• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.62-67
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• 2014

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether there was a correlation between catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism, which is believed to play a role in the etiology of psychotic disorders, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods: Fifty-three women with regular menstrual cycles, aged between 18 and 46 years and diagnosed with PMS according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology criteria were included in this study as the study group, and 53 healthy women having no health problems were selected as the controls. Venous blood was collected from all patients included in the study and kept at $-18^{\circ}C$ prior to analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic features such as age, body mass index, number of pregnancies, parity, and number of children. No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of COMT gene polymorphism (p=0.61) between women in the PMS and the control groups. However, a significant difference was found between arthralgia, which is an indicator of PMS, and low-enzyme activity COMT gene (Met/Met) polymorphism (p=0.04). Conclusion: These results suggested that there was no significant relationship between PMS and COMT gene polymorphism. Since we could not find a direct correlation between the COMT gene polymorphism and PMS, further studies including alternative neurotransmitter pathways are needed to find an effective treatment for this disease.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.187-196
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• 2006

The mammalian trematode Paragonimus westermani is a typical digenetic parasite, which can cause paragonimiasis in humans. Host tissues and blood cells are important sources of nutrients for development, growth and reproduction of P. westermani. In this study, a cDNA clone encoding a 47 kDa hemoglobinase of P. westermani was characterized by sequencing analysis, and its localization was investigated immunohistochemically. The phylogenetic tree prepared based on the hemoglobinase gene showed high homology with hemoglobinases of Fasciola hepatica and Schistosoma spp. Moreover, recombinant P. westermani hemoglobinase degradaded human hemoglobin at acidic pH (from 3.0 to 5.5) and its activity was almost completely inhibited by E-64, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. Immunohistochemical studies showed that P. westermani hemoglobinase was localized in the epithelium of the adult worm intestine implying that the protein has a specific function. These observations suggest that hemoglobinase may act as a digestive enzyme for acquisition of nutrients from host hemoglobin. Further investigations may provide insights into hemoglobin catabolism in P. westermani.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.61-69
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate correlations between physical fitness, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX), lipid peroxidation levels (MDA), lipid profiles, lactate levels and cardiovascular variables in an exercising group and a control group. Methods: Twelve healthy young males (Exercise group: 6, Controls: 6). All subjects took physical fitness tests and blood samples were collected while subjects were resting. Results: In the exercise group, there were several significant correlations: between back strength and SOD enzyme levels (r=0.82, p=0.04), back strength and MDA (r=0.94, p=0.00), agility and GPX (r=0.81, p=0.04), and balance and GPX (r=0.81, p=0.04). In the control group, there were significant correlations between: dominant grip strength and MDA (r=-0.84, p=0.03), and agility and GPX (r= -0.82, p=0.04). In the exercise group, there were no significant correlations between physical fitness factors, TC, TG, HDL-C and lactate levels. In the control group, there were significant correlations between: back strength and TG (r=0.88, p=0.01), and agility and HDL-C (r= -0.84, p=0.03). In the exercise group, there were significant correlations between: non-dominant grip strength and SBP (r=0.94, p=0.00), dominant grip strength and SBP (r=0.85, p=0.03), and power and SBP (r=0.82, p=0.04). In controls, there were significant correlations between: dominant grip strength and DBP (r=-0.85, p=0.03), muscular endurance and ST level (r=-0.93, p=0.00), and muscular endurance and HR (r=-0.88, p=0.01). Conclusion: That cardiovascular patients and controls who participated in regular exercise maintained their antioxidant capacity suggests that long-term physical activity can counteract the negative dysfunction that characterizes sedentary lifestyle, probably by maintaining plasma antioxidant defenses and thereby preventing oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.168-177
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• 1998

It has been reported that cigarette smoking increases free radical generation, which can also increase lipid peroxides and deplete antioxidants. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cigarette smoking and other lifestyle choices may affect serum lipid peroxide concentrations, serum antioxidant concentrations such as tocopherol and vitamin C, and serum antioxidant enzyme activity such as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Dietary intakes were assessed by 24-hour recall and survey questionnaires from 48 male non-smokers and 52 male smokers. Overnight fasting blood was collected and measured for individual antioxidant status. The daily vitamin C intakes of smokers tended to be lower than those of non-smokers, and the intakes of both groups were under the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). Vitamin E intake was sufficient for smokers and non-smokers. Serum lipid peroxide concentrations were no difference among all subjects. The serum $\alpha$-tocopherol concentrations of all subjects were in a normal range, and they were highest in mild smokers (p<0.05). Mean serum vitamin C levels were lowest in heavy smokers (p<0.05). The activities of serum glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were not significantly different in smokes and non-smokers. In conclusion, smoking did not increase oxidative stress in heathy young men. However, it is desirable for heavy smokers to consume more vitamin C than the RDA sine their serum vitamin C concentrations are relatively low.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.487-492
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• 2013

