• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.695-706
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• 1998

This study was designed to investigate the associations of the percent body fat dietary intake, plasma lipoprotein profile, lipoprotein(a), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) concentrations of 1982 Korean subjects(men : 1000 and women : 982) between the ages of 40 and 59 years. The dietary assessment consisted of twenty-four hour dietary records and food frequency questionnaires. The subjects were identified into one of the five rating groups of % body fat : lean, underweight, normal, overweight and obese groups. The biochemical assessment included measurements of plasma total cholesterol(TC), HDL-cholesterol(HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol(LDL-C), triglyceride(TG), lipoprotein(a)(Lp(a)), and PAI-1. With respect to the ratio of percent energy intake of carbohydrate : protein : fat of the normal group of the women was 62% : 17% : 20%, respectively. Women apparently had a higher intake of carbohydrates than men(52% : 17 : 20%) did. There was a linear relationship between energy intake and % body fat in both mean and women(with the exception of the underweight group of women). The relationship of % body fat of men to the protein and fat intake was higher than that of the carbohydrate intake. Of the men in the study, intakes of energy, protein and alcohol were positively correlated to % body fat. In women, energy, carbohydrate and protein intake were positively correlated to % body fat, however, the fat, cholesterol and alcohol intake did not show any correlation to the % body fat in women. This study showed that % body fat was positively correlated with plasma TC, LDL-C, PAI-1 levels, and TG, but the % body fat was negatively correlated with plasma HDL-C level in both men and women. These results indicated that the high energy intake of obese or overweight subjects might contribute to several of the biochemical indices fo coronary heart disease(CHD) risk. In conclusion, increased energy intake is associated with overweight or obesity in middle aged Korean people. There was no relationship between % energy intake of fat and % body fat in the study, in middle-aged Korean men and women. The plasma lipid profile and PAI-1 level thought to be the risk factors of CHD were positively associated with percent body fat in middle aged Korean people.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.716-728
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An imbalanced adipokine profile in obesity increases the susceptibility to obesity-related cardiometabolic alterations, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The mulberry plant has been reported to have health benefits, such as hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects. This study examined the effects of a mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit ethanol extract (MBEE) on dyslipidemia, liver steatosis, and adipokine imbalance in response to a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of 4 groups containing 6 rats each and fed either a control diet (CON), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat diet with MBEE of 150 mg/kg/day (LMB) or 300 mg/kg/day (HMB). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured spectrophotometrically. The leptin, adiponectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The plasma TG levels were similar in the 4 groups. Plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and TC/HDL-C ratio increased in the HFD group compared with the CON group, whereas those values decreased in the LMB group (P < 0.05), indicating that MBEE had a plasma lipid-lowering effect. HDL-C decreased in the HFD group, but MBEE did not affect the HDL-C level. The HFD rats significantly increased hepatic TG and cholesterol levels and plasma ALT and AST activities compared to the CON group. The hepatic TG level and ALT and AST activities were reduced markedly by the MBEE treatment. The HFD group showed a higher PAI-1 level, whereas MBEE treatment, especially in the HMB group, significantly reduced leptin level, and leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/ adiponectin ratios. These findings suggest that MBEE altered the imbalance between the pro-and anti-inflammatory adipokines to a more anti-inflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: MBEE could protect against abnormal lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis induced by a high-fat diet, lowering plasma cholesterol, LDL-C and TC/HDL-C, and hepatic TG. These findings are associated with the regulating effect of MBEE on the leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/adiponectin ratios.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.110-114
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• 2003

