• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2006

The uptake of cadmium in animals is mainly accumulated in and affected to the liver and kidney by binding with red blood cells and serum albumin. The process accounts for more than 50% of the total accumulated cadmium in the body. The kidneys may be damaged without regarding the pathway uptake of cadmium. In a group of rats on supplements of 1% chlorella and 40 ppm cadmium, the concentration of cadmium in urine greatly decreased by 66% compared to control group, and the total synthesis of metallothionein decreased by 48.6% compared to control group. However, no previous study has assessed the protective effect on kidney damage induced by cadmium uptake through supplementation with chlorella. This study analyzed the biochemical marker for kidney damage in the rats after uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2$ and supplementation of the diet of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with 1%, 5%, and 10% chlorella during 4 weeks. In a group of SD rats on supplementation with 1% chlorella and uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2,\;\beta_2$ microglobulin in the urine was found to be $3.1\pm0.6\;{\mu}g/L$, a decrease of 58% compared to a group of Sp rats on uptake of $CdCl_2$ only, in which the $\beta_2$ microglobulin was found to be $4.9\pm0.7\;{\mu}g/L$. According to the results of histopathological observation, the accumulation of mild and localized chronic inflammatory cells in kidney tissues was observed in 50% of the SD rats on uptake of cadmium only. In contrast, only 30% of the SD rats on supplementation with 1% chlorella and uptake of 40ppm $CdCl_2$, representing a histopathological abnormality, and there were no histopathological abnormalities at all in groups of SD rats on supplementation with 5% or 10% chlorella and uptake of 40 ppm $CdCl_2$. In conclusion, protein, calcium, and iron, which account for more than 50% of the total dried chlorella composition, may contribute to the reduction nephrotoxicity by stimulating both inhibited absorption of cadium and increased excretion of accumulated cadmium in kidneys.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2000

The vancomycin, one of the family of glycopeptide antibiotics, inhibits the synthesis of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan and has been widely used against gram-positive bacterial infections, especially for a treatment of methicillin resistant S. aureus infection. However, clinical isolate which was intermediately resistant to vancomycin (Mu50: MIC 8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) was isolated in recent years. In this study we performed vancomycin susceptibility test with the increment method and population analysis with clinical isolates S. aureus. Also we did several kinds of tests with three selected isolates (s129: MIC 7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, s134: MIC 7 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, s135: MIC 8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) to find out possible mechanism of vancomycin resistance. As a result, the prevalence of vancomycin resistant S. aureus isolates among S. aureus strains resistant to methicillin was 23.3% (25/107). The vancomycin resistances of isolated strains of S. aureus were between those of Mu5O and Mu3 strains. By PCR analysis, none of the isolates with decreased vancomycin susceptibility contained known vancomycin resistant genes such as vanA, vanB, vanC1, vanC2, and vanH. Major bands of 81 kDa, 58 kDa, 33 kDa, 28 kDa were demonstrable in whole cell lysates by SDS-PAGE from all three isolates as well as reference strains. And especially,45 kDa protein was overproduced in Mu50 strains. Among them increased production of NAD$^{+}$-linked-$_{D}$-lactate dehydrogenase (dnLDH) were detected from one clinical strain (s135) and Mu5O strain. From these data, we suggest that the mechanism of vancomycin resistance in these isolates are distinct from that in enterococci.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2014

This study was performed to determine the whitening effect of organic solvent extracts from the centipede, Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans. We prepared different concentrations (50%, 70% and 100%) of ethanol, methanol, 100% ethyl acetate and water extracts. We tested melanin inhibitory effect and tyrosinase activity using B16/F10 melanoma cell. As a result, treatment of organic solvent extracts is decreased the biosynthesis of melanin and tyrosinase activity to 36 ~ 86%. Especially the 70% ethanol extracts was the most effective in B16/F10 melanoma cells. In the study on melanogenic protein expression, 70% ethanol extracts of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans blocked glycosylation of tyrosinase. Therefore this result suggests that 70% ethanol extracts could be developed as skin whitening agents.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.285-292
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• 2016

