• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.91-96
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the folate nutritional status of Korean pregnant women and to investigate the relation between folate levels of maternal-umbilical cord blood, placenta tissue, and pregnancy outcomes. The study subjects consisted of 25 pregnant women who have had normal term deliveries. Dietary folate intakes of the pregnants were estimated by semi quantitative frequency questionnaire and the serum and placenta tissue folate level was measured by microbiological analysis. The total folate intakes of the pregnant women was 655.6 ${\mu}$g/d, which was 131.1% of the Korean RDA for pregnants. Maternal serum folate level was 16.18ng/ml, which was significantly lower than that of umbilical cord blood (34.98ng/ml, p<0.05). Mean folate concentration of the placental tissue was 998.0ng/ml, which was the highest compared to maternal and umbilical cord serum level. Umbilical cord serum folate level and placental tissue folate level were highly influenced by maternal serum folate level. The umbilical cord folate levels of the infant group whose birth weight was higher than 3500g were significantly higher than the group whose birth weight was less than 3500g (p<0.05). The placental folate level was significantly higher in maternal group who showed desirable weight gain during pregnancy (11 - 14kg). In conclusion, the birth weigt was related to the umbilical cord folate level and the maternal weight gain was affected by the placental folate level.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.112-116
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• 2011

We investigated the effect of paternal folate status on folate content and expression of the folate transporter folate receptor ${\alpha}$ ($FR{\alpha}$) in rat placental tissues. Rats were mated after males were fed a diet containing 0 mg of folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-deficient, PD) or 8 mg folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-supplemented, PS) for 4 weeks. At 20 days of gestation, the litter size, placental weight, and fetal weight were measured, and placental folate content (n=8/group) and expression of $FR{\alpha}$ (n=10/group) were analyzed by microbiological assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. Although there was no difference observed in litter size or fetal weight, but significant reduction (10%) in the weight of the placenta was observed in the PD group compared to that in the PS group. In the PD group, placental folate content was significantly lower (by 35%), whereas $FR{\alpha}$ expression was higher (by 130%) compared to the PS group. Our results suggest that paternal folate status plays a critical role in regulating placental folate metabolism and transport.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.369-375
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• 1999

Hyperthroidism in known to alter the activity of a number of enzymes involved in the catabolism of histidine to CO2. 10-Formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase(EC 1.5, 1.6, 10-formyl-THE dehydrogenase) catalyzes the NADP-dependent conversion of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate and CO2. In previous studies, 10-formyl-THF dehydrogenase purified from rat and pig liver was coidentified with the cytosolic folate-binding protein. In this study, we investigated the effects of feeding thyroid powder (TP) and thiouracil(TU) on the folate-binding properties of 10-formyl-THE dehydrogenase, the uptake of an injected dose of [3H] folate, and the metabolism of labeled folate to pteroylopoly-${\gamma}$-glutamate in rat liver. The initial hepatic uptake(24hr) of the labeled folate dose was higher in TU-rats and slightly higher in TP-rats in controls. With longer time periods, decreased hepatic uptake of labeled folate was observed in TP-animals compared to euthroid animals, and high levels of hepatic uptake of labeled folate were maintained in TU-animals. This data shows that high levels of thyroid hormone decreased the retention of folate in rat liver. Folate polygutamate chain length was shorter in TU-rats than controls, which suggests that thyroid states do not affect the ability to synthesize pteroylpolyglutamates and that folate polyglutamate might be modulated by altered folate pool size. The ability of 10-formyl-THE dehydrogenase to bind folate in rat liver was similar in both TP-and TU-rats although dehydrogenase activity was changed by thyroid sates.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제33권8호
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• pp.840-847
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• 2000