Objective; Antistress effect of Korean red ginseng (RG) on postmenopausal women with severe climacteric syndrome (CS) were evaluated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western medicine. Methods; All patients with CS were treated with daily oral administration of 6g RG for 30 days. Nine patients with CS were evaluated with the use of diagnostic scores for KI-deficiency (deficiency of vital energy) and OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome from the viewpoint of KAMPO-medicine. In the same patients with CS, peripheral blood levels of ${\beta}$-endorphin and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (t-PAI-1) were measured before and after treatment with RG. In another group, 12 patients with CS, psychological test using CMI, STAI and SDS were performed from the viewpoint of Western medicine. Stress related hormones, such as ACTH, cortisol and DHEA-S in those 12 patients with CS were also measured before and after treatment with RG. Results; KI-deficiency score and OKETSU score in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those in patients without CS. After treatment with RG, both scores were markedly (p<0.001) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. ${\beta}$-endorphin levels in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. Total PAI-levels in patients with CS were increased before treatment with RG. No significant difference, however, were observed between patients with and without CS. After treatment with RG, both levels of ${\beta}$-endorphin and total PAI-1 in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. CMI and STAI scores in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. SDS scores in patients with CS were also markedly (p<0.00l) higher than in those without CS. After treatment with RG, all scores decreased within normal range. DHEA-S levels in patients with CS were about a half of those without CS. Consequently, cortisol/DHEA-S (C/D) ratio was significantly(p<0.001) higher in patients with CS than in those without CS. Although the decreased DHEA-S levels were not restored to the levels in patients without CS, the C/D ratio decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment with RG. Conclusion; Reinforcement of vital energy and improvement of stagnant blood circulations by oral administration of RG were elucidated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, effect of RG on postmenopsusal women with CS seemed to be brought about in part by not only an improvement of psychoneuroendocrine dysfunctions but also an amelioration of blood coagulation systems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4067-4073
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• 2012

Obesity is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer. Pioglitazone is a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor$receptor{\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) agonist that induces differentiation in adipocytes and induces growth arrest and/or apoptosis in vitro in several cancer cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the effect of pioglitazone on the development of azoxymethane-induced colon aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in KK-$A^{\mathcal{Y}}$ obesity and diabetes model mice, and tried to clarify mechanisms by which the $PPAR{\gamma}$ ligand inhibits ACF development. Administration of 800 ppm pioglitazone reduced the number of colon ACF/mouse to 30% of those in untreated mice and improved hypertrophic changes of adipocytes in KK-$A^{\mathcal{Y}}$ mice with significant reduction of serum triglyceride and insulin levels. Moreover, mRNA levels of adipocytokines, such as leptin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, in the visceral fat were decreased. PCNA immunohistochemistry revealed that pioglitazone treatment suppressed cell proliferation in the colorectal epithelium with elevation of p27 and p53 gene expression. These results suggest that pioglitazone prevented obesity-associated colon carcinogenesis through improvement of dysregulated adipocytokine levels and high serum levels of triglyceride and insulin, and increase of p27 and p53 mRNA levels in the colorectal mucosa. These data indicate that pioglitazone warrants attention as a potential chemopreventive agent against obesity-associated colorectal cancer.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.176-184
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• 2002

Objective; Antistress effect of Korean red ginseng (RG) on postmenopausal women with severe climacteric syndrome (CS) were evaluated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine and Western medicine. Methods; All patients with CS were treated with daily oral administration of 6g RG for 30 days. Nine patients with CS were evaluated with the use of diagnostic scores for KI-deficiency (deficiency of vital energy) and OKETSU (blood stagnation) syndrome from the viewpoint of KAMPa-medicine. In the same patients with CS, peripheral blood levels of $\beta$-endorphin and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (t-PAI-1) were measured before and after treatment with RG. In another group, 12 patients with CS, psychological test using CMI, STAI and SDS were performed from the viewpoint of Western medicine. Stress related hormones, such as ACTH, cortisol and DHEA-S in those 12 patients with CS were also measured before and after treatment with RG. Results; KI-deficiency score and OKETSU score in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those in patients without CS. After treatment with RG, both scores were markedly (p<0.001) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. ${\beta}-endorphin$ levels in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. Total PAI-I levels in patients with CS were increased before treatment with RG. No significant difference, however, were observed between patients with and without CS. After treatment with RG, both levels of ${\beta}-endorphin$ and total PAI-l in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) decreased compared to before treatment with RG. CMI and STAI scores in patients with CS were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in patients without CS. SDS scores in patients with CS were also markedly (p<0.001) higher than in those without CS. After treatment with RG, all scores decreased within normal range. DHEA-S levels in patients with CS were about a half of those without CS. Consequently, cortisol/DHEA-S (C/D) ratio was significantly (p<0.001) higher in patients with CS than in those without CS. Although the decreased DHEA-S levels were not restored to the levels in patients without CS, the C/D ratio decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment with RG. Conclusion; Reinforcement of vital energy and improvement of stagnant blood circulations by oral administration of RG were elucidated from the viewpoint of traditional KAMPO-medicine. From the viewpoint of Western medicine, effect of RG on postmenopausal women with CS seemed to be brought about in part by not only an improvement of psychoneuroendocrine dysfunctions but also an amelioration of blood coagulation systems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6813-6823
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• 2015

Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive of human brain tumors and has a stunning progression with a mean survival of one year from the date of diagnosis. High cell proliferation, angiogenesis and/or necrosis are histopathological features of this cancer, which has no efficient curative therapy. This aggressiveness is associated with particular heterogeneity of the tumor featuring multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations, but also with implications of aberrant signaling driven by growth factors. The transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ ($TGF{\beta}$) superfamily is a large group of structurally related proteins including $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily members Nodal, Activin, Lefty, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and growth and differentiation factor (GDF). It is involved in important biological functions including morphogenesis, embryonic development, adult stem cell differentiation, immune regulation, wound healing and inflammation. This superfamily is also considered to impact on cancer biology including that of GBM, with various effects depending on the member. The $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily, in particular, is overexpressed in some GBM types which exhibit aggressive phenotypes. This subfamily impairs anti-cancer immune responses in several ways, including immune cells inhibition and major histocompatibility (MHC) class I and II abolishment. It promotes GBM angiogenesis by inducing angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-I) and insulinlike growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), contributes to GBM progression by inducing metalloproteinases (MMPs), "pro-neoplastic" integrins (${\alpha}v{\beta}3$, ${\alpha}5{\beta}1$) and GBM initiating cells (GICs) as well as inducing a GBM mesenchymal phenotype. Equally, Nodal promotes GICs, induces cancer metabolic switch and supports GBM cell proliferation, but is negatively regulated by Lefty. Activin promotes GBM cell proliferation while GDF yields immune-escape function. On the other hand, BMPs target GICS and induce differentiation and sensitivity to chemotherapy. This multifaceted involvement of this superfamily in GBM necessitates different strategies in anti-cancer therapy. While suppressing the $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily yields advantageous results, enhancing BMPs production is also beneficial.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.516-523
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise and/or L-arginine on abdominal fat, IGF-1 on GH/IGF-1 axis, fibrinogen, and PAI-1 in aged and obese rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with a D-galactose aging inducing agent (50 mg/kg) given intraperitoneally for 12 weeks. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated and divided into four groups: aging-high fat diet group (AG+HF), AG+HF with L-arginine intake group (AG+LA), AG+HF with exercise group (AG+EX), and AG+EX with L-arginine intake group (AG+LA+EX). The experimental rats underwent treadmill training (60 min/day, 6 days/week at 0% gradient) for 12 weeks. L-arginine was given orally (150 mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. After the experiment, blood was collected from the left ventricle and abdominal fat was extracted. The results showed that GH was significantly increased in AG+EX and AG+AL+EX. IGF-1 was significantly increased in both the AG+AL+EX and AG+EX group ($p$<0.05), while fibrinogen and PAI-1 were not significantly different among the groups. Abdominal fat was significantly decreased in the AG+LA, AG+EX, and AG+LA+EX groups ($p$<0.05) compared with the AG+HF group. In conclusion, this study suggests that exercise alone or L-arginine alone or a combination not only increases the GH and IGF-1 concentration, but also decreases the abdominal fat mass.