• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.6-16
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• 2019

Purpose: Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Pine needles (Pinus densiflora seib et Zucc) are a traditional medicine used to treat dyslipidemia in clinical settings. This study examined the potential effects of sulgidduk, a Korean traditional rice cake containing pine needle juice to protect against dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat/sugidduk diet in a rat model. Methods: Twenty one male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: normal control (NC), Sulgidduk diet (SD), Sulgidduk diet containing pine needle juice (PSD). The blood lipid levels, production of lipid peroxide in the plasma and liver, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver and feces, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocytes were measured to assess the effects of PSD on dyslipidemia. Results: A high-fat/Sulgidduk diet induced dyslipidemia, which was characterized by significantly altered lipid profiles in the plasma and liver. The food intake was similar in the three groups, but weight gain and food efficiency ratio (FER) were reduced significantly in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TBARS in the plasma showed tendencies to decrease in the PSD group compared to those in the SD group. The levels of high-fat/Sulgidduk diet-induced sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) gene expression were reduced significantly in the PSD group. The supplementation of PSD reduced the hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels significantly, and enhanced the fecal excretion of triglyceride and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the SD group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of 0.4% pine needle juice to Sulgidduk may be an alternative snack to control dyslipidemia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.922-929
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• 2019

Objective: Mutations in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), which encodes a critical protein for cholesterol homeostasis and lipid metabolism in mammals, are involved in cardiometabolic diseases, such as familial hypercholesterolemia in pigs. Whereas microRNAs (miRNAs) can control LDLR regulation, their involvement in circulating cholesterol and lipid levels with respect to cardiometabolic diseases in pigs is unclear. We aimed to identify and analyze LDLR as a potential target gene of SSC-miR-20a. Methods: Bioinformatic analysis predicted that porcine LDLR is a target of SSC-miR-20a. Wild-type and mutant LDLR 3'-untranslated region (UTR) fragments were generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into the pGL3-Control vector to construct pGL3 Control LDLR wild-3'-UTR and pGL3 Control LDLR mutant-3'-UTR recombinant plasmids, respectively. An miR-20a expression plasmid was constructed by inserting the porcine premiR-20a-coding sequence between the HindIII and BamHI sites in pMR-mCherry, and constructs were confirmed by sequencing. HEK293T cells were co-transfected with the miR-20a expression or pMR-mCherry control plasmids and constructs harboring the corresponding 3'-UTR, and relative luciferase activity was determined. The relative expression levels of miR-20a and LDLR mRNA and their correlation in terms of expression levels in porcine liver tissue were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Results: Gel electrophoresis and sequencing showed that target gene fragments were successfully cloned, and the three recombinant vectors were successfully constructed. Compared to pMR-mCherry, the miR-20a expression vector significantly inhibited wild-type LDLR3'-UTR-driven (p<0.01), but not mutant LDLR-3'-UTR-driven (p>0.05), luciferase reporter activity. Further, miR-20a and LDLR were expressed at relatively high levels in porcine liver tissues. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that porcine liver miR-20a and LDLR levels were significantly negatively correlated (r = -0.656, p<0.05). Conclusion: LDLR is a potential target of miR-20a, which might directly bind the LDLR 3'-UTR to post-transcriptionally inhibit expression. These results have implications in understanding the pathogenesis and progression of porcine cardiovascular diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1092-1100
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• 2020

The six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 4 (Steap4) is a metalloreductase that plays a role in intracellular iron and cupper homeostasis, inflammatory response, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Previously, Steap4 has been reported to stimulate adipocyte differentiation; however, the underlying mechanisms of this action remain unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in Steap4-induced adipocyte differentiation using 3T3-L1 cells, immortalized brown adipocyte (iBA) cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblast C3H10T1/2 cells. The knockdown of Steap4 using adenovirus-containing shRNA attenuated mitotic clonal expansion (MCE), as evidenced by the impaired proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells, iBA cells, and C3H10T1/2 cells within 48 hr after adding the differentiation medium. Steap4 knockdown downregulated G1/S phase transition-related cell cycle regulators (including cyclin A and cyclin D) and upregulated cell cycle inhibitors (including p21 and p27). Furthermore, Steap4 knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and Akt. Moreover, Steap4 knockdown repressed the expression of early adipogenic activators, such as CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and Kruppel-like factor family factor 4 (KLF4). On the other hand, Steap4 knockdown stimulated the expression of adipogenic inhibitors, including KLF2, KLF3, and GATA2. The overexpression of Steap4 using an adenovirus removed the repressive histone marks H3K9me2 and H3K9me3 on the promoter of C/EBPβ. These results indicate that Stepa4 stimulates adipocyte differentiation through the induction of MCE and the modulation of early adipogenic transcription factors, including C/EBPβ, during the early phase of adipocyte differentiation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2021

