• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.48-54
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• 2019

Purpose: Liver metabolism plays a pivotal role in the development of metabolic disorders. We aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory risk factors associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in young adolescents from an urban population in Korea. Methods: A population of 120 apparently healthy adolescents aged 12-13 years was included in the cross-sectional design study; 58 were overweight or obese and 62 were of normal weight. We estimated anthropometric and laboratory measurements, including waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, aspartate aminotransferases (AST), ALT, and lipid profiles. Results: The mean ages of the overweight or obese and normal weight participants were $12.9{\pm}0.3$ and $13.0{\pm}0.3years$, respectively. Height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, AST, ALT, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score were significantly higher and the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index were significantly lower in the overweight/obese participants in comparison to the normal-weight participants (all P<0.05). In multivariate linear regression analysis, waist-to-height ratio, systolic blood pressure, and HOMA-IR score were independently and positively associated with serum ALT levels. Conclusion: Screening for ALT levels in adolescents may help to differentiate those at risk of metabolic abnormalities and thus prevent disease progression at an early age.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.566-571
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• 2019

Lymphoma is one of the most curable types of cancer. However, drug resistance is the main challenge faced in lymphoma treatment. Peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) is the rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation. Deregulation of ACOX1 has been linked to peroxisomal disorders and carcinogenesis in the liver. Currently, there is no information about the function of ACOX1 in lymphoma. In this study, we found that upregulation of ACOX1 promoted proliferation in lymphoma cells, while downregulation of ACOX1 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Additionally, overexpression of ACOX1 increased resistance to doxorubicin, while suppression of ACOX1 expression markedly potentiated doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, downregulation of ACOX1 promoted mitochondrial location of Bad, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and provoked apoptosis by activating caspase-9 and caspase-3 related apoptotic pathway. Overexpression of ACOX1 alleviated doxorubicin-induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 and decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. Importantly, downregulation of ACOX1 increased p73, but not p53, expression. p73 expression was critical for apoptosis induction induced by ACOX1 downregulation. Also, overexpression of ACOX1 significantly reduced stability of p73 protein thereby reducing p73 expression. Thus, our study indicated that suppression of ACOX1 could be a novel and effective approach for treatment of lymphoma.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.688-696
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• 2022

Obesity could cause immune-physiological disorders in fish. Yet, little is known about the impact of obesity on stress and histological responses. This study aimed to determine histological and physiological changes in and vulnerability of overfeeding-induced obese rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss exposed to stress condition. Control, intermediate and overfed groups were fed at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.09% of their body weight per day, respectively, for eight weeks. Weight gain, body mass index, hepatosomatic index and serological parameters, and histology of liver were measured in five fish from each group at week 0, 2, 4, and 8. At week 8, 20 fish from each group were exposed to heat stress by increasing water temperature at a rate of 3℃ per day from 15 to 25℃ and maintaining the final temperature for 10 days. Overall, overfed fish showed significantly higher weight gain, body mass index, and serological parameters than those of fish in the other groups. Fish in the overfed and intermediate groups displayed multifocal infiltration of inflammatory cells in hepatic parenchyma. Mortality rate and serological parameters of fish in the overfed group exposed to heat stress were significantly higher than those of fish in the other groups, indicating increased vulnerability to environmental stress.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2020

Noni has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 2,000 years in South Pacific Polynesia, China and India, and has been heavily ingested as an extract for its excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, a recent study found that the noni extract causes digestive disorders, kidney problems, and liver diseases, which made it necessary to use it for other purposes than as an extract. In this study, we want to evaluate the potential of noni as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkling agent. Methods: Noni was freeze-dried, extracted in water, and concentrated. Skin cells were treated with the noni extract for 24 hrs and then were exposed to UVB (55 mJ/cm²). After 48 hrs of incubation, pro-inflammatory cytokine, elastase, MMP-1 and type-1 procollagen levels were measured by ELISA. Results: To find out the antioxidant effect of the noni extract, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity experiments were conducted and the noni extract showed 97.0 % and 92.0 % antioxidant efficacy at 200 ㎍/mL respectively. The noni extract (50 and 100 ㎍/mL) decreased IL-6 and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS in a concentration-dependent manner. In the RT-PCR experiment involving NO production, the noni extract (50 and 100 ㎍/mL) inhibited NO production by strongly inhibiting iNOS mRNA expression, and also inhibited the elevation of MMP-1 and elastases caused by UVB irradiation by 25.0 % and 7.0 % respectively. In addition, type-1 procollagen was elevated by 20.0 % by the noni extract treatment in HaCaT cells. Conclusion: The noni extract has photoprotective ability by reducing proinflammatory mediators, elastase and MMP-1 production, and elevation of collagen synthesis. Our findings suggest that the noni extract might be a good natural substance to protect against UVB-induced premature skin aging.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.90-90
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• 2022

Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans contains several bioactive compounds, such as saponin, oleanolic acid, and flavone. Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans has traditionally been used to treat disorders of antioxidant activity, diabetes and liver detoxication, and it has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. However, complex saponin were validity of the anti-inflammatory activity has not been scientifically investigated. In this study, to determine anti-inflammatory activity of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract on nitric oxide and prostaglandinE₂ assay. The anti-inflammatory activities of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract were evaluated for inhibitory activities against lipopolysacchride induced nitric oxide and prostaglandinE₂ production protein expressions in RAW264.7 cell lines. The complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract inhibitory activity for both tests with protein high depressions(%) values showed in the ranges of 50~100 ㎍/ml. Overall, prostaglandinE₂ tests had a higher inhibitory effect on inflammation than nitricoxide tests. Theseis result suggest a potential role of complex saponin separated from Pueraria flos and Adzuki Beans mixture extract as source of anti-inflammation agent.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.2 s.38
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• pp.127-140
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• 1992

This study was done to identify the association between serum copper and zinc levels and the cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and to evaluate its diagnostic value on liver diseases. Sixty-three healthy persons, 60 patients with cirrhosis and 33 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were rendomly selected and investigated for their general characteristics from October 1990 to August 1991. For analysis of the biochemical markers in liver function test and the serum copper and zinc levels, their fasting venous blood were sampled at 9:00 to 11:00 in the morning and centrifuged to separate the serum within one hour. All the samples were immediately analysed for biochemical markers and stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ in polypropylene tubes further copper and zinc analysis. Mean of serum coppper levels was $91.97{\pm}4.76{\mu}g/dl$ in control, $106.21{\pm}2.73{\mu}g/dl$ in cirrhosis and $127.05{\pm}0.77{\mu}g/dl$ in HCC. The value of HCC was statistically significantly higher than that of the control and cirrhosis(p<0.05). Serum zinc levels were $110.82{\pm}7.24{\mu}g/dl$ in control, $68.10{\pm}5.43{\mu}g/dl$ in cirrhosis and $63.78{\pm}2.20{\mu}g/dl$ in HCC. The values of cirrhosis and HCC were statistically significantly lower than that of control(p<0.05). The Cu/Zn ratio was statiatically significantly different among three groups(p<0.05). Test total protein, albumin, ALP and total bilirubin of biochemical markers of liver function were statistically significantly different among three groups(p<0.05). Differences between cirrhosis and HCC for ALT and AST, and between the control and HCC for direct bilirubin were not statistically significant. Biochemical markers statistically significantly correlated with serum copper and zinc levels and Cu/Zn ratio(p<0.05), were variable in three groups. In multiple logistic regression, odds ratio of serum copper level and Cu/Zn ratio had no statistical significance on the cirrhosis and the HCC, but that of serum sinc was statistically significant as 0.951 and 0.952(p<0.05). Serum copper and zinc levels and Cu/Zn ratio were not statistically significantly different between the cirrhosis and HCC. H\Albumin, ALP, zinc, total bilirubin and age among all variables were selected as main variables for three-group discriminant analysis. Percentage of 'grouped' cases correctly classified by these five variables was 98.4 for control, 73.4 for cirrhosis, 75.7 for HCC and 84.0 for all subjects. This study suggests that zinc level is considered to play a role as diagnostic marker on the hepatic disorders and be more useful than serum copper level and Cu/Zn ratio in diagnosis of the liver diseases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.325-347
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological, clinicopathological, microbiological, pathological observations and other tests from sudden death in feedlot cattle at the region of Sarari in Korea during the period from 1994 to 1999. Massive or sporadic occurrence of sudden death has been observed in 101 heads of 47 farmhouse. There were 20.8% in spring, 29.7% in summer, 16.8% in autumn, 32.7% in winter, and 62.3% in reproductive, 27.7% in growing, 5.0% in beef cattle, 5.0% in calf in prevalence of sudden death in cattle. Enterotoxemia(88.0%), pneumonia(3.5%), intestinal diarrhea(3.5%), liver abscess(1.5%) and indigestion(1.5%) were detected from 67 heads of sudden death cattle. In clinical observations, cattle were generally died of sudden recumbency with convulsions followed anorexia, depression, ataxia, muscular tremor, tachycardia and dyspnea without any premonitory symptoms. Epidemiological surveys showed no evidence that other factors such as pesticide, insecticide, fertilizer, chemical drug3 and those of others caused sudden death. Macroscopically, there were coagulation disorders of blood, congestion, edema and haemorrhage of lung, congestion and haemorrhages, watery and blood-tinged contents of small intestine. Histopathologically, we observed pulmonary congestion and haemorrhage, necrotic intestinal mucosa accompanied with haemorrhage and congestion, and also increased globule leukocytes between bronchial epithelia with mild pneumonia. Clinicopathologically, only elevation of blood glucose and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) was detected. Magnesium and calcium deficiency were not detected, but parasites were detected highly in normal and dead cattles. Microbiologically, Clostridium(Cl) pefringens were detected from small intestinal contents of 94% (63/67) of sudden death cattle and 51%(51/101) of slaughter cattle, and the population were $10^{6-8}$/cfu/$m\ell$ after 16~32 hours. Consequently, it was proved that the cause of death in cattle was enterotoxemia. Pathogenic test of mouse and goat inoculated with Cl perfringens type A toxin has been demonstrated as similar observation to natural cases. In antimicrobial susceptibility test, ampicillin, bacitracin, polymycin, cephalothin, penicillin, choramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline were highly susceptible, and amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxine, sulfamethazine were resistant. Cl perfringens were resisted for 4 hours in 3% formalin, 20 minutes in 4% phenol, 20 minutes in 0.5% mercuric chloride and 40 minutes in 0.1% sodium hydroxide, respectively. The useful method to prevent from occurrance of enterotoxemia in feedlot cattle was a dietary administration of antibiotics and miyari acid.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2019

Hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive urea cycle disorder. HHH is caused by a deficiency of the mitochondrial ornithine transporter protein, which is encoded by the solute carrier family 25, member 15 (SLC25A15) gene. Recently, government supported Korean newborn screening has been expanded to include a tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) measurement of ornithine level. We report a case of a neonate with HHH syndrome showing a normal MS/MS measurement of ornithine level. A female newborn was admitted to neonatal intensive unit due to familial history of HHH syndrome. Her parents were consanguineous Parkistani couple. The subject's older sister was diagnosed with HHH syndrome at age of 30 months based on altered mental status and liver dysfunction. Even though the subject displayed normal ammonia and ornithine levels based on MS/MS analysis, a molecular test confirmed the diagnosis of HHH syndrome. At 1 month of age, amino acid analysis of blood and urine showed high levels of ornithine and homocitrulline. After 11 months of follow up, she showed normal growth and development, whereas affected sister showed progressive cognitive impairment despite no further hyperammonemia after protein restriction and standard therapy. Our report is in agreement with a previous Canadian study, which showed that neonatal samples from HHH syndrome patients demonstrate normal ornithine levels despite having known mutations. Considering the delayed rise of ornithine in affected patients, genetic testing, and repetitive metabolic testing is needed to prevent patient loss in high risk patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.222-230
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• 2018

This was a retrospective study that compared the characteristics of patients with decreased mental status (DMS) during their stays in an emergency department (ED) with that of patients with alert mental status (AMS). The participants in this study consisted of 90 patients with DMS who were staying in an ED along with 100 randomly selected patients with AMS. The DMS group contained more instances of cerebrovascular disease, liver disease, diabetes, and hypertension compared to the AMS group (p=0.001, p=0.003, p<0.001, and p=0.002, respectively). With regard to triage, the DMS group had higher severity than the AMS group (p<.001). The final diagnosis for the DMS group was as follows: 64.9% neurological and 63.3% related to the digestive system, which differed from that of the AMS group (p<.001). Fifty-six (62.2%) patients with DMS had their statuses discovered by nurses, while nine patients in the DMS group had received cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These results suggest that ED nurses frequently assess the consciousness of patients who they suspect may have neurologic or digestive diseases and are classified as high severity, even when the patients are alert.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.511-519
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• 2011

Dietary intake of whole grains reduces the incidence of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In an earlier study, we showed that Panicum miliaceum L. extract (PME) exhibited the highest anti-lipogenic activity in 3T3-L1 cells among extracts of nine different cereal grains tested. In this study, we hypothesized that PME in the diet would lead to weight loss and augmentation of hyperlipidemia by regulating fatty acid metabolism. PME was fed to ob/ob mice at 0%, 0.5%, or 1% (w/w) for 4 weeks. After the experimental period, body weight changes, blood serum and lipid profiles, hepatic fatty acid metabolism-related gene expression, and white adipose tissue (WAT) fatty acid composition were determined. We found that the 1% PME diet, but not the 0.5%, effectively decreased body weight, liver weight, and blood triglyceride and total cholesterol levels (P < 0.05) compared to obese ob/ob mice on a normal diet. Hepatic lipogenic-related gene ($PPAR{\alpha}$, L-FABP, FAS, and SCD1) expression decreased, whereas lipolysis-related gene (CPT1) expression increased in animals fed the 1% PME diet (P < 0.05). Long chain fatty acid content and the ratio of C18:1/C18:0 fatty acids decreased significantly in adipose tissue of animals fed the 1% PME diet (P < 0.05). Serum inflammatory mediators also decreased significantly in animals fed the 1% PME diet compared to those of the ob/ob control group (P < 0.05). These results suggest that PME is useful in the chemoprevention or treatment of obesity and obesity-related disorders.