• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1413-1421
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• 2013

The marine microalga Isochrysis sphaerica is rich in the very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, $C20:5{\omega}-3$) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, $C22:6{\omega}-3$) that are important to human health. Here, we report a functional characterization of a ${\Delta}4$-fatty acid desaturase gene (FAD4) from I. sphaerica. IsFAD4 contains a 1,284 bp open reading frame encoding a 427 amino acid polypeptide. The deduced amino sequence comprises three conserved histidine motifs and a cytochrome b5 domain at its N-terminus. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that IsFad4 formed a unique Isochrysis clade distinct from the counterparts of other eukaryotes. Heterologous expression of IsFAD4 in Pichia pastoris showed that IsFad4 was able to desaturate docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) to form DHA, and the rate of converting DPA to DHA was 79.8%. These results throw light on the potential industrial production of specific polyunsaturated fatty acids through IsFAD4 transgenic yeast or oil crops.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.561-571
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• 2010

Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the western world and the second leading cause of cancer death in Korea. Epidemiology studies have shown a reduced incidence of colon cancer among populations consuming a large quantity of ${\omega}3$-polyunsaturated fatty acids (${\omega}3$-PUFA) of marine origin. Recently, it has been found that ${\omega}3$-PUFA has an antineoplastic effect in several cancers. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of the anti-invasive effect of ${\omega}3$-PUFA in colon cancer. ${\omega}3$-PUFA, docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) treatment resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth in SW480 human colon cancer cells. In contrast, arachidonic acid (AA), a ${\omega}6$-PUFA, exhibited no significant effect. This action likely involves apoptosis, given that DHA treatment increased apoptotic cells in TUNEL assay. Moreover, invasiveness of SW480 cells was inhibited following treatment of DHA in a dose-dependent manner; in contrast, AA had no effect. The levels of MMP-9 and MMP-2 mRNA decreased after DHA pretreatment. MMP-9 and MMP-2 promoter activities were also inhibited by DHA treatment. The levels of NF-kB and p-IkB protein were down-regulated by DHA pretreatment in a dose dependent manner. In addition, DHA inhibited NF-kB promoter reporter activities. These findings suggest that ${\omega}3$-PUFA may inhibit cancer cell invasion by inhibition of MMPs via reduction of NF-kB in colon cancer. In conclusion, ${\omega}3$-PUFA could be used for chemoprevention and treatment of human colon cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.689-697
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• 2013

In the United States, about 40,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year and nearly 7,800 patients died from it in 2012. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been found to have anticancer effects in a variety of cancer cell lines and animal models, but their effect in oral cancer remains unclear. This study was designed to examine the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, a kind of omega-3 fatty acid) on oral cancer cells and the molecular mechanism of its action. We found that exposure of squamous cell carcinoma-4 (SCC-4) and squamous cell carcinoma-9 (SCC-9) human oral cancer cells to DHA induced growth inhibition in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, in addition to the elevated levels of apoptotic markers, such as cleaved PARP, subG1 portion and TUNEL-positive nuclei, DHA led to autophagic vesicle formation and an increase in autophagic flux, indicating the involvement of both apoptosis and autophagy in the inhibitory effects of DHA on oral cancer cells. Further experiments revealed that the apoptosis and autophagy induced by DHA were linked to inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling by AKT inhibition and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in SCC-9 cells. Together, our results suggest that DHA induces apoptosis- and autophagy-associated cell death through the AMPK/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in oral cancer cells. Thus, utilization of omega-3 fatty acids may represent a promising therapeutic approach for chemoprevention and treatment of human oral cancer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.973-978
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of simultaneous supplementation of laying hens with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) resources (flax, perilla, and Eucommia ulmoides [E. ulmoides] seeds) and eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid (EPA/DHA) resources (Schizochytrium sp.) on egg quality and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) profile. Methods: Dietary treatments were as follows: i) diet C (control diet); ii) diet F (diet C+10% flaxseeds); iii) diet P, (diet C+10% perilla seeds); iv) diet E (diet C+10% E. ulmoides seeds); v) diet A (diet C+1.5% microalage); vi) diet AF (diet C+10% flaxseeds+1.5% microalage); vii) diet AP (diet C+10% perilla seeds+1.5% microalgae); viii) diet AE (diet C+10% E. ulmoides seeds+ 1.5% microalage). Results: Egg weight, yolk weight and production ratio were not significantly affected by either algae or in combination with seeds (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed in ALA and DHA concentration in eggs between flaxseed, perila, and E. ulmodies seeds supplementation alone (p>0.05). N-3 PUFA in eggs was slightly improved by microalgae supplementation. The best supplementation, a combination of microalgae and perilla seeds, elevated (p<0.05) ALA from 19.7 to 202.5 mg/egg and EPA+DHA from 27.5 to 159.7 mg/egg. Highest n-3 PUFA enrichment (379.6 mg/yolk) was observed with supplementation of a combination of perilla seed and microalgae (362.2 mg/yolk), followed by a combination of flaxseed and microalgae (348.4 mg/yolk). The ALA, EPA, and DHA content obtained with a combination of microalgae and seeds surpassed the total sum of that obtained with microalgae or ALA-seeds alone. Conclusion: It is feasible to enrich eggs with n-3 PUFAs by perilla or E. ulmodies seeds instead of flaxseeds. Simultaneous supplementation of microalgae and seeds helped improve the transfer from EPA and docosapentaenoic acid into DHA.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 1994

