• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7825-7829
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• 2015

Background: Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV infection in the world (~14.7%). Around 10-15% of HCV-infected persons will advance to cirrhosis within the first 20 years. The incidence of HCC is expected to grow in the next two decades, largely due to HCV related cirrhosis, and detection of HCC at an early stage is critical for a favorable clinical outcome. No simple reliable non-invasive marker has been available till now. B2M, a non-glycosylated polypeptide composed of 99 amino acids, is one of the components of HLA class I molecules on the surfaces of all nucleated cells. It has been reported that the level of serum B2M is elevated in patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCV-related HCC when compared to HCV-negative patients or healthy donors. Determining the clinical utility of serum B2M as a marker for disease progression in Egyptian patients with HCV related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma was the aim of the present study. Materials and Methods: In this analytical cross sectional study 92 participants were included in 4 equal groups: Group (1) non cirrhotic chronic HCV; Group (2) HCV related liver cirrhosis; Group (3) HCC on top of HCV,; and Group (4) healthy controls. History taking, clinical examination, routine labs and abdominal ultrasound were conducted for all patients, PCR and Metavir scores for group (1) patients, and triphasic CT abdomen and AFP for Group (3) patients. B2M levels were measured in serum with a fully-automated IMX system. Results: The mean serum B2M level of Group (1) was $4.25{\pm}1.48{\mu}g/ml$., Group (2) was $7.48{\pm}3.04$, Group (3) was $6.62{\pm}2.49$ and Group (4) was $1.62{\pm}0.63$. Serum B2M levels were significantly higher in diseased than control group (p<0.01) being significantly higher in cirrhosis ($7.48{\pm}3.04$) and HCC groups ($6.62{\pm}2.49$) than the HCV group ($4.25{\pm}1.48$) (p<0.01). There was a significant correlation between B2M Level and ALK, total and direct bilirubin and INR (p<0.05), and a significant inverse correlation between B2M level and albumin, total proteins, HB andWBCS values (p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between B2M level and viral load or Metavir score, largest tumour size or AFP (p>0.05). The best B2M cut-off for HCV diagnosis was 2.6 with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 97% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100%. The best B2M cut-off for HCC diagnosis was 4.55 which yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive values of 74%, 62%, 39.5, 87.8% respectively (p-value <0.01) while best cut-off for cirrhosis was 4.9, with sensitivity 74 % and specificity 74%.The sensitivity for HCC diagnosis increased upon B2M and AFP combined estimation to 91%, specificity to 79%, NPV to 95% and accuracy to 83%. Conclusions: Serum B2M level is elevated in HCV related chronic liver diseases and may be used as a marker for HCV disease progression towards cirrhosis and carcinoma.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.279-286
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• 2020

Purple loosestrife-Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Lythraceae family. It has been used for centuries in Korea and other Asian traditional medicine. It has been showed pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant and anti-microbial effects. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti-cancer effect are not yet understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis signaling pathways by ethanol extract of Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino (ELM) in human leukemia U937 cells. Treatment with ELM significantly inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs), DNA fragmentation and increased populations of sub-G1 ratio. Induction of apoptosis by ELM was connected with up-regulation of death receptor (DR) 4 and DR5, pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family proteins, depending on dosage. This induction was associated with Bid truncation, mitochondrial dysfunction, proteolytic activation of caspases (-3, -8 and -9) and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. Therefore, our data indicate that ELM suppresses U937 cell growth by activating the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways, and thus may have applications as a potential source for an anti-leukemic chemotherapeutic agent.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to establish the production conditions through optimization of the production process of beverages using Aspergillus oryzae CF1001, and to analyze volatile compounds and antidiabetic activity. Methods: The optimum condition was selected using the response surface methodology (RSM), through a regression analysis with the following independent variables gelatinization temperature (GT, $X_1$), saccharogenic time (ST, $X_2$), and dependent variable; ${\Delta}E$ value (y). The condition with the lowest ${\Delta}E$ value occurred with combined 45 min ST and $50^{\circ}C$ GT. The volatile compounds were analyzed quantitatively by GC-MS. Results: Assessment of antidiabetic activity of saccharogenic mixed grain beverage (SMGB) was determined by measurement of ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activity, and glucose uptake activity and glucose metabolic protein expression by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis. Results of volatile compounds analysis, 62 kinds of volatile compounds were detected in SMGB. Palmitic acid (9.534% ratio), benzaldehyde (8.948% ratio), benzyl ethyl ether (8.792% ratio), ethyl alcohol (8.35% ratio), and 2-amyl furan (4.826% ratio) were abundant in SMGB. We confirmed that ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition activity, glucose uptake activity, and glucose-metabolic proteins were upregulated by SMGB treatment with concentration dependent manner. Conclusion: Saccharogenic mixed grain beverage (SMGB) showed potential antidiabetic activity. Further studies will be needed in order to improve the taste and functionality of SMGB.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.780-787
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• 2006

