• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제31권2호
• /
• pp.189-197
• /
• 2018

Objective: Hemicastration is a unilateral orchiectomy to remove an injured testis, which can induce hormonal changes and compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining testis, and may influence spermatogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the impact of hemicastration on remaining testicular function. Methods: Prepubertal mice (age 24 days) were hemicastrated, and their growth was monitored until they reached physical maturity (age 72 days). Subsequently, we determined testis DNA methylation patterns using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing of normal and hemicastrated mice. Moreover, we profiled the testicular gene expression patterns by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine whether methylation changes affected gene expression in hemicastrated mice. Results: Hemicastration did not significantly affect growth or testosterone (p>0.05) compared with control. The genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of remaining testis suggested that substantial genes harbored differentially methylated regions (1,139) in gene bodies, which were enriched in process of protein binding and cell adhesion. Moreover, RNA-seq results indicated that 46 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in meiotic cell cycle, synaptonemal complex assembly and spermatogenesis were upregulated in the hemicastration group, while 197 DEGs were downregulated, which were related to arachidonic acid metabolism. Integrative analysis revealed that proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 3 interacting protein gene, which encodes a protein crucial for homologous recombination in spermatocytes, exhibited promoter hypomethylation and higher expression level in hemicastrated mice. Conclusion: Global profiling of DNA methylation and gene expression demonstrated that hemicastration-induced compensatory response maintained normal growth and testicular morphological structure in mice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권6호
• /
• pp.2333-2340
• /
• 2015

Background: Due to the strong inhibitory effects of $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene on the growth of cancer cells, the role of Pro12Ala polymorphism in $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene has been extensively investigated in cancer recently. However, the results were inconsistent according to cancer type. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the $PPAR{\gamma}$ Pro12Ala polymorphism and gastric cancer susceptibility. Materials and Methods: Search strategies were conducted in Pubmed, Medline (Ovid), Chinese biomedical database (CBM), China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang database, covering all publications, with the last search up to November 01, 2014. The strength of association between $PPAR{\gamma}$ Pro12Ala polymorphism and gastric cancer risk was assessed by OR with 95%CI. Results: A total of 546 cases and 827 controls in 5 case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated that the variant G allele carriers (CG+GG) had a 2.31 times higher risk for gastric cancer when compared with the homozygote CC (odds ratio (OR)=2.31, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.67-3.21 for CG+GG vs. CC). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significantly elevated risks were both found in Asians (OR=2.56, 95% CI=1.42-4.64) and Caucasians (OR=2.20, 95% CI=1.48-3.25). Similarly, in the subgroup analysis by H. pylori status, a significantly increased risk was identified in H. pylori (+) populations (OR=3.68, 95%CI=2.07-6.52), but not in H. pylori(-) populations (OR=1.17, 95%CI=0.58-2.39). Conclusions: This pooled analysis suggested that the $PPAR{\gamma}$ Pro12Ala polymorphism could be an independent predictive risk factor for gastric cancer especially in H. pylori infected populations in Asians and Caucasians. Nevertheless, prospectively designed cohort studies are needed to further investigate gene-gene and gene-environment interactions to confirm the combined effects of $PPAR{\gamma}$ Pro12Ala polymorphisms and H. pylori infection on gastric cancer risk.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제28권11호
• /
• pp.1883-1895
• /
• 2018

Alcohol dependence is a global public health problem, yet the mechanisms of alcohol dependence are incompletely understood. The traditional view has been that ethanol alters various neurotransmitters and their receptors in the brain and causes the addiction. However, an increasing amount of experimental evidence suggests that gut microbiota also influence brain functions via gut-to-brain interactions, and may therefore induce the development of alcohol use disorders. In this study, a rat model of alcohol dependence and withdrawal was employed, the gut microbiota composition was analyzed by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the metagenome function was predicted by PICRUSt software. The results suggested that chronic alcohol consumption did not significantly alter the diversity and richness of gut microbiota in the jejunum and colon, but rather markedly changed the microbiota composition structure in the colon. The phyla Bacteroidetes and eight genera including Bacteroidales S24-7, Ruminococcaceae, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, et al were drastically increased, however the genus Lactobacillus and gauvreauii in the colon were significantly decreased in the alcohol dependence group compared with the withdrawal and control groups. The microbial functional prediction analysis revealed that the proportions of amino acid metabolism, polyketide sugar unit biosynthesis and peroxisome were significantly increased in the AD group. This study demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption has a dramatic effect on the microbiota composition structure in the colon but few effects on the jejunum. Inducement of colonic microbiota dysbiosis due to alcohol abuse seems to be a factor of alcohol dependence, which suggests that modulating colonic microbiota composition might be a potentially new target for treating alcohol addiction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제42권2호
• /
• pp.149-157
• /
• 2018