We studied the effect of eicosanoids on the content of energy metabolites and the intrasynaptosomal $Ca^{++}([Ca^{++}]_i)$ concentration in cerebral ischemic rats. An ischemic model was made by bilateral carotid artery ligation (BCAL) and by incubation of synaptosomes under aglycemic and $N_2$ gas bubbling condition. The content of ATP, creatine phosphate and glucose decreased at 15 minutes after BCAL while that of lactate increased in male Wistar rats. Oral administration of EPA(100 mg/ml/Kg/day) or DHA(16 mg/ml/Kg/day) for 6 weeks improved both the decreases and the increase of the cerebral energy metabolites. In addition, the increase of $[Ca^{++}]_i$, under BACL was suppressed by EPA or DHA treatment. When the both Wistar rats and SHR were administered orally with EPA or DHA for 6 weeks, the effect on the increase of $[Ca^{++}]_i$ under ischemia by $N_2$ gas bubbling were protected. From these results, it may be that EPA or DHA treatment were greatly contributed to preservation of ischemic cerebral energy metabolism and $Ca^{++}$ concentration.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.549-555
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• 2018

The objectives of this study were to confirm the nutritional requirements and improve the survival of the walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma, a cold seawater fish, by enrichment. We analyzed the fatty acids and amino acids of fertilized pollock eggs before hatching, just-hatched larvae, larvae that had absorbed only the yolk sac, and larvae starved for 2 days after yolk absorption. For the survival improvement experiment, we administered docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and DHA-EPA enrichment. Fatty acid decreased DHA and EPA content. On the $30^{th}$ day, body growth was significantly greater in pollock given the EPA and DHA-EPA treatments (P<0.05). Larval survival at 20 and 30 days after hatching (DAH) was greatest under the DHA-EPA treatment (P<0.05). Survival was significantly lower under the EPA treatment at 10 DAH, but then increased to approach that seen under the EPA-DHA treatment (P<0.05). Therefore, we determined that reduced survival in hatchlings of high-mortality pollack could be improved by controlling EPA and DHA content during enrichment. We conclude that cold seawater fish must be given feed that meets their nutritional needs, which can be accomplished using newly manufactured enrichment products for the larvae of cold seawater fish, such as pollock.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.520-525
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• 1990

A modified method of urea adduct formation, in which water and organic solvent were used as the wetting agent and the reaction medium. respectively, is suggested to obviate methanolysis and to ease recovery in the separation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from fish oil. With the new method the fraction in which the total content of EPA. DHA and their precursors is more than 80% could be obtained. Although the total content of precursors in the concentrate was hardly affected by the kind of the wetting agent or the organic solvent, the content of EPA and DHA varied significantly depending on the organic solvent. This finding made it possible to selectively enrich the desired components. After DHA-enriched fraction (I)HA is 50%) was obtained by using pentane, EPA-enriched fraction ( EPA is 53%)) could be obtained from the residue of DHA-enriched fraction by using heptane.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2011

Anchovy oil was extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide ($SCO_2$) and organic solvents. Extraction was carried out at temperature range from 40 to $60^{\circ}C$, and pressure range from 15 to 25 MPa. The flow rate of $CO_2$ (22 $gmin^{-1}$) was constant entire the extraction period of 1.5 h. The fatty acid composition of anchovy oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). The main fatty acids of anchovy oil were myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). In addition, the oil obtained by $SCO_2$ extraction contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids especially EPA and DHA comparing to the organic solvent extracted oil. The oxidative stability of oils extracted from Anchovy by $SCO_2$ extraction was compared to those extracted by organic solvents. Results showed that the storage periods of oils obtained by $SCO_2$ extraction were longer than those of organic solvents extraction.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.987-994
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• 1997

To investigate the effects of n-3 fatty acids on breast cancer, MDA-MB231 human breast cancer cells were cultured in the presence of $\alpha$-linolenic (LNA), eicosapentaenoic(EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at a concentration of 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in serum -free IMM medium. Cell growth was monitored and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), $\alpha$-tocopherol contents, and oncogene expression were measured. To compare the effects of n-3 fatty acids with other types of fatty acid, steraic (STA), olieic(OA). linoleic acid(LA) were used. After one day , cell growth was retarded most highly when DHA was in the medium. Cellular TBARS level measured after three days of culture was the highest with DHA in the medium and was also increased by LNA and EPA, compared with STA, OA and LA. Alpha-tocoopherol contents of cells were decreased by DHA but only modestly. There was non significant difference in $\alpha$-tocopherol contents in cells cultured in the presence of the other fatty acids. northern blot hybridization carried out with cells cultured during 24 hours showed that levels of erbB-2 mRNA were not altered by six different fatty acids in the medium but those of c-myc were transiently decreased in the early period by both n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The level of tumor suppressor gen p53 mRNA , however, was increased by DHA with time. It is concluded that the cytotoxicity of lipid peroxide and increased expression of tumor suppressor gene p53 are at least partly responsible for the inhibitory effect of DHA on growth of breast cancer cells.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2002

Environmental and medium factors were investigated as basic data for optimizing DHA production when using Thraustochytrium aureum. To study the effect of environmental conditions, the rotation speed and culture temperature were changed. Plus the trend of the growth characteristics, lipid content in the biomass, and DHA content in lipids were evaluated according to various initial glucose concentrations. The biomass, lipid, and DHA analyses showed that the physiological characteristics of T. aureum were closely related with the environmental and medium conditions, as in the case of other marine microorganisms. For example, a low rotation speed of 50 rpm lowered the cell growth rate as well as the DHA content in the lipids. A low temperature had a negative effect on the cell growth, yet a positive effect on the lipid content in the biomass. Different initial glucose concentrations had no effect on the lipid content in the biomass or DHA content in the lipids, yet did affect the cell growth. Accordingly, these results show that environmental and medium factors must be synthetically considered in order to optimize DHA production when using T. aureum.