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, which characterized by bronchial hyperresponsiveness, reversible airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms. Internationally, the prevalence of asthma has been increased over last 3 decades. Recently, several studies of asthma have been reported with gradually increasing importance. To tesify the hypothesis that interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 may be an important determinant of the severity of airway inflammation, their expression was studied in mouse model of asthma. BALB/c mouse, IL-4 Knockout (KO) mouse and IL-10 KO mouse were sensitized with intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin adsorbed to aluminum potassium sulfate, followed by challenges with intranasal ovalbumin on 3 consecutive days. The severity of pulmonary inflammation was assessed by eosinophilia in BAL fluid, number of total BAL cells, histopathological changes in lung tissues, and immunohistochemical staining against IL-4 and IL-10. In BAL fluid, the number of total cells was significantly increased in asthma induced mouse compare to the control. In asthma induced mouse, eosinophil was increased to 56% and neutrophil was 0.2%. In H &E stains, eosinophilic infiltration and epithelium hyperplasia were clearly noticed in asthma induced mouse. In immunohistochemical staining for IL-4 and IL-10, there was no positive reaction in control group. However, very strong reactions were appeared in asthma induced group. In this research, IL-4 and IL-10, which seem to play a central role in allergic asthma, KO mouse was utilized to test the causative relationship between airway inflammation and role of specific cytokine. Asthma induced IL-4 and IL-10 KO mice showed much decreased inflammatory reactions in the number of total BAL cells, in eosinophilic infiltration, and in immunohistochemical stains against diverse inflammatory proteins. These results suggest that IL-4 and IL-10 increase the asthmatic reactions in vivo mice model.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.238-244
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• 2009

Food allergy is a serious nutritional problem in both children and adults. Therefore, food allergenicity reduction methods are greatly needed. The allergenicity is altered by various manufacturing processes, and the digestibility of food proteins can be affected by food processing. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of in-vitro digestibility on the allergenicity of autoclaved market pork sausages using pepsin (30min) and trypsin (5, 30, 60, 90, and 120min). The binding ability of the porcine serum albumin (PSA) from sausages A and B significantly decreased by about 30 and 23%, respectively, after autoclave treatment (121; 5, 10, and 30 min). After the pepsin and trypsin treatments, the binding ability of products A and B at 30 min decreased. These competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ci-ELISA) results corresponded well with the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting results. The results demonstrated that the allergenicity of pork sausages considerably decreased after autoclave treatment, and were also maintained or decreased after enzyme treatment. Accordingly, autoclave treatment represents a promising processing technology for the reduction of the allergenicity of diverse food products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2021