The effects of freeze-dried powder from fresh and black garlic hot water extracts on the lipid metabolism in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-cholesterol diet were analyzed. The experimental group was classified into the normal group (NG), the high-fat (HF) and high-cholesterol diet group (CG), the HFC and 1% fresh garlic hot water extract powder-added diet group (FGEG), and the HFC and 1% black garlic hot water extract powder-added diet group (BGEG), respectively. The serum total lipid content was 381.52±7.30 mg/ml and 368.80±4.40 mg/ml in the FGEG and the BGEG, respectively, and was significantly lower than that of the CG. The total cholesterol and triglyceride contents of the FGEG and BGEG were also significantly lower than that of the CG. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly higher, and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol content was lower in the FGEG and BGEG than in the CG. The serum ALT and AST activities were significantly lower than those of the CG, and especially the BGEG was lower. The total cholesterol content and the triglyceride levels of the liver tissue were 36.0% and 14.3% lower in the BGEG than in the CG, respectively. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations in the serum and the liver tissue were higher in the CG than in the FGEG and BGEG, but there was no difference between them. Based on these results, garlic extract powders significantly reduced the lipid profile and increased the antioxidant activity in rats in vivo. The black garlic hot water extract powder was more effective than raw garlic because of the total number of phenolic compounds and browning substances in the black garlic.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.399-408
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• 2021

Natural soil was artificially contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn), and the movement of earthworm was characterized in real time using the ViSSET system composed of vibration sensor and the other components. The manifestation mechanism of ecological toxicity of heavy metals was interpreted based on the accumulative frequency of earthworm movement obtained from the real-time monitoring as well as the conventional indices of earthworm behavior, such as the change in body weight before and after tests and biocumulative concentrations of each contaminant. The results showed the difference in the earthworm movement according to the species of heavy metal contaminants. In the case of Cd, the earthworm movement was decreased with increasing its concentration and then tended to be increased. The activity of earthworm was severely increased with increasing Pb concentration, but the movement of earthworm was gradually decreased with increasing Zn concentration. The body weight of earthworm was proved to be greatly decreased in the Zn-contaminated soil, but it was similarly decreased in Cd- and Pb-contaminated soils. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was higher in the sequence of Cd > Zn > Pb, and particularly the biocumulative concentration of Pb did not show a clear tendency according to the Pb concentrations in soil. It was speculated that Cd is accumulated as a metallothionein-bound form in the interior of earthworm for a long time. In particular, Cd has a bad influence on the earthworm through the critical effect at its higher concentrations. Pb was likely to reveal its ecotoxicity via skin irritation or injury of sensory organs rather than ingestion pathway. The ecotoxicity of Zn seemed to be manifested by damaging the cell membranes of digestive organs or inordinately activating metabolism. Based on the results of real-time monitoring of earthworm movement, the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of Pb was estimated to be 751.2 mg/kg, and it was similar to previously-reported ones. The study confirmed that if the conventional indices of earthworm behavior are combined with the results of newly-proposed method, the mechanism of toxicity manifestation of heavy metal contaminants in soils is more clearly interpreted.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.37-71
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• 2021

Rapeseed is a typical winter crop, and its freezing stress tolerance is a major feature for winter survival. Therefore, it is important to comprehend clearly the physical and molecular mechanisms of rapeseed under freezing stress conditions. This study investigates the physical and transcriptome changes of two rapeseed lines, 'J8634-B-30' and 'EMS26', under cold acclimation and freezing temperature treatments. The proline content of 'J8634-B-30' at 5 ℃ increased 8.7-fold compared to that before treatment, and there was no significant change in that of 'EMS26' RNA-sequencing analysis revealed 5,083 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of 'J8634-B-30' under cold acclimation condition. Among the genes, 2,784 (54.8%) were up-regulated and 2,299 (45.2%) were down-regulated. The DEGs of 'EMS26' under cold acclimation condition were 5,831 genes, and contained 2,199 up-regulated genes (37.7%) and 3,632 down-regulated genes (62.3%). Among them, only DEGs annotated in the cold response-related signaling pathways were selected, and their expression in the two rapeseed lines was compared. Comparative DEGs analysis indicated that cold response related signaling pathways are proline metabolism and ABA (Abscisic acid) signaling. And ICE (Inducer of CBF expression) - CBF (C-repeat-binding factor) - COR (Cold-regulated) signaling were the significantly differentially expressed transcripts in the two rapeseed lines. The major induced transcripts of 'J8634-B-30' induced P5CS (Δ'-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase), which is related to proline biosynthesis, PYL (pyrabactin resistance-like protein, ABA receptor) and COR413 (cold-regulated 413 plasma membrane 1). In conclusion, these result provide a foundation for understanding the mechanisms of freezing stress tolerance in rapeseeds. Further functional studies should be performed on the freezing stress-related genes identified in this study, which can contribute to the transgenic and molecular breeding for freezing stress tolerance in rapeseed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.321-329
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• 2022

