• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.277-284
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• 2006

The genetic toxicity of environmental pollutants, namely, nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and chloropyriphos (CP) was investigated in aquatic sentinel species, freshwater crustacean, Daphnia magna, and larva of aquatic midge, Chironomus tentans, using Comet assay. Physiological effect of such pollutants was also investigated by studying the specimens' rates of reproduction, growth and survival. Acute toxicity results showed that, as expected, Daphnia was more sensitive than Chironomus to chemical exposure. The order of acute toxicity was CP > NP > BPA in D. magna and NP > CP > BPA in C. tentans. BPA may exert a genotoxic effect on D. magna and C. tentans, given that DNA strand breaks increased in both species exposed to this compound, whereas NP- and CP-induced DNA damage occurred only in C. tentans. In vivo genotoxic data obtained in aquatic sentinel species could provide valuable information for freshwater quality monitoring. The experiments with NP-exposed D. magna showed that the pollutant has long-term effects on reproduction, whereas no short-term effect on DNA integrity was found, being an example of a false-negative result from the biomarkers perspective. This result could be interpreted that other mechanism than genetic alteration might be involved in NP-induced reproduction failure in D. magna. False-positive results from the genotoxic biomarker obtained in BPA-exposed D. magna and in NP-exposed C. tentans make it difficult to use DNA integrity as an early warning biomarker. However, as the mere presence of genotoxic compounds, which are potentially carcinogenic, is of high concern to human and ecosystem health, it could also be important to rapidly and effectively detect genotoxic compounds in the aquatic system in ways that do not necessarily accompany a higher level of alteration. Considering the potential of D. magna and C. tentans as bioindicator species, and the importance of genotoxic biomarkers in ecotoxicity monitoring, DNA damage in these species could provide useful information for environmental risk assessment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9955-9960
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• 2014

Background: Promoter hypermethylation is a common event in human cancer. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a gene involved in DNA repair, which is methylated in a variety of cancers. We aimed to explore the methylation status of MGMT gene among the North Eastern population where esophageal cancer incidence and exposure to carcinogens like nitrosamines is high. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer cases along with equal number of age, sex and ethnicity matched controls were included in this study. Methylation specific PCR was used to determine the MGMT methylation status in serum samples. Results: Aberrant promoter methylation of the MGMT gene was detected in 70% of esophageal cancer cases. Hypermethylation of MGMT gene was found to be influenced by environmental factors like betel quid and tobacco which contain potent carcinogens like nitrosamines. Tobacco chewing and tobacco smoking habit synergistically with MGMT methylation elevated the risk for esophageal cancer development [adjusted OR=5.02, 95% CI=1.35-18.74; p=0.010 for tobacco chewing and Adjusted OR=3.00, 95% CI=1.22-7.36; p=0.014 for tobacco smoking]. Conclusions: Results suggest that the DNA hypermethylation of MGMT is an important mechanism for MGMT gene silencing resulting in esophageal cancer development and is influenced by the environmental factors. Thus MGMT hypermethylation can be used as a biomarker for esophageal cancer in high incidence region of North East India.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2002.05b
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• pp.20-45
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• 2002

In this study, we demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo formation of carcinogen-lipid adduct and its correlation with DNA or protein adducts. The lipids from serum or hepatocyte membranes of Spragu-Dawley rats. human serum, and standard major lipids were in vitro reacted with benzo[a]pyrene(BP) and BP metabolites. 7,8-Dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]-pyrene(BPDE-I), an ultimate carcinogenic form of BP, was covalently bound to triglyceride(TG). BPDE-I-TG adducts isolated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) were further detected by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). TGs, including triolein, tripalmitin and tristearin, showed positive reactions with BPDE-I. However, cholesterol, phospholipids(Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyl-ethanolamine, phosphatidyl-inositol and sphingomyelin) and nonesterified fatty acids(palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and stearic acid) did not react with BPDE-I. In addition, other BP metabolites (BP-phenols and -diols) did not react with TG, which TG appeared to be the most reactive lipid yet studied with respect to its ability to form an adduct with BPDE-I. There was a clear-cut dose-respect to its ability to form an adduct with BPDE-I-lipid adduct in vitro between TG and [1,3-3H]BPDE-I. In an animal study, BPDE-I-TG was also formed in the serum of rats orally treated with BP(25 mg/rat). Also, obvious correlations between [3H]BP related-biomolecule adducts (DNA, protein) or lipid damage and the BPDE-I-TG adduct were obtained in various tissues of mice i.p. treated with [3H]BP. These data suggest that TG can form an adduct with BPDE-I, as do other macromolecules (DNA, RNA, and protein). Therefore, a carcinogen-lipid adduct would be a useful biomarker for chemical carcinogenesis research and cancer risk assessment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.61-69
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• 1993

