• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

The variation in the enzyme activities of human liver usually represents the particular physiological conditions of each individuals. Thus, we investigated the variation in the activities of SOD, HR and LPO of (1) non-exposed workers (56 subjects), and (2) exposed workers to DMF (43 subjects) in synthetic leather process. Serum levels of enzyme activities of exposed workers (AST:$30.26{\pm}20.041$U/L, ALT:$32.72{\pm}23.393$U/L, GGT:$28.47{\pm}18.635$ U/L, ALP:$81.77{\pm}34.879$ U/L)were slightly higher than those in nonexposed workers (AST:$24.00{\pm}9.441$ U/L, ALT:$23.89{\pm}18.305$U/L, GGT:$21.95{\pm}17.970$U/L, ALP:$70.84{\pm}24.678$U/L), but only the level of ALT was statistically significant (p< 0.05). Serum levels of LDH, TRF and CHOL in non-exposed workers were slightly higher than those of exposed workers. However, they were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Serum levels of HR and LPO of the exposed workers appeared to be reduced, but not those of the non-exposed workers. The SOD activities of exposed workers were also slightly higher than those of non-exposed workers, but the results were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The level of HR was increased with age, but the SOD level was not. These results suggest that the intermittent exposure to DMF at time-weighted average (TWA) level (10 ppm/$m^3$) has affected on the activities of enzymes such as AST, ALT, TRF, but not on the generation of HR, activity of SOD. However, if high dose of DMF was used, there would be severe effects for the generation of HR and LPO.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2006

Gene therapy with nonviral vectors using the suicide gene/prodrug activating system of herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK)/ganciclovir (GCV) is inefficient in killing malignant tumor cells due to two major factors: (a) an unsatisfactory bystander effect; (b) short-lived expression of the protein. To study the capacity of the protein transduction domain (PTD) of HIV-1 TAT protein to enhance HSV1-TK/GCV cancer gene therapy, we constructed three fusion proteins TAT-TK, TK-TAT and TK. TAT-TK retained as much enzyme activity as TK, whereas that of TK-TAT was much lower. TAT-TK can enter HepG2 cells and much of it is translocated to the nucleus. The transduced HepG2 cells are killed by exogenously added GCV and have bystander effects on untransduced HepG2 cells. Most importantly, the introduced recombinant protein is stable and remains functional for several days at least, probably because nuclear localization protects it from the cytoplasmic degradation machinery and provides access to the nuclear transcription machinery. Our results indicate that TAT fusion proteins traffic intercellularly and have enhanced stability and prodrug cell killing activity. We conclude that TAT has potential for enhancing enzyme prodrug treatment of liver cancers.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.442-450
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the preventive effect of Korean White Ginseng and Red Ginseng on oxidative stress in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells. The roots of ginseng were extracted with 70% methanol and partitioned with butanol to obtain saponin fractions, which have been known as bioactive constituents of ginseng. 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were measured for evaluating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Also, mRNA expressions and activities of antioxidant enzymes were analyzed to determine the antioxidant activity of saponin or non-saponin fractions of ginsengs. According to DCF-DA assay, $H_2O_2$-induced MDA release and ROS generation were significantly reduced by treatment with saponin fractions of white and red ginseng roots. Also, saponin fractions increased effectively intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 hepatoma cells. In general, red ginseng was more effective than white ginseng for reducing oxidative stress. These results indicate that administration of red ginseng may certainly contribute relatively stronger than white ginseng to prevent from damaging liver function by oxidative stress.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of age and diet forms on growth-development patterns, serum metabolism indicators, and parameters of body fat deposition in Cherry Valley ducks. Methods: According to the hatching age and initial weight, a total of 150 1-day-old male SM3 Cherry Valley ducks were randomly assigned to two diet forms (pellet vs powder form). Each treatment had with 5 replicates per treatment and 15 meat ducks per replicate. The study lasted 42 d, which was divided into two periods (1 to 21 vs 22 to 42 d). Results: Our results showed that compared with powder group, ducks in pellet group had greater growth performance during different period (p<0.05). The inflection point was 24 d and was not numerically affected by diet forms. Increasing age (42 vs 21 d) significantly increased the weight of body fat and hepatic fat metabolism related enzyme activities in ducks (p<0.05), meanwhile, increasing age (42 vs 21 d) improved serum metabolism indicators and decreased mRNA expression levels of fat metabolism-related genes in liver (p<0.05). Ducks fed different diets (pellet vs powder form) increased growth performance as well as the weight of body fat and improved serum metabolism indicators (p<0.05). In addition, interactions were found between age and diet forms on the levels of serum metabolism indicators in ducks (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, powder feed reduced growth performance of ducks, and the day of inflection point was 24 days old. Ducks with higher age or fed with pellet diet showed higher fat deposition. The effect of age and feed forms on body fat deposition might result from changes in the contents of serum metabolism indicators, key enzyme activity of lipid production, and hepatic gene expressions.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1243-1255
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• 2023

