• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.741-745
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• 2005

Pectin was dissolved in HCl, citric acid, and deionized distilled water (DW, 2%, v/v) and irradiated at different irradiation doses (2.5-50 kGy) by gamma ray to investigate its physicochemical characteristics and biological activity. Viscosity of pectin solution was significantly decreased by irradiation up to 10 kGy, then remained constant thereafter. Gamma-irradiation increased monosaccharide and polysaccharide levels up to 30-40 kDa. Electron donating ability of pectin solution was highest when DW was added and was increased by increasing irradiation dose (p<0.05). ${\beta}-Carotene$ bleaching assay revealed irradiation resulted in development of antioxidantive activity in pectin solution. Growth inhibition of cancer cell lines was observed in irradiated pectin solution in dose-dependent manner, with G36l showing the highest. Results suggested irradiation of pectin solution could be effective for preparation of functional pectin oligomer.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.690-695
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• 2003

Physiological activities of 40% ethanol extracts of Phellinus ribis were studied by employing several biological and biochemical assays. The extracts of Phellinus ribis displayed nitrate-scavenging activities (NSA) at pH 1.2 as with 64% NSA with 1.0 mg/mL of the extracts. They also had 91% 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities at the concentration of 1.0 mg/mL. Antioxidant activities of the extracts (at 0.5 mg/mL) on the autoxidation of linoleic acid (p<0.001) were also observed.. The inhibitory effect of the extracts on angiotensin converting enzyme was 11%. Cytotoxic effects of Phellinus ribis extracts against human cancer cell tines were also examined using MTT assay. The extracts (at 50 mg/mL) had severe growth inhibitory effects on A549, Hela, AGS, and SK-Hep-1, which were 8, 44, 76 and 42%, respectively. Ames test indicated that the extracts had no mutating effects on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2012

Sikhae is a traditional Korean fermented seafood with a 7-10% salt concentration. Consumers have begun to look for low-salt food because excess salt is known to cause hypertension and gastric cancer. The quality characteristics of low-salt squid sikhae were investigated at different fermentation temperatures and periods, so as to determine its shelflife. The shelf-life of the low-salt (5%) squid sikhae at $-1^{\circ}C$ based on pH was 142 days. The functional activities of the ethanol extract of squid sikhae such as its antioxidant activity and inhibitions on ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-glucuronidase, and elastase were stronger than those of the water extract. Based on the results of sensory evaluation, the low-salted squid sikhae was very similar to fermented seafood. In conclusion, low-salt sikhae is commercially viable.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.589-597
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• 2006

Genistein, a natural isoflavonoid phytoestrogen, is a strong inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinase and DNA topoisomerase activities. There are several studies documenting molecular alterations leading to cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis by genistein as a chemopreventive agent in a variety of cancer cell lines; however, its mechanism of action and its molecular targets on human bladder carcinoma and leukemic cells remain unclear. In the present study, we have addressed the mechanism of action by which genistein suppressed the proliferation of T24 bladder carcinoma and U937 leukemic cells. Genistein significantly inhibited the cell growth and induced morphological changes, and induced the G2/M arrest of the cell cycle in both T24 and U937 cells with a relatively stronger cytotoxicity in U937. The G2/M arrest in T24 cells was associated with the inhibition of cyclin A, cyclin B1 and Cdc25C protein expression without alteration of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1). However, the inhibitory effects of genistein on the cell growth of U937 cells were connected with a marked inhibition of cyclin B1 and an induction of Cdk inhibitor p21 proteins by p53-independent manner. These data suggest that genistein may exert a strong anticancer effect and additional studies will be needed to evaluate the different mechanisms between T24 and U937 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.7 s.80
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• pp.1235-1242
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• 2006

Sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate derived from hydrolysis of glucoraphanin in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, was shown to induce phase II detoxification enzymes and inhibit chemically induced mammary tumors in rodents. Recently, sulforaphane is known to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human canter cells, however its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In tile present study, we demonstrated that sulforaphane acted to inhibit proliferation and induce morphological changes of human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Treatment of HepG2 cells with $10{\mu}M\;or\;15{\mu}M$ sulforaphane resulted in significant G2/M cell cycle arrest as determined by DNA flow cytometry. Moreover, $20{\mu}M$ sulforaphane significantly induced the population of sub-G1 cells suggesting that sulforaphane induced apoptosis. This anti-proliferative effect of sulforaphane was accompanied by a marked inhibition of ryclin A, cyclin 31 and Cdc2 protein. However, the levels of tumor suppressor p53 and Cdk inhibitor p21 mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased by sulforaphane treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Although further studies are needed, the present work suggests that sulforaphane may be a potential rhemoprevetiveichemotherapeucc agent for the treatment of human cancer cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.651-656
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• 2016

