• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.13-17
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• 2024

Oxygen is necessary to sustain life, but reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by oxygen metabolism can cause mutations and toxicity. ROS can damage cellular macromolecules, leading to oxidative stress, which can accelerate cell death and aging. ROS generated in food affect the taste, color, and aroma of food, and high levels of ROS in meat can cause spoilage. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) plays an important role in scavenging ROS in food and reducing their toxicity to organisms. SOD exerts its antioxidant effect by catalyzing the breakdown of O₂-• to H₂O₂. As a natural antioxidant, SOD has the ability to regenerate and maintain its activity over a long period of time without depletion, unlike chemical antioxidants that may have side effects or stability issues. This antioxidant effect of SOD has great potential in a variety of industries, and in the food industry it can be utilized to improve product quality and provide safe and healthy products to consumers. By disrupting the SOD2 and SOD3 genes in Candida albicans, we studied the effects of SOD2 and SOD3 genes on the antioxidant system, suggesting its potential as a natural antioxidant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.79-92
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• 2007

Oxidative stress have known to be a risk factor for the degenerative processes and closely related to a lot of diseases. It is well established that antioxidants are good in protection and therapeutic means against oxidative damage. There is increasing interest in natural antioxidants and many natural antioxidants have been found and utilized as the possible protection for various diseases and skin aging. We have screened natural antioxidant agents for cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and drugs as therapeutic and preventive means against oxidative stress, and have developed a number of novel antioxidants from various natural sources. A novel melanin synthesis inhibitor, Melanocin A, isolated from the metabolite of a fungal strain Eupenicillium shearii F80695 inhibited mushroom tyrosinase and melanin biosynthesis of B16 melanoma cells with $IC_{50}$ value of 9.0 nM and MIC value of $0.9\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Melanocin A also exhibited potent antioxidant activity by scavenging of DPPH and superoxide anion radicals. UV was found to increase the level of hydrogen peroxides and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skin tissues. This increase in ROS may not only alter the structure and function of many genes and proteins directly but may also modulate their expressions through signal transduction pathways and, ultimately, lead to skin damage. We investigated the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced premature skin aging. Firstly, the effect of Melanocin A on UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT in vitro was investigated. Acute UV irradiation induced MMP-9 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels and Melanocin A suppressed this expression in a dose-dependent manner. We then investigated UV-induced skin changes in hairless mice in vivo by Melanocin A. Chronic exposure of hairless mouse dorsal skin to UV increased skin thickness and induced wrinkle formation and the gelatinase activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, Melanocin A significantly suppressed UV-induced morphologic skin changes and MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. These results show that Melanocin A can prevent the harmful effects of UV that lead to skin aging. Therefore, we suggest that Melanocin A should be viewed as a potential therapeutic agent for preventing and/or treating premature skin aging. Terrein is a bioactive fungal metabolite isolated from Penicillium species. Terrein has a relatively simple structure and can be easily synthesized. However, the biologic effects of terrein are comparatively unknown. We found for the first time that terrein potently inhibit melanin production in melanocytes and has a strong hypopigmentary effect in a spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel-Ab. Treatment of Mel-Ab cells with terrein (10-100 mM) for 4 days significantly reduced melanin levels in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, terrein at the same concentration also reduced tyrosinase activity. We then investigated whether terrein influences the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway and the expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which is required for tyrosinase expression. Terrein was found to induce sustained ERK activation and MITF down-regulation, and luciferase assays showed that terrein inhibits MITF promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the correlation between ERK pathway activation and a decreased MITF transcriptional level, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of the ERK pathway, was applied before terrain treatment and found to abrogate the terrein-induced MITF attenuation. Terrein also reduced the tyrosinase protein level for at least 72 h. These results suggest that terrain reduces melanin synthesis by reducing tyrosinase production via ERK activation, and that this is followed by MITF down-regulation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1002-1014
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• 2023

The root of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (Maxim.) has long been used in traditional medicine to prevent the onset and progression of various diseases and has been reported to exert a wide range of physiological effects, including antioxidant activity. However, research on its effects on hepatocytes remains scarce. This study used the human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line to investigate the antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of C. japonicum root (EECJ) on hepatocytes. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was used to mimic oxidative stress. The results showed that EECJ significantly reverted the decrease in cell viability and suppressed the release of lactate dehydrogenase in HepG2 cells treated with H₂O₂. Moreover, an analysis of changes in cell morphology, flow cytometry, and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) expression showed that EECJ significantly inhibited HepG2 cell autophagy induced by H₂O₂. Furthermore, it attenuated H₂O₂-induced apoptosis and cell cycle disruption by blocking intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide production, indicating strong antioxidant activity. EECJ also restored the decreased levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH) and enhanced the expression and activity of superoxide dismutase and GSH peroxidase in H₂O₂-treated HepG2 cells. Although an analysis of the components contained in EECJ and in vivo validation using animal models are needed, these findings indicate that EECJ is a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-induced liver cell damage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.1347-1352
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• 2009

