• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2019

Purpose: We sought to determine associations of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), known markers of renal injury, with hematuria in children and adolescents. Methods: A total of 112 urine samples from 72 patients aged 2 to 18 years with hematuria were enrolled in this study. Urinary concentrations of NGAL and L-FABP were measured by ELISA and compared between subjects with and without proteinuria and between subjects with and without glomerulonephritis diagnosed by renal biopsy. Results: Urinary concentrations of NGAL and L-FABP/creatinine (Cr) in subjects with proteinuria were not significantly different from those in subjects without proteinuria. They were not significant different between subjects with and without glomerulonephritis either. However, both concentrations of urinary NGAL and L-FABP/Cr were positively associated with urinary protein to creatinine ratio. Their levels had a tendency to be increased when proteinuria developed at later visits in subjects with hematuria only at initial visits. Conclusion: Monitoring urinary NGAL and L-FABP levels in addition to conventional risk factors such as proteinuria and serum creatinine might improve the prediction of renal injury in pediatric patients with hematuria.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.350-361
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• 2020

Background: Black ginseng (BG) is a type of Korean ginseng prepared by steaming and drying raw ginseng to improve the saponin content. This study examined the effects of BG on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with free fatty acids to induce lipid accumulation before supplementation with BG. NAFLD-induced mice were fed different doses (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) of BG for 8 weeks. Results: BG significantly reduced lipid accumulation and expression of lipogenic genes, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, and fatty acid synthase in HepG2 cells, and the livers of mice fed a 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water (HFHF diet). BG supplementation caused a significant reduction in levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, while antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly increased in 45% high-fat diet with 10% fructose in the drinking water diet-fed mice. Expression of proliferator-activated receptor alpha and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I were upregulated at the transcription and translation levels in both HepG2 cells and diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, BG-induced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl CoA carboxylase in both models, suggesting its role in AMP-activated protein kinase activation and the acetyl CoA carboxylase signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our results indicate that BG may be a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of NAFLD.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.296-304
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• 2016

It has been reported that fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) do not act only as intracellular mediators of lipid responses but also have extracellular functions. This study aimed to investigate whether extracellular liver type (L)-FABP has a biological activity and to determined serum L-FABP levels in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We isolated L-FABP complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) from the Huh7 human hepatocarcinoma cell line and expressed the recombinant L-FABP protein in Escherichia coli. A549 lung carcinoma and THP-1 monocytic cells were stimulated with the human recombinant L-FABP. Human whole blood cells were also treated with the human recombinant L-FABP or interleukin (IL)-1α. IL-6 levels were measured in cell culture supernatants using IL-6 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Human recombinant L-FABP induced IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner in A549, THP-1 cells, and whole blood cells. The blood samples of healthy volunteers and patients with ESRD were taken after an overnight fast. The serum levels of L-FABP in healthy volunteers and ESRD patients were quantified with L-FABP ELISA. The values of L-FABP in patients with ESRD were significantly lower than those in the control group. Our results demonstrated the biological activity of L-FABP in human cells suggesting L-FABP can be a mediator of inflammation.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.283-291
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• 2019

The aim of investigated the role of FABP5 in the hepatic lipogenesis and lipid metabolisms. Mice were overexpressed and silenced liver FABP5 using virus particles. Mice were fed a Western-type diet or regular chow for 1week and then sacrificed mouse after 24hr fasted. Liver homogenates were used for protein analysis by Western blot and mRNA levels by RT-PCR. Hepatic and serum lipids were analysed by thin-layer chromatography. Mice fed a Western-type or high saturated fat diet revealed large increases in FABP5 expression. However, FABP5 mRNA levels were drastically reduced under fasted. Hepatic TG was significantly increased FABP5-OEAV mice, but a significantly decreased hepatic free cholesterol under fed. The discovered a substantial decrease in hepatic TG mass with FABP5 silencing. In these data, presented evidence for an important role of FABP5 in hepatic lipogenesis and hepatic TG storage. FABP5 may also be a potential target in the treatment of NAFLD, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Furthermore, studies to which transcription factors are involved in FABP5 expression and regulation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.367-374
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• 2017

Background: An imbalance in energy intake and expenditure can cause obesity, which is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, cancers and hyperlipidemia. Methods and Results: In this study, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of a water extract from the young leaves of barley sprout (BS) in 3T3-L1 cells and in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice (HF). Lipid accumulation measurement indicates that BS markedly inhibited adipogenesis by reducing lipid droplet production in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$ and fatty acid synthetase, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-${\alpha}$ and fatty acid binding protein 4 in 3T3-L1 cells was significantly inhibited by BS treatment. In an in vivo test, the BS-administered group of HFD-induced mice showed less body weight gain, and lower liver and epididymal white adipose tissue weights. The BS-treated mice showed decreased serum levels of leptin and lipids compared to untreated HFD mice and the levels of adiponectin and the HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio increased. These results indicate that BS inhibits body fat accumulation by reducing the mRNA expression of lipogenesis transcription factors and increasing serum adipokine concentration in in vitro and in vivo tests. Conclusions: BS reduced high fat diet-induced weight gain and had a positive effect on dyslipidemia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.455-461
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• 2013