Background: Panax notoginseng leaves (PNL) exhibit extensive activities, but few analytical methods have been established to exclusively determine the dammarane triterpene saponins in PNL. Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF MS) and HPLC-UV methods were developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ginsenosides in PNL, respectively. Results: Extraction conditions, including solvents and extraction methods, were optimized, which showed that ginsenosides Rc and Rb3, the main components of PNL, are transformed to notoginsenosides Fe and Fd, respectively, in the presence of water, by removing a glucose residue from position C-3 via possible enzymatic hydrolysis. A total of 57 saponins were identified in the methanolic extract of PNL by UPLC/Q-TOF MS. Among them, 19 components were unambiguously characterized by their reference substances. Additionally, seven saponins of PNL-ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rb3, and notoginsenosides Fc, Fe, and Fd-were quantified using the HPLC-UV method after extraction with methanol. The separation of analytes, particularly the separation of notoginsenoside Fc and ginsenoside Rc, was achieved on a Zorbax ODS C8 column at a temperature of $35^{\circ}C$. This developed HPLC-UV method provides an adequate linearity ($r^2$ > 0.999), repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSD < 2.98%), and inter- and intraday variations (RSD < 4.40%) with recovery (98.7-106.1%) of seven saponins concerned. This validated method was also conducted to determine seven components in 10 batches of PNL. Conclusion: These findings are beneficial to the quality control of PNL and its relevant products.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.419-422
• /
• 2013

Conventional classifications of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) are rather unsatisfactory because of the variation in survival within each subgroup. Molecular markers are being found able to predict patient outcome in more and more tumours. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression of the proteins cyclin D1, cyclin E and P53 in GEP-NETs and assess any prognostic impact. Tumor specimens from 68 patients with a complete follow-up were studied immunohistochemically for cyclin D1, cyclin E and P53 expression. High cyclin D1 and cyclin E immunostaining (${\geq}$ 5% positive nuclei) was found in 48 (71%) and 24 (35%) cases, and high P53 staining (${\geq}$ 10% positive nuclei) in 33 (49%). High expression of P53 was more common in gastric neuroendocrine tumors and related to malignant behavior, being associate with a worse prognosis on univariate analysis (RR=1.9, 95%CI=1.1-3.2). High expression of cyclin E was significantly associated with shorter survival in the univariate analysis (RR=2.0, 95%CI=1.2-3.6) and multivariate analysis (RR=2.1, 95%CI=1.1-4.0). We found no significant correlation between the expression of cyclin D1 and any clinicopathological variables. Our study indicated a prognostic relevance for cyclin E and P53 immunoreactivity. Cyclin E may be an independent prognostic factor from the 2010 WHO Classification which should be evaluated in further studies.