Objective: This study aims to explore the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of enzyme (Viscozyme)-treated garlic extract (EG) in an animal model of acute enteritis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: The experiment included four subgroups: normal, control, EG200 (treated with 200 mg/kg EG), and EG400 (treated with 400 mg/kg EG). Drug administration lasted 3 days, followed by the induction of acute enteritis in all groups (except normal) through the intraperitoneal administration of 20 mg/kg of LPS 1 h after the last oral dose. Autopsy was conducted 24 h later to collect serum and colon tissue. Serum was analyzed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and C-reactive protein (CRP), while Western blotting was performed on the colon tissue. Results: After analyzing the ROS and CRP levels in serum, the EG treatment group exhibited a significant decrease compared with the control group. The EG treatment group exhibited a significant decrease in the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs)/nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB) pathway compared with the control group. EG administration significantly regulated apoptosis-related factors, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X, cysteine aspartyl-specific protease-3, and cytochrome C. Conclusions: EG treatment in mice with LPS-induced acute colitis reduced the ROS and CRP levels, suppressed the MAPKs/NF-κB pathway in the colon, and effectively alleviated acute enteritis by modulating apoptosis-related factors. Based on these findings, EG emerges as a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of acute colitis, showing its potential therapeutic efficacy in this experimental model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1556-1561
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate antioxidant enzyme activity and vitamin E concentrationin in Sprague-Dawley rat after being fed various extracts of Hizikia fusiforme. There were six experimental groups: control group (C), H. fusiforme ethanol extract group (EtOH), H. fusiforme dichloromethane fraction group ($CH_2Cl_2$), H. fusiforme ethylacetate fraction group (EtOAc), H. fusiforme butanol fraction group (n-BuOH), H. fusiforme water fraction group ($H_2O$). H. fusiforme extracts (400 mg/kg B.W) were orally administrated to the rats every day for 4 weeks. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E in the liver and blood were measured. The activity of SOD in the liver was significantly higher in the $CH_2Cl_2$ and $H_2O$ groups (p<0.05) than in the control and other extract groups. The SOD activity in serum increased significantly in all H. fusiforme groups (p<0.05) compared to the control group and it was also significantly higher in the EtOH and $H_2O$ groups (p<0.05) than in other extract groups. The serum catalase activity increased significantly in the n-BuOH group (p<0.05) compared to the control and other extract groups. The plasma MDA concentration decreased significantly in the n-BuOH and $H_2O$ group (p<0.05) compared to the control group. Serum concentration of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol showed no significant differences in most of the experimental groups, but it was significantly higher in the EtOAc group (p<0.05). The ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentrations in the liver showed a significant increase in the $CH_2Cl_2$ and $H_2O$ groups (p<0.05) compared to the control and other extract groups. The liver ${\gamma}$-tocopherol concentrations in H. fusiforme extract groups showed a tendency to increase compared to the control group and it was significantly higher in the $H_2O$ group (p<0.05) than in other extract groups. These results suggest that supplementation of water extracts of H. fusiforme extract could be effective in improving the antioxidant system.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2010

The effects of an Acanthopanacis cortex water extract on lipid levels, lipid peroxide, total antioxidant status and antioxidant enzyme activities were evaluated in rats fed one of the following diets for six weeks: normal diet and deionized water (ND), normal diet and Acanthopanacis cortex water extract (NDC), high fat diet and deionized water (HFD), high fat diet and Acanthopanacis cortex water extract (HFDC). The food intakes were significantly lower, but the food efficiency ratios were significantly higher in the high fat diet groups. The level of HDL-cholesterol in the plasma was significantly increased and the levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride in the plasma were significantly decreased by the Acanthopanacis cortex water extract in the high fat diet groups. As a a result, the AI (atherogenic index) and CRF (cardiac risk factor) were significantly lower in the high fat diet groups that were treated with Acanthopanacis cortex water extract. The triglyceride and the total cholesterol of the liver were also significantly upregulated in the high fat diet groups, while the total cholesterol of the liver decreased in response to treatment with Acanthopanacis cortex water extract (HFDC). The plasma and liver concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were significantly reduced by the addition of Acanthopanacis cortex water extract to the normal diet groups. The total antioxidant status (TAS) in the plasma was significantly upregulated by adding Acanthopanacis cortex water extract to the high fat diet groups. The activities of SOD, catalase and GST were also significantly higher in the Acanthopanacis cortex water extract groups when compared to the ionized water groups. The activity of GSH-Px and the concentration of GSH in the liver were significantly higher following the addition of Acanthopanacis cortex water extract to the high fat diet groups. Taken together, these results suggest that a supplementation of the diet of rats fed a high fat diet with Acanthopanacis cortex water extract improves lipid metabolism, reduces lipid peroxide and improves the activities of antioxidant enzymes, which may have favorable effects on antioxidant systems by improving the total antioxidant status (TAS).

