• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2004

To examine whether the IL-1A (-889) polymorphism associates with a risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and acts interactively with the apolipoprotein (APOE) $\epsilon$4 in the development of AD, we performed genotype analyses of the IL-1A and the APOE of the 102 Korean AD patients and 200 Korean non-demented controls. We failed to detect a significant difference in genotypic and allelic frequencies of IL-1A between the AD group and control group. No overexpression of the IL-1A C/T genotype and IL-1A T allele was found when we analyzed the late-onset and early-onset patients, separately. There was no significant genetic interaction between IL-1A polymorphism and the APOE polymorphism. I n conclusion, the IL-1A polymorphism did not contribute to the development of AD independently or interactively with the APOE $\epsilon$4 allele in Koreans.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Several previous studies have investigated whether regular walnut consumption positively changes heart-health-related parameters. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of daily walnut intake on metabolic syndrome (MetS) status and other metabolic parameters among subjects with MetS. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was a two-arm, randomized, controlled crossover study with 16 weeks of each intervention (45 g of walnuts or iso-caloric white bread) with a 6 week washout period between interventions. Korean adults with MetS (n = 119) were randomly assigned to one of two sequences; 84 subjects completed the trial. At each clinic visit (at 0, 16, 22, and 38 weeks), MetS components, metabolic parameters including lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), adiponectin, leptin, and apolipoprotein B, as well as anthropometric and bioimpedance data were obtained. RESULTS: Daily walnut consumption for 16 weeks improved MetS status, resulting in 28.6%-52.8% reversion rates for individual MetS components and 51.2% of participants with MetS at baseline reverted to a normal status after the walnut intervention. Significant improvements after walnut intake, compared to control intervention, in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = 0.028), fasting glucose (P = 0.013), HbA1c (P = 0.021), and adiponectin (P = 0.019) were observed after adjustment for gender, age, body mass index, and sequence using a linear mixed model. CONCLUSION: A dietary supplement of 45 g of walnuts for 16 weeks favorably changed MetS status by increasing the concentration of HDL-C and decreasing fasting glucose level. Furthermore, consuming walnuts on a daily basis changed HbA1c and circulating adiponectin levels among the subjects with MetS. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03267901.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2003

ApolipophorinIII (apoLp-III) is a protypical exchangeable apolipoprotein that is abundant in hemolymph of many insect species. Its function lies in the stabilization of low-density lipophorin particles (LDLp) crossing the hemocoel in phases of high energy consumption to deliver lipids from the fat body to the flight muscle cells. But, recent studies with naive Galleria mellonella-apoLp-III gave first indication of an unexpected role of that protein in insect immune activation. In this research, we cloned a cDNA encoding putative apoLp-III from the silkworm, Bombyx mori injected with E. coli and characterized its role. We constructed a cDNA library using whole bodies of B. mori larvae injected with E. coli, carried out the differential screening, and selected the up-regulated clones. Among these clones, we focused on a cDNA showing a high sequence similarity to the apolipophorinIII from other insects and analyzed the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. The pupative B. mori Jam123 apoLp-III cDNA contained 1,131 bp encoding 186 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the B. mori apoLp-III cDNA formed a highly inclusive subgroup with Bombycidae. But, it was interesting that B. mori Jam123 is closer to B. mandarina than B. mori P50 and B. mori N4. Northern blot analysis showed a signal in the fat body, posterior silkgland and midgut.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.959-967
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• 2010