Retinoids regulate not only various cell functions including proliferation and differentiation but also glucose and lipid metabolism. After we observed a marked up-regulation of cellular retinol-binding protein-I (CRBP-I) in the liver of hepatitis B virus x antigen (HBx)-transgenic (HBx Tg) mice which are prone to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and fatty liver, we aimed to evaluate retinoid pathway, including genes for the retinoid physiology, CRBP-I protein expression, and retinoid levels, in the liver of HBx Tg mice. We also assessed the effect of chronic metformin treatment on HCC development in the mice. Many genes involved in hepatic retinoid physiology, including CRBP-I, were altered and the tissue levels of retinol and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) were elevated in the liver of HBx Tg mice compared to those of wild type (WT) control mice. CRBP-I protein expression in liver, but not in white adipose tissue, of HBx Tg mice was significantly elevated compared to WT control mice while CRBP-I protein expressions in the liver and WAT of high-fat fed obese and db/db mice were comparable to WT control mice. Chronic treatment of HBx Tg mice with metformin did not affect the incidence of HCC, but slightly increased hepatic CRBP-I level. In conclusion, hepatic CRBP-I level was markedly up-regulated in HCC-prone HBx Tg mice and neither hepatic CRBP-I nor the development of HCC was suppressed by metformin treatment.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.372-376
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• 2012

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. Ischemia-reperfusion is an important cause of acute kidney injury. This study was performed to ascertain clinically useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of AKI. In three miniature pigs, AKI were induced by 60 minutes of bilateral renal ischemia by the clamping renal artery. Blood and urine samples were collected from the pigs prior to clamping (baseline) and 0, 1, 3 and 5 days post-clamping. Serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, sodium and uric acid were measured in serum and urine samples. Fractional excretion of sodium ($FE_{Na}$) and fractional excretion of uric acid ($FE_{UA}$) were calculated. Also, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-18, liver type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were detected by Western immunoblotting. Serum BUN and creatinine levels were increased significantly at day 1 post-clamping in all three miniature pigs. However, $FE_{Na}$ and $FE_{UA}$ showed marked individual differences. Western immunoblotting revealed significantly increased levels of IL-6, IL-18, L-FABP and GST in post-ischemic urine, compared to pre-clamping. While more research concerning the variance of $FE_{Na}$ and $FE_{UA}$ is needed, serum BUN, creatinine, IL-6, IL-18, L-FABP and GST may be sensitive urine biomarkers for diagnosis of AKI together with other biomarkers in the porcine ischemia-reperfusion model.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2015

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lycopene on hepatic metabolic- and immune-related gene expression in laying hens. A total of 48 25-week-old White Leghorn hens were randomly allocated into four groups consisting of four replicates of three birds: control (basal diet), T1 (basal diet + 10 mg/kg of tomato powder-containing lycopene), T2 (basal diet + 10 mg/kg of micelles of tomato powder-containing lycopene), and T3 (basal diet + 10 mg/kg of purified lycopene). Chickens were fed ad libitum for 5 weeks, and then total RNA was extracted from the livers for quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ (PPAR${\gamma}$) expression was decreased in the liver of chickens after lycopene supplementation (P<0.05). Micellar lycopene supplementation decreased the expression of PPAR${\gamma}$ target genes including fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and fatty acids synthase (FASN) in the T2 group (P<0.05). Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) and C/EBP-${\alpha}$ were also downregulated in hens fed with micellar lycopene (P<0.05). Glucose transporter 8 (GLUT-8) was upregulated in the T2 and T3 groups (P<0.05). However, the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) was not changed by lycopene supplementation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were downregulated by lycopene supplementation (P<0.05). These data suggest that the type of lycopene supplementation is critical and that micelles of tomato powder-containing lycopene may play an important role in the modulation of lipid metabolism and immunity in chickens.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.275-286
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• 2018

Purpose: Our previous study demonstrated that persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thumb.) at different stages of ripening provided different protective effects against high-fat/cholesterol diet (HFD)-induced dyslipidemia in rats. In this study, we compared the metabolites profile and gene expressions related to triglyceride (TG)/cholesterol metabolism in vitro and in vivo after treating with persimmon water extracts (PWE) or tannin-enriched persimmon concentrate (TEP). Methods: Primary and secondary metabolites in test materials were determined by GC-TOF/MS, UHPLC-LTQ-ESI-IT-MS/MS, and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The expression of genes related to TG and cholesterol metabolism were determined by RT-PCR both in HepG2 cells stimulated by oleic acid/palmitic acid and in liver tissues obtained from Wistar rats fed with HFD and PWE at 0, 150, 300, and 600 mg/d (experiment I) or TEP at 0, 7, 14, and 28 mg/d (experiment II) by oral gavage for 9 weeks. Results: PLS-DA analysis and heatmap analysis demonstrated significantly differential profiling of metabolites of PWE and TEP according to processing of persimmon powder. In vitro, TEP showed similar hypolipidemic effects as PWE, but significantly enhanced hypocholesterolemic effects compared to PWE in sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2), HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), cholesterol $7{\alpha}-hydroxylase$ (CYP7A1), and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene expression. Consistently, TEP and PWE showed similar hypolipidemic capacity in vivo, but significantly enhanced hypocholesterolemic capacity in terms of SREBP2, HMGCR, and bile salt export pump (BSEP) gene expression. Conclusion: These results suggest that column extraction after hot water extraction may be a good strategy to enhance tannins and long-chain fatty acid amides, which might cause stimulation of hypocholesterolemic actions through downregulation of cholesterol biosynthesis gene expression and upregulation of LDL receptor gene expression.