• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.634-641
• /
• 2012

It was reported that the novel compounds (LP9M80-H) of $Liriope$ $platyphylla$ regulate glucose transporter (Glut) biosynthesis by activating the insulin-signaling pathway in the liver and brain of ICR mice. To investigate the therapeutic effects of LP9M80-H on the pathology of diabetes and obesity, alterations of key factors related to symptoms were analyzed in the Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats treated with LP9M80-H for 2 weeks. The abdominal fat masses in the LP9M80-H-treated group were lower than the vehicle-treated group, although there was no difference in body weight between the two groups. Additionally, when compared to the vehicle-treated group, LP9M80-H treatment induced a significant decrease in glucose levels and an increase in the insulin concentration in the blood of OLETF rats. A high level of insulin protein was also detected in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells of LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats. A significant reduction in the concentration of lipids and adiponectin was detected only in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats. Furthermore, the expression of insulin receptor ${\beta}$ and the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) was dramatically decreased in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats compared to the vehicle-treated group. Of the glucose transporters located downstream of the insulin-signaling pathway, glucose transporters (Glut) -2 and -3 were significantly decreased in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats, while the level of Glut-4 was maintained under all conditions. Therefore, these results suggest that LP9M80-H may contribute to relieving symptoms of diabetes and obesity through glucose homeostasis and regulation of lipid concentration.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.882-893
• /
• 1996

Background : Over one-third of solitary pulmonary nodules are malignant, but most malignant SPNs are in the early stages at diagnosis and can be cured by surgical removal. Therefore, early diagnosis of malignant SPN is essential for the lifesaving of the patient. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in Korea is somewhat higher than those of other countries and a large number of SPNs are found to be tuberculoma. Most primary physicians tend to regard newly detected solitary pulmonary nodule as tuberculoma with only noninvasive imaging such as CT and they prefer clinical observation if the findings suggest benignancy without further invasive procedures. Many kinds of noninvasive procedures for confirmatory diagnosis have been introduced to differentiate malignant SPNs from benign ones, but none of them has been satisfactory. FOG-PET is a unique tool for imaging and quantifying the status of glucose metabolism. On the basis that glucose metabolism is increased in the malignant transfomled cells compared with normal cells, FDG-PET is considered to be the satisfactory noninvasive procedure which can differentiate malignant SPNs from benign SPNs. So we performed FOG-PET in patients with solitary pulmonary nodule and evaluated the diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant SPNs. Method : 34 patients with a solitary pulmonary nodule less than 6 cm of irs diameter who visited Samsung Medical Center from Semptember, 1994 to Semptember, 1995 were evaluated prospectively. Simple chest roentgenography, chest computer tomography, FOG-PET scan were performed for all patients. The results of FOG-PET were evaluated comparing with the results of final diagnosis confirmed by sputum study, PCNA, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, or thoracotomy. Results : (I) There was no significant difference in nodule size between malignant (3.1 1.5cm) and benign nodule(2.81.0cm)(p>0.05). (2) Peal SUV(standardized uptake value) of malignant nodules (6.93.7) was significantly higher than peak SUV of benign nodules(2.71.7) and time-activity curves showed continuous increase in malignant nodules. (3) Three false negative cases were found among eighteen malignant nodule by the FDG-PET imaging study and all three cases were nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma less than 2 em diameter. (4) FOG-PET imaging resulted in 83% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 84% negative predictive value. Conclusion: FOG-PET imaging is a new noninvasive diagnostic method of solitary pulmonary nodule thai has a high accuracy of differential diagnosis between malignant and benign nodule. FDG-PET imaging could be used for the differential diagnosis of SPN which is not properly diagnosed with conventional methods before thoracotomy. Considering the high accuracy of FDG-PET imaging, this procedure may play an important role in making the dicision to perform thoracotomy in diffcult cases.