Down syndrome (DS) is an abnormality of the 21st chromosome that commonly occurs in children born to older women. Thus, amniotic fluid (AF) is usually collected from such women for prenatal diagnosis. This study analyzed human AF supernatants (AFS) using a mass spectrometric (MS) approach to search for candidate biomarkers of a DS pregnancy. The AFS were collected from older pregnant women at weeks 16-18 of their gestation by amniocentesis for cytogenetic analysis. The AFS from the pregnancies carrying DS (n=4) or chromosomally normal (n=6) fetuses, as revealed by the cytogenetic analysis, were then subjected to global protein profiling based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Affinity chromatography was also applied prior to the LC-ESI-MS/MS to minimize the masking effect of highly abundant albumin and immunoglobulin and thereby increase the diversity of the identified proteins. As a result, at least 30 new AFS proteins were identified and 44 AFS proteins were found to be differentially expressed between the DS and normal cases, where 6 of the proteins were unique to the DS cases and 11 were unique to the chromosomally normal cases. In addition, in the DS cases, 19 AFS proteins were downregulated and 8 were upregulated to varying degrees. A Western blot analysis confirmed the LC-ESI-MS/MS data, indicating that the combined detection of apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) could be a potential tool for diagnosing DS cases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the influencing factors that characterize low density lipoprotein (LDL) phenotype and the levels of LDL particle size in healthy Korean women. In 57 healthy Korean women (mean age, $57.4{\pm}13.1$ yrs), anthropometric and biochemical parameters such as lipid profiles and LDL particle size were measured. Dietary intake was estimated by a developed semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The study subjects were divided into two groups: LDL phenotype A (mean size: $269.7{\AA}$, n = 44) and LDL phenotype B (mean size: $248.2{\AA}$, n = 13). Basic characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. The phenotype B group had a higher body mass index, higher serum levels of triglyceride, total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo)B, and apoCIII but lower levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and LDL particle size than those of the phenotype A group. LDL particle size was negatively correlated with serum levels of triglyceride (r = -0.732, $P$ < 0.001), total-cholesterol, apoB, and apoCIII, as well as carbohydrate intake (%En) and positively correlated with serum levels of HDL-cholesterol and ApoA1 and fat intake (%En). A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that carbohydrate intake (%En) and serum triglyceride levels were the primary factors influencing LDL particle size ($P$ < 0.001, $R^2$ = 0.577). This result confirmed that LDL particle size was closely correlated with circulating triglycerides and demonstrated that particle size is significantly associated with dietary carbohydrate in Korean women.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.405-413
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• 2013

Monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3), a chemokine that is in a superfamily of structurally related small chemotactic cytokines involved in leukocyte trafficking, is regarded as a key factor in atherogenesis. In this study, we examined the changes in atherogenic parameters including hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative balance in MCP- 3-overexpressing transgenic mice (MCP-3 mice) under atherogenic conditions. To induce an extreme atherogenic condition, mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet for 12 weeks. The body weight and food intake were not changed by MCP-3 overexpression in the aorta. On a HFHC diet, the MCP-3 mice had higher plasma levels of total cholesterol and a higher atherogenic index compared with wild-type mice, although there were no differences in the plasma HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Furthermore, an increase in lipid accumulation was observed in the aortas as well as the livers of the HFHC diet-fed MCP-3 mice compared with wild-type mice. The activities of antioxidant enzymes increased in the livers of the HFHC diet-fed MCP-3 mice, whereas supplementation with antioxidants, naringin and hesperidin, reversed the activities of the hepatic antioxidant enzymes in HFHC diet-fed MCP-3 mice, indicating that there might be more oxidative damage to the tissues in the HFHC diet-fed MCP-3 mice leading to progression towards atherosclerosis and hepatic steatosis. Microarray analyses of the aorta revealed atherosclerosis-, PPARs-, lipoprotein receptor, and apolipoprotein-related genes that were affected by the HFHC diet in MCP-3 mice. These findings suggest that aortic MCP-3 overexpression may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and hepatic steatosis under atherogenic conditions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at examining the association between dietary flavanones intake and lipid profiles according to the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed among 502 female T2DM patients (non-MetS group; n = 129, MetS group; n = 373) who were recruited from the Huh's Diabetes Clinic in Seoul, Korea between 2005 and 2011. The dietary intake was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and the data was analyzed using the Computer Aided Nutritional Analysis program (CAN-Pro) version 4.0 software. The intake of flavanones was estimated on the basis of the flavonoid database. RESULTS: In the multiple linear regression analysis after adjustment for confounding factors, daily flavanones intake was negatively associated with CVD risk factors such as total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and apoB and apoB/apoA1 ratio only in the MetS group but not in the non-MetS group. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio for a higher apoB/apoA1 ratio above the median (${\geq}0.74$) was significantly low in the $4^{th}$ quartile compared to that in the $1^{st}$ quartile of dietary flavanones intake [OR: 0.477, 95% CI: 0.255-0.894, P for trend = 0.0377] in the MetS group. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary flavanones intake was inversely associated with the apoB/apoA1 ratio, suggesting a potential protective effect of flavanones against CVD in T2DM women with MetS.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2011