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant activities of subfractions of Peucedanum insolens Kitagawa root in various organic solvents and their anti-inflammatory effects on LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. First, P. insolens Kitagawa roots were dried at room temperature for one week, chopped, and extracted with 70% ethanol. The resulting extracts were successively sub-fractionated with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and water. The antioxidant potential of the fractions was evaluated using a DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay and by measuring total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. The anti-inflammatory potency of the fractions was evaluated by measuring the inhibition levels of the expressions of inflammatory-mediated genes and proteins (e.g., iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, and IL-6) in RAW264.7 cells. The results clearly showed that the ethyl acetate fraction of the P. insolens Kitagawa root contained relatively high total flavonoid (34.08±1.68 ㎍ of quercetin equivalents per mg) and total polyphenol (154.1±3.2 ㎍ of gallic acid equivalents per mg) contents. The DPPH assay results showed that the P. insolens Kitagawa root possessed strong free radical scavenging activity in the ethyl acetate fraction. Both the ethyl acetate and hexane fractions showed strong inhibitory potencies to nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide (1 ㎍/ml) treatment for 24 hr in RAW264.7 cells. The results also showed that both the hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of the P. insolens Kitagawa root strongly inhibited mRNA levels of iNOS, IL-1β, and IL-6, which were overexpressed by LPS treatment for 24 hr in the RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that P. insolens Kitagawa root may contain compounds that possess strong potency for anti-inflammatory activity. Further studies are needed to discover more detailed modes of action of P. insolens Kitagawa root fractions against inflammation modulation, such as the regulation of cytokine signaling and inflammatory signaling pathways.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.339-353
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• 1994

Background : The p53 gene codes for a DNA-binding nuclear phosphoprotein that appears to inhibit the progression of cells from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. Mutations of the p53 gene are common in a wide variety of human cancers, including lung cancer. In lung cancers, point mutations of the p53 gene have been found in all histological types including approximately 45% of resected NSCLC and even more frequently in SCLC specimens. Mutant forms of the p53 protein have transforming activity and interfere with the cell-cycle regulatory function of the wild-type protein. The majority of p53 gene mutations produce proteins with altered conformation and prolonged half life; these mutant proteins accumulate in the cell nucleus and can be detected by immunohistochemical staining. But protein overexpression has been reported in the absence of mutation. p53 protein overexpression or gene mutation is reported poor prognostic factor in breast cancer, but in lung cancer, its prognostic significance is controversial. Method : We investigated the p53 abnormalities by nucleotide sequencing, polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism(PCR-SSCP), and immunohistochemical staining. We correlated these results with each other and survival in 75 patients with NSCLC resected with curative intent. Overexpression of the p53 protein was studied immunohistochemically in archival paraffin- embedded tumor samples using the D07(Novocastra, U.K.) antibody. Overexpression of p53 protein was defined by the nuclear staining of greater than 25% immunopositive cells in tumors. Detection of p53 gene mutation was done by PCR-SSCP and nucleotide sequencing from the exon 5-9 of p53 gene. Result: 1) Of the 75 patients, 36%(27/75) showed p53 overexpression by immunohistochemical stain. There was no survival difference between positive and negative p53 immunostaining(overall median survival of 26 months, disease free median survival of 13 months in both groups). 2) By PCR-SSCP, 27.6%(16/58) of the patients showed mobility shift. There was no significant difference in survival according to mobility shift(overall median survival of 27 in patients without mobility shift vs 20 months in patients with mobility shift, disease free median survival of 8 months vs 10 months respectively). 3) Nucleotide sequence was analysed from 29 patients, and 34.5%(10/29) had mutant p53 sequence. Patients with the presence of gene mutations showed tendency to shortened survival compared with the patients with no mutation(overall median survival of 22 vs 27 months, disease free median survival of 10 vs 20 months), but there was no statistical significance. 4) The sensitivity and specificity of immunostain based on PCR-SSCP was 67.0%, 74.0%, and that of the PCR-SSCP based on the nucleotide sequencing was 91.8%, 96.2% respectively. The concordance rate between the immunostain and PCR-SSCP was 62.5%, and the rate between the PCR-SSCP and nucleotide sequencing was 95.3%. Conclusion : In terms of detection of p53 gene mutation, PCR-SSCP was superior to immunostaining. p53 gene abnormalities either overexpression or mutation were not a significant prognostic factor in NSCLC patients resected with curative intent. However, patients with the mutated p53 gene showed the trends of early relapse.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.195-205
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• 1985