This study was out to evaluate the folate nutritional status of Korean pregnant women and to investigate the relationship between serum folate levels of maternal-umbilical cord blood and pregnancy outcomes. Folate intakes of the pregnants was estimated by dietary folate intakes obtained from semiquantitative frequency questionnaire and supplementary folate intakes. The serum folate levels in both maternal blood and umbilical cord of 29 pregnant women at delivery and 13 nonpregnant controls were measured by redioimmunoassay. The total folate intakes(dietary and supplementary)of the pregnant women was 465. 4$\mu\textrm{g}$/d which was 93% of the Korean RDA for folate. Maternal mean serum folate levels of the pregnants was 6.1$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, significantly lower than that of nonpregnant women(8.9ng/ml). Mean serumfolate level of umbilical cord blood was 14.2ng/ml, which was 2.3 folds higher than that of maternal blood. This finding indicates that the uptake of folate in the fetus may be due to an active placental transport mechanism. Maternal serum folate level correlated positively with that of umbilical cord blood, showing that folate concentration of umbilical cord blood is affected by maternal status. There was no significant correlation between the serum folate levels in maternal-umbilical cord blood and the pregnancy outcomes.(Korean J Nutrition 33(8) : 840-847, 2000)

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.120-125
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• 2007

Folate is important for multiple metabolic processes such as nucleic acid synthesis and interconversions, and cell division. Folate deficiency may be a risk factor for several pathologies, such as neural tube birth defects, dementia, and cardiovascular diseases. The objectives of this study were to estimate folate intakes and plasma concentrations of young children living in Kwangju, Korea. Three consecutive 24-h food recalls and fasting blood samples were obtained from 24 boys and 30 girls, aged 2-6 y, living in Kwangju, Korea. The daily folate intake ($mean{\pm}SD$) of the children was $146.7{\pm}73.6{\mu}g$ dietary folate equivalents. No differences in folate intakes were observed by gender ($p{\geq}0.05$). The mean folate intakes of the 2 and 3 y old groups were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those of 5 and 6 y old groups. Over half of subjects consumed $mean{\pm}SD$) of all subjects was $19.2{\pm}8.7nmol/L$, and there was no significant difference by age nor gender ($p{\geq}0.05$). No significant correlation was observed between folate intakes and plasma folate concentrations. One subjeci (1.9%) in this study had a plasma folate concentration <6.8 nmol/L, which is indicative of folate deficiency. Approximately 24% of subjects had plasma folate concentrations of 6.8-13.4 nmol/L, which is representative of marginal folate status. In conclusion, some young children may have less than adequate folate status in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.296-303
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• 2000

We examined the folate intakes and assessed folate nutritional status of Korean women with childbearing potential. A total of 91 healthy women aged between 15 and 49 participated. They were divided into three groups by their age : A(15-24 yrs), B(25-34 yrs) and C(35-49 yrs). Folate intakes were determined by direct analysis. The foods consumed for 24 hours were collected proportionally and assessed folate. Their blood drawn in fasting state were analyzed folate levels. Folate contents of food homogenate, plasma and erythrocyte were determined a microbiological method using Lactobacillus. casei (ATCC 7469). Prior to the micro-assay, the food homogenate were treated with alpha-amylase, protease and folate conjugase. Mean daily folate intake of the total subjects was 145.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/d and in each group of A, B, and C was 114.0$\mu\textrm{g}$/d, 141.6$\mu\textrm{g}$/d, and 164.6$\mu\textrm{g}$/d, respectively. That of group C was significantly higher than that of group A(p<0.05). However, those of all the groups were lower than compared to the Korean Recommened Dietary Allowances(RDA) for folate. Especially the subjects in the group A consumed folate least that was below the half of the Korean RDA. The mean energy intake of all subjects was 1638㎉/d and those in each group of A, B, and C did not meet the Korean RDA for energy. The energy intake were significantly correlated with folate intakes(r=0.5050, p<0.001). Mean plasma and erythrocyte folate concentrations of total subjects were 6.9ng/mL and 266.3ng/mL, respectively. None were found to be deficient both in plasma(<3ng/mL)and erythrocyte (<140ng/mL) folate levels. There was only one subject who had red blood cell folate level below 157ng/mL concentration. These results show that folate status of the Korean women of reproductive age is not much bad. But it should be better that letting them improve their folate status by increasing energy intake, choosing high folate foods.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.47-51
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTTIVES: The purposes of the study were to investigate folate intakes and plasma folate concentrations as well as estimate folate status in Korean healthy adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 254 healthy 19- to 64-year-old adults (68 men and 186 women) living in Seoul metropolitan area, Gumi, and Kwangju, Korea participated. Three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, information on folate supplementation, and fasting blood samples were collected from the subjects. RESULTS: The mean dietary folate intakes were 587.4 and $499.2{\mu}g$ dietary folate equivalent (DFE)/day for men and women, respectively. The median dietary intakes of men and women were 566.6 and $474.6{\mu}g\;DFE/day$, respectively. Forty subjects (16.7% of total) less total folate than the estimated average requirement (EAR). Folate intakes of 23.3% of men and 34.8% of women aged 19-29 years did not meet the EAR for folate. Major food sources consumed for dietary folate were baechukimchi (Chinese cabbage kimchi), rice, spinach, eggs, and laver, which provided 44% of dietary folate intake for the subjects. Plasma folate concentrations were 23.4 nmol/L for men and 28.3 nmol/L for women, and this level was significantly lower in men than in women. Approximately 13% of men and 3% of women were folate-deficient, and the percentages of subjects showing folate concentrations lower than 10 nmol/L were 27.9% of men and 6.4% of women. CONCLUSIONS: Folate intakes of Korean adults in this study were generally adequate. However, one-third of young adults had inadequate folate intakes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제31권8호
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• pp.1263-1269
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• 1998