Cytochrome P450 4A11 (CYP4A11) is a fatty acid hydroxylase enzyme expressed in human liver. It catalyzes not only the hydroxylation of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, but the conversion of arachidonic acid to 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), a regulator of blood pressure. In this study, we performed a directed evolution analysis of CYP4A11 using the luminogenic assay system. A random mutant library of CYP4A11, in which mutations were made throughout the entire coding region, was screened with luciferase activity to detect the demethylation of luciferin-4A (2-[6-methoxyquinolin-2-yl]-4,5-dihydrothiazole-4-carboxylic acid) of CYP4A11 mutants in Escherichia coli. Consecutive rounds of random mutagenesis and screening yielded three improved CYP4A11 mutants, CP2600 (A24T/T263A), CP2601 (T263A), and CP2616 (A24T/T263A/V430E) with ~3-fold increase in whole cells and >10-fold increase in purified proteins on the luminescence assay. However, the steady state kinetic analysis for lauric acid hydroxylation showed the significant reductions in enzymatic activities in all three mutants. A mutant, CP2600, showed a 51% decrease in catalytic efficiency ($k_{cat}/K_m$) for lauric acid hydroxylation mainly due to an increase in $K_m$. CP2601 and CP2616 showed much greater reductions (>75%) in the catalytic efficiency due to both a decrease in $k_{cat}$ and an increase in Km. These decreased catalytic activities of CP2601 and CP2616 can be partially attributed to the changes in substrate affinities. These results suggest that the enzymatic activities of CYP4A11 mutants selected from directed evolution using a luminogenic P450 substrate may not demonstrate a direct correlation with the hydroxylation activities of lauric acid.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.1389-1394
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• 2008

This study was carried out to investigate antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects of Acer tegmentosum M. (ATM) extracts. Content of total polyphenol of EtOAc fraction was the highest amount among fractions. Electron donating abilities of all fractions were increased as concentrations of each fraction were increased. ATM BuOH fraction showed the highest SOD like activity at low concentration (<$250\;{\mu}g/mL$). To investigate the protective effect of ATM on hepatotoxicity, ATM BuOH fraction was administered to mice for 7 consecutive days, and then lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected at a dosage of 1 mg/kg. The LPS led to increase of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). However, pretreatment with BuOH fraction prior to LPS injection significantly decreased plasma hepatospecific enzyme levels. Histological findings demonstrated that pretreatment with BuOH fraction resulted in an attenuation of LPS induced liver damages.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1290-1295
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• 2000

The present study was conducted to evaluate effects of the increased dietary vitamin A supplementation on the vitamin A, vitamin E and ascorbic acid concentrations in the plasma and liver and activities of some enzymes in the liver of the growing chicken. One hundred and twenty female chickens at 4 weeks of age were divided in 6 equal groups in accordance with their body weight. They were housed in cages and fed on standard wheat-barley-based broiler diet balanced in the major nutrients. Vitamin A was supplemented in the form of retinyl acetate. Control diet was supplemented with 10 IU/g and experimental feeds were supplemented with 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 IU/g. At days 42 and 56 of the development 8 chickens from each group were killed, plasma and liver were collected for vitamin and enzyme analyses. The increased vitamin A supplementation was associated with its increased accumulation in the liver and with a reduction of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ concentrations in the plasma and liver. The blood plasma was more resistant to vitamin A concentration changes and the retinol level was elevated only when the vitamin A dose exceeded 100 IU/g feed. Ascorbic acid concentration in the liver was elevated when moderately high vitamin A supplementation was used but significantly decreased at the highest vitamin A dose. Similar changes were observed with glycogen concentration in the liver. Activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase in the chicken liver were also dependent on vitamin A supplementation, decreasing with highest vitamin A doses. Therefore the observations showed that the vitamin A excess compromises antioxidant system of the growing chickens suggesting that prooxidant activity may be responsible for at least part of the toxicity of vitamin A.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.105-121
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• 2015

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Gagam-daewhang mangcho-tang (GDM) and its components on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice Methods: The AP mouse model was induced by intra-peritoneal injection of cerulein (50 μg/kg) at hourly intervals for 6 times. The experimental drug was administrated intraperitoneally 1 hour prior to the first injection of cerulein. Mice were sacrificed at 6 hours after the last injection of cerulein. Blood samples were taken to determine serum amylase level. The pancreas and lungs were rapidly removed for histochemical examination and myeloperoxidase (MPO) assays. Results: Administration of modified GDM significantly reduced the ratio of pancreas/body weight, level of serum amylase, neutrophil infiltration, and histological damage of the pancreas and lung. In a test of the components of GDM, the Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) group showed a significant suppression of the severity of AP. In an experiment testing the concentration of SM, the 150 mg/kg SM group showed significant attenuation of the severity of AP. Conclusions: Modified GDM and a SM water extract could attenuate AP and AP-associated lung injury via suppression of digestive enzyme secretion and MPO activity.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2012

Peroxiredoxin II (Prdx II; a typical 2-Cys Prdx) has been originally isolated from erythrocytes, and its structure and peroxidase activity have been adequately studied. Prdx II has been reported to protect a wide range of cellular environments as antioxidant enzyme, and its dysfunctions may be implicated in a variety of disease states associated with oxidative stress, including cancer and aging-associated pathologies. But, the precise mechanism is still obscure in various aspects of aging containing ovarian aging. Identification and relative quantification of the increased proteins affected by Prdx II deficiency may help identify novel signaling mechanisms that are important for oxidative stress-related diseases. To identify the increased proteins in Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice, we performed RBC comparative proteome analysis in membrane fraction and cytosolic fractions by nano-UPLC-$MS^E$ shotgun proteomics. We found the increased 86 proteins in membrane (32 proteins) and cytosolic (54 proteins) fractions, and analyzed comparative expression pattern in healthy RBCs of Prdx $II^{+/+}$ mice, healthy RBCs of Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice, and abnormal RBCs of Prdx $II^{-/-}$ mice. These proteins belonged to cellular functions related with RBC lifespan maintain, such as cellular morphology and assembly, cell-cell interaction, metabolism, and stress-induced signaling. Moreover, protein networks among the increased proteins were analyzed to associate with various diseases. Taken together, RBC proteome may provide clues to understand the clue about redox-imbalanced diseases.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.