• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2021

We previously showed that γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), an enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism, in Bacillus subtilis acts as a virulence factor for osteoclastogenesis via the RANKL-dependent pathway. Hence, it can be hypothesized that GGT of periodontopathic bacteria acts as a virulence factor in bone destruction. Because Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is a periodontopathic pathogen, has GGT with a primary structure similar to that of B. subtilis GGT (37.7% identify), the bone-resorbing activity of F. nucleatum GGT was examined here. Recombinant GGT (rGGT) of F. nucleatum was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using the His tag of rGGT. F. nucleatum rGGT (Fn rGGT) was expressed as a precursor of GGT, and then processed to a heavy subunit and a light subunit, which is characteristic of general GGTs, including the human and B. subtilis enzymes. Osteoclastogenesis was achieved in a co-culture system of mouse calvaria-derived osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. Fn rGGT induced osteoclastogenesis to a level similar to that of B. subtilis rGGT; furthermore, osteoclastogenesis was induced in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that F. nucleatum GGT possesses a virulent bone-resorbing activity, which could play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2016

Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been widely used as a marker of alcohol intake and liver failure. Recently, the relativity between GGT and various diseases has been identified with growing interest. In this study, we examined relativity between GGT value and risk factors of coronary heart diseases among those with normal GGT value, excluding heavy drinkers. Specifically, we compared the differences based on age and gender. Data from the 2011 KNHNES were used (N=3,619). When the subjects were categorized according to quartile based on the serum GGT levels, there was 10~20, 21~27, 28~38, 39~71 IU/L in men, and 6~12, 13~16, 17~22, 23~42 IU/L in women. The mean of most variables was the highest in the $4^{th}$ quartile (Q4), however age and LDL Cholesterol were the highest in the $2^{nd}$ quartile (Q2) in men. The FRS and 10-year CHD risk was the highest in the $2^{nd}$ quartile in men, and the highest in the $4^{th}$ quartile in women. Increased GGT was correspondingly linked with age in women but age was the highest in GGT in the $2^{nd}$ quartile in men. In the 70's, the highest Q1 and Q2 was in men and the highest Q3 and Q4 in women. Although GGT value was within the normal range, increased GGT showed correlation with various risk factors. The FRS and 10-year CHD risk showed different patterns according to age and gender along with increased GGT value.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.146-155
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• 2020

This study was to evaluate the usefulness of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) as a surrogate marker predicting metabolic syndrome. 7,155 non obese men over the age of 20 were studied as subjects. The criteria for diagnosing MetS were the National Cholesterol Education Program - Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III). The risk of developing MetS according to GGT was conducted logistic regression analysis, and the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was obtained to confirm GGT ability to predict the risk of MetS. Regardless of age and body mass index, MetS had a 7.09 times higher risk of onset in the fourth quartile than in the first quartile of GGT (p<0.001). The AUC (area under the curve) of GGT for the diagnosis of MetS was 0.715, and the cutoff value of GGT was 40.0 U/L, the sensitivity was 65.0%, and the specificity was 70.2%. Therefore, GGT is considered to be a useful diagnostic index for diagnosing MetS.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.112-123
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• 1994

${\gamma}$-Glutamyltransferase (GGT: E.C. 2.3.2.2.) is a glycoprotein enzyme which is involved in glutathione metabolism and amino acid transport through the plasma membrane. It is distributed widely in several organs including liver and kidney. Several isozymes of GGT have been reported and some of the isozymes may be associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. We have produced six monoclnal antibodies (mAbs) against GGT purified from the liver of 2-acetamidofluorene (AAF) treated rats. All of the six mAbs were obtained by immunizing mice with liver GGT Six hybridomas which produced anti-GGT Abs were extensively subcloned and injected into the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice to obtain large quantities of Abs. These mAbs were purified from ascites by ammonium sulfate precipitation and protein A sepharose CL-4B column chromatography. Using these mAbs we preformed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and autoradiography (ARG) to study the distribution of GGT isozyme in tissue. The results indicate that GGT-mAb 1 is specific for the AAF treated liver GGT, GGT-mAb 5 for the normal liver GGT, and GGT-mAb 6 for the normal kindey GGT. These mAbs may be used to evaluate the distribution of GGT isozymes in different tissues.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-322
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• 2010