The effects of methanol extract of barely (Hordeum vulgare) on alcohol-induced damages of liver were investigated in male ICR mice. Mice were divided into three groups, control, ethanol, and ethanol plus 0.15% of barley extract. After four weeks of ethanol feeding, ethanol group significantly increased the P450 content, CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 enzyme activities, whereas ethanol plus barely group markedly decreased to levels similar to control group. Catalase activity in ethanol group was significantly lower than that in control group; however, ethanol plus barely group stimulated catalase activity as well as SOD activity significantly. These results indicated that barely extract modulated P450 enzymes for ethanol-induced liver damage and might be useful in developing functional food for alcoholic liver damage.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2002

The water extract of Omija-tang(OMJT) has been traditionally used for treatment of ischemic heart and brain damage in oriental medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the water extract of OMJT protects cells from such damage. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the protective mechanisms of OMJT on $H_2O_2$-induced toxicity in H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. Treatment of $H_2O_2$ markedly induced death of H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells in a dose-dependent manner. The characteristics of $H_2O_2$-induced death of H9c2 showed apparent apoptotic features, such as DNA fragmentation. However, OMJT significantly reduced both $H_2O_2$-induced cell death and chromatin fragmentation. The decrease of Bcl-XL expression by $H_2O_2$ was inhibited by OMJT. In addition, the increase of Bcl-XS and Bax expression were also inhibited by OMJT. In particular, Fas expression, which is generally recognized as cell death inducing signal by Fas/FasL interaction, was markedly increased by $H_2O_2$ in a time-dependent manner, whereas this increase was completely prevented by OMJT. The combined treatment of OMJT and $H_2O_2$ in H9c2 cells also reduced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 like protease. Taken together, this study indicates that the protective effects of the water extract of OMJT against oxidative damage may be mediated by the modulation of BcI-XL/S and Bax expression by way of the regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase cascades.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1628-1632
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• 2007

The present study describes the preliminary evaluation of antioxidant activities and antigenotoxic effect of Rhododendron mucromulatum Turcz. flowers (RMF). The samples were prepared by extracting RMF with four different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and water), and antioxidant properties were evaluated by determining total phenolic contents (TPC), DPPH radical scavenging activity (RSA), and reducing power (RP). Water extract showed the highest total phenol content (328.1 mg/g gallic acid equivalents). Acetone extract showed the most potent RSA and RP. The $IC_{50}$ for RSA and RP in the acetone extract were 78 mg/mL and 454 mg/mL, respectively. The 200 mM $H_2O_2$ induced DNA damage, measured by Comet assay, was inhibited with water, methanol and acetone extract in dose dependent manner in human leukocytes. The inhibition rates were 42, 62, and 52% at the concentrations of 50 mg/mL of water, methanol and acetone extracts, respectively. These results suggest that R. mucromulatum Turcz. has significant antioxidative activity and protective effect against oxidative DNA damage.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated the cellular protective effects and mechanisms of nicotiflorin and its aglycone kaempferol isolated from Annona muricata. The protective effect of these components against $^1O_2$-induced cell damage was also studied by using L-ascorbic acid and (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol as controls. Kaempferol exhibited the most potent protective effect, followed by (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol and nicotiflorin. L-Ascorbic acid did not exhibit any cellular protective effects. To elucidate the mechanism underlying protective effects, the quenching rate constant of the singlet oxygen, free radical-scavenging activity, ROS-scavenging activity, and uptake ratio of the erythrocyte membrane were measured. The results showed that the cell membrane penetration is a key factor determining the cellular protective effect of kaempferol and its glycoside nicotiflorin. The result from L-ascorbic acid demonstrated that the cellular protective effect of a compound depends on its ability to penetrate the cell membrane and is independent of its antioxidant capacity. In addition, it is suggested that cellular protective effects of kaempferol and (+)-${\alpha}$-tocopherol depend not only on the cell permeability, but also on free radical- and ROS-scavenging activities. These results indicate that the cell permeability and free radical- and ROS- scavenging activities of antioxidants are major factors affecting the protection of cell membranes against the oxidative damage induced by photosensitization reaction.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1247-1255
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• 2016