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) have ice binding affinity, depress freezing temperature and inhibit ice recystallization which protect cellular membranes in polar organisms. Recent structural studies of antifreeze proteins have significantly expanded our understanding of the structure-function relationship and ice crystal growth inhibition. Although AFPs (Type I-IV AFP from fish, insect AFP and Plant AFP) have completely different fold and no sequence homology, they share a common feature of their surface area for ice binding property. The conserved ice-binding sites are relatively flat and hydrophobic. For example, Type I AFP has an amphipathic, single ${\alpha}$-helix and has regularly spaced Thr-Ala residues which make direct interaction with oxygen atoms of ice crystals. Unlike Type I AFP, Type II and III AFP are compact globular proteins that contain a flat ice-binding patch on the surface. Type II and Type III AFP show a remarkable structural similarity with the sugar binding lectin protein and C-terminal domain of sialic acid synthase, respectively. Type IV is assumed to form a four-helix bundle which has sequence similarity with apolipoprotein. The results of our modeling suggest an ice-binding induced structural change of Type IV AFP. Insect AFP has ${\beta}$-helical structure with a regular array of Thr-X-Thr motif. Threonine residues of each Thr-X-Thr motif fit well into the ice crystal lattice and provide a good surface-surface complementarity. This review focuses on the structural characteristics and details of the ice-binding mechanism of antifreeze proteins.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.161-170
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• 2017

Background: There is recent evidence that insulin resistance is responsible for increasing the risk of developing cognitive dysfunction. To systematically review the influence of intranasal insulin treatment on the cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease patients. Methods: Randomized controlled trials comparing the cognitive effects of intranasal insulin therapy in Alzheimer's disease patients with controlled interventions were retrieved from Pubmed, Medline, Embase and Cochrane library. Meta-analysis was conducted on the cognitive measurements with a subgroup analysis by dose, gender and apolipoprotein E allele 4 (ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$) status. Results: Seven randomized controlled trials were eligible for inclusion. Intranasal insulin had a positive influence on the cognitive function as compared to placebo without a statistical significance (standardized mean difference; SMD = 0.109; 95% confidence interval; CI -0.04 to 0.26; P=0.14). In subgroup analysis, a 20 IU dose of intranasal insulin induced a significant improvement in cognitive function (SMD = 0.14; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.24; P=0.004), but 40 IU did not show this effect (SMD = -0.01; 95% CI -0.11 to 0.09; P=0.82). ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ positive patients showed a significant decline in cognitive function as compared to ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ positive patients in the control group (SMD = -0.213; 95% CI -0.38 to -0.04; P=0.015). Such an effect was not apparent in ApoE ${\varepsilon}4$ negative patients. Gender had no influence on the cognitive outcomes. Conclusion: The results indicate that intranasal insulin may have beneficial effect in improving the cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease patients.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2002

A mutation in the promoter region of uncoupling protein 3 (UCF3), specifically the -55C longrightarrow T transition, may influence an individual's energy metabolism and body weight. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a weight reduction program on endocrine functions and body fat distribution, related to UCP3 promoter genotype. Ninety overweight pre-menopausal female subjects participated in the weight reduction program at Yonsei University Hospital, and were placed on a calorie-restricted diet (300 kcal less than their daily requirements) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, all subjects on the program lost approximately 5% of their initial body weights and had lower Body Mass Index (BMI) values. Among the 90 women, 56 had a normal (without mutation) UCP3 genotype, while 34 women had mutations in the promoter region of UCP3. Despite similar weight reductions in both groups, a significantly higher decrease in abdominal adipose tissue was observed in the normal UCP3 genotype group, compared to the group with mutations. In particular, there was a significant reduction of fat at the lumbar 1 (Ll) level in the without-mutation group. Serum levels of total cholesterol, apolipoprotein Al were significantly decreased in the without-mutation group, by 4.4% and 5.7% respectively. Serum levels of hormones were not significantly changed in both groups artier the intervention. However, in the group without the mutations, the leptin level significantly reduced by 23.4% (p<0.001). Serum free fatty acid (FFA) concentration was significantly increased in the group with mutation following the weight reduction program. On the other hand, FFA responses were shown similar increases in both groups. In conclusion, although no difference was found in the magnitude of weight reduction in both groups, there were significant differences in body fat distribution and in endocrine function between the groups.