This study has been done with 1,431 subjects who visited Health Promotion Centers of the hospitals in Gumi for National Health Screening Program for People at Transitional Ages from April to December 2007. Serum biochemical tests related with metabolic syndrome were performed. Among biochemical factors related with metabolic syndrome, the mean values of serum glucose, AST, ALT, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol except LDL cholesterol were significantly higher in males than in females, so a significant difference by sex was observed (P<0.001). AST, ALT, triglyceride and HDL were thought to be significantly affecting serum GGT for males. In contrast, ALT and HDL cholesterol were important factors for females (P<0.001). For both sexes, serum glucose and LDL cholesterol did not produce any meaningful effect on serum GGT. In males AST, ALT and HDL cholesterol were associated with high risk of abnormality of serum GGT and in females AST, ALT and LDL cholesterol were related with high risk of abnormality of serum GGT. Therefore, AST and ALT showed a significant effect on abnormality of serum GGT in both males and females. It was observed that males exhibited significantly high correlation between metabolic syndrome related biochemical factors and serum GGT than females, and their influence on abnormality of serum GGT was also higher in males than in females. Therefore, serum GGT tests performed for health screening are considered to be useful for managements of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome as well as liver function test.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.383-387
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• 2006

To investigate the effect of GyeongshinhaeGihwan 1(GGT1) frequently used as an anti-obesity herbal medicine in oriental medicine on the expression of obesity-related genes, we measured the changes in mRNA levels of these genes by GGT1 in human growth hormone transgenic (hGHTg) obese female rats, and these effects by GGT1 were compared with those of reductil (RD), an anti-obesity drug approved by FDA. Rats received once daily oral administrations of autoclaved water, RD, or GGT1 for 8 weeks. At the end of study, rats were sacrificed and tissues were harvested. Total RNA from adipose tissue, liver and kidney was prepared and the mRNA levels for LPL (lipoprotein lipase), $PPAR{\gamma}$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma), $PPAR{\delta}$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-delta), leptin, $TNF{\alpha}$ (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and internal standard G3PDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) were analyzed by RT-PCR. Compared with control group, $PPAR{\gamma}$ mRNA levels of liver and kidney were decreased in both RD and GGT1 groups, and the effects were more prominent in GGT1 group than in RD group, suggesting that GGT1 is effective in the inhibition of lipid storage by decreasing the $PPAR{\gamma}$ expression. $PPAR{\delta}$ mRNA levels of adipose tissue were increased by RD and GGT1 compared with DW, and the magnitude of increase were higher in GGT1 group than in RD group, indicating that GGT1 stimulates fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism by activating $PPAR{\delta}$ expression. GGT1 group had higher concentrations of serum leptin, a well-known inhibitor of appetite, than control and RD groups. However, The mRNA levels of leptin, LPL, and $TNF{\alpha}$ were not changed by GGT1. These results indicate that GGT1 can prevent obesity in hGHTg obese female rats by down-regulating and up-regulating the mRNA expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $PPAR{\delta}$, respectively, and that this anti-obesity effects were more pronounced in GGT1 group compared with RD group. In addition, GGT1 seems to inhibit obesity by increasing the circulating leptin levels.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.93-97
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• 2006

To investigate whether GyeongshinhaeGihwan 1(GGT1), an anti-obesity herbal medicine widely used in oriental medicine, regulates the expression of obesity-related genes, we measured the changes in mRNA levels of these genes by GGT1 in human growth hormone transgenic (hGHTg) obese male rats, and these effects by GGT1 were compared with those of reductil (RD), an anti-obesity drug approved by FDA. Rats received once daily oral administrations of autoclaved water, RD, or GGT1 for 8 weeks. At the end of study, rats were sacrificed and tissues were harvested. Total RNA from adipose tissue, liver and kidney was prepared and the mRNA levels for LPL (lipoprotein lipase), PPAR $\gamma$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma), PPAR$\delta$ (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-delta), leptin, TNF$\alpha$ (tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and internal standard G3PDH (glyceraldehyde-3- phosphate dehydrogenase) were analyzed by RT-PCR. PPAR$\gamma$ mRNA levels of liver and kidney were decreased in drug-treated groups compared with control group and the decrease of PPAR$\gamma$ expression was more prominent in GGT1 group than in RD group, suggesting that GGT1 is effective in the inhibition of adipogenesis and lipid storage by decreasing the PPAR$\gamma$ expression. In contrast, PPAR$\delta$ mRNA levels of adipose tissue and kidney were increased by RD and GGT1 , and the magnitudes of increase were higher in GGT1 group than in RD group, indicating that GGT1 stimulates fatty acid oxidation and energy metabolism by activating PPAR$\delta$ expression, Compared with control and RD groups, GGT1 group had higher concentrations of serum leptin, a well-known inhibitor of appetite. However, The mRNA levels of leptin, LPL, and TNF$\alpha$ were not changed by GGT1 and RD, compared with DW. These results demonstrate that GGT1 not only decreases PPAR$\gamma$ expression of liver and kidney, but also increases PPAR$\delta$ expression of adipose tissue and kidney, leading to the regulation of obesity and that these effects were more pronounced in GGT1 group compared with RD group. In addition, GGT1 seems to prevent obesity by increasing the serum leptin levels.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.88-97
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• 1999

