• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 2000

A large number of man-made chemicals that have been released into the environment have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system of animals and humans. There is a critical developmental period during which sexual brain differentiation proceeds irreversibly under the influence of gonadal hormone. Recently we identified KAP3 gene expressed during the critical period of rat brain sexual differentiation. KAP3 functions as a microtubule-based motor that transports membranous organelles anterogradely in cells, including neurons. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of endocrine disrupter, Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), on the KAP3 gene expression during critical period of rat brain development. Maternal exposure to DDT increased the level of KAP3 mRNA in male and female fetus brains when examined on the gestational day 17 (GDl7). In postnatal day 6, DDT suppressed the expression of KAP3 gene in male and female rat brain. Also, the body weight and fertilization rate were decreased in the DDT exposured rats. These results showed that endocrine disrupter, DDT, can affect the transcriptional level of brain sexual differentiation related gene, KAP3, in the prenatal and the neonatal rat brain and that maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors may lead to a toxic response in embryonic differentiation of brain. And so KAP3 gene may be used a gene maker to analyse the molecular mechanism for toxic response in animal nerve tissues exposed to endocrine disruptors.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Purpose: Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (PSP) have been investigated in vitro and in animals and found to have a protective effect against oxidative hepatic damage. In this study, we investigated that aqueous extract of PSP can ameliorate the dysfunction of lipid metabolism in mice fed a high fat/cholesterol diet. Methods: Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8) and fed one of the following diets for 8 weeks; normal fat (NF) diet; high fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet; HFC with 1.25% PSP (HFPL) diet; HFC with 2.5% PSP (HFPM) diet; HFC with 5% PSP (HFPH) diet. Results: Non-alcoholic fatty liver was manifested in the HFC group by showing increased levels in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased level of TC and presence of many large lipid droplets in the liver, and increased fat cell size in the HFC group compared with the NF group. However, administration of HFC induced a significant decrease in food intake, resulting in decrease in fat mass. Co-administration of PSP did not lead to reversal of body weight changes, ALT activity, and lipid levels in plasma and the liver, but suppressed excess enlargement of the fat cell size through increasing carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) gene expression in the liver. Accordingly, the number of fat droplets in the liver was reduced in PSP administered groups. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that PSP may have a protective effect on the dysfunction of lipid metabolism. Conduct of further studies on the coordinated regulation of PSP for lipid metabolic homeostasis at the liver-adipose tissue axis is needed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 2008

Viscum album coloratum (Korean mistletoe; KM) is a semi-parasitic plant growing on various trees. This plant hasbeen shown to possess a variety of biological functions such as immunomodulation, apoptosis-induction and antitumor activity. However, there is no information about how the extract of KM affects life span of the host. In this study, in order to examine the effect of KM on the longevity of the host, we investigated whether a Korean mistletoe extract (KME) was able to extend the life length in an experimental model using the spring silkworm moth of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera bombycidae). We established a model test for survival in which all of the male and female moths died within 18 days after the beginning of the experiment. Mean survival time of female moths was longer than that of male moths. Both male and female moths fed with KME containing diet (200 or 400 ${\mu}g$/head/day) showed significantly higher mean survival times than those of the control moths. Studying the effect of KME on prolongation of mean survival time showed that male moths were more susceptible than female moths. The moths fed with KME-containing diet showed a slight decrease in body weight. Interestingly, however, no difference in food intake was observed between moths fed with KME-containing diet and those with control diet. In analysis for mRNA increase in the SIRT2 gene, a member of the Sir2 gene family playing important roles in regulation of cell death and prolongation of life span, moths fed with KME-containing diet showed a significant increase in SIRT2 gene expression. These results suggest that KME has a potential to extend the life span in Bombyx mori, and its effect is partly associated with increase in SIRT2 gene expression.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1496-1502
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• 2007

