. For the in vivo study, 1,000 mg Cu ( II )/kg, 2,000 mg Zn ( II )/kg or 250 mg Cd( II )/kg was added to individual diets and administered to three (3) group; of mts over a 7 week period The Co ( II )-supplemented diet produced no apparent change in rat growth rate and resulted in 30-fold increase in liver cytotolic Cu ( II ) levels, suggesting that elevated levels of Cu ( II ) ion in the liver were responsible for the loss of AST IV activity. In contrast, the Zn ( II )-supplemented diet caused a decrease in rat growth rates and resulted in zero increase in liver Zn ( II ) levels, which suggested an indirect inhibition mechanism was caused by Zn ( II ) in the liver. Rats were fed the Cd-supplemented diet also displayed a decrease in growth rate with little or no change in liver Cu ( II ) or Zn ( II ) levels. When the liver cytosols of mts from the metal ion diets were immunochemically analyzed for the AST IV and albumin contents, no significant changes were observed in albumin levels. However, AST IV contents in the cytosols of mts fed the Zn ( II )-supplemented diets showed a slight decrease in amount These results showed that AST IV activity in vitro and in vivo can be inhibited by Co ( II ), Zn ( II ), and Cd ( II ) by apparently different mechanisms. The immediate response to a Zn injection showed a decrease in AST IV activity but not in the AST IV content in liver cytosol. These mechanisms appeared to involve direct actions of the metal ion on AST IV activity and indirect actions affecting AST IV amount.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2006

Purified rat liver aryl sulfotransferase IV (AST IV) was found to be inhibited in vitro by zinc, copper, cadmium and terbium. Among these four elements, zinc, copper and cadmium were all strongly inhibitory to the AST IV activity at very low concentrations (2.5 $\mu$M to 0.025 $\mu$M). In rat liver cytosol, zinc, copper and cadmium at 25 $\mu$M to 0.025 $\mu$M also decreased the AST IV activity to $50\%$ of the controls. In order to assess the possible effects of these metals on the AST IV activity recovery pattern in vivo, studies on the relationship between these minerals and dietary 2-acetylaminofluorene were conducted. Total of forty rats were fed one of five diets for 6 weeks: diet 1, Control diet plus 2-acetlyaminofluorene ($0.05\%$); diet 2, zinc-deficient diet plus 2-acetlyaminofluorene; diet 3, zinc-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene; diet 4, copper-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene; diet 5, cadmium-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene. Half of the rats from each diet were changed to individual diet after 3 weeks of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding. Placement of rats on the control diet following one cycle of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding of 3 weeks without 2-acetylaminofluorene resulted in nearly full recovery of AST IV activity within 3 or 4 weeks. However, the rats fed diets that supplemented with zinc, copper or cadmium without 2-acetylaminofluorene showed a new pattern of lowered AST IV activity as early as the first cycle. Also, lowering in cytosolic AST IV contents was appeared in the livers from the rats, following one cycle of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding of 3 weeks, fed one of the diets that supplemented with copper, cadmium or zinc without 2-acetylaminofluorene for ensuing 3 weeks.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.261-267
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• 2015

Objective: To measure aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the pulp of teeth treated with fixed appliances for 6 months, and compare it with AST activity measured in untreated teeth. Methods: The study sample consisted of 16 healthy subjects (mean age $25.7{\pm}4.3$ years) who required the extraction of maxillary premolars for orthodontic reasons. Of these, 6 individuals had a total of 11 sound teeth extracted without any orthodontic treatment (the control group), and 10 individuals had a total of 20 sound teeth extracted after 6 months of orthodontic alignment (the experimental group). Dental pulp samples were extracted from all control and experimental teeth, and the AST activity exhibited by these samples was determined spectrophotometrically at $20^{\circ}C$. Results: Mean AST values were $25.29{\times}10^{-5}U/mg$ (standard deviation [SD] 9.95) in the control group and $27.54{\times}10^{-5}U/mg$ (SD 31.81) in the experimental group. The difference between these means was not statistically significantly (p = 0.778), and the distribution of the AST values was also similar in both groups. Conclusions: No statistically significant increase in AST activity in the pulp of mechanically loaded teeth was detected after 6 months of orthodontic alignment, as compared to that of teeth extracted from individuals who had not undergone orthodontic treatment. This suggests that time-related regenerative processes occur in the dental pulp.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

The hepatoprotective effects of chalcone derivatives were evaluated in D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (D-GaIN/LPS)-induced fulminant hepatic failure in mouse. Thirteen chalcone derivatives were synthesized for study and their hepatoprotective effects were evaluated by assessing aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in serum. Chalcone preparations were injected into mice at 12 hand 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of D-GaIN/LPS. After abdominal administration, changes in AST and ALT between the control and treated groups were observed. Ten of the synthesized chalcone derivatives exhibited inhibitory effects on D-GaIN/LPS-induced levels of AST and ALT in mice. Compounds 2, 3, 8, 9, and 12 markedly reduced serum AST and ALT at 8 h, inhibited hepatocyte necrosis and showed significant hepatoprotective activities. The activity of compound 3 was compared with the bifendate (DDB) through oral administration. Compound 3 showed much higher inhibitory effects than bifendate for decreasing AST and ALT activity. The results indicate that compound 3 has strong hepatoprotective activity through suppression of tumor necrosis factor­alpha (TNF-alpha) preduction, reduction of the histological change in the liver, and attenuated of hepatocyte apoptosis confirmed by DNA fragmentation assay.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.108-115
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• 2000