As a part of investigation to use the Anatrctic krill, Euphausia superba, more effectively as a food source, processing conditions, utilizations and storage stability of krill paste (intermediate product of krill) were examined and also chemical compositions of krill paste were analyzed. Frozen raw krill was chopped, agitated with $25\%$ of water to the minced krill and then centrifuged to separate the liquid fraction from the residue. This liquid fraction was heated at $98^{\circ}C$ for 20 min. to coagulate the proteins of krill, and it was filtered to separate the protein fraction. Krill paste was prepared with grinding the protein fraction, adding $0.2\%$ of polyphosphate and $0.3\%$ of sodium erythorbate to the krill paste for enhancing of functional properties and quality stability. The krill paste was packed in a carton box, and then stored at $-30^{\circ}C$. Chemical compositions of krill paste were as follows : moisture $78\%$, crude protein $12.9\%$, crude lipid $5.9\%$, and the contents of hazardous elements of krill paste as Hg 0.001 ppm, Cd 1.15 ppm, Zn 9.1 ppm, Pb 0.63 ppm and Cu 11.38ppm were safe for food. The amino acid compositions of krill paste showed relatively high amount of taurine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, leucine, lysine and arginine, which occupied $55\%$ of total amino acid and also taurine, lysine, glycine, arginine and proline were occupied $65\%$ of total free amino acid. Fatty acid compositions of krill paste consist of $32.4\%$ of saturated fatty acid, $29.6\%$ of monoenoic acid and $38.0\%$ of polyenoic acid, and major fatty acids of product were eicosapentaenoic acid ($17.8\%$), oleic acid ($16.9\%$), palmitic acid ($15.3\%$), myristic acid ($8.7\%$) and docosahexaenoic acid ($8.4\%$). In case of procssing of fish sausage as one of experiment for krill paste use, Alaska pollack fish meat paste could be substituted with the krill paste up to $30\%$ without any significant defect in taste and texture of fish sausage, and the color of fish sausage could be maintained by the color of krill paste. Judging from the results of chemical and microbial experiments during frozen storage, the quality of krill paste could be preserved in good condition for 100 days at $-39^{\circ}C$.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2005

Background : Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a relatively newly recognized, novel family of peroxidases that reduce $H_2O_2$ and alkylhydroperoxide into water and alcohol, respectively. There are 6 known isoforms of Prxs present in human cells. Normally, Prxs exist in a head-to-tail homodimeric state in a reduced form. However, in the presence of excess $H_2O_2$, it can be oxidized on its catalytically active cysteine site into inactive oxidized forms. This study surveyed the types of the Prx isoforms present in the pulmonary epithelial, macrophage, endothelial, and other cell lines and observed their response to oxidative stress. Methods : This study examined the effect of exogenous, excess $H_2O_2$ on the Prxs of established cell lines originating from the pulmonary epithelium, macrophages, and other cell lines, which are known to be exposed to high oxygen partial pressures or are believed to be subject to frequent oxidative stress, using non-reducing SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis (PAGE) and 2 dimensional electrophoresis. Result : The addition of excess $H_2O_2$ to the culture media of the various cell-lines caused the immediate inactivation of Prxs, as evidenced by their inability to form dimers by a disulfide cross linkage. This was detected as a subsequent shift to its monomeric forms on the non-reducing SDS PAGE. These findings were further confirmed by 2 dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis by a shift toward a more acidic isoelectric point (pI). However, the subsequent reappearance of the dimeric Prxs with a comparable, corresponding decrease in the monomeric bands was noted on the non-reducing SDS PAGE as early as 30 minutes after the $H_2O_2$ treatment suggesting regeneration after oxidation. The regenerated dimers can again be converted to the inactivated form by a repeated $H_2O_2$ treatment, indicating that the protein is still catalytically active. The recovery of Prxs to the original dimeric state was not inhibited by a pre-treatment with cycloheximide, nor by a pretreatment with inhibitors of protein synthesis, which suggests that the reappearance of dimers occurs via a regeneration process rather than via the de novo synthesis of the active protein. Conclusion : The cells, in general, appeared to be equipped with an established system for regenerating inactivated Prxs, and this system may function as a molecular "on-off switch" in various oxidative signal transduction processes. The same mechanisms might applicable other proteins associated with signal transduction where the active catalytic site cysteines exist.