We examined various enzyme activity changes by intraperitoneal injection uranium in the carp liver. These enzyme activity changes can be used as biochemical indicators of internal exposure to uranium. The results were followings ; 1) Total protein concentration decreased by intraperitoneal injection in the carp liver. 2) Lysosomal acid pretense and ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ activities increased in the liver until sixth intraperitoneal injection of uranium, but Lysosomal acid phosphatase activities decreased in the liver until the sixth injection of uranium. 3) Alkaline phosphatase activities sharply increased and Glutamate oxaloacetate Transaminase activities steadily decreased in the liver until the sixth injection of uranium. 4) Creatine %kinase activities steadily decreased and malate dehydrogenase activities sharply decreased in the liver after the primary injection of uranium. Any malate dehydrogenase activities was not detected after sixth injection of uranium.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.246-254
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• 2018

Psychological stress and physical fatigue, such as anxiety, fear, sleep disturbance, etc., caused by exposure to the war, can lead to post-traumatic stress syndrome(PTSD) or war syndrome. The military has also prepared for drug use to minimize war syndrome and preserve combat strength. However, efforts to prevent war syndrome are still lacking. This study was conducted to identify biomarkers that can track psychophysiological changes. Psychophysiological changes associated with PTSD can be divided into four main categories. The four categories are behavioral changes, changes in brain cognition, neuroimmunological changes, and changes in innate immunity. This study suggest that biomarker profile can be made by the distance moved and the anxiety-like behavior in the open field for behavior category, brain BDNF levels in the brain cognition category, serum corticosterone in the neuroimmunology category, and inflammatory cytokine levels in the innate immunity category.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2015

Chironomous is aquatic insect belonging to order Diptera, family Chironomidae. Their larval stage can be found mainly in aquatic benthic environment, hence good model organism to study environmental toxicology assessments and consider as useful bio indicators of contamination of the aquatic environment. In this study, Chironomus Heat Shock Proteins, Cytochrome 450, Glutathione S-transferase, Serine-type endopeptidase gene expressions were compared between polluted field areas (Chironomus plumosus) and under laboratory conditions (Chironomus riparious) to investigate molecular indicators for environmental contaminant stress assessment. Heavy metal (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Zn, Se, Pb, As, Cd) concentrations in sediments collected from three study areas exceeded the reference values. Moreover, HSPs, CYP450 and GST gene expression except SP for C. plumosus showed higher expression than C. riparious gene expression. Similar gene expression pattern was observed in C. riparious that exposed environment waters up to 96 h when compared to C. plumosus exposed to waters that grown in lab conditions. In summary, this comparative gene expression analysis in Chironomous between field and laboratory condition gave useful information to select candidate molecular indicators in heavy metal contaminations in the environment.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2017

FK506BP (FK506 binding protein 12) is a small peptide with a single FK506BP domain. It is involved in suppression of immune response, oxidative stress and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the gene expression of FK506BP in red seabream (Pagrus major) exposure to low water temperature (8℃, 33 psu) and low salinity (20℃, 10 psu). Results showed that, the expression of FK506BP was significantly increased in the experiment groups, such as low water temperature (8℃, 33 psu), and low salinity (20℃, 10 psu). These results suggest that FK506BP was played roles in biomarker gene on the environmental stress such as water temperature and salinity.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.70-74
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• 2017

