• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.28-39
• /
• 2017

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can affect epigenetic mechanisms and obesity development. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)-widely used to make flames-are one of the important POPs. Prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as POPs, may affect global DNA methylation in long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE-1), increasing the risk of obesity later in life. Therefore, pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to elucidate whether BDE-47 and BDE-209 transferred through placenta and breast milk cause epigenetic changes in LINE-1 and increase genetic susceptibility to obesity as obesogen during the developmental periods. Global DNA methylation in LINE-1 and gene expression related to obesity were measured in dams and offspring, using a methylation-sensitive high resolution melting analysis (MS-HRM) and direct bisulfite sequencing and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively. The results of MS-HRM showed global DNA hypomethylation patterns in LINE-1 of exposed offspring (2 of total 4) at PND 4, but bisulfite sequencing showed no difference in both the exposed and non-exposed groups. Gene expression in dams related to ${\beta}$-oxidation pathway and those related to adipokines showed different patterns between the two groups. On the contrary, gene expressions of offspring showed a similar pattern. Gene expressions related to ${\beta}$-oxidation pathway and obesity were significantly increased when compared with 'at birth', but not $PPAR-{\alpha}$. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the possibility that co-exposure to BDE-47 and BDE-209-via the placenta and breast milk-may affect epigenetic changes and modulate gene expression levels related to obesity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.476-485
• /
• 2005

In this study, abiotic transformation of TNT reduction products via oxidative-coupling reaction was investigated using Mn oxide. In batch experiments, all the reduction products tested were completely transformed by birnessite, one of natural Mn oxides present in soil. Oxidative-coupling was the major transformation pathway, as confirmed by mass spectrometric analysis. Using observed pseudo-first-order rate constants with respect to birnessite loadings, surface area-normalized specific rate constants, $k_{surf}$, were determined. As expected, $k_{surf}$ of diaminonitrotoluenes (DATs) ($1.49{\sim}1.91\;L/m^2{\cdot}day$) are greater about 2 orders than that of dinitroaminotoluenes (DNTs) ($1.15{\times}10^{-2}{\sim}2.09{\times}10^{-2}\;L/m^2{\cdot}day$) due to the increased number of amine group. In addition, by comparing the value of $k_{surf}$ between DNTs or DATs, amino group on ortho position is likely to be more preferred for the oxidation by birnessite. Although cross-coupling of TNT in the presence of various mediator compounds was found not to be feasible, transformation of TNT by reduction using $Fe^0$ followed by oxidative coupling using Mn oxide was efficient, as evaluated by UV-visible spectrometry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2005.04a
• /
• pp.53-60
• /
• 2005

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting $1\%$ of the population above the age of 65 and is characterized by a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Although the underlying cause of dopaminergic cell death or the mechanism by which these cells degenerate is still not clearly understood, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and protein misfolding are thought to play important roles in the dopaminergic degeneration in PD. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is synthesized exclusively in the monoaminergic, including dopaminergic, cells and serves as an endogenous and obligatory cofactor for syntheses of the potential oxidative stressors dopamine and nitric oxide. In addition to its contribution toward the syntheses of these two potentially toxic molecules, BH4 itself can directly generate oxidative stress. BH4 undergoes oxidation during the hydroxylation reaction as well as nonenzymatic autooxidation to produce hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical. We have previously suggested BH4 as an endogenous molecule responsible for the dopaminergic neurodegeneration. BH4 exerts selective toxicity to dopamine-producing cells via generation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. BH4 also induces morphological, biochemical, and behavioral characteristics associated with PD in vivo. BH4 as well as enzyme activity and gene expression of GTP cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 synthesis pathway, are readily upregulated by cellular changes such as calcium influx and by various stimuli including stress situations. This points to the possibility that cellular availability of BH4 might be increased in aberrant conditions, leading to increased extracellular BH4 subsequent degeneration. The fact that BH4 is specifically and endogenously synthesized in dopaminergic cells, Is readily upregulated, and generates oxidative stress-related cell death provides physical relevance of this molecule as an attractive candidate with which to explain the mechanism of pathogenesis of PD.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.7
• /
• pp.990-998
• /
• 2021

Melanin is a natural skin pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes via a multistage biochemical pathway known as melanogenesis, involving the oxidation and polymerization of tyrosine. Melanogenesis is initiated upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, causing the skin to darken, which protects skin cells from UVB radiation damage. However, the abnormal accumulation of melanin may lead to the development of certain skin diseases, including skin cancer. In this study, the antioxidant and antimelanogenic activities of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of twenty strains were evaluated. Based on the results of 60% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity, 21% 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) scavenging capacity, and a 50% ascorbic acid equivalent ferric reducing antioxidant power value, Limosilactobacillus fermentum JNU532 was selected as the strain with the highest antioxidant potential. No cytotoxicity was observed in cells treated with the CFS of L. fermentum JNU532. Tyrosinase activity was reduced by 16.7% in CFS-treated B16F10 cells (but not in the cell-free system), with >23.2% reduction in melanin content upon treatment with the L. fermentum JNU532-derived CFS. The inhibitory effect of the L. fermentum JNU532-derived CFS on B16F10 cell melanogenesis pathways was investigated using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The inhibitory effects of the L. fermentum JNU532-derived CFS were mediated by inhibiting the transcription of TYR, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF and the protein expression of TYR, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF. Therefore, L. fermentum JNU532 may be considered a potentially useful, natural depigmentation agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.583-591
• /
• 2002