• 한국산림과학회지
• /
• 제101권2호
• /
• pp.220-225
• /
• 2012

산지소유역에 있어서 밤나무림, 소나무림, 개벌조림지로 이용되고 있는 산림을 대상으로 임분별 유출토사량과 토사유출에 영향을 미치는 인자를 구명하기 위하여 분석한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 임분별 유출토사량 변화를 살펴보면 개벌조림지, 밤나무림, 소나무림 순으로 나타나 임분별 차이를 알 수 있었다. 임분별 유출토사량과 누적강우량간 선형회귀식의 설명력($R^2$)은 밤나무림 70%, 소나무림 60%, 개벌조림지 60%로서 비교적 높게 나타났다. 임분별 유출토사량과 환경인자간의 상관성을 분석한 결과 경사, 임상, 토양경도, 유역면적, 유로길이는 유의수준 1%, 누적강우량은 유의수준 5%에서 정의 상관관계가 나타났고, 피복율은 유의수준 1%에서 부의 상관관계를 나타내었다. 산지소유역에서 임지이용에 따른 유출토사량의 발생에 많은 영향을 미치는 인자는 피복율, 누적강우량 및 임상의 순으로 나타났으며, 다중회귀식은 Y = 31.250 - 1.140(피복율) + 0.413(누적강우량) + 20.829(임상)으로 추정되었다. 산림지역에 있어서 유출토사량의 증가는 하류의 하천 및 호소의 수질 등 계류생태계에 많은 영향을 미치므로 사방조림과 사방댐 및 골막이 등 적절한 사방구조물 도입을 통한 토사유실 방지 대책이 필요하다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.206-216
• /
• 2014

To investigate the anti-photoaging effect of fermented Red Ginseng(RG) in SKH-1 mice. We examined the effects of extracts of non-fermented RG(NRG group), fermented RG(FRG group) and fortified fermented RG(FFRG group) on skin wrinkles formation, histological changes related to the number of epidermal cell layers, epidermal thickness, neutrophil infiltration into dermis, degradation of collagen fibers, and the number of mast cells, and immunohistochemical changes related to cytokines and enzymes in photoaging skin caused by UVB irradiation of SKH-1 mice. The oral administration(300 mg/Kg B.W./day) and topical application($100{\mu}{\ell}/mouse/day$) of extracts of NRG, FRG and FFRG inhibited increases in epidermal thickness and wrinkle formation compared to control group in dorsal skin induced by UVB irradiation. We observed more increased stainability of acid fuschin and aniline blue in dermis of FFRG group than those of other groups. Furthermore, NRG, FRG and FFRG prevented the disruption of collagen fibers within papillary layer of dermis, and decreased number of mast cells in the dorsal skins induced by UVB irradiation. We observed fine wrinkle formation in FFRG group. Treatment with NRG, FRG and FFRG decreased immunohistochemical density of myeloperoxidase related to inflammation in the photoaging skin. We observed more decreased immunohistochemical density of myeloperoxidase in FFRG group than those of other groups. Immunohistochemical density of PCNA and Ki-67 in FFRG group was more decreased than those of other groups. Our study suggests that fermented red ginseng extracts participates in inhibitory effects in the morphological processes related to photoaging skin on UVB irradiated SKH-1 mice.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.244-255
• /
• 2018

Low-grade pro-inflammatory state and leptin resistance are important underlying mechanisms that contribute to obesity-associated hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that Astragaloside IV (As IV), known to counteract obesity and hypertension, could prevent obesity-associated hypertension by inhibiting pro-inflammatory reaction and leptin resistance. High-fat diet (HFD) induced obese rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the HFD control group (HF con group), As IV group, and the As IV + ${\alpha}$-bungaratoxin (${\alpha}-BGT$) group (As IV+${\alpha}-BGT$ group). As IV ($20mg{\cdot}Kg^{-1}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) was administrated to rats for 6 weeks via daily oral gavage. Body weight and blood pressure were continuously measured, and NE levels in the plasma and renal cortex was evaluated to reflect the sympathetic activity. The expressions of leptin receptor (LepRb) mRNA, phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) mRNA, and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) mRNA, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA and neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA were measured by Western blot or qRT-PCR to evaluate the hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. Additionally, we measured the protein or mRNA levels of ${\alpha}7nAChR$, inhibitor of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ kinase subunit ${\beta}/nuclear$ factor ${\kappa}B$ ($IKK{\beta}/NF-KB$) and pro-inflammatory cytokines ($IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$) in hypothalamus and adipose tissue to reflect the anti-inflammatory effects of As IV through upregulating expression of ${\alpha}7nAChR$. We found that As IV prevented body weight gain and adipose accumulation, and also improved metabolic disorders in HFD rats. Furthermore, As IV decreased BP and HR, as well as NE levels in blood and renal tissue. In the hypothalamus, As IV alleviated leptin resistance as evidenced by the increased p-STAT3, LepRb mRNA and POMC mRNA, and decreased p-PI3K, SOCS3 mRNA, and PTP1B mRNA. The effects of As IV on leptin sensitivity were related in part to the up-regulated ${\alpha}7nAchR$ and suppressed $IKK{\beta}/NF-KB$ signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hypothalamus and adipose tissue, since co-administration of ${\alpha}7nAChR$ selective antagonist ${\alpha}-BGT$ could weaken the improved effect of As IV on central leptin resistance. Our study suggested that As IV could efficiently prevent obesityassociated hypertension through inhibiting inflammatory reaction and improving leptin resistance; furthermore, these effects of As IV was partly related to the increased ${\alpha}7nAchR$ expression.