To characterize the effects of Gilgyung-Tang(GGT) on cellular proliferation and viability of normal lung fibroblast cells, we examined the cell cycle progression and cell cycle-related gene expression in T3891 using a flow cytometry and a quantitative RT-PCR analysis. 1. The significant surpression effect of cellular proliferations of GGT was observed in proportion to a certain concentration and time. 2. GGT was identified to induce apoptotic death of damaged cells by treatment with a DNA-damage agent and etoposide, while it stimulated the recovery of cellular viability of normal cells. 3 The significant reductions of mRNA expression of PCAN, c-Fos treated by GGT were observed. 4. The significant inductions of mRNA expression of p53, CDKN1. Gadd45 treated by GGT were observed. 5. The apoptosis caused by the reduction of Bcl-2 genes was significant and the Bax genes were increased. but the amount of Fas genes were not changed. These results strongly suggest that GGT triggers arrest of the cell cycle at G1 phase, and thus causes an inhibition of cellular proliferation of human normal lung cells through the transcriptional up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitory genes and down-regulation of induction of cell cycle stimulating genes respectably.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2003

Objectives: To examine the association between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) activity level and blood pressure, serum lipids in the male residents of rural area, we analyzed cross-sectionally the data of 379 male health examinees aged 40 years and older from rural areas in Gyeongsangnam-do prefecture in Korea. Methods: Blood pressure and concentration of serum lipids were compared between high and low level of serum GGT activity by t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. Possible confounding effects of age, body mass index and coffee drinking were adjusted by analysis of covariance. Results: Adjusted values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher in the group of high level of serum GGT activity in non-drinkers(P=0.055 and P=0.074 respectively) and drinkers(P=0.284 and P=0.398) of alcohol. Adjusted serum total cholesterol level was also higher in the group of high level of serum GGT activity in non-drinkers(P=0.052) but not in drinkers(P=0.981) of alcohol. In serum triglyceride, adjusted level was significantly higher in the group of high level of serum GGT activity in both non-drinkers(P=0.035) and drinkers(P=0.002) of alcohol. Conclusions: These results suggest the association of serum GGT activity and serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, or blood pressure in non-drinkres of alcohol.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2019

This study examined the relationship between the serum GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) and uric acid level in obese male adults. A total of 14,283 adult males aged 20 years or more, who visited the health examination center of Gyeonggi Regional General Hospital from January 2017 to August 2018 and underwent a physical examination, were enrolled in this study. The obesity criteria were defined by the Asia-Pacific regional standards. Abdominal obesity was defined as a male waist circumference of more than 90 cm. An increase in the serum uric acid and serum CGT levels of the male subjects was defined as 7.0 mg/dL or more and 56 IU/L or more, respectively. The results showed that the serum GGT and uric acid levels were higher in the overweight and obese groups than in the normal weight group. In the obese group, the serum GGT and uric acid were significantly higher in the patients with abdominal obesity. On the other hand, there was no difference compared to the low body weight group. The overweight and obesity groups showed a higher risk of elevated serum GGT and hyperuricemia than the normal weight group, but a low body weight did not affect the serum GGT elevation and hyperuricemia. Overall, the serum GGT and uric acid levels are useful for evaluating overweight and obesity in adult males.