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate the effects of pyroligneous liquor on oxygen radicals and their scavenger enzymes in the liver of Cri/Bgi CD rats (7 rats per group). Male rats were fed a basic diet prepared in our Lab., PL-0 (Control), PL-1, PL-25, PL-50 and PL-75 groups were Prepared to be 0%, 1%, 25%, 50% and 75%with distilled water using pyroligneous liquor (35% of Choa Co. Ltd.), and were administrated orally for 8 weeks. Superoxide radical contents in liver mitochondria and microsomes were significantly decreased to 12-14%, 11-15%, respectively, in these PL-25 and PL-50groups compared with the control group. Hydroxyl radical content in mitochondria and microsomes were markedly decreased to 12-20% and 17%, respectively, in these PL-25 and PL-50% groups compared with the control group. Hydrogen peroxide content in mitochondria and microsomes were significantly decreased about 15-12% and 22-20% in liver of PL-25 and PL-50 groups compared with the control group. Mn-SOD and Cu/Zn-SOD activities in liver of PL-25 and PL-50 groups were remarkably increased to 15-25%, 11-16%, respectively, compared with the control group. GPx activities in mitochondria and microsomes were significantly increased in the liver of PL-25 and PL-50 groups compared with the control group. CAT activities in mitochondria and cytosol were significantly increased to 12-14%, 15-27%, respectively, in the liver of PL-25 and PL-50 groups compared with the control group. These results suggest that long term administration orally of 25 and 50% pyroligneous liquor may effectively inhibit the formation of oxygen free radicals, and also scavenger enzyme activities significantly increase through the administration orally.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.416-423
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• 2010

In this study, the properties and gene expression of the lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27, LDH) isozyme were studied in angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) - known for their adaptation to the low oxygen environment of the tropics - which were acclimated to acute temperature change ($27{\pm}0.5{\rightarrow}18{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$) and dissolved oxygen (DO) change ($6{\pm}1{\rightarrow}18\;ppm$) for 2 hours. The properties of the LDH isozymes were confirmed in the native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blot analysis and enzyme activity measurement. Liver- and eye-specific Ldh-C gene were expressed in liver, eye and brain tissues. Through Western blot analysis, the LDH $A_4$ isozyme was shown to have a more cathodal mobility relative to the $B_4$ isozyme. In the liver tissue, the LDH $A_4$ isozyme increased with temperature drop while the $B_4$ isozyme decreased. The LDH $A_4$ and $C_4$ isozymes increased with DO increment, while the $B_4$ isozyme decreased. In the eye tissue, the LDH $A_4$ and B4 isozymse increased with temperature drop while the $B_4$ isozyme decreased. The LDH $A_4$ and $B_4$ isozymes increased with DO increment, but the $C_4$ isozyme and isozymes including the subunit C decreased. In the heart tissue, LDH activity increased with DO increment, as well as the LDH $B_4$ isozyme. In the brain tissue, the LDH $A_4$ and $B_4$ isozymes increased with temperature drop. The LDH $B_4$ isozyme increased with DO increment. Accordingly, since the liver- and eye-specific Ldh-C are influenced by changes in DO and the LDH $B_4$ and $C_4$ isozymes are relatively controlled in the liver and eye tissues, the $C_4$ isozyme can be considered to have a lactate oxidase function.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.432-438
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• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lespedeza caneata extract on the livers of alcohol-administered mice. The study subjects were divided into a control (Con), alcohol administration (AL), alcohol and Lespedeza Caneata extract 200 mg/kg administration (AL-LC 200), and alcohol and Lespedeza caneata extract400 mg/kg administration (AL-LC 400) group. Distilled water was administrated orally to control and alcohol groups for ten days, while Lespedeza caneata extract was administered orally to alcohol and Lespedeza caneata extract groups for ten days. All experimental groups were fasted for twelve hours seven days after the oral administration, after which distilled water was administered orally to Con five times at twelve-hour intervals. At the same time, 50% ethanol (MERCK, USA) at 10 g/kg concentration was administered orally to AL and AL-LC groups five times at 12-hour intervals. The AST, ALT enzyme activation in blood and histology of the liver were then evaluated. AST and ALT in AL-LC groups were lower than in the AL group. Particularly, the AL-LC 200 and AL-LC 400 groups had significantly lower AST activation than the AL group. Histological results showed that most of the subjects in the AL group had necrosis and deformation in their livers, while fat droplets were accumulated in hepatic cells around the central vein. AL-LC 200 group revealed that a portion of the central vein was swollen, liver cells were expanded, and small fat droplets were accumulated. In the AL-CL 400 group, the central vein was normal and small fat droplets were accumulated in some liver cells. However, most of the liver cells appeared normal in the AL-CL 400 group. These results suggest that the extracts of Lespedeza caneata prevented alcohol induced liver damage in mice and have great potential for use as natural health products.