Heparin binding proteins (HBPs) are produced by accessory glands. These are secreted into the seminal fluid, bind to the spermatozoa at the time of ejaculation, favour capacitation, acrosome reaction, and alter the immune system response toward the sperm. The present study was conducted with an objective to assess the effect of purified seminal plasma-HBPs (SP-HBPs) on cross bred cattle bull sperm attributes during two phases of cryopreservation: Pre freezing and freezing-thawing. SP-HBPs were purified from pooled seminal plasma by heparin affinity chromatography. Three doses of SP-HBPs i.e. 10, 20, $40{\mu}g/mLs$ semen were standardized to find out the optimum dose and $20{\mu}g/mLs$ was found to be an optimum dose. Semen as such and treated with SP-HBPs was diluted with sodium citrate-egg yolk diluter and cryopreserved as per the standard protocol. Sperm parameters i.e. motility, viability, Hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), acrosome damage, in vitro capacitation and lipid peroxidation were evaluated in SP-HBP treated and untreated (control) semen at both phases of cryopreservation. A considerable variation in percent sperm motility, viability, membrane integrity (HOST), acrosome damage, acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation was observed at both phases among the bulls irrespective of the treatment. Incubation of neat semen with $20{\mu}g/mL$ SP-HBP before processing for cryopreservation enhanced the average motility, viability, membrane integrity by 7.2%, 1.5%, 7.9%, and 5.6%, 6.6%, 7.4% in pre-frozen and frozen-thawed semen in comparison to control. There was also an average increase of 4.1%/3.9% in in vitro capacitation and acrosome reaction in SP-HBPs-treated frozen-thawed semen as compared to control. However, binding of SP-HBPs to the sperm declined acrosome damage and lipid peroxidation by 1.3%/4.1% and 22.1/$32.7{\mu}M$/$10^9$ spermatozoa in SP-HBP treated pre-frozen/frozen-thawed semen as compared to control, respectively. Significant (p<0.05) effects were observed only in motility, HOST and in vitro acrosome reaction. It can be concluded that treatment of neat semen with SP-HBPs before cryopreservation minimized the cryoinjury by decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.386-396
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• 2005

The effects of spirulina-added salad dressing on lipid profiles and antioxidant biomarkers such as total glutathionine, TBARS value, carbonyl value, GPx, GR, SOD and paraoxonase activity in plasma or liver of mice were evaluated Sixteen male ICR mice weighing 20$\pm$2 g were divided into two groups and fed low fat ($5\%$ fat) diet (low fat control: LFC) and low fat control plus dressing diet (LFD) for eight weeks. Body weight, tissue weights of liver, heart and kidney, and the distribution of body fat deposition were not significantly different between two groups. Also, the profile of TG, TC, LDL and HDL cholesterol were similar between two groups. The DNA damage was determined using the comet assay (single cell gel assay) with alkaline electrophoresis and quantified by measuring tail length (TL). Spirulina salad dressing consumption resulted in significant decrease in lymphocyte DNA damage expressed by TL (LFC: $28.8{\mu}m$, LFD: $20.3{\mu}m$). Additionally, salad dressing consumption for 8 wks decreased the lipid peroxidation assayed by TBARS to $12.6\%$ compared with the control. The levels of antioxidant vitamins such as $\beta$-carotene were significantly higher in plasma of LFD group than those in LFC group based on HPLC method This study shows that spirulina-added salad dressing exerts degenerative disease-protective effects on oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation possibly via a free radical levels.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.171-187
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was performed to determine if Orostachys japonicus A. Berger herbal acupuncture (OjB) provides the protective effect against the loss of cell viability and DNA damage induced by oxidant in renal proximal tubular cells. Methods : The cell viability was evaluated by a MTT reduction assay and DNA damage was estimated by measuring double stranded DNA breaks in opossum kidney (OK) cells, an established proximal tubular cell line. Lipid peroxidation was determined by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation. Results : H2O2 increased the loss of cell viability in a time-dependent manner, which were prevented by 0.1% OjB. The protective effect of OjB was dose-dependent over concentration range of 0.05-0.5%. H2O2 caused ATP depletion and DNA damage, which were prevented by OjB and the hydrogen peroxide scavenger catalase. The loss of cell viability by H2O2 was not affected by the antioxidant DPPD, but lipid peroxidation by the oxidant was completely inhibited by DPPD. Generation of superoxide and H2O2 in neutrophils activated by phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate was inhibited by OjB in a dose-dependent manner. OjB inhibited generation of H2O2 in OK cells treated with antimycin A and exerted a direct H2O2 scavenging effect. Exposure of OK cells to 1 mM tBHP caused a significant depletion of glutathione which was prevented by OjB. OjB accelerated the recovery in cells cultured for 20 hr in normal medium without oxidant following oxidative stress. Conclusions : These results suggest that OjB exerts the protective effect against oxidant-induced cell injury and its protective effect was resulted from radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.