Objective : To investigate the hepatoprotective effects of Gami-oryungsan on the liver damage induced by bromobenzene. Method : The development of fibrosis and acute liver injury was examined by the chemical analysis of AST, AL T, ${\gamma}$-GTP . and epoxide hydrolase glutathione S-transferase glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity, lipidoperoxide levels, glutathione levels were measured and oberved. Results : The increasing levels of lipidoperoxide was decreased proportionally according to dose of extract GO. Epoxide hydrolase glutathioneS-transferase glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity highly increased in GO pre-acupunctured group compared with the group treated with only bromobenzene. The increase of serum AST, AL T, ${\gamma}$-GTP enzyme activity of mice by bromobenzene was inhibited by the administration of GO. Lipidoperoxide levels in rat's liver decreased compared to the case of bromobenzene-treated group. The levels of Glutathione decreased by bromo benzene were increased highly in GO pre-acupunctured group. Conclusion : These results suggest that GO extract recovers the damage of liver due to bromobenzene intoxication by decreasing the lipid peroxidation AST AL T ${\gamma}$-GTP enzyme activity and increasing epoxide hydrolase glutathioneS-transferase glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity, glutathione levels.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.273-278
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• 1997

Several serum enzyme activities were measured after intraBeritoneal administration of 0.01 ml $CCl_{4}$ per 100 g of body weight in Sprague Dawley rats. Senun AST activity increased significantly after administration of CCl$_{4}$ (P<0.05). The serum AST activity at 2 hours after $CCl_{4} administration (475 {\pm} 10^{6} IU/L)$ was significantly higher than that of control group $(65 {\pm} 14 IU/L)$. The high level of serum AST activity maintained up to 48 hours. Serum ALT activity in $CCl_{4}$-treated groups was also significantly higher from 4 hours after treatment companied to control group and the high level maintained up to 48 hours. Serum ALP and ${\gamma} GTP activities in CCl_{4}$-treated groups were significantly higher from 8 hours after treatment compared to control group and the level maintained up to 48 hours.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.998-1003
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• 2014

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST; E.C. 2.6.1.1), a vitamin B6-dependent enzyme, preferentially promotes the mutual transformation of aspartate and ${\alpha}$-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate. It plays a key role in amino acid metabolism and has been widely recommended as a biomarker of liver and heart damage. Our study aimed to evaluate the extensive preparation of AST and its application in quality control in clinical laboratories. We describe a scheme to express and purify the 6His-AST fusion protein. An optimized sequence coding AST was synthesized and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) strain for protein expression. Ideally, the fusion protein has a volumetric productivity achieving 900 mg/l cultures. After affinity chromatography, the enzyme activity of purified AST reached 150,000 U/L. Commutability assessment between the engineered AST and standard AST from Roche suggested that the engineered AST was the better candidate for the reference material. Moreover, the AST showed high stability during long-term storage at $-20^{\circ}C$. In conclusion, the highly soluble 6His-tagged AST can become a convenient tool for supplying a much better and cheaper standard or reference material for the clinical laboratory.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.585-592
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to prepare blueberry syrup (cheung) using fructooligosaccharide instead of the traditionally used sucrose. The sugar content, pH, and colorimetric values were measured to evaluate the quality of the prepared syrup, and the antioxidant activity and phenolic compound content were determined to assess the physiological activity of the syrup. The $L^{\ast}$ value (lightness), pH, and color were high in syrups containing a high proportion of fructooligosaccharide. The $a^{\ast}$ value (redness) was high in syrups subjected to heat treatment, and the $b^{\ast}$ value (yellowness) tended to be the opposite of the $L^{\ast}$ value. Moreover, syrups containing heat-treated fructooligosaccharide showed higher polyphenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents than the unheated syrups did. The antioxidant activity of the blueberry cheung depended on the content of phenolic compounds. The highest value was obtained in the cheung prepared using a heat-treated 1:1 mixture of blended raw blueberry and fructooligosaccharide (S2). These findings suggest that our familiarity with the taste of the sweetener used influences our taste preference. It is therefore necessary to study other newly developed sweeteners apart from fructooligosaccharide to find a suitable alternative to sucrose.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-65
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• 1996

This experimental study was designed to investigate the effects of Cibotii Rhizoma on the muscle atrophy induced by hindlimb suspension in rats. The measurement has been performed on the activity of CK, aldolase, LDH, AST, ALT and quantity of creatine in serum of hindlimb suspension rats. The results were as ; 1. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the activity of CK in serum. 2. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the quantity of creatine in serum. 3. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the activity of aldolase in serum. 4. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the activity of LDH in serum. 5. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the activity of AST in serum. 6. Cibotii Rhizoma significantly inhibited the increase of the activity of ALT in serum.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.2 s.149
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• pp.139-147
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective activity of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, isolated from Curcuma longa Linne, on hepatocyte injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl$_4$,10 mM), t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH, 0.5 mM) and D-galactosamine (GaIN,30 mM). Primary cultures of rat hepatocyte (18 h culture) were treated with CCl$_4$, TBH or GaIN and various concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ${\mu}$M) of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin CCl$_4$ significantly increased the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The increases in LDH, ALT and AST levels were inhibited by curcumin. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin decreased the levels of AST. Curcumin inhibited the increases in ALT and AST levels induced by TBH. The increased levels of LDH, ALT and AST induced by TBH were inhibited by bisdemethoxycurcumin. GaIN markedly increased the levels of LDH, ALT and AST. These increases were significantly inhibited by bisdemethoxycurcumin. The increase in AST level was inhibited by curcumin. These results suggest that curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin have potent hepatoprotective activities.