In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro wound-healing properties of two types of rice cell extracts (RCEs; prepared using ethanol and pressurized hot water extraction methods), using human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The effects of the RCEs (at 25–100 μg/ml) on cytotoxicity and cell migration were assessed. Both RCEs were not cytotoxic to the two cell types, instead increasing their proliferation by up to 25% in a dose-dependent manner compared with the controls. Furthermore, both RCEs significantly enhanced the migratory ability of the two cell types (fibroblast, 230–450%; keratinocyte, 170–350%). Additionally, we examined the effect of the RCEs on type I collagen synthesis, which is important in the wound reconstruction process. The RCEs significantly increased collagen type I mRNA and protein levels to a degree comparable to that induced by vitamin C. These results suggest the RCEs to be candidate materials for use in promoting wound healing, through their actions of increasing cell migration and accelerating wound re-epithelialization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1573-1582
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• 2015

This study was to investigate the effect of soyabean isoflavones (SIF) on onset of puberty, serum hormone concentration, and gene expression in hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary of female Bama miniature pigs. Fifty five, 35-days old pigs were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups consisting of 11 pigs per treatment. Results showed that dietary supplementation of varying dosage (0, 250, 500, and 1,250 mg/kg) of SIF induced puberty delay of the pigs with the age of puberty of pigs fed basal diet supplemented with 1,250 mg/kg SIF was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to control. Supplementation of SIF or estradiol valerate (EV) reduced (p<0.05) serum gonadotrophin releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone concentration, but increased follicle-stimulating hormone concentration in pigs at 4 months of age. The expression of KiSS-1 metastasis-suppressor (KISS1), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta-5-delta-4 isomerase ($3{\beta}-HSD$) was reduced (p<0.01) in SIF-supplemented groups. Expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the pituitary of miniature pigs was reduced (p<0.05) compared to the control when exposed to 250, 1,250 mg/kg SIF and EV. Pigs on 250 mg/kg SIF and EV also showed reduced (p<0.05) expression of cytochrome P450 19A1 compared to the control. Our results indicated that dietary supplementation of SIF induced puberty delay, which may be due to down-regulation of key genes that play vital roles in the synthesis of steroid hormones.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.353-359
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• 1998

Danazol, one of the IOC banned substances, is a synthetic steroid which stimulates the synthesis of cellular protein with multiple and diverse biologic effects. To confirm the androgenic effects of danazol, levels of eight endogenous steroids and its major metabolite in human urine were simultaneously analyzed by selected ion monitoring (SIM) of GC/MS after oral administration. The recovery range of this method was 71.59%~93.56% and the RSD values of precision and accuracy test were 1.87%~10.48% and 1.32%~11.25%, respectively. The limits of detection of most of the drugs were $0.01{\sim}0.05{\mu}g/mL$ and calibration was carried out using urine spiked with each endogenous steroid and ethisterone standard at a concentration of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 10, 20 and $50{\mu}g/mL$ and with $10{\mu}g/mL$ of internal standard. Correlation coefficients varied between 0.963 and 0.991. The endogenous steroid profiling is one of valuatle tool for decteation of anabolic steroids.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2016

Just like UV radiation, heat increases collagen degradation and accumulation of abnormal elastin fiber and this is termed thermal skin aging. Dunaliella salina (DS), a green alga, is known for its beta-carotene accumulation, having various applications in the health and nutritional products. However, the effects of DS on heat-induced skin aging remain unexplored. In this study, we performed anti-thermal aging tests of the ethanol extract of DS (DSE). We measured the cellular levels of type I procollagen and MMP-1 using ELISA in human dermal fibroblast cells after heat shock. DSE reduced the expression of MMP-1 protein and increased the expression of type I procollagen. In addition, DSE upregulated the mRNA expression of HSP47 reduced by heat shock, which is involved in collagen synthesis. Also, DSE reduced the expression of inflammation mediator (TGF-${\beta}$, IL-12, etc). We demonstrate that DSE regulates the heat-induced solar elastosis through the regulation of tropoelastin and fibrillin-1, two major proteins of elastic fibers, and MMP-12 expression. These results suggest that DSE may be effective for preventing thermally induced skin aging.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2004