Riboflavin and its derivatives, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), are key components of mitochondrial energy metabolism and oxidation-reduction reactions. Proposed dietary reference intakes for Koreans (KDRIs), that is, estimated average requirements (EARs), for riboflavin, based on current knowledge of riboflavin and riboflavin derivative levels, and glutathione reductase activity, are 1.3 mg/d for men aged 19-64 years and 1.0 mg/d for women aged 19-64 years. By applying a coefficient of variance of 10%, reference nutrient intakes (RNIs) were set at 1.5 mg/d for men aged 19-64 years and 1.2 mg/d for women aged 19-64 years. Likewise, EARs and RNIs of riboflavin intake were proposed for all age groups and women in specific life stages such as pregnancy. Mean adult riboflavin intake for adults aged ≥ 19 years was 1.69 mg/d in Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2020, which was 124.9% of EAR according to the 2020 KDRIs. In the 2015-2017 KNHANES study, the mean riboflavin intake from foods and supplements was 2.79 mg/d for all age groups, and 32.7% of individuals consumed less riboflavin than EAR according to the 2020 KDRIs. For those that used supplements, mean intakes were 1.50 mg/d for riboflavin from foods, 10.26 mg/d from supplements, and 11.76 mg/d from food and supplements, and 5.5% of individuals consumed less riboflavin than EAR. Although the upper limit of riboflavin has not been established, the merits of increasing supplement use warrant further consideration. Also, additional epidemiologic and intervention studies are required to explore the role of riboflavin in the etiology of chronic diseases.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.528-536
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• 2021

The purpose of the study was to investigate the content of sinigrin, an index component, in Brassica juncea extract and to evaluate the differentiation of lipocytes, inhibition of production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduction of protein production by lipogenic factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, aP2) in the processing of Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes which induces Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting environmental hormone. From the investigation, the content of sinigrin in Brassica juncea extract, measured by HPLC, is found to be 21.27±0.2 mg/g. The XTT assay result on BPA-derived 3T3-L1 adipocytes shows there is no cytotoxicity found from 180 µM of sinigrin and 300 ㎍/mL of Brassica juncea extract. Moreover, both intracellular lipid accumulation and ROS production during differentiation of lipocyte are significantly reduced in cells processed with Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin. Lastly, it was also found that the production of transcription factors of lipocyte differentiation, PPARγ, C/EBPα and aP2, were found to be suppressed by the application of Brassica juncea extract and sinigrin. Such results reveals that Brassica juncea is effective in not only suppressing lipid accumulation in the environmental hormone bisphenol A-derived lipocyte, but also in reducing the ROS. The sinigrin-containing Brassica juncea is highly expected to be used in natural functional supplements that prevents the lipid metabolism disorders caused by BPA. There are necessities for additional clinical research and follow-up studies on the in vivo model to verify the relevant mechanisms.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.211-226
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• 2022

Choline, an essential nutrient for humans, is required for the structural integrity of the cell membranes, methyl-group metabolism, synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, synthesis of the membrane phospholipid components of the cell membranes, and the transport of lipids and cholesterol. Choline can be synthesized in the body, but it is insufficient to meet the daily requirements and hence it must be obtained through the diet. In the United States/Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, China, and Taiwan, the adequate intake (AI) and tolerable upper intake level (UL) of choline have been established, while the establishment of the 2020 Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRI) for choline was postponed due to the lack of a choline database for Korean foods and studies on the choline intake of Koreans. However, as part of the preparation work for the 2020 DRI revision and finalization, choline intake and the possibility of disease occurrence were verified through analysis of published data. The groundwork for the subsequent establishment of a choline DRI was laid through a literature search, evaluation, and review of the literature reported from 1949 up to 2019. This can be regarded as the culmination of this project. According to the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, and cross-sectional observational studies in humans, approximately 400-500 mg/day of choline intake was effective in preventing liver function damage (fatty liver), neural tube damage, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and cognitive function improvement. The same amount of choline intake, however, also correlated with the risk of prostate and colorectal cancer. At present, there is limited information available on choline intake and health outcomes, particularly for the Korean population. More human studies, including clinical trials on the requirements and the physiological benefits associated with dietary intake, are needed to establish the KDRI for choline.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2022

The initial co-transport and counter-transport permeate transport characteristics of calcium ion at epithelial cell membrane model in parathyroid which irradiated by high energy x-ray(linac 6 MV) was investigated. The epithelial cell membrane model used in this experiment was a polysulfonated copolymerized membrane of poly(PS-DVB: polystyrene-divinylbenzene). The difference of sorbed water in membrane, fixed carrier concentration(SO₃^2-), initial pH value, OH^- concentration were occurred at difference of Ca²⁺concentration and quantity of parathyroid hormone, respectively. The initial co-transport and counter-transport permeate flux of Cl^-, OH^-, Ca²⁺ on fixed carrier concentration(SO₃^2-) and initial pH value of irradiated membrane was found to be decreased than non-irradiated membrane. The initial co-transport and counter-transport permeate flux of Ca²⁺ on fixed carrier concentration (SO₃^2-), initial pH value, OH^- concentration in irradiated membrane were found to be decreased about 2.68 ~ 6.87 times, about 1.42 ~ 1.63 times, about 2.07 ~ 1.672 times than non-irradiated membrane, respectively. As a result, the quantity of parathyroid hormone was decreased at irradiated membrane than non-irradiated membrane. The decrease of parathyroid hormone was occurred at hypoparathyroidism and osteoporosis, parathyroiditis, and so on. As the parathyroid hormone in epithelial cell membrane model were abnormal, cell damages were appeared at cell.