Bee pollen is produced by honeybees and is considered one of the most balanced and nourishing nutritional supplements available. Historically, bee pollen has been prescribed for its healing properties and consumed for its high-energy supply. Recent research has provided evidence that bee pollen has diverse biological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and even anti-cancer effects. However, the outer membrane of the pollen grain, exine, is highly resistant to most acidic solutions, high pressure, and even digestive enzymes, and the resulting low bioavailability limits its nutritional and clinical applications. This study applied a wet-grinding method to destroy the exine effectively, and it then examined the pollen's enhanced biological activity. First, microscopic observations provided strong evidence that wet grinding destroyed the exine time-dependently. In addition, the content of polyphenols, well-known ingredients of bee pollen and used as internal standards for the quality control of commercial pollen preparations, increased up to 11-fold with wet grinding. Further, the anti-oxidant activity demonstrated on the ABTS anti-oxidant assay, as well as the DPPH radical scavenging assay, was also dramatically increased. Together, the results presented here support a new technology by which bee pollen can be used as a resource for medical, nutritional, and cosmetic applications.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.983-989
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• 2016

All cells composing of our body undergo their destiny such as proliferation, differentiation, necrosis, apoptosis and senescence depending on their circumstance with time. The errors occurring in these processes develop several aberrations in phenotypes including cancer, inflammation, aging and diseases. New strategy and approach are required to screen anti-aging compounds derived from natural products. Therefore, here we explain the target proteins to play a key role in aging mechanism. In the first place, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in metastasis, chronic inflammation and skin aging as an aging marker. In particular, histone deacetylases (HDACs) give a great attention to aging researchers who try to extend the life span of animal model. In addition, we describe the signaling pathway related to senescence which p53, IGF-1 and SIRT1 play an important role in. Furthermore, autophagy is involved in the signaling pathway associated with aging. Several new compounds modulating the signaling pathway of senescence are introduced in this review. Here, we try to provide a new insight in the molecular basis for the aging mechanism and development of aging marker. In addition, the compounds introduced here could be available for pharmaceutical applications for the prevention and the treatment of diseases related to aging.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.727-736
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• 2016

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major cereal crops for consumption by the world’s population. Recently, various colored rice, such as white, red, brown, green, and black rice, have caught the attention of world consumers. The commercial name ‘black rice’ contains a high amount of anthocyanins in pericarp, which increases nutritional value. Moreover, anthocyanin in black rice possesses biomedical properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects in humans. In genetics, black rice has a dominant PURPLE PERICARP (Prp) trait governed by two genes, Pb and Pp, which are involved in the synthesis of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G). Since the publication of a report by Nagai at 1921, the genetics and physiological studies of black rice driven by Prp traits are still unable to understand the relevant genes and their roles. However, with the increased demand for anthocyanin-rich black rice as a functional food for human health, it has become urgent to develop highyielding anthocyanin-rich varieties of rice. We explored many years in the genetics of purple pericarp trait, anthocyanin biosynthesis in pericarp during seed development, and, consequently, their products in relation to different physiological and agronomic traits. In this review, we summarized the anthocyanin biosynthesis in pericarp, emphasizing the inheritance pattern of the trait and functions of their products on different physiological and agronomic traits, including the yield of black rice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1729-1739
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of fermented medicinal herbs. A search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed databases and Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine in 2000-2011 located 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the clinical efficacy of fermented medicinal herbs. Domestic RCTs reported clinical efficacy on improvement of immune responses and clinical safety on usage of fermented medicinal herbs in subjects suffering from cerebral hemodynamics. Countries other than Chinareported studies on the cause of esophageal cancer and on local inflammatory reactions. In China, studies were reported on the effectiveness of fermented medicinal herbs on scapulohumeral periarthritis of the stasis type, chronic superficial gastritis, dysuria induced by benign prostatic hyperplasia of deficiency of kidney yang, diabetic nephropathy, essential hypertension, and benign prostate hyperplasia. These results indicate that fermented medicinal herbs have obvious clinical effects in some diseases and no adverse reactions. Therefore, we need to initiate more fermentation research with useful bacteria, fungi, and mushrooms to produce fermented medicinal herbs. Both governments and research authorities should focus on research involving fermentation of medicinal herbs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1789-1794
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• 2011

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells playing key roles in immune sentinels as initiators of T-cell responses against microbial pathogens and tumors. Sarijang, a folk sauce containing extracts of Rhynchosia nulubilis, Ulmus davidiana roots, Allium sativum, and Rhus Verniaiflura bark, has been used as a nonspecific immunostimulant for cancer patients. However, little is known about its immunomodulating effects or their mechanisms. In this study, we investigated whether sarijang induces phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs. For this study, murine bone marrow-derived myeloid DCs were cultured in the presence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and the generated immature DCs were stimulated with sarijang or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our data indicated that sarijang significantly enhanced the expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) as well as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II, as did LPS. The results provide new insight into the immunopharmacology of sarijang and suggest a novel approach to the manipulation of DC for therapeutic application.