Biodegradation of fat, oil, and grease (FOGs) plays an Important role in wastewater management and water pollution control. However, many industrial food-processing and food restaurants generate FOG-containing waste waters for which there Is no acceptable technology for their pretreatment. To solve these problems, this study evaluated the feasibility of effective FOG-degrading microorganisms on the biodegradation of olive oil and FOG-containing wastewater. Twenty-two strains capable of degrading FOGs were isolated from five FOG-contaminated sites for the evaluation of their FOG degradation capabilities. Among twenty-two strains tested, the lipase-producing Pseudomonas sp. strain D2D3 was selected for actual FOG wastewater treatment. Its biodegradability was performed at 3$0^{\circ}C$ and pH 8. The extent of FOG removal efficiency was varied for each FOG tested, being the highest for olive oil and animal fat (94.5% and 94.4%), and the lowest for safflower oil (62%). The addition of organic nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, soytone, and peptone enhanced the removal efficiency of FOGs, but the addition of the inorganic nitrogen nutrients such as $NH_4$Cl and $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ did not increase. The $KH_2PO_4$ sources in 0.25% to 0.5% concentrations showed more than 90% degradability. As a result, the main pathway for the oxidation of fatty acids results in the removal of two carbon atoms as acetyl-CoA with each reaction sequence: $\beta$-oxidation. Its lipase activity showed 38.5 U/g DCW using the optimal media after 9 h. Real wastewater and FOGs were used for determining the removal efficiency by using Pseudomonas sp. strain D2D3 bioadditive. The degradation by Pseudomonas sp. strain D2D3 was 41% higher than that of the naturally occurring bacteria. This result indicated that the use of isolated Pseudomonas sp. strain D2D3 in a bioaugmentating grease trap or other processes might possibly be sufficient to acclimate biological processes for degrading FOGs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.103-115
• /
• 2000

The formation of brown-colored precipitates is one of the serious problems frequently encountered in the development and supply of groundwater in Korea, because by it the water exceeds the drinking water standard in terms of color. taste. turbidity and dissolved iron concentration and of often results in scaling problem within the water supplying system. In groundwaters from the Pajoo area, brown precipitates are typically formed in a few hours after pumping-out. In this paper we examine the process of the brown precipitates' formation using the equilibrium thermodynamic and kinetic approaches, in order to understand the origin and geochemical pathway of the generation of turbidity in groundwater. The results of this study are used to suggest not only the proper pumping technique to minimize the formation of precipitates but also the optimal design of water treatment methods to improve the water quality. The bed-rock groundwater in the Pajoo area belongs to the Ca-$HCO_3$type that was evolved through water/rock (gneiss) interaction. Based on SEM-EDS and XRD analyses, the precipitates are identified as an amorphous, Fe-bearing oxides or hydroxides. By the use of multi-step filtration with pore sizes of 6, 4, 1, 0.45 and 0.2 $\mu\textrm{m}$, the precipitates mostly fall in the colloidal size (1 to 0.45 $\mu\textrm{m}$) but are concentrated (about 81%) in the range of 1 to 6 $\mu\textrm{m}$in teams of mass (weight) distribution. Large amounts of dissolved iron were possibly originated from dissolution of clinochlore in cataclasite which contains high amounts of Fe (up to 3 wt.%). The calculation of saturation index (using a computer code PHREEQC), as well as the examination of pH-Eh stability relations, also indicate that the final precipitates are Fe-oxy-hydroxide that is formed by the change of water chemistry (mainly, oxidation) due to the exposure to oxygen during the pumping-out of Fe(II)-bearing, reduced groundwater. After pumping-out, the groundwater shows the progressive decreases of pH, DO and alkalinity with elapsed time. However, turbidity increases and then decreases with time. The decrease of dissolved Fe concentration as a function of elapsed time after pumping-out is expressed as a regression equation Fe(II)=10.l exp(-0.0009t). The oxidation reaction due to the influx of free oxygen during the pumping and storage of groundwater results in the formation of brown precipitates, which is dependent on time, $Po_2$and pH. In order to obtain drinkable water quality, therefore, the precipitates should be removed by filtering after the stepwise storage and aeration in tanks with sufficient volume for sufficient time. Particle size distribution data also suggest that step-wise filtration would be cost-effective. To minimize the scaling within wells, the continued (if possible) pumping within the optimum pumping rate is recommended because this technique will be most effective for minimizing the mixing between deep Fe(II)-rich water and shallow $O_2$-rich water. The simultaneous pumping of shallow $O_2$-rich water in different wells is also recommended.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.167-183
• /
• 2023

Gases originated from the final SNF (spent nuclear fuel) disposal site are very mobile in the barrier and they may also affect the migration of radioactive nuclides generated from the SNF. Mechanisms of gas-nuclide migration in the multi-barrier and their influences on the safety of the disposal site should be understood before the construction of the final SNF disposal site. However, researches related to gas-nuclide coupled movement in the multi-barrier medium have been very little both at home and abroad. In this study, properties of gas generation and migration in the SNF disposal environment were reviewed through previous researches and their main mechanisms were summarized on the hydrogeological evolution stage of the SNF disposal site. Gas generation in the SNF disposal site was categorized into five origins such as the continuous nuclear fission of the SNS, the Cu-canister corrosion, the oxidation-reduction reaction, the microbial activity, and the inflow from the natural barriers. Migration scenarios of gas in porous medium of the multi-barrier in the SNF repository site were investigated through reviews for previous studies and several gas migration types including ① the free gas phase flow including visco-capillary two-phase flow, ② the advection and diffusion of dissolved gas in pore water, ③ dilatant two-phase flow, and ④ tensile fracture flow, were presented. Reviewed results in this study can support information to design the further research for the gas-nuclide migration in the repository site and to evaluate the safety of the Korean SNF disposal site in view points of gas migration in the multi-barrier.