The goal of periodontal treatment is not only to arrest the progression of the disease but also to promote the functional, esthetic regeneration of the periodontium. Flap operation, bone graft, guided tissue regeneration, growth factors and bone morphogenetic protein have been used for this purpose. Among these techniques of regeneration, alloplastic graft, especially calcium phosphate is getting more attention recently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of calcium phosphate glass on mouse calvarial cell in vitro. The toxicity of calcium phosphate glass was measured using MTT assay, the synthesis of collagen was measured using collagen assay, and ALP activity was measured. The experimental groups were cultured with calcium phosphate glass(both AQ-, and HT-CPG) in concentration of 0.01, 0.02, 0.1, 0.2g/ml. The results are as follows 1. In concentrations not exceeding 0.02g/ml, both the groups(AQ-CPG, HT-CPG) didn't show any toxicity on mouse calvarial cell(p<0.05). 2. In both the experimental groups are the concentration of 0.02g/ml, collagen expressions were significantly up-regulated (p<0.05). 3. In both the experimental groups are the concentration of 0.02g/ml, ALP activity was not significantly up-regulated, but ALP activity in both experimental groups were greater than control group(p<0.05). The results suggested that the use of calcium phosphate glass may promotes periodontal regeneration. Ongoing studies are necessary in order to determine their regeneration effects.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.135-153
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• 2015

The aromatic amino acids, which are composed of $\small{L}$-phenylalanine, $\small{L}$-tyrosine and $\small{L}$-tryptophan, are general components of protein synthesis as well as precursors for a wide range of secondary metabolites. These aromatic amino acids-derived compounds play important roles as ingredients of diverse phenolics including pigments and cell walls, and hormones like auxin and salicylic acid in plants. Moreover, they also serve as the natural products of alkaloids and glucosinolates, which have a high potential to promote human health and nutrition. The biosynthetic pathways of aromatic amino acids share a chorismate, the common intermediate, which is originated from shikimate pathway. Then, tryptophan is synthesized via anthranilate and the other phenylalanine and tyrosine are synthesized via prephenate, as intermediates. This review reports recent studies about all the enzymatic steps involved in aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathways and their gene regulation on transcriptional/post-transcriptional levels. Furthermore, results of metabolic engineering are introduced as efforts to improve the production of the aromatic amino acids-derived secondary metabolites in plants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.542-549
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• 2020

A previous study reported that Ulmus macrocarpa Hance water extract (UME) can improve hyperlipid metabolism and the involvement of suppressed lipid synthesis through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway regulation was suggested. Further exploration of the lipid metabolism between liver and peripheral tissue was necessary to confirm that work, and so this study aimed to extend the possibility that UME can regulate serum lipids. After a 6-week in vivo trial of oral administration of UME to rats with induced hyperlipidemia, serum levels of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were seen to decrease while HDL cholesterol increased. The UME administrations also decreased the TC and TG levels from the control in liver analysis. However, the suggestion that UME regulates the AMPK pathway to improve hyperlipid states through the suppression of hepatic lipogenesis seems to be only one part of the extract's effect. Indeed, serum concentrations of apolipoproteins A and B were returned to baseline levels of the control group in response to UME administration whilst the liver lipid content was much reduced; this cannot occur through the suggested suppression of hepatic lipogenesis alone. Therefore, a possible mechanism of UME could be that it improves blood circulation by modulating serum lipid levels through both the prior stimulation of lipid oxidation and the suppression of hepatic lipogenesis.