• 한국포장학회지
• /
• 제23권3호
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 2017

국내산 결구상추의 하절기 생산 제한을 수확 후 포장방법개선으로 공급을 효과적으로 유지하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서는 고온기 결구상추의 유통 및 저장 현황을 조사하였으며, 유통 현황과 기존의 결과를 근거하여 개선 가능한 포장방법을 모색하였다. 결구상추의 '유레이크'품종을 이용하여 포장재별 포장 방법에 따라 저장 중 생체중량 변화, SPAD 지수 등을 조사하였다. 포장방법은 관행적인 무포장의 플라스틱 재질 농산물 유통상자에 적재하는 저장방법에 LLDPE와 HDPE 필름 포장재를 이용하여 개별 및 박스 단위 방법으로 포장하여 저장온도 $2^{\circ}C$에서 하였다. 결구상추 저장 시 포장 방법 및 포장재에 따라서 개별적으로 LLDPE 필름으로 랩 포장한 것이 저장 21일까지 외관품위 등에서 비교적 양호한 상품성을 유지하였다. 또한 생체중량 감소율이 다른 처리구보다 적었고, 저장 중 SPAD나 색상변화 정도가 적은 경향을 보였다. 그러나 개별 포장한 결구상추의 결구내 수분감소나 경도에서는 처리별 차이를 확인하기는 어려웠다. 결구상추는 개별 포장하여 단기간 동안의 선도를 유지할 수 있었으나 개별 포장에 따른 기체 조성 변화에 큰 영향이 없어 MA 효과를 언급하기는 어려웠다. 고온기 생산성이 낮은 시기에 결구상추의 단경기 공급을 위해 개별적인 랩 포장으로 포장방법을 개선함으로써 저장성 연장에 대한 가능성을 확인하였다.

• 한국식품과학회지
• /
• 제31권5호
• /
• pp.1227-1234
• /
• 1999

여름철에 생산되는 '미백' 품종 복숭아의 기존 유통조건을 고려하여 $20^{\circ}C$에 저장하면서 기능성 MA 포장기법의 적용효과를 실험하였다. 필름 포장내의 ${O_2}$와 ${CO_2}$ 함량은 포장 후 7시간까지 급격히 변하였으며 에틸렌도 밀봉 직후 급격히 증가하여 40LD 포장구가 64.2 ppm까지 증가하였다. 저장중 품질변화 측정에서 대조구의 중량손실은 저장 8일 후 11.8%였으나 포장구는 2.0% 이하의 수준이었다. 가용성고형분, pH 등 에서는 처리구간에 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았으나, 산도는 20CK 포장구가 저장 8일 후 0.25%로 가장 높게 유지되었고 경도 역시 20CK가 20LP 포장구와 더불어 높게 유지되었다. 과피색은 20CK의 복숭아가 Hunter 'L' 값을 높게 유지하였다. 저장 중 혐기호흡으로 생성되는 아세트알데히드와 에탄올은 각각 40LD와 40CK 포장구가 높았으며 20CK는 포장구중 가장 낮은 수준을 유지하였다. 20CK 포장구는 외관 및 관능적 품질에서도 높은 평가를 받아서 상품성 유지에 효과적인 것으로 나타났다. 결과적으로 여름철 복숭아의 유통을 위한 포장처리구중 20CK 포장구가 종합적인 품질 측면에서 상품성이 높게 유지되어 단기간 상온유통용 포장방법으로 적용이 가능하다고 판단되었다.