The maintenance of adequate folate levels in the umbilical cord blood is esential for supplying tissue requirements of fetal growth. However, there is data on folate levels in the cord blood of Korean infant. The present investigation was undertaken to determine folate levels in cord blood and aassess relationships between folate levels and pregnancy outcomes. Dietary and supplementary folate intake was obtained from thirty subjects who were in the third trimester fo pregancy . The umbilical cord blood was drawn at delivery and pregnancy outcomes for the subjects were collected from their medical records. Erythrocyte and plasma folate levels in the cord blood were analyzed. The subjects were divided into two groups ; high folate (HF, $\geq$654ng/ml) and low folate (LF, <654ng/ml) groups according to erythrocyte folate levels in cord blood. Dietary folate intake and the amount of supplemental folates were not significantly different between the two experimental groups. However, infant birth weight (3540$\pm$295g) and placental weight(910$\pm$85g) for the HF group were significantly higher(p=0.0041 and p=0.109, respectively) than those for the LF group, which were 3127 $\pm$419g and 823$\pm$80g , respectively. Although it was not significant, the gestational weight gain for the HF group was 2.8kg higher than that for the LF group. Thus, the erythrocyte folate level in the cord blood was significantly related to infant birth weight and placental weight. These results confirm that a high erythrocyte folate level in the umbilical cord blood promotes both fetal and placental growth and improves gestational weight gain as well.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.254-259
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• 2007

This study assessed folate intakes, folate concentrations in plasma and erythrocytes, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration, and urinary excretion of folate metabolites in Korean women with childbearing potential. A total of 23 women voluntarily participated in this study. Precise dietary intakes for 3 consecutive days were determined by weighing all foods consumed and folate intake was calculated using a computer-aided dietary analysis system. Folate concentration of plasma and erythrocytes was determined by a microbiological method. Plasma tHcy concentration was assayed using an HPLC analysis method. Urine excreted over the same period of time was collected and folate catabolites, para-aminobenzoylglutamate (pABG) and para-acetamidobenzoylglutamate (ApABG), were evaluated using a reverse-phase HPLC method after affinity chromatography. Young women of 20 and under were likely to consume less folate with low energy intake, had lower folate concentration in plasma and erythrocytes, and excreted a lesser amount of ApABG and total folate catabolites than women of 25 years and over. The results of this study confirmed that young Korean women with childbearing potential, especially those under 21 years of age, might be at risk for compromised folate status due to insufficient folate intakes from inadequate energy consumption.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.371-377
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• 1998

We have cloned a soluble type human folate receptor(hFR type${\gamma}$) from human thymus cDNA library using the PCR amplification technique. To examine whether hFR type${\gamma}$ has a folate transport activity, CHO cells were transfected with the pcDNAhFR${\gamma}$ expression plasmid, and the stable cell line CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ expressing a high level of the hFR type${\gamma}$ was identified by northern and western blot analysis. The CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ cells produced a [$H^3$]folic acid binding protein in the culture medium. However, we couldn't detect any cell surface [$H^3$] folic acid binding and transport activities. The growth of the CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ cells was more rapidly inhibited than the wild type CHO cells in the low concentration folic acid media. These observations indicate that although soluble type human folate receptor can bind [$H^3$]folate, it does not involve in folate transport.