The roles of melatonin in the control of deiodinase (MD) activity in cashmere goat skin and associated cashmere fibre growth were investigated. Eighteen half-sib Chinese Inner Mongolia cashmere wethers were allocated randomly to two groups (n = 9/group). One group was implanted subcutaneously with melatonin (2 mg/kg BW) at three 2-monthly intervals while the other group served as a control. All goats were maintained under natural photoperiodic conditions and were grazed on natural pasture. The plasma melatonin concentration showed a significant difference (p<0.01) between the implant group (M) and the control group (C) but plasma $T_4$ (or $T_3$) showed no significant difference (p>0.05). The monodeiodinase type II (MDII) activity in skin tended to increase gradually from the summer solstice to November. During July and August, the activity of MDII for the M group was higher (p<0.05) than that of the C group; also during this period, there was a significant positive correlation between MDII activity of skin and cashmere fibre growth rate. The monodeiodinase type III (MDIII) activity and the ratio of MDIII and MDII tended to decrease from the summer solstice to November. The ratio of MDIII and MDII for the M group was lower (p<0.05) than that of the C group in July and August. The cashmere fibre growth rate of the M group was significantly greater than that of the C group in July (p<0.01), August (p<0.001) and September (p<0.05). The cashmere fibre diameter and guard hair and body weight were not influenced (p>0.05) by melatonin implantation. The results demonstrate that melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of skin MD activity. Simultaneously, the cashmere fibre elongation stimulated by melatonin may result from enhanced MDII activity during a period of two months after melatonin treatment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A variety of immunomodulators can improve the efficacy of low-dose chemotherapeutics. Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), a mushroom mycelia extract, has been shown to be a strong immunomodulator. Whether AHCC could enhance the antitumor effect of low-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) via regulation of host immunity is unknown. MATERIALS/METHODS: In the current study Hepatoma 22 (H22) tumor-bearing mice were treated with PBS, 5-FU ($10mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$, i.p), or AHCC ($360mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$, i.g) plus 5-FU, respectively, for 5 d. $CD^{3+}$, $CD^{4+}$, $CD^{8+}$, and NK in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. ALT, AST, BUN, and Cr levels were measured by biochemical assay. IL-2 and $TNF{\alpha}$ in serum were measured using the RIA kit and apoptosis of tumor was detected by TUNEL staining. Bax, Bcl-2, and TS protein levels were measured by immunohistochemical staining and mRNA level was evaluated by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Diet consumption and body weight showed that AHCC had no apparent toxicity. AHCC could reverse liver injury and myelosuppression induced by 5-FU (P < 0.05). Compared to mice treated with 5-FU, mice treated with AHCC plus 5-FU had higher thymus index, percentages of $CD^{3+}$, $CD^{4+}$, and NK cells (P < 0.01), and ratio of $CD^{4+}$/$CD^{8+}$ (P < 0.01) in peripheral blood. Radioimmunoassay showed that mice treated with AHCC plus 5-FU had the highest serum levels of IL-2 and $TNF{\alpha}$ compared with the vehicle group and 5-FU group. More importantly, the combination of AHCC and 5-FU produced a more potent antitumor effect (P < 0.05) and caused more severe apoptosis in tumor tissue (P < 0.05) compared with the 5-FU group. In addition, the combination of AHCC and 5-FU further up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) (P < 0.01), while it down-regulated the expression of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the claim that AHCC might be beneficial for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 1972

Two polyethylene tubes were inserted into the esophagus of anesthetized rabbit in order to record the fluctuation of the intraluminal pressure through the orifices located near the tips of the tubes. The orifice of the first tube was 10 cm apart from the incisor of the rabbit and the orifice of the second tube was 5 cm below that of the first one. The tubes were filled with saline solution running at various rates ranging from 1.5 ml/min. to 4.2 ml/min. The tubes were connected to the pressure transducers and the electrical signals were recorded by the physiograph. When the peristaltic wave approached to the orifice a rise in the pressure was recorded, returning to the base line when the portion of the orifice was quiescent. The frequency of the peristaltic motion and the velocity of the wave were studied in connection with the flow rate of saline solution through the tubes and in the case of massive acute hemorrhage. The results obtained were as follows: 1. There was reflux of fluid induced during the procedure of the experiment. This outwrad flow through the pharynx seemed to elicite swallowing reflexes. Accordingly, the frequency of peristalsis of the esophagus was largely dependent on the flow rate of the fluid through the inserted tubes. By the flow rate of 1.5 ml/min., 2.5 ml/min., or 4.2 ml/min., the frequencies of the peristalsis were revealed to be $8.6{\pm}3.6/10min.,\;14.5{\pm}4.8/10min.\;or\;21.1{\pm}6.3/10min.,$ respectively. The velocity of peristalsis also coincided with the enhanced motility of the esophagus, showing $6.6{\pm}1.5\;cm/sec.,\;8.9{\pm}3.9\;cm/sec.,\;or\;12.4{\pm}4.6\;cm/sec.,$ respectively. 2. By acute hemorrhage, amounting to 2% of the body weight, the frequency of the peristalsis increased to twofold of the control and the propagation velocity also increased by 52 percent. 3. Retransfusion of the shed blood resulted in divergent responses. In some cases there were noticable ameliorations of the effects brought by acute hemorrhage, and in the others there were still increasing tendenies of the motility after the transfusion. 4. Some speculation was made about the possibility of a kind of relationship between the irreversibility of the hemorrhagic shock and the absence of responses by transfusion. 5. The peristalsis persisted even after complete disconnection at the midportion of the esophagus, reaffirming the view of a central regulation of the spatiotemporally coordinated motility, peristalsis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.267-272
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• 2017