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is one of the proinflammatory cytokines, after IL-1 binds to IL-1RI, IL-1RacP (interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein) joins with IL-1/IL-1RI to form a complex, and leading to cell activation. IL-1RAcP is involved in immune response, stress and apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the gene expression of IL-1RAcP in red seabream (Pagrus major) exposure to low water temperature (8℃, 33 psu) and low salinity (20℃, 10 psu). Results showed that, the expression of IL-1RAcP was significantly increased in the experiment groups, such as low water temperature (8℃, 33 psu), and low salinity (20℃, 10 psu). These results suggest that IL-1RAcP was played roles in biomarker gene on the environmental stress such as low water temperature and low salinity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate the difference of airborne lead concentration by type of lead industries and type of lead exposure and to evaluate their association with lead biomarkers of lead workers in 11 lead using industries. Total of 182 lead workers (male: 167, female: 15) from 11 lead industries were participated for this study from March, 2004 to August, 2005. Airborne lead concentration were measured by representative personal sampling of workers in each unit workplace and applied same concentration value to the workers in the same unit workplace who did not measure their airborne lead with personal air sampling. Tibia lead, blood lead, zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine, hemoglobin and hematocrit were selected as study variables of indices of lead exposure. Information about type of lead exposure (fume or non-fume other), age, work duration, smoking & drinking habit were also collected. Significant differences were seen in the means of zinc protoporphyrin, blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers by different airborne lead concentration in workplace. While blood lead and tibia lead in lead workers were significantly higher in secondary smelting than other types of lead industries, zinc protoporphyrin, ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid in urine and airborne lead concentration were significantly higher in litharge manufacturing. While the mean blood lead was significantly higher in the lead workers working in fume type unit workplace than those of non-fume lead workers, the mean airborne lead concentration of fume workers was significantly lower than non-fume lead workers. In the multiple regression analysis of airborne lead concentration and the type of lead exposure on tibia lead and lead exposure indices after adjustment of related covariates, airborne lead concentration was statistically significantly associated with blood lead and tibia lead, but the type of lead exposure was only associated with blood lead. To verify the causal association of airborne lead concentration on blood lead and tibia lead, further studies are needed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.351-355
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• 2010

Our previous proteomic study demonstrated that oxidative stress and antioxidant delphinidin regulated the cellular level of $p27^{kip1}$ (referred to as p27) as well as some heat shock proteins in human colon cancer HT 29 cells. Current study was conducted to validate and confirm the regulation of these proteins using both in vitro and in vivo systems. The level of p27 was decreased by hydrogen peroxide in a dose-dependent manner in human colon carcinoma HCT 116 (p53-positive) cells while it was increased upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide in HT 29 (p53-negative) cells. However, high concentration of hydrogen peroxide (100 ${\mu}M)$ downregulated p27 in both cell lines, but delphindin, one of antioxidative anthocyanins, enhanced the level of p27 suppressed by 100 ${\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide. ICR mice were injected with varying concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, delphinidin and both. Western blot analysis for the mouse large intestinal tissue showed that the expression of p27 was upregulated by 25 mg/kg BW hydrogen peroxide. To investigate the association of p27 regulation with hypoxia-inducible factor 1-beta (HIF-$1{\beta}$), the level of p27 was analyzed in wild-type mouse hepatoma hepa1c1c7 and Aryl Hydrocarbon Nuclear Translocator (arnt, HIF-$1{\beta}$)-defective mutant BPRc1 cells in the absence and presence of hydrogen peroxide and delphinidin. While the level of p27 was responsive to hydrogen peroxide and delphinidin, it remained unchanged in BPRc1, suggesting that the regulation of p27 requires functional HIF-$1{\beta}$. We also found that hydrogen peroxide and delphinidin affected PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway which is one of upstream regulators of HIFs. In conclusion, hydrogen peroxide and antioxidant delphinidin seem to regulate intracellular level of p27 through regulating HIF-1 level which is, in turn, governed by its upstream regulators comprising of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. The results should also encourage further study for the potential of p27 as a biomarker for intracellular oxidative or antioxidant status.