Piceatannol (PIC) is a natural hydroxylated analog of resveratrol (RSV), which is a polyphenol known to extend lifespan by stimulating sirtuins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PIC and RSV on the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) pathway in mouse hepatocytes and an obese/diabetic KK/HlJ mouse model. AML12 mouse hepatocytes in the absence or presence of palmitic acids (PA) were treated with PIC ($50{\mu}M$) or RSV ($50{\mu}M$). Male KK/HlJ mice at 20 weeks of age were divided into three subgroups as follows: 1) obese and diabetic control (KK), 2) KK_PIC, and 3) KK_RSV. PIC and RSV were administered orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks. Four weeks of PIC and RSV treatment did not affect body weight or food intake in KK mice. Serum fasting blood glucose was significantly reduced in KK_PIC, and 2 h oral glucose tolerance test area under the curve was significantly reduced by PIC and RSV treatment in KK mice. PIC tended to improve homeostasis model assessment of the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and HOMA beta-cells in diabetic KK mice. TLR4 and $NF-{\kappa}B$ were down-regulated by PIC and RSV treatments in hepatocytes in the absence or presence of PA. Insulin receptor, AMP-activated protein kinase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3, interleukin-1, and $NF-{\kappa}B$ were altered in PIC-treated livers. Collectively, PIC and RSV inhibited the $TLR4-NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway, and PIC seems to be more effective than RSV in the regulation of analyzed targets, which are involved in insulin signaling and inflammation in vivo.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.532-538
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• 2016

Menopause is characterized by a decrease in estrogen production by the ovaries. Furthermore, the risk of developing chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes increases in menopausal women. In this study, we evaluated the ability of Caragana sinica (CS) to affect lipid and glucose metabolism in an ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rat model of induced menopause. The animals were divwided randomly into three groups: sham-operated rats (SHAM), ovariectomized rats (OVX), and ovariectomized rats treated with 1% water extract of CS (OVX-CS). The OVX-CS treated mice showed a significant decrease in body weight, adipose tissue, triglyceride, and total cholesterol. Improved lipid and glucose profiles were also observed, and were attributed to suppression of hepatic lipogenesis and adipokine production and regulation of glucose-regulating enzyme activity. Therefore, these findings indicate a potential use for CS as a functional food for menopause-induced hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2010

Saengmaeksan (SMS) is a well known Korean traditional herbal prescription, which consists of 3 different herbs, Radix Ophiopogonis, Radix Ginseng, and Fructus Schisandrae. SMS has been commonly used in various disease including respiratory system and cardiovascular System in Korea. The objective of this study is to find out the improving effects of SMS against Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis. SMS reduced clinical signs of DSS-induced colitis, including body weight loss, shorten colon length, and increased disease activity index. The results showed that SMS significantly inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ p65 in the colon tissues of DSS-treated mice. In addition, we observed that result showed that the levels of IL-6 in plasma were increased in DSS treated group compared to those of the normal group, but these increased levels were reduced by administration with SMS. Taken together, these findings suggest that SMS has improving effects on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis, which may explain its beneficial effect in the regulation of chronic intestinal inflammation.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.727-738
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of essential amino acid(EAA) deficient diets on short-term feeding response and the Fos expression in brain area when methionine deficiency diet fed, and thereby to know the mechanism of feed intake regulation. In all trials, experimental diets were formulated with pure amino acid mixture to level of 15% nitrogen. Rats were adapted to a 6-hr single-meal feeding per day(17:00${\sim}$21:00). Feed intake and body weight were monitored every hour after 7-day of feeding of individual EAA deficient diets in Exp. Ⅰ. In Exp. Ⅱ, Fos immuno- histochemistry was determined in various regions of brain to identify the regions that is related to suppressed feed intake following feeding methionine-deficient diet. Fos expression was examined to know the initial sensitive region in the brains of rats at 3h after feeding of the control and methionine deficient diet(-Met). Initial response to EAA deficiency diets was severely depressed in methionine deficiency diet, but the depression was low in threonine deficiency diet. However, the feed intake at 3rd day in rats was depressed in the order of His(71%), Leu(68%), Ile(66%), Thr(63%), Trp(61%), Val(55%), Phe(52%), Met(51%), Lys(44%) and Arg(24%). Fos immunoreaction in neural regions(PPC, amygdala and EPC) of pyrifrom cortex was increased in the -Met group more than in the control diet group, but those in LH, VMH and PVM were similar. Thus, based on these data, the PPC was identified